Welcome to your ASBEE Mishpacha
Anshei Sphard - Beth El Emeth Congregation
120 East Yates Rd. North, Memphis, TN 38120
901-682-1611, Fax: 901-682-1641
asbee@aol.com
|
Welcome to your ASBEE Mishpacha Anshei Sphard - Beth El Emeth Congregation 120 East Yates Rd. North, Memphis, TN 38120 901-682-1611, Fax: 901-682-1641 asbee@aol.com |
|
|
Vayera: The Torah Portion of PrayerPray for others, pray for yourselfThe Midrash Tanchuma begins its discussions on this parasha with a question about the Amidah and its 18 blessings. How is this connected with our portion? One could answer that prayer means to stand before G-d and Vayera opens with G-d standing before Avraham, perhaps the highest form of meditation or prayer. The Opter Rebbe says that after the covenant, the bris or circumcision, Avraham stood at the highest levels before G-d.Reb Tzadok HaCohen of Lublin gives a different answer that the Midrash connects this parasha with prayer because in it Avraham learns to pray to overturn the decree against Sedom. Until now, Noah and those who came before did not realize that one could overturn the decree of G-d. Now, Avraham realized that one could pray for others. Sodom and Amora were as "other" as you can get. They were the ultimate in cruelty and he was the ultimate in kindness. But he doesn't pray for his own child. He thought that might be overly selfish. Only Jacob learns to actually pray for his own family. In the end, though, this prayer for others was actually only effective in saving Lot, his own nephew. Actually, the saving of Lot of great personal significance to Avraham. One day Ruth would be born of Lot's progeny and Ruth would be the ancestor of King David. Who was David? The "sweet singer of Israel" who knew to write our psalms and express the feelings of generations to come. From Avraham's prayer for others ultimately came the one who knew best how to pray for himself. As the rabbis say regarding another story from this week's portion, "He who prays for someone else and he needs the same thing, he is answered first." We are bidden to pray in our Amidah mostly for others. From our concern for others will one day come the best future for ourselves as well. Selflessness and kindness are ultimately in our best interest. |
|
|
|