Oct 28, 2018

Raize Guttman 10-28-18 (19 Cheshvan 5779)

Parsha Vayeira - Chapter 21 – Verses 10 - 12

Sarah tells Avraham that Ishmael and Hagar have to go.

In the Mishnah in Pirkei Avos (5:22) it states, “Anyone who has one of these three traits is a student of Avraham Avinu – Ayin Tovah (a good eye), Ruach Namucha (ahumble spirit) and Nefesh Shefala (a humble soul).”





Our learning today is dedicated to to the elevation of the souls of the 11 victims who lost their lives at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh Saturday morning.

Also we dedicate our learning to the elevation of the souls of Betzalel Dovid ben Ezriel (Raize's beloved father-in-law), who passed away this week and to Zelda bas Arieyeh Leib (Andrea's beloved Mother), who's yahrzeit is on the 20th Cheshvan,

Oct 21, 2018

Raize Guttman 10-21-18 (12 Cheshvan 5779)

Parsha Vayeira - Chapter 21 – Verse 9

Sarah identified to Avraham during Yitzhak weaning party that Ishmael was laughing in a mocking & cruel way. She said he has to go.

We learn there is laughter that brings you close to Hashem and laughter that brings you away from Hashem. Mocking & sarcasm are not a way to behave.



Today’s Torah learning is dedicated to the refuah schleimah of Andrea's beloved cat Charlie.

Oct 14, 2018

Raize Guttman 10-14-18 (5 Cheshvan 5779)

Parsha Vayeira - Chapter 21 – Verses 7 - 8

Hashem Loves me Stories - Chodesh Cheshvan

Avraham threw a "great" party after 24 months for the weaning of Yitzak. "Great" meaning all the prominent people of the generation were there. This party was to publicize the wondrous ways of Hashem - to give praise and esteem for Hashem in keeping his promise making this miracle happen. Who does all these amazing things?! It is only Hashem!



Today’s learning dedicated to the memory of Janet's beloved cat Waffles.

The Talmud states that “the Holy One, blessed be He, does not deprive any creature of any reward due to it." Further according to the teachings of the Arizal animals do in fact have independent souls, and they do go to heaven. (The Arizal is generally considered the final arbiter for all Kabbalistic teachings.) The Arizal explains that every created entity possesses a “soul.” This includes everything from rocks and other inanimate objects to animals and, of course, people. This soul or “spark of G‑dliness” not only sustains the creation’s existence, but it imbues the creation with its purpose and significance in the world.

Oct 7, 2018

Raize Guttman 10-6-18 (28 Tishrei 5779)

Parsha Vayeira - Chapter 21 – Verses 2 - 6

Unfortunately, there is no recording of this shiur, due to technical difficulty.

I am posting notes below instead.

Verse 2 - And Sarah conceived and bore a son to Avraham in his old age, at the time of which Hashem had spoken to him.
When Hashem had the angel appear to Avraham & tell him that Sarah would have a child it was on Pesach. This angel made a scratch on the wall and said to Avraham, when the sun makes a full year circle, that is when Sarah gave birth. On the 15th of Nissan one year later she gave birth.

Verse 3 - And Avraham named his son who had been born to him, whom Sarah had borne to him, Isaac.
The Torah keeps repeating this over and over to amplify this miracle. Both Sarah and Avraham could not have children and yet Hashem made a miracle. Even the impossible is possible. In the end everything will be good.

Verse 4 - And Avraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, as Hashem had commanded him.
8th day of his life is when circumcision is set for every Jewish male.

5 - And Abraham was a hundred years old, when his son Isaac was born to him.
The name Yitzchak means "he will laugh." - in the future. People are going through difficult times and it feels like a 100 years that someone can suffer and yet he will laugh. Also talking about the times of Moshiach when everyone will laugh. Yitzchak helps us get through the pain of life.
Power of laughter, miracles and making the impossible possible.

Yitzchak is made up of 4 letters, the Midrash says of these:
(yud)is the numerical value 10. 10 commandments – he will be the progenitor of the Torah
(yud) is an Abbreviation for y'zeh chek. A law will go out to the world. He will be the father of the nation that will receive the divine law.
(tsadeh) The numerical value is 90. Sarah was 90 when she gave birth to Yitzchak.
(Chet) has the numerical value is 8. Yitzchak has his bris was on the 8th day. He was the first Jew to get his bris on the 8th day (on time). Avraham in contrast Yitzchak his bris when he was 99.
7 is the number of nature, so 8 represents supernatural. A Jew can come past his desires and become holy. He represents the supernatural.
(Kuf) – is 100 – Avraham was 100 years old when Yitzchak was born to him.

Verse 6 - And Sarah said, "Hashem has made joy for me; whoever hears will rejoice over me.”
H filled my life with joy, laughter, happiness after 90 yeas of waiting.

Rashi says we see what an amazingly righteous woman she is. So many people got well & so many prayers were answered. The world was filled with joy in her merit.

Rav Palm says Sarah’s happiness would not be complete if all these problems existed. So, many barren women were remembered with her; many sick people were healed on that very day; many prayers were answered with hers, and there was much joy in the world.

We need to think about other people. A person cannot just think about himself. Happiness only comes through going beyond yourself. Wishing others what you wish yourself.

Nosay B'ol Im Chaveiro (carrying the burden of your friend). Feel the pain and the joy of someone else as if it is your own. Because really we are all one and connected. We are one person with one heart. This is how it was at Har Sinai.

Why is it easier to feel others pain than joy? Because there is no jealousy in pain.
When people have a Simcha do we always run to share in it? There is a bit of jealousy in joy, many times we just don’t want others to have more good than us.

Remember you should love your fellow man like yourself, that is what Torah says. We should wish for others exactly what we wish for ourselves. Hashem had to heal and answer everyone’s teffilos because Sarah could not feel her own joy if others did not feel their joy.

09-30-18 (21 Tishrei 5779)

No class due to Sukkot VII (Hoshana Raba)- diaspora & Shmini Atzeret - Israel

09-23-18 (14 Tishrei 5779)

No class due to observance of Sukkot.