Welcome to the short, practical Lelamed Weekly Dvar (and future Daily Aliya). Please consider forwarding this to others, and I hope you enjoy... Shabbat Shalom. _______________________________________________ Dvar for Lech Lecha 4th Aliya When the southern region of Canaan becomes embroiled in a battle involving nine kings, Avram’s nephew Lot is among the captives. When Avram is informed of this, the passuk refers to him as “Avram the Ivri” (14:13), a label not used to describe Avram anywhere else. Rashi explains that “Ivri'' connotes “from the other side of the [Euphrates] river” and is in fact an accurate designation, yet it is still unclear why this is the one and only time this term is used to describe Avram. Rav Moshe Neriyah posits that the Torah defines Avram as morally, ethically, and spiritually on one side of the “river,” while the rest of the world is on the other. While Sodom and Nimrod subjected innocent people to brutal punishment, Avram stood for kindness. Avram did not require acceptance from anyone or try to assimilate but stood alone in defense of the innocent. Perhaps it’s this steadfastness, along with G-d’s help, that empowered Avram to triumph over the evils that surrounded him. Doing the right thing and standing for what’s moral and just can be a lonely endeavor, but Avram’s actions and G-d’s support show us that it’s a fight worth fighting and a victory worth pursuing. Shlomo Ressler _____________________________________________ Quotation of the week: "It is not happiness that brings us gratitude. It is gratitude that brings us happiness."