November 5, 2022; 11 Cheshvan, 5783
Parsha
In this week’s Parsha, Hashem told Avrohom Avinu to, “Go forth from your land – your birthplace – and the house of your father – to the land that I will show you” (Bereshis 12:1). We see from this Possuk that Hashem felt it necessary to tell Avrohom to depart from each of these three places. Would not it have been sufficient to just say, “Go forth from your land”?
October 29, 2022; 4 Cheshvan, 5783
Parsha In this week’s Parsha, we find the Pasuk (11:1) introducing the incident of the Migdal Bavel (Tower of Babel) saying, “Now the entire earth was of [spoke] one language and [spoke] Devarim Achadim.” The simple translation of Dvarim Achadim is “uniform words.” However, the Midrash (Beraishis 38:3) translates it to mean that the people of the generation spoke against a “lone voice.”
October 22, 2022; 27 Tishrei, 5783
Parsha In this week’s Parsha, we find a fascinating Targum Yonasan (Bereishis 4:8) that elaborates on the sin of Kayin who murdered his brother Hevel. Kayin points out that his offering which was brought first was not accepted by Hashem, but Hevel’s offering which was brought after Kayin’s, was accepted. Further, it was Kayin, not Hevel, who conceived the idea of bringing an offering to Hashem in the first place. Hevel responded that Kayin’s offering was of inferior quality, and that was likely the reason why his offering was refused. Kayin responded, “Les Din V’les Dayan – there is no justice and there is no Ultimate Judge.”
