Yeshiva University Torah miTzion Beit Midrash Zichron Dov

Parshat Vayera 15 Cheshvan 5774/October 19, 2013 Vol. 5 Num. 6

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capitulate; Avraham and his family move to Egypt. Moving ahead to Parshat Vayera (Bereishit 18:19), we find Hashem praising Avraham because "he will instruct his children and household to guard the path of G-d." Avraham intends to teach this path of G-d to Yishmael, fulfilling his declaration before G-d, "If only Yishmael would live before You!" (Bereishit 17:18; and s e e Be r e i s h i t R ab b a h 4 8 : 1 3 ) Th erefore , Avr aham i s deeply distressed by Sarah's insistence upon exiling Yishmael. (Bereishit 21:11) However, Hashem weighs in on the side of Sarah (ibid. 21:12) - and Avraham's response, again, is to capitulate, evicting Yishmael. In each of the above two incidents, Avraham believes that he is fulfilling the Divine will, and G-d rejects his service. In each case, Avraham conforms to the new Divine expectation. Why, then, does Avraham insist upon bringing a sacrifice even after he is told, "Do not send forth your hand"? Perhaps we might distinguish between two breeds of religious act: Objective and Personal. An objective religious act is performed with the goal of satisfying a Divine desire. A personal religious act is performed with the goal of strengthening a personal connection with the Creator, as seen in the case of a korban, in which a ritual helps us develop a relationship with G-d. Avraham travels to Canaan to fulfill a religious imperative which lacks a personal level; likewise, Avraham educates Yishmael in the path of G-d out of a desire to fulfill Divine desire, but not as a function of a relationship

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Avraham Copes with Rejection

In response to the angel's eleventh hour call (Bereishit 22:12), "Avraham! Avraham! Do not send forth your hand to the youth, do not inflict anything upon him," Avraham ought to have danced a hora. His son was saved! One might have expected tears of relief and joy at Yitzchak's reprieve. Instead, Avraham immediately sought something else to sacrifice before G-d. (Bereishit 22:13) Indeed, a midrash (Bereishit Rabbah 56:7) informs us of the following bewildering dialogue between Avraham and the angel, read into the biblical verse: And He said, "Do not send forth your hand." Avraham said: I will strangle him! He replied: "Do not send forth your hand to the youth." Avraham said: I will produce a drop of blood from him! He replied: "Do not inflict anything [me'umah] upon him," do not create a blemish [mum] in him. How are we to understand Avraham's insistence upon offering some form of sacrifice to G-d? Avraham's reaction is particularly troubling in light of two incidents in which G-d rejected Avraham's service and Avraham meekly complied with a new Divine directive:

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with G-d. When G-d declares that these goals are no longer relevant, Avraham accepts Divine redirection. Avraham's loyalty is not to the particular instruction he had thought to fulfill, but to G-d. The Akeidah, on the other hand, is a personal religious act, Avraham's attempt to bring the most personal gift possible "your son, your only son, whom you love" to his Creator. Rejection of this personal religious act implies rejection of a relationship with Avraham himself, and Avraham cannot tolerate this. [A similar response to rejection may be seen in the actions of Kayin and King Saul.] Only when Avraham finds a ram to substitute as an offering does he relent. From time to time, our wishes to perform objective religious acts are thwarted by Divine redirection. We plan to aid the poor, but our harvest is insufficient. In such a case, like Avraham facing a famine or an order to exile Yishmael, we comply with redirection. At other times, though, our religious act is personal, as in the case of prayer, or sitting in the succah to thank G-d for Divine protection. In those circumstances, rejection is personal, and unacceptable. Even if we feel that G -d is driving us away, we adopt the words of Iyov (13:15, as explained on Berachot 10a), "Even should He kill me, for Him I will long." For millenia, Jews who have felt they faced personal Divine rejection have responded as Avraham did, insisting that the connection cannot be broken. May we perpetuate this resilience in our own religious lives. torczyner@torontotorah.com

G-d instructs Avraham to go to "the land I will show you." (Bereishit 12:1) As Avraham travels about Canaan, though, he is beset by a Divinely sent famine. Rashi says this was meant "to test whether Avraham would question the Divine instruction to go the land of Canaan, since now G-d was forcing him to depart." Avraham's response is to

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Haftorah: Melachim II 4:1-37

Who is the prophet of our Haftorah? The book of Melachim ("Kings") records the history of Jewish life in Israel from the end of King David's reign until the Babylonian destruction of the first Beit haMikdash. The Talmud (Bava Batra 15a) says that it was recorded by Yirmiyah, who lived through the last decades recorded in the book. In our editions of Tanach, Melachim is split into two parts; the first part begins with the end of King David's reign and continues until shortly after the death of King Achav of Yisrael, and the second part continues from there. The dominant prophet of the first half of Melachim II is Elisha. Elisha began his prophetic career as a student of Eliyahu, but came to double Eliyahu's achievements. His record includes splitting the Jordan river (Melachim II 2), healing Aramean general Naaman from his tzaraat (Melachim II 5), blinding the Syrian army (Melachim II 6) and prophesying the plenty which would come when the Aramean camp fell to the Jews. What is the message of our haftorah? Our haftorah includes three separate stories involving the prophet Elisha. In the first story, a woman appeals to Elisha for aid. Her husband, a student prophet, has died, and debt collectors are on the verge of collecting her sons as slaves. Elisha instructs her to borrow vessels, and he tells her to pour her own oil into those vessels. The oil miraculously fills all of the vessels, while the original vessel remains full. [According to the Aramaic Targum on Melachim II 4:1, the woman's deceased husband was the prophet Ovadia.] In the second story, Elisha wishes to reward a Shunamite woman for her hospitality. His servant Gechazi notes that she has no child, and Elisha promises that she will have a child. At the time Elisha had designated, she gives birth to a child. In the third story, the child born to the Shunamite woman dies. She finds Elisha and informs him, and he comes and restores the child to life. [Note: Some communities end the haftorah before Elisha restores the child to life.] What is the connection between our haftorah and the parshah? At the start of our parshah, Avraham and Sarah are informed by a Divine messenger that they will be miraculously blessed with a child, and this comes to pass. In the haftorah, Elisha informs the Shunamite woman that she will be miraculously blessed with a child. Further, Avraham believes that Yitzchak is dead to him due to Divine instruction, until Hashem rescinds His command and so restores his life. The Shunamite woman's child dies, too, and is then restored to life. It is also worth noting that the latter two miracles of our haftorah occur as

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reward for hospitality; in our parshah, Avraham and Sarah welcome in three strangers, and are rewarded with news of a son. Gechazi In our haftorah, Elisha is assisted by a servant named Gechazi. In a later story (Melachim II 5), Gechazi attempts to profit personally from his master's miracles; Elisha curses him and sends him away. The Talmud (Sotah 47a, B a va Me tz i a 8 7 a, Ye r ush a l m i Sanhedrin 10:2) criticizes Elisha for his harsh stance, even indicating that Elisha was Divinely punished with illness. The Talmud (Sotah 47a) records that Elisha went to Damascus to bring Gechazi back, but he was unsuccessful; his rebuke had been too harsh, and it was now too late for him to reverse it. Sequel to the story In Melachim II 8, Elisha tells the same Shunamite woman that a seven-year famine is coming, and she should flee. She departs for the land of the Philistines, but upon her eventual return she discovers that her home and field have been occupied by others. The Shunamite woman complains to the king, just as Elisha's disgraced servant, Gechazi, is telling him about Elisha's miraculous resurrection of her son. When she confirms the story to the king, the king assigns her a royal officer to help her reclaim her property. torczyner@torontotorah.com

613 Mitzvot: #302-305 The Omer and the New Grain

With the arrival of Pesach, farmers begin to harvest the years spring grain. In order to highlight our gratitude to HaShem for the new crop, we bring a barley offering, called minchat ha'omer or minchat bikkurim, on the second day of Pesach (mitzvah #302). The laws of the offering appear in Vayikra 2 and Vayikra 23. A measure of grain is ground into flour, mixed with oil, and topped with frankincense. A portion of this mixture is placed on the altar, and the rest is consumed by the kohanim. A lamb is given, too. After the offering has been brought, we are permitted to eat from the new crop of wheat, barley, rye, oats and spelt. As Sefer haChinuch explains, the Omer offering is brought on the second day of Pesach, rather than the first, to devote unique thanks for the exodus from Egypt and the new harvest. This provides an important lesson in expressing gratitude; we avoid lumping our separate thanksgivings together, lest we give short shrift to either one. Recognizing that our crops are a gift from G-d, we refrain from eating the new grain until we have brought our omer offering to G-d. (mitzvot #303-305) The new grain is called

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chadash [new]; once the offering has been brought, the grain, now permitted, is called yashan [old]. This law is not linked to the presence of a Beit haMikdash; if there is no omer offering, chadash is prohibited until the end of the second day of Pesach. The Rambam (Hilchot Maachalot Asurot 10:2) and Shulchan Aruch (Yoreh Deah 293:2 and Orach Chaim 489:10) rule that chadash from outside of Israel is biblically prohibited. Nonetheless, some authorities are lenient:

Some permit grain from outside of Israel, if the grain is not known to be chadash. (Rama Yoreh Deah 293:3) Some are lenient regarding grain grown by people who are not Jewish, outside of Israel. [See Tosafot Kiddushin 36b37a kol, Responsa of Rosh 2:2, and Bach to Yoreh Deah 293.] Some are lenient in general outside of Israel, because of certain early authorities who ruled that chadash outside of Israel is only rabbinically prohibited. [See Magen Avraham 489, Minchat Yitzchak 8:114.] torczyner@torontotorah.com

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Biography Rabbi Elimelech Bar Shaul

Rabbi Baruch Weintraub
Rabbi Elimelech Bar Shaul was born on 5673 (1913), in Yerushalayim. He learned in Yeshivat Chevron (in Yerushalayim) and was strongly influenced by the ideas of Rabbi Natan Tzvi Finkel, the Alter of Slabodka. Although the Alter had already passed away before Rabbi Elimelech entered Chevron, his spirit and personality still loomed large in the halls of the yeshiva. Rabbi Elimelech was affected to the extent that some of his books contain sichot (sermons) by Rabbi Finkel, as reported by Rabbi Meir Chadash. As a disciple of Slabodka, Rabbi Elimelech believed in Man's greatness. According to this approach, one can elevate himself above the constant war against the evil inclination, and obtain complete self-control, by understanding his own importance and capabilities. For a certain period of time, Rabbi Elimelech delivered mussar shiurim at Chevron in Hebrew, in contrast to the regular shiurim which were taught in Yiddish. While learning in Chevron, Rabbi Elimelech found himself drawn to Rav Avraham Yitzchak Hacohen Kook, who was the chief rabbi for Eretz Yisrael and who taught in the 'Merkaz' yeshiva he had founded. Rabbi Elimelech went to hear him on different occasions, and was a constant attendee of Rav Kook's weekly speeches at Seudah Shlishit. In 5703 (1943) Rav Elimelech was appointed as Rabbi of the religious settlement Sde Yaakov. Six years later he moved to Rechovot to teach in Yeshivat HaDarom, and In 5711 (1951) he was appointed Chief Rabbi of Rechovot. Later, he began to teach in Yeshivat Kerem b'Yavneh as well. Rabbi Elimelech was identified with Mizrachi, and was a member of the rabbinic group operated by Hapoel Hamizrachi. Rabbi Bar Shaul saw his most important role as a rabbi as improving Jewish education for youth and adults, and he was very involved in projects to strengthen Shabbat observance. Most of his writing addresses these topics. On the 10th of Cheshvan, 5725 (October 16th 1964), Rabbi Elimelech suffered a myocardial infarction, which led to his unexpected death at the age of fifty-one. bweintraub@torontotorah.com

Torah and Translation

Religious Coercion or Forgery of History Rabbi Elimelech Bar Shaul

HaDat vhaMedinah (1964)
Translated by Rabbi Baruch Weintraub

" " , - . . " , , . , ... , - - . , - , " , , . - - . ,"" .- - - . , - , . - ... - , " " - . "" . , , - , . "

The issue of religious coercion has become a never-ending topic of discussion in recent years, and many have analyzed its different aspects. However, because the issue is usually approached with heated emotion, clear logic is lacking. It is appropriate, therefore, to try and make a calm effort to discuss it with a settled mind and heart. Only this type of discussion can contribute to the understanding of the body and branches of the subject When the State took upon itself the name 'Israel', it accepted a great responsibility toward its original, historical content. If the state wants to be deserve to carry its great name, and not to empty it from this content or counterfeit it, it must take care and act in a way that maintains and enhances the historic national character of the Israeli nation, by establishing relations, laws and customs which carry the original Israeli character. The effect of these will be sensed in all areas of public life. And what is this original historic content of the term 'Israel'? In this there are no doubts. Every intelligent person whose eyes are not blinded and whose conscience is straight and honest cannot but admit that in its millenia of existence the Israeli people were known as the people of the Torah. For the sake of living a Torah life, the best of the nation gave their lives happily, ascending the altars of all manner of martydom. Therefore, it is unthinkable that a state of Jews should be established, on their historic land, take upon itself the historic holy name Israel and let itself deny this name and its content, to the extent of shaking it off in entirety. That would be the worst counterfeiting ever performed The organized religious public, even if represented as a minority in the Knesset, is the continuation, by faith and by laws, of what was named 'Israel' for thousands of years. The secular circles openly aspire to create a new, perhaps different nation. Who, if not the religious public, has the right to come and demand, in the name of the historic Am Israel, that the historic term 'Israel' not be emptied of its meaning, and not be forged by substitution!

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This Week in Israeli History: Cheshvan 26, 1984 Operation Moses

The 26th of Cheshvan is a week from Wednesday A terrible famine ravaged Ethiopia in the early 1980s, and more than 400,000 of her citizens died of hunger. Many, including the Falash Mura Ethiopian Jews, walked to Sudan in the hope of finding better living conditions. An estimated 4,000 Falash Mura died along the way, due to hunger and violence. When news spread that many of the Falash Mura were suffering from malnutrition in Sudanese refugee camps, the Israeli cabinet approved a massive mission, Operation Moses, to airlift them to Israel. A product of collaboration between the Mossad, US Central Intelligence Agency and Sudanese State Security, the mission was kept secret to avoid an outcry from Sudan's Arab allies; runways were set aside, and a blackout was put in place on Israeli media.

Josh Gutenberg

On November 21, 1984 (26 Cheshvan, 5744) the first flight brought more than 200 Ethiopian Jews to Israel. During the next seven weeks, more than 30 flights brought close to 8,000 Jews to the State of Israel. The mission halted prematurely on January 5, 1985, after Prime Minister Shimon Peres publically revealed the details of the mission. The Sudanese government stopped the flights in order to appease their Arab allies; more than 1,000 Jews were left stranded in the Sudanese refugee camps. However, a few months later these, too, were brought to Israel due to the efforts of U.S. Vice President George H. W. Bush, who organized more flights to bring the remaining Falash Mura to Israel and conclude Operation Moses. jgutenberg@torontotorah.com

Highlights for October 19 25 / 15 Cheshvan - 21 Cheshvan

Time
SHABBAT OCT. 19 Fri. night 9 PM After Hashkamah 5:00 PM 5:15 PM 5:15 PM Seudah Shlishit After minchah SUNDAY OCT. 20 8:45 AM 9:15 AM 10:00 AM to 11:20 AM 10:50 AM After maariv 8:30 PM MONDAY OCT. 21 8:15 PM 8:15 PM 9:30 PM 8:40 PM TUESDAY OCT. 22 12:30 PM WED. OCT. 23 10:00 AM 12:30 PM 8:00 8:00 8:00 9:00 9:00 PM PM PM PM PM R Mordechai Torczyner R Mordechai Torczyner R Baruch Weintraub Adam Frieberg R Mordechai Torczyner R Yehoshua Weber R Baruch Weintraub Josh Gutenberg Jews & Clothes, 2 of 6 Professional Malpractice Prophecy for Our Time Gemara for Beginners Business Ethics: Lending Parshah Dilemmas Chabura: Sanhedrin Intro to Introductions: Rama BEBY with Morasha RSVP for Lunch to: Zeifmans 201 Bridgeland Ave. mazins@zeifmans.ca Community Beit Midrash Night Maariv at 9:50 PM BAYT Week 3 of 5 R Mordechai Torczyner Living Midrash Shaarei Shomayim with Mekorot R Baruch Weintraub R Mordechai Torczyner R Baruch Weintraub R Mordechai Torczyner Parshah not this week Principles of Faith Am I Responsible? Shaarei Shomayim Bnai Torah Community Beit Midrash Night Maariv at 8 PM Bnai Akiva R Mordechai Torczyner R Baruch Weintraub Rabbi Yehoshua Weber Adam Frieberg R Baruch Weintraub R Baruch Weintraub R Baruch Weintraub Medical Halachah: Enabling a Patient to Sin Parshah Revisited Shabbat/Chanukah Lights Avrahams Strength Shiur Klali Principles of Faith Principles of Faith BAYT Zichron Yisroel BAYT Yeshivat Or Chaim Clanton Park 4 Tillingham Keep With CME credit Hebrew Midreshet Yom Rishon for Women Open to All Men, Hebrew Mixed, Hebrew

Speaker
Shabbaton at BAYT Oneg Josh Gutenberg R Baruch Weintraub R Yair Manas R Mordechai Torczyner Adam Frieberg R Mordechai Torczyner

Topic
Divrei Torah, Singing, Food Making Up a Missed Prayer Sdom, Yishmael, Akeidah Prayer: Encountering G-d Daf Yomi Encountering G-d The Art of the Decree

Location
15 Bevshire Circle BAYT BAYT BAYT BAYT BAYT BAYT

Special Notes
All Invited! Minchat Chinuch Hebrew For Women

Yeshivat Or Chaim

8:45 PM THU. OCT. 24 8:40 AM 4 8:30 PM

R Mordechai Torczyner Shut Club: Ask the Rabbi We would like to thank koshertube.com for filming our shiurim! R Baruch Weintraub Chabura: Sotah

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