In this week’s Parsha we learn of Avram’s miraculous victory against the four kings where he saved Lot and incidentally Sedom and its four sister cities. After the battle, the grateful ‘king’ of Sedom offered Avram all the spoils of the war, yet Avram refused to take anything; even "as much as a thread or shoelace. (14:23)" Avram explains his rejection by saying that he would not want the king of Sedom should attribute Avram's wealth to himself. Avram as Rashi explains, did not want this to happen because Hashem already promised him wealth. The Gur Aryeh elaborates that Avram did not deny out of arrogance, but to allow everyone to see that his wealth would be the work of Shamayim and not because of the spoils. A major concern, asked by the Siftei Chachamim, is brought up by these points. If Avram did take a thread or perhaps something of more valuable, but not valuable enough to make Avram wealthy, how could the king of Sedom claim that he made Avram wealthy? You can't give a millionaire $100 and claim that you made him wealthy! What was the foundation for Avram to maintain that something that cannot make someone wealthy can? In Gemara Taanit, we learn that when you should give Ma'aser in order that Hashem should make you rich as a result of your giving. If Avram took the spoils, he would have to give Ma'aser and as a result would become wealthy. Avram did not want to take some spoils, give Ma'aser, become wealthy, and as a result have the king of Sedom claim he made Avram wealthy.

Benjamin Akhavan

This Wednesday, Freshmen will be taking the PPSAT. It will be a clear-cut assessment of our math and english skills that we have learnt throughout elementary school. It is the first real step toward taking the biggest test of high school, the SAT (cue scary music). Luckily, I don't have to be nervous because for the past two weeks Mr. Caffrey and Mr. Ganeles have been giving us the proper guidance and tools we need to succeed. I know we will do well.

Eli Lava

I am so pumped for the chess team tryouts! I am especially exited because I want to live up to my grandfather’s legacy. My grandfather is a chess wiz who once beat the 50th best chess player in the world. At the Shabbaton this past weekend, there were chess games occurring all Shabbat in the game room; I loved it! Naturally the chess club is exciting. It is great to know there is a club for this curiosity.

Shai Yastrab

The College Bowl try-outs were on Monday during lunch. When we came in, there were tests ready for us to take. The test included a variety of subjects including American history, mathematics, geography, sports, literature, pop culture, and so on. We are excited about competing against other schools as we celebrate knowledge and a love of learning. Hatzlacha and good luck to everyone who tried out!

Jake Plaut

It may seem to many like a fear of the old, but it is a universal fear. The idea of change is seemingly welcomed in our modern world…but is it? Do the young really not fear change? Perhaps it is a wisdom we acquire later in life, but is it wisdom or a stubborn abstinence to change?

Arnold Bennet once said that, “Any change, even a change for the better, is always accompanied by drawbacks and discomforts.” To every invention, there is a drawback. The television allows greater communication and a new medium, but it also makes it easier to manipulate people if they rely on it too heavily. The internet can be a great tool of knowledge and information, but if abused, can lead to disastrous results. Perhaps it is a fear of the old, that the world once known and familiar is changing, usually in directions we would rather not like it to go. But maybe it is not only a fear of the old. The young also have fears of not being remembered, of being a forgotten name swept away in the vast sands of change. Perhaps it is also the fear of adjusting, of not being able to adapt to new environments. This is not a mock; this is a factual statement. Many brilliant adults cannot get their heads around computers no matter how hard they try (then again, I’m sure many young boys cannot fathom how to operate an old telephone.) It seems incredibly problematic.

Then again, why should it be feared? The basic underlying cause of the fear seems to be the fear of losing everything one holds dear. But is this true? In many cases, it is not. History shows that civilizations, cultures, etc, are usually never fully destroyed, even if it appears that way. They themselves change. It is not easy, admittedly. No great change, for the good or bad, is ever stress-free. It is, however essential to change. Things that stayed the same, refusing to change, are often the ones that are destroyed. This is as basic a law as gravity. But in the end, we must not be frightened of the future, of the unknown. The world changes, but does not mean the old is destroyed. That is up to us, to everyone who inhabits this ever-changing, dynamic world. As one of the greatest figures in recent history said, “You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” –Mohandas Gandhi

Avi Gross