Vayera 5779

[Abraham tells the travelers] “and I will get a piece of bread” and then [the Torah] writes “and Abraham ran to the cattle” [in order to prepare a substantial meal for his guests]. Rabbi Eliezer said that we learn from here that righteous people say a little and do a lot, and the opposite is true for the wicked

(Bava Metzia, 87, 71)

Fishy Business

It was just a few days before Yom Kippur. Menachem, the gabbai of the Ohel Avraham synagogue, finished praying maariv, and closed his siddur. He was about to head for the door, when he felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned around to see Mr. Levi, the synagogue treasurer, with a serious look on his face.

Lech Lecha 5779

"אל נא תהי מריבה ביני ובינך"

Beverage Leverage

(From the book Derech Chevron, part 1, siman 72)

What a simcha! Shmuel, the Levi’s youngest son, was finally getting married! Friends and family of the young couple vied for the opportunity to host sheva brachot events in celebration of the marriage.

Noach 5779

"ואך את דמכם לנפשתיכם אדרש – אף ההורג את עצמו"

(ע"פ רש"י) 

Smoke Screen

It all started a few years back. Menachem was sitting with a group of friends, one evening. As the boys began to talk, one boy, Yaakov dug into his pocket, and pulled out a pack of cigarettes. He held out the box to the rest of the group, and each boy took one, except for Menachem.

“Menachem, why aren’t you taking one?” Yaakov asked.

“I… I don’t smoke” Menachem responded, hesitantly.

“Why don’t you just try it once?” urged Baruch. “What do you think will happen?”

B'reshit 5779

“and [He]… caused the man to sleep, and he slept…”

(Bereshit 2:21)

Child(don’t)care

Shani Levi opened the car door, and sank down into the seat. She smiled at her husband, David, and thanked him again for his great idea. He was the one who had suggested getting their twelve year old neighbor, Baruch, to watch the Levi’s two young children, so that Shani and David could go out together that evening, to celebrate their anniversary. It had been so nice for Shani and David to get out of the house for a little while, and enjoy each other’s company.

As the car came within a block of the Levi’s house, Shani’s phone rang. It was Naomi, the Levi’s neighbor. “Uh, Shani, are you home?” Naomi began.

“Actually, no. Why do you ask?” Shani inquired.