PAJAD DAVID - PARASHA LEJ LEJÁ

 

PARSHA LECH LECHA

 

The Test of Riches

It is written, “And the L-RD said to Abraham, ‘Leave your country … to the land that I will show you. And I will make you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great. And you will be a blessing” (Gen 12:1-2). Rashi explains that travel causes a decrease in three things: In children, in wealth, and in honor, which is why Abraham needed the three blessings that G-d promised him (descendants, riches, and renown).

If G-d blessed him with renown, riches, and above all with offspring (which he had so hoped for up to that day), what did Abraham’s test consist of then? Who wouldn’t accept to leave his country, his native land, and his father’s house and go to a foreign land if G-d assured him of such things?

The answer lies in the fact that a person who is rich and famous has very little free time, as the Sages say, “increasing possessions increases worry” (Perkei Avoth 2:7). His spirit is not free to occupy itself with spiritual matters and personal growth. And if such is the case for people in general, how much more so for someone like Abraham, who had begun to serve G-d with all his heart, with all his soul, and with all his strength since his youth: “At the age of three, Abraham knew his Creator” (Bereshith Rabba 30:8). He also observed the entire Torah (Yoma 28b), he studied the Law of G-d without stop, and observed it in its entirety. Therefore for him, to leave his country was a great test, for if he were to become very rich and famous, and if people were to come to ask him for help, advice, and bother him at all hours, it follows that he wouldn’t have time to occupy himself with the Torah and serving G-d. This in itself is a great test, which is why G-d told him, in effect, “Over there, everyone will come to ask for your advice and seek your blessing.” What’s more, Abraham cared about satisfying people’s spiritual needs as well their material ones. He brought people to the knowledge of G-d (Bereshith Rabba 39:21), and instituted a shelter at Beer Sheva open to all: “The tent of Abraham had doors on all four sides so that whatever direction people came from, they didn’t have to look for the entrance” (Bereshith Rabba 48: 9). His servant of many years, Eliezer, was in charge of managing his possessions (Gen 24:2). Abraham entrusted him with the task of dealing with financial affairs, as well as to distribute portions to the poor, as Onkelos translated: “he managed the household” (Gen 15:2). The Sages interpret the word damessek (“of Damascus”) as if it were written doleh ou mashkeh (“Eliezer drew and spread the Torah of his master to others”). What was the Torah of his master? To bring close to the knowledge of G-d those who are far, to distribute money to the poor, and to see to the requirements of the needy. Eliezer was put in charge of all these tasks, and Abraham, instead of being dominated by his riches, dominated them.

That being said, Abraham didn’t have any children, and the “son” of his house – the one who managed his possessions – was his servant Eliezer of Damascus. G-d told Abraham, “This one shall not inherit from you, but one that will come out of your bowels – he shall inherit from you” (Gen 15:4). The Sforno writes, “Your son will successfully manage your possessions in your lifetime” (ibid.). It is not your servant Eliezer that will inherit from you, for he doesn’t know how to manage your goods, but the one that will be born of you, he will know how to manage your goods and your wealth. This is difficult to understand. G-d blessed Abraham with a son who would know how to manage his possessions, instead of a son who will be pious, holy, and will inherit all his virtues! Could Abraham be satisfied with a son that would limit himself to administering his possessions without following him in the path of a spiritual and sanctified life? If this is the case, what did the promise to Abraham consist of?

In light of what we said earlier, we can now begin to understand. Abraham knew very well how to manage his own possessions; he dominated his riches and didn’t subjugate himself to them. He distributed his possessions to the poor and spent his riches on doing good around him, and it’s in that way that he resisted the test of riches, a test initiated so that riches would neither turn him away, nor prevent him from serving G-d. This is why he merited the divine promise that the son born to him would use his riches in the same way as he did, and would overcome the test of money. He would have a son who would know how to manage his possessions and dominate and use wealth to do good, which was not the case with his servant Eliezer. Even though he was a faithful servant, if he were to have inherited that fortune, he wouldn’t have known how to manage it because he didn’t possess the sublime character traits of Abraham Avinu.

In the same way that Abraham overcame the test of riches and didn’t let himself get sidetracked, in our own time the saintly Rabbi Israel of Rozhin, and other virtuous and pious men, overcame the test of riches and didn’t let themselves get diverted from G-d, from His ways, and from His service. For us, this serves as a valuable moral teaching, for wealth is a far more difficult test to endure than poverty. One must not fall into these traps, but to the contrary, with money we must at all times, and at every hour, carry out the commandments and perform good deeds. We should not resemble those of whom it is said, “But My people have exchanged their Glory for worthless idols” (Jer 2:11). The Sages compare this to “the son that erred when he received much gold and money from his father” (Berachot 32a). One must devote one’s wealth to doing good, helping one’s fellow, and obeying the commandments; we must completely follow the example set by Abraham Avinu.

I once heard a fine explanation from the Chief Rabbi of Austria, Rabbi Riezberg. He said that of all the tests that Abraham underwent, the test of leaving his country was the most convincing and difficult of all, for the others were temporary, but this one was permanent. It meant always progressing “from strength to strength” in the Torah, which means to be always occupied in serving G-d.

We would humbly like to add a few more words concerning this subject. Rashi comments on the verse that states, “If you walk in [i.e., if you perform] My statues” (Lev 26:3) by saying the following: “It is not enough to perform the commandments. One must also study the Torah.” In that verse we see that the Torah is termed “statutes”, not “commandments”. In effect, the study of Torah is accompanied by difficult trials. The evil inclination wishes to prevent such study, and it uses all types of arguments to disturb the one who studies it, in the hope to make him abandon it. This is why G-d orders us to “walk in My statutes.” It is to teach us that the study of Torah is a law that one must not transgress, even if we don’t understand the reason for this decree; all the arguments put forward by the evil inclination to prevent such study are nothing but a trick. The study of Torah is a law that has its own reason, to be sure. It is a divine decree that must bring us to the observance of all the commandments, and in so doing defeat the evil inclination.

This allows us to explain why the study of Torah is categorized under the term “statues” and why the Torah uses the expression “walk”. According to the Ohr HaChayim in his various commentaries on the verse, “If you walk in My statues”, he concisely brings out the following: “Do all that you have to do – eat, drink, speak

– in order to occupy yourself with Torah.” He also says, “My laws [] are the rations of sustenance that I dispense [the Hebrew word  can mean both “law” and “ration”], and if you want to receive your share of food, you should likewise observe

My commandments.”

It is written, “If you walk in My ways” and in the same verse, “if you obey My commandments” meaning, as much as in that which concerns man’s relationship to G-d, as in that which concerns man’s relationship to his fellow. A man will easily manage to overcome the test of riches if he practices what is written in the verse, “Each man would help his fellow, and to his brother he would say ‘Be strong!’”(Isa 41: 6). Such a victory over that test allows one to reach the greatest heights of perfection, even to the point of being counted amongst those “close to G-d”. It is the sacred duty of every man to strengthen himself in the study of Torah, with toil and sweat, all while observing the commandments and performing good deeds. This is without doubt the sense of the following Mishnah: “It is good to combine the study of Torah [religious laws that regulate the relationship between man and G-d] with an occupation [the social laws that manage relationships among men], for the effort required by both of them keeps sin out of mind” (Perkei Avoth 2:2). Man possesses only the commandments that he practices, and thus he can be happy in this world and the next.

 

The Mind, Heart, and Soul: Man’s Essential acquisitions

It is written, “And He said to Abram, ‘Know with certainty that your offspring shall be aliens in a land not their own – and they will serve them, and they will oppress them – four hundred years … and afterwards they will leave with great wealth’ ” (Genesis 15:13,14).

We know that at the Brit Bein Habetarim (Covenant Between the Parts), G-d announced to Abraham the decree that his children would go into exile. At the same time, however, G-d promised him that they would leave from there with great wealth. We see, in fact, that this is what happened when they departed from Egypt. At that time, G-d commanded Moses, “Please [Hebrew: na] speak in the ears of the people: Let each man request of his fellow and each woman from her fellow silver vessels and gold vessels” (Exodus 11:2). The school of Rabbi Yanai teaches that the word na indicates a supplication. G-d said to Moses: “Please, ask the Egyptians for silver and gold utensils lest the righteous one [Abraham] say that the foretold servitude occurred but not the foretold departure with wealth.” The Children of Israel replied to Moses: Only if we ourselves leave (Berachot 9a; Rashi ad loc.).

That which is not said is far more than that which is. As such, we will try to clarify the situation by answering the following three questions.

1.                Why was it so important to tell Abraham that the Children of Israel would leave with great wealth, so much so that G-d accomplished what He had promised to Abraham and beseeched the people to ask the Egyptians to give them their silver and gold? In any case, the spoils of the Red Sea were much more important than the spoils of Egypt. Therefore why did G-d not tell Abraham that the Children of Israel would receive all their wealth from the spoils of the Red Sea?

2.                Rabbi Shimon Akavitz cites one question from Machazeh Avraham: Since we know that one who borrows an object is required to return it to its owner (see Exodus 22:13; Rambam Halachot She’elah 1:5), why did G-d command Moses to tell the people that everyone should ask their neighbor to “borrow” their things? We do not see that the Children of Israel returned that which they borrowed from the Egyptians, and there is no reason to say that the possessions of the Egyptians were a compensation for the slavery that they inflicted on the Children of Israel (see Kli Yakar, Shemot 11:2). If such were the case, it would have been sufficient for G-d to command them to appropriate the riches and possessions of the Egyptians, and it would not have been necessary to beg them to take these things under the pretext of borrowing.

3.               The Maharsha, in the name of Ein Yaakov, asks another question: “One should ask oneself what is the sense of the expression ‘Please speak,’ given that Israel benefited in obeying the request which followed. Why was it necessary to present the request in the form of an entreaty?” (Berachot 9a).

In response to these questions, at the time of the Covenant Between the Parts, it was not material riches that worried Abraham when he first heard the decree of his children’s exile, but rather their spiritual future – that which would become of them after so many years of exile in a foreign land.

We know that the Children of Israel were exiled to Egypt in order to correct the 288 sparks of holiness that were held inside, as Ohr HaHaim explains concerning the verse that states, “And darkness was upon the face of the deep” (Genesis 1:2). How would this correction take place? Solely by the suffering of the Children of Israel in Egypt. In his writings, the Arizal explains that what we say in the Passover Haggadah (“this bread of affliction [matzah]”) points to the sparks of holiness that were captive in Egypt, and the expression “that our ancestors ate in Egypt” indicates that our ancestors corrected them.

Only the children of Abraham were capable of correcting these 288 sparks of holiness, this being in order to bring Creation back to its initial state of perfection. Thus the Divine Presence would once again find its place in the world of Asiyah (action) and G-d would give the Torah to the Children of Israel. As long as the 288 sparks of holiness had not been corrected, G-d would not have given His Torah to any people, not even to our ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, although they already observed all the commandments, including even rabbinic ordinances. The Torah was not given to the Patriarchs, but to the entire people, publicly on Mount Sinai, after the 288 sparks of holiness had been corrected.

And yet Abraham, in hearing the decree and the promise, was not only unhappy, but his world was darkened, as it is written at the time of the Covenant Between the Parts: “And behold, terror and great darkness fell upon him” (Genesis 15:12). He feared that the terror and suffering that would be the Children of Israel’s lot in Egypt would not only prevent them from correcting that which they were supposed to correct, but also cause, in and of itself, even more harm. In such a case, they would never escape from the grip of the people that they served. In addition, Abraham feared that even if they would correct the 288 sparks of holiness by their suffering and servitude, they would be in danger of being harmed in their heart and soul, and they risked falling to the fiftieth degree of impurity. If such were to have been the case, they would no longer have merited being saved and would no longer have been protected.

G-d knew Abraham’s thoughts and fears. This is why He told and promised him that after their sufferings and enslavement, his children would leave their exile with great wealth. It is as if G-d had told him, “You have no reason to worry that your children will debase themselves and not leave Egypt. On the contrary, not only will they leave because of their sufferings, but also ‘they will leave with great wealth,’ meaning that they will take in their bags these same sparks of holiness that constitute great wealth.” In addition, G-d promised Abraham that his children would not reach the fiftieth degree of impurity because their heart and soul would not be harmed, which in itself is a precious thing. In effect, when the Children of Israel reached the forty- ninth degree of impurity, they were immediately saved (Zohar Yitro 39a), and G-d did not let them reach the fiftieth degree.

The verse itself alludes to this. The first and last letters of the words “and afterwards they will leave with great wealth” have the same numerical value as the entirety of the expression, “the heart and soul”. This means that G-d promised Abraham that his children would not sink to the fiftieth degree of impurity and their heart and soul would not be affected, and also that they would leave Egypt before ever reaching that stage. This is what in fact happened. They left with their hearts and souls intact, a fact that without doubt constitutes a great treasure for man, since these elements are essential for serving G-d throughout one’s life.

In the same way, besides great spiritual riches, G-d promised Abraham that after his children’s enslavement in a foreign land, they would leave with great material riches. The gold and silver that they left with were not a compensation for their servitude, but rather a loan, in order not to give the Accuser the possibility of asking why they received great wealth since “they [the Egyptians] were idolaters and these [the Children of Israel] were idolaters” (Zohar II:170b). What right would they have to be compensated? If they repaired these forty-nine degrees of impurity (before receiving the Torah) and elevated themselves to the fiftieth degree of holiness, then this wealth would effectively become theirs, without any question.

There are some who would say that this wealth was given in compensation for their servitude, not that it was a loan. It is proper to make them recall what Gevia ben Psesia told the nations: “If it had been a payment, the Children of Israel had been enslaved for 210 years, and a simple calculation shows that they should have received a incalculably greater amount of silver and gold” (Sanhedrin 91a).

It is written, “and afterwards they will leave with great wealth.” It is precisely that “they will leave with great wealth,” and not that “they will take great wealth.” The latter would have indicated that they took it as compensation for their servitude, whereas the former indicates that it consisted of a loan that would be returned. Nevertheless, when they corrected the forty-nine degrees of impurity that they had fallen into while in Egypt, the silver and gold that had at first been borrowed had now become a seizure proper, without chance of return. Also, since the expression “and afterwards they will leave with great wealth” has exactly the same numerical value as the expression, “the loan will completely belong to the Jews,” the verse alludes to the fact that the possessions taken by them would remain theirs.

G-d’s promise to Abraham consisted of two stages. The first stage dealt with the time when they left Egypt, when they took silver and gold from their neighbors under the pretext of borrowing in order to avoid any dispute. The second stage dealt with the time when they would make it to the fiftieth degree of holiness. At that point, those riches would belong to them without question. It is certain that the Children of Israel would no longer be the object of any accusations, since G-d would retort to Egypt’s ministering angel that the Children of Israel had every right to take this wealth. Even if they were idolaters in Egypt, they had all purified themselves, abandoned all idolatry, and elevated themselves in holiness. However there still remains one question: At what moment did the second stage begin? The answer is that it began with the spoils of the Red Sea, as the Sages say: The spoils of the Red Sea far surpassed the spoils of Egypt, as it is written, ‘we will make for you circlets of gold and points of silver’ [Song of Songs 1: 11]” (Bamidbar Rabba 13:19). If the Children of Israel had not asked for or borrowed from the Egyptians, the latter would have brought all their silver and gold to the Red Sea and the Children of Israel would have received everything there. Consequently, at the Red Sea, even that which they had borrowed became theirs. An allusion to this is found in the letters of the word zahav (gold), which make up the first letters of the Hebrew expression for “it was their possession.” Thus they did not have to return it.

At the time of the departure from Egypt, G-d said to Moses, “Please speak in the ears of the people…” (Exodus 11:2). He did not wait until they arrived at the Red Sea to give them all the wealth due to them. “It is proper that I fulfill My promise to the letter in order that they leave with great wealth, as much spiritual as material, as I promised them.” And as we know, all Divine promises are fulfilled.

 

Leave Your Country for Your Own Good

It is written, “And the L-RD said to Abram, ‘Go for yourself from your land, from your relatives, and from your father’s house to the land that I will show you.’ ” (Genesis 12:1). Commenting on this in the name of the Sages, Rashi says that it means: “For your own benefit, for your own good. It is there that I will make you into a great nation, whereas here you will not merit having children. Also, I will make your character known to the world” (Bereshith Rabba 39:2).

We see here that G-d promised great favors to Abraham, contrary to the ordeal of Isaac’s sacrifice when G-d told him, “Take your son, your only one, whom you love…” (Genesis 22:2) without promising him anything in return. We should therefore understand the meaning of this trial to “Go … from your land.”

The following questions come to the fore:

1.                                    Why did G-d command Abraham to leave Haran, since there “he succeeded in converting people, in bringing them to a knowledge of G-d” (Bereshith Rabba 39:21)? Moreover it is written, “and he proclaimed there the Name of the L-RD, G-d of the Universe” (Genesis 21:33), concerning which our Sages have said: “Do not read vayikra [and he pro- claimed] but vayakri [and he made others proclaim]”(Sotah 10b). Hence if such was the case, why did Abraham have to abandon his religious activities? If it was in order to receive his reward in Eretz Israel, we cannot say that it was trial, since that would have been for his own benefit.

2.                                   Why, furthermore, is the narrative not in chronological order? It should have first stated “from your father’s house,” followed by “from your relatives,” and then “from your land.” The commentators have already noted this inversion.

To explain this reversal in the logical order of the passage, the Sages have said: “If a person feels an uncontrollable urge to sin, let him go to a place where he is not known, wear black clothing, and do what he desires there” (Kiddushin 40a). Concerning this, com- mentators have stated: “One must not be mistaken and think that he will sin elsewhere, but rather that his black clothes will bring him to restrain his desires and repent” (Tosa- phot in the name of Rabbeinu Chananel). The fact is that he will not be bothered in a place where nobody knows him, and he will then be capable of repenting and correcting himself, for no one will come to remind him of his past sins. It was the same for Abraham when G-d told him: “Go for yourself from your land,” for elsewhere – where no one knows you – you can progress better in your service of G-d, which is not the case here, near the perverted King Nimrod and his entourage. You will not be able to serve G-d in the house of your father either, for there you are prevented from doing so. And even if you manage to overcome the pressure of these heretics, they will never come to appreciate your deeds.

Abraham did not hesitate for a moment. He immediately assembled all his family and “the souls they made in Haran” (Genesis 12:5) – meaning all his followers – and they quickly left in accordance with G-d’s command. Thus it is written, “So Abram went as the L-RD had spoken to him” (v.4), for G-d’s word constitutes a command.

From here we learn of Abraham’s great piety and humility. In fact, he could have remained pious, even among those heretics. He could have overcome their influence and pressure for his entire life, especially since all his deeds were motivated solely by his love for G-d and he did not seek out publicity or renown. He could have therefore told himself that in spite of the opposition of his surroundings, he was going to stay in his land without deviating from his chosen path. Yet Abraham didn’t ask any questions after G-d spoke to him. He immediately left Haran and headed in the direction of Eretz Israel, for he knew that if G-d commanded him leave his land and his father’s house, He had His reasons for it.

The First Reason: Abraham knew that he had no reason to fear that he himself would be influenced by his wicked environment, however all the people that he and his wife Sarah had converted were not yet at that level – they were not yet at the point of being able to overcome the trials of their surroundings and that era – and they risked returning to their wicked ways if they stayed. He feared this for good reason.

The Second Reason: Abraham understood that his role was not to serve G-d secretly and in private, but on the contrary, in broad daylight – in plain view and full knowledge of all – so that everyone would witness his deeds. In fact this is exactly what he did, as the Rambam states: “His sole aim was to correct people from the error of their ways and to make them understand the there is but one Creator. It was to bring them to a knowledge of G-d” (Hilchot Akum 2:2-3).

And yet, Abraham asked himself some questions: In a new land, would he also be able to convince people to believe in G-d, as he had done in Haran, especially since he didn’t know which land G-d would bring him to? This was a great trial for someone who, during his entire life, had fought for G-d in spite of the opposition he faced along the way. One must not forget that this was the era of the Tower of Babel, the time when peoples were dispersed as a punishment for having separated themselves from G-d and practiced idolatry. Yet Abraham withstood this trial because he knew that it was his duty at the time.

Certainly G-d knew what Abraham felt in his heart, how difficult it was for him to leave his land, and that Abraham was ready to renounce fame to continue his sacred mission. In addition, he feared that the voyage would make him lose his followers, in the way evoked by the passage that states: “the status of one who travels diminishes” (Bamidbar Rabba 11:4), thus diminishing G-d’s renown in the world. Yet to put him to the test, to greatly reward him, G-d commanded that he leave his house and overcome all these difficulties.

It was therefore a test for Abraham to leave his land, and for him it constituted neither a kindness nor a benefit. He had succeeded in Haran, but would he succeed in another land? What kindness or benefit would he gain in a strange land? However Abraham withstood this test, and if G-d says, “For your own benefit, for your own good,” one must do what G-d commands.

And in fact, after having withstood this test and departed from Haran, Abraham realized just how beneficial it was, for as soon as he arrived in the land of Canaan he felt the holiness of that land which G-d had promised to him and to his descendents, as it is written: “The L-RD appeared to Abram and said, ‘To your offspring I will give this land’ ” (Genesis 12:7). Abraham then realized how faithful were G-d’s words when He previously said that he should leave his land “for your own benefit, for your own good,” since there is no greater pleasure for the heart and soul than experiencing the holiness of a place. Hence all the more reason why a person is rewarded for every step he takes in Eretz Israel, a land that surpasses all others in holiness.

More than anything, Abraham rejoiced when G-d told him, “Raise now your eyes and look out from where you are: Northward, southward, eastward and west- ward. For all the land that you see, to you will I give it, and to your descendants forever” (Genesis 13:14-15). For having withstood his trial, G-d promised Abraham: Your “springs will spread outwards” (Proverbs 5:16), and here also you will succeed in bring- ing people closer to Me. Because of you everyone will know that the world has a Creator, and “all the families of the earth shall bless themselves by you” (Genesis 12: 3). You are mistaken in thinking that you will not success here as you did in Haran. Here too everything that you do will succeed, and you will even be able in increase your work.

We now understand the order of the words in the verse (“from your land, from your relatives, and from your father’s house”). This order arises because Abraham was busier outside the house than inside it, in the sense evoked by the statement: “Not study, but practice is the essential thing” (Perkei Avoth 1:17). Abraham was outside for the majority of his time. He was interacting with people, speaking to them; his house had but secondary importance. This is why G-d told him at first “your land,” since being outside in the land was essential to him. The phrase “your father’s house” was mentioned last because it was secondary for him. Without a doubt, that was the reason why this trial was so dif- ficult, for he was attached to that place, to that land, and he wondered if he could ever succeed in a new land. Yet he withstood this trial, and G-d promised him that he could continue his work in his new land.

Abraham was the first to bring people closer to G-d. He proclaimed the greatness of the Creator everywhere he went: “The L-RD, He is G-d! There is none beside Him!” (Deuteronomy 4:35). For future generations as well (since the deeds of the forefathers serve as examples for their offspring), the earth would be purified, as it is written: “I will remove

… the spirit of impurity from the land” (Zechariah 13:2). At that time the gentiles will learn from Jews and they will also know G-d, as it is written: “It shall be that at every New Moon and on every Sabbath, all mankind will come to prostrate themselves before Me, says the L-RD” (Isaiah 66:23). It is then that the following prophecies will be fulfilled: “Many peoples and mighty nations will come to seek out the L-RD, the Master of Legions, in Jerusalem” (Zechariah 8:22), “They will come and relate His righteousness” (Psalms 22:32), and “Many nations will join themselves to the L-RD on that day, and they will become a people unto Me” (Zechariah 2:15). Amen, may it be so.

 

Our Father Abraham Goes to Eretz Israel to Bring Back Those Who are Far

It is written, “Go for yourself from your land, from your relatives, and from your father’s house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation. I will bless you and make your name great, and you shall be a blessing” (Genesis 12:1-2). Rashi explains: “[Meaning] for your own benefit, for your own good. It is there that I will make you into a great nation, [whereas] here you will not merit having children. Also, I will make your character known to the world.”

We must understand how this departure was a test for Abraham, since G-d promised him that as a result He would bless him and make a great nation out of him. It seems obvious that he would be happy to leave Haran and obey G-d, since the Holy One, blessed be He, desired Abraham’s benefit and good.

We shall attempt to explain. In observing the situation, we see that several tests are combined here. First of all, we note that the Holy One, blessed be He, did not command Abraham to circumcise himself before his departure for Canaan. Now it seems that it would have been better to enter into a holy land with a holy body, and in that way even the journey would have been considered a great test. This is because it implied that Abraham was neglecting the mitzvah of honoring one’s father, which is the reason why the Torah mentions that Terah died before relating Abraham’s departure for Canaan. As Rash puts it: Why does Scripture recall the death of Terah before the departure of Abraham? So that people would not say that Abraham failed to show respect for his father because he left him in his old age. Scripture therefore declared Terah to be dead. In addition, in Haran Abraham would routinely serve G-d with all his strength. How then could he leave a familiar environment to go to one that he wasn’t at all familiar with? Perhaps this departure would lead him to neglect the Torah? Perhaps he also would not have been followed by all those whom he had converted, as the Sages have said concerning the verse, “And the souls they made in Haran” (Genesis 12:5), which teaches us that Abraham converted them and brought them under the wings of the Shechinah (Sifri Va’etchanan 32).

In addition to all these tests, Abraham also needed to go to Canaan without being circumcised – and thus without the ability to attain the level of holiness of that land

– since he lacked the mitzvah of circumcision whose performance carries with it the perfection of the body’s holiness. It follows that his journey towards this land would constitute a spiritual plunge for him. Consequently, how are we to understand what G-d told him, namely to go “for your own benefit, for your own good,” since as far as Abraham was concerned this voyage was nothing but a spiritual descent? In fact in Haran he understood very little, and in Canaan the Holy One, blessed be He, told him that he would understand very much, hence there was reason to fear that he risked “not understanding anything because he wanted to understand everything” (Rosh Hashanah 4b).

From everything that we have said up to now, we see just how difficult a test it was for Abraham to have not received the commandment of circumcision before the age of 100, which is the numerical value of lech lecha (“go for yourself”), to the point that the Sages have questioned which test was greater, that one or the sacrifice of Isaac. Rabbi Levi bar Chayata said, “It is twice written lech lecha, and we do not know which test was more precious to G-d, the first or the second. From what is written, ‘Ve’lech lecha [And go for yourself] into the land of Moriah’ [Genesis 22:2], we understand that the second was more valuable than the first” (Bereshith Rabba 55:8).

To explain this point, let us say that at the beginning the Sages hesitated to determine which test was the greater one, for in the same way that the first lech lecha engendered a spiritual plunge for him, the second lech lecha also engendered the same, for how could he elevate himself once again after having slaughtered his son? He was lacking the concept of “the son is the foot of the father” (Eruvin 70b), meaning that even after the death of the father, the son contributes to his spiritual elevation. He was missing that as well, to the point that the Sages affirmed that the last test was greater than the first, since after the last one he would no longer be able to accomplish what was said of him: “For I have loved him, because he commands his children and his household after him” (Genesis 18:19). In fact, after the sacrifice of Isaac he would already have nobody whom he could direct to perpetuate his service of G-d.

In that which concerns the test of lech lecha, we may add that even when Abraham was in Haran, before being circumcised, he served G-d will all his bodily members. He spread his doctrine and taught others, and he held firm in all trials without the orla disturbing him, for he was stronger than it. It was accounted to him as a merit to have discovered the light and to have felt it even while being surrounded by the orla and being blind at the mitzvah of circumcision.

Despite all this, Abraham felt great darkness within himself when G-d spoke to him, for he understood that everything that he had accomplished with his own strength up to that point was trivial compared to the fact that G-d spoke to him. This enabled him to understand everything that he had been missing prior to this Divine communication. This was particularly true when he was told that there is a constant light in the Holy Land, even when no Divine communication would be given to him, because the eyes of Hashem are on the land from the beginning of the year to its end (Deuteronomy 11:12). This means that the land itself is under the providential care of the Creator of the world, and therefore a person can elevate himself just by simply walking on its soil, much like one performs the mitzvah of the Sukkah just by being inside it. The mitzvah of living in Eretz Israel is like that of the Sukkah, not because the Sukkah is the “shadow of faith,” but because of the real presence of the Shechinah.

This becomes especially clear when we understand what the Sages said on the verse, “Noah was a righteous man, perfect in his generations” (Genesis 6:9), namely that Noah was a righteous man in his generation, which is why the Holy One, blessed be He, had to save him (Sanhedrin 108a). Consequently, Abraham thought that as long as he lived in Haran (a place filled with the wicked, where despite everything Abraham controlled himself and served G-d with devotion since the age of three – Nedarim 32a), since he was considered a righteous man before G-d, He would help and protect him from the evil inclination.

Yet in Eretz Israel, which is a land that devours its inhabitants, if Abraham was not perfect then everything that he had accomplished on his own in Haran would have been considered as nothing, due to the greater holiness of Eretz Israel, as it is written: “The air of Eretz Israel grants wisdom” (Bava Batra 158b). Under such conditions, if he had not been commanded to circumcise himself, and thus if he had not merited to be considered as being completely G-d fearing, what purpose would his wisdom have served, since it is written: “The beginning of wisdom is fear of the L-RD” (Psalms 111:10)? Without considering the fact that when the Holy One, blessed be He, told him that it was precisely in “the land that I will show you” that he would merit comprehending a great light at the age of 100 by circumcision, it would have been difficult for him to understand what would become of everything that he did before.

This is precisely what is written: “Go for yourself from your land…” (Genesis 12:1), as well as “They left to go to the land of Canaan, and they came to the land of Canaan” (v.5), meaning that in the same way that “Go…from your land” constituted a great trial for him, his arrival in Canaan would also constitute a trial because he began to perceive and feel the holiness of the land. There he sensed the presence of G-d more than in any other place, and he also perceived that it was the starting point of Creation (Bamidbar Rabba 12:4). On the other hand he felt as nothing, far from his Creator. Yet despite this he overcame that trial without losing hope, and on the contrary he sought and found a way to overcome without protesting against G-d’s word. He did so by reasoning with a Kal Vachomer concerning Noah, who was considered to be a righteous man in his generation. At the time when all the men of Noah’s generation died, he felt at that point that he no longer had any merit with respect to them, since they were all dead, and the attribute of strict justice began to rage against him because he was not worthy of being saved. He only merited being saved because of the generosity that he had show to the animals in the Ark, as the Sages have said: Abraham’s servant asked Shem, the son of Noah, how Noah and his sons had merited being saved in the Ark, and Shem replied that it was because they had given Tzeddakah and demonstrated kindness toward the animals in the Ark day and night (Sanhedrin 108b).

Consequently, Abraham too – who was now in the place where the Shechinah resided, a place whose holiness abounded – was also by this very reason in considerable danger. Those who had accompanied him were considered insignificant, which is why at that point everything depended on Abraham to carry out the mitzvah of hospitality and to bring every passerby under the wings of the Shechinah with more fervor, even more than in Haran. Thus he became worthy of living according to Tzeddakah, which his righteousness pushed him to perform in that place. As a result, it was there that he chose to plant a tree, as it is written: “He planted an eshel in Beersheba, and there he proclaimed the Name of the L-RD” (Genesis 21:33). The Sages add that it was because of this eshel that the Holy One, blessed be He, was called the G-d of the entire world. When Abraham’s guests had finished eating and drinking, he would say to them, “Bless the One to Whom everything you consumed belongs. You thought that it was mine? It belonged to the One Whose word created the world” (Sotah 10a).

We see from here a great principle in serving G-d, namely that the Holy One, blessed be He, only send a person trials if he is able to overcome them. Even if he sees no apparent way of being saved from a trial and a spiritual fall (which is very grave indeed), if a person bitterly regrets – because of the terrible hardship that he suffers – not having served G-d as he should have, in the end the Holy One, blessed be He, will open up a path for him as He did for Abraham. G-d will show him a way to be victorious in all trials, and that person will then merit pathways of holiness to be opened in his body, a light of spiritual awakening from on High that will descend upon him.

The Reward is in Proportion to the Hardship

The Sages say, “Any man who has no wife lives without joy, without blessing, and without goodness…. In [Israel] it was stated: Without Torah and without a [protecting] wall” (Yebamot 62b). The Talmud supports this teaching by basing each of these characteristics on a verse in the Torah. Even if a man is completely pure and holy, he will only have joy and blessing if he is married. This is also the reason why man was created alone. It is only when he sensed the absence of joy, blessing, and Torah that Hashem put him to sleep and presented the woman to him, after which it is stated: “Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and cling to his wife, and they shall become one flesh” (Genesis 2:24). As long as a man lives in his parents’ home, single, he is incomplete. However once he marries, he achieves fulfillment, as it is stated: “He called their name ‘Man’ on the day they were created” (ibid. 5:2), for woman is included in the term “Man,” for she is his partner.

Even if a man feels great joy in leaving the home of his father and mother to get married, he should realize that it is only then that hardships will begin, such as the obligation to provide for his family’s needs, as well as other problems that he must overcome.

It is written, “Go for yourself from your land…from your father’s house, to the land that I will show you” (Genesis 12:1). In other words: “From your father’s house,” go from the home of your father and mother, leave your parents and go “to the land” – to your wife – who is symbolically represented by the earth, as the Sages have said: “Esther was as the ground of the earth” (Sanhedrin 74b). She is also called “a field” (Shabbat 118b), “that I will show you.” Such is your destiny, and it is for your good, for she is your other half

–      destined to you by Heaven – and you shall live with her.

It may be that a man prefers not to marry at all, as was the case with Ben Azzai, who devoted himself entirely to Torah study and said: “But what shall I do, seeing that my soul is in love with the Torah? The world can be carried on by others” (Yebamot 63b). As Rabban Yochanan asked, “With a millstone around his neck, will he learn Torah?” (Kiddushin 29b). The Talmud recounts that King Hezekiah, who did not marry, “Planted a sword by the door of the schoolhouse and proclaimed, ‘He who will not study the Torah will be pierced with the sword.’ A search was made from Dan to Beer Sheba, and no ignoramus was found…no boy or girl, man or woman was found who was not thoroughly versed in the laws of cleanliness and uncleanliness” (Sanhedrin 94b). G-d would have even made King Hezekiah the Messiah if he had not renounced marriage due to his fear of having wicked children (Berachot 10a) and being subjected to the hardships of marriage.

However a man cannot avoid this. He must understand that it must be beneficial to him. Only marriage enables a man to attain perfection, even if the difficulties involved are many.

How can a man actually achieve eternal life through marriage? It is because of the light that envelops them – husband and wife – under the wedding canopy. G-d’s Name rests upon them at that moment, as the Sages have said: “When husband and wife are worthy, the Shechinah abides with them” (Sotah 17a). This is due to the letter yud in the word ish (man) and the letter hei in the word isha (woman), which together form the Name of G-d (Yud – Hei). The letters vav and hei are contained in the word chuppah (wedding canopy), and these four letters combined form G-d’s Name, which protects them from all harm. This happens when they marry with the intention of observing the mitzvot and building a home founded on Torah and the fear of G-d. It is then that G-d’s light envelops them, and thus in the word chuppah there remains only the letters chet and peh, which form the word chap (void), meaning void of all sin. When they are under the chuppah with the intention of building a home in holiness and purity, they are saved from a pach (trap), the inverse of the word chap, which represents what is rejected, and thus the celestial light envelops them and gives them joy for the rest of their lives. This is the meaning of “they shall become one flesh” (Genesis 2:24).

The hardships of marriage are great, but G-d showers all His blessings on those who overcome them.

Look at how great a man our father Abraham was, “the greatest man” according to the Sages (Bereshith Rabba 14:6). When he heard G-d’s command to “Go for yourself from your land” (Genesis 12:1), he was prepared to give up all his undertakings and activities without protest or hesitation, as it is written: “So Abraham went as the L-RD had spoken to him” (v.4). He “journeyed on, journeying steadily toward the south” (v.9), without knowing where his steps would lead. Thus he arrived in the Holy Land, which he walked through from north to south and from east to west, receiving a reward for each of his steps.

It is written, “There was a famine in the land, and Abram descended to Egypt to sojourn there” (Genesis 12:10). Despite G-d’s promise, Abraham found Israel to be an arid land that produced nothing. However its neighbor Egypt – “steeped in immorality” (Shemot Rabba 1:18) and filled with witchcraft and impurity (see Menachot 85a) – was awash with food. Yet Abraham did not complain, and contrary to his will he descended into Egypt, into that impure land, for he accepted G-d’s commandments with love and overcame all the hardships he encountered.

This is the way to serve G-d. The evil inclination instills doubts into a man’s hearts, precisely when he must, without apparent reason, confront numerous hardships. In fact if we wholeheartedly obey G-d’s commandments, yet are afflicted by suffering and tragedy, this will naturally lead us to question G-d’s ways. We must know how to resist the suggestions of the evil inclination as it tries to sweep us up in doubt. On the contrary, we must confront these hardships and overcome them, for it is in this way that we will be counted among the King’s soldiers, for G-d does not send a man trials that he cannot overcome. One who accepts such trials can definitely overcome and conquer them, enabling him to rise to spiritual levels beyond comprehension.

It is a good idea to cite the advice of the Gaon Rabbi Eliyahu Lopian, of blessed memory, in his book Lev Eliyahu concerning Abraham’s war against the kings: “This war is surprising, for it is clear that it progressed in a supernatural way, and it was only due to miracles that Abraham was victorious. According to one opinion, he went out to war accompanied only by his servant Eliezer; according to another, with only 318 servants (Nedarim 32a). However it may be, this small number of men conquered the armies of four kings, whose powers are indicated by their spectacular victory against the five kings that had destroyed all the peoples in their way. Among these people were the Rephaim, so-called because whoever saw them became weak (rapheh – Zohar III:160b) and the Emim, who terrorized (ayem) everyone (Bereshith Rabba 26:7). How did Abraham manage to conquer them? ‘The dust that he threw at them turned into arrows and projectiles’ (ibid. 43:3). It is obvious that all the surrounding peoples witnessed the miracles performed by Abraham. We should therefore be surprised that these very same peoples became so guilty of sin. It is possible that they really forgot that a Judge and justice exist? How did they manage to arrive at such extreme wickedness after having witnessed such miracles?”

The answer is that it is precisely a person who is given the opportunity of knowing the truth and standing on the path of repentance that risks being subjected to difficult trials. Instead of receiving good and blessing from G-d, that person is liable to experience only tragedy and suffering. Therefore despite the blessing and promise connected with “Lech Lecha,” a person may experience hardships and suffering meant to improve his character traits and perfect him. These are meant to put his strength to the test, as it is written: “So as to test you, to know what is in your heart, whether you would observe His commandments or not” (Deuteronomy 8:2), and “In order to afflict you and in order to test you, to do good for you in your end” (v.16).

Having witnessed such miracles and wonders with his own eyes, as well as Abraham’s complete victory, the king of Sodom said: “Give me the people and take the possessions for yourself” (Genesis 14:21). He abandoned every treasure and all the spoils of war, yet in the end he fell back into his terrible heresy. He oppressed his own people to the point that history records the name of his land as being a symbol of cruelty and tyranny, one of humanity having lost the image of G-d.

It is astonishing that the people of Sodom and Gomorra, despite having witnessed such great miracles, fell so low (Hagigah 5b). Why did that happen? It is because they did not overcome the hardships inflicted on them by G-d, and consequently they did not elevate themselves. The affection that the king of Sodom expressed for Abraham was selfish in nature. It was based on miracles, and it is in man’s nature to fall back into heresy when miracles cease or are forgotten. Thus the love of the king of Sodom disappeared “when that consideration vanish[ed]” (Perkei Avoth 5:16).

One who has returned to G-d must be careful not to fall back into doubt or to let it seep into him. He must realize that if he is to love G-d, it should not be by considering past miracles or by hoping for future ones, for such love risks disappearing along with its cause. On the contrary, he must strengthen his connection to G-d with renewed vigor, with no preconditions, and without seeking personal gratification.

Abraham was the antithesis of the perverted inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorra. He loved G-d with an unselfish love, and each time that he received a command from G-d, he obeyed it without ulterior motives or thinking about the benefits that he would derive from it. He knew that G-d alone is the “owner of the building” (Bereshith Rabba 39: 1). It is to Him that a person must address his prayers, and He is that One that a person must serve. He alone is the Creator of light and darkness. He makes peace reign, nothing is hidden from Him, and nothing escapes His view. He alone rules the world. When Abraham achieved this degree of deeply rooted faith, nothing in the world could detract him from it, as it is written: “You selected…Abraham. You found his heart faithful before You” (Nehemiah 9:7-8). In all circumstances and at every occasion, Abraham remained pure in his faith, in the sense of “be perfect” (Genesis 17:1).

Abraham’s last trial, the sacrifice of Isaac, was the most difficult of all. “G-d said to Abraham, ‘I implore you, do not disappoint me in this trial’ ” (Tanhuma Vayera 22). Why such a plea? Did Abraham need for G-d to, as it were, beg him?

How could Abraham – who assembled and increased the number of Torah followers, brought them under the wings of Divine protection, accustomed them to proclaiming G-d’s Name (Sotah 10b), converted numerous people to Judaism, and explained to everyone that they must abandon their idols and serve G-d alone – how could he sacrifice his son? Would Abraham have to destroy, with his own hands, the future of the Jewish people by sacrificing his only son, his beloved?

In his book Lev Eliyahu, the Gaon Rabbi Eliyahu Lopian writes, “This is like a king who tells his prime minister, the one who loves him and who educated and raised his sons: ‘Here, I am giving you a sharp sword as a gift, but only on condition that you decapitate all the king’s sons, the ones you take of. If you do not obey me, this sword will pierce your heart.’ It is certain that this minister will reply to the king: ‘I am willing to die prematurely in order not to harm the king’s sons. In addition, my refusal proves to the king that I love him, and perhaps the king is only giving me such a directive to test my faithfulness. Thus if I fail by actually carrying out the king’s command, he will cut off my head and say, “It’s like this that you love the king!” ’ It is the same for Abraham. How could he sacrifice his son with his own hands, thus depriving himself of descendants and causing tremendous anguish to those around him?”

However it was the evil inclination which insinuated that the trial of the sacrifice was destined to reward Abraham if he disobeyed G-d. However Abraham, G-d’s servant, did not go through all the calculations involved in acting against G-d’s directive, and he rejected such apparently justified and obvious arguments. On the contrary, he hastened to obey it and placed his trust in G-d, knowing that He did not want to make him fail by commanding him to do something that was contrary to His will. G-d, Who knows the depths of the heart and mind, knew that Abraham only wanted to sanctify His Name in the world. G-d was aware of his faithfulness, and He did not actually command him to “sacrifice” his son, but only to “bring him up there as an offering” (Genesis 22:2), as it is written: “You have taken him up. Now take him down”

(Bereshith Rabba 56:8).

To conclude, we may say that the Mishnah (which details Abraham’s tests) conceals a profound idea: “With ten tests was our father Abraham tested, and he withstood them all – to indicate how great was the love of our father Abraham for G-d” (Perkei Avoth 5:3). Since “the deeds of the fathers are a sign for the children” (Sotah 34a), we must model ourselves on Abraham and overcome hardships as he did. In addition, G-d knew that the Satan would accuse the Children of Israel later on at the Sea of Reeds by saying that they too, like the Egyptians, were idolaters (Shocher Tov 15:5). It was in this way that G-d introduced the cure before the illness (Megillah 13b) by testing Abraham ten times, with the goal of having his children benefit from his merit through the miracles that occurred in Egypt and at the Sea of Reeds. Abraham had to be tested, not for himself but for us, in order to preserve our future. This is the meaning of “to indicate how great was the love of our father Abraham for G-d,” for G-d tested him to prove to the accusers how much He loved him. By stating, “he withstood them all,” the Mishnah wants us to realize that it is in man’s nature to want to avoid hardship and flee from it, and it wants to highlight the fact that Abraham did not feel that his trials weakened him, but rather that they strengthened him. This is the sense of the word nissayion (test), which has the same root as the word neis (banner), as in the verse “Raise a banner over the peoples” (Isaiah 62:10), and “Stand up, be glorified” (Zohar I:140a,b). Similarly, all the trials that each man undergoes are meant to raise him higher, to ever-greater levels of spirituality.

 

Leave Your Country For Your Own Good

It is written, “And the L-RD said to Abram, ‘Go for yourself from your land, from your relatives, and from your father’s house to the land that I will show you’ ” (Genesis 12: 1). Commenting on this in the name of the Sages, Rashi states that the meaning is: “For your own benefit, for your own good. It is there that I will make you into a great na- tion, whereas here you will not merit having children. Also, I will make your character known to the world [Bereshith Rabba 39:2].”

Here we see that G-d promised great things to Abraham, contrary to the trial of Isaac’s sacrifice when He told him, “Take your son, your only one, whom you love…” (Genesis 22:2), without promising anything in return. We therefore need to understand the meaning of this trial to “Go for yourself from your land.”

The following questions arise:

1.               Why did G-d command Abraham to leave Haran, since it was there that he suc- ceeded in converting people and bringing them to a knowledge of G-d? Furthermore, he made everyone proclaim the Name of G-d. If such is the case, why did Abraham have to abandon his religious activities? If it was in order to receive his reward in Eretz Israel, we cannot say that this was a trial, since it was for his own benefit.

2.               In addition, why is the narrative not in chronological order? It should have first stated, “From your father’s house,” followed by “from your relatives,” and then “from your land.” The commentators have already noted this inversion.

To explain this reversal in the logical order of the passage, the Sages have said: “If a man sees that his [evil] desire is conquering him, let him go to a place where he is unknown, don black and cover himself with black, and do as his heart desires” (Kiddushin 40a). Concerning this passage the commentators have stated: “One must not be mistaken and think that he will sin elsewhere, but rather that his black clothes will bring him to restrain his desires and repent” (Tosaphot in the name of Rabbeinu Chananel). The fact is that he will not be disturbed in a place where nobody knows him, and he will then be able to repent and correct himself, for no one will come to remind him of his past sins. It was the same for Abraham when G-d told him: “Go for yourself from your land,” for elsewhere

–      where no one knows you – you can progress better in your service of G-d, which is not the case here, close to evil King Nimrod and his entourage. You will not be able to serve G-d in the house of your father either, for there you are prevented from so doing.

Even if you manage to overcome the pressure of these godless men, they will never appreciate your deeds.

Abraham did not hesitate for a moment. He immediately assembled his entire fam- ily and “the souls they made in Haran” (Genesis 12:5) – meaning all his followers – and quickly left in accordance with G-d’s command. Thus it is written, “So Abram went as the L-RD had spoken to him” (v.4), for G-d’s word is a commandment.

Here we see Abraham’s great piety and humility. In fact he could have remained pious, even among ungodly men, and overcome their influence and pressure for the rest of his life. This is especially true since all his deeds were motivated solely by his love for G-d, and he did not seek out fame or renown. Therefore he could have told himself that, in spite of the opposition of his surroundings, he was going to stay in his land without deviating from his chosen path. However Abraham did not ask any ques- tions after G-d spoke to him. He immediately left Haran and headed in the direction of Eretz Israel, for he knew that if G-d commanded him to leave his land and his father’s house, He had His reasons.

The first reason was that, although Abraham knew that he did not have to fear the influence of his wicked environment, all those whom he and his wife Sarah had converted were not yet at that level. They were not yet at the point of being able to overcome the trials of their surroundings and the time, and they risked returning to their wicked ways if they stayed. Abraham had good reason to be concerned about this.

The second reason was that Abraham understood that his role was not to serve G-d secretly and in private, but on the contrary, in broad daylight – in plain view and full knowledge of all – so that everyone could witness his deeds. In fact this is exactly what he did, as the Rambam states: “His sole aim was to correct people from the error of their ways and to make them understand that there is but one Creator. It was to bring them to a knowledge of G-d” (Hilchot Akum 2:2-3).

Nevertheless Abraham had some questions: In a new land, would he also be able to convince people to believe in G-d, as he had done in Haran, especially since he did not know to which land G-d would lead him? This was a great trial for someone who, during his entire life, had fought for G-d in spite of the opposition he faced along the way. One must not forget that this was the time of the Tower of Babel, a time when peoples were dispersed as a punishment for having separated themselves from G-d and practiced idolatry. However Abraham withstood this trial because he knew that such was his duty at the time.

It was therefore a trial for Abraham to leave his land, and to him it constituted nei- ther a kindness nor a benefit. He had succeeded in Haran, but would he also succeed in another land? What kindness or benefit would he gain in a strange land? Yet Abraham withstood this test, and if G-d says, “For your own benefit, for your own good,” one must do what He commands.

We now understand the order of the words in the verse (“from your land, from your relatives, and from your father’s house”). This order occurs because Abraham was busier outside the house than inside it, in the sense evoked by the statement: “Not study, but practice is the essential thing” (Perkei Avoth 1:17). Abraham was outside for the majority of his time. He was interacting with people and speaking to them, and his house had but secondary importance. This is why G-d first said, “your land,” since being outside in the land was essential to him. The phrase “your father’s house” was mentioned last because it was secondary to him. Without a doubt, that was the reason why this trial was so difficult, for he was attached to that place – to that land – and he wondered if he could ever succeed in a new land. Yet he withstood this trial, and G-d promised that he could continue his work in a new land.

Connecting To The Tzaddik On The Inside

In this week’s parsha we read of the dispute between the shepherds of Abraham and those of Lot: “Abram said to Lot, ‘Let there be no strife, please, between me and you…. Separate yourself, please, from me. If you turn to the left, then I will go to the right; and if you turn to the right, then I will go to the left’ ” (Genesis 13:8-9). The Sages said, “Abraham’s cattle used to go out muzzled, but Lot’s did not go out muzzled” (Bereshith Rabba 41:5), for Lot’s shepherds were wicked and grazed their cattle in other people’s fields, thereby benefiting from theft.

This apparently did not bother Lot in any way, and no doubt he even agreed with what they were doing. In fact a love for money existed in Lot, a desire that can make a person lose his mind and forget G-d. Even if we see a tendency towards hospitality in Lot (since he would later invite angels into his home), after this incident Abraham said to him, “Separate yourself…from me.” Despite Abraham’s tremendous kind- ness, he pushed Lot away instead of drawing him closer. Why was this situation so serious? It is because good and evil were intertwined in Lot, and his proximity to Abraham would have tarnished the latter’s name. In fact people would have distanced themselves from Abraham, and he would have been unable to bring them under the wings of the Shechinah. Thus the Name of Heaven would have been desecrated. The fact that Lot reached a point at which both good and evil became part of him, however, remains difficult for us to accept. On one hand it seems that Lot had a good heart, for he practiced generosity like Abraham, but on the other hand he acted like a thief, allowing his cattle to graze in other people’s fields. In the Mishnah we learn, “Not study, but practice is the essential thing” (Perkei Avoth 1:17). The Torah also tells us, “Know this day and take it unto your heart” (Deuteronomy 4:39), which means that it is not enough just to know the Torah in order to come closer to Hashem; we must actually carry it out! We must infuse the knowledge of the Torah deep within our hearts and live accordingly. Only in this way can we come closer to Hashem and become completely spiritual.

To explain this, we note that there are two kinds of students: One studies only to learn, as well as to relate some fine-sounding things to his friends, but not to infuse them into his heart. He would never think of doing that, for with him everything is su- perficial. There is another second kind of student, one we should all emulate. His sole purpose is to infuse his Torah learning into his heart, to gather everything there, and thus to make everything work together. How could Lot have acted in such a lowly way that he descended to the forty-ninth gate of impurity? The answer is that initially he was actually close to Abraham, resembling him in all his deeds and following Hashem’s ways just as he did. After a certain time, however, Lot became accustomed to living with him. Thus since Lot’s kindness was superficial in nature – not stemming from his heart, nor having the goal of rectifying the ills of the many or the few – he fell from the spiritual level that he had initially attained. Hence we are told, “And Lot with him, to the Negev” (Genesis 13:1), for at that point he had already spiritually deteriorated. Even though he still resembled Abraham somewhat (including showing hospitality), it was certainly superficial, for it did not stem from his heart. It was not truly sincere.

Lot differed from Abraham’s other disciples insofar as they strived to progress spiritually. They put an effort into growing, renewing themselves each day, and not by force of habit. Hence they received what they deserved. For example, the Sages said that Eliezer merited passing “from the category of the accursed into that of the blessed” (Bereshith Rabba 60:7). Even today Eliezer serves the holy Patriarchs (Bava Batra 58a), for he drank from the Torah of his master Abraham for the sake of others, doing so sincerely and from the depths of his heart.

Things were not the same with Lot, for he did everything by force of habit. Al- though Lot may have partaken of Abraham’s Torah for the sake of others (insofar as he recounted all the wondrous things that his teacher did), they nevertheless did not enter his heart, and they certainly did not stem from it. Because Lot’s conduct was not sincere, he descended to the lowest levels, to the abyss, acting like the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah.

Abraham still attempted to have a good influence on Lot and to encourage his repentance. We find an allusion to this in Abraham’s words to Lot: “Let there be no strife, na [please], between me and you” (Genesis 13:8), for the word na always signifies a request. Abraham said “please” to Lot, not quite speaking in a decisive way, so as to leave him an opening for repentance. Lot could have pleaded with Abraham to help him return to the right path, but he chose not to. He made the desires and vanities of the world – not a connection to the tzaddik – his primary concern. Hence he departed from his uncle Abraham.

We see something like this in our own time, when great Torah scholars are careless with Lashon Harah despite its tremendous gravity. Why does this happen? It is because they study Halachah only to teach others. As for themselves, they do not learn it to perfection, with the utmost clarity. Furthermore, all their learning is superficial and has become second nature to them. They do not learn Halachah to put it into practice, to know and internalize it. Therefore when they connect to the tzaddik, this too is by force of habit, not with true sincerity, the consequences of which cannot be foreseen.

From here we learn just how important it is to connect ourselves to the tzaddik with wholehearted sincerity. We must serve Hashem with real feeling, not by going through the motions, otherwise who knows where this may lead? It is in this way that we can elevate ourselves in serving Hashem, until we reach the fiftieth gate of purity.