This Torah portion tells us how Abraham came to cry for Sarah and to mourn her. (Genesis 23:2) According to the Zohar, Sarah represents the body, and Abraham represents the soul. Abraham mourns for Sarah’s death. The soul also feels sorrow over the body’s death. The soul has attained freedom. It has escaped from the physical limitations of a human vessel. But now it cannot be genuinely close to the Divine presence. Only with a body can a soul create…
Why do we give Abraham the credit for passing the test of the binding of Isaac? Isaac was the one who was ready to give his life for the will of G-d. For lofty souls such as Abraham and Isaac, giving their lives to fulfill G‑d’s command was no great test. The great test was for Abraham to refrain from weighing the ways of G‑d. Abraham, for many years of his life, built a ladder of reason. He was a…
In this week’s Parsha Vayeira, we learn about the inhabitants of Sodom and its neighbors who were destroyed because they became very wicked. The Torah states that they were “wicked and sinful against G-d, very much”. However, the wickedness of Sodom and its neighbors was a misguided overreaction to Noah’s flood. The flood generation was wiped out mainly because they practiced and allowed themselves robbery – taking one person’s property by force. The residents of Sodom, who were aware of…
Rockets have been fired into Israel’s territory many times, but thankfully, few people have been injured. Israel’s enemies, on the other hand, suffered heavy losses as a result of these rockets. These are undoubtedly miracles that demonstrate the extent of heavenly watchfulness over Israel’s land. The Torah (Deuteronomy 11:25) claims that G-d miraculously protects the land of Israel. Natural miracles are superior to supernatural miracles because they have a higher spiritual foundation and originate from the Creator’s power, which unites…
Abraham’s life was a series of tests, and he passed all of them. The tractate Avot states that “Abraham our father was tested in ten tests.” These tests offer an opportunity for people to achieve the impossible and grow into something greater than their usual nature. Abraham’s test allowed him to break through the constraints of his personality and traits and become something he never thought possible. His story represents the story of each and every one of us. Every…