This week's parsha

Unless otherwise noted, "This week's Parsha" comprises articles taken from contributors to the Chabad.org website. We show the original author's name here, so that proper attribution is given. For the sake of brevity, footnotes cited in the original author's writings are omitted from this website. If you need to see the citations, please refer to the original articles on the Chabad.org website.

Remaining Focused

Published: 05 November 2012 | Written by Naftali Silberberg

Isaac was forbidden to leave the Holy Land, because he was consecrated to G-d when Abraham offered him as a sacrifice on Mt. Moriah. Abraham, however, wasn't willing to consider a Canaanite girl for Isaac, so he sent his faithful servant Eliezer to his own hometown of Aram Naharaim (modern-day northern Syria) to find a suitable girl for Isaac. Eliezer successfully discharged this mission and returned to Canaan with Rebecca.

The Torah relates the entire account of Eliezer's mission in great detail, repeating entire segments of the story several times. Generally speaking, the Torah is "stingy" with words; many laws of the Torah are derived from a seemingly superfluous word, or even an extra letter. The Midrash therefore concludes that "beautiful are the words of the servants of the Patriarchs more than the Torah of their children."

What is so special about the "words of the servants of the Patriarchs"? What is the lesson the Torah wants us to derive from Eliezer's mission?

Modesty, Beauty and Holiness

Published: 31 October 2012 | Written by Tali Loewenthal

Something which is holy is also protected and, to a certain extent, hidden. The Holy of Holies, the innermost chamber of the Temple, was the most sacred place in the world. One way its holiness is expressed is through the fact that nobody could ever go there -- except the High Priest on Yom Kippur.

Similarly, and more familiar to us, the Torah scroll is holy. Usually, it is kept behind a curtain in the Ark. When the Torah scroll is taken out of the Ark this is felt to be a special occasion, and everyone in the synagogue stands up. It is still within a mantle, and only when it is brought to the bimah (reading table) is the mantle removed. If the Torah scroll is carried to another location it is usually wrapped in a tallit, as an extra covering expressing its sanctity.

Our parshah (the Torah reading of Vayeira, Genesis 18-22) tells us something about womanhood: that womanhood is sacred, and has great spiritual power. And it also tells us that feminine modesty is a profound aspect of human life, making a woman beloved to her husband.

Keep on Trucking

Published: 23 October 2012 | Written by Simcha Levenberg

This week's Torah reading details the difficult journeys of Abraham, the first Jew. Abraham travels from his homeland to Israel and immediately a nasty famine breaks out. Was it is his fault? Not really. Was it bad PR? Definitely. New Guy shows up in a country, screaming about the oneness of G-d, and crisis strikes. Abraham leaves the famine, runs to Egypt, and Sarah, his lovely wife, is abducted. Good times.

The name of the Torah portion is the "theme" of that portion. The name of the tough-luck Torah portion which recounts this story is "Lech Lecha." In its most literal sense it means, "Go to yourself." It is a command to Abraham, the first Jew, and the rest of us as well. "Lech Lecha" entails an inner journey to discover one's essence, and to integrate that essence into our life and environment. It is a message of inner discovery that leads to movement in a positive direction.

The title of the Torah portion (the supposed theme of the entire portion) is one of forward mobility toward spiritual achievement and G-dly revelation, while the content of the portion seem decidedly negative and uninspiring. How do we reconcile the contradiction?