Lech Lecha: Chapter 9

"So Abraham departed, as Hashem had spoken to him..."

Synopsis

It is explained that every man has angels who accompany him everywhere, recording every single action and deed, large and small. The Zohar then exaplins the Final Day of Judgment . The angels come forth during this time and present a list of all our actions, positive and negative, so that we can acknowledge them. The Zohar goes on to declare that no matter how negative a person's actions might become, we should never cast them aside and disregard them.

Relevance

Mankind's nature is to disregard or justify its insensitive and intolerant behavior. Regardless, we are eventually held accountable for all of our actions. An awareness of the gravity and severity of our negative behavior, even apparently insignificant actions, is imbued into our consciousness by virtue of this passage. This will inspire us to treat others with the same compassion and tolerance that we desire for ourselves.

Abram Canaan

49. Rabbi Elazar said, Come and behold: it is not written, "So Abraham left, as Hashem had spoken to him," but rather that Abraham "departed (lit. 'went') (Heb. vayelech)," as it is written, "Get you out" (Heb. lech lecha). This is so written because they had already left, as it is written, "and they went out with them from Ur of the Chaldeans to go to the land of Canaan." Therefore, it is written, "departed" rather than "left."

49. וַיֵּלֶךְ אַבְרָם כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר אֵלָיו ה'. אָמַר רָבִּי אֶלְעָזָר, תָּא חֲזֵי, דְּהָא לָא כְתִיב וַיֵּצֵא אַבְרָם כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר אֵלָיו ה'. אֶלָּא וַיֵּלֶךְ. כד"א לֶךְ לְךָ. דְּהָא יְצִיאָה בְּקַדְמֵיתָא עֲבָדוּ, דִּכְתִיב, וַיֵּצְאוּ אִתָּם מֵאוּר כַּשְׂדִּים לָלֶכֶת אַרְצָה כְּנָעַן. וְהַשְׁתָּא כְּתִיב וַיֵּלֶךְ, וְלָא כְתִיב וַיֵּצֵא.

Abraham Deeds Judgment Lot Righteous

50. "As Hashem had spoken to him..." THIS MEANS according to all the promises He gave him. The words, "and Lot went with him," mean that Lot accompanied Abraham to learn from his behavior. Even so, Lot did not learn much. Rabbi Elazar said, Happy are the righteous who study the ways of the Holy One, blessed be He, in order to follow them and be in awe of Him - in awe of that day of judgment when man will have to account for his deeds before the Holy one, blessed be He.

50. כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר אֵלָיו ה'. דְּאַבְטַח לֵיהּ בְּכָלְהוֹ הַבְטָחוֹת. וַיֵּלֶךְ אִתּוֹ לוֹט, דְּאִתְחַבַּר עִמֵּיהּ, בְּגִין לְמֵילַף מֵעוֹבָדוֹי, וְעִם כָּל דָּא לָא אוֹלִיף כּוּלֵי הַאי. אָמַר רָבִּי אֶלְעָזָר זַכָּאִין אִינוּן צַדִּיקַיָּיא, דְּאוֹלְפֵי אָרְחוֹי דְּקֻדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, בְּגִין לְמֵיהַךְ בְּהוֹ, וּלְדָחֲלָא מִנֵּיהּ, מֵהַהוּא יוֹמָא דְדִינָא, דְּזַמִּין בַּר נָשׁ לְמֵיהַב דִּינָא וְחוּשְׁבָּנָא לְקֻדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא.

Body Death and the Afterlife Hands Job Soul, The

51. He opened the discussion, saying, "He seals up the hand of every man; that all men whom He has created may know His work." (Iyov 37:7). This passage has already been explained. But come and behold, When the days of man are over and he is about to leave this world, on that day when the body is broken and the soul has to leave it, then that person is permitted to see what he has not been able to see when the body was in control, and he understands things completely.

51. פְּתַח וַאֲמַר, בְּיַד כָּל אָדָם יַחְתּוֹם לָדַעַת כָּל אַנְשֵׁי מַעֲשֵׂהוּ. הַאי קְרָא אוֹקְמוּהָ. אֲבָל תָּא חֲזֵי, בְּהַהוּא יוֹמָא, דְּאַשְׁלִימוּ יוֹמוֹי דְּבַר נָשׁ לַאֲפָקָא מֵעָלְמָא, הַהוּא יוֹמָא, דְּגוּפָא אִתְבַּר, וְנַפְשָׁא בָּעְיָא לְאִתְפָּרְשָׁא מִנֵּיהּ. כְּדֵין, אִתְיְיהֵיב רְשׁוּ לְבַר נָשׁ לְמֶחֱמֵי, מַה דְּלָא הֲוָה לֵיהּ רְשׁוּ לְמֶחֱמֵי, בְּזִמְנָא דְּגוּפָא שָׁלְטָא, וְקָאֵים עַל בּוּרְיֵיהּ.

Hands Sin

52. Three messengers stand over him and take an account of his days and his sins and all that he has done in this world. And he openly admits everything, and after that he signs it, THE ACCOUNT, with his hand. As it is written, "He seals up the hand of every man..."

52. וּכְדֵין קָיְימֵי עֲלֵיהּ תְּלַת שְׁלִיחָן, וְחָשְׁבֵי יוֹמוֹי וְחוֹבוֹי, וְכָל מַה דַּעֲבַד בְּהַאי עָלְמָא, וְהוּא אוֹדֵי עַל כֹּלָּא בְּפוּמֵיהּ. וּלְבָתַר הוּא חָתִים עֲלֵיהּ בִּידֵיהּ. הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, בְּיַד כָּל אָדָם יַחְתּוֹם.

Body Deeds Hands Sin

53. And all DEEDS AND SINS are signed with his hand, so a man can be judged for all of his actions in this world, the early and the recent, the old and the new - not even one of them is forgotten. Therefore, it is written, "that all men whom He has made may know His work." JUST AS all of the actions he committed in this world WERE together in body and in spirit, so he must account FOR THEM WHILE HE IS STILL together in body and spirit, before he leaves this world.

53. וּבִידֵיהּ כָּלְהוֹ חֲתִימִין לְמֵידַן לֵיהּ, בְּהַאי עָלְמָא, עַל קַדְמָאֵי, וְעַל בַּתְרָאֵי, עַל חַדְתֵּי וְעַל עַתִּיקֵי. לָא אִתְנְשֵׁי חַד מִינַּיְיהוּ, הה"ד לָדַעַת כָּל אַנְשֵׁי מַעֲשֵׂהוּ. וְכָל אִינוּן עוֹבָדִין דַּעֲבַד בְּהַאי עָלְמָא, בְּגוּפָא וְרוּחָא. הָכֵי נָמֵי יָהִיב חוּשְׁבְּנָא בְּגוּפָּא וְרוּחָא, עַד לָא יִפּוֹק מֵעָלְמָא.

Death and the Afterlife Righteous Wicked Wickedness

54. Come and behold, just as the sinners are stiff-necked in this world, so are they stiff-necked when they are about to leave this world. Therefore, blessed is that person who studies the ways of the Holy One, blessed be He, while in this world, so that he may follow them. But the wicked person, even though he sees these righteous people, stiffens his neck and refuses to learn from them.

54. תָּא חֲזֵי, כַּמָה דְחַיָּיבַיָא, אַקְשֵׁי קְדַל בְּהַאי עָלְמָא, ה"נ, אֲפִילּוּ בְּשַׁעְתָּא דְּבָעֵי לְנַפְקָא מֵהַאי עָלְמָא, אַקְשֵׁי קְדַל. בְּגִין כָּךְ זַכָּאָה הוּא בַּר נָשׁ, דְּיָלִיף בְּהַאי עָלְמָא אָרְחוֹי דְּקֻדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, בְּגִין לְמֵיהַךְ בְּהוֹ. וְחַיָּיבָא, אַף עַל גָּב דְּאִסְתַּכַּל בְּהַנֵּי צַדִּיקַיָיא, אַקְשֵׁי קְדַל, וְלָא בָּעֵי לְמֵילַף.

Hands Righteous Wicked Wickedness

55. This is why the righteous man must hold on to him and not let go, even though the wicked person "stiffens his neck." The righteous man should hold him tight by the hand and not leave him alone, because if he lets him go, the wicked person will go and destroy the world.

55. וּבְגִין כָּךְ אִית לֵיהּ לְצַדִּיקָא, לְמִתְקַף בֵּיהּ, וְאַף עַל גָּב דְּחַיָּיבָא אַקְשֵׁי קְדַל הוּא, לָא יִשְׁבּוֹק לֵיהּ, וְאִית לֵיהּ לְאַתְקָפָא בִּידֵיהּ, וְלָא יִשְׁבּוֹק לֵיהּ, דְּאִי יִשְׁבּוֹק לֵיהּ יְהַךְ וְיַחֲרִיב עָלְמָא.

Abraham Elisha Gehazi Lot River Jordan Sodom and Amorah (Gomorrah) Tents Wicked Wickedness

56. Come and behold, we see examples in the case of Elisha who thrust away Gechazi, and in the case of Abraham and Lot. As long as Lot was with Abraham, Lot did not associate with the wicked. But as soon as he left him, it is written, "Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan...and pitched his tent toward Sodom" (Beresheet 13:11-12), followed by "And the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before Hashem exceedingly" (Ibid. 13). SO WE SEE THAT HE DID JOIN THE WICKED!

56. תָּא חֲזֵי, מִן אֱלִישָׁע דְּדָחָה לְגֵחֲזִי. וְכֵן בְּאַבְרָהָם כָּל זִמְנָא דַּהֲוָה לוֹט בַּהֲדֵיהּ, לָא אִתְחַבַּר בַּהֲדֵי רַשִּׁיעַיָּא, כֵּיוָן דְּאִתְפְּרַשׁ מִנֵּיהּ, מַה כְּתִיב וַיִּבְחַר לוֹ לוֹט אֶת כָּל כִּכַּר הַיַּרְדֵּן, וּכְתִיב וַיֶאֱהַל עַד סְדוֹם. מַה כְּתִיב בַּתְרֵיהּ, וְאַנְשֵׂי סְדוֹם רָעִים וְחַטָּאִים לַה' מְאֹד.

Abram Haran

57. Rabbi Aba said TO RABBI ELAZAR, You noted that it is written, "Abraham went," rather than 'Abraham left,' BECAUSE THEY HAD ALREADY LEFT. This is well but at the end of the verse, it is written, "when he departed out of Charan..." SO THE VERSE DOES MENTION LEAVING - EVEN THOUGH HE HAD ALREADY LEFT. Rabbi Elazar responded that it is written, "out of Charan," but the main departure was that from the land of his birthplace, which had already occurred. THIS IS NOT THE SAME AS THE DEPARTURE FROM CHARAN THAT IS MENTIONED TOGETHER WITH "GET YOU OUT." SO WE MAY SAY HERE, "WHEN HE LEFT CHARAN."

57. אָמַר רָבִּי אַבָּא, הַאי דַּאֲמַרְתְּ וַיֵּלֶךְ אַבְרָם, וְלָא כְתִיב וַיֵּצֵא אַבְרָם, שַׁפִּיר הוּא. אֲבָל, סוֹפָא דִקְרָא, מַה כְּתִיב, בְּצֵאתוֹ מֵחָרָן. אָמַר רָבִּי אֶלְעָזָר, מֵחָרָן כְּתִיב, וְהַהִיא יְצִיאָה מֵאֶרֶץ מוֹלַדְתּוֹ הֲוַת בְּקַדְמֵיתָא.

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