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Audio: Track 4 22
1 The Book of Exodus – ‫חומש שמות‬

Torah Portion Va'Era

At the beginning of the Torah portion of Va'Era, God says to Moshe:

"I appeared to Avraham, to Isaac and to Jacob as God Almighty, but
by My name "God" I did not make Myself known to them." (6:3)

Rashi explains the word "I appeared" as "I appeared to the Patriarchs."

Rabbi Meir of Premishlan asks of Rashi’s explanation: What does Rashi want to
say with his explanation? We know that the Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov that
are mentioned in the verse are our Patriarchs. What is new here?

Rabbi Meir answers: Rashi wants to tell us that God appeared to Yitzchak not
because of the fact that he was Avraham’s son, but because he was a Patriarch in

his own right. God appeared to Yaakov not because of the fact that he was
Avraham’s grandson, but because he also was a Patriarch in his own right.

The Chassidim tell of a guest hosted by Rabbi Chaim of Sanz. Rabbi Chaim

asked him: Who are you?
The guest said: I am the son of a rabbi who is famous throughout the world…

Rabbi Chaim stopped him: I did not ask you to tell me who your grandfather is,
I asked – who are you?

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