English translation — לך לך א

A.

On that which our parshah begins with the word Hashem to Avram¹

"Go for yourself from your land and from your birthplace etc. and I will make you into a great nation etc." the Ramban² poses

and says,

that the "parshah did not explain the entire matter,

for what reason is there that Hashem should say to him leave your land and I will do good to you a goodness that was not like it in the world without preceding that Avraham was a servant of God or a righteous perfect one etc. and the custom of the text is to say walk before Me³

and listen to My voice and I will do good to you as with David⁴

and with Shlomo⁵,

and like the entire matter of the Torah if in My statutes you walk⁶

if you surely listen to the voice of Hashem your God⁷,

and about Yitzchak He said⁸

because of Avraham My servant,

but to promise him because of leaving the land there is no reason."

And he explains the reason,

since that the people of Ur Kasdim had done to him "many evils on his faith in Hashem" and he fled from them "to go to the land of Canaan and he delayed in Charan He said to him to leave also these and to do as he thought from the beginning that his service would be to Him and the calling of the people to the name of Hashem in the chosen land and there His name would be great and those nations would be blessed through him" – not as it was "in Ur Kasdim where they were despising and cursing him and they put him into a pit or into the furnace of fire"⁹

; and he concludes "but the Torah did not want to elaborate on the opinions of idol worshippers and to explain the matter that was between him and the Kasdim in faith just as it was brief about the matter of the generation of Enosh and their opinion about idolatry that they innovated."

It remains, however, not smooth¹⁰

: Why does the Torah not mention in brief at least "that Abraham was a servant of God or a righteous perfect one" as an introduction to "And God said to Abram etc."¹¹?

And as we find by Noah that before the speech of God to Noah

(at the beginning of the portion of Noah¹²)

the verse precedes earlier

(at the beginning of the section¹³)

"Noah a righteous man etc."; and even earlier

(at the end of the portion of Genesis¹⁴)

– "And Noah found favor in the eyes of God"¹⁵.

All the more so regarding Abraham,

about whom in the Midrashim of our Sages it is related at length concerning the greatness of his virtue and his righteousness and his service of God in self-sacrifice while still in Ur Kasdim and Haran,

which was the introduction and cause¹⁶

to God's saying "Go for yourself etc."¹⁷

– and nevertheless in the Written Torah it is not mentioned at all about this¹⁸,

even not that Abraham was distinguished from all the rest of the members of his family! At the end of the portion of Noah, Abraham is mentioned only as one of the family of Terach¹⁹.

2.

And it can be explained, the explanation in this:

The beginning of the people of Israel is from Avraham Avinu,

who was the first Jew,

One was Avraham²⁰

; and regarding Avraham himself, his distinctiveness from the rest of the people of his land, his birthplace, and even from his father's house – began with "And Hashem said to Avram, 'Go for yourself'" from all of them,

which stands at the beginning of our parshah.

And with this that the Torah begins the narrative about the uniqueness of Avraham Avinu with "And Hashem said to Avram etc."

(Although that much time earlier²¹

Avraham already recognized his Creator and became drawn close to the Most High; and he publicized "to the entire world that there is a Master of the universe for the entire world and to Him it is fitting to serve"²²

until to sacrifice himself while still in Ur Kasdim²³)

– the Torah emphasizes the essence of Avraham

(of Jews,

of every Jew)

By all other nations, their closeness and connection to the Creator is bound up with their knowledge and recognition of the Creator,

through which they connect themselves with the Above and fulfill His commandments.

By the Jewish people, however, their essential closeness to G‑d and their existence as Jews consists

(not in that they exert themselves to elevate themselves to have a recognition of the Creator and to connect themselves with Him,

but)

in this,

that the Above has distinguished them,

and in the language of our Sages²⁴

"and now the Place has brought us near to His service"²⁵,

"the Place has brought us near to Him and separated us from the nations and brought us near to His unity"²⁶.

And since this came from the Creator,

it is understood,

that the Jews are not just another type in creation

(but – analogous to other created beings),

that became closer to the Above more than other people – rather it is entirely a different essence.

For all created beings are and remain a created existence,

but Jews are in their essence a matter of G‑dliness in creation

also being below,

but about the body of a Jew it is said²⁸

"and Your people You chose from all nations and tongues",

that the Above chose the Jews,

their bodies²⁹].

And likewise is the difference between the commandments of Bnei Noach and the commandments which Jews were commanded – this is not only a difference in quantity

(7 or 613),

rather it is a difference in quality and essence³⁰

The commandments of Bnei Noach, their content is

(mainly)

– the settlement of the world³¹,

the refinement of man,

that the speaking species should be proper,

the world proper; and the refinement and perfection of the world

(and the speaking species)

is achieved through that which Bnei Noach fulfill their commandments

(and therefore the commandments of Bnei Noach are matters which one can fulfill even from the aspect of "compulsion of reason"³²).

But the mitzvos of Jews, their essence is

(not only the refinement of man<sup>33</sup>

and the world,

but mainly)

– "togetherness and connection"<sup>34</sup>

with the Creator,

and this is the essence of a mitzvah.

And since this is a matter of togetherness and connection with the Creator,

where created and Creator are utterly incomparable,

it is understood,

that just as the existence of the created does not occupy space relative to the Creator,

so too his service does not occupy space relative to Him,

and the way that the togetherness is opened,

is

(not through the refinement and ascent of the person,

through his knowledge and recognition of Divinity,

or any feeling and lofty service of a human being,

through that which the Most High chose and commanded,

i.

e.

through the command of G-d and its fulfillment<sup>35</sup>.

And this is emphasized by the Torah immediately regarding the first Jew, Avraham Avinu,

that his distinctiveness

(as a Jew)

and his virtue begins

(in the Torah – Maaseh Avos)

not with his great virtues – in his closeness to G-d through his service and by his own power

(which was present in him also earlier),

but)

but<sup>36</sup>

with "And Hashem said to Avram, 'Go for yourself, etc.'"<sup>37</sup>,

with that which the Most High distinguishes him<sup>38</sup>

out; his connection and attachment with the Most High

(as it is stated in the Torah)

was opened by means of that he was commanded from G-d<sup>39</sup>

and he fulfilled<sup>40</sup>

the command<sup>41</sup>.

3.

Torah is from the term hora'ah⁴².

By this are meant all matters of Torah,

that every matter in Torah pertains not only as instruction in the study and knowledge of man,

but they are an instruction for all Jews,

and for every Jew in all generations,

in the conduct in actual practice.

And in particular regarding the Patriarchs – since "the deeds of the Patriarchs are a sign for the children"⁴³,

and as the Ramban⁴⁴

explains at length,

that the reason why the Torah elaborates in "the narrative of the journeys etc. and the other events" of the Patriarchs,

is in order to learn from this and know how the conduct of the children should be.

Based on this it is understood in our subject: with that which the Torah tells that the

(main point)

togetherness and connection of Avraham with the Almighty begins with the command of Hashem "Lech Lecha etc.",

this is not only for knowledge about the essence of a Jew,

and the matter of the mitzvos by a Jew,

rather this is a practical instruction in the foundation and beginning of the Jew's closeness to the Almighty.

D.

It could be a question,

that in order for a Jew to begin to fulfill mitzvos and become close to the Almighty,

he must first of all learn about Judaism,

about the laws and mitzvos of the Torah,

and especially learn about the Almighty,

His connection to the world in general and to Jews in particular; know the content of the matter of mitzvos in general,

and of each particular mitzvah etc.

D.

E.

One might think,

that before one fulfills mitzvos one must have the proper introduction and preparation in knowledge of the matters clearly etc.

Only afterwards can one begin to fulfill the mitzvos of Hashem as it should be,

as is fitting and proper in the fulfillment of the mitzvos of Hashem.

And consequently, also when one meets a Jew who until now has had no connection to Judaism,

not only to the actual fulfillment of the commandments,

but also to any knowledge in Judaism; the only thing that he knows is that he is a Jew – one might think,

that first of all one must begin to prepare him for Judaism and teach him topics which will eventually, after time, give him knowledge about the Almighty and Torah and commandments,

until he will acquire a feeling for Torah and commandments – and then he will fulfill Torah and commandments as a Jew ought to fulfill.

True indeed that also before one understands, one must not refrain from fulfilling the command in practice,

there must be the precedence of "we will do" to "we will hear"⁴⁵,

and consequently he will see that so should be the conduct also with the second Jew – but with him the feeling is that this is nevertheless not the true manner of fulfilling the commandments; it is only that since he is not yet connected to understanding and comprehension,

one must not wait until he will come to this,

but the main fulfillment of the commandments will be after the knowledge and recognition,

as above.

On this comes the instruction in our parshah,

from Avraham – "And Hashem said to Avram, 'Go for yourself, etc.'": One does not yet know about the virtues of Avraham – and the foundation and beginning of his drawing near is "And Hashem said to Avram, 'Go for yourself, etc.'" – to do,

carry out in practice the command of Hashem⁴⁶.

And not only is this the first thing in time,

but this is also the essence in the service of Hashem in general.

For with what does a Jew become attached and united with the Supreme One – through doing and obeying the command of the Creator.

4.

The foundation of the service of a Jew is simple faith and acceptance of the yoke of Heaven,

to do and fulfill the command of G‑d in practice.

5.

5.

Just as this is among Jews in general, so is this regarding every Jew in his individual service:

When a Jew who is a shomer Torah and mitzvos has knowledge in nigleh d’Torah and in pnimiyus haTorah,

and has recognition of the Creator up to ahavah and yirah — then when he comes to fulfill a mitzvah from the Above he must know,

that the beginning of the avodah and its essence and its root⁴⁷

is to hear that he is going to fulfill the command of Hashem — and in the nusach of the blessing of all mitzvos "asher kideshanu b’mitzvosav v’tzivanu"⁴⁸,

and in a manner that "if he were commanded to chop wood"⁴⁹

he would do it with the same mesiras nefesh; hearing that his connection to the Above consists now in doing a mitzvah in practice,

Other elevations and his avodah are all only within the boundaries of a created being⁵⁰,

Specifically through the performance of the commandments of the Most High, a Jew

"is included in the light of Hashem and His will and united with Him in complete unity"

6.

Based on this will be sweetened what the concept

(that the true connection of a Jew with the Most High occurs by virtue of the command of Hashem and through that which the Jew fulfills the command)

was said in the Most High's announcement "Go for yourself from your land and from your birthplace and from your father's house":

This is the content of the matter of "Lech Lecha from your land and from your birthplace and from your father's house",

as interpreted elsewhere<sup>53</sup>

: "Lech Lecha from your land" – "go away" from your desires

("land" l. desire),

and from your birthplace – from your habits

(and character traits),

and from your father's house – from your intellects

(father,

wisdom)

– that although by a Jew who is as is proper,

all these desires and powers are invested in holiness and G‑dliness

(and in a manner and like as it was by Abraham our father also before the journey),

nevertheless the way to unify oneself with the Above is specifically through that which he goes out from his existence

(desires character traits intellects)

also from his existence from the aspect of holiness –

And where must be the purpose of "Lech Lecha" – "the land that I will show you": to carry out the

(land)

will that the Above shows.

Based on this one can also answer the question of the Ramban

(above section 1)

: what kind of place is it to promise such a reward only for fulfillment of the command of Hashem – leaving his land?

Because through the fulfillment – becomes the true essence of mitzvos,

the very fulfillment of the command of G‑d is the purpose and brings the perfection of reward.

And since the main perfection of a mitzvah

(from the word tzavsa and connection)

consists in fulfilling a mitzvah for the sake of the command of G‑d

(not from the feelings of man as above)

– therefore the One Above also gives good and reward "that was not like it in the world",

a reward which is beyond the order of the world.

7.

And one can say that the matter is also hinted at in the content of the reward-blessings –

Not only in that in the blessings it is emphasized how everything comes from the Supreme: "And I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you and I will make your name great"

(not in the passive form "And you will become a great nation etc."⁵⁴),

But also in that the content of the blessings is the matter of greatness – "a great nation",

"And I will make your name great":

The true essence of greatness is only with the Most High⁵⁵

– with created beings, from their perspective, there is no true greatness⁵⁶,

and the greatness which exists in creation

("And I will make you into a great nation and I will make your name great")

comes through attachment to the Creator.

Likewise in the other expressions of the blessing,

which bring out that Abraham becomes one thing with the Most High,

therefore "and you shall be a blessing",

as Rashi explains "the blessings are given into your hand; until now they were in My hand, and from now on you shall bless whomever you wish",

and even more: "And I will bless those who bless you, and those who curse you I will curse",

that a blessing to Abraham brings automatically a blessing

(from the Most High)

to the one who blesses; and likewise the opposite.

And through the service in the aforementioned manner,

"Go for yourself from your land and from your birthplace and from your father's house" for each one in his individual service,

is fulfilled the "to the land that I will show you" literally – the Almighty brings Jews into the Land of Israel,

and one finds there greatness and "completeness of the land",

until also "the Lord your God will enlarge your border"⁵⁷

– also the land of "the Kenite, the Kenizzite, and the Kadmonite"⁵⁸

And it can be said that also them the Almighty gave⁵⁹

to Abraham in the Covenant Between the Parts,

since the same covenant was upon all ten lands,

In the true and complete redemption through our righteous Moshiach,

speedily in our days, literally.

(From sichos of Shabbos Parshas Lech and after Shabbos Parshas Tisa 5741,

Shabbos Parshas Noach 5743)