A Tearful Question-Parshas Chayei Sarah
(The following is based in large part on a dissertation of R’ Yitzchak Zilberstein, as recorded in the sefer V’ha’arev Na, parshas Chayei Sarah.) Yitzchak’s first appearance in this week’s parshah takes place in a field, as the passuk states: וְיִצְחָק בָּא מִבּוֹא בְּאֵר לַחַי רֹאִי... וַיֵּצֵא יִצְחָק לָשֹוּחַ בַּשָּׂדֶה לִפְנוֹת עָרֶב – “And Yitzchak came from having gone to Be’er La’chai Ro’i... and Yitzchak went out to ‘converse’ in the field as evening [...]
Remembering Akeidas Yitzchak-Parshas Vayeira
Few other events figure so prominently in the annals of our heritage as does Akeidas Yitzchak (the Binding of Yitzchak), featured in this week’s parshah. This episode, of course, involved the heroic devotion of Avraham, who was willing to sacrifice his son for Hashem’s sake, and of Yitzchak, who willingly submitted to the deed. And so it is that the memory of this event is invoked at key [...]
Like Son Like Father-Parshas Lech Lecha
Avraham Avinu, as we know, was a self-made individual. He was born into a family and society of idolaters, yet he came to recognize the one true G-d. The familiar passage from the Pesach Haggadah states as much: מִתְּחִלָה עוֹבְדֵי עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה הָיוּ אֲבוֹתֵינוּ, וְעַכְשָׁו קֵרְבָנוּ הַמָקוֹם לַעֲבוֹדָתוֹ שֶׁנֱאֶמַר וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוֹשֻׁעַ אֶל־כָּל־הָעָם כֹּה־אָמַר ה' אֱלֹקֵי יִשְֹרָאֵל בְּעֵבֶר הַנָּהָר יָשְׁבוּ אֲבוֹתֵיכֶם מֵעוֹלָם תֶּרַח אֲבִי אַבְרָהָם וַאֲבִי נָחוֹר וַיַּעַבְדוּ אֱלֹהִים [...]
