Rabbi's Blog

Dear OZ family,

Everyone knows that we derive from this week’s Parsha that given a choice between receiving a Divine visit and hospitality, we should choose the latter. Avraham puts God on hold in order to serve three strangers, and our sages judged this apparent chutzpah favorably. The Maharsha (Shabbos 127A) asks why this is so. Perhaps Avraham’s choice at that moment was the wrong one and he should have made the strangers wait for God and not vice-versa. Maharsha’s answer is that Avraham was not really leaving God at all to help the strangers. If we view our service to others in the framework of helping those created in God’s image, then helping people is the same as serving God, in the same way that helping children is like serving their parents. Every single Mitzva in the Torah is between ourselves and God, and it is a great privilege to serve the King directly. In addition, some Mitzvot, are extra special in that they are also between those created in God’s image. This is the glory of Mitzva observance “Bein Adam L’chaveiro”.

Alisa joins me in our profound gratitude for the wonderful outpouring of love and good will in all the emails and good wishes we received from our OZ family since hearing our good news yesterday. There is still some way to go but we are enthusiastically buoyed by your good will and kind thoughts.

Please join me in wishing Mazel Tov to Robbie & Johanna Herskowitz on the Bris of their grandson, Pinchas Moshe, born to their children Jacob & Jessamyn.  Mazel Tov also to Karyn & Yoni Vega on the birth of a baby boy. Join them for a Shalom Zachor a tonight's Cholent Oneg - this evening at 9:30 in OZ’s social hall (school building). Also, Mazel Tov to Pesia Miller on the birth of a great-grandson, Tzvi Mordechai to his parents, Gila and Avraham Cohen. 

May we abound in Simcha and Besorot Tovot.

Stay well. Be healthy.  Be excellent.

Rabbi Allen Schwartz  

Rabbi Allen Schwartz

Congregation Ohab Zedek

118 West 95^th Street | New York, NY  10025-6604

Phone 212.749-5150, ext 200 | Fax 212.663-3635

E-mail ras@ozny.org

Website:  www.ozny.org