15:16 And the fourth generation will return here, for the iniquity of the Amorites will not be complete until then." טז. וְדוֹר רְבִיעִי יָשׁוּבוּ הֵנָּה כִּי לֹא שָׁלֵם עֲוֹן הָאֱמֹרִי עַד הֵנָּה
Rashi: for the iniquity of the Amorites will not be complete: that they should be sent out of their land until that time, for the Holy One, blessed be He, does not punish a nation until its measure is full, as it is said: (Isa. 27:8):“When her measure is full, when You send her away, then You will strive with her.” - [from Zohar, vol. 1, p. 113b]
Report: Britain stepping up plans for Iran strike The Guardian reports Tehran may finish hiding nuclear facilities in bunkers by end of 2012, which may force US President Obama to reach decision about military strike prior to elections. Minister Barak currently visiting London
The picture is becoming clearer to me. Israeli leaders have everything to gain now from a public awareness of Iran as a threat: (1) It takes their mind off of the internal dissent regarding man-power temporary workers that last for years, the doctors threat of resigning, other social unrest. (2) It focuses on preparing the center of the country for being bombarded which both the north and south have felt in the past. The last time anything was hit in parts of the center of the country was 44 years ago during the Six Day War. (3) It sends a message to Iran and their Allies that we are not a paper tiger.
Now from Obama’s standpoint, helping Israel attack Iran right before the elections would bring back a certain percentage of the Jewish Vote back to Obama. In time of war there is a saying that one does not change horses and with the exception of badly unemployed individuals or people who lost their 401K or fortune in the stock market, Obama will take the minds of the people off the economy and the 2013 health care fiasco coming up.
12:2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and be thou a blessing.
Avraham did not become rich over-night upon entering the land of Israel. Rather it is hard to make a living in a new place and at first one eats up his savings until he gets established. Rather – 12:10. And there was a famine in the land, and Abram descended to Egypt to sojourn there because the famine was severe in the land. Only later on does Avram become rich prior to becoming Avraham. 13:2 And Abram was very heavy with cattle, with silver, and with gold.
Just like before World War II when the German and Japanese treats became real, the countries need time to prepare both logistically and drill wise for a war. From my standpoint, I think that the USA has to reinstate the draft sometime soon for real preparedness. A mercenary army can serve a country only in times of peace. It was not the economic policies of FDR that ended the Great Depression but the need for workers and military vehicles and machines in WWII that ended the Great Depression. Look at the history of the DOW and the boom occurred in 1941 and the economy completely recovered by 1953 if one considers investments and dividends. Thus from 1929 to 1953 it took time to move forward. Thus it was 23 to 24 years for a full investment recovery providing that one was diversified. However, if one bought the GM, ENRON, FREDDIE, FANNY, WORLD COM, ETC. of their day they never recovered. In 1931 J. D. Rockefeller bought 1,000,000 shares of ATT after it fell to $1.50 a share. In 1933 after FDR introduced the 100% tax the shares fell to $.50. Only years later did he make a profit. Since most of us do not own a Standard Oil Company we must be prudent with our savings.
Ramat Gan and Ramat Aviv were hit during the gulf war and Gadara *from Gadara to Netanya is considered center were hit during cast lead Lillienblum & Allenby Streets in Tel Aviv were hit in the gulf war in 73 on Yom Kippur Egyptian Missiles reached Tel Aviv but the hits remain secret (I believe the Kelt Missiles which were slow were shot down prior to reaching T.A.) Thank is what happens when I rely on memory alone.
11:10 These are the generations of Shem. Shem was a hundred years old, and begot Arpachshad two years after the flood. The flood occurred in 1656 and the waters lasted a year so this is1658 11 And Shem lived after he begot Arpachshad five hundred years, and begot sons and daughters. 2158 12 And Arpachshad lived five and thirty years, and begot Shelah. 1693 13 And Arpachshad lived after he begot Shelah four hundred and three years, and begot sons and daughters. 1996 14 And Shelah lived thirty years, and begot Ever. Pronounced AYVER in the year 1723 15 And Shelah lived after he begot Ever four hundred and three years, and begot sons and daughters. 2126 16 And Ever lived four and thirty years, and begot Peleg. 1767 17 And Ever lived after he begot Peleg four hundred and thirty years, and begot sons and daughters. 2192 18 And Peleg lived thirty years, and begot Reu. 1797 19 And Peleg lived after he begot Reu two hundred and nine years, and begot sons and daughters. 1996 20 And Reu lived two and thirty years, and begot Serug. 1819 21 And Reu lived after he begot Serug two hundred and seven years, and begot sons and daughters. 2026 22 And Serug lived thirty years, and begot Nahor. 1849 23 And Serug lived after he begot Nahor two hundred years, and begot sons and daughters. 2039 24 And Nahor lived nine and twenty years, and begot Terah. 1878 25 And Nahor lived after he begot Terah a hundred and nineteen years, and begot sons and daughters. 2097 26 And Terah lived seventy years, and begot Abram, Nahor, and Haran. 1948 … 32 And the days of Terah were two hundred and five years; and Terah died in Haran. 2083.
Noach was 600 years at the time of the flood 1656 so he lived another 350 years and passed away in the year 2006 so Yitzchak was born in his life time! Shem and Ever lived into the time of Yacov and taught him the Oral Tradition of Torah to that day. All ten generations lived past the birth of Avraham and only two of the above mentioned fathers passed away before Yitzchak was born. Avraham at the age of three some say thirty came to the conclusion that the idols were all man made. He saw the sun rule by day and thought to worship it but when the night came, the moon was the rule and sometimes the clouds covered them and other times the wind scattered the clouds. Avraham began to think, who was the Baal HaBeit of the Universe and he discovered HASHEM to such an extent that Nimrod threw him into the fired up Furnace and yet he lived so Haran, who hesitated decided to join Avraham but too late, he died on a Kiddush HASHEM.
After this time, Terah and family were exiled from Bavel and Avraham according to Rabbi Avigdor Miller went to learn from Noach who had learned the tradition directly from Adam. During Avraham’s younger years Peleg was the Gadol HaDor for each generation has its own Gadol or group of Torah Scholars and Avraham was 48 when the Migdal Bavel was built and 58 when Noach passed away. Now since Migdal Bavel was in the year 1996. We see who was the leader of building Migdal Bavel and perhaps the man who could have stopped it before it began passed away in that year. I theorize that either Arpachshad, who died in 1996, could have stopped the Tower or he was dragged into the endeavor by Peleg, the instigator. As a result both died in 1996 when the wrath of HASHEM came upon the Tower. At this point the people were scattered but Avraham kept the original tongue (language) and speech of the people because he clung to HASHEM Yisborach.
There is another possibility that both Arpachshad and Peleg were Tzaddikim and did not protest enough but stuck to their own corner as the wicked were building the tower to make war with HASHEM. I still wonder how the wicked could have been so stupid to think that they could wage a war against the CREATOR of heaven and earth!
It is uncertain if HASHEM ever spoke to Avraham during all this time although there are reasons on both sides of issue to think that HE did or didn’t. The first indication of HASHEM contacting Avraham comes in our Parsha - 12:1 Now the LORD said unto Abram: 'Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto the land that I will show thee.
Country can also be translated as land. Let us look who this differs from past generations. (Thanks to an idea of Rabbi Meir Freedman Shlita which I expanded upon in my own words) 4:2. And she continued to bear his brother Abel, and Abel was a shepherd of flocks, and Cain was a tiller of the soil. ב. וַתֹּסֶף לָלֶדֶת אֶת אָחִיו אֶת הָבֶל וַיְהִי הֶבֶל רֹעֵה צֹאן וְקַיִן הָיָה עֹבֵד אֲדָמָה: a shepherd of flocks: Since the ground was cursed, he refrained from working it. Do not read tiller but the Hebrew OVAYD ADAMA or he worked almost like worshipped the soil. 9:20. And Noah began to be a master of the soil, and he planted a vineyard. כ. וַיָּחֶל נֹחַ אִישׁ הָאֲדָמָה וַיִּטַּע כָּרֶם: He was Ish Ha Adama or a man of the soil.
So just as the Shepard oversees the flock so Avraham will oversee the land and own it – he is not a subservient worker to the land or a man of the land but the owner of the land!
This prophecy according to Medrash is at the age of 75 or 425 years before the Exodus from Egypt. Yet some people use this date for the 430 years. This could only be if Avraham if that was 30 years before the birth of Yitzchak.
2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and be thou a blessing. 3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and him that curses thee will I curse; and in thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed.'
There is a basic mistake made by the Bnei Yishmael and the Bnei Esav that they can curse the Bnei Yisrael with impunity. Guess what I have a story that I am about to translate from the Hebrew of an Arch-Bishop who burned the Talmud in Poland. He, his assistant and some priests did not fare too well after that. It seems that there is a limit how much one can step on the Jews.
4 So Abram went, as the LORD had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him; and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran. 5 And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother's son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had gotten in Haran; and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan; and into the land of Canaan they came.
What happened to all the souls that Avraham made and took with him? No mention is made later on about these people.
6 And Abram passed through the land unto the place of Shechem, unto the terebinth of Moreh. And the Canaanite was then in the land.
The perverse idolatry was present in the land similar to the Crusaders, Turks or Muslims in later years and Avraham made the journey alone with a few souls that he had made. Because he was so few in numbers the idolaters considered him another cult of another god to them.
7 And the LORD appeared unto Abram, and said: 'Unto thy seed will I give this land'; and he built there an altar unto the LORD, who appeared unto him.
Not only Avraham was Baal HaBies of the land but also his children would be. The question which is decided by Sarah later is which child will inherit the land. (Hint it was not the son of Hagar or the children of Ketura)
8 And he removed from thence unto the mountain on the east of Beth-el, and pitched his tent, having Beth-el on the west, and Ai on the east; and he built there an altar unto the LORD, and called upon the name of the LORD.
Wherever Avraham went, HASHEM was foremost in his mind.
The following two sections I will have to go deeper into them in the Zohar I did not complete what I wanted to and barely scratched the surface.
The following is a hint of what will be in the war of Gog and Magog so read it through carefully
14:1 And it came to pass in the days of Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of Goiim, 2 that they made war with Bera king of Sodom, and with Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, and Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela--the same is Zoar. 3 All these came as allies unto the vale of Siddim--the same is the Salt Sea. 4 Twelve years they served Chedorlaomer, and in the thirteenth year they rebelled.
The Malbim on Sefer Daniel describes the war of Yishmael vs. Esav and then they all come together to fight Yisrael. Rashi - Amraphel: This is Nimrod, who said (אָמַר) to Abram, Fall (פּוֹל) into the fiery furnace. (Gen. Rabbah) [from Mid. Tan., Lech Lecha 6; Er. 53a, Targum Jonathan: the king of Goyim: There is a place named Goyim because [people] from many nations (גוֹיִם) and places assembled there, and they crowned over them a man named Tidal (Gen. Rabbah 42:4). Rashi then goes on to describe the wickedness in the names of the five kings and their desire to fight HASHEM.
5 And in the fourteenth year came Chedorlaomer and the kings that were with him, and smote the Rephaim in Ashteroth-karnaim, and the Zuzim in Ham, and the Emim in Shaveh-kiriathaim, 6 and the Horites in their mount Seir, unto El-paran, which is by the wilderness.
Something does not jive with the Pshat and the Rashi for in the Pshat we would be looking at the desert south of Sde Boker on the way to Eilat or Kadesh Barnea. Yet Rashi has the tradition that it would be the plain between the current Golani Junction or Kibbutz Lavi and Mt. Arbel overlooking the Kinneret (Sea of Galilee). the plain of Paran: Heb. אֵיל According to its Aramaic translation, it means a plain. I say, however, that אֵיל does not mean a plain, but rather, that the plain of Paran was named Eil, and that [the plain] of Mamre was named Elonei, and that [the plain] of the Jordan was named Kikkar, and that [the plain] of Shittim was named Abel, אָבֵל הַשִׁטִים (Num. 33.49). And similarly, Baal-gad [was a plain] named Baal. [Though] they are all translated מִישׁוֹר, a plain, each one has its name accompanying it. alongside the desert: Heb. עַל alongside the desert, like (Num. 2:20):“and alongside them (וְעָלָיו) was the tribe of Manasseh.” - [from Targum Onkelos]
However, even from Rashi one could think that it is not Har Arbel but a different place in the south between Kadesh and Edom as we see the mention of Kadesh below.
7 And they turned back, and came to En-mishpat--the same is Kadesh--and smote all the country of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites, that dwelt in Hazazon-tamar. 8 And there went out the king of Sodom, and the king of Gomorrah, and the king of Admah, and the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela--the same is Zoar; and they set the battle in array against them in the vale of Siddim;
Now this Zoar is right in a Waadi at the end of the Arad – Sodom road. There are two pullouts on the highway for views of the place. The ruins of Zoar are right opposite the junction which leads to the Hotels and Masada straight or on your right towards the Dead Sea Works or Eilat.
9 against Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of Goiim, and Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar; four kings against the five. 10 Now the vale of Siddim was full of slime pits; and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, and they fell there, and they that remained fled to the mountain.
I do not know about slime pits but the area is full of sink holes from the evaporation of the Dead Sea.
11 And they took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their victuals, and went their way. 12 And they took Lot, Abram's brother's son, who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, and departed. 13 And there came one that had escaped, and told Abram the Hebrew--now he dwelt by the terebinths of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol, and brother of Aner; and these were confederate with Abram.
And the fugitive came: According to its simple meaning, this was Og, who escaped from the battle, and that is what is referred to in (Deut. 3:11): “Only Og survived from the rest of the Rephaim.” And that is the meaning of “survived,” that Amraphel and his allies did not kill him when they smote the Rephaim in Ashteroth-karnaim [Midrash Tanchuma (Chukkath 25)]. The Midrash Gen. Rabbah [explains]: This is Og, who escaped from the Generation of the Flood, and this is the meaning of “from the rest of the Rephaim,” as it is said: (above 6: 4):“The Nephilim were on the earth, etc.” And he [Og] intended that Abram should be killed and he would marry Sarah (Gen. Rabbah 42:8). the Hebrew: Heb. הָעִבְרִי [So called] because he came from the other side (מֵעֵבֶר) of the [Euphrates] river (Gen. Rabbah 42:8). Abram’s confederates: lit. the masters of Abram’s covenant. Because they made a covenant with him. (Other editions add: Another explanation of [בַּעִלֵי בְּרִית]: They gave him advice concerning circumcision (Aggadath Bereishith 19:3), as is explained elsewhere) (below 18:1). [According to Aggadath Bereishith, the covenant mentioned is that of circumcision.]
This a future sign that some righteous Gentiles will help the Bnei Yisrael in the war of Gog and Magog but we see very few.
14 And when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he led forth his trained men, born in his house, three hundred and eighteen, and pursued as far as Dan.
and he armed: Heb. וַיָרֶק, like its Aramaic translation: וְזָרֵיז, [and he armed], and similarly (Lev. 26:33): וַהִרִיקֹתִי אַחִרֵיכֶם חָרֶב [which Onkelos renders]: “and I will arm Myself with My sword against you,” and similarly (Exod. 15:9):“I will arm myself (אָרִיק) with my sword, and similarly (Ps. 35:3):”And arm Yourself (וְהָרֵק) with a spear and ax." - [from Gen. Rabbah 43:2] his trained men: Heb. חִנִיכָיו It is written חִנִיכוֹ [in the singular], his trained man, (other editions: It is read). This is Eliezer, whom he had trained to [perform the] commandments, and it [חִנִיכָיו] is an expression of the initiation (lit. the beginning of the entrance) of a person or a utensil to the craft with which he [or it] is destined to remain, and similarly (Prov. 22: 6):“Train (חִנֹ) a child ;” (Num. 7:10):“the dedication of (חֲנֻכַּת) the altar ;” (Ps. 30:1):“the dedication of of (חֲנֻכַּת) the Temple,” and in Old French it is called enseigner [to instruct, train]. three hundred and eighteen: Our Sages said (Gen. Rabbah 43:2, Ned. 32a): It was Eliezer alone, and it [the number 318] is the numerical value of his name. until Dan: There he became weak, for he saw that his children were destined to erect a calf there (Sanh. 96a). The reference is to I Kings 12:29: “And he (Jeroboam) placed one in Beth-el, and the other he placed in Dan.”
As fast as an army advances it needs supplies and sleep and a way for the troops to refresh themselves and this be a warning for us in the future not to over-extend our supply lines. In the Lebanese War a few years ago, there was no supply of bread or food for the troops. The Israeli Soldiers went into shops and paid in Shekels for bread which although they paid the vendor, it is unknown if the vendor was able to do something with the money in the Lebanese Banks or not.
15 And he divided himself against them by night, he and his servants, and smote them, and pursued them unto Hobah, which is on the left hand of Damascus.
And he divided himself against them: According to its simple meaning, transpose the verse:“And he divided himself, he and his servants, upon them at night,” as is customary for pursuers, who divide themselves after the pursued when they flee, one here and one there. at night: i.e., after nightfall he did not refrain from pursuing them. The Midrash Aggadah (Gen. Rabbah 43:3) states, however, that the night was divided, and in its first half, a miracle was wrought for him, and its second half was preserved for the [miracle of] midnight in Egypt. until Hobah: There is no place named Hobah, but Dan is called Hobah [culpable] because of the idolatry which would be practiced there [in the future]. [from Tan. Lech Lecha 13]
If you take into account it was a dark night and suddenly 318 Shofars are blowing from three sides, the enemy abandoned the camp and fled northwest to hence where they came.
16 And he brought back all the goods, and also brought back his brother Lot, and his goods, and the women also, and the people. 17 And the king of Sodom went out to meet him, after his return from the slaughter of Chedorlaomer and the kings that were with him, at the vale of Shaveh--the same is the King's Vale. 18 And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine; and he was priest of God the Most High.
And Malchizedek: The Midrash Aggadah (Targum Jonathan, Ned. 32b, Mid. Ps. 76:3) states that he was Shem, the son of Noah. bread and wine: This is done for those weary from battle, and he [Malchizedek] demonstrated that he bore no grudge against him [Abram] for slaying his sons (Tan. Lech Lecha 15). And according to the Midrash Aggadah (Gen. Rabbah 43:6), he hinted to him about the meal offerings and the libations, which his [Abraham’s] children would offer up there.
From here Shimon HaTzaddik who was both Cohain Gadol and Rosh HaSanhedrin came out and greeted Alexander the Great on his Conquest with Bread and Wine as he knew from Ruach HaKodesh that Alexander was to conquer the world. Alexander saw the Cohain Gadol and bowed down to him as he always dreamed of Shimon HaTzaddik before his conquests. Alexander knew that his power came through Shimon from HASHEM. So it shall be in the end of days that the whole remaining world will recognize the G-D of Yisrael and the right of Am Yisrael to Yerushalayim and it will no longer be thought of as an international City for the three religions but instead Zechariah: 14:9 And the LORD shall be King over all the earth; in that day shall the LORD be One, and His name one. Then Yisrael and the world will be at peace until the year 7000 at which time mankind will either have been elevated to a higher spiritual level or undergone some form of evolution via HASHEM in such a way that the imagine of us today is limited from.
19 And he blessed him, and said: 'Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Maker of heaven and earth; 20 and blessed be God the Most High, who hath delivered your enemies into thy hand.' And he gave him a tenth of all. 21
and he gave him: [i.e.,] Abram [gave Malchizedek] a tithe from all that was his because he was a priest. [from Gen. Rabbah 44:7]
Was not Avraham also a priest who offered up Korbanos and a Novi of HASHEM yet even a priest and prophet has to give charity for deliverance. So Avraham was again blessed.
And the king of Sodom said unto Abram: 'Give me the persons, and take the goods to thyself.' 22 And Abram said to the king of Sodom: 'I have lifted up my hand unto the LORD, God Most High, Maker of heaven and earth, 23 that I will not take a thread nor a shoe-latchet nor aught that is thine, lest thou shouldest say: I have made Abram rich;
From this I personally have learned not to take anything from my Torah learning in this world.
24 save only that which the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men which went with me, Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre, let them take their portion.'
Even though Avraham did not take anything for himself, he rewarded those who had helped him.
The Bris between the pieces on the Mizbayach (Altar)
15:1 After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying: 'Fear not, Abram, I am thy shield, thy reward shall be exceeding great.'
אָנֹכִי מָגֵן לָךְ I (HASHEM) am your shield/protector. Avraham is promised a reward for all his efforts but he is past 70. (I say past 70 because there is no early or late in the Torah and this is hinted as being in Avraham’s 70th year for 30 years prior to the birth of Yitzchak and from Yitzchak to the Exodus is counted as 430 years and one cannot identify the 30 years unless we start at this point or the original Lech Lecha point as either would have to be the start of the count. The reason that this appears to be the start of the count is Pasuk 13 below)
2 And Abram said: 'O Lord GOD, what wilt Thou give me, seeing I go hence childless, and he that shall be possessor of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?'
Will my faithful slave inherit all that I have?
3 And Abram said: 'Behold, to me Thou hast given no seed, and, lo, one born in my house is to be mine heir.' 4 And, behold, the word of the LORD came unto him, saying: 'This man shall not be your heir; but he that shall come forth out of your own bowels shall be your heir.' 5 And He brought him forth abroad, and said: 'Look now toward heaven, and count the stars, if thou be able to count them'; and He said unto him: 'So shall thy seed be.'
And He took him outside: According to its simple meaning: He took him out of his tent, outdoors, to see the stars. But according to its midrashic interpretation, He said to him, “Go out of your astrology,” for you have seen in the signs of the zodiac that you are not destined to have a son. Indeed, Abram will have no son, but Abraham will have a son. Similarly, Sarai will not give birth, but Sarah will give birth. I will give you another name, and your destiny will change (Ned. 32a, Gen. Rabbah 44:10). Another explanation: He took him out of the terrestrial sphere and lifted him above the stars. This explains the expression of הַבָּטָה, looking down from above (Gen. Rabbah 44:12).
HASHEM taught him Astrology, Numerology and Gematria and hence when he changes his name from Avram to Avraham he moves the numerical value of himself, Sarah and also at that time the planet Tzeddek aka Jupiter was in a different place and children bearing became possible.
Mazal Tov!
Every person is born underneath an astrological field, a particular energy-flow that determines many specifics of life - personality, circumstances, potential. Now in Hebrew this is called "mazel" - literally an alignment of stars. But it can also mean "luck," as when we wish someone Mazel Tov.
A person's mazel is pre-programmed from birth. But in Parshat Lech Lecha, God takes Abraham outside and tells him to "see if you can count the stars." God changed Abraham's name and metaphorically lifted him above the stars to re-align his destiny.
Why did Abraham merit this special treatment? At the time, the prevailing world system was idolatry. Abraham saw the falsity of this idea, and lifted himself above societal norms. For this act of transcendence, God responded in kind by lifting Abraham out of the natural system - "above the stars."
This established a principle for all eternity - that the Jewish people are above "mazel." We need not accept the "fate of the stars." And surely, history bears this out: The Jewish people have outlasted all the great empires like the Greeks and Romans. And even in our lifetime Jews in Israel have defied all odds by thriving in a land surrounded by enemies.
But beyond a national level, this idea also has powerful application to our personal lives. The Talmud tells us that the daughter of Rebbe Akiva was destined to die on her wedding day. At the wedding meal, the bride absentmindedly stuck her hairpin into the wall behind her - unknowingly killing a cobra that was prepared to strike. Later, when they found the dead cobra and realized the bride's good fortune, they asked her to recall the day's events. She reported that in the midst of the wedding festivities, she had noticed some poor people outside, and she'd left her own wedding in order to bring them food. An incredible act of humanity!
So here we see the principle in action: This woman's super-human act raised herself out of the pre-set system - changing her destiny and saving her life. If we aspire, we can do it, too.
6 And he believed in the LORD; and HE counted it to him for righteousness.
Rashi: And he believed in the Lord: He did not request of Him a sign regarding this, but regarding the inheritance of the land, he did request of Him a sign, and he said to Him, "How will I know? [from Ned. 32a] and He accounted it to him as righteousness: The Holy One, blessed be He, accounted it to Abram as a merit and as righteousness for the faith that he believed in Him (Targum Jonathan). Another explanation for: “How will I know?” He did not ask Him for a sign but he said before Him, “Let me know with what merit will they [my descendants] remain therein [in the Land]?” The Holy One, blessed be He, replied, “With the merit of the sacrifices.”
Pure simple faith and trust like that of a child even though he was an accomplished man of over 70.
7 And He said unto him: 'I am the LORD that brought thee out of Ur of the Chaldees, to give thee this land to inherit it.' 8 And he said: 'O Lord GOD, whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it?' 9 And He said unto him: 'Take Me a heifer of three years old, and a she-goat of three years old, and a ram of three years old, and a turtle-dove, and a young pigeon.'
Instead of getting an outright answer and immediate proof in a sign or wonder, Avraham is given a command which he obeys.
three heifers: (Gen. Rabbah 44:14) Three calves, symbolic of the three bulls: the bull of Yom Kippur, the bull brought when the interpretation of a law is hidden from the people [because of an error of the Sanhedrin], and the heifer whose neck was broken. and three goats: Symbolic of the he-goat that is sacrificed inside, the he-goats of the additional offering of the festivals, and the he-goat that is sacrificed as a sin offering for an individual. and three rams: A guilt offering for a definite sin, a guilt offering for a doubtful sin, and a ewe lamb for a sin offering for an individual. and a turtle dove and a young bird: A turtle dove and a young pigeon. [These are the various species offered up for all kinds of atonement sacrifices.]
10 And he took him all these, and divided them in the midst, and laid each half over against the other; but the birds divided he not.
and he divided them: He divided each one into two parts. The verse does not lose its simple meaning, because He was forming a covenant with him to keep His promise, to cause his sons to inherit the land, as it is written (verse 18): “On that day, the Lord formed a covenant with Abram, saying, etc.,” and it is the custom of those who form a covenant to divide an animal and to pass between its parts, as it is written (Jer. 34:19): “who passed between the parts of the calf.” Here too, “a smoking furnace and a fire brand, which passed between the parts,” was the agent of the Shechina, which is [referred to as] fire. [from Pirkei d’Rabbi Eliezer , ch. 28] but he did not divide the birds: Since the idol-worshipping nations are likened to bulls, rams, and goats, as it is said (Ps. 22:13): “Many bulls surrounded me, etc.,” and Scripture states (Dan. 8:20): “The ram that you saw, the one with horns, represents the kings of Media and Persia,” and Scripture states (ibid. verse 21): “And the he-goat is the king of Greece.” And the Israelites are likened to young doves, as it is said (Song of Songs 2:14): “My dove, in the clefts of the rock.” Therefore, he divided the animals, as an allusion that the nations will gradually perish. “But he did not divide the bird,” as an allusion that Israel will exist forever. [from Pirkei d’Rabbi Eliezer , ch. 28; Targum. Ps. 22: 13]
11 And the birds of prey came down upon the carcasses, and Abram drove them away.
and Abram drove them away: Heb. וַיַשֵׁב, an expression of blowing and causing to fly away, like (Ps. 147:18):“He causes His wind to blow (יַשֵׁב) .” This is an allusion that David the son of Jesse will come to destroy them, but they will not permit him from heaven [to do so] until the King Messiah arrives. [from Pirkei d’Rabbi Eliezer , ch. 28]
12 And it came to pass, that, when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and, lo, a dread, even a great darkness, fell upon him.
Rashi states that the deep sleep and darkness indicate a long exile after which the Moshiach comes.
13 And He said unto Abram: 'Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years;
that your seed will be strangers: From the time that Isaac was born until the Israelites left Egypt was four hundred years. How so? Isaac was sixty years old when Jacob was born, and Jacob, when he went down to Egypt, said,“The days of the years of my sojournings are one hundred and thirty years,” which total 190. They were in Egypt 210 years, like the numerical value of רְדוּ (See Rashi, below 42:2.) ר = 200 ד = 4 ו = 6 = 210 Thus, the total is 400 years. Now, if you should say that they were 400 years in Egypt, [this is not so] because Kehath was one of those who descended to Egypt. If you compute the years of Kehath (133) and those of Amram (his son, 137), and the 80 years of Moses, his age when they left Egypt, you will find only 350 [years]. And you must still subtract from them all the years that Kehath lived after the birth of Amram and that Amram lived after the birth of Moses. [from Seder Olam ch. 3]
We get the other number 430 years if this took place 30 years before the birth of Yitzchak.
14 and also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge; and afterward shall they come out with great substance.
And also the nation: [The word] וְגַם, [and also], is to include the four kingdoms (Babylon, Persia and Media, Greece, and Edom), for they too will perish because they enslaved Israel. [from Gen. Rabbah 44:19] will I judge: with ten plagues. [from Gen. Rabbah 44:20]
Another hint on the four kingdoms and the war of Gog and Magog as I wrote the commentators say that Avraham was 75 at the time and this leads to a five year discrepancy.
15 But thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace; thou shalt be buried in a good old age. 16 And in the fourth generation they shall come back hither; for the iniquity of the Amorite is not yet full.'
The exile will only last for three plus generations not like the current one. Rashi shows the full accounting.
And the fourth generation: After they will have been exiled to Egypt, they will be there for three generations, and the fourth will return to this land (Mishnath Rabbi Eliezer ch. 5), for in the land of Canaan He spoke with him, and formed this covenant, as it is written (above verse 7): “to give you this land to inherit it.” And so it was: Jacob descended to Egypt. Go forth and figure his generations: Judah, Perez, and Hezron, and Caleb the son of Hezron was one of those who entered the land (Sotah 11b).
17 And it came to pass, that, when the sun went down, and there was thick darkness, behold a smoking furnace, and a flaming torch that passed between these pieces. 18 In that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying: 'Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates; 19 the Kenite, and the Kenizzite, and the Kadmonite, 20 and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, and the Rephaim, 21 and the Amorite, and the Canaanite, and the Girgashite, and the Jebusite.'
17:1 Now Sarai Abram's wife bore him no children; and she had a handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar. 2 And Sarai said unto Abram: 'Behold now, the LORD hath restrained me from bearing; go in, I pray thee, unto my handmaid; it may be that I shall be builded up through her.' And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai. 3 And Sarai Abram's wife took Hagar the Egyptian, her handmaid, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to Abram her husband to be his wife. 4 And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived; and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes.
This has been a problem with Jews marrying and having children by Gentile Women they turn into a Yishmael or an Amalek.
5 And Sarai said unto Abram: 'My wrong be upon thee: I gave my handmaid into thy bosom; and when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes: the LORD judge between me and thee.' 6 But Abram said unto Sarai: 'Behold, thy maid is in thy hand; do to her that which is good in thine eyes.' …11 And the angel of the LORD said unto her: 'Behold, thou art with child, and shalt bear a son; and thou shalt call his name Ishmael, because the LORD hath heard thy affliction. 12 And he shall be a wild ass of a man: his hand shall be against every man, and every man's hand against him; and he shall dwell in the face of all his brethren.'
In non-life threatening situations:
- One should not take non-Kosher medicine, if there's a Kosher alternative readily available.
- If only non-Kosher medicine is available, it may be used. However, if it has a pleasant taste, then one should spoil its taste, for example by adding something bitter to it, or wrapping it in tissue paper or putting it into a capsule.
- If the medicine is a mixture of meat and milk, a Rabbi should be consulted, since normally meat and milk mixtures cannot be used as medicine. The same applies to Kilay Hakerem; grains and grapes that grew in close proximity. Source: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 192:5, 6, 7
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKy22KsxX9k
Obama turned down anti-fraud in Medicare help http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YcR_bLBHcJo
Your local Imam at work http://www.familysecuritymatters.org/publications/id.10459/pub_detail.asp or perhaps http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ngd9cEWdlO0&feature=youtu.be
25 Tishrei, 5772 Oct. 23, 2011
Translated from Maariv’s NRG website
Polls taken just prior to Gilad Shalit's release show that the main opposition to the deal was in the National Religious sector. How can we explain this? Are National Religious people heartless? Obviously, National Religious people feel the same solidarity with Israel's POWs as every other Israeli. I only wish that Israeli society at large would remember Jonathan Pollard the way that the National Religious do.
The reason that the National Religious as a sector opposed the Shalit deal is because they derive their legitimacy for existing in this Land from their faith. The National Religious truly believe that this is our Land. The worldview that drew the legitimacy for our presence here from Herzl alone basically petered out in the seventies. Today, the Israeli subconscious feels moral inferiority to the "native" Arab. They see the Arabs as the real owners of this Land and the Jews as nothing more than uninvited guests.
This approach is regularly reflected by the decisions handed down by the Supreme Court. It is realized by the way the IDF secures the hallowed right of the family of the murderers of the Fogel family to pick olives under the orphans' window. It is expressed by the way the government turns a blind eye to illegal Arab construction while it destroys Jewish homes with zeal. This "just passing through" mentality has coursed through the entire Israeli bloodstream: in its justice system, academia, media, army, everywhere – except for the National Religious.
For the Arabs, Tel Aviv is also Moslem land. But we attempt to quell our feelings of existential moral inferiority by dividing the Land and establishing an additional state in its heart. We hope that when we exit the "territories" that we conquered in 1967, the landlord will somehow cede the land that we robbed from him 19 years earlier – in the "Nakba" ("catastrophe") of 1948. We will then be able to repress the moral stain of our existence in his land within in the green line and return to our natural feelings of Zionist legitimacy for living here – just like it was before the Six Day War.
How does all of this connect to Shalit? By signing the Oslo Accords, we recognized that there is a "Palestinian" nation and that it has rights in this Land. By doing so, we also recognized that the "Palestinian" fighters are actually freedom fighters and we must release those that we have imprisoned. After all, didn't the British release all the Jewish "terrorists" when it recognized our right to establish a state? True, the Arab fighters are extremely cruel but they are not terrorists. They are merely noble savages who are not bound by Western mores. From the moment that we bought into the justice of the "Palestinian" struggle in Oslo, our continued incarceration of their freedom fighters highlights the fact that we are conquerors in Sheikh Munis, a.k.a. Tel Aviv.
Just as peace is not the reason for Oslo, but rather, a lame excuse, so Shalit is not the reason for the release of the terrorists, but rather, an opportunity to let them go. Of course, everybody wants peace and everybody wants to see Shalit home. But when Oslo brings with it rivers of blood and we jaunt merrily down its path nonetheless, and when the clear statistical evidence shows that the terrorists released in the Shalit deal will G-d forbid kill hundreds of Israelis and encourage more abductions, the obvious conclusion is that this has nothing to do with peace or with Shalit. There is something else at work here: the Israeli need to surrender Judea and Samaria and release terrorists in order to justify our existence in Tel Aviv.
If it is difficult to accept the above, I suggest taking a look at the new Israeli policy for murderous terror attacks. Israel is now releasing terrorists even before they are apprehended. Just before Rosh Hashanah, Israel's security forces decided to ignore the clear evidence on the ground and announced that Asher Palmer and his baby son, may G-d avenge their blood, were killed in an "accident." In other words, they released the terrorists even before they were caught. Later, the state was forced to admit the facts and even caught the murderers.
The same happened with the murder of Moshe Talbi, may G-d avenge his blood. Rabbi Talbi was murdered near the entrance to Revava, but the police were determined to release his murderers before they were caught. After a 15 minute investigation, they announced that Talbi had committed suicide, murdering his good name and causing his family unspeakable pain in the process. Months later, the police finally admitted that Talbi had been murdered.
I'm sorry to ruin the euphoria, but Shalit is not the reason for the terrorist release. He is simply the excuse.
An Ed-op by Yoram Ettinger on US – Israel co-operation: http://www.israelhayom.com/site/newsletter_opinion.php?id=732
Good Shabbos Everyone. In this week's parsha, Parshas Noach, the Torah tells us "Noach was a righteous man, perfect in his generations..." (Bereishis 6:9) The verse states that Noach "Tamim hayah b'dorosav," which we translated above to mean that he was "perfect in his generations..." However, it is also possible to translate the verse in the following way: Noach was the "Tamim" - the Gadol Hador, the great Sage of his generation.
And why does the Torah use the plural when stating that Noach was the perfect one of his "generations?" Perhaps the Torah is coming to teach us an important lesson that every generation has its Tzadikim, righteous Torah leaders. The reason why the Torah needs to teach us this lesson is that many people say, "A shame that Rav X is gone now... and these new Rabbanim (Rabbis)... Hashem just doesn't make them like He used to.." The following amazing story from about 40 years ago, illustrates the concept of believing in the Torah leaders of every generation.
The woman tried to control her tears as she knocked on Rav Shloima Poupko, zt'l's (1928-2003) door one Friday morning. Originally from New York, R' Shloima had joined the Johannesburg community in the 1950's, where he served as the Chief Rabbi and the Rav of the Sydenham Highlands North Synagogue.
The woman, a neighbor of R' Shloima, knew that he was willing to help everyone in the Jewish community in South Africa. R' Shloima opened the door. One look at his visitor told him that something was very wrong. "I need your help. It's ... it's my nephew. David Kauder. He's just four years old, and the doctors say he's going to die on Monday."
The woman took a deep breath, then explained. "David was hit by a car six months ago. He's been in an irreversible coma ever since. Today, the doctor came in and told us that his funeral would be on Monday." R' Shloima was taken aback. How could the doctor have spoken in such a manner? I've never heard of anyone, let alone a doctor, speaking like that. It's barbaric to say such a thing!"
"Can you help us?" the woman begged. There was no time to spare. R' Shloima grabbed his jacket, ran outside, and asked his driver to take him to the Florence Nightingale Nursing Home, where David was being treated.
Less than ten minutes later, he was striding down the corridor, searching for the room that held the gravely ill David Kauder and his family. R' Shloima found a grim scenario as he peeked around the door. The boy lay motionless in bed, only the faintest rising of his chest giving any indication that he was still alive. His parents stood nearby, looking helplessly at their son. R' Shloima greeted the nurse, then quietly asked about the boy's status.
"How is he?" The nurse slowly shook her head. "It's not good. The doctor says his funeral will be on Monday." Once again, R' Shloima was shocked by these callous words. He gave a quick glance at David, lying silently on the bed. There was a good chance that the young boy—though appearing unaware of his surroundings—could actually hear every word. How could the doctor have spoken in this way?
"Please give that doctor a message from me," R' Shloima declared. "Tell him that no one knows whose funeral will take place on Monday!" R' Shloima returned home to find David's aunt anxiously awaiting his return. He invited her into his office. "Please sit down for a few minutes. I'll be right with you."
R' Shloima had decided to send a telegram to the late Satmar Rav, Reb Yoel Teitelbaum of blessed memory (1887- 1979), asking him to pray on the boy's behalf. There wasn't enough time before Shabbos to write a detailed explanation, so R' Shloima simply wrote the boy's name and his mother's name, and urged the Rav to daven immediately for the child's recovery.
That task done, R' Shloima returned to the aunt and told her to invite the entire family—many of whom were not religious—to come to his house for kiddush and the Shabbos meal that Friday night. "Let them know that they won't be able to drive back. They'll either have to walk, or if it's too far, we'll be happy to arrange accommodations for the night." That Friday night, over forty Kauder family members showed up at R' Shloima's house—uncles, aunts and cousins. After making kiddush, R' Shloima spoke to them about the significance of kashrus, Shabbos, family purity and Jewish education. "We all want David to have a full recovery," R' Shloima declared, "but we have to do something for Hashem to reverse the Heavenly decree."
The family members unanimously agreed to accept these mitzvos upon themselves. "It's not that hard," they reassured each other. "We can do it—for David's sake." Early Sunday morning, R' Shloima was awakened with a call from the nursing home.
"I can't give any details on the phone," the nurse said breathlessly. "Could you please come down to the nursing home right away?" R' Shloima sat frozen, trying to fight down the surge of panic and despair that had welled up at the nurse's words. He couldn't help imagining the worst.
Forcing himself to stand up, he immediately set out for the nursing home, ready to face whatever was coming. R' Shloima walked cautiously into David's room—to be greeted by a room full of people, including a beaming Mr. and Mrs. Kauder and a bewildered array of doctors and nurses. The source of their bewilderment was right in front of them. Little David was awake and out of bed, pulling the tubes out of his mouth and crying, "Mama, Mama!"
One of the assisting doctors, the disbelief evident upon his face, turned to R' Shloima and exclaimed, "This is an absolute impossibility!" Like the doctors, R' Shloima could hardly believe his eyes. Yet he knew what he had to do. He immediately gave praise and thanks to Hashem for performing this open miracle for the Kauder family.
One person was absent from the scene of the miracle. David's doctor—the one who had predicted the boy's funeral for Monday—happened to have the day off. He was tinkering with his car in front of his house, changing a tire, when a truck parked further up the hill suddenly came rolling down. The doctor didn't see it coming—until it smashed into his car a moment later. He never had a chance. His funeral was on Monday morning.
One year after David's miraculous recovery, R' Shloima received an unexpected letter from the Satmar Rav. "You should know that the souls of the family made a strong impression in Heaven," the Rav wrote. "Since you encouraged them to return and accept the mitzvos, the Heavenly Judgment was changed and their child was spared." R' Shloima was astonished. There had been no time to tell the Rav anything about the Kauder family on that hectic Friday no time, in fact, to do much more than write David Kauder's name. Yet the Satmar Rav had known it all. (From Visions of Greatness Volume VII, Reb Y. Weiss).
We can be inspired by this story to believe that every generation has its righteous leaders! Good Shabbos Everyone.
Wishing everybody a wonderful Shabbos and I will be taking a few vacation days here and there between now and Chanucha so some weeks will be double and then next one or two weeks may be without a Drasha. Be well to you all, Rachamim Pauli
