Fascinating weekly parshah posts
There was one perplexing matter with which we left off our discussion of parshas Vayeira regarding the seminal event of Akeidas Yitzchak (“Binding of Yitzchak”). The issue at hand related to the matter of attribution; while both Avraham and Yitzchak displayed great dedication to fulfill Hashem’s will, it appears that Yitzchak is singled out in a distinctive way. Such is apparent not only from the familiar title of this [...]
(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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
One of the main episodes of this week’s parshah, of course, is the virtual destruction of the world, as its inhabitants – save the survivors on the teivah (ark) – were engulfed by the waters of the Mabul (Flood). Root Causes The causes that triggered this cataclysmic event are delineated by the Torah, with chamas (petty thievery) apparently the principal culprit: וַתִּשָּׁחֵת הָאָרֶץ לִפְנֵי הָאֱלֹקִים וַתִּמָּלֵא הָאָרֶץ חָמָס... וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹקִים לְנֹחַ קֵץ כָּל־בָּשָֹר [...]
There are many unique elements associated with the yom tov of Sukkos, which, at the same time, are both intriguing and somewhat mystifying. Grand Celebration Perhaps chief among them is the aura of supreme joy that surrounds this particular festival more than any others. Every yom tov, of course, is a time of great happiness and celebration. But in the prayers, this is the only festival upon which is conferred [...]
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