Musar su Genesi 15:5

Another difficulty is the commentary of our sages quoted by Rashi on 22,5, where Abraham said to the lads accompanying him ואני והנער נלכה עד כה, "I and the lad will go until there." This is interpreted as a severe criticism of G–d by Abraham who queried, "I want to see where is G–d's promise of כה יהיה זרעך, thus (i.e. so numerous) will be your descendants" (Genesis 15,5). At first glance it appears as if Abraham questioned that G–d would fulfil His promise. How do we reconcile this with G–d's reported rebuke to Moses in Exodus 6,2 describing G–d as having appeared to the patriarchs as א-ל שדי, meaning that G–d did not have any need to justify Himself, seeing that the patriarchs accepted all of G–d's commands without the slightest question (compare Shemot Rabbah 6,4). G–d's comment that He is sorry that the likes of the patriarchs no longer exist seems totally out of place in view of Rashi's interpretation of the words עד כה!

Rabbi Yochanan concentrates on the other -Noach-like- aspect of serving G–d, i.e. waiting till one is inspired by G–d. He uses a metaphor describing input from above, i.e. the gaze of a shepherd on his flock. This always originates from a higher vantage point but is benevolent at the same time, much as when G–d said in Exodus 33,19: "I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious." This means that the recipients did not have a claim on G–d's grace. The very fact that Rabbi Yochanan uses dumb animals as the subjects in his metaphor shows that he speaks of a lower class of spiritual motivation.

We must try and understand why Rabbenu Bachyah was so selective in his comparison of the creation with the construction of the Tabernacle. He could have cited additional parallels. A look at a lengthy Midrash in Shemot Rabbah 33,4 quotes Rabbi Berechyah as presenting a long list of parallels between the Tabernacle and מעשה בראשית. The list includes many items found in the heavens such as ערפל, זבול, עצי שטים, כרובים, אופנים and many others. In each case Rabbi Berechyah demonstrates that the Tabernacle contained something parallel.

When G–d revealed Himself to Abraham at the ברית בין הבתרים, the Torah reports that He took Abraham "outside," showed him the stars, and challenged him to "count them" (Genesis 15,5). The Zohar (immediately following the part we have quoted previously), states, that this verse means that Abraham was told to free himself from the limitations which his astrological studies up to that point in his life had imposed upon him. When G–d asked him at the beginning of chapter 12 to leave his father's house, the message is that "as long as you adhere to part of your traditional philosophy you will not achieve further philosophical/spiritual success. In order to gain further insights, you must go אל הארץ אשר אראך, to the land I will show you." G–d told him that he would not be able to make this "Aliyah" under his own steam. [Why else would G–d need to show Abraham the way to a land in which he Himself had revealed Himself to Abraham already five years earlier? Ed.] The promise ואעשך לגוי גדול is the reason we say in our daily prayers that G–d is אלוקי אברהם; the word ואברכך is the reason we say אלוקי יצחק; the words ואגדלה שמך, is the reason we recite אלוקי יעקב. The final words in that verse והיה ברכה, are equivalent to a signature, and that is why we conclude the first benediction in our daily עמידה prayer with the words מגן אברהם.

On 12,6 "Abraham traversed the land," Rashi comments נכנס לתוכה, "he entered into it." This is most appropriate, since Abraham began to understand the inner significance of ארץ ישראל. Later on we read in 12, 10 that Abraham descended (into Egypt) and subsequently (13, 1) that he ascended from Egypt. The Torah teaches that one does not recognise the advantage of light over darkness until one has experienced the latter. This was Abraham's experience in Egypt, [when he came from Charan his arrival in the land of Canaan is described only as "Abraham went…..they came to the land of Canaan (12,4/5), not a word about an עליה, an ascent. Ed.]. Egypt was considered a secondary מרכבה, as is alluded to in Genesis 41,43 when Joseph rides in מרכבת המשנה, "Pharaoh's number two state coach." Our sages understand these words as referring to the fact that next to the land of Israel, Egypt serves as an alternate מרכבה for G–d's Presence. The Zohar (Sullam edition Parshat Mikeitz page 23) describes it thus: G–d has a מרכבה עליונה and a מרכבה תחתונה. The latter one is called מרכבת המשנה, "the secondary carrier." Abraham utilized all the great wisdom he had acquired while he was in Egypt. Afterwards he ascended "southward" (13,1). Our sages have taught us the principle that "anyone who wishes to acquire wisdom should turn southward" (Baba Batra 28). Thus when Abraham returned to the "South" of the land of Canaan he began to learn the "real" wisdom, an appreciation of Jewish theology. It was then that he began to appreciate the real advantage of spiritual light over spiritual darkness.

The first method of exegesis is based on an understanding of איזהו חסיד? המתחסד עם קונו, Who is a pious person? He who practises piety with His Maker (Zohar Mishpatim 114). This means that such an individual performs the commandments of G–d with more love and goodwill than he is obliged to. Abraham demonstrated this by binding Isaac in anticipation of slaughtering him as a sacrifice. Abraham could have based himself on strict legality, and challenged G–d's command by saying that he believed in the promise of G–d that 15,5) כה יהיה זרעך), as well as on 21,12 or 17,19, both of which promise that Isaac would have seed and that his seed would perpetuate Abraham's name. In order to make certain that G–d's earlier promise would indeed come true, Abraham could have argued that he was under orders not to slaughter Isaac. Bereshit Rabbah 56,10, commenting on why Abraham called the site of the Akeydah. 22,14) ,ה' יראה) i.e. "G–d will see," quotes Rabbi Yochanan: O G–d, at the time You told me to take my first born, the one I love, I could have remonstrated saying that You Yourself had told me only "yesterday" that my seed would be perpetuated through Isaac. I carefully refrained from becoming guilty of such an argument. I rather suppressed my natural feelings of pity for my son than not to comply with Your will."

"I shall make your descendants to be like the sand (on the beaches) of the sea, which cannot be counted because there is so much of it." The reference to the sand of the sea is to the increase of Jacob's seed in this world, whereas the words: אשר לא יספר, is a reference to the stars in heaven which cannot be counted, and to which G–d had compared the descendants of Abraham at the ברית בין הבתרים in Genesis 15, 5. This was an allusion to the stars and their power.

This leaves us with the meaning of Abraham's saying עד כה, which had been interpreted as Abraham wondering how the promise of כה יהיה זרעך could now be fulfilled. Instead of understanding this as a degree of doubt on Abraham's part, we must understand this as Abraham hoping that Isaac would really be able to live up to the highest expectations one can make of human beings. He prayed that כה, "thus", i.e. of such superior calibre, would be his descendants. If G–d had meant that hyperbole in Genesis 15,5 to describe the physical dimensions of Abraham's offspring, He should have compared them to the dust of the earth or the sand on the beaches of the sea, as we repeatedly read. G–d, however, referred to the spiritual dimension, and that is why He told Abraham to look towards heaven, and chose the hyperbole of "like the stars in heaven."