My Musing
Often one wonders how to have a relationship with God. Abraham becomes the model for developing that relationship we seek. And it is a mutual relationship. God does for Abraham and then Abraham does for God. This week the midrash explains what God does for Abraham.
מדרש תנחומא (ורשא) פרשת לך לך סימן טוOften one wonders how to have a relationship with God. Abraham becomes the model for developing that relationship we seek. And it is a mutual relationship. God does for Abraham and then Abraham does for God. This week the midrash explains what God does for Abraham.
(בראשית טו:א) "אַחַר הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה הָיָה דְבַר יְדֹוָד אֶל אַבְרָם בַּמַּחֲזֶה לֵאמֹר, 'אַל תִּירָא אַבְרָם, אָנֹכִי מָגֵן לָךְ שְׂכָרְךָ הַרְבֵּה מְאֹד"
After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying: 'Fear not, Abram, I am thy shield, thy reward shall be exceeding great.'
זה שאמר הכתוב (משלי כח:יד) "אַשְׁרֵי אָדָם מְפַחֵד תָּמִיד וּמַקְשֶׁה לִבּוֹ יִפּוֹל בְּרָעָה" וכן כתיב (משלי יד:טז) "חָכָם יָרֵא וְסָר מֵרָע וּכְסִיל מִתְעַבֵּר וּבוֹטֵחַ"
This is what the Scripture said, " Happy is the man that feareth alway; but he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into evil." And it is written, " A wise man feareth, and departeth from evil; but the fool behaveth overbearingly, and is confident."
מהו מִגֵּן? מנגנא עשה הקדוש ברוך הוא ומסרן בידך. והיה אברהם נוטל עפר וזורק עליהן ונעשו חצים וקשתות ורמחים. שנאמר, (ישעיהו מא: ב-ג) "מִי הֵעִיר מִמִּזְרָח צֶדֶק יִקְרָאֵהוּ לְרַגְלוֹ יִתֵּן לְפָנָיו גּוֹיִם וּמְלָכִים יַרְדְּ יִתֵּן כֶּעָפָר חַרְבּוֹ כְּקַשׁ נִדָּף קַשְׁתּוֹ. יִרְדְּפֵם יַעֲבוֹר שָׁלוֹם אֹרַח בְּרַגְלָיו לֹא יָבוֹא"
Do not read it except as ' wise man departeth from evil, feareth', this refers to Abraham. That it was said to him, "fear not". What did he fear? He feared from Shem, the son of Noah, because he killed the sons of Eilam. Three sons he had. And it is written, “The sons of Shem, Eilam, and Ashur, and Arpachshad, and Lud, and Aram” and he killed them and he was scared to say, that I had killed the son of a righteous person, he will curse me and I will die.’
Said to him, the Holy One, blessed be He, “Do not fear”, that he will not curse you, rather he will greet you on the road and offer you a gift, as it says, “And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine; and he was priest of God the Most High. And he blessed him, and said: 'Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Maker of heaven and earth; and blessed be God the Most High, who hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand.' And he gave him a tenth of all.”
What is “delivered thine enemies”?, Ashield was made by the Holy One, blessed be He, and was given to his hand. And Abraham took up soil and threw it on them and it was turned into arrows, and spears. As it says, “Who hath raised up one from the east, at whose steps victory attendeth? He giveth nations before him, and maketh him rule over kings; his sword maketh them as the dust, his bow as the driven stubble. He pursueth them, and passeth on safely; the way with his feet he treadeth not.”
אמר להם הקדוש ברוך הוא לישראל, 'בעולם הזה, אתם מתיראין מן העונות. אבל לעולם הבא, שאין בו יצר הרע, אתם מתפחדין על הטוב הצפון לכם.' שנאמר, (הושע ג:ה) "אַחַר יָשֻׁבוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וּבִקְשׁוּ אֶת יְדֹוָד אֱלֹקֵיהֶם וְאֵת דָּוִד מַלְכָּם וּפָחֲדוּ אֶל יְדֹוָד וְאֶל טוּבוֹ בְּאַחֲרִית הַיָּמִים"
Said to them, the Holy One, blessed be He, to Israel, ‘In this world, you are fearful of the iniquities. But for the world top come, that has no Evil inclination, you will fear for the good that is hidden for you. As it says, “afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the LORD their God, and David their king; and shall come trembling unto the LORD and to His goodness in the end of days.”
ומהו טוּבוֹ? זה בית המקדש. שנאמר, (דברים ג:כה) "אֶעְבְּרָה נָּא וְאֶרְאֶה אֶת הָאָרֶץ הַטּוֹבָה אֲשֶׁר בְּעֵבֶר הַיַּרְדֵּן הָהָר הַטּוֹב הַזֶּה וְהַלְּבָנֹן"
And what is “His goodness”? That is the Temple. As it says, “Let me go over, I pray Thee, and see the good land that is beyond the Jordan, that goodly hill-country, and Lebanon.'”
הברכה מציון, שנאמר,(תהלים קכח:ה) "יְבָרֶכְךָ יְדֹוָד מִצִּיּוֹן וּרְאֵה בְּטוּב יְרוּשָׁלִָם כֹּל יְמֵי חַיֶּיךָ"
הטל מבורך מציון, שנאמר, (תהלים קלג:ג) "כְּטַל חֶרְמוֹן שֶׁיֹּרֵד עַל הַרְרֵי צִיּוֹן כִּי שָׁם צִוָּה יְדֹוָד אֶת הַבְּרָכָה חַיִּים עַד הָעוֹלָם"
עזר מציון, שנאמר, (תהלים כ:ג) "יִשְׁלַח עֶזְרְךָ מִקֹּדֶשׁ וּמִצִּיּוֹן יִסְעָדֶךָּ"
ישועה מציון, שנאמר, (תהלים יד:ז) "מִי יִתֵּן מִצִּיּוֹן יְשׁוּעַת יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּשׁוּב יְדֹוָד שְׁבוּת עַמּוֹ יָגֵל יַעֲקֹב יִשְׂמַח יִשְׂרָאֵל"
The blessing comes from Zion, as it says, “The LORD bless thee out of Zion; and see thou the good of Jerusalem all the days of thy life;”
Help comes from Zion as it says, “Send forth thy help from the sanctuary, and support thee out of Zion;”
Salvation comes from Zion as it says, “Oh that the salvation of Israel
were come out of Zion! When the LORD turneth the captivity of His people, let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad.”
אמר הקדוש ברוך הוא, "לעולם הבא, אני מברך אתכם מציון. שנאמר,(תהלים קלד:ג) "יְבָרֶכְךָ יְדֹוָד מִצִּיּוֹן עֹשֵׂה שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ"
ואני אברך את ציון שנאמר,(ירמיהו לא:כב) "כֹּה אָמַר יְדֹוָד צְבָאוֹת אֱלֹקֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, עוֹד יֹאמְרוּ אֶת הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה בְּאֶרֶץ יְהוּדָה וּבְעָרָיו, בְּשׁוּבִי אֶת שְׁבוּתָם יְבָרֶכְךָ יְדֹוָד נְוֵה צֶדֶק הַר הַקֹּדֶש"
אמן.
Said the Holy One, blessed be He, “In the world to come, I will bless you from Zion. As it says, “The LORD bless thee out of Zion; even He that made heaven and earth.”
And I will bless Zion, as it says, “Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: yet again shall they use this speech in the land of Judah and in the cities thereof, when I shall turn their captivity: 'The LORD bless thee, O habitation of righteousness, O mountain of holiness.'”
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