"And I will make of you a great nation; I will bless you, and make your name great, and you will be a blessing." (12:2)
The above sentence is part of the first recorded communication between G-d and Avraham - the beginning of the relationship. As the beginning, these words must contain the essence of that relationship. For all beginning contains the essence. A seed is not just the beginning of an oak. It is also its essence.
When G-d spoke to Avraham, He promised him many things: That he would be a great nation; that he would be blessed; that his name would be made great. However, all of this was predicated on a single condition - that Avraham would be a reason for people to bless G-d. This was to be the essence of the relationship between G-d and Man: That through his every action, Man would sanctify G-d's name; he would bring a blessing to the lips of the world.
Every Jew is an ambassador. Our actions are scrutinized by the world. If we are held to a higher - and sometimes double - standard, whether as individuals or as a nation, it is because the world recognizes subconsciously that our job in this world is "to be a blessing," to sanctify G-d's name.
Blessing - Sforno, Da'as Z'keinim miBalei HaTosefos, Rabbi Menachem Nissel http://www.ohr.org.il/
A person studying Torah or fulfilling a mitzvah should be aware of the
effect of his action. It should be clearly apparent that he is now
sowing something that will lead to an ultimate sprouting - the coming
of Mashiach.
It can happen that though a person knows that his spiritual labors can
bring about the Redemption, they are not affected by this knowledge,
for either of two reasons:
(a) His Torah study and his observance of the mitzvos are not spurred
by the intention that they should help bring about the Redemption;
(b) He does not really care if the Redemption takes place at some
later date, perhaps in some later generation, G-d forbid: he is
quite satisfied with having sown its seeds.
In truth, however, one's avodah during this period of exile should
be permeated with constant anticipation and longing for theRedemption.
In his Torah study and in his observance of the mitzvos a Jew should
sense that he is thereby bringing about and hastening the coming of
the Redemption. Likkutei Sichos, Vol. XXII, p. 76
This week's Torah portion, Lech Lecha, is of general significance to us because it begins the description of the activities of Abraham, the first Jew. It begins with G-d's command to leave his native land, describes his journey through the Land of Israel, the promises G-d made to him, and culminates with Abraham's circumcision. These events are important to all of Abraham's descendants not only because of their historical nature, but because we are to learn from them and apply their lessons to our own lives as well.
Abraham's service of G-d represents the period in time described by our Sages as "the two thousand years of the Torah," that is, the process by which Abraham prepared the world for the giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai. But what significance does this hold for us today, more than three thousand years after the Torah was given? Every day a Jew recites a blessing praising G-d as "the Giver of the Torah," using the present tense to imply that every day the Torah is given to us anew. We therefore emulate our Patriarch Abraham's deeds, which helped prepare the world in general for the giving of the Torah, in order to spiritually ready ourselves as well. Abraham's service is therefore always relevant, no matter the era in which a Jew may live. Furthermore, Abraham's service to G-d is also relevant to the true purpose of the giving of the Torah, which is the application of the Torah and its mitzvot in the physical world, ultimately in the Land of Israel, although in an extended sense we are obligated to elevate very place in which we live into the "Land of Israel."
Lech Lecha relates G-d's promise of the Holy Land to the Jewish people and describes Abraham's travels through the land, through which he acquired it forever for his descendants. There is particular relevance to G-d's promise in the present age, the era immediately preceding Moshiach's coming. G-d promised Abraham the lands of ten nations, including not only the lands of the seven Canaanite nations conquered by the Jews after the exodus from Egypt, but also the lands of the Keini, the Kenizi, and the Kadmoni. Yet we see that historically, even when the entire Jewish people lived in the Land of Israel, that territory was limited to the land of the Canaanites. The complete fulfillment of G-d's promise will only occur after Moshiach's coming, during the Era of Redemption, when the relationship between the Jewish people and the Land of Israel will reach a full state of completion. At that time, not only will all Jews of that generation -- including the Ten Lost Tribes -- dwell in Eretz Yisrael, but also all the Jews of previous generations who will arise in the Resurrection.
Thus, in our present generation, we are still involved in the process of preparing to take possession of Eretz Yisrael, to expand the land so that it includes the territory of the three nations which was promised to us. The Torah portion of Lech Lecha begins the preparations for the giving of the Torah, and therefore for the Era of Redemption, which will be characterized by the complete state of Torah observance which will prevail, when the ultimate expression of G-d's holy Torah will be revealed.
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G-d said to Abraham: Go from your land, from your birthplace, from your father's house, to the land that I will show you... 12:1 From the time that G-d said to our father Abraham "Go from your land" and "Abraham went on, journeying southward" began the process of birrurim, the process of `extracting' the sparks of holiness which are scattered throughout the universe and buried within the material existence. By the decree of Divine Providence, man wanders about in his travels to those places where the `sparks' that are to be extracted by him await their redemption. The Cause Of All Causes brings about the many circumstances and pretexts that cause him to arrive at those places where his personal mission in life is to be acted out.- Rabbi Sholom DovBer of Lubavitch
Whenever two Jews meet, something good must result for a third.
Rabbi Yosef Yitzchok of Lubavitch
"I will make you into a big nation: I will bless you, and make you
famous and you will be a blessing." (12:2)
QUESTION: Rashi explains that this refers to what we say in Shemonah
Esrei, "Elokei Avraham, Elokei Yitzchak, Elokei Yaakov," but
the berachah will be concluded with your name only, "Maagen
Avraham." Wouldn't Avraham be happier if Yitzchak and Yaakov
were also mentioned in the conclusion of the berachah?
ANSWER: In Pirkei Avot (1:2) we learn that the world stands on three
pillars: 1) The study of Torah, 2) avodah - the service of
G-d, and 3) gemilat chassadim - acts of kindness, tzedakah.
The patriarchs each epitomize one of these pillars. Avraham =
chessed (21:33), Yitzchak = avodah (24:63), Yaakov = Torah
(25:27).
According to Rashi, the pasuk is projecting the history of
Klal Yisrael. There will be a time when the major relationship
between the Jews and Hashem will be through the study of Torah
(Elokei Yaakov). Other times it will be through tefillah -
prayer, (Elokei Yitzchak) and there will be a period when it
will be through chessed - tzedakah (Elokei Avraham).
However, the "concluding phase" of galut and the coming of
Mashiach will not be dependent on all three pillars, but in
zechut of tzedakah alone, which is personified by Avraham.
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"Avram said to Lot, 'please let there not be any strife between me and you ... for we are brothers (relatives).' " (13:8) QUESTION: Why did Avram emphasize his kinship with Lot? ANSWER: A story is told that a piece of wood once asked a piece of steel, "Why is it that when you are hammered you make such loud noises, and when they chop me the noise is not so loud?"
The steel answered, "I am hammered with a hammer made of steel which is my brother. I scream because it hurts when your own brother hits you." Avram told Lot, people should always avoid conflicts, especially relatives and good friends."
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"And I will make your children as the dust of the earth." (13:16) QUESTION: How are the Jewish people like the dust of the earth? ANSWER: Everyone walks upon the dust of the earth, and similarly, many nations "step upon" the Jewish people. The dust, however, outlasts the people who trod on it and the Jewish people, too, will prevail over their oppressors.
Alternatively, Hashem refers to the Jewish people as his "eretz cheifetz" - "desirable land" (Malachi 3:12). The Ba'al Shem Tov explains the analogy in the following way: When one digs in the earth he can find the most valuable treasures, such as silver, gold, diamonds, etc. Similarly, in every Jew, even the estranged, there are concealed riches. It is necessary to delve and search within them and help to bring their "treasures" to the surface.
A Rabbi who intensely fought the missionaries in his town, was visited by the bishop and asked, "Rabbi, why do you oppose us so strongly?" The Rabbi replied, "When you convert someone to your religion you sprinkle him with your 'ritual water.' Jews are compared to the dust of the earth. When one mixes water with earth, mud results. I cannot sit idly and see someone trying to make mud of my people."
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"If so much as a thread to a shoestrap; or if I shall take anything
of yours." (14:23)
QUESTION: What does the donning of tallit and tefillin during
shacharit prayers have to do with this pasuk?
ANSWER: The Gemara (Sotah 17a) says, that because Avram refused to
take from the king of Sodom even a thread or a shoestrap, his
children (the Jewish people) merited to receive from Hashem
two mitzvot: the mitzvah of putting a thread of techelet in
the tzitzit and the mitzvah of putting retzuot (straps), in
the tefillin.
According to the Gemara (Berachot 26b) Avraham originated
the concept of davening to Hashem each morning. (Shacharit.)
Therefore, during his tefillah we wear the tallit and
tefillin.
When Avram spoke to the king of Sodom, he first mentioned the
thread and afterwards the shoestrap, thus, we first don the
tallit, which has in it the thread of techelet, and afterwards
the tefillin, which have the leather straps.
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It is forbidden to relate that someone has been remiss in matters of Jewish observance -- be it a transgression prohibited by the Torah, a rabbinical prohibition, or even a breach of custom. Such statements are derogatory by the Torah's standards, and thus are forbidden.7 Therefore, it is forbidden to mention an incident in which one of the people involved transgressed a halachah, even in a society where that particular halachah is commonly ignored.
It is forbidden to say that an individual lacks commitment in fulfilling a particular commandment. Therefore, it is forbidden to say that a man sets aside little time for daily Torah study, or that he does not go out of his way to help others. This would apply even if the speaker and listener themselves study little or are not known for their benevolence, and will openly admit to this without shame. Since the Torah commands us to make Torah study and chesed performance priorities in our lives, it is forbidden to say that someone else lacks dedication in these areas.
A Comprehensive Soul
The soul of Mashiach comprises the souls of the entire Jewish people. This is what enables him to redeem all of Israel fromexile. Mashiach, as is known, is the all-embracing yechidah of the Jewish people. [For, unique among the five levels of every soul, the yechidah within a soul is its sublime and innermost essence.] To consider these five levels in ascending order: King David was the all-embracing nefesh of the Jewish people; the Prophet Eliyahu was the ruach; Moshe Rabbeinu was the neshamah; Adam was the chayah; and the yechidah will be bestowed upon Mashiach. At the same time, within every Jew there is a spark of the soulof Mashiach. This spark is the yechidah within him, which is a spark of the comprehensive yechidah. Likkutei Sichos, Vol. XX, p. 522