창세기 15:6의 주석

'והאמין בה AND HE BELIEVED IN THE LORD — He did not ask Him for a sign regarding this; but in respect to the promise that he would possess the land he asked for a sign, inquiring of God, במה אדע “By what sign shall I know [that I shall possess it?]” (Genesis 15:8).

AND HE BELIEVED IN THE ETERNAL; AND HE ACCOUNTED IT TO HIM FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS. Rashi’s explanation is: The Holy One, blessed be He, accounted it to Abraham for righteousness and merit because of the faith with which he had trusted in Him.
But I do not understand the nature of this merit. Why should he not believe in the G-d of truth, and he himself is the prophet, and G-d is not a man, that He should lie?²⁴²Numbers 23:29. Furthermore, he who believed [and on the basis of this belief was ready] to sacrifice his only son, the beloved one, and withstood the rest of the trials, how could he not believe a good tiding?
The correct interpretation appears to me to be that the verse is stating that Abraham believed in G-d and he considered it due to the righteousness of the Holy One, blessed be He, that He would give him a child under all circumstances, and not because of Abram’s state of righteousness and his reward, even though He told him, Your reward shall be very great.²⁴³Above, Verse 1. Thus from now on he would no longer have to fear that sin might prevent the fulfillment of the promise. Now although in the case of the first prophecy²⁴⁴See above, Note 223, and Ramban to Verse 2. Abraham had thought that the promise was conditional upon the recompense for his deeds, yet now since He promised him that he should have no fear on account of sin and that He will give him a child, he believed that the thing is established by G-d,²⁴⁵Further, 41:21. truth He will not turn from it.²⁴⁶Psalms 132:11. For since this is a matter of the righteousness of G-d, it has no break in continuity, even as it is written, By Myself have I sworn, saith the Eternal, the word is gone forth from My mouth in righteousness, and shall not come back.²⁴⁷Isaiah 45:23. “Saith the Eternal” is here an addition based upon Genesis 22:16.
It may be that the verse is stating that Abraham believed that he would have a child as an heir under all circumstances, but the Holy One, blessed be He, accounted to him that this promise He had assured him would in addition be as righteousness²⁴⁸Ramban is now suggesting that Abraham did consider his having a child as being a reward for his deeds, but the Holy One, blessed be He, accounted it to him as an act of righteousness in order not to diminish his future reward for his good deeds. since in His righteousness G-d did so, just as it says, G-d thought it for good.²⁴⁹Further, 50:20. A similar case is the verse regarding Phinehas: And that was accounted unto him for righteousness,²⁵⁰Psalms 106:31. meaning that the trust he [Phinehas] has in G-d when committing that particular deed²⁵¹See Numbers 25:7-8. was accounted as righteousness unto all generations since G-d will forever keep His righteousness and kindness for every generation on account of [Phinehas’ deed, and this recompense transcends any strictly merited reward]. This is similar to that which is stated, Forever will I keep for him My mercy.²⁵²Psalms 89:29.

He believed. He had utter confidence that God would fulfill His promise, even if it required a miracle.

והאמין בה׳ ויחשבה לו צדקה. He believed G'd who considered this as a merit for him. We can understand this as similar to the laws concerning vows. The Talmud (Rosh Hashanah 6) says that when one makes a promise to give charity to a sacred cause it is considered as binding or as effective as if one had already actually handed over the object of a vow to an ordinary person. Abraham qualified for a reward by merely expressing his belief in G'd's promise. You may well ask what practical benefit Abraham received by this reward seeing that neither Ishmael nor Isaac had been born as yet? This is why the Torah says that "he considered it an act of righteousness," i.e. also Abraham treated G'd's promise to him as if it had already been fulfilled.

'והאמין בה, he had already believed in G’d at the start of this prophecy, his doubts having concerned only the interpretation of the word זרעך as we have explained on verse 3. Now that G’d had added that the זרעך He had been speaking about meant biological offspring, i.e. ממעיך, and He had shown him the parable with his own eyes by showing him the stars in a prophetic vision, Avram believed in the original promise with even greater certainty, not entertaining any doubt whatsoever.

והאמין ב' ויחשבה לו צדקה, “he had full faith in the Lord, who accounted it as a righteous deed on his part.” According to Rashi the meaning is that G’d accounted it as a righteous deed on the part of Avraham to trust Him completely. Nachmanides queries why trusting G’d should be something deemed especially meritorious. He considers the idea that someone does not trust a promise by G’d when the latter had revealed Himself to him as completely preposterous. Therefore, he considers that what is meant is that Avraham considered it as an outstanding act on G’d’s part to grant him such favour. He considered that G’d granting him physical offspring was an outstanding example of G’d’s kindness to him. Having heard the last words of G’d, Avraham was no longer worried that some sin of his at a future date might invalidate this promise.

He did not ask of Him a sign concerning this ... Rashi is answering the question: Would we think that Avraham might not believe in Hashem and in his own prophecy? Avraham was a prophet! So why does it need to say, “He believed in Hashem”? Rashi answers: To tell us that “he did not [even] ask of Him a sign...” If you ask: Why did Avraham not ask for a sign regarding the promise of children, as he did regarding the inheritance of the Land? The Ramban answers: [The promise of children was between him and Hashem. But inheriting the land was dependent on the sins of the Canaanite inhabitants, thus Avraham asked for a sign.] The Re’m answers: At this point, inheriting the land was merely told to Avraham, not promised: “I am Adonoy who brought you out of Ur Kasdim with the intention to give you this land as an inheritance.” Avraham asked for a sign because this promise was not definite. But the promise of children was a definite promise and therefore he did not need a sign. But it seems to me that he did not request a sign for children because it is written (v. 5), “He took him outside and said: ‘Look ....’” And this is interpreted in Shabbos 156a to mean: “God said to him, ‘Leave your astrological calculations ... It is Avram who will have no son, but Avraham will have a son.’” Once Avram saw this marvel, he no longer needed a sign. But the inheritance of the Land was not [seen]; thus Avraham requested a sign. A further answer: Avram had doubt about inheriting the Land because Hashem did not include the promise regarding the inheritance of the Land together with the promise of children. Rather He separated the two. This cast a doubt in Avraham’s heart. (Minchas Yehudah) According to Rashi the phrase והאמין בה' seems to be unnecessary. It is obvious that Avram believed the promise of children, since he said nothing when Hashem promised him this. Therefore Rashi commented, “Concerning the inheritance of the Land he asked for a sign.” Rashi explains that והאמין בה' was written to infer from it: He believed this, and did not ask for a sign. But [for inheriting the Land] ... (R. Yaakov Kenizal)

ויחשבה, the letter ח in this word is vocalised by the semi vowel sh’va na, which has a dot above it. (not in our editions) [This indicates that the subject of this word is Avram, not G-d. Ed.]

ויחשבה לו צדקה AND HE ACCOUNTED IT UNTO HIM FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS — The Holy One, blessed be He, accounted it unto Abraham as a merit, because of the faith with which he had trusted in Him. Another explanation of במה אדע is: he did not, by these words, ask for a sign regarding this promise that he would possess the land, but he said to Him, “Tell me by what merit they (my descendants) will remain in it (the land).” God answered him, through the merit of the sacrifices (Taanit 27b).

And this He accounted. God reckoned Avraham’s trust as an act of righteousness, which proves that his subsequent inquiry, “How will I know, etc.?” could not have been an expression of doubt.

ויחשבה לו צדקה, G’d credited Avram with having performed an act of righteousness by believing so unquestioningly in His promise that he personally would become a father. In view of the fact that both he and his wife were in the process of aging, such faith was even more remarkable.

God considered it for Avram... Rashi is explaining that Hashem accounted צדקה to Avram, not Avram to Hashem. Rashi knows this because the greater one grants צדקה and חסד to the lesser one, not the reverse. (Re’m) [Alternatively,] Rashi knows this because if it meant that Avram accounted צדקה to Hashem, it would be obvious. For even if he did not see in the stars that he will be childless, he would still consider [having children] a צדקה, and would not say that he deserved it — all the more so that the stars were against it. This is why Rashi explains that “God considered it for Avram.” (R. Yaakov Kenizal)

Furthermore, seeing that G'd cannot influence whether man is G'd fearing or not, i.e. "all is in the hands of heaven except the fear of heaven" (Berachot 33), Abraham could have had doubts about G'd's promise as to the quality of his offspring. The Torah therefore gives Abraham credit for not worrying how G'd could guarantee his children would be worthy. Another way of looking at Abraham's act of faith is based on the tradition (Pessikta Zutra Lech Lecha 15,5) that the world will not lack a minimum of 30 (or 36) righteous men by whose merit it continues to exist. This tradition is based on the numerical value of the word יהיה in the previous verse. Since G'd needs these 30 צדיקים, it stands to reason that He does influence these men to be pious. If so, they can certainly not claim their righteousness as their own merit as would otherwise be the case. (Compare Deut. 6,28 וצדקה תהיה לנו that performance of the commandments will be accounted as a merit for us). Abraham may have been rewarded then for not making an issue of this, although some or all of these men may have been unduly influenced to live the lives of צדיקים.

ויחשבה לו צדקה, “Avram did not consider this promise by G-d as something that he was entitled to, but as something beyond what he had a right to expect.

By what merit will they remain in it? Accordingly, that verse is understood as if it said אדע במה אירשנה —“Let me know by what merit I shall inherit it.” The Re’m writes: According to this explanation, I do not know how Rashi will explain והאמין בה', for the [original] question stands: would we think that Avram might not believe in his own prophecy? The Re’m answers: Avram believed he would have children, without puzzling over it. But he puzzled over inheriting the land — by what merit will his descendants remain in it? But it seems to me [the answer is]: He believed his children would continue to exist even without merit, for v. 10 says, “The bird, however, he did not split.” And Rashi comments there, citing Chazal: “This signifies that Israel will exist forever.” Similarly it is written (Devarim 32:23), “I will use up My arrows on them,” and Chazal comment (Sotah 9a): “My arrows may come to an end, but Israel will not come to an end.” Whereas for the Land, he believed they would [initially] inherit it, because the merit of their forefathers would be sufficient for this, as Rashi says at the beginning of Parshas Va’eira. But he had doubt whether they would have the merit to keep it. Thus he said, “How will I know?” I.e., by what merit will my descendants keep the Land?

How will I know. Avram was concerned that his offspring might sin inadvertently and lose their right to the land. In response God revealed to him the secret of the sacrifices, through which they would receive atonement.