B"H

11/4/2006

VAYEIRA

TALMUDIC SOURCES

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Avraham and Sara's Hospitality

Avraham made it his goal in life to achieve perfection in his love for Hashem and also to draw others to the service of the Creator. Yitzchak and Yaakov followed in his footsteps. It is little wonder, then, that Hashem chose to be called elokai Avraham, elokai Yitzchak ve'elokai Yaakov - the G-d of Avraham, the G-d of Yitzchak and the G-d of Yaakov. Our forefathers' minds constantly concentrated on Hashem and their lives revolved around His will. Even when conducting their daily affairs and performing labor, they merely performed these motions mechanically while their thoughts did not depart from Hashem even a single moment. Avraham, who was blessed with great wealth, utilized his entire fortune for the purpose of aggrandizing Hashem's name in the world.

Avraham once asked Shaim, son of Noach, "Tell me, in which merit did Hashem keep you alive in the ark?"

"We survived due to our charity," replied Shaim.

"What does that mean? There were no poor people with you in the ark!" said Avraham.

"I refer to our charity to the animals," explained Shaim. "We stayed awake entire nights giving them food."

"If this is so," Avraham reasoned, "how much more important is it to sustain human beings!"

For this purpose, Avraham planted a beautiful orchard in Be'er Sheva. His tent was constructed with four entrances constantly open to attract guests from all directions, and every weary traveler was welcomed there with shelter and abundant refreshments. Soon the word spread that a wonderful man had opened a free-for-all hotel in the desert. The guests streamed in from far and near, enjoyed their meal, thanked their host, and arose to leave.

"You must recite a blessing after your meal!" Avraham exhorted them. "Say, 'Blessed be the Master of the Universe of whose bounty we have eaten!'"

"We do not want to recite this blessing!" the guests complained. "Who is this Master of the Universe?"

"Do as you please, but in that case you owe me payment for the meal!" said Avraham.

"How much does it cost?" inquired the guests.

"A bottle of wine - ten gold pieces. A steak - ten gold pieces. A loaf of bread -ten gold pieces!" was the answer.

"This is far too expensive!" exclaimed the wanderers.

"Please tell me," argued Avraham, "what is the price of bread offered in the midst of a wilderness" Where else are you able to obtain wine or meat in this uncultivated region?"

"You are right!" they conceded. "Who was that Master whom you asked us to thank? Let us bless Him!"

Thus Avraham, by means of his hospitality and teachings, drew tens of thousands of people to Hashem''s service. His wife Sara was equally devoted to spreading the truth in the world by teaching the women.

As long as Sara was alive, the doors of the tent were always wide open. In her merit, the cloud of the shechima (Divine Light) rested above the tent, the candle she lit on Erev Shabbas was never extinguished, and the food in the household was blessed with abundance.

[Rabbi Moshe Weissman, The Midrash Says, The Book of Beraishis, p.127-8]

THE CHASSIDIC DIMENSION

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Seeing Truth: The Revelation to Avraham

Adapted from Likutei Sichos, Vol. X, p. 49ff: Sichos Shabbos Parshas Vayeira 5749, 5750, 5751 5752

A Child's Tears

When Rabbi Sholem Dov Ber, the fifth of the Lubavitcher rebbeim, was a young child, he was taken to his grandfather the Tzemach Tzedek for a birthday blessing. When he entered his grandfather's room, he began to cry.

After calming him, his grandfather asked him the reason for his tears. The child replied: "In cheder, we learned that G-d revealed himself to Avraham. Why doesn't He reveal Himself to me?"

The Tzemach Tzedek replied: "When a Jew who is 99 years old recognizes that he must circumcise himself, he deserves that G-d reveal himself to him."

Redefining Landmarks

The Zohar highlights Avraham's circumcision as a turning point in the nature of the revelations he received. When describing the revelations Avraham was granted before the circumcision, the Torah states: "And G-d appeared to him in a vision," using Aramiaic term machezeh for the word "vision." In contrast, Parshas Vayeira begins "And G-d appeared to him," using the Hebrew term vayeira, which implies direct revelation.

Hebrew is Lashon HaKodesh, "the holy tongue," the language which G-d employs to express Himself. Other languages, by contrast, are human inventions. By using an aramaic term, the Torah implies that the revelations Avraham experienced before circumcision were clothed in the trappings of our material world. He could conceive of G-d only in human terms; he could not appreciate Him as He truly is.

A great gap separates mortal man from G-d's infinity. By definition, any human conception can be only a restricted view. The act of circumcision transformed Avraham, enabling him to perceive G-d as He is. Therefore the revelation of Vayeira was direct, without veils of constraints. G-d manifested Himself for Avraham openly, spanning the gap separating every created being from its Creator.

With the Heart of a Child

The desire for a direct bond with G-d is a fundamental element of every person's makeup. When the Rebbe Rashab came to his grandfather for a birthday blessing, he merely expressed this longing.

The moral of the story is universal. Within every one of us there is a simple, childlike dimension that yearns to cleave to G-d. Without ceasing to function as mature individuals, each of us can share an all-encompassing relationship with

G-d.

The above is particularly relevant in the present age, brief moments before Mashiach's coming. For the essence of the Era of the Redemption will be the direct revelation of G-d; "Your Master will conceal Himself no longer, and your eyes will perceive your Master. As we stand on the threshold of this era, the inner thirst can be felt more powerfully.

Moreover, the potential exists to experience a foretaste of the Redemption in the present age. We can develop an awareness of G-d and recognize him as an actual force pervading every aspect of our lives.

[In the Garden of Torah, Insights of the Lubavitcher Rebbe Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson on the Weekly Torah Readings, Volume 1 p.21-2,24-5]

MOSHIACH

     A staff will emerge from the stump of Yishai and a shoot will sprout from his roots. The spirit of HASHEM will rest upon him - a spirit of wisdom [CHOCHMA] and understanding [BINA], a spirit of counsel and strength, a spirit of knowledge [DAAT]* and fear of HASHEM. He will be imbued with a spirit of fear for HASHEM; and will not need to judge by what his eyes see nor decide by what his ears hear. He will judge the destitute with righteousness, and decide with fairness for the humble of the earth. He will strike [the wicked of] the world with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked. Righteousness will be the girdle round his loins, and faith will be the girdle round his waist.

     The wolf will live with the sheep and the leopard will lie down with the kid; and a calf, a lion whelp and a fatling will walk together, and a young child will lead them. A cow and bear will graze and their young will lie down together; and a lion like cattle, will eat hay. A suckling will play by a viper's hole; and a newly weaned child will stretch his hand toward an adder's lair. They will neither injure nor destroy in all of My sacred mountain; for the earth will be as filled with knowledge of HASHEM as water covering the sea bed.

     It shall be on that day that the Lord will once again show His hand, to acquire the remnant of His people, who will have remained, from Assyria and from Egypt and from Pathros and from Cush and from Elam and from Shinar and from Hamath and from the island of the sea. He will raise a banner for the nations and assemble the castaways of Israel; and He will gather in the dispersed ones of Judah from the four corners of the earth.

     The jealousy of Ephraim shall stop and the oppressors of Judah shall be cut off; Ephraim will not be jealous of Judah and Judah will not harass Ephraim. They will fly in unison against the Phillistine to the west, and together they will plunder the people of the East; their hand will extend over Edom and Moab, and their discipline over the Children of Ammon.

     Hashem will dry up the gulf of the Sea of Egypt and He will wave His hand over the [Euphrates] River with the power of His breath; He will break it into seven streams and lead [the people] across in [dry] shoes. There will be a road for the remnant of His people that will remain from Assyria, as there was for Israel on the day it went up from the land of Egypt.

[Isaiah 11:1-16]

THE VOICE OF NESHAMAART

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Why Mitzvos

On the global scope they fulfill the Divine intent -

G-d's desire for a dwelling place in the nether land:

Physical creation derived from innermost G-dly essence,

Transcending the revealed level of existence.

Through creation, Infinite souls the finite bodies energize,

Eternal lights the nether vessels vitalize.

G-d, the primary cause, evolves the effect of created being;

Where the source is forever one with the emerging spring.

Items - waiting to release harbored G-dly force -

By mitzvos are utilized to fulfill the Divine course.

The practical commandments, involving physical objects,

Draw G-dliness from the Heavenly realms to be revealed downwards.

Liora Nitsan, the 6th of Tishrei 2001

(C) Copyright 2001 Liora Nitsan