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Living Torah
Issue No: Shabbos In: Shabbos Out:
3rd November 2012
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Judaism absolutely shuns the concept of abandoning the physical to search for the spiritual. On the contrary, our goal is to make the physical world more receptive to the divine, and infuse it with spirituality. The most obvious example of this is circumcision, where the spirituality inHowever, the Torah is not a history book. We know that volved with a divine commandment becomes permanently the Torah is a source of valuable, timeless teachings. It is a involved in a man's flesh. source of inspiration to guide us in the modern day and age along our quest to come closer to our creator. The Torah This leads us back to the very name of the Parsha - Vayeira. isn't a history book designed to enlighten us with the past; This means "He appeared", in this case referring to G-d it is designed to help us with the future. Therefore, each appearing to Abraham. As opposed to Abraham having to Parsha is a self-contained entity. "go for yourself" which was the name of last week's porSo, what is the message of this week's portion of Vayeira tion, in this week's portion, G-d appeared to Abraham. This and how does it differ from Lech Lecha? describes a completely new era in Abraham's life. His physical body had become a receptacle for the divine, through The main difference is that last week's portion discussed this covenant of circumcision. the run-up to Abrahams circumcision, and this week's portion is entirely post-circumcision. This provides us with a very important lesson. As descendants of Abraham, G-d's presence is therefore very apparent First, we must fully realise what circumcision really is. It is in our lives. By reading about G-d's appearance to Abranot just a mitzvah, a commandment which we are required ham, this is not a past event. This is happening to us as we to do, rather it is also a particular method of connecting to speak. The only difference is that Abraham was able to see G-d. However, most importantly, it encapsulates the mesit with his eyes. sage of Judaism in general. In this day and age, we descendants of Abraham should not Different religions have various views on what spirituality be satisfied with clawing in the dark. G-d's invisible presis. Most view spirituality as the removal of all physicality. ence should not be satisfactory for us. We should examine This is why many spiritual leaders in other religions abstain ourselves, and pray for this to happen. from various things such as alcohol, meat, food, speaking, etc. Many even go as far to punish themselves and cause Let it be, that just as G-d showed himself to Abraham, he various afflictions. should show himself to us.
Yartzheit
Dvar Torah
From the time the Bnei Yisrael left Egypt until the Babylonian exile, after the destruction of the 1st Beis Hamikdash, Hashem dealt with Am Yisrael in a miraculous way and all the nations saw that Hashem was the true Ruler of the world. Therefore, Avraham, who corresponded to this time, instituted the prayer of Shacharis, which is the prayer of light, when the sun is getting to the peak of its brightDid Avrohom, the man who first called Hashem Adon ness. Master really only think that one prayer in the morning Similarly, Yitzchak instituted Mincha, which is read when was enough? Did he really think that he only needed Hathe sun is beginning to wane, because he corresponded to shem to listen to him in the morning? the time when the first Beis Hamikdash was destroyed Rabbi Menachem Tzvi Teksin, in his sefer Or Yikros, until the time when the second Beis Hamikdash was deanswers that really, each of the Avos was destined to only stroyed. This was a time period when Hashem was begininstitute that particular prayer which he instituted, and no ning to hide, so to speak, His face from Bnei Yisroel and other, and therefore, he could not institute any other start to deal with them in a more hidden way through prayer except his special one. He explains as follows. nature. For example, prophecy ended and five of the 10 miracles in the Beis Hamikdash were discontinued. ThereThe Midrash and Ramban both write about the concept of fore, Chazal say that The prayer of Mincha is until night, Maaseh Avos siman lvonim, that whatever the Avos until the time of our present exile. Therefore, Yitzchak went through in their lives is a mirror image of what would could only institute Mincha and nothing else. happen to their descendants in the future. For example, Avrohom went to Egypt due to a famine in Eretz Yisrael Finally, when the 2nd Beis Hamikdash was destroyed, Haand came out with great wealth, so too the Bnei Yisrael shem completely hid His face, so to speak, and therefore would go to Egypt due to a famine in Eretz Yisrael and Yakov, who corresponded to this time, instituted Maariv, come out with great wealth. Therefore, the time period of the prayer of darkness. Therefore, Chazal say that The Jewish history corresponding to Avraham is from the time prayer of Maariv has no fixed time; just like this exile, when the Bnei Yisrael went to Egypt and came out with which depends on us to do teshuva and therefore doesnt great wealth until the time of the destruction of the 1 st have a fixed time. We see from here that the merits of the Beis Hamikdash. Similarly, the time period corresponding Avos, and, in particular, Yakov, are still protecting us today to Yitzchak is from the time of the 2nd Beis Hamikdash until in this exile, which should end bimheiro veyomeinu. its destruction and the time period corresponding to Yakov
Gematria:
Hashem came to Avimelech in a dream in order to pronounce judgement on him for his sin of kidnapping Sarah. The Name of Hashem generally used in association with judgement is Elokim. The numerical value of Elokim is 86. The word ,in a dream, is likewise equal to 86, indicating that the message of the dream was true.
Riddle:
Which Amud in Shas has no Gemara?
Last weeks riddle:
Who in the Torah shares the same birthday, but were born in different years?
Avraham and Yishmael (see Rashi, Bereishis, 17:26)