Lech Lecha: The Birth of Our People

On the verse,3 “Go out from your land, your birthplace…. And I will make you into a great nation…,” Ramban comments:4

This passage does not explain the entire matter: It states that the Holy One, blessed be He, instructed Avraham to leave his land and promised him that He would grant him Divine favor that had never before been granted to anyone.

Nevertheless, the Torah does not mention the reason for these blessings; it does not preface with the fact that Avraham was a servant of G‑d, nor that he was a perfectly righteous man5…. The manner in which Scripture generally speaks is first to say “Proceed before Me”6 or “Heed My voice,” and then – i.e., as a consequence – I will grant you favor, as is stated with regard to David7 and Shlomoh.8Similarly, with regard to the entire Torah it is written,9 “If you walk in My statutes… I will grant you…,” and, “If you will certainly heed the voice of G‑d, your L‑rd… He will….”10 Also, our patriarch Yitzchak was promised Divine favor “for the sake of Avraham, My servant.”11

However, there is no apparent reason for G‑d to have promised Avraham such Divine favor merely because he would leave his land.

In resolution, Ramban explains that Avraham was granted this unique favor because of the commitment to G‑d’s service that he had demonstrated beforehand. The inhabitants of Ur Kasdim:

…caused him great hardships because of his faith in the Holy One, blessed be He, and Avraham fled from them to go to the Land of Canaan. In the interim, he interrupted his journey and lingered in Charan. G‑d also told him to leave that place, to do as he had originally thought, i.e., to go to Canaan, so that his service of G‑d and his efforts to have people call upon G‑d’s name would be carried out in the Chosen Land. There, Avraham’s renown would be amplified and the inhabitants of Canaan would be blessed through him.

Ramban continues, stating that the Canaanites would respond to Avraham in a positive manner, in contrast to the inhabitants of “Ur Kasdim, who denigrated and cursed him, placing him in a dungeon or casting him into a fiery furnace.”12Rambanconcludes:

Nevertheless, the Torah did not desire to elaborate upon the beliefs of the idol-worshipers and explain in detail the interaction between Avraham and the inhabitants of Ur Kasdim regarding faith, just as it curtailed the description of the generation of Enosh and the conception of idolatry that they contrived.13

However, clarification is still called for:14 Why doesn’t the Torah mention, at least briefly, that Avraham was a servant of G‑d or a perfectly righteous man as a preface to the verse, “And G‑d said to Avram…”?15Indeed, at the beginning of Parshas Noach, before relating how G‑d spoke to Noach,16 the Torah states,17 “Noach was a righteous man,” and even before that, at the end of Parshas Bereishis,18“And Noach found favor in the eyes of G‑d.”19

How much more so would it have been appropriate to make similar statements with regard to Avraham, since our Sages describe at length his greatness of character, his righteousness, and his service of G‑d to the point of self-sacrifice in Ur Kasdim and in Charan. This Divine service was a preparatory step and the reason20 leading to G‑d’s instructing him, “Go out from your land.”21 Nevertheless, Scripture mentions nothing whatsoever regarding this.22Indeed, in describing how Terach and his family left Ur Kasdim, Avraham is mentioned only as a member of the family; he is not singled out from the others.23

The resolution of this issue can be elucidated by the following preface: The existence of the Jewish people began with Avraham. He was the first Jew, as it is written,24 “Avraham was one,” i.e., unique among all the people living at that time. With regard to Avraham himself, his distinction from the other inhabitants of his birthplace and his parents’ home began when “G‑d said to Avraham, ‘Go out from your land, your birthplace, and your father’s home…,’ ” as stated at the beginning of this parshah.

This is the manner in which the Torah begins describing Avraham’s uniqueness. True, well before then,25 “Avraham recognized his Creator,” drew close to Him, and made known “to all humanity that there is one G‑d in the entire world and that it is fitting to serve Him.”26 Even while in Ur Kasdim, his commitment reached the level of self-sacrifice,27but the Torah does not mention this. It begins the narrative of Avraham with Lech Lecha.

By doing so, the Torah defines and highlights the nature of Avraham, (of his descendants, the Jewish people, and of every individual Jew).

All other nations define their closeness to and relationship with the Creator according to their knowledge and awareness of Him. On the basis of that understanding and awareness, they establish a bond with Him and fulfill His commandments. The Jewish people, however, follow a different motif. Their primary closeness to G‑d and their identity as Jews do not originate in their own efforts at elevating themselves, to attain an awareness of G‑d, and to establish a relationship with Him, but rather in G‑d’s having selected them. To refer to our Sages’ words,28 “And now the Omnipresent drew us close to His service,”29 and “the Omnipresent drew us close to Him, distinguished us from the other nations, and drew us close to His unity.”30

Since this relationship was initiated by the Creator, it is easily understood that the Jewish people are not merely another category of created beings, (similar to all other created beings,) but distinguished in that they have drawn closer to G‑d than others. Instead, the Jewish people are of an altogether different nature.

All other created beings are defined as just that – something that G‑d created. The Jews are different. Fundamentally, a Jew is G‑dliness that has been invested in the creation. Even as he exists on the physical plane, a Jew’s soul is “an actual part of G‑d from Above.”31 So, too, with regard to the body of a Jew: it is explained32 that the phrase “and You chose us from among all peoples”33 refers to the bodies of the Jewish people.

There exists a parallel difference distinguishing between the mitzvos given to all of mankind and the mitzvos given to the Jewish people. The difference between these two sets of commandments is not merely quantitative – i.e., that mankind as a whole is given seven commandments and the Jews, 613 – but rather, qualitative. The mitzvos given to the Jews are of an entirely different nature.34

Fundamentally, the commandments given to mankind as a whole are intended to establish a stable environment35 – to refine humanity, ensuring that mankind conducts itself in accord with G‑d’s will and that the world function as He desires. This refinement, and the perfection of the world and of humanity, are achieved through mankind’s fulfilling the mitzvos with which they are charged. This is the reason that the mitzvos given to mankind as a whole comprise matters whose merits can even be appreciated by human understanding.36

In contrast, the mitzvos given to the Jewish people are not intended solely for the sake of the refinement of the individual37 and the world, but also – and primarily – as a means of bonding with and connecting to the Creator. Indeed, the Hebrew word mitzvah (מצוה) has the same rootletters as the word tzavta (צוותא), meaning “bond.”38Every mitzvah a Jew performs establishes a bond with and connection to the Creator.

A created being and the Creator are entirely incomparable, and as such the existence of a created being is in and of itself utterly insignificant to the Creator.39 Accordingly, it follows that a created being’s service – his efforts to draw close to G‑d – is in and of itself insignificant to Him. The way in which one achieves a bond with G‑d is neither through self-refinement and efforts at elevating himself through coming to the knowledge and awareness of G‑d nor through his expressions of lofty spiritual feelings, but through doing what G‑d chose us to do and charged us with, i.e., through fulfilling His commandments.40

The Torah highlights this concept at the outset with regard to the first Jew, our patriarch Avraham. The Torah does not begin describing his distinction (as a Jew) and his uniqueness (as the father of our people) with an account of his lofty personal qualities or how he drew close to G‑d through his Divine service and by dint of his own efforts. These are qualities that he possessed even prior to the time that he is mentioned in the Torah. Instead,41the Torah introduces him to us by saying, “G‑d spoke to Avram, ‘Go out…’ ”42 i.e., with G‑d singling him out. In this way, the Torah informs us that his relationship to and bonding with G‑d came about solely by virtue of his having been commanded43 by G‑d44 and by his carrying out45 that command.46

The Hebrew word Torah derives from the same root as the word hora’ah, “instruction” or “teaching.”47 This applies to every concept in the Torah, whose every teaching serves as instruction – not only for an individual, but for all Jews; not only for the people of a given era, but for those in every generation; and not only in the theoretical realm of study and knowledge, but as a directive for actual conduct.

This holds true in particular regarding the stories of the Patriarchs, as indicated by the axiom,48 “The actions of the Patriarchs are a sign for their descendants.” As Ramban explains at length,49 the reason that the Torah elaborates in describing the journeys of the Patriarchs and in relating other events that occurred to them is so that their descendants derive guidance as to how to conduct themselves.

Similar concepts apply regarding the point under discussion. The Torah relates that Avraham’s fundamental bond with and connection to G‑d began with the command, “Go out,” not solely to teach us about the nature of a Jew and how he should regard mitzvos, but also in order to provide practical guidance for every Jew in establishing a base and a starting point to draw close to G‑d.

One might think that in order to start observing mitzvos and drawing close to G‑d, a person should first begin by studying about Judaism and learning about the Torah’s laws and mitzvos – in particular, learning about G‑d and how He relates to the world as a whole and to Jews in particular. Let the newcomer first gain an understanding of the meaning of mitzvos as a whole and of each individual mitzvah.

The core of such an approach is that one must have a proper foundation of knowledge prior to actually beginning to fulfill mitzvos; only then can he begin fulfilling G‑d’s mitzvos as he should, in a manner befitting G‑d’s commandments.

To speak in practical terms: When one meets a Jew who up until now had no meaningful connection to Judaism, neither to the observance of mitzvos nor to any knowledge about Judaism – all he knows is that he is a Jew – one might think that the correct way to prepare that person to “live Jewishly” is by teaching him ideas so that over the course of time he will gain knowledge about G‑d, the Torah, and its mitzvos. In this way, he will develop a feeling for the Torah and its mitzvos, and eventually progress to a point at which he observes the Torah and its mitzvos as is befitting.

True, those who follow this approach realize that even before a person gains a sufficiently developed level of understanding, he should not refrain from actually carrying out the mitzvos. When the Jewish people accepted the Torah at Mount Sinai, they declared, “We will do and we will listen,”50promising to carry out G‑d’s commandments even before knowing what they were and what they entailed. This is also the approach one takes when guiding a Jew who is taking his first steps in Judaism. However, the adherents of this approach feel that this is not the real way one should be carrying out the Torah and its mitzvos. For a newcomer to Jewish practice who has no basis in understanding what the Torah is, there is no alternative; he cannot wait until he reaches that level. However, fundamentally, their thinking is that the observance of mitzvos should follow the acquisition of knowledge and awareness of their import.

This week’s Torah portion negates that approach. By relating that “G‑d said to Avraham, ‘Go out’ ” before recounting Avraham’s lofty character traits, the Torah is teaching us that the very foundation and inception of Avraham’s relationship with G‑d began with this command, with a directive to act upon and carry out G‑d’s commandment.51

This constitutes not only the beginning of the Jewish people’s relationship with G‑d in a chronological sense; it is the fundamental basis of their serving Him. How does a Jew bond and become one with G‑d? Through carrying out and obeying G‑d’s commandments.

The cornerstone of a Jew’s Divine service is simple faith and kabbalas ol, the unswerving commitment to carry out and obey G‑d’s commandments in actual practice.

The very same approach that defines the Divine service of the Jewish people as a whole also applies to each individual Jew in his personal Divine service. Such an approach is relevant even to a Jew who observes the Torah and its mitzvos and is familiar with both the Torah’s laws and its inner, mystical teachings. He may have gained an awareness of the Creator and may relate to Him with love and fear. Nevertheless, when it comes to fulfilling G‑d’s mitzvos he must realize that “the first stage of Divine service, its base and its core,”52is kabbalas ol, being sensitive to the fact that he is about to fulfill G‑d’s commandment. He should focus on the fact – to borrow the wording of the blessing recited before performing all mitzvos – that “He sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us.”53 Were He to have “commanded us to chop down trees”54– i.e., to perform an activity whose virtue is not readily apparent – we would carry out that command with the same total commitment with which we fulfill those mitzvos whose virtue we do understand, conscious of the fact that now, at this moment, our connection with G‑d focuses solely on fulfilling that command.

All other spiritual heights that a person might attain through his Divine service are merely gradations within the scope of a created being’s development.55 It is specifically through observing G‑d’s commandments that a Jew56rises above the limits of a created being and “is subsumed within G‑d’s light and will and united with Him in utter oneness.”57

On this basis, one can appreciate why the above concept – that the true bond between a Jew and G‑d is achieved through a Jew’s fulfilling His commandments – was expressed through G‑d’s command, “Go out from your land, your birthplace, and your father’s house.”

In several sources,58 the command, “Go out from your land, your birthplace, and your father’s house” is interpreted as follows: “Go out from your land” refers to the necessity of transcending one’s own will, for the Hebrew words ratzon (רצון, “will”) and eretz (ארץ, “land”) have the same rootletters. “Your birthplace” refers to one’s innate tendencies and emotional traits.59 “Your father’s house” refers to one’s intellectual capacities, for av, “father,” refers to chochmah, “wisdom.”

Even when a Jew is conducting himself in an appropriate manner – when all his desires and energies are focused on G‑dliness and matters of holiness (as were Avraham’s, even prior to his having been commanded to leave Charan) – the way for him to unite with G‑d involves “going out,” transcending his own identity – relinquishing his own will, emotions, and intellect – even when that identity is characterized by holiness.

What is the ultimate goal of Lech lecha, this process of self-transcendence?To reach “the land that I will show you,” to carry out the will (“land”) that G‑d will reveal.

On this basis, it is possible to resolve Ramban’s question cited at the outset: Why did G‑d promise Avraham such great reward for carrying out His command to leave the land of his birth?

In resolution: It is through carrying out G‑d’s command – simply following His directives – that a person demonstrates what mitzvos truly are. The fulfillment of G‑d’s command is, in and of itself, the ultimate goal, and it brings about the consummate reward.

The ultimate perfection in the observance of a mitzvah – which constitutes a person’s bond with and connection to G‑d – lies in carrying out the mitzvah solely because it is G‑d’s commandment (and not as a result of man’s feelings). When a person fulfills a mitzvah with such a motive, G‑d also grants unique goodness, a reward – to refer back to Ramban’s words – “that had never before been granted,” one that transcends the limits of the natural order.60

It is possible to explain that the above concept is also alluded to by the wording employed by the Torah to describe the blessings that Avraham was granted as a reward. Firstly, G‑d’s threefold promise to him, that “I will make you into a great nation, I will bless you, and I will magnify your renown,”61is couched in the active voice and not in the passive “and you will become a great nation…,”62 highlighting the fact that G‑d is the one Who is granting these blessings – that is, that they cannot be attained by man’s efforts. In addition, the blessings place an emphasis on greatness: “I will make you into a great nation… I will magnify....”

Only G‑d possesses genuine greatness.63 Created beings do not on their own accord possess genuine inherent greatness.64Their greatness is only relative; they are great in comparison to others. Any true greatness existing in creation comes from bonding with G‑d, (as reflected in the promise, “I will make you into a great nation… I will magnify….”)

The wording of the other blessings that G‑d granted Avraham also underscores the fact that he will be elevated above the limits of an ordinary created being and unite with G‑d. Thus he is promised by Him, “You will be a blessing,”65 which Rashi interprets as implying: “The blessings are now invested in your hand; until now they were in My hand. From now on you will have the power to bless whomever you desire.” Moreover, G‑d promises Avraham that “I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you,” i.e., blessing Avraham will, as a matter of course, bring G‑d’s blessings to those people who bless him. And the converse also applies.

Every Jew’s act of carrying out the service of leaving “your land, your birthplace, and your father’s house” in his personal sphere will lead to the Jewish people as a whole being brought to “the land that I will show you.” G‑d will bring the Jewish people to Eretz Yisrael; there they will be granted true greatness, taking possession of the land in its entirety, sheleimus haaretz. Moreover, “G‑d, your L‑rd, will expand your boundaries,”66 granting the Jews the lands of the Keini, Kenizi, and Kadmoni,67 as well.

These lands were also granted68 to Avraham in the covenant bein habesarim, because that covenant encompassed the lands of all ten nations. This promise will be fulfilled in the true and complete Redemption, led by Mashiach. May this be realized in the immediate future.

Likkutei Sichos, Volume 25, p. 47ff. (Adapted from sichos that were delivered on Shabbos Parshas Lech Lecha, 5741 [1980], on Acharon shel Pesach, 5741 [1981] and on Shabbos Parshas Noach, 5743 [1982]