בס״ד Torah Why Ishmael Was out this handmaid and her son, fueled by his arrogance, pushed for the son of this handmaid shall him farther away from the very Weekly Rejected This not inherit with my son, with people he helped. week's Parshah describes the Isaac.” But the matter greatly G-d’s message to Abraham was November 1-7, 2020 bitter tension in Abraham’s displeased Abraham, concerning that Jewish kindness must be 14-20 Cheshvan, 5781 home. Underlying the tension his son. And G-d said to motivated by humility, not by was the question of succession: Abraham, “Be not displeased arrogance. Therefore, the son Torah reading: which of Abraham’s two concerning the lad and best suited to carry on Abraham’s Vayeira: Genesis 18:1 - 22:24 children would be the one chosen concerning your handmaid; Haftarah: Kings II 4:1-37 legacy, was Isaac, who embodied to carry on his legacy. Each of whatever Sarah tells you, the attribute of awe and fear, the patriarchs of the Jewish hearken to her voice, for in Isaac PARSHAT VAYEIRA qualities which, rooted in people, explain the Kabbalists, will be called your seed. But also humility, make him like his We have Jewish personify one of three basic the son of the handmaid I will father Abraham. (Yes, Isaac is emotions. Abraham personified make into a nation, because he is

Calendars. If you more reserved. Isaac does not would like one, the emotion of your seed.” (Genesis 21:9-13. ) always jump in to the rescue. please send us a kindness; Isaac personified awe; Observing both of Abraham’s Isaac motivates a people to help letter and we will and Jacob personified sons, it seems that Ishmael themselves. Isaac is filled with compassion. Being that they are should have been the one to carry humility. He sees the great send you one, or our ancestors, of us contains a on the legacy of his father. After ask the potential within others, and that, Calendars part of them in our spiritual all, Ishmael shared the attribute in some case, true kindness is Rabbi/Chaplain to makeup. of kindness with his father, while allowing others to solve their contact us. Isaac (who embodied the Reading the stories of Abraham, problems on their own. This, the theme of kindness appears attribute of awe and fear) seemed however, is a subject for another Do you have family again and again. Abraham made to be very different. Why then essay.) By Rabbi Menachem on the outside it his life’s mission is to invite was Isaac chosen? While Feldman struggling? travelers into his tent. He loved Abraham and Ishmael both Is it a Please contact or all people. He prayed to G-d to performed kindness, the A Jew’s Gotta Do have them contact save the wicked people of motivating force behind their sin to argue with G-d? Is it our office to learn Sodom. actions could not be further sacrilegious to question the apart. Once we examine the Divine? Well, Abraham did it. more about our Abraham’s oldest motivation behind Abraham's Not for himself, but on behalf of family programs. child, Ishmael (the son of Hagar, kindness, we will see that Isaac the people of Sodom, whom G-d the maidservant he married at the You and they are was much closer to Abraham had decided to destroy because of request of his wife, Sarah), also Family Programs Family not alone, we are than Ishmael could ever be. their wickedness. Abraham was embodied kindness. Abraham here to help. There are two types of the paragon of chesed, the

therefore felt a unique motivation for kindness. (See Or personification of kindness and connection to Ishmael. Not only Hatorah, Vayeira, p. 93.) compassion. He grappled with We offer free Grape was Ishmael his oldest son, but Abraham’s kindness was the Almighty, attempting to Juice and Matzoh Ishmael also shared his passion motivated by his humility. As negotiate a stay of execution for for kindness, leading Abraham to for you to be able to Abraham says while praying for the inhabitants of the notorious hope that Ishmael would be the make the blessings the people of Sodom, “I am but cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. one to carry on his legacy. That every Shabbos. dust and ashes.” (Genesis 18:27.) was not meant to be. In this "Will you destroy the righteous Please have your The humble person perceives week’s portion we read about with the wicked?" he asks G-d. chaplain / Rabbi everyone else as being greater Sarah pressuring Abraham to "Will the judge of all the earth than him. When he sees someone contact us to enroll send Ishmael away, as she felt he not do justice?" "If there are 50 else in need, he will do anything (available to all was a bad influence on her son, righteous men, will you spare in his power to help the stranger Grape Juice & Matzah & Juice Grape prisons). Isaac. G-d instructs Abraham to them? 45? 40... 30... 20... 10?" In

who, the humble person believes, listen to Sarah, leaving him no the end, Abraham cannot find is more deserving than him. This Hyman & Martha Rogal Center choice but to expel his own son even a minyan of righteous men was the kindness of Abraham. 5804 Beacon Street from his home. G-d reassures in the cities and he gives up. And On the other hand, Ishmael's Pittsburgh, PA 15217 Abraham that Ishmael would be then the verse kindness was not motivated by 412-421-0111 blessed, but also makes it clear reads, V'Avraham shov Fax: 412-521-5948 humility, but by arrogance. that Isaac would be Abraham's l'mkomo — "And Abraham went www.alephne.org Ishmael felt that because he was spiritual heir, the one who would back to his place." Having failed [email protected] greater than the people around carry on his legacy. in his valiant attempt, he him, he should be the one to acknowledges defeat and retreats Sarah saw the son of Hagar the provide for them, so that his to his corner. Egyptian, whom she had borne to superiority would be apparent. But there is also an alternative Abraham, making merry. And His kindness did not lead him interpretation to those last Sarah said to Abraham, “Drive closer to people. His kindness, words. And Abraham went back IN JEWISH HISTORY to his place can also be understood to mean that he went Sunday, November 1, 2020 --- 14 Cheshvan, 5781 Jews of Prague Saved (1620) back to his ways, to his custom. And what custom is that? In May 1618, the Bohemian Revolt broke out in Prague, triggering the Thirty To defend the underdog, to look out for the needy and to Years’ War. In November 1620, King Ferdinand II suppressed the rebels in help those in trouble, even if they are not the most righteous Prague in the Battle of White Mountain. Notwithstanding the widespread of people. Abraham refused to become disillusioned in looting, the king gave orders that no Jew be harmed. To commemorate the defeat. He went right back to his ways, even though this miraculous turn of events, R. Yomtov Lipman Heller, rabbi of Prague, th particular attempt did not meet with success. instituted penitential prayers to be said every year on the 14 of MarCheshvan, which he published in Prague later that year. (The above What happens when we lose? We hurt, we sulk, and we give account was recorded by R. Yomtov in his introduction to the publication.) up. It didn't work, it's no use. It's futile, why bother? Just throw in the towel. Monday, November 2, 2020 --- 15 Cheshvan, 5781 Passing of Mattityahu (139 BCE) Not Abraham. Abraham stuck to his principles. He may In the 2nd century before the common era, the Holy Land was ruled by the have Seleucids (Syrian-Greeks) who, with the collaboration of the Jewish experienced a setback, but he would still champion the cause Hellenists, introduced pagan idols into the Holy Temple and set about to of justice. He would still speak out for those in peril. And he forcefully Hellenize the people of Israel. Mattityahu, the son of the High would still take his case to the highest authority in the Priest Yochanan, was already an old man when he picked up a sword and raised the flag of revolt in the village of Modiin in the Judean hills. Many universe, G-d Almighty Himself. rallied under his cry, "Who that is for G-d, come with me!" and resisted and Abraham teaches us not to lose faith, not to deviate from our battled the Greeks from their mountain hideouts. chosen path or our sincerely held convictions. If we believe After heading the revolt for one year, Mattityahu died on the 15th of Cheshvan it is the right thing to do, then it is right even if there is no of the year 3622 from creation (139 BCE). His five sons -- the "Macabees" reward in sight. If it is right, then stick to it, no matter the Judah, Yochanan, Shimon, Elazar and Yonatan -- carried on the battle to their eventual victory, celebrated each year since by Jews the world over with the outcome. festival of Chanukah. One of my favorite cartoon characters is good old Charlie Brown in Peanuts. In one strip that sticks in my memory Tuesday, November 3, 2020 --- 16 Cheshvan, 5781 there is a storm raging outside and Charlie Brown is R. Sholom Dovber of Lubavitch Leaves the Town of Lubavitch (1915) determined to go out to fly his kite. His friends tell him he With the approach of the German army during World War I, R. Sholom must be crazy to attempt flying a kite in this weather, it'll be DovBer and his family left Lubavitch, located in modern-day Belarus, for the city of Rostov. Lubavitch was the seat of the movement for destroyed by the wind in no time. But in the last frame we 102 years, starting when R. DovBer, second Chabad , settled there see Charlie, resolutely marching out the door, his kite firmly in 1813. tucked under his arm, and the caption reads, "A man's gotta do what a man's gotta do." Wednesday, November 4, 2020 --- 17 Cheshvan, 5781 Do we believe in our principles of faith because of Great Flood Begins (2105 BCE) expediency? Are we virtuous because we believe it is the The rains began to fall on the 17th of Cheshvan of the year 1656 from way to the good life? Are we waiting for the big payoff for creation (2105), flooding the earth and rising above the highest mountains. Only Noah and his family survived, in the ark built to that end our good behavior? What happens when we don't see it? Do by Divine command, and a pair of each animal species, who entered with we become frustrated, disillusioned and angry at G-d? him into the ark. Some people become religious for the wrong reasons. They are looking for some magical solution to their problems in Shabbat, November 7, 2020 --- 20 Cheshvan, 5781 life. And when the problems don't disappear as quickly or as Birth of Rabbi Sholom DovBer of Lubavitch (1860) magically as they expected, they give up their religious The fifth Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Sholom DovBer (known by the acronym "Rashab"), was born on the 20th of Cheshvan of lifestyle. It didn't work; I'm outta here. the year 5621 from creation (1860). Virtue is its own reward. Sleeping better at night because After the passing of his father, Rabbi Shmuel of Lubavitch, in 1882, Rabbi our conscience is clear is also part of the deal. Or, in the Sholom DovBer assumed the leadership of the movement. Over the next words of the Sages, "the reward for a mitzvah is the 38 years, he wrote and delivered some 2,000 maamarim (discourses of mitzvah." Chassidic teaching) including the famed hemshechim (serialized discourses) which contain his profound analytical treatment of Chabad Our founding father reminds us that a Jew's gotta do what a Chassidism. In 1897, he established the Tomchei Temimim yeshivah in Jew's gotta do, regardless of the outcome. Whether we see Lubavitch, the first institution of Jewish learning to integrate the "body" the fruits of our labors or not, if it's the right thing to do, then (Talmudic and legal studies) and "soul" (philosophic and mystical) of carry on doing it. Torah into a cohesive, living whole; it was this unique form of education May we all be true children of Abraham. and Torah study that produced the "Temimim" -- the army of learned, inspired and devoted torchbearers who, in the decades to come, would By Rabbi Yossi Goldman literally give their lives to keep Judaism alive under Soviet rule. In 1915 Rabbi Sholom DovBer was forced to flee Lubavitch from the advancing WWI front and settled in Rostov-on-Don in southern Russia. In his final years, he began the heroic battle -- carried on under the leadership of his son and successor, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn - - against the new Communist regime's efforts to destroy the Jewish faith. Rabbi Sholom DovBer passed away in Rostov in 1920.