Avraham made it his goal in life to achieve perfection in his love for Hashem and also to draw others to the service of the Creator. Yitzchak and Yaakov followed in his footsteps. It is little wonder, then, that Hashem chose to be called Elokai Avraham, Elokai Yitzchak ve´Elokai Yaakov - the G-d of Avraham, the G-d of Yitzchak and the G-d of Yaakov. Our forefathers´ minds constantly concentrated on Hashem and their lives revolved around His will. Even when conducting their daily affairs and performing labor, they merely performed these motions mechanically while their thoughts did not depart from Hashem for even a single moment. Avraham, who was blessed with great wealth, utilized his entire fortune for the purpose of aggrandizing Hashem´s name in the world.

Avraham once asked Shaim, son of Noach, "Tell me, in which merit did Hashem keep you alive in the ark?"

"We survived due to our charity," replied Shaim.

"What does that mean? There were no poor people with you in the ark!" said Avraham.

"I refer to our charity to the animals," explained Shaim. "We stayed awake entire nights giving them food."

"If this is so," Avraham reasoned, "how much more important is it to sustain human beings!"

For this purpose, Avraham planted a beautiful orchard in Be´er Sheva. His tent was constructed with four entrances constantly open to attract guests from all directions, and every weary traveler was welcomed there with shelter and abundant refreshments. Soon the word spread that a wonderful man had opened a free-for-all hotel in the desert. The guests streamed in from far and near, enjoyed their meal, thanked their host, and arose to leave.

"You must recite a blessing after your meal!" Avraham exhorted them. "Say, ´Blessed be the Master of the Universe of whose bounty we have eaten!´"

"We do not want to recite this blessing!" the guests complained. "Who is this Master of the Universe?"

"Do as you please, but in that case you owe me payment for the meal!" said Avraham.

"How much does it cost?" inquired the guests.

"A bottle of wine - ten gold pieces. A steak - ten gold pieces. A loaf of bread -ten gold pieces!" was the answer.

"This is far too expensive!" exclaimed the wanderers.

"Please tell me," argued Avraham, "what is the price of bread offered in the midst of a wilderness." Where else are you able to obtain wine or meat in this uncultivated region?"

"You are right!" they conceded. "Who was that Master whom you asked us to thank? Let us bless Him!"

Thus Avraham, by means of his hospitality and teachings, drew tens of thousands of people to Hashem´´s service. His wife Sara was equally devoted to spreading the truth in the world by teaching the women.

As long as Sara was alive, the doors of the tent were always wide open. In her merit, the cloud of the shechima (Divine Light) rested above the tent, the candle she lit on Erev Shabbas was never extinguished, and the food in the household was blessed with abundance.

In many ways, the Noach and Creation stories are parallel.

In both, water plays a central role. The deluge reminds the reader of that moment in the beginning of the Genesis narrative when "the spirit of God hovered over the face of the waters." (Genesis 1:2)

In both, God gives similar commands. When Noach leaves the ark he is told to be fruitful and multiply, reminded that he has the potential to have dominion over the world and given a diet (Genesis 9:1-3). This echoes the first mitzvah that God told Adam at creation. (Genesis 1:28,29)

In both, animals play a central role. In the Noach story, many sentences describe the entry of all the animals into the ark. This triggers, in the reader’s mind, the first ‘week’ when God created all forms of life.

Noach is nothing less than a second story of creation. God gives mankind, having failed once, a second chance.

Tragically, this experiment was also unsuccessful. The story of the tower of dispersion (Genesis 11:1-9) becomes the sequel to yet a third beginning whose centerpiece is God’s election of Avraham and Sarah. Just like in the case of the Creation and the Flood, there is strong parallel imagery between the paragraph dealing with the tower of Babel and what occurs to the Jewish people.

Whereas the goal of the generation that built the tower was self-serving, to "make us a name" ve-na’aseh lahnu shaim (Genesis 11: 4), in the Avraham story he builds an altar not for himself but for God (va-yikrah b’shaim Hashem). (Genesis 12:8) In the dispersion narrative there is a city, a language and a tower. (Genesis 11:1,4) So too in the Jewish realm where there would also be a city, "Jerusalem", a language, "Hebrew" and a "tower" "the holy temple. (Menahem Liebtag of Yeshivat Har Etzion has pointed out this parallel.) The first creation story begins with God creating light. In the second, the story of the flood, the light (tzohar) helped sustain the ark. And in the end, Avraham and Sarah are chosen as father and mother of a people whose mandate is to become a light unto the nations.

In one word: the first eleven chapters of the Torah are universal. God chose humankind over all other species He created. But humankind did not fulfill the chosen role God had assigned to it on two separate occasions. (Bereishit Rabbah 39:5)

And this begins the third story of creation where God chooses Avraham and Sarah to be the father and mother of the Jewish people. Their mandate was not to be insular, but to be a blessing for the entire world. (Genesis 12:3) To redeem the Jewish people through which the entire world will one day be redeemed.

Hashem Promises Avram the Inheritance of Eretz Yisrael for his Children:

Having predicted to Avram the birth of a son, Hashem now also promised him that his descendants would inherit Eretz Yisrael.

"How can I be sure of it?" asked Avram. "Give me a sign that they will actually inherit the Land!"

Avram’s reason for seeking a sign was his fear that as soon as his descendants would sin, Hashem would not allow them to continue living in the Holy Land.

Hashem assured Avram, "Even if they will sin, I have prepared a means of atonement for them, the korbanos (sacrifices)." Hashem then demonstrated to Avram the nature of the future korbanos by telling him to prepare three bullocks, three goats, three rams, a dove, and a turtledove, representing the various offerings.

Hashem commanded Avram to cut the animals into parts, except for one bird, symbolizing the Halacha that only the olah-sacrifice of a bird is cut, but not the chatas-sacrifice.

Then Hashem revealed to Avram a vision of the distant future. A heavy sleep fell upon Avram during which he perceived his children enslaved in the Egyptian exile. "I shall redeem them from the Egyptian exile and also punish their tormentors," Hashem announced. The vision continued. Avram saw his children led away from their land to be taken to four different exiles, first the Babylonian exile, then the Median exile, then the Greek exile, and finally the Roman exile.

"You should know," Hashem told him, "that just as I punished their Egyptian adversaries, so shall I judge all tormentors of the Jewish people. You should know that just as I dispersed them, so will I gather them in. You should know that just as I enslaved them, so will I redeem them." Hashem then explained to Avram, "Instead of banishing them from their land to atone for their sins, I have another alternative." Avram envisioned a new picture, a blazing furnace of Gehinnom. "Instead of punishment in this world," Hashem explained to him, "it is possible to be cleansed from sin by the fire of Gehinnon in olam haba (the world to come). Now Avram, choose! Which of the two do you want your descendants to experience if they sin, Gehinnon or exile?"

The choice was agonizing for Avram. On the one hand, he knew that tribulations in this transitory world are easier to bear than the suffering of Gehinnom. Yet, how could he request exile for his children, uncertain that they would survive it? Perhaps they would assimilate among the nations and disappear altogether? It was only when Hashem assured Avram that the Jewish people would never cease to exist on the map of history, even in exile, that Avram voted for exile-punishment.

Hashem made a covenant with Avram known as the "Covenant Between the Parts," promising him that his descendants would drive out the ten nations living in the land of Canaan (seven in the time of Yehoshua and three more in Mashiach’s time) and that they would take possession of Eretz Yisrael.

THE CHASSIDIC DIMENSION

The Torah portion of Lekh Lekha opens with G-d saying to Avraham: "Go away from your land and birthplace...I will make you into a great nation."

Why does the Torah not preface this statement by mentioning at least briefly that Avraham was a G-d-fearing individual, similar to the way Noach is introduced with the statement, " Noach was a righteous man"? Surely such a statement would be appropriate with regard to Avraham, for the Midrashic literature is replete with incidents that testify to his piety, righteousness and self-sacrificing devotion to G-d while still living in Ur Casdim and Charan.

The Jewish nation begins with Avraham, the first Jew. Yet, his sterling qualities notwithstanding, his selection by G-d from among all the people on Earth only came about when G-d said to him, "Go away from Your land." The Torah begins its narrative with this command in order to indicate the essential qualities of Avraham in particular, as well as of the Jewish people as a whole.

The relationship of all the other nations with the Creator results from their knowledge and understanding of Him. This causes them to bind themselves to Him and obey His laws. By contrast, the Jewish people’s relationship with G-d and their own existence as a nation is primarily based on the fact that it was G-d who chose them, not that they uplifted themselves to come to know Him and to bind themselves to Him.

Since this relationship emanates from G-d and not from man, it is readily understandable that Jews are not only a more elevated category of created beings, but are in fact qualitatively different. All created beings are and remain created entities; Jews, however, are essentially a Godly entity that is found within the context of creation.

The same is true with regard to the contrast between the commandments given to the Jewish people and those commanded to other nations. There is not merely a quantitative difference (between seven and 613), but a qualitative difference as well.

The main function of the commandments given to non-Jews is to ensure an orderly world and to refine the world and man, so that both the world as a whole and man in particular conduct themselves properly. This is also why all the commandments of the various nations can be performed solely out of logical imperative. The mitzvos given by G-d to the Jewish people, however, are quite different. Not only are they given for the sake of purifying man and the world, but most importantly in order to effect "unification and attachment" with G-d.

Since Creator and created are separated by an infinite gulf, it is self-evident that just as created beings are as nothing in G-d’s eyes, the same is true of their service. The only way that "unification and attachment" can be achieved between Creator and created is for G-d to choose this unification as a result of the fulfillment of His commands.

This concept is stressed in the Torah at the very beginning of the first Jewish relationship with G-d. It was not Avraham’s own unique qualities and his personal divine service that singled him out; rather, G-d chose him. His "union and attachment" to G-d resulted from his being chosen and commanded by G-d, and from his fulfillment of His commands.

The Torah portion of Lekh Lekha relates how Avraham and his wife Sarah went to Egypt to escape the famine in the land of Canaan. Before they arrived in Egypt Avraham said to Sarah: "I realize that you are a good-looking woman. When the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife,’ and kill me, allowing you to live. Please say that you are my sister. They will then be good to me for your sake, and my life will be spared because of you."

The classical commentaries ask: How could Avraham have placed Sarah in a position of potential danger, allowing her to be taken to Pharaoh’s palace, in order for his own life to be saved? Even more puzzling is Avraham’s ability to think about the benefits he would receive by placing his wife in such jeopardy. Even if Avraham were forced to let Sarah be taken in order to spare his life, how could he possibly say, "They will then be good to me..."

Earlier on, G-d had promised Avraham that by leaving his birthplace and going to Canaan he would - among other things - be blessed with wealth. Avraham was sure that this forced departure from Canaan to go to Egypt was in some way related to this blessing. Seeing his journey to Egypt as a possible vehicle for G-d’s blessing of wealth - "They will then be good to me," Avraham asked Sarah to "Please say that you are my sister."

Spiritually as well, Avraham’s departure from his birthplace was intended to enable him to attain spiritual elevation by sifting and refining the sparks of holiness found within the physical world. This, too, was the spiritual intent of his journey to Egypt - to elevate the "lost" sparks of holiness found there.

The performance of mitzvos, whose overall purpose is the spiritual refinement of the physical world, is to be done, as a rule, through natural means. Avraham therefore said to Sarah, "Please say that you are my sister," for by doing so, "They will then be good to me." By being granted material gifts Avraham’s mission of elevating the materiality that came into his possession would be fulfilled in as natural a manner as possible.

The question, however, remains: How could Avraham allow Sarah be drawn into a situation where she might possibly become dishonored, for the sake of his personal benefit? "G-d has many agents through which He provides [physical as well as spiritual] sustenance to those who fear Him;" should Avraham not have relied on G-d to help him in a manner that would not cause Sarah to face such great anguish?

The Zohar answers this question by stating that Avraham "did not rely on his own merit but rather on the merit of his wife - that he would acquire wealth in her merit, for one acquires wealth in the merit of one’s wife."

Spiritually as well, Avraham’s descent into Egypt for the sake of "spiritual wealth" could only be accomplished in the merit of Sarah. Toward that end she had to descend to Pharaoh’s house. Since the ultimate intent of the descent into Egypt could only be accomplished in this manner, the Zohar concludes that Avraham was correct in "relying on Sarah’s merit; in her merit he would not be harmed, nor would any harm befall her."

In spiritual terms, Avraham and Sarah are symbolic of soul and body respectively. That both of them had to descend to Egypt in order for them to accomplish their spiritual missions in life, teaches us a lesson as well. Only through partnership with the body can the soul reach its supreme elevation.

Accordingly, we may assume that the week following Parshas Lekh Lekha is certainly a happy one, for at this point the Torah speaks of Avraham Avinu’s spiritual state after his circumcision, which elevated him incomparably.

Now even before the circumcision, and even before the command to "go forth from your land," Avraham Avinu was at a lofty level. In the words of the Rebbe Rayatz in the discourse of Simchas Torah, 5710 [1949], Avraham Avinu was then a Jew of 75, master of many estates and master of all areas of his conduct. He had attained all the levels that he could have possibly attained by his own efforts, including even the level [in the apprehension of Divinity] known as the Wisdom concealed from any concept.

And at that point he was commanded to "go forth from your land," i.e., to elevate himself to an even loftier level, and then he was commanded further concerning the circumcision. From this we may gain some notion of the sublime level, which his circumcision enabled him to attain.

To explain: All of his spiritual levels and accomplishments before the circumcision were secured by dint of his own avodah (work), because they were of a kind that stand in some proportion to finite created beings. The mitzvah of circumcision, in contrast, elicits a flow of divine lights so sublime that they utterly transcend the created universe and Seder Hishtalshelus, the chainlike scheme of orderly descent by which divine light is progressively contracted. These are lights so sublime that they cannot be drawn downward by mortal avodah: they are granted from above as a gift. Of this divine gift it is written, "And the L-rd your G-d will circumcise your heart. In such a case, the function of man is merely to remove the foreskin that derives from the kelipos (the opposite of holiness). This preparation makes it possible for the divine lights to then descend spontaneously.

Furthermore, the mitzvah of circumcision upgrades the individual out of all proportion to his former spiritual state - like birth. A newborn infant is a new entity, a manifestation in this nether world of infinite power of the Ein Sof (as is explained in Chassidus).

From this we may grasp how great is the joy of the week following Parshas Lekh Lekha, when we live with Avraham Avinu after he had attained the heights made accessible by the mitzvah of circumcision. This joy continues in the following weeks and throughout the entire year as well, just explained by the Rebbe Rayatz, the transcendent spirutual energy drawn down on Simcha’s Torah is the makkif elyon haklali (the general high encompassing divine light) which incorporates all the makkifim of the entire year.)

Why is the promise of Eretz Yisrael to Avraham’s descendants mentioned in connection with circumcision? Circumcision reflects the unification of the spiritual and the physical in one’s person, while the relationship between the Jews and Eretz Yisrael reflects the unification of spirituality and physicality in the world at large.

In this sense, the attainment of physical Eretz Yisrael represents the culmination of Avraham’s spiritual journey. For the most complete departure from any cultural environment is reflected in the transformation of that environment. Thus the fulfillment of G-d’s command for Avraham to break the chains of material existence (lekh lekha) comes about as his descendants struggle to transform Eretz Yisrael into a dwelling fit for G-d.

The promise of Eretz Yisrael will not truly be fulfilled until the Era of the Redemption. In that sense, the journey that began with the command lekh lekha remains as ongoing mission for all of Avraham’s descendants. Until the coming of Mashiach, we must be constantly exceeding our spiritual limitations, striving to bring our environment and ourselves to fulfillment.

It is not known to us who originally named the Torah portions, yet we still consider them part of the Torah. When one adds a name to his existing name and uses it for thirty days, it becomes his name to the fullest extent of the law. An official document that would not have this new name on it would be void. The names of the Torah portions have been in use for at least a thousand years by great Rabbis. This is enough time to make them one with the portions they represent.

The name of the Parsha is more than merely one or two words from the first verse. They reflect the content of the entire portion. In the case of this week’s Parsha, Lekh Lekha, this might need some clarification.

Hashem tells Avraham (then still Avram, but we will call him by the name Hashem gave him) to GO, ‘lech’ to you –’lecha’.

There are many explanations as to what ‘Lekha’ means. The simple meaning is ‘to yourself’. Avraham is told to travel to his inner self, to take a spiritual journey into his essence, his soul. The Torah then continues to tell us about his trip. Avraham travels to the south, with each step getting closer to Yerushalayim, the Holy city in the Holy land. (An upward journey).

All this is related in a few short verses. Before we even reach ‘Sheini’, the story takes a sharp turn for the worse. Famine breaks out in (what would later become) Israel and Avraham is forced to go elsewhere to look for food. He has to leave the Holy Land and go to Egypt where morality was at an all time low. How is it that part of "Lekh Lekha", the journey meant to bring Avraham to ‘the land that I will show you’ where ‘I will make you into a big nation, bless you, and make you famous’?

Why would Avraham be forced to leave ‘the land that I will show you’? In what way was this famine the blessing he was promised?

When Hashem told Avraham he would make his name well known, He did not mean Avraham’s name as an individual, for Avraham was a very humble man who considered himself ‘dust and ashes’, and was not interested in becoming famous. He was also the only person in the world who believed in G-d and therefore Hashem wanted him to go around and spread monotheism everywhere. (The Midrash explains: Avraham can be likened to a box with incense somewhere in a small corner where no one smells it. By picking it up and shaking it around and placing it in different spots, the whole room starts smelling like the incense.) By spreading Avraham’s name, Hashem’s own name would in result become famous as well. In actuality, the name Avraham was synonymous with G-d’s.

We can picture how the media in those days interpreted the famine. Here was a stranger (a Jew!) and his following arriving in the country, claiming that there is only one G-d and denying the power of all other ‘gods’. And then the people were punished with a famine! Of course the Jew is to blame! How can this be effective in the mission of ‘Lekh Lekha’? Instead of bringing glory to Hashem’s name, the famine would cause the opposite effect!As Avraham approached Egypt, he told his wife Sarah, "I know that you are beautiful" and therefore we have to think of a plan to keep you away from the eyes of the Egyptians. (As we said before, they had very low moral standards and did not consider marriage sacred).

The Baal Shem Tov explains that Avraham’s sudden awareness of his wife’s physical beauty came as a result of being in the vicinity of people with low moral standards. Avraham had ‘seen’ his wife many times through his eyes but his mind had always been connected to higher spiritual worlds and he had not focused on her physical beauty. His closeness with divinity was interrupted when he got close to Egypt because of the negative powers that rested there. That is when his mind started recording what his eyes saw.

From this we can see how the trip to Egypt was a spiritual descent too. How is this ‘Lekh Lekha’? "Ma’ase Avot Siman Labanim." The deeds of the fathers are a sign for the children.This means both that we can learn a lesson from all the actions of our forefathers, the Patriarchs, and that everything that happened to them was a sign (or prediction) of what would happen to their children.

Why did Avraham and Sarah go down to Egypt?

Everything in existence has to be created and constantly recreated and sustained by Hashem. This applies to good as well as evil. The difference (in their manner of creation) is that good is served on a silver platter whereas evil is thrown like leftovers in the dog-house.

In order for Pharaoh to receive his ‘leftovers’, he needed Avraham to be in his country. Avraham had to go to Egypt to give this power to Pharaoh because their great grandchildren were going to meet again. Wherever the Jewish people are exiled, the divine presence goes with them. As much as it is embarrassing for the divine presence to be in exile, it would be even more belittling if this exile was caused by an insignificant power. Therefore we find that both temples were destroyed by the superpowers of their time. (The Babylonians and the Romans.) Besides the fact that Jews build up the counties and cities of their residence with their wisdom, the entire country is blessed automatically as a result of the Jews accompanied by G-d’s Shechina in their midst.

This started when Avraham went to Egypt. Merely 3 generations later, in the days of Yosef, Egypt ruled over the entire world! Only then was Egypt "ready" to take Yakov and family into exile. In order for Pharaoh to get the most out of Avraham, he tried to make Sarah his wife. In later generations we find similar situations. Achashverosh actually managed to marry Esther and his kingdom was blessed for a few more generations. During the Roman occupation, the leading Rabbis used to be frequent visitors in Rome. Although they came to nullify decrees against the Jewish people, the deeper meaning behind their visits was to give strength to offset the negative powers that were sustaining Rome. Obviously, all the Pharaohs and Roman rulers were not aware of this themselves, but their sources in the spiritual realm knew how to arrange this. Good always prevails. Torah tells us that the entire household was struck with a severe sickness. This was because Avraham’s power of holiness was too overwhelming for the power of evil found in Pharaoh’s house. ‘Oneg’ (divine) pleasure, became ‘Nega’, an affliction. When a torch is held next to small flames, the smaller flames are drawn into the big fire.

When Pharaoh realized he was unable to get anywhere near Sarah (as a result of the blinding holiness) he came running to Avraham. He profusely apologized for trying to take away his wife and offered him many presents, including sheep and cows and donkeys and camels. Sheep and cows are kosher animals while donkeys and camels are not. Pharaoh had intended to feed himself off the spiritual powers of Avraham. Instead, the power that had sustained him till then was drawn into Avraham. Even the non-kosher animals, that represent impure powers, were given to him.

That explains why it says that Avraham gained a lot because of Sarah. Because she had been in the palace of evil, he managed to retrieve all the spiritual powers that had been stuck there. History repeated itself a few generations later. The descendants of Avraham were slaves in Egypt, ruled by the great grandson of the original Pharaoh. Just like Sarah was never touched, so the Egyptians did not have the power to touch the Jewish women. In Egypt not one Jew married out and (with exactly one exception), no Jewish women had children from Egypt men. When it came time to leave, again the Egyptians ran to give the Jews all their belongings. Only then, after all the spiritual powers had been redeemed from Egypt, were the Jewish people ready to receive the Torah on Mt Sinai.

This is what "Lekh Lekha" is all about. The entire Parsha speaks about an upwards journey. The seemingly descent to Egypt was in essence only a step down that would result in going (to be able to go) higher. That step down by Avraham and Sarah was what gave us the ability to go into exile three generations later and then later to ascend higher with the receiving of the Torah. That step also gives us the strength to survive our present exile and very soon will take us to the highest levels with the coming of Moshiach.

Until now we explained the advantage of the Jewish people in exile as a whole. Being that Avraham is the forefather of every Jewish individual, there should be a lesson for each of us on a more personal level too.

The present exile has been going on for close to 2000 years. We were born into this situation, as were our grandparents and it is not something we could have changed. Whenever one sins, however, he causes the divine presence, the shechina, to go into exile as well.

The Ramban writes that Avraham’s descent into Egypt was considered (for someone of his caliber) a sin.

Whenever the Torah recounts the ‘sins’ of righteous people, it comes to teach us how we should deal with our own (real) sins. When Hashem tells Avraham he will have a child he starts laughing. He says to himself "how can a 99 year old man have a child?" Why didn’t he believe Hashem? Why did he laugh? Although his soul believed, his body, despite being a refined and holy body, laughed. From here we see that even holy people can have situations that, from a physical perspective, can be considered sin. We learn about these ‘sins’ in the parsha of Lekh Lekha. This teaches us that even real sins are only steps down in order to reach higher. We explained once that although we have free choice not to sin, we are created in a way that most of us are forced to sin from time to time. The ultimate purpose of sin is to repent, thereby connecting the object with which the sin was performed with, to holiness. The power to do that we receive from Avraham’s sin to go to Egypt and his subsequent exit loaded with presents.

I am sure every one will agree with me that 1900 years of exile and sins is enough to build up enormous spiritual powers. Let’s tell Hashem that Enough is Enough and bring us Moshiach now!

At the beginning of Parshat Lekh Lekha, G-d commands Avraham: "Lekh Lekha - Go away from your land, from your birthplace, and from your father´s house, to the land that I will show you. I will make you into a great nation?" (Bereishit 12:1-2)

Why does G-d choose Avraham? Although Avraham´s greatness becomes manifest in later chapters of the Torah, at this stage of the biblical narrative we know virtually nothing about him; we have a little background about his family tree and that´s it. This dearth of information stands in sharp contrast to the depiction of the previous hero of the Bible, Noach, whose character traits and worthiness are described before he is chosen.

The Sfat Emet, basing himself on the Zohar, explains that the fact that Avraham listened to the command of Lekh Lekha, in and of itself displays his distinction. According to the Sfat Emet, G-d´s message, his "Lekh Lekha", was available to everyone, all the time, but since they did not make any effort to hear the Divine revelation it was is as if they were sleeping. Only Avraham made the effort to hear G-d´s words. Ultimately, it was as if G-d spoke only to Avraham, because only Avraham was attuned and waiting to hear Him.

Thus, we can answer our question of "Why does G-d choose Avraham?" by saying that G-d chose Avraham because Avraham chose G-d.

MEZUZA

One of the most obvious physical symbols of a Jewish home is the presence of a mezuzah on its doorposts. The Torah commands Jews to "write these [statements of faith] on the doorposts of your homes and gates." The word mezuzah itself literally means the side doorposts of a doorframe. However because of the commandment to "write [these commandments] on the doorposts of your homes and gates," the word mezuzah has come to mean the "writings" on the doorpost and not only the doorpost itself. The mezuzah, as it is commonly called today, is therefore a piece of parchment upon which a scribe has handwritten the main declarations of Jewish faith as quoted in the Torah - the Shema (Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One), V´ahavta (And you shall love the Lord your God, etc.), and Vhaya im shamoa (If you will listen to My commandments and do My will, etc.).

The size of the parchment can vary though most scribes prefer a decent sized piece of parchment so that they do not have to engage in micrography when writing the holy words. The parchment is then usually wrapped from right to left in the form of a tube, though this is not strictly required as the parchment may be used even in its original flat form. On the back of the parchment, three obscure Hebrew words are written that symbolize names of God. These names are not written explicitly but rather with substitute lettering. However the name of God, Shadai (shin, dalet, yud), is written on the back of the parchment clearly and prominently and when the mezuzah is rolled as a tube, it is the part of the mezuzah that is actually visible and that can be read. The mezuzah parchment is affixed to the doorpost in a variety of fashions. In many of the stone homes here in Jerusalem a niche for the mezuzah is actually carved out of the stone and the parchment, wrapped as a tube and with a protective clear plastic covering it, is inserted into that niche. However, in most of the Jewish world, the parchment is inserted into a mezuzah case and that case is then nailed, screwed or glued on to the right hand doorpost of the house.

The mezuzah case has become a source of Jewish inspirational creativity for artisans, designers and craftsmen over the centuries. Every form of material has been employed in the manufacture of mezuzah cases - from gold and silver to wood and plastic. In the house of the wealthy and art lovers and collectors, the mezuzah cases were many times commissioned from leading craftsmen and were unique to that home and family. Most Jews however made do with simple materials and plain linear tube design. To satisfy a difference of opinion in halacha as to whether the mezuzah should be mounted to the doorpost in a vertical or horizontal fashion, a happy solution of placing the mezuzah case and its contents on the doorpost at a forty-five degree angle was agreed upon.

The mezuzah serves as a constant reminder of God´s presence in our lives and homes. The custom of Jews was and is to kiss the mezuzah when entering or leaving the home. The mezuzah was also regarded as a protective device for the home and for all who lived therein, but being a direct commandment of the Torah, it never was relegated to the status of an amulet. The mezuzah has become one of the most beloved commandments observed by the people of Israel. In the State of Israel, almost every Jewish home, office and store, has a mezuzah on the doorpost that is visible. The mezuzah represents the continuity of Jewish family and Jewish generations. It identifies and inspires the Jewish home and it speaks to us about ourselves and our faith when "we go forth and when we come in." As such, it is one of the most powerful symbols of Jewish living.

The seven-day festival of Sukkot comes following the Ten Days of Repentance. These ten days can be divided into three parts: The first two days of Rosh Hashana; seven days, and the last day,Yom Kippur.

What is the connection between the Ten Days of Repentance and Sukkot?

On Rosh Hashana we blow 100 sounds on the Shofar. The Sukkah is covered with Schach. The word Schach is spelled samech- chaf- chaf. The numerical value of these letters is 60-20-20. We blow the Tekiya 60 times, the Shevarim 20 times, and the Teru’a 20 times.

What is the connection between Yom Kippur and Sukkot? On Yom Kippur the High Priest would go into the Holy of Holies with incense. The smoke from the incense is connected with the ‘clouds of glory’ that used to protect the Jewish people in the desert. On Sukkot we sit in the Sukkah to commemorate these clouds.

There are seven days between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur. Each day gives us a chance to make up for any wrongdoing on that particular day of the week during the previous year. The Sunday during the 7 days is when we would repent for sins committed on all the Sundays throughout the past year, etc.

The reward for the repentance during the seven days between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur is seven days of JOY on Sukkot. According to halacha, one should start building his Sukkah right after Yom Kippur.

A Sukkah completely surrounds the person who sits in it. On Sukkot one is required to live in the Sukkah just as he lives in his own house. His entire being is involved in fulfilling the mitzvah. Yom Kippur is the time when we all decide to become better people. In order to help us make these changes a reality, we are commanded to get involved with the Sukkah. The Sukkah teaches us that our entire being should be focused on fulfilling Hashem’s will. One may think that by praying three times a day and studying Torah for several hours, he has given enough of his time to G-d and the remaining time can be used for personal matters. He may also assume that by using his hands to don tefillin and his feet to run to shul he has utilized his body sufficiently to serve Hashem. The Sukkah comes to teach us that the entire body should be used the entire day to fulfill its mission on earth. Even when involved in the mundane acts of eating or sleeping, still the focus is to regain strength in order to serve Hashem better!

We all know the story of the three angels who came to visit Avraham to notify him that he would have a child. Avraham, unaware that his guests were angels, treated them as regular guests. Before serving them their meal he insisted ‘sit down under the tree’, (where they would be protected from the scorching sun). The Midrash comments that in the merit of these words his descendants merited the mitzvah of Sukkah. Another Midrash tells us that in the merit of our sitting in the Sukkah now, when Moshiach comes we will merit to sit in a giant Sukkah made from the skin of the Livyatan (big fish).

There are many laws in connection with the construction of a Sukkah. The Schach that covers the Sukkah is a plant that grows from the ground yet is to be disconnected from its source. If a Sukkah would be placed directly under the branches of a tree, the Sukkah would be deemed unkosher.

It is interesting to note that both the merit that gave us the Mitzvah of Sukkah as well as the reward we will receive for it, are connected with a non-Kosher Sukkah. Avraham offered his guests to sit under a tree and the Sukkah we will sit in in the future will be made out of fish skin. This seems to pose a problem as earlier we mentioned that the Schach must be a) from a material that grows on the ground yet b) be disconnected from its source.

What is a Mitzvah?

Although the most recognized and literal translation of Mitzvah is ‘commandment’, it can also suggest the idea of ‘connection’. By doing a mitzvah, a Jew becomes connected to the One who gave him the Mitzvah, Hashem. The example is given of a simple man and distinguished professor sitting together in a room. The professor sits lost in thought, his mind constantly developing new theories. The simple man can but admire how this great mind is changing the future. There is no connection between the two men until the professor asks his companion for a cup of water. Here the connection is made as by bringing the water, the simple man becomes important in the eyes of the professor.

The distance between our creator and us is obviously much greater than the distance between two flesh and blood human beings. There is no physical way we can connect to Hashem until He asks us to do a simple action, such as a Mitzvah so that we can and have the opportunity to become connected.

Let’s delve further into the above-mentioned example. In order for the simple man to follow the professor’s instructions, he has to be prepared to listen. The person has to be ready. He also must have the means in which to fulfill the request. If there is no water in the area, the simple man could not supply it.

Before it becomes possible for a Jew to connect with G-d, he has to be prepared to listen. The patriarchs accomplished this ‘preparation’ for their descendents. They were completely devoted to fulfilling that which Hashem asked from them. This is the preparation. At that time, the world itself also needed preparation. The years of slavery in Egypt were necessary to enable the connection between heaven and earth that would later become possible after the Torah was given on Mt. Sinai.

‘The reward of a mitzvah is the mitzvah’.

The actual reward for doing a mitzvah is the connection we establish with Hashem. Only when Moshiach comes will we be able to see the complete unification with our creator that we accomplish through Mitzvot Being that the first Mitzvah we must fulfill after Yom Kippur is building a Sukkah, we can assume there is a general lesson to be learnt from it that applies to all the Mitzvot.

We can divide the Mitzvot into three stages:

1) The preparation

2) The actual mitzvah and

3) The reward, (i.e. the revelations in the future of all that transpired in the spiritual realm when we did the mitzvah.)

Avraham was responsible for the preparation of the Mitzvah. Today, we perform the actual mitzvah by sitting in our Sukkah, and when Moshiach comes we will receive the reward when we sit in the Sukkah made of Livyatan-skin Sukkah.

Water, by nature, never goes higher than its source unless it is actually forced, as well water might be pumped. Though our forefathers were very special and holy people it was still impossible for them to connect with something higher than themselves. They did not have the force of a "pump". They performed Mitzvot to the best of their ability for example, Avraham, who went out of his way to make his special guests comfortable. Until the Torah would be given, though, the Mitzvah itself could not connect to him any higher source and the act of Hachnasat Orchim would therefore only remain on the level of "preparation’.

In the merit of Avraham inviting his guests to ‘sit down under the tree’ we received the mitzvah of Sukkah. Avraham is compared to a tree as he grew very ‘tall’ in his divine service, all the while still connected to the ground.

The giving of the Torah made the above-mentioned "pump effect" possible. Today when doing a mitzvah we can actually connect with something higher! Thus the reason why the Schach has to be disconnected from the tree to symbolize we are no longer connected to the ground but connect with heaven.

This is connected to another Halacha as well. The Schach must be at least ten ‘tefachim’ (measurement) above the ground in order to be deemed Kosher. The Talmud says that Hashem never came down into this world lower than 10 tefachim because ‘The heavens belong to Hashem and the earth was given to men.’ Up to 10 tefachim remains the world’s domain, while higher space belongs to Hashem. Placing the Schach higher than 10 tefachim shows that we connect with Hashem by entering his "space".

Now, although the Schach must be disconnected from its source, it still must originate from the ground. We say three times a day: "May my soul be like dust to everyone". In order for Schach to be used for a mitzvah, it has to be connected to this ‘dust’ representing complete humility. Only after such a preparation it becomes possible to be ‘disconnected’ from this world and connect with a higher being.

If one were to take the plant and grind it, it would not be suitable for Schach anymore. Even after it is disconnected, it must be apparent to all that it originally was connected to the dust. If doing a mitzvah (disconnected schach) brings to pride (the former connection to dust is missing) it is not being done right.

Another law pertaining to Schach is that it has to be from something that cannot become ritually impure. (Certain materials can become impure when they come into contact with impurity; other materials never become impure, according to Halacha). The Sukkah comes right after Yom Kippur. On Yom Kippur we are given a chance to start again as better people. However, we still remember the taste of sin from the year before. A recovered alcoholic should not walk past a bar for he might go back to his old habit. The week after Yom Kippur we still have to learn not to make the same mistakes as the year before. Therefore it is not enough that the Schach is not actually impure, it has to be from a material that cannot become impure. On Sukkot we are expected to be on a level where we distance ourselves from sin to such an extent that we cannot fall back into our old habits.

When Moshiach will come we will receive the final and ultimate reward where we will see and experience all the connections we made with Hashem through doing Mitzvot. Only then we will sit in the Sukkah made from the Livyatan whose root word comes from the word ‘levi’ which also means connection!

The Halacha is that all creatures living under the sea’s surface are always ritually pure as they are considered on entity with the (purifying powers of) water. That explains the connection between the Livyatan fish and the times of Moshiach on which it says that the world will be filled with the knowledge of G-d like waters cover the bed of the ocean. Another interesting quality that fish have is that they always remain in water, and therefore are constantly connected with their source of life. When Moshiach comes we will be just like fish; completely united with our source of life who is Hashem.

In synagogues, there are two divergent traditions of shofar calls: the Ashkenazi (German), which is dramatic and outward, and the Sephardi (Spanish-Portuguese), which is more tremulous and inward.

This posting is dedicated to the memory of Yoni Jesner, a yeshiva student from Scotland who was killed in the bus bombing which took place in Tel Aviv before Succos. Yoni was named after Yoni Netanyahu who was killed on July 4th, 1976, when he was leading the successful Israeli raid in Entebbe that saved the lives of 104 hostages. I am unable to say more about Yoni, for there are no eulogies given during a Festival. In fact, there is no mourning during a Festival, for a Festival celebrates the eternal life of Klal Yisrael - the Community of Israel, and each member of Klal Yisrael is connected to that eternal life. In addition, each Festival connects us to the final stage of the messianic age, when the Creator will eliminate death, as it is written: "He will eliminate death forever, and my Lord, the Compassionate and Just One, will erase tears from all faces"(Isaiah 25:8).

In a previous posting, we discussed the seventy offerings that the People of Israel brought to the Temple during the Festival of Succos on behalf of the seventy primary nations of the earth. As a prominent Torah educator of the past century, Rabbi Eliyahu Kitov, reminds us: "We brought these offerings as an atonement for the nations of the world and in prayer for their well-being, as well as for universal peace and harmony between them." (The Book of Our Heritage).

Our offerings of love on behalf of the nations did not evoke a loving response from many nations, and according to tradition, our grievance against these nations is expressed in the words from the following psalm:

"And with words of hatred they have encircled me, and attacked me without cause. In return for my love, they accuse me, but I am prayer. They placed upon me evil in return for my good, and hatred in return for my love." (Psalm 109:3-5)

Rabbenu Bachya, a noted 13th century sage and biblical commentator, cites the following commentary of our sages on the above passage:

"You find that on the Festival of Succos Israel offered seventy young bulls for the nations of the world, who should have loved us for our action. Instead of loving us, however, they hate us."

A similar interpretation is cited by Rashi in his commentary to the above words, "They placed upon me evil in return for my good." Rashi, citing Midrash Shachar Tov, interprets Israel´s grievance in the following manner: "Seventy bullocks I offer each year for the seventy nations and I request rain for them, yet they do evil to me."

Rabbenu Bachya points out that despite their hatred against us, we did not stop praying on their behalf, as it is written in the above verse: "In return for my love, they accuse me, but I am prayer." Rabbenu Bachya explains that Israel is proclaiming: "I continue to pray and bring an offering for them." Israel´s gracious proclamation is in accordance with the law of the seventy offerings, for the Torah makes no distinction between righteous or wicked nations; it mandates offerings for "all" the seventy nations. Even if there are nations that hate us, we are still obligated to bring offerings on their behalf!

How are we to understand this? Does it not seem "masochistic" to pray for the life and well being of our enemies? I discussed this question with my teacher, Rav Aharon Feldman. He reminded me of another law regarding the seventy offerings which can respond to this question and also help us to understand the mitzva of the seventy offerings in a deeper way. When the Torah discusses the mitzva of the seventy offerings that we are to bring during the seven days of Succos (Numbers 29:12-32), it tells us that on the first day of the Festival we are to offer thirteen young bulls; on the second day we are to offer twelve young bulls; and on the third day we are to offer eleven young bulls, etc. The total of all the offerings at the end of the Festival adds up to seventy. Rabbenu Bachya cites the teaching of the sages that the gradual decrease in the number of young bulls offered each day alludes to the gradual decrease in the number of nations. This raises an obvious question: If the number of nations is to decrease, then why are we offering seventy offerings, so that they may all merit life? Rav Feldman responds that the decrease in the number of nations refers to the decrease in the number of separate national entities that oppose the will of G-d - the Compassionate One. Instead of these separate entities - each living only for itself - the peoples of the earth are to eventually form one society that will fulfill the Divine purpose on earth. In the decrease of the number of offerings each day, we are expressing our desire for the elimination of a divided world.

A united world, however, does not mean that all cultural differences will disappear. The very fact that we offer seventy offerings, one for each of the earth´s nations, implies that we desire that some measure of diversity among humankind be preserved. What then do our sages mean when they say that the decrease in the number of offerings each day alludes to the decrease in the number of separate nations? Based on my Torah studies, I would like to suggest that what will gradually disappear are not the "peoples" of the earth, but the "nation-states" of the earth. The term for nation-states in biblical Hebrew is "goyim," and the term for peoples is "amim". Instead of seventy separate goyim, each striving to take from the other, we seek the establishment of a united society where each of the earth´s amim is striving to give and to serve, for the goal of human history is the fulfillment of the following prophecy: "For then I will cause the amim to speak a pure language, so that they will all proclaim the Name of G-d, to serve Him with a united resolve" (Zephaniah 3:9).

In this verse, we do not speak of "goyim"; instead, we speak of "amim" joining together in unity. This hints at the idea that in the messianic age, there will no longer be nations or nation-states; there will only be "peoples". This teaching is expressed in the writings of Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch who writes: "At present, the nations, each an isolated unit to itself, stand against one another, armed to the teeth. But these differences will come to an end when the One God will one day reign supreme over them all. Human beings will differ from one another only by such peculiarities as are conditioned by national characteristics" (Commentary to Psalm 67:5). In the final stage of the messianic era, there will no longer be separate goyim, but diverse amim. It is then - when the goyim will be eliminated - that all human beings will acknowledge the sovereignty of the Compassionate One. This vision, says Rabbi Hirsch, is expressed in the following verse: "G-d is Sovereign forever and ever, when the goyim will perish from His earth" (Psalm 10:16).

Through the seventy offerings, we seek the survival of the earth´s diverse amim; however, through the decrease in the number of these daily offerings, we seek the elimination of the earth´s arrogant and separate entities known as "goyim." In fact, the Prophet Zechariah states that before the dawn of the messianic age, the Compassionate One will break the power of the goyim who seek to destroy the People of Israel and the ideals that they represent. This prophecy is recorded in the section from the Book of Zechariah, which we read on the first day of Succos, where it states: "G-d will go out and wage war with those goyim" (14:3). With the elimination of these powerful and oppressive goyim, adds the Prophet Zechariah, all human beings will finally acknowledge the sovereignty of the Compassionate One:

"G-d will be the Sovereign over all the earth; on that day G-d will be One and His Name One" (14:9).

1. During the biblical period, the Hebrew word "goy" referred to nations or nation-states. When the exile began, the word "goy" also began to refer to the individual members of the nation-states.

2. Regarding the dawn of the messianic era, it is written: "The mountain of the Temple of G-d will be firmly established as the head of the mountains, and it will be exalted above the hills and all the goyim will stream to it" (Isaiah 2:2). The ancient Aramaic translates "goyim" as "malchusa" - kingdoms or nation-states. The use of the term "goyim" in this verse implies that at the very beginning of the messianic era, there will still be nation-states. However, in the next verse, it states: "Many amim will go and say, ´Come, let us go up to the Mountain of G-d, to the Temple of the God of Jacob, and He will teach us of His ways and we will walk in His paths´; for from Zion will come forth Torah and the word of G-d from Jerusalem" (v.3). As the messianic age progresses, many "amim" - peoples - will make the pilgrimage to Jerusalem in order to study Torah. They no longer think of themselves as "goyim," but as "amim"!

The Maggid of Mezritch interpreted our Sages´ statement: "Know what is above you," as: "Know that everything ´above´ - all that transpires in the spiritual realms - is ´from you,´ dependent on your conduct. Each of us has the potential to influence even the most elevated spiritual realms."

The Torah alludes to this potential in the opening verse of our reading. "These are the chronicles of Noach. Noach was a righteous man."

The word ‘noach’ refers to satisfaction and repose. By repeating the word, the Torah implies that Noach - and by extension, every one of his descendants - can sow these qualities in two different fields, both among his fellow men, and in the spiritual worlds above.

Every person affects his environment. Our thoughts, words and deeds can inspire peace and tranquility in our fellow men, by helping to create meaningful pleasure and by establishing such conditions in our world, we accentuate similar qualities in the world above. To highlight our obligation to spread these virtues, this week´s Torah portion is called Noach.

The name Noach is, however problematic, for the portion as a whole does not deal with these qualities. On the contrary, the majority of the portion describes the Flood, and its conclusion relates the story of the Tower of Bavel. These events - and conduct of mankind which led to them - are diametrically opposed to the satisfaction and repose personified by Noach.

The resolution of this difficulty underscores the interrelation between the patterns with which G-d imbued our world and man´s response to them. Noach´s birth was to begin a period of repose and satisfaction that would encompass the globe. Mankind had the option of taking an active part in this undertaking. Instead, each person continued to live with a narrow focus, concerned only with himself. What another person felt, or questions of Right and Wrong, did not matter and as a result, "The world was corrupt... the land was filled with crime."

Then it started to rain. On the verse: "And it rained for forty days and forty nights," our Sages commented: "At the outset, the water descended with mercy, so that if they had repented, the rains would have been rains of blessing. Since they did not repent, the rains became a flood."

The floodwaters, then, were intended to be waters of blessing. For the blessing to be manifest, however, mankind had to make itself fit to receive G-d´s influence, and therefore teshuvah - a return to G-d was necessary. As the rain began to fall, humanity continued to ignore this opportunity, refusing to make such efforts.

But even though mankind did not turn to G-d in teshuvah, the rains remained waters of blessing. The forty days of rain resemble the forty seah (measure = 13.3 litres) of a mikveh. Just as immersion in a mikveh is associated with re-experiencing the act of creation, so too the forty days and forty nights of rain brought about the dawning of a new age: "Noach saw a new world."

Therefore, the waters of the flood are called "the waters of Noach," because the intent - and the actual effect - was to bring rest and pleasure to the world. Ultimately, however, because man did not respond positively, this constructive outcome was coupled with destruction - the flood obliterated every living creature on the face of the Earth.

A similar motif applied with regard to the Tower of Bavel, as reflected in our Sages´ teaching: "There were ten generations from Noach to Avraham... All those generations repeatedly angered Him, until Avraham our father came and received the reward of them all."

The generations that preceded Avraham treated each other with love. Nevertheless, since they "repeatedly angered G-d," their conduct did not reflect the repose and satisfaction that G-d intended for mankind. Therefore He punished them, scattering them throughout the earth.

Avraham performed deeds of kindness and hospitality with a single purpose - to make all mankind conscious of G-d. Through his action, he displayed the desired form of repose and satisfaction, and therefore received the reward generated by all the comradely deeds of the generations that preceded him.

On the ark were lions, tigers, and other predators, and yet they dwelt in peace with the other animals, anticipating the fulfillment of the prophecy: "The wolf will dwell with lamb, and the leopard will lie down with the young goat." Thus our Torah portion foreshadows the ultimate repose and satisfaction that mankind will be granted in the era when "there will be neither famine nor war, neither envy nor competition, for good things will flow in abundance."

By vigorously following in the footsteps of Avraham, spreading kindness and love, we can help precipitate the coming of that age. And then, like Noach and his family, we will merit the shining of the rainbow. As the Zohar states: "The rainbow reflects spiritual secrets... When you see the rainbow shining with bright colors, wait for Mashiach´s coming."