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Candle Lighting

5:54p

Mincha

6:00p

Torah Reading

Pg.54

Haftorah

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Candle Lighting 11/3

5:45p

Parshas Lech Lecha 7 Cheshvan | October 27, 2017

SHABBOS SCHEDULE Shabbos Night 5:54p Candle-Lighting 6:00pm Mincha 6:10pm Kabbolas Shabbos 7:00pm Shabbos Project Dinner Shabbos Day 8:15a Daf Yomi 8:35a Chassidus on the Parsha 9:00a Shacharis (10:07a KS) 5:05p Pathways of the Prophets: Insights into Neviim 5:45p Mincha 6:53p Havdalah

WEEKLY SCHEDULE Sunday 10/29 – 9th of Cheshvan 7:15a Shacharis 8:00a Daf Yomi 8:00a,9:00a Shacharis (10:11a KS) 5:55p Mincha/Maariv

Monday 10/30 - Thursday 11/2 10th - 13th of Cheshvan 5:45a Shiur (Gan HaEmunah) 5:55a Daf Yomi 6:45a, 9:00a Shacharis 5:55p Mincha/Maariv 8:30 - 10:15p IJC Night Kollel* 9:20p Maariv *8:30 - 9:15p Mon Kol Hanearim

In this week’s Parsha, we read of the first of

Avraham’s ten tests. Each test enabled

Avraham to actualize his potential and

groomed him to be the father of our great

nation. We would all agree that moving can

be a hassle and, in certain situations, a bit

traumatic. But what was so difficult about

this Lech Lecha command? As challenging as

it may have been to leave his home and

travel to a distant unknown land, God

promised Avraham that he would be

successful in every way. How is it a test if

God assures success?

Rav Yosef Dov HaLevi Soloveitchik zt’l

provides a fascinating insight. The Rav

points out that later in the Parsha, Avraham

is told, “But you will come to your forefathers in

peace; you will be buried in a good old age

(Genesis 15:15).” The commentaries are

puzzled – Why would God tell Avraham that

he would be joining his father, a known

idolater, in the afterlife?

Avraham and Terach, father and son, were

locked in fierce religious debate. Avraham

was a monotheist and his father a staunch

idolater. Avraham tried to teach his father

about God; he tried to show Terach the folly

and emptiness of his idolatrous ways. Terach

felt so betrayed by his son that he handed

Avraham over to the authorities to be

executed for “heresy.” Through miraculous

intervention, Avraham survived (Midrash

Rabba Noach 38:13). Could it be that Terach

had a place in the World to Come? Could it be

that Avraham was to spend eternity

alongside the man who had ordered his

execution? Rashi explains, “This teaches us

that Terach repented.”

The Rav explains: “Terach so hated Abraham

that he denounced him and colluded to have him

executed. Later – I don’t know how long it took

– the same Terach saw the light and realized

Avraham was right and society wrong, that his

past was wrong, that a life dedicated to

paganism and idolatry, to a cruel philosophy, to

ideals in conflict with the basic principles of

decency, was a waste. There was a tremendous

change in Terach…When the command of Lech

Lecha came and Abraham began to pack his

bags, he realized to his great surprise that his

father’s bags had already been packed long

before. Father and son, hitherto locked in mortal

combat, joined hands and together started out on

the great march to Canaan...(Abraham’s

Journey, 54).”

After years of conflict, disagreement, and

animosity, father and son finally had a

chance to build a meaningful and enduring

relationship. For so many years, Avraham

was an orphan even though his father was

alive. Finally, father and son experience

theological and spiritual reconciliation and

have a chance to build a relationship. Herein

lies the true test of Lech Lecha. At the very

moment when Avraham and Terach

established this common ground with one

another, God called out to Avraham, Lech

Lecha, go forth, you must leave.

For Avraham to self-actualize and become

the man he was destined to become, he had to

leave his father and leave behind any and

every vestige of his past. Lech Lecha, you

must go to yourself, by yourself. You must

venture out on your own, separate and

distinct from all you have known until now.

To remain connected to the circumstances of

your birth and childhood will handicap and

prevent you, Avram, from becoming

Avraham. The test of Lech Lecha was not one

of relocation; it was a test of estrangement

after finally achieving reconciliation.

Avraham needed to separate himself from his

past life in order to embrace his destiny.

The theme of the Book of Bereishis is

maaseh avos siman la’banim, that which

occurred to the fathers is a symbolic

foreshadow for the children. The experiences

of our Patriarchs and Matriarchs pave the

way and set the stage for our life challenges

and in reality represent the challenges

inherent in the human condition.

Continued on next page >>

LETTING GO, MOVING ON | RABBI SHMUEL SILBER

“And the Lord said to Abram, "Go forth (Lech Lecha) from your land and from your birth

place and from your father's house, to the land that I will show you (Genesis 12:1).”

Tuesday 10/31 | 7:30p Sisterhood Pottery Paint Night Amazing Glaze Gather with your SOTS sisters, bring a friend and make a new one. Build connections that build kehillah! suburbanorthodox.org/event/sisterhood

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MEMBER NEWS

MAZAL TOVS

Rena Rotenberg on the birth of a great-grandson, Aharon Rotenberg. Mazal Tov to the parents Yael & Avraham Rotenberg and the great aunt and uncle, Rachel & Seth Rotenberg Faigie and Mordecai Filler on the birth of a granddaughter, Sara Livia, to Chana & Ariel Schachter Grandparents Judah & Judy Minkove on the birth of twin grandchildren (boy and girl) to parents Sam & Nikki Minkove Rob & Lisa Ziv on the Bas Mitzvah of their daughter, Allison Josh & Terri Rosen on the Bar Mitzvah of their son, Jonathan Louis Caplan on completion of the Marine Corps Marathon

BIRTHDAYS Malka Edinger, Chaim Rotenberg, Oren Hizkiya, David Kozlovsky, Louis Rosen, Bernhard Kiewe, Meira Sara Einbinder, Stephanie Gold, Netanya Menucha Siegel, Daniel Siegel, Elizabeth Appelbaum, Malka Narges - Ghoulian Belzer, Devorah VanNess, Rob Ziv, Josh Friedman

YAHRZEITS Reuben Abzug, Samuel H. Willner, Zeev Bar-av, Leon Morrison, Moses Bulua, Irving Cohen, Nathan Holzman, Aron Davidovich, Shirley Turniansky, Chava Balbos, Arnold Feigelman, Elsa Lowenstein Gold, Claryne Weinberg, Edith Siegel, Gertrude Kramer Polokof, Bebe Levin, Janette Brenner, Baruch Kozlovsky, Chaya Leah Kozlovsky, Chaim Yosef Kozlovsky, Susan Glasser, Rev. Solomon Ruback, Lawrence Cane

TEHILLIM Please continue to daven for Tinok ben Avital.

To make a donation in memory of a loved one, or in celebration of a simcha: suburbanorthodox.org/payment.php

SPONSORSHIPS

DONATIONS Arlette Myriam Jacobson, Joseph & Hinda Davis, Naftali & Baila Langer, Sheldon & Francine Rosen, Alan & Candy Lowe

DAF YOMI Saeed Haken for a Refuah Sheleima for Sima Bas Miriam following her surgery

SHABBAT PROJECT

Mitch & Janice Posner, Mel & Judy Pachino, Dr. Neil & Pam Weissman, Heshy & Sandy Schoenfeld, Ben Hoffman, Rabbi Shmuel & Aviva Silber

SHABBOS MORNING DRASHA Faigie and Mordecai Filler in honor of the birth of their granddaughter, Sara Livia

For Aliyah requests, please contact Chaim Nachman at hsnod89@gmail.com or text 443-857-1660

DVAR TORAH CONT.

Avraham’s first test was to muster the

strength to let go and detach from the things

that would hold him back. This came with

great personal pain as it meant not just

leaving behind a parent, but leaving behind a

father whom he was just getting to know.

We each have things that hold us back and

keep us tethered to our present reality.

Sometimes it is an unhealthy relationship, a

negative habit, a destructive behavior, hurt

feelings or a grudge so old we’ve forgotten

what it’s about. If we want a chance to make

it to our personal promised land, if we want to

become the people we know deep down we are

capable of becoming, we too must engage in

the process of Lech Lecha and learn to detach,

move on and let go.

Newly posted shiurim online and on

Podcast www.rabbisilber.org

COMMUNITY HAPPENINGS

15th Annual Worldwide Event for the Yarzeit of Rachel Imeinu Mon 10/30 | 8:30p Bnai Jacob Shaarei Zion "We're on the way home: Paving the way for Geula by Sharing" - 1 hour video featur-ing Rabbi Paysach Krohn, Rabbi Jonathan Rietti, and Rebbitzen Tehila Jaeger (for women and girls only). Bonei Olam Baltimore Benefit featuring

Rabbi Shmuel Silber

Sun 11/5 | 7:30p at the Home of

Ben & Allison Strauss; 2306 Gerard Ct.

Join us in support of a great cause; light

dinner and wine pairing, meaningful video.

KIDDUSH SPONSORSHIP

Simcha Kiddush sponsored by Josh & Terri Rosen in honor of the Bar Mitzvah of

their son, Jonathan

SHALOSH SEUDOS SPONSORSHIP

Rabbi Pesach Raczkowski in honor of the Yahrtzeit of his mother

Drs. Paul & Linda Weinberg in honor of the Yahrtzeit of Paul’s mother,

Chaya Leah Bat Yoseph

UPCOMING SHUL

PROGRAMS

10/31 Sisterhood Pottery Paint Night

11/11 Rabbi Tzvi Hersh Weinreb, PhD

Scholar in Residence

Nov IJC Chinuch Series

Dec IJC Marriage Series

12/9 New Members Melava Malka

12/14 Family Chanukah Party

Updated events calendar at

suburbanorthodox.org