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1. Chesed and Emet: The Marriage That Would Bring Truth into the World

Why does Eliezer ask Rivka's family whether they will perform chesed ve'emet, kindness and truth, for Avraham? And why did Avraham insist that Yitzchak not marry a Canaanite woman? The Maor VaShemesh explains that Avraham understood that his descendants would embody three essential divine attributes: Avraham himself represented chesed, Yitzchak represented gevurah, and Yaakov would embody emet, truth. Yitzchak therefore needed a wife through whom the attribute of truth could emerge in the next generation. The Canaanites, whom the Gemara describes as rejecting truth, could not provide that foundation. Eliezer's question was thus more than a request for kindness toward his master. He was asking whether Rivka embraced the quality of truth that would allow Avraham's spiritual legacy to continue through Yaakov and ultimately draw divine kindness into the world.  

2. The Greatness of Eliezer: When Conversation Surpasses Torah

The Midrash famously teaches that the conversations of the servants of the Patriarchs are more precious than the Torah teachings of their descendants. Why should the Torah devote so much space to Eliezer's repeated account of his mission, while important laws are derived from only a few words? The Maor VaShemesh offers an unusual explanation by comparing Eliezer with Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai and Rabbi Elazar bar Rabbi Yosi. These great sages developed intricate Torah interpretations concerning the ritual impurity of a creeping creature's blood, yet when they traveled on a mission to overturn Roman decrees, their miraculous assistance came through Ben Temalyon rather than an angel. Eliezer, by contrast, introduced no novel Torah interpretation, merely repeating the events of his journey, yet merited the assistance of two angels. The Midrash's comparison thus highlights Eliezer's extraordinary spiritual merit, demonstrated not by the originality of his teachings but by the heavenly assistance accompanying his mission.  

3. Yitzchak's Transformation: From Judgment to Mercy

Why does the Torah describe Yitzchak as coming from Be'er Lachai Roi, and what is the significance of his going into the field to pray toward evening? The Maor VaShemesh explains that before the Akeidah, Yitzchak embodied gevurah, awakening humanity to the reality of divine judgment and inspiring fear of Hashem. At the Akeidah, however, Avraham's chesed tempered Yitzchak's severity, transforming his spiritual mission. Rather than continuing to awaken judgment, Yitzchak now sought to soften it at its source and draw divine mercy and blessing into the world. The Torah's unusual language concerning his arrival from Be'er Lachai Roi alludes to the subsiding of his former severity. His institution of Minchah provides the clearest expression of this transformation: precisely when divine judgment intensifies toward evening, Yitzchak turns to prayer to sweeten that judgment and bring compassion into the world.  

4. Rivka's Encounter with Yitzchak: Seeing Ourselves Anew

Why does Rivka fall from her camel when she first sees Yitzchak, and what does Rashi mean when he describes Yitzchak as hadur, majestic, and Rivka as tav'ha, astonished? The Maor VaShemesh explains that people devoted to Torah and serving Hashem may come to regard their spiritual accomplishments as greater than they truly are. Encountering a genuine tzaddik, however, reveals how much further they have to grow and inspires them to examine and improve their actions. The word gamal, camel, alludes to gemul, one's good deeds and accomplishments; Rivka's fall symbolizes her reassessment of the spiritual heights she believed she had reached. The Maor VaShemesh further interprets hadur through hadrei bi, the language of reconsideration and teshuvah: Rivka recognizes in Yitzchak the spiritual quality of returning to Hashem, and her astonishment leads her to reconsider her own conduct. Even her veil carries deeper significance, symbolizing the spiritual protection achieved through teshuvah and the rectification of all five levels of the soul through the fifty gates of binah.  

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Use this source sheet for further exploration of Parshat Chayey Sarah, complete with footnoted sources and a concise, footnoted bio of R. Kalonymus Kalman Epstein (Ma’or Va-Shemesh) to enjoy this teaching at your own pace, perfect for self-learners.  Prepared by Rabbi Shalom (Saul) Orbach The Ma’or Va-Shemesh is a classic Hasidic commentary on the weekly portions and festivals by R. Kalonymus Kalman Epstein of Kraków (1751-1823). A foremost later disciple, and for years the Shamash, of R. Elimelech of Lizhensk, he emerged after his rebbe’s passing as a leading figure in the fourth generation of Chassidut and of Polish Hasidism. His Torah blends close reading of the Psukim with mystical depth, emphasizing Dvekut, heartfelt prayer, joy, and sanctifying the everyday, with a hallmark leadership ethic: the tzaddik sweetens judgment into mercy and draws people close.

1. The Angels Who Turned Back

In Parshat Vayera why does the Torah describe the malachim departing for Sedom more than once, and why did they not arrive until evening? Drawing on Bereishit Rabbah, the Maor VaShemesh explains that although the angels had been sent to carry out the decree against Sedom, they were malachei rachamim. They actually reached Sedom and turned back, looking toward Avraham Avinu, who remained standing before Hashem in tefillah, hoping that his middah of chesed might yet be mam'tik the dinim. The Midrash's teaching that angels have no oref reflects their absence of harshness and stubbornness, while the image of sprinkling sulfur into a fire little by little expresses their reluctance to punish. Even when din is justified, its execution should not be accompanied by eagerness for destruction. If such rachamim extend even to the people of Sedom, how much more so to Klal Yisrael.

3. The Argument Behind the Akeidah

The Maor VaShemesh offers a remarkable interpretation of the Akeidah as a disagreement between Avraham and Yitzchak over the proper relationship between chesed and gevurah. Avraham believed that the world could endure only through rachamim, while Yitzchak maintained that immediate din was necessary to deter wrongdoing. Since an olah atones for improper thoughts, Avraham wondered which of them had misunderstood the Divine will. The phrase vayevaka atzei olah alludes to his dividing the etzah, deliberating between their positions throughout the three-day journey. He ultimately found his answer in the Gemara's teaching that HaKadosh Baruch Hu requested a korban of kapparah for diminishing the moon: even justified punishment should not be imposed without restraint. When Avraham placed the wood upon Yitzchak, and subsequently explained Elokim yir'eh lo haseh l'olah, he conveyed this understanding to his son. Only then could the Torah say again, vayelchu shneihem yachdav, as father and son arrived at a shared understanding of the place of rachamim within din.    

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Use this source sheet for further exploration of Parshat VaYera, complete with footnoted sources and a concise, footnoted bio of R. Kalonymus Kalman Epstein (Ma’or Va-Shemesh) to enjoy this teaching at your own pace, perfect for self-learners.  Prepared by Rabbi Shalom (Saul) Orbach The Ma’or Va-Shemesh is a classic Hasidic commentary on the weekly portions and festivals by R. Kalonymus Kalman Epstein of Kraków (1751-1823). A foremost later disciple, and for years the Shamash, of R. Elimelech of Lizhensk, he emerged after his rebbe’s passing as a leading figure in the fourth generation of Chassidut and of Polish Hasidism. His Torah blends close reading of the Psukim with mystical depth, emphasizing Dvekut, heartfelt prayer, joy, and sanctifying the everyday, with a hallmark leadership ethic: the tzaddik sweetens judgment into mercy and draws people close.

1. Lech Lecha: The Search for Holiness

Why is Hashem's command to Avraham to leave his homeland considered such a great nisayon, when He promises him children, wealth, and renown? And why does Hashem leave his destination unspecified? The Maor VaShemesh explains that Avraham's deepest desire was to attain greater deveikut and closeness to Hashem. Leaving his familiar surroundings was necessary for his spiritual growth, but Hashem deliberately left him to discover for himself the place best suited to that purpose. Through his own investigation and spiritual striving, Avraham recognized the unique holiness of Eretz Yisrael, and Hashem's subsequent revelation confirmed his discovery. The MvS further teaches that even a person who has achieved great spiritual heights may suddenly lose the inspiration he once experienced in prayer. Rather than despair, he must persevere, for what seems like a loss of deveikut may actually signal an ascent toward a higher level that he has not yet learned to grasp.  

2. Vayelech L'Masa'av: Recovering What Was Lost

Why did Avraham descend to Egypt when famine struck Eretz Yisrael, seemingly abandoning the land Hashem had commanded him to enter? And why does the Torah emphasize his return to his earlier encampments, especially when he came back from Egypt considerably wealthier than before? The Maor VaShemesh offers a remarkable interpretation: the famine was not merely a shortage of food, but a spiritual famine, recalling the prophet Amos's description of a hunger to hear the word of Hashem. Avraham had hoped to bring the inhabitants of Canaan closer to Hashem, as he had done in Haran, but they refused to receive his teachings. He therefore journeyed to Egypt, hoping to succeed there, only to encounter danger and suffer a decline in his own spiritual attainment. Although he returned materially enriched, he had lost something far more precious to him. Upon returning to Eretz Yisrael, he had to labor through prayer and renewed devotion to recover the madregot he had previously achieved. Thus, the Torah's account of his return to his earlier encampments describes not merely a physical journey, but the difficult process of spiritual restoration.  

3. Malki-Tzedek: Chesed Rather Than Din

The Gemara teaches that Malki-Tzedek, identified with Shem, lost the kehunah because he blessed Avraham before blessing Hashem. But why should this warrant such a severe consequence, particularly when he did praise Hashem? The Maor VaShemesh explains that the issue reflects a fundamental difference between chesed and din. Hashem created the world to bestow goodness upon His creatures and takes no pleasure in their punishment, even when they deserve it. The role of the tzaddik, and particularly the kohen, is to awaken divine mercy and sweeten harsh judgments at their source. Avraham embodied this quality: even when fighting the kings, his intention was to rescue Lot, not to destroy his enemies. Malki-Tzedek's blessing, however, revealed an appreciation of the judgment visited upon the kings, rather than a desire to mitigate it. His spiritual orientation was therefore inconsistent with the essential quality of the kehunah, which passed to Avraham, the embodiment of chesed.    

4. Eliezer and the Stars: Serving Hashem with Understanding

When Avraham laments his childlessness, he describes Eliezer as Damesek Eliezer, whom Chazal interpret as one who draws from his master's Torah and teaches it to others. Why would Avraham mention this apparently praiseworthy quality as part of his complaint? The Maor VaShemesh explains that Avraham feared the danger of mitzvat anashim melumadah: people learning to imitate a tzaddik's actions and practices without developing an understanding of their meaning. The teachings might be transmitted faithfully while the understanding behind them is gradually lost. Even the promise of a son could not fully answer this concern, for descendants, too, might simply imitate what they inherited. Hashem therefore showed Avraham the stars, which the Maor VaShemesh associates with intellect and understanding, invoking the verse “Vehamaskilim yazhiru,” those who possess understanding will shine. The promise “Ko yihyeh zarecha” was thus more than a promise of numerous descendants: each would have the capacity to serve Hashem according to an understanding of their own, rather than merely reproducing the practices of those who came before them.  

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Use this source sheet for further exploration of Parshat Lech Lecha, complete with footnoted sources and a concise, footnoted bio of R. Kalonymus Kalman Epstein (Ma’or Va-Shemesh) to enjoy this teaching at your own pace, perfect for self-learners.  Prepared by Rabbi Shalom (Saul) Orbach The Ma’or Va-Shemesh is a classic Hasidic commentary on the weekly portions and festivals by R. Kalonymus Kalman Epstein of Kraków (1751-1823). A foremost later disciple, and for years the Shamash, of R. Elimelech of Lizhensk, he emerged after his rebbe’s passing as a leading figure in the fourth generation of Chassidut and of Polish Hasidism. His Torah blends close reading of the Psukim with mystical depth, emphasizing Dvekut, heartfelt prayer, joy, and sanctifying the everyday, with a hallmark leadership ethic: the tzaddik sweetens judgment into mercy and draws people close.

The Covenant, the Rainbow, and Noach's Vineyard

In Parshat Noah why does the Torah repeatedly describe the animals as being “with” Noach, even after they have left the ark? The Maor VaShemesh explains that human beings, through Torah, prayer, and their connection to Hashem, have the ability and responsibility to elevate all of creation. He develops this idea through the rainbow, which represents the righteous person whose spiritual work sustains the world and transforms judgment into mercy. But the story of Noach's vineyard introduces a warning: engaging with the physical world to elevate it requires spiritual preparation. Noach attempts it prematurely and falls, while Shem and Yefet demonstrate how to remain connected to Hashem without becoming absorbed in material pleasures.  

The Tower of Babel: When Unity Becomes Dangerous

What exactly was the sin of the generation that built the Tower of Babel, and why was the punishment the confusion of languages? The Maor VaShemesh offers a surprising interpretation: Nimrod sought to unite the nations under one language and purpose in order to undermine the future Jewish people. Hashem's response was to divide the nations, preventing their unified opposition to Israel. The teaching raises a provocative question about unity itself: unity is not necessarily virtuous. Its moral value depends on the purpose for which people unite.  

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Use this source sheet for further exploration of Parshat Noach, complete with footnoted sources and a concise, footnoted bio of R. Kalonymus Kalman Epstein (Ma’or Va-Shemesh) to enjoy this teaching at your own pace, perfect for self-learners.  Prepared by Rabbi Shalom (Saul) Orbach The Ma’or Va-Shemesh is a classic Hasidic commentary on the weekly portions and festivals by R. Kalonymus Kalman Epstein of Kraków (1751-1823). A foremost later disciple, and for years the Shamash, of R. Elimelech of Lizhensk, he emerged after his rebbe’s passing as a leading figure in the fourth generation of Chassidut and of Polish Hasidism. His Torah blends close reading of the Psukim with mystical depth, emphasizing Dvekut, heartfelt prayer, joy, and sanctifying the everyday, with a hallmark leadership ethic: the tzaddik sweetens judgment into mercy and draws people close.

In this week’s Maor VaShemesh on Parshat Bereishit, we explore three teachings about what it means to be human. The first begins with the creation of Adam and the remarkable idea that the possibility of teshuvah was built into us from the beginning. The Divine name Ehyeh, “I will be,” points to our ability to say that whatever I have been until now, from this moment forward I can become something different. A person’s failures do not have to define what comes next. The second teaching begins with the strange description of the world before rain had fallen. Rashi explains that rain waited for Adam to recognize its necessity and pray for it. The Maor VaShemesh develops this into a teaching about yearning itself. When a person truly longs to come closer to Hashem through Torah and prayer, even the breath and cry that emerge from deep within can carry what words cannot express. When Jews gather together in prayer and Torah study, those individual longings combine and become a source of blessing for the Jewish people. Finally, the Maor VaShemesh offers a striking interpretation of the serpent’s promise that eating from the Tree of Knowledge would make human beings “like G-d, knowing good and evil.” The temptation was not simply knowledge. It was the arrogance of believing that we know enough to judge another person, to decide whether their path is good or bad. We see what is visible; only Hashem sees the heart. True humility therefore means recognizing the limits of what we know about another person and resisting the instinct to define them by what we think we see. Meor vShemesh B1 Berishit 5787 Taken together, the three teachings offer a powerful picture of the human being at the beginning of the Torah: we are always capable of becoming more than we have been, our deepest yearning can itself become a form of prayer, and wisdom begins with knowing how much about another person we do not know.  

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Use this source sheet for further exploration of Parshat Bereishit, complete with footnoted sources and a concise, footnoted bio of R. Kalonymus Kalman Epstein (Ma’or Va-Shemesh) to enjoy this teaching at your own pace, perfect for self-learners.  Prepared by Rabbi Shalom (Saul) Orbach The Ma’or Va-Shemesh is a classic Hasidic commentary on the weekly portions and festivals by R. Kalonymus Kalman Epstein of Kraków (1751-1823). A foremost later disciple, and for years the Shamash, of R. Elimelech of Lizhensk, he emerged after his rebbe’s passing as a leading figure in the fourth generation of Chassidut and of Polish Hasidism. His Torah blends close reading of the Psukim with mystical depth, emphasizing Dvekut, heartfelt prayer, joy, and sanctifying the everyday, with a hallmark leadership ethic: the tzaddik sweetens judgment into mercy and draws people close.