VOLUME 108 NUMBER 3 
Cheshvan 12, 5784
October 27, 2023
PARSHAS LECH LECHA
Candlelighting Time 5:46 PM

In the parsha we are told of Avrohom’s bravery. His nephew Lot is captured by a powerful alliance of kings. He pursues them and soundly defeats them rescuing his nephew. His reliance on Hashem’s assistance is so strong that even at night, before any night-time combat goggles were available, he doggedly fights on and is victorious. Rashi cites the Midrash that this particular night of miracles is partially saved for when the nation eventually, approximately 400 some years later, will need this strength of phenomenon to extricate themselves from Egyptian bondage. This Midrash generates more questions than answers. Didn’t Hashem promise Avrohom that after many years of slavery in Egypt the people would be liberated. Furthermore, couldn’t Hashem perform a miracle on the spot to release the nation from Egyptian domination? Why was this particular battle that Avrohom waged against these four kings the fundamental basis for our exodus from there?

S’fas Emes lays the foundation for understanding the key role that Avrohom and the other Patriarchs enacted in the formation of our people. Hashem came to Avrohom and made a covenant with him depicting the future development of our nation. He was apprised of all future exiles that his descendants would have to endure before the eventual completion and perfection of this world. Additionally, he was enlightened of the eventual liberations that we would merit. What was the necessity of informing Avrohom of these circumstances? Was it simply to supply him with knowledge of what was going to occur? He cites the Midrash that Avrohom was the precursor of all that would transpire throughout our history of exiles and redemptions! How does all of this relate to us? What do we glean from this historical perspective that Avrohom was the forerunner of all future events that would occur? Is the present war in Gaza also heralding an end to our bitter exile as a terminating episode in our bloody history of pogroms and massacres that we have tolerated and endured throughout our existence?

S’fas Emes provides us with another fundamental principle that defines our initial founding and formation. Every act that the Patriarchs performed was of subsequent magnitude and benefited in the establishment of our nation. Not only did the Patriarchs have remarkable prescience and anticipation of their well-planned actions, but indeed they realized the remarkable objectives that would be accomplished and therefore they focused intensely upon their conduct with this theme in mind.  

The war that Avrohom waged against those four very formidable kings was not simply a military exercise that happened to also free Lot. Rather, the Midrash comments that Avrohom fought these battles intending to eliminate the immense dominance that they had over the known world. There would be no recognizing Hashem as the indisputable guiding figure of this world until they were jettisoned and purged. The complete sovereignty of Avrohom was now able to harness the incredible resources of this world assisting him in his goal to bring Hashem’s message to the people. And that certainly defined the ongoing performance of Avrohom as he tended his ‘hotel’ serving perhaps thousands of guests and inculcating them with the belief that only Hashem is the moving force of this planet. 

Egyptian culture represented the consummate antithesis of Avrohom’s intense effort to reform the world and bring it under his flag of unconditional belief in Hashem. To that end every movement of Avrohom was designed to promote and advance that approach. Of course, Hashem could perform myriad acts of the supernatural and save His people from Egypt. However, the impetus and stimulus that merited our exodus was rooted in Avrohom and his restoring of the world to its essential objective, recognition of Hashem. 

A BYTE FOR SHABBOS

Interestingly, Avrohom recognized at a very young age that there was a ruler of the universe. Otherwise, such a complex and complicated creation could not exist. Yet, the Torah very simply praises him as a man of belief. The very foundation of our nation is based upon belief in Hashem and that propels us through the choppy waters of our history.

CHOFETZ CHAIM 

GOOD SHABBOS