Lech Lecha 5776 October 23, 2015 This week’s edition is dedicated in memory of Avraham Moshe ben Yehuda Leib, Mr. Bud Glassman a”h, whose 8th yahrtzeit was Tuesday, 7 Cheshvan/October 20th A Taste of Torah Stories For The Soul Spare the Wealth A Cut Above By Rabbi Mordechai Fleisher For more than sixty years, Rabbi Avram has just miraculously defeated live” is a refernce to Avram’s fear that the Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld (1848-1932) served as a mohel. He never refused an four mighty kings. The reason for his going Egyptians would murder him to make his invitation to serve as mohel, and his to war in the first place? No, they weren’t wife available. But what is meant by “go face shone with joy when he had the trying to develop a nuclear weapon, well with me?” Rashi explains that Avram privilege of performing a bris milah on but they had just crushed the armies expected that the Egyptians would offer a Jewish child - “to add another Jew to of five other kings, and, in the process, him gifts to win his “sister’s” hand! How the King’s legions,” he would say. captured Avram’s nephew Lot. Avram felt does this jibe with the Avram who refuses responsible to rescue his nephew, and, with any recompense from the King of Sodom? Once, a huge snowstorm hit Jerusalem, leaving close to three feet of Divine intervention, he won a spectacular One approach to this conundrum may snow on the ground. Walking outside victory. be as follows: Rashi makes it clear that posed a real danger, especially for One of the five kings initially defeated when Avram went down to Egypt, he had someone of Rabbi Sonnenfeld’s age – before Avram appeared on the scene was a shortage of funds, and he incurred debts he was already in his 70’s. Except that the King of Sodom. The King of Sodom that had to be repaid when he returned prior to the storm, Rabbi Sonnenfeld tells Avram that he is welcome to keep the from Egypt. (See Rashi ibid. 13:3) That had been asked to serve as mohel. spoils of war, but requests that he return being the case, Avram had a responsibility the prisoners. to procure a means of repayment. He had On the day of the bris, Rabbi Sonnenfeld laboriously made his way Avram responds with an oath that he no right to shrug his shoulders and say, “Well, Hashem promised He’ll take care through the snow to the site of the will not take “from a thread to a shoestrap” bris milah – which was quite a distance (Lech Licha 14:22), lest the Sodomite of me, so I’ll just sit tight and wait for Him to give it to me.” His personal concern from his home - and performed the monarch claim, “I have enriched Avram,” bris as he had promised. (ibid.) and, as Rashi (ibid.) explains, in assuring that no one short of Hashem Hashem had already promised that He Himself would take credit for his success A grandchild of his, upon hearing would enrich Avram. was just that: a personal concern. He had what his grandfather had done, exclaimed, “Zaydie, this is pikuach Sounds like Avram is very careful about no right to impose that concern when he’d come up short in his obligations to others. nefesh (danger to life)! Would it have not accepting gifts that can’t be traced been so bad if they had used a different straight to Hashem. But let’s go back to Later, when he was already quite wealthy, his refusal to keep the spoils of war mohel, one who lives in this area? After the beginning of the parsha, when Avram all, you had no reason to worry that and his wife, Sarai, are forced by famine affected no one but himself. In fact, he told the King of Sodom to compensate those the mitzvah of bris milah would be put to descend from the Land of Canaan to off just because you couldn’t come!” Egypt. Pharaoh abducts Sarai, after Avram who had assisted him in battle – again, claims that she is his sister. After being because his personal stringencies did not Rabbi Yosef Chaim answered, “As forced, through Divine intervention, to extend to others. a matter of fact, because this is a case release Sarai, Pharaoh gives Avram lots Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto (1707- of pikuach nefesh, I was afraid that they and lots of livestock - and Avram accepts it! 1746), in his magnum opus Mesilas Yesharim might put off the bris. Having invited Is this the same Avram who swore that he (Pathway of the Just), discusses the idea me to serve as mohel, they would wait wouldn’t take even a pittance for himself, of a chassid, a pious individual who goes for me, while other mohalim, reluctant lest some try to portray that a human, beyond the basic obligations in his service to act in my place, would hesitate to and not Hashem, was the source of his of Hashem. A point Rabbi Luzzatto stresses come. Therefore, I got up and started fabulous wealth? To make things even is that part of the “balance of piety” is not walking - and, thank G-d, I made it more complicated, when Avram initially just knowing when to do more than strictly there in peace!” asks Sarai to play along and say they’re required, but to also know when not to do Our Sages tell us that the Jewish siblings, he explains that the purpose of more, due to the adverse effect it may have People go to great lengths to perform this charade is “that it may go well with on others. An idea for all of us to bear in the mitzvah of bris milah. And they me for your sake, and that I may live on mind: Sure, sometimes we feel like doing continue to do so, throughout the account of you.” (ibid. 12:13) “That I may more for Hashem. But will there be any ages, despite difficult circumstances. Continued on back side Kollel Happenings Increase Your Jewish IQ By Rabbi Yaakov Zions CAPITAL PUNISHMENT IN THE MODERN WORLD AT NOV. 4 TORAH Last week we asked: How many different mark the start or conclusion of a segment kinds of kaddish are there (not including of the prayers. 4) Kaddish L’ischadasa: “To FOR TYCOONS slight textual variations)? be renewed,” special kaddish recited at a Join Richard K. Kornfeld, siyum or burial. Shareholder, RechtKornfeld, and A: 1) Kaddish Tiskabel: “May (the prayers) be accepted,” generally recited once after each Rabbi Aron Yehuda Schwab, Dean, This week’s question: When is prayer. 2) Kaddish Shalem: “Complete,” Kaddish Tiskabel not recited after a prayer? Denver Community Kollel, as they recited at various points, usually by explore the issues of this contentious mourners. 3) Chatzi Kaddish: “Half,” To submit an answer to Rabbi Zions, email conundrum. November 4th, 12-1:15 generally recited by the prayer leader to [email protected] p.m. at the East Side Kosher Deli. Cost: $25. RSVP [email protected]. Ask the Rabbi Child-Raising Starts Early The M.B. GLASSMAN FOUNDATION GOLD ADOPT-A-BUBBY PROGRAM Name@Withheld from Chicago, Illinois wrote: Do you know of a senior – a parent, Dear Rabbi, grandparent, aunt, uncle, neighbor, To my continual joy and miraculous He grew up to be one of the great Sages of the fellow congregant – who would wonder, I am pregnant with our first Talmud, Rabbi Yehoshua. benefit from a weekly phone call child. Is there anything I should or can And remember, your baby is made from to schmooze, share a thought on be doing during this exciting time to help the food you eat. So, make sure your baby is the parsha or Jewish calendar, or prepare, spiritually, for the incredible job of kosher! Kosher food has a positive spiritual just say hello? Do you have a few parenthood and motherhood? Thank you for effect on the developing fetus, and non-kosher minutes a week to call a senior in the your consideration and for the weekly dose of food has the opposite effect. community and make a difference humor and wisdom! Someone once asked a rabbi, “When do in the life of another? Contact Dear Name@Withheld, you Jews start educating your children?” The the Denver Community Kollel’s Judaism teaches that the influences rabbi answered, “Twenty years before they’re M.B. Glassman Foundation GOLD surrounding the baby in the womb have a born!” More than anything else, the example Adopt-A-Bubby program! Call Joyce profound effect. set by the parents is the greatest influence on a Litzman at the Denver Community So avoid negative influences, like those on child’s life. Begin now a renewal of your own Kollel at 303-820-2855, or email television and in movies. You don’t want your commitment to the study and practice of [email protected]. developing baby’s first sensations to be ones Judaism. of violence and immorality. Instead, listen to May Hashem bless you with an easy THE M.B. GLASSMAN FOUNDATION inspiring music, study about Judaism, talk to pregnancy and birth, and with children who GOLD LUNCH & LEARN PROGRAM positive people, etc. are a constant source of joy to you and your The M.B. Glassman Foundation The Talmud relates that one expectant family! GOLD Program is a division of the mother used to go to the houses of Torah Study Sources: Denver Community Kollel dedicated and ask the scholars to pray that her unborn Avot 2:5 and Commentaries baby should one day become a Torah scholar.