Vayeira
ויראAvraham's Hospitality
41 translated essays · 90 total
תרל"ב(1871)
Removing the shell to reveal the inner point· Essay 2
In the Midrash on "And after my skin is peeled away, this [I shall behold from my flesh]" (Iyov 19:26) — "after I circumcised myself…" The Sefas Emes brings the Midrash that reads Iyov's words as alluding to Avraham: only "after" he removed…
The mitzvah as a doorway· Essay 3
"And he was sitting at the entrance of the tent" — a person must know that even though HaKadosh Baruch Hu has nachas ruach (satisfaction) from the deeds of flesh and blood, and all the worlds depend on the arousal of good deeds from those b…
Vayera תרל"ב
תרל”ב ב”ה . במדרש ואחר עורי נקפו זאת אחר שמלתי כו’ The Midrash (Bereishis Rabbah 48:b) Based on the pasuk (Iyov 19:26) “Even once my skin has been peeled off, I will Behold G-d from my flesh”. Avraham said, that only once …
תרל"ג(1872)
תרל"ד(1873)
The inner point as source of life· Essay 1
In the Midrash Tanchuma: on a weekday, eighteen berachos, and on Shabbos, seven. The Sefas Emes begins from the Midrash contrasting the weekday Shemoneh Esrei of eighteen blessings with the seven-blessing Shabbos Amidah. And in the Midrash …
Self-nullification brings true closeness· Essay 2
"In the plains of Mamre" (Bereishis 18:1) — for he gave Avraham counsel regarding the milah; but why is this recorded, and what praise is it to Mamre that he advised him to circumcise himself, for what did it matter to him? The Sefas Emes r…
The Akeidah as a request, accepted with joy· Essay 3
Regarding the Akeidah, "Take, please, etc." — it appears that since Hashem had already promised him "through Yitzchak shall your seed be called," it was said to him in the language of a request. That is, the Holy One asked of him that he fo…
Deeds of the Avos reach all generations· Essay 4
The "ma'acheles" (knife) — Chazal expounded that Bnei Yisrael "eat" the reward given for it. On the word "ma'acheles," the knife Avraham took at the Akeidah, Chazal play on its root (related to "eating") to teach that Bnei Yisrael partake o…
Vayera תרל"ד
תרל”ד ב”ה במדרש תנחומא בחול י”ח ברכות ובשבת שבע כו’. ובמד”ר ואחר עורי נקפו זאת. The Midrash Tanchuma (Vayera 1): On weekdays there are 18 blessings (in Shmona Esrei) and on Shabbos there are Seven. (The signifi…
תרל"ה(1874)
Milah reveals the inner point of creation· Essay 1
In the Midrash: "And after my skin has been struck off, this [I will see]…" — "after I circumcised myself…" The Sefas Emes opens with the Midrash that reads Iyov's verse about "my skin" as alluding to Avraham, who attained a new vision of t…
Trials of the Avos as the source of Israel's miracles· Essay 2
"Now I know that you are one who fears God" (Bereishis 22:12). After the Akeidah, Hashem tells Avraham, "Now I know" he fears Him. The Sefas Emes notes that the simple meaning is puzzling — does Hashem not know all along? The plain meaning …
Vayera תרל"ה
תרל”ה ב”ה במדרש ואחר עורי נקפו זאת כו’ אחר שמלתי עצמי כו’. The Midrash (Bereishis Rabbah 48b see above תרל”ב 1) כי נקודה זאת היא חיות הכל וכל הנבראים נקשרים בנקודה פנימית הנ”ל. The inner life force of HaS…
תרל"ו(1875)
Milah binds body to the soul's light· Essay 1
In the Midrash on "And after my skin has been scraped away, this" — after I circumcised myself, many converts came to cling to this covenant; "and from my flesh I behold God" — had I not circumcised myself, from where would Hashem have been…
Sharing the merit of a mitzvah· Essay 2
That which Avraham Avinu asked them for counsel — it appears that it was only for their benefit, so that through the counsel they would give, they would have some merit (zechus) in the mitzvah of milah. When Avraham consulted others before …
Earning brachah through one's deeds· Essay 3
On the pasuk: "By Myself I have sworn" … "because you have done this thing" … "I will surely bless you, I will greatly multiply your offspring," and so on. The Sefas Emes opens with the brachah Hashem gives Avraham after the Akeidah. This i…
Yiras Shomayim completed through action· Essay 4
On the pasuk: "Now I know that you are a God-fearing man." After the Akeidah, Hashem declares of Avraham, "Now I know that you fear God" — and the Sefas Emes asks what "now" adds. This is so even though everything is revealed before Him, bl…
Vayera תרל"ו
תרל”ו ב”ה במדרש ואחר עורי נקפו זאת אחר שמלתי עצמי הרבה גרים באו לדבוק בזאת הברית ומבשרי אחזה אלקי אלולי שמלתי עצמי מהיכן הי’ הקב”ה נגלה עלי. אף שגם מקודם נראה אליו השי”ת אך ההפרש שמקודם הי’ המראה בחסד עלי…
תרל"ז(1876)
Milah opens the body to soul's light· Essay 1
In the Midrash: "And after my skin is destroyed, this…" — many converts came because of my milah; for were it not for my milah, from where would HaKadosh Baruch Hu have revealed Himself to me? Avraham reflects that the revelation he merited…
Graduated path to mesirus nefesh· Essay 2
"Your son, your only one..." — Rashi explains that this was to grant reward for each and every expression; but it is difficult: what added reward is there in this? At the Akeidah, Hashem stretched out the command ("your son, your only one, …
Vayera תרל"ז
במד’ ואחר עורי נקפו זאת כו’ הרבה גרים באו אלולי שמלתי מהיכן הי’ הקב”ה נגלה עלי. אף שכ’ מקודם ג”כ וירא ה’ אל אברם. אבל ההפרש שמקודם לא הי’ מתגלה לבחי’ הגוף רק אל הנשמה ואחר המילה כ’…
תרל"ח(1877)
Earning kedushah through one's own deeds· Essay 1
In the Midrash: "And after my skin etc., from my flesh I behold Hashem etc." (Iyov 19:26) — even though Hashem had appeared to him earlier as well. The Sefas Emes opens with the pasuk that one perceives Hashem "from my flesh," meaning throu…
Always remain a seeker at Hashem's door· Essay 2
"And he was sitting at the entrance…" — we have already spoken of this praise stated about Avraham Avinu: after he had attained the entire lofty level, "he was sitting at the entrance"; and concerning this it is said, "Fortunate is the one …
Avraham's humility as inner battle in prayer· Essay 3
In Rashi on "And Avraham drew near (vayigash)": we find "drawing near" used for battle, etc. — but with whom did he wage war here? Rashi observes that the word vayigash can denote approaching for war, prayer, or appeasement. The Sefas Emes …
תרל"ט(1878)
Milah as the opening to wholeness· Essay 1
The Midrash on "And after my skin [is gone]…" (Iyov 19:26) — from where was He revealed to me? As it is written, "Walk before Me and be whole" (Bereishis 17:1), through the milah (circumcision). For although milah diminishes the body, never…
The Akeidah as foundation of all tikkun· Essay 2
In Rashi: "we will go until 'koh' (here/thus)" — to where it was said, "so (koh) shall be your offspring" (Bereishis 15:5). Rashi reads Avraham's words "we will go yonder (ad koh)" as alluding to Hashem's promise "koh yihyeh zar'echa" — tha…
Avraham's tests as an eternal banner of miracles· Essay 3
And in the Midrash: "And God tested Avraham" (Bereishis 22:1). The Sefas Emes opens from the Midrash on the verse introducing the akeidah, the tenth and final nisayon (test) of Avraham Avinu. "You have given to those who fear You a banner (…
Vayera תרל"ט
במדרש ואחר עורי כו’ מהיכן היה נגלה אלי דכתיב התהלך לפני והיה תמים ע”י המילה אף כי הוא מחסר הגוף ע”י המילה מ”מ הוא עיקר השלימות כי בודאי האדם צריך להיות ניתקן בכל הקומה שלו כמ”ש בצלם אלקים עשה האדם והאבות כן היו…
תר"מ(1879)
The inner point opened by milah· Essay 1
"And He appeared to him" — for although Avraham Avinu was the beginning of our forefathers, nevertheless he was the sustaining of all created beings, as it is written "b'hibaram" (when they were created) — read as "b'Avraham" (through Avrah…
Chesed precedes and tempers judgment· Essay 2
"Shall I conceal from Avraham..." — for the Creator, before He carries out judgment, clothes Himself in chesed (kindness). And the reason is that "the world is built on chesed," and it is the sustaining force of the world. This is the meani…
תרמ"א(1880)
Milah unveils the hidden light through avodah· Essay 1
In the Midrash on "And after my skin… from my flesh I shall behold" — "Were it not that I circumcised myself, from where would Hashem have been revealed to me?" The meaning is: even though he had visions also before the milah (circumcision)…
Avraham chose the path of rectifying creation· Essay 2
It is taught that Avraham chose galus for himself, for [Chazal] said that Yisrael were exiled only so that converts would be added to them — that is, the drawing of all created beings toward Torah, which was Avraham's choice: that he entere…
Avos transmit daas to future generations· Essay 3
My grandfather, may his memory be a blessing, explained the verse "for I have known him, so that he will command" (Bereishis 18:19): that Hashem gave him a knowing and a deveikus (cleaving) such that he had the power to command and to beque…
The akeidah as fear beyond love· Essay 4
On the verse, "Now I know that you are a God-fearing man" (Bereishis 22:12). The Sefas Emes examines why, after the akeidah, Avraham is praised specifically as one who "fears God." And they ask: was not Avraham's avodah the aspect of ahavas…
The akeidah fulfilled in thought, not deed· Essay 5
Now, this mitzvah of the akeidah was not completed in action; rather, it was His will, may He be blessed, that [Avraham] be ready to slaughter him. The akeidah was never meant to culminate in the physical act — Hashem's desire was only that…
Vayera תרמ"א
תרמ”א ב”ה במדרש ואחר עורי כו’ מבשרי אחזה אלולי שמלתי מהיכן הי’ ה’ נגלה עלי פי’ הגם שהי’ לו גם קודם המילה מראות. הי’ בחסד עליון ועתה זכה מצד עצמותו. להיות השי”ת נגלה אליו. כמ”ש מבשר…
תרמ"ב(1881)
Milah removes the concealing husk· Essay 1
In the Midrash on "And after my skin has been struck off, this; and from my flesh I will behold [God]" (Iyov 19:26): for even beforehand Avraham had visions of God, but now he merited it in his very essence through the removal of the orlah …
The Akeidah as an eternal foundation· Essay 2
In the Midrash on the Akeidah: "You have given those who fear You a banner to be raised…" The Midrash links the Akeidah to the verse from Tehillim, reading "nes" as a banner or standard lifted high — a model held up for all generations. For…
תרמ"ג(1882)
Avraham as partner in ongoing creation· Essay 1
In the Midrash: "Shall I conceal [from Avraham]..." (Bereishis 18:17) — even a halachah that the Holy One, blessed be He, renews each day was revealed to him. The Midrash teaches that Hashem hid nothing from Avraham — even the new Torah ins…
The tzaddik's true joy from yiras Hashem· Essay 2
Concerning Yitzchak's name, which is connected to "laughter" (tzechok), I heard from my grandfather z"l: just as it is said of the rasha that he "laughs/sports" with avodah zarah, arayos, and shefichas damim (idolatry, immorality, and blood…
The Akeidah as a test in yirah· Essay 3
Regarding the test of the Akeidah it is written "and he saw [the place] from afar," etc. — for the Holy One tested him [Avraham] specifically in the middah (attribute) of yirah (awe), since his essential middah was ahavah (love) and closene…
תרמ"ד(1883)
49 more essays from this section await translation.