Musar sobre Génesis 15:2

The principle I have outlined is confirmed by Tosaphot in Berachot 7b who address themselves to the statement in the Talmud that up until Genesis 15,8 when Abraham said: א-ד-נ-י אלוקים במה אדע כי אירשנה, "O G–d, the Master, how will I know that I shall inherit it?" no one had ever called G–d by the appellation Master. Tosaphot explain that the reason the Talmud did not quote the verse in 15,2, in which Abraham uses the same appellation when addressing G–d is, that verse eight may well have been spoken before verse two seeing that the Torah is not bound by rules requiring it to report chronologically. The paragraph commencing with the words: אחר הדברים האלה, which follows the report about the war between the four and the five kings respectively, and Abraham's intervention on behalf of Lot, must have occurred when Abraham was about 73 years of age. The city of Sodom existed only for a total of 52 years as we know from Shabbat 10. Deduct 12 years from the 52 during which the Sodomites were vassals of King Kedor-Leomer, (14,4) and 13 years of rebellion, and there now remain 26 years during which the city functioned normally. When the city was destroyed Abraham was 99 years old, since Isaac was born a year after that. By deducting 26 years from Abraham's age we arrive at the figure 73 as being his age when the battles between the combined kingdoms of the valley and the forces of Amrafel/Kedor-Leomer took place. It follows that the "covenant of the pieces" preceded that war by three years, though the latter paragraph concludes with the words ויחשביה לו צדקה, "G–d considered it as an act of righteousness for him (Abraham)." This verse forces the Torah to report events contrary to their chronological order. Tosaphot conclude by resolving Rashbam's objection how 15,12 can speak about sunset, when we have previously heard about the stars in the sky in 15,5, by stressing that the two parts of this chapter could not have occurred at the same time. According to this calculation the ברית בין הבתרים came first, followed by Abraham's immigration into the land of Canaan, followed by the commandment to circumcise himself and his male household members.

Abraham expressed the fear that his slave Eliezer would inherit him (Genesis 15,2). G–d told him: "Not this one will inherit you, but someone who is your very own issue will inherit you" (15,3). The message was that a different servant, i.e. Israel My servant will inherit you.

Our father Abraham lowered himself, so the Holy One, blessed be He, gave him greatness. And that is to the one to whom the Holy One, blessed be He, first said, “Ask.” Rabbi Yonatan said, “There are three to whom the Holy One, blessed be He, said, ‘Ask.’” Rabbi Acha said they are four - Abraham, Solomon, Achaz and the messianic king. Abraham, from where [do we know it]? As it is written (Genesis 15:2), ‘And [he] said, “My Lord God, what will You give me?’” He would not have said, ‘What will You give me,’ unless He had said to him, ‘Ask.’ Solomon, from where [do we know it]? As it is written (I Kings 3:5), ‘In Givon, the Lord appeared to Solomon [... and …] said, “Ask that which I shall give you.”’ Achaz, from where [do we know it]? As it is written (Isaiah 7:10-11), ‘And the Lord spoke further to Achaz, “Request a sign for yourself from the Lord, your God.”’ The messianic king, from where [do we know it]? As it is written (Psalms 2:8), ‘Request of Me, and I will render nations your inheritance, your estate will be the limits of the earth.’” Rabbi Levi said, “The Holy One, blessed be He, showed our father Abraham, peace be upon him, the stars, the constellations and all the corners of the firmament, as it is stated (Genesis 15:5), ‘And He took him outside (chutzah).’ And did He take him outside of the universe? Rather it is that He showed him the chambers of the skies that are called chutzot, as it is stated (Proverbs 8:26), ‘Before He made earth and chutzot.’” Rabbi Yehudah bar Ilai said, “Five things did the Holy One, blessed be He, show to our father Abraham, peace be upon him, and these are them: 1) He showed him the splitting of the Red Sea, as it is stated (Genesis 15:17), ‘which passed between these pieces (gezarim).’ And likewise does it state (Psalms 136:13), ‘To slice the Red Sea into pieces (gezarim).’ 2) He showed him the giving of the Torah, as it is stated, ‘and behold, a smoking furnace and a flaming torch.’ And likewise is it with the giving of the Torah (Exodus 20:14), ‘And the entire people saw the torches and the sound of the shofar. 3) He showed him the Temple built and [4)] the order of the sacrifices, as it is stated, (Genesis 15:9), ‘He said to him, ‘Take for Me a calf of three.’ [5)] And He showed him the four empires (destined to subjugate Israel), as it is stated, (Genesis 15:12) ‘and behold, a dread of deep darkness fell upon him.’ Those were the four empires.” Rabbi Channan said, “He showed him the revival of the dead, as it is stated (Genesis 15:10), ‘Birds of prey came down upon the carcasses.’ He took the limbs and placed them side by side. And once the bird descended upon them, they came to life, as it is stated, ‘but Abram repelled (vayashev) them.’ And vayashev is always that they are scattered by the wind (which is only possible here if they returned to life), as it is stated (Isaiah 40:7), ‘when the breath [of the Lord] blows (nashvah) upon it.’”