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Third decade
Second thousand
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Nov 14-15 '14
OU Israel Center • 22 Keren HaYesod • POB 37015 • Jerusalem • (02) 560-9100
REVISITING MINCHA
In this week's sedra, the Torah tells us (B'reishit 24:63) - And Yitzchak went
out to meditate (to converse) in the field toward evening. Connecting this
pasuk with T'hilim 102:1 - A Prayer of the poor, when he faints, and pours out
his conversation before G-d. The Gemara in the name of R' Yosi b"R Chanina,
concludes that Yitzchak Avinu "established" the prayer of Mincha. The next
pasuk is - Hear my prayer, HaShem, and let my cry reach you. SICHA in the
context of T'hilim 102 is a term for heartfelt prayer and this connotation is
applied to the pasuk with Yitzchak as well.
Earlier, the Gemara quotes R' Chelbo who said in the name of R' Huna - a
person should always be careful (particular, meticulous)
cont. page 4
Photo shows the
ancient stone
path leading into
Hebron. Two
walls - one 4500
years old and
dated to the era
of No'ach, and
another wall 3700 years old
from the time of
Avraham and Sarah, ensconce a stairwell that is over 4000 years old.
JERUSALEM in/out times for Shabbat Parshat Chayei Sara
Candles 4:06PM • Havdala 5:18PM • Rabbeinu Tam 5:52pm
Pi x
ParshaP
Explanations on p.52
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Heads up: A "Fun" Molad coming
This piece is really for next Shabbat, Parshat Tol'dot, M'vorchim Chodesh
Kislev. But if we wait for next issue, people who don't get to read TT until
Shabbat might miss out. So we are putting this in the Chayei Sara issue,
but it is not Shabbat M'vorchim yet. Let's be clear on that.
BTW, Chayei Sara is most often m'vorchim Kislev (68%), but not this year.
When Rosh HaShana is Thursday-Friday (32% of the time), then M'vorchim
Kislev is on Shabbat Parshat Toldot (as is the case this year).
Some background about the Molad in general, and then to next week's. goto p.16
nge
Candles
Parshat CHAYEI SARA
Yerushalayim / Maale Adumim
The Aza area (Netivot, etc.)
Gush Etzion
Raanana / Tel Mond / Herzliya
Beit Shemesh / RBS
Netanya
Modi'in / Chashmona'im
Rehovot
Be'er Sheva / Otniel
Petach Tikva
Ginot Shomron
Gush Shiloh
Haifa / Zichron
Chevron / Kiryat Arba
Giv'at Ze'ev
Ashkelon
Tzfat
Yad Binyamin
Havdala
Toldot
4:06
5:18 4:02 5:16
4:23
5:21 4:20 5:19
4:20
5:19 4:17 5:16
4:21
5:19 4:17 5:17
4:21
5:19 4:18 5:17
4:20
5:19 4:17 5:16
4:20
5:19 4:17 5:16
4:21
5:20 4:18 5:17
4:21
5:21 4:17 5:18
4:06
5:19 4:02 5:17
4:20
5:18 4:16 5:16
4:10
5:18 4:16 5:15
4:09
5:18 4:06 5:15
4:21
5:19 4:18 5:17
4:20
5:19 4:17 5:16
4:23
5:21 4:20 5:19
4:07
5:16 4:04 5:13
4:22
5:20 4:18 5:17
R' Tam (Jerusalem) - 5:52pm • next week: 5:49pm
cont. from the Front Page
with T'filat Mincha, because it wasn't
until Mincha time that Eliyahu HaNavi
was answered (in his confrontation
with the 450 false prophets of Baal),
as it says in Melachim Alef (18:36) And it was at the time of the offering
of the evening sacrifice (Mincha time),
that Eliyahu the prophet came near,
and said: HaShem...
In various works of Rabbinic
Literature throughout the generations
- because of the episode of Eliyahu
HaNavi on Mt. Carmel, Mincha
became associated with the quality of
Emunah, faith in G-d. The result of the
confrontation with the prophets of
Baal resulted in the people of Israel
resoundedly proclaiming, HASHEM
HU HA'ELOKIM, HASHEM HU HAELOKIM. This is considered such an
important statement of Emunah in
G-d that we conclude NE'ILA on Yom
Kippur with a sevenfold emotional
declaration that "HaShem is The G-d!"
Ironically, the Amida of both Shacharit and Maariv are preceded by the
recitation of the Sh'ma - our twice
daily (at least) reconfirmation of our
belief and acceptance of the Yoke of
Heaven. Mincha is not "fortified", shall
we say, with the Sh'ma, but it has the
dramatic episode with Eliyahu
HaNavi as its background.
Because of its small size, and more
so because of when we daven
Mincha, our Sages have considered
there to be a special reward for
meticulous attention to Mincha.
Shacharit is part of our morning
routine, before we get involved in the
day's activities. Maariv is part of our
evening routine, usually after the
OU Israel Center TT 1111

day's activities have been concluded.
Mincha, however, usually requires us
to make the time in our "busy
schedule" for it.
Evidence of our commitment to
Mincha are the many Mincha
minyanim that one finds around town
at various times in the early afternoon
- in stores, banks, bus stations, office
buildings. In Yerushalayim and other
cities, there are Minyan Factories that
host countess daveners in many,
many minyanim from the earliest
time for Mincha (half hour after
halachic noon) until sunset (and even
a bit beyond). [Mincha at the OU
Israel Center is at 1:20pm year-round.]
According to T'fila K'hilchata, most
(Ashkenazi) poskim hold that women
are required to daven both Shacharit
and Mincha - extent and application
of this statement should be checked
out with your Rav.
Obviously, each of our davenings
should be done with seriousness and
care. It's not just Mincha. But the
others have an easier time of it, so to
speak, because of their timings and
content.
Mincha is a simpler prayer than the
other two. It seems to fit with the
personality of Yitzchak Avinu. And
the image of conversing with G-d in
the field as the day comes to an end,
has a more spiritual "flavor" than the
corresponding verses and circumstances for Shacharit and Maariv.
If you don't daven Mincha, think
about taking it on. If you do, give
Yitzchak Avinu a thought and let him
help us daven better.
page 4
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Chayei Sara 5775
Chayei Sara
Kohen - First Aliya
16 p'sukim - 23:1-16
5th of the Torah's 54 sedras;
5th of 12 in B'reishit
Written on 171 lines in a Torah, rank 37th
4 Parshiyot; 3 open, 1 closed
105 p'sukim - ranks 32nd (11 in B'reishit)
same as D'varim (which is longer)
1402 words - ranks 37th (11th in B'reishit)
5314 letters - ranks 36th (11th in B'reishit)
Shorter than average p'sukim in a sedra
with slightly below average number of
p'sukim means a smallish sedra
None of the 613 mitzvot are in Chayei
Sara, however, as mentioned often, there
are Midot and values and other lessons
to be learned.
This is one of 17 mitzva-less sedras, 9 of
which are in Sefer B'reishit, 3 in Sh'mot,
none in Vayikra, 2 in Bamidbar, and 3 in
D'varim.)
[P> X:Y (Z)] and [S> X:Y (Z)] indicate start
of a parsha p'tucha or s'tuma. X:Y is
Perek:Pasuk of the beginning of the
parsha; (Z) is the number of p'sukim in it.
Heartfelt condolences to
Shaindy, Michelle, and Moshe
on the untimely passing of
their husband/father
David Zigelman l"f
milyexie oeiv ila` x`y jeza mkz` mgpi mewnd
OU Israel Center TT 1111

[P> 23:1 (20)] The parsha begins
by telling us that Sara died in
Kiryat Arba, which is Hevron. But
first it tells us that she lived a full,
long life of 127 years.
With the last topic of Vayeira
being the AKEIDA, the juxtaposition
of Sara's death supports our
Tradition that Sara died as a result
of the Akeida. The Midrash says
that the Satan informed Sara about
what Avraham was intending to do
with Yitzchak, when they went
towards Har HaMoriah. The shock
was too great for an old woman, and
she died. Some commentaries give
an interesting twist to this. They say
that Sara died, not from fear that
Avraham would offer Yitzchak as a
Korban, but rather that he might not!
She remembered Avraham's reaction when she told him to banish
Yishmael (and Hagar). She was
afraid that Avraham's love and
kindness towards Yitzchak would
prevent him from carrying out G-d's
command, and that Avraham would
thus fail this ultimate test of faith.
When she saw (or heard) that
Avraham
was
returning
with
Yitzchak still alive, she thought her
fears were realized and she died.
Avraham comes (some say from
the Akeida, i.e. from Har HaMoriah; some say from Be'er
Sheva; either way, it was apparently to Hevron that he came) to
eulogize Sara and to cry for her.
page 5
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Chayei Sara 5775
V’LIVKOTAH, and to cry for
her, is written with a small KAF.
Some take this as a reminder that
the crying was "small" since Sara
had lived such a long life (Baal
HaTurim). There is more crying
when a person dies young.
Some say that the KAF points to the
20 in the way that the Torah tells us
how old she was when she died: 100
years and 20 years and 7 years.
Others say that the small KAF
allows us to reread the word with
regular-sized letters only to obtain a
different understanding, on a
REMEZ (hint) level. And Avraham
came to eulogize Sara ULVITAH,
and for her daughter. This correlates
with the opinions that Avraham and
Sara had a daughter, but that she
died when Sara did. (Some even say
that her name was BAKOL - see
further.)
Avraham next makes the arragements for providing a suitable
place to bury Sara. (There is a
Tradition that Avraham was aware
of the burial place of Adam and
Chava, and that is the piece of land
he was interested in.) He turns to
the people of CHEIT, one of whom
is known as EFRON. They all
exchange niceties and the people
offer Avraham any land he wants.
He insists on paying full price and
that is what he does for the field
and cave of Machpela.
Pirkei Avot made famous that
Avraham was tested 10 times. But
the mishna does not enumerate the
ten tests. There are different
opinions as to which of Avraham's
experiences are considered tests of
his faith. Most lists of the 10 end
with the Akeida, as implied by the
p'sukim themselves. Rabeinu Yona
finds a test after the Akeida Avraham's experience in providing a
burial place for Sara. The question
on this is obvious - What was so
difficult about that, that it should
qualify as a test of faith - especially
after the Akeida?
Perhaps the answer lies in the fact
that after the Akeida, Avraham still
had a couple of difficult things to go
through. Wasn't the Akeida and
everything that preceded it enough?
No, not finished yet. This can test a
person, sometimes, more than terrible trials and tribulations.
As an example closer to us...
Surviving the Holocaust did not
guarantee a person that he would
Please dedicate the learning from
this week's TT in memory of
Chanie's mother
d"r dcedi xi`n axd za diza
Menachem and Chanie Persoff
OU Israel Center TT 1111

page 6
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Chayei Sara 5775
have an easy life from then on.
Some were blessed with trouble-free
lives after their terrible ordeals, but
most had many more difficulties to
face in the years to come.
We do not know how G-d works.
Why must we suffer trials and
tribulations in this world? It has
something to do with making us
better people. With challenging us.
With testing us. With preparing our
souls for the World of Truth. And
probably a lot more.
There is another approach to answer
the same question. Eulogizing his
wife, acquiring a burial place, finding
a "shiduch" for Yitzchak - even
remarrying Hagar (Ketura) are all
"regular", mundane experiences.
Can one who spoke repeatedly to
G-d, ascended Har HaMori'ah, had a
special relationship with G-d - can
such a person return to being a
"normal" human being? This too is a
test, and Avraham passed with
flying colors. These commentaries
point to the pasuk at the end of the
Akeida portion, "And Avraham
return to the lads..." as an indication
that he was able to "come back
down to earth".
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If a father insists that his son
marry or not marry a particular
woman, the son is not duty-bound
to listen to his father. Meshech
Chochma says that we learn this
Mazal Tov to Gershon &
Debbie Markovitz and family
on the marriage of their son
OU Israel Center TT 1111

page 7
e
Chayei Sara 5775
from the fact that Avraham gave
instructions and administered an
oath to Eliezer about a wife for
Yitzchak, but did not command
Yitzchak himself on the matter.
Levi - Second Aliya
13 p'sukim - 23:17-24:9
The field, cave, trees, etc. become
the lawful property of Avraham,
after which he buries Sara.
[S> 24:1 (67)] Avraham is now at
an advanced age and has been
blessed greatly by G-d. “And G-d
blessed Avraham BAKOL”, with
everything.
The word BAKOL screams out for
explanation. And, sure enough,
there are many suggestions as to
what this extra blessing of BAKOL
is. (Every time we say Birkat
HaMazon, we ask G-d to bless us as
He blessed our forefathers BAKOL... Mikol and Kol are terms
associated with Yitzchak and
Yaakov.)
The numeric value of BAKOL 52, the
same as BEN, son. This alludes to
the ultimate blessing that Avraham
received - his son Yitzchak.
S
Moshe and D.A.*
*(note TT issue number)
OU Israel Center TT 1111

Gimatriya play: As just mentioned,
some point to the numeric value of
BAKOL - which is the same as BEN
(52). ELIYAHU = 1+30+10+5+6 = 52.
Tradition says that ELIYAHU was
PINCHAS (or is it the other way?).
The gimatriya of PINCHAS is 208,
the same as that of YITZCHAK.
From BAKOL to BEN to ELIYAHU to
PINCHAS to YITZCHAK. Note too
that 208 is a multiple of 52 - so
what? Who knows? By the way,
YOSEF=156, also a multiple of 52. As
long as we started, let's go a little
further. Joining ELIYAHU at 52 are
G'DALYA, KALEV, and one of David
HaMelech's
wives,
AVITAL.
NACHUM and MANO'ACH, which
are anagrams of each other, are
each 52x2. Joining YOSEF at 3x52
are VOFSI - an anagram - and
YECHEZKEL. And joining YITZCHAK and PINCHAS is HAGAR.
Have fun!
R. Meir says that Avraham was
blessed by NOT having a daughter.
In Avraham's time and in his unique
circumstances, who would she have
married? What would have happened to her? In this case it was a
bracha not to have had a daughter.
On the other hand... R. Yehuda says
that Avraham's extra blessing was
that he DID have a daughter. There
is even an opinion that his
daughter's name was BAKOL (as
mentioned earlier).
Mazal Tov
to the Flumenbaum family
on the marriage of their daughter
page 8
e
Chayei Sara 5775
Rabbi Eliezer HaModai says that
Avraham was blessed with the art/
skill/power of astrology and that he
was consulted by noblemen from far
and wide. (Even when G-d told
Avraham that he would have a child,
Avraham resisted because he had
seen in the stars that he was not
going to have children. G-d
"explained" to Avraham that it is
possible to rise above one's "mazal",
and in fact, that is the special quality
of the nation that will come from
him. l`xyil lfn oi`. Ibn Ezra says in
the name of our Sages z"l, true, but
only as long as we keep the Torah.)
R. Shimon bar Yochai says that
Avraham had a precious stone with
curative powers that would heal all
who gazed upon it.
These last two opinions identify
BAKOL as Avraham's prominent
position in the world. This fits with
his role as "father of many nations".
Some suggest that Eisav's not
sinning (until Avraham died) and
Yishmael's
repentance
during
Avraham's lifetime are the extra
blessings.
There are still other explanations.
From the variety of explanations of
BAKOL, it is quite clear that the
unique status of Avraham as the
one who restored belief in One G-d
to the world did not go unrewarded.
We can see in this list of blessings,
different kinds of blessings that can
be ours, the spiritual heirs of
Avraham Avinu.
Avraham heard (understood, heeded, agreed with) Efron...
OU Israel Center TT 1111
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page 9
e
Chayei Sara 5775
The one major task remaining,
which will forge the next vital link
in what promises to be a great
people and a great Chain of
Tradition, is finding a suitable
"shidduch" for Yitzchak. Everything
now will depend upon Yitzchak.
However great Avraham was,
unless there is "solid" continuity, all
will be lost. To this end, Avraham
calls upon Eliezer to swear that he
will faithfully carry out his task,
that he will return to Avraham's
family and hometown, and find a
wife for Yitzchak there. And that
Yitzchak is not to leave Eretz
Yisrael (having been consecrated
on the Mizbei'ach at the Akeida).
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Shlishi - Third Aliya
17 p'sukim - 24:10-26
Henne Rasha bat Yitta Ratza
Frumet bat Chana Mirel
Menya Leba bat Yitta Chaya
Chaya Yocheved bat Karpel Shira
Alter Baruch ben Sarah
Shmuel ben Sarah Pasha
Eliezer (who is exclusively referred
to as "The Servant" or "The Man", as
opposed to by name - his name
never appears in Parshat Chayei
Sara, where we would have
expected to find it repeated over
and over) takes ten camels laden
with a splendid assortment of
goods and travels to Avraham's
hometown. Upon arrival, he ties
the camels up near the well (and
spring), towards evening, at the
time when the local girls come to
draw water. He asks G-d to be kind
to his master Avraham. Eliezer asks
for a sign - the girl who will offer
him drink and also for his camels,
OU Israel Center TT 1111

dig oa sqei iav
dpipt oa iyi oeiv oa
hki oa lkin l`igi awri
lhib oa xkyyi
lhib dkln oa mely diryi
dpg deg oa xzl` l`xyi
`hr dxeac oa l`eny iyi liigd
xzq` oa edil` sqei
dtlf oa wgvi
diqg oa oxd` l`kin
zibg oa sqei l`ixfr
d`l oa l`ipc mely
lqix oa dyn ryedi
drny dpyey oa iav `aiwr
dnila oa `pipg mdxa` miig
xzq` oa cec
lgx oa mingx
xe` oxw oa mxei dcedi
daia` oa ediryi mdxa`
dxetiv lgx oa aec l`ipc
dxy daia` oa awri digzt l`tx
dpeniq dxeac oa l`ingxi xi`n
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page 10
e
Chayei Sara 5775
she will be the one sent by G-d.
Almost before he finished speaking,
Rivka bat Betu'el of Avraham's
family arrives on the scene with
her water container on her
shoulder. Eliezer runs to her and
asks for a bit of water. She
immediately gives him his fill and
then draws water for his camels.
Anxious to find out whether she
was "the one", Eliezer waits until
the camels have their drink and
then presents Rivka with gifts of
jewelry. (On the one hand, he has
seen her kind nature and tireless
act of chesed; on the other hand, he
has not even asked her who she is.)
When Rivka tells Eliezer that she is
indeed from Avraham's family and
invites him to stay at her home, he
prostrates himself before G-d in
grateful acknowledgment.
him. Rivka runs home to tell her
family what has happened. Lavan
(filled with ulterior motives, our
sources tell us) runs to greet
Eliezer. The gold jewelry adorning
Rivka catches Lavan's eye, and he
"graciously" offers Eliezer hospitality. Eliezer is served food but
refuses to eat until his "business" is
completed.
Eliezer proceeds to tell the story of
his mission. He tells of Avraham
and Yitzchak and of being sent to
find a wife for Yitzchak. When he
asks for Rivka's hand on behalf of
his master, Lavan and Betu'el
(commentaries point to Lavan's
pushing himself before his father
as an indication of a negative
R'vi'i - Fourth Aliya
26 p'sukim - 24:27-52
Bennie & Florence Klein
Eliezer also says a blessing to G-d
for not abandoning Avraham or
withholding Divine Kindness from
OU Israel Center TT 1111

In loving memory of our
parents/grandparents
melyd mdilr
on their 8th yahrzeits
oeygxn a"i
l"f uxt oa jexa
oeygxn d"k d"r oae`x
opg za lciixt
Janet & Gordon Berkley and family
page 11
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Chayei Sara 5775
personality trait) accept all as G-d's
will.
Eliezer again prostrates himself
before G-d in grateful acknowledgment of the success of his
mission.
Chamishi 5th Aliya
15 p'sukim - 24:53-67
Eliezer gives more gifts to Rivka
and her mother and brother, then
they all celebrate with food and
drink, and Eliezer and his party
stay overnight. In the morning,
Eliezer asks his leave. Rivka's
family asks that she remain for a
year, or at least ten months (as was
the custom in olden times) but
Eliezer insists on leaving immediately (and taking Rivka with him).
Rivka is consulted and she agrees
to leave right away. They send her
off with a "maid" (later identified as
Devora) and bless her.
This blessing has been repeated
countless times to Jewish brides
throughout the generations. Ironic,
is it not, that we use Lavan's words
for such a special occasion.
Finally the entourage leaves for
Canaan.
Meanwhile, Yitzchak (having gone
to bring Hagar back to Avraham) is
in the Negev area and goes "into
the field to commune, before
evening". (This, we are taught, is
OU Israel Center TT 1111
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the model for Mincha.) As the
Rivka-Eliezer caravan approaches,
Rivka sees Yitzchak from a
distance, jumps down from her
camel, and asks Eliezer who that
man is. She covers her face with a
veil when she is told that the man
is her intended husband.
Eliezer tells Yitzchak everything
that has occurred. Yitzchak takes
Rivka as his wife and she becomes
a comfort to him for the loss of his
mother. For us, she later becomes
Rivka Imeinu.
Rabbi Sholom Gold speculates as to
how a girl growing up in the house
of Betuel and Lavan can so quickly
step into Sara Imeinu's shoes. His
answer (beautifully developed in a
shiur) is that it was D'vorah, Rivka's
nursemaid, who was her teacher
and influence in the ways of Sara.
D'vorah was left behind when
Avraham and Sara "made Aliya", for
just this purpose.
Shishi - Sixth Aliya
11 p'sukim - 25:1-11
[P> 25:1 (11)] Avraham, having
successfully
provided
for
the
Delighted to announce
the birth of a great grandson
to Dr. Pessy Krausz and her
late husband Neville Krausz z'l
for Parshat Vayera
- his Bar Mitzva Parsha
page 12
e
Chayei Sara 5775
continuity of what will become the
Jewish Nation, now lives out the
remainder of his life as a "private
citizen", so to speak. He takes for
himself a wife named KETURA
(which we are taught was HAGAR)
and fathers six more children. He
gives them gifts, but Yitzchak
remains
Avraham's
exclusive
spiritual heir. (We can really say
that in some ways, other peoples of
the world followed Avraham's lead
in living monotheistic lives, but the
Torah's definition of Avraham's
lineage is Yitzchak.)
On the question of the different
treatment of Yishmael (banishment)
and the children from Ketura (gifts),
it can be explained that there was a
crucial difference between Yishmael
and Ketura's children. Yishmael
challenged Yitzchak's inheritance.
He claimed (and in some ways
continues to claim) Avraham's
legacy. When G-d told Avraham to
listen to Sara, He told him to banish
them, BECAUSE in Yitzchak will be
called your offspring, your descendants. This point had to be made,
and a farewell party and lavish
provisions for the journey would not
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have made the point. No such
problem with Ketura's children. They
made no such claim. They did not
dispute Yitzchak's role. They
received gifts.
Avraham dies at the "ripe old age"
of 175 (actually, this is 5 years
short of the complete 180 that
Yitzchak later reached - various
reasons are given for the "lost" 5
years). His was a graceful, good,
and fulfilling life (despite the tough
times he had). He is buried in the
Cave of Machpela, where he had
buried Sara. Both Yitzchak and
Yishmael take care of the burial.
The Torah implies that Yishmael
had repented his ways and had
become righteous. What greater
"nachas" for a father than that!
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Chayei Sara 5775
G-d blesses Yitzchak after Avraham's death.
From the fact that Avraham took
Ketura only after Yitzchak was married,
the Baal HaTurim says that this is the
proper thing to do - Marry off your
children, before you yourself remarry.
Sh'VII Seventh Aliya
7 p'sukim - 25:12-18
[P> 25:12 (7)] The descendants of
Yishmael are now enumerated.
Yishmael is identified fully as the
son of Avraham and Hagar the
Egyptian maiden of Sara who bore
Yishmael "to Avraham". (This is
quite parallel to the description of
Yitzchak's connection to Avraham
as stated in the beginning of next
week's sedra. This might further
indicate Yishmael's T'shuva in his
later years. On the other hand,
commentaries point out that the
word TO-L'DOT in the Yishmael
context is spelled without any
VAVs, indicating a lesser status to
Yishmael.) It is noteworthy that
Yishmael fathered twelve sons (not
like Yitzchak, but like Yaakov).
Note that both Nachor and
Yishmael had their 12 descendants
before we did. This indicates a
tougher life for the Jewish people
(something that has been borne out
over and over again in the course
Shimon's Div-HaYa B'chor, goats, and whose kingdom
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OU Israel Center TT 1111
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e
Chayei Sara 5775
of Jewish History, right up to current events).
Yishmael dies at the age of 100
and 30 and 7 years. The wording
in the Torah (seems to) purposely
parallels that which was used to
describe Sara's lifespan, a further
indication (perhaps) of the change
for the better in Yishmael. Rashi
says that the age of Yishmael is
included to help us compute the
chronology of Yaakov. The last 3
p'sukim are reread for the Maftir.
Haftara 31 p'sukim
Melachim Alef 1:1-31
The sedra tells of the aging
Avraham and his task of providing
for the continuity of his beliefs
through his son Yitzchak (even
though there were other potential
heirs). The Haftara parallels this
theme by telling us of the aging
King David with many potential
heirs, providing that it would be
his son Shlomo who would be the
next link in the Davidic line. This,
fulfillment of a promise made to
Shlomo's mother, Batsheva similar to the promise made to Sara
that her son would inherit. The
starting points are Avraham Avinu
and David Hamelech. But no
matter how strong their personalities were, the chain ends with
them unless the next generation is
as strong as a Yitzchak Avinu and a
Shlomo HaMelech.
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Chayei Sara 5775
A "Fun" Molad coming cont. from p.2
A Jewish calendar month is a lunar
month, approximately equal to the
number of days it takes the Moon to go
through its cycle of phases. New Moon
(no moon would be a better, more
accurate descriptive term) is used as the
beginning point of a month. New Moon
is called the Molad (also not the greatest
term since people think that the Moon is
visible at the molad - it is not, and wont
be for at least 20 hours after the molad)
and it is the moment the Moon in its
orbit around the Earth, is between the
Earth and the Sun.
(Once in a while, the Moon is directly
between Earth and Sun and a Solar
Eclipse takes place at the time of the
molad. Most often, the Moon is slightly
above or below the line between Earth
and Sun at the Molad, and no eclipse
occurs.)
The average time it takes the Moon to
go through its cycle each month (taking
into account the fact that the EarthMoon have also traveled in their orbit
around the Sun) is 29 days, 12 hours 44
minutes and 1 part of a minute (3 and a
third seconds).
The actual time from one Molad Amiti
(actual or astronomical new moon) to the
next can vary from the average time plus
or minus anything up to 6½ hours. Our
fixed calendar uses the Molad Emtza'i
(average molad) for fixing the calendar,
announcing the molad, and for determining the timings for Kiddush L'vana.
The molad that is announced during
Rosh Chodesh Benching is not only the
average time, but it is given in Jerusalem
Solar Time, which considers 12h to be
the time the Sun reaches its highest
point in the sky.
In fact, Jerusalem's 'high noon'
(CHATZOT) averages 21 minutes earlier
than 12:00 o'clock during Winter time
and 39 minutes later than 12:00 o'clock
during Summer time.
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So in Israel, now with Standard time in
effect, one can convert the announced
Molad time into real (clock) time, by
subtracting 21 minutes.
Halachic opinions differ, but we are considering the opinion that the announced
time of the molad is to be converted to
local clock time in determining Kiddush
L'vana z'manim.
On Shabbat Parshat Toldot, we will
announce that Rosh Chodesh Kislev is
on Sunday (Machar Chodesh) and that
the molad occurs at 9h 46m 17p on
Shabbat morning. That's approx. 9:26am
Israel Winter time. That means that a
minyan that gets to Rosh Chodesh
Benching before that time, will say
HAMOLAD YIHYEH (will be). Shuls that
pass that time will say HAMOLAD
HAYA (was). And if a particular minyan is
announcing the molad at 9:26am, they
can say, HAMOLAD HU ACHSHAV
(now) - a very rare thing to say. Other
locales need to adjust the time of the
molad to know to say YIHYEH or HAYA.
page 16
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Chayei Sara 5775
mgpn ixac
Divrei Menachem
[email protected]
The question is oft asked as to why the
opening line of Parshat Chayei Sara "Vayihyu Chayei Sara" - introducing us, as
it were, to the life and times of our
erstwhile matriarch, should then continue
to describe her passing from this world?
Indeed, with all the following convoluted
details of Sarah's burial, we might very
well find ourselves inclined to write off
Sarah's life as yet another episode in the
long chain of historical events described in
the early biblical narrative.
In fact, do we not find, as Hillel Zeitlin was
wont to tell us, that there disappears along
with a person's final demise all traces of
his or her righteous deeds and sublime
qualities? For is it not written of the
righteous Chanoch who walked with G-d
that, "He was no longer for G-d had taken
him" (B'reishit 5:24)? Interestingly, this
notion was reiterated in one of
Shakespeare's most famous soliloquies,
following the murder of Julius Caesar Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears;
I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him.
The evil that men do lives after them;
The good is oft interred with their bones.
However, our tradition sees these matters
differently. In the Talmud is to be found a
contrary dictum: "Tzadikim B'mitatan
K'ruyim Chayim" - 'The righteous in their
death are considered as if they were still
alive.' Indeed, with Sarah's passing, we
celebrate her life and legacy. For Sarah,
along with Avraham, not only left behind
the stirrings of our Jewish people, but also,
as revolutionaries, they also established
for all time the moral compass settings
that would guide the future generations
and set ethical standards for a whole
world.
Q

OU Israel Center TT 1111
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Chayei Sara 5775
from the virtual desk of the
OU VEBBE REBBE
The Orthodox Union - via its website - fields questions of all types in the areas of Kashrut, Jewish Law and
Values. Some of them are answered by Eretz Hemda, the Institute for Advanced Jewish Studies, Jerusalem,
headed by Rav Yosef Carmel and Rav Moshe Ehrenreich, founded by HaRav Shaul Yisraeli zt"l, to prepare
rabbanim and dayanim to serve the National Religious community in Israel and abroad. Ask the Rabbi is a
joint venture of the OU, Yerushalayim Network, Eretz Hemda... and OU Israel's Torah Tidbits.
Grounds for
Cutting Down Fruit Tree
Question: May one cut down a fruit
tree in order to make room for
improvements to their back yard for
recreational purposes such as to put in a
pool or a basketball court?
Answer: The Torah forbids cutting
down fruit trees (D'varim 20:19),
which is the strictest application of the
concept not to be destructive (see
Rambam, Melachim 6:8). It is thus
not surprising that the gemara and
poskim identify "non-destructive"
cases where it is permitted to cut
down fruit trees.
The gemara grants permission in the
following cases: (1) The tree no
longer produces a kav (a relatively
small amount) of fruit (Bava Kama
91b-92a). (2) It is worth more for
wood than for fruit (see Rashi, ad
loc.). (3) It is significantly damaging a
more valuable tree (see Tosafot). (4) It
is damaging someone else's property
(Bava Batra 26a).
The Rosh (Bava Kama 8:15) learns
from the above that one may cut down
a tree if needed to use its location,
which the Taz (Yoreh Deah 116:6)
OU Israel Center TT 1111

applies to building a home. Most
poskim say this includes expanding a
home, at least when the addition is
objectively more valuable than the
tree (see Chayim Sha'al I:22; Yabia
Omer V:12). On the other hand, the
gemara tells of an Amora's son who
died because he cut down a fruit tree
prematurely, and R. Yehuda Hachasid
also warned about it. Therefore, even
when it is apparently permitted, some
prefer that the work be done by a
non-Jew (ibid.) and/or that the tree be
transplanted (Chatam Sofer, YD 102).
To what extent can we rely on the
Rosh's thesis that making room for
something else is an excuse for
cutting down a fruit tree? The Beit
Yaakov (140) claims that Tosafot and
others disagree with the Rosh. The
Meishiv Davar (II:56) adds that it is
hard to be certain that after cutting
down the tree, the building project
will actualize. However, many
Acharonim (see Chayim Sha'al I:22;
Yabi'a Omer V, Yoreh De'ah 12)
strongly reject the Beit Yaakov and
adopt the Rosh/Taz leniency.
JONATHAN POLLARD
10,586 days in prison
www.jonathanpollard.org
page 18
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Chayei Sara 5775
How important must the need for the
spot be? Although the gemara's cases
(e.g., wood worth more, affecting
another tree) are not huge benefits,
they relate to situations where the
tree's existence is more directly
wasteful. In contrast, in the Rosh's
(and your) case, the tree is fully
viable, just that it precludes another
future use. It is therefore not
surprising that some who accept the
Rosh say that the need must be
substantial. The She'eilat Yaavetz
(I:176) relates to a case where a shul
is too small and needs to be extended
to an area occupied by fruit trees. The
Chavot Ya'ir (195), while allowing
cutting down a tree that darkens one's
house, forbids doing so to allow for a
place for walking around or increasing
space and light. Several Acharonim,
including important poskim such as
the Aruch HaShulchan (YD 116:13)
and Yabi'a Omer (ibid.) adopt this
middle-of-the-road approach.
Appraising the cases you raised is
tricky. On one hand, building a
swimming pool or a basketball court
is expensive, so that one erects one
only if it is important to him (see
Minchat Asher, D'varim 33), in which
case the tree should not prevent it. On
the other hand, some poskim (see
Yabi'a Omer ibid.) indicate that the
value of the change should be an
objective one that applies to the
average person. Swimming pools and
basketball courts are not likely to
qualify in that regard (even if we
focus on the positive and permitted
OU Israel Center TT 1111

uses of those facilities). It is hard to
ignore the possibility that one who
uses honest but faulty judgment could
be punished with death (aforementioned gemara; see also Chatam
Sofer YD 102; She'eilat Yaavetz ibid.
is more extreme). Another factor is
that it might be possible, even if less
convenient, to build what is desired
without cutting down a fruit tree.
Therefore, we suggest the following.
If you are willing to professionally,
preferably by a non-Jew, transplant
the tree, you may do so. Otherwise,
we would have difficulty permitting
removing the fruit tree unless we were
convinced that the need and the lack
of alternative were clear.
Rav Daniel Mann, Eretz Hemdah Institute
Questions? email [email protected]
Having a dispute?
For a Din Torah in English or Hebrew
contact 'Eretz Hemdah - Gazit' Rabbinical
Court: 077-215-8-215 • fax: (02) 537-9626
[email protected]
page 19
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Chayei Sara 5775
Rabbi Weinreb's Weekly Column:
Parshat Chayei Sara
"Better the Servant
than the Student"
"You can't find decent help these
days!" This is a common complaint
heard in middle-class homes,
particularly in Jewish kitchens
during the season of preparations
for Pesach. Happily, my wife and I
have been blessed, over the years,
with some excellent domestic help.
Usually, they were African-American women who were not only
honest, efficient, and reliable, but
also surprisingly knowledgeable
about traditional Jewish practices.
I fondly recall a woman named
Mildred. She had spent many years
working as a maid for an older rabbi
in the community. We'll call him
Rabbi Rosencrantz. Although I was
but a young rabbi when she began
working for us, I had already
amassed a considerable library of
sacred Jewish books, including
some precious antique volumes that
I had inherited from my grandfather.
Needless to say, I was extremely
careful about how those books were
handled.
afternoon to find all of my bookshelves empty. In a panic, I began
to search the premises and, much
to my chagrin, discovered that the
books were lying in disarray on a
long table in the backyard. Mildred
was systemically turning them all
upside down and shaking them
vigorously. I couldn't contain my
disapproval and yelled, "Mildred,
what on earth are you doing?"
Mildred gently replied that she was
making certain that there was no
chametz inside any of the books.
You see, it was just before Pesach,
and many people carefully inspect
their books for breadcrumbs or
cookie bits that may have found
their way into the holy volumes
during the course of the year. I am
generally quite careful to avoid
bringing any food into close contact
with the books I use, but apparently
Rabbi Rosencrantz was much more
meticulous about inspecting his
books for chametz than I was.
When I told Mildred that she really
didn't have to do that, she
responded, "Rabbi! I am not going
to allow a young upstart like you to
tell me how to prepare for Pesach. I
learned about chametz from Rabbi
Rosencrantz, and he was old
How astonished I was when I
returned home late one spring
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Chayei Sara 5775
enough to have been your grandfather!"
No question about it. Sometimes a
gentile maid can take Jewish
customs more seriously than an
ordained rabbi. This lesson is not a
new one. It can be learned from this
week's Torah portion, Chayei Sarah
(B'reishit
23:1-25:18).
Eliezer,
Avraham's servant, is the hero of
the entire Chapter 24. The story of
his mission to find a wife for his
master's son, Yitzchak, is narrated
at length and in great detail. We
learn of how Eliezer identified Rivka
as a proper wife for Yitzchak.
Eliezer then reviews the story,
again at length and in detail, to
Rivka's father Betuel and brother
Lavan. Finally, in verse 66, we read
that Eliezer retold the story yet
again, this time to Yitzchak himself.
attitude towards Eliezer's words:
"The idle conversation of the
Patriarchs'
servants
is
more
precious than the Torah of their
descendants."
A much lesser known but even
more impressive illustration of the
superiority of a servant's wisdom is
to be found in a passage in Talmud
Tractate Moed Katan, 17a. There,
the story is told of the maidservant
of Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi, usually
referred to simply as "Rabbi", or
"Rebbe".
She once observed a father disciplining his adult son by striking him.
The Rabbis see in all this repetitive
detail an indication of the Almighty's
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Chayei Sara 5775
She censured the father, convinced
that the son might not be able to
resist reacting to the provocation by
striking his father back. In her
judgment, the father was thus guilty
of "placing an obstacle before a
blind man". So critical was she of
the father's behavior that she
placed him under a nidui, or ban,
effectively excommunicating him.
The rabbinical courts of that time let
three years pass before they lifted
that ban.
The great medieval halachic
authority, Rabbenu Asher, known
as "the Rosh", questions the courts'
failure to nullify the ban sooner,
which was their usual practice in
response to bans imposed by
non-credentialed individuals. In
response, he quotes the words of
an earlier authority, Rabbi Avraham
ben David, or "the Ra'avad", who
writes: "The rabbis were reluctant to
overturn a ban imposed by this
woman because of her superior
wisdom and piety. They did not
consider themselves her equal until
they found an outstanding sage
who was demonstrably qualified to
nullify her ban!"
We can learn quite a few powerful
lessons from the story of Rebbe's
maidservant; from Eliezer the
servant of Avraham; and yes, even
from my family's beloved housekeeper, Mildred. First of all, we can
learn the timeless lesson that we
must be ready to gain knowledge
from every conceivable source.
"Who is wise? He who learns from
OU Israel Center TT 1111

every person." One can learn a
great deal even from unexpected
sources and must revere every
potential source of knowledge, even
in matters of religion.
But there is another lesson to be
derived from these anecdotes.
There are many ways to learn.
Some learn by studying books;
others learn by listening to lectures.
These are important tools to gain
knowledge with, and they cannot be
minimized.
But one also learns through
experience. If one is fortunate to
grow up in a home rich in spirituality, he or she will become very
knowledgeable about spirituality,
even if no explicit lessons were
taught. A process of osmosis
occurs, by which anyone who
spends time in an environment in
which high ideals are exemplified
will absorb those ideals.
The Talmud used the example of
Eliezer, and the medieval rabbis

Many talents go unrealized for
lack of realization that they are
talents.

If we must LOOK twice, how
much more so must we THINK
twice?
It
is not so much that time HEALS
all wounds, as that it shows what
we THOUGHT were wounds not
to be so.
from "A Candle by Day" by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein z"l
www.createspace.com/4492905
page 22
e
Chayei Sara 5775
used the example of Rebbe's
maidservant, to teach us that
sometimes what the "mere" servant
absorbs from his experience in
Avraham's company, or her years
of service in the palace of Rabbi
Yehuda HaNasi, is of greater value
than the erudition of great scholars.
Precious indeed is the idle conversation of the servants of the
Patriarchs!
What I learned that pre-Pesach day
so long ago was that the capacity to
learn from unexpected sources was
not limited to times gone by, or to
lofty souls such as the biblical
Eliezer and the unique personage
who was Rebbe's maidservant.
Even Mildred, who passed away
long ago, had a lot to teach me.
She taught me about the importance of the scrupulous observance
of Jewish customs, particularly
those that have to do with Pesach.
She taught me that, even with
regard to matters of religious
observance, one can learn a great
deal from unexpected sources.
Above all, she taught me a lesson
about humility. That's a lesson that
requires lifelong review.
Thank you, Mildred. 
Jonathan Rosenblum, DPM
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
The Land shall keep a Shabbat
unto G-d (Vayikra 25:2) [4]
by Dr. Meir Tamari
The Torah continues the verses which
deal with Sh'mita with a prolonged
and detailed description of the laws of
Yovel (Vayikra 25:8-54). So Sh'mita
is neither an isolated concept nor an
isolated mitzva, rather it is intimately
linked to Yovel. Even though
halachically we no longer can practice
Yovel since the tribal allocation of
Eetz Yisrael which it restores has
been voided, nevertheless the ideologies of both mitzvot have much
present day relevance for us.
"Two acts of chesed Hashem did for
us. The universal one which we share
with all mankind, is the Creation and
renewal of the natural forces from
which we satisfy our needs. A second
one, specific and restricted to Yisrael,
is the giving of Torah whereby we are
obliged and capable of elevating and
sanctifying our material wealth and
the mundane actions of living.
Sh'mita, the Shabbat for rest accruing
to the land, is testimony to the 7th day
of the Creation. Yovel, is testimony to
Matan Torah which came 50 days
after leaving Egypt; it was heralded
by the sound of the Shofar on Motzaei
Yom Kippur just like Matan Torah
was heralded by the shofar"
(Abarbanel).
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Chayei Sara 5775
kosher
Here the shofar is to proclaim D'ROR,
usually translated as liberty and
freedom, but Harav Hirsch teaches
that, "the fundamental meaning of
D'ROR is 'to follow a natural trend
and here that natural trend means the
restitution of Man to the rights and
dignity of Man. It has the connotation
of returning something to its real
owner, of a homecoming". Yovel is
the macro solution of national
atonement for inequality and social
division.
Yovel as testimony to Matan Torah
comes to place D'ROR in its special
Jewish connotation as witnessed by
the concluding verse of Yovel; "Bnei
Yisrael are My servants whom I
brought out of Egypt." "The
fundamental factor on which the
freedom of Israel, which cannot be
lost or sold, rests is the Exodus,
whereby we became His slaves. This
precludes any form of belonging to
anything else and disallows them to
bind themselves to any other master.
This concept of inalienability of the
personal freedom of each Jew is
translated halachically to mean that a
contract normally considered irrevocable, can nevertheless be refuted by a
daily worker at any time of the day"
(S. R. Hirsch). However, Torah being
equitable, the same concept of being a
servant only of Hashem makes
entering into lifelong employment or
long-term labor contracts halachically
questionable. The same symmetry
leads the halacha to distinguish
between the EVED, who cannot be
made to perform menial or degrading
tasks [the loss of his freedom is
degrading enough] and the free
worker who undertakes to do any kind
of work in return for his wages.
Freeing the EVED IVRI, the Hebrew
indentured servant, from servitude is,
together with the retuning of the land
to its original divisions among the
tribes, the major phenomena of Yovel.
Redeeming the soil of Eretz Yisrael
both from foreign ownership and from
centuries of neglect was part of our
modern day Shivat Tzion, our national
renaissance. This redemption was
modeled on Yovel and so land could
not be bought from the national
institutions but only leased for 49
years. It is true that state ownership of
land has had a price - bureaucracy,
costly building, corruption, etc.; yet it
enabled settlement of settlers with
negative equity and ensured, unlike
present day free markets, that the
Land would not be for sale to our
enemies.
When the poor were forced to sell
their primary source of income, their
land, the Torah placed an obligation
on their kinsfolk to redeem it and
return it to them. This not only gave
the financial assistance but a livelihood, dignity and a positive role in
society. "Granting a loan to the poor
[to start a business] is superior to
Cleaning & Maintenance Services for Home and Office
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OU Israel Center TT 1111

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Chayei Sara 5775
giving charity and to create a business
partnership with the poor is superior
to everything" (Shabbat 63a; Matnat
Aniyim 10:7). Charity simply perpetuates poverty whereas the steps
mentioned in the Talmud and codified
by Rambam break the poverty cycle.
Yovel substituted leasing for outright
sale of land and the price of such
leases depended on the number of
years remaining until the next Jubilee
Year. Human nature being what it is
and the desire to earn profits being the
basis of all economies, it is not
surprising that the Yovel system
provided opportunities for sharp
dealing and price gouging since
unscrupulous dealers could exploit the
ignorance or the need of the other
party and so under price the lease.
Twice in the laws of Yovel the Torah
warns against ona'a; " you shall not
overreach - gouge one another"
(25:14), this concerns ona'at mamon,
money oppression; and " you shall not
hurt the feelings of one another
(25:17), this refers to ona'at d'varim,
verbal oppression. Both apply
halakhically to us today. Ona'at
mamon, Jewish just price theory,
protects people [both buyer and seller]
from overcharging or undercharging
of goods. The cutoff point at which
legal action may be taken is 1/6th of
market price; at that point the excess
must be returned, above it the whole
sale may be canceled and money
returned. Ona'a does not apply to sales
where there is full disclosure of
variations from market price, thus
making
it
protection
against
OU Israel Center TT 1111

oppression of ignorance. Ona'at
d'varim forbids, for instance, referring
to a convert's idolatrous past or
reminding ba'alei t'shuva of any
previous irreligious actions or lifestyles. Such reminders are verbal
oppression.
"If the moral qualities of the
individual, and the public response [to
ethical challenges] in the nation's
conduct is diminished by our religious
observance then our supposed piety is
of no value" (A. Y. Hakohen Kook).
New Kollel Americans (to age 35)
Now learning Gemara Kiddushin
Contact Rav Eliyahu Mitterhoff
058-33-000-43 • [email protected]
KOLLEL ELISHA - Rechov Achida 14
Bayit Vegan, Jerusalem
page 25
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Chayei Sara 5775
The following is from
Sapphire from the Land of Israel
A New Light on the Weekly Portion
from the Writings of
Rabbi Abraham Isaac HaKohen Kook
by Rabbi Chanan Morrison
website: ravkooktorah.org
Guarding
the Inner Child
Adapted from Ma’amerei HaRe’iyah vol. II,
pp. 230-231, from a lecture that Rav Kook
delivered at the opening of a Talmud Torah
school in Rehovot in 1905
The Torah counts the years of
Sarah’s long life: “A hundred years
and twenty years and seven years;
these were the years of Sarah’s life”
(B'reishit 23:1). Noting the verse’s
wordiness, the Sages commented
that throughout all the years of her
life - whether at age seven, twenty,
or a hundred - Sarah retained the
same goodness, the same purity,
and the same youthful innocence.
Despite her long years of barrenness, despite twice being kidnapped
as she accompanied her husband
Avraham on his many journeys,
Sarah did not become hard and
cynical. Their son was named
Yitzchak – meaning, “he will laugh” due to Abraham’s feelings of
wonderment and Sarah’s amazed
laughter. “God had given me
laughter; all who hear will rejoice for
me” (B'reishit 21:6).
How to Educate
From the inspiring example of
Sarah’s purity and faith, we can
learn an important lesson about
education.
OU Israel Center TT 1111

The nation’s future depends upon
how we educate the next generation. How should we tend to the
vineyard of the House of Israel so
that the saplings will prosper and
grow, anchoring fast roots below
and producing pleasant fruit above?
How can we make sure that our
children will develop into complete
Jewish adults, their values firmly
rooted in their heritage, living lives
that are “pleasing to God and to
man”?
We must take care to avoid slavish
imitation of the educational methods of other nations. Our educational approach must suit the
special nature and unique characteristics of our nation.
Two Views of Childhood
The question of education revolves
around an even more basic
question. What is childhood? Is it
just a preparatory stage leading to
adulthood, or does it have intrinsic
value in and of itself?
If life is all about working and
earning a livelihood, then a child is
simply a lump of clay to be formed
into a tool to serve in the nation’s
workforce. Childhood is but a
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Chayei Sara 5775
preparation for adulthood, when one
becomes a productive member of
society, a cog in the great machine
of the nation’s economy.
But there is another view of life, an
idealistic outlook which values the
qualities of purity and innocence.
Such a viewpoint sees childhood as
a stage of life that has value in its
own right. The Sages recognized the
special contribution of children to
the world. “The world endures only
for the sake of the breath of school
children,” for their Torah is learned
in purity, undefiled by sin (Shabbat
119b).
When
children
are
educated
properly, we may discern within their
pristine souls untold measures of
holiness and purity. But this is only
true if the grace and beauty of these
delicate flowers is not crushed by
the spirit-numbing reality of the
factory floor and the cynical manipulations of greedy corporations.
Childhood is good and holy, but it is
too weak and vulnerable to withstand the powerful forces of society.
It is our duty to preserve the
simplicity of childhood, to carefully
allow our children to mature without
losing their innate innocence. This
will enable them to acquire the
physical strength and spiritual
resilience that they lack, while
retaining the innocent exuberance
of childhood.
My Anointed Ones
“‘Do not harm meshichai, My
anointed ones’ - this refers to school
children” (Shabbat 119b). Why are
OU Israel Center TT 1111

children called “God’s anointed
ones”? Anointing is not a one-time
event, but an initiation ceremony
which influences the years to come.
Thus a king is anointed, and
throughout the years of his reign he
is the melech ha-mashiach, the
anointed king.
The same is true with childhood.
When it has not been debased by
the pressures of an exploitative
society, childhood is our anointing,
our initiation, so that we may enjoy
its pure fruits throughout our lives.
This is the beautiful example that
Sarah provides. She lived a life of
holiness and pure faith, retaining her
childlike wonder and purity throughout the many vicissitudes of her
long life. “All her years were equal in
goodness” (Rashi). 
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Chayei Sara 5775
A look at CHAYEI SARA from
The Poetic Dimension
Romantic memory weaves a garland
around the name Machpelah,
though the area has more robust
connotations in Israel’s current
environment.
Machpelah, established from early
Biblical times, was an important
place of pilgrimage for medieval
travellers like Benjamin of Tudela,
who described the two stages by
which a determined visitor gained
access to the site. The ordinary
traveller was told by his guide that
the outer area contained the
remains of the patriarchs, but if one
were determined and prepared to
pay the guide extra it was possible
to go further, descend some steps
and enter an underground cavern
which was the real burial place.
CHESSED FUND
Please help us help those
who turn to us for help.
Regardless of the political problems
of today, there is a poetic dimension
of the Machpelah story which
should not be forgotten. The bones
of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and
their wives come to life like the dry
bones in Ezekiel’s vision if you cast
your mind’s eye back through
Jewish history.
You encounter the spirit of the
patriarchs and are immediately
asked, “You Jews of the 21st century,
four thousand years on from when
we ourselves lived, do you fittingly
honour our memory as the founding
fathers of Judaism? Do you devote
to Judaism the spiritual eagerness
of Avraham, Yitzchak’s love of
tradition, Yaakov’s tenacity even in
times of trouble?
“Do you honour our principles, not
just our mausoleum?”
Rabbi Apple served for 32 years as the chief minister of
the Great Synagogue, Sydney, and was Australia's
highest profile rabbi and leading spokesman for Jews and
Judaism on the Australian continent. He is now retired
and lives in Jerusalem. He blogs at www.oztorah.com
Make checks payable to the
"Chessed Fund" and send them to
Israel Center Chesed Fund
att. Menachem Persoff
POB 37015
Jerusalem 91370
or leave them at the front desk
OU Israel Center TT 1111

100. But for you, 46
Dr. Eliezer Rosenblum
NYS Licensed and Board Certified
Chiropractor
Offices in Jerusalem, Ramat Beit Shemesh
052-662-4658
page 28
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Chayei Sara 5775
Parsha Points to Ponder
by MK Rabbi Dov Lipman
Chayei Sara
1) Why does Avraham mean when
he says that he will bury Sarah
MILFANAI - FROM BEFORE ME
(23:4)?
2) Why does the Torah write the
were AVADIM without a YUD and
SH'FACHOT without a VAV when
Eliezer relates that G-D blessed
Avraham with wealth including
slaves and maidservants (24:35)?
3) When Eliezer first asked for
Rivka as a wife for Yitzchak, the
family responded TAKE HER AND
GO (24:51). Why, then, do they
seemingly change their minds and
say WE WILL CALL THE YOUNG
GIRL AND WE WILL ASK HER
(24:57)?
[email protected]
The suggested answers are elsewhere
Ponder the questions first, then see further
The Shmittah App - a free, English
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about Sh'mita - for android. Impressive!
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OU Israel Center TT 1111

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Chayei Sara 5775
OU Israel Center TT 1111
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page 30
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OU Israel Center TT 1111
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page 31
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OU Israel Center TT 1111

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Chayei Sara 5775
Maharal on the Sedra
Avraham's Test was
Hashem's Goodness
B'reishit 24:1 -...and Hashem blessed
Avraham with all.
Chidushei Agadot Sanhedrin 107a,
3:251b: The sages said that David
asked Hashem why they say in the
Amida, the God of Avraham,
Yitzchak and Yaakov but they do
not say the God of David? Hashem
answers that they were tested, you
were not. How was Avraham
tested? With the blessing of
Hashem's goodness, as it is written,
and Hashem blessed Avraham with
all. This is the biggest test of all, as
Shlomo said, "Do not give me
inheritance and wealth which will
cause me to kick, and deny [the
One who gave it to me]" [Mishlei
30:8]. That is what wealth does, as
it is written, "Lest you eat and are
satisfied, and build nice houses to
live in and your livestock will
multiply, and your heart will be
exalted, and you will forget Hashem
your God" [D'varim 8:12]. Yitzchak
was tested with bodily suffering,
specifically blindness [B'reishit 27:1]
which is considered like death
[Nedarim 64a]. This is a bigger test
than the AKEIDA, which was a
single moment, while the blindness
continued until he died. Yaakov was
tested with tragic events as he says,
NEED A MOHEL?
A person has body, soul and wealth,
hinted at in "with all your heart, and
all your soul and all your might
[wealth]" [D'varim 6:5]. Avraham
was tested with wealth, Yitzchak
with body [bodily suffering], and
Yaakov with soul [tragic events], for
tragic events affect the soul.
MDK - Every child in school knows
that the AKEIDA was the pinnacle
of Avraham's tests! Maharal himself
says so [Derech Chaim 5:3, 92a].
Perhaps this account refers to a
continuous lifetime test, like
Yitzchak's and Yaakov's, and not an
event.
Column prepared by Dr. Moshe Kuhr
Dr Kuhr is the author of two volumes
(so far) of Lion Cub of Prague
YOU KNOW ENGLISH
But do your children?
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Private lessons -- All levels
Your house or mine • (02) 6-222-104
www.saferhabrit.com • 054-735-2408
Your pace, your language, your Simcha
OU Israel Center TT 1111
"Keil Sha-dai", which Rashi renders
"Let the One Who said to His world
'Enough" say to my troubles
'Enough'" [B'reishit 43:14]. This is
why he said to Par'o that the days
of his life were few and bad [47:9].

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Chayei Sara 5775
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Chayei Sara 5775
Reprinted (with permission) from
Shabbat Shalom
Parsha Booklet (4) by
Rabbi Berel Wein
A while ago, two of my grandsons
had become engaged to be married, within a 10-day period.
Naturally, this was an occasion of
joy and satisfaction to me. It
occurred during the period of time
that we read this week's parsha
which deals with the betrothal and
marriage of Yitzchak and Rivka. In
the bible and in traditional Jewish
life generally, parents have input
into the choice of a mate for their
children.
Avraham strictly instructs Eliezer
not to deign making any marriage
arrangement with the daughters of
the Canaanites for Yitzchak.
Avraham chooses family - his own
general family - over all other
considerations. There is no doubt
that family is a very important
consideration in choosing a mate.
People who come from stable and
loving home environments have a
pattern and model to follow in their
own later domestic relationships.
Avraham searches for a family that,
although it has other defects paganism and a selfish attitude
towards wealth and stretching the
truth - at least shares his value of
hospitality towards strangers and a
sense of compassion towards other
human beings. Nevertheless, Rivka
represents the exception in her
OU Israel Center TT 1111
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family. She is not a pagan and her
sense of hospitality towards others
surpasses ordinary standards. She
is a product of her family and home
but she has gathered within her all
of the positive attributes that the
family of Avraham possessed while
rejecting all of the negative traits
and beliefs that the environment of
her society impressed upon the rest
of the family.
Eliezer is searching for a diamond
in the rough. These are very rare.
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Chayei Sara 5775
We are told of the "tests" and
complications that Eliezer demands
and encounters in his search for the
proper mate for Yitzchak. He is
looking for the benefits that stem
from Avraham's family without
having the liabilities that usually
accompany them. He searches for
extraordinary kindness and concern, modesty of behavior and
loyalty to family even when that
family's beliefs are no longer hers.
It is this remarkable combination of
characteristics that mark Rivka as
being the special matriarch of Israel
that she becomes. When she will
look for the proper mate for Yaakov
she will also send him back to her
family in Aram, in spite of her
knowledge of the trickery of her
brother Lavan. There too she hopes
that he will find diamonds in the
rough - women who will build the
house of Israel and mother the
Jewish people for all eternity.
Yaakov will also have to find the
mates that possess all of the
positive attributes of the family of
Avraham and do not carry with
them the burden of the negative
traits of the society of Aram. This
effort will cost Yaakov many years
of his life, physical privation and
mental anguish, but eventually the
goal of creating a nation from a few
individuals is achieved because of
his wives and their characteristics.
Eliezer's search for Rivka becomes
the paradigm and model for
creating the proper Jewish family
and necessary home environment.
OU Israel Center TT 1111

The search for diamonds is much
easier today in the Jewish world
than it was for Eliezer. My grandsons may have given their prospective mates diamonds as an engagement gift but I am certain that the
women themselves who are
involved are the true diamonds in
the matter.
Y¨½ a§ d´¨
© `e§
Let's revisit the topic and the word
that started this Towards Better
Davening and Torah Reading
column... many years ago. The
seeds were sown many years
earlier, when I first came on Aliya
in September '81. Sometime back
then I received a reality check that
I had been mispronouncing (misaccenting is a better term) words in
the Sh'ma in such a way that the
meaning of the word is changed
and the validity of the fulfillment of
the mitzva to recite Sh'ma twice a
day was seriously challenged.
Strongly enough put?
Syllables
in
uppercase
are
accented; the ones in lowercase
are not.
Test yourself. Say the beginning of
Sh'ma out loud. After the Sh'ma
and Baruch Sheim lines, what's the
next word? If you say v'a-HAV-ta,
you have the same problem I had.
v'a-HAV-ta means 'and you loved.
Past tense. Wrong! v'a-hav-TA
means and you will/shall love.
That's the way to accent it. cont. p.40
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Chayei Sara 5775
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Previous (VAYEIRA) TTriddles:
[1] To whom, besides Avraham
VAYEIRA EILAV HASHEM, and G-d
appeared to him. The opening words
in Parshat VAYEIRA, the him being
Avraham. That phrase as is occurs
only twice more in Tanach, and both
times, the him is Yitzchak - both
times in Parshat Toldot. If we
expand the search to include all
VAYEIRA EILAV, we find only two
more times. Once, in Vayigash,
when Yosef appears before Yaakov
after 22 years of separation and of
Yaakov not knowing if Yosef was
alive or dead. The other time is in
the Book of Shoftim when a
MAL'ACH HASHEM appears to
GID'ON.
[2] Several are called this in NACH,
including who in the haftara? Only
one in the Torah - who?
ISH HA-ELOKIM, Man of G-d. In the
haftara of Vayeira - from Melachim
bet, it refers to ELISHA. Several
others are called that throughout
Tanach. In the Torah, only Moshe
Rabeinu is called ISH HA-ELOKIM,
at the beginning of the last sedra,
V'ZOT HAB'RACHA.
[3] [4] [5] Binary TTriddles
There are only 8 four-digit numbers
(out of 9000 in our decimal number
system) that also look like binary
numbers. 1000, 1001, 1010, 1011,
1100, 1101, 1110, and this week's TT
number 1111. These binary (base two)
numbers correspond to 8, 9, 10, 11, 12,
13, 14, and 15 respectively. These
three TTriddles all focus on the
number 14 (base 10), which is
equivalent to 1110 base two. You can
be forewarned about 1111 among this
week's TTriddles. And that will be it
on Binary TTriddles until TT 10,000,
a little over 185 years from now.
[3] MADA, AHAVA, Z'MANIM...
SHOFTIM
These are the books in MISHNEH
TORAH of the Rambam, also known
as YAD HACHAZAKA, YAD being
YUD-DALET, 14. The full list of the 14
books in the Rambam's Mishneh
Torah: MADA, AHAVA, Z'MANIM,
NASHIM, K'DUSHA, HAFLA'A,
Z'RA'IM, AVODA, HAKORBANOT,
TAHARA, N'ZIKIN, KINYAN, MISH-
My Shteiblech is a portal of information using Social Media, set up and
managed by Benjy Singer ... info on learning, cultural and social programmes and activities
in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv... for English speakers. Some Ivrit, too. Sign up for our Newsletter
eepurl.com/CcIAH Facebook details upon sign-up Twitter: @myshteiblech
OU Israel Center TT 1111
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Chayei Sara 5775
PATIM, SHOF'TIM
University, located in Be'er Sheva.
[4] Sonnet, stone, fortnight,
Moonlight sonata
The placename Be'er Sheva occurs
33 times in Tanach, 10 of those
occurrences are in the Torah, all in
B'reishit - 6 times in Vayeira (hence
the appropriateness of these two
pictograms in the ParshaPix of
Vayeira), twice in Toldot, once each
in Vayeitzei and Vayigash.
A sonnet is a 14-line poem, usually
having a specific rhyming scheme
and structure.
A stone is a British unit of weight
equal to 14 pounds. It is often used
as a unit for human body weight.
A fortnight is a two-week period, i.e.
14 days. It comes from some
contraction of fourteen and night.
Moonlight sonata is the common
name of Beethoven's piano sonata
#14.
[5] Mazal Tov - you can ride an
elevator alone!
Israeli elevators usually carry a list
of rules including no smoking and
that children under 14 years of age
cannot ride the elevator unaccompanied by an adult. So Israeli girls
have their Bat Mitzva at 12, boys
have their Bar Mitzva at 13, and both
boys and girls take their next step to
adulthood at 14 when they won't get
arrested for riding the elevator on
their own. (Just kidding about the
arresting.)
[8] The Front Page TTriddle
30? - this drew more comments and
questions than any other thing that
has appeared in that position on the
front page. From Pesach to Rosh
HaShana, that spot is used to
announce the perek of the week
from Pirkei Avot. Different other
things have occupied that space,
and lately, it has been a TTriddle
related to the issue number.
SH'LOSHIM SHEKEL = 300+30+
300+10+40 (680) + 300+100+30
(430) = 1110. No guarantee that it will
always be a gimatriya for the issue
number, so if that doesn't work, try
something else.
[8] Old Business
SAFE HARBOR
Counseling service
Last week, we explained a TTriddle
from the Lech L'cha issue, in which
Avraham was compared to a royal
flush (in poker), which beats 4 kings,
just as Avraham had. We received
an email from a poker-maven that
we described the royal flush incorrectly. With deepfelt contrition we
hereby set the record straight. A
royal flush is A-K-Q-K-10 of a single
suit. Thank you AD for your invaluable poker expertise. 
In person • phone • Skype • Individuals/Couples/Families
054-882-9117 • [email protected]
KO T'VORACHU ET BNEI YISRAEL...
[6] Unexplaineds in the ParshaPix
Two logos, one of the city of Be'er
Sheva and one of Ben Gurion
Rabbi Elan Adler's
OU Israel Center TT 1111
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Chayei Sara 5775
Towards Better Davening... cont. from p.37
TIYULIM
We're going places!
Travel Desk
(02) 560-9110
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The grammatical issue here is the
VAV HAHIPUCH, the VAV that
switches tense of the verb it prefixes. There are two types. Leave
the fguture to past VAV. This one
flips the tense from past to future
(or the sister tense, command).
In most words, the VAV causes a
switch in accent from MIL'EIL to
MILRA (moves the accent to the
last syllable). Besides v'a-hav-TA,
there are 6 other words (at least)
for which not moving the accent
will change the meaning: Y
¨ x§A© c¦ e§
.Y¨ x§n© `¨ e§ ,Y¨ l§ k© `¨ e§ ,Y¨ t§ q© `¨ e§ ,(twice) iY¦ z¨
© pe§
There are several other words in
Sh'ma that get the accept shifted,
but mistakes are less crucial.
ONE MORE
TOUR:
Wednesday
November 19th
10:00am
to
1:00pm
Hosted by Shulamit & Yehoshua Neaman
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CHIZUK ! IDUD
Divrei Torah from the weekly sedra
with a focus on living in Eretz Yisrael Chizuk for Olim & Idud for not-yet-Olim
Our Parsha begins with a lengthy
description of Avraham's efforts in his
attempt to secure the ideal burial plot
for his wife Sarah. Surprisingly, the
Torah chooses to repeat at length the
petty, seemingly insignificant, details
of Avraham's negotiations with Efron
the Hittite – why is this necessary?
Ibn Ezra (B'reishit 23:19) postulates
that the lengthy give and take is
presented in order to showcase the
special status of Eretz Yisrael for both
the living and the dead (see Ha'emek
Davar for a similar point).
Interestingly, this is not the first
instance where this lesson is to be
found, as the importance of burial in
Eretz Yisrael can already be inferred
from the verses describing the very
creation of man. In B'reishit 2:7 we
read that man was created AFAR
MIN HA'ADAMA - from the dust of
the earth. In answer to the question as
to where this dust originated, Rashi
writes that the dust was taken from the
four corners of the universe, adding
that as a result of this: “wherever Man
dies - the earth will receive him”.
Rashi then brings a second possibility
explaining that the dust for the
creation of man originated from the
site of the Mizbeach - the Altar on the
Temple Mount. This would seem to
suggest that burial in Israel, and
moreover in Jerusalem, is preferable
OU Israel Center TT 1111
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as thus Man is seen as returning to his
origin and his sins are forgiven (see
Bavli Ketubot 111a, and Maharsha
"K'ilu Kavur Tachat HaMizbei'ach").
This lesson is brought down by the
Rambam in his Hilchot Melachim
(5:11): "The Sages commented:
'Whoever dwells in Eretz Yisrael will
have his sins forgiven… Even one
who walks four cubits there will merit
the world to come and one who is
buried there receives atonement as if
the place in which he is buried is an
altar of atonement, as D'varim 32:43
states: 'His land will atone for His
people'".
The importance of burial in Eretz
Yisrael is such that the rabbis even
allowed one to exhume remains for
the purpose of reburial in Eretz
Yisrael (Yoreh Dei'ah 363:1).
A famous such case was that of the
Chida, Rabbi Chayim Yosef David
Azulai, whose remains were brought
to Jerusalem for reburial in 1960,
approximately 150 years after he was
first buried in Leghorn Italy. The
public reburial of this illustrious
Shadar (shaliach derabanan), or
emissary, of the Jewish community of
Hebron, which was to commemorate
the 150th anniversary of his death,
was brought about by the efforts of
none other than Israel's Chief Rabbi at
the time, Harav Yitzchak Nissim.
Mazal Tov to
Naftali (Neil) & Carol Scher on the
engagement of Eitan to Eden Shitreet
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Chayei Sara 5775
Lest this lead one to wrongly conclude
that burial in the holy land is the
ultimate act of religious devotion and
atonement, we must return to the
Rambam once again. The Rambam
proceeds to clarify the relative
importance of life in the Holy Land as
opposed to burial within its sanctified
borders:
"There is no comparison", writes the
Rambam, "between the merit of a
person who lives in Eretz Yisrael and
ultimately, is buried there, and one
whose body is brought there after his
death. Nevertheless, great Sages
would bring their dead there. Take an
example, from our Patriarch Yaakov,
and Yosef the righteous".
Yet can there not be fully justifiable
reasons for one to remain abroad?
Anticipating the seemingly legitimate
spiritual calculations which might lead
one to this conclusion, the Rambam
continues on in the next Halacha
(Hilchot Melachim 5:12) to set the
record straight and remove any
possible confusion:
"At all times", he writes, "a person
should dwell in Eretz Yisrael even in a
city whose population is primarily
gentile, rather than dwell in the
Diaspora, even in a city whose
population is primarily Jewish. This
applies because whoever leaves Eretz
Yisrael for the Diaspora is considered
as if he worships idols…"
Avraham Avinu gladly suffered the
ignobility of dealing with the
insignificant inhabitants of Hebron
OU Israel Center TT 1111
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Parsha Points to Ponder
Suggested answers
1) The Ktav Sofer teaches that with
these
words
Avraham
was
emphasizing that he was burying
Sarah physically but she remains
alive spiritually. He was burying
that which was BEFORE ME, the
body, but that which he could not
see remained alive.
2) The Netziv answers that letters
missing from a word always
connote weakness in the power of
whatever that word connotes. In
this case it teaches that while
these people worked for Avraham
he did not treat them as such and
acted towards them with respect.
3) The Alshich explains that they
initially told him to take Rivka
because they saw Eliezer had
money and gifts and they
assumed they would receive them
in exchange for Rivka. However,
when they saw that Eliezer gave all
the expensive items to Rivka and
gave just fruits to the family
(24:53), they regretted what they
had said and decided that they
should ask Rivka what she wanted
to do.
who related to him - the true owner of
the land - as a lowly foreigner. How
much more so must we feel
committed to our homeland in an era
when Eretz Yisrael has been blessed
to serve as the national home for
millions of committed Jews.
Rabbi Yerachmiel Roness, Ramat Shiloh, Beit Shemesh
page 46
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Chayei Sara 5775
Rabbi Kahana's articles www.nachmankahana.com
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Chayei Sara 5775
for Fertility and Gynecology
in Accordance with Halacha
Men Are Half the Story
At the recent Annual Meeting of the
American Society for Reproductive
Medicine there were a number of
interesting presentations regarding
male fertility. While much interest has
always been shown and investment is
being made in studying and treating
female infertility, recently there has
been a lot of interesting research into
male fertility.
Traditionally the claim is that of 100%
of cases of infertility 40% are a result
of female factor infertility, 40% are a
result of male infertility and the
remaining 20% are unexplained, which
means that we do not really know the
reason why. We can assume that of
this 20% some of them are also related
to the male partner and therefore it is
fair to say that half of the cases of
fertility are male factor.
A group in Montreal presented a paper
at the ASRM meeting in which they
looked at pregnancy rates for older
women undergoing fertility treatment.
All the women in the study were over
40 years old and underwent a number
of in-vitro fertilizations and their
pregnancy rates were recorded. The
group then looked at their husband's
or male partner's age. They found that
there was a direct correlation between
an increase in male age and a decrease
in pregnancy rates. In fact, when the
male partner was over 43.5 there were
no pregnancies, but when the men
were younger even if the wife was
older then there were pregnancies.
This appears to be quite revolutionary
and was even picked up by the popular
press. We know that women have a
"biological clock" and that their
fertility decreases with age. In fact
there have been almost no reports of
successful in-vitro fertilization treatments for women over 44 years of age.
But now we are starting to realize that
there is also a male "biological clock"
as well and that older men are less
likely to father children, especially
when their wives are older.
We are also witness to a continued
decrease in sperm quality over the
decades. In comparison to semen
analyses from 20 or 30 years ago, we
see that there is a gradual but steady
decrease in sperm quality. Many things
have been blamed for this demise,
from diet to fashion, but the reality is
that there is a decrease.
All of this research puts a greater
spotlight on male infertility and shows
the other half of the picture of fertility.
More research needs to concentrate on
male fertility, causes and treatment.
More on this next week.
Rabbi Gideon Weitzman
The Puah Institute is based in Jerusalem and helps couples from all over the world who are experiencing fertility
problems. Puah offers free counseling in five languages, halachic supervision, and educational programs. Offices in
Jerusalem, New York, Los Angeles, Paris. Contact: (02) 651-5050 (Isr) • 718-336-0603 (US) • www.puahonline.org
OU Israel Center TT 1111
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Chayei Sara 5775
www.gabairealestate.com
OLD KATAMON For sale in the best part of
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THE SHIDUCH
Avraham gave Eliezer a difficult
mission to accomplish. To find a wife
for Yitzchak from his native land with
the right moral, ethical and modesty
qualifications. Then he had to convince the girl to leave her home and
her family to wed Yitzchak, and also
convince her family to let her go. For
that reason although Avraham
trusted Eliezer with his whole household, he made Eliezer swear to do
this particular job. According to the
Shem MiShmuel, this was because
Avraham wanted Eliezer to persist
even though the mission might have
looked impossible. If Eliezer took an
oath, he would set his mind to the
mission and the Shem MiShmuel
explains that human beings are
much more able to succeed when
they are determined to persevere.
Many people these days think that
finding a shiduch is next to impossible. They talk about the "shiduch
crisis". I'm no expert on the topic, but
maybe one reason could be that
people are not looking for the right
things. What was Eliezer sent to look
for?
While there's nothing wrong with
finding a " Rothschild", making that a
criteria might not be following in the
path of Avraham Avinu. According to
Malbim, Eliezer was not on the look
OU Israel Center TT 1111
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page 49
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Chayei Sara 5775
out for a "wealthy girl" but for a girl of
modest means who would go to draw
water by herself at the well and not
have the servants do it. He was
looking for a hard worker like Rivka
who didn't waste her time with petty
gossip like the other girls, she didn't
dawdle but "filled her jug, and
immediately went up again" (23:16).
He wanted someone from his native
land who would have the same
character traits of chesed like
Avraham had - which Rivka demonstrated when giving water to the
camels.
This is the message - what is
important is the inner goodness of
the person, their uprightness in
morals, ethics and modesty. Maybe
the "shiduch crisis" is because
people are too concerned with the
externals and looking at the differences between people (Sefardi,
Ashkenazi, Mizrachi, Chareidi…)
rather than at what is similar
between people having common
values (e.g. keeping Torah and
mitzvot, belief in God, doing chesed).
Recently I read an East African folk
tale to my grandchildren that I really
liked. I've been looking for an opportunity to share it and think it is related
to finding shiduchim, so here goes.
It's called Sister Hen's Cool Drink. In
the story Hen goes to the creek to
get a drink. While she is drinking,
Crocodile comes along and tells her
to stop drinking from his creek or he
will eat her up. Hen runs away as
fast as she could, but Crocodile
catches up with her and grabs her
tail. Hen says, "Please don't eat me,
brother!" When Hen called crocodile
OU Israel Center TT 1111

"brother" he was so surprised that it
made his jaw drop open, and Hen
was able to escape.
But Crocodile kept wondering why
did Hen call him "brother". He did not
have feet like Hen, and Hen didn't
have teeth like Crocodile. He is big
and Hen is little. He is green and hen
is black. They were different, how
could he be her brother? He was still
pondering this question when Hen
came to the creek again to get a
drink of water.
Crocodile confronted Hen and asked
her, "You called me brother, but how
could I be your brother? We are very
different from each other." Hen
answered matter-of-factly, "Because
you come from an egg and I come
from an egg. So we must be family."
Crocodile liked that answer and so
didn't eat Hen.
I also liked that answer. It is an
answer that concentrates on the
similarities between things as
opposed to the differences.
Eliezer prayed to God for help with
his mission, he designed a test of
character, acted on it, and was
answered by God. May we all be
able to help those around us find
their bashert, through our prayers,
actions and the messages our
society gives relating what is
important when looking for a
shiduch.
Since Eliezer learned about Rivka's
good character watching her at the
well with the water, this week's
recipe has to do with water.
page 50
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Chayei Sara 5775
HOT WATER SPONGE CAKE
2 eggs, separated
½ cup very hot water (not boiling)
1 tsp vanilla extract
¾ cup sugar
pinch of salt
1 cup flour
1½ tsp baking powder
Beat the egg yolks, slowly adding the
hot water and vanilla, until smooth
and pale yellow. Continue to beat,
gradually adding ½ cup of sugar. Set
aside. In another bowl, add the salt
to the egg whites and beat till they
form stiff peaks. Continue to beat,
gradually adding the remaining ¼
cup of sugar. Whisk in ¼ of the egg
whites to the yolk mixture. Mix the
flour and baking powder and add a
bit at a time, mixing well after each
addition. Gently fold in the rest of the
egg whites. Pour the mixture into a
bundt pan and bake at 160°C. for 25
to 30 minutes until a toothpick
inserted in the middle comes out
clean. Cool. Serve as is or top with
your favorite fruit puree, whipped
cream, or chocolate sauce.
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Sarah was quite age-defying
'til Yitzhak came quite close to dying
But she got the blues
When she heard the news
So Abraham did some cave buying.
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Chayei Sara 5775
Upper-left: 400 silver pieces that Avraham
handed over to... • EFRON (pencil =
IPARON, heteronym of EFRON) • Pencil
sharpener is a M'CHADEID, to sharpen =
L'CHADEID, one of Yishmael's sons,
CHADAD • V'LIVKOTAH is written with a
small KAF - a small kaf (spoon) • G-d
blessed Avraham BAKOL. One opinion is
that this blessing included a precious gem
that had miraculous curative powers •
Speech-bubble with a chain in it, standing for
VAYOMAR, and he (Eliezer) said, which is
read with the SHALSHELET (chain) note •
BARUCH HASHEM was said by Eliezer
(Others in Chumash who said B"H are
No'ach and Yitro. Lavan got close, with
B'RUCH HASHEM. So did Avimelech to
Yitzchak) • One of the gold rings Eliezer
gave to Rivka • The Xed out turkey platter is
Eliezer's refusal to eat before he had
completed "business" • Good thing, too,
because Lavan had poisoned the food
(poison symbol) • CHUPA is for Yitzchak's
marriage to Rivka (also Avraham's to Ketura)
• Gift for Rivka and her family, as well as the
gifts Avraham gave to the children of Ketura
- and play-on-words, gift is a MINCHA, the
davening of which is attributed to Yitzchak,
end of the sedra • The word TEREM appears
eight times in the Torah, twice in Chayei
Sara. That's the logo of Terem • Above the
Terem logo is the logo of MASA, an Israeli
non-profit organization that enables thousands of Jewish youth to spend a semester
or a year in Israel in any of over 160
programs, helping them build a life-long
relationship with Israel and a firm commitOU Israel Center TT 1111

ment to Jewish life. MASA is also one of the
sons of Yishmael. Different spelling, but very
close in sound • NEVIOT water is for the
sound-alike of the first born of Yishma'el •
Another son of Yishmael was KEIDAR,
spelled the same and sounding similar to
KADAR, which is a potter - Harry Potter •
The army insignia (near the Terem logo) is a
chevron. Pronounce the CH as in Chanuka Chevron • There are two dots forming a
SH'VA - this is a sound-alike for a grandson
of Avraham's via Ketura • L and a kite. Kite is
also a raptor (preditory bird) in the same
biological family as eagles and hawks. Kite
in Hebrew is probably the DA'A, listed as a
non-kosher bird. ELDA'A was a son of
MIDYAN, born to KETURA from Avraham •
The animals are mentioned in the haftara - In
modern Hebrew, a M'RI is a buffalo (bison?
or maybe water buffalo). Likely that the
haftara is referring to a different member of
the bovine family or a description of a bull or
cow • The question-marked chair is from the
haftara - who will sit on David's throne after
his death? • The arrow is from CHAVILA to
SHOR • The badge is Agent 99's of Control.
She was a SOCHENET, a term describing
Avishag in the haftara • Top-right is Charlie
the tuna - he stands for Y'TUR NAFISH
whose name sounds like "your tuna fish" •
Lower-right is Me'arat HaMachpeila • Above
it are the 400 shekels that Avraham paid to
Efron for the field and the cave and
surroundings • Water with an eye is EIN
HAMAYIM • L'TUSHIM (markers) • Logo of
Laline - sounds like LALIN, (place) to sleep •
Lauren Bacall = BAKOL • Willie's number 24
is for KAD, pitcher (he wasn't, he was CF)
mentioned repeatedly in the sedra •
upper-right, rectangle filled with white for
LAVAN • to the right of Harry Potter is a can
of TAB, but it's mirror image and reads BAT.
Then there is a picture of a bat (the only
flying mammal, followed by 5 baseball bats.
All toghether we get BAT-SHEVA, from the
haftara.
page 52
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Chayei Sara 5775
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page 53
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Chayei Sara 5775
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large sukkah balcony, option to make
rental unit, private storage,
only 1,750,000NIS
3. Amazing spacious 5-rm duplex,
completely renovated, 4 amazing
balconies with breathtaking views,
private entrance, only 2,200,000NIS
Lynn Lifshitz 050-688-3988
Amazing Historic Rechavia Garden Home- all
ground floor apt, 154m, (140m, in Tabu) ground
floor of two, 3 private entrances, A/C., 7 rooms, 5
baths, partly renovated, 200m garden, storage,
service balcony, handicap accessible, 4 air flow
directions, divided into 2 apartments,
smaller apartment - 3 rooms
currently rented for 4500NIS
6,500,000 NIS • Rutly Peli 052-837-3894
OU Israel Center TT 1111
Unique property in Old Arnona
Beitar Street, 100m, 3 spacious rooms,
1st floor, in very good condition, storage,
private parking
• 2,580,000nis
Orli Raz- 050-724-3735
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Old Katamon • Wonderful Investment
opportunity on garden apartment on Halamed
Hey St., Cute apartment with garden (in use),
3.5 rooms with pvt entrance on ground level.
Felicia Mizrachi 054-240-4082
Large family garden Home
in the Heart of Old Katamon
6 spacious bedrooms, large eat in kitchen,
pastoral sukkah garden (72m in tabu) off
dining room, elevator bldg, underground
parking garage, handicap accessible,
priced to sell
Felicia 054-240-4082
B'nei Betera in San Simon - Spacious, 100m,
well lit, 4 room / 2 full bath apartment, first floor
near Old katamon, enclosed balcony (option for
succa), close to shopping, parks, transportation,
Shuls, 10 min to shteiblach and park San Simon.
Registered parking in Tabu
2,380,000NIS • Eli Clevs 052-549-7391
French Hill Rooftop apartment! (amazing investment) 3 room, elevator, amazing views, service
balcony, sunny, great air flow, 62m. Close to the light rail ,buses and shopping center, two minutes
from intercity highways, walk to Hebrew University and Hadassah. Easily rentable!
ONLY - 1,190,000 NIS Nelly 052-476-4356
In Arnona Hatzeira - Primo Levy St.
community building designed for modern
religious age 55+ with in-house synagogue.
3-room, beautiful, well lit, high standard
building and maintenance, 2 shabbat elevators,
underground parking, balcony.
1,780,000NIS • Orli Raz 050-724-3735
A Pearl in The French Hill!
143m, spacious 5 room terraced home,
private entrance, renovated Jacuzzi bathroom,
2 sukka balconies ,small garden overlooking
Judean Hills, renovated kitchen, lots of
sunlight, (South East) private storage
Close to the light rail, public transportation,
shopping center • 2,280,000NIS
Nelly: 052-476-4356
Mishkenot Ha'uma near Nachla'ot - New Construction, ground floor apartment
1.5 bedrooms (88m), huge living room with 4 meter ceilings, balcony,
handicapped access, private parking,storage.
High standard, smart home system, underfloor heating and central a/c
5 minute walk to Nachlaot, the shuk, Romema, 10 min to Shaarei Hesed
2,180,000NIS • Orna Even Parker 054-6216069
Better Health for a Better Life - Let me help
Gentle Chiropractic Care
with Dr. Karen Goldsmith - Licensed & Boarded
18 years of experience helping people with
Headaches, Backaches, Carpal Tunnel,
Pregnancy Issues, Chronic Pain, & much more
On Emek Refaim and in GEULA, Jerusalem
052-848-6902
OU Israel Center TT 1111
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Eiferman
Properties Ltd
Real Estate & Investment Agency
When we search for interesting gimatriya matches,
we sometimes succeed in finding something that we
can say something about... but more often, the search
does not turn up sanything exciting.
And sometimes - like now - we find something that's
nice and present it to you to decide what to say about
it... or not.
Let us know if you came up with something
meaningful. Here are the raw materials:
d­¨pW¨ mix¬¦U§ r¤ e§ d²¨pW¨ d¬¨`n¥ dx½¨U¨ i´¥Ig© ÆEid«¦§ Ie©
:dx«¨U¨ i¬¥Ig© i­p¥ W§ mi®p¦ W¨ ra´¤
© We§
First pasuk in the sedra - we're sure you recognized it
right away. Look what it matches:
:'d i­¦p`£ E`®¨
xiY¦ i­¦WC¨w§ nE
¦ ExŸn½ W§ Y¦ i´©zŸzA§ WÎz
© `¤
This pasuk occurs twice. Go for it. Say something nice
about the summary of Sara's life matching the pasuk that
touches upon the Sanctity of Time and Space.
Creative Writing
Dr. June Leavitt is offering an 8-week
course on Wednesdays 6:30-8:00pm
at the Israel Center. For more information
see www.juneleavitt.com
or write [email protected]
or call (02) 996-3048
PRESALE: Exclusive to Eiferman clients
In Arnona - 20 apartments of 2, 3 & 4 bedrooms
PRICES start at 1,650,000NIS
VILLAS, BUILDINGS & LOTS
OLD KATAMON Free standing 200m villa on a 640m
lot with building rights to 600m. Currently 2 apts.
Located close to the 'Sheiblich' and Yakar shuls
GERMAN COLONY Near Emek Refaim, a lot with an
existing building to build a total of 476m. $1,700,000
PROPERTIES
WOLFSON: Beautiful, spacious 4 bedrooms,
3 bathrooms. View, Shabbat Elevator
REHAVIA 86m, 2-bedroom Garden Apartment,
4 exposures,2,750,000NIS
OLD KATAMON Garden Apt, 90m, 2 Bedrooms,
private entrance, private 120m Garden. $850,000
MEKOR CHAIM Lovely, 2-bedroom apartment with
parking and storage room. Near Old Katamon, Baka,
and Emek Refaim. 1,595,000NIS
HAR NOF Penthouses and Beautiful 9-bedroom Villa
RENTALS:
RECHAVIA - 3 bedrooms, un/furnished, immediate
OLD KATAMON Duplex, 4 bedrooms, pvt. entrance
& parking, Succah
INVESTMENTS - COMMERCIAL/ RESIDENTIAL
In major coastal cities and new towns, opportunities to
invest in new high-tech and residential areas.
Prices start at NIS 320,000!
To see a much larger selections of properties, please
check out our website www.eifermanrealty.com
Still didn’t find what you want? Call or send an email
We are here to help you with your search
THINKING OF SELLING? FREE APPRAISAL
EIFERMAN PROPERTIES (02) 651-4030
Located Inbal Hotel Lobby with Boubli Agency
Our pre-Chanuka
Shabbat Parshat Vayeishev • December 12-13
People are already signing up for it. You can too - 560-9125
Details to follow
OU Israel Center TT 1111
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The Avrom Silver Jerusalem College for Adults, OU Israel's Project YEDID, L'Ayla
are the educational components of the
Seymour J. Abrams Orthodox Union Jerusalem World Center
and include the classes & lectures of the OU Israel Center
Rabbi Sholom Gold, Dean • Phil Chernofsky, Educational director
Mrs. Rivka Segal, Director of Yedid and L'Ayla
1111
WED
Nov 12
THU
Nov 13
"Regular" classes & lectures - 25å members, 30å non-mem, 5å maintenance fee for life members.
Special rates for mornings with two or more shiurim: 40å members, 50å non-mem. 10å life members.
No one will be turned away for inability to pay • Yearly membership 360å couple, 275å single.
Life membership, call us • Programs of the Center are partially funded by the Jewish Agency for Israel
and the Department of Tarbut Toranit, Misrad HaChinuch
9:00am
9:30am
9:45am
10:45am
11:00am
12:30pm
12:30pm
4:30pm
6:00pm
7:00pm
7:30pm
Video shiur
Drama for women - see page 56
Chayei Sara - Reuven Wolfeld no charge
Rabbi Yosef Wolicki on the Parsha
Tai-Chi-Kung exercise (054-547-1234)
VIDEO: "RESCUE IN SCANDINAVIA" (1 hour)
Shakespeare workshop (until 2:00pm)
Positive Aging - Leah Abramowitz
The "Old-New Land" with Gabriella Licsko
Financial Workshop (580-7013)
Rabbi Chaim Eisen on Parsha
9:00am
9:45am
9:45am
10:15am
R' Yair Kahn on Parshat HaShavua
Dr. Tova Goldfine - Fitting Fitness In • 052 420 1201
Dr. Haim Abramson
NEW shiur: Rabbi Poupko's Parsha Perspectives
“Avraham’s Arlington & David’s Dance”
Financial Workshop (580-7013)
7:00pm
Shabbat Parshat Chayei Sara - shiur at 3:00pm
Sun-Thu in the Ganchrow Beis Medrash (first floor)
10:00am Su/Tu/Th -
Rabbi Jeff Bienenfeld's shiur
in tribute to
Rabbi I. Fred Hollander l"f
RCA Daf Yomi by Rotation
in tribute to Rabbi Yitzchak Botwinick l"f
1:20pm Sun-Thu Mincha in the Wolinetz Family Shul
10:00am Sun-Thu
Rabbi Hillel Ruvel - Gemara
5:30pm Sun-Thu Maariv in the Beit Medrash one floor up
4:30pm Su/M/W/Th
OU Israel Center TT 1111
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Yom Rishon • 23 Marcheshvan • SUN November 16th
L'Ayla programs:
10am - Mrs. Aviva Heymann - The Parameters of Chesed
11:10am - Rabbi Yitzchak Breitowitz
12:00pm
KUZARI with Rabbi Chaim Eisen
12:00pm
10å
Easy Hebrew vocabulary and speaking
with Haya Graus
2:00pm
Rabbi Ephraim Sprecher RabbiSprecher.com
8:00pm
no charge
Rabbi Mordechai Machlis
Thoughts of Optimism in the Book of Kohelet
Rivka fell for Yitzchak - Love at first sight?
Yom Sheini • 24 Marcheshvan • MON November 17th
N'shei Library 10:00am to noon
9:30am Mommy & Baby Music Classes with Jackie • 054-533-9305
9:15am
Starting NOW - The Book of Yechezkeil
Mrs. Pearl Borow
10:30am
Rabbi Zev Leff's Shiur
11:30am
Fit Forever: Look & Feel your Best!
12:30pm
no charge
VIDEO: Mrs. Pearl Borow - "Discovering the Woman of Valor"
Exercise for women of all ages • Sura Faecher 050-415-3239
2:00pm
3:00pm
Programs
for children
ages 2-5
Jewish Women in Tanach & Beyond - Pearl Borow
Mishna, Mitzvot, & more - Phil Chernofsky
3:00pm - MUSIC TIME with JACKIE
4:00pm - DRAMA with Chaya Leeder
OU Israel Center TT 1111
25NIS per child per program
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5:20pm
Pri Chadash Women's Writing Workshop
Contact: Ruth Fogelman (628-7359) and Judy Caspi (054-569-0410)
6:30pm
8:00pm
Emotions Anonymous
12-step program meeting weekly at the Israel Center • Call Faigy (02) 571-0632 for details
Rabbi Avrum Kowalsky on Sefer Melachim
Yom Sh'lishi • 25 Marcheshvan • TUE November 18th
Gemach - Free Loan Society providing interest-free loans for people in financial distress
(living in the J'lem area). Interviews at the Center • Bring ID Hours: 10-12 and 19-20:15
9:00am
9:15am
Rabbi Aharon Adler
In the Beginning - The Rav on B'reishit
Mrs. Shira Smiles - Torah Tapestries - Insights into the weekly parsha
Shiur is sponsored in memory of Beatrice Brezniack,
Pesha Rivka Bas Henoch a"h
by her daughter, Linda Marcus
10:15am
Rabbi Sholom Gold on Parsha
11:30am
Women's T'hilim Group for Shiduchim and Sick people
OU Israel Center TT 1111
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VIDEO: Gentlemen's Agreement - A film classic, considered by
12:30pm many critics and viewers to be one of the best movies ever made. Gregory Peck as a
no charge Christian journalist wishing to report on anti-Semitism. He assumes the identity of a
Jew in order to experience the prejudice and hatred firsthand. He is shocked and
2hrs
horrified by what he discovers. Nominated for eight Academy Awards and winner of
three including Best Picture. An excellent and important film.
Kibbutz Galuyot Energizes the Medina: Indoctrinating the Immigrants
1:45pm
Dr. Deborah Polster
TUE, Nov 18th - RCA - 2:15pm, we will honor the memory of Chaverim
who passed away during 2013 & 2014: Rabbi Mallen Galinsky,
Rabbi Abraham Halbfinger, Rabbi Elihu Marcus, Rabbi Norman Strizower,
Rabbi Stanley Wagner, Rabbi Abraham Zuroff
3:00pm - Guest Speaker: Dr. Ephraim Zuroff, Director of the Simon
Weisenthal Office in Israel. Speaking on "My life as a Nazi Hunter: Successes ,
Failures, & Obserevations" Mincha will follow
Verna Black Gartner / D'vora Zippor / Knitting plus
Rabbi Yonatan Kolatch for Toldot
Workshop for new couples and new parents - see page 30
Rabbi Dr. Joseph C. Klausner/Yedidyahu
3:00pm
7:00pm
7:00pm
7:00pm
The Case for the ORTHODOX UNION and the CHEIF RABBINATE of Israel.
NEW DAY
SHIUR in Sefer MELACHIM/ Kings - Conventionalism or Conformity?
& TIME
In memory of Rabbanit SharonBar Chaim OBM and Dalya Lemkus HY"D
7:30/8:30pm
Rabbi Yitzchak Breitowitz • Contemporary Halachic Issues
The Halachic Issues dealing with Elderly Parents
Rabbi Shmuel Hershler • The Book of Shmuel Bet
Yom R'vi'i • 26 Marcheshvan • WED November 19th
9:00am
Wednesday the Rabbi gave his Drasha
Shiur by Rabbi Baruch Taub
9:30am
Drama for women - see page 56
9:45am
Toldot with Reuven Wolfeld no charge
10:45am
Rabbi Yosef Wolicki on the Parsha
12:30 to
2:00pm
Shakespeare workshop
OU Israel Center TT 1111
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12:30pm
no charge
VIDEO: Rabbi Zev Leff - "The Accounting After Death"
Israel Ulpan: The "Old-New Land" and country from scratch
Forefathers of the State of Israel. The builders of the old-new Land.
The "old" Jew and The "new" Jew in early Zionist ethos.
6:00pm
Interactive lecture series with Gabriella Licsko
Rabbi Chaim Eisen
A Different Parsha Shiur
7:30pm
Yom Chamishi • 27 Marcheshvan • WED November 20th
R' Yair Kahn on Parshat HaShavua
XXX
Rabbi Ari Kahn (brother) resumes IY"H Nov 27th
9:00am
Dr Tova Goldfine, Chiropractor and Rehabilitation Specialist
Fitting Fitness In ....Movement Throughout Your Day
www.chirodivine.com 052 420 1201
10:15am
Dr. Haim Abramson - Midrash on Parsha
10:15am
Rabbi Poupko's Parsha Perspectives
The Book , the Sword & the Scythe
UPCOMINGS
How to become The World’s Greatest Fundraiser!
The Ten Commandments of Fundraising
Fundraising Seminar
whether you are just getting started or want to raise more money
Wednesday night, Nov 26 7pm -10:30pm (refreshments will be served) Only 300NIS
Rabbi
The series will be given by fundraising coach/trainer
Josh Boretsky (25 years experience) Contact: 052-713-4499
Thursday, November 27th • 8:00pm (no charge)
The Joy Club - Rabbi Zelig Pliskin
OU Israel Center TT 1111
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