Rabbi Eliezer Abish Parshas Lech Lecha 2026 Mishmar at Scheiner's

Okay, so this is the source of learning partial of the car. The partials are going by so quick and there's so much in each one. We need a few more weeks for each partial. So I want to share with you um a thought that really expressed itself in two different ways. One way from the beginning of the partial and one way from the end of the partial. You find the end of the partial Abraham Avinu still doesn't have children. And he's uh he's already 99 years old. And his son tells him he's going to have a child. And he's very uh what what's his reaction when he's when he's told he's going to have a child? So it says he starts he he he he goes and he laughs. So the partial tells us I'm going to bless you. I'm going to give you a child. We're out here. You still got fine. What's wrong with his reaction? He fell over he falls on his face. He laughs. Believe me he says in his heart. I'll then may surely vote it. A 100 year old is going to have a child which means I'm 99 now and have a child on it from Sarah. She's a son of a tailor. What's What's his son's response to that? The angel came and was searching for your letters to call Ben. You're going to have one. The issue my Isaac and you should call him Isaac. So this is very very interesting cuz it's very different than the reaction that when Sarah finds out. When Sarah finds out in next week's partial that she's going to have a child what's her reaction? Same reaction, right? Exactly the same thing. She laughs inside. I don't know what they need so keen. And yet you will find that the reaction is very very different. When Sarah laughs, she gets hit over the head. The what was that Sarah did to Sarah? Why did he use the county? Why why Sarah laugh? When he laughs he says to him, very nice. Don't worry, you still you'll see you'll have a child. Not only that, I so enjoy your laugh. Name your son after it. It seems someone's playing favorites over here. What's going on? So Rashi of course right away addresses this and Rashi says you have to look into Onkelos. Rashi says that if you look into Onkelos, how does he how does he how does he type these words? She says that the Russian Simcha the Khadi. Target Onkelos says with Khadi. Which means a Russian of expression of happiness. That he was happy. So Sarah but by Sarah it doesn't say that. What does it say later on by Sarah? She brings down from Onkelos and over there it says Let's find it inside here. But this is Sarah with Kirva. The Khaykhos. And there is sort of like like a mocking type of laugh. Okay, very nice. How does Onkelos know this? >> So they are not the same. >> That's right. That's what I'm saying. Onkelos is in on it. Right? He's in on this thing and trying to make him look good and make Sarah look bad. Someone's got to pull it and that's it. Where does he get this from? >> If you notice, Abraham laughs at himself whereas Sarah is laughing she's including Abraham. >> Yeah, but both of them it's private. Here it says he but this is Sarah but I know. >> Sarah says my master is old. >> Well, she she included him. >> Abraham is pointing at himself whereas Sarah is pointing at him. >> No, >> she he pointed No, no, no, run for the both. He said the same thing. >> thing that No, but but she said he said the same thing over here. But you But you don't even believe I have a vein made shiny you believe? Vimsora have a tissue shown a tele? He said the same thing about Sarah. And both of them said it inside, didn't share it. So, the answer is how do we know the difference? The answer is we know it from Avraham from a college ball who's reaction. College ball who's reaction? That's how Onkelos knew. Must be. Why would I sham react one way by Avraham and another way by Sarah? Nothing to do with Avraham, nothing to do with Sarah. It was their It was their reaction. It was what they did. Avraham Avinu it was a it was a a happiness and therefore sham reacted that way. Like he acted in a positive way. By Sarah, it was a call disbelieving way and therefore I sham reacted that way. Okay? And only I I sham can know that. That being the case, why would I sham use the same words to describe two different situations? It's It's misleading. And this far I'm right, that's specifically the reason why I sham did it. In other words, a person should never think I know what you meant. I know what you meant. You go into a room, you're talking to somebody, somebody says something, you say, "What?" You say, "That's what I meant." That's what I heard. Yeah, but that's what I meant. I know what you meant. Only college ball who knows what you mean. And what's the proof? When college was getting started, I sham use uses the both the same words to express two different thoughts. And how do we know which one had which thought? Only because I sham tells us. Only because of I sham's reaction. Which the lesson is obvious. That when someone says something and you want to react a certain way, the person says that's not what I meant. You can't say, "No, that is what you meant." How do you know what he meant? You have no idea what he meant unless you're God. Okay, that's a whole 'nother level, but a curse will come to that. They say over whether it's true or not, it's a good story. That there was a girl came to school and she comes and she comes with two apples. She says, "Morah, my my mother sent me with an apple for you." And she's about to give the an apple to to the Morah and she goes and she takes the apple, she takes a bite of it. Okay, I guess she's going to give the other apple. Then she goes, she takes a bite of the other apple. And the teacher is saying to herself, "Really? That's that's It was such a nice thing. She sends you your mother sends you to school to give the teacher an apple. It's so nice. And then you go and you bite into it? If you don't want to give the teacher the apple, don't give it. Don't go bite into it." But before the teacher could teach the student a lesson, the kid says, "Here, teacher. I want to see which apple is sweeter. This one is sweeter. Here, this for you." You never know You never know what what what what somebody's thinking. Setting the table that way, I wanted to share a tremendous tremendous thing lesson the Torah is teaching us. Almost unbelievable. If you dive in three times a day, this this thought must occur to you many times. >> [snorts] >> Two thoughts. The parsha begins, "V'yehi b'yemei Avram." "Lech l'cha m'artzecha u'molad'techa l'artzecha u'mimoledetecha el ha'aretz asher areka." >> [snorts] >> Okay, Avram is now 75. He already had the verse in his heart for 5 years earlier. He already understood the the shiv'ah verse to Israel. So, why didn't he go? Avram Avinu kept every every halacha, even Eruv Techumin, he kept every halacha. Because he had a father. He went there to Israel. He would go back and forth, back and forth until Hashem said, "Lech lecha." Nice you're traveling. And you lose out these different things as Rashi explains, "Escha le gadol. Don't worry, I'm going to make you a great nation." Va'avarechecha, I'm going to bless you. Va'agadila shimcha, I'll make make your name great. And then the possuk finishes, "Veheye bracha." And you'll be a bracha. What are you adding? You already said that he's going to be all these things. Escha le gadol, va'avarechecha, va'agadila shimcha. So, what are you adding by the last one, "Veheye bracha"? So, Rashi Rashi brings two pshatim. The first pshat Rashi says is Ha'bracha nisra be'yadcha. You have the ability to give brachas. Ad achshav hayu be'yadi ad achshav. Hashem said, "I was in charge of the brachas department." Now, "Im barechti es Adam, es Noach, es Yitzchak. I blessed Adam, I blessed Noach, I blessed you. U'me'achshav atah tivarech es asher tirtzeh." But, you can go and bless anyone. Now, you have the koach of bracha. Davar acher, with these words. V'escha le gadol. So, now he quotes from from from Sochoh, kuf yud zayin. V'escha le gadol, making to a great nation. Zeh she'omerim Keil Avraham. In Shmoneh Esrei we say, "Keil Avraham." That's based on these words. Va'avarechecha, and I will bless you. Zeh she'omerim Keil Yitzchak. That's what we say, "Keil Yitzchak." Va'agadila shimcha, make your name great. Zeh she'omerim Keil Yaakov. So, that's where it comes from, Keil Avraham, Keil Yitzchak, Keil Yaakov. Agav, what happened to Sarah? Or Rivka, or Rachel, or Leah? Where where are they? What? The mice? Number one, number two, why do we say Keil Avraham, Keil Yitzchak, Keil Yaakov? Just say if we're going to rush the davening, Keil Avos. Or Keil Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov. What's the story? So Rashi already in in Vayikra in Vayikra Rashi explains to teach us that all the always got to where they got on their own. >> [snorts] >> I don't know if you know if it states that it turned out to help so much. What about Yitzchak? Yitzchak got to because of his father. No. Yitzchak didn't get to where he was because of Avram. Yitzchak got to where he was because of Yitzchak. What about Yakov? Not because of his grandfather or his father. He got to where he was on his own. And therefore they each get their own okay of Rama, okay Yitzchak, okay Yakov. The Mois, it's it's obvious that way. They they didn't have any parents. How much good could you learn from Lavan or Besuel? So they didn't have And therefore when it says Avram is warm, right? It's me Avram. They they were so close in their marriage. Avram means Avram and Sarah. When it says okay Yitzchak, it means partial. Okay Yitzchak and Rivka. They're one unit. Very nice. >> [clears throat] >> What about the end? It says you have to listen to cool off. You may think I will end with with all of them. What's the ending? Magen Avram. So why do we say Magen Avram, Magen Yitzchak, Magen Yakov? Says Rashi from the Gamorah, you have to listen to cool off. You may think you end with all of them. Tell me why you end. The Hebrew word The Hebrew word we end with you. We end with you we end Magen Avram. And then the Gamorah puts in like a little of a zinger. The Hebrew word we end with you and not with them. We end with you and not with them. In other words, Avram, you're great. And I promise you you can have children and your child will be great. And your grandchildren will be great. But don't worry. They won't be as great as you. Don't worry. The Hebrew word we end with you and not with Who who thinks that way? Who thinks that way? The Gamarra tells us in Sanhedrin on kuf aleph and bet, the Gamarra says that David Hamelech had a son and a bunch of sons and not all of them were so uh on the straight and narrow. One of them, Adoniyahu, wanted to become king. A bunch of them wanted to become king. Adoniyahu was really pushing for it. And therefore, they came to David. They told David, so David went right away and he anointed his son while he was still alive. The servants heard this, they were so excited. Says the Gamarra, "If you want to be like him, Hashem mishmacha bigadlus kisai bixacha." Hashem should make Shlomo's throne even greater than your throne. So the Gamarra asked, "Really? That That's how you speak to a king? That someone should be greater than you?" So the Gamarra says, "What's the problem?" The Omer of Yeshua ben Chananiah, "B'chol adam is kaneh chutz m'vinai v'talmidai." People are jealous of everybody except for a child and a talmid. [snorts] Where do you see a child? "Binai m'Shlomo." He [clears throat] was thrilled to hear, "Yeah, of course. Give me my share. It should be greater than me. I'll be thrilled." And that talmid? So we see that when Elisha when Eliyahu was dying and Hashem said Elisha was going to take over, he gave Elisha a bracha. Elisha had more double his ruach hakodesh. Says the Gamarra, "How is that possible? You can't give what you don't have." So no, Elisha Eliyahu waited until right before he was about to die. And then he was so separated from his from his from his gashmius, his level became so high. That is what he brought he he gave the bracha to Elisha. You want it to be double you? You're not insulted? That's what he's asking for. Elisha asked for double. Says the Gamarra, "Talmid." In other words, every parent's dream is that your kids should succeed, should should should excel more than you. That's the biggest nachas. >> And if you did good. >> And now Hashem is saying over here, but Avram, don't worry. Your kids will be great. But b'chachacha Yitzchak v'lo b'hem, but not them. How is that a comforting thing for Avram? That that's like >> It's a question. >> It's very not not so g'shmack. So, I saw some truth to them. I want to tell you something that happened happened to me many years ago. Um a very interesting week. It was a Thursday afternoon, a friend of mine called me up. He says um he does Ten K'shavus. He delivers Ten K'shavus. And his friend is going out of town. Can I help? He said, "Sure. I've never did it before. I'll come and help." Go down to the warehouse. And the place is mom just like a busy like a beehive. They're They're filling up boxes. It's it's beautiful. I would have loved to take the job driving the the the forklifts, but I guess other people got those zipping around, filling it up. Beautiful. They fill up the the van. And they go. And and we went. On the way, I was asking questions about it. He says, "Yeah." He said, "We don't go to the neighborhood where we live." We don't go to the neighborhood where we live because chos v'shalom you see the same guy, it's embarrassing. Today, I think they even deliver with all the rest with all the stores' boxes. Like they make deliveries in Rocklin Kosher boxes and Wesley Kosher. The mom doesn't have to say like Ten K'shavus being this in quickly box. Doesn't say that. Very nice. So, he's telling me all the the hidurim the Ten K'shavus does. Then he says, you know, "We deliver to everybody. Doesn't matter the neighborhood. See this Yeshivish guy he could be delivering to this Sefardi guy and this Sefardi guy delivering to the Modern Orthodox guy and the Modern Orthodox guy delivering to to a Yeshivish guy and a Yeshivish guy doesn't matter. A Yid needs a Yid gets. Finished. Very nice. That Shabbos afternoon, I had guests over. It was a couple. At that time, they were married for 12 years and they had no kids. God willing, they have a child. But they they were married then for 12 years and they had no kids. And it was very very difficult for them. And they were telling me they were telling us me and my wife that the week before, they were by a Shabbaton. I believe it was a Bnei Akiva Shabbaton. And it was beautiful. They were saying over the speeches, the shales shales, the food. And it was very very nice. The camaraderie is beautiful. He said, "Motzei Shabbos, they had a gorgeous gorgeous um Melaveh Malkah." Beautiful speeches and then there was dancing. For the sake of the people that were there, were were not young anymore and the dancing wasn't so lively. Everyone's, you know, doing the old man shuffle. And they're they're doing the dance. He says, "But at some point," he says he felt so so depressed. He said, "What am I doing here? I'm married 12 years already. I did all the davening. I did all the stockers. I did all the schoolers. I I went to the all the quorum. I did everything. What's going on?" He said, "You know what? I'm leaving. I'm going to my room. I'm going to have a good cry. I'll come back down for breakfast." He's about to leave and all of a sudden the guy next to him dancing like squeezed his hand. And he as if he was reading his mind that he should stay. He squeezed my hand. I look at who squeezed my hand. I look. I see on the left side of me, there is a there's a sporty guy. Okay. He pulls me He pulls me in this this this circle. I look on the right side of me and there is another sporty guy. I'm stuck between these two guys. And they're very very nice. I look up. I see across from me was a modern Orthodox fellow. And he was on the east side of him with two Chassidic guys. I looked around the circle. I said, "We're all different. We're all here going through the same thing. And we're all dancing together." He said, "You know what? The Kadosh Baruch Hu knows what he's doing. I felt much better. We continued the I felt much better." That's what he said over. Fine. That Monday I was in Yeshiva and we had an assembly. What was the assembly? Somebody came from Hatzalah I don't know what Hatzalah is. So now know from it it's it's a thing to help children with different sicknesses and obviously they need money and they do a beautiful thing. They showed us a video. I'm sorry. Wait, let me go back a little. That Motzei Shabbos That Motzei Shabbos I had to go to a dinner. A friend of mine was being honored by Hatzalah. He comes to Hatzalah. The two things that he spoke about the whole time. One of course was we need money. And the other thing was the whole thing was showing how Hatzalah is for everybody. You know, the dispatcher gets a call, I need that. Oh, one second. Where did you daven today? Did you daven today? Which shul? You wear a hat? What color hat? You don't wear a hat? You wear a cover your hair? She doesn't cover her. Where do you daven? No such thing. I get calls, they're there. They come. That was the whole thing then the videos were all about it and everyone it's beautiful. It's mommies crosses all the lines. Back to Monday. Or forward to Monday. I went to Yeshiva and this guy from Hatzalah came we had a whole assembly. And in those days you couldn't just collect. You had to actually do something so they had a pasuk-a-thon. You know, today it's like in how many mountains I go skiing down. Then after how many pasuks could I learn? You give me 50 cents a pasuk or whatever it is. And what was the whole thing again? Showing that they have kids, all types of kids, all over the place. They all come and everyone gets serviced. Beautiful. Quality is felt very nice. This is a true story. I left Yeshiva that day. I come to the parking lot and there's a rabbi standing by his car. I was going on. Everything okay? What do you want? I locked my keys in my car. So you locked your keys in your car? That was smart. Yeah, I I love it. I can help you if you give you a ride. No, I already called Hatzalah. So this thing is going through my head already. So you called Hatzalah. and tell me, did they ask you if you're from it? He says, "What? What do you Why Why do you think I'm not from?" He said, "No, no, I didn't mean that." Like, he doesn't know what's going on in my brain, right? I said, "I'm just curious. Did they >> They didn't ask what your name is. >> He said, "Of course not." >> Help you do it. >> So, so while he's telling this to me, listen to this, a car pulls up. Yeshiva guy gets out. >> Of course. >> And I smile. Yeshiva guy is coming out to help me, Yeshiva guy, in a modern Orthodox school. No questions asked. So, I have to already what his answer is. What's the answer to this question? The answer question is that the swarm tell us that Avraham Avinu, Yitzchak Avinu, Yaakov Avinu, of course, they were perfection. They were Mashiach, you know, perfection. But if it's solid, and you show Kodeshim, Parshas Emor tells us that they each had a a meter that they excelled at. The state that we know Avraham Avinu excelled at, it's Chesed. Yitzchak Avinu excelled at Avodah, Tefillah. Yaakov Avinu excelled at Emes, the Torah, learning. And they're all important, as we see in the beginning of Avos, Ashrei Shoshanim The world stands on three things, Torah, Avodah, Gemilus Chasadim. They're all You need them all. However, however, Hashem said that Olam Chesed Yibaneh, the world was built with Chesed. And the world will be brought to its takkeh, to perfection, through Chesed. Which means at the end of times, that will be brought through Chesed. And I saw later that the first line of the Rambam says the same thing. He said the world will be brought through Chesed, and therefore someone was telling Avraham Avinu, Okay, Avraham okay, so okay, Yaakov, but you should know, B'chochma Yisad Oretz, your meter is what's going to bring the world to the conclusion. Your meter is what's going to be being the world to perfection. As I say by your meter, the light by him, not theirs. It's not going to be Torah. It's not going to be a void. It's going to be the sort of them. That's what he says. Why? Isn't Torah most important? Isn't Torah the spits? The Torah is the top. Isn't that the most important? Why is it Why is it the So, we know that the eating getting along is very, very important. It's a power of Shalom and prayer. In in Pirkei Avot tells us motive lamid Salem Beheikhal. It's better to put in a beta zara in in the base of Migdash rather than have a machlokes b'Yisrael. There shouldn't be machlokes b'Yisrael. >> Very strong words. >> Very strong words. I'll tell you stronger words. The Shaivet The Shaivet Mussar writes in Pirkei Avot lamid lamid zayin writes that in the midbar, the manna fell every single day. Not just on Monday. Every day was Monday. The manna fell every day. Even by the eigel. Not only did the manna fall, we used it we used the manna to serve the eigel. There was only one day that the manna didn't fall. Which one day did the manna not fall? Besides for Shabbos. Besides every day. Besides for Shabbos. With Korach. When Korach started rebellion, that day didn't have it. Machlokes? All bets are off. Every That is so precious by Hashem. Who who Which parent wants these kids fighting? That's all you want to see your kids get along, right? You'd rather your kids do the worst things in the world together than to have perfection but be separate not be with each other. So, why is chesed more? Why can't Torah bring bring bring bring it? Why is chesed have to bring it? So, with those who were zocheh to go to Eretz Yisrael and were smart enough to go daven the seeking by the Koisel by the Mikdash, it's amazing. You come there. Depending on the time of year, you could have hundreds of people diving there. Every minyan has 15, 20, 25 people. And you have 30 minyanim, they're all diving separately. And then it comes to Kever Rachel, everyone's quiet, everyone's diving Shacharis. Diving's over. If you want, you can walk to the back of the plaza of the the the Kotel plaza. Somebody started about 35 years ago giving out what they call in Israel, Nescafé, or otherwise known as coffee. Coffee and hot chocolate. People come, some days he gives out hundreds of cups. Some days he gives out tens of thousands of cups. Nonstop, not for hours. He gives it out. And when I saw that, all this came back to me and then I understood the pasuk in Tehillim, "Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brothers Look at the Kotel, everyone's davening. But, everyone has their own minyan. Every type, every stripe, every group, they have their own minyan. I daven this nusach, I daven that nusach, which is all true, beautiful, but everyone's davening separately. And the same thing is with our yeshivas. Our yeshivas are all separate. They're all separate, they're all one type. >> But chesed is for everybody. >> Our shuls, everyone tends to daven their shul, their chevra, their group. In yeshivas, it's all the same thing. When it comes to chesed, it's everybody. And you saw that by the Kotel, because when you finish davening with your own minyan, with your own 20, 25 guys, you go to the back, when you ask for the coffee, the guy that which minyan you're davening Did you you put on Rabbeinu Tam? You already took it? No one asks such a question. You got the coffee. Why? Chesed is what brings everyone together. Chesed is what pulls everyone together. When Kodesh Boruch Hu is telling Avraham Avinu, he said, "You're all important, okay? Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov." But what's going to bring the end, what's going to be the end, it's going to be the meat of chesed, because it's only the meat of chesed that brings everyone that brings everyone together. The Torah is beautiful and important obviously and so is the and so is the the the the davening. But we're all separate and that's not a bad thing. Shimon I am part of the Torah there's many ways we all serve Hashem different ways. But to go and that that you're on your Shiva with your own guys. Only by chesed do we stretch out. Only by chesed do we not say I don't give it and we have so has so many chesed organizations. There's not one of them that says we only do chesed for this type and no such thing. You never ask such a question and that's what that's what Rashi is saying. >> What Rashi is saying you mentioned in the beginning that Hashem said they're going to be great but not as great as you. What's the shot with that? >> No no I'm I'm saying that's what it looks like. He said we're going to end with you. We know there's Magen Avraham but not Magen Avraham Magen Yitzchak and Magen Yaakov. We're going to end only with Magen Avraham. Why? It should be Elokei Avraham Elokei Yitzchak and Elokei Yaakov and it should be Magen Avraham Magen Yitzchak and Magen Yaakov. He says no but we're ending only with you. Magen Avraham and lo bahem we're not ending with Magen Yitzchak and Magen Yaakov. >> No but I I I understand that. But I'm saying when you said that Hashem said to Avraham they're going to be great but not as great as you. What is it? >> No those were those were those were those were my words. Those were those were my words. I'm sorry. It looks like Hashem is saying like if anything Hashem Hashem should have answered with we'll end with you. Sort of like a dig. With lo bahem. >> Right. >> We're going to end with you and not your kids. They're not they're not going to reach your level. >> what's going to bring Right. >> Ah so now okay now it's the Torah that he's saying it's going to be your middah the middah of chesed cuz it's the chesed that's going to bring the achdus. It's not it's not the Torah that brings the achdus and it's not the it's not the Torah that not the Torah that brings the achdus. It's the it's the it's the chesed. >> Oh I have a question though. >> Yeah. >> After that >> Oh for that for the for >> What Bais Shammai is >> Okay that's nice for Chanukah but you're right. At the end of the day, obviously, we need the we we we need like your tripod over here. We need we need all we need all three. But it's not Why [snorts] is it you would have Okay, there is someone else who asked why don't we say okay him also? That's another sheer. You know, that's someone else wanted What? Okay, if you want. Someone came and said it's very nice okay of Ram's very nice. Okay, yes it's very nice. Okay, Yark is very nice. What about okay me? Who's that? David Hamelach. David Hamelach said, you know, who am I chopped liver? Okay. So, what does Hashem respond to him? Don't go there. He says, why not? I'm pretty good. He says they all had nisyonos. They were all tested. So, David said, all right, test me. And Hashem said, that's not a good idea. Try me out. He said, fine, I'll test you, and I'll even tell you what the test is about. It's going to be with issues, and he had it. And he talked and failed the test, and he's David says he goes, how come nobody was there to stuff up my mouth, to stop me from talking? So, I shouldn't have I shouldn't I shouldn't have I shouldn't have said that. He but he didn't even dream of asking why not say mogen David, which interesting is what we use today. But it was a Okay, that's I think. But the bottom line is it's the chesed that that that really brings us together, and that will be the bechach chosman. That is what will bring the the the ultimate goal in Hashem. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.