Parshas Lech L'cha 5766

Commentary by Rabbi Ephraim Nisenbaum

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In the story of the Jewish people, Abraham is considered to be the first Jew because he recognized G-d on his own accord. Despite being scorned by the rest of society, and at great personal risk to his life, Abraham shared and spread his knowledge with everyone he met. It is for this reason that he was called “Avraham Ha’Ivri”, or “Abraham of the Other Side”. This would become the eternal role of the Jew, to spread the ideals of monotheism and its ramifications throughout the world, despite great opposition.

Abraham and his wife Sarah had to endure ten challenges to prove, and to develop, their faithfulness to G-d. The Torah describes the various challenges at great length.

One of Abraham’s challenges was to uproot his family, leave his homeland, and travel to an unknown land, which would only be revealed to him later. This was meant to develop his complete trust in G-d, and also to allow him to make a total break from his past environments and influences.

Shortly after they reached Canaan, a famine struck the land. Abraham and Sarah were forced to leave and travel to Egypt, where Sarah was abducted. Despite all these difficulties, Abraham and Sarah did not become disillusioned, but maintained their faith.

Abraham and Sarah were childless for many years, despite G-d’s promise to Abraham that he would father a great nation. This was also a challenge to Abraham’s faith. Another one of Abraham’s trials was the mitzvah of circumcision, which was given to him at the age of 99 years. G-d made a covenant with Abraham that if he would walk perfectly in His ways, G-d would bless him with children and give him the land of Canaan for his children. G-d commanded Abraham to seal this covenant on his body through the circumcision.

This mitzvah was given for all future generations too. Every Jewish male must be circumcised, as an eternal sign between G-d and the Jewish people of His covenant with Abraham. Circumcision has remained the hallmark of the Jew, distinguishing him from the rest of the world.

“...Let there not be a dispute between you and me, nor between my shepherds and your shepherds…” (Gen.13:7-8)

A person should flee from argument and strife as he would from fire. The Chazon Ish was once accompanying a young man in the street, when some hoodlums began harassing them. The young man shouted back at the hoodlums, but the Chazon Ish remained silent. Later, he remarked that the Torah way of life is to avoid any unnecessary confrontation.

A Jerusalem woman once hung her laundry to dry across the yard she shared with a neighbor. She had worked on it for hours. Upon arriving home, the neighbor felt that the laundry was blocking her path, and instead of saying something cut the clothesline, dirtying all the clothes on the ground. The woman realized her hard work had been for nothing, but she held her tongue and collected the laundry again. Not wanting to make an issue, she didn’t even tell her husband what had happened. Shortly thereafter, this woman became pregnant and bore a child who would grow up to become Rav Elyashiv, one of the foremost Halacha authorities of our time.

Did You Know...

A Jewish boy is given his Jewish name at his circumcision, while a girl is traditionally given her name when her father is called to the Torah. This name is how a Jew is identified for all Halachic purposes, such as being called to the Torah, for the k'tuba (marriage contract) or get (divorce document), and in prayers recited on his or her behalf.

Although a Hebrew name is preferred, names in Yiddish, and sometimes other languages, are often given to a child, though they should have a Jewish connection too. The Talmud relates that many Jews named their sons Alexander, a Greek name, in honor of Alexander the Great, who spared Jerusalem. However, the commentators point out that the numerical value of Alexander in Hebrew is 365, corresponding to the 365 prohibitions, just as the numerical value of Avraham, 248, corresponds to the 248 positive mitzvos.