October 25, 2026
Events of This Week
Wednesday, October 21, 2026
I have an account at Slices Pizza in Chicago. Two people called me today. One said that he needed a meal before going to Soldier Field to sell hot dogs. The other wanted to take his wife out to dinner.
I thanked each of them for calling me and giving me the opportunity to perform the mitzvah of tzedakah.
Thursday, October 22, 2026
Mordy informed me that there was a tragedy on his block. Chana Krupel, a 16-year-old girl, did not wake up this morning.
I listened to the funeral and heard her parents and two sisters speak. It was heartbreaking.
Chana’s father was an IDF soldier who commanded thousands of troops. He lost a leg fighting for Israel and came to Chicago for therapy.
I sponsored Rabbi Yinon Ben Moshiach’s Thursday night shiur in Boynton Beach.
Friday, October 23, 2026
I was speaking to a friend who showed me that his checking account was overdrawn by a few hundred dollars. I could not let him go into Shabbos worrying about his account, so I covered his overdraft.
Torah
Torah #1: Why Did Avrohom Want to Receive Gifts from the Egyptians?
Bereishis 12:13
אִמְרִי־נָ֖א אֲחֹ֣תִי אָ֑תְּ לְמַ֙עַן֙ יִֽיטַב־לִ֣י בַעֲבוּרֵ֔ךְ וְחָיְתָ֥ה נַפְשִׁ֖י בִּגְלָלֵֽךְ׃
“Please say that you are my sister, that it may go well with me because of you, and that I may remain alive thanks to you.”
Rashi:
למען ייטב לי בעבורך. יִתְּנוּ לִי מַתָּנוֹת
“That it may be well with me for your sake” — they will give me presents.
Years ago, I asked: What does Rashi mean?
Sarah should be taken, and Avrohom should benefit monetarily? Was Avrohom so interested in money that he was willing to benefit from Sarah’s oppression?
This year, I thought about the question again, and I believe the answer is simple.
There was a famine in Canaan. Avrohom and Sarah had no food and were starving. They decided that they had no choice but to go down to Egypt.
However, going to Egypt created a serious problem. There was a possibility that Avrohom would be killed and Sarah would be taken.
They therefore devised a strategy: Sarah would say that she was Avrohom’s sister so that his life would be spared. Nevertheless, Sarah might still be taken by the king.
My understanding is that Avrohom anticipated receiving money from the Egyptians and intended to use that money to free Sarah.
This is what Rashi means when he says that Avrohom would receive gifts. It was not about enriching himself. The money would give him the means to rescue Sarah.
Torah #2: What Does וֶהְיֵה בְּרָכָה Mean?
Bereishis 12:2
וְאֶֽעֶשְׂךָ֙ לְג֣וֹי גָּד֔וֹל וַאֲבָ֣רֶכְךָ֔ וַאֲגַדְּלָ֖ה שְׁמֶ֑ךָ וֶהְיֵ֖ה בְּרָכָֽה׃
“I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you shall be a blessing.”
Many translations render the final two words, וֶהְיֵה בְּרָכָה, as “and you shall be a blessing.”
Rashi offers two explanations, while the Ramban, Chizkuni, and Seforno provide additional interpretations.
Before discussing these Rishonim, I want to present two other explanations, one of which is my own.
1. Rabbi Yehuda Herzl Henkin — Kuntres Chibah Yeseirah
Rabbi Yehuda Herzl Henkin was a halachic authority affiliated with the National Religious community and the author of the responsa Bnei Banim. He was a grandson of Rabbi Yosef Eliyahu Henkin, one of the preeminent halachic authorities in 20th-century America.
He writes:
והיה ברכה. מצוה להיות ברכה, והיא קידוש השם.
One should be a blessing to Hashem through one’s actions. Being a blessing is itself a Kiddush Hashem.
2. My Explanation
My explanation is similar, but focuses on our relationships with other people.
One should strive to be a blessing to others. I should add value to people’s lives. I should be a blessing to the world.
When I worked at the bank, I always wanted to have a positive impact on my customers. Sometimes I succeeded, and sometimes I did not.
This is how I understand the words וֶהְיֵה בְּרָכָה.
Interestingly, this approach is also similar to the way the Chizkuni is translated.
The Explanations of the Rishonim
1. Rashi — The Power to Give Blessings
והיה ברכה. הַבְּרָכוֹת נְתוּנוֹת בְּיָדְךָ; עַד עַכְשָׁו הָיוּ בְיָדִי, בֵּרַכְתִּי לְאָדָם וְנֹחַ, וּמֵעַכְשָׁו אַתָּה תְבָרֵךְ אֶת אֲשֶׁר תַּחְפֹּץ
Rashi explains that Hashem told Avrohom:
Until now, the power of blessing was in My hands. I blessed Adam and Noach. From now on, the blessings are placed in your hands, and you may bless whomever you wish.
2. Rashi — The Conclusion of the First Blessing of Shemoneh Esrei
Rashi brings another explanation, based on the Midrash:
דָּבָר אַחֵר ואעשך לגוי גדול זֶה שֶׁאוֹמְרִים אֱלֹהֵי אַבְרָהָם, ואברכך זֶה שֶׁאוֹמְרִים אֱלֹהֵי יִצְחָק, ואגדלה שמך זֶה שֶׁאוֹמְרִים אֱלֹהֵי יַעֲקֹב. יָכוֹל יִהְיוּ חוֹתְמִין בְּכֻלָּן, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר וֶהְיֵה בְּרָכָה, בְּךָ חוֹתְמִין וְלֹא בָהֶם:
The three phrases in the verse correspond to the three Avos mentioned in the opening blessing of Shemoneh Esrei:
- “I will make you a great nation” — Elokei Avrohom.
- “I will bless you” — Elokei Yitzchok.
- “I will make your name great” — Elokei Yaakov.
One might think that the blessing should conclude by mentioning all three Avos. Therefore, the Torah says וֶהְיֵה בְּרָכָה — the blessing concludes with Avrohom alone: Magen Avrohom.
3. Ramban — Avrohom Becomes the Standard of Blessing
וֶהְיֵה בְּרָכָה אַתָּה תִּהְיֶה הַבְּרָכָה אֲשֶׁר יִתְבָּרְכוּ בְּךָ לֵאמֹר “יְשִׂימְךָ אֱלֹהִים כְּאַבְרָהָם”
“And be thou a blessing. You will be the blessing by whom people will be blessed, saying, ‘G-d make thee as Abraham.'”
According to the Ramban, Avrohom himself becomes the model of blessing. People will bless others by wishing that they become like Avrohom.
4. Chizkuni — A Source of Blessing
והיה ברכה ברכה תהיה מצויה בכל אשר תעשה, דוגמא ״בימים ההם אשים את ירושלים ברכה בקרב הארץ״ (זכריה יב,ג ישעיה יט,כד).
The Chizkuni explains that blessing will be found in everything Avrohom does. He will become a source of blessing.
He compares this to the expression in Yeshayahu 19:24:
“On that day I will set up Israel as a blessing in the midst of the earth.”
This interpretation is close to my own understanding of the verse.
5. Seforno — Becoming a Blessing to Hashem
The Hebrew of the Seforno is difficult to understand.
וֶהְיֵה בְּרָכָה. בִּרְכַּת ה’ הִיא שֶׁיִּשְׂמַח ה’ בְּמַעֲשָׂיו, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (ברכות ז): יִשְׁמָעֵאל בְּנִי, בָּרְכֵנִי. אָמַרְתִּי לוֹ: יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְּפָנֶיךָ וְיִגֹּלוּ רַחֲמֶיךָ עַל מִדּוֹתֶיךָ. אָמַר: אִם כֵּן הֱיֵה לִי בְּרָכָה בְּמַה שֶׁתִּתְבּוֹנֵן וְתִקְנֶה שְׁלֵמוּת וּתְלַמֵּד דַּעַת אֶת הָעָם.
The English translation on Sefaria is more expansive.
The Seforno explains that a true blessing to Hashem occurs when Hashem rejoices in our deeds and actions.
He references the Gemara in Berachos 7a, which recounts how Rabbi Yishmael ben Elisha, the Kohen Gadol, entered the Holy of Holies on Yom Kippur and experienced a divine vision.
Hashem said to him, “Yishmael, My son, bless Me.”
Rabbi Yishmael responded with a prayer that Hashem’s mercy should overcome His anger and that He should deal with His children with compassion.
Hashem indicated His approval.
The Seforno applies this idea to Avrohom. Hashem was blessing him with the ability to become a blessing to Hashem through his own spiritual perfection and by teaching others about Hashem, His unity, and His benevolence toward all His creations.
Torah #3: Why Couldn’t Avrohom and Lot Live Together?
Bereishis 13:6
וְלֹא־נָשָׂ֥א אֹתָ֛ם הָאָ֖רֶץ לָשֶׁ֣בֶת יַחְדָּ֑ו כִּֽי־הָיָ֤ה רְכוּשָׁם֙ רָ֔ב וְלֹ֥א יָֽכְל֖וּ לָשֶׁ֥בֶת יַחְדָּֽו׃
“So that the land could not support them staying together; for their possessions were so great that they could not remain together.”
There appears to be a redundancy in this verse.
The Torah first tells us that the land could not support Avrohom and Lot living together. It then concludes:
וְלֹא יָכְלוּ לָשֶׁבֶת יַחְדָּו
“And they could not remain together.”
Why does the Torah repeat this idea?
The simple explanation seems to be that there were two separate problems. Not only could the land not support both of them and their possessions, but their lifestyles and personalities were also different. They could no longer live together.
I believe the Netziv, in his Haamek Davar, addresses this very question. I find his answer difficult to understand fully.
Haamek Davar:
ולא יכלו לשבת יחדו. הוא כפל לשון. ובא ללמדנו דלא משום שלא הספיקה מרעה הארץ לצאנם כמו דכתיב להלן ל״ו ז׳ ולא יכלה ארץ מגוריהם לשאת אותם מפני מקניהם. אלא משום שהיו הטבעים רחוקים ולא היה לוט לצוותא לאברם כי אם מרחוק. אבל יחדיו לא יכלו לשבת. ובאשר היה רכושם רב היו מוכרחים לפגוע זב״ז. והיתה פגישתם למשא על אברם ומ״מ לא מצא אברם עדיין לב להגיד לו להפרד עד.
The Netziv points out that the verse repeats itself, but explains that the issue was not simply a shortage of grazing land.
Avrohom and Lot had very different natures. Lot could maintain a relationship with Avrohom from a distance, but they could not live together closely.
Because both had substantial possessions, they were forced into frequent contact, and these encounters became burdensome for Avrohom. Nevertheless, Avrohom could not yet bring himself to tell Lot that they needed to separate.
The Netziv’s explanation suggests that the Torah is describing more than a practical problem of insufficient land. It is also describing a relationship that had become difficult to maintain.
