Lech Lecha – Peninim on the Torah

And he trusted in Hashem, and He reckoned it to him as righteousness. (15:6)

Rashi notes that concerning Hashem’s promise that Avraham Avinu would have offspring, the Patriarch did not request a sign, while regarding the promise of the Land, he did ask for a sign from Hashem asking: Bamah eida, “How shall I know?” Horav Yeruchem Levovitz, zl, explains this based upon a deeper understanding of the meaning of emunah, loosely translated as faith in Hashem. I say “loosely translated,” because faith and emunah are not identical. Faith is belief without proof, it’s more of a strong hypothesis, while emunah is much more profound. It is experiential. Emunah is derived from the word emes,…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Lech Lecha, 5771

And He said, “Gaze, now, toward the Heavens, and count the stars if you able to count them!” And He said to him, “So shall your offspring be!” (15:5)

The Divrei Chaim explains the analogy to stars. Seen from the distance of the earth, stars appear miniscule. However, when seen in close proximity from above, their actual size is remarkable. Likewise, Klal Yisrael might be viewed as being diminutive and inconsequential in comparison to the nations of the world. But, upon Heavenly examination, their image changes immensely. Their true size increases as they are viewed through a Heavenly perspective. Horav Meir Shapiro, zl, offers a practical explanation for our being compared to stars. Hashem instructed Avraham Avinu to gaze upon the Heavens and count the stars – something which is…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Lech Lecha, 5771

So Avram went…and Lot went with him; Avram was seventy-five years old when he left Charan. (12:4)

Lot was the orphaned nephew of Avraham Avinu’s brother, Haran, who had died in the flames of Ur Kasdim, in his support. Our Patriarch felt a filial responsibility for his nephew. Therefore, he took him along when he moved. This explains why the Torah mentions this, even though it was not part of Hashem’s command. Why, however, does the Torah inform us of Avraham’s age at the time of departure? Does it really matter? Horav Zalman Sorotzkin, zl, distinguishes between ito and imo – two words which are used to imply “with” someone. There is a difference regarding the term…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Lech Lecha, 5771

“Go forth from your land, from your birthplace and from your father’s house to the land that I will show you.” (12:1)

Elearly, Hashem’s command to Avraham Avinu to uproot himself from his home and travel to a yet undesignated land serves as a metaphor for his descendants. Maaseh Avos siman l’banim, “The deeds of the fathers serve as a sign /portent for their sons/descendants.” We must learn to understand Avraham’s move and its purpose as a model for our own need to move on, move up, and move out – at the appropriate times. In his sefer, Nitzotzos, Horav Yitzchak Hershkowitz, Shlita, relates a shmuess, ethical discourse, given by Horav Chizkiyahu Mishkovsky, Shlita, to a gathering of Lev L’Achim volunteers. His words…

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And he trusted in Hashem, and He reckoned it to him as righteousness. (15:6)

And He said, “Gaze, now, toward the Heavens, and count the stars if you able to count them!” And He said to him, “So shall your offspring be!” (15:5)

So Avram went…and Lot went with him; Avram was seventy-five years old when he left Charan. (12:4)

“Go forth from your land, from your birthplace and from your father’s house to the land that I will show you.” (12:1)

YEARS

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