Lech Lecha: Chapter 7

"And from the wicked their light is withheld"

Synopsis

When one behaves in a negative manner, he immediately disconnects himself from the Light of the Creator. Moreover, negative deeds also block and prevent an individual from receiving any spiritual Light from the righteous souls who are in this world to share their Light with all mankind.

Relevance

Every act of negative behavior can be likened to draping a layer of cloth over a lamp. Life grows progressively darker. We remove these veils from ourselves through the letters and lessons of this section so that we may receive all the Light that is ever-present from the devout souls who dwell among us in our generation.

Abraham Canaan

34. Rabbi Elazar was sitting before his father, Rabbi Shimon, together with Rabbi Yehuda, Rabbi Yitzchak, and Rabbi Chizkiyah. Rabbi Elazar asked Rabbi Shimon why it is written, "Get you out of your country, and from your kindred" in the singular. Since they all left UR OF THE CHALDEANS to go to THE LAND OF CANAAN, why was Abraham not told that they all should go?

34. ר' אֶלְעָזָר, הֲוָה יָתֵיב קַמֵּיהּ דְּרָבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אֲבוֹי, וַהֲוֵי עִמֵיהּ, ר' יְהוּדָה, וְרַבִּי יִצְחָק, וְרַבִּי חִזְקִיָּה. אָמַר לוֹ ר' אֶלְעָזָר לְרָבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אֲבוֹי, הַאי דִכְתִיב, לֶךְ לְךָ מֵאַרְצְךָ וּמִמּוֹלַדְתְּךָ. כֵּיוָן דְּכָלְהוֹ נָפְקוּ לְמֵהַךְ, אַמַּאי לָא אִתְּמָר לֵיהּ דְּכָלְהוֹ יִפְקוּן.

Abraham Idolatry Repentance Terah, Abraham's Father Wicked Wickedness

35. Terach was an idol worshipper, but since his desire to leave with Abraham was truly aroused, and, as we have seen, the Holy One, blessed be He, desires that the wicked repent, as Terach started to leave with Abraham, why does it not say, "Go for yourself" in plural? Why does it say "Go for yourself" to Abraham alone?

35. דְּהָא אַף עַל גַּב דְּתֶרַח הֲוָה פְּלַח לע"ז, כֵּיוָן דְּאִתְעַר בְּאִתְעֲרוּתָא טַב לְמֵיפַק בַּהֲדֵיהּ דְּאַבְרָהָם, וְחָמִינָן קֻדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אִתְרְעֵי בִּתְיוּבְתָּא דְּחַיָּיבַיָא, וּשְׂרָא לְמֵיפַק, אַמַּאי לָא כְתִיב לְכוּ לָכֶם. אַמַּאי לְאַבְרָהָם בִּלְחוֹדוֹי לֶךְ לְךָ.

Abraham Abram Fear Fire Furnace Haran Idolatry Lot Repentance Terah, Abraham's Father Wicked

36. Rabbi Shimon replied that Terach did not leave Ur of the Chaldeans because he wanted to repent and mend his ways, but only to save himself from all the people of his land, who wanted to kill him. Particularly after they saw that Abraham was saved FROM THE FURNACE OF FIRE, they said to Terach, 'You were the one who misled us with these idols,' AND WANTED TO KILL HIM. Because he feared them, Terach left. THEREFORE, when he reached Charan, he stayed, as it is written, "So Abraham departed, as Hashem had spoken to him, and Lot went with him" (Beresheet 12:4). Terach is not mentioned in the verse!

36. אָמַר לוֹ רָבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, אִי תֵימָא, דְּתֶרַח כַּד נְפַק, מֵאוּר כַּשְׂדִּים, בְּגִין לְאַהֲדָרָא בִּתְשׁוּבָה הֲוָה, לָאו הָכֵי, אֶלָּא כַּד נְפַק, לְאִשְׁתְּזָבָא נְפַק, דַּהֲווֹ כָּלְהוֹ בְּנֵי אַרְעֵיהּ, בָּעָאן לְמִקְטְלֵיהּ. כֵּיוָן דְּחָזוֹ, דְּאִשְׁתְּזֵיב אַבְרָהָם, הֲווֹ אָמְרֵי לֵיהּ לְתֶרַח, אַנְתְּ הוּא דַּהֲוֵית מַטְעֵי לָן, בְּאִלֵּין פְּסִילִין, וּמִגּוֹ דַּחֲלָא דִּלְהוֹן, נְפַק תֶּרַח, כֵּיוָן דְּמָטָא לְחָרָן, לָא נְפַק מִתַּמָּן לְבָתַר, דִּכְתִיב וַיֵּלֶךְ אַבְרָם כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר אֵלָיו ה' וַיֵּלֶךְ אִתּוֹ לוֹט. וְאִילוּ תֶּרַח לָא כְּתִיב.

Abraham Job Light Nimrod Wicked Wickedness

37. He opened the discussion by saying, "And from the wicked their light is withheld, and the high arm shall be broken" (Iyov 38:16). This passage has already been explained. Nevertheless, "And from the wicked their light is withheld" applies to Nimrod and the people of his generation, whom Abraham left, since he was "their light." "The high arm shall be broken" alludes to Nimrod.

37. פָּתַח וְאָמַר, וַיִּמְנַע מֵרְשָׁעִים אוֹרָם וּזְרוֹעַ רָמָּה תְּשַׁבֵּר. הַאי קְרָא אוֹקְמוּהָ, אֲבָל, וַיִּמְנַע מֵרְשָׁעִים אוֹרָם, דָּא נִמְרוֹד וּבְנֵי דָּרֵיהּ, דִּנְפַק אַבְרָהָם מִנַּיְיהוּ דַּהֲוָה אוֹרָם. וּזְרוֹעַ רָמָּה תְּשַׁבֵּר, דָּא נִמְרוֹד.

Abraham Light Nimrod Terah, Abraham's Father Wicked Wickedness

38. Another explanation of the verse, "And from the wicked their light is withheld," is that it applies to Terach and his household, and "their light" is Abraham. The verse does not say 'the light,' but 'their light,' that was among them. THIS REFERS TO ABRAHAM WHO WAS AMONG THEM AND THEN LEFT. "And the high arm shall be broken" applies to Nimrod, who deceived the whole world into following him. And this is why it is written, "Get you out," so that the light may shine for you and for all who will descend from now and henceforth.

38. דָּבָר אֲחֵר, וַיִּמְנַע מֵרְשָׁעִים אוֹרָם, דָּא תֶּרַח וּבְנֵי בֵיתֵיהּ. אוֹרָם: דָּא אַבְרָהָם. הָאוֹר, לָא כְתִיב, אֶלָּא אוֹרָם, דַּהֲוָה עִמְּהוֹן. וּזְרוֹעַ רָמָּה תְּשַׁבֵּר. דָּא נִמְרוֹד, דַּהֲוָה מַטְעֵי אֲבַתְרֵיהּ, כָּל בְּנֵי עָלְמָא. וּבְגִין כָּךְ כְּתִיב לֶךְ לְךָ. בְּגִין, לְאַנְהָרָא לָךְ, וּלְכָל אִינוּן דְּיִפְקוּן מִינָךְ, מִכָּאן וּלְהָלְאָה.

Abraham Cloud House Job Light Wind

39. Furthermore, RABBI SHIMON then discussed the verse, "And now men see not the bright light which is in the clouds; but the wind passes, and cleanses them" (Iyov 37:21). "And now men see not the bright light:" when DID THAT HAPPEN? At the time when the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Abraham, "Get you out of your country, and from your kindred, and from your father's house." BECAUSE AFTER ABRAHAM HAD LEFT THEM, THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO SEE THE LIGHT ANYMORE. "The bright light which is in the clouds" ALLUDES TO ABRAHAM, because the Holy One, blessed be He, wished to attach Abraham to the supernal Light and have him shine there.

39. תּוּ פָּתַח וְאָמַר. וְעַתָּה לֹא רָאוּ אוֹר בָּהִיר הוּא בַּשְּׁחָקִים וְרוּחַ עָבְרָה וַתְּטַהֲרֵם. וְעַתָּה לֹא רָאוּ אוֹר, אֵימָתַי, בְּשַׁעֲתָא דַּאֲמַר קֻדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְאַבְרָהָם לֶךְ לְךָ מֵאַרְצְךָ וּמִמּוֹלַדְתְּךָ וּמִבֵּית אָבִיךָ. בָּהִיר הוּא בַּשְּׁחָקִים. דְּבָעָא קֻדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְאַדְבָּקָא לֵיהּ לְאַבְרָהָם, בְּהַהוּא אוֹר דִּלְעֵילָא, וּלְאַנְהָרָא תַּמָּן.

Abraham Haran Peace Soul, The Terah, Abraham's Father Wind

40. "And the wind passes, and cleanses them" refers to Terach and all the people of his town, all of whom afterwards repented. As it is written, "and the souls that they had made in Charan" (Beresheet 12:5), MEANING THAT THE PEOPLE OF CHARAN REPENTED. The verse, "And you shall come to your fathers in peace" (Beresheet 15:15), INDICATES THAT Terach HAD REPENTED, FOR THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, WOULD NOT HAVE SAID THIS TO ABRAHAM OTHERWISE.

40. וְרוּחַ עָבְרָה וַתְּטַהֲרֵם. דְּהָא לְבָתַר תָּבוּ בִּתְיוּבְתָּא, תֶּרַח וְכָל בְּנֵי מָאתֵיהּ בְּנֵי מָאתֵיהּ, דִּכְתִיב, וְאֶת הַנֶּפֶשׁ אֲשֶׁר עָשׂוּ בְחָרָן. תֶּרַח: דִּכְתִיב וְאַתָּה תָבֹא אֶל אֲבוֹתֶיךָ בְּשָׁלוֹם וגו'.

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