Parshas Lech Lecha
1. It has already been discussed many times that although it is not certain that the names of the sidros of the Torah are mentioned in the Talmud[1] [as we find with the names of the books of Nach, which are all enumerated in the Gemara[2]; and likewise there are mentioned in the Mishnah[3] and Gemara[4] the names of almost all the tractates of the Talmud[5]], there is nevertheless sufficient proof that these are Torah names, from the fact that it is certain that for more than a thousand years it has been accepted among the Jewish people to call the sidros by these very names[6].
And all the more so, kal vachomer, from what we find regarding names that must be written in legal documents: if a person has been established for thirty days with a certain name, the law is ruled in Torah that this is his name[7]. How much more so in our case — where the sidros have been established with their names for hundreds upon hundreds of years, and especially since they are so called by the great sages and teachers of Israel[8] — these are certainly their names according to Torah.
It follows, then, that the inner content of the entire sidrah is alluded to in the name[9] that Torah has designated for it; and this is so even if one were to assume[10] that the names were originally given only because they represent the opening words of the sidros. For since in practice the entire sidrah is designated (according to Torah) by that name [and in Torah one cannot say that the connection between matters comes about simply by chance, G‑d forbid; for even in worldly matters nothing happens by accident[11]], one must accept that the name carries within it the content of the entire sidrah[12].
Consequently this is so also regarding the parshah of Lech Lecha: all the matters related in the entire sidrah, up to the very last verse — their inner content is "Lech Lecha."
2. The general meaning of "going" ("lech") for a Jew (beginning with the first Jew, Avraham — in our parshah) indicates, understandably, the manner in which he "goes" in the essence and purpose of his creation, for he was "created to serve his Maker"[13]; that is, to go ever higher in his service of G‑d, rising from one level to the next. And all the more so when it comes to the directive of "Lech Lecha"[14], whose meaning — "go to yourself" — is[15] that Avraham our father should reach and attain his essence, the root of his soul: this is certainly a "going" that indicates an exceedingly lofty ascent.
Accordingly the question arises: It is understandable regarding the beginning of the sidrah, where it relates how Avraham carried out the command "Go from your land, from your birthplace and from your father's house" and went to the Land of Israel, and likewise how afterwards, within the Land of Israel itself, he was "going and traveling toward the south"[16], meaning that he went ever further toward the side of Jerusalem and the Beis HaMikdash[17] — it is understandable that these details express the progression "from strength to strength," to an ever higher place and level in holiness;
But immediately afterwards the sidrah relates: "There was a famine in the land, and Avram went down to Egypt"[18] — how Avraham had to leave the Land of Israel and descend into Egypt. How, then, can the story of a descent accord with (let alone be alluded to in) the name "Lech Lecha," which indicates, on the contrary, ascent upon ascent?
3. Moreover: besides the fact that leaving the Land of Israel for Egypt was in itself a descent, as the verse says, "and Avram went down to Egypt" (which also means a spiritual descent), the cause of the descent as well — the "famine in the land" that led to "went down… to Egypt" — was a great concealment and hiddenness.
One can ask: When Avraham our father left his native land, G‑d had promised him, "I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great" — and in the end, upon arriving "to the land that I will show you," there was actually a "famine in the land," and Avraham had to go away from there?
And although this was a test[19], and through Avraham our father withstanding it (as the Midrash says[20], "he did not complain and did not protest") he himself was elevated even higher[21] — nevertheless, the intent of "Lech Lecha" was not merely for the sake of Avraham's own elevation. Rather, as the Midrash[22] gives the parable of a "flask of balsam" (a vessel of spices) that lay sealed in a corner, so that its fragrance did not spread round about, and once "it was moved about, its fragrance spread," so too G‑d said to Avraham our father: "Move yourself from place to place, and your name will become great in the world."
That is: the intent of "Lech Lecha" was that wherever Avraham would come, the Name of Heaven would through him become publicized and sanctified. For this is the true meaning of "your name will become great" that was said to Avraham our father[23] — his name is nothing other than the Name of Heaven.
By contrast, it is understood that the fact that soon after Avraham our father arrived in the Land of Israel a famine broke out there brought about no sanctification of the Name of Heaven, but rather its opposite: the gentiles had the opportunity to claim that because a Jew who serves G‑d had come here, the famine had come about. It turns out, then, that this seemingly undermined the entire intent contained in "Lech Lecha."
4. In addition to all this, this very descent of "and Avram went down to Egypt" was the cause that led to the event of "and the woman was taken to Pharaoh's house." And although in actuality G‑d protected her there from anything undesirable (to the point that he did not touch her, G‑d forbid[24]), nevertheless, the very fact that she was taken into "Pharaoh's house" was already a great descent (especially since, as is known[25], through this Pharaoh received nurture from holiness). And particularly when one sees that even before Avraham came to Egypt, when it was no more than "he drew near to come to Egypt," it had already effected a certain descent in Avraham, in that then[26] there came about "I now know that you are a woman of beautiful appearance."
As is known, it is cited in the name of the Baal Shem Tov[27] that Avraham our father, being a chariot for G‑d — to the extent that our Sages say, "the Patriarchs are the chariot"[28] — was "bound in his thought, constantly, to the root of thought"; therefore until then he did not know that Sarah was of beautiful appearance — despite the fact that he had also seen her earlier[29] — because his thought was constantly "not in the place of physical sight." But on coming close to Egypt, the air of Egypt affected him (in the subtlest of ways[30]), so that "he descended from his level, and thoughts from the level of shevirah began to come to him," to the point of "Behold now I know that you are a woman of beautiful appearance."
This is altogether not understood: how can all these matters, which are related in our parshah, be called by the name "Lech Lecha," which indicates ascent from strength to strength?
5. In order to understand all this, one must first preface the inner explanation of "the deeds of the fathers are a sign for the children": it means not merely a sign, an indication, that what happens to the fathers will happen likewise to their children; rather, the "deeds of the fathers" themselves are what bring about what later happens to the children[31]. As it is stated in the Zohar[32], "and Avram went down to Egypt" brought about the Egyptian exile — from which it is understood that likewise "and Avram went up from Egypt"[33] called forth the later ascent and exodus from the Egyptian exile; and that because Avraham our father's departure from Egypt was in the manner of "very heavy with cattle, with silver and with gold"[34], therefore the exodus from the Egyptian exile was also to take place in the manner of "and afterwards they will go out with great wealth"[35].
And just as the exodus from Egypt itself came about through the deeds of the fathers, so too the merit through which the Jews went out of Egypt — "because they guarded themselves from the sin of immorality"[36] — this merit too they received through the "deeds of the fathers": the fact that Sarah was in Pharaoh's house and "fenced herself off from immorality" gave the Jews the strength that, being in the exile of Egypt, "the nakedness of the land," they would guard themselves from forbidden relations, and that the Egyptians would be unable to have any dominion over the Jewish women[37] — just as Pharaoh king of Egypt could not even touch Sarah our mother[38].
6. Accordingly it will be understood that the inner content of "and Avram went down to Egypt" too is alluded to in "Lech Lecha": since the purpose of "and Avram went down to Egypt" was the subsequent ascent of "and Avram went up from Egypt… very heavy with cattle, with silver and with gold"[39]
— and similar to how the Egyptian exile was in order[40] to extract from there the sparks of holiness and to go out "with great wealth" —
it follows that the "went down" was in truth the beginning of the "went up."
And similarly, one sees that the order of study in the Babylonian Talmud[41] is set out as, and consists of, questions and dialectics etc., which are seemingly a screen and a concealment over the light of the intellect of Torah (unlike the Jerusalem Talmud, which is in the manner of direct light); and nevertheless, it is precisely through the dialectic, with its many questions etc., that one afterwards arrives at the depth of the halachah, far more than what one can attain through the mode of study of the Jerusalem Talmud. That is why, where there is a dispute between the Bavli and the Yerushalmi, the halachah follows[42] the Babylonian Talmud[43].
Now just as, regarding the concealment and hiddenness in the Babylonian Talmud, it is plainly understood that the study of the questions is part of the clarification of the halachah that comes through it, so too with "and Avram went down to Egypt": since this descent is a necessary preparation for the "went up" in the manner of "very heavy with cattle etc.," it is itself nothing other than a part of the ascent.
And just as this is so regarding "and Avram went down to Egypt" and the later Egyptian exile — that since their aim and purpose is the exodus and ascent from Egypt, they are therefore themselves a part of the ascent —
so too with the present exile (the Egyptian exile being the root of all the exiles[44]): Since the intent of the exile is, as our Sages say[45], "The Holy One, blessed be He, exiled Israel among the nations only so that converts would be added to them" — in order to refine the sparks that are found in exile, through which the Jews will rise to an even higher level than that of the time of the Beis HaMikdash, as it is written[46], "The glory of this latter House shall be greater than that of the first" — it is understood that the present and final descent is itself a beginning and a part of that coming ascent.
7. The lesson from this in our service:
When one considers the state of the world in which one finds oneself — how the darkness grows stronger from day to day, as our Sages say[47], "Each and every day is more [cursed] than the one before" — one could fall into despair, G‑d forbid, and begin to think hopelessly: where does one have the strength to prevail over the darkness and illuminate the world with the light of Torah and mitzvos?
— The answer to this is that all the descents, concealments and hiddennesses are only an external matter; but inwardly it is, on the contrary, as follows: since the world does not run by itself, G‑d forbid, but G‑d conducts it, and it is certain that G‑d's intent in everything He carries out in the world — including what outwardly looks like darkness and descent — is that the world should thereby become refined and elevated, and the descent itself is in truth only a preparation for and a part of the ascent, it follows that from day to day the world becomes higher and more refined, until it reaches its ultimate perfection, when it will become a dwelling place for Him, may He be blessed.
8. One must still understand, however: It is true that "The steps of a man are established by G‑d"[48] — that wherever a person goes and comes, although it seems to him that he did so of his own will, it is in truth because G‑d wanted him to go and come there (and this itself is the cause of the person's will, because in such a will of a person the Supernal Will is felt[49]);
— this is indeed so in all ordinary, everyday conduct in the world. But regarding Torah and mitzvos, man was given free choice to do as he wishes[50], to the point that he can even commit a transgression, which is contrary to the Supernal Will. How then can one say of "and Avram went down to Egypt," which (in the view of the Ramban[51]) was "a sin that he sinned," that inwardly it is an ascent?
Regarding the exile of the Jewish people in general, it is understandable: although "we were exiled from our land" came about "because of our sins," the "we were exiled" itself came from Above (only the sins were the cause for G‑d to bring the exile); and since all matters that come from Above are certainly intended to bring the world to its purpose and perfection, one can therefore explain that G‑d arranged the exile in such a way that it would (not only remove the blemish and descent that came about "because of our sins"[52], but also) lead to a level that is higher even than the time of the Beis HaMikdash, and consequently it is itself a part of the ascent, as explained above.
But regarding "and Avram went down to Egypt," this descent itself was seemingly — at least according to the Ramban, as mentioned — not in accordance with the Supernal Will, for it was "a sin that he sinned." How then can one say that it is a part of the ascent?
9. It has already been discussed at length on another occasion, regarding the "sins" that the Torah relates in connection with tzaddikim in general and the Patriarchs in particular, that these are not "sins" in the simple sense, G‑d forbid. For since in complete tzaddikim there is no evil inclination at all[53], and especially the Patriarchs, who "all their days" were a chariot for the Supernal Will[54], the existence of evil, G‑d forbid — which is the root of every sin — is altogether inapplicable to them.
Their "sin" consists in a lack of light ("chet" in the sense of "lacking"[55]): that within holiness itself, through them, the drawing down of a supernal light is missed. This is comparable to the diminution of light that exists Above in the chain of descending levels, where in each level there is less light than in the level above it[56].
And this does not contradict the well-known statement[57] on the verse[58], "And Avraham fell on his face and laughed, and said in his heart: Shall a child be born to one who is a hundred years old, and shall Sarah, who is ninety years old, give birth?" — that "a verse does not depart from its plain meaning"[59], "and if you will ask, how is it possible that Avraham[60] would doubt the word of G‑d — know that this is from the side of the body[61], and that even a holy body is flesh" —
for on the contrary, from the very fact that this statement uses the expression "holy body," it is understood that this was not a sin in the simple sense, since in holiness there can be no evil. One must therefore understand the meaning of the statement as follows: everything the Patriarchs did merely "from the side of the body," and because "it is flesh," was done in such a way that it can (plainly and externally) be interpreted as a sin in the simple sense[62].
10. Accordingly, one could seemingly explain the reason why "and Avram went down to Egypt" is a part of "and Avram went up etc.": because inwardly Avraham our father did this too according to the Supernal Will.
But this explanation is not sufficient. All matters related in the Torah are a directive to every Jew (including a Jew who is connected with a sin in the simple sense). One must therefore say that by relating, in Parshas Lech Lecha, the story of "and Avram went down to Egypt," which is interpreted as a sin in the simple sense, the Torah intends to give a directive to every Jew: even when he has committed a sin in the simple sense, which is contrary to the Supernal Will, he must know that inwardly he is constantly (even at the time of committing the sin) ascending from level to level.
11. The explanation of this (at least in brief) is as follows:
Among the fundamentals of faith (also according to nigleh[63]) is that a Jew believes that G‑d is the sole Master over the entire world, and apart from Him no one has any dominion over the conduct of the world. For all the stars and spheres, and even the angels, are merely "like an axe in the hand of the one who chops with it"[64], and they act only "by the will and command"[65] of G‑d. And those who assume that certain created beings are able to do something according to their own will (even when they admit that the action of the created beings comes from the power that G‑d gave them, but they hold that the created beings have choice over this power, whether to act with it or not) — this contradicts "our faith in the oneness of the Holy One, blessed be He"[66].
From this it is understood also regarding a person, that all the matters he does, even the matters that concern Torah and mitzvos (regarding which he was given free choice), are[67] "according to the Supernal Providence and according to His blessed will"[68]. The difference lies in this: the Supernal Will regarding the externality of the worlds, since it is (the externality of the will, and therefore[69]) related to creation in a "close" manner, is felt in the created beings, and consequently[70] it compels them to act according to the Supernal Will; whereas the Will relating to Torah and mitzvos, since it is (the level of the innermost will, and consequently[71] it is) removed from creation, is therefore not "sensed" in a person, and consequently[72] it does not compel him in this — so that every action of a person with regard to Torah and mitzvos is done according to his own choice[73].
12. In light of the above it is understood that also the descents in the world and in people that are brought about by a person's deeds and according to his free choice — since they too are "according to the Supernal Providence," and consequently lead to a certain purpose — they too, the descents, are a part of that purpose.
And although the act of sin itself is certainly contrary to the Supernal Will[74], the state of descent in the world and in the person that is brought about by the sin is not something contrary to the Supernal Will[75]; that is, it is not a true descent, but a part of the ascent that comes through it.
13. And this is the lesson of the fact that the story of "and Avram went down to Egypt" was placed in Parshas "Lech Lecha": in whatever state a Jew may find himself, even in an exceedingly low and debased state, and even when he himself brought about this bad state of his by choosing evil — and since "he has lost himself," it is "fitting for him to weep and lament over his sins and over what he has done to his soul, repaying it with evil"[76] —
nevertheless, let a person not despair, G‑d forbid, and think that his hope is lost. For since his present condition too comes, besides from his own choice, from the Supernal Providence, it therefore leads him (through teshuvah etc.) to an exceedingly lofty elevation[77], so that through teshuvah he can refine even the sparks of holiness that are found in "intentional sins" and transform them into "merits"[78].
And although the sins themselves, since they are contrary to the Supernal Will, are indeed such that "their shattering[79] is their rectification"[80] — nevertheless, regarding the state of the person, he must know that through the sin too there came to him (inwardly and in a hidden way) a place for an elevation: he has the power — and the promise that "none shall be banished from Him"[81] means that he will certainly bring this power into actuality — to refine even the sparks within the "intentional sins" and transform them into "merits," which are higher even than the merits of tzaddikim.
(From talks of Shabbos Parshas Chayei Sarah 5703 and 5725, and of Chag HaShavuos 5721)
Key Lesson
The whole of Parshas Lech Lecha, even Avraham's going down to Egypt, is "Lech Lecha," ascent upon ascent, because a descent whose purpose is the going up that follows is itself the beginning of that ascent, just as the questions of the Babylonian Talmud are part of reaching the depth of the halachah. The same holds for the present exile, which leads to a level higher than the time of the Beis HaMikdash. And it holds even for a Jew who has fallen through his own wrong choices: since his state is also governed by Divine Providence, he must never despair, for through teshuvah he can refine the sparks hidden even in his sins and turn them into merits higher than those of tzaddikim.