Vayera – 2015

 

·        Akaidas Yitzchak, the binding of Yitzchak, is the 10th and most difficult test of Avraham.

·        What was the test?

·        You might say it’s obvious – Hashem tested to see if Avraham was willing to sacrifice his beloved son, Yitzchak.

·        The simple way of interpreting it: Avraham loved Yitzchak more than anything in the world, and Hashem wanted to see if Avraham was willing to give up his most beloved treasure if Hashem requested it.

 

·        Lehavdil, the pagans and idol worshippers had a similar way of regarding their deities.

·        They feared an avenging deity, and they sacrificed the thing they valued most – their children, to ward off the wrath of the deity. 

·        An example of this was the avodah zara of Molech – some say they would merely pass their children through fire, others claim they actually sacrificed their children.

 

·        This suggests that Avraham heard Hashem ask him to actually kill his son Yitzchak. 

·        And that Avraham is rewarded greatly by answering, “If you want me to take a knife and kill my son, I will do it”.

·        One could find this interpretation somewhat disturbing. 

·        Is there another way of viewing this?

·        Is there an alternative to suggesting that Avraham fully believed that Hashem asked him to perform child sacrifice?

 

·        At the end of Lech Lecha, Hashem tells Avraham: “Your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you will name him Yitzchok.  I will establish My covenant with him, as an eternal covenant to his descendants after him.”

·        Hashem taught Avraham a very important truth.

·        That the generations form a chain, a Shalsheles, that links the distant past and the distant future.

·        By continuing this chain, we rise above our short, mortal lives, and have Nitzchius, a connection to eternity.

 

·        The message of Akeidis Yitzchak, from this vantage point, is that this Shalsheles, this chain, is the most important thing in life – it’s our connection to eternity.

·        Hashem is telling Avraham that, even though this is the most important people can be involved with, Hashem is even more important.

·        We have to be willing to even give this up if Hashem asks us to.

 

·        Yitzchak was the link in this Shalsheles – biologically and even more important, spiritually, in terms of the Mesorah of Judaism.

·        All Jews in the world, and all Judaism, descended from Yitzchak – there would never have been a Jewish people.

·        Hashem is saying, even this great cosmic goal of being part of an eternal chain, must be subservient to Hashem.

·        How does this great chain of Nitzchius exhibit itself in our lives?

 

·        PARENTS AND CHILDREN

·        One obvious example of this Shalsheles is parents and children.

·        Rashi says in this week’s Parsha, a parent who produces a good child is considered as never having died.

·        The word Ben means to build,

·        Parents and children form a cosmic bond.

·        Kiddushin 30a – 3 parties involved in creation of child – mother, father, and Hashem.

·        Our children are our links to the future, our parents are our links to the past.

 

·        The Gemorah in the end of the first perek of Kiddushin says that children have obligations to their parents – such as honoring them, Kivid Av VeAim,

·        And parents have obligations to their children, such as to teaching them a trade and teaching them Torah.

·        It’s interesting that the first Mitzvah a boy has – bris milah - is done by his father

·        Honoring parents is the 4th commandment, on the side of the luchos bain adam le Makom, promising Erech Hachaim, gives long life.

·        Ramban – So your days will be lengthened – in Olam Haba, and Olam Hazeh –

·        Shemot 21:15-17  - “Whoever (intentionally) smites his father or mother shall be put to death. …Whoever curses his father or mother shall be put to death.” .

·        Jews say Kaddish for parents to give a zchus for their parents.

 

·        The parent/child relationship is certainly the foundation of Judaism.

·        Hirsh – The sole guarantee of (Judaism) depends on its faithful transmission from parents to children, and on its willing acceptance by children from the hands of their parends… Kivod Av veAme is the basic condition for the eternity of the Jewish Nation

·        Kesubos 103a – Kivid Av VeAme applies to others that are similar to parents – step parents, adoptive parents, elder brother – certainly Rabbis

·        It gives Nitzchius, enternity, Shalsheles, chain, a cosmic bond

 

·        TEACHING

·        This is also true for the Rebbe Talmud relationship

·        Rebbe also gives us Nitzchius

·        Vayelech: Rashi – 31:29 A man’s disciple is as precious to him as his own person. So long as Yehoshua was alive, it was as if Moshe was still alive.

·        The Gemora says if we say something that someone taught us, we must say it over in their name, because it’s zchus for them, their lips move in their grave.

·        Baba Metzia says that if someone teaches us something, we have to stand up for them.

·        Have to return the lost item of a Rebbe even before father, because he is teaching us Torah – certainly a father who teaches us Torah.

 

·        ZCHUS AVOS

·        We begin the Shemoneh Esreh referring to Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov

·        Pirkei Avos begins talking about the Mesorah from Har Sinai down through the generations.

·        Shabbos 30a - When Israel sinned in the wilderness, Moses stood before Hashem, and said many prayers before Him, but he was not answered. Yet when he exclaimed, ‘Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, your servants!’, he was immediately answered.

·        Shabbos 30a - When Shlomo Hamelech built the Temple, he wanted to take the Ark into the Holy of Holies, but the gates remained closed. Shlomo said twenty-four prayers,…Then he said ‘Lift up your heads, O gates; lift them up, everlasting doors: and the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, He is the King of glory. Selah’;yet he was not answered. But as soon as he prayed, ‘O Lord God, turn not away the face of your anointed, remember the good deeds of David your servant,’ he was immediately answered.

 

·        Eruvin 19a – Avraham takes all Jews out of Gehenim.

·        Dovid Hamelech was so bereaved when Avsholom died – though Avsholom had tried to kill his father Dovid – he said Avsholom’s name 8 times.

·        Sotah 10b: Why is ‘my son’ repeated eight times? Seven to raise him from the seven divisions of Gehinnom; and as for the last, to bring him into Olam Habah

 

·        CONCLUSION

·        Avraham had learned from Hashem about the Shalsheles, the Mesorah, connecting parents and children, Rebbes and Talmidim, our Avos and Klal Yisroel.

·        It gives us Nitschius, a connection to eternity.

·        In fact one of the main differences between people who are frum and not frum is this feeling of Mesorah, connection, forming the Shalsheles between past and future.

 

·        Fom this viewpoint, the main message of Akeidas Yitzchak was not that Hashem asked Avraham to perform child sacrifice.

·        Hashem’s message was that chain of the Jewish People, formed by parent to child, Rebbe to student –is the most important thing in life.

·        It’s the Nitzchius of the Shalsheles and Mesorah

·        But even this glorious and cosmic goal you must willing to give up for Hashem.

·        By being willing to give up the physical and spiritual Shalsheles, Avraham demonstrated his complete loyalty to Hashem