Parshat Lech Lecha 5784
Rabbi Jablinowitz
We read in the first pasuk in this week’s parsha that Avraham is commanded to leave his home and go to Eretz Yisrael. However, upon commanding Avraham, Hashem doesn’t tell him exactly where he’s meant to go. The pasuk reads that Avraham is told to go אל הארץ אשר אראך; to the land I will show you. Why doesn’t Hashem tell Avraham directly to go to Eretz Cana’an?
Rashi answers that Hashem didn’t tell him directly where to go in order to make the mitzvah more beloved and desirable in his eyes. The Maharal explains that Rashi means to teach that when one is unclear about his task, he needs to work harder and worries about what he needs to do. This hard work and extra concern that one needs to invest typically results in a greater appreciation and sense of satisfaction with the accomplishment.
The Medrash Rabbah in the beginning of our parsha (39,1) brings a parable to describe Avraham Avinu’s first encounter with Hashem. The Medrash compares Avraham with someone finding a burning palace and wondering where the owner is. How come he’s not putting out the fire? Then the owner looks out at him and says I am here, I am the owner of the building. Similarly, Avraham Avinu looked out at the world and wondered where is the owner, where is Hashem? And Hashem responds to him, I am the Creator of the world. According to most commentaries, the burning building represents the destruction of the wicked generation of Dor Hamabul and the evil and idolatry of the Dor Hapalagah. Hashem tells him don’t worry, I am in charge and I want you to leave behind these wicked people and go to Eretz Yisrael.
The Sfas Emes teaches that the burning structure doesn’t necessarily represent a fire of destruction, but rather a fire of intensity. Man’s purpose in the world is not to achieve serenity and restfulness. In the secular world, one works until he reaches a stage where he retires; he’s finished working and now he rests. But the pasuk in Iyov teaches us (Chapter 5, Pasuk 7), אדם לעמל יולד; man is meant to toil. We need to constantly grow in our Avodas Hashem and move from level to level. As the name of the parsha indicates, לך לך; you need to keep moving forward. And this is the real meaning behind the burning בירה.
The Sfas Emes teaches that this is also the meaning of אל הארץ אשר אראך. We asked above, why didn’t Hashem tell Avraham directly exactly where he needed to go. And the answer is because we never fully understanding where exactly we need to go. It’s a lifelong process of figuring how far we can go and where that next level needs to be. We need to maintain a fire and an intensity to constantly grow, and that desire constantly helps us reach the next level.
The Sfas Emes teaches in the name of the Chidushei Harim that the term בירה דולקת is to be understood according to the pasuk in parshat Vayeitzei (Chapter 31, Pasuk 36), כי דלקת אחרי. Yaakov Avinu complains to Lavan, what have I done to you? Why are you chasing and running after me?
Similarly, the purpose of the world, as represented by the palace, is to strive and run after achieving a level of שלמות. We want to get closer and closer to Hashem all the time. This is the בירה דולקת in the Medrash. The world is a place where we need to constantly strive to get close to Hashem and move up to the next level. And both meanings of דולקת merge into one. Only with an intense desire and a fire to constantly achieve and grow, can we race after and reach the next level of closeness. And since we never complete the task, we’re always operating on a level of אל הארץ אשר אראך.
Good Shabbos
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