English translation — עמוד 57

A.

It has already been spoken many times,

that despite the fact that the names of the Torah portions are not <b>certainly </b>mentioned in the Talmud<sup>1</sup>

which are all enumerated in the Gemara<sup>2</sup>

; and so too are mentioned in the Mishnah<sup>3</sup>

and Gemara<sup>4</sup>

the names of almost all the tractates of the Talmud<sup>5</sup>],

there is, however, a sufficient proof,

that these are <b>Torah-based </b>names,

from the fact that it is <b>certain </b>that for over a thousand years it has been accepted among the Jewish people to call the portions by these names."

And all the more so and a fortiori what we find regarding names that need to be written in documents: if someone is established for thirty days with a certain name,

the halachic ruling in <b>Torah</b> is that <b>that </b>is <b>his</b> name<sup>7</sup>

; then all the more so in our matter — where the portions are established with their names for hundreds and hundreds of years,

and especially when they are called thus by the great ones and teachers of Israel<sup>8</sup>

— these are certainly their names according to Torah.

is from this automatically understood,

that the inner content of the entire sedra is hinted at in the name which the Torah has determined for it; and this is so even if one assumes<sup>10</sup>

that the names were originally given only because they present the opening words of the sedras — because since in practice the entire sedra is designated

(according to the Torah)

with the name

that the connection of topics comes merely through a coincidence, heaven forbid: because even in worldly matters there is no thing by way of chance<sup>11</sup>],

one must therefore assume,

that the name carries within itself the content of the entire sedra<sup>12</sup>.

And consequently it is also so regarding the parshah Lech Lecha,

that all the matters that are related in the entire sedra,

until the last verse,

their innermost content is — Lech Lecha.

B.

The general meaning of "going"

("Lech")

by a Jew

(beginning from the first Jew Avraham — in our parshah)

shows,

of course,

the manner in which he "goes" in the essence and purpose of his creation,

who was created to serve his Creator¹³,

i.

e.

in his service of G-d goes ever higher in ascent after ascent; and all the more so when it speaks about the directive of "Lech Lecha"¹⁴,

whose explanation of "go to yourself" is¹⁵,

that Avraham Avinu should reach and arrive at his essence,

to his root of the soul — it is then certainly a "going" that also indicates a most sublime elevation.

According to this, the question arises: Granted, the beginning of the sequence,

where it is told how Avraham carried out the command of "Lech Lecha me'artzecha umimoladetecha umibeit avicha" and went to Eretz Yisrael,

and also afterwards in Eretz Yisrael itself,

there was by him "going and traveling southward"¹⁶,

that he went ever further toward the side of Yerushalayim and the Beis HaMikdash¹⁷

— it is understandable that through the details is expressed the <b>progression</b> from strength to strength,

to an ever higher place and level in holiness;

But immediately afterwards it is recounted in the parshah: "And there was a famine in the land, and Avram went down to Egypt"¹⁸,

how Avraham had to leave the Land of Israel and <b>descend </b>to Egypt — now how is it possible that the story about a <b>descent </b>should correspond

(and who speaks — be hinted)

with the name "Lech Lecha" which indicates,

on the contrary,

also ascent after ascent?

3.

Furthermore: besides the fact that the very leaving of Eretz Yisrael for Egypt was a descent,

and as the verse says <b>"And Avram went down </b>to Egypt"

(which also means descent in spirituality),

also the <b>cause </b>of the descent — the "famine in the land" which led to "and he went down ..

to Egypt" — was a great concealment and hiding.

Can one indeed ask: when Abraham our father left his birthplace,

did not the Almighty promise him "And I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you, and I will make your name great" — and in the end,

coming "to the land which I will show you",

there actually occurred a "famine in the land",

and Abraham had to leave from there?

And although this was a trial&lt;sup&gt;19&lt;/sup&gt;

and through the fact that Abraham our father withstood it

(as the Midrash says&lt;sup&gt;20&lt;/sup&gt;

"he did not complain and did not protest")

he himself was elevated even higher&lt;sup&gt;21&lt;/sup&gt;

— but the intention of "Lech Lecha" was not only for the elevation of Abraham himself,

rather, as the Midrash&lt;sup&gt;22&lt;/sup&gt;

also gives a parable of a "flask of apopilsimon"

(a vessel with spices)

which was lying hidden in a corner and its fragrance had not spread around and around; and through the fact that "it was moved,

its fragrance spread".

So too did the Almighty say to Abraham our father "Move yourself from place to place and your name will become great in the world".

4.

In addition to all this,

this very descent of "And Abram went down to Egypt",

was the cause that led to the occurrence of "and the woman was taken into Pharaoh's house"; and although in practice the Almighty there prevented an undesirable thing

(so that he did not touch her, G‑d forbid²⁴),

but nevertheless,

even the very fact that she was taken into "Pharaoh's house",

is already a great descent

(and in particular,

as is known²⁵

that through this Pharaoh received a suckling from holiness),

and especially when one sees,

that even before Abram comes to Egypt,

it is no more than "he drew near to come to Egypt",

and yet it already effected a certain descent in Abram thereby,

that <b>then</b>²⁶

there came about the "I know that you are a woman of beautiful appearance".

And as is known what is brought in the name of the Baal Shem Tov²⁷,

that Abraham our father,

being a chariot to the Almighty, until [as] our Sages say "the patriarchs, they are the chariot"²⁸

and he was "attached in his thought always to the root of thought",

therefore until then he did not know that Sarah is of beautiful appearance — despite the fact that he had also seen her previously²⁹,

because his thought was always "not in the place of physical sight".

But coming close to Egypt,

the air of Egypt affected

(in the finest of the fine³⁰)

upon him,

that "he descended from his level and thoughts from the aspect of the breaking began to come to him",

until to,

"Behold now, I know that you are a woman of beautiful appearance".

Thus it is entirely incomprehensible: how is it possible to call all these mentioned matters,

which are told in our parshah,

by the name "Lech Lecha" which also indicates from strength to strength?

D.

In order to understand all this,

<b> </b>one must preface the inner meaning of "Maaseh Avot Siman LeBanim",

that this means not merely a sign,

an indication,

that what happens to the forefathers happens the same to their children,

but the "Maaseh Avot" itself is the thing that <b>brings</b>^*30

to that which occurs afterward to the children³¹.

As it is said in the Zohar³²,

that the "Vayered Avram Mitzraimah" <b>brought about</b> the exile of Egypt — from which it is understood that exactly so did the "Vayaal Avram MiMitzrayim"³³

call forth the later ascent and exodus from the exile of Egypt; and that because the departure from Egypt by Avraham Avinu was in a manner of "heavy very with cattle, with silver, and with gold"³⁴,

therefore also the exodus from the exile of Egypt shall take place in a manner of "and after they will go out with great wealth"³⁵.

And just as the Exodus from Egypt itself came through the deeds of the Patriarchs,

so is it also related to the merit through which the Jews went out from Egypt — "because they guarded themselves from licentiousness"&lt;sup&gt;63&lt;/sup&gt;

— that also this merit they received through "the deeds of the Patriarchs": that which Sarah was in the house of Pharaoh and "restrained herself from immorality",

this gave the power to the Jews that being in the exile of Egypt, the nakedness of the land, they should guard themselves from forbidden relations and that the Egyptians should not be able to have any control over the women of Israel&lt;sup&gt;36&lt;/sup&gt;

— just as Pharaoh king of Egypt could not even touch Sarah our mother&lt;sup&gt;37&lt;/sup&gt;.

6.

According to this it will be understandable,

that also the inner content of &lt;b&gt;"And Abram went down &lt;/b&gt;to Egypt" is hinted at in "Lech Lecha": because the purpose of "And Abram went down to Egypt" was the subsequent ascent of "And Abram went up from Egypt, etc., very heavy in cattle, in silver, and in gold"&lt;sup&gt;38&lt;/sup&gt;

And in the manner that one sees,

that the order of study in the Babylonian Talmud⁴⁰

is arranged,

and consists of questions and pilpulim etc. that are ostensibly a concealment and a hiding of the light of intellect of the Torah⁴¹

(not like the Jerusalem Talmud which is in a manner of direct light)

— and nevertheless,

it is specifically through pilpul with many questions etc. that one comes afterwards to the depth of the halachah,

much more than that which one can attain through the method of study of the Jerusalem Talmud,

which is why there where there is a dispute between the Babylonian and the Jerusalem,

the halachah remains⁴²

like the Babylonian Talmud⁴³.

So just as regarding the concealment and hiding that is in the Babylonian Talmud it is understood <b>simply,</b>

that the study of the questions is a part of the clarification of the halachah that comes through it,

so too is it regarding "And Abram descended to Egypt": since this descent is a <b>necessary</b> preparation for the "and he ascended" in a manner of "very heavy with cattle etc." — it itself is nothing other than a part of the ascent.

8.

One must, however, still understand: indeed,

that "from Hashem are the steps of a man established"&lt;sup&gt;48&lt;/sup&gt;,

that everywhere where a man goes and comes — although it appears to him as if he had carried this out with his own will,

it is in truth because the Almighty wanted that he should go and come there

(and this itself is the cause of the man's will,

because in such a kind of will of men, the supernal will is felt&lt;sup&gt;49&lt;/sup&gt;)

— this is indeed so in all the ordinary weekday conduct in the world: but regarding Torah and mitzvos, man was given &lt;b&gt;free choice&lt;/b&gt; to do as &lt;b&gt;he&lt;/b&gt; wants&lt;sup&gt;50&lt;/sup&gt;,

to the extent — that he can even commit a transgression which is the &lt;b&gt;opposite&lt;/b&gt; of the supernal will — then how can one say also "and Abram went down to Egypt",

which is

(according to the Ramban&lt;sup&gt;51&lt;/sup&gt;)

"a sin which he sinned",

that in inwardness it is an ascent?

Regarding the exile of the Jews in general,

it is understandable: although the "our exile from our land" came "because of our sins",

nevertheless the "exile" itself came from Above

(only the sins were the <b>cause</b> that the <b>Almighty</b> should bring the exile),

and since all matters that come from Above are certainly with the intention to bring the world to its purpose and perfection,

one can therefore explain,

that the Almighty arranged the exile in such a manner,

that it should

(not only remove the blemish and descent that occurred "because of our sins"⁵²,

but also)

lead to such a level that is higher even than the time of the Temple and consequently it itself is a part of the ascent,

as above;

But regarding "and Abram went down to Egypt",

this descent <b>itself</b> was seemingly — at least according to the Ramban,

as above — not in accordance with the Divine will,

for it was indeed "the iniquity of the sin of Ashdod",

so how is it possible to say that this is a part of the ascent?

10.

Based on this, one could seemingly explain the reason for that which "And Avram went down to Egypt" is a part of the &lt;b&gt;"And &lt;/b&gt;Avram went up etc.",

because inwardly, Avraham Avinu also did this according to the supernal will.

But the explanation is not sufficient: All the matters that are related in the Torah are indeed a lesson for &lt;b&gt;every &lt;/b&gt;Jew,

(also for such a Jew who is connected to a sin in its simple sense).

And thus one must say,

that with that which the Torah relates the story "And Avram went down to Egypt" which is interpreted as a &lt;b&gt;sin in its simple sense,&lt;/b&gt;

in parshas Lech Lecha,

it is intended to give a lesson for every Jew: Even when he transgressed also a sin in its simple sense,

which is contrary to the supernal will,

he must know that &lt;b&gt;inwardly &lt;/b&gt;he constantly holds

(also during the act of the sin)

in one ascending from level to level.

11.

is the explanation in this

(in brief at least)

From the fundamentals of faith

(also according to the revealed ⁶³)

is that which a Jew believes,

that the Supreme One is the sole Master over the entire world,

and besides Him no one has any control in the conduct of the world.

For all the stars and spheres and even angels are merely "like an axe in the hand of the one who hews with it"⁶⁴

and they do only "by His will and His command"⁶⁵

from the Supreme One.

And those who assume,

that certain entities are capable of doing something according to their own will

(even when they admit that the action of the entities comes from the power that the Supreme One gave them,

only they hold that the entities have the choice also regarding this power,

whether they should act with it or not),

this is in contradiction to our faith in His unity, the Holy One, blessed be He⁶⁶.

From this is understood also regarding a person,

that all matters that he does,

even the matters that pertain to Torah and commandments

(regarding which he was given free choice),

they are⁶⁷

"according to the supernal providence and according to His will, may He be blessed"⁶⁸.

The difference consists in this,

that the supernal will regarding the externality of the worlds,

since it is

(the externality of the will,

and therefore⁶⁹)

relates to the creation in a "closer" manner,

it is felt in the created beings and consequently⁷⁰

it <b>compels</b> them to do according to the supernal will; but not so the will in relation to Torah and commandments,

since it is

(the aspect of the inwardness of the will,

and consequently⁶⁹

it is)

<b>separated</b> from the creation,

therefore it is not "heard" in man,

and consequently⁷⁰

it does not compel him therein⁷¹,

such that every action of <b>man</b>⁷²

<b> </b>in relation to Torah and commandments is done according to the <b>law</b> of choice⁷³.

12.

According to the above it is understandable,

that also the descents in the world and in man that are caused by <b>his</b> deeds and according to his free choice — since also they are "according to the supernal providence" and consequently they nevertheless lead to a certain purpose — are also they,

the descents,

a part of the purpose.

And although the act of the sin itself is certainly &lt;b&gt;the opposite &lt;/b&gt;of the Supreme Will — but the state of descent into the world and into people,

which is created through the sin,

is not a result of the opposite of the Supreme Will&lt;sup&gt;75&lt;/sup&gt;,

i.

e.

it is not a true descent,

but a part of the ascent that comes through it.

13.

And this is the lesson from that the narrative "And Abram went down to Egypt" was inserted into the portion "Lech Lecha": in whatever situation a Jew may find himself,

even in a low and most degraded state,

and even when he himself caused his own bad state,

through that he &lt;b&gt;chose &lt;/b&gt;evil,

and since "he has lost himself" it is "fitting for him to weep and lament over his sins and over what he has done to his soul and has brought evil upon it"&lt;sup&gt;76&lt;/sup&gt;