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Lech Lecha / לך לך
Lech Lecha / לך
לך
Hashem tells
Avrohom Avinu to
leave 1) the land 2)
his birthplace 3)
his father's house.
These are three
influences upon a
person's life. 1)
The land in which he
lives, the season's,
the area, etc. 2)
The immediate
environment of
friends, neighbors,
etc. 3) The family
and parents. This
then is what Hashem
was telling Avrohom
Avinu; leave your
land and also break
off from your social
and family
influences and then
you will be able to
fulfill your mission
in life.
All of the mforshim
search for a reason
why Hashem first
commanded Avrohom
Avinu about bris
mila when he was old
at the age of 99.
The Ksav Sofer
explains very
simply. The sublime
and secretive hidden
importance of bris
mila is far beyond
our capacity to
understand and
appreciate.
Therefore, it is a
covenant which we
should really
initiate at the
earliest point in
our lives. However,
to an Avrohom who
well understood and
comprehended the
value of it,
certainly it was
fitting that it was
given at a later
age.
The name Avrom was
changed to Avrohom
and one is forbidden
to refer to Avrohom
using his previous
name. However with
Yaakov, although his
name was changed to
Yisroel, he still
retained his
previous name - why?
The Vilna Gaon gave
a simple answer. The
Sifri defines the
two words, “Vihaya”
and Yihiye”. The
first is an
indication of an
immediate
occurrence, whereas
the second is a
prediction of a
future time. HaShem
told Avrohom that
his name would
become Avrohom
immediately, “Vihaya”.
If so, it was a
complete name
change. Yaakov, on
the other hand, was
informed that his
name would become
Yisroel, “Yehiye”,
not an immediate
occurrence, and so
not a full name
change.
Avrohom said “you
have not given me a
child and the person
of my house (Eliezer)
will inherit me.” R’
Moshe z’l’ finds it
difficult to assume
that the problem of
inheritance was a
monetary one. He
explains, rather,
that Avrohom Avinu
was depressed at the
thought of not
having an offspring
who could continue
his spiritual
responsibility of
spreading the
beliefs of HaShem
and the Torah. Now,
although Eliezer was
a master servant
who, in the words of
Chazal, drew from
the spiritual waters
of Avrohom and
served those who
were thirsty, it was
not a spiritual
possession for which
he would be prepared
to risk his life to
insure its
perpetuation. This
is the complaint of
Avrohom Avinu; there
must always be a
Jewish people, the
chosen people, who
will guard the
precious treasure of
Torah and who will
continue to believe
in it. They will
insure that it will
not be diluted or
adulterated. An
Eliezer is not
sufficient for this
task. In short, it
must be a “family
business”.
Avrohom Avinu
refused to take the
spoils of war and
chose to return them
to the King of Sdom.
However, he first
gave maaser to Malki
Tzedek. The king of
Sdom announced,
“give me the people
and you take the
spoils.” Avrohom
refused to take the
spoils so that no
one should say that
Avrohom became rich
from the King of
Sdom. R’ Chaim,
shlita, asks : If
the spoils legally
belonged to Avrohom;
why not take them?
If they didn’t, why
remove maaser from
them? If they did
belong to Avrohom,
why did the King of
Sdom say, “keep
them”? He answers
that Avrohom had no
obligation to return
these lost articles
to the King of Sdom,
hence he removed
maaser from them.
The King of Sdom
assumed, however,
that Avrohom would
go beyond the letter
of the law and do an
act of kindness. To
this he said, “I
forgive you and will
forgo the
retribution.” At
this point, Avrohom
sensed that the King
of Sdom would take
credit for the
future wealth of
Avrohom and
therefore proclaimed
“it should not be
said I caused the
wealth of Avrohom”.
Previous Parshos
Tazria
Metzora
Achrei Mos
Kedoshim
Emor
Behar
Bechukosai
Bamidbar
Shavuos
Naso
Behalosicha
Shilach
Korach
Chukas-Balak
Pinchos
Matos-Masei
Devorim
Voeschonon Ekev
Reah
Shoftim
Ki Seitzei
Ki Savo
Nitzovim
- Vayelech Rosh
HaShana Haazinu-Yom
Kippur Sukkos V'zos
HaBrocha
Breishis
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