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ברך אברכך I WILL SURELY BLESS THEE — The double use of the term “bless” is intended to signify a blessing for the father and a blessing for the son (Genesis Rabbah 56:11).

Like the stars of the sky and like the sand, etc.: We have found that sometimes He compares Israel to the stars and sometimes to the sand on the shore of the sea, and sometimes to dust - as it is stated (Genesis 28:14), "And your descendants shall be as the dust of the earth." It is because it all indicates different times. As in times of tranquility and success, He compares them to the stars. That is an expression of greatness, as Rashi (Rashi on Deuteronomy 1:9) explains on the verse, "The Lord, your God, has multiplied you, and behold you are today as numerous as the stars in the sky" (Deuteronomy 1:10) - "He multiplied and aggrandized you." Likewise is, "I will surely multiply you," here an expression of greatness.

וירש זרעך את שער אויביו, the meaning of the words שער אויביו is ארץ אויביו, the land of its enemies. A land surrounded by oceans and mountains is difficult to conquer. Eretz Yisrael is such a country. When one has breached the coastal defences, or conquered the mountain ranges, it is as if one had broken through the gates of the fortified walls around a city. This is why the Torah here describes such a victory as “inheriting the gates of one’s enemies.” We find a similar expression used in Nachum 3,13 פתח נפתחו שערי ארצך, “the gates of your country will be completely open.” The prophet refers to the country lying at the mercy of an invader. G’d added further:

And I will surely multiply: The intent is not quantitative multiplication. For behold he was already blessed with [being] like the dust of the earth (Genesis 12:16). Rather this multiplication is largeness of the soul, like above 17:2. So here the seed of Avraham was blessed with the commandment of the sanctification of [God's] name - as it is found in Sanhedrin [in the] chapter [entitled] Ben Sorer ouMoreh, that Israel is commanded about the sanctification of [God's] name, but the nations of the world are not. And it is understood that this only glorifies Israel. For behold, a civilized person will not request from his fellow to cut off his hand for the sake of his [own] life. But that is not the case from his son, whom he loves like his [own] soul, and whom he knows about himself that he would do the same for the sake of his son's life. It is [hence] no wonder that it is likewise fitting that the son should do so for the sake of his father. It comes out that this desire shows [their] soulful love, since they are both like one body, and [that] he would give everything he has for his life. And so did the Holy One, blessed be He, command His children - who are His portion, may He be blessed and the bearers of His Kingship - to give over their lives on account of His name and His glory, which is, as it were, His life. It is as it is written (Numbers 14:21), "However, just as I live and the Glory of the Lord fills the entire land," and as I have written in explantion of that verse there (Haamek Davar on Numbers 14:21) and in several places. [But] this is not the case with the nations of the world, as they are removed from Him, may He be blessed. And Avraham merited this deed so that his children would attain largeness of the soul to willingly give themselves over on account of the sanctification of [God's] name, may He be blessed. And God said that this multiplication would be in two aspects: The first is as the stars of the sky - these are the greats in knowledge, who shine in their generations like the stars of the sky. And they also give merit to the masses, in that which they give themselves over and are killed for the sanctification of [God's] name. And the second is and like the sand on the seashore - these are the masses of the people. When they come to the sanctification of [God's] name, they give themselves over with a good heart. And this is such that the idolaters are compared to the seas, as it is written in the book of Isaiah (17:12), "they roar like the raging seas." And it is written in the Song of Songs (8:7), "Great waters will not quench the love," which is referring to the idolaters. And the waves of the sea futilely appear as if they are flooding the sand around it. And in fact, [the sea] sometimes floods over many grains of sand surrounding it without number. Yet they are nevertheless broken on account of the sand. Likewise are the nations of the world not able to flood the largeness of their souls and their inner strength. And see Bava Batra 8 (7b) - as they explained the statement of David, "I count them; they exceed the sand" (Psalms 139:18), like this: "Just like the sand [...] protects from the sea [etc.]."

בי נשבעתי, “I have sworn to Myself that I will greatly bless you/ you.”

One for the father and one for the son. It seems to me that Rashi means that both blessings are for Yitzchok: one in his own merit and the other in Avraham’s merit. This is the meaning of “One for the father and one for the son.” (Nachalas Yaakov)

וירש זרעך את שער אויביו. Wird hier darauf hingewiesen, dass seine Nachkommen auch Feinde haben werden, so steht dies wohl im Zusammenhange mit den Verirrungen, auf welche, wie zum Vers 16 bemerkt, eben in dem בי נשבעתי hingeblickt wird. Israel wird Kämpfe haben, allein zuletzt werden ihm die Tore seiner Feinde zu Erbe fallen. Schwerlich ist hier an eine kriegerische Eroberung zu denken. War das doch nie Israels Bestimmung. Vielmehr scheint es in dem Sinne zu nehmen sein, wie in תהלים wiederholt die höchste Vollendung der Gestaltung der Verhältnisse durch: צדיקים יירשו ארץ ausgedrückt wird, dass die letzte Entwicklung der Erde den Gerechten zufallen werde, alle anderen Potenzen werden geschwunden sein, und nur das sittlich Rechte wird die Leitung erhalten. Also auch hier: zuletzt wird שער, das Forum, d. i. die soziale und politische Gestaltung eben der Völker, die Israels Prinzip feindlich bekämpft, Israel zufallen, und sie werden sich an Israel und durch Israel den auf allen anderen Wegen vergebens angestrebten Segen gewinnen.

.וכחול אשר על שפת הים, and like the sand on the beaches of the sea. This promise became fulfilled during the reign of King Solomon. (Kings 5,9)

והרבה ארבה AND I WILL GREATLY MULTIPLY— once for the father, and once for the son (Genesis Rabbah 56:11).

And the comparison of the sand indicates the time when the nations rise up against Israel to destroy them, but they cannot [defeat] them. This is like the waves that go up as if they wanted to flood the whole world. But immediately when they reach the sand, they are broken. So too are the nations, as it is stated (Psalms 42:8), "all Your breakers and waves have swept over me." However they are not able to [defeat] them, because they fall and break there. That is why it called them, "Your breakers." That is why Israel is compared to this sand that breaks the waves. As they are not able to pass the sand; for the sand is the statute and the limit of the sea. So too are the nations not able to destroy Israel. Therefore when Esav came to meet Yaakov, Yaakov said in his prayer (Genesis 32:13), "You have said, I will do very good with you, and I will make your offspring like the sands of the sea." Why did he mention specifically the promise of the sand and not mention the stars, which have two advantages - numerousness and greatness? And he also did not [even] mention an expression of increase, but rather, "and I will make your offspring like the sands of the sea!" Rather, it is that since this is a promise that their enemies will not be able to [defeat] them, so too will Esav not be able to injure him. And for this reason, he mentioned specifically the sand that is at the shore of the sea. For is there no other sand in the world besides it? Rather, it is because it breaks the waves, as mentioned. That is why, "as the sand on the shore of the sea," is stated here. But what is the relationship of this to "and your descendants will inherit the gate of their enemies?" Rather it is in the way of, "not [only] this, but also that." As it is not [only] this, that they will be like the sand that the waves - meaning the enemies - are not able to [defeat]; but rather also that, that they will inherit the gate of their enemies and will be able [to defeat] them.

And your descendants will inherit the gate of their enemies: In many places, the gate is the meeting place of sages and the greats of the province. So he was blessed that, in the end, it will occur that Israel will sit at the gates of the nations that pursued them in hatred.

ככוכבי השמים וכחול, by this simile, and especially the repeated reference to two different hyperboles, He wanted to reinforce the meaning of this promise. Up until now, the only simile for the multiplying of Avraham’s seed had been the expression כעפר הארץ, “as the dust of the earth.” (13,15) On another occasion (15,5) the comparison had been to the stars. Now, two comparisons are mentioned, showing that the blessing had been reinforced.
והתברכו בזרעך, this too is an additional dimension of the promise made to Avraham concerning his offspring.

And the comparison of the dirt indicates the time of lowliness. For at the time when they will be like dirt to be trampled on upon the lowest floor, they will rise up from there, from their lowly state, and expand in every direction - as it is written (Genesis 28:14), "And your descendants shall be as the dust of the earth, and you shall expand to the west, to the east." And it as it is written (Psalms 44:26), "We lie prostrate in the dust." And what is written after it? "Arise and help us" (Psalms 44:27). And the reason of the matter is because Israel does not seek God with all of their hearts except at the time when they are at their lowest point - as is known from the ways of all of the generations and our generation. And perhaps the comparison of dirt is hinting to the exile of Egypt, since the Egyptians were plowing on their backs (Sotah 11b), like dirt which is plowed upon. And this will be explained further later, Parashat Vayetzeh (Kli Yakar on Genesis 28:13), with God's help.

וירש, one of the letters י that we would have expected as part of this word is missing. It is the י which is part of the root of the verb ירש. The י which does appear is the one describing the future tense indirect speech masculine. [this is common for roots beginning with the letter י. Ed.]

כי ברך, we already explained the meaning of the repetition of such formulations.