Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Yitzi’s Parsha Preview- Chayei Sarah‎






This week’s Parsha Preview is co-dedicated to the refuah of the ‎following people:‎

Men
Reuven Mordechai Ben Chana Batya, Menachem Mendel Ben Faigie ‎Ruchel, Gilon Chaim Ben Yonit, Ofek Ben Tali, Shimon Ben Miriam, ‎Avraham Moshe Ben Miriam Tova, Baruch Kalman Ben Leiben ‎Jacobs, Mendel Ber Ben Sarah, Aharon Ben Tamar, Shmuel Baruch ‎Ben Golda.‎

Women
Natalie Bat Sarah, Sarah Bat Channah, Chana Leah Bat Esther, Kreindel Bat Esther, ‎Kreynah Leah Bat Rachel, Simcha Bat Mazel, Sara Bat Hodda, Kyla ‎Chaya Bat Sarah Polson, Leiba Bat Devorah Esther, Tova Rochel Bat ‎Chaya and Yocheved Yaakovite bat Leah.‎

May Hashem grant them all a speedy recovery and a complete ‎healing. ‎

Daven for the release of Gilad Shalit-Gilad Ben Aviva-may Hashem ‎bring him home safe and sound. If you asked to have someone put on ‎the refuah list please update me on how these people are doing. If you ‎would like to add someone to the list please send me an e-mail ‎parshapreview@gmail.com ‎

Once again, you can have this Parshah Preview dedicated in honour ‎or memory of a loved one, you can ask for a refuah or simply ‎acknowledge a milestone. It does not cost a thing all you have to do is ‎ask. ‎

Join my blog @
http://parshapreview.blogspot.com/2010/10/yitzis-parsha-preview-‎chayei-sarah.html

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Happy Birthday to:‎
Elie Arrobas-Wednesday, October 27‎
Robert Fleischer-Thursday, October 28‎
Sheila Weverman Shalva-Thursday, October 28‎
Devorah Silbershlag-Thursday, October 28‎
Leah Chwaiewsky-Friday, October 29‎
Michel Bouganim-Saturday, October 30‎

‎“Ad Meyah Vesrim Shannah”‎

Chayei Sarah - Genesis 23:1-25:18‎
Torah Reading for Week of October 24-30, 2010 - Cheshvan 16-22 ‎‎5771 Candle Lighting for Toronto is 5:54 P.M.‎
Candle Lighting for Thornhill is 5:54 P.M.‎

Number Of Mitzvot in Parshah Chayei Sarah‎‎: 0‎
Although none of the Taryag (613) mitzvot are counted from Chayei ‎Sarah , we learn about burial of the dead, and funeral practices such ‎as eulogizing the dead. We also find lessons relating to marriage in ‎this Parsha. ‎

‎0 Mitzvot Aseh (Positive Commandments) ‎
‎0 Mitzvot Lo Taaseh (Negative Commandments-Prohibitions)‎


Haftora (Additional portion, from Prophets, which is read after the ‎Parsha): ‎
Melachim l / Kings I 1:1-31‎

New Torah Webinar
Every Wednesday evening starting at 8:00 P.M. via Skype-Torah ‎direct to you in the comfort of your home. If you would like to ‎participate please email me with your Skype contact details and I will ‎add you as a contact and call you for the seminar. First seminar will ‎take place on Wednesday October 27, 2010 @ 8:00 P.M. I will be ‎looking at the Parsha of the week, some Mussar and the halochot ‎pertaining to Shabbat. E-mail me your Skype contact details @
‎parshapreview@gmail.com ‎ or add me on Skype @ Yitz007 or ‎‎“Yitzchak Alloul”. ‎

The Torah Reading on Shabbat day is divided into 7 sections. Each ‎section ‎is called an Aliya (meaning to go up) since for each Aliya, one ‎person "goes ‎up" to make a bracha on the Torah Reading. We invite ‎the Cohen first, ‎followed by a Levite who then in turn is followed by ‎an Israelite. When a ‎Cohen is not in attendance we call an Israelite in ‎their place, if a Levite is ‎not in attendance then the same Cohen is ‎called in their place.‎

Converting A Bear
One day a Priest, a Pastor and a Rabbi were talking. Then suddenly ‎the Priest says "let’s see who can convert a bear to their religion". ‎

So the Priest the Pastor and Rabbi all take turns in going into the ‎woods and finding a bear to convert. ‎

First the Priest comes back with some scratches on his face and says " ‎The bear was fierce but as soon as I put some holly water on its head ‎it just stopped". ‎

Then the Pastor comes out with what looks like a broken arm and ‎says "The bear was tackling me to the ground but as soon as we fell ‎into a lake and I baptized it he was calm. ‎

Then, 2 days later, the Priest and the Pastor go to the Hospital to find ‎the Rabbi lying in bed with full body in cast. They asked "What ‎happened?" the Rabbi replies "Maybe circumcision wasn't the best ‎way to start". ‎


Parsha Summary – Chayei Sarah ‎
Avraham negotiates with Ephron the Hittite to purchase the Cave of ‎Machpelah as a burial place for Sarah. Tradition says that this is also ‎the burial place of Adam and Chava. ‎

Avraham sends Eliezar, his trusted servant, to Aram Naharayim, ‎‎(between the Tigris and the Euphrates) to find Yitzchak a shiduch - a ‎bride. ‎

Leading a caravan of supplies and riches, Eliezar arrives in Nachor. ‎While resting by "the well", he devises a test to ascertain the ‎worthiness of a potential mate for Yitzchak. Rivkah (Yitzchak's 1st ‎cousin once removed) meets all the criteria and Eliezar presents her ‎with the appropriate gifts. ‎

Eliezar is invited into Betuel's home (Rivkah's father) and he relates ‎the entire story of his mission and his encounter with Rivkah. Eliezar ‎asks for her hand in marriage to Yitzchak. Betuel and Lavan (Rivka's ‎brother) agree. ‎

Rivkah express her desire to depart immediately. Her family blesses ‎her, and Eliezar brings her to Canaan. Yitzchak marries Rivka in the ‎year 2108. ‎

Avraham marries Keturah (some say she was Hagar) and has 6 more ‎sons. Avarham dies in 2123 - 1638 b.c.e. at the age of 175. His two ‎sons Yitzchak and Yishmael bury him in the Cave of Machpelah. ‎Yishmael's 12 sons are listed and Yishmael dies at 137. ‎

‎“Silence is Golden, Repentance goes the distance”‎
‎“And Avraham expired and died at a good old age, elderly and full of ‎years, and was gathered to his people. And his ‎sons Yitzchak and ‎Yishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah …” (Bereshit 25:8-9)‎

Parshat Chayei‏ ‏Sarah‏ ‏records Avraham's death at a ripe old age after ‎having lived a full‏ ‏life. He is buried by his two ‎sons, Yishmael and ‎Yitzchak, an indication of a‏ ‏rapprochement between the previously ‎estranged brothers. The ‎description of‏ ‏Avraham's'death reflects ‎tranquility and family unity.‎

Wait just a minute. When did Yishmael return home? From the ‎language of the pasuk, it is clear that Yishmael was an ‎active ‎participant at the funeral, even allowing his younger brother Yitzchak ‎to take the lead.‎
‎ ‎
Rashi comments: From here we understand that Yishmael repented ‎and placed Yitzhak before himself. ‎

Yishmael's placing of Yitzhak first is evidence of repentance inasmuch ‎as it shows that he accepted his father's - and ‎G-d's - decision that ‎Yitzhak would be the sole heir to Avraham's blessings and that He ‎would take the lesser role. ‎

This is great news that the family has reunited and seemingly they are ‎happy. However, when did Yishmael return to ‎Avraham’s household ‎and what was he up too during all his time.‎

We must look at the midrash to help fill in the blanks. A midrash ‎from the school of Rabbi Eliezer ben Hyrcanus circa ‎‎100 CE - records ‎a narrative of Yishmael's life after his banishment from the house of ‎Avraham. ‎

‎"Yishmael dwelled in the wilderness of Par'an (Bereishit 21:21).


Yishmael sent for and took a wife from the plains of Mo'av. Her ‎name was Issa. Three years later, Avraham went to ‎see his son ‎Yishmael. He promised Sarah that he would not dismount his camel ‎in the place where Yishmael was ‎encamped. He arrived there at ‎midday and found Yishmael's wife at home. Avraham asked, 'Where ‎is Yishmael?' ‎She said, 'He and his mother have gone to bring fruit ‎and dates from the wilderness.' He said, 'Give me a bit of water ‎and a ‎bit of bread, for I am tired from traveling in the wilderness.' She said, ‎‎'There is no bread and no water.' He ‎said, 'When Yishmael returns ‎tell him as follows. Tell him that an old man came from the land of ‎Canaan to see you ‎and said "The doorstep to the house is no good."‎

When Yishmael came home his wife told him these things. He ‎banished her. He sent his mother to bring him a wife ‎from her father's ‎house. Her name was Petumah. After another three years Avraham ‎went to see his son Yishmael. ‎He swore to Sarah, as the first time, that ‎he would dismount his camel in the place where Yishmael was ‎encamped. ‎He arrived there at midday and found Yishmael's wife ‎there. He said to her, 'Where is Yishmael?' She said, 'He went ‎with his ‎mother to graze the camels in the wilderness.' He said, 'Give me a bit ‎of water and a bit of bread, for I am ‎tired from traveling.' She took ‎some out and gave him. Avraham stood there and prayed to G-d for ‎his son, and ‎Yishmael's house became filled with goodness and ‎blessings. When Yishmael came home his wife told him what had ‎‎happened and Yishmael knew that now his father's mercies were ‎upon him." (Pirkay DeRabbi Eliezer, ch. 30).‎

Yishmael realizes that he has strayed from the teachings of his father. ‎Chesed was paramount and a traveller at the ‎door would never be ‎treated in such a manner by Avraham or even a servant in his home. ‎When Yishmael banishes ‎his first wife he comes to the realization that ‎she would have never been able to live in the dynamic of Avraham’s ‎‎household. Furthermore, by receiving Avraham’s blessing via his ‎second wife, Yishamel, now understands that the ‎time has come to ‎return home. In Parshat Vayeira we are introduced to the following ‎pasuk:‎

And Avraham returned to his young men, and they arose and went ‎together to Beer sheva; and Avraham ‎remained in Beer sheva.‎


According to Midrash the young men that the pasuk is referring to ‎are Yishmael and Eliezer (Ber. Rab. 48, 13. So we ‎see that prior to ‎Akeidat Yitzchak the reconciliation has taken place. Yishmael is back ‎in the home of Avraham his ‎father.‎

The Jewish people have experienced tremendous benefit from having ‎Avraham Avenu as our forefather but the ‎question begs to be asked; ‎Do the Palestinian people have that benefit as having Yishmael as ‎there forefather?‎

Based on the information presented earlier it makes sense that that ‎through Yismael’s repentance and the fact that ‎he let Yitzchak take ‎charge in all matters regarding Avraham and continue his legacy ‎earned his descendants major ‎points.‎

Of the seventy nations named in the Torah only two nations have the ‎name of Hashem embedded in them. Yisrael ‎and Yishmael.‎ If we take ‎a closer look at the religion of Islam that has been adopted by the ‎Palestinian people and which Yishmael ‎laid the ground work to be ‎established; We see that it is a monotheistic religion. Further, Jewish ‎law accepts that is ‎not considered idolatry and if need be one may ‎enter a mosque. Unlike other religions that considered idolatry and ‎‎entrance into their houses of worship are not recommended. When the ‎religion of Islam worships they direct their prayers to Allah, one G-d ‎supreme over the world. During ‎prayers you can hear a “pin drop” ‎for their prayers are directed to the heavens and talking is non-‎existent. Finally, ‎they are committed to prayer. I recall on a trip from ‎Jerusalem to Tel Aviv the driver of our monit (special taxi) ‎pulled to ‎the side of the highway proceeded to remove his prayer rug and in ‎perfect meditation completed his ‎afternoon prayer despite the loud ‎protests from his Israeli passengers. Recently, while on a trip to New ‎York, I ‎attempted to get a cab in the late afternoon and was not ‎successful due to the fact that most of the cabs were idle ‎due to ‎worship time.‎

Why are Yishmael descendants considered the Palestinian people. ‎Yitzchak is promised that his descendants will ‎inherit the land of ‎Israel, however, no such promise is given to Yishmael. ‎

The Torah is not kind in its description of Yishmael:‎


‎“And he will be a wild ass of a man, his hand against everyone, and ‎everyone’s hand against him” (Bereshit 16:12).‎

Throughout history we see that the descendants indeed due not inherit ‎a land from Hashem. ‎Notwithstanding the fact that they do not have ‎a land of their own and there brothers do not want them in their ‎‎lands it seems that world opinion is still not in favour of the Jewish ‎people. The next time we sit down in shul to ‎open our hearts we need ‎to remember that on the opposite side of the coin prayer is taking ‎place in quiet devotion ‎without the senseless talk that seems to have ‎permeated the fabric of houses of prayer.‎

Is it any wonder that Israel is in the predicament it is?‎
Silence is Golden. Repentance goes the distance.‎


Halacha of the Week

Please note that the Halachot discussed here are according to Sephardic ‎Tradition as outlined by The Maran Shulchan Aruch. This is just a ‎summary and in no way deemed as a Halachic ruling. Please contact ‎your local Orthodox Rabbi for help. ‎

I will be reviewing the laws concerning Shabbat observance. ‎

Preparing Instant Coffee, Hot Chocolate and Tea on Shabbat ‎
‎ ‎
Is it permissible to prepare instant coffee, hot chocolate or tea on ‎Shabbat, by pouring hot water on the powder or tealeaves?‎

A Halachic principle establishes that when hot water is poured onto ‎raw food from a “Keli Rishon,” meaning, from the original utensil in ‎which it had been heated, it cooks the first layer of the food. ‎Accordingly, it is forbidden to pour water directly from an urn or hot ‎water kettle onto raw food. Seemingly, then, it should be forbidden to ‎pour hot water directly from an urn or kettle onto instant coffee or ‎hot chocolate powder.‎

However, there is another Halachic principle which states that one ‎does not violate the Shabbat prohibition of cooking by cooking a food ‎that had already been cooked previously. If a food had already been ‎cooked, cooking it a second time does not constitute “cooking” as ‎defined by Halacha. Therefore, it is permissible to pour hot water ‎directly over instant coffee or chocolate powder. All powders made for ‎instant cooking had already been cooked as part of their processing. ‎Whether it’s hot chocolate powder, milk powder or baby formula, the ‎processing of the powder entails cooking. Likewise, instant coffee has ‎already undergone a process of roasting, and cooking a food that had ‎been roasted does not violate the Shabbat prohibition of cooking. ‎Therefore, it is permissible to pour hot water directly from an urn or ‎kettle onto any instant powder or instant coffee on Shabbat.‎

This Halacha does not, however, apply to preparing tea from teabags. ‎The leaves inside the bags are raw, and had not been previously ‎cooked. As such, it is forbidden to pour hot water directly from an ‎urn or kettle onto a teabag. One who wishes to prepare tea on ‎Shabbat must first pour the hot water from the urn or kettle into an ‎empty utensil, and then pour the water from that utensil into the ‎teacup. Tealeaves are classified as “Kaleh Habishul” – a food that is ‎easily cooked - and therefore one may not place them in the “Keli ‎Sheni,” meaning, in a utensil into which water had been poured from ‎an urn. Instead, one should pour the water from that utensil into the ‎teacup. He may place the tealeaves into the teacup and pour the water ‎onto the leaves from the “Keli Sheni,” or he can pour the water into ‎the teacup and then place the tealeaves in the water in the teacup.‎


Shabbat Shalom Umevorach-A peaceful and Blessed Shabbat
Yitzchak Alloul

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