Transcript
Good morning and בוקר טוב Boker Tov. Welcome back to Parsha Perspectives for today. Wonderful to have everybody. Want to thank our generous sponsors, dear friends Becky and Avi Katz and family, who sponsored our Parsha series in loving memory of Becky's father David Grossman, לעילוי נשמת דוד בן מנחם מנשה l'iluy nishmas David ben Menachem Manes. Also, special thank you today to Dr. Herbert and Marilyn Moskowitz who are sponsoring in memory of Aliza Aliya bas Masuda, beloved sister of Eli Buzaglo, whose נשמה neshama should have an עליה aliyah as well. This week we have the privilege of studying together פרשת וירא Parshas Vayeira, page 78 in the Artscroll Stone חומש Chumash, and I hope everybody will follow along inside. Hold on, just need to take care of one piece of technology over here. וירא אליו ה׳ באלוני ממרא Vayeira eilav Hashem b'eilonei Mamre. הקדוש ברוך הוא Hakadosh Baruch Hu speaks to Avram, appears to Avram. We're all familiar with the opening of this פרשה parsha and the reminder and the message of the significance of ביקור חולים bikur cholim, that Hashem is visiting Avram upon the circumcision, upon the elective surgery essentially that he gave himself, which was really extraordinary at an advanced age, we didn't get into last week, why that was at such an advanced age. והוא יושב פתח האוהל כחום היום v'hu yosheiv pesach ha'ohel k'chom hayom. We all know the story, Avram is sitting outside in the heat of the day and he's baking in the sun because for אברהם אבינו Avraham Avinu, such a magnanimous, benevolent, kind, good person, the pain of not being hospitable was more unbearable. That pain was more acute than it would be to be healing inside, the pain of the surgery itself. And so Hashem creates these Arab nomads, these wanderers who come, Avram feeds them, and we all know the story. I'm going to begin today, we've been spending this year, I've been sharing with you beautiful insights of רב ישראל מאיר דרוק Rav Yisrael Meir Druk, a great ראש ישיבה Rosh Yeshiva in ירושלים Yerushalayim, and from his ספר אש תמיד sefer Aish Tomid, and I want to share with you this morning some opening pieces in that ספר sefer which I found really, really inspiring. Again our goal is Parsha perspectives but for today, to extract from the פרשה parsha lessons and messages that inform and inspire our contemporary times. The פרשה parsha is not archaic, it's not arcane, it's not outdated, it didn't expire, but its messages and its stories and its inspiration serve us each and every day. וירא אליו ה׳ באלוני ממרא Vayeira eilav Hashem b'eilonei Mamre. Rashi says, וירא אליו לבקר את החולה vayeira eilav l'vakeir es hacholeh. Hashem came to visit the sick. אמר רבי חמא בר חנינא יום שלישי למילתו היתה Amar Rabbi Chama bar Chanina, yom shlishi l'milaso hayisa. It was the third day after his ברית bris, ובא הקדוש ברוך הוא ושאל בשלומו u'va Hakadosh Baruch Hu v'sha'al bishlomo. And Hashem came in order to inquire into his wellbeing, in order to ask how he is. The Rambam in הלכות אבל Hilchos Avel, listen to this interesting הלכה halacha. The Rambam in the 14th chapter of הלכות אבל Hilchos Avel, where he deals with the laws of ביקור חולים bikur cholim, the Rambam says the following. הנכנס לבקר את החולה Ha'nichnas l'vakeir es hacholeh, when you go visit the sick, לא ישב על גבי מטה ולא על גבי כסא lo yosheiv al gabei mitah v'lo al gabei kisei, don't sit on the bed, and don't sit on a chair, ולא על גבי ספסל ולא על גבי מקום גבוה v'lo al gabei safsal v'lo al gabi makom gavo'ah, nor on a bench, nor on a place which is high. Don't position yourself or sit in a place which is elevated, which is high, ולא למעלה מראשו v'lo l'ma'ala m'roshasav, and not not above the head of the sick, of the individual person. אלא מתעטף ויושב למטה מראשו Ela, mit'ateif v'yosheiv l'mata m'roshasav, cloak yourself and sit below where the head is. ומבקש לו רחמים u'mevakeish lo rachamim. And this is a key component, the goal of our shiur is not to review the laws of ביקור חולים bikur cholim but that is worth reviewing another time, ומבקש לו רחמים u'mevakeish lo rachamim, you have to דאַווען davven for the sick person. If you didn't דאַווען davven for the sick person, you've not been יוצא ביקור חולים yotzei bikur cholim. You could come and deliver a delicious pastrami on rye with Russian dressing and french fries. I don't recommend that if they're recovering from a cardiac issue in the hospital. You could come and deliver the most delicious, the most outstanding meal. You can come and take care of them in every which way. But if you did not pause on that visit to say, Hashem, have compassion, give a full, speedy, and painless recovery. If you're not מבקש רחמים mevakeish rachamim, if you don't דאַווען davven in the context of visiting the sick, you are not יוצא yotzei, you are not יוצא ביקור חולים yotzei bikur cholim. A very, very important component of ביקור חולים bikur cholim. But listen to the Rambam. The Rambam here in הלכות ביקור חולים Hilchos Bikur Cholim, the Rambam ends הלכות אבל Hilchos Avel, and he says מבקש לו רחמים mevakeish lo rachamim, you דאַווען davven for the sick person, ויוצא v'yotzei, and then, זיי געזונט zai gezunt. And then it's time to leave. מובא ברמב\"ם, כיצד ינהג אדם שנכנס לבקר את החולה *Muvah baRambam keitzad yinag adam she'nichnas l'vakeir es ha'choleh*. Here the Rambam is giving the formula, the Rambam is giving a prescription. What is the proper behavior when you are visiting and uplifting the sick? Don't sit in a high place elevated. מתעטף ויושב למטה Mit'ateif v'yosheiv l'matah, sit below, because the שכינה Shechina is found at the head of the sick person, and דאַווען davven. Take advantage that the שכינה Shechina, that the Almighty is there and appeal for the well-being of that person, and ויוצא v'yotzei, and then leave. And asks Rav Druk, where in the world did the Rambam get that last word of the הלכה halacha? Where did he derive that? That's a הלכה halacha. First of all, why does the Rambam have to say it? When you visit the sick, do you bring luggage with you? Did you ever have intention to move in? Are you coming to stay permanently? Someone sick in their home, let alone in a hospital or a rehab center, you're not there forever, you're not there permanently. So why does the Rambam feel compelled to conclude the הלכה halacha by telling you, ויוצא v'yotzei, \"oh by the way, don't forget to leave.\" Don't forget that there's going to come a time that it's time to leave. הרי בוודאי מבקר חולים יושב שם לעולם אלא סופו של דבר צריך לצאת ולמה נזכר הרמב\"ם להוסיף דבר זה בהלכותיו Hareh b'vadai mevakeir cholim yosheiv sham l'olam, ela sofo shel davar tzarich latzeis, u'lama nizkar haRambam l'hosif davar zeh b'hilchosav? So says Rav Druk, למדנו מדברי הרמב\"ם שהיציאה מהחולה גם כן מצווה l'meidanu midivrei haRambam she'hayetziah me'hacholeh gam kein mitzvah. The מצווה mitzvah is not only to visit the sick, but it's also a מצווה mitzvah to leave the sick person, because we all know, whether it's הכנסת אורחים hachnasas orchim or ביקור חולים bikur cholim or ניחום אבלים nichum aveilim, we all know whether it comes to the hospitality offered with הכנסת אורחים hachnasas orchim, or when it comes to the מצווה mitzvah of when we comfort the mourner, or when it comes to the מצווה mitzvah of when we're visiting the sick, that not only is it a מצווה mitzvah to come, it's a מצווה mitzvah to know when to leave. When you stay too long, when you overstay your welcome, when you now place the burden on the mourner or on the sick person to have to entertain you, to cause them a discomfort that they're ready for you to leave and you stay, then you have undone the very מצווה mitzvah for why you're there to begin with. So the Rambam says not only is there a מצווה mitzvah to come, but there's also a מצווה mitzvah to leave. But wonders Rav Druk, where'd the Rambam get that from? Where'd the Rambam derive that from? כך כותב הרמב\"ם, שמבקר מבקש לו רחמים ויוצא, שאף יציאה מן החולה, מקיים חלק ממצות ביקור חולים, שדואג לחולה שלא יצטרך לסבול מטרס מיותרס Kach kosev haRambam, she'mevakeir mevakeish lo rachamim v'yotzei, she'af yetziah min hacholeh, mekayeim chelek m'mitzvas bikur cholim, she'doeg l'choleh shelo yitzareich lisbol mitras me'yuteres. You're not trying to put a burden. See, all of these מצוות mitzvos, the goal is the recipient of the מצווה mitzvah. The goal is that the guest has hospitality. The goal is the sick person has a visitor. The goal is that the mourner is comforted. It's not to help ourselves. We don't go when it's convenient for us. We don't stay as long because it's Corona, we're distanced, we have no company, we have no socializing, so at least on the שבעה shivah call, I'm going to move in for the whole day because at least I can connect with another. No, the goal is not for us, the goal is for the recipient. אך עדיין יש להבין מדברי הרמב\"ם, הרי הוא קודם כל, הוא מהגמרא בשבת Ach adayin yeish l'havin midivrei haRambam, harei hu kodem kol, hu me'hagemara b'shabbos. The Gemara in Shabbos, דף י\"ב daf yud beis. הנכנס לבקר את החולה לא ישב לא על גבי מטה ולא על גבי כיסא אלא מתעטף ויושב למטה מראשו של חולה Ha'nichnas l'vakeir es ha'choleh lo yeshev lo al gabei mita v'lo al gabei kisei ela mit'atef v'yosheiv l'matah m'rosho shel choleh, and so on, דברי הגמרא divrei ha'Gemara. The Rambam quotes the Gemara almost verbatim, however, the Rambam added an extra word. The word ויוצא v'yotzei, the notion that when it's time to leave, you need to leave, the Rambam added, the Rambam threw in on his own. That does not appear in the גמרא Gemara. Where did he get that from? Says Rav Druk, you know where he got it from? Why are we learning about this on a פרשה parsha class? Give you one guess. יש ללמוד בזה שמקור דברי הרמב\"ם בדין זה, מהפרשה שלנו Yeish lomar b'zeh she'mekor divrei haRambam b'din zeh me'ha'parsha shelanu. Because this is the source. This is the central source of ביקור חולים bikur cholim. The almighty Hashem himself. שהנמסר בפרשה שלנו שהמלאכים הגיעו לאברהם אבינו לבקרו כשהיה חולה She'nimsar b'parsha shelanu she'hamalachim higiu l'Avraham Avinu l'vakro k'she'haya choleh. The מלאכים malachim, the angels, came to visit Avram when he was sick and recuperating. ונאמר, שאל להם אברהם, ואברהם אומר להם v'ne'emar sha'al lahem Avraham v'Avraham omeir lahem, ויאמר אדני אם נא מצאתי חן בעיניך אל נא תעבור מעל עבדך Vayomer Adonai im na matzati chein b'einecha al na ta'avor me'al avdecha. If I find favor in your eyes, please pass not away from your servant. Come, יקח נא מעט מים ורחצו רגליכם והשענו תחת העץ ואקחה פת לחם וסעדו לבכם אחר תעברו כי על כן עברתם על עבדכם yukach na me'at mayim v'rachatzu ragleichem v'hisha'anu tachas ha'eitz v'ekcha pas lechem u's'adu libchem achar ta'avoru ki al kein avartem al avdechem. So we'll give you some food. אחר תעברו כי על כן עברתם על עבדכם Achar ta'avoru ki al kein avartem al avdechem. So, Avram Avinu turns to these, he thinks these guests, and he says to them, nu, take a load off. Wash your feet, take off your shoes, have something to eat, have a drink, rest, lean on the tree. And then, how does he end? אחר תעברו כי על כן עברתם על עבדכם Achar ta'avoru ki al kein avartem al avdechem, פסוק ה pasuk hei. He says, and then go on your way. אחר תעברו Achar ta'avoru, then you'll go on your way. Is that hospitable? Come, and then by the way, when I'm done feeding you, don't forget to leave. ולכאורה צריך להבין, כך עומד על זה האלשיך הקדוש, אחר תעברו V'lichora tzarich l'havin, kach omed al zeh ha'Alshich ha'kadosh, achar ta'avoru. The אלשיך Alshich is bothered. Why does Avram tell the guests? How hospitable is it? Welcome to my home for Shabbos dinner, for Shabbos lunch. It's so nice to have you. We're going to have a beautiful meal, just don't forget when we're done to leave. Don't forget when I'm ready for you to exit, it's time to go. When I take a nap at the table or I go lie down on the couch or when I sing שיר המעלות Shir Hama'alos, that's your hint. It's time to go. Why does Avram? Where's the hospitality in telling his guests, I'm going to feed you, lean on the tree, relax, take your shoes off, and אחר תעברו achar ta'avoru, and don't forget afterwards that it's time that it's time to go? So the אלשיך Alshich also is bothered by this. אין מדרך ארץ לדבר כך אל אורחים Ein miderech eretz l'daber kach el orchim. אמנם כעת יש לומר שזה מקור דברי הרמב\"ם, שאין להסריך ויצא החולה זמן רב, על כל צריך לבקר מעט ואחר כך לעזובו. אברהם אבינו היה חולה, למחרת שהיה שלישי למילתו, כמו בב' רש\"י Omnam ka'et yesh lomar she'zeh mekor divrei haRambam, she'ein l'hasrich v'yotzei ha'choleh zman rav, al kol tzarich l'vakeir me'at v'achar kach la'azvo. Avraham Avinu haya choleh, l'macharas she'haya shlishi l'milaso, k'mo b'rashi. So says Rav Druk, this is the source for the Rambam. אברהם אבינו Avraham Avinu is recuperating. אברהם אבינו Avraham Avinu is recovering from his surgery. This is the most significant day, the third day is the most painful day. So Avram is telling them, don't forget, you're doing ביקור חולים bikur cholim, I'm doing הכנסת אורחים hachnasas orchim. I'm so glad to have the opportunity to host you. And you're doing ביקור חולים bikur cholim. You're visiting me. Don't forget אחר תעברו achar ta'avoru, don't forget to leave. עומק הענין בזה, שלא היתה יציאתו לצורך בשביל הכלל, בשביל להאכיל, ולקיים מצוות בוראו עם לא. זה היה דבר פשוט בעיניו, שה' ציווה לעשותם בלי לשאול שאלות, כמו שאנו רואים בניסיון של גדנסק, ואומר בצליחה Ohmek ha'inyan b'zeh, she'lo hayta yetziato l'tzorech bishvil ha'klal, bishvil l'ha'achil, v'l'kayem mitzvas boro im lo. Zeh haya davar pashut b'einav, sheHashem tziva la'asosam b'li lishol she'eilos, k'mo she'anu ro'im b'nisayon shel… v'omer batzlacha. So, Avram had no hesitation. היצר הרע yetzer hara, היצר ha'yetzer. שהיה יודע שכל זמן שהוא תחת דבר רב, מכניס את עצמו מוריד מעל shehaya yode'a she'kol zman she'hu noetz b'davar rav, machnis es atzmo morid me'al. So therefore אברהם אבינו Avraham Avinu is grateful to have them, he's eager to welcome them. However, they need to know not only when it's time to come, when it's time to go. It's a very important הלכה halacha in paying a שבעה shivah call, a very important הלכה halacha when doing ביקור חולים bikur cholim. It's a very important הלכה halacha when you're a guest in someone's home. To know not only the מצווה mitzvah of showing up, but to know the מצווה mitzvah of when it's time to leave. Don't overstay your welcome. Don't come when it's inconvenient for the person when it's convenient for you. They are the recipient. They should be the focus of this מצווה mitzvah. It's not in order to make us feel better. Okay. Next I want to continue with another piece in Rav Druk. It's a fantastic piece. A fantastic piece. Rav Druk is dealing with the continuation of these פסוקים psukim. וירא אליו ה' באלוני ממרא Vayeira eilav Hashem b'eilonei Mamre. Hashem appears to Avram. Avram is sitting at the entrance of the tent and Avram, by the way, interrupts his conversation from which חז\"ל Chazal, our rabbis, deduce גדול הכנסת אורחים מקבלת פני השכינה gadol hachnasas orchim mikabalas pnei haShechina. It is greater, by the way, not שקול shakul, it's not equal, it's greater. Why didn't they just say it's equal? That's a discussion, which we're not going to get into now. They said it's greater. Greater to welcome guests than it is to continue a conversation with Hashem. And we mentioned this each and every year, if you're listening to more than one Parsha this year, I already know I've said this before, that we say it each and every year. Why does Hashem, why is he satisfied? The God Almighty has called you and you get a call on call waiting. Remember call waiting? And you say to Hashem, could, could I...I see there's another call coming in. I just, I want to just see who it is. Do you mind if I just take this other call? You're the רבונו של עולם Ribono shel Olam, you're the Almighty. You have the most powerful creator on the line, and you're going to put him on hold while you take the call waiting, while you take the call on the other line? How in the world did Avram conclude גדול הכנסת אורחים מקבלת פני השכינה gadol hachnasas orchim mikabalas pnei haShechina? Why does that make sense? How could it be גדול gadol, how could it be greater? And I say every year the following metaphor. Imagine you, the father, you the mother, call your child, and they should show קאָוועד kavod. You're the mother, you're the father, you brought them life, you gave them life, you brought them in this world, you've raised them, and if you want to talk, then they should honor you by continuing that conversation. And you wouldn't tolerate if they say, do you mind if my friend is calling? Or do you mind if I just take this other call? But if they say it's my sibling calling and they need me, do you mind if I take a call from your other child, from my sibling who needs my help? What parent doesn't rush to say, absolutely hang up with me and go talk to your brother, go talk to your sister, go help them out, go step in. Is there a greater נחת nachas from a parent than when the child is emulating and imitating, which is the greatest form of flattery? So הקדוש ברוך הוא Hakadosh Baruch Hu, the Almighty, given the choice would rather us be like him than talk to him. Which is why if you're in the middle of שמע Shema, there are appropriate times when you interrupt in order to entertain a conversation, sometimes in order to even initiate a conversation. Because Hashem says when you have the opportunity to be either speaking about me or being like me, I'd rather you be like me. Go step in for your other children. That's what's going on over here. וישא עיניו וירא והנה שלשה אנשים נצבים עליו Vayisa einav vayar v'hinei shlosha anashim nitzavim alav. And there are these three men that are standing over him. וירא וירץ לקראתם vayar v'yarotz likrasam. He sees and he runs מפתח האוהל וישתחו ארצה mipetach ha'ohel vayishtachu artza from the opening of the tent. ויאמר אדני אם נא מצאתי חן בעיניך אל נא תעבור מעל עבדך Vayomer Adonai im na matzati chein b'einecha al na ta'avor me'al avdecha. Don't leave. I want to host you. יקח נא מעט מים ורחצו רגליכם והשענו תחת העץ Yukach na me'at mayim v'rachatzu ragleichem v'hisha'anu tachas ha'eitz. Take some water and wash your feet and rest on the tree. Says רש\"י Rashi on this פסוק pasuk. הוציא הקדוש ברוך הוא חמה מנרתיקה Hotzi Hakadosh Baruch Hu chama minartika. The sun is usually inside a pouch. The sun is usually inside a casing in order to mitigate the heat so it doesn't absolutely obliterate humanity. Hashem took the sun out of the pouch. In other words, it was a בוקע bokea summer day, unbearably hot. So that לפי שראה מצטער שלא היו אורחים באים עליו, הביא המלאכים עליו בדמות אנשים l'fi she'ra'ah mitzta'er shelo hayu orchim ba'im alav, heivi hamalachim alav bidmus anashim. Avram was in such pain that there was no one to host, that there were no guests coming. Hashem orchestrated events so he would have. Asks Rav Druk in his ספר אש תמיד sefer Aish Tomid, it's not translated. I've been asked as far as I know, it's not yet translated into English. יש להבין מדוע הצטער אברהם כשלא היו אורחים באים, על כמה שאין אורחים באים אין מצווה כלל Yeish l'havin madua hitzta'er Avraham k'shelo hayu orchim ba'im. Al kama she'ein orchim ba'im, ein mitzvah klal. Previously, I think last year or two years ago, we studied, again, this is the central source for הכנסת אורחים hachnasas orchim. So much of learning הכנסת אורחים hachnasas orchim we learn from here, the story of how Avram offered hospitality to his guests. But Rav Druk is asking a very fundamental, a very simple, and somewhat obvious question. Avram looks out and there's no one who needs hospitality. Why is he in pain? If you look outside and you see the homeless and you see the indigent and the poor, if you look out and you see the widow and the orphan, if you look out and you see the people who are suffering and struggling, and you say, אוי ואבוי לי oy vavoy li, I wish I could take care of them all. I'm in such pain because I want to help them all, and yet I'm not in a position to do so, I understand why you have pain as a result. But when Avram looks out and he sees there's nobody who needs, nobody's hungry, nobody's homeless, why is he in pain? Shouldn't the pain from the inability to offer hospitality come from the fact that there are those who need hospitality? If no one needs hospitality, why are you in pain that you're not offering it? וכמו שאין חולה למבקר, אין לו צער U'kmo she'ein choleh l'mevakeir, ein lo tza'ar. Can you imagine you say, you know, you call the rabbi and you say, I want to go do some ביקור חולים bikur cholim, who from the shul is sick? I want to go visit. I say, you know what? You've caught me on a good day, a good week. ברוך השם Baruch Hashem, thank God, nobody from the shul is sick. Would you say, ah, I can't believe it. I'm so bummed out. I'm so depressed. I really want to visit the sick, I can't believe nobody's sick. What do you mean? You visit the sick because you're helping the sick. If there's no one sick, be relieved, joyous and happy. There's no one who needs a visit. Avram should be happy. If he's eager to offer hospitality, be grateful everyone is so well positioned that no one needs hospitality. כיוון שכל מצוות הכנסת אורחים הוא להאכיל את האורחים ואם כולם בביתם מחמת החמה, הרי אין להם צורך כלל. ומה יש לו לצטער בדבר הזה? ודווקא במצוות צדקה שהוא צריך שיהיו מסדמי עניים, אבל הכנסת אורחים מה צורך יש כאן, על כמה שאין אורחים, אין שום מצווה, ומדוע הצטער? Keivan she'kol mitzvas hachnasas orchim hu l'ha'achil es ha'orchim v'im kulam b'veisam machmas hachama, harei ein lahem tzorech klal. U'mah yeish lo l'hitzta'er b'davar hazeh? V'davka b'mitzvas tzedaka she'hu tzarich she'yihyu misdamei aniyim. Aval hachnasas orchim, mah tzorech yesh kan? Al kama she'ein orchim, ein shum mitzvah, u'madua hitzta'er? So Rav Druk's asking this fundamental question. I don't know if it ever occurred to you, but the פרשה parsha begins with a description of how bummed out, I think that's the רש\"י Rashi uses the word bummed out, how bummed out Avram is that he has no one to host. And the question is why? So listen to what he answers. The Gemara says in בבא מציעא Bava Metzia, אמר רבי חמא ברבי חנינא וכן תנא דבי רבי ישמעאל בשכר שלשה זכו לשלשה amar Rabbi Chama b'Rabbi Chanina v'chein tana d'vei Rabbi Yishmael, b'schar shlosha zachu l'shlosha. בשכר חמאה וחלב זכו למן B'schar chem'a v'chalav, zachu l'man. In the merit of the butter and the milk that was given to the guests, the Jewish people merited to have access to the מן man, the heavenly bread that descended. בשכר והוא עומד עליהם b'schar v'hu omed aleihem, and in the merit of standing over them, of caring for their needs, זכו לעמוד ענן zachu l'amud anan. We merited that the cloud would be over us protecting us. ובשכר יוקח נא מעט מים U'v'schar yukach na me'at mayim, in the merit of, nu, quench your thirst, have some water, זכו לבארה של מרים zachu l'be'eirah shel Miriam. We merited the well of Miriam. והדברים צריכים ביאור טובא, הרי עשה אברהם חסדים גדולים והכנסת אורחים בכל עת ומדוע דווקא בשכר פעולות אלו שעשה עם המלאכים זכו לתשלום כה מיוחד? V'hadvarim tzrichim biur tuba, harei asa Avraham chasadim gedolim v'hachnasas orchim b'chol eis, u'madua davka b'schar peulos elu she'asa im hamalachim zachu l'tashlum ko meyuchad? אברהם Avraham was famous for his hospitality. He was always offering water, he was always offering food, he was always offering a comfortable pillow. So shouldn't his descendants, his progeny, have merited these great things, the מן man, the heavenly bread, the protective cloud, and the well, in the merit of a lifetime of hospitality? What is it about this particular hospitality? What is special or unique about this hospitality to these guests that earned his descendants these great blessings? הוא דבר פלא, מצות הכנסת אורחים כאן היא פחותה ביסר, הם מלאכים Hu davar peleh, mitzvas hachnasas orchim kan hi pchusa b'yoser. Heim malachim. Moreover, the question is compounded when you think about the fact that these were not even guests who needed help. These are angels. They're going through a facade. They deserve an Oscar for their acting as if they were eating, as if they were washing their feet, as if they needed anything. These were angels, they needed nothing. So not only is this not a greater act of hospitality for which he should be rewarded, it is in some ways a lesser act because he's taking care of angels who don't even need his help. It's a great question. So two questions wonders Rav Druk. Number one, why is Avram pained from not being able to be hospitable? Nobody needed hosting, shouldn't be pained by that, should be overjoyed by that. Number two, why is he getting a reward for this hospitality in general, in particular rather, when he offered such great hospitality in general, particularly when you consider that the particular hospitality was to people who didn't need to be hosted, who were angels to begin with? These are the questions of Rav Druk. Listen to his answer. עוד ידענו אהר\"א Od yadua ha'ra. מדוע את עבודתו התמידה של אברהם אבינו בענין הכנסת אורחים הקבוע שלו לא הוכרך בהרחבה, כי אם נאמר בקצרה 'ויטע אשל בבאר שבע' Madua es avodaso hatmidis shel Avraham Avinu b'inyan hachnasas orchim hakavua shelo lo huchrach b'harchava, ki im ne'emar b'ktzara, 'vayita eishel b'Be'er Sheva'. The Torah doesn't elaborate on Avram's הכנסת אורחים hachnasas orchim in other context, in other places. It makes one allusion in a simple phrase that Avram planted a tree and חז\"ל דרשן Chazal darshan, it's an acronym, אשל eishel stands for אכילה, שתיה, לויה achila, shtiya, levaya, eating, drinking and escorting. Why not elaborate and spell out the great acts of חסד chesed of Avram? Good. So he says the following. נראה לבאר, יש עשיית חסד שנובע מחמת הרחמים, שמרחם האדם על ראהו הנצרך, וכל שחברו סובל יותר, כך נפתח לב האדם לסייע לו. ועיקר ההטבה עם הזולת במקרה זו היא מחמת מידת הרחמים, שלא נוח לאדם לראות בסבלו של חברו, וכדי להשקיט את מצפונו, הרי הוא פועל למען ייטב לחברו Nireh l'va'eir, yesh asiyas chesed she'nove'a machmas harachamim, she'meracheim ha'adam al re'eihu ha'nitzrach, v'chol she'chavero sovel yoser, kach niftach lev ha'adam l'saye'a lo. V'ikar ha'hatava im ha'zulas b'mikreh zu hi machmas midas ha'rachamim, she'lo noach l'adam liros b'sivlo shel chavero, v'kedei l'hashkit es matzpuno, harei hu po'el l'ma'an yitav l'chavero. So says Rav Druk, there are two types of חסד chesed. There are two drivers of why we do חסד chesed, of why we extend ourselves to help someone else. It could be that we give charity, could be we offer hospitality, it could be we lift the spirits, it could be we visit the sick, it could be we comfort the mourner. We could be driven and motivated and inspired to do any of those things for one of two reasons. I have to drink hot coffee. It's freezing cold in Boca. I think it's like 73 or 74 today. Everybody's bringing out the fleece on the sweater. ברוך השם Baruch Hashem it's November. So one of two reasons. Number one, empathy. You see somebody who's struggling, you see somebody who's suffering, and that's uncomfortable for you. It's uncomfortable for me to be in the vicinity of you when you're suffering. I empathize with your feeling. I have sympathy for you. I have רחמנות rachmanus for you. And so I step up, and I do something in order to make you feel better, which makes me feel better, because I have empathy for what you're going through. אמנם יש עשיית חסד שעיקרה לא קשורה למצב של חברו, אלא לשם עשיית חסד Omnam, yesh asiyas chesed she'ikara lo kshura l'matzav shel chavero, ela l'shem asiyas chesed. But there's another type of חסד chesed. And the other type of חסד chesed is where it's not an empathy for you and for your suffering, but it's part of my very nature and it's part of my very character. I am a giving person. It's not just that I am a person doing חסד chesed, but I'm a בעל חסד ba'al chesed. In other words, you could say, you know what? I'd really rather not be called upon by the חסד chesed committee. I'd really not have to extend myself. I'd really not have to, I'd really rather not have to do anything for anyone else. If I see someone suffering or struggling, I will step up because I'm a decent person and I don't want anyone around me to be uncomfortable or suffering. So if asked, or if I see, I will step up. That's the person who says I'd really prefer not, but if I have to, I will. But there's a second type of person who's driven to do חסד chesed not because they empathize with the person who's suffering or struggling, but who says, I have a חסד chesed personality. A person who says, I'm a בעל חסד ba'al chesed. וזהו איזה עיקר עבודת החסד של אברהם V'zehu eizeh ikar avodas ha'chesed shel Avraham. איננו מחמת מידת הרחמנות Einenu machmas midas harachmanus. It wasn't, I have a רחמנות rachmanus on you, so I do חסד chesed for you. שלא היה מסוגל לראות בסבל ראהו ואוהב, ולכן הכניס לביתו shelo haya mesugal liros b'sevel re'eihu v'ohev, v'lachen hichnis l'beiso. I can't stand to see somebody who's traveling, who's hungry, who's tired, who has no place to rest. אלא היה לו רצון אמיתי להיטיב עם הבריות ela haya lo ratzon amiti l'heitiv im ha'briyos. Avram, what drove him was a benevolence, was an altruism, was a kindness. ולכך אף כאשר יצא חמה מנרתיקה V'lachach af ka'asher yatza chama minartika, and therefore even on an incredibly hot day, an oppressively hot day, and nobody else needed food, everybody was staying home, Avram said, my חסד chesed is not driven by a רחמנות rachmanus for you, my חסד chesed is driven by trying to realize my own character, by trying to imitate and emulate the Almighty, by trying to, by being a חסד chesed personality. It's who I am, it's what I want to give. יסוד הענין שאברהם קיים את החסד מדרכו של הקדוש ברוך הוא, שחפץ להיטיב עם בריותיו Yesod ha'inyan she'Avraham kiyeim es ha'chesed midarko shel Hakadosh Baruch Hu, she'chafetz l'heitiv im briyosav. That's why Hashem created the world. מה קובלים Mekubalim explain, now is not the time, but why did Hashem create the world? If we were not created, none of us would have been here to miss it. We wouldn't have noticed that we weren't created. So why does the almighty, omnipotent, infinite being create a world that wouldn't have missed not being created? What motivated God? Why did God create the world? Now, any answer that you'll give that includes the word that Hashem needed, is obviously erroneous, it's wrong. Why? Because God is omnipotent, infinite, and perfect. He has no needs. So if you're going to say that God created the world because אין מלך בלא עם ein melech b'lo am, there's no king without a people. He needed a people so he could be the king, then you're describing God as having a need, he has no needs, he's perfect. That can't be the answer. So the Kabbalists explain, why did God create the world? The answer is, it was the greatest act of altruism. It was a pure good and kindness to give of himself to others. We can't even identify, we can't even comprehend that. Why? Because every act of good that we do has some kickback. Let's say you do some great חסד chesed. You give lots of charity or you do kindness, and you don't tell anyone else, you'd say, what kickback do I have? They didn't honor me at the dinner. Rabbi didn't speak about me from the pulpit. Nobody knows I even did it. You've got the good feeling of knowing that you did something good that nobody else knows. That in itself is a kickback, is a return that you get. Every good that we do as finite human beings, as mere mortals, has a return on it, everything that we do. Only the Almighty, only God is able to do something purely altruistic, and the purely good he did was creating a world. We spend our lives trying to imitate that. We come as close as we can to it, and therefore we try to be as altruistic and benevolent as we can. And that's what the פסוק pasuk means, עולם חסד יבנה olam chesed yibaneh. The world exists on חסד chesed. שברא עולמו לשם כך she'bara olamo l'shem kach. He created a world for us to emulate and imitate him. He created a world for us to try to be benevolent like him. He created a world not just for us to have רחמנות rachmanus when we see someone suffering. He created a world for us to try to realize the goodness and the kindness in us. So therefore, if a person says that being good and kind and being generous and hospitable is not just a way of relieving suffering of another, it's not just about my empathy for another, but it's part of realizing who I'm meant to be and who I'm meant to become, then it means that if I have no way to express that and to realize that, if there is no recipient of it, I'm frustrated. I'm frustrated. If I'm trying to work on myself and I'm trying to cultivate within myself my selflessness and my giving and my altruism and my benevolence, and they say hospital shut down, no visits, no one's guests, no הכנסת אורחים hachnasas orchim, no, everyone has money, everyone has what they need, no need for צדקה tzedaka. I'm not relieved by that, I'm disappointed and frustrated by it because my act of giving was never about רחמנות rachmanus and relieving the suffering of the other alone. My act of giving was also about my personal growth and realizing who I could be and what I meant to become, of becoming as close to God as I can. Hashem, the Almighty is benevolent, altruistic, kind, and I am trying to train myself, condition myself to be that way as well. And all of this answers our questions, all of this explains this kindness of Avram Avinu, that Avram Avinu, that Avram Avinu, that Avram our forefather is bothered, he's pained. He's not relieved that there's no travelers who need חסד chesed, he's pained. His חסד chesed wasn't just about empathy, his חסד chesed was about conditioning himself. This is the one he gets the greatest reward for, even though they're mere angels. Why? Because they didn't even really need it, and it wasn't about them, it was about his giving. When we do חסד chesed, it's not only the recipient, they're doing us the favor. They're giving us the opportunity to become better, to improve, to give good, and that's what we're grateful for. And we are the progeny, we are the children, we are the offspring of Avram. We are to be like Avram and to emulate and to walk in his ways, to not just do it from a position of empathy, but to do it and give good from a position of wanting to be the best that we that we can. Rav Druk goes on, and he has other other דברי תורה divrei Torah that that explain this. כל המנעמים בסעודתם, שמח עמהם Kol ha'me'aneim b'seudasam, sameach imahem. That if you make the חתן וכלה chassan v'kallah happy, you're giving to them. He has other דברי תורה divrei Torah, but we will run out of time. פרק י\"ח פסוק ד' Perek yud ches, pasuk daled. Moving right along, still on page 78 in the Artscroll Stone חומש Chumash. יקח נא מעט מים ורחצו רגליכם Yukach na me'at mayim v'rachatzu ragleichem. Avram says, take a little water, wash your feet, lean on the tree. And wonders Rav Druk, we're opening with three Rav Druks, חזקה chazaka of Rav Druk, three Rav Druks to open. If you love Rav Druk, you're gonna love this parsha class. If you don't, don't worry, we're getting to other ideas too. So Rav Druk is bothered by the following. מדוע לא הביא אברהם למלאכים רק מעט מים Madua lo heivi Avraham l'malachim rak me'at mayim? Again, Avram is the paradigm of חסד chesed. Avram is the father of חסד chesed. First of all, Avram's חסד chesed included, don't forget to leave. שכוח Shkoyach for coming, don't forget to leave. That gave us one insight into חסד chesed. Now he says to them, יקח נא מעט מים yukach na me'at mayim. Nu, take a little water. What do you mean take a little water? Have as much water as you want. If you are the paradigm, the paragon of חסד chesed, then what is he limiting them? Have as many pitch nadai pitch nad apples as you want. Eat as much potato kugel as you want. Take as many slices of challah, whatever thickness you want. Enjoy. What is Avram limiting them? יקח נא Yukach na, have מעט me'at, just take מעט מים me'at mayim. Why? He should have brought מים בשפע, בלי גבול mayim b'shefa, b'li gvul, should have been overflowing with no boundary, no end. נידבו לבו לקיים הכנסת אורחים כשלמותו Nidvo libo l'kayem hachnasas orchim k'shleimuso. He was so hospitable, so kind, he didn't care about it for himself, he wanted to share with others. So why does he say מעט מים me'at mayim? ויותר תמוה, וגם כן קוראים V'yoser tamua, v'gam kein korim. And even more troubling, says Rav Druk, all the other things he gave in abundance. The pasuk says, ויעל הבקר וירוץ אברהם v'el habakar v'yarotz Avraham. Avram ran to the cattle, the livestock, ויקח בן בקר רך וטוב vayikach ben bakar rach vatov, and he took some veal, he took some soft, lean meat. ונאמר בגמרא, שלוש לשונות בחרדל v'ne'emar b'gemara shlosh l'shonos b'chardal. Avram gave, I wouldn't have been very happy if I was one of these guests, I don't eat tongue. My policy is, I don't taste anything that tastes me back. So I don't eat tongue, I don't enjoy tongue, seeing those taste buds pop up on the tongue, in this here, not for me. However, the גמרא Gemara says that Avram gave what was the greatest delicacy at the time. You know what the greatest delicacy was? Tongue, tongue dipped in, there's a staying power to some recipes, what is tongue delicious in? A honey mustard, a mustard sauce. ג' לשונות *Gimmel l'shonos*, says the גמרא *Gemara*, בחרדל *b'chardal*. Avram served the angels three tongues in mustard. ומבואר, ששחט אברהם כל אחד בשביל בן בקר שלם U'mevo'ar, she'shachat Avraham kol echad bishvil ben bakar shalem. So how do you get three angels, three tongues? Unless he had some nuclear, you know, animal that were raised in Chernobyl, each of these cows should have had one tongue. So what does it mean about Avram's generosity? If he gave each one a tongue dipped in mustard, what did Avram do? He slaughtered three of his livestock. That's very expensive. I don't know how much livestock goes for, my friend Rabbi Steven Weil could tell you, but it's expensive. For three guests, he offered them not one, two or three cuts of the finest meat, he offered them the greatest delicacy. three men that could have enjoyed one cow with plenty of meat left over, he shechted three animals so he could give each one its own tongue. So, what do you see? That Avram provided in abundance. Whatever you want, however much you want, enjoy, עס געזונט es gezunt. And yet when it comes to the water, יוקח נא מעט מים yukaḥ na me'at mayim. Take a little bit of water. What's going on?Says רב דרוק Rav Druk based on the גמרא בבא מציעא פו Gemara Bava Metzia pei vav. יוקח נא מעט מים על ידי שליח Yukaḥ na me'at mayim, al yedei shaliach. When it came to the tongues, when it came to slaughtering the animals, Avram ran on his own. רץ אברהם אל הבקר Ratz Avraham el habakar, he ran on his own. When it came to, however, the water, he did it through a שליח shaliach. ולכן לא רצה אברהם להרבות במים כיון שהיה צריך השליח לטרוח הרבה Ve'lachen lo ratza Avraham leharbot be'mayim keivan she'hayah tzorech ha'shaliach litroach harbeh. At that moment, Avram summoned his servants, his family, and he said, נו nu, come, get them some water. So when you're willing to do the מצוה mitzva, you can provide and schlep and carry in abundance. But when you are recruiting others to do it with you, it's not fair for you to suggest that they should schlep in abundance when it's on their shoulders. דברים שבאתמר עשה לא קמץ Dvarim she'be'atzmo asah, lo kimeitz. When it comes to the things he did himself personally and directly, he wasn't stingy, he didn't hold back. אבל כשהוצרך להעזר בשליח aval k'she'hutzrach le'he'azer b'shaliach, but when he needed to do it with an agent, לא רצה להטריחו יתר על המדה ונתן להם רק מעט מים על צורכם בעבורם lo ratza le'hatricho yoser al ha'midah, v'nasam lahem rak me'at mayim al tzorchan b'avuram. Because he asked his family to get involved, it was not fair. מכאן למדנו Mikan lamadnu, says רב דרוק Rav Druk, we learn a very important lesson from here. אינו נכון להיות צדיק אלא על ידי טרחת עצמו Eino nachon li'hiyot tzadik elah al yedei tirchas atzmo. Don't be a צדיק tzadik on someone else's חשבון cheshbon. Don't be a צדיק tzadik on someone else's חשבון cheshbon. Be a צדיק tzadik on your own חשבון cheshbon. You want to schlep, you want to volunteer, you want to offer? Go to the ends of the earth. But when you're assigning your children, your family, somebody else to do something, don't be a צדיק tzadik on somebody else's חשבון cheshbon.There's a famous story of רב ישראל סלנטר Rav Yisrael Salanter who was a guest at the home of somebody very wealthy. And when it was his turn to go wash his hands for המוציא Hamotzi, the great רב ישראל סלנטר Rav Yisrael Salanter, the founder of the מוסר Musar movement, washed his hands with the bare minimum of water. He used very, very little water, not in abundance. He used the minimum amount of water to הלכתית halachically be considered he washed his hands. So says the גביר gvir, says the host, the wealthy host, נו nu, why are you using so little water? Use a lot more water, in abundance. So רב ישראל סלנטר Rav Yisrael Salanter said to him, יש הרבה מים yesh harbeh mayim. It's true there's a lot of water here in the pitcher. אבל המשרתת שלי עניה היא וצריכה לטרוח להביא מים Aval ha'mesharetet sheli aniyah hi yetzricha litroach lehavi mayim. But your maid, your housekeeper, your butler is the one schlepping the water in order to prepare it for us to wash. So it's true there's a lot of water, but you know the effort to get the water here? I'm not going to fulfill a חומרא chumra, a stringency in washing my hands on the back literally of the schlepper who has to bring the water. רב ישראל סלנטר Rav Yisrael Salanter famously said. רב ישראל סלנטר Rav Yisrael Salanter, one of, one of his disciples once said to him, buying מצה matzah. What's the חומרא chumra I should look for in buying מצה matzah? What's the חומרא chumra? So there's all kinds of חומרות chumras. You know, in how long, how many minutes, or how well they clean in between, or machine מצה matzah, hand מצה matzah, a lot of חומרות chumras in מצה matzah, the bubbles in the מצה matzah. There's a lot of חומרות chumras, a lot of stringencies in מצה matzah. You know what רב ישראל סלנטר Rav Yisrael Salanter answered? You know what the חומרא chumra that you should follow is? Make sure the women who work in the מצה matzah factory are paid on time. That's the חומרא chumra you should follow when it comes to מצה matzah. That was רב ישראל סלנטר Rav Yisrael Salanter, the father and founder of the מוסר Musar movement. That was his emphasis on how we treat people, on how we care about people. And there are countless stories of רב ישראל סלנטר Rav Yisrael Salanter saying, be strict and be stringent, be vigilant in הלכה halacha in following Jewish law, but only when you're the one impacted by it. Don't do it on the backs of others. And so therefore, when he washed his hands, he said, yes, there's a lot of water to wash my hands. But the schlepper, the butler, the housekeeper, the maid, your child is the one who's got to fill the water and bring more water, so I'm using the bare minimum. It's not fair to me to use an abundance on their back. And that's what's going on with אברהם אבינו Avraham Avinu. When it came to Avram going to slaughter the animals to bring three tongues dipped in mustard, he ran and he brought in abundance. But when it came to what he asked his family to do and his servants to do, then מעט מים me'at mayim, only bring a little. כמו כן ידוע מה שאמרו אנשי מעשה שיש אנשים שבשעה שעוטפים טליתם בכתפים ישמעאלים זורקים כנפות טליתם על פני אחרים K'mo chen yadua mah she'amru anshei ma'aseh she'yesh anashim she'b'sha'ah she'osim atfas talisam b'ktifim Ishmaelim zorkim knafos talisam al pnei acherim. The רב דרוק Rav Druk says, you know, you know the people who put their טליתם talisam on. When a man puts it now it's socially distanced, so it's safe. Everyone's eyes are protected. You don't need goggles because you're at least six feet from the next person. But before we were socially distanced from the next person, you could lose your eye when the guy next to you was putting his טלית talis on. If he did it with such vigor and enthusiasm that he put his טלית talis on and flipped it over his shoulder and whipped it, it could knock your eye out. Knock your eye out. Don't be so זריז zariz. Don't have such enthusiasm putting on your טלית talis at the expense of the eyeball of the person standing next to you. יוקח נא מעט מים Yukaḥ na me'at mayim. That is the message that is the lesson.The גמרא Gemara says in חולין Chulin, the חסידה chasidah is named because she does חסד עם חברותיה oseh chesed im chaverteha. The, the bird, the חסידה chasidah is called the חסידה chasidah because she does a חסד chesed with her friends. The עכבר achbar is called a רשע rasha because it sees a piece of bread and it calls the friends to come eat it. Why is it called a רשע rasha? It's doing a חסד chesed too. The answer is the חסידה chasidah gives of what it has to the other. It's called a חסד chesed. But the עכבר achbar calls the friends to cannibalize from one another. That's called a רשע rasha. So חסד chesed is when we extend ourselves, but not, but not the opposite. Okay. Very good. Number, number two. Ready? The רב דרוק Rav Druk number four is the last רב דרוק Rav Druk. I take that back. We've got a lot more רב דרוק Rav Druk. But too bad, he's got amazing stuff from this week's פרשה parsha. רב דרוק Rav Druk continues. So we just said that he took it through a שליח shaliach and that's why he minimized the amount. Oh. Now, רש\"י Rashi here, רש\"י Rashi here, on יוקח נא מעט מים yukaḥ na me'at mayim, רש\"י Rashi tells us he took it through a שליח shaliach. And because Avram didn't bring it directly and he did it only through a שליח shaliach, through an agent, he recruited someone else to do it, השם Hashem later, עשה הקדוש ברוך הוא לבניו על ידי שליח osah Hakadosh Baruch Hu l'vanav al yedei shaliach. השם Hashem later took care of us, but only through an intermediary, only through an agent. Why? Since Avram used an agent to take care of his guests, השם Hashem only took care of us through an agent. As רש\"י Rashi here is in רש\"י Rashi here. The רש\"י Rashi gets that from the, from the גמרא Gemara. So, wonders רב דרוק Rav Druk, and this is a great question. What did Avram do wrong? Isn't that the right חינוך chinuch? Isn't that the way we educate our children? To involve them? To recruit them? To take them with us? נו, קינדערלעך Nu, kinderlach, come, we're going to the hospital. קינדערלעך Kinderlach, walk the guests to the door. קינדערלעך Kinderlach, bring the air conditioning guy or bring the FedEx guy or bring the, the Amazon delivery person who works exclusively for you practically. Bring them a drink, a cold drink, get them something. Isn't that the more correct thing? השם Hashem here seems to hold Avram accountable that he didn't jump up and bring himself, that he sat back and told others, you go bring. Isn't that the way that you educate? Isn't that the way that you inspire? What did he do wrong that later השם Hashem says, when I do for you, I also only do through an intermediary. What did he do wrong? Says רב דרוק Rav Druk, נראה לבאר Nir'eh le'va'er, you know what the answer is? כשרצים לחנך את הבן K'she'rotzim le'chanech es ha'ben, when you want to educate someone, עיקר החינוך הוא על ידי שיהיה דוגמא אישית ikar ha'chinuch hu al yedei she'yihiyeh dugma ishis ולא בצווי שיעשה v'lo b'tzivui she'ya'aseh. You can teach somebody through commanding, through dictating what to do, or you could teach through the personal example. ולכך זו היתה הטענה עליו שרצה לחנך את בניו V'lakach zo haytah ha'tainah alav she'ratzah le'chanech es banav. So God is telling Avram, Avram, you were trying to teach? You know what the best method of teaching is? Not with your words, but with your actions. Get up and do it yourself. That is the best way to teach. And that's what we understand and we're going to continue with this in a moment. השם Hashem says I'm going to destroy סדום Sdom. Skip ahead for a moment. פרק יח פסוק יז Perek yud chet pasuk yud zayin. Bottom of the next page, page 80. What happens? We have the next מלאך malach who comes and tells them you're having a child. Beautiful. What's the next story? השם Hashem says, oh, it's time to destroy סדום Sdom. השם אמר Hashem amar. השם Hashem says, to whom does he say it? To himself. המכסה אני מאברהם אשר אני עשה Hamechaseh ani me'Avraham asher ani oseh? Can I keep from Avram what I'm about to do? This is a world that has utterly failed me. This is a paganist, idolatrous world of selfish people. I've got one person who gets it. His name is Avram. I'm so devoted to Avram. Avram is so devoted to me. I'm devoted to him. המכסה אני מאברהם Hamechaseh ani me'Avraham? Can I really keep this from Avram, what I'm about to do? I've got to tell him. I've got to tell him. I've got to tell him the secret. I've got to tell him what I'm about to do with סדום Sdom. ואברהם היו יהיה לגוי גדול ועצום V'Avraham hayo yihyeh l'goy gadol v'atzum. So the פסוק pasuk says Avram was a great nation. ונברכו בו כל גויי הארץ V'nivrichu bo kol goyei ha'aretz. He was blessed, all the people and nations of the world as השם Hashem had promised him in last week's פרשה parsha. And now why God gives us the reason? I so love Avraham, how can I possibly keep this from him? I have to tell him what I'm about to do. And why do I love Avraham? Why do I feel so compelled? Why am I unable to keep back from him? כי ידעתיו למען אשר יצוה את בניו ואת ביתו אחריו ושמרו דרך השם לעשות צדקה ומשפט למען הביא השם על אברהם את אשר דבר עליו Ki yedativ lema'an asher yetzaveh es banav v'es beiso acharav v'shamru derech Hashem la'asot tzedakah u'mishpat, lema'an havi Hashem al Avraham es asher dibar alav. You know why I love him? You know why I love him? What would you have said? How would you expect that פסוק pasuk to end? I would think God would say, you know why I love him? Because he is preaching about me. Everyone else is worshiping these idols, these made-up things. He talks about me. Why do I love him? Everybody else is selfish and his tent is open on four sides. He's selfless. Why do I love him? He's promoting my brand, he's promoting my name. He's fulfilling the mission, he's advancing the cause. That's not what he says at all. What does השם Hashem say? You know why I love him? You know why I am incapable of holding this back from him? כי ידעתיו למען אשר יצוה את בניו ואת ביתו אחריו ושמרו דרך השם לעשות צדקה ומשפט למען הביא השם על אברהם את אשר דבר עליו Ki yedativ lema'an asher yetzaveh es banav v'es beiso acharav, v'shamru derech Hashem la'asot tzedakah u'mishpat. You know why I love him? Because he teaches his children so effectively, because he communicates and transmits the values so well, so authentically. Wonders רב דרוק Rav Druk, בשום מקום לא מצאנו שציוה אברהם את בניו B'shum makom lo matzanu she'tzivah Avraham es banav. השם Hashem says I love Avram because he teaches his children so effectively. Where does it say it? Where does it say that Avram taught the family? Where does it say he sat them down and educated them? Where does it say it? Says רב דרוק Rav Druk, you know what the answer is? When Avram did it, that was his teaching. Avram never used his words. He taught and he transmitted with his actions. הביאור, שאצם הנהגתו היה צווי הגדול ביותר, והוא יותר מועיל מן הצווי בפועל. Habiyur, she'etzem hanhagaso hayah tzivui ha'gadol b'yoser, v'hu yoser mo'il min ha'tzivui b'poel. Personal example is the most powerful teaching. More than words is personal example. כשראו את אב נוהג כן K'she'ra'u es av noheg ken, when you see the father do it. וכיון שהנהגתו של אברהם אבינו היתה הנהגת צדקה ומשפט V'keivan she'hanhagaso shel Avraham avinu hayta hanhagas tzedakah u'mishpat. So, if you saw Avram, you stood that he stood for charity and justice. That was who he was. It was what he exuded. It was how he spoke. It's what drove every decision he made. And that was his teaching it to the next generation. He didn't need to say it. He didn't need to communicate it. He didn't need to write it on a whiteboard. Why not? Because he lived it. And when he lived it, that is the most effective way of communicating it. It's the most effective way of teaching it. רב דרוק Rav Druk doesn't say this, but many explain in אבות Avos. Often in אבות Avos we reference a great sage and we say הוא היה אומר hu hayah omer. הילל, שמאי Hillel, Shammai, whomever. הוא היה אומר Hu hayah omer. He used to say. So the simple understanding is, הוא היה אומר hu hayah omer means, he used to say, Goldberg's got דברי תורה divrei Torah that he loves, that are his favorite. He likes to say the same דברי תורה divrei Torah all the time. On פרשת וירא parshas Vayera, he always says that thing about גדלות וזריזות gadlus v'zrizus. הוא היה אומר Hu hayah omer, he used to always say. My ראש ישיבה Rosh Yeshiva used to say, my רבי rebbe used to say, the רב rav of my שול shul used to say. That's the simple understanding. Others explain, you know what הוא היה אומר hu hayah omer means? Who? He. In the way he lived his life, in his lifestyle, in his choices, in his personal conduct, הוא היה אומר hu hayah omer. The way he lived his life, היה אומר hayah omer. That used to say. It wasn't that he taught us with words. It wasn't in דרשות drashos and it wasn't in articles. הוא Hu, in his מהות mahut, in his personal example, in the life he led, היה אומר hayah omer. And what a powerful, powerful message for us from רב דרוק Rav Druk. That if we want our children to embrace our values, if we want our children to walk in our way, we want our children to imitate our our lives, it's not going to be by communicating. It's not going to be with words or with words alone. But the more powerful, the more profound, the more penetrating and the more lasting will be by personal example. So the Torah never tells us that Avram actually communicated, but he did communicate. How did he communicate? He communicated with his very behavior and with his actions. And then רב דרוק Rav Druk alludes and we're not going to have time, but רב שוואב Rav Schwab in his מעין בית השואבה Maayan Beis HaShoeva has a beautiful vort on the story of מנוח Manoach and אשת מנוח eshes Manoach and of שמשון Shimshon about, you see, it's personal example. You have to be a נזיר nazir if you want your son to be a נזיר nazir. You have to live that way if you want the ones around you to live that way. You have to show personal example. Now, this word, למען ידעתיו lemaan yedativ. Let's come back to that פסוק pasuk. We're going to take a break from רב דרוק Rav Druk. We'll come back if we have time. כי ידעתיו Ki yedativ. God says, I can't hold back. I can't contain myself. I have to tell Avram what I'm about to do. And why is he so driven? Because כי ידעתיו ki yedativ. Translate the words כי ידעתיו ki yedativ? You can't, because you're all muted. I'll translate for you. כי ידעתיו Ki yedativ, I would think the root of the word ידעתיו yedativ is דעת daas, is knowledge. I know that Avram commands his children after him. But that's not what רש\"י Rashi says. Look at רש\"י Rashi. כי ידעתיו, לשון חיבה Ki yedativ, lashon chibah. It's a language of affection. Says רש\"י Rashi, כי ידעתיו ki yedativ means, I cherish him. It's a language of affection. So רב וואלבה Rav Wolbe, the great משגיח mashgiach, wonders, why if you want to communicate affection, do you use the word ידעתיו yedativ? Say חיבה chibah. Say love and affection, intimacy, connection, closeness. Why are you talking about כי ידעתיו ki yedativ? The word ידעתיו yedativ means I know him. So say, I am מחבבם mechabevim, I I have affection for him. Why are you using the word knowledge? So listen to this insight of רב וואלבה Rav Wolbe. Says רב וואלבה Rav Wolbe, the terminology is used to describe affection because when you love someone, you bother to get to know them. If you don't bother to get to know somebody, if you don't care enough about them to know them, who are they? What makes them tick? What are their fears? What are their dreams? What are their aspirations? If it's all about you, then you don't really love them. Then you don't really love them. To love someone is to want to get to know someone. So therefore, that's what רש\"י Rashi means, כי ידעתיו, לשון חיבה ki yedativ is lashon chibah. If you're מחבב mechabev somebody, if you love them, then you get to know them. You care enough about getting to know them. You know, I set somebody up recently and the girl wasn't interested in going on a second date. And my wife asked, why not? And the girl said, you know, looked good on paper and things made sense, and why not? And she said, frankly, the whole date he didn't ask me one question about me. He just talked about him. I asked him about him, and he was very happy to tell me about him. And not once did he say, tell me about you. Where did you grow up? Where did you go to school? What's your job? What are your dreams? What are your aspirations? Who are you voting for in the election even? Probably not a good question to ask on a date. But he didn't ask one question about me. So he's not going to make a good husband. One doesn't make a good spouse, one doesn't make a good parent, and one doesn't make a good friend if you're so consumed by telling the other about you that you never make the space or find the time to ask about them. כי ידעתיו Ki yedativ. כי ידעתיו Ki yedativ. רש\"י Rashi says ידעתיו is לשון חיבה yedativ is lashon chibah. Because the חיבה chibah is gaining דעת daas. The affection you show someone else is caring enough to get to know them. רב וואלבה Rav Wolbe quotes his רבי rebbe, רב ירוחם Rav Yerucham, the משגיח mashgiach, who once traveled by train from his hometown of מיר Mir to Warsaw. And in those days, Jews would congregate in a designated car. They would travel together without fear. They would have a certain social circle. And רב ירוחם Rav Yerucham bemouned that by the time he reached his destination, that upon he's he, he um, was proud he had come to know every passenger in that car. And he said, you know, most people they get on the airplane, most people they sit on the train, put your headphones in, you look down, don't make eye contact, not interested in making friends, don't want to meet anyone, don't tell me your name, don't tell me about your grandchildren, don't show me pictures of your recent vacation. I'm not on, we just happen to be on the same vehicle going to the same destination. I want nothing more than that. But רב ירוחם Rav Yerucham said, you know, particularly among family, among the Jewish people, but really among humanity, among anybody. מן ידעתיו, חיבה man yedativ, chibah. Are basic כבוד הבריות kavod ha'brios, as you care enough about others to say, what's your name? Where you going? Tell me about it. And so on and so forth. To say good morning. It's an אהבת הבריות ahavas ha'brios. It's an אהבת ישראל ahavas Yisrael. It's a חיבה chibah to care enough to ask and to get to know another. That is a magnificent insight. I love that insight of רב וואלבה Rav Wolbe on this פרשה parsha.רב סולובייצ'יק Rav Soloveitchik also weighs in. למען אשר יצוה את בניו Lema'an asher yetzaveh es banav. In the רב Rav on your חוּמַשׁ Chumash says the following, Avram introduced the covenantal community. The covenant of the ברית bris was signed and sealed by God, and it imposed an obligation not only on man, but on God as well, involving each side of the covenant. Was it unconditional or did Avram have to meet certain conditions and obligations? And the answer is clear. Certain definite conditions were introduced as we find here. Avram had to transmit all of his teachings to future generations. If Avram leaves no will, there is no obligation by God to uphold the covenant. Every member of the covenantal community must leave two wills. Listen carefully. Listen very carefully. It's a very important insight of the רב Rav. It's a פרשה parsha perspective for today. Every member of the covenantal community, if you're a פרום היימישע ערליכע איד frum heimishe erlicher Yid, every Jew, every human being, but certainly if you're a member of the covenantal community, needs to live two wills. Two wills. I'm going to give you a message here about estate planning. I'm not going to tell you, you know, how to organize or orchestrate your estate planning, but I'll tell you, said the רב Rav, you need two wills. A material will in which you dispose of your personal wealth and belongings, and a spiritual will in which you pass on the mandate to adhere to the דרך השם derech Hashem. God declares that Avram will entrust the spiritual treasure to his children and is therefore worthy of the covenant. According to the רמב\"ם Rambam, the word מצוה mitzva means not merely a commandment. The word מצוה mitzva is synonymous with the word צואה tzava'ah, a will. If the spiritual will had not been carried out, the commandment, the covenant would have terminated. So God's covenant was conditional. השם Hashem says, I'll be in this ברית bris, I'll be in this covenant with you, but here's the deal. Only on condition that you leave it for your children and that you charge your children with it. Don't just leave your children a portfolio of stocks and mutual funds and bonds. Don't just leave your children real estate. Don't just leave your children cars and clothing and closets that have to be cleaned out. Your children need to find not only a will which will tell them how to divide the material things, your children need to discover that you've left them a צואה tzava'ah, a spiritual will, an ethical will which tells them who you are and what you stood for and what you believe in and what your dreams and aspirations are for them. Now, it doesn't leave them in a box. The spiritual you leave them doesn't say, you have to wear this kind of יאמיקא yamaka. If you don't wear this כיפה kippah, you don't get the real estate and you don't get the stocks and the bonds. The suggestion that you have to leave an ethical will, a צואה tzava'ah, does not mean that you have to put them in a box of looking exactly like you. There's a diversity to כלל ישראל Klal Yisrael. But it does mean that you say to them, here's my expectations. I want you to marry a Jew. I want you to be a proud Jew. I want you to be an observant תורה Torah Jew. I want you to set aside time for תורה Torah learning. I want you to דאווען daven. I want you to care about other people. I want you to care about the whole Jewish community. I want you to embrace the miracle of the modern state of Israel, whatever your values are, whatever your emphasis, however you lived your life. Don't just leave your children a will for material things, leave them an ethical will. And that's what the רב Rav is quoting the רמב\"ם Rambam, that the word צואה tzava'ah that we use for will comes from the same word as the root מצוה mitzva, to be מצווה, צואה mitzaveh, tzava'ah, a will because the צואה tzava'ah is not just a commandment. If a spiritual will is not been carried out, the covenant is terminated. Avram was the first teacher not to a few, but to tens of thousands, as the רמב\"ם Rambam writes. The community organized around Avram consisted of students. The main aspect of the community was the teacher-pupil relationship rather than the biological father-son relationship. Avram's responsibility was to see to it that there was someone to pass on the צואה tzava'ah, to create a community of teachers and students of מסורה mesora. This is the notion of transmission, of מסורה mesora, of continuity. We involve and care ourselves not just about the here and now and today, but we have to be committed to a sense of continuity, and that is the צואה tzava'ah, that is the ethical will and charge that we leave the next generation.Rabbi JJ Schachter, whenever we have, he said it at countless rabbinic conferences that he has held, he turns to the rabbis and he says, you know, God doesn't tell Avram, you know why I love you? And you know why I can't hold back from telling you what's going to happen? Not because you have tens of thousands of followers. It's all about your children. Don't be a רב rav or a רבצן rebbetzin, don't be in חינוך chinuch, don't build a career, don't be a community volunteer and lay leader at the expense of your children. Because when push came to shove, you know why God loved Avram? Not because of the tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands of converts that Avram was involved in inspiring, but ultimately, what was the reason? Because אשר יצוה את בניו ואת ביתו אחריו asher yetzaveh es banav v'es beiso acharav. What matters most is בניו banav and ביתו אחריו beiso acharav. That's our most critical legacy. That's who we are and that's what we stand for. Okay. Included in the statement, God says, למען אשר יצוה את בניו ואת ביתו אחריו lema'an asher yetzaveh es banav v'es beiso acharav, and what is it that you're going to teach them to do? ושמרו דרך השם V'shamru derech Hashem. What are the words ושמרו דרך השם v'shamru derech Hashem? So you waited long enough, it's time for an אמרי חיים Imrei Chaim of ויז'ניצר Vizhnitzer, the הייליגע ויז'ניצר Heilige Vizhnitzer. So in a what was Avram successful at transmitting? So we saw רב דרוק Rav Druk, how did he transmit it? What was what was his methodology? Not with his words, with his personal example. We saw that for השם Hashem that was the most important, that it wasn't just for the here and now, there was a continuity that מצוה, צואה mitzva, tzava'ah, don't just leave a material will and ethical will. But what was it that he commanded his children? What is it he inspired them to continue to do? What he what he inspired them and what they continued was ושמרו דרך השם v'shamru derech Hashem. What does that mean? They're observing the דרך השם derech Hashem? Says the ויז'ניצר רבי Vizhnitzer Rebbe, the אמרי חיים Imrei Chaim, ושמרו דרך השם לעשות v'shamru derech Hashem la'asot, ושמרו is מלשון ואביו שמר את הדבר v'shamru is mi'lashon v'aviv shamar es hadavar. We're going to read later in ספר בראשית Sefer Bereishis that when יוסף Yosef is missing and he doesn't return back, it says about his father יעקב Yaakov, אביו שמר את הדבר aviv shamar es hadavar, that his father waited with eagerness and anticipation. The word שמר shamar doesn't just mean to protect and safeguard. שמר Shamar means to anticipate, to long, to look forward to. To be a שומר שבת shomer Shabbos is not just to keep שבת Shabbos on שבת Shabbos, but to be a שומר שבת shomer Shabbos the entire week long, to look forward, to anticipate, to long. ושמרו דרך השם V'shamru derech Hashem, שיחכו בחליון וצמאון נפש לעשות מצות השם she'yechaku b'chilyon v'tzimaon nefesh la'asot mitzvos Hashem, to have an appetite, a thirst to want to fulfill the word of a ושמרו דרך השם לעשות v'shamru derech Hashem la'asos. ושמרו V'shamru doesn't only mean to guard it when you're presented with it, but ושמרו v'shamru means to thirst for it, to look forward to it, to count down to it. And what is it that they were looking forward to? What were they counting towards? What were they protecting? לעשות צדקה La'asot tzedakah. שנים יחדיו Shnayim yachdav, says the אמרי חיים Imrei Chaim, גם שמירת התורה וגם נתינת צדקה gam shmiras haTorah v'gam nesinas tzedakah. You have to observe תורה Torah and you have to give charity. לא כאלו החושבים שיושבים ולומדים בעצמם פטורים מלעשות צדקה Lo k'eilu ha'choshvim she'yoshvim v'lomdim b'atzman p'turim mi'la'asot tzedakah. Says the אמרי חיים Imrei Chaim, there are people who make mistake in both directions. There are some who say, I sit and I learn תורה Torah. I don't have to volunteer for חסד chesed, and I don't have to give צדקה tzedakah, and I don't have to do all that בין אדם לחבירו bein adam l'chavero stuff, because I sit and I learn full-time. Says the אמרי חיים Imrei Chaim, it's a terrible mistake. ולא כאלו החושבים שתומכים במוסדות התורה ותלמידי חכמים כבר פטורים מלשמור דרך השם, מללמוד בעצמם V'lo k'eilu ha'choshvim she'tomchim b'mosdos haTorah v'talmidei chachamim k'var p'turim mi'lishmor derech Hashem, mi'lilmod b'atzman. And then you have the opposite extreme. You have the people who say, I'm a good person, I'm a kind person, I'm a charitable person. Ah, the minutia, the details, observing the laws, learning the תורה Torah, that's not for me, but I'm a good person, I'm a charitable person. What what השם Hashem is telling Avram is, you know why I believe in you? You know why I love you? You know why I can't hold back from you? Because you're teaching your children to do both, that you need both. You need לדרך השם לעשות צדקה l'derech Hashem la'asos tzedakah. You need to learn תורה Torah. You need בין אדם למקום and בין אדם לחבירו bein adam la'Makom and bein adam l'chavero. You need to be committed to learning תורה Torah and you need to be committed to living תורה Torah. You need to be committed to the principle and you need to be committed to the practice. You need to do both and the combination of both, that's what you successfully taught, and that's why I love your, and that's why I love your children. Now we all know that the רמב\"ם Rambam... oh my, look what time it is. Okay, we got halfway through the things I wanted to share with you. I never have so much more. So the רמב\"ם Rambam will end with this. The רמב\"ם Rambam at the end of הלכות דעות Hilchos Deios, the end of the first פרק perek rather of הלכות דעות Hilchos Deios, the רמב\"ם Rambam says the following famous thing. Maimonides' golden mean. The רמב\"ם Rambam talks about the golden mean. Everybody's heard of the שביל הזהב shvil ha'zahav, the רמב\"ם Rambam Maimonides' golden mean. Where does the רמב\"ם Rambam write that? The end of the first chapter of הלכות דעות Hilchos Deios. And he says the following. כיצד ירגיל אדם עצמו בדעות אלו עד שיקבעו בו Keitzad yagil adam atzmo b'deios eilu ad she'yikvau vo? How should a person habituate, how should that person condition themselves when it comes to these qualities? יעשה וישנה וישלש במעשים שעושה על פי הדעות האמצעיות Ya'aseh v'yishneh v'yishalesh b'ma'asim she'osah al pi ha'deios ha'emtza'iyos. He doesn't talk about a golden mean, he calls it the middle of the road. The קאצקער רבי Kutzker Rebbe famously said the middle of the road is for horses. But that's the קאצקער Kutzker. The רמב\"ם Rambam disagrees with the קאצקער Kutzker. The קאצקער Kutzker said the middle of the road is for horses. The קאצקער Kutzker was extreme, passion, fire, middle of the road is for horses. But the רמב\"ם Rambam says, how should you live your life? When it comes to every quality, when it comes to character, don't be extreme. אמצעיות Emtza'iyos, middle of the road. ויחזור בהם תמיד עד שיהיו מעשם קלים עליו ולא יהיה בהם טורח עליו ויקבע הדעה בנפשו V'yachzor bahem tamid ad she'yihyu ma'asam kalim alav v'lo yihyeh bahem torach alav v'yikva ha'deah b'nafsho. Where did the רמב\"ם Rambam get this from? How did he know? Maybe we should be extreme. Maybe we should be extremely passionate and devoted. Maybe there are qualities which we should practice in the extreme. How did the רמב\"ם Rambam know that we should live our lives and condition ourselves to have all of our qualities, our personality, be moderate, be measured, be what רב שכטר Rav Schachter calls, normal, be normal. אמצעיות Emtza'iyos. Anyone who's too extreme, too fanatical, to be a קיצוני kitzoni, an extreme personality, it's not what השם Hashem wants. How did the רמב\"ם Rambam know that? From where did the רמב\"ם Rambam derive that? The רמב\"ם Rambam says, because this is what's called דרך הבינונים שאנו חייבים ללכת בה נקראת דרך, זו דרך השם derech ha'beinonim she'anachnu chayavim leleches bah nikreis derech, zu derech Hashem. The דרך בינונים derech beinonim is being moderate, being measured, being normal, walking the golden mean, that is the very definition of דרך השם derech Hashem. שהיא שלמד אברהם אבינו לבניו She'hi she'limed Avraham Avinu l'vanav, and this is what Avram taught his children. כי ידעתיו למען אשר יצוה Ki yedativ lema'an asher yetzaveh. וההולך בדרך זו מביא טובה וברכה לעצמו V'ha'holech b'derech zu meivi tovah u'vrachah l'atzmo. If you teach your children the golden mean, to be אמצעיות emtza'iyos, to be בינונים beinonim, to go in the middle, to be measured and moderate, to be normal, if you teach your children, it brings טובה וברכה tovah u'vracha. How do you know? למען הביא השם על אברהם את אשר דבר עליו lema'an havi Hashem al Avraham es asher dibar alav. So the רמב\"ם Rambam here is describing that the דרך השם derech Hashem that the פסוק pasuk, השם Hashem says Avram, I can't hold back from you. I have to tell you what I'm about to do. And why do I have to tell you? And why can I hold back from you? Because I've cared enough about you to get to know you. I love you. And why do I love you? Because you are teaching your children through personal example how to find the combination of תורה Torah and of חסד chesed, of משפט mishpat, of צדקה tzedakah. And because ושמרו דרך השם v'shamru derech Hashem, you are teaching them דרך השם derech Hashem. And what is דרך השם derech Hashem? You're teaching them to be normal. A יידישקייט Yiddishkeit and a פרימקייט frumkeit that's normal. It's not extreme in either or any direction. השם Hashem loved Avram and השם Hashem wants us to live and to teach. You know, I I for a long time I I fear that there's a a majority of Orthodox who don't use any other title than that modern or open or extreme or right-wing or, they're just, they're just, they're just שומר תורה ומצוות shomer Torah u'mitzvos. And and I think we need a new movement of normal תורה Torah Jews. They're not modern Orthodox Jews, they're not, they're not ultra-Orthodox Jews, they're not open Orthodox Jews. We'll call it normal Orthodox Jews. Normal. The רמב\"ם Rambam Jews. דרך האמצעות Derech ha'emtza'iyus. That's what השם Hashem wants. That's דרך השם derech Hashem. ושמרו דרך השם V'shamru derech Hashem. We have to protect normalcy. We have to stand up to fanaticism and extremism, to be moderate and to be easygoing and to be normal and to go in this, in this way. So the רמב\"ם Rambam is describing the mode of conduct you have to maintain is moderation. Don't grow angry easily. Don't respond with being passive. Don't be too frugal. Don't be overly generous that you become poor yourself. The Rambam says this is the legacy of אברהם אבינו Avraham Avinu. Be normal, be moderate. Be moderate. So that's a simple understanding. But Rav Soloveitchik has an additional layer of understanding. He says moderation is not the solution to every problem, nor is it the appropriate response to every situation. The golden mean must govern a person's general approach to life, rather than dictate his conduct under all circumstances. The Rambam bids us to use sound judgment and reason when deciding how to act, rather than maintain a consistent pattern of behavior at one extreme. At times a person has to act forcefully, while others calls for mild. Some situations require one to deal exactly and inflexibly. Other you have to be adaptable and willing to forgo. The Rambam's derivation of this principle from our פסוק pasuk appears to support the Rav's understanding. השם Hashem describes Avram as training his children. What is the דרך השם Derech Hashem? It's the synthesis between kindness and justice. Now kindness and justice seem incompatible. Kindness is not just. Justice lacks kindness. So that's what the Rav would say. When the Rambam tells us to go in the middle, he doesn't mean never act in the extreme, but he means be balanced in when you act in the extreme, which is a different way of understanding it. But I come back to the first way, be normal, be measured, be moderate. It's a normal Judaism, a normal Torah way of life. That is the legacy of אברהם אבינו Avraham Avinu, and that is what השם Hashem wants from us as well. Like I said, we had a lot more to share and talk about, a lot more beautiful ideas. So I'll have to save them for next year. Tonight, 7:30 p.m. People of the Book online, אור החיים הקדוש Or Hachaim Hakadosh. Those who've learned פרשה parsha with me, we've learned many אור החיים'ס Or Hachaims together. רב חיים אבן עטר Rav Chaim ibn Attar. Who was he? Where did he live? What is the theme or the nature of his writing on the Torah, his commentary? Tonight, 7:30 p.m. on our YouTube channel. Join live. People of the Book, a new series that we are launching tonight or continuing an old series, but relaunching, and I'm beginning it with People of the Book. If you're watching on YouTube, please subscribe to our channel. Everyone stay happy, stay healthy, and stay holy.
