On Wednesday, the night of the 20th of MarCheshvan, Parshas Chayei Sarah, a lesson was held at the residence of our teacher, the Rav shlit"a (may he live long and good days), for the residents of the city of Lod. Before you is a summary of the topics from the lesson that was delivered:

"They gave counsel regarding the circumcision" - Mamre advised Avraham Avinu (our forefather Abraham) to circumcise himself in the middle of the city of Chevron without fear, and therefore the place was named "Elonei Mamre." He told a story about Rabbi Nachman Galinsky, how he circumcised the son of a KGB officer in Communist Russia with mesirus nefesh (self-sacrifice). He told how they broke the ice to immerse in frozen waters on the way to Uman. 'Shalom Aleichem' - the number of angels who accompany a person on Friday night is equal to the number of letters he studied during the week; if he studies about eight hours every day, he merits 24,000 angels who accompany him from the time of his study until Friday night when he greets them with 'Shalom Aleichem.' A kav (a measure of volume) in four amos (cubits) - [discussing a Talmudic law regarding lost items] is it specifically through placement or through falling? In the analytical explanation, it refers to the owner's abandonment (hefker). In his colorful language, he described with sweetness of tongue a field owner who finished his workday and already drove off to pray Maariv (the evening prayer), and would not return for two kilograms of tomatoes he forgot in the field, thus abandoning them. One of the questions Eliezer had for Avraham Avinu when he was sent to find a shidduch (marriage match) for his son - how would he find the girl in the most impure city in the world? To this, he told him, "He will send His angel before you." The agreements between Abraham and Abimelech - immediately after the passing of Abraham, the Philistines violated the agreement because at every well they drank from, they would bless Abraham. The killing of the people of Shechem by Shimon and Levi - the dispute between the Rambam (Maimonides) and the Ramban (Nachmanides) as to why the people of Shechem were liable for death. He told how he discovered the light of the Torah, and how he influenced his brother for the better and strengthened him to move to a Yeshiva. "The matter came from Hashem" - another question Eliezer had: why did Abraham specifically take the daughter of Bethuel, who was the greatest criminal? He told how money reached the Land of Israel during the years of the great famine.

Our teacher, the Rav shlit"a, concluded the fascinating lesson for the residents of Lod after forty minutes and went out for the Maariv (evening) prayer with a large multitude from the balcony of his home.