Parshat Chayay Sarah 5769
© Rabbi Ari Kahn
A Living Well
Something missing
When we look at the beginning of the Parasha we notice that something is missing. We are told of the death of Sarah, the tears, Avraham's eulogy. We are told in detail how Avraham deals with the details of burial. What is missing is the other major character who we would have expected to have shed at least as many tears: Yitzchak. Where was he? Why did he miss his mother’s funeral? This question is articulated by Rabbenu Bachya, who notes that Yitzchak’s obligation for his beloved mother and his love for her should have at least equaled that of his father. Where were his tears? Where was his eulogy?[1]
Rabbenu Bachya reminds us that Yitzchak had just endured his own stressful, traumatic episode. He was bound to an altar, and watched the blade's rapid descent; only heavenly intervention spared his life. Rabbenu Bachya posits that, for fear that the tragedy of his mother’s death may have been too much for him, Yitzchak was not informed of his mothers passing.[2] Rabbenu Bachya then points out a blatant textual oddity: Not only is Yitzchak missing from Sarah’s funeral, his disappearance begins at an earlier juncture, in the aftermath of the Akeida.
Where’s Yitzchak?
When Avraham sets out for the mountain he takes Yitzchak and two others, referred to as “n'arim” or young men. The text tells us that they walked together:
בראשית פרק כב
(ג) וַיַּשְׁכֵּם אַבְרָהָם בַּבֹּקֶר וַיַּחֲבֹשׁ אֶת חֲמֹרוֹ וַיִּקַּח אֶת שְׁנֵי נְעָרָיו אִתּוֹ וְאֵת יִצְחָק בְּנוֹ וַיְבַקַּע עֲצֵי עֹלָה וַיָּקָם וַיֵּלֶךְ אֶל הַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר אָמַר לוֹ הָאֱלֹהִים:(ד) בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁי וַיִּשָּׂא אַבְרָהָם אֶת עֵינָיו וַיַּרְא אֶת הַמָּקוֹם מֵרָחֹק:(ה) וַיֹּאמֶר אַבְרָהָם אֶל נְעָרָיו שְׁבוּ לָכֶם פֹּה עִם הַחֲמוֹר וַאֲנִי וְהַנַּעַר נֵלְכָה עַד כֹּה וְנִשְׁתַּחֲוֶה וְנָשׁוּבָה אֲלֵיכֶם:(ו) וַיִּקַּח אַבְרָהָם אֶת עֲצֵי הָעֹלָה וַיָּשֶׂם עַל יִצְחָק בְּנוֹ וַיִּקַּח בְּיָדוֹ אֶת הָאֵשׁ וְאֶת הַמַּאֲכֶלֶת וַיֵּלְכוּ שְׁנֵיהֶם יַחְדָּו:(ז) וַיֹּאמֶר יִצְחָק אֶל אַבְרָהָם אָבִיו וַיֹּאמֶר אָבִי וַיֹּאמֶר הִנֶּנִּי בְנִי וַיֹּאמֶר הִנֵּה הָאֵשׁ וְהָעֵצִים וְאַיֵּה הַשֶּׂה לְעֹלָה:(ח) וַיֹּאמֶר אַבְרָהָם אֱלֹהִים יִרְאֶה לּוֹ הַשֶּׂה לְעֹלָה בְּנִי וַיֵּלְכוּ שְׁנֵיהֶם יַחְדָּו:
3 And Avraham rose early in the morning, and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and Yitzchak his son, and he took the wood for the olah, and rose and went to the place of which God had spoken to him. 4 On the third day -- Avraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place from afar; 5 And Avraham said to his young men, `Remain here with the donkey, and I and the youth will go yonder and worship, and we will return to you.' 6 And Avraham took the wood of the olah, and placed it on Yitzchak his son, and he took in his hand the fire, and the knife; and they went on both of them together. 7 And Yitzchak said to Avraham his father, `My father,' and [Avraham] said,`Here I am, my son.' And he said, `Lo, the fire and the wood, and where the lamb for an olah?' 8 And Avraham said, `God doth provide for Himself the lamb for an olah, my son;' and they went on both of them together.
Father and son walk together, united in love, united in their mission. However, at the end of the episode, we are told of only Avraham returning to the young men:
בראשית פרק כב
(יט) וַיָּשָׁב אַבְרָהָם אֶל נְעָרָיו וַיָּקֻמוּ וַיֵּלְכוּ יַחְדָּו אֶל בְּאֵר שָׁבַע וַיֵּשֶׁב אַבְרָהָם בִּבְאֵר שָׁבַע:
19And Avraham returned to his young men, and they rose and went together to Beer-Sheva; and Avraham dwelled in Beer-Sheva. (Bereishit 22:19)
What happened to Yitzchak? It seems impossible that Avraham could have simply picked up and left without his precious son, the son born of a miraculous birth, the son who was just saved by God Himself. He would not simply have forgotten him up on the mountain while he went on with his own business. Other commentaries have noticed this lacuna in the text as well. Ibn Ezra, to name one, protests:
אבן עזרא על בראשית פרק כב פסוק יט
וישב אברהם - ולא הזכיר יצחק כי הוא ברשותו והאומ' ששחטו ועזבו ואח"כ חיה אמר הפך הכתוב:
“Avraham returned” includes Yitzchak….those who say he (Avraham) killed him and left him behind, and then Yitzchak was resurrected – this is contradicted by the text.” Ibn Ezra 22:19
While Ibn Ezra doesn’t reveal who he has in mind, who could have read the text in such a warped manner,[3] we are nonetheless able to see Ibn Ezra, like Rabbenu Bachya, is bothered by the “disappearance” of Yitzchak. Ibn Ezra insists that when the text says “Avraham” it really means Avraham and Yitzchak.
But the confusion only deepens when we note that Yitzchak “disappears” even before Avraham’s descent from the mountain. It begins when the Angel calls out to Avraham, at the very apex of the mountain, at the most crucial moment of the Akeida, telling him to cease and desist. It continues, like an odd shadow, throughout the death, burial, and mourning of Sarah. But it doesn’t stop there: Yitzchak even misses his own courtship. A surrogate is sent to find a wife for him. Only when Rivka arrives does Yitzchak, quite alive, return to the biblical narrative.
(Paradise) Yitzchak Found
In Rabbinic literature there are two basic approaches to Yitzchak’s whereabouts during the textual “blackout”. The first approach is that Yitzchak is busy learning[4] in Yeshiva[5]. A second approach, found in other midrashim, describes Yitzchak as having died or almost died, or died in a metaphorical sense, depending on nuance. Yitzchak has temporarily retired to the Garden of Eden.
מדרש הגדול
ויצחק היכן הוא? אמר ר' אלעזר בן פדת אע"פ שלא מת יצחק מעלה הכתוב כאילו מת ואפרן מוטל על גבי המזבח לכך וישב אברהם אל נעריו.
ויצחק היכן הוא? אלא שהכניסו הקב"ה לגן עדן וישב שם בה שלש שנים.
Even though Yitzchak did not die it is deemed as if he died, and his ashes are on the altar…
Where was Yitzchak? God took him to the Garden of Eden where he remained for 3 years. (Midrash Hagadol)
Many midrashim see Yitzchak as having died, and Jewish liturgy abounds with references to the Akeida as if it had actually been performed to completion. Most likely, what we are meant to gain from this line of midrashic discussion is this: Avraham’s willingness to sacrifice what he loved most for God should be perceived on at least some level as if the offering was brought. On the other hand, Yitzchak ends up in Gan Eden. We might interpret this as referring to a place of spiritual perfection. In a certain sense, both “paradise” and “yeshiva” may be seen as places where someone who has just been raised up on the altar as an olah might go to pursue the religious experience further.
The Well
While these explanations fill in the perceived holes of the biblical narrative, perhaps a close reading of the actual text of the Torah can also be instructive. The next time we see Yitzchak, the Torah tells us quite clearly where he has been:
ספר בראשית פרק כד
(סב) וְיִצְחָק בָּא מִבּוֹא בְּאֵר לַחַי רֹאִי וְהוּא יוֹשֵׁב בְּאֶרֶץ הַנֶּגֶב: (סג) וַיֵּצֵא יִצְחָק לָשׂוּחַ בַּשָּׂדֶה לִפְנוֹת עָרֶב וַיִּשָּׂא עֵינָיו וַיַּרְא וְהִנֵּה גְמַלִּים בָּאִים: (סד) וַתִּשָּׂא רִבְקָה אֶת עֵינֶיהָ וַתֵּרֶא אֶת יִצְחָק וַתִּפֹּל מֵעַל הַגָּמָל: (סה) וַתֹּאמֶר אֶל הָעֶבֶד מִי הָאִישׁ הַלָּזֶה הַהֹלֵךְ בַּשָּׂדֶה לִקְרָאתֵנוּ וַיֹּאמֶר הָעֶבֶד הוּא אֲדֹנִי וַתִּקַּח הַצָּעִיף וַתִּתְכָּס: (סו) וַיְסַפֵּר הָעֶבֶד לְיִצְחָק אֵת כָּל הַדְּבָרִים אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה: (סז) וַיְבִאֶהָ יִצְחָק הָאֹהֱלָה שָׂרָה אִמּוֹ וַיִּקַּח אֶת רִבְקָה וַתְּהִי לוֹ לְאִשָּׁה וַיֶּאֱהָבֶהָ וַיִּנָּחֵם יִצְחָק אַחֲרֵי אִמּוֹ:
62And Yitzchak was on his way, coming from Be’er L’Chai Ro’i (literally, “Well of the Living One, my Beholder”); and he is dwelling in the Negev, 63 and Yitzchak went out to meditate in the field, at the turning of the evening, and he lifted up his eyes, and suddenly saw camels approaching. 64 And Rivka lifted up her eyes, and saw Yitzchak, and alighted from off the camel; 66 And the servant recounted to Yitzchak all the things that he had done, 67 and Yitzchak brought her in to the tent of Sarah his mother, and he took Rivka, and she became his wife, and he loved her, and Yitzchak was comforted after [the death of] his mother.
Here we find Yitzchak comforted after the death of his mother, so apparently he had been mourning. But where was he? The particular destination of his travels is instructive – Be’er L’chai Ro’i. We have heard of this place before. Hagar gave this place its name when she ran away from her mistress Sarah. Rashi[6] notes Yitzchak’s choice of destination, and finds within it an indication of the very tender relationship between Avraham and Yitzchak: Yitzchak travelled to Be’er L’chai Ro’i to fetch Hagar, Avraham’s estranged wife[7]. Avraham is worried about his son, and arranges to bring an appropriate wife for him, while at the same time Yitzchak is concerned about his father’s loneliness and brings him a familiar companion.
The Ramban[8] focuses on the spiritual qualities of Be’er L’chai Ro’i. Based on the language, he understands that this is a place that Yitzchak frequents[9]. This is his designated place of prayer, for this is a place of revelation. An angel appeared to Hagar here; this is a place of prophecy. Given the proximity to his home, he chooses this as his spiritual sanctuary, his refuge of solitude. The Seforno[10] even posits that Yitzchak was praying for a bride, and as he utters his prayer – the mission of his father’s servant is successfully completed miles away.
The text makes it clear that this trip to Be’er L’chai Ro’i is not an isolated visit. We find that this place later becomes Yitzchak’s home. After the death of Avraham, Be’er L'chai Ro'i becomes the place that Yitzchak settles.
ספר בראשית פרק כה
(יא) וַיְהִי אַחֲרֵי מוֹת אַבְרָהָם וַיְבָרֶךְ אֱלֹקים אֶת יִצְחָק בְּנוֹ וַיֵּשֶׁב יִצְחָק עִם בְּאֵר לַחַי רֹאִי:
11And it came to pass after the death of Avraham, that God blessed Yitzchak his son; and Yitzchak dwelled by Be’er L’chai Ro’i.
Perhaps Yitzchak’s choice of this place for his home is connected with Hagar’s[11] revelation in a different way: Perhaps within this choice we can sense some type of reconciliation between Yitzchak and Yishmael.[12]
We know little of the relationship between these two sons of Avraham. Yishmael, the firstborn, was banished soon after Yitzchak’s birth, and he headed toward the desert, toward the area of Be’er L’chai Ro’i.[13] Is there more in common between Yitzchak and Yishmael than we might have thought? Is there any unity between these brothers? The answer would seem to be a resounding yes! Immediately before the choice of Yitzchak’s residence is mentioned we are told that Avraham passed away, and his burial was tended to by both sons:
ספר בראשית פרק כה
(ח) וַיִּגְוַע וַיָּמָת אַבְרָהָם בְּשֵׂיבָה טוֹבָה זָקֵן וְשָׂבֵעַ וַיֵּאָסֶף אֶל עַמָּיו: (ט) וַיִּקְבְּרוּ אֹתוֹ יִצְחָק וְיִשְׁמָעֵאל בָּנָיו אֶל מְעָרַת הַמַּכְפֵּלָה אֶל שְׂדֵה עֶפְרֹן בֶּן צֹחַר הַחִתִּי אֲשֶׁר עַל פְּנֵי מַמְרֵא:
8 And Avraham expired, and died in a good old age, aged and satisfied, and was gathered unto his people. 9 And Yitzchak and Yishmael his sons buried him at the cave of Machpelah, at the field of Ephron, son of Tzoar the Hittite, which [is] before Mamre.
Yitzchak and Yishmael bury their father together, united. Perhaps Yitzchak’s forays to Be’er L’chai Ro’i have paid dividends and now we have healing in the family. A family once divided has now achieved a semblance of unity. Perhaps as long as Sarah was alive, Yitzchak could not make this move, for it was his mother who had demanded the expulsion of Hagar and Yishmael. After Sarah’s death Yitzchak is free to try and bring people together. With Avraham’s death Yitchak goes one step further and chooses to live with Yishmael in Be’er L’chai Ro’i. Perhaps Yitzchak, being the reason for Yishmael’s expulsion, feels a special responsibility to bring the family together.
This analysis may help us understand another relationship - the relationship between Yitzchak and his ne’er-do-well son Esav. Perhaps Yitzchak, as the favored son, has made a conscious decision not expel a son from his home despite his faults. He has seen the results of such expulsions; he seeks to heal rather than to divide or cause further estrangement.
When the Torah describes Yitzchak’s love for Esav, the particulars make it sound strange, limited, even conditional.
בראשית פרק כה
)כח) וַיֶּאֱהַב יִצְחָק אֶת עֵשָׂו כִּי צַיִד בְּפִיו וְרִבְקָה אֹהֶבֶת אֶת יַעֲקֹב:
28 And Yitzchak loved Esau, for [his] hunting [is] in his mouth; and Rivka loves Jacob.
How strange: he loves his son because he brings him food?! Perhaps Yitzchak is searching for a reason – any reason - to love his son. This is not at all like the unconditional love Rivka has for her son Ya’akov. Yet Yitzchak is unwilling to give up on Esav, even though he pales in comparison to Ya’akov. Yitzchak finds a task Esav is capable of, even well-suited to: He asks him to bring him food. When Yitzchak gets older and wishes to bless his son, again he looks for Esav’s positive attributes and asks him to bring him food.
Ya’akov, dressed as Esav, enters his room, and Yitzchak takes a moment to enjoy the aroma of the meal, of the goats his son has brought him. Rashi[14] questions this particular pleasure, noting that few odors are as unsavory as the stench of goats. What did Yitzchak smell? Rashi’s answer is surprising: It is the bouquet of Gan Eden, the aroma of paradise. That was a smell familiar to Yitzchak: he once lived there. Yitzchak paused to recall this scent, to retrieve this sensory memory.
Perfected Vision
The Torah tells us that at this point Yitzchak was blind. Rashi[15] explains that this was due to the tears of the angels who cried during the Akeida. Two of Yitzchak’s senses, then, were affected by the same singular experience – the Akeida. In other words, after being raised up on the altar, Yitzchak’s sight is forever altered. But what is the nature of Yitzchak’s perception, and what is the extent of his vision? Is he somehow damaged? Is he naive regarding his son’s shortcomings, seeing less than we do – or does he perhaps see much more?
Yitzchak clearly sees differently: He sees through the prism of his Akeida experience, an experience that took him directly to Gan Eden. Eden is a place deep in the past of our collective conscience. It is also a place in the future. It represents a world perfected, and it represents a perfect world. This is how Yitzchak saw, not through the jaundiced eye that most people use as a spectrum, which diffuses the good and focuses on the bad. Yitzchak saw the world from the perspective of the Garden of Eden. He saw perfection. He saw the culmination of history, the realization of the process of redemption, the return to the perfected state of Eden. He saw the future.
Yitzchak’s entire being is intertwined with this perspective, this type of sight or perception that focuses on the future[16]. Even his name, which represents the essence of his being, means “will laugh” – in the future. This is the real meaning of the midrashim that tell us that Yitzchak went from the Akeida to Gan Eden: His eyes were “fixed” at the Akeida, his perception altered. Now he had perfect vision. Now he saw a perfect world. He saw the world from the vantage point of Eden.
That perspective, that perception, gave him the ability, even the courage, to approach a person like Yishmael, and to attempt to create harmony from the dissonance. Yitzchak saw that Yishmael can and will do teshuva, that Yishmael can and will come to recognize that there is One God.
The Meshech Chochma[17] describes the repentance of the descendents of Yishmael and Esav in the messianic age as another example of “the acts of the fathers are a sign for the children”. Because of the actions of Yitzchak, Yishmael did return, as will his children. Because of the actions of Yitzchak, Esav remained close to his father, and his descendents will return to the fold in the future. Because Yitzchak was willing to live in the place that had spiritual importance to Yishmael, and by so doing to validate Yishmael’s nascent monotheistic feelings, Yishmael and Yitzchak were able to coexist. What Yitzchak may or may not have been able to see was that while his action in the present was due to his perception of the future, what he saw in future was a result of his actions in the present. Would that we could all see the world through rose-colored, “Eden” glasses.
[1] See Rabbenu Bachya Bereishit 23:2
רבינו בחיי על בראשית פרק כג פסוק ב
ונ"ל עוד כי היה הכתוב ראוי שיאמר ויבא אברהם ויצחק לספוד לשרה ולבכותה, כי בודאי ראוי היה יצחק לספוד לאמו הצדקת ולבכות עליה, שהרי החיוב בו גדול מאד יותר ממה שהוא באברהם, ועוד שהיא אהבתו אהבה יתרה שילדה אותו על דרך הפלא, והיתה נפשה קשורה בנפשו:
[2] See Rebenu Bachya Bereishit 23:2
רבינו בחיי על בראשית פרק כג פסוק ב
אבל יתכן לומר שלא ידע יצחק באותו הפרק שמתה אמו, כי לפי שמיתתה היתה בשבילו בשמועת העקדה, על כן העלימו ממנו מיתתה ולא הגידו לו. ומן הטעם הזה לא ראינו שיזכירנו הכתוב ליצחק כלל ל א במיתתה ולא בקבורתה, גם מעת שנעקד על גבי המזבח לא ראינוהו, שהרי כשהלכו אברהם ויצחק להר המוריה כתוב בחזרה (בראשית כב) וישב אברהם אל נעריו, והיה ראוי שיאמר וישובו אל הנערים, ולא הזכיר חזרת יצחק:
[3] The basic quandary created by the Akeida is that on the one hand Yitzchak is the progeny through whom God has promised to fulfill His blessings, while on the other hand Yitzchak is to be killed. Rav Soloveitchik quoting his grandfather, describes this as a classic case of two verses contradicting one another, and a third verse which reconciles the two.
Mystical sources have insisted that Yitzchak did, in fact, die at the Akeida, an idea found in various midrashim. The Ari”zal claims that Yitzchak, who would have been childless, dies, and a new soul which can father children enters his body. Thus, it was the Akeida that made the fulfillment of Gods’s promises to Avraham possible.
Christological sources have long seen the Akeida as a prototype for their claims of a different so-called execution and resurrection. What is particularly interesting is that some midrashim describe Yitzchak’s carrying the wood as if he was bearing a cross. See Bereshit Rabbah 56:3 (and parallel sources) where the word “Zlovo” is used – the word may have the connotation of crucifix. This should come as no surprise being that the New Testament often tried to parallel biblical scenes, making extensive use of extant midrashic material.
בראשית רבה (וילנא) פרשה נו
ויקח אברהם את עצי עולה כזה שהוא טוען צלובו בכתפו,
[4] See Bereishit Rabbah 56:11, Targum pseudo Yonatan Bereishit 22:19
מדרש רבה בראשית פרשה נו פסקה יא
וישב אברהם אל נעריו ויצחק היכן הוא רבי ברכיה בשם רבנן דתמן שלחו אצל שם ללמוד ממנו תורה.
תרגום יונתן על בראשית פרק כב פסוק יט
ודברו מלאכי מרומא ית יצחק ואובלוהי לבי מדרשא דשם רבא והוה תמן תלת שנין ובההוא יומא תב אברהם לות עולמוי וקמו ואזלו כחדא לבירא דשבע ויתיב אברהם בבירא דשבע:
[5] The Netziv (Ha’amek Davar 22:19) postulates that specifically now after hearing how Avraham is being rewarded for obeying God’s command, Yitzchak decides it is time for him to learn what it is that God wants of him.
העמק דבר על בראשית פרק כב פסוק יט
וישב אברהם. ולא כתיב ויצחק. כבר ת"י שהובילו לבית מדרשו של שם ללמוד תורה. וקרוב לומר כי באשר סיים ה' עקב אשר שמעת בקולי. התבונן כי כך רצון ה' לעסוק בדברי תורה. ואע"ג שאברהם למד עמו מ"מ לענין התבוננות בד"ת טוב שיהיה משני מקומות כדאיתא בעבודת כוכבים דף י"ט א':
[6] Rashi 24:62
(סב) מבוא באר לחי ראי - שהלך להביא הגר לאברהם אביו שישאנה (ב"ר):
[7] See Bereishit 16:1 Hagar is referred to as Sarah’s servant in 16:3. A few verses later when she is presented to Avraham it is as a wife. Later (this time by the angel) she is referred to, once again, as a servant of Sarah. See Bereishit 16:8
[8] Ramban, Bereishit 24:62
רמב"ן על בראשית פרק כד פסוק סב
בא מבוא באר לחי ראי. יאמר כי יצחק בא עתה מבוא באר לחי ראי, ששב מבאר לחי שבא שמה. שאלו אמר "בא מבאר לחי ראי" היה נראה שהיה דר שם, ולכך הוצרך לפרש כי הוא שב לעירו מביאתו שבא אל באר לחי רואי לפי שעה, כי הוא יושב בארץ הנגב וחוזר לעירו:
ויתכן, בעבור היות "מבוא" מקור, שהיה יצחק הולך תמיד אל המקום ההוא, כי הוא למקום תפלה בעבור הראות שם המלאך, והוא יושב בארץ הנגב קרוב משם. וכן תרגם אונקלוס אתא ממיתוהי. ועל דעתו הוא באר שבע, שתרגם "בין קדש ובין שור" (לעיל כ א), ו"בין קדש ובין ברד" (לעיל טז י"ד), "רקם וחגרא". ואם כן המקום ההוא מקום אשל אברהם ראוי לתפלה. והנה יצחק בא מן הבאר ההיא אל עיר אחרת אשר היתה בדרך עירו, ויצא לפנות ערב לשוח בשדה עם רעיו ואוהביו אשר שם, ומצא את העבד ורבקה והלכו כלם יחדו אל עירו, ויביאה האהלה שרה אמו:
[9] The Ramban also suggests that perhaps this place is within close proximity to Avraham’s Eshel – hence Yitzchak is praying in a place that Avraham had prayed.
[10] Seforno 24:62
ספורנו עה"ת ספר בראשית פרק כד פסוק סב
(סב) בא מבא באר לחי ראי. להתפלל במקום שבו נשמעה תפלת שפחתו וקודם שהתפלל כבר נשלם ענינו בחרן וקרבה אשתו לבא על דרך טרם יקראו ואני אענה:
[11] The Kli Yakar (25:1) identifies Ketura with Hagar and says that she, too, repented and began a “new life”.
[12] The Beer Mayim Chaim says that Yishmael was sent away because he was a bad influence; he was a thief. Yet Yitzchak reaches out to him, despite his wayward behavior, because Yishmael is a monotheist.
ספר באר מים חיים פרשת וירא - פרק כא (המשך)
(כ) ויהי אלהים את הנער. פירוש שמהיום והלאה לא עבד עבודה זרה ורק אלהים היה עמו ולא עבד, ולכן אמרו (בבא בתרא ט"ז ע"ב) שעשה ישמעאל תשובה בחיי אברהם אף שרש"י ז"ל פירש באומרו להלן ויהי רובה קשת שהיה מלסטם הבריות מכל מקום עבודה זרה לא עבד והיה אלהים עמו לא אלהים אחרים, ואפשר קודם מות אברהם עשה תשובה מכל וכל והבן:
[13] See Bereishit 21:14,21
[14] Rashi Bereishit 27:27
רש"י על בראשית פרק כז פסוק כז
(כז) וירח וגו' - והלא אין ריח רע יותר משטף העזים אלא מלמד שנכנסה עמו ריח גן עדן:
[15] Rashi Bereishit 27:1
רש"י על בראשית פרק כז פסוק א
(א) ותכהין - בעשנן של אלו (שהיו מעשנות ומקטירות לע"א) ד"א כשנעקד ע"ג המזבח והיה אביו רוצה לשחטו באותה שעה נפתחו השמים וראו מלאכי השרת והיו בוכים וירדו דמעותיהם ונפלו על עיניו לפיכך כהו עיניו.
[16] According to the Zohar Bereishit 114a even God’s future laughing will be related to Yitzchak
זוהר חלק א דף קיד/א
אמר רבי יהודה, תא חזי שכך הוא, דכתיב מלך אסור ברהטים, וכתיב בתריה מה יפית ומה נעמת. ואמר רבי יהודה, באותו זמן, עתיד הקדוש ברוך הוא לשמח עולמו ולשמוח בבריותיו, שנאמר (תהלים קד לא) ישמח יהו"ה במעשיו, ואזי יהיה שחוק בעולם, מה שאין עכשיו, דכתיב (שם קכו ב) אז ימלא שחוק פינו וגו', הה"ד ותאמר שרה צחוק עשה לי אלהי"ם, שאזי עתידים בני אדם לומר שירה, שהוא עת שחוק.
[17] Meshech Chochma Bereishit 15:15
משך חכמה על בראשית פרק טו פסוק טו
תקבר בשיבה טובה - שיעשה תשובה ישמעאל בימיו, (בראשית רבה ל-ד) הנה מעשה אבות סימן לבנים (ע' סוטה לד וב"ר ע' ו) הוא רמז שבני ישמעאל באחרית הימים יתקרבו להאמת ויאמינו בד' אחד (רמב"ן פ' בראשית ב ס"פ ג) ויבדלו מהעו"ג כמוש"כ רבינו (בתשובה ע' הוצאת פריימן סימן שסד) וזה שביקש יצחק (מגלה ו סע"א) על עשו יוחן רשע (ישעיה כו,י) שגם הוא יתרחק מעו"ג באחרית הימים והי' התשובה בארץ נכוחות כו' לכן בל יראה גאות ד' ויהי' עובד עו"ג עד ביום ההוא יהי' ד' אחד כו'.
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Parshat Vayera 5769
Parshat Vayera 5769
© 2008 Rabbi Ari D. Kahn
Elevation
It is frightening: “Some time later God tested Avraham.”
It is dramatic and haunting: "Take your son, your only son, Yitzchak whom you love”
It is life - altering and chilling: “and go to the region of Moriah”
Perhaps most of all, it is confusing: “and elevate him there as an olah on one of the mountains that I will tell you."
When we consider the ‘‘Akeida we need to read the text carefully, and note what it does say, and what the text does not say. Is it our imagination or is it our faulty memory? Things we think are in the text are absent, and things we don’t remember suddenly “appear”.
Let us begin without any preconceived notions.
ספר בראשית פרק כב
(א) וַיְהִי אַחַר הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה וְהָאֱלֹהִים נִסָּה אֶת אַבְרָהָם וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו אַבְרָהָם וַיֹּאמֶר הִנֵּנִי: (ב) וַיֹּאמֶר קַח נָא אֶת בִּנְךָ אֶת יְחִידְךָ אֲשֶׁר אָהַבְתָּ אֶת יִצְחָק וְלֶךְ לְךָ אֶל אֶרֶץ הַמֹּרִיָּה וְהַעֲלֵהוּ שָׁם לְעֹלָה עַל אַחַד הֶהָרִים אֲשֶׁר אֹמַר אֵלֶיךָ: (ג) וַיַּשְׁכֵּם אַבְרָהָם בַּבֹּקֶר וַיַּחֲבשׁ אֶת חֲמֹרוֹ וַיִּקַּח אֶת שְׁנֵי נְעָרָיו אִתּוֹ וְאֵת יִצְחָק בְּנוֹ וַיְבַקַּע עֲצֵי עֹלָה וַיָּקָם וַיֵּלֶךְ אֶל הַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר אָמַר לוֹ הָאֱלֹהִים:
(1) Some time later God tested Avraham. He said to him, "Avraham!" "Here I am," he replied. (2) Then God said, "Take your son, your only son, Yitzchak, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Bring him up there as an olah on one of the mountains that I will tell you." (3) Early the next morning Avraham got up and saddled his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Yitzchak. He cut olah wood, and he arose and set out for the place God had told him about. (Bereishit 22)
The first noteworthy term is “test”. While we have learned that Avraham was tested ten different ways, the only instance which is explicitly called a test, and the only instance in which the nature of the test is explicit, is the ‘‘Akeida. This, then is the quintessential test, the ultimate test.
When we continue to read the text we are left searching for something which is not there. In fact, nowhere in the entire set of instructions do we find the word that is most closely associated with this series of events: God never does command Avraham to bind Yitzchak or to tie his son in any way. Despite this, for all time this section is known as “the binding (‘‘Akeida) of Yitzchak”.
There is something else missing, something far more troubling: At no point in the narrative does God command Avraham to kill Yitzchak. The exact words are “v’ha’alyahu sham l’olah “elevate him there as an olah”
Rashi comments on this verse, pointing out that God never said to slaughter Yitzchak. God did not want Yitzchak’s life to be ended. He wanted Yitzchak to be “raised up”, designating him as an “olah”. Once he was uplifted, He commanded Avraham to take Yitzchak down[1].
Were we to conclude from our cursory reading that God had indeed commanded Avraham to slaughter his son, we would be justifiably disturbed: elderly, saintly, loving, kind Avraham is asked to perform a grotesque and horrifying act – to kill is own son. Clearly, the episode’s finale would allow us to modify our understanding: When God tells Avraham to take Yitzchak down from the altar, the larger ultimate message and lesson would be God’s declaration against human sacrifice.
If God never did ask for the slaughter, why did Avraham seem to think He had? What was on Avraham’s mind? Might we say that if God did not command him to slaughter Yitzchak, then Avraham should be seen as so bloodthirsty a man that he pulled a knife on his own son? Or might we say that God did command the death of Yitzchak, but subsequently He changed His mind?
We should note that, prior to the ‘Akeida, Avraham erected numerous altars, but never brought an offering upon them.
(ז) וַיֵּרָא ה’ אֶל אַבְרָם וַיֹּאמֶר לְזַרְעֲךָ אֶתֵּן אֶת הָאָרֶץ הַזֹּאת וַיִּבֶן שָׁם מִזְבֵּחַ לה’ הַנִּרְאֶה אֵלָיו:
(7) God appeared to Avram and said, "To your offspring I will give this land." So he built an altar there to God who had appeared to him.
In these verses, Avraham receives confirmation that indeed he has found the holy place that God had spoken of. He is granted revelation, and to express his thanks he builds an altar. But quite significantly, nothing is placed upon it. In subsequent chapters Avraham builds altars on various occasions, and never puts anything on them. Instead, he “calls out to God”; he prays.
(ח) וַיַּעְתֵּק מִשָּׁם הָהָרָה מִקֶּדֶם לְבֵית אֵל וַיֵּט אָהֳלֹה בֵּית אֵל מִיָּם וְהָעַי מִקֶּדֶם וַיִּבֶן שָׁם מִזְבֵּחַ לה’ וַיִּקְרָא בְּשֵׁם ה’:
(8) From there he went on toward the hills east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. There he built an altar to God and called on the name of God.
ספר בראשית פרק יג
(ג) וַיֵּלֶךְ לְמַסָּעָיו מִנֶּגֶב וְעַד בֵּית אֵל עַד הַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר הָיָה שָׁם אָהֳלֹה בַּתְּחִלָּה בֵּין בֵּית אֵל וּבֵין הָעָי: (ד) אֶל מְקוֹם הַמִּזְבֵּחַ אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה שָׁם בָּרִאשֹׁנָה וַיִּקְרָא שָׁם אַבְרָם בְּשֵׁם ה’:
(3) From the Negev he went from place to place until he came to Bethel, to the place between Bethel and Ai where his tent had been earlier (4) and where he had first built an altar. There Avram called on the name of God.
If Avraham had never brought a korban (sacrifice) prior to the ‘Akeida, why would he assume that now God requires a sacrifice?
There is another, more subtle point to consider: The name of God used in the text which commands the ‘Akeida is Elokim. This name is never used in the Torah in association with sacrifices:
תלמוד בבלי מסכת מנחות דף קי/א
תַּנְיָא, אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן עַזַּאי, בּוֹא וּרְאֵה מַה כְּתִיב בְּפָרָשַׁת קָרְבָּנוֹת, שֶׁלֹּא נֶּאֱמַר בָּהֶם, לֹא "אֵל", וְלֹא "אֱלֹהִים", אֶלָּא "לַה'". שֶׁלֹּא לִתֵּן פִּתְחוֹן פֶּה לְבַעַל הַדִּין לַחֲלֹק.
It was taught: R. Simeon b. ‘Azzai said, ‘Come and see what is written in the chapter of the sacrifices. Neither (the names) el nor elohim are found there, but only (the Tetragramaton) ‘(YHVH)’, so as not to give sectarians any occasion to rebel. (Talmud Menachot 110a)
It is interesting that in the ‘Akeida story an offering is eventually brought – but only after an angel of God (YHVH) interceded.
In fact, Rabenu Bachya clearly states,[2] as did Rashi, that God never did ask Avraham to slaughter Yitzchak, but he buttresses his argument with a subtle grammatical point. Had Yitzchak been meant to be an actual offering, the text should have read “haleyhu olah,” but instead it says l’olah, which is understood -“as on olah” or “instead of an olah”.[3] Had God in fact commanded Avraham to sacrifice Yitzchak, it is theologically impossibility that He “changed His mind”. Rabenu Bachya therefore draws the conclusion that Avraham, motivated by love of God, goes farther than God’s command, and is prepared to slaughter Yitzchak.[4]
The next term which catches our attention is “lech l’cha”, translated as “go – for you” or “go for your sake”. This is not the first usage of this phrase. These, in fact, are very likely the first words God says to Avraham.
ספר בראשית פרק יב
(א) וַיֹּאמֶר ה’ אֶל אַבְרָם לֶךְ לְךָ מֵאַרְצְךָ וּמִמּוֹלַדְתְּךָ וּמִבֵּית אָבִיךָ אֶל הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר אַרְאֶךָּ:
(ד) וַיֵּלֶךְ אַבְרָם כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר אֵלָיו ה’ וַיֵּלֶךְ אִתּוֹ לוֹט וְאַבְרָם בֶּן חָמֵשׁ שָׁנִים וְשִׁבְעִים שָׁנָה בְּצֵאתוֹ מֵחָרָן:
(1) God said to Avram, "Leave your country, your birthplace and your father's household and go to the land I will show you.
(4) So Avram left, as God had told him; and Lot went with him. Avram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Charan. Bereishit 12
We should therefore expect that there be some connection –or contrast –between the two uses of the phrase “lech l’cha”. There should be something about this new mission which should echo the previous mission. In both instances the precise location is withheld and an element of faith or trust is needed. In both cases there is a clear commandment to do something, but in both cases there is something lacking regarding knowledge of the implementation.
We should also note Avraham’s zeal: Avraham does not merely accept the mission, he wakes up early in the morning and busies himself with his task with purposefulness. This is one of three instances where it is recorded that Avraham rises early.[5] His faith and his enthusiasm combine to push Avraham forward, to single-mindedly fulfill his mandate. It may be somewhat surprising that in the case of the other lech l’cha, when God’s first communication with Avraham is recorded, we have no reason to believe that Avraham set off immediately to fulfill God’s command. The text does not say that Avraham arose early the next morning and set off on his journey. In fact, the only information we have is that Avraham was seventy five years old when he set out. How old was he when God commanded “lech l’cha” ?
There is no clear answer to this question, but the text offers us ancillary information as clues to constructing a time-line. When God tells Avraham "Leave your country, your birthplace and your father's household,” we understand “father’s household” and perhaps “country” but “birthplace” is perplexing: Avraham was born in Ur Kasdim, but left his birthplace when he followed his father Terah on an aborted mission to the land of Cannan – which only took Avraham as far as Charan.
(לא) וַיִּקַּח תֶּרַח אֶת אַבְרָם בְּנוֹ וְאֶת לוֹט בֶּן הָרָן בֶּן בְּנוֹ וְאֵת שָׂרַי כַּלָּתוֹ אֵשֶׁת אַבְרָם בְּנוֹ וַיֵּצְאוּ אִתָּם מֵאוּר כַּשְׂדִּים לָלֶכֶת אַרְצָה כְּנַעַן וַיָּבֹאוּ עַד חָרָן וַיֵּשְׁבוּ שָׁם:(לב) וַיִּהְיוּ יְמֵי תֶרַח חָמֵשׁ שָׁנִים וּמָאתַיִם שָׁנָה וַיָּמָת תֶּרַח בְּחָרָן: ספר בראשית פרק יא
(31) Terah took his son Avram, his grandson Lot son of Haran, and his daughter-in-law Sarai, the wife of his son Avram, and together they set out from Ur of the Chaldeans to go to Canaan. They came to Charan and they settled there. (32) Terah lived 205 years, and he died in Charan. (Bereishit 11: 27-32)
It seems unequivocal that Avraham was born in Ur Kasdim[6], and that Terah took him and other family members away from there, and the family settled in Charan. We are mystified as to why idolatrous Terah was on his way to Canaan – Israel. The Ramban[7] offers a partial solution when he notes that the text is inverted: The natural order would be to leave the most immediate context, his father’s household, followed by the larger circle, his birthplace or home town, and then the larger and less personal context of country. The Ramban posits that the verse is written in the inverse order, for Avraham had in act already left his country and birthplace, along with his father and the other family members who joined this entourage, and God’s commandment at this juncture is to “finish the job” and leave his father’s sphere of influence as well. While this solution does explain the peculiarity in the syntax, we are left none the wiser as to Terah’s motivation to travel to Canaan[8].
Later in the text, we become even more confused:
ספר בראשית פרק טו
(ז) וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו אֲנִי ה’ אֲשֶׁר הוֹצֵאתִיךָ מֵאוּר כַּשְׂדִּים לָתֶת לְךָ אֶת הָאָרֶץ הַזֹּאת לְרִשְׁתָּהּ:
(7) He said to him, "I am God who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to take possession of it."
Who took Avraham out of Ur Kasdim? Was it Terah, or was it God?[9] Whose idea was this, Avraham’s, Terah’s, or God’s? We don’t know why Terah was on the way to Canaan, which is part of the reason we don’t know when God spoke to Avraham and told him “lech l’cha”.
The Ibn Ezra[10] suggests that the command of “lech l’cha” was given while Avraham was still in Ur Kasdim, which means that while we don’t have a clear time line, at least in this instance Avraham did not get up early the next morning and immediately obey the Divine imperative. But now we understand why God asks Avraham to leave his country and birthplace – he was still there. This reading of the text leads to the conclusion that God “gets the credit” for taking Avraham out of Ur Kasdim, and Terah was a facilitator of God’s will. We thus vey neatly reconcile the syntax of the verses, the timeline issues and the question of motive, but we create a different problem: If God spoke to Avraham and commanded him to go to Canaan at that juncture, why did he need Terah to help him out?
Let us re-frame the issue of the sequence of events. How old was Avraham when God spoke with him the first time, commanding him to leave his entire past behind and journey to an unnamed destination? A cursory reading of the text reveals that “lech l’cha” is the first recorded communication, and Avraham was seventy five years old when he left on this journey. “Lech l’cha” is not fixed anywhere on the timeline of Avraham’s life. While various rabbinic opinions mark off significant stages in Avraham’s religious development, with benchmarks at three years of age, forty-eight, and again at fifty-two[11] years of age, we do not know at what point in Avraham’s life he receives his first revelation, when God first confirms for Avraham his beliefs and convictions.
Rashi raises the possibility that there was a direct communication from God before “lech l’cha”. When God tells Avraham about the slavery of the Jews He speaks of 400 years.
ספר בראשית פרק טו
(יג) וַיֹּאמֶר לְאַבְרָם יָדֹעַ תֵּדַע כִּי גֵר יִהְיֶה זַרְעֲךָ בְּאֶרֶץ לֹא לָהֶם וַעֲבָדוּם וְעִנּוּ אֹתָם אַרְבַּע מֵאוֹת שָׁנָה:
Then God said to him, "Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own, and they will be enslaved and mistreated four hundred years.
According to accepted Rabbinic chronology, the Jews were in Egypt for 210 years. Commentators who explain God’s reference to 400 years of slavery point back to the birth of Yitzchak: As any parent knows, this is where the worrying begins. When Avraham and Sarah have a child, they begin to view the world from a new perspective, considering the larger context. From this point Avraham and Sara begin worrying about their descendants. They have a child, the subject and the vehicle for their angst.
To make matters more interesting, another set of figures is thrown into the mix when the story of the Exodus from Egypt is told:
ספר שמות פרק יב
(מא) וַיְהִי מִקֵּץ שְׁלשִׁים שָׁנָה וְאַרְבַּע מֵאוֹת שָׁנָה וַיְהִי בְּעֶצֶם הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה יָצְאוּ כָּל צִבְאוֹת ה' מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם:
At the end of the 430 years, to the very day, all God’s divisions left Egypt. (Shmot 12:41)
We see that 210 years of slavery[12] become 400 of emotional distress, when counted from the birth of Yitzchak. But how do the 400 years become 430? Where are the extra 30 years from? Rashi[13] explains that while we count the four hundred years from the birth of Yitzchak, 30 years prior to that is when God spoke to Avraham at the “Brit bein hab’tarim ” the covenant of the splitting in two[14]. We know that Avraham was 100 years of age when Yitzchak was born, which would mean that he was 70 years old when he had this epiphany– five years prior to his arrival in the land of Canaan, and therefore prior to “lech l’cha”.
Rashi’s reading of the text is based on a book of Biblical chronology called Seder Olam Rabbah, a comprehensive, over-arching time-line drawn from biblical narrative and midrashic traditions. One of the most dramatic episodes in Avraham’s life is when he is thrown into the furnace, an episode embedded in our collective memory, recorded in midrashic and Talmudic sources but absent from the biblical text in any explicit way. However, the furnace episode may be subliminally encoded in the biblical text, within the name of Avraham’s place of birth, Ur Kasdim. What was this place and why was it so named? The Targum (pseudo) Yonatan[15] translates Ur Kasdim as “the furnace of fire in Kasdim.” Thus, when God speaks to Avraham at the Brit bein hab’tarim and says “"I am God, who brought you out of Ur Kasdim,” what God is really saying is “I am the One who saved you from the fiery furnace.” This reading forces us to conclude that “lech l’cha” preceded the Brit bein ha’btarim.
According to the Seder Olam Rabbah, Avraham was at the tower of Bavel and was forty eight years old at the time. The Torah tells us of the use of furnaces to forge the bricks used to build the tower, [16] and it is into one of these furnaces that the nefarious Nimrod throws Avraham, who has rejected the idolatrous overtones of Nimrod’s rule. It is from that furnace that Avraham is saved.
Nimrod and his followers become known as the “Generation of the Dispersion.” Can Terah’s sudden departure for Canaan be understood in this context? Did he quit Ur Kasdim out of a nascent sense of Zionism, or was his move part of the general atmosphere in that generation? Did Terah, like others of his time, get some sort of Divine inspiration that told him it was time to move on, or did he recognize and seek out some inherent spirituality in Canaan?
The Netz”iv concurs with Rashi and follows the same chronology, positing that the Brit bein hab’tarim transpired when Avraham was seventy years old. The Netz”iv then proceeds to describe the Brit bein hab’tarim as more of a dreamlike experience, an “awakening” or “enlightenment”, rather than a full-fledged prophetic experience.[17] God whispered into Avraham’s heart and told him that he should leave Ur Kasdim and head to Israel. Perhaps Avraham was not the only one to receive such an “awakening”; perhaps Terah did as well.
The Ramban’s line of thought is of a similar vein:[18] Avraham built an altar upon arriving in Israel, because only then did he receive actual prophecy, as opposed to the dreams, or Ruach Hakodesh he had experienced up to that point. The Kli Yakar[19] reminds us of the more general principle that outside the Land of Israel prophecy may be all but impossible.
We have seen, then, that according to both the Ramban and the Netz”iv “lech l’cha” was not a clear prophetic command but rather a “feeling”, even an intuition. This would explain why Avraham did not “pick up and go” early the next morning. Terah’s journey may also be the result of a similar awakening. We might even dare to say that God spreads this type of feeling among all of humanity, but only Avraham was willing to take up the challenge. This is reminiscent of the midrashic[20] insight regarding receiving the Torah: God called out to many nations but only the Jews accepted the Torah.
Terah never completes the journey. Though he and Avraham ostensibly travel the same path, we do not find a description similar to the relationship between father and son that characterizes the ‘‘Akeida, “and the two of them went together”. Instead, we get the feeling that Avraham and Terah took the same trip – separately, as opposed to Avraham and Yitzchak travelling together on the way to the ‘Akeida.
ספר בראשית פרק כב
(ו) … וַיֵּלְכוּ שְׁנֵיהֶם יַחְדָּו:(ז) וַיֹּאמֶר יִצְחָק אֶל אַבְרָהָם אָבִיו וַיֹּאמֶר אָבִי וַיֹּאמֶר הִנֶּנִּי בְנִי וַיֹּאמֶר הִנֵּה הָאֵשׁ וְהָעֵצִים וְאַיֵּה הַשֶּׂה לְעֹלָה:(ח) וַיֹּאמֶר אַבְרָהָם אֱלֹהִים יִרְאֶה לּוֹ הַשֶּׂה לְעֹלָה בְּנִי וַיֵּלְכוּ שְׁנֵיהֶם יַחְדָּו:
(6 )… the two of them went on together. 7 Yitzchak spoke up and said to his father Avraham, "Father?" "Here I am, my son" Avraham replied. "The fire and wood are here," Yitzchak said, "but where is the lamb for the olah?"
8 Avraham answered, "God will provide the lamb for the olah, my son." And the two of them went on together. (Bereshit 22:6-8)
They walk together, two people on one mission. If there is a binding, it is between Avraham and Yitzchak. With the words “ha’aleyhu sham l’olah” Avraham is commanded to elevate his son. The two will be joined, unlike Avraham and Terah.
Avraham receives the awakening, accepts the challenge, leaves his homeland and sets off on his way, destination unknown. The Ramban[21] notes that Avraham travels from place to place waiting for the right feeling, for confirmation from God that he has arrived at the intended place. He doesn’t build an altar until he arrives in Israel. Now he knows and feels that he has found the place of holiness. He can build an altar, but he doesn’t feel as of yet that it is the right place to put an offering on the altar; he continues his quest.[22] He has found a holy place – but it is not quite holy enough. He receives prophesy, revelation, but the places he has found are not quite holy enough for an offering. Finally, God tells him of a place that he can bring an olah. We know the name and location of that place: Har HaMoriah, the place that one day would be called Jerusalem. Now, marching together with his son, Avraham knows he has found the right place - and so does Yitzchak. They march together, father and son. Overwhelmed by the holiness, both father and son know that this is a place where one can be completely consumed by God. And instead of simple physical elevation - of lifting Yitzchak on top of a glorious mountain and having Yitzchak join him in the covenant that he has with God, Avraham seeks complete, permanent elevation. He thinks this is the place for a sacrifice. Indeed, he is correct: The offering would soon be revealed, and the place they found would one day be the Beit Hamikdash, where so many offerings would be brought, and elevation achieved on a grand scale for all of Avraham’s descendents.
The Shla Hakadosh suggests that in fact Avraham found the holiest place, the inner sanctum, the Kodesh Hakdoshim, citing the Midrashic tradition that the voice that calls out to Avraham comes from between the two Keruvim. Such a voice, says the Shla, could only be heard in the Kodesh Hakdoshim. There, deep in the holiest place, no sacrifices are offered, only incense. The command Avraham received was, in actuality, to enter the Kodesh Hakdoshim, to assume the role of Kohen Gadol (High Priest) and to pass it on to Yitzchak.[23] The ‘Akeida thus unlocks for us an understanding of the core of the Beit Hamikdash: Har HaMoriah is named for mor, one of the spices used to make the incense offering brought in the Kodesh Hakdoshim. The very core of the Beit HaMikdash, of Har HaMoriah, of the Kodesh Hakdoshim itself, is incense and not sacrifice. This is the core of the ‘Akeida as well.[24]
So much for the message of the ‘Akeida. But what of the test? If this was to be a test of Avraham and Yitzchak’s relationship with one another, or of their relationship with God, they clearly passed with flying colors: Would the two walk together, clinging to one another and clinging to their faith in God? Yes. But their love of God pushed them beyond the actual command of God: If the commandment was to elevate Yitzchak, then Avraham certainly succeeded. God did not require Avraham to elevate Yitzchak in a traumatic manner. Perhaps Avraham, who entered Nimrod’s fiery furnace because of his love of God, did not find it strange that at times God may require such heroic action. But Avraham should have paid closer attention to God’s words: “I am the one who took you out of the furnace”. God did not ask Avraham to sacrifice himself in this way. On the other hand, Avraham, who almost met his death in the furnace, knew of God’s miracles and His salvation, knew that somehow Yitzchak, too, would survive. In the end, he was not wrong.
After the ‘Akeida, Avraham and Yitzchak had even more in common than before: Both were willing to give up their lives for their love of God. They were both almost burnt offerings, and they were both elevated by that experience. Most importantly, they walked together.
[1] Rashi Bereishit 22:2
רש"י על בראשית פרק כב פסוק ב
והעלהו - לא אמר לו שחטהו לפי שלא היה חפץ הקב"ה לשחטו אלא להעלהו להר לעשותו עולה ומשהעלהו אמר לו הורידהו:
[2] The Tosafists make the same observation in their comments on Bereishit 22:2:
פירוש בעלי התוספות על בראשית פרק כב פסוק ב
והעלהו שם לעולה. אבל לא אמר ושחטהו שלא נתכוון המקום אלא לעלייה בלבד:
[3] Rabenu Bachya Berishit 22:2
רבינו בחיי על בראשית פרק כב פסוק ב
והעלהו שם לעולה – היה ראוי שיאמר והעלהו שם עולה. אבל על דרך הפשט הלמ"ד הזאת באורה במקום כלומר שתעלה אותו שם במקום עולה. וכמוהו (בראשית ו) הלבנה לאבן במקום אבן. שאם תפרש לעולה עולה ממש איך יצוה הקב"ה ואח"כ יחזור מצוויו. ואברהם מתוך תוקף האהבה הבין עולה ממש והקב"ה שבא לנסות לא כוון אלא במקום עולה.
[4] Shla Hakodesh Vayera Torah Ohr 4
ספר השל"ה הקדוש – ספר בראשית – פרשת וירא תורה אור (ד)
זה היה ענין קטרוג של שטן שבכל סעודה שעשה ליצחק לא הקריב קרבן, ואף בסעודה שעשה בעת בשורת יצחק שהיה כקרבן לא הקריב לפניך, אף שהקריב לשם המיוחד היה לו להיות לפניך בלי אמצעית מלאך. והשיב לו הקב"ה כבר הקריב לפני, כי ענין המילה היא קרבן, הן המילה שמל את יצחק בנו הן המילה שמל אברהם את עצמו, וקיים אדם כי יקריב, כי הקריב את עצמו. ורמז לדבר בפרשת לך לך ואברהם הקריב (בראשית יב, יא) נתקיים אחר כך ואברהם הקריב את עצמו, וכבר נודע כי המילה היא קרבן. ואמר הקב"ה להשטן כדרך שהשיב יצחק לישמעאל שהתפאר נגד יצחק על שלא עיכב למול את עצמו, באבר אחד אתה מייראני, אילו אמר ליה הקב"ה זבח עצמך וכו'. ואחר הדברים האלה והאלהים נסה את אברהם, פירוש אחר דבריו של ישמעאל ואחר דבריו של שטן, כי כל הפירושים הם אמת, ואלו ואלו דברי אלהים חיים כאשר יתבאר:
[5] The first recorded instance of Avraham getting up early is Bereishit 19:27,28, when Avraham arises and witnesses the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah go up in smoke. The next instance is Bereishit 21:14 when Yishmael will be sent away.
ספר בראשית פרק יט
(כז) וַיַּשְׁכֵּם אַבְרָהָם בַּבֹּקֶר אֶל הַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר עָמַד שָׁם אֶת פְּנֵי ה’: (כח) וַיַּשְׁקֵף עַל פְּנֵי סְדֹם וַעֲמֹרָה וְעַל כָּל פְּנֵי אֶרֶץ הַכִּכָּר וַיַּרְא וְהִנֵּה עָלָה קִיטֹר הָאָרֶץ כְּקִיטֹר הַכִּבְשָׁן:
27 Early the next morning Abraham got up and returned to the place where he had stood before the LORD. 28 He looked down toward Sodom and Gomorrah, toward all the land of the plain, and he saw dense smoke rising from the land, like smoke from a furnace.
[6] There are those who do debate this point – see the comments of the Raman.
[7] The Ramban proposes that Avraham was born in Charan; that was his birthplace, and he had subsequently travelled to Ur Kasdim (comments on Bereishit 12:1).
[8] In a separate comment the Ramban states that the journey from Ur Kasdim to Canaan was Avraham’s idea, not Terach’s. See Ramban 11:31. Also note as stated above the Ramban has different theory regarding the birthplace of Avraham.
רמב"ן על בראשית פרק יא פסוק לא
(לא) ויצאו אתם מאור כשדים בעבור כי אברם נכבד מאביו, וההולכים בעצתו ובעבורו ילכו, אמר הכתוב ויצאו אתם ואף על פי שאמר "ויקח תרח", אבל לוט ושרי בעבור אברם הלכו אתם, כי גם אחרי שנפרד אברם מאביו הלכו אתו:
[9] The Netziv makes a suggestion that Terach was travelling at Avraham’s request, but Avraham was a luftmensch – his head was in the clouds – and therefore Terach “drove” so as not to disturb Avraham’s meditations about God. While this presents an idyllic description of the Avraham Terech relationship, such a description is not really supported by the text, especially regarding the crucial point was Avraham leading or did Terach take Avraham.
העמק דבר על בראשית פרק יא פסוק לא
(לא) ויקח תרח את אברם בנו וגו' ללכת ארצה כנען. אע"ג שלא הי' עוד מאמר ה' לא"א. מכ"מ כבר הי' הערה מן השמים וראה מרחוק קדושת הארץ וכמש" להלן ט"ו ז' והא דכתיב ויקח תרח וגו' אע"ג דעיקר רצון אותה יציאה הי' אברם ובעצתו מכ"מ כיון שיה' אברם שקוע ברעיונות אלקיות או חכמות ולא יכול להנהיג נסיעה הוא וביתו ע"כ נמסר הנסיעה לאביו והוא לקח את אברם וכל הכבודה על ידו:
[10] Ibn Ezra 12:1
אבן עזרא על בראשית פרק יב פסוק א
השם צוה לאברהם ועודנו באור כשדים שיעזוב ארצו ומקום מולדתו גם בית אביו. והטעם שידע השם שתרח אחר שיצא ללכת אל ארץ כנען ישב בחרן. ותרח לא מת עד אחר ששים שנה שיצא אברהם מבית אביו מחרן רק הכתוב לא פירש שניו בצאתו מאור כשדים.ואחר שאמר אשר אראך – גלה לו הסוד כי כן כתוב ויצאו ללכת ארצה כנען. או יהיה טעם אראך הוא שאמר לו כי את כל הארץ אשר אתה רואה לך אתננה:
[11] See below for the significance of some of these junctures on the timeline, and the seminal events that are linked to them.
[12] According to Rabbinic tradition, of the 210 years in Egypt only 86 were years of actual slavery.
[13] Rashi’s source is a braita in Seder Olam Rabah, the definitive book on biblical chronology, Chapter 1.
ברייתא דסדר עולם רבה פרק א
אברהם אבינו הי' בשעה שנדבר עמו בין הבתרים בן ע' שנה שנאמר (שמות י"ב מ"א) ויהי מקץ שלשים שנה וארבע מאות שנה וגו'. לאחר שנדבר עמו ירד לחרן ועשה שם חמש שנים שנאמר (בראשית י"ב ד') ואברהם בן חמש שנים ושבעים שנה בצאתו מחרן
[14] We should note that here Avraham does kill animals, at God’s request. (Bereishit 15:9,10) However subsequent to this covenant all the altars that Avraham builds remain empty - devoid of flesh and blood – until the Akaida.
[15] Berieshit 15:7.
יונתן בראשית פרק טו פסוק ז
ז וַאֲמַר לֵיהּ אֲנָא יְיָ דְאַפֵיקְתָּךְ מֵאַתּוּן נוּרָא דְכַשְׂדָאֵי לְמִתַּן לָךְ יַת אַרְעָא הֲדָא לְמֵירְתָהּ:
כתר יונתן בראשית פרק טו פסוק ז
ז ויאמר לו אני יי שהוצאתיך מכבשן האש של כשדים לתת לך את הארץ הזאת לרִשׁתה:
Also see the comments of the Rosh on the Torah and the Ketab VKabbala.
הכתב והקבלה על בראשית פרק טו פסוק ז
מאור כשדים. היותר נכון מ"ש הרא"ש שאין המקום נקרא אור כשדים, אבל פי' אש כשדים, כמו שלישית באור תבעיר (יחזקאל) וכן אור לו בציון ותנור (ישעיה), ואמר קרא וימת הרן באור כשדים כלומר מת בעיר מולדתו ארם נהרים ע"י האש ששרפוהו הכשדים, וכמו שספרו לנו רבותינו (ערש"י).
[16] Bereishit 11:3
בראשית פרק יא
ג) וַיֹּאמְרוּ אִישׁ אֶל רֵעֵהוּ הָבָה נִלְבְּנָה לְבֵנִים וְנִשְׂרְפָה לִשְׂרֵפָה וַתְּהִי לָהֶם הַלְּבֵנָה לְאָבֶן וְהַחֵמָר הָיָה לָהֶם לַחֹמֶר:
3 They said to each other, "Come, let us make bricks and bake them thoroughly." They used brick instead of stone, and clay for mortar.
[17] Ha’amek Davar Bereishit 15:7
העמק דבר על בראשית פרק טו פסוק ז
(ז) ויאמר אליו. רש"י בפ' בא כ' דברית בה"ב נאמר שלשים שנה קודם שנולד יצחק ומיישב בזה הכתוב ומושב ב"י אשר ישבו במצרים שלשים שנה וארבע מאות שנה. … ונ"ל שגם בסדר עולם אין הכוונה שהי' הדבור כמשמעו אלא בהיותו בן שבעים שנה הי' לו הערה וקול דודו ית' דופק על לבו לצאת מאור כשדים ומשם לא"י. והערה זו מפורש בישעיה מ"א מי העיר ממזרח וגו' ומשום שאז עלה ברצון כל ענין בה"ב. אבל לא הי' שום דבור מפורש עד שהגיע לבן חמש ושבעים והגיע דבור הראשון לזרעך אתן את הארץ הזאת. ובמלחמת המלכים בא דבור של הקב"ה בשלימות בשעה שעלה במחשבת א"א שהוא צדקה בלי טעם.
[18] See Ramban Bereishit 12:7
רמב"ן על בראשית פרק יב פסוק ז
וטעם לה' הנראה אליו, כי הודה לשם הנכבד וזבח לו זבח תודה על שנראה אליו, כי עד הנה לא נראה אליו השם ולא נתודע אליו במראה ולא במחזה, אבל נאמר לו "לך לך מארצך" בחלום הלילה או ברוח הקדש
[19] Kli Yakar Bereishit 12:7, the Netziv concurs.
כלי יקר על בראשית פרק יב פסוק ז
וירא ה' אל אברם. מה שלא נראה אליו ה' מיד כשאמר לו לך לך מארצך, לפי שאז היה עדיין בחו"ל כדעת הראב"ע ובחו"ל אין שכינתו ית' נגלה וראיה מיונה, (מכילתא בא יב ד) וא"כ לא נראה אליו שם ה' במראה כי אם קול דברים לבד היה שומע וע"כ לא בנה שם מזבח, רק לה' הנראה אליו. אבל בעוד שלא היה נראה אליו לא רצה לבנות מזבח במקום שאין השכינה שורה. וזה"ש במשה (שמות ד א) כי יאמרו לא נראה אליך ה'. כי אין דרכו להתראות בחו"ל ובזה יכחישו לומר שגם קול לא שמעת:
[20] Sifri 343.
[21] Ramban Bereishit 12:1
[22] See comments of the Meshech Chochma to Bereishit 12:1 (which is the first Lech L’cha) that Avraham’s entire sojourn in Israel was in search of Holiness and the right place for serving God.
משך חכמה על בראשית פרק יב פסוק א
אל הארץ אשר אראך – יתכן לפרש כי צווהו לילך לארץ מקום המיועד לעבודה ולקרבנות ששם הקריבו אדה"ר ונח קרבנותיהם ושם יפרסם אלקות ויקדש שמו בשחוט בנו ויראה את הכחות הטמונים בסתר לבבו אשר מצא נאמן לפניו (נחמיה ט, ח) וזה שאמר אראך פועל יוצא שיראה את הטמון בלב אברהם לאחרים וכמו שאמר המלאך (בראשית כב, יב) כי עתה ידעתי כו' והנה לפ"ז אברהם יתראה ויהיה הנראה לאחרים ודו"ק.
[23] Shla Hakosesh Vayera Torah Ohr 4
ספר השל"ה הקדוש – ספר בראשית – פרשת וירא תורה אור (ד)
וכולהו נתקיימו בעקידת יצחק, כי אברהם עקדו וקשרו גם שם אותו לעולה בהר המוריה. ואפשר שהמזבח אשר בנה אברהם אבינו בהר המוריה היה במקום מזבח הפנימי שמקטירין הקטורת, כי הקטורת חביב מכל הקרבנות שבעולם, ולא היה קרבן חביב בעולם כיצחק עולה תמימה. וכן משמע קצת במדרש (פרקי דר"א לא) שאמר ויקרא אליו מלאך ה' מן השמים, מבין שני הכרובים יצא הקול. הרי שענין העקידה היה הכל במקום המקודש ביותר, שקרא אליו המלאך ממקום קדשי קדשים, ממילא מסתבר שנעקד על גבי מזבח הפנימי. וכן מצינו כשהוקם המשכן היה הקול נפסק ולא יצא מחוץ לאהל מועד, וזהו ענין שנקרא הר המוריה על שם הקטורת כי שם נעקד יצחק.
[24] Rashi Berishit 22:2
רש"י על בראשית פרק כב פסוק ב
בהר המוריה. ורבותינו פירשו על שם שמשם הוראה יוצאה לישראל. ואונקלוס תרגמו על שם עבודת הקטורת שיש בו מור נרד ושאר בשמים:
© 2008 Rabbi Ari D. Kahn
Elevation
It is frightening: “Some time later God tested Avraham.”
It is dramatic and haunting: "Take your son, your only son, Yitzchak whom you love”
It is life - altering and chilling: “and go to the region of Moriah”
Perhaps most of all, it is confusing: “and elevate him there as an olah on one of the mountains that I will tell you."
When we consider the ‘‘Akeida we need to read the text carefully, and note what it does say, and what the text does not say. Is it our imagination or is it our faulty memory? Things we think are in the text are absent, and things we don’t remember suddenly “appear”.
Let us begin without any preconceived notions.
ספר בראשית פרק כב
(א) וַיְהִי אַחַר הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה וְהָאֱלֹהִים נִסָּה אֶת אַבְרָהָם וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו אַבְרָהָם וַיֹּאמֶר הִנֵּנִי: (ב) וַיֹּאמֶר קַח נָא אֶת בִּנְךָ אֶת יְחִידְךָ אֲשֶׁר אָהַבְתָּ אֶת יִצְחָק וְלֶךְ לְךָ אֶל אֶרֶץ הַמֹּרִיָּה וְהַעֲלֵהוּ שָׁם לְעֹלָה עַל אַחַד הֶהָרִים אֲשֶׁר אֹמַר אֵלֶיךָ: (ג) וַיַּשְׁכֵּם אַבְרָהָם בַּבֹּקֶר וַיַּחֲבשׁ אֶת חֲמֹרוֹ וַיִּקַּח אֶת שְׁנֵי נְעָרָיו אִתּוֹ וְאֵת יִצְחָק בְּנוֹ וַיְבַקַּע עֲצֵי עֹלָה וַיָּקָם וַיֵּלֶךְ אֶל הַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר אָמַר לוֹ הָאֱלֹהִים:
(1) Some time later God tested Avraham. He said to him, "Avraham!" "Here I am," he replied. (2) Then God said, "Take your son, your only son, Yitzchak, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Bring him up there as an olah on one of the mountains that I will tell you." (3) Early the next morning Avraham got up and saddled his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Yitzchak. He cut olah wood, and he arose and set out for the place God had told him about. (Bereishit 22)
The first noteworthy term is “test”. While we have learned that Avraham was tested ten different ways, the only instance which is explicitly called a test, and the only instance in which the nature of the test is explicit, is the ‘‘Akeida. This, then is the quintessential test, the ultimate test.
When we continue to read the text we are left searching for something which is not there. In fact, nowhere in the entire set of instructions do we find the word that is most closely associated with this series of events: God never does command Avraham to bind Yitzchak or to tie his son in any way. Despite this, for all time this section is known as “the binding (‘‘Akeida) of Yitzchak”.
There is something else missing, something far more troubling: At no point in the narrative does God command Avraham to kill Yitzchak. The exact words are “v’ha’alyahu sham l’olah “elevate him there as an olah”
Rashi comments on this verse, pointing out that God never said to slaughter Yitzchak. God did not want Yitzchak’s life to be ended. He wanted Yitzchak to be “raised up”, designating him as an “olah”. Once he was uplifted, He commanded Avraham to take Yitzchak down[1].
Were we to conclude from our cursory reading that God had indeed commanded Avraham to slaughter his son, we would be justifiably disturbed: elderly, saintly, loving, kind Avraham is asked to perform a grotesque and horrifying act – to kill is own son. Clearly, the episode’s finale would allow us to modify our understanding: When God tells Avraham to take Yitzchak down from the altar, the larger ultimate message and lesson would be God’s declaration against human sacrifice.
If God never did ask for the slaughter, why did Avraham seem to think He had? What was on Avraham’s mind? Might we say that if God did not command him to slaughter Yitzchak, then Avraham should be seen as so bloodthirsty a man that he pulled a knife on his own son? Or might we say that God did command the death of Yitzchak, but subsequently He changed His mind?
We should note that, prior to the ‘Akeida, Avraham erected numerous altars, but never brought an offering upon them.
(ז) וַיֵּרָא ה’ אֶל אַבְרָם וַיֹּאמֶר לְזַרְעֲךָ אֶתֵּן אֶת הָאָרֶץ הַזֹּאת וַיִּבֶן שָׁם מִזְבֵּחַ לה’ הַנִּרְאֶה אֵלָיו:
(7) God appeared to Avram and said, "To your offspring I will give this land." So he built an altar there to God who had appeared to him.
In these verses, Avraham receives confirmation that indeed he has found the holy place that God had spoken of. He is granted revelation, and to express his thanks he builds an altar. But quite significantly, nothing is placed upon it. In subsequent chapters Avraham builds altars on various occasions, and never puts anything on them. Instead, he “calls out to God”; he prays.
(ח) וַיַּעְתֵּק מִשָּׁם הָהָרָה מִקֶּדֶם לְבֵית אֵל וַיֵּט אָהֳלֹה בֵּית אֵל מִיָּם וְהָעַי מִקֶּדֶם וַיִּבֶן שָׁם מִזְבֵּחַ לה’ וַיִּקְרָא בְּשֵׁם ה’:
(8) From there he went on toward the hills east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. There he built an altar to God and called on the name of God.
ספר בראשית פרק יג
(ג) וַיֵּלֶךְ לְמַסָּעָיו מִנֶּגֶב וְעַד בֵּית אֵל עַד הַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר הָיָה שָׁם אָהֳלֹה בַּתְּחִלָּה בֵּין בֵּית אֵל וּבֵין הָעָי: (ד) אֶל מְקוֹם הַמִּזְבֵּחַ אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה שָׁם בָּרִאשֹׁנָה וַיִּקְרָא שָׁם אַבְרָם בְּשֵׁם ה’:
(3) From the Negev he went from place to place until he came to Bethel, to the place between Bethel and Ai where his tent had been earlier (4) and where he had first built an altar. There Avram called on the name of God.
If Avraham had never brought a korban (sacrifice) prior to the ‘Akeida, why would he assume that now God requires a sacrifice?
There is another, more subtle point to consider: The name of God used in the text which commands the ‘Akeida is Elokim. This name is never used in the Torah in association with sacrifices:
תלמוד בבלי מסכת מנחות דף קי/א
תַּנְיָא, אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן עַזַּאי, בּוֹא וּרְאֵה מַה כְּתִיב בְּפָרָשַׁת קָרְבָּנוֹת, שֶׁלֹּא נֶּאֱמַר בָּהֶם, לֹא "אֵל", וְלֹא "אֱלֹהִים", אֶלָּא "לַה'". שֶׁלֹּא לִתֵּן פִּתְחוֹן פֶּה לְבַעַל הַדִּין לַחֲלֹק.
It was taught: R. Simeon b. ‘Azzai said, ‘Come and see what is written in the chapter of the sacrifices. Neither (the names) el nor elohim are found there, but only (the Tetragramaton) ‘(YHVH)’, so as not to give sectarians any occasion to rebel. (Talmud Menachot 110a)
It is interesting that in the ‘Akeida story an offering is eventually brought – but only after an angel of God (YHVH) interceded.
In fact, Rabenu Bachya clearly states,[2] as did Rashi, that God never did ask Avraham to slaughter Yitzchak, but he buttresses his argument with a subtle grammatical point. Had Yitzchak been meant to be an actual offering, the text should have read “haleyhu olah,” but instead it says l’olah, which is understood -“as on olah” or “instead of an olah”.[3] Had God in fact commanded Avraham to sacrifice Yitzchak, it is theologically impossibility that He “changed His mind”. Rabenu Bachya therefore draws the conclusion that Avraham, motivated by love of God, goes farther than God’s command, and is prepared to slaughter Yitzchak.[4]
The next term which catches our attention is “lech l’cha”, translated as “go – for you” or “go for your sake”. This is not the first usage of this phrase. These, in fact, are very likely the first words God says to Avraham.
ספר בראשית פרק יב
(א) וַיֹּאמֶר ה’ אֶל אַבְרָם לֶךְ לְךָ מֵאַרְצְךָ וּמִמּוֹלַדְתְּךָ וּמִבֵּית אָבִיךָ אֶל הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר אַרְאֶךָּ:
(ד) וַיֵּלֶךְ אַבְרָם כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר אֵלָיו ה’ וַיֵּלֶךְ אִתּוֹ לוֹט וְאַבְרָם בֶּן חָמֵשׁ שָׁנִים וְשִׁבְעִים שָׁנָה בְּצֵאתוֹ מֵחָרָן:
(1) God said to Avram, "Leave your country, your birthplace and your father's household and go to the land I will show you.
(4) So Avram left, as God had told him; and Lot went with him. Avram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Charan. Bereishit 12
We should therefore expect that there be some connection –or contrast –between the two uses of the phrase “lech l’cha”. There should be something about this new mission which should echo the previous mission. In both instances the precise location is withheld and an element of faith or trust is needed. In both cases there is a clear commandment to do something, but in both cases there is something lacking regarding knowledge of the implementation.
We should also note Avraham’s zeal: Avraham does not merely accept the mission, he wakes up early in the morning and busies himself with his task with purposefulness. This is one of three instances where it is recorded that Avraham rises early.[5] His faith and his enthusiasm combine to push Avraham forward, to single-mindedly fulfill his mandate. It may be somewhat surprising that in the case of the other lech l’cha, when God’s first communication with Avraham is recorded, we have no reason to believe that Avraham set off immediately to fulfill God’s command. The text does not say that Avraham arose early the next morning and set off on his journey. In fact, the only information we have is that Avraham was seventy five years old when he set out. How old was he when God commanded “lech l’cha” ?
There is no clear answer to this question, but the text offers us ancillary information as clues to constructing a time-line. When God tells Avraham "Leave your country, your birthplace and your father's household,” we understand “father’s household” and perhaps “country” but “birthplace” is perplexing: Avraham was born in Ur Kasdim, but left his birthplace when he followed his father Terah on an aborted mission to the land of Cannan – which only took Avraham as far as Charan.
(לא) וַיִּקַּח תֶּרַח אֶת אַבְרָם בְּנוֹ וְאֶת לוֹט בֶּן הָרָן בֶּן בְּנוֹ וְאֵת שָׂרַי כַּלָּתוֹ אֵשֶׁת אַבְרָם בְּנוֹ וַיֵּצְאוּ אִתָּם מֵאוּר כַּשְׂדִּים לָלֶכֶת אַרְצָה כְּנַעַן וַיָּבֹאוּ עַד חָרָן וַיֵּשְׁבוּ שָׁם:(לב) וַיִּהְיוּ יְמֵי תֶרַח חָמֵשׁ שָׁנִים וּמָאתַיִם שָׁנָה וַיָּמָת תֶּרַח בְּחָרָן: ספר בראשית פרק יא
(31) Terah took his son Avram, his grandson Lot son of Haran, and his daughter-in-law Sarai, the wife of his son Avram, and together they set out from Ur of the Chaldeans to go to Canaan. They came to Charan and they settled there. (32) Terah lived 205 years, and he died in Charan. (Bereishit 11: 27-32)
It seems unequivocal that Avraham was born in Ur Kasdim[6], and that Terah took him and other family members away from there, and the family settled in Charan. We are mystified as to why idolatrous Terah was on his way to Canaan – Israel. The Ramban[7] offers a partial solution when he notes that the text is inverted: The natural order would be to leave the most immediate context, his father’s household, followed by the larger circle, his birthplace or home town, and then the larger and less personal context of country. The Ramban posits that the verse is written in the inverse order, for Avraham had in act already left his country and birthplace, along with his father and the other family members who joined this entourage, and God’s commandment at this juncture is to “finish the job” and leave his father’s sphere of influence as well. While this solution does explain the peculiarity in the syntax, we are left none the wiser as to Terah’s motivation to travel to Canaan[8].
Later in the text, we become even more confused:
ספר בראשית פרק טו
(ז) וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו אֲנִי ה’ אֲשֶׁר הוֹצֵאתִיךָ מֵאוּר כַּשְׂדִּים לָתֶת לְךָ אֶת הָאָרֶץ הַזֹּאת לְרִשְׁתָּהּ:
(7) He said to him, "I am God who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to take possession of it."
Who took Avraham out of Ur Kasdim? Was it Terah, or was it God?[9] Whose idea was this, Avraham’s, Terah’s, or God’s? We don’t know why Terah was on the way to Canaan, which is part of the reason we don’t know when God spoke to Avraham and told him “lech l’cha”.
The Ibn Ezra[10] suggests that the command of “lech l’cha” was given while Avraham was still in Ur Kasdim, which means that while we don’t have a clear time line, at least in this instance Avraham did not get up early the next morning and immediately obey the Divine imperative. But now we understand why God asks Avraham to leave his country and birthplace – he was still there. This reading of the text leads to the conclusion that God “gets the credit” for taking Avraham out of Ur Kasdim, and Terah was a facilitator of God’s will. We thus vey neatly reconcile the syntax of the verses, the timeline issues and the question of motive, but we create a different problem: If God spoke to Avraham and commanded him to go to Canaan at that juncture, why did he need Terah to help him out?
Let us re-frame the issue of the sequence of events. How old was Avraham when God spoke with him the first time, commanding him to leave his entire past behind and journey to an unnamed destination? A cursory reading of the text reveals that “lech l’cha” is the first recorded communication, and Avraham was seventy five years old when he left on this journey. “Lech l’cha” is not fixed anywhere on the timeline of Avraham’s life. While various rabbinic opinions mark off significant stages in Avraham’s religious development, with benchmarks at three years of age, forty-eight, and again at fifty-two[11] years of age, we do not know at what point in Avraham’s life he receives his first revelation, when God first confirms for Avraham his beliefs and convictions.
Rashi raises the possibility that there was a direct communication from God before “lech l’cha”. When God tells Avraham about the slavery of the Jews He speaks of 400 years.
ספר בראשית פרק טו
(יג) וַיֹּאמֶר לְאַבְרָם יָדֹעַ תֵּדַע כִּי גֵר יִהְיֶה זַרְעֲךָ בְּאֶרֶץ לֹא לָהֶם וַעֲבָדוּם וְעִנּוּ אֹתָם אַרְבַּע מֵאוֹת שָׁנָה:
Then God said to him, "Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own, and they will be enslaved and mistreated four hundred years.
According to accepted Rabbinic chronology, the Jews were in Egypt for 210 years. Commentators who explain God’s reference to 400 years of slavery point back to the birth of Yitzchak: As any parent knows, this is where the worrying begins. When Avraham and Sarah have a child, they begin to view the world from a new perspective, considering the larger context. From this point Avraham and Sara begin worrying about their descendants. They have a child, the subject and the vehicle for their angst.
To make matters more interesting, another set of figures is thrown into the mix when the story of the Exodus from Egypt is told:
ספר שמות פרק יב
(מא) וַיְהִי מִקֵּץ שְׁלשִׁים שָׁנָה וְאַרְבַּע מֵאוֹת שָׁנָה וַיְהִי בְּעֶצֶם הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה יָצְאוּ כָּל צִבְאוֹת ה' מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם:
At the end of the 430 years, to the very day, all God’s divisions left Egypt. (Shmot 12:41)
We see that 210 years of slavery[12] become 400 of emotional distress, when counted from the birth of Yitzchak. But how do the 400 years become 430? Where are the extra 30 years from? Rashi[13] explains that while we count the four hundred years from the birth of Yitzchak, 30 years prior to that is when God spoke to Avraham at the “Brit bein hab’tarim ” the covenant of the splitting in two[14]. We know that Avraham was 100 years of age when Yitzchak was born, which would mean that he was 70 years old when he had this epiphany– five years prior to his arrival in the land of Canaan, and therefore prior to “lech l’cha”.
Rashi’s reading of the text is based on a book of Biblical chronology called Seder Olam Rabbah, a comprehensive, over-arching time-line drawn from biblical narrative and midrashic traditions. One of the most dramatic episodes in Avraham’s life is when he is thrown into the furnace, an episode embedded in our collective memory, recorded in midrashic and Talmudic sources but absent from the biblical text in any explicit way. However, the furnace episode may be subliminally encoded in the biblical text, within the name of Avraham’s place of birth, Ur Kasdim. What was this place and why was it so named? The Targum (pseudo) Yonatan[15] translates Ur Kasdim as “the furnace of fire in Kasdim.” Thus, when God speaks to Avraham at the Brit bein hab’tarim and says “"I am God, who brought you out of Ur Kasdim,” what God is really saying is “I am the One who saved you from the fiery furnace.” This reading forces us to conclude that “lech l’cha” preceded the Brit bein ha’btarim.
According to the Seder Olam Rabbah, Avraham was at the tower of Bavel and was forty eight years old at the time. The Torah tells us of the use of furnaces to forge the bricks used to build the tower, [16] and it is into one of these furnaces that the nefarious Nimrod throws Avraham, who has rejected the idolatrous overtones of Nimrod’s rule. It is from that furnace that Avraham is saved.
Nimrod and his followers become known as the “Generation of the Dispersion.” Can Terah’s sudden departure for Canaan be understood in this context? Did he quit Ur Kasdim out of a nascent sense of Zionism, or was his move part of the general atmosphere in that generation? Did Terah, like others of his time, get some sort of Divine inspiration that told him it was time to move on, or did he recognize and seek out some inherent spirituality in Canaan?
The Netz”iv concurs with Rashi and follows the same chronology, positing that the Brit bein hab’tarim transpired when Avraham was seventy years old. The Netz”iv then proceeds to describe the Brit bein hab’tarim as more of a dreamlike experience, an “awakening” or “enlightenment”, rather than a full-fledged prophetic experience.[17] God whispered into Avraham’s heart and told him that he should leave Ur Kasdim and head to Israel. Perhaps Avraham was not the only one to receive such an “awakening”; perhaps Terah did as well.
The Ramban’s line of thought is of a similar vein:[18] Avraham built an altar upon arriving in Israel, because only then did he receive actual prophecy, as opposed to the dreams, or Ruach Hakodesh he had experienced up to that point. The Kli Yakar[19] reminds us of the more general principle that outside the Land of Israel prophecy may be all but impossible.
We have seen, then, that according to both the Ramban and the Netz”iv “lech l’cha” was not a clear prophetic command but rather a “feeling”, even an intuition. This would explain why Avraham did not “pick up and go” early the next morning. Terah’s journey may also be the result of a similar awakening. We might even dare to say that God spreads this type of feeling among all of humanity, but only Avraham was willing to take up the challenge. This is reminiscent of the midrashic[20] insight regarding receiving the Torah: God called out to many nations but only the Jews accepted the Torah.
Terah never completes the journey. Though he and Avraham ostensibly travel the same path, we do not find a description similar to the relationship between father and son that characterizes the ‘‘Akeida, “and the two of them went together”. Instead, we get the feeling that Avraham and Terah took the same trip – separately, as opposed to Avraham and Yitzchak travelling together on the way to the ‘Akeida.
ספר בראשית פרק כב
(ו) … וַיֵּלְכוּ שְׁנֵיהֶם יַחְדָּו:(ז) וַיֹּאמֶר יִצְחָק אֶל אַבְרָהָם אָבִיו וַיֹּאמֶר אָבִי וַיֹּאמֶר הִנֶּנִּי בְנִי וַיֹּאמֶר הִנֵּה הָאֵשׁ וְהָעֵצִים וְאַיֵּה הַשֶּׂה לְעֹלָה:(ח) וַיֹּאמֶר אַבְרָהָם אֱלֹהִים יִרְאֶה לּוֹ הַשֶּׂה לְעֹלָה בְּנִי וַיֵּלְכוּ שְׁנֵיהֶם יַחְדָּו:
(6 )… the two of them went on together. 7 Yitzchak spoke up and said to his father Avraham, "Father?" "Here I am, my son" Avraham replied. "The fire and wood are here," Yitzchak said, "but where is the lamb for the olah?"
8 Avraham answered, "God will provide the lamb for the olah, my son." And the two of them went on together. (Bereshit 22:6-8)
They walk together, two people on one mission. If there is a binding, it is between Avraham and Yitzchak. With the words “ha’aleyhu sham l’olah” Avraham is commanded to elevate his son. The two will be joined, unlike Avraham and Terah.
Avraham receives the awakening, accepts the challenge, leaves his homeland and sets off on his way, destination unknown. The Ramban[21] notes that Avraham travels from place to place waiting for the right feeling, for confirmation from God that he has arrived at the intended place. He doesn’t build an altar until he arrives in Israel. Now he knows and feels that he has found the place of holiness. He can build an altar, but he doesn’t feel as of yet that it is the right place to put an offering on the altar; he continues his quest.[22] He has found a holy place – but it is not quite holy enough. He receives prophesy, revelation, but the places he has found are not quite holy enough for an offering. Finally, God tells him of a place that he can bring an olah. We know the name and location of that place: Har HaMoriah, the place that one day would be called Jerusalem. Now, marching together with his son, Avraham knows he has found the right place - and so does Yitzchak. They march together, father and son. Overwhelmed by the holiness, both father and son know that this is a place where one can be completely consumed by God. And instead of simple physical elevation - of lifting Yitzchak on top of a glorious mountain and having Yitzchak join him in the covenant that he has with God, Avraham seeks complete, permanent elevation. He thinks this is the place for a sacrifice. Indeed, he is correct: The offering would soon be revealed, and the place they found would one day be the Beit Hamikdash, where so many offerings would be brought, and elevation achieved on a grand scale for all of Avraham’s descendents.
The Shla Hakadosh suggests that in fact Avraham found the holiest place, the inner sanctum, the Kodesh Hakdoshim, citing the Midrashic tradition that the voice that calls out to Avraham comes from between the two Keruvim. Such a voice, says the Shla, could only be heard in the Kodesh Hakdoshim. There, deep in the holiest place, no sacrifices are offered, only incense. The command Avraham received was, in actuality, to enter the Kodesh Hakdoshim, to assume the role of Kohen Gadol (High Priest) and to pass it on to Yitzchak.[23] The ‘Akeida thus unlocks for us an understanding of the core of the Beit Hamikdash: Har HaMoriah is named for mor, one of the spices used to make the incense offering brought in the Kodesh Hakdoshim. The very core of the Beit HaMikdash, of Har HaMoriah, of the Kodesh Hakdoshim itself, is incense and not sacrifice. This is the core of the ‘Akeida as well.[24]
So much for the message of the ‘Akeida. But what of the test? If this was to be a test of Avraham and Yitzchak’s relationship with one another, or of their relationship with God, they clearly passed with flying colors: Would the two walk together, clinging to one another and clinging to their faith in God? Yes. But their love of God pushed them beyond the actual command of God: If the commandment was to elevate Yitzchak, then Avraham certainly succeeded. God did not require Avraham to elevate Yitzchak in a traumatic manner. Perhaps Avraham, who entered Nimrod’s fiery furnace because of his love of God, did not find it strange that at times God may require such heroic action. But Avraham should have paid closer attention to God’s words: “I am the one who took you out of the furnace”. God did not ask Avraham to sacrifice himself in this way. On the other hand, Avraham, who almost met his death in the furnace, knew of God’s miracles and His salvation, knew that somehow Yitzchak, too, would survive. In the end, he was not wrong.
After the ‘Akeida, Avraham and Yitzchak had even more in common than before: Both were willing to give up their lives for their love of God. They were both almost burnt offerings, and they were both elevated by that experience. Most importantly, they walked together.
[1] Rashi Bereishit 22:2
רש"י על בראשית פרק כב פסוק ב
והעלהו - לא אמר לו שחטהו לפי שלא היה חפץ הקב"ה לשחטו אלא להעלהו להר לעשותו עולה ומשהעלהו אמר לו הורידהו:
[2] The Tosafists make the same observation in their comments on Bereishit 22:2:
פירוש בעלי התוספות על בראשית פרק כב פסוק ב
והעלהו שם לעולה. אבל לא אמר ושחטהו שלא נתכוון המקום אלא לעלייה בלבד:
[3] Rabenu Bachya Berishit 22:2
רבינו בחיי על בראשית פרק כב פסוק ב
והעלהו שם לעולה – היה ראוי שיאמר והעלהו שם עולה. אבל על דרך הפשט הלמ"ד הזאת באורה במקום כלומר שתעלה אותו שם במקום עולה. וכמוהו (בראשית ו) הלבנה לאבן במקום אבן. שאם תפרש לעולה עולה ממש איך יצוה הקב"ה ואח"כ יחזור מצוויו. ואברהם מתוך תוקף האהבה הבין עולה ממש והקב"ה שבא לנסות לא כוון אלא במקום עולה.
[4] Shla Hakodesh Vayera Torah Ohr 4
ספר השל"ה הקדוש – ספר בראשית – פרשת וירא תורה אור (ד)
זה היה ענין קטרוג של שטן שבכל סעודה שעשה ליצחק לא הקריב קרבן, ואף בסעודה שעשה בעת בשורת יצחק שהיה כקרבן לא הקריב לפניך, אף שהקריב לשם המיוחד היה לו להיות לפניך בלי אמצעית מלאך. והשיב לו הקב"ה כבר הקריב לפני, כי ענין המילה היא קרבן, הן המילה שמל את יצחק בנו הן המילה שמל אברהם את עצמו, וקיים אדם כי יקריב, כי הקריב את עצמו. ורמז לדבר בפרשת לך לך ואברהם הקריב (בראשית יב, יא) נתקיים אחר כך ואברהם הקריב את עצמו, וכבר נודע כי המילה היא קרבן. ואמר הקב"ה להשטן כדרך שהשיב יצחק לישמעאל שהתפאר נגד יצחק על שלא עיכב למול את עצמו, באבר אחד אתה מייראני, אילו אמר ליה הקב"ה זבח עצמך וכו'. ואחר הדברים האלה והאלהים נסה את אברהם, פירוש אחר דבריו של ישמעאל ואחר דבריו של שטן, כי כל הפירושים הם אמת, ואלו ואלו דברי אלהים חיים כאשר יתבאר:
[5] The first recorded instance of Avraham getting up early is Bereishit 19:27,28, when Avraham arises and witnesses the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah go up in smoke. The next instance is Bereishit 21:14 when Yishmael will be sent away.
ספר בראשית פרק יט
(כז) וַיַּשְׁכֵּם אַבְרָהָם בַּבֹּקֶר אֶל הַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר עָמַד שָׁם אֶת פְּנֵי ה’: (כח) וַיַּשְׁקֵף עַל פְּנֵי סְדֹם וַעֲמֹרָה וְעַל כָּל פְּנֵי אֶרֶץ הַכִּכָּר וַיַּרְא וְהִנֵּה עָלָה קִיטֹר הָאָרֶץ כְּקִיטֹר הַכִּבְשָׁן:
27 Early the next morning Abraham got up and returned to the place where he had stood before the LORD. 28 He looked down toward Sodom and Gomorrah, toward all the land of the plain, and he saw dense smoke rising from the land, like smoke from a furnace.
[6] There are those who do debate this point – see the comments of the Raman.
[7] The Ramban proposes that Avraham was born in Charan; that was his birthplace, and he had subsequently travelled to Ur Kasdim (comments on Bereishit 12:1).
[8] In a separate comment the Ramban states that the journey from Ur Kasdim to Canaan was Avraham’s idea, not Terach’s. See Ramban 11:31. Also note as stated above the Ramban has different theory regarding the birthplace of Avraham.
רמב"ן על בראשית פרק יא פסוק לא
(לא) ויצאו אתם מאור כשדים בעבור כי אברם נכבד מאביו, וההולכים בעצתו ובעבורו ילכו, אמר הכתוב ויצאו אתם ואף על פי שאמר "ויקח תרח", אבל לוט ושרי בעבור אברם הלכו אתם, כי גם אחרי שנפרד אברם מאביו הלכו אתו:
[9] The Netziv makes a suggestion that Terach was travelling at Avraham’s request, but Avraham was a luftmensch – his head was in the clouds – and therefore Terach “drove” so as not to disturb Avraham’s meditations about God. While this presents an idyllic description of the Avraham Terech relationship, such a description is not really supported by the text, especially regarding the crucial point was Avraham leading or did Terach take Avraham.
העמק דבר על בראשית פרק יא פסוק לא
(לא) ויקח תרח את אברם בנו וגו' ללכת ארצה כנען. אע"ג שלא הי' עוד מאמר ה' לא"א. מכ"מ כבר הי' הערה מן השמים וראה מרחוק קדושת הארץ וכמש" להלן ט"ו ז' והא דכתיב ויקח תרח וגו' אע"ג דעיקר רצון אותה יציאה הי' אברם ובעצתו מכ"מ כיון שיה' אברם שקוע ברעיונות אלקיות או חכמות ולא יכול להנהיג נסיעה הוא וביתו ע"כ נמסר הנסיעה לאביו והוא לקח את אברם וכל הכבודה על ידו:
[10] Ibn Ezra 12:1
אבן עזרא על בראשית פרק יב פסוק א
השם צוה לאברהם ועודנו באור כשדים שיעזוב ארצו ומקום מולדתו גם בית אביו. והטעם שידע השם שתרח אחר שיצא ללכת אל ארץ כנען ישב בחרן. ותרח לא מת עד אחר ששים שנה שיצא אברהם מבית אביו מחרן רק הכתוב לא פירש שניו בצאתו מאור כשדים.ואחר שאמר אשר אראך – גלה לו הסוד כי כן כתוב ויצאו ללכת ארצה כנען. או יהיה טעם אראך הוא שאמר לו כי את כל הארץ אשר אתה רואה לך אתננה:
[11] See below for the significance of some of these junctures on the timeline, and the seminal events that are linked to them.
[12] According to Rabbinic tradition, of the 210 years in Egypt only 86 were years of actual slavery.
[13] Rashi’s source is a braita in Seder Olam Rabah, the definitive book on biblical chronology, Chapter 1.
ברייתא דסדר עולם רבה פרק א
אברהם אבינו הי' בשעה שנדבר עמו בין הבתרים בן ע' שנה שנאמר (שמות י"ב מ"א) ויהי מקץ שלשים שנה וארבע מאות שנה וגו'. לאחר שנדבר עמו ירד לחרן ועשה שם חמש שנים שנאמר (בראשית י"ב ד') ואברהם בן חמש שנים ושבעים שנה בצאתו מחרן
[14] We should note that here Avraham does kill animals, at God’s request. (Bereishit 15:9,10) However subsequent to this covenant all the altars that Avraham builds remain empty - devoid of flesh and blood – until the Akaida.
[15] Berieshit 15:7.
יונתן בראשית פרק טו פסוק ז
ז וַאֲמַר לֵיהּ אֲנָא יְיָ דְאַפֵיקְתָּךְ מֵאַתּוּן נוּרָא דְכַשְׂדָאֵי לְמִתַּן לָךְ יַת אַרְעָא הֲדָא לְמֵירְתָהּ:
כתר יונתן בראשית פרק טו פסוק ז
ז ויאמר לו אני יי שהוצאתיך מכבשן האש של כשדים לתת לך את הארץ הזאת לרִשׁתה:
Also see the comments of the Rosh on the Torah and the Ketab VKabbala.
הכתב והקבלה על בראשית פרק טו פסוק ז
מאור כשדים. היותר נכון מ"ש הרא"ש שאין המקום נקרא אור כשדים, אבל פי' אש כשדים, כמו שלישית באור תבעיר (יחזקאל) וכן אור לו בציון ותנור (ישעיה), ואמר קרא וימת הרן באור כשדים כלומר מת בעיר מולדתו ארם נהרים ע"י האש ששרפוהו הכשדים, וכמו שספרו לנו רבותינו (ערש"י).
[16] Bereishit 11:3
בראשית פרק יא
ג) וַיֹּאמְרוּ אִישׁ אֶל רֵעֵהוּ הָבָה נִלְבְּנָה לְבֵנִים וְנִשְׂרְפָה לִשְׂרֵפָה וַתְּהִי לָהֶם הַלְּבֵנָה לְאָבֶן וְהַחֵמָר הָיָה לָהֶם לַחֹמֶר:
3 They said to each other, "Come, let us make bricks and bake them thoroughly." They used brick instead of stone, and clay for mortar.
[17] Ha’amek Davar Bereishit 15:7
העמק דבר על בראשית פרק טו פסוק ז
(ז) ויאמר אליו. רש"י בפ' בא כ' דברית בה"ב נאמר שלשים שנה קודם שנולד יצחק ומיישב בזה הכתוב ומושב ב"י אשר ישבו במצרים שלשים שנה וארבע מאות שנה. … ונ"ל שגם בסדר עולם אין הכוונה שהי' הדבור כמשמעו אלא בהיותו בן שבעים שנה הי' לו הערה וקול דודו ית' דופק על לבו לצאת מאור כשדים ומשם לא"י. והערה זו מפורש בישעיה מ"א מי העיר ממזרח וגו' ומשום שאז עלה ברצון כל ענין בה"ב. אבל לא הי' שום דבור מפורש עד שהגיע לבן חמש ושבעים והגיע דבור הראשון לזרעך אתן את הארץ הזאת. ובמלחמת המלכים בא דבור של הקב"ה בשלימות בשעה שעלה במחשבת א"א שהוא צדקה בלי טעם.
[18] See Ramban Bereishit 12:7
רמב"ן על בראשית פרק יב פסוק ז
וטעם לה' הנראה אליו, כי הודה לשם הנכבד וזבח לו זבח תודה על שנראה אליו, כי עד הנה לא נראה אליו השם ולא נתודע אליו במראה ולא במחזה, אבל נאמר לו "לך לך מארצך" בחלום הלילה או ברוח הקדש
[19] Kli Yakar Bereishit 12:7, the Netziv concurs.
כלי יקר על בראשית פרק יב פסוק ז
וירא ה' אל אברם. מה שלא נראה אליו ה' מיד כשאמר לו לך לך מארצך, לפי שאז היה עדיין בחו"ל כדעת הראב"ע ובחו"ל אין שכינתו ית' נגלה וראיה מיונה, (מכילתא בא יב ד) וא"כ לא נראה אליו שם ה' במראה כי אם קול דברים לבד היה שומע וע"כ לא בנה שם מזבח, רק לה' הנראה אליו. אבל בעוד שלא היה נראה אליו לא רצה לבנות מזבח במקום שאין השכינה שורה. וזה"ש במשה (שמות ד א) כי יאמרו לא נראה אליך ה'. כי אין דרכו להתראות בחו"ל ובזה יכחישו לומר שגם קול לא שמעת:
[20] Sifri 343.
[21] Ramban Bereishit 12:1
[22] See comments of the Meshech Chochma to Bereishit 12:1 (which is the first Lech L’cha) that Avraham’s entire sojourn in Israel was in search of Holiness and the right place for serving God.
משך חכמה על בראשית פרק יב פסוק א
אל הארץ אשר אראך – יתכן לפרש כי צווהו לילך לארץ מקום המיועד לעבודה ולקרבנות ששם הקריבו אדה"ר ונח קרבנותיהם ושם יפרסם אלקות ויקדש שמו בשחוט בנו ויראה את הכחות הטמונים בסתר לבבו אשר מצא נאמן לפניו (נחמיה ט, ח) וזה שאמר אראך פועל יוצא שיראה את הטמון בלב אברהם לאחרים וכמו שאמר המלאך (בראשית כב, יב) כי עתה ידעתי כו' והנה לפ"ז אברהם יתראה ויהיה הנראה לאחרים ודו"ק.
[23] Shla Hakosesh Vayera Torah Ohr 4
ספר השל"ה הקדוש – ספר בראשית – פרשת וירא תורה אור (ד)
וכולהו נתקיימו בעקידת יצחק, כי אברהם עקדו וקשרו גם שם אותו לעולה בהר המוריה. ואפשר שהמזבח אשר בנה אברהם אבינו בהר המוריה היה במקום מזבח הפנימי שמקטירין הקטורת, כי הקטורת חביב מכל הקרבנות שבעולם, ולא היה קרבן חביב בעולם כיצחק עולה תמימה. וכן משמע קצת במדרש (פרקי דר"א לא) שאמר ויקרא אליו מלאך ה' מן השמים, מבין שני הכרובים יצא הקול. הרי שענין העקידה היה הכל במקום המקודש ביותר, שקרא אליו המלאך ממקום קדשי קדשים, ממילא מסתבר שנעקד על גבי מזבח הפנימי. וכן מצינו כשהוקם המשכן היה הקול נפסק ולא יצא מחוץ לאהל מועד, וזהו ענין שנקרא הר המוריה על שם הקטורת כי שם נעקד יצחק.
[24] Rashi Berishit 22:2
רש"י על בראשית פרק כב פסוק ב
בהר המוריה. ורבותינו פירשו על שם שמשם הוראה יוצאה לישראל. ואונקלוס תרגמו על שם עבודת הקטורת שיש בו מור נרד ושאר בשמים:
Friday, October 31, 2008
Lech L'cha 5769
Lech L’cha 5769
Rabbi Ari Kahn
© 2008
It begins with a word, a command - or perhaps a test:
ספר בראשית פרק יב
(א) וַיֹּאמֶר ה’ אֶל אַבְרָם לֶךְ לְךָ מֵאַרְצְךָ וּמִמּוֹלַדְתְּךָ וּמִבֵּית אָבִיךָ אֶל הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר אַרְאֶךָּ: (ב) וְאֶעֶשְׂךָ לְגוֹי גָּדוֹל וַאֲבָרֶכְךָ וַאֲגַדְּלָה שְׁמֶךָ וֶהְיֵה בְּרָכָה: (ג) וַאֲבָרְכָה מְבָרֲכֶיךָ וּמְקַלֶּלְךָ אָאֹר וְנִבְרְכוּ בְךָ כֹּל מִשְׁפְּחֹת הָאֲדָמָה:
(1) The LORD had said to Abram, "Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you. (2) "I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. (3) I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you." (Bereishit 12)
According to at least one rabbinic source, contained in this verse are two tests:[1]
אבות דרבי נתן פרק שלשה ושלשים
עשר נסיונות נתנסה אברהם אבינו לפני הקב"ה ובכולן נמצא שלם ואלו הן שנים בלך לך ב' בשתי בניו ב' בשתי נשיו אחד עם המלכים ואחד בין הבתרים אחד באור כשדים ואחד בברית מילה (בין הבתרים).
…two trials at the time he was bidden to leave Haran, two with his two sons, two with his two wives, one in the wars of the Kings, one at the covenant ‘between the pieces’ (Gen. XV). One in Ur of the Chaldees (where, according to a tradition, he had been thrown into a furnace from whence he emerged unharmed). (Avot Drebbi Natan chapter 33)
Upon contemplation, we might ask a simple question: Why was leaving his hometown a test? Avraham was not exactly the most popular character back home; in fact the opposite seems true. He was vilified, persecuted, attacked and almost killed – until he was miraculously saved from a fiery furnace. Why would leaving such a place be considered a “test”? When we continue our reading of the next two verses, the “test” seems mitigated by a bounty of blessings:
(2) "I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. (3) I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you."
This certainly doesn’t sound like a challenge; in fact, it sounds as if Avraham has “hit the jackpot”! The promises are of incredible proportions. Where is the test?
A more careful reading of these verses reveals an almost untenable tension, which may be the key to understanding the angst which Avraham experiences in fulfilling the Divine imperative. Verse 2 is a blessing which introduces a new entity, a new concept which from this point on becomes the focus of the biblical narrative: the nation, specifically “the Nation of Israel”.
The joyous, nearly incredible news that a nation will emerge from the loins of Avraham, is tempered by the knowledge that a certain tension will always surround this nation. As this nation emerges, we learn that others will never be indifferent. The nation of Avraham’s children will never be “pareve” in the eyes of the world. They will always elicit some sort of reaction from others, always will serve as a source of blessing or a curse for others.
Furthermore, this blessing may be limiting: it is particular in nature, it is directed exclusively to the people who will become known as the Jewish People. In Avraham’s eyes, universal dreams may be challenged by particular nationalistic aspirations. Whereas Avraham has seen himself as a citizen of the world on a mission to help elevate all of mankind, his mission now becomes linked exclusively with this new entity, “the Children of Avraham.”
At this juncture, what are Avraham’s aspirations? Is his dream to start his own nation, or does he wish to impact the people of his hometown? Has his initial failure dissuaded him from continuing his original mission, or does he still dream of local success?
Avraham makes his journey to Israel but he doesn’t come alone. His partner Sarah (Sarai) accompanies him, as does Lot, his heir apparent. In addition, we are told of another group who follow their leader:
ספר בראשית פרק יב
(ה) וַיִּקַּח אַבְרָם אֶת שָׂרַי אִשְׁתּוֹ וְאֶת לוֹט בֶּן אָחִיו וְאֶת כָּל רְכוּשָׁם אֲשֶׁר רָכָשׁוּ וְאֶת הַנֶּפֶשׁ אֲשֶׁר עָשׂוּ בְחָרָן וַיֵּצְאוּ לָלֶכֶת אַרְצָה כְּנַעַן וַיָּבֹאוּ אַרְצָה כְּנָעַן:
(5) He took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all the possessions they had accumulated and the people they had made[2] (acquired) in Haran, and they set out for the land of Canaan[3], and they arrived there.
Avraham has an entourage, which is not all that unusual. What is interesting is that these are not people from Ur Kasdim (Aram Naharaim), they are people collected in Haran. They are not from his hometown, but from his latest temporary abode. In his hometown he seems to have had made no impact.
They arrive in Israel at a specific place, an intentional destination: Their first stop in the Land is at a place called Shechem[4]. The Ramban[5] points out that the “acts of the Father’s are a sign for the children”, for it is in Shechem that nationhood will emerge. This is where Dina is abused, and where the local residents offer the family of Israel to join destinies, to join them and form one nation. This offer is rejected, and a process is set in motion: A nation with its own unique history begins to chart its path, undertaking the long march to fulfill its particular, unique destiny. A nation, indeed; but at this point a small, vulnerable nation that rejects the benefits of assimilation into a strong, well-established local clan. This is a defining moment, a decision that crystallizes and forms the Nation of Israel.
Let us take a step back: Avraham’s great work in Haran, the monumental educational challenge he has undertaken, has been described by the Talmud as no less than the end of the dark ages:
תלמוד בבלי מסכת עבודה זרה דף ט/א
תנא דבי אליהו ששת אלפים שנה הוי העולם שני אלפים תוהו שני אלפים תורה שני אלפים ימות המשיח בעונותינו שרבו יצאו מהן מה שיצאו מהן שני אלפים תורה מאימת אי נימא ממתן תורה עד השתא ליכא כולי האי דכי מעיינת בהו תרי אלפי פרטי דהאי אלפא הוא דהואי אלא מואת הנפש אשר עשו בחרן וגמירי דאברהם בההיא שעתא בר חמשין ותרתי הוה כמה בצרן מדתני תנא ארבע מאה וארבעים ותמניא שנין הויין כי מעיינת ביה מהנפש אשר עשו בחרן עד מתן תורה
The Tanna debe Eliyahu taught: The world is to exist six thousand years; the first two thousand years are to be void; the next two thousand years are the period of the Torah, and the following two thousand years are the period of the Messiah. Through our many sins a number of these have already passed [and the Messiah is not yet here]. From when are the two thousand years of the Torah to be reckoned? Shall we say from the Giving of the Torah at Sinai? In that case, you will find that there are not quite two thousand years from then till now [i.e., the year four thousand after the Creation], for if you compute the years [from the Creation to the Giving of the Torah] you will find that they comprise two thousand and a part of the third thousand; the period is therefore to be reckoned from the time when Abraham and Sarah had gotten souls in Haran for we have it as a tradition that Abraham was at that time fifty-two years old. (Talmud Bavli Avoda Zara 9a)
Biblical chronology is an important key to understanding this gemara: Avraham was born in the year 1948 (from creation of the world). Therefore, when he was 52 years old the world was precisely 2000 year old, and at this point Avraham began teaching and attempting to influence the entire world. But what was the nature of the “Torah” that Avraham taught and practiced? There is a Talmudic discussion which examines the implications of tradition that Avraham “kept the Torah”:
תלמוד בבלי מסכת יומא דף כח/ב
אָמַר רַב, קִיֵּם אַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ אֶת כָּל הַתּוֹרָה כֻּלָּהּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר, (בראשית כו) "עֵקֶב אֲשֶׁר שָׁמַע אַבְרָהָם בְּקֹלִי" [וְגוֹ']. אָמַר לֵיהּ, רַב שִׁימִי בַר חִיָּא לְרַב, וְאֵימָא שֶׁבַע מִצְוֹת? (ותו לא?) הָא הֲוַאִי נַמִי מִילָה. (אלא) וְאֵימָא שֶׁבַע מִצְוֹת וּמִילָה? אָמַר לֵיהּ, אִם כֵּן - "מִצְוֹתַי וְתוֹרֹתַי" לָמָּה לִי?. אָמַר (רב) [רָבָא], וְאִיתֵימָא רַב (אסי) [אַשִׁי], קִיֵּם אַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ אֲפִלּוּ עֵירוּבֵי תַבְשִׁילִין, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר, "וְתוֹרֹתָי", אֶחָד דִּבְרֵי תוֹרָה וְאֶחָד דִּבְרֵי סוֹפְרִים:
Rab said: Our father Abraham kept the whole Torah[6], as it is said: Because that Abraham hearkened to My voice [kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws]. R. Shimi b. Hiyya said to Rab: Say, perhaps, that this refers to the seven laws? — Surely there was also that of circumcision! Then say that it refers to the seven laws and circumcision [and not to the whole Torah]? — If that were so, why does Scripture say: ‘My commandments and My laws’? Raba or R. Ashi said: Abraham, our father, kept even the law concerning the ‘eruv of the dishes,’ as it is said: ‘My Torahs’: one being the written Torah, the other the oral Torah. (Talmud Bavli Yoma 28b)
There are certain sources that would seem to maintain that Avraham and Sarah’s spiritual lifestyle was no different from our own. On the other hand, many authorities[7] prefer to read these sources for the symbolic[8] or deeper[9] understanding,[10] rather than in a literal way. The latter approach maintains that only after Sinai did people begin to observe the 613 commandments, but the forefathers’ acute spiritual perception and close relationship with God enabled them to fulfill the spirit of the entire Torah while not necessarily obeying the letter of the laws of the Torah as they became formulated at Sinai and thereafter. Thus, the Meshech Chochma explains that when the Talmud says Avraham kept Eruv Tavshilin, it doesn’t mean that he observed even the minutiae of halachic observance. Rather, what the Talmud means is that Avraham comprehended and fulfilled the philosophical concept that is the underpinning of this law. An Eruv Tavshilin enables us to cook for unexpected guests on a holiday which falls on the eve of Shabbat. This approach encapsulates the open personality of Avraham, always waiting for the unexpected guest,[11] who would be fed and bidden to make a blessing. To Avraham, the spirit of the law was as natural, clear and possessed of internal “spiritual logic” as our present practice and the accompanying text recited before the onset of a festival was to the rabbis who formulated it.
An alternative opinion resolves the question of Avraham’s observance with a much less complicated approach: Avraham was the first monotheist. He taught monotheism and the seven Noachide laws, [12] and that was the content of his spiritual world.[13]
All this being said, we know of one particular commandment which Avraham received and fulfilled, namely circumcision.
ספר תפארת שלמה על מועדים - לחג הסוכות
איתא בגמרא (יומא כח, ב) קיים אברהם אבינו כל התורה כולה עד שלא ניתנה. והקשו הראשונים למה לא קיים ג"כ מצות מילה תחלה. אך הנה ידוע כי אברהם אבינו ע"ה הי' מדת החסד וזה הי' מדתו להמשיך השפעות וחסדים לכל באי עולם בלי שום גבול. והנה כל זמן שלא מל את עצמו הי' לו איזה השתתפות עם בני דורו והי' יכול להוריק עליהם ברכה וחסד והאכילם והשקם וקרבם תחת כפני השכינה. אכן כאשר בא בברית המילה אח"כ נתעלה ונסתלק לו למעלה מהם ויראו מגשת אליו ע"כ א"א ע"ה בגודל טובו כי חפץ חסד הוא הנה ידע זאת מתחלה כי ענין קדושת המילה הוא כדי שעי"ז יעלה במדריגה גבוה ויבוא מדת החסד בבחי' גבול וצמצום אשר לא כן הי' דרכו מאז רק שיהי' החסד לכל בלי שום צמצום לכן נתעכב עם מצות מילה עד שיצטווה עלי' מהש"י. וזה שאמרו במד"ר אמר אברהם עד שלא מלתי היו עוברים ושבים באים אלי פי' גם העוברים עבירות ושבו בתשובה באו אלי לקרב אותם תחת כנפי השכינה ע"י ועכשיו אין לי עוד מדור והתקרבות עמהם. ולזה נסמך מיד אחר המילה ענין הפיכת סדום ולא יקומו רשעים במשפט הצדיקים כי חלץ לו מהם ואין מגין עליהם ומש"ה כולם נאבדו ולא קודם לכן כי מאז נתקדש מדת היסוד להריק ברכה רק על זרע קודש יחי"ס והן הנה האבות אברהם בחי' החסדים להשפיע רב טוב.
If Avraham fulfilled all the commandments of the Torah, there are many who have asked why Avraham didn’t perform circumcision prior to his being commanded. Prior to being circumcised Avraham had something in common with the people of his generation. He was able to reach out to them and shower them with blessings and kindness, to feed them and give them drink and to bring them close to the shekhina. However once he was circumcised he was elevated to a different level, and now people were afraid to come near him… and in place of kindness (chesed) now there were boundaries and strictness… (Tiferet Shlomo Moadim Sukkot)
Avraham’s basic approach was inclusive. His tent was open on all sides; he placed no limits, erected no boundaries[14]. In fact, The Meshech Chochma[15] sees this universalism as Avraham’s motivation to travel to Egypt. He went to Egypt at a time of drought, choosing Egypt not despite its reputation for corruption but precisely because of its reputation as a morally corrupt society. In Avraham’s worldview, if Egypt can be redeemed, the entire world will be elevated, and by a quantum leap. Avraham saw Egypt as a boundary, a spiritual and ethical border to be crossed and dismantled. This, like so much else in his biography, reflects a deep humanism: Avraham did not want to push away his wayward son Yishmael. He interceded on behalf of the inhabitants of Sodom, despite the knowledge that their beliefs and behavior contradicted everything he himself believed and practiced. A lesser man would have accepted God’s judgment and anticipated the annihilation of Sodom with satisfaction, a sense of moral superiority, perhaps a sense of validation. These people, after all, were the living antithesis to Avraham’s weltanschauung and to the message of morality and kindness he was working to spread. The destruction of Sodom would have made his job so much easier. But for Avraham, these were not evil, corrupt enemies of his faith. They were misguided people who simply had not yet found truth.
With the command to perform the Brit Milah Avraham’s life will change. There will now be a boundary between him and everyone else[16]. He will now be viewed even more suspiciously by his neighbors. In fact, the rabbis express their sensitivity to Avraham’s conflict between universalism and nationhood as a “hesitation” on Avraham’s part when he was commanded to perform circumcision.
מדרש רבה בראשית פרשה מו פסקה ב,ג
אמר אם חביבה היא המילה מפני מה לא נתנה לאדם הראשון: אמר לו הקדוש ב"ה לאברהם דייך אני ואתה בעולם ואם אין את מקבל עליך לימול דיי לעולמי עד כאן ודייה לערלה עד כאן ודייה למילה שתהא עגומה עד כאן אמר עד שלא מלתי היו באים ומזדווגים לי תאמר משמלתי הן באין ומזדווגים לי אמר לו הקב"ה אברהם דייך שאני אלוהך דייך שאני פטרונך:
[Abraham] asked: ' If circumcision is so precious, why was it not given to Adam? ' Said the Holy One, blessed be He, to him: ‘Let it suffice thee that I and thou are in the world.’ If thou wilt not undergo circumcision, it is enough for My world to have existed until now, and it is enough for the uncircumcised state to have existed until now, and it is enough for circumcision to have been forlorn until now.’’ Said he: ' Before I circumcised myself, men came and joined me [in my new faith]. Will they come and join me when I am circumcised?’" ‘Abraham,’ said God to him, ' let it suffice thee that I am thy God; let it suffice thee that I am thy Patron, and not only for thee alone, but it is sufficient for My world that I am its God and its Patron.’ (Midrash Rabbah - Genesis 46:2,3)
מדרש רבה בראשית פרשה מז פסקה י
אמר אברהם עד שלא מלתי היו העוברים והשבים באים אצלי תאמר משמלתי אינן באים אצלי אמר לו הקב"ה עד שלא מלת היו בני אדם באים אצלך עכשיו אני בכבודי בא ונגלה עליך הה"ד וירא אליו ה' באלוני ממרא:
Abraham said: ' Before I became circumcised, travellers used to visit me; now that I am circumcised, perhaps they will no longer visit me? ' Said the Holy One, blessed be He, to him: ' Before thou wast circumcised, uncircumcised mortals visited thee; now I in My glory will appear to thee.’ Hence it is written, And the Lord appeared unto him (Gen. XVIII, 1) (Midrash Rabbah - Genesis 47:10)
Amazingly enough, here Avraham hesitates.[17] When commanded to offer up his long-awaited son, his heir, the key to the fulfillment of all that God has promised him, Avraham marches forward like a knight of faith. But here, in this test, Avraham questions: If circumcision is so precious, why was it not given to Adam? Why isn’t this a universal command? Why is this command only being given to Avraham and his descendants? He worries that this new status will jeopardize his mission, setting him apart from those he has hoped to impact. He fears this will put an end to his stream of visitors. God’s response is telling: “I will visit you, and that is truly enough. Your relationship with Me is more important, and your mission is less universal and more particular than you know.”
Clearly, then, the Brit Milah is a test. The challenge may be heightened by the paradoxical nature of the command which he receives:
ספר בראשית פרק יז
(א) וַיְהִי אַבְרָם בֶּן תִּשְׁעִים שָׁנָה וְתֵשַׁע שָׁנִים וַיֵּרָא ה’ אֶל אַבְרָם וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו אֲנִי אֵל שַׁדַּי הִתְהַלֵּךְ לְפָנַי וֶהְיֵה תָמִים: (ב) וְאֶתְּנָה בְרִיתִי בֵּינִי וּבֵינֶךָ וְאַרְבֶּה אוֹתְךָ בִּמְאֹד מְאֹד: (ג) וַיִּפֹּל אַבְרָם עַל פָּנָיו וַיְדַבֵּר אִתּוֹ אֱלֹהִים לֵאמֹר: (ד) אֲנִי הִנֵּה בְרִיתִי אִתָּךְ וְהָיִיתָ לְאַב הֲמוֹן גּוֹיִם: (ה) וְלֹא יִקָּרֵא עוֹד אֶת שִׁמְךָ אַבְרָם וְהָיָה שִׁמְךָ אַבְרָהָם כִּי אַב הֲמוֹן גּוֹיִם נְתַתִּיךָ: (ו) וְהִפְרֵתִי אֹתְךָ בִּמְאֹד מְאֹד וּנְתַתִּיךָ לְגוֹיִם וּמְלָכִים מִמְּךָ יֵצֵאוּ: (ז) וַהֲקִמֹתִי אֶת בְּרִיתִי בֵּינִי וּבֵינֶךָ וּבֵין זַרְעֲךָ אַחֲרֶיךָ לְדֹרֹתָם לִבְרִית עוֹלָם לִהְיוֹת לְךָ לֵאלֹהִים וּלְזַרְעֲךָ אַחֲרֶיךָ: (ח) וְנָתַתִּי לְךָ וּלְזַרְעֲךָ אַחֲרֶיךָ אֵת אֶרֶץ מְגֻרֶיךָ אֵת כָּל אֶרֶץ כְּנַעַן לַאֲחֻזַּת עוֹלָם וְהָיִיתִי לָהֶם לֵאלֹהִים: (ט) וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים אֶל אַבְרָהָם וְאַתָּה אֶת בְּרִיתִי תִשְׁמֹר אַתָּה וְזַרְעֲךָ אַחֲרֶיךָ לְדֹרֹתָם: (י) זֹאת בְּרִיתִי אֲשֶׁר תִּשְׁמְרוּ בֵּינִי וּבֵינֵיכֶם וּבֵין זַרְעֲךָ אַחֲרֶיךָ הִמּוֹל לָכֶם כָּל זָכָר: (יא) וּנְמַלְתֶּם אֵת בְּשַׂר עָרְלַתְכֶם וְהָיָה לְאוֹת בְּרִית בֵּינִי וּבֵינֵיכֶם: (יב) וּבֶן שְׁמֹנַת יָמִים יִמּוֹל לָכֶם כָּל זָכָר לְדֹרֹתֵיכֶם יְלִיד בָּיִת וּמִקְנַת כֶּסֶף מִכֹּל בֶּן נֵכָר אֲשֶׁר לֹא מִזַּרְעֲךָ הוּא: (יג) הִמּוֹל יִמּוֹל יְלִיד בֵּיתְךָ וּמִקְנַת כַּסְפֶּךָ וְהָיְתָה בְרִיתִי בִּבְשַׂרְכֶם לִבְרִית עוֹלָם: (יד) וְעָרֵל זָכָר אֲשֶׁר לֹא יִמּוֹל אֶת בְּשַׂר עָרְלָתוֹ וְנִכְרְתָה הַנֶּפֶשׁ הַהִוא מֵעַמֶּיהָ אֶת בְּרִיתִי הֵפַר:
(1) When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said, "I am God Almighty; walk before me and be blameless. (2) I will confirm my covenant between me and you and will greatly increase your numbers." (3) Abram fell facedown, and God said to him, (4) "As for me, this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations. (5) No longer will you be called Avram ; your name will be Avraham, for I have made you a father of many nations. (6) I will make you very fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you. (7) I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you. (8) The whole land of Canaan, where you are now an alien, I will give as an everlasting possession to you and your descendants after you; and I will be their God."
(9) Then God said to Avraham, "As for you, you must keep my covenant, you and your descendants after you for the generations to come. (10) This is my covenant with you and your descendants after you, the covenant you are to keep: Every male among you shall be circumcised. (11) You are to undergo circumcision, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and you. (12) For the generations to come every male among you who is eight days old must be circumcised, including those born in your household or bought with money from a foreigner—those who are not your offspring. (13) Whether born in your household or bought with your money, they must be circumcised. My covenant in your flesh is to be an everlasting covenant. (14) Any uncircumcised male, who has not been circumcised in the flesh, will be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant." Bereishit 17:1-14
Avram is told that from now on his name will be Avraham, signifying that he will be a father of many nations -Av Hamon Goyim. This would seem to be the ultimate universal message: Not only will Avraham be a part of the larger universal existence, he will bring nations toward God. And in the next breath he is told to perform circumcision which creates boundaries and will forever separate Avraham and his descendents from all others. In one fell swoop, the universal vision and the narrow, parochial, particular approach. Apparently, Avraham is confused. How can he impact the entire world when he must first perform an act of self - mutilation that people will view as grotesque? Hachnasat Orchim, and Eruv Tavshilin (welcoming guests and making accommodations to feed them on holidays and Shabbat) were much easier.
Apparently, what Avraham still lacks is “holiness” – kedusha - which is literally rendered as “set apart”. This separateness is a new phase for Avraham, and not one to which he would have come without God’s command. This separateness may be seen as that which contradicts Avraham’s innate attribute of hesed, the attribute through which he has served God up to this point in his life.
How is he to reconcile hesed with kedusha? How is he to be a part of the world - involved, engaged, interested, even responsible for the world - and live a life of kedusha, set apart, indelibly marked by “differentness”? How will he and his descendents reconcile living in a mundane world with their unique destiny and closeness to God?
The answer presents itself later on in the text, as Avraham finds himself enmeshed in his next paradoxical challenge: the Akeida, the Binding of Isaac. Here, too, logic is defeated. If Yitzchak is to be offered, how can he effectively be the living progeny destined to carry on the family line? Avraham and Yitzchak nonetheless set out to fulfill God’s command, and they bring two other people along. Our Sages[18] identify them as Yishmael and Eliezer - Avraham’s first son, and man who was like a son. Rashi, citing the Midrash, tells us that as they approach the appointed place Avraham sees something that appears to him to be ethereal, but he is unsure if it is real or surreal, physical or spiritual. He sees a cloud, he sees the shechina; he turns to question Yishamel and Eliezer, but they see only the mountain. He turns to Yitzchak, who sees the cloud, tied as if by rope to the mountain. Avraham then turns to the other two and says, “Wait here with the chamor (donkey).” My teacher Rabbi Soloveitchik pointed out that at times we neglect the rest of the verse:
ספר בראשית פרק כב
(ד) בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁי וַיִּשָּׂא אַבְרָהָם אֶת עֵינָיו וַיַּרְא אֶת הַמָּקוֹם מֵרָחֹק:(ה) וַיֹּאמֶר אַבְרָהָם אֶל נְעָרָיו שְׁבוּ לָכֶם פֹּה עִם הַחֲמוֹר וַאֲנִי וְהַנַּעַר נֵלְכָה עַד כֹּה וְנִשְׁתַּחֲוֶה וְנָשׁוּבָה אֲלֵיכֶם:
(4) Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place far away. (5) And Abraham said to his young men, ‘Stay here with the donkey; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come back to you.’ Bereishit 22:4,5
Those last words, “and come back to you”, cannot be ignored. Avraham encapsulates a unique religious experience in this short statement, and we should take note of every element: This awesome religious experience would not be complete until Avraham came down the mountain and shared with others his epiphany, his feelings and his enlightenment. Avraham would have the greatest impact on the two men he left behind only after parting ways, dedicating himself to the more particular religious experience at the summit, and then returning to their company. Similarly, for the Jewish People to have an impact on the world, we must first disengage, separate ourselves, and fully explore our unique relationship with God. There will be times when we must wrest ourselves away from our deep involvement, even our responsibility for the world. We must climb lofty mountains, even engage in divinely-mandated, though seemingly paradoxical, behavior. But we must always remember that eventually we must come down from the mountain, re-engage, return to the people that we left at the foot of the mountain. We must find the language and establish the relationship that will allow us to share with them what we learned at the summit.
Avraham learns to resolve the tension. Both the universal and the particular are important, but they are intertwined. The way we can accomplish our universal responsibility is by first becoming separate, different - as holy as we can possibly become. Only this will enable us to fulfill our mission of tikun olam, to enlighten, to educate, to heal and repair the world.
What is interesting is that the Nefesh asher asu b’Haran, the people “acquired” in Haran,[19], the people attracted by a spirituality devoid of holiness, all disappeared. In fact, the prototypical outreach that Avraham was famous for, his open tent and encouraging people to bless God, is recorded after the circumcision was performed.
ספר בראשית פרק כא
(לג) וַיִּטַּע אֵשֶׁל בִּבְאֵר שָׁבַע וַיִּקְרָא שָׁם בְּשֵׁם ה’ אֵל עוֹלָם:
33. And Abraham planted a grove in Beersheba, and called there on the name of the Lord, the everlasting God. (Bereishit 21:33)
רש"י על בראשית פרק כא פסוק לג
(לג) אשל - רב ושמואל חד אמר פרדס להביא ממנו פירות לאורחים בסעודה. וחד אמר פונדק לאכסניא ובו כל מיני פירות…
ויקרא שם וגו' - על ידי אותו אשל נקרא שמו של הקב"ה אלוה לכל העולם לאחר שאוכלים ושותים אמר להם ברכו למי שאכלתם משלו סבורים אתם שמשלי אכלתם משל מי שאמר והיה העולם אכלתם (סוטה י):
‘A grove’ - Rav and Shmuel, one said an orchard to bring fruits for guests’ meals, and one said an inn for guests and it had all kinds of produce.
‘And called there’ – he used the eshel to call God master of the universe: After people would eat and drink, Avraham would instruct them to bless the One who provides food. He would say, “You think the food came from me? It came from He who spoke and caused the world to exist. (Rashi Bereishit 21:33)
The house of Avraham and Sarah was both open to all, yet set apart; universal and separate at one and the same time. Only now were they able to impact others in a permanent way.
Our world, then, is not so different from that of Avraham and Sarah after all. The world still lacks holiness. By observing the commandments, both those we understand and those that seem to us paradoxical, we add holiness to our lives. We set ourselves on a higher rung, as it were. And as holiness accrues, we will find our spiritual, ethical and social abilities exponentially increased, and thus our ability to effect change and fix a broken world.
[1] Though there is a consensus in Rabbinic thought that Avraham was tested ten times, there is no consensus as to what the ten tests were.
[2] Rashi, in his first interpretation, tells us that these were the men and women whom Avraham and Sara (respectively) taught and “converted”. However, in a second explanation --which Rashi labels “p’shat” - the straightforward meaning of the text – Rashi explains that these were the people that were acquired; i.e., slaves and members of the household staff.
רש"י על בראשית פרק יב פסוק ה
אשר עשו בחרן - שהכניסן תחת כנפי השכינה אברהם מגייר את האנשים ושרה מגיירת הנשים ומעלה עליהם הכתוב כאלו עשאום (לכך כתיב אשר עשו) ופשוטו של מקרא עבדים ושפחות שקנו להם כמו (שם לא) עשה את כל הכבוד הזה (לשון קנין) (במדבר כד) וישראל עושה חיל לשון קונה וכונס:
[3] Previously Avraham’s father Terach started to make his way to Canaan. The Seforno (12:5), posits that both Avraham and Terach choose Canaan as their destination because it was known as a spiritual place.
ספורנו עה"ת ספר בראשית פרק יב פסוק ה
ויצאו ללכת ארצה כנען. שהיתה מפורסמת אצלם לארץ מוכנת להתבוננות ולעבודת האל ית':
[4] Bereishit 12:6
[5] Ramban Bereishit 12:6
[6] The Midrash, which takes the same basic approach, nonetheless states that Avraham did not keep Shabbat. See Midrash Rabbah Bereishit 11:7:
מדרש רבה בראשית פרשה יא פסקה ז
ר' יוחנן בשם ר' יוסי בר חלפתא אמר אברהם שאין כתוב בו שמירת שבת ירש את העולם במדה שנאמר (בראשית יב) קום התהלך בארץ לארכה ולרחבה וגו' אבל יעקב שכתוב בו שמירת שבת שנאמר (שם לג) ויחן את פני העיר נכנס עם דמדומי חמה וקבע תחומין מבעוד יום ירש את העולם שלא במדה שנאמר (שם כח) והיה זרעך כעפר הארץ וגו':
R. Johanan said in R. Jose's name: Abraham, who is not reported to have kept the Sabbath, inherited the world in [limited] measure, as it is written, ‘Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it’ (Gen. XIII, 17). But Jacob, of whom the keeping of the Sabbath is mentioned, viz. And he rested [E.V. ’encamped’] before the city (ib. XXXIII, 18), Which means that he entered at twilight and set boundaries before sunset,6 inherited the world without measure, [as it is written], And thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, etc. (ib. XXVIII, 14).
[7] The Ohr Hachaim (Bereishit 49:3) maintains that the forefathers only kept laws that he found useful, or more precisely would not keep lows that they found an impediment to them.
אור החיים על בראשית פרק מט פסוק ג
והאבות לצד חביבותם בה' וחשקם באושר עליון קיימו הכל כאומרו (לעיל כו ה) עקב אשר שמע וגו', ואמרו ז"ל (יומא כח:) קיים אברהם אבינו אפילו עירוב תבשילין, ואת בניו הקים תחתיו להרויח תועלת המצות ועסק התורה, אבל במקום שהיו רואים תועלת דבר ההצלחה להם, כמו שתאמר יעקב כשהרגיש בהצלחתו בנשואי ב' האחיות העלים עין מרווח הנמשך מקיום המצוה ההיא, כיון שאין לו עונש אם לא יקיימנה, כל עוד שלא נתנה תורה, ומה גם אם נאמר שהיו עושים על פי הדיבור, כי האבות נביאים היו (מגילה יד) וה' אמר להם לעשות כן:
[8] The Shem MiShmuel understands that Yaakov fulfilled the commandments – even if he didn’t quite perform them. He explains that commandments have bodies and souls, and Avraham was attuned to the souls and therefore didn’t need the “body” of the physical performance.
ספר שם משמואל פרשת בהר - פסח שני
ובודאי גם אברהם קיים ענין תפילין אבל הי' בלבוש אחר כי באשר היו יחידים לא הוצרכה ההתאחדות ע"י המעשה, והי' לכל אחד מעשה וכלי מיוחד.
[9] The Noam Elimelech Parshat Dvarim, states that Avraham had certainly achieved the spiritual perfection of someone who had performed all the commandments.
ספר נועם אלימלך - פרשת הדברים
דאיתא בגמרא קיים אברהם אבינו עליו השלום כו' אפילו עירוב תבשילין והיינו שהיה מקדש ומטהר את כל רמ"ח אבריו ושס"ה גידיו כל אבר במצוה השייך לה דכל מצוה ומצוה יש לה עולם בפני עצמה ואברהם אבינו על ידי שהיה עובד השם יתברך מאהבה השיג את כל מצוה ומצוה בשורשה ואפילו מצוה דרבנן יש לה שורש ועיקר בדאורייתא בעולם המיוחד לה
[10] The Degel Machane Efraim (Aharaie Mot SV Vod, and in Ekev SV Vrak) understands that the ultimate objective of the commandments is the understanding that there is One God, and the rejection of all pagan entities, and that Avraham fulfilled with a vengeance, he was cognizant iof this truth all his days. A similar idea is found in Moar Vshemesh Rimzey first day of Sukkot.
ספר דגל מחנה אפרים - פרשת אחרי ד"ה עוד
וכל מצוה ומצוה שייך לשורש נשמות של ישראל והוא היודע ומבין זה והוא שורש השרשים ואין עוד מלבדו ולכך קיים אברהם אבינו כל התורה כולה עד שלא ניתנה (קידושין פ"ב.) כי הגיע לאמיתת אלוהות כי כל המצוות הם שער ומבוא לבא אל אמיתת אלוהות שהוא אנכי ולא יהיה לך כמו שכתבתי מזה כבר במקום אחר אך זעירין אינון שיוכלו לבא אל אמיתת אלוהות
ספר דגל מחנה אפרים - פרשת עקב ד"ה רק
ולהם לא היה צריך התורה להכתב כלל אך מה שנכתב כל התורה הוא לדידן שאין לנו מוחין כהם ולכך הוצרך להכתב כל התורה והמצוות שעל ידם השיגו בחינת אנכי אבל האבות ידעו הנקודה אמיתית שכל התורה והמצוות תלוין בה,
ספר מאור ושמש - רמזי יום א' של סוכות ד"ה או
אמנם הצדיק אשר כבר הגיע למעלת הדביקות באין סוף ב"ה והוא קשור במחשבתו בכל עת, עיקר עבודתו הוא במחשבה כמאמרם ז"ל קיים אברהם אבינו כל התורה כולה עד שלא ניתנה, הגם שלא מצאנו שעשה בפועל מעשה המצות כהנחת תפילין ועשית סוכה וכדומיהן, מכל מקום המשיך על עצמו פנימיות הקדושות שרומזת אליהם המעשים ההם על ידי מחשבתו הקדושה אשר היתה דבוקה באין סוף ב"ה.
[11] See Rashi’s comments to Berishet 21:33 where he explains that one of the reasons for Avraham’s magnanimous hosting of guests aside from imitatio dei is his desire to teach people to bless God and thank God.
רש"י על בראשית פרק כא פסוק לג
(לג) אשל - רב ושמואל חד אמר פרדס להביא ממנו פירות לאורחים בסעודה. וחד אמר פונדק לאכסניא ובו כל מיני פירות. ומצינו לשון נטיעה באהלים שנאמר (דניאל יא) ויטע אהלי אפדנו:
ויקרא שם וגו' - על ידי אותו אשל נקרא שמו של הקב"ה אלוה לכל העולם לאחר שאוכלים ושותים אמר להם ברכו למי שאכלתם משלו סבורים אתם שמשלי אכלתם משל מי שאמר והיה העולם אכלתם (סוטה י):
[12] The Arvei Nahal understands that all 613 commandments are subsumed within the seven Noachide laws.
ספר ערבי נחל - פרשת תולדות
דע, כי כל מצוה כלולה מכל התרי"ג, וא"כ בכל מצוה יש כלל ופרט כי בכח יש בה כל התרי"ג, ובפועל הוא פרטיותה לבד, ומיד שנברא האדם נצטווה בשבע מצות וקיימו אותם האבות ויתר צדיקי הדורות עד מתן תורה וכל התרי"ג כלולים בכל מצוה מהם. ואם תקשה א"כ האבות לא הוציאו הכללות מן הכח אל הפועל, דע שהוציאו והוציאו, בכח הכנתם ר"ל שהיו דבוקים בו ית"ש והיו ששים ושמחים לעשות רצון קונם בכל מה שיצוום והיו מוכנים לזה בתכלית ההכנה בשמחה רבה,
[13] See Rambam Laws of Idolatry chapter 1
[14] According to the Meshech Chochma, Yaakov personifies setting up boundaries, to prevent assimilation. Hence Yaakov keeps even Eruv Tehumin.
[15] Meshech Chochma Bereishit 33:18.
משך חכמה על בראשית פרק לג פסוק יח
והציור בזה. דבאמת כמו שלהחי די במזון מהצומח והמדבר ניזון מהחי כן נפש המשכלת מבני נכר די לו בשבע מצות אולם נפש הישראלי מקורו ממקום גבוה חלק ד' ממעל אם אין לו כל התורה בכללה ופרטה אז אינו בחיותו. כי עם הישראלי המה מעון ומכון לאלקות בעולם השפל ואין השכינה שורה אלא באלפי רבבות ישראל (יבמות סד). וזה סו"ד מה שאמרו ש"ס רבוא. (אולי צ"ל ס' רבוא אותיות. ע' זוהר חדש סוף שה"ש) המה כללות הפרצופים ולכן אברהם חפש להפיץ שיטתו ודיעותיו באלקות לכל באי עולם באשר חשב כי הוא יחידי ואח"כ ראה כי ישמעאל יצא ממנו ולכן נטע אשל להכניס כל באי עולם לברית ואמרו בריש עו"ג (דף ט) שני אלפים תורה מוהנפש אשר עשו בחרן דשעבידו לאורייתא. וגם היה זה בכוונה שהלך למצרים מקום החכמה והחרטומים לפלפל ולקרבם לשיטותיו באחדות ובתורה. לא כן יעקב ראה שמטתו שלמה (ויקרא רבה לו-ד) ובזרעו די שיהיו מעון ומרכבה לשכינה וכמו שהבטיחו וראה שה' נצב עליו ראה להיפוך כי בניו יהיו נפרדים מעמים אחרים מוגבלים בתחום ואף ללבן חותנו הניחו בטעותו וכעס על רחל שגנבה התרפים להבדילו מעו"ג כן במצרים היו יושבים בארץ גושן נפרדים מהעמים. וכן לדורות באומה אין מקבלין גרים בימי דוד ושלמה (יבמות כד:) שזה כהכרח או למקנא לגדולתם וזה מליצתם שאברהם קיים עירובי תבשילין (יומא כח:) להכניס אורחים ולקבל גרים תחת כנפי השכינה אבל לא קבע תחומין שמא ימנע אחד מלבוא לשמוע דיעותיו. לא כן יעקב קבע תחומין להגביל ולתחום בין עם ישראל לעמים.
[16] See the comments of the Beit Halevi Bereishit 17:1
בית הלוי על בראשית פרק יז פסוק א
והנה איתא במדרש פרשה זו (נ"ו תרג) שאמר אברהם עד שלא מלתי היו באים הכותים ומזדווגים לי תאמר משמלתי יהיו באים ומזדווגים לי א"ל הקב"ה די שאני פטרונך. הרי מבואר כמש"כ דהמילה נותנת הבדל גדול בין ישראל לכותים והיא גורמת שנאה ביניהם והשיב לו הקב"ה די לך שאני פטרונך ולא יועילו ולא יפסידו לך לא בקרבתם ולא בשנאתם אחרי שאני אוהבך,
[17] The Alshich Hakadosh notes that here because Avraham senses that others would be impacted Avraham hesitates, but with regards to the Binding if Yitzchak, where only he will suffer he doesn’t hesitate.
ספר תורת משה על בראשית - פרק יח פסוק ב-ג
והנה ראוי להעיר מה ראה על ככה אברהם לטעון נגד מאמרו יתברך, מי שלא פצה את פיו באמור אליו ה' קח נא את בנך את יחידך כו' לאמר לו הלא אתה אמרת כי ביצחק יקרא לך זרע, איך בציווי זה בקש טענה ליפטר, וגם מה לו ולעוברים ושבים ערביים ערלים נגד צוויו יתברך. …
ונבא אל הענין והוא כי בעל המאמר הוקשה לו אומרו וירא אליו ולא אמר אל אברהם. על כן אמר כי עברו דברים בין אברהם ובינו יתברך, כי אברהם בענותנותו היה חש יותר על קיום העולם מהנוגע אל עצמו, על כן על אומרו יתברך קח נא את בנך כו' לא דבר מאומה. אך על ענין המילה להיותה דבר זר בעיני ההמון, באומרם היתכן ברא אלהים אדם שיחשוב לבעל מום עד החסיר מאשר ברא אלהים לשיהיה שלם.
[18] See Rashi ad loc.
[19] See Meshech Chochma Bereishit 21:33 and the sources he cites.
משך חכמה על בראשית פרק כא פסוק לג
(לג) ויקרא שם בשם ה' אל עולם - יתכן דהוי כמו דכתיב לעולם, דקודם שנולד יצחק ופרסם אברהם מציאות השם והשגחתו הפרטיות ואחדותו שהוא בלתי מושג אם מת הלא נשכח כל לימודיו ועיקריו וכמו שאמרו במדרש שהנפש אשר עשו בחרן חזרו לסורן, (ע' פרקי דר"א פ' כט) אולם כאשר נולד יצחק אשר הבטיח השי"ת והקימותי להיות לך לאלקים ולזרעך אחריך וכדאמרו יבמות ק: המיוחס אחריך וידע שהוא ינחיל הדיעות האמיתיות ויפרסם אלקותו לכן אמר שהוא עכשיו אל לעולם ולא יופסק ידיעתו יתברך לדור דור והבן.
Rabbi Ari Kahn
© 2008
It begins with a word, a command - or perhaps a test:
ספר בראשית פרק יב
(א) וַיֹּאמֶר ה’ אֶל אַבְרָם לֶךְ לְךָ מֵאַרְצְךָ וּמִמּוֹלַדְתְּךָ וּמִבֵּית אָבִיךָ אֶל הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר אַרְאֶךָּ: (ב) וְאֶעֶשְׂךָ לְגוֹי גָּדוֹל וַאֲבָרֶכְךָ וַאֲגַדְּלָה שְׁמֶךָ וֶהְיֵה בְּרָכָה: (ג) וַאֲבָרְכָה מְבָרֲכֶיךָ וּמְקַלֶּלְךָ אָאֹר וְנִבְרְכוּ בְךָ כֹּל מִשְׁפְּחֹת הָאֲדָמָה:
(1) The LORD had said to Abram, "Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you. (2) "I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. (3) I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you." (Bereishit 12)
According to at least one rabbinic source, contained in this verse are two tests:[1]
אבות דרבי נתן פרק שלשה ושלשים
עשר נסיונות נתנסה אברהם אבינו לפני הקב"ה ובכולן נמצא שלם ואלו הן שנים בלך לך ב' בשתי בניו ב' בשתי נשיו אחד עם המלכים ואחד בין הבתרים אחד באור כשדים ואחד בברית מילה (בין הבתרים).
…two trials at the time he was bidden to leave Haran, two with his two sons, two with his two wives, one in the wars of the Kings, one at the covenant ‘between the pieces’ (Gen. XV). One in Ur of the Chaldees (where, according to a tradition, he had been thrown into a furnace from whence he emerged unharmed). (Avot Drebbi Natan chapter 33)
Upon contemplation, we might ask a simple question: Why was leaving his hometown a test? Avraham was not exactly the most popular character back home; in fact the opposite seems true. He was vilified, persecuted, attacked and almost killed – until he was miraculously saved from a fiery furnace. Why would leaving such a place be considered a “test”? When we continue our reading of the next two verses, the “test” seems mitigated by a bounty of blessings:
(2) "I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. (3) I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you."
This certainly doesn’t sound like a challenge; in fact, it sounds as if Avraham has “hit the jackpot”! The promises are of incredible proportions. Where is the test?
A more careful reading of these verses reveals an almost untenable tension, which may be the key to understanding the angst which Avraham experiences in fulfilling the Divine imperative. Verse 2 is a blessing which introduces a new entity, a new concept which from this point on becomes the focus of the biblical narrative: the nation, specifically “the Nation of Israel”.
The joyous, nearly incredible news that a nation will emerge from the loins of Avraham, is tempered by the knowledge that a certain tension will always surround this nation. As this nation emerges, we learn that others will never be indifferent. The nation of Avraham’s children will never be “pareve” in the eyes of the world. They will always elicit some sort of reaction from others, always will serve as a source of blessing or a curse for others.
Furthermore, this blessing may be limiting: it is particular in nature, it is directed exclusively to the people who will become known as the Jewish People. In Avraham’s eyes, universal dreams may be challenged by particular nationalistic aspirations. Whereas Avraham has seen himself as a citizen of the world on a mission to help elevate all of mankind, his mission now becomes linked exclusively with this new entity, “the Children of Avraham.”
At this juncture, what are Avraham’s aspirations? Is his dream to start his own nation, or does he wish to impact the people of his hometown? Has his initial failure dissuaded him from continuing his original mission, or does he still dream of local success?
Avraham makes his journey to Israel but he doesn’t come alone. His partner Sarah (Sarai) accompanies him, as does Lot, his heir apparent. In addition, we are told of another group who follow their leader:
ספר בראשית פרק יב
(ה) וַיִּקַּח אַבְרָם אֶת שָׂרַי אִשְׁתּוֹ וְאֶת לוֹט בֶּן אָחִיו וְאֶת כָּל רְכוּשָׁם אֲשֶׁר רָכָשׁוּ וְאֶת הַנֶּפֶשׁ אֲשֶׁר עָשׂוּ בְחָרָן וַיֵּצְאוּ לָלֶכֶת אַרְצָה כְּנַעַן וַיָּבֹאוּ אַרְצָה כְּנָעַן:
(5) He took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all the possessions they had accumulated and the people they had made[2] (acquired) in Haran, and they set out for the land of Canaan[3], and they arrived there.
Avraham has an entourage, which is not all that unusual. What is interesting is that these are not people from Ur Kasdim (Aram Naharaim), they are people collected in Haran. They are not from his hometown, but from his latest temporary abode. In his hometown he seems to have had made no impact.
They arrive in Israel at a specific place, an intentional destination: Their first stop in the Land is at a place called Shechem[4]. The Ramban[5] points out that the “acts of the Father’s are a sign for the children”, for it is in Shechem that nationhood will emerge. This is where Dina is abused, and where the local residents offer the family of Israel to join destinies, to join them and form one nation. This offer is rejected, and a process is set in motion: A nation with its own unique history begins to chart its path, undertaking the long march to fulfill its particular, unique destiny. A nation, indeed; but at this point a small, vulnerable nation that rejects the benefits of assimilation into a strong, well-established local clan. This is a defining moment, a decision that crystallizes and forms the Nation of Israel.
Let us take a step back: Avraham’s great work in Haran, the monumental educational challenge he has undertaken, has been described by the Talmud as no less than the end of the dark ages:
תלמוד בבלי מסכת עבודה זרה דף ט/א
תנא דבי אליהו ששת אלפים שנה הוי העולם שני אלפים תוהו שני אלפים תורה שני אלפים ימות המשיח בעונותינו שרבו יצאו מהן מה שיצאו מהן שני אלפים תורה מאימת אי נימא ממתן תורה עד השתא ליכא כולי האי דכי מעיינת בהו תרי אלפי פרטי דהאי אלפא הוא דהואי אלא מואת הנפש אשר עשו בחרן וגמירי דאברהם בההיא שעתא בר חמשין ותרתי הוה כמה בצרן מדתני תנא ארבע מאה וארבעים ותמניא שנין הויין כי מעיינת ביה מהנפש אשר עשו בחרן עד מתן תורה
The Tanna debe Eliyahu taught: The world is to exist six thousand years; the first two thousand years are to be void; the next two thousand years are the period of the Torah, and the following two thousand years are the period of the Messiah. Through our many sins a number of these have already passed [and the Messiah is not yet here]. From when are the two thousand years of the Torah to be reckoned? Shall we say from the Giving of the Torah at Sinai? In that case, you will find that there are not quite two thousand years from then till now [i.e., the year four thousand after the Creation], for if you compute the years [from the Creation to the Giving of the Torah] you will find that they comprise two thousand and a part of the third thousand; the period is therefore to be reckoned from the time when Abraham and Sarah had gotten souls in Haran for we have it as a tradition that Abraham was at that time fifty-two years old. (Talmud Bavli Avoda Zara 9a)
Biblical chronology is an important key to understanding this gemara: Avraham was born in the year 1948 (from creation of the world). Therefore, when he was 52 years old the world was precisely 2000 year old, and at this point Avraham began teaching and attempting to influence the entire world. But what was the nature of the “Torah” that Avraham taught and practiced? There is a Talmudic discussion which examines the implications of tradition that Avraham “kept the Torah”:
תלמוד בבלי מסכת יומא דף כח/ב
אָמַר רַב, קִיֵּם אַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ אֶת כָּל הַתּוֹרָה כֻּלָּהּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר, (בראשית כו) "עֵקֶב אֲשֶׁר שָׁמַע אַבְרָהָם בְּקֹלִי" [וְגוֹ']. אָמַר לֵיהּ, רַב שִׁימִי בַר חִיָּא לְרַב, וְאֵימָא שֶׁבַע מִצְוֹת? (ותו לא?) הָא הֲוַאִי נַמִי מִילָה. (אלא) וְאֵימָא שֶׁבַע מִצְוֹת וּמִילָה? אָמַר לֵיהּ, אִם כֵּן - "מִצְוֹתַי וְתוֹרֹתַי" לָמָּה לִי?. אָמַר (רב) [רָבָא], וְאִיתֵימָא רַב (אסי) [אַשִׁי], קִיֵּם אַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ אֲפִלּוּ עֵירוּבֵי תַבְשִׁילִין, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר, "וְתוֹרֹתָי", אֶחָד דִּבְרֵי תוֹרָה וְאֶחָד דִּבְרֵי סוֹפְרִים:
Rab said: Our father Abraham kept the whole Torah[6], as it is said: Because that Abraham hearkened to My voice [kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws]. R. Shimi b. Hiyya said to Rab: Say, perhaps, that this refers to the seven laws? — Surely there was also that of circumcision! Then say that it refers to the seven laws and circumcision [and not to the whole Torah]? — If that were so, why does Scripture say: ‘My commandments and My laws’? Raba or R. Ashi said: Abraham, our father, kept even the law concerning the ‘eruv of the dishes,’ as it is said: ‘My Torahs’: one being the written Torah, the other the oral Torah. (Talmud Bavli Yoma 28b)
There are certain sources that would seem to maintain that Avraham and Sarah’s spiritual lifestyle was no different from our own. On the other hand, many authorities[7] prefer to read these sources for the symbolic[8] or deeper[9] understanding,[10] rather than in a literal way. The latter approach maintains that only after Sinai did people begin to observe the 613 commandments, but the forefathers’ acute spiritual perception and close relationship with God enabled them to fulfill the spirit of the entire Torah while not necessarily obeying the letter of the laws of the Torah as they became formulated at Sinai and thereafter. Thus, the Meshech Chochma explains that when the Talmud says Avraham kept Eruv Tavshilin, it doesn’t mean that he observed even the minutiae of halachic observance. Rather, what the Talmud means is that Avraham comprehended and fulfilled the philosophical concept that is the underpinning of this law. An Eruv Tavshilin enables us to cook for unexpected guests on a holiday which falls on the eve of Shabbat. This approach encapsulates the open personality of Avraham, always waiting for the unexpected guest,[11] who would be fed and bidden to make a blessing. To Avraham, the spirit of the law was as natural, clear and possessed of internal “spiritual logic” as our present practice and the accompanying text recited before the onset of a festival was to the rabbis who formulated it.
An alternative opinion resolves the question of Avraham’s observance with a much less complicated approach: Avraham was the first monotheist. He taught monotheism and the seven Noachide laws, [12] and that was the content of his spiritual world.[13]
All this being said, we know of one particular commandment which Avraham received and fulfilled, namely circumcision.
ספר תפארת שלמה על מועדים - לחג הסוכות
איתא בגמרא (יומא כח, ב) קיים אברהם אבינו כל התורה כולה עד שלא ניתנה. והקשו הראשונים למה לא קיים ג"כ מצות מילה תחלה. אך הנה ידוע כי אברהם אבינו ע"ה הי' מדת החסד וזה הי' מדתו להמשיך השפעות וחסדים לכל באי עולם בלי שום גבול. והנה כל זמן שלא מל את עצמו הי' לו איזה השתתפות עם בני דורו והי' יכול להוריק עליהם ברכה וחסד והאכילם והשקם וקרבם תחת כפני השכינה. אכן כאשר בא בברית המילה אח"כ נתעלה ונסתלק לו למעלה מהם ויראו מגשת אליו ע"כ א"א ע"ה בגודל טובו כי חפץ חסד הוא הנה ידע זאת מתחלה כי ענין קדושת המילה הוא כדי שעי"ז יעלה במדריגה גבוה ויבוא מדת החסד בבחי' גבול וצמצום אשר לא כן הי' דרכו מאז רק שיהי' החסד לכל בלי שום צמצום לכן נתעכב עם מצות מילה עד שיצטווה עלי' מהש"י. וזה שאמרו במד"ר אמר אברהם עד שלא מלתי היו עוברים ושבים באים אלי פי' גם העוברים עבירות ושבו בתשובה באו אלי לקרב אותם תחת כנפי השכינה ע"י ועכשיו אין לי עוד מדור והתקרבות עמהם. ולזה נסמך מיד אחר המילה ענין הפיכת סדום ולא יקומו רשעים במשפט הצדיקים כי חלץ לו מהם ואין מגין עליהם ומש"ה כולם נאבדו ולא קודם לכן כי מאז נתקדש מדת היסוד להריק ברכה רק על זרע קודש יחי"ס והן הנה האבות אברהם בחי' החסדים להשפיע רב טוב.
If Avraham fulfilled all the commandments of the Torah, there are many who have asked why Avraham didn’t perform circumcision prior to his being commanded. Prior to being circumcised Avraham had something in common with the people of his generation. He was able to reach out to them and shower them with blessings and kindness, to feed them and give them drink and to bring them close to the shekhina. However once he was circumcised he was elevated to a different level, and now people were afraid to come near him… and in place of kindness (chesed) now there were boundaries and strictness… (Tiferet Shlomo Moadim Sukkot)
Avraham’s basic approach was inclusive. His tent was open on all sides; he placed no limits, erected no boundaries[14]. In fact, The Meshech Chochma[15] sees this universalism as Avraham’s motivation to travel to Egypt. He went to Egypt at a time of drought, choosing Egypt not despite its reputation for corruption but precisely because of its reputation as a morally corrupt society. In Avraham’s worldview, if Egypt can be redeemed, the entire world will be elevated, and by a quantum leap. Avraham saw Egypt as a boundary, a spiritual and ethical border to be crossed and dismantled. This, like so much else in his biography, reflects a deep humanism: Avraham did not want to push away his wayward son Yishmael. He interceded on behalf of the inhabitants of Sodom, despite the knowledge that their beliefs and behavior contradicted everything he himself believed and practiced. A lesser man would have accepted God’s judgment and anticipated the annihilation of Sodom with satisfaction, a sense of moral superiority, perhaps a sense of validation. These people, after all, were the living antithesis to Avraham’s weltanschauung and to the message of morality and kindness he was working to spread. The destruction of Sodom would have made his job so much easier. But for Avraham, these were not evil, corrupt enemies of his faith. They were misguided people who simply had not yet found truth.
With the command to perform the Brit Milah Avraham’s life will change. There will now be a boundary between him and everyone else[16]. He will now be viewed even more suspiciously by his neighbors. In fact, the rabbis express their sensitivity to Avraham’s conflict between universalism and nationhood as a “hesitation” on Avraham’s part when he was commanded to perform circumcision.
מדרש רבה בראשית פרשה מו פסקה ב,ג
אמר אם חביבה היא המילה מפני מה לא נתנה לאדם הראשון: אמר לו הקדוש ב"ה לאברהם דייך אני ואתה בעולם ואם אין את מקבל עליך לימול דיי לעולמי עד כאן ודייה לערלה עד כאן ודייה למילה שתהא עגומה עד כאן אמר עד שלא מלתי היו באים ומזדווגים לי תאמר משמלתי הן באין ומזדווגים לי אמר לו הקב"ה אברהם דייך שאני אלוהך דייך שאני פטרונך:
[Abraham] asked: ' If circumcision is so precious, why was it not given to Adam? ' Said the Holy One, blessed be He, to him: ‘Let it suffice thee that I and thou are in the world.’ If thou wilt not undergo circumcision, it is enough for My world to have existed until now, and it is enough for the uncircumcised state to have existed until now, and it is enough for circumcision to have been forlorn until now.’’ Said he: ' Before I circumcised myself, men came and joined me [in my new faith]. Will they come and join me when I am circumcised?’" ‘Abraham,’ said God to him, ' let it suffice thee that I am thy God; let it suffice thee that I am thy Patron, and not only for thee alone, but it is sufficient for My world that I am its God and its Patron.’ (Midrash Rabbah - Genesis 46:2,3)
מדרש רבה בראשית פרשה מז פסקה י
אמר אברהם עד שלא מלתי היו העוברים והשבים באים אצלי תאמר משמלתי אינן באים אצלי אמר לו הקב"ה עד שלא מלת היו בני אדם באים אצלך עכשיו אני בכבודי בא ונגלה עליך הה"ד וירא אליו ה' באלוני ממרא:
Abraham said: ' Before I became circumcised, travellers used to visit me; now that I am circumcised, perhaps they will no longer visit me? ' Said the Holy One, blessed be He, to him: ' Before thou wast circumcised, uncircumcised mortals visited thee; now I in My glory will appear to thee.’ Hence it is written, And the Lord appeared unto him (Gen. XVIII, 1) (Midrash Rabbah - Genesis 47:10)
Amazingly enough, here Avraham hesitates.[17] When commanded to offer up his long-awaited son, his heir, the key to the fulfillment of all that God has promised him, Avraham marches forward like a knight of faith. But here, in this test, Avraham questions: If circumcision is so precious, why was it not given to Adam? Why isn’t this a universal command? Why is this command only being given to Avraham and his descendants? He worries that this new status will jeopardize his mission, setting him apart from those he has hoped to impact. He fears this will put an end to his stream of visitors. God’s response is telling: “I will visit you, and that is truly enough. Your relationship with Me is more important, and your mission is less universal and more particular than you know.”
Clearly, then, the Brit Milah is a test. The challenge may be heightened by the paradoxical nature of the command which he receives:
ספר בראשית פרק יז
(א) וַיְהִי אַבְרָם בֶּן תִּשְׁעִים שָׁנָה וְתֵשַׁע שָׁנִים וַיֵּרָא ה’ אֶל אַבְרָם וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו אֲנִי אֵל שַׁדַּי הִתְהַלֵּךְ לְפָנַי וֶהְיֵה תָמִים: (ב) וְאֶתְּנָה בְרִיתִי בֵּינִי וּבֵינֶךָ וְאַרְבֶּה אוֹתְךָ בִּמְאֹד מְאֹד: (ג) וַיִּפֹּל אַבְרָם עַל פָּנָיו וַיְדַבֵּר אִתּוֹ אֱלֹהִים לֵאמֹר: (ד) אֲנִי הִנֵּה בְרִיתִי אִתָּךְ וְהָיִיתָ לְאַב הֲמוֹן גּוֹיִם: (ה) וְלֹא יִקָּרֵא עוֹד אֶת שִׁמְךָ אַבְרָם וְהָיָה שִׁמְךָ אַבְרָהָם כִּי אַב הֲמוֹן גּוֹיִם נְתַתִּיךָ: (ו) וְהִפְרֵתִי אֹתְךָ בִּמְאֹד מְאֹד וּנְתַתִּיךָ לְגוֹיִם וּמְלָכִים מִמְּךָ יֵצֵאוּ: (ז) וַהֲקִמֹתִי אֶת בְּרִיתִי בֵּינִי וּבֵינֶךָ וּבֵין זַרְעֲךָ אַחֲרֶיךָ לְדֹרֹתָם לִבְרִית עוֹלָם לִהְיוֹת לְךָ לֵאלֹהִים וּלְזַרְעֲךָ אַחֲרֶיךָ: (ח) וְנָתַתִּי לְךָ וּלְזַרְעֲךָ אַחֲרֶיךָ אֵת אֶרֶץ מְגֻרֶיךָ אֵת כָּל אֶרֶץ כְּנַעַן לַאֲחֻזַּת עוֹלָם וְהָיִיתִי לָהֶם לֵאלֹהִים: (ט) וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים אֶל אַבְרָהָם וְאַתָּה אֶת בְּרִיתִי תִשְׁמֹר אַתָּה וְזַרְעֲךָ אַחֲרֶיךָ לְדֹרֹתָם: (י) זֹאת בְּרִיתִי אֲשֶׁר תִּשְׁמְרוּ בֵּינִי וּבֵינֵיכֶם וּבֵין זַרְעֲךָ אַחֲרֶיךָ הִמּוֹל לָכֶם כָּל זָכָר: (יא) וּנְמַלְתֶּם אֵת בְּשַׂר עָרְלַתְכֶם וְהָיָה לְאוֹת בְּרִית בֵּינִי וּבֵינֵיכֶם: (יב) וּבֶן שְׁמֹנַת יָמִים יִמּוֹל לָכֶם כָּל זָכָר לְדֹרֹתֵיכֶם יְלִיד בָּיִת וּמִקְנַת כֶּסֶף מִכֹּל בֶּן נֵכָר אֲשֶׁר לֹא מִזַּרְעֲךָ הוּא: (יג) הִמּוֹל יִמּוֹל יְלִיד בֵּיתְךָ וּמִקְנַת כַּסְפֶּךָ וְהָיְתָה בְרִיתִי בִּבְשַׂרְכֶם לִבְרִית עוֹלָם: (יד) וְעָרֵל זָכָר אֲשֶׁר לֹא יִמּוֹל אֶת בְּשַׂר עָרְלָתוֹ וְנִכְרְתָה הַנֶּפֶשׁ הַהִוא מֵעַמֶּיהָ אֶת בְּרִיתִי הֵפַר:
(1) When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said, "I am God Almighty; walk before me and be blameless. (2) I will confirm my covenant between me and you and will greatly increase your numbers." (3) Abram fell facedown, and God said to him, (4) "As for me, this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations. (5) No longer will you be called Avram ; your name will be Avraham, for I have made you a father of many nations. (6) I will make you very fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you. (7) I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you. (8) The whole land of Canaan, where you are now an alien, I will give as an everlasting possession to you and your descendants after you; and I will be their God."
(9) Then God said to Avraham, "As for you, you must keep my covenant, you and your descendants after you for the generations to come. (10) This is my covenant with you and your descendants after you, the covenant you are to keep: Every male among you shall be circumcised. (11) You are to undergo circumcision, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and you. (12) For the generations to come every male among you who is eight days old must be circumcised, including those born in your household or bought with money from a foreigner—those who are not your offspring. (13) Whether born in your household or bought with your money, they must be circumcised. My covenant in your flesh is to be an everlasting covenant. (14) Any uncircumcised male, who has not been circumcised in the flesh, will be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant." Bereishit 17:1-14
Avram is told that from now on his name will be Avraham, signifying that he will be a father of many nations -Av Hamon Goyim. This would seem to be the ultimate universal message: Not only will Avraham be a part of the larger universal existence, he will bring nations toward God. And in the next breath he is told to perform circumcision which creates boundaries and will forever separate Avraham and his descendents from all others. In one fell swoop, the universal vision and the narrow, parochial, particular approach. Apparently, Avraham is confused. How can he impact the entire world when he must first perform an act of self - mutilation that people will view as grotesque? Hachnasat Orchim, and Eruv Tavshilin (welcoming guests and making accommodations to feed them on holidays and Shabbat) were much easier.
Apparently, what Avraham still lacks is “holiness” – kedusha - which is literally rendered as “set apart”. This separateness is a new phase for Avraham, and not one to which he would have come without God’s command. This separateness may be seen as that which contradicts Avraham’s innate attribute of hesed, the attribute through which he has served God up to this point in his life.
How is he to reconcile hesed with kedusha? How is he to be a part of the world - involved, engaged, interested, even responsible for the world - and live a life of kedusha, set apart, indelibly marked by “differentness”? How will he and his descendents reconcile living in a mundane world with their unique destiny and closeness to God?
The answer presents itself later on in the text, as Avraham finds himself enmeshed in his next paradoxical challenge: the Akeida, the Binding of Isaac. Here, too, logic is defeated. If Yitzchak is to be offered, how can he effectively be the living progeny destined to carry on the family line? Avraham and Yitzchak nonetheless set out to fulfill God’s command, and they bring two other people along. Our Sages[18] identify them as Yishmael and Eliezer - Avraham’s first son, and man who was like a son. Rashi, citing the Midrash, tells us that as they approach the appointed place Avraham sees something that appears to him to be ethereal, but he is unsure if it is real or surreal, physical or spiritual. He sees a cloud, he sees the shechina; he turns to question Yishamel and Eliezer, but they see only the mountain. He turns to Yitzchak, who sees the cloud, tied as if by rope to the mountain. Avraham then turns to the other two and says, “Wait here with the chamor (donkey).” My teacher Rabbi Soloveitchik pointed out that at times we neglect the rest of the verse:
ספר בראשית פרק כב
(ד) בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁי וַיִּשָּׂא אַבְרָהָם אֶת עֵינָיו וַיַּרְא אֶת הַמָּקוֹם מֵרָחֹק:(ה) וַיֹּאמֶר אַבְרָהָם אֶל נְעָרָיו שְׁבוּ לָכֶם פֹּה עִם הַחֲמוֹר וַאֲנִי וְהַנַּעַר נֵלְכָה עַד כֹּה וְנִשְׁתַּחֲוֶה וְנָשׁוּבָה אֲלֵיכֶם:
(4) Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place far away. (5) And Abraham said to his young men, ‘Stay here with the donkey; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come back to you.’ Bereishit 22:4,5
Those last words, “and come back to you”, cannot be ignored. Avraham encapsulates a unique religious experience in this short statement, and we should take note of every element: This awesome religious experience would not be complete until Avraham came down the mountain and shared with others his epiphany, his feelings and his enlightenment. Avraham would have the greatest impact on the two men he left behind only after parting ways, dedicating himself to the more particular religious experience at the summit, and then returning to their company. Similarly, for the Jewish People to have an impact on the world, we must first disengage, separate ourselves, and fully explore our unique relationship with God. There will be times when we must wrest ourselves away from our deep involvement, even our responsibility for the world. We must climb lofty mountains, even engage in divinely-mandated, though seemingly paradoxical, behavior. But we must always remember that eventually we must come down from the mountain, re-engage, return to the people that we left at the foot of the mountain. We must find the language and establish the relationship that will allow us to share with them what we learned at the summit.
Avraham learns to resolve the tension. Both the universal and the particular are important, but they are intertwined. The way we can accomplish our universal responsibility is by first becoming separate, different - as holy as we can possibly become. Only this will enable us to fulfill our mission of tikun olam, to enlighten, to educate, to heal and repair the world.
What is interesting is that the Nefesh asher asu b’Haran, the people “acquired” in Haran,[19], the people attracted by a spirituality devoid of holiness, all disappeared. In fact, the prototypical outreach that Avraham was famous for, his open tent and encouraging people to bless God, is recorded after the circumcision was performed.
ספר בראשית פרק כא
(לג) וַיִּטַּע אֵשֶׁל בִּבְאֵר שָׁבַע וַיִּקְרָא שָׁם בְּשֵׁם ה’ אֵל עוֹלָם:
33. And Abraham planted a grove in Beersheba, and called there on the name of the Lord, the everlasting God. (Bereishit 21:33)
רש"י על בראשית פרק כא פסוק לג
(לג) אשל - רב ושמואל חד אמר פרדס להביא ממנו פירות לאורחים בסעודה. וחד אמר פונדק לאכסניא ובו כל מיני פירות…
ויקרא שם וגו' - על ידי אותו אשל נקרא שמו של הקב"ה אלוה לכל העולם לאחר שאוכלים ושותים אמר להם ברכו למי שאכלתם משלו סבורים אתם שמשלי אכלתם משל מי שאמר והיה העולם אכלתם (סוטה י):
‘A grove’ - Rav and Shmuel, one said an orchard to bring fruits for guests’ meals, and one said an inn for guests and it had all kinds of produce.
‘And called there’ – he used the eshel to call God master of the universe: After people would eat and drink, Avraham would instruct them to bless the One who provides food. He would say, “You think the food came from me? It came from He who spoke and caused the world to exist. (Rashi Bereishit 21:33)
The house of Avraham and Sarah was both open to all, yet set apart; universal and separate at one and the same time. Only now were they able to impact others in a permanent way.
Our world, then, is not so different from that of Avraham and Sarah after all. The world still lacks holiness. By observing the commandments, both those we understand and those that seem to us paradoxical, we add holiness to our lives. We set ourselves on a higher rung, as it were. And as holiness accrues, we will find our spiritual, ethical and social abilities exponentially increased, and thus our ability to effect change and fix a broken world.
[1] Though there is a consensus in Rabbinic thought that Avraham was tested ten times, there is no consensus as to what the ten tests were.
[2] Rashi, in his first interpretation, tells us that these were the men and women whom Avraham and Sara (respectively) taught and “converted”. However, in a second explanation --which Rashi labels “p’shat” - the straightforward meaning of the text – Rashi explains that these were the people that were acquired; i.e., slaves and members of the household staff.
רש"י על בראשית פרק יב פסוק ה
אשר עשו בחרן - שהכניסן תחת כנפי השכינה אברהם מגייר את האנשים ושרה מגיירת הנשים ומעלה עליהם הכתוב כאלו עשאום (לכך כתיב אשר עשו) ופשוטו של מקרא עבדים ושפחות שקנו להם כמו (שם לא) עשה את כל הכבוד הזה (לשון קנין) (במדבר כד) וישראל עושה חיל לשון קונה וכונס:
[3] Previously Avraham’s father Terach started to make his way to Canaan. The Seforno (12:5), posits that both Avraham and Terach choose Canaan as their destination because it was known as a spiritual place.
ספורנו עה"ת ספר בראשית פרק יב פסוק ה
ויצאו ללכת ארצה כנען. שהיתה מפורסמת אצלם לארץ מוכנת להתבוננות ולעבודת האל ית':
[4] Bereishit 12:6
[5] Ramban Bereishit 12:6
[6] The Midrash, which takes the same basic approach, nonetheless states that Avraham did not keep Shabbat. See Midrash Rabbah Bereishit 11:7:
מדרש רבה בראשית פרשה יא פסקה ז
ר' יוחנן בשם ר' יוסי בר חלפתא אמר אברהם שאין כתוב בו שמירת שבת ירש את העולם במדה שנאמר (בראשית יב) קום התהלך בארץ לארכה ולרחבה וגו' אבל יעקב שכתוב בו שמירת שבת שנאמר (שם לג) ויחן את פני העיר נכנס עם דמדומי חמה וקבע תחומין מבעוד יום ירש את העולם שלא במדה שנאמר (שם כח) והיה זרעך כעפר הארץ וגו':
R. Johanan said in R. Jose's name: Abraham, who is not reported to have kept the Sabbath, inherited the world in [limited] measure, as it is written, ‘Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it’ (Gen. XIII, 17). But Jacob, of whom the keeping of the Sabbath is mentioned, viz. And he rested [E.V. ’encamped’] before the city (ib. XXXIII, 18), Which means that he entered at twilight and set boundaries before sunset,6 inherited the world without measure, [as it is written], And thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, etc. (ib. XXVIII, 14).
[7] The Ohr Hachaim (Bereishit 49:3) maintains that the forefathers only kept laws that he found useful, or more precisely would not keep lows that they found an impediment to them.
אור החיים על בראשית פרק מט פסוק ג
והאבות לצד חביבותם בה' וחשקם באושר עליון קיימו הכל כאומרו (לעיל כו ה) עקב אשר שמע וגו', ואמרו ז"ל (יומא כח:) קיים אברהם אבינו אפילו עירוב תבשילין, ואת בניו הקים תחתיו להרויח תועלת המצות ועסק התורה, אבל במקום שהיו רואים תועלת דבר ההצלחה להם, כמו שתאמר יעקב כשהרגיש בהצלחתו בנשואי ב' האחיות העלים עין מרווח הנמשך מקיום המצוה ההיא, כיון שאין לו עונש אם לא יקיימנה, כל עוד שלא נתנה תורה, ומה גם אם נאמר שהיו עושים על פי הדיבור, כי האבות נביאים היו (מגילה יד) וה' אמר להם לעשות כן:
[8] The Shem MiShmuel understands that Yaakov fulfilled the commandments – even if he didn’t quite perform them. He explains that commandments have bodies and souls, and Avraham was attuned to the souls and therefore didn’t need the “body” of the physical performance.
ספר שם משמואל פרשת בהר - פסח שני
ובודאי גם אברהם קיים ענין תפילין אבל הי' בלבוש אחר כי באשר היו יחידים לא הוצרכה ההתאחדות ע"י המעשה, והי' לכל אחד מעשה וכלי מיוחד.
[9] The Noam Elimelech Parshat Dvarim, states that Avraham had certainly achieved the spiritual perfection of someone who had performed all the commandments.
ספר נועם אלימלך - פרשת הדברים
דאיתא בגמרא קיים אברהם אבינו עליו השלום כו' אפילו עירוב תבשילין והיינו שהיה מקדש ומטהר את כל רמ"ח אבריו ושס"ה גידיו כל אבר במצוה השייך לה דכל מצוה ומצוה יש לה עולם בפני עצמה ואברהם אבינו על ידי שהיה עובד השם יתברך מאהבה השיג את כל מצוה ומצוה בשורשה ואפילו מצוה דרבנן יש לה שורש ועיקר בדאורייתא בעולם המיוחד לה
[10] The Degel Machane Efraim (Aharaie Mot SV Vod, and in Ekev SV Vrak) understands that the ultimate objective of the commandments is the understanding that there is One God, and the rejection of all pagan entities, and that Avraham fulfilled with a vengeance, he was cognizant iof this truth all his days. A similar idea is found in Moar Vshemesh Rimzey first day of Sukkot.
ספר דגל מחנה אפרים - פרשת אחרי ד"ה עוד
וכל מצוה ומצוה שייך לשורש נשמות של ישראל והוא היודע ומבין זה והוא שורש השרשים ואין עוד מלבדו ולכך קיים אברהם אבינו כל התורה כולה עד שלא ניתנה (קידושין פ"ב.) כי הגיע לאמיתת אלוהות כי כל המצוות הם שער ומבוא לבא אל אמיתת אלוהות שהוא אנכי ולא יהיה לך כמו שכתבתי מזה כבר במקום אחר אך זעירין אינון שיוכלו לבא אל אמיתת אלוהות
ספר דגל מחנה אפרים - פרשת עקב ד"ה רק
ולהם לא היה צריך התורה להכתב כלל אך מה שנכתב כל התורה הוא לדידן שאין לנו מוחין כהם ולכך הוצרך להכתב כל התורה והמצוות שעל ידם השיגו בחינת אנכי אבל האבות ידעו הנקודה אמיתית שכל התורה והמצוות תלוין בה,
ספר מאור ושמש - רמזי יום א' של סוכות ד"ה או
אמנם הצדיק אשר כבר הגיע למעלת הדביקות באין סוף ב"ה והוא קשור במחשבתו בכל עת, עיקר עבודתו הוא במחשבה כמאמרם ז"ל קיים אברהם אבינו כל התורה כולה עד שלא ניתנה, הגם שלא מצאנו שעשה בפועל מעשה המצות כהנחת תפילין ועשית סוכה וכדומיהן, מכל מקום המשיך על עצמו פנימיות הקדושות שרומזת אליהם המעשים ההם על ידי מחשבתו הקדושה אשר היתה דבוקה באין סוף ב"ה.
[11] See Rashi’s comments to Berishet 21:33 where he explains that one of the reasons for Avraham’s magnanimous hosting of guests aside from imitatio dei is his desire to teach people to bless God and thank God.
רש"י על בראשית פרק כא פסוק לג
(לג) אשל - רב ושמואל חד אמר פרדס להביא ממנו פירות לאורחים בסעודה. וחד אמר פונדק לאכסניא ובו כל מיני פירות. ומצינו לשון נטיעה באהלים שנאמר (דניאל יא) ויטע אהלי אפדנו:
ויקרא שם וגו' - על ידי אותו אשל נקרא שמו של הקב"ה אלוה לכל העולם לאחר שאוכלים ושותים אמר להם ברכו למי שאכלתם משלו סבורים אתם שמשלי אכלתם משל מי שאמר והיה העולם אכלתם (סוטה י):
[12] The Arvei Nahal understands that all 613 commandments are subsumed within the seven Noachide laws.
ספר ערבי נחל - פרשת תולדות
דע, כי כל מצוה כלולה מכל התרי"ג, וא"כ בכל מצוה יש כלל ופרט כי בכח יש בה כל התרי"ג, ובפועל הוא פרטיותה לבד, ומיד שנברא האדם נצטווה בשבע מצות וקיימו אותם האבות ויתר צדיקי הדורות עד מתן תורה וכל התרי"ג כלולים בכל מצוה מהם. ואם תקשה א"כ האבות לא הוציאו הכללות מן הכח אל הפועל, דע שהוציאו והוציאו, בכח הכנתם ר"ל שהיו דבוקים בו ית"ש והיו ששים ושמחים לעשות רצון קונם בכל מה שיצוום והיו מוכנים לזה בתכלית ההכנה בשמחה רבה,
[13] See Rambam Laws of Idolatry chapter 1
[14] According to the Meshech Chochma, Yaakov personifies setting up boundaries, to prevent assimilation. Hence Yaakov keeps even Eruv Tehumin.
[15] Meshech Chochma Bereishit 33:18.
משך חכמה על בראשית פרק לג פסוק יח
והציור בזה. דבאמת כמו שלהחי די במזון מהצומח והמדבר ניזון מהחי כן נפש המשכלת מבני נכר די לו בשבע מצות אולם נפש הישראלי מקורו ממקום גבוה חלק ד' ממעל אם אין לו כל התורה בכללה ופרטה אז אינו בחיותו. כי עם הישראלי המה מעון ומכון לאלקות בעולם השפל ואין השכינה שורה אלא באלפי רבבות ישראל (יבמות סד). וזה סו"ד מה שאמרו ש"ס רבוא. (אולי צ"ל ס' רבוא אותיות. ע' זוהר חדש סוף שה"ש) המה כללות הפרצופים ולכן אברהם חפש להפיץ שיטתו ודיעותיו באלקות לכל באי עולם באשר חשב כי הוא יחידי ואח"כ ראה כי ישמעאל יצא ממנו ולכן נטע אשל להכניס כל באי עולם לברית ואמרו בריש עו"ג (דף ט) שני אלפים תורה מוהנפש אשר עשו בחרן דשעבידו לאורייתא. וגם היה זה בכוונה שהלך למצרים מקום החכמה והחרטומים לפלפל ולקרבם לשיטותיו באחדות ובתורה. לא כן יעקב ראה שמטתו שלמה (ויקרא רבה לו-ד) ובזרעו די שיהיו מעון ומרכבה לשכינה וכמו שהבטיחו וראה שה' נצב עליו ראה להיפוך כי בניו יהיו נפרדים מעמים אחרים מוגבלים בתחום ואף ללבן חותנו הניחו בטעותו וכעס על רחל שגנבה התרפים להבדילו מעו"ג כן במצרים היו יושבים בארץ גושן נפרדים מהעמים. וכן לדורות באומה אין מקבלין גרים בימי דוד ושלמה (יבמות כד:) שזה כהכרח או למקנא לגדולתם וזה מליצתם שאברהם קיים עירובי תבשילין (יומא כח:) להכניס אורחים ולקבל גרים תחת כנפי השכינה אבל לא קבע תחומין שמא ימנע אחד מלבוא לשמוע דיעותיו. לא כן יעקב קבע תחומין להגביל ולתחום בין עם ישראל לעמים.
[16] See the comments of the Beit Halevi Bereishit 17:1
בית הלוי על בראשית פרק יז פסוק א
והנה איתא במדרש פרשה זו (נ"ו תרג) שאמר אברהם עד שלא מלתי היו באים הכותים ומזדווגים לי תאמר משמלתי יהיו באים ומזדווגים לי א"ל הקב"ה די שאני פטרונך. הרי מבואר כמש"כ דהמילה נותנת הבדל גדול בין ישראל לכותים והיא גורמת שנאה ביניהם והשיב לו הקב"ה די לך שאני פטרונך ולא יועילו ולא יפסידו לך לא בקרבתם ולא בשנאתם אחרי שאני אוהבך,
[17] The Alshich Hakadosh notes that here because Avraham senses that others would be impacted Avraham hesitates, but with regards to the Binding if Yitzchak, where only he will suffer he doesn’t hesitate.
ספר תורת משה על בראשית - פרק יח פסוק ב-ג
והנה ראוי להעיר מה ראה על ככה אברהם לטעון נגד מאמרו יתברך, מי שלא פצה את פיו באמור אליו ה' קח נא את בנך את יחידך כו' לאמר לו הלא אתה אמרת כי ביצחק יקרא לך זרע, איך בציווי זה בקש טענה ליפטר, וגם מה לו ולעוברים ושבים ערביים ערלים נגד צוויו יתברך. …
ונבא אל הענין והוא כי בעל המאמר הוקשה לו אומרו וירא אליו ולא אמר אל אברהם. על כן אמר כי עברו דברים בין אברהם ובינו יתברך, כי אברהם בענותנותו היה חש יותר על קיום העולם מהנוגע אל עצמו, על כן על אומרו יתברך קח נא את בנך כו' לא דבר מאומה. אך על ענין המילה להיותה דבר זר בעיני ההמון, באומרם היתכן ברא אלהים אדם שיחשוב לבעל מום עד החסיר מאשר ברא אלהים לשיהיה שלם.
[18] See Rashi ad loc.
[19] See Meshech Chochma Bereishit 21:33 and the sources he cites.
משך חכמה על בראשית פרק כא פסוק לג
(לג) ויקרא שם בשם ה' אל עולם - יתכן דהוי כמו דכתיב לעולם, דקודם שנולד יצחק ופרסם אברהם מציאות השם והשגחתו הפרטיות ואחדותו שהוא בלתי מושג אם מת הלא נשכח כל לימודיו ועיקריו וכמו שאמרו במדרש שהנפש אשר עשו בחרן חזרו לסורן, (ע' פרקי דר"א פ' כט) אולם כאשר נולד יצחק אשר הבטיח השי"ת והקימותי להיות לך לאלקים ולזרעך אחריך וכדאמרו יבמות ק: המיוחס אחריך וידע שהוא ינחיל הדיעות האמיתיות ויפרסם אלקותו לכן אמר שהוא עכשיו אל לעולם ולא יופסק ידיעתו יתברך לדור דור והבן.
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