Our Father Abraham : A Portrait in Awesome Character Traits

[muman613]

I was just watching Rabbi Richmans weekly youtube video on the Parasha. This week we are reading Lech Lecha; the Parasha which covers the story of Abraham. Last week we read the story of Noach which described the Mabul/Flood and the Dispersion {from the destruction of the tower of babel}

Our Father Abraham was born to Terach, who was an Idol maker and salesman, and yet at a young age Abraham was able to recognize Hashem's awesome power. Abraham knew he had to get closer to G-d and to teach the world that Idolatry was falsehood and only worshiping the ONE G-d who Created Heaven and Earth was acceptable. Thus Abraham is credited with being the father of Monotheism, the belief in only one G-d.

One trait of Abrahams which all of the sages agree on is his trait of Chesed/Kindness. Abraham is the Patriarch we attribute Kindness to because of his awesome desire to satisfy the desires of everyone who was in need. Abraham was legendary for sitting in the entry of his tent waiting for way-farers to pass by so that he could feed them and attend to their needs. The Torah relates the story of Abraham sitting on a very hot day {Hashem made it hot because he wanted to allow Abraham to rest from his circumcision which he had at age 100} and Hashem was 'speaking' with Abraham but he saw that Abraham was not joyous because he had no human guests, so Hashem sent three angels so that Abraham could serve them...

But while Abraham was kind, he was also very mighty. The Torah relates how Abraham went to war against Five Kings in the war of the 'Four Kings vs Five Kings'. There is an interesting fact about this war... While the Torah says that Abraham brought with him 318 men to fight against the great armies of the Four Kings. But through the miracle of Gematria we learn that it may have only been Abraham and his servant Eliezer who fought the great armies of the Four Kings. In this case only 2 men defeated the armies of the kings...

There is so much to learn about Abraham our father... Maybe someone could relate something they have learned about our great patriarch...





Interesting Links:

http://www.torah.org/learning/pirkei-avos/chapter6-10b.html

We examined the context of the verse quoted regarding Abraham. Malki'tsedek, righteous priest and king of Shalem (later, Jerusalem) blesses Abraham "to the most high G-d, the possessor of heaven and earth." (The understanding is that G-d relates to Abraham too in the manner He relates to heaven and earth.) Abraham is granted this blessing after successfully waging a battle against four mighty kings, who had conquered many of the nations of the Land of Israel, put down a rebellion of five nations, and taken Abraham's nephew Lot captive (see Genesis 14).

We noted that apart from Abraham's bravery, many of the details of the battles seem superfluous. The Torah went into great detail regarding the identities of the four kings and the five kings who rebelled against them, the number of years of the rebellion, and each nation the four kings conquered along the way. As we pointed out, the Torah rarely tells us much about the history of the age in which our forefathers lived. The Torah was interested in outlining the growth and development of the Jewish people, not of providing modern man with historical reference (although all the historical references which do appear are perfectly accurate -- as unbiased archaeologists and historians will attest). If so, why the great detail?

My teacher R. Yochanan Zweig (www.talmudicu.edu & www.torah.org/learning/rabbizweig) explained that clearly these were no ordinary military ventures. Such would not merit such close Biblical attention. Much more was at stake here. Of the four kings enumerated, Kedarla'omer was the primary and most powerful, the one against whom the five kings initially rebelled (see Genesis 14:4-5). Yet when the four kings were first listed in Genesis 14, the first king mentioned was his ally, King Amrafel. Why was he recorded first?

The answer is, he was not the most powerful king, but he was the mastermind, the moving force behind the venture. Who was he? Our Sages identify him: Nimrod (10:8-10), mighty warrior against G-d, the same Nimrod who commanded that Abraham, with all his belief, wisdom and morality, be thrown into a fiery furnace -- from which G-d miraculously rescued him.

http://www.ou.org/index.php/torah/article/Lech_Lecha_-_Rvii/

Mistaken Identities

By Rabbi Jack Abramowitz

Around this time, there was a war of four local kings versus five local kings. (Their names are in verses 1-2.) They battled in a valley that is now the Dead Sea (more foreshadowing). The basis of the conflict was that the five kings had all served Chedarlaomer (one of the four kings), but now they rebelled. Details of the war are given in verses 5-10. Bottom line, the four kings won. When the victors took the spoils of war, Lot was among the captives. (Lot had been living in Sodom, which was one of the conquered cities.)

Avram got word that his nephew had been captured. He gathered his fighting force of 318 men and pursued the invaders as far as Dan. He struck them and rescued the captives, plus all the wealth that had been captured. Upon his return, Avram was greeted by Malkitzedek, king of the city of Shalem (later Jerusalem). Malkitzedek served a banquet, at which he praised Avram and G-d. Malkitzedek was a kohein ("priest") to G-d, so Avram gave him a tenth of the wealth (a "tithe," if you will).

Many things in this aliyah may not be what they seem. Avram was informed that Lot was captured by "the one who escaped" (verse 13). The Midrash tells us that this was Og, an antediluvian giant who escaped the flood and would later antagonize the Jews (in Numbers 21). Avram's army of 318 men may have been his attendant Eliezer alone. (We'll meet Eliezer in 15:2; the numerical value of his name is 318.) Malkitzedek, according to most commentators, is not a proper name, but a title, like Pharaoh or Caesar. Malkitzedek is identified by the Talmud (Nedarim 32b) as Noah's son Shem. Finally, the territory of Dan may be called by the Torah by its future name, or it may be another area that was known by the same name in the time of Avram.

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What were the 10 tests which Hashem dealt Abraham?


http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/1324268/jewish/What-Were-Abrahams-10-Tests.htm
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Maimonides2 lists them as follows:

1. G‑d tells him to leave his homeland to be a stranger in the land of Canaan.3
2. Immediately after his arrival in the Promised Land, he encounters a famine.4
3. The Egyptians capture his beloved wife, Sarah, and bring her to Pharaoh.5
4. Abraham faces incredible odds in the battle of the four and five kings.6
5. He marries Hagar after not being able to have children with Sarah.7
6. G‑d tells him to circumcise himself at an advanced age.8
7. The king of Gerar captures Sarah, intending to take her for himself.9
8. G‑d tells him to send Hagar away after having a child with her.10
9. His son, Ishmael, becomes estranged.11
10. G‑d tells him to sacrifice his dear son Isaac upon an altar.12


Note that all of the tests in Maimonides' list can be found clearly in Scripture. Most other lists include events that are recorded only in Midrashic accounts. For example, the following list is brought by Rabbi Obadiah of Bertinoro. Notice that the first event listed—Abraham's being thrown into a furnace—is one that is not recorded in the Bible, but is known to us only by way of Midrashic traditions.

1. He is thrown into a fiery furnace.
2. G‑d tells him to leave his homeland to be a stranger in the land of Canaan.
3. Immediately after his arrival in the Promised Land, he encounters a famine.
4. The Egyptians capture his beloved wife, Sarah, and bring her to Pharaoh.
5. He faces incredible odds in the battle of the four and five kings.
6. He is told by G‑d that his children will be strangers in a strange land.13
7. G‑d tells him to circumcise himself at an advanced age.
8. The king of Gerar captures Sarah, intending to take her for himself.
9. G‑d tells him to send away Hagar and her son, Ishmael.
10. Abraham is told by G‑d to sacrifice his dear son Isaac upon an altar.
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The Chesed of Abraham:

http://www.torah.org/features/spirfocus/kindness.html

It is unfortunate, to say the least. Why should the ancient Jewish way of helping others be co-opted by the Boy Scouts and the Good Samaritans? Why should other Jews deride us for it? After all, kindness is a virtue as old as Abraham. He practically invented the concept. As the Midrash says, he was the first to engage in tsedaka. It was Abraham who pioneered the franchise concept, setting up a string of hospitality tents along the thoroughfares of the land of Canaan. But he wasn't in it for the hefty profits of hotel management. After providing his guests with the finest of food and drink, they would thank him profusely. Abraham would then explain to them that they should instead thank the Creator, who provides sustenance for all.

On a deeper level, kindness is the key to Jewish monotheism. There is a famous Midrash that compares Abraham's discovery of G-d's existence to someone walking down the street who notices a great house all lit up. "Where is the proprietor of the house?" he asks. It was the dawning realization that a structure of light and life must have a proprietor. And if it is true of a house, all the more so must it be true of an entire world---that there must be a Creator.

http://www.torah.org/learning/legacy/5769/lechlecha.html

The Kindness Factor

Kindness is gentle. Faith is fierce. Kindness is soft. Faith is inflexible. Kindness is accommodating. Faith is dogmatic. Does this mean that a person cannot be kind and faithful at the same time. Of course not. A person can certainly be kind-hearted to other people yet rigidly faithful in his own beliefs. Nonetheless, these two characteristics tap into distinctly different parts of the psyche.

And yet, in this week’s Torah portion we find a strange paradox. Abraham, the first patriarch of the Jewish people, is introduced as the paragon of faith. In a world seething with idolatry, Abraham sees through the myth and the nonsense and recognizes the one and only eternal omnipotent Creator. With extraordinary faith, he follows Hashem’s commands enthusiastically and without question. He becomes the ultimate man of faith, the perfect role model for all future generations.

At the same time, Abraham emerges from the pages of the Torah as a man of incredible kindness. Amazingly, he even begs leave from a divine encounter to run after three ragged dusty travelers and invite them into his home. There is no greater role model for kindness and hospitality than Abraham in all the history of the world. Is it merely a coincidence that the same person achieved the ultimate levels of kindness and faith, these two widely disparate virtues? Or is there indeed some connection between the two?

Let us reflect for a moment on a rather intriguing question. For twenty generations before Abraham, idolatry had held the world in an iron grip. No voice of reason declared the unity of the Master of the Universe until Abraham. Why was this so? Were there no intelligent people among the millions who passed through the world during this time? Was there no one clever enough to discern the utter foolishness of the idolatrous cults?
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The first test, according to Rambam, is that Hashem told Abraham to leave his fathers house and go to the land which Hashem would tell him... I have heard this teaching, that the tests were for Abrahams benefit {thus it says 'Go FOR YOURSELF} which I found on Shemayisrael.com:


http://www.shemayisrael.com/parsha/kahn/archives/lech67.htm

Abraham's ten tests

The Mishnah (Pirkei Avos 5:4) states: "Our Patriarch Abraham was tested with ten tests and he withstood them all. [This is] to show to what degree was our Patriarch Abraham's love [for G'd]." From the words of the Mishnah we learn that G'd did not test Abraham to see how he would react. G'd knows and understands every person better than the person himself. G'd's sole purpose for the ten tests was to show the world and all future generations the great love Abraham had for his Creator.

Abraham's benefit

Our sages (Pirkei d'Rabbi Eliezer, Chapter 26) explain that one of these ten tests was the command related in the beginning of this week's Torah portion (Bereishis 12:1) when G'd told Abraham, "Go for yourself, from your land, from your birthplace and from your father's house, to the land that I will show you." Rashi addresses the unusual expression of "go for yourself" and explains that this indicates that it will be for Abraham's own good and for his own benefit. As G'd continues and says (Bereishis 12:2): "And I will make you [Abraham] into a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, and you shall be a blessing … and all the families of the earth shall bless themselves by you." However, the question arises if it was for Abraham's personal gain, why was it considered a test altogether? This is comparable to a childless pauper who is being addressed by a great king. The king promises him that if he will listen to him and go on a special mission to another country he will lavishly reward him with wealth and fame. The king further undertakes to personally ensure that the pauper will be treated by the best doctors for his fertility problem.

Bad father, bad country

If we investigate a little further we find that Abraham was actually having a most difficult time in Ur Kasdim. Rashi quotes from the Midrash Rabba (Bereishis 11:28) that Abraham's father, Terach, had complained to Nimrod, who was the ruler of Ur Kasdim, that Abraham had literally destroyed his business. Terach had a major warehouse of idols and had employed his son, Abraham, to manage his facility. Not only did Abraham preach his new beliefs in monotheism at every opportunity, but he actually destroyed the idols and broke them into pieces. After Terach's complaint, Nimrod put Abraham on trial and condemned him to be burned to death by a fiery furnace. Only due to a miraculous Divine intervention was Abraham saved. The Ramban, at the end of Parashas Noah (Bereishis 11:28), explains that Nimrod put Abraham into prison and later exiled him to the end of his country and confiscated all of his wealth. So what was the great difficulty leaving such a country where he was constantly persecuted, and a father who almost caused his death?

Abraham's only concern

The Or Hachaim answers this question by analyzing the continuation of the events related by the Torah. It says (Bereishis 12:4):"And Abram went as G'd had spoken to him." This verse seems to be redundant, as the Torah in the very next verse gives a detailed description of how Abraham took his wife and nephew and all their belongings and traveled to the land of Canaan. However, says the Or Hachaim, here the Torah points out what motivated Abraham to make this journey. It would have been most natural had he looked forward to all the blessings promised him by G'd and to fulfill G'd's command in order to achieve these blessings. However, the Torah says that there was only one purpose in Abraham's mind: G'd commanded him to go. This in itself was a major test that only G'd, Who knows a person's innermost thoughts and feelings, could verify. And this is what the Mishnah says in Pirkei Avos. The purpose of the tests was to show Abraham's great, unconditional love for G'd. It was neither fame nor wealth that motivated him to follow G'd's instructions. Not even the promise of establishing a family made him go. Abraham's love for G'd and his readiness to listen to G'd's commandments was his sole motivation.

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And one more about the '318 men'...


http://www.chabad.org/parshah/article_cdo/aid/760976/jewish/Equal-to-Three-Hundred-and-Eighteen-Men.htm

Rashi Studies (Advanced)
Equal to Three-Hundred-and-Eighteen Men

Adapted by Chaim Miller; From the teachings of the Lubavitcher Rebbe

When Avram heard that his relative had been taken captive, he armed three-hundred-and-eighteen trained men who were born in his household, and he pursued them as far as Dan.

-- Breshis 14:14

Classic Questions

What is the significance of "318 trained men"? (v. 14)

Rashi: Our Sages said that it was Eliezer alone, and the number 318 represents the gematria (numerical value) of his name.

Targum Yonason: Avraham picked Eliezer since he was Nimrod's son, who was as strong as all the 318 warriors put together.

Bachaye: Does this mean to say that the 318 men which the Torah mentions did not really exist, and are merely an allusion to Eliezer? Surely, the verse must be taken literally? In fact, however, after Avraham and his 318 staff mobilized themselves for war, he dismissed any warrior not free of sin, since it is merit which wins a war and not numbers. The only remaining warriors were Avraham and Eliezer.

Gur Aryeh: There were definitely 318 warriors. Rashi informs us that the war was won in the merit of Eliezer and Avraham alone.

The Rebbe's Teachings
Eliezer's Role in the War (v. 14)

Since Rashi confines himself to explaining scripture at the literal level (Rashi on Bereishis 3:8) his comment here on verse 14 is difficult to understand. Are we to accept that at the literal level the soldiers were in fact "only one"—namely, Eliezer—since the numerical value of his name equals 318? Surely, this is a totally non-literal interpretation?

Admittedly, Rashi does write, "Our sages said that it was Eliezer alone," indicating that this interpretation is not a purely literal one but a teaching of the sages. However, there must be some difficulty with the verse at the literal level which forced Rashi to cite this explanation.

Furthermore:

Avraham's victory against four powerful kings (who had already defeated five kings) with an army of only 318 men is an outstanding miracle in itself. What forced Rashi to add an additional miracle by saying that the entire defeat was brought about by Eliezer alone?

The Torah states explicitly, "He and his servants [plural] divided themselves [to pursue the enemy] through the night" (v. 15). So how can Rashi write that "it was Eliezer alone"?
The Explanation

Rashi was troubled about why the Torah describes Avraham's war in such extensive detail, "He armed three hundred and eighteen trained men... he pursued them as far as Dan. He and his servants divided themselves [to pursue the enemy] through the night, and smote them, and pursued them as far as Chovah (i.e., Dan), which is to the left of Damascus. He brought back all the possessions, etc." (v. 14-16). Why does the reader need to know all these details?

Rashi came to the conclusion that the Torah stated these specific details to stress an additional dimension to the magnitude of Avraham's miraculous victory.

In what respect was the miracle so great?

Rashi explains that the 318 men allude to a teaching which is not explicitly recorded in the Torah, but was handed down by our Sages, that Eliezer alone secured the victory.

Of course, this does not mean that the 318 men were not present at all, since the Torah states explicitly that "he and his servants divided themselves" (v. 15), and not merely "Eliezer alone." Rather, Rashi wishes to teach us that Eliezer was primarily responsible for the victory. Not that he led the army—for we can be sure that Avraham took this role—but rather that Eliezer (together with Avraham) secured the victory.

(Based on Sichas Shabbos Parshas Lech Lecha 5748)

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Some more midrashic insight into the 318 men...

http://torah.org/learning/ravfrand/5759/lechlecha.html

Don't Forget Why We Are In This In The First Place

Lot was captured. Avrohom gathered an army of 318 men to rescue him. The Talmud [Nedarim 32a] analyzes the Torah's expression "VaYarek es Chanichav" (and he "armed" those who he had taught Torah) [Bereshis 14:14]. Rav interprets "armed" to mean that before the battle Avrohom infused (showered) them with Torah. Shmuel interprets "armed" to mean that Avrohom showered them with money.

Rav's interpretation is easy to understand. Prior to going to battle, Avrohom strengthened their commitment to G-d and Torah. However, how do we understand Shmuel's interpretation? Why did Avrohom shower them with money?

Tosfos in Chullin [47b] explains Avrohom's reasoning. Avrohom showered them with money -- lest they become involved in the battle and start looking for booty and forget to rescue the souls. Avrohom wanted to tell them, "Don't worry about the booty -- I will give you money beforehand, so you need not preoccupy yourself with monetary pursuits."

Who are we dealing with over here? According to one opinion the 318 men were actually one person: Eliezer. According to another opinion they were 318 individuals. But, they must have been 318 righteous people because Avrohom was gathering them to go to battle against the Allied Forces -- the Kings who were just victorious in the "world war" between the four kings and five kings. Who would put their lives on the line -- 318 men against this allied force? Obviously it could only be Tzadikim, only people solely motivated by saving lives.

So, if they were motivated by saving lives, why does Avrohom Avinu have to worry about giving them money so that they won't become involved in collecting booty and forget about rescuing souls?

I saw a very true insight on this from Rav Henoch Leibowitz. Rav Henoch Leibowitz explains that often times when people get involved in something, they forget what they are in it for. One can start an endeavor motivated by a noble cause, but become so preoccupied in the means of it, that one forgets what he is doing there in the first place.

It would be quite a common phenomenon that they could start the war ultimately to rescue souls and save lives. But, once they become involved in war and start killing and shooting and going through all that war entails, they might forget the whole purpose (tachlis) of their involvement.

This happens to us so often. We get so involved in the means that the ultimate purpose is forgotten.

We unfortunately see a classic example of this all too often with 'chiyuvim' [see Glossary] who daven before the amud in shul.

When a 'chiyuv' leads the prayers, he wants to make a Kiddush HaShem for the merit of the deceased. It is a Kiddush HaShem when he says the words of Kaddish or he says a Brocho and people answer "Amen". So the goal of davening before the amud is Kiddush HaShem.

However, how many of us have witnessed the following type of scenario? There are two 'chiyuvim' on the same day. The first fellow says, "I have precedence". The second man says "No way. It is my turn to daven." Before you know it they are almost ready to strike each other. Why? Because each one wants to make a Kiddush HaShem. Here they are in shul yelling at each other, almost fighting. They are making a Chillul HaShem!

What happened here? The whole purpose of leading the prayers was to have a Kiddush HaShem. Instead, they are making a Chillul HaShem.

People become so involved in the means that they forget the goal. One can become so involved in war that he forgets what the war is all about. The war is about saving lives, but, instead, they are grabbing money.

That is human nature. People are so involved in getting there, that they forget where they are going in the first place.

Our Sages tell us that many of the Children of Kehas died while serving in the Wilderness as the transporters of the Ark. How did this happen? They had arguments: "I want to carry the Ark" "No, you go carry the Menorah. I'll carry the Ark!" They became so agitated in the details of who would get to carry it, that when the time came to actually transport it, they did not have the proper spiritual level of awe and reverence necessary to carry the Ark.

Again, what is happening here? Are they interested in Service of G-d or are they not interested in Service of G-d? They get so involved in who should do this and who should do that, that the whole goal is forgotten.

The purpose is supposed to be Divine Service and Sanctification of G-d's name, not arguments over who should carry what.

This is what Avrohom Avinu understood. He knew that people can easily forget the main goal. So he paid them the money up front, so that the booty and spoils would not distract them.

When we engage ourselves in a noble cause, we must always remember not to forget why we are engaged in the cause in the first place.

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Here is Rabbi Richman again from 2008:

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In Parasha Vayeira we read about Abraham saving Lot from the destruction of Sdom...

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Another good one from Naaleh on the Middot of Chesed & Din...