Parashas Lech Lecha - Who Hates Gifts? Avram Did!

In this week's Parasha, Hashem commands Avram, “Go from your land, from your birthplace, and from your father's house, to the land I will show you.” A little before the second aliya, it says that Avram traveled to Egypt to live there (temporarily) since there was a famine in the place he was staying.

Before he entered Egypt, Avram told Sarai, “[Because of your beauty,] say you're my sister so that it will go well for my sake, and my life will be spared because of you.”

Rashi explains, “...so that it will go well for my sake,” means “so that they will give me gifts.”

I thought it's pretty strange that Avram would anticipate receiving gifts because (a) Avram was very wealthy and (b) because it says in Mishlei, [15:27] “One who hates gifts will live [a long life.]”

[The Rambam [hilchos zchia u'matana 12:17] brings in this halacha and the Magid Mishna comments, “Someone wise should feel he has everything he needs and that everything he has is enough; he shouldn't ask for more.” The Shulchan Aruch [hilchos matana, siman 249:5] says, “It's a commendable trait to not receive gifts, rather one should have faith in Hashem that He will give him everything he needs.” The Meiras Enayim says that a person who likes receiving gifts will have to flatter those who shouldn't be flattered and won't reproof those who do bad things.]

Avram was worried the Egyptians would kill him; so he told Sarai to say she's his sister, so that the Egyptians will shower him with gifts – which, according to Mishlei, is something which shortens life. It's a bit contradicting, isn't it?

The Kli Yaker on this posuk answers that although Avram took the gifts, he used none of it for himself! He saved it and then gave them all to the Bnei Pilagshim (as we see in Parashas Chayei Sara 25:6) who were the children of Hagar Hamitzris, an Egyptian princess who was sent along with Avram as a maidservant. [Since it's better to be a maidservant in the house of Avram than to be a princess in the house of Pharo.

May we all live ad me'ah v'esrim shana – a long life filled with happiness and health! (The only gift we need.)

Have a wonderful Shabbos,
Nisso 

Parashas Noach - One Sentence, Two Interpretations

It says in the beginning of this week's Parasha, “Noach was a righteous man, flawless in his generation.” Rashi says there are those among our sages who say it as praise; that certainly, had he lived in another generation, he would have been even more righteous than the others of that generation. And some say it to his discredit; that he was only righteous in his generation, but had he been in another generation (for example, Avraham Avinu's time,) he would have been considered insignificant in comparison to the righteous people of that generation.

It's inferred from the two different explanations [by the sages above] that the first posuk was ambiguous and therefore there were two ways to interpret, “his generation.”

My question is: Why was it ambiguous? The second aliya says [7:1], “Hashem said to Noach... ...for I have seen that you are righteous before me, in this generation.” Doesn't that explicitly show that Noach was only righteous in this generation (and had he been in Avraham Avinu's time, he wouldn't come close to being called 'righteous'?) So what made the sages interpret “his generation” in a praiseworthy manner?

I think the answer is found in Sefer Chofetz Chaim. Rav Yisroel Meir HaKohen zt'l teaches [8:5] that the issur of lashon hara is specifically on someone who is halachically included in the term, “Amisecha – Your Nation, a.k.a. Jews.” So, for example, regarding Goyim, it's not forbidden to speak bad about them. The Chofetz Chaim warns though, that one should none-the-less refrain from speaking loshon hara about Goyim because the Jew might get accustomed to speaking loshon hara about an “Amisecha, a Jew.”

Perhaps this was what the sages were doing when they interpreted “his generation” in a praiseworthy fashion. Even though you see from Hashem's words that Noach was righteous in this generation, they took this ambiguous statement (in the first aliya) and judged it favorably. There's no contradiction between the sages who discredited Noach and the ones who praised him. They all agreed that he was righteous in this generation (as Hashem said in the second aliya.) However, in the first aliya, they found an opportunity to take an ambiguous statement and judge it favorably, so they did.

It's almost first nature to judge people negatively. Finding a favorable way to interpret a scenario is not easy. Therefore, we're advised to accustom ourselves to judge others favorably and perhaps this is what the sages were doing.

Have a wonderful Shabbos,

Nisso

Parashas Bereishis - Our Responsibility on This World

Why does the first posuk of the first perek of the first sefer start off with the word “Bereishis – In the beginning – Hashem created the Heavens and the Earth?”

Isn't it a given that the Heavens and the Earth were created in the beginning? After all, it's the very first words written in the beginning of the Torah! There's nothing else indicating something else was created before that!

While placing this question at the back of my mind (not too far back!), I noticed that Rashi explains the word “Reishis.” It says in Mishlei [8:22,] “Reishis Darko - The beginning of His way,” referring to the Torah. And in Yirmiyahu [2:3,] “Reishis Tevuaso - The beginning of His grain crops” In Mishlei, Reishis Darko refers to the Torah and Reishis Tevuaso refers to Am Israel.

To answer my question, Hashem started off with the word Reishis to teach us that this world was created for the Torah and the Jews. Without the Jews learning Hashem's precious Torah, then this world would cease to exist.

This word 'Reishis' is important because it's Hashem's way of reminding us that we hold great responsibility! Hashem was responsible for creating the world and now we're responsible as His partners to uphold it through fulfilling Hashem's will and keeping His Torah.

Have a wonderful shabbos,

Nisso  

Parashas Vezos HaBracha - Complain or Get a Bracha? The Choice is Mine!

Parashas Vezos HaBracha is packed with brachos! Every page you turn, you'll find another one!

One of the brachos given were to the Leviim [1]. The reason they were deserving of a bracha, explains Rashi, is because they did not complain with the rest of those who voiced complaints. Unlike the other Jews, the tribe of Levy did not challenge Moshe by the Waters of Meriva [“to bring forth water from a rock other than the one chosen by Hashem.”] Nor did they participate in any of the ten trials with which Bnei Yisroel tested Hashem in the wilderness [2].

At this moment, I'm thinking about the maisa with Rivka Imeinu. When Rivka carried Yaakov and Eisav in her womb, they kept fighting to get out. She found the pains so excessive that she could hardly endure them. Whenever she'd pass a bais midrash, there was a jerk and inward motion in that direction. When she came across a temple of idol-worship, there was another motion towards it.

Rivka said, “My pains are so great, I wish I had never become pregnant! Even if I was destined to give birth to the 12 tribes, it's not worthwhile to suffer!”[3] As a result of her complaints, she lost the privilege of bearing the 12 tribes, who were born to Yaakov's wives instead. [4]

When reading Rashi in our Parasha, I conceptualized how important it is not to complain. This world is run by Hashem. Whatever He wants to happen will inevitably happen. Maybe when Hashem 'tests' us, the present situations we're in are not the actual test? Perhaps the actual test is to see whether we'll complain about the present situation?

Above, I brought down an event where one is blessed for not complaining and an event where one is punished for complaining.

We should take out a lesson from this week's parasha: The next time we're in a situation which we might complain about; we should stop to think for a second, “Maybe the reason why I am put in this situation is because Hashem wants to see whether I will complain about it or not. If I don't complain, then I might be worthy of a special bracha, just like the Leviim were zocheh to have! And if I do complain, then what's the point? Not only will it not change the situation I am in, but I might even lose a bracha!”

May we be zocheh to live to see the Redemption and the rebuilding of the “fallen sukkah of David” - the Beis Hamikdash – speedily in our days!

Have a wonderful Shabbos and Yom Yov,

Nisso

[1] 33:8

[2] Rokeah

[3] Bereishis Rabba 63:6

[4] Bereishis Rabba 63:7