Lech Lecha – Page 6 – Peninim on the Torah

ויהי ריב בין רעי מקנה אברם ובין רעי מקנה לוט

And there was a quarrel between the herdsmen of Avram’s livestock, and the herdsmen of Lot’s livestock. (13:7)

Avraham Avinu’s cattle went out with their mouths muzzled, specifically so that they would not eat what did not belong to him. Lot did not seem to maintain this stringency. His animals ate whenever and wherever they pleased. This caused friction between the two. As a result, Avraham asked Lot to separate from him, to choose any area that he pleased, and he would go elsewhere. This way they could remain “friends,” and Lot could do as he pleased without suffering the pain and rebuke. Rav Yosef B’chor Shor explains further that Avraham was concerned, “What would the neighbors say…

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ויהי ריב בין רעי מקנה אברם ובין רעי מקנה לוט... ויאמר אברם אל לוט אל נא תהי מריבה ביני ובינך... הפרד נא מעלי

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Lech Lecha, 5775

And there was quarreling between the herdsmen of Avram’s livestock and the herdsmen of Lot’s livestock… so Avram said to Lot, “Please let there be no strife between me and you… please separate from me.” (13:7, 8, 9)

Avraham Avinu spent a lifetime reaching out to the uninitiated, regardless of their beliefs. To Avraham, the most entrenched pagan was a person who could, and should be reached. Together with his wife, Sarah Imeinu, they converted thousands to monotheism. If so, why is it specifically his nephew, Lot, a person for whom he cared, that Avraham asked to leave his presence? What was Lot’s transgression? Petty theft from the fields of others was without a doubt inappropriate behavior, but did it warrant a complete break in their relationship? What about teshuvah, repentance? Avraham made the attempt to convince everyone…

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ויאמר מלך סדם אל אברם תן לי הנפש והרכוש קח לך... אם מחוט ועד שרוך נעל ואם אקח מכל אשר לך ולא תאמר אני העשרתי את אברם

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Lech Lecha, 5775

The King of Sodom said to Avram, “Give me the people and take the possessions for yourself…” If so much as a thread or a shoe strap; or if I will take from anything that is yours! So you shall not say, “It is I who have made Avram wealthy.” (14:21,23)

Avraham Avinu was the victor in the war, and to the victor go the spoils. The king of Sodom agreed to give him whatever material booty he requested, as long as he left the people. Avraham replied that he could keep his money: “Hashem has promised to make me rich.” As Rashi explains, “I do not need you to sustain me. Hashem takes care of His own. It is a nice speech, a wonderful and magnanimous gesture on the part of the Patriarch, but he was not receiving a gift from the king of Sodom. He was receiving the spoils…

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והאמין בד' ויחשביה לו צדקה

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Lech Lecha, 5775

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

Rashi notes that, concerning Hashem’s promise to Avraham that he would be blessed with offspring, the Patriarch did not ask for a sign. Concerning the promise that he would take possession of Eretz Yisrael, Avraham Avinu asked, Bama eida, “Whereby shall I know?” requesting a sign from Above that he would inherit it. Why did the Patriarch ask for affirmation regarding the Land and not regarding the offspring? Horav Yitzchak Volozhiner, zl, explains this with an analogy that goes to the very crux of the issue which continues to haunt us until this very day. A king was once traveling…

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ואברכה ואגדלה שמך והיה ברכה. ואברכה מברכיך ומקללך אאר

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Lech Lecha, 5774

I will bless you and make your name great, and you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who curses you, I will curse. (12:2)

Avraham HaIvri is the name given to our first Patriarch, the individual who, with his own cognitive ability, was able to understand what had eluded an entire world: there is a Creator; He is One; He is the G-d of Creation and of history. With simple – but penetrating – logic, Avraham reached out to a pagan society and imbued them with faith and conviction in the Almighty. Yet, he was all alone, literally b’eiver echad, on one side – the opposing side of everybody else. Hence, the name Avraham HaIvri. We, his descendants, are heirs to this proud appellation,…

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ויקרא בשם ד'

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Lech Lecha, 5774

And he invoked Hashem by Name. (12:8)

Much credit is given to Avraham Avinu – and rightfully so. Using his intellectual skills, he was able to determine that there is a G-d Who created and continues to guide the world. He went about sharing his newly-discovered observation with whomever he met. This, of course, ruffled the feathers of those who were entrenched in paganism, especially someone like Nimrod, the king who claimed divinity for himself. Avraham was to be removed. One cannot have a dissenter who disputes and proves that the life he is living is a sham. The Patriarch was to be thrown into a fiery…

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ויאמר מלך סדם אל אברם תן לי הנפש והרכוש קח לך

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Lech Lecha, 5774

The King of Sodom said to Avram, “Give me the people and take the possessions for yourself (14:21).

The king of Sodom had no problem with what seems to have been an audacious request. As a victor of the war, Avraham Avinu was entitled to all of the spoils. The king said that he would like his subjects to be returned to him, and Avraham could keep the money. Avraham had no intent in personal gain, especially from a pagan who would certainly claim that he was the source of Avraham’s wealth. Avraham conveyed his feelings to the king of Sodom and then returned everything to him – people as well as money. In the Talmud Nedarim 32a,…

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ויבא אל הגר ותהר ותרא כי הרתה ותקל גברתה בעיניה

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Lech Lecha, 5774

He consorted with Hagar and she conceived; and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was lowered in her esteem. (16:7)

It happens all of the time: one strikes it rich and suddenly it is all about him; he is the worthy; he is righteous and worthy of blessing. Horav Gamliel Rabinowitz, Shlita, explains that such a person follows in the footsteps of Hagar. As soon as she conceived, she began to boast brazenly, “Since so many years have passed without my mistress having children, she obviously is not as righteous as she seems. I conceived immediately!” Herein is revealed the difference between Jew and gentile. When Hagar saw that Hashem had showered her with His benevolence, her attitude should have…

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ויאמר לה מלאך ד' שובי אל גברתך והתעני תחת ידיה

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Lech Lecha, 5774

And an Angel of Hashem said to her, “Return to your mistress, and submit yourself to her domination.” (16:9)

Rashi quotes the Midrash that, for each and every amirah, communication, Hashem sent another angel to speak with Hagar. There is a dispute among Chazal as to the number, whether there were four or five angels. What is the reason that a new angel was required for every pronouncement? Horav Chaim Zaitchik, zl, explains that a malach, angel, is an omeid, static, does not experience spiritual elevation. He is what he is and remains on that level. Unlike a human being, an angel cannot grow spiritually. His spiritual plateau has a limited parameter to which he adheres. His mission is…

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לך לך מארצך וממולדתך... ואעשך לגוי גדול

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Lech Lecha, 5773

Go from your land and your birth place… And I will make of you a great nation. (12:1)

The Talmud Rosh Hashanah 16b teaches that four things can nullify the unfavorable decree against an individual: Charity; prayer with tzeakah, crying out; changing one’s name; change of action, or changing his way of life. The Talmud cites a fifth possible way to overturn an evil decree: a change of place. They support this idea with the pasuk: “Go from your land,” which is followed up, “I will make of you a great nation.” This indicates that, in his new location, Avraham Avinu would finally be blessed with a son, the precursor of a great nation. Rashi quotes the Midrash…

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ויהי ריב בין רעי מקנה אברם ובין רעי מקנה לוט

And there was a quarrel between the herdsmen of Avram’s livestock, and the herdsmen of Lot’s livestock. (13:7)

ויהי ריב בין רעי מקנה אברם ובין רעי מקנה לוט... ויאמר אברם אל לוט אל נא תהי מריבה ביני ובינך... הפרד נא מעלי

And there was quarreling between the herdsmen of Avram’s livestock and the herdsmen of Lot’s livestock… so Avram said to Lot, “Please let there be no strife between me and you… please separate from me.” (13:7, 8, 9)

ויאמר מלך סדם אל אברם תן לי הנפש והרכוש קח לך... אם מחוט ועד שרוך נעל ואם אקח מכל אשר לך ולא תאמר אני העשרתי את אברם

The King of Sodom said to Avram, “Give me the people and take the possessions for yourself…” If so much as a thread or a shoe strap; or if I will take from anything that is yours! So you shall not say, “It is I who have made Avram wealthy.” (14:21,23)

והאמין בד' ויחשביה לו צדקה

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

ואברכה ואגדלה שמך והיה ברכה. ואברכה מברכיך ומקללך אאר

I will bless you and make your name great, and you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who curses you, I will curse. (12:2)

ויקרא בשם ד'

And he invoked Hashem by Name. (12:8)

ויאמר מלך סדם אל אברם תן לי הנפש והרכוש קח לך

The King of Sodom said to Avram, “Give me the people and take the possessions for yourself (14:21).

ויבא אל הגר ותהר ותרא כי הרתה ותקל גברתה בעיניה

He consorted with Hagar and she conceived; and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was lowered in her esteem. (16:7)

ויאמר לה מלאך ד' שובי אל גברתך והתעני תחת ידיה

And an Angel of Hashem said to her, “Return to your mistress, and submit yourself to her domination.” (16:9)

לך לך מארצך וממולדתך... ואעשך לגוי גדול

Go from your land and your birth place… And I will make of you a great nation. (12:1)

YEARS

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