 Parshat Lech L'cha KOHEN -
First Aliya - 13 p'sukim (12:1-13) [SDT] "Leave your land, birthplace, father's house." Ramban explains that each "point of departure" was progressively more difficult for Avraham. Leaving one's land is difficult, even more so if he was born there. Leaving one's family is most difficult. Ramban says that the Torah is showing us the great extent of Avraham's love of G-d. Someone raises a question on this
Ramban. What was so G-d promises that a great nation will descend from him and that he will be a blessing for all. [SDT] Avra(ha)m is promised great rewards and benefits for listening to G-d. Yet verse 4 testifies that he went "as G-d had spoken to him". His "aliya" is considered a test of his faith. He passed this test because he came to the Land because G-d asked him to, not for any material promises. The call to the Jew to come on Aliya continues. THE only real "right" reason to come is because it is a mitzva and this is what G-d wants of us. All blessings that will follow are fringe benefits. We have much to learn from Avra(ha)m Avinu. Avra(ha)m was 75 years old at the time he came to Israel with Sarai, nephew Lot and many people who were brought over to monotheism by Avra(ha)m and Sarai. [SDT] Commentaries speculate as to what happened to these people subsequently. Some suggest that after Avraham's death they refused to stay with Yitzchak because his approach to "religion" was vastly different from his father's and "unappealing" to these people. Others suggest that they became the various G-d-fearing individuals scattered among the nations of the world. Avra(ha)m travels through the Land and
G-d promises the [SDT] The Gemara teaches us that
sometimes, if a person Whereas this idea might not usually
apply to miraculous changes in a person's life, there is definitely some thing to be
said for the new start in life that a change of venue facilitates. [SDT] Avraham on the run from his hometown, a stranger in a strange land, has its challenges and tests. Avraham loaded with wealth and prominence, has new challenges and tests. Poverty is a test; so is wealth. And it is hard to know which is harder.
In the opening Why? Because after asking for it the first time, we ask for a life of wealth and honor. If we are blessed with that, then we must humbly ask for YIR'AT SHAMAYIM again, because wealth sometimes blinds a person to his obligations to HaShem. SH'LISHI -
3rd Aliya - 14 p'sukim (13:5-18) Avra(ha)m settles in Hevron and builds an altar to G-d. [SDT] One of the commentaries says that
although The Gemara suggests that Avraham took
only his servant [SDT] This is considered a (the?) source of Maaser K'safim, the tenth portion of one's income (profits) that he is to give to Tzedaka. Some authorities say that this mitzva is also obligatory for non-Jews, although it is not among the 7 Noahide Laws. FYI - It seems that in "days gone
by" people of Yerushalayim would visit Kever Rachel on the 15th of Cheshvan. Later,
because of the tradition that Rachel died in childbirth, the date of her Yahrzeit was
acknowledged as the 11th of Cheshvan. [SDT] Commentaries note that Avra(ha)m's refusal sanctified G-d's Name and was rewarded by the mitzvot of talit (thread) and t'filin (leather straps) which his descendants are commanded to wear. The Meshech Chochma points out that it is specifically at Shacharit - the prayer attributed to Avraham Avinu - that we wear Tallit and T'filin. [SDT] How come Avraham refused to accept anything from the king of S'dom, but he became very wealthy from that which he accepted from Par'o? Some commentaries say that Avraham was setting the stage for the fulfillment of G-d's promise to the descendants of Avraham, that they would leave the country of their exile and oppression with great wealth. The Avot are our precedent-setters. Hence, there was a purpose to accept the gifts from Par'o. Avra(ha)m did accept payment on behalf of his allies who helped him. [SDT] From here we learn, says the Chafetz Chaim, that one wants to be "machmir" (strict), he should accept the strict practice for himself but not impose it on others. Avraham did not want to be a TZADDIK at the expense of others. Afterwards, G-d appears to Avra(ha)m in
a vision and again promises him great rewards for his faithfulness. Avra(ha)m, still
childless expresses his disappointment, but resignation, that Eliezer will be his heir.
G-d assures Avra(ha)m that he will indeed have his own child to follow in his footsteps.
G-d then takes Avra(ha)moutdoors and promises him that his The Vilna Gaon cites the Talmud's
mentioning that Avraham Avinu was the first person to address G-d as "Adon"
(Master). We acknowledge this by beginning Shacharit - Avraham's davening - with the poem
"Adon Olam". Sarai, being barren, gives her handmaiden Hagar to Avra(ha)m to bear him a child. When Hagar becomes pregnant, she taunts her mistress. Hagar then flees from Sarai's retaliation. An angel finds her, promises that her child, too, will sire a countless multitude, that her son to be born shall be called Yishmael, and that she is now to return to Sarai. Yishmael is born when Avra(ha)m is 86 years of age. When Avra(ha)m is 99, G-d appears to him and asks him to "be complete". G-d changes Avra(ha)m's name to Avraham, symbolizing Avraham's role as father and spiritual guide to great nations. Once again Avraham is promised "countless" progeny. Back-to-back p'sukim tell us that Avraham was 86 years old (when Yishma'el was born), and then that he is 99 years old. Rashi says that this is to praise Yishmael for agreeing to be circumcised at the age of 13 years. Another point that can be made in
answer to the question, what happened during the 13 years between the p'sukim? The answer
is - NOTHING of any significance to us. The Torah is not a diary of the Avot and Imahot.
It is a book that contains a myriad of lessons for us.
Mitzva Watch This mitzva is the first "non-natural" commandment. Until this point, the 7 categories of Noahide mitzvot are all logical, rational, reasonable, common-sense laws. This 8th mitzva, for the 8th day, represents the challenge to the Jew to rise above nature and complete his spiritual form just as he is being commanded to complete his physical form. The mitzva is ideally performed on the 8th day, counting the day on which the baby was born - even if he was born 5 minutes before sunset. Mila may not take place at night. Only an 8th day Mila (as opposed to a Brit that was postponed because of health reasons) can be held on Shabbat. If a baby is delivered by C-sectionon Shabbat, his brit will be the following Sunday (the baby's 9th day). Due to a technicality based on the analysis of the text in Tazria, only a Brit of a natural birth can take place on Shabbat. The mitzva of Mila is "repeated" in parshat Tazria. Its specific wording there, teaches us some of the mitzva's details. G-d then changes Sarai's name to Sarah. Name changes represent changes in character, role, and destiny. G-d promises that Sarah will bear the true heir of Avraham. Avraham laughs with joy upon hearing that he will be a father at 100, and Sarah a mother at 90. He thought that Yishmael was the son that G-d had repeatedly promised him, but G- d assures him that it will be Yitzchak who will fill that role. Yishmael will also be blessed and give rise to great nations, but the Covenant will be passed down through Yitzchak. Avraham circumcises himself at age 99, Yishmael at age 13, and the other male members of his household, in fulfillment of G-d's command. The final four p'sukim are repeated for
the Maftir. [The Lech L'cha Homepage] |