Lech-Lecha פָּרָשַׁת לֶךְ־לְךָ

After their return to Canaan from Egypt, Avraham and Lot have acquired much material wealth and possessions, both in portable goods and possession of animals.  At this time a quarrel breaks out among their shepherds, and this brings about the ultimate separation of uncle and nephew.  The cause of the breakup in the family was clearly the possessions that they both acquired, and how to properly care for these assets.  One could easily conclude that money once again causes family friction.  This is common in our day, as it was common in ancient times as well.  Possession of wealth easily creates friction among family members.  There can even be a fracture in a mishpacha over worldly goods.

Avraham enters into a dialogue, pressing Hashem for assurance of Avraham’s future, and they enter into the Covenant of the Pieces.  The Torah states at one point in the discussion between Hashem and Avraham (15:6) “he trusted in Hashem and He reckoned it to him as righteousness, tzedakah.”

Some commentators interpret this verse to indicate that with the assurance given to him by Hashem, Avraham considered it an act of righteousness and continued to give tzedakah as he did before as a wealthy individual who shares his assets with the less fortunate. In actuality we can see a break with the norm.  When a person is amassing wealth and has no children, his and her attention can be focused on being a most giving, charitable individual. Without children, one can afford to be a major philanthropist.

With children, one is hesitant to part with great amounts of assets because one becomes concerned with the future financial stability of their growing family. Avraham had just received a verbal assurance from the Almighty that he will be blessed with children and grandchildren.  That, in and of itself, could have altered his charity practices.  The Torah is indicating to us that this was not true, even with this assurance which he believed wholeheartedly, Avraham would continue to be as charitable as he was all along because he felt that God’s gift to him would include the assets necessary to raise the children in financial security, and still enable him to be the philanthropist he had always been.

This week’s haftorah devotes much attention to Divine Providence and Hashem’s involvement in one’s personal life.  The prophet Isaiah centers his discussion around our Patriarch Avraham and his war against the four mighty powers of his time.  Isaiah says, “Who awakened the man from the east – He who declared righteousness with His every step?  Who rendered dirt into sword, pounded straw into arrows?”  

Our Sages (Sanhedrin 109a) explain that this passage contains the inside story of Avraham’s miraculous defeat of the four mighty kings.  According to the Rabbis this passage reveals that Avraham’s mighty weapons were none other than dirt and straw.  They interpret the passage to be saying that when Avraham threw handfuls of dirt at the enemy they were transformed into swords and when he sent pieces of straw they became piercing arrows.