 | A Seminal Moment
There are moments in Jewish history which are momentous, shift our view, and – overnight – move Jewish history forward.
Pesach was one, where it happened so hastily. Rav Tzadok says sometimes Jewish history needs to move forward quickly, a leap. October 7, 2023, was also such a day. So too we see in this week's parasha, of the Akeidah – the most difficult of Avraham's tests was a turning point. The Malbim says that Yitzchak who descended from the altar was not the same Yitzchak who ascended the altar. Everything changed in that moment.
So too today, Jews in Israel and around the world live in a different world. What happened before October 7, cannot be the same thereafter. This is a seminal moment. A painful moment.
But it is only part of the story. Out of the darkness in the world comes light. It is an opportunity. We are experiencing a unity of the Jewish people that we have craved. It is so painful that it happened in this way, but it is happening today.
And in the merit of this unity, Hashem should give us a spiritual Iron Dome, protect all our soldiers, bring home all the hostages and missing, including Daniel Shimon ben Sharon, and bring in a new dawn of Jewish history. | | Mizrachi Delegation – Day 1 This week, World Mizrachi welcomed the first in a series of delegations to Israel from the The Rabbinical Council of America - RCA and YU-RIETS - Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminar y. Their program began at the World Mizrachi headquarters where they heard words of introduction from Gael Grunewald, Mizrachi representative in the World Zionist Organization, and Rabbi Danny Mirvis, Deputy CEO of World Mizrachi. | | | Mizrachi staff members, Rabbi Binyamin Zimmerman and Rabbi Bentzi Mann, at their base in Shura where they have been working tirelessly as part of the IDF Rabbinate to identify the bodies of the fallen and prepare them for burial. To watch a summary of their first day, click here. | | | Mizrachi Delegation – Day 2
The second day of the RCA and YU-RIETS delegation to Israel began with the group visiting Yeshivat Sha'alvim, where the students from the Hesder Yeshiva of Sderot have been temporarily relocated. The rabbis met and learnt with the students who were excited to see such a delegation from chutz la'aretz. | | The day concluded with a barbeque with IDF soldiers on an army base in the south where the group also met with Rabbi Yosef Zvi Rimon. To watch a summary of their first day, click here. | | | Mizrachi Delegation – Day 3
On the final day of the RCA and YU-RIETS delegation to Israel, the group gathered at the educational center at Har Herzl, where they heard from Roi Abecassis, Mizrachi's representative in Keren Kayemet L'Yisrael and the World Zionist Organization, about the work of his department to match displaced families in Israel with empty apartments. | | | The group went to meet the communities from Sderot who are currently being housed in Yerushalayim. They heard from the rabbis of the communities, spoke with the families, and saw how they are coping during such challenging times.
The group concluded their three-day program with a roundtable discussion about all they have experienced over the past few days.
Look out for more Mizrachi delegations next week! | | 🚨 Join World Mizrachi's "Tzevet Perez" Emergency Campaign in partnership with Rav Rimon and Sulamot. Fully coordinated with IDF.
🙏 Help raise life-saving funds to protect and care for our soldiers and civilian needs, for the merit of the speedy return of Daniel Shimon ben Sharon and the members of his tank crew, and dedicated to the memory of Tomer ben Shay hy"d.
👉 mizrachi.org/tzevetperez
🇿🇦 For donations from South Africa: mizrachi.org/tzevetperezSA
🇦🇺🇨🇦 All donations from Australia and Canada are earmarked for civilian and humanitarian needs | | 📣 The Youth materials for Parshat Vayeira are now online!
📰 HaMizrachi Parsha Weekly Youth Edition, a Parsha sheet designed for youth
🗞️ Chavruta, a study sheet great for kids or parent-student sessions
🌐 Now Available in Spanish!
👉 To download, print, and register: mizrachi.org/youth | | | Mazal Tov to Rav HillelVan-Leeuwen, World Mizrachi's Head of Leadership Development and Head of Shlichut Center and Odaya Van-Leeuwen on the birth of their granddaughter! | | 🤩 OVER 2,000 LETTERS AND VIDEOS!
🇮🇱 More than 2,000 letters and videos have already been delivered to soldiers and school children from dozens of cities around the world!
🤳 There has been a special request for more videos for school children
Please send to:
📹 Videos - videosforisrael@mizrachi.org
✉️ Letters - lettersforisrael@mizrachi.org
📷 Pictures - picturesforisrael@mizrachi.org | |  Unite with Israel
 Tefillah
 Uplifting Videos
 Useful Links
 In Memoriam
 Support Israel
 Send a Letter to school children or chayalim
 mizrachi.org/unitewithisrael | | Looking for speakers from Israel? World Mizrachi can connect you with leading speakers on a variety of topics related to the current situation:
 Divrei chizuk
Geopolitical analysis
Views from the Gaza periphery
Torat Eretz Yisrael
 For more information, email jacqui@mizrachi.org | | HaMizrachi Parsha Weekly
The Parshat Vayeira edition of HaMizrachi Parsha Weekly is now available!
You can find it in 2 formats:
1️⃣ Economic Printing (7 double sided pages)
2️⃣ Full Printing (14 double sided pages) | |  | Tzurba Hilchot Shabbat Program starting this Sunday!
Tzurba M'Rabanan is a groundbreaking learning program that makes the learning of Halacha clear, relevant and interesting.
To date, the Lax Family Tzurba M'Rabanan English Series consists of 17 volumes, covering around one hundred topics in Halacha.
To purchase volumes of Tzurba M'Rabanan, go to tzurbaolami.com | | Mizrachi's representatives at the World Zionist Organization are leading the:
 Our Home is Your Home initiative
Spearheaded by Roi Abecassis and Ariel Chesner, we are reaching out to Jews from abroad who own apartments in Israel to make them available for the benefit of evacuated families who have been forced to flee their homes.
Receiving the apartments, handing them over to the evacuees and the guarantee for their return is all under the full responsibility of the World Zionist Organization.
Please help us spread the initiative.
https://www.wzo.org.il/department/myhome/en/en | | 📖 "The Jewish State" Available to Purchase
Following the book launch at Mizrachi's World Orthodox Israel Congress, "The Jewish State" by Rabbi Doron Perez is available to buy online for delivery to Israel, Australia, Canada, UK, and USA, as well as for collection at the Mizrachi offices in Israel and South Africa.
For some of the approbations, see the flyer above.
To purchase, click here: mizrachi.org/the-jewish-state-order-form | | VAYEIRA
The Challenge of Land & Children –
Plowing the Field of G-d
By Rabbanit Shani Taragin Avraham Avinu received two promises from G-d – of land, and of children who are to become a great nation. After promises and prayers, Avraham and Sarah, at last, have a child. And then, "After these things, G-d tested Avraham." Avraham is called upon by G-d with the same words of the initial command of " Lech-lecha" wherein he sacrificed his past for the promise of future nationhood. This time, however, G-d commands Avraham to sacrifice his entire future – his beloved son, Yitzchak, without any promise or explanation! The Midrash Tanchuma presents three possible answers as to why G-d tests the righteous: Said Rabbi Yonah – flax, the more you pound it, the more it improves… Said Rabbi Yehudah bar Shalom -a potter does not tap on a weak vessel or jar, lest it break. On what does he tap? On a strong vessel… Said Rabbi Elazar – this can be compared to a farmer who has two cows, one strong and one weak. On which one does he place the yoke? Is it not on the one that is strong? The opinions of Rabbi Yonah and Rabbi Yehudah explain a "test/challenge" as an opportunity for man to strengthen or demonstrate his latent virtues, whereas Rabbi Elazar provides a third metaphor – a farmer placing a yoke on a cow to plow his field. In order to achieve the desired result, he chooses the animal most suited for the task. G-d has lessons to teach humanity and entrusts this task to the most suited role models. The nature of the lesson of the Akeidah has been debated through the centuries but throughout the parsha a common theme prevails: one must be prepared to sacrifice everything – his past and his future, for his love and fear of G-d. This lesson may be highlighted through the harsh terminology employed by the Rashbam who explains the word " nissa" (tested/challenged) through the juxtaposition of narratives. Witnessing Avraham's remarkable success through the help of G-d, Avimelech requests an oath from Avraham to allow for his descendants to live in the southwestern region of the land. Avraham concedes to the oath and thereby names the region, "Be'er Shava" – the well of the oath. Immediately following this narrative, we are told that "G-d tested Avraham." The Rashbam explains that this test came as a punishment for Avraham for not demonstrating proper values: Avraham thought that the time had come to witness the fulfillment of the promises and covenants of land and children. After all – Yitzchak was promised as his progeny, and he was successful in the land, even seen as a future "landlord." But G-d chose Avraham to demonstrate sacrifice, not complacency; G-d wanted to teach through Avraham and his descendants that the Land of Israel should not be taken for granted and easily negotiated for promises of peace. If so, one may have to pay the heavy price of child sacrifice, for the future of our children is also in the hands of G-d. Following his willingness to sacrifice Yitzchak for fear of G-d, an angel reaffirmed the Divine promises of Land and Children through an unconditional oath, a " shevuah." The Torah emphasizes that he returned to Be'er Shava, alluding to his change of heart and redefinition of the oath for which the area was named. Avraham returned to redefine the shevuah – not as the oath with Avimelech, but with an oath of G-d from Har HoMoriah reverberating in his consciousness. Avraham will have a land and countless children. But they will not happen suddenly or easily, or without human effort. The Divine promises will demand commitment and sacrifice from Avraham and his descendants, to persevere with faith even in the most difficult of times. G-d's promises and covenant challenge us to plow His field and write history together! Rabbanit Shani Taragin is Educational Director of World Mizrachi and the Director of the Mizrachi-TVA Lapidot Educators' Program. She is a member of Mizrachi's Speakers Bureau (www.mizrachi.org/speakers). | | | Besorot Tovot and Shabbat Shalom! | | | | |
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