Lech Lecha Haftarah: Avraham brings Us To Israel

Aliyah to Eretz Yisrael is the theme of this Parsha. Because of Avraham, every Jew has a “Lecha Lecha moment” in his life. The first Mitzvah ever given to a Jew (Avraham) was, “Go to Israel!” We learn from Avraham’s experience that they only place that he could reach spiritual perfection (from Avram to Avraham), was in Eretz Yisrael; the same is true for every Jew today. Living and serving Hashem in Eretz Yisrael is a prerequisite for practicing true Torah Judaism.

G-d told Avraham “I will bless you and will make your name great…” (12:2), ואעשך לגוי גדול ואברכך ואגדלה שמך. This teaches us that Hashem blesses our money that we make here in Israel. Here in Israel the money we earn is ours; in Chutz LaAretz it is not really ours until we bring it to Israel and make it holy/great.

Rav Chaim of Voloshin in his Sefer (Ruach Chaim) wrote that some Jews may suddenly have the inspiration to make Aliyah. This awakening for a Jew to want to leave Chutz LaAretz for Eretz Yisrael comes from G-d’s command to Avraham of “Lech Lecha”. This inspiration is imbued in every Jewish descendent of Avraham. This is hinted to in the Haftarah by referring to us as the “offspring of Avraham” (Yeshayahu 41:8),זרע אברהם אהבי .

“Hashem appeared to Avram…” (12:7), וירא ה’ אל אברם. This teaches us that the “Shechina” aspect of G-d only reveals itself Eretz Yisrael. One of the exceptions to this rule was the unique one-time event of revelation when giving the Torah at Har Sinai.

The Ramban states that is was a sin for Avraham to leave Eretz Yisrael. He was tested with a famine, “There was a famine in the land, and Avram descended to Egypt to sojourn (temporary) there…” (12:10) ויהי רעב בארץ וירד אברם מצרימה לגור שם . As a consequence of Avraham leaving Eretz Yisrael, his reason his decedents went into exile to Egypt. Hashem did not tell Avraham to leave Israel, nor did He tell him to go to Egypt.

Rashi always teaches us the Pshat or the mainstream interpretation of the Pesukim. Hashem tells Avraham I will give your and the Jewish people the Land of Israel forever. Why? Because He determine that we can only properly connect to G-d when we are living in Eretz Yisrael. On Pasuk 17:8, Rashi quotes the Talmud Bavli (Kesubos 110b) that states, a Jew living outside the Land of Israel is like one who has no G-d! There is a unique relationship between G-d, the Jewish people and our land. We only actually fulfill G-d’s commandments (Mitzvos) when they are performed in Israel; outside of Israel is just practice (Ramban). When a Jew is not physically in the Land of Israel this represents a separation from our distinctive relationship (דביקות) with G-d. Clearly, the Talmud teaches us that living anywhere in the world is spiritually equivalent to keeping Torah and Mitzvos in Eretz Yisrael. In Chutz LaAretz Jews are serving G-d in a different way compare to the ideal of living in Israel; this is called in Hebrew another/foreign service or עבודה זרה . Being a Torah Jew in Chutz LaAretz is a deviation from the Will of G-d.

            בראשית לך לך יז:ח

ונתתי לך ולזרעך אחרך את ארץ מגריך את כל ארץ כנען לאחזת עולם, והייתי להם לאלקים.

And I will give to your offspring after you the land of your sojourns, the whole of the land of Canaan, as an everlasting possession, and I shall be a G-d to them. (Bereishis 17:8)

רש”י

ושם אהיה להם לאלקים. אבל הדר בחוץ לארץ דומה כמי שאין לו אלוה.

Thus, Eretz Yisrael is not simply a convenient place for Jews to practice Judaism. It is the setting in which a distinctive dimension of the Bris/covenant with Hashem can be realized. A Jew can only have a proper relationship/דביקות  with Hashem in Eretz Yisrael. This is why it was essential for Avram to physically move to Eretz Yisrael to become Avraham, the father of the Jewish Nation.

קכ”ו פסוקים – נמל”ו מכנדי”ב

126 Pesukim in the Parsha.

נדיב reference to Avraham. He was praised for giving himself a circumcision, מי כמוך נדיב דהוא בא להמול. Avraham was humble and was the first to be circumcised נמול.

Haftarah – Yishayahu (40:27, 41:16)

The main topic of this Parsha is about Avraham. So too, this haftarah has many references to Avraham. We learned from Avraham to always serve G-d’s Will, no matter the test that we are challenged with.

This section of Yeshayahu is from the “Nachamu Nachamu Ami” chapter. Gives us strength to go through the long Galus. There are many times that it seems as if G-d is hidden from us “Hester Panim”, נסתרה דרכי ה’  (40:27). However, we must always have faith/Emunah in Hashem, He is never tired and we cannot fully understand His ways (40:28), לא ייעף כח ולא ייגע אין חקר לתבונתו . G-d will always give us strength to get through the tragedies and hard times of this Galus (40:29), נתן ליעף כח. The Jewish Nation will always survive.

Hashem aroused Avraham in the East (Haran) to get up and go (Lech lecha) to Eretz Yisrael (40:2) מי העיר ממזרח. In the Talmud Bavli Shabbis (156a) Rav Yochanan teaches us that there is no Mazal for the Jewish people, אין מזל לישראל. Clearly, the world Mazal does not mean luck. Hashem taught Avraham that the Jewish nation is not bound by astrological influences that govern other people. Our relationship with G-d, in Eretz Yisrael, allows us to transcend those influences of the natural order of the world. Avraham was convinced by the astrological signs that he was not destined to have a son. Hashem told Avraham to “leave your astrology, for there is no mazal for Israel”. Thus, we learn through Avraham that a person’s “mazal” can change through merit, prayer, and righteousness. Mazal can be translated as something that flows (נוזל) from above. This refers to influences or circumstances that may shape a person’s life. Clearly, there are different influences on a Jew living in Chutz LaAretz versus Eretz Yisrael. Thus, we are taught in “Israel” we are not limited or controlled by “mazal” or the natural rules that apply to rest of the world.

Rav Schwab teaches us here that Hashem promised to never abandon us, “you are my servant, I have chosen you and not despised you” (41:9), לך עבדי אתה בחרתיך ולא מאסתיך.

In Israel we have the elevated power of prayer, this is hinted to comparing Yakov to a worm. We are told not to be like a weak Yakov, but rather do not fear because G-d is with us specifically in Israel. Yakov is the weak scared Galus Jew. Yisrael is the strong confident successful fearless Israeli Jew.

ישעיה מא: יד

אל תראי תולעת יעקב מתי ישראל, אני עזרתיך נאם ה’ וגאלך קדוש ישראל.

Fear not, worm Yakov, people of Israel, for I shall be your help, the words of Hashem, and your Redeemer, I am the Holy One of Israel. (Yeshayahu 41:14)

The Radak explains why we are compared to a worm. A worm uses the power of its mouth to dig in the ground or a hard tree. As Jews in Israel, we have the power of prayer תפילה  with our mouth. With this power we can destroy the wicked, go against mazal the natural order of the world, and fulfill our destiny and rejoice in the glory of Hashem (41:16) ואתה תגיל בה’ בקדוש ישראל תתהלל.