Rashi notes that at the outset of the text of the blessings the pasuk begins with the conjunction vav, which means “and,” a word which is not consistent with the commencement of blessings. He cites the Midrash which states that this implies a continuous repetitive action, as if to say, “May G-d grant you the following blessing over and over again.” The question is obvious and well-known. When the Torah says, V’yiten lecha, “and may G-d give you,” it already implies constant giving. If so, why do we need Rashi’s comment of yachzor v’yiten, “He will then return and give again”?…
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Hashem punished Avimelech and his families for taking Sarah from Avraham. It is interesting to note Avraham’s reaction when Avimelech realized that he had erred. Avraham prayed that Avimelech be cured from his punishment. Avraham Avinu, the amud ha’chesed, pillar of kindness, conveys to us the appropriate response to hearing about someone else’s misfortune – pray for him! Avraham’s sympathy set the standard for his descendants. How often do we hear about another Jew who has fallen ill or succumbed to another misfortune. While it is true that we feel for him, how many of us feel the pain as if…
Aagar’s lack of emunah, belief, in Divine Providence, coupled with her insensitivity to others, resulted in her brazenness. She arrogantly called attention to the fact that she was able to conceive and bear Avraham’s child, while Sarah, her mistress, despite having been with Avraham for so many years, still had no success in bearing a child. Obviously, from her perspective, she was more righteous than Sarah. Her first reaction was to claim superiority. Never did she allow herself to entertain the notion that there was a reason for Sarah’s barrenness. It certainly could not have been Sarah’s lack of virtue. A…
Rashi cites a difference of opinion regarding the meaning of b’dorosav, in his generation. Some are of the opinion that Noach was a tzaddik in a generation that was evil, immoral and hedonistic. If he could ascend to spiritual leadership in such an environment, then he could certainly succeed in a generation such as Avraham’s. Others contend that Noach seemed to be a tzaddik only because he was alive during a period of evil unparalleled in our history. Had he lived, however, in Avraham’s generation, his righteousness would not really have appeared as great. Some interpret Noach in a positive…
תמות נפשי מות ישרים ותהי אחריתי כמהו
It is the old story. The wicked want to live a life of abandon, yet, they want to die as the righteous and upright. The Chafetz Chaim, zl, explains that Bilaam did not want to live like a Jew. After all, Torah Judaism makes “difficult” demands on a person. Morality, ethicality, spiritual integrity: these are not simple qualities to which someone like Bilaam is able to adhere. He wants to have his cake and eat it. For a Jew, on the other hand, it is much simpler to deal with death than life. The Jew views death as a bridge…
הוכח תוכיח את עמיתך
The redundancy of the words, ho’cheach tochiach, gives us something to ponder. Clearly, the Torah is placing emphasis on the mitzvah of tochachah, rebuke, but is it necessary to repeat the words to prove a point – or, is the Torah conveying another message? In his Drushim, the Ben Ish Chai explains this idea with an incident that occurred concerning a clever thief. A fellow was caught stealing in a country in which there was a zero tolerance law regarding theft. Anyone who was caught stealing was sentenced to death. There was no reprieve, no commutation. The form of punishment…
איש איש אל כל שאר בשרו לא תקברו לגלות ערוב...ומזרעך לא תתן להעביר למלך ...אני ד'
After enumerating a list of sexual aberrations, the Torah concludes with an exhortation not to pass one’s child to the mMolech god. Horav S.R. Hirsch, zl, explains the rationale for this juxtaposition. He suggests a practical reason for the prohibition of the laws concerning ervah, physical relations with close relatives, explaining that a relationship between husband and wife should be predicated upon bonds of mutual love, which is the result of marriage. Any relationship which has been linked prior to marriage by bonds of mutual attachment and affection, or of familial love, precludes the link founded in – and based…
אחרי מות שני בני אהרן בקרבתם לפני ד' וימתו
The Midrash says that when Iyov heard about the tragic deaths of the two sons of Aharon HaKohen, he said, Af l’zos yecherad libi v’yitar mimkomo; “Even for this, my heart trembles and it leaps from its place” (Iyov 37:1). Iyov had suffered as no other man. He believed that he did not deserve such extreme pain and misery to be visited upon him. He had led a virtuous and pious life, and he had done no wrong, certainly nothing of the caliber to warrant such serious punishment. He claimed that the physical/emotional pain of losing his children and his…
The Torah devotes the end of the parsha to detailing the korbanos and gifts brought by the Nesiim for the Chanukas Ha’Mizbayach, dedication of the Altar. Each of the twelve Nesiim brought an identical set of presents. The Midrash addresses the connotations of each of the gifts. Chazal make an intriguing statement concerning the gift of Elishama, the Nasi of Shevet Efraim. They cite the pasuk in Tehillim 60:9, in which it is stated, “Efraim is the strength of my head.” This is considered a reference to the Nasi of Shevet Efraim who brought his offering on Shabbos. The Shem…
The laws of Nazir are juxtaposed upon the previous chapter that dealt with the sotah, wayward wife. Chazal derive from here that he who witnesses a sotah in her degradation should prohibit wine to himself by becoming a Nazir. The sotah had given in to her sensual passions and let her pursuit of physical pleasure overwhelm her responsibility as a wife, her obligation as a Jewess and her mandate as a human being. Her experience indicates that when one is under the influence of the yetzer hora, evil inclination, he becomes easy prey to all forms of degeneracy. Wine intoxicates…
