A thought on פרשת תולדות

"...va'yimtza...me'ah sh'arim...""...and he reaped a hundred times as much as he had sowed..." (26:12)


The Torah relates that Yitzchak sowed his fields and that the harvest yielded one hundred times more than he had planted! This was great prosperity for him and was clearly a sign that HaShem was kind to him. Imagine that: reaping one hundred times more than he had planted!On the other hand, don't imagine it. Yitzchak did not imagine it. The accounting was real and it was accurate. Yitzchak was aware of how much seed he had planted and how much yield he could anticipate, just as any farmer or gardener would do. He then harvested his fields and could clearly see that there was far more of a crop than he had expected. That in and of itself was a wonder and a marvel. The question is: why didn't the Torah leave it at that, and say that "he harvested far more than he had planted"?

The Ralbag sees in this an instructive lesson. Yitzchak could have been awestruck and appreciative that HaShem had been kind and generous, and left it at that. No doubt he would have praised HaShem, and probably have told others about this grace and bounty.

The Ralbag writes that Yitzchak did more. He took the harvest and then counted it. He made a precise calculation of the planting:reaping ratio, and found that it was 1:100. The reason he did this was to understand the extent of HaShem's love for those who seek to follow Him and to cling to His ways. Then, Yitzchak could be accurate and precise in sharing this wondrous sign with others.

It was not enough to broadcast to his family, disciples and community that "HaShem is good and was good to me." Yitzchak wanted to spread the word in great detail, to magnify the impression that telling the miracle would have upon others. The number ratio was very great, and needed to be shared. Moreover, the number "100" showed that there was a plan, a precision, in what HaShem was doing. One hundred is not a random number, the way that "57" or "83" might be. Had Yitzchak counted the grain and said, "there was about forty one times as much as I had expected", the people would have been impressed but might have chalked it up to a fluke or to some agricultural factor. The finding of one hundred times as much was both significant and telling. Clearly a miracle had occurred and clearly there was a Divine Omnipotence masterminding this change in the natural order.

Every day, we declare in our prayers things such as "Your awesome abundant power and deeds I shall praise and tell" (Ashrei, Psalm 144) and "we shall relate Your praise and Your miracles which are with us at all times" (Modim). How often, though, do we declare that we will speak of these things but never really do so? How often do we even think about how HaShem shows us care and kindness, and do we ever really attempt to count the ways and times when we can spot evidence of Divine compassion? Do we look? Do we see? Does it register with us?

The Torah tells us that Yitzchak looked for signs, and found them. He was able to show others that HaShem was a Presence in his life, and that good things are not random, and must be noticed and declared as a means of giving praise to HaShem.

Good Shabbos. D Fox

A thought on Parshas Chayei Sara

A Thought On Parshas Chayei Sara

"...boruch HaShem...asher lo ozav chasdo v'amito..." (24:27)"...blessed is HaShem...Who has not withdrawn His kindness and His truth..."

Avraham's servant Eliezer declares his awe and praise of HaShem for leading him on the right path, and for "not withholding His kindness and truth." That latter clause is puzzling. There are many things which one can thank HaShem for, and there are many, many things for which we are in awe of His deeds and the ways in which we perceive His "attributes."

The terms "kindness and truth" - chesed and emes - need elaboration. What does the Torah convey to us through the words of Eliezer? What did he see, what did he realize, that must be taught to the Jewish people for the rest of time?

The Ralbag explains: "kindness" - chesed - is the goodness given graciously. "Truth" - emes - is giving what is required. If I offer you something out of compassion or friendship, that is kindness. If I have committed myself to giving you something, and give it, then I am being "true to my word" which is emes.

HaShem's pledge to grant Avraham descendants was kind. HaShem graced Avraham with this gift of a son, and delighted him with the promise of descendants through that son. This was chesed, and Eliezer makes reference to it as such. The fulfillment of a prophecy, when HaShem's promise begins to actualize and unfold, may still feel to the recipient as great kindness and grace, but from the perspective of the true believer in HaShem, a promise is a promise, and when HaShem "follows through", that is a display of emes, of justice and truth. This was referenced by Eliezer as well. He knew of the prophetic promise and how Avraham felt HaShem's grace and kindness. However, future generations needed to know that from the world-view perspective, transcending time and circumstance, the events which fell in to place in such perfectly fitting sequence were the revelation of Divine emes.

The Ralbag adds that this is the meaning of some familiar words found in the navi Micha
(7:20) - "ti'ten emes l'Yaakov chesed l'Avraham" - "You have given truth to Yaakov, kindness to Avraham." That which was originally seen as graciousness when shown to Avraham became a truth when bestowed unto his descendant Yaakov.

May our people feel HaShem's closeness and experience His chesed, which is our emes.

Good Shabbos. D Fox

A thought on פרשת וירא

"...v'HaShem amar ha'mechasa Ani m'Avraham asher Ani oseh...""...HaShem said, "Would I conceal from Avraham what I am about to do?"... (18:17)

HaShem made known to Avraham the impending doom of the S'dom region. It was a place where viciousness was rampant, and its civilization was destined to vanish. It was a done deal and all the pleading of Avraham and his well calculated prayers made no difference in the end.

The Ralbag ponders the meaning of this passage. If the fate of S'dom was sealed, was there any point in alerting Avraham to this, that he should pray on the behalf of its wicked populace? His prayers were not effective, and step by step HaShem advised Avraham about this, if you follow the verses.

The objective of the advisement, the Ralbag explains, served a purpose, but not the one which we would expect. Take perspective: Avraham, more than other prophets, channeled his strength toward righting wrongs and straightening people out. He had integrity and he modeled integrity. This is how, and this is why, he was blessed with the promise of stable descendants who would endure, and with the adulation of other nations who too felt "blessed by his blessedness."

Avraham needed to know about the decree of destruction, and to plead and pray, not for their sake, but for his own sake. Goodness is its own reward, and the benefit of his prayers was that of deepening and strengthening his own devotion to HaShem, and his own dedication to the cause of justness and integrity. The response to his praying may have been negative and unproductive, but it was the process of praying which was important to and for him. Moreover, there were additional recipients of his efforts. By embedding prayer into his character and soul, he furthered the spiritual genetics of his descendants. They too (that is, we too) would be imprinted with the reflexive impact of prayer and devotion, even when "the cause is lost" and the objective results are nil. We become stronger and better Jews when we do what is right, in both religious and interpersonal dimensions.

The Ralbag takes this idea further. At the parsha's end, the Akeida saga is recounted. So much effort, so much preparation, so much planning for the akeida of Yitzchak and... nothing happened. There was no akeida. It was called off. At the last minute, Avraham opted to offer a sacrificial ram, which illustrated that this had been the true Divine plan all along. No akeida of YItzchak, rather, a somewhat common offering of a korban. What was all of the preamble and preparation for if it ended in nought?The Ralbag said that all of the planning did have an objective: the Divine plan was to have Avraham model for his son the precision and the effort and the care which one must put into the proper service of HaShem. It was to demonstrate that we do not limit ourselves to a focus on the result but we also channel our psychospiritual focus into the process, and we consider what we are to derive from engaging in these processes.

As the old travel advertisements used to say in describing ocean cruises to exotic places, "Half the fun is getting there." In avodas HaShem, half of the benefit is the process of working towards that benefit.

Good Shabbos. D Fox

A thought on פרשת לך לך

"...ve'he'emin ba'HaShem va'yach'shaveha lo tzedaka..." (15:6)"...and Avraham believed in HaShem and (He) (he)
considered it (righteousness) (charity)..."

The meaning of this verse is debated by the Rishonim and is actually a matter of debate between the midrashim and the Zohar. One view is that, because HaShem saw the devout belief of Avraham, He regarded this devotion as a mark of righteousness.The other view says that Avraham's belief in HaShem's promise that he would father a nation led him, Avraham, to feel that HaShem was being charitable towards him, in granting him such a gift. The debate centers on whether the implied word "he" is a reference to him, or a reference to Him. It also centers on whether the word tzedaka maintains it colloquial meaning of "charity" or its alternate meaning of "righteousness." The third facet of the debate, then, is whether tzedaka refers to HaShem ("His charity" as perceived by Avraham) or whether it refers to Avraham ("his righteousness" as viewed by HaShem.)

The Ralbag offers a third view. The Ralbag opines (as does Ibn Ezra) that the meaning of tzedaka in this context is actually "tzedek" which means just and correct. HaShem promised the elderly patriarch a child from whom he would have a descendant nation. Avraham believed HaShem. The basis for his belief was that he had led his life in devotion and immersion in knowing the ways of HaShem.

Hence, because of his belief in HaShem and his total devotion to living by His ways, he accepted entirely that giving him a family was justified. It was the right thing to do. It was just.
Avraham's belief and trust were vivid and palpable to the degree that he knew that his life was fully subject to Divine oversight and attention. When a person lives this way and thinks this way, then being given Divine intervention, protection and beneficence seems entirely justified and proper. Just as he had no doubts about HaShem, he had no doubt about HaShem's word. A promise is a promise and those who are close to Him can expect personal care and love from Him.

The Ralbag's translation of our verse, then, is "and Avraham believed in HaShem and considered His promise precisely the right thing to expect from Him."

Good Shabbos. D Fox