Reworded by Rabbi Yair Hoffman from a Vaad given and printed in 5784.  Klal Yisroel is blessed that we have Gedolei Torah such as Moreinu HaGaon HaRav Olshin shlita.  This thought on the parsha has been adapted for easier comprehension. At the beginning of Parshas Chayei Sarah, the Torah tells us “Sarah died in Kiryas Arba, which is Hebron, in Canaan, and Avrohom Avinu came to eulogize Sarah and weep for her.” The pasuk makes it clear that Avrohom Avinu wasn’t at home in Hebron with Sarah at the time of her death. The Ramban explains that after the Akeidah, Avrohom didn’t return to his home in Hebron. Instead, he traveled to his Eshel in Be’er Sheva to give thanks for the miracle he had just experienced. Avrohom Avinu had just witnessed the survival of Yitzchok and went directly to his Eshel to thank Hashem for this miracle. The Fundamental Question  Rav Meir Soloveitchik raises a compelling question regarding Avrohom Avinu’s choice of location. Why didn’t Avrohom give thanks on Har Moriah itself, the place that Yaakov would later refer to as the “Gateway to Heaven?” Surely he knew that this was the best place of prayer. Why would he travel to Be’er Sheva to thank Hashem? Understanding Avrohom Avinu’s Choice Rav Meir explains that while Avrohom Avinu could indeed have given thanks right there on Mount Moriah, he specifically wanted to thank Hashem in public – “בתוך רבים אהללנו”. He therefore went to his Eshel, a place where travelers from around the world passed through, ensuring his gratitude would be expressed publicly. However, the Ramban’s language –“to his Eshel” – suggests there was more to this choice. He didn’t just go to any public place; he went specifically to his Eshel. This detail reveals a deeper dimension to Avrohom Avinu’s gratitude. The Nature of True Gratitude The Prayer of Nishmas   In the Tefilah of Nishmas, we express the limitless nature of our obligation to thank Hashem through some powerful metaphors: (1) Even if our mouths were as full of song as the sea itself, (2) our tongues as rich with melody as the countless waves, (3) our lips as expansive with praise as the breadth of the heavens, (4) our eyes as radiant as the sun and moon, (5) our hands spread as wide as eagles’ wings in the sky, and (6) our feet as swift as deer – even then, we would be unable to thank Hashem adequately for even one of the millions of favors done for our ancestors and for us. The inclusion of physical attributes like hands and feet presents a puzzle. While the role of the mouth and tongue in offering praise is obvious, how do hands and feet participate in expressing gratitude? This question leads us to the teachings of the Chovos HaLevavos, who says that true gratitude must extend beyond verbal expression to encompass action and service. In his introduction to Sha’ar Avodas HaElokim, he writes that an intellectual person will clearly understand his obligation to accept divine service through reason and logic alone. This is in addition to all the proofs that Hashem showed us and the incredible miracles performed during the Exodus from Egypt, at Har Sinai, and throughout the years in the desert. He teaches that the more […]