Pirkei Avot (Chapters of Our Fathers, 5:3) teaches:
עֲשָׂרָה נִסְיוֹנוֹת נִתְנַסָּה אַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ עָלָיו הַשָּׁלוֹם וְעָמַד בְּכֻלָּם, לְהוֹדִיעַ כַּמָּה חִבָּתוֹ שֶׁל אַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ עָלָיו הַשָּׁלוֹם
With ten trials Avraham, our father (may he rest in peace), was tried, and he withstood them all; to make known how great was the love of Avraham, our father (peace be upon him).
The first of those tests comes at the beginning of this week’s parsha.
וַיֹּאמֶר ד’ אֶל־אַבְרָם לֶךְ־לְךָ מֵאַרְצְךָ וּמִמּוֹלַדְתְּךָ וּמִבֵּית אָבִיךָ אֶל־הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר אַרְאֶךָּ׃
The LORD said to Avram (this was his name before it was changed to Avraham) “Go forth from your native land and from your father’s house to the land that I will show you.” (12:1)
Leaving home can be difficult. But then Hashem continues:
וְאֶעֶשְׂךָ לְגוֹי גָּדוֹל וַאֲבָרֶכְךָ וַאֲגַדְּלָה שְׁמֶךָ וֶהְיֵה בְּרָכָה׃.וַאֲבָרְכָה מְבָרְכֶיךָ וּמְקַלֶּלְךָ אָאֹר וְנִבְרְכוּ בְךָ כֹּל מִשְׁפְּחֹת הָאֲדָמָה׃
I will make you a great nation, and I will bless you. I will make your name great and you shall be a blessing. (12:2-3)
With all these blessings in store for Avrohom when he leaves his home how much of a test can it be? Sfat Emet explains that Avram’s test was whether his intentions for leaving home would be because Hashem told him to do so or because of the gains in store for him. The Torah answers this question.
וַיֵּלֶךְ אַבְרָם כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר אֵלָיו ה
Abram went forth as the LORD had commanded him (12:4)
Why did Avram go? Because it was as the Lord commanded him. That was his sole motive.
Let’s take a look at the first two words that Hashem said to Avrom. לֶךְ־לְךָ can be translated as לֶךְ- go,לְךָ- for yourself. This means go for your benefit as depicted in the next verse that reads, “I will make you a great nation etc.”
It can also be read as לֶךְ- go, לְךָ-to yourself. Look into yourself.This means to take a good, deep look at yourself. This coincides with another explanation of Avrom’s test that it was not just about physically leaving his home. It was primarily about delving into himself and shedding any negative influences or misperceptions that he may have internalized while living in an environment of pagan worship that still remains deep inside him.
Another aspect of Avrom looking into himself was that he needed to truly recognize and appreciate his G-d-given abilities and talents. Ignoring this would be negligent because only then could he realize his potential and merit all the blessings of “I will make you a great nation etc.”
Our mission is to follow in his footsteps. Part of the problem in recognizing our true capabilities is that we try to be someone else. Yes, we should have role models but we should measure ourselves based on who we are and not on who we are not.
The Kotzer Rebbe said the following epigram:
If I am I because you are you,
And you are you because I am I,
Then , I am not I and you are not you.
But, if I am I because I am I,
And you are you because you are you,
Then I am I and you are you.
May we merit to be ourselves and achieve what we are meant to achieve.
Shabbat Shalom!
Yitzchak