Musar su Genesi 14:26

The patriarchs observed all the commandments as revealed later on in the Torah. We know from Genesis 14,20 that Abraham tithed when he gave the tithes to Malki Tzedek. In our פרשה we have a passage showing that Isaac also gave tithes; we know, of course, that Jacob promised to give tithes from his specific statement וכל אשר תתן לי עשר אעשרנו לך, “And all that You will give me, I will surely tithe to You" (Genesis 28,22). Our sages in Midrash Hagadol on that verse say that Jacob even tithed people. They explain that if we include Ephrayim and Menasseh in the count, there should have been fourteen tribes. Deduct four, seeing that each wife had a first born who was already sanctified from birth, and you remain with ten. From these remaining ten Jacob set aside Levi as a tithe to G–d. You see that all the patriarchs observed the commandment בכל לבבם, בכל נפשם ובכל מאודם, "with all their hearts, their souls and their means." The words בכל מאודם can be understood literally, i.e. "a tithe of everything." The expression בכל נפשם refers to Jacob who even tithed נפשות, people; the expression בכל לבבם, refers to תרומה גדולה, something for which the Torah does not prescribe a fixed amount. The amount to be set aside for the priest is left to the generosity of the individual, i.e. it is something to be decided on by his heart, לבבו. Our sages (Terumah 4,3) describe one fortieth as the תרומה of a generous individual, one fiftieth as the average gift, and one sixtieth as the תרומה of a miser. They derive these details from the verse in Genesis 14,20. It would have sufficed for the Torah to say ויתן מעשר, that Abraham tithed. Why did the Torah have to add the word מכל, from all? They answer that this is an allusion to תרומה מעשר, the tithe that the Levite has to give to the priest from the מעשר ראשון, the regular tithe that he received from the Israelite. I will explain later how this is alluded to in the text. Abraham gave to Malki Tzedek both the regular tithe and the תרומת מעשר. The numerical value of the letters in the word כל, all, is 50 which is an allusion to the 2% the average person sets aside. [In order to appreciate the following calculation, one must assume that Abraham first divided the entire harvest into two equal parts. This is not mentioned by the author. Ed.] Abraham removed one tenth of the total [taking it from one half] as tithe. He also set aside one part in fifty from the same total amount (before having tithed it) to give it separately as תרומה גדולה. When you remove "ten" from fifty, you are left with forty. This means that Abraham gave one part in forty as תרומה גדולה. [The normal procedure is to remove the תרומה גדולה from the harvest before measuring the ten per cent tithe from the remaining 98% of the harvest. Ed] Even though the normal or average amount set aside for תרומה is one in 50= כל, Abraham was more generous than that. All the patriarchs acted in a similar fashion.

And this is the language of Zohar Chadash in Parshath Lech Lecha: "R. Avahu said: 'Come and see how great is the man who causes another to repent. Whence do we know this? From Bereshith 14:18: "And Malki Tzedek, king of Shalem" R. Chiyya Rabbah taught: 'When the soul of the tzaddik who causes others to repent leaves his body, Michael, the great prince, who presents the souls of tzaddikim before his Creator, goes out and greets that tzaddik, as it is written: "And Malki Tzedek" — this is Michael, the chief of the keepers of the gates of righteousness; "the king of Shalem" — this is the Heavenly Jerusalem. (Ibid.): "brought out bread and wine" — he came forward to him and said: 'Come in peace.'" And in 62b:

And our Rabbis, may their memory be blessed, said (Yoma 87a), “One who angers his friend, verbally must appease him.” And it is not [even] necessary to say [this] if he spoke evil speech about him, for that is from the [more] severe transgressions. And if his fellow does not forgive him, he is obligated to come to him with a group of three people. And if he does not forgive him [again], he comes in front of him a second time with a different group. And so must he do a third time. And Elihu said (Job 33:27), “He should then assemble (yashor) a row of men, and say, I have sinned, and perverted that which was right (yashar), and it was not fitting (shavah) for me.’” The explanation is, I have perverted a just man - from the usage (Job 1:1), “blameless and just man (yashar)” - for I did not see the merit of the just man, but rather made him into one crooked and twisted. But it was not level (shavah) and just for me, from the usage (in Isaiah 28:25), “Is it not if he leveled (shivah) its surface”; [and in] (Genesis 14:17), “to the level (shavah) valley” - [meaning] straight and level. And since he disparaged just ones in front of people, he must humble himself and confess in front of the many. Hence Elihu spoke about this sin in particular, for it is one of the weighty sins that destroys the soul. And our Rabbis, may their memory be blessed, said (Shabbat 119b), “Anyone who disparages Torah scholars cannot be healed from his wound” - for they profaned the Torah - as it is stated (II Chronicles 36:16), “And they mocked the messengers of God, etc., it could not be healed.”

And with all his thoughts he should meditate how to do the will of the Creator, and purify the many others to do likewise, and to sanctify the Name of God and to surrender himself completely in the love of God, Blessed be He. And this is the love of God, Blessed is He, that is written in the Torah, as in the case of Phineas who risked his life for the sake of the Creator, may He be Blessed (Num. 25), and as in the case of Abraham, our father, who said: "I have lifted my hand to the Lord, the most High God, Creator of heaven and earth, that I will not take from a thread or a shoestring nor will I take anything of yours" (Gen. 14:22-23). And, as in the case of Elisha who did not wish to take anything from Naaman (II Kings 5:16).

Another important moral lesson to be learned from our פרשה is that one should not derive material benefit from miracles. We have several examples in the Talmud, such as Taanit 24 and Shabbat 53, of people either rejecting sudden wealth due to a miracle, or criticism of someone who needed to accept the miracle in order to nurse a baby who had lost its mother in childbirth. The very fact that G–d needs to interfere with natural law to provide sustenance for someone implies some criticism of the person for whom such a miracle had to be performed. This is why Abraham rejected the spoils of his war against Kedarlaomer. Did Abraham prefer that G–d would make it rain silver and gold for him from heaven that he rejected the "gift" of the King of Sodom as not befitting to him? Of course, nothing is further from the truth. We know that Abraham had previously accepted gifts from Pharaoh (12,15). When the cause for sudden wealth is plausible, it is perfectly acceptable to accept and use such wealth. Abraham considered his victory in that war [with his 318 men against the four mightiest armies of that era] as so miraculous that the spoils were not a plausible way for G–d to provide for him.

When I wrote that Abraham gave to Malki Tzedek both the מעשר and the תרומה, you may ask that one does not give מעשר to a priest but to a Levite, and that Malki Tzedek was a priest! The Arizal explains that Aaron was a re-incarnation of Malki Tzedek's soul, and that the prophet Samuel was a re-incarnation of Aaron's soul. This is hinted at by G–d when He said to Moses in Exodus 4,14: "Is there not Aaron your brother the Levite?" The prophet Samuel was a Levite, and Malki Tzedek was another name for שם the son of Noach. You will note that the first half of the name of the prophet שמואל is שם. Malki Tzedek, in addition to being a priest, as the Torah describes him in Genesis 14,18, was also a Levite, at least potentially.

4) A fourth level of מצוה performance is performance of the commandment for the sake of G–d, not for the securing of any kind of advantage on this earth. Abraham was a prime example of this when he risked his life to liberate Lot and incidentally all the people of Sodom, etc, and refused as much as a shoelace of the loot which was legally his (Genesis 14,22).

4) A fourth level of מצוה performance is performance of the commandment for the sake of G–d, not for the securing of any kind of advantage on this earth. Abraham was a prime example of this when he risked his life to liberate Lot and incidentally all the people of Sodom, etc, and refused as much as a shoelace of the loot which was legally his (Genesis 14,22).

While I am on this subject I shall also deal with the unusual fact that in 24,50, Laban pre-empts his father by speaking up before his father. Rashi comments that it was because of Laban's wickedness that he tried to forestall his father Bethuel. Assuming that Rashi is correct, what advantage did the clever Laban hope to gain by answering first? I have already written that the patriarchs and matriarchs represented the whole of mankind, and that they repaired the spiritual and physical damage inflicted on the universe by Adam (Adam and Eve combined). G–d's whole purpose in the creation of the universe had of course been none other than Adam. We have learned in Avot 4:28 that "jealousy, greed and thirst for honor drive man out of this world," i.e. cause his death. Adam's sin involved elements of all these three negative traits. The serpent was jealous of Adam as Eve's husband and wanted to "marry" Eve himself; hence he tried to seduce Adam. It had thought that Adam would be the first to eat, Eve offering him the first bite, and that thus Adam would become the victim of G–d's warning not to eat from the tree on penalty of death. The serpent would then have been free to mate with Eve. The reward that the serpent held out to Eve (Genesis 3,5-6) was gratification of her greed, "the tree was lovely to look at and good as food." The promise of becoming G–d-like was the additional honour that would result from eating of that tree. Regarding the lives of Abraham and Sarah we find that they practised the very opposite traits. It is natural for a woman to be jealous of another woman's ability to have children when she herself is unable to do so, but Sarah offered Hagar to her husband in order that Abraham should be able to have a child with her instead (Genesis 16,2); she was free of that kind of jealousy. Abraham, who was offered material wealth by the King of Sodom, exclaimed that he would not even accept a shoelace from the booty he himself had captured when he defeated Kedor-Leomer and freed Lot (14,23). Not only did Abraham not display traits of greed, his entire life was filled with acts of generosity towards others. He practiבed humility to the point where he – who had been the recipient of several revelations by G–d – even described himself as being merely "dust and ashes " (18,27).

Although all the patriarchs have been described as the מרכבה, they are all included when Abraham is mentioned; he, being the "father" of them all, represents them also. This is the reason that the first benediction in the daily עמידה prayer concludes with the signature מגן אברהם, "shield of Abraham." The term "shield" is used to describe those who support the מרכבה, namely חסד, גבורה, תפארת. This too is the deeper meaning of the words (15, 1) אנכי מגן לך שכרך הרבה מאד, "I am your shield, your reward is very great." Malki Tzedek, king of Shalem, alludes to something similar in Bereshit (14, 19-20): ויברכהו, ויאמר: ברוך אברם לא-ל עליון קונה שמים וארץ וברוך א-ל עליון אשר מגן צריך בידך. "He blessed him saying: Blessed be Abraham of G–d Most High, Owner of Heaven and Earth. And blessed be G–d Most High, who has delivered your foes into your hand." The Zohar on that verse understands this as a reference to the daily עמידה prayer when we say very similar sounding words in the first benediction. If one examines the composition of that benediction closely one can view the words אלוקי אברהם, אלוקי יצחק, אלוקי יעקב as corresponding to the words ברוך אברהם. The words א-ל עליון גומל חסדים טובים correspond to the words וברוך א-ל עליון. The words קונה הכל corresponds to Malki Tzedek's words קונה שמים וארץ. We find similar wording in the repetition of the Friday night עמידה. Finally, the signature of that first benediction of the daily עמידה is מגן אברהם, corresponding to the last words in Malki Tzedek's blessing אשר מגן צריך בידך. It is true that we also encounter the formula in מגן דוד, "shield of David." The difference is that whereas מגן אברהם includes the other carriers of the מרכבה as we have explained, David is the recipient of the foregoing including the parts of the מרכבה that Abraham comprises, seeing that he, David, personifies מלכות. As such David provides the "fourth leg" of that four- cornered מרכבה that we have described as the מרכבה ארג"מן. At any rate, the significance of the promise to Abraham in 12,2 והיה ברכה, "be a blessing," is that בך חותמים, "they will conclude the benediction using your name," is clear. We shall come back later to the meaning of מגן דוד.

"He was afraid and distressed;" the former was due to Jacob's fear that the accuser in the Celestial Regions might have come across sins committed by Jacob that he had not been aware of. He was also afraid that Esau's merit in having performed the commandment of honouring father and mother during all the years Jacob had not performed it might now support him. We find that Moses too was afraid before engaging Og, King of Bashan, in battle, fearing that the merit of Abraham might assist Og, as explained by Rashi on Numbers 21,34. [The merit of Og referred to must be that he became instrumental in Abraham saving Lot, by having told him that the latter had been taken prisoner, even though that had hardly been Og's motive, as Rashi himself explains on Genesis 14, 13. Ed.] Bereshit Rabbah 76, 1, quoting Rabbi Pinchas, understands our verse in a similar vein. "There were two people who had received specific assurances from G–d, and still they were reported as being afraid. One is the choicest of the patriarchs, Jacob, to whom G–d had said: "I shall be with you;" in the end we nonetheless find him afraid of his upcoming encounter with Esau, seeing the Torah says: ויירא יעקב. The other person was the choicest of the prophets, Moses. G–d had told him "for I shall be with you" (Exodus 3,12). Still, we find G–d had to tell him in Numbers 21: "Do not be afraid of him (Og)." G–d certainly would not have bothered to reassure Moses had he not been afraid, (though the Torah did not report this as a fact). Thus far the Midrash.

When the sons of Chet addressed Abraham by saying: "You are a prince of G–d in our midst" (Genesis 23,7), what they meant was that the personality of Abraham had made a deep impression on their תוכיות, internality. They felt that their own spiritual roots had become purified through having an Abraham in their proximity. They were convinced that this augured well for their future and eventual salvation, and they thanked Abraham. When our Bereshit Rabbah 43,5 explains the words עמק שוה in Genesis 14,17, by saying that all the nations agreed (השוו) to crown Abraham there as their king, this describes Abraham as being freed, set apart from the קליפות. Abraham personally represents the spiritual level of ישראל; he achieved a higher level than all the other patriarchs. The statement that his name was ישראל indicates his spiritual level as being on a very high plateau enabling him to penetrate to the most rarefied Celestial Regions. The name אברהם, on the other hand, describes his being the (spiritual) father of a multitude of nations, כי אב המון גוים נתתיך, something that was acknowledged when the sons of Chet said שמענו אדני, נשיא אלוקים אתה in 23,6. He had also been called Abram, for it was still at that time that Ishmael issued from him. We see that the dimension of אב המון already began to take practical form while Abraham was still Abram. This dimension was reinforced with the birth of Isaac, who in turn produced an Esau who incorporates all the קליפות.

On 14,1 Nachmanides writes that the whole occurrence was to teach Abraham that there would be four empires that would rule the earth at different times, but that ultimately Abraham's descendants would prevail over them all and that all their property would be restored to Israel. The first such empire would be the Babylonian Empire, as we know from Daniel 2,38: "to whom He has given dominion over them all -you are the head of gold." Possibly the name of the king Elassar, (14,1) corresponds to a town in Persia by the same name. King "Eylam" may be the name of a town in Greece also. He may have been the first king of that empire, Darius being a later one after the empire expanded. [There are some confusing versions here as to who is who, seeing that Darius was a king of the Medes. This does not matter in our context. Ed.] There is a view among our sages that this king ruled for six years in Eylam before ruling the whole civilized world. The name “מלך גויים" refers to a variety of kings appointed by the king of Eylam as his deputies in different parts of his empire. There is a hint here of the method of the Romans who appointed governors in different parts of their empire. Similar views are expressed in Bereshit Rabbah 42,2 by Rabbi Avin who claims that since the chapter opens with four kingdoms (the problems of Abraham), so his descendants also will suffer at the hands of four kingdoms. [Rabbi Avin, as do others, assumes that the campaign against Sodom was really intended as a campaign against Abraham, and that his involvement was not quite voluntary. Ed.] Rabbi Avin sees in Amrafel king of Shinor a reference to Babylon, in Aryach king of Elassar (a reference) to the Empire of the Medes, in Kedor-Leomer king of Eylam a reference to the Greek Empire, and in Tidal king of "Goyim," (a reference) to the present exile since it comprises numerous kingdoms all of which exercise dominion over the Jewish people. The king "Bela" is called so because he ruled only over a small city with few inhabitants. Thus far Nachmanides' comment. His words are truly those of a wise man. Abraham's experiences foreshadow both the bondage in Egypt and the redemption that was to follow. Later, it foreshadowed Jewish exile (after the destruction of the Temple) and finally the Redemption at the hands of the משיח בן דוד, the Messiah son of David, a descendant of Lot.

Rabbi Tuviah interprets the words "tents" as referring to two women since the place of women is in the tents. Rabbi Yitzchak also understands the verse in that sense although he draws his inference from the word הנמצאות. Perhaps this is also the inference to be drawn from the Torah's report about the exploits of the four kings. As soon as they had captured Lot, they went on their way, i.e. 11 ,14) ויקחו את לוט … וילכו). Although the four kings had never set eyes on Ruth and Naomi they had seen through their horoscopes the role that Lot's issue would play in the history of the Jewish people, and their prime purpose became to prevent the emergence of a Jewish people and thus to frustrate the concept of the Messiah and what he represents. This is the reason why Abraham set out immediately to rescue Lot and to pursue those kings and their armies. He also rescued the king of Sodom and his people in the process, seeing that in Messianic times even the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah will be restored, something we know on the authority of Ezekiel 16,53-55.

It is fitting for every person to pray this short prayer before entering the synagogue: “ ‘Please accept the gifts of my mouth, Hashem, and teach me Your laws’ (Tehillim 119:108). May it be Your will, Hashem my God and God of my fathers, that my prayer should be lucid and pure and free of any hindrance that might interfere with proper intention.” It is very precious to the Holy One Blessed is He when a person raises his arms and fingers while praying from the bottom of his heart. Thus the Zohar relates in Parashas Yisro (67a) that ten angels are appointed over the one who lifts up his arms and fingers during prayer or the washing of the hands. However, it is forbidden to raise one’s hands and fingers in vain. To this the Zohar applies the verse, “Let them not appear before Me empty-handed” (Shemos 23:15). Then the ten angels mentioned above curse him with two hundred and forty-eight imprecations, Heaven spare us. A spirit of impurity immediately settles upon his hands and no blessing is to be found in them. Thus it is written of Avraham, “I raised my hand to Hashem, God the most High” (Bereishis 14:22). The Targum renders, “I raised my hand in prayer.” That is, he did not raise them in vain, Heaven forbid.

I have already explained how all the attachment to G–d is achieved by means of Torah, and how all the "crowns" have as their purpose to further that attachment. The "crown" of Royalty may therefore be viewed as conferred due to the Torah. The tribe of Levi, which represents the "crown" of Priesthood, is described in Deuteronomy 33,10 as performing the function: יורו משפטיך ליעקב ותורתך לישראל, "They will instruct Jacob in Your laws and Israel in Your Torah." Clearly, this "crown" too is conferred thanks to the Torah. Concerning the Kingdom of the house of David, we find that our sages comment on the verse in Samuel I 16, 18: וה' עמו "G–d was with him," by remarking that the שכינה accompanied David wherever he went. The "crown" of Royalty is part of the "crown" of the Priesthood since the Kingdom of the seed of Yehudah was rooted in Tamar the daughter of Shem, who had been a High Priest already in the days of Abraham (an alternate name for Malki Tzedek mentioned in Genesis 14,18, as per Nedarim 32). When Israel later on sent spies to the land of Canaan prior to conquering it under the leadership of Joshua, the latter sent out Pinchas and Caleb. Caleb was from the tribe of Yehudah who represented Royalty, whereas Pinchas represented the Priesthood. (Cf. Bamidbar Rabbah 16, 4 commenting on Joshua 2, 1) Something of a similar nature will occur in the future when the prophet Elijah will represent the Priesthood before the arrival of the Messiah, and the Messiah will be Royalty incarnate. Pinchas is identified with the prophet Elijah.

I will cite for you here a passage from the Zohar, Parashas Lech Lecha (Zohar Chadash 31b) that is pertinent to this discussion: [It is stated,] “And the king of Sedom said to Avram, etc.” (Bereishis 14:21). The moment the soul leaves the body of a righteous person it passes by the entrance to Gehinnom. There it is filled with the desire to call out to Hashem. For such is the power of the righteous that through their prayers they are able to extricate the wicked from Gehinnom. Then the Prince of Gehinnom, who is also called the “King of Sedom,” confronts the soul of the righteous man, called Av Ram [“Exalted Father”], to prevent him from praying for this purpose. For of what use is his assignment if even those who have already been delivered to him can be taken out of his control and authority?So the King of Sedom, the Prince of Gehinnom, says to the righteous man, “You are righteous, so what business do you have extricating the wicked who failed to heed the voices of parents and teachers and who were brazen towards the scholars? It is because of this that they belong to me, for they are wicked and deserve to be lost! “Indeed, those who sinned profusely but eventually heeded the words of their parents and teachers, and accepted the dictates of scholars — even if they did not actually repent at all — they are called the ‘property’ of the righteous, for they caused them at least to contemplate repentance. Such wicked you may extricate from Gehinnom, for they are fitting to be saved by your prayers.”

Therefore it is stated, “And the King of Sedom” — that is, the Prince of Gehinnom. “Said to Avram” — an allusion to the soul of the righteous person. It is called Av Ram, “Exalted Father,” because it is a Divine spark from On High. “Give me the souls” — that is, the souls of the wicked who paid no heed to their parents and teachers, ridiculing the words of the Sages instead. “And the property you may take for yourself” — that is, those wicked who listened joyfully to those rebuking them and did not ridicule them. They are the “property” of the righteous, who may take them for themselves and save them from punishment in Gehinnom. Then the soul of the righteous man swears that he will not take those who are the portion of the Prince of Gehinnom because they failed to heed the voices of the Sages. This is the meaning of the verse, “And Avram said to the king of Sedom, ‘I raise my hand in oath to Hashem, God the Most High.’” (Bereishis 14:22). That is, he swore that he would not pray for the sake of those wicked who ridiculed the Torah and shamed the scholars.

There was a certain old man residing at the inn who used to rise every night at midnight to engage in study. It was for him that the innkeeper had devised this instrument. Rabbi Aba said, “Blessed is the Merciful One who directed us to this place!” And when midnight came they all arose to study… The innkeeper related to his two sons the idea mention earlier that the Holy One Blessed is He enters Gan Eden at midnight to delight with the righteous. He added, “It was with this in mind that David declared, ‘I will arise at midnight to acknowledge You.’ ” Rabbi Aba said, “Surely you have spoken well. But from where do you know this?” He explained, “So did I learn from another elder.” The innkeeper also told them, “At the beginning of the first hour of the night all the accusers of the lower world awaken and go wandering about the world. Then exactly at midnight the Holy One Blessed is He arouses Himself to enter Gan Eden, at which time these accusers are not to be found. “All the proceedings of the Heavenly court are carried out only at midnight, as it is stated [regarding Avraham’s battle with the four kings], “And the night was divided against them” (Bereishis 14:15). And it is stated [regarding the striking of the first born in Egypt], “And it was at midnight” (Shemos 12:29).

The Arizal also comments on Genesis 14,12, when the kings with Kedarlaomer are reported as having captured Lot and his possessions. The Torah writes: ויקחו את לוט ואת רכושו בן אחי אברם וילכו. "They took Lot and his possessions, the son of Abram's brother." The grammar is totally confusing, seeing that the possessions were not Abram's. The verse has to be understood thus: רכושו בן אחי, in order to alert us to the respective first letters of these three words which total 203 in numerical value, or the same as the word באר. The message in all this is that all the dangers Abraham took upon himself by pursuing the four kings in order to save Lot were caused by his foreknowledge through the Holy Spirit that Lot would beget the forerunner of the Messiah, the Kingdom of David, and that therefore he must be saved at all costs. In other words, Abraham did all this for the sake of G–d's great name, רבא. No doubt, when the Arizal described the numerical value of the names of G–d being the same as the numerical value of the word באר, this is what he had in mind.