Parsha with Rabbi David Bibi

 Avraham Avinu has gone through this gut-wrenching test ofthe Akeyda and he returns home to his life long partner Sarah Imeynu and discovers that in his absence, she has passed away. Although Hashem promised him the entire land, at this moment, he does not even have a 20 square foot plot to bury his wife. He approaches the locals and asks for permission topurchase the cave of Machpela.   Midrashim tell us that he discovered earlier that thiswas the burial place of Adam and Chava and had some spiritual portal connectingthe worlds.   Efron makes an empty offer of giving it to Abraham at nocharge and then continues, 'My Lord, heed me! Land worth four hundred silvershekels, between me and you - what is it? Bury your dead.' Our rabbis explainthat this was an exorbitant price. Still the pasuk continues ….   וַיִּשְׁמַ֣ע אַבְרָהָם֮ אֶל־עֶפְרוֹן֒ וַיִּשְׁקֹ֤לאַבְרָהָם֙ לְעֶפְרֹ֔ן אֶת־הַכֶּ֕סֶף אֲשֶׁ֥ר דִּבֶּ֖ר בְּאׇזְנֵ֣י בְנֵי־חֵ֑תאַרְבַּ֤ע מֵאוֹת֙ שֶׁ֣קֶל כֶּ֔סֶף עֹבֵ֖ר לַסֹּחֵֽר׃   Abraham accepted Ephron’s terms. Abraham paid out toEphron the money that he had named in the ears of the Hittites—four hundredshekels of silver at the going merchants’ rate.  Baal HaTurim: לעפרן חסר בגימטריא עין רע.    Kli Yakar     The name עפרן is missing a 'ו'. The Ba'al Haturim explainsthat he had an evil eye, and the name of עפרן without a 'ו' adds in gematria toר״ע עי״ן (evil eye). The reason for this comes from a statement in Bava Batra (9B) which states thatwhoever gives a coin to a poor person is blessed with 6 blessings, and whoeveris stingy with the poor is not blessed with these 6 blessings. It is for thisreason that Efron lost his 'ו' (which has the numerical value of 6) - as he wasstingy, he lost 6 blessings.   Our sages also tell us (Sotah36B) that we give the glass of blessing to a generous spirit, as the versestates טוב עין הוא יבורך (with a 'ו') - Don't read 'he is blessed', but rather'he will bless'.   Both the literal reading and the way it is read are true -someone who blesses others generously will be blessed with the six blessings(as depicted by the 'ו' in יבורך).  Furthermore, know that the numerical value of רע עין = 400.   We find 400 in 4 different places specifically with regardsto stingy people. The first is Efron who was stingy and therefore took 400Silver shekels.   The second place relates to the brothers of Joseph had a badview of Josef the righteous and they were jealous of him because of the coat ofmany colours. The result of this was that the Jewish people were exiled for 400years as strangers, affliction and servitude.   The third place relates to Esau who had a bad view of hisbrothers, and he was jealous of him because of the blessings which Isaacblessed Jacob. It is for this reason that Jacob placed a space between eachflock to fill the eyes of that evil man (that was to be given to Esau), becausehe came with 400 men.   The fourth place relates to Naval, because he was a stingyman. It was for this reason that David approached him with 400 men.       

The Akeyda- what really happened - the story they never wanted you to know. The R rated version!   I first discovered this alternate version about 30 years ago. The Eben Ezra comments on the verse: “And Abraham returned”: He questions that it does not mention Issac … and then he quotes a source … “And the one that says that he slaughtered him and left him, and he came back to life later”.   And I said to myself what? What is he talking about? Someone says he didn’t stop? Someone says Abraham killed Isaac? I asked Rabbi Abittan for an explanation and began delving into the opinion carried not just by one, but we saw, by many andburied for various reasons which later became very obvious.    But it soon became apparent that this other opinion was not very well hidden. It was more about being ignored as it was simply impossible to comprehend and we preferred to stick with the kindergarten version.  For example, in the Meam Loez, a commentary on the Torah written specifically for the religiously uneducated masses in 1730, Rav Yaakov Culi comments on this same verse. “There is another opinion that Abraham did begin to slit Isaac’s throat and actually perforated his windpipe. When Abraham looked up and saw theram, the angels swooped Isaac away, brought him to the Garden of Eden and left him there until he was completely healed.”   Sources  Initially with the rabbi as I mentioned based on Eben Ezra comment. Then Rabbi Aderet provided more details. ThenRabbi Wagensberg in yerushalayim put it all together. Andthe sources? Zohar, Rabbeynu bachya, Rashi, Yalkut Reuveni. Megaleh Amukot, Hagahot vehaarot on the tur and bet yosef, Shibolet haleket, Ben ish chai ...    Butreally the bottom line is a simple re-reading of Chumash with Rashi settingaside some of the preconceptions 

Vayera - Abraham stands in for the Angel Uriel 

Understanding Lech Lecha through Sod and Gilgul - Adam, Chava and the Snake return. 5781 

Lech Lecha - the reward for a good deed Og melecha HaBashan 

How Chen or Grace was the secret to Noah's success and how to garner Chen

Bereshit Ezer Kenegdo - The helper against me 5780

Bereshit Understanding and beginning to access the layers of Torah  Introduction Ohr HaChaim HaKadosh  5 levels of understanding Torah  Letters, Crowns, Vowels, Taamim and the Spirit of the Text 

Acess Supernatural blessing - Another Chance Isru Chag 5783  VeZot HaBeracha  Simchat Torah  Shemini Aseret  The Power of 8  The Angels cannot stop me 

 · Ki Tabo Appreciation, The Simanimand Rosh Hashana  · Overcoming the 98 curses  · Bringing the Bikurim and hearing aBat Kol   · Why the Simanim on Rosh Hashana?  · Day of Judgment is very serious.  · How can an apple dipped in honey getme a sweet year?  · Can I change my Mazal?   

Ki Tesse LaMilchama - The different ways of understanding Eshet Yefat Toar - The Beautiful captured Woman  The Various opinions that differe between the Yerushalmi and The Bavli, the difference between Rambam and Ramban. How is it possible for a soldier who is sinless and pure to fall prey to the desire for a battlefield captive? 

Re'eh Hearing - Personal Responsibility and Delegating to Others  Hear with your heart and let it enter your heart  Somebody get a sponge! 

Eikev: The afflictions we experience are to test us in order that Hashem can give us good in the end

Matot Masai - The Other Side of The Jordan  How the physical world impacts the spiritual world.  Remaining with Moses 

Pinchas Gilgulim Eliyahu and Rabbi Akiva 5780 Shechem, Zimri and Rabbi Akiva Pinchas ELiyah and the Battle with the Malach HaMavet 

 Parah Adumah - Why would King Solomon not understand the reasons? 

Korach - The Ultimate Test - TheUltimate Reward - Return to Kayin and Hevel - Based on Shvilei Pinchas 

Shelah - The Pschology of Perception and Feeling Holiness 

BeHaalotecha - Everyone is watching you - Kiddush Hashem

Naso - The Nazir, The Sotah and repairing the sin of Adam and Chava 

Bemidbar - Ben Adam LeAdam and Ben Adam LeMakom

Ruth - From Apathy to Kindness - A Journey  Judges who Judged - What does that mean? How do we understand Boaz? Why a famine?  Who is the hero? 

Behar 5782 - The source of Bitachon - Miracles are Real ! 

Emor - Pesach Sheni and Second Chances - Thank You Yosef 

Kedoshim - VeAhavta LeReyacha KaMocha  Each of us is a letter in the Sefer Torah Each of us has a path  But we are on the same circle   In unison towards receiving the Torah 

ACHAREI - The Sacrifice of the Son's of Aaron - A different perspective  Based on the Shvilei Pinchas and the Ohr HaChaim HaKadosh 

Why do our ancestors pray for us in heaven particularly during Nissan?  We understand why we eat Matzah, but does Hashem care if we eat chametz?  Bread of Shame and earning the light?  The Dark Side wants revenge for an unfair fight.  Don't wave a fistful of cash in the street.  Growth through earning.   

Every Rosh Hodesh Connection to faith Imbues special power which lasts the month Rosh Hodesh Nissan permeates through the year Change and overcome luck, fate and gezerot

 Please be sure to listen to PART 2  Tomorrow is the fourth Sabbath in the cycle of special Sabbatot that come in the spring time before Purim and Passover.   It is also a triple header. The rare case of when we open the Hechal and we take out, not, one and not two, but three Sifrei Torah to read from as we do on Simcha Torah.   In addition to Simcha Torah, a triple header comes when Shabbat falls on Rosh Hodesh Tevet during Chanukah, Rosh Hodesh Adar and as tomorrow Rosh Hodesh Nissan.   

 Visiting cemeteries  Raising souls   Reciprocal relationships   The birds nest of souls   

Moses and Rabbi Eliezer King Solomon and his question Abraham and dust and ashes Vaccine and the Red Heifer The secret to Humility 

Rav Kanievsky Z'SL and the sons of Aaron, Short Class  Protocol and Guidance  Connecting one generation with another 

Vayika Zachor Wiping Out Amalek  The Little Aleph in Vayikra  The failure of King Saul  The Nachash  The throne of Haman  Hanging from a tree  The source of Amalek's power Wiping out Amalek 

Vayakhel / Shekalim - Little Effort Big Reward - Based on the teachings of HaGaon HaGadol Rav Moshe Wolfson shlit”a 5779 Do 600,000 half shekels add up to Haman's bribe? The essence of berachah is multiplication; when something is blessed, it becomes quantitatively more. The angel of Chodesh Adar is called אברכיא'ל – which includes in it the word ברך , a term of blessing.

Vayakhel 5781 Besalel and understanding Yirah

The Golden Calf The assasination of Hur  Why was Aharon HaKohen subjected to the devastating ordeal of making the egel ?  And Haran died in the lifetime of his father Terah  Aharon accepted upon himself the blame for making the egel in order to save Yisrael from extermination 

Tesaveh - Olive Oil and Doves - Moses Correcting Noah 5779