Lech Lecha
Rabbi Jablinowitz
The Medrash Rabbah on this week’s parsha begins by quoting a pasuk from Tehillim (Chapter 45, Pasuk 11), Shim’eeh Bas U’Re’eeh V’Hati Aznech, V’Shichechee Ameich U’Veis Avich. Hear my daughter and see, and listen carefully, forget your nation and the house of your father. Rashi explains the simple p’shat of the pasuk as referring to Hashem speaking to Kenesses Yisrael and telling them, leave aside the culture of the other nations which surround you and the idolatry which your forefathers once practiced. The Medrash sees this pasuk as a reference to Avraham Avinu since the pasuk mentions leaving your nation and your father’s home behind you.
The Medrash continues and says that Avraham being told to leave his home is compared to one who travels from place to place and sees a building burning, and says, who is the owner of this building? The owner looks out to him and says, I am the owner of the building. Similarly, Avraham Avinu looked out upon the world and said, can it be that there is no “owner”, or leader of this world? Hashem looks out at him and responds, I am the Creator of the world. If you wish to serve me then you must leave your home and come to Eretz Yisrael in order to serve me properly.
The Sfas Emes makes a number of poignant comments on this Medrash. Firstly, there is a repetition in the pasuk of the idea of listening. He explains that the first reference of Shim’eeh expresses the idea of having the desire to follow the mitzvoth and have a relationship with Hashem. The second time, when the pasuk says Hati Aznech, it means to take that desire and interest and transform it to a deeper level of understanding Gd. This is accomplished through being more and more committed to Torah and mitzvoth. The more I fulfill the Torah, the closer I become to Hakadosh Baruch Hu.
This intense process of listening and following is countered with a process of forgetting. The pasuk says V’Shichechee Ameich U’Veis Avich. Forget your nation and the house of your father. The Sfas Emes compares this dual process in the pasuk with the mitzvoth of Shabbos of Shamor and Zachor. The Jew must always forget the vanities of this world and focus on his relationship with Hashem. This is what takes place on Shabbos. As Chazal teach, Kol She’yeshno B’Shemirah, Yeshno B’Zechirah. On Shabbos, one must forget and leave behind his life of work during the previous six days. This is the mitzvah of Shemirah, cessation from melachah. Only when he forgets and leaves behind his mundane life can he move forward and concentrate on his obligation to remember Hashem and the holiness of His Shabbos.
This was the midah of Avraham Avinu. He was the first person to leave the vanities of life and search for true meaning. He was the first to begin the dual process of Shamor and Zachor. And this is the meaning of the burning building. The reason for its burning is to show the insignificance of this world. Our focus is not meant to be on this world, but rather on the world to come. As Chazal teach in Avos (4,21), Olam Hazeh Domeh L’Prozdor Bifnei Olam Habah. This world serves merely as a passageway before the world to come. The building in the Medrash is burning to indicate its need to be nullified.
This dual process of Shamor and Zachor is also illustrated in the light of the Shabbos candles themselves. The fire of the candles simultaneously burns and gives light. The process of burning the fuel represents the forgetting, the removal of the pesoles which is not desired. And at the same time the candles provide light and holiness, the process of remembering and finding meaning and connection to Hashem. And this also expresses the journey of Avraham Avinu; rejecting the world around him and striving to establish connection with Hashem, the “Ba’al HaBirah”.
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