Those Who Bless You Will Be Blessed

Shavua Tov. There are always connections between the Parsha and the current situation. Avraham Avinu is blessed with the words, ואברכה מברכיך ומקללך אאר, “Those who bless you will be blessed and those who curse you, will be cursed.” This is repeated in פרשת תולדות and again in פרשת בלק. There is a story in the Yerushalmi about a certain Gentile who brought warm greetings to רבי ישמעאל, who told him that there was no need to respond to the greeting. For that greeting itself will bring him great blessings. There is an ongoing question as to whether we are allowed to receive gifts from non-Jews if there are ulterior motives with such gifts. This is especially true in connection with missionaries. Nevertheless, there have been instances of acceptance of such gifts when the donor is believed when he says that the gift is in order to receive Divine blessings. Today we made a מי שברך at the Kotel for Donald Trump that he win the coming election. One of his advisors, Paul Packard, was at the Minyan. In the merit of Trump’s constant loyalty to the Jewish people, he should be blessed and continue to protect עם ישראל.