DVAR TORAH This Shabbat marks the 3rd Yahrzait of Rabbi Jonathan Sacks. In his memory, we share the following dvar Torah –
Rabbi Jonathan Sacks noted that the stories of this week’s parsha are among the most complex episodes in the Torah. Not because they are difficult to understand, but because they are difficult to accept.
In Chapter 21, Avraham is commanded to listen to his wife and send away his first-born son, Yishmael – an act which “distressed Avraham greatly.” And then in Chapter 22, Avraham is commanded to take his “beloved son” Yitzchak and bind him to an altar in the place that G-d will reveal to him.
Why would G-d command Avraham to do these two very difficult things? Why would He ask a father to tear apart his own family?
According to Rabbi Sacks, these two events are actually the continuation of initial call to Avraham by G-d in last week’s parsha, where Avraham himself was commanded to leave his birthplace and his own father’s home. Or as Rabbi Sacks explained, “what we are seeing in these events is the birth of the individual… No longer were they [parents and children] fused into a single unit, with a single controlling will. They were each to become persons in their own right, with their own identity and integrity… These painful episodes represent the agonizing birth-pangs of a new way of thinking about humanity.”
Because the Torah recognized the power of the individual, the serve G-d, to impact the world and to, when necessary separate from the past and create the space to reimagine the way things should be.
“It is this drama of separation that Abraham symbolically enacts in his relationship both to his father and to his two sons. In this world-transforming moment of the birth of the individual, G-d is teaching him the delicate art of making space, without which no true individuality can grow.”
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HALACHA OF THE WEEK: Hachnasat Orchim In this week’s Torah portion we are told of the extraordinary hospitality of Avraham, who despite great pain sought to bring guests into his home. According to the Meiri [Talmud Bavli Shabbat 127a] this mitzva is the greatest of all the mitzvos.
According to the Shulchan Aruch [Orech Chaim 333:1] a guest as one who is either sleeping over in the host’s home or sleeping at a friend’s house but eating at the host’s home. Rabbi Yosef Lerner, in his work Sefer HaBayit [Chapter 33, note 11] expands this definition to include people for whom eating a meal out would serve as an act of "chesed" ( e.g. children whose parents are out of town). However, a friend who is invited over purely for social reasons is not halachically considered a "guest."
Because this is such an important mitzva, if no one else can properly attend to a guest, the Chofetz Chaim ruled that a person should stay home instead of going to learn or even davening with a minyan! [Ahavat Chesed 3:1] In fact, Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Auerbach went even further, noting that if the guest was an important person one should tend to his/her needs personally and not delegate it to another [Halichot Shlomo Chapter 5 note 25]. Of course, if the guest would understand his/her host's departure and another person could tend to the guest's needs, the host would be permitted to leave for a minyan or to learn [ibid].
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MAZAL TOV * to Bernice Novick and Emily Morris on the birth of a great-granddaughter, Emunah Griner. The proud parents are Elana and Yair Griner (Israel).
* to Rabbi Charles and Lois Lefton & Alan and Jodi Gershman on the birth of a grandson. The proud parents are Rabbi Simcha and Sarit Lefton.
* to Yaacov and Esther Mashiach on the upcoming marriage of their son, Yahu, to Elinoa Draiman, daughter of Gershon and Yael Draiman.
* to Noam Gottesman and Yonah Peikes on the completion of Shas Mishnah. They were able to do all of their learning at parent-child learning and after the early minyan on Shabbat!
SPONSORS @ KINS To sponsor a Kiddush, Seuda Shlishit, or to donate to the Kiddush Fund or Learning Fund please click here.
The Week of Learning this week is sponsored by Alan and Dvora Gold & family in commemoration of the 18th yahrtzeit of their beloved mother, grandmother & great-grandmother Sara Weinfeld – . שרה בת שמעון שאול הכהן -may her memory be for a blessing.
The Day of Learning, Thursday, November 9th, is sponsored by Judith Schultz in commemoration of the 13th yahrtzeit for her father, Irving Schultz z’l.
Kiddush at KINS North is sponsored by Rickey Rothner in commemoration of the yahrtzeit of his wife, Gale Rothner z’l.
A donation to the Kiddush Fund was made by Drs. Moshe and Rachel Yudkowsky in commemoration of the yahrtzeit of their son, Yehuda Nattan Yudkowsky z’l.
DAILY & WEEKLY SHIURIM DAF YOMI – Mon.-Fri. after 6:25 Shacharit; Sunday - 6:45am PARSHA PERSPECTIVE – RECORDED Sunday-Friday
MONDAY NIGHT SEDER - 8:00-9:00pm Mondays
FROM THE DAYAN'S DESK - 8:00-9:00pm Mondays DAYTIME DIALOGUES: Wednesdays noon 30 MINUTES OF PARSHA - Wed. 8:00p/Shabbat 8:30a
SEMICHAT CHAVER PROGRAM - Wednesdays 8:15pm
SHABBAT WOMEN'S SHIUR - 4:00pm
TALMUD CLASS – 45 min. before Shabbat mincha
SEFER YESHAYAHU - will resume 11/12
BIRTHDAYS Zoe Matanky (11/4) Mr. Henry Wasserstrom (11/4) Mrs. Yisraela Dachman (11/5) Mrs. Rivky Gelerinter (11/5) Moshe Levitt (11/5) Isaac Dress (11/6) Mr. Chaim Reich (11/6) Tiferet Goldman (11/8) Ahuva Loterstein (11/8) Mrs. Malka Miretzky (11/8) Mr. Earl Newman (11/8) Mrs. Ronna Adler (11/9) Mrs. Sarah Roffe (11/9) Avi Wilens (11/9) Rabbi Israel Porush (11/10)
ANNIVERSARIES Danny and Alida Harris (11/9)
Congregation K.I.N.S. of West Rogers Park Main: 2800 W. North Shore Ave & North: 3003 West Touhy • Chicago, IL 60645 P 773.761.4000 • F 773.761.4959 • www.congkins.org
MONDAY NIGHT SEDER - 8:00-9:00pm Mondays
SEMICHAT CHAVER PROGRAM - 
SHABBAT WOMEN'S SHIUR - 4:00pm
TALMUD CLASS – 
SEFER YESHAYAHU - will resume 11/12