Va-Yerah: He Saw
Abraham, still recovering from his circumcision, was sitting outside his tent, when he sees three strangers approaching. He offered them hospitality. As Sarah prepared a meal for of bread, milk and meat (this is before the laws of kashrut have been handed down), the strangers asked Abraham about her. They informed Abraham that within the year, Sarah will have a son. Sarah heard this and laughed, thinking that at her age, she is well beyond childbearing.
Suddenly, the story turns back to Lot and his family living in Sodom and Gomorrah. The strangers left Abraham and headed towards Sodom, where wickedness thrives. G~d told Abraham that He intended to destroy the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. Abraham argued with G~d, pleading against such blanket punishment, noting that such treatment would cause the deaths of innocents as well as the wicked. G~d agreed and promised that if there were 10 righteous people in the cities, he would spare the city from total destruction. Abraham's argument with G~d exemplifies a Jewish trait.
Meanwhile, two strangers entered Sodom and visited Lot. The townspeople cried out for the strangers. The text hints that the towns people want to rape Lot's guests. Lot, instead, offered the townspeople his virgin daughters instead of offering up his guests for the abuse. An angel intervened and protected the daughters. Lot and his family were allowed to leave the city, but were told not to look back as the city was destroyed. Lot's wife disobeyed and was turned into a pillar of salt. Believing that the entire world has been destroyed and they are the only survivors, Lot's daughters got their father drunk, then slept with him in order to procreate and re-populate the world. One daughter bore a son whom she named Moab, the ancestor of the Moabites. Ruth, who is an ancestor of King David, was a Moabite. The other daughter bore a son whom she namee Ben Ammi, who is the ancestor of the Ammonites.
Abraham and Sarah set out on a journey, settling in Gerar, where, once again, Abraham passed Sarah off as his sister. King Abimelech took Sarah, thinking she is available. G~d intercedes, and informed the king in a dream that Sarah was married to Abraham. The king gives Abraham gifts and they part.
Sarah finally bore a son, whom she names Isaac., meaning :Laughter." Hagar and Ishmael were sent away.
G~d tested Abraham, telling him to sacrifice Isaac. Abraham and Isaac parted from Sarah and traveled for three days, finally arriving at Mount Moriah. There, at the top of the mountain, Abraham built an altar, bound Isaac to the altar, and drew his knife to Isaac's throat. At this moment, an angel called out Abraham's name. Abraham looked up and saw a ram in the bushes. Abraham exchanged the ram for Isaac and made his sacrifice. G~d then promised to make Abraham a great nation for sparing his son.
Interestingly, the Rabbis note at after this trauma, Torah does not record any further communication between Sarah and Abraham, and Sarah does shortly thereafter.
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Kristallnacht ~ November 9, 1938
Kristallnacht, or the Night of the Broken Glass, was a massive anti-Jewish attack staged by the Nazis, that took place on November 9~10, 1938. Throughout Germany and Austria, synagogues were set afire and Jewish-owned shops were broken into and vandalized. The name, Kristallnacht, or Night of the Broken Glass, is a reference to the many broken windows of synagogues, Jewish-owned businesses and homes that were destroyed by the plundering by the Nazis. Jewish cemeteries, and schools were also destroyed, all under the watchful eye of police. In addition to the physical vandalism, at least 91 Jews were murdered in the streets during this violence.
Kristallnach was a turning point in world history. It solidified the Nazi anti-Jewish policy that would eventually lead to the Holocaust with the systemic, state-sponsored murder of millions of Jews.
The attack has been attributed to the retaliation following the assassination of a German official by 17-year old Herschel Grynszpan. Grynszpan, who was living in Paris, entered the German Embassy in Paris and shot and killed a German official. He was protesting the harsh treatment his family suffered under the Nazi regime in Germany. A few weeks earlier, over 15,000 Polish Jews living in Germany had been rounded up and transported back to Poland. Grynszpan’s family had been in this group.
SS leader Reinhard Heydrich reported that over 7500 businesses, mostly Jewish-owned, and 267 synagogues were burned, some totally destroyed. In addition, over 90 Jews were killed in the rioting. Hermann Goring issued an edict stating that the Jews would be billed for any and all damages caused by the riots. Any insurance claims were confiscated by the government.
Although Kristallnacht produced shockwaves throughout the rest of the world, nothing was done to halt the Nazis from their continued attacks on Jews. The United States reacted by recalling its German ambassador.
Kristallnach was a turning point in world history. It solidified the Nazi anti-Jewish policy that would eventually lead to the Holocaust with the systemic, state-sponsored murder of millions of Jews.
The attack has been attributed to the retaliation following the assassination of a German official by 17-year old Herschel Grynszpan. Grynszpan, who was living in Paris, entered the German Embassy in Paris and shot and killed a German official. He was protesting the harsh treatment his family suffered under the Nazi regime in Germany. A few weeks earlier, over 15,000 Polish Jews living in Germany had been rounded up and transported back to Poland. Grynszpan’s family had been in this group.
SS leader Reinhard Heydrich reported that over 7500 businesses, mostly Jewish-owned, and 267 synagogues were burned, some totally destroyed. In addition, over 90 Jews were killed in the rioting. Hermann Goring issued an edict stating that the Jews would be billed for any and all damages caused by the riots. Any insurance claims were confiscated by the government.
Although Kristallnacht produced shockwaves throughout the rest of the world, nothing was done to halt the Nazis from their continued attacks on Jews. The United States reacted by recalling its German ambassador.
Friday, November 4, 2011
Yitzhak Rabin (March 1, 1922 ~ November 4, 1995)
Yitzhak Rabin served two terms as Israeli Prime Minister. He was assassinated on November 4, 1995, during his second term.
He was a native Israeli, born in Jersualem in 1922. His parents were Russian Jews who had moved to what would become Israel during the Third Aliyah.
Rabin grew up in Tel Aviv, where his parents moved when he was very young. He married Leah Schlossberg in 1948. They had two children, Dalia and Yuval.
In 1941, Rabin joined the Palmach section of the Haganah. The Palmach was the unofficial Jewish Army during the British Mandate. Many of its members later formed the Israeli Defense Forces.
While in Palmach, Rabin participated in assisting the allied invasion of Lebanon, then held by Vichy French forces in the summer of 1941. In the fall of 1945, Rabin was responsible for planning and executing the liberation of Jewish immigrants from the Atlit detainee camp.
During the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, Rabin was in charge of IDF operations in Jerusalem. By 1949, Rabin was a member of the Israeli delegation to discuss peace talks with Egypt. He became the Chief of Staff of the Israeli Defense Forces in 1964, under Prime Minister Levi Eshkol.
Rabin became Prime Minister of Israel in June 1974. One of his major achievements as Prime Minister was the Sinai Interim Agreement between Israel and Egypt, which was signed in September 1975. The Agreement was a first step towards the Camp David Accords of 1978 and the peace treaty with Egypt, which was ultimately signed in 1979.
Rabin was very involved in the Oslo Accords, which created the Palestine National Authority and granted it partial control over parts of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. Because of his efforts in the Oslo Accords, Rabin, Yasser Arafat and Shimon Peres were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1994.
The Oslo Accords, however, caused great friction in Israel. Many right wing Israelis viewed Rabin as a traitor for giving the PLO land. Yigal Amir, a radical right-wing Orthodox Jew, who had opposed the signing of the Oslo Accords, assassinated Rabin on November 4, 1995 during a mass rally in Tel Aviv. The Rally was in support of the Oslo Process. Ironically, shortly before he was shot, Rabin had been singing a song entitled “Song for Peace.”
Yitzhak Rabin was succeeded by Shimon Peres as Israeli Prime Minister.
The location of his assassination is now called Rabin Square. Each year on the anniversary of his death, there is a memorial for Rabin. In the Hebrew calendar, this event is held on the 12th of Cheshvan, which in the secular calendar year 2011, falls on November 9.
He was a native Israeli, born in Jersualem in 1922. His parents were Russian Jews who had moved to what would become Israel during the Third Aliyah.
Rabin grew up in Tel Aviv, where his parents moved when he was very young. He married Leah Schlossberg in 1948. They had two children, Dalia and Yuval.
In 1941, Rabin joined the Palmach section of the Haganah. The Palmach was the unofficial Jewish Army during the British Mandate. Many of its members later formed the Israeli Defense Forces.
While in Palmach, Rabin participated in assisting the allied invasion of Lebanon, then held by Vichy French forces in the summer of 1941. In the fall of 1945, Rabin was responsible for planning and executing the liberation of Jewish immigrants from the Atlit detainee camp.
During the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, Rabin was in charge of IDF operations in Jerusalem. By 1949, Rabin was a member of the Israeli delegation to discuss peace talks with Egypt. He became the Chief of Staff of the Israeli Defense Forces in 1964, under Prime Minister Levi Eshkol.
Rabin became Prime Minister of Israel in June 1974. One of his major achievements as Prime Minister was the Sinai Interim Agreement between Israel and Egypt, which was signed in September 1975. The Agreement was a first step towards the Camp David Accords of 1978 and the peace treaty with Egypt, which was ultimately signed in 1979.
Rabin was very involved in the Oslo Accords, which created the Palestine National Authority and granted it partial control over parts of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. Because of his efforts in the Oslo Accords, Rabin, Yasser Arafat and Shimon Peres were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1994.
The Oslo Accords, however, caused great friction in Israel. Many right wing Israelis viewed Rabin as a traitor for giving the PLO land. Yigal Amir, a radical right-wing Orthodox Jew, who had opposed the signing of the Oslo Accords, assassinated Rabin on November 4, 1995 during a mass rally in Tel Aviv. The Rally was in support of the Oslo Process. Ironically, shortly before he was shot, Rabin had been singing a song entitled “Song for Peace.”
Yitzhak Rabin was succeeded by Shimon Peres as Israeli Prime Minister.
The location of his assassination is now called Rabin Square. Each year on the anniversary of his death, there is a memorial for Rabin. In the Hebrew calendar, this event is held on the 12th of Cheshvan, which in the secular calendar year 2011, falls on November 9.
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Lech Lecha / Genesis 12:1 ~ 17:27
Lech Lecha: Take Yourself, Go Forth
G~d tells Abram to leave his native land and travel "to the land that I will show you." He promises that Abram will become a great nation. So, Abram and his wife, Sarai, along with Lot, the son of Abram's brother, and other family members leave Haran and head off to a place unknown. They briefly settle in Shechem until a famine forces them to seek food in Egypt. Abram is concerned that when they reach Egypt, Pharaoh will want Sarai as his wife and will kill Abram, so Abram tells her to say they are brother and sister. Pharaoh is, indeed, taken by Sarai's beauty, and as Abram predicted, think that she is Abram's sister. She was taken to Pharaoh. Ultimately, Sarai is returned to Abram, and Pharaoh provides Abram with great wealth, but forces Abram and his entourage to leave the country. They travel to Canaan.
This story is not about unethical practices, but rather emphasizes the way peoples on the fringe of society succeed. We will later seen a similar story in which Abram and Sarai, then called Abraham and Sarah, again refer to themselves as brother and sister in an effort to protect themselves.
After leaving Egypt, Abram and his nephew, Lot, part ways. They had a dispute about their herds, because the land where they settled could not support the all their animals. They parted amicably, with Lot heading towards Sodom and Gomorrah, where the people were "wicked, hardened sinners."
There are other peoples living in the land. Four kings battle against five kings, and in the battle, Lot and his family are captured. Abram learns of Lot's capture and gathers 318 men from his group and rescue Lot and his family. This is the only Biblical reference to Abram as being a man of war. He is generally depicted as a peaceful person.
Abram and Sarai have no children. Sarai gives her maidservant, Hagar, to Abram in order that he may have a son. Hagar gives birth to Ishmael. Sarai becomes jealous of Hagar and Hagar leaves with her son. Through an angel, G~d tells Hagar that her son will become a great nation.
In their old age, Abram and Sarai learn that they will become parents. G~d changes their names to Abraham (meaning the "father of a multitude") and Sarah ("princess"). Abraham is instructed to perform the mitzvah of the bris milah, or circumcision, as a sign of the covenant between G~d and Abraham and his descendants. Upon hearing that he will have a son in his advanced age, he laughs. G~d tells him, nonetheless, that Sarah will bear a son who shall be named Isaac.
Abraham then age 99, follows G~d instructions, and circumcises himself, his son Ishmael and all the males in his household.
In the secular year of 2011, Lech Lecha falls on November 5, 2011.
G~d tells Abram to leave his native land and travel "to the land that I will show you." He promises that Abram will become a great nation. So, Abram and his wife, Sarai, along with Lot, the son of Abram's brother, and other family members leave Haran and head off to a place unknown. They briefly settle in Shechem until a famine forces them to seek food in Egypt. Abram is concerned that when they reach Egypt, Pharaoh will want Sarai as his wife and will kill Abram, so Abram tells her to say they are brother and sister. Pharaoh is, indeed, taken by Sarai's beauty, and as Abram predicted, think that she is Abram's sister. She was taken to Pharaoh. Ultimately, Sarai is returned to Abram, and Pharaoh provides Abram with great wealth, but forces Abram and his entourage to leave the country. They travel to Canaan.
This story is not about unethical practices, but rather emphasizes the way peoples on the fringe of society succeed. We will later seen a similar story in which Abram and Sarai, then called Abraham and Sarah, again refer to themselves as brother and sister in an effort to protect themselves.
After leaving Egypt, Abram and his nephew, Lot, part ways. They had a dispute about their herds, because the land where they settled could not support the all their animals. They parted amicably, with Lot heading towards Sodom and Gomorrah, where the people were "wicked, hardened sinners."
There are other peoples living in the land. Four kings battle against five kings, and in the battle, Lot and his family are captured. Abram learns of Lot's capture and gathers 318 men from his group and rescue Lot and his family. This is the only Biblical reference to Abram as being a man of war. He is generally depicted as a peaceful person.
Abram and Sarai have no children. Sarai gives her maidservant, Hagar, to Abram in order that he may have a son. Hagar gives birth to Ishmael. Sarai becomes jealous of Hagar and Hagar leaves with her son. Through an angel, G~d tells Hagar that her son will become a great nation.
In their old age, Abram and Sarai learn that they will become parents. G~d changes their names to Abraham (meaning the "father of a multitude") and Sarah ("princess"). Abraham is instructed to perform the mitzvah of the bris milah, or circumcision, as a sign of the covenant between G~d and Abraham and his descendants. Upon hearing that he will have a son in his advanced age, he laughs. G~d tells him, nonetheless, that Sarah will bear a son who shall be named Isaac.
Abraham then age 99, follows G~d instructions, and circumcises himself, his son Ishmael and all the males in his household.
In the secular year of 2011, Lech Lecha falls on November 5, 2011.
Monday, October 31, 2011
Cheshvan
In the Hebrew calendar, Cheshvan (חֶשְׁוָן ) is the second month of the civil year (which started on Rosh HaShanah) and the eighth month of the ecclesiastical year (which began on the first of Nisan). The month falls in October and November in the secular calendar.
The full name of the month is Mar-cheshvan, but is generally shortened to Cheshvan. The full name of the month means “bitter Cheshvan” and is called that because there are no holidays or fast days during this month. Two modern tragedies, however, occurred during Cheshvan, adding to the bitterness of the month. Kristalnacht, or the Night of Broken Glass, which was the pogrom which is generally considered mark the beginning of the Holocaust, occurred on 15 Cheshvan 5699 (1938). Yitzhak Rabin, Israel’s Prime Minister was assassinated on 12 Cheshvan 5756 (1995).
11 Cheshvan marks the Yartzeit of Rabbi Nachum of Chernobyl (1797). Rabbi Nachum was the founder of the Chassidic Rebbes.
In Israel, Cheshvan marks the beginning of the rainy season. A prayer called V’tein Tal u-Matar (Deliver Dew and Rain) is added to the Shemoneh Esrei. If no rain has fallen by the 17th of the month, special prayers are added. Interestingly, the great flood of Genesis, is traditionally considered to have begun on the 17th day of Cheshvan. Only Noah and his family is said to have survived this flood, along with the animals who accompanied them on the Ark.
Generally the month of Cheshvan has 29 days, but in some years there is an additional day added. The additional day depends upon when Rosh Hashanah falls.
The full name of the month is Mar-cheshvan, but is generally shortened to Cheshvan. The full name of the month means “bitter Cheshvan” and is called that because there are no holidays or fast days during this month. Two modern tragedies, however, occurred during Cheshvan, adding to the bitterness of the month. Kristalnacht, or the Night of Broken Glass, which was the pogrom which is generally considered mark the beginning of the Holocaust, occurred on 15 Cheshvan 5699 (1938). Yitzhak Rabin, Israel’s Prime Minister was assassinated on 12 Cheshvan 5756 (1995).
11 Cheshvan marks the Yartzeit of Rabbi Nachum of Chernobyl (1797). Rabbi Nachum was the founder of the Chassidic Rebbes.
In Israel, Cheshvan marks the beginning of the rainy season. A prayer called V’tein Tal u-Matar (Deliver Dew and Rain) is added to the Shemoneh Esrei. If no rain has fallen by the 17th of the month, special prayers are added. Interestingly, the great flood of Genesis, is traditionally considered to have begun on the 17th day of Cheshvan. Only Noah and his family is said to have survived this flood, along with the animals who accompanied them on the Ark.
Generally the month of Cheshvan has 29 days, but in some years there is an additional day added. The additional day depends upon when Rosh Hashanah falls.
Friday, October 28, 2011
Noach / Genesis 6:9 ~ 11:32
Noach: Noah
The world is getting out of control, so G~d turns to Noah, the one righteous person in his generation earth and instructs him to build an ark. Noah is given very precise instructions on how the ark should be build. He is also instructed to bring food and animals on the ark. As with the creation stories, there are two accountings of Noah's Ark. In the first rendition, Noah is instructed to bring 2 of every animal on the ark. In the second story, Noah is instructed to bring seven of each tahor, or ritually permissive, species and only two of each tamei, or ritually impermissive species on the ark.
After Noah has completed his task, and all the animals and Noah's immediate family are on the ark, it rains for 40 days and 40 nights. Humanity is virtually destroyed. After the rain ceases, it takes several weeks before the water has subsided enough for all aboard to return to dry land.
Noah's first act after the flood it to build an altar and sacrifices one of the tahor species. G~d is pleased with the offering and makes a promise never to destroy the earth again. As a sign of His promise, G~d creates a rainbow in the sky. In addition, G~d now permits humans to eat meat (before t his humans were vegetarians), provided the blood is completely drained from the meat, thereby making the meat Kosher.
The parsha ends with the Tower of Babel story in which mankind attempted to build a tower up to G~D, in an effort to become G~d. G~d responds by destroying the tower and scattering the people across the earth, so that each community now speaks in different languages.
In the year 2011, Noach falls on October 29.
The world is getting out of control, so G~d turns to Noah, the one righteous person in his generation earth and instructs him to build an ark. Noah is given very precise instructions on how the ark should be build. He is also instructed to bring food and animals on the ark. As with the creation stories, there are two accountings of Noah's Ark. In the first rendition, Noah is instructed to bring 2 of every animal on the ark. In the second story, Noah is instructed to bring seven of each tahor, or ritually permissive, species and only two of each tamei, or ritually impermissive species on the ark.
After Noah has completed his task, and all the animals and Noah's immediate family are on the ark, it rains for 40 days and 40 nights. Humanity is virtually destroyed. After the rain ceases, it takes several weeks before the water has subsided enough for all aboard to return to dry land.
Noah's first act after the flood it to build an altar and sacrifices one of the tahor species. G~d is pleased with the offering and makes a promise never to destroy the earth again. As a sign of His promise, G~d creates a rainbow in the sky. In addition, G~d now permits humans to eat meat (before t his humans were vegetarians), provided the blood is completely drained from the meat, thereby making the meat Kosher.
The parsha ends with the Tower of Babel story in which mankind attempted to build a tower up to G~D, in an effort to become G~d. G~d responds by destroying the tower and scattering the people across the earth, so that each community now speaks in different languages.
In the year 2011, Noach falls on October 29.
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Bereshit / Genesis 1:1 ~ 6:8
Bereshit: In the Beginning
Bereshit means "beginnings." The first Torah scroll is known as Bereshit. In English, this is referred to as Genesis. Bereshit begins with the creation of the world. There are two creation stories in this reading ` one in which man and woman are created at the same time, and the other in which Eve is made from Adam.
The creation of the world does not end following the creation of man and woman, but rather, with the creation of the Shabbat, or Day of Rest.
Adam and Eve were given only one rule ~ not to eat of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. When they disobeyed, they were not only expelled from the Garden of Eden, but given moral responsibility for their actions. Additionally, they were faced with their own mortality. Soon the meaning of mortality became apparent wen Cain killed his brother, Abel. The first murder. As a result, Cain was doomed to wander the earth.
The parsha ends with a recording of the genealogy of Adam to Noah.
In the year 2011, Bereshit falls on October 22.
Bereshit means "beginnings." The first Torah scroll is known as Bereshit. In English, this is referred to as Genesis. Bereshit begins with the creation of the world. There are two creation stories in this reading ` one in which man and woman are created at the same time, and the other in which Eve is made from Adam.
The creation of the world does not end following the creation of man and woman, but rather, with the creation of the Shabbat, or Day of Rest.
Adam and Eve were given only one rule ~ not to eat of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. When they disobeyed, they were not only expelled from the Garden of Eden, but given moral responsibility for their actions. Additionally, they were faced with their own mortality. Soon the meaning of mortality became apparent wen Cain killed his brother, Abel. The first murder. As a result, Cain was doomed to wander the earth.
The parsha ends with a recording of the genealogy of Adam to Noah.
In the year 2011, Bereshit falls on October 22.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
