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Shabbat Parashat Chayei Sarah 5773Parashat Hashavua: Homeland PurificationHarav Yosef CarmelAfter the account of the burial of Sarah, the Torah turns to the matter of Avraham’s search for a wife for their son, Yitzchak. Let us focus on different elements of Avraham’s instructions to his servant Eliezer, who was charged with the task to bring back the right girl from his family in One unusual thing is the manner in which the oath was taken. We can also ask why Avraham was so against a woman from the Canaanites, if a fine one could be found. Another strange thing is Avraham’s stressing that Hashem had told Avraham to leave his homeland to go to the The Avraham, the choice descendant of Shem, taught the world that, in order to have a relationship with Hashem, one must overcome his evil inclination and remain pure. By doing so, his descendants would be able to turn the The symbol of the triumph over the evil inclination is the brit mila. That is why Avraham made Eliezer swear in a manner that connected the commitment to the brit. By invoking, during his instructions to find the next matriarch, the divine command to move to the Eliezer had a different understanding. He thought that Avraham might have had enough of struggling with the corrupt ways of the land and decided that his son would do well to return to the place of Avraham’s broader family. Therefore, Avraham stressed that, in the merit of the brit mila, he and his offspring would be capable of handling the challenge and of transforming the land. Top of page
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This edition of is dedicated Yechezkel Shraga Brachfeld o.b.m Hemdat Yamim is endowed by Les & Ethel Sutker of Louis and Lillian Klein, z”l This edition of Hemdat Yamim is dedicated to the memory of George Weinstein, Gershon ben Yehudah Mayer, a lover of the Jewish Nation Torah and Land. This week’s Hemdat Yamim is dedicated in loving memory of Jack Levin, Chaim Yaakov ben Shlomo Yitzchak HaLevi by his family. Hemdat Yamim is dedicated in loving memory of Tamar Lichtenstadt z”l. May her memory be a blessing. |