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WE ARE HERE TO GUARD HIS HONOR

The main character of our Parsha is our father, Avraham. He, together with Yitzchok and Yaakov, fathered our people. It is worth noting that in spite of Avraham’s incredulous legacy, he was not the greatest contributor to the Jewish people. It is true that he gave birth to Yitzchok, who, in turn, gave birth to Yaakov. However, consider Avraham’s brother, Haran, who had three children; Sarah, Milka, and Lot. While Avraham fathered Yitzchok, Haran also played a critical role in Yitzchok as Sarah was his daughter, so Yitzchok was his grandson. Yitzchok’s wife, Rivka, from whom he fathered Yaakov, was a great-granddaughter of Haran. This is because Rivka was born to Besueil, the son of Milka, the daughter of Haran. Yaakov then married Rochel and Leah, from whom he fathered the twelve tribes. Rochel and Leah were once again great great granddaughters of Haran as they were born to Lavan, a brother of Rivka and great-grandson of Haran. 

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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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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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REWIRED

I have a close friend who had his Bris as a senior in Pikesville High School. He told me that he felt a palpable change within himself, a spiritual change, once he had his Bris. What is it about the physical procedure of Bris milah that it can have a spiritual impact on a person?

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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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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.