Lech Lecha – Page 13 – Peninim on the Torah

And Hashem said to Avram, “Go for yourself from your land, and from your birthplace, and from your father’s home.” (12:1)

One would expect the Torah to introduce Avraham Avinu in a more auspicious manner. The Torah should have mentioned the background of the first person who Hashem chose to be the progenitor of His people; the individual who on his own discovered the existence of Hashem; the man who rebelled against a world filled with pagans. Who was he? From where did he originate? What did he do in his youth and middle age? Our introduction to Avraham Avinu is Hashem’s command to him, “Lech Lecha!” The various commentators address this question, each offering his own response. Perhaps the most…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Lech Lecha, 5757

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

Logic dictates that upon leaving his environment, an individual begins by contemplating that which is closest to him, his father’s home. He then proceeds to separate himself from his birthplace, and, lastly, from his land. Why does the pasuk list a sequence that seems unnatural? First, Hashem tells Avraham to leave the land, then his birthplace, and finally his father’s home. A number of commentators respond to this question. The Maor Vashemesh cites the Rambam in Hilchos De’os who posits that a person’s character is influenced by his surroundings. Obviously, the closer and more intense one’s relationship is to his…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Lech Lecha, 5757

Avram took his wife Sarai and Lot, his brother’s son… And the souls they made in Charan. (12:5)

Rashi comments that these “souls” refers to the people who Avraham and Sarah converted to faith in Hashem. Avraham would teach and later convert the men, while Sarah would do the same with the women. Rabbeinu Yona posits that Avraham reached out to the pagans as a purely altruistic gesture. Avraham loved people, his heart overflowed with a desire to help as many as he could. Regardless of their origin, Avraham loved them and attempted to reach out to them even when they were not receptive to his overtures. Rabbeinu Yona teaches us a novel idea. Avraham Avinu reached out…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Lech Lecha, 5757

“From there he relocated to the mountain… and pitched his tent… and he built there an altar to Hashem and invoked Hashem by Name.” (12:8)

The commentators interpret Avraham’s invocation of Hashem’s Name to mean that he was proclaiming Hashem’s Name to the world by teaching monotheism. His goal reached fruition, numbering converts in the thousands. The Ramban questions the fact that only Avraham and Yitzchak have been cited as “invoking Hashem’s Name.” Why is this mission not mentioned in regard to Yaakov? He explains that Yaakov’s “outreach” to the world was accomplished via his “Adas Yisrael,” twelve sons. They were each great tzaddikim, the forebears of an entire congregation submissive to Hashem. Through the establishment of this kehillah, congregation, Hashem’s Name spread throughout the…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Lech Lecha, 5757

And the steward of my house is Damesek Eliezer. (15:2)

Rashi cites a number of definitions for the word Damesek. Targum Onkelos notes that Eliezer came from Damasus. Hence the name Damesek is a reference to the city from which he originated. In the second interpretation cited by Rashi, Damesek is the city to which the kings were chased prior to their defeat. In the last interpretation, Damesek is an acronym for two words veanu vkus, referring to Eliezer’s attitude towards studying Torah transmitted to him by his great rebbe, Avraham. He would be “doleh,” draw the Torah out as one draw’s water from a wellspring; and he would be…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Lech Lecha, 5757

And He said to him, ‘I am Hashem Who took you out of Uhr Kasdim.’ (15:7)

The scene in which Hashem “introduced” Himself to Avraham is anthologized in the Midrash. It is compared to a man who was traveling from place to place and suddenly came upon an illuminated castle. Upon seeing this sight he asked, “Is it possible that this castle does not have a master?” Suddenly, the master peeked out and said, “I am the master of this castle.” So, too, Avraham was awestruck by the magnificence of this world. This prompted him to ask, “Is it possible that such a grandiose world has no master?” Hashem responded, “I am its Master.” If we…

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Sruly Schnair In Lech Lecha, 5756

“Also, Lot who went with Avram had flocks, cattle and tents. And the land could not support their dwelling together for their possessions were abundant and they were unable to dwell together.” (13:5,6)

The parsha relating to Lot is difficult to understand. Hashem’s command of “Lech Lecha,” His imperative for Avraham to uproot himself, to leave his country and birthplace, is considered one of Avraham’s ten trials. Yet, Lot accompanied Avraham as a devoted student without being commanded to do so! He went along simply out of a profound desire to be with Avraham and to learn from him. If this is so, how did Lot suddenly transform into a greedy person, willing to throw it all away and live in the degenerate city of Sodom, just for the sake of material gain?…

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Sruly Schnair In Lech Lecha, 5756

“And Hashem said, ‘Nevertheless, your wife Sarah will bear you a son and you should name him Yitzchak.'” (17:19)

The name Yitzchak does not mean, “he who laughs,” or “he who rejoices”, it means “he who causes laughter,” who brings a smile to the lips of his parents. Also, the word generally denotes an ironic form of laughter, brought about by something utterly ridiculous or inconceivable. Indeed, the fact that Yitzchak is given his name simply to “commemorate” the laughter his forthcoming birth provoked, is especially significant. Horav S.R. Hirsch, z.l., in raising these issues, comes to the following conclusion. To expect a 100-year-old man and a 90-year-old woman, who had never before had children, to give birth to…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Lech Lecha, 5755

“And Lot journeyed from the east.” (13:11)

Rashi interprets Lot’s journey from the east as creating more than a geographical distance. Lot “removed himself from okug ka ubunse, the Originator of the world”. This separation was a critical choice on Lot’s part. He was leaving the presence of the pious, saintly Avraham to dwell among the wicked, sinful nation of Sodom. Lot travelled away from Hashem. He withdrew his faith in the Almighty. This decision was the forerunner of Lot’s spiritual descent. Indeed, what seemed to be a simple choice then turned out to be the determining factor in his descendants’ “spiritual” decadence. We seldom realize the…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Lech Lecha, 5755

“And Avram said… what will your give me, seeing that I go childless and he that will be the possessor of my house is Eliezer of Damascus.” (15:2)

Avraham Avinu entreated Hashem for a son, lest his servant Eliezer be the one to inherit his wealth. Chazal interpret the word eans using the principle of notaricon, as a modified form denoting Eliezer’s deeds. He would be ohrjtk ucr ,ru,n veanu vkus . He [Eliezer], ks, “drew” up his master’s teachings and “gave of them to drink”. He, vean, imparted [his master’s teachings] to others.” Avraham’s request seems strange. He obviously had a student whose exemplary characteristic was his ability to impart all of his rebbe’s teachings to others. Why did he need a son to do what his…

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And Hashem said to Avram, “Go for yourself from your land, and from your birthplace, and from your father’s home.” (12:1)

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

Avram took his wife Sarai and Lot, his brother’s son… And the souls they made in Charan. (12:5)

“From there he relocated to the mountain… and pitched his tent… and he built there an altar to Hashem and invoked Hashem by Name.” (12:8)

And the steward of my house is Damesek Eliezer. (15:2)

And He said to him, ‘I am Hashem Who took you out of Uhr Kasdim.’ (15:7)

“Also, Lot who went with Avram had flocks, cattle and tents. And the land could not support their dwelling together for their possessions were abundant and they were unable to dwell together.” (13:5,6)

“And Hashem said, ‘Nevertheless, your wife Sarah will bear you a son and you should name him Yitzchak.'” (17:19)

“And Lot journeyed from the east.” (13:11)

“And Avram said… what will your give me, seeing that I go childless and he that will be the possessor of my house is Eliezer of Damascus.” (15:2)

YEARS

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