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VayeraPublished: 12/Nov/08 |
Parshat Vayera
Forty Times Twelve
Rabbi Yossef Carmel, Eretz Hemdah
By focusing on the story of the forefathers, the Torah also teaches the outline of what to expect in later periods of Jewish history. This idea, which we call ma’ase avot siman labanim (the actions of the fathers are a sign for the children), is the lynchpin of our study of Sefer Bereishit, as spelled out in the midrash (Bereishit Rabba 40).
Let us look for historical cycles based on the life of our nation’s founder, Avraham. When Avraham was 70 years old, Hashem informed him that his descendants would go down to Egyptfor 400 years and that they would be redeemed from there, amassing great riches. (There was apparently a dispute between Ephrayim’s and Levi’s descendants as to how to calculate this time period. See the Ramban on Bereishit 15:13and the Rishonim on Shemot 12:40. Rashi says that is counted from the time of Yitzchak’s birth until the Exodus.)
According to this timeline, there were approximately 480 years from when Avraham recognized his Maker until Bnei Yisrael’s emergence as a free nation. The same number of years passed from the Exodus until the building of the FirstTemplein Jerusalem(Melachim I, 6:1). 480 is an interesting number, as it is the product of 40 and 12. Throughout Tanach, 40 years is considered a generation (Tehillim 95:10) and an era (see Shoftim 3:1; ibid. 5:31; Shmuel I, 4:18and more). Certainly, the number 12 is significant in Jewish history, as this is the number of tribes that formed our nation.
Reviewing Jewish history, we see that this time interval is a very significant one; it carves out historical periods. 480 years after the building of the First Temple, the second one was built (the first stood for 410 years and for 70 years there was no Temple - see Arachin 12b and Yirmiyah 29:10). Another 480 years later marks the rebellion of Bar Kochva, upon the heels of whose defeat the settlement of the SecondCommonwealthfaded away. After an equal amount of time, we come to the end of the Talmudic period and the beginning of that of the Geonim. Another 480 years later, the Rifand Rabbeinu Gershom lived, ushering in the period of the Rishonim in Spainand Germany, respectively. This period also lasted some 480 years until the time of Rav Yosef Karo and Rav Moshe Isserles, who authored the Shulchan Aruch and its glosses, respectively; thus began the period of the Acharonim. This period, where Jewish scholarship and life was centered in and around Europe, came to an end some 480 years later with the Holocaust.
Finally, in the aftermath of the Holocaust, the Jewish people were able to launch a new enterprise in an old/new location: the establishment of the State of Israel in the Landof Israel. Let us pray that we will appreciate the great responsibility our generation bears to help turn this development of atachalta d’geula (the beginning of redemption) into a full redemption.
News & Events
World Mizrachi Heritage Tour #8 – India
Last 2 spaces remaining – last opportunity to join this exciting tour!Mumbai – Rajastan – Agra– Delhi; 9-19 February 2009. To receive an information pack, email daniel@worldmizrachi.org or visit our website - www.mizrachi.org . Closing date for registration: Monday 17 November.
Personals
Please advise us of all good news and sad news that you care to share with others, else we cannot post it – email mizrachi@worldmizrachi.org .
Refuah Sheleimah– World Mizrachi wishes a Refuah Sheleimah to Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu Shlita, Mordechai Tzemach Ben Mazal Tov (Former Chief Rabbi of Israel.)
Refuah Sheleimah– World Mizrachi wishes a Refuah Sheleimah to Myron Sokal.
Refuah Sheleimah– World Mizrachi wishes a Refuah Sheleimah to Jerry Rosenfeld.
Israelat 60 Greeting Cards
World Mizrachi are proud to offer 6 blank greeting cards on the occasion of Israelat 60 to send to others to increase the awareness of this monumental occasion. To order sets email mizrachi@worldmizrachi.org
Sefer Torah Dedication
World Mizrachi is writing a Sefer Torah to honor its long-time World Chairman Mr. Kurt Rothschild, who has dedicated his life to Eretz Yisrael, Am Yisrael & Torat Yisrael. We invite you to join us in this endeavor. Full details available at: www.mizrachi.org
Book of the Month
From the Book of the Month club – proudly brought to you by World Mizrachi & Urim Publications:
For the Love of Israel and the Jewish People: Essays and Studies on Israel, Jews and Judaism: http://www.urimpublications.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=UP&Product_Code=LoveOfIsrael&Category_Code=aaa
Covenantal Imperatives: Essays by Walter S Wurzburger on Jewish Law, Thought and Community:
