Lech Licha 5774

Rabbi Herschel Finman

The Souls Avrohom Made Parshas Lech Licha, Genesis 12 - 17, features the life of the Patriarch Avrohom.  Avrohom left Charan for Canaan with "the souls he had made." The expression "had made" is quite perplexing. These were people who Avrohom convinced to accept monotheism. They became his groupies. Perhaps, it should have stated the people who Avrohom convinced or the members of Avrohom's entourage.   The first Mishna in Baba Metzia states, "Two people come into a court. Both are grabbing a tallis. Each one says, 'I found the tallis first. It belongs to me.' The litigants swear that they possess not less than half and the tallis is divided."  The Chasidic interpretation of the Mishna is that two souls come to the heavenly court. Each one is grabbing a new soul that has just arrived. Each soul says, "I brought this person back to Judaism - the merit is all mine." Etc. When is a person a person? The previous Lubavitcher Rebbe said that age is not measured by the birth certificate. It is measured based on a person's accomplishments. Those people that Avrohom "made" were initially idolaters.  Their deeds were counterproductive and contrary to the purpose of creation. They were nonentities. It was only through Avrohom's involvement were these people "made". It is quite interesting to note that Israel is always referred to as Canaan in the Chumash. Canaan was Ham's fourth son. Noach cursed Canaan that his progeny be a cursed people - enslaved to the descendants of Shem (the Semites). King Solomon writes that he sees an advantage of light from darkness and wisdom from stupidity. Adding a lot of light to a lit room does not accomplish what a little light in a dark room can. This conversion from darkness to light represents a total paradigm shift. Canaan to Israel represents that same shift. ===============================

Truth     A parable:   A man once went on a search for the truth. He travelled everywhere and found only fallacy.  He came upon a clearing and saw a house that was glowing with light. He entered the front door and yelled, "Hellooo". Every room was filled with oil candles. Big ones sat on the floor, smaller ones on shelves. He suddenly came upon an old man who quite brusquely barked, "What are you doing here?"  The man replied, "I am looking for the truth."  "Ohhh,' replied the old man, "You have come to the right place. Each candle represents how much time a person has in this world. The big candles are newborns; the little ones are old people. That candle that just went out, he just died."  "Can you show me my candle?" asked the man." The old man shook his head and said, "You don't want to see your candle. I have been here for years and I've never seen mine." "But I'm looking for truth the man insisted." After much coaxing, the old man took the man to see his candle. "That's it," said the old man and walked away. The man was shocked. There was no oil left in his candle. It was only the end of a burning wick. The man began to panic. What could he do?  He noticed a huge candle nearby and a ladle hanging on the wall. Could he? Should he? With trembling hands the man took down the ladle, saw the old man was not around and started to dip the ladle into the big candle. Suddenly, the old man came in, "Stop! Do want the truth, or do you want the truth the way you want it be?!" Think about it.  By: Rabbi Herschel Finman The e-Parsha is a project of Congregation Bnai Teshuva.  For information on sponsoring the e-Parsha in memory or for the recovery of a loved one, in honor of a simcha or you just feel like being nice, contact via reply. All contributions are tax deductible. Please forward this message to as many friends and associates as you like. © 2013 by Herschel Finman.    Check out www.rabbifinman.com