This Parsha Message is in memory of those who were killed in the brutal attacks in Israel on October 7 Shemini Atzeret 5784.
It should be a merit for a refuah shelaima for those who were wounded, for the return of those taken hostage, for the protection and success of the Israeli soldiers, and for strength, comfort, and protection for Jews in Israel and around the world.
וַיֹּאמֶר ד' אֶל־אַבְרָם לֶךְ־לְךָ מֵאַרְצְךָ וּמִמּוֹלַדְתְּךָ וּמִבֵּית אָבִיךָ אֶל־הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר אַרְאֶךָּ׃ וְאֶעֶשְׂךָ לְגוֹי גָּדוֹל וַאֲבָרֶכְךָ וַאֲגַדְּלָה שְׁמֶךָ וֶהְיֵה בְּרָכָה׃ וַאֲבָרְכָה מְבָרְכֶיךָ וּמְקַלֶּלְךָ אָאֹר וְנִבְרְכוּ בְךָ כֹּל מִשְׁפְּחֹת הָאֲדָמָה׃
Hashem said to Abram, ‘Go forth from your native land and from your father’s house to the land that I will show you.I will make of you a great nation and I will bless you. I will make your name great, and you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you and curse the one who curses you; and all the families of the earth shall bless themselves by you.’ (12:1-3)
Hashem promised Avrohom (he was called then Avram) a very bright future for leaving his birthplace. But we have no explanation as to why doing so is so worthy of these promises. Ramban explains that Avrohom suffered greatly in Ur Kasdim for rejecting pagan worship and idolatry for the belief in Hashem, the one G-d, master of the universe, and for professing that belief publicly. The king, Nimrod threw him into a fiery furnace for that and he was miraculously saved. He could not remain in Ur Kasdim and left for the land of Canaan (this is recorded at the end of Parshat Noach). He stopped in Charan where he remained. Now Hashem told him to leave Charan (where he saw some success in his outreach) for the Chosen Land of Israel (then called Canaan) where his efforts would flourish and his name would be used as an example of blessing instead of ridicule.
Thus the background is Avrohom’s sacrifice for spreading the belief in Hashem resulting now in these blessings.
But if so, why is there no mention of his sacrifice in the Torah? Typically the Torah spells out the righteousness performed and then the reward for it. For example, In last week’s Parsha the Torah tells us that Noach was righteous and therefore he and his family were spared from the Flood. So who isn't that happening here?
Based on the writings of Maharal the answer is that if the Torah would mention Avrohom’s righteousness it would imply that he and his descendants were chosen as a direct result of his righteousness. That would mean that their chosenness was dependent on that righteousness being upheld. There would be a period when Avrohom’s descendants could rely on his merits and on the merits of their other forbearers) but over time that can run. Now that the background has been left out, the Torah is telling us that the chosenness of Avrohom and his descendants has been established as independent of merits. True, Avrohom merited this due to his righteousness but what he merited was a chosenness that is freestanding and eternal.
The Jewish people have endured and continue to endure periods of darkness. For some of them our prophets and later the Sages of the Talmud haven’t pointed out our sins that have caused them. They have also taught us how integral repentance, prayer, and the merits of Mitzvot are in the process of Geulah (redemption) from our all troubles.
But no matter what, we are Hashem’s chosen nation-period.
That’s the legacy we inherited from our father Avrohom.
Shabbat shalom to the people of Israel and to the Jewish people around the world!
Yitzchak