A Tidbit of Torah – Parshat Vayera 5784

A Tidbit of Torah – Parshat Vayera 5784

Then God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water.

(B’reysheet / Genesis 21:19)

Rabbi Binyamin stated, “All have an aspect of blindness about them until the Holy One enlightens one’s eyes.” (Breysheet Rabbah 53) Building upon this statement The Chiddushei HaRim (1) taught, “Everything that a person needs stands ready before them all that is necessary is for God to open their eyes to that awareness, and this is what King David prayed for in the Psalms, “Open my eyes that I may see”. (119:8)

As our narrative unfolds, Abraham, urged by Sarah, dispatches the handmaiden Hagar and the son she had with him, Ishmael, out of the house. Hagar and Ishmael wander in the wilderness, where they quickly run out of water. Hagar places Ishmael at a distance, not wanting to witness the death of her son. Hagar then raises her voice and cries out to God. Hagar, in her distress and despair, is unable to see the essential, life-giving water nearby until an angel tells Hagar to open her eyes and see the well.

Our Torah portion imparts the insight that our minds affect how we see the world, that each of us needs to consider how our mindset affects how we see the world. If we are pessimistic, believing that everything is going to go wrong then we will see the world that way. If we are optimistic, seeing a world where positive things happen, then we will see the world that way.

As the Talmud teaches, “A man is shown only what is suggested by his own thoughts”. (2) Too often we do not see what is really there, but what our mind suggests is there. One of the great insights of Jewish tradition is that reality is created by our minds. Only by keeping our minds open can we see the potential in the world around us and the capacity we possess to use the resources that the Holy One has provided to fulfill our purpose as God’s partners in perfecting the world.

Shabbat Shalom –

Rabbi David M. Eligberg

1 Rabbi Yitzchak Meir Rotenberg-Alter (1799 – 10 March 1866), was the founding Rebbe of the Ger Hasidic dynasty, in the town of Gora, Poland (“Ger” in Yiddish). Rabbi Alter was also known as The Chiddushei HaRim after his commentaries on the Torah and the Talmud.

2 Berakhot 55b.

Musical Moment – Parshat Vayera

A Prayer for the

Israel Defense Forces

Presented by Hazzanim Serving Congregations in Latin American

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zcR7iKwFjuk

Adonai, God who blessed our ancestors Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel and Laya – bless the soldiers of the Israel Defense Force, who stand guard over our land and the cities of our God from the border of the Lebanon to the desert of Egypt, and from the Great Sea unto the approach of the Aravah, on the land, in the air, and on the sea.

Adonai, cause the enemies who rise up against us to be struck down before them. Guardian of Israel we pray that You preserve and protect the soldiers from every trouble and distress. Grant them blessing and success in their every endeavor.

Holy One, crown them with victory and return them whole in body and spirit to their families. Fulfill for them the verse: For it is Adonai, your God, Who goes with you to battle your enemies and to save you.

Let us respond: Amen.

The Hope

Rick Recht

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=faxrmp-pppM

This is the hope
The hope is still real
A Jewish home
In Israel
This our time
We stand as one
If not now when
We must be strong
Our hearts turn to the East

This is the hope that holds us together
Hatikvah, the hope that will last forever
This is the hope that holds us together
Hatikvah, the hope is still real

This is the hope
2000 years
We pray for freedom
Through pain and tears
This is our faith
This is our voice
This is our promise
This is our choice
Our hearts turn to the East

This is the hope that holds us together
Hatikvah, the hope that will last forever
This is the hope that holds us together
Hatikvah, the hope is still real

Hatikvah, the hope is real
Hatikvah, our hope, Israel

Lih’yot
am chofshi
b’artzenu, b’artzenu
eretz tzion
Virushalayim, Virushalayim

This is the hope that holds us together
Hatikvah, the hope that will last forever
This is the hope that holds us together
Hatikvah, the hope is still real