Monthly Archives: October 2022

Noach 5783

Noach

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THE TREE DOES NOT GROW FAR FROM THE SEED

Taken from Rav Hirsch on Chumash

All of humanity as we know it today began with Noach and his three sons. Many of the unique traits of the various societies find their roots in the development of the three sons of Noach. The Torah highlights the story of Noach’s becoming drunk and how his three sons reacted to his drunkenness. From their varying reactions we can see the seeds of the future nations and societies that sprouted from them. It is evident that the Torah is highlighting this sorrowful story to give us a direction on living our own lives.

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Lech l’cha 5782

Lech l'cha

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JUST LOOK AROUND, IT’S ALL THERE

In his introduction to the laws regarding idol worship the Rambam tells us how idol worship developed. Naturally, Adam knew HaShem as well as the first generation of Adam’s children. However, with eh subsequent generations people’s perspective on a dirty began to evolve. They initially said that if HaShem placed the sun and the stars in such a position of energy we must honor them. As the generations continued this erroneous notion continued to evolve until the people attributed the power of the sun to the sun itself. They naturally worshiped it because they wanted to curry favor with these deities. This perspective became widespread and with the exception of only a handful of individuals the entire world accepted this belief system.

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Lech l’cha 5781

Lech l'cha

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CLEAR THE VISION

Excerpted from a talk from Rabbi Aaron Lopiansky

This week’s Parsha, Lech L’cha opens with HaShem instructing Avraham “Go from your land, from your birthplace and from your father’s home to the Land that I will show you.” If HaShem wishes for Avraham to go to an unidentified place that will only be revealed later why is it necessary to instruct him to leave these three places? Would it not be sufficient to instruct Avraham to “go to the Land that I will show you.” Naturally, if Avraham will go elsewhere he will be leaving these three places.

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Lech l’cha 5779

Lech l'cha

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THE VIP OBSTACLE COURSE

In this week Parsha, Lech l’lecha, we are introduced to our father, Avraham Avinu. From the very first story of Avraham and throughout his life he is constantly being challenged. Avraham and his life are the stem cells from which the Jewish people are formed. It would appear that the Jew must recognize that we are here on this world to deal with challenges. In truth, anyone who has traveled along the path of life for any significant amount of time already knows that life presents everyone challenges. Neither Avraham was unique in his challenge filled life, nor are the Jewish people unique with their challenge filled lives. What makes Avraham unique and what makes us unique is the manner in which we deal with our challenges.

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Lech L’cha 5778

Lech l'cha

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THE PUZZLE AND THE PICTURE

This week’s Parsha, Lech Lecha, introduces us to our father Avraham. We find throughout the Torah and throughout the liturgy of our siddur how beloved Avraham Avinu was to Hakadosh baruch Hu. He was the one person that HaShem waited for, from whom His world would achieve its mission. What was Avraham’s specialness that made him so beloved? Avraham was not the first man to recognize HaKadosh baruch Hu, Noach and Shem and others had already done so.

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Noach 5782

Noach

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THE JEWISH COMMUNITY; NOTHING QUITE LIKE IT!

The Maharal teaches us that HaShem did not give the Torah to Avraham, Yitzchok or Yaakov because they were mortal. They would pass on. The Torah is immortal and must therefore be placed in the hands of an immortal custodian. For this reason HaShem waited for the children of the former to develop into a nation. A nation / a community can be an immortal entity.
It is for this reason the power of a community/nation is so great; it is the mechanism by which HaShem was able to bequeath His Torah to Humanity. Through the community of Israel Mankind has Torah in their midst.

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Noach 5781

Noach

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WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?

Excerpted from a thought of Reb Yaakov Kamenetsky

This week’s Parsha, Noach, underscores the distinction between Noach’s approach to helping the people of his generation and Avraham’s approach. Both Noach and Avraham lived in periods of overwhelming paganism and yet Noach was unsuccessful in turning the people of his generation around while Avraham was very successful. Both Noach and Avraham addressed the foolishness of idolatry. They both explained and argued how the source of all powers originates from HaShem and all else is but an expression of HaShem’s greatness. Why did Avraham succeed and Noach failed?

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Noach 5780

Noach

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WHO AM I?

This week’s Parsha, Noach, tells us that Noach was perfectly righteous and walked with HaShem. In next week’s Parsha HaShem instructs Avraham to “walk before Him and to be perfect”. The implication is that Avraham was not yet perfect while Noach had already achieved perfection. It therefore begs the question why is Avraham chosen to father the Jewish people and not Noach. Isn’t Noach, who had achieved perfection al-ready, greater than Avraham who had not yet achieved that state?

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Noach 5779

Noach

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WHY WE ARE WHO WE ARE?

This week’s Parsha, Noach, presents us the personality of Noach and contrasts him with our father Avraham. Regarding Noach the Torah states that he was a perfect tzadik who walked with HaShem. Regarding Avraham HaShem instructs him “walk before Me and be perfect”. In this short contrast there are two noteworthy distinctions. The first is that Noach walks with HaShem while Avraham walks in front of HaShem. The second distinction is that Noach is perfect and Avraham is to become perfect implying that he is not yet perfect.

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