HaMaayan/The Torah Spring Edited by Shlomo Katz Parashat Lech-Lecha Volume VI/Number (237) 11 Marcheshvan 5751/October 19, 1991 Parasha Overview This Parasha begins the story of Avraham, the first man to abandon idolatry and recognize the existence of one, omnipotent G- d. The first woman to do the same was Avraham's wife, Sarah. (Note: Although these patriarch's and matriarch's given names were "Avram" and "Sarai", we will use their later names.) The Parasha describes G-d's command to Avraham to leave his home and settle in a new land (Eretz Canaan); Avraham and Sarah's encounters with the kings of Egypt and Gerar; Lot's settling in S'dom; and the war between Avraham and the "Four Kings." In the "Berit Bein Habetarim" ("The covenant between the parts") near the end of the Parasha, Hashem tells Avraham that his descendants will undergo a bitter exile, but will later return home with great wealth. This prophecy came true: Bnei Yisrael were exiled to Egypt but left there with both material and spiritual wealth (the riches of the Egyptians and the Torah, respectively). At the end of the Parasha, Avraham is given, and fulfills, the Mitzvah of "Berit Milah" (circumcision). The Haftara (Yishayahu 40:27-41:16) deals with Bnei Yisrael's complaint that the suffering we constantly undergo appears inconsistent with Hashem's promises to us (Rashi). "Why do you say," asks the prophet, "'My [good] deeds are hidden from Hashem'?" The Four-Letter Divine name which we pronounce "Hashem" represents G-d's attribute of kindness, and Bnei Yisrael fear that G-d will no longer deal with them through this attribute (R' Yosef Chaim of Baghdad: Birkat Chaim). In our history, the paradigm of the "Gomel Chessed" (one who performs kindness) is Avraham, and we regularly pray that in his merit, Hashem should deal kindly with us. The Haftara answers Bnei Yisrael, "There is no understanding His wisdom." We cannot immediately appreciate the justice of all of Hashem's actions, but we are commanded to wait patiently until the time when G-d will reveal how all of history furthers the fulfillment of His plan. In this way we would emulate Avraham, who accepted G-d's judgement (see Rashi, Shemot 6:3). Hashem's "failure" to immediately fulfill His promises to Avraham is described by the Torah as "My [Four-Letter] Name 'Hashem' I did not reveal." [Rashi writes (Shemot 6:2 and elsewhere) that the Four- Letter Name represents Hashem's trustworthiness as one who pays His debts. (See also Pachad Yitzchak: Sukkot section 15:2)] Avraham certainly had grounds to wonder whether and when Hashem's plan would be fulfilled. The 20 generations before Avraham angered G-d (Avot, ch. 5), and when someone (Avraham) finally came along to reverse that trend, he was faced with ten tests, some of which nearly took his life. Our Haftara's query, "Who awakened [the one] from the east?" alludes to several of his travails, as commentators interpret it to refer either to Avraham's trek to Canaan, to his bringing awareness of Hashem to the gentiles of the east, or the four kings' coming to fight him. However, Avraham never complained that "My [good] deeds are hidden from Hashem." The Parasha also demonstrates that Avraham's faith never wavered. It begins with the command, "Go from your home," but there is no indication of where Avraham is to go. Nevertheless, Avraham's nature is to negate any questions he may have, and to hurry to fulfill G-d's word (Sefat Emet). Similarly, the end of the Parasha tells Avraham, "Walk before Me, and be complete[ly devoted to Me]" (B'reishit 17:1). The desire of Avraham to negate himself before G-d's will is what we refer to in the blessing "Magen Avraham" ("The shield of Avraham"), for this patriarch brought himself so close to Hashem that Hashem was a constant shield between him and any danger. ************************************ From our Sages... "Go, for yourself, from your land." (12:1) - "For your own benefit" (Rashi). If Hashem told Avraham that this journey was for his own benefit, why is this command considered one of the tests that Avraham had to undergo? The test was whether Avraham would go in order to obtain the promised benefit, or purely for the sake of Heaven. (Sefat Emet) ************************************ "There was an argument between Avraham's shepherds and Lot's, and the Canaanites and Prezites were then settling the land." (13:7, see Rashi 12:6). Why were foreign nations able to settle the land? Because the Jews were busy fighting among themselves. R' Moshe Alshich) ************************************ "[Avraham] mobilized his students ('Chanichav')." (14:14) Rashi writes: This refers to Eliezer, to whom Avraham taught Mitzvot. A "Chanich" is one whom the teacher introduces to a discipline which the student will maintain forever. Rashi is teaching us that a parent does not fulfill his obligation of "Chinuch" - teaching his children - merely by instructing them. Parents must instill Torah and Mitzvot into their children in such a way that the lessons will remain forever. (R' Meir Shapiro) ************************************ "I am 'Kel Shakai'." (17:1) Why does G-d introduce the Mitzvah of circumcision with the Divine Name "Shakai"? This Name refers to Hashem as the One who establishes the limits of the laws of nature. The Talmud quotes certain heretics who said, "If G-d had wanted man to be circumcised, man would have been born that way." "No!" says Hashem. "I have set limits to creation. I will go only so far Myself, and the rest is for man to do." (Malbim) ************************************ From the Midrash... Hashem did not immediately reveal to Avraham to which land he was to go, in order to reward him for each step. B'reishit Rabbah; see Rashi) On the verse (Devarim 30:19), "Life and death I have placed before you, a blessing and a curse, and you should choose life," Rashi comments, "Like a person who tells his son, 'I am giving you a choice, but let me offer my advice, so Hasehm suggests that we choose life. Nevertheless, He leaves the choice to us." R' Chaim Yehuda Meir Hager of Viso writes (based on Derashot Chatam Sofer) that the merit of one who settles in Eretz Yisrael is greatest if he does so voluntarily. If he leaves his home involuntarily, or because conditions there are unbearable, his merit is diminished somewhat. It is not difficult to imagine the discomfort of Avraham's life in the land of his birth. Even his own father was an idolator. If Hashem had told Avraham immediately that his destination was Eretz Yisrael, the patriarch's merit would have been lessened because of the necessity of Avraham's leaving home anyway. Hashem therefore commanded Avraham, "Go!" Where? That did not matter. As long as Avraham's life in his new home was more comfortable than it had been before, then Hashem could advise him to go to Eretz Yisrael, and then Avraham could make his own choice, without pressure, thus earning greater reward. Zecher Chaim Al Hatorah) ************************************ The Modern Yeshiva In one form or another, the institution of the "Yeshiva" is as old as our relationship with the Torah. In past issues, we described the Yeshiva of Moshe Rabbenu and those of the Amoraim and Geonim. However, only 200 years ago, the Yeshiva, as we know it today, did not exist. Many scholars taught students, but always informally. There was no Yeshiva building, no provision for the students' material needs, and no permanence to the teacher-student relationship. The modern Yeshiva developed in three major steps. Volozhin: R' Chaim of Volozhin, the leading student of the Vilna Gaon, founded this Yeshiva in 1802. He erected the first known Yeshiva building, thus ensuring his students a place to learn without disturbance. For the students' material needs, R' Chaim instituted a system of stipends to householders in Volozhin who provided room and board to students. Thus the students were able to study without worrying about the source of their next meal. Telz: The first of the great "Roshei Yeshiva" (deans) of Telz was R' Eliezer Gordon, who arrived there in 1844. Telz's greatest contribution to the structure of the modern Yeshiva - the division of the student body, by age and ability, into five classes - was the idea of R' Eliezer's son-in-law, R' Yosef Leib Bloch. R' Eliezer taught the highest class, while R' Yosef Leib and his cousin, R' Shimon Shkop, taught the other classes. Lublin: "Yeshivat Chachmei Lublin" was only one of the many brainchilds of R' Meir Shapiro (who in 1923 "invented" Daf Yomi). This was the first Yeshiva to have a dormitory, let alone a laundry service, and everything about it was intended to reinforce R' Shapiro's contention that Torah scholars are the princes of Israel, and should be treated as such. With this background on the material and logistical structure of modern Yeshivot, we will IY"H begin next week to examine the styles of learning that exist within them, and the personalities behind those styles. ************************************ The learning schedule for this Shabbat is: Daily Mishnah Me'ilah 6:3-4 (Learn two Mishnayot every day) Daily Halacha Orach Chaim (Mishnah Berura) 314:5-7 (Learn three paragraphs each day) Daf Yomi Yoma 77 (Learn two sides of a page each day) Shmirat HaLashon: 4:1-2 or Guard Your Tongue: Chapter 9:1-3 Rambam Chapter/Day: Hilchot Keylim, Chapter 11 ************************************ The hard copy distribution of this week's HaMaayan is sponsored by: Mr. Seth Grossman in honor of his children, Moshe, Yaakov and Miriam The Edeson families in honor of Mr. Jacob Edeson's 60th birthday The Jacoby and Rishe families in honor of the birth of Rivka Rishe to Adam and Adina