VaYerah Excerpts

וירא

Shabbat Shalom

Who is willing to be a sacrifice?

(22;2-3) Avraham is told to take his son as a sacrifice. Not even a question. He does.it. If you all would be willing to sacrifice your children, you would stop coddling them and making them as if they are all perfect. It is annoying hearing about the Schwarzmer child...Your children are blemished. That is the only reason they can't be a sacrifice. Yitzchak is not blemished.

They head towards Moriah. Moriah, being Jerusalem. But why Moriah? This word reminds me of the Hebrew words 'Moreh' teacher, and 'see,' Roeh...Yes. Teachers help you see. They teach you to do stuff. They don't read the book themselves and then say you did it...Your child did not do the homework because you did it...You can't go to school for your child...You sacrifice for your children. That is the problem. You have to make them the sacrifice.

(22:4-7) He sees the place from afar, and him and his son Yitzchak go. They leave the servants that went with them. It is just them two. Them two on a serious mission. Like going camping. Father son bonding...The place is Moriah.

Yitzchak wants to know where the lamb is for the offering. It doesn't seem like he is in on this whole shtick of tying him up and getting slaughtered.

(22:8) Avraham tells him, 'Gd will show show him (show Himself- Artscroll) the lamb for the offering.' The word 'Yireh' is used.

(22:9-13) Avraham ties up Yitzchak and is about to slaughter him when he is stopped and an an angel shows him the ram for the sacrifice. He is let off the hook because he was willing to sacrifice his child. You all know the story. Why does nobody stop Barry from letting Steven do whatever he wants?...

You sacrifice your child to not do Gd's will...We've all sent children take the blame for the dad, who tries to take an extra cup of Coke form the fountain without paying. I've seen you...

(22:14) Abraham calls the name of the place, 'H' Yireh,' Why? As Abraham said 'on the mountain, H' will be seen.'

H' will be seen, H' will show himself the sacrifice, H' is seen. It all comes together, as seeing. That is teaching. That is enlightenment. That is what happens when you keep the Mitzvot and follow H's way. He appears and you see Him. That is Jerusalem. Yiru Shalem. H' is seen. But we need teachers to teach us the right way. When you are stealing Coke, people can't see H.' 

But is He seen? Gd is not seen when the teacher doesn't see anything. 

In Jerusalem, they are voting for a mayor this week. Who is seen? Who is willing to be a sacrifice for the will of H' so that he can be seen? Who is willing to make poor people get jobs, so we can afford something to slaughter and eat? Who is willing to make sure that dog owners go to jail for not cleaning up dog pooh so H' can be seen?

The name of Jerusalem is based on the spirit of H's appearing. H' showing us. H' seeing.

I have seen Steven running around the shul halls, doing whatever he wants, the Schwarzmers not parenting, never tying up their child, locked up, cuffed, on crack, homeless, living back home...The kid is twelve years old...He hasn't learned a thing. Because you don't educate...No. He is not ready to get married. I know he's been through a lot.

(22:19-23) But they leave Jerusalem and now we hear about Rivka. That's right. She comes from a a good family. It's a good shidduch. After Yitzchak goes through his test, he is ready to get married. Yitzchak has seen. He has been educated.

If you want your children to be ready for marriage, you have to make sure to educate them. Make sure they are ready to see H.' Be an example of Gd in this world, like Jerusalem. Vote for a mayor who makes sure there is a decent public transportation system. Let your children know they will be sacrificed if they don't see H,' and they will learn more Torah...

That is how you raise educated and moral individuals.