Friday, October 29, 2010

Parshas Chayei Sarah

Liyluy Nishmas Elchonon Tzvi ben R' Yisroel Menachem, Zev Yehudah ben R' Shmuel Mordechai, R' Baruch Moshe Aryeh ben R' Zev Yehudah
 In perek chaf gimmel posuk beis it says "Vatamas Sarah b'Kiryas Arbah hiy Chevron b"Eretz Canaan, vayavo Avraham lispod osah v'livkosa" "Sarah died in Kiryas Arbah which is Chevron in the land of Canaan, and Avraham came to eulogize Sarah and to cry over her." Rashi explains that the reason why the incident of the Akeida is followed by the death of Sarah, is because when she heard her son was almost slaughtered her nishama flew out of her and she passed away.
 Reb Chaim Shmulevitz ztl brings to light the differences between Avraham and Sarah regarding the Akeida. Avraham was able to overcome his tremendous feelings of rachmanus and take a knife and slaughter his "only" beloved son. Sarah however who we know was on a higher level of Nevuah than Avraham couldn't handle it. She heard her son was almost slaughtered,or as the Targum Yonasan learns it the Satan told her Yitzchak really had been slaughtered, and she passed away.
 Reb Chaim asks, what was the difference between the two of them? Why was Sarah unable to handle it?
  One answer that Reb Chaim gives is that Avraham had the chance to adapt to the news slowly and therefore was not totally overcome by it. As we know Hashem broke the news to Avraham "kach na es bincha es yichidcha asher ahavta es Yitzchak". Sarah however heard it all at once and had no chance to adapt to it and therefore her nefesh flew out. The idea of needing to adapt to a situation, Histaglus, is a real force in a person.
 However Reb Chaim gives another answer. When a person is faced with a nisayon, Hashem does not only gives him the nisayon, but also the means to overcome it. The ramban says that no person is given a nisayon that they can not pass. Avraham Avinu was given the nisayon of the Akeida, and therefore with it the ability to overcome it. Sarah however was not given the nisayon, she just happened to hear about it, so she was not strong enough to overcome the shock and according to the Tragum Yonasan the pain that came with the news.
 We see the Koach that adaption has on people and we know that one can obviously adapt to a positive setting or a not so positive setting. Realizing how strong the midah of histaglus is we can possibly guide ourselves to adapt to what we feel are the correct things in our lives. From Reb Chaim's second answer and the Ramban we can just remind ourselves of an incredible fact. No one is faced with a nisayon they can't pass. It may feel like it's impossible but if it was we wouldn't be in the situation. Keeping that in mind can help give alot of chizuk in a time of hardship. Good Shabbos     
    

Friday, October 22, 2010

Parshas Vayeira

Liyluy Nishmas Elchonon Tzvi ben R' Yisroel Menachem, Zev Yehuda ben R' Shmuel Mordechai, R' Baruch Moshe Aryeh ben R' Zev Yehudah
 In Perek chaf beis posuk vav it says, "Vayikach Avraham es atzei ha'olah vayasem al Yitzchakbno vayikach b'yado es ha'eish v'es hama'acheles vayeilchu shneihem yachdav."  "And Avraham took the wood for the offering, and placed it on Yitzchak his son. He took in his hand the fire and the knife and the two of them went together."
 The Medrash Rabah says that the Yetzer Harah met Avraham on the way and tried reasoning with him. "Avraham lets assume you do pass this test, do you think you will be able to stand up to the next one?"
 Rav Issac Sher ztl, in his Hakdamah to the sfefer Cheshbon Hanefesh, writes that it is crucial for man to understand the tactic's the Yetzer harah uses in order to guard oneself against him.  One of his tactic's is to tell us that we will never be a tzadik gamar so why bother going out of our way to fulfill the mitzvah at hand.  This was the Yetzer Harah's taayna to Avraham, you cant go on passing every test, eventually you have to fail one so why bother?  The Rosh Yeshivah ztl asks, what type of taayna is that?  If Avraham would fulfill the nisayon of the akeida, he would be considered a tremendous tzaddik, even if somewhere down the road he failed an even harder nisayon.  Why would not being able to pass everything cause Avraham to give up now?  He explains that each and every one of his has a desire to reach "shleimus".  We want to be complete, and being unable to reach a level of completion causes us alot of pain.  Realizing that we will never be able to reach total shleimus can lead to depression and "yiush" causing us to totally give up on everything.  Not being able to be the best is one of the biggest reasons why people give up before they even start.  "Why bother working on shiur ill never get it fully?  Why bother exercising ill never be super buff?  Why should I try making the nba ill never be Jordan."  But you'll get most of shiur!  You'll be in extremely good shape!  You could be an all-star!  We don't want to be good, we want to be the best.  The Yetzer Harah was reminding Avraham that no matter how long he goes passing nisyonos, he will eventually reach one that will be too difficult and he will not be able to pass it.  He was hoping to work with the psychology of each and every person to hold Avraham back.  You'll never reach shleimus give up!  The Yetzer Hara felt that even when Avraham was ready to sacrifice his beloved son, this idea of never reaching shleimus would stop him in his tracks.  We see the koach that the desire for shleimus has on us.  If we can come to terms with the fact that we are only human and can not reach total shleimus but can still be great and do great things we can be better prepared for the Yetzer Hara next time he comes knocking. Good Shabbos