Happenings of the Chabad Lubavitch אנ"ש community of Rockland County, New York
Friday, October 19, 2018
Parsha Perspective
By Rabbi Yisroel Shusterman
Are you ever filled with such despair that you feel like
your life is hopeless? In such moments, prayer is the opportunity that G‑d
offers us to communicate with Him, to turn to our Creator for comfort and
salvation.
And yet, during such challenging times, as you pray, do you
ever hear yourself thinking: “Now, hold on, this is too much to be asking.
There’s just no way that G‑d is going to move heaven and earth to grant me this
request. Maybe I should ask for something a little bit more realistic, a tad
more practical.”
In the beginning of this week's Torah portion, Lech-Lecho (Bereishis [Genesis]
12:1-17:27), G‑d promises Abraham to make him “into a great nation.” Years
later, after undergoing trials and tribulations, G‑d reassures Abraham and
tells him, “Fear not, Abram; I am your shield; your reward is exceedingly
great.”
Abraham responds, “Behold, You have given me no seed.” Of
what purpose is all that You are blessing me with if I cannot have a child of
my own to continue after me?
At this point, “G‑d took him outside and said, ‘Gaze now
toward the heavens and count the stars, if you are able to count them!’ And G‑d
said to him, ‘So shall be your offspring!’” (Genesis 15:5)
Rashi questions the need for bringing Abraham outdoors.
Simply understood, G‑d was taking Abraham out of his tent to see the stars
outdoors, since his children would be as numerous as them.
But on a deeper level, G‑d was implying to Abraham that he
needs to step outside the natural order and rely on G‑d’s miracles.
Abraham said: “Master of the universe, I have studied my
astrological pattern, and it is clear that I will not sire a son.” G‑d
responded, “Go outside the sphere of the stars, because no stars control the
destiny of Israel!”
Rav Yehudah said in the name of Rav: “How do we know that no
star controls the destiny of Israel? From the verse “He took him outside.”
(Talmud, Shabbos 156a)
Abraham realized that according to the rules of nature,
neither he nor his wife Sarah were destined to have a child. But G‑d
was telling him: a Jew must go outside—he must leave the natural order, because
his prayer has the power to reach his infinite G‑d, who extends beyond the
sphere of this world.
Prayer can create the miraculous by elevating us beyond the
natural order.
Indeed, thirteen years later, when that miraculous son is
born to Abraham and Sarah, he is called Yitzchak (Isaac), which means
“laughter.”
From this son of laughter descends the great nation of
laughter with whom G‑d establishes His special bond.
Because the very essence of the Jew and his existence is
forever a laughing, miraculous wonder—explainable only through our prayers and
our deep bond with our Creator.
Let us continue to pray for the safety of our brothers and
sisters in Israel and for a speedy recovery to all those who are ill
and infirmed.
(From Chabad.org – by C Weisberg)
May you have a meaningful and uplifting Shabbos!
If you would like to dedicate the weekly Parsha
Perspective in honor or memory of a person or occasion, please contact
Rabbi Shusterman at yshusterman@chedermonsey.org
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