Komentaryo sa Genesis 17:22: Rashi, Ramban, Kli Yakar & Sforno

מעל אברהם [GOD WENT UP] FROM ABRAHAM — This is a more fitting expression to use of God, and we learn from it that the righteous are the Chariot of the Omnipresent God (Genesis Rabbah 47:6).

AND G-D WENT UP FROM ABRAHAM. This is an expression of respect towards G-d,⁴⁵⁸Since the Shechinah was standing beside Abraham, why then is it written, And He went up, suggesting that G-d had been above him? It is out of respect to G-d that this is so written. (Gur Aryeh.) and we learn from it that the righteous are the Chariot of the Holy One, blessed be He. Thus the language of Rashi. But the saying of the Sages in the Bereshith Rabbah⁴⁵⁹47:8. is: “It is the patriarchs⁴⁶⁰But not the other righteous. that constitute the Chariot.” This is an allusion to that which is written: Thou wilt give truth to Jacob, kindness to Abraham;⁴⁶¹Micah 7:20. And the Fear of Isaac had been on my side.⁴⁶²Further, 31:42. The student learned [in the mysteries of the Torah] will understand.

“And God went up from Abraham.” Rashi explains that from here we learn that the Patriarchs themselves are the divine chariot [merkavah] of the Omnipresent. This teaches that there is no intermediary between the Omnipresent, blessed be He, and the Patriarchs, and their partition [in heaven] is within [closer than] the partition of the ministering angels, as Rashi explained on the verse In due time it will be said of Jacob, etc. (Numbers 23:23), and as it is written (Deuteronomy 33:27), The eternal God is a dwelling place, and underneath are the everlasting arms. For the Holy One, blessed be He, dwells above, and beneath Him are the Patriarchs who are the “arms of the world,” for they, as it were, support the Throne, and as it is written (Deuteronomy 33:26), Who rides through the heavens to help you [be’ezrecha, which can also mean with your help] — meaning, You help Me, as it were, in the way that they said (Yalkut Shimoni, Psalms 60:879) that the righteous add strength to the power above, etc. And the reason why it says And God went up is so that Abraham would attend to the circumcision and not delay while the Divine Presence was with Him.