Click Here to Sponsor Daily Halacha
"Delivered to Over 6000 Registered Recipients Each Day"

Download print

Parashat Vayera- Life’s Tests and “Ayin Toba”

The Mishna in Pirkeh Abot (5:3) tells that Abraham Abinu was tested ten times, and succeeded in each and every one. The most famous of Abraham’s tests, of course, was the test of Akedat Yishak, when he was told to sacrifice his beloved son, Yishak, and he prepared to slaughter Yishak until, at the last moment, G-d told him to desist.

Rav Haim of Volozhin (Lithuania, 1749-1821) noted a subtle contrast between this Mishna, and the immediately preceding Mishna, which states, "There were ten generations from Noah until Abraham." There, in mentioning the ten generations from Noah to Abraham, the Mishna refers to our patriarch simply as "Abraham," whereas in mentioning Abraham’s ten trials, the Mishna calls him, "Abraham Abinu" – "our patriarch Abraham." Why?

Rav Haim of Volozhin explained that when it comes to the area of "Nisyonot" – the tests and trials of life, Abraham is truly "Abinu" – our father. He bequeathed to each and every one of us his remarkable strength and determination, the ability to withstand and overcome any difficulty and any hardship. By passing his ten tests, Abraham instilled within his descendants for all time the fortitude to withstand life’s tests, to triumph over adversity and come out of even the darkest situations stronger, more determined and more joyful than we were before.

The secret to this strength can be found in a later Mishna in Pirkeh Abot (5:19), which lists several attributes of Abraham Abinu, the first of which is "Ayin Toba" – "a good eye." This means that Abraham looked upon everything as good, firmly believing that everything that transpires is the will of G-d, who always does what is best. A person who lives with this pristine level of faith can overcome any test, any trial, and any form of hardship, because he trusts that as difficult and as painful as the situation seems, it truly is good.

Whenever we face a difficult challenge, let us remember that we are Abraham’s children, who inherited from him the extraordinary ability to withstand any test and withstand any hardship – and that he has taught us that the way this is done is through Emuna, through unwavering belief in Hashem’s goodness, that, as taught to us by Rabbi Akiba, "Everything Hashem does is for the best."


Sefer/Parasha:
Rosh Hashana: Reaching the Heavenly Throne, One Step at a Time
Parashat Ki Tabo- The Darkness Before the Light
Parashat Ki Teseh: Strengthening Ourselves in Preparation for Redemption
Parashat Shoftim: Pure, Simple Faith
Parashat Re'eh: Earning a Livelihood Through Joy
Parashat Ekeb: G-d’s Eternal Love for His Nation
The Great Joy of Tu B’Ab
Debarim: The Proper Response to Crisis
Parashat Matot Masei- We Never Lose by Doing the Right Thing
Parashat Pinhas: We are All Messengers
Parashat Balak: Foiling Bilam’s Plan
Parashat Hukat: Singing for the Torah
Parashat Korah: Aharon’s Respect for His Fellow Jews
Parashat Shelah: Shabbat – Our Collective Obligation
Parsahat Behaalotecha: Attitude is Altitude
1002 Parashot found