A DEBT-FREE LIFE

Cheshvan 10, 5782 / October 15-16, 2021
Parashat Lekh L'kha
Torah: Genesis 12:1 - 17:27
Haftarah: Isaiah 40:27 - 41:16

This d'var torah is offered in memory of Lynn's cousin, Philip Kronzek, who passed away on Monday. Y'hi zikhro barukh.

This d'var torah is offered for a refuah shleimah for Chanah Elisheva bat Minnie Leah, Feigel bat Kreina, and D'vorah bat Feigel. 

Lunch and Learn meets Tuesday at 12:30 PM on Zoom and Facebook Live. 
 
Check out our wonderful community, and get lots of info about becoming a Chaver and our various programs, at:
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Rabbi Van Leeuwen has a blog which you should read at: 
https://rebjasonblog.wordpress.com/blog/ 

Please feel free to pass this on to a friend, and please cite the source.
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A DEBT-FREE LIFE

'Then the king of Sodom said to Avram, "Give me the persons, and take the possessions for yourself." But Avram said to the king of Sodom, "I swear to the Lord, God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth: I will not take so much as a thread or a sandal strap of what is yours; you shall not say, 'It is I who made Avram rich.'"' Genesis 14:21-3. 

Our father Avram, soon to become Avraham, demonstrates here a characteristic which we will see again in two weeks, when he negotiates the purchase of a burial plot for Sarah. He does not want to be beholden to any person. He accepts no gifts, he pays retail. No human being can say to Avram/Avraham, "You owe me because of what I gave to you, because of the favors I did for you."

There seems to be a deeper meaning here. Rabbi Harold Kushner points out that the Hebrew word used for "persons" is "nefesh", which literally means "soul". Perhaps Avraham was being asked by the king of Sodom to sell his soul for material riches. (Compare Avraham with Lot, who moves to Sodom ostensibly because it has good pasturage) Interestingly, we are told (Exodus 31:17) that at the end of six days of creation, “(God) rested and was refreshed” – the word for refreshed is yinafash – the root of which is nefesh. Perhaps, when we work on Shabbat (except when we are at risk of losing our livelihood altogether), we are in a real way damaging or selling our souls.

On the other hand, no human being nor human desire can exercise control over Avraham, so he never has to compromise his principles. Avraham is debt-free. He is quite different from politicians who compromise their principles and sell their souls to the highest bidding donors, PACs, and special interest groups. The only one to whom Avraham owes his allegiance is God. Avraham recognizes that, whatever spiritual and material wealth he has, it has come from God, not from another human being. Would that we all could be as astute as he.

Shabbat Shalom!

Richard A. Flom, Rabbi Emeritus
TBH/CBM
Sherman Oaks, CA
".איזה הוא חכם? הלומד מכל אדם"
Who is wise? The one who learns from every person.
Ben Zoma - Pirkei Avot 4:1
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