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Torah Portion -
Vayera
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Written by d fine
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Revelation of His Name :
The second pasuk of our sedra sees HaShem inform Moshe that ‘I appeared to Avraham, to Yitzchak, and to Yaakov with (the name) kel shadai, but my name HaShem (the four-letter Name) I did not reveal to them.’ What in the world does this mean? The Kuzari (2:2) explains this pasuk as highlighting that HaShem revealed certain of His miracles to the generation of Moshe, but the miracles that the Avos experienced were of a lower calibre. For the miracles that Bnei Yisrael experienced in the time of Moshe were more open and affected more people than any of the miracles that the Avos enjoyed. Why was this; were the generation of Moshe Rabeinu on a greater level than the Avos? The Kuzari says that just the opposite is true. The generation of Moshe were greater in number than the Avos and they had more emunah gaps that had to be filled; their emunah was less wholesome than that of the Avos. Thus, in order to strengthen the people’s emunah, HaShem performed miracles of a more open
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Torah Portion -
Vayera
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Written by d fine
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In his introduction to sefer Bereishis, the Netziv notes that Sefer Bereishis is called Sefer HaYashar (lit. book of the upright/righteous ones), for the Avos were ‘yesharim.’ How so? For, as the Netziv writes, the Avos acted with love and chesed to members of other nations. He cites the fact that Avraham Avinu prayed for Sedom not to be destroyed, Yitzchak’s appeasement of Avimelech, and Yaakov’s soft treatment of Lavan despite the latter’s constant attempts to trick Yaakov, as examples of this great attribute. Indeed, the Rambam writes (hil. Melachim 10:12) that Chazal commanded us to visit the sick of other nations, to bury their dead, and to provide money for their poor. This, understands the Rambam, is referred to in the psukim ‘HaShem is good to all and has mercy on all his creations,’ and ‘her ways (of the Torah) and all her paths encompass/express shalom.
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Torah Portion -
Vayera
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Written by d fine
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At the start of Vayera, Avraham welcomes his angelic guests into his tent, and serves them a rather generous meal. This despite the pain of having had his bris milah (circumcision) just three days earlier. Now the gemarra (Bava Metsia 86b) notes that all the hospitable acts which Avraham performed personally, HaShem rewarded him by performing complementary acts personally to Avraham’s descendants. For example, Avraham personally ran to get the meat - and so too did HaShem personally provide meat for Klal Yisrael in the desert. Similarly, Avraham went to fetch the butter, which had the effect of HaShem raining down the manna years later in the desert. However, Avraham told someone else to bring the water to the guests - and so HaShem only provided water via the rock at the start of the desert trip. The question is, however, that Rashi says that the person Avraham told to bring the water was his son, Yishma’el. And why did Avraham not bring the water himself? For, as Rashi says, he wanted to educate Yishma’el into caring for and looking after guests. This seems a good, noble motivation, so why did HaShem provide the water
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Torah Portion -
Vayera
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Written by D Fine
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After the Akeidah we are told (22:20) that Avraham was informed that his brother had had twelve children and one grandaughter (Rivkah). It takes several years to have that many children, so it would seem that Avraham had not kept in contact with his family all this time to even know that they had had kids. Why was this so; a man who
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Torah Portion -
Vayera
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Written by Rafi Jager
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The Midrash relates that as Abraham and Isaac proceed toward Mt. Moriah, the sight chosen by Hashem for the akeidah. The Satan, aware of the great implications of this test, attempts to dissuade Abraham from carrying out G-d's command. Finding that all his efforts are for naught, the Satan then tries to convince Isaac to refuse to go through with the akeidah. Isaac, too, stands firm in his determination to give up his life for Hashem. Yet, in a final attempt, the Satan presents an argument which causes Isaac to falter
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