THE TWO MOST IMPORTANT WORDS EVER SPOKEN
Lech Lecha
It is possible that the two word’s Lech Lecha, are the most important words ever spoken. As Hashem’s first communication to the first Jew, they embody the essence of what it means to be a Jew.
Hashem is telling Avraham to travel (Lech) away from his homeland, to Eretz Yisroel. The Meforshim question what the word Lecha (literally to you) comes to add to the meaning of this command.
Rashi and the Ramban explain that the intent is “go for yourself”, that travelling to Eretz Yisroel would be a source of benefit and goodness for Avraham. There in Eretz Yisroel, Avraham would merit children, become a great nation and his reputation would spread throughout the world.
The Kabbalists take a different approach, interpreting the words Lech Lecha literally - “go to you”. The Zohar teaches that Hashem was sending Avraham on a spiritual journey to perfect himself and his level.
Pri Tzaddik elaborates on the words of the Zohar. The angels are described by the Novi as Omdim (literally standers), because they are fixed in their level. In contrast, the Neshama is called a Mehalech (a mover). A Jew’s Avodah is to be constantly refining ourselves and striving to grow and raise ourselves up from level to level.
In an amazing commentary, the Alshich writes that Hashem told Avraham “Do not think that your level in Chutz Laaretz and in Eretz Yisroel is the same. While you are in Chutz Laaretz you cannot cleave to your source and to your essence. You will remain separated from yourself. But when you travel to Eretz Yisroel, you will be travelling towards and uniting with your source and with your essence.” Lech Lecha - go to yourself - means to go to one’s essence. That essence is to cleave to Hashem.
The Alter Rebbe connects this message to end of verse “to the land that I will show you”. The word Areka can also mean “I will reveal you”. Hashem tells Avraham that through this journey, I will reveal your true self.
To reach this essence, Avraham is told to leave his land (Artzecha), his birthplace (Moladtecha) and his father’s house (Beis Avicha). The commentaries explain that this not just a physical departure, but a mental or psychological departure.
They refer to the key influences in a person’s life that can be the source of acquiring negative Middos and ways of thinking and behaving; the ways of one’s land, the influence of one’s friends and the influence of one’s parents and upbringing.
Chassidus goes a step further, explaining that one’s land, birthplace and father’s house, also refer to layers of one’s own personality, alluding to the Animalistic soul. The path of spiritual growth requires us to leave these as well.
Artzecha - refers to the course “earthy” behaviours of the animalistic soul.
Moladetcha - refers to the emotional drives and urges of the animalistic soul.
Beis Avicha - refers to the intellect and understanding and thinking of the animalistic soul.
But the journey does not end there. To reach one’s true essence, it is insufficient to leave the constraints from the negative and unholy layers of our animalistic soul. We also need to strip down the layers of our G-dly soul that also create a veil of concealment of our true essence.
Just as they refer to the attributes of our Animalistic soul, the terms Artzecha, Moladtecha and Beis Avicha allude to the different dimensions of our G-dly soul; our desire, our emotions and our intellect.
These expressions of the G-dly soul are holy. They are our desire for Hashem and to connect to Him through feeling and understanding. Their deficiency is that they are tinged with a sense of self, a personal craving for connection. It’s about “your” experience; “your land” “your birthplace” “your father’s house”.
The essence of a Jew is Kabbolas Ol, absolute surrender to Hashem; not because it makes sense, not because we understand and not because we feel, but because that is who we are and what we have to do. It’s not about us, it’s about Hashem.
This is why the Torah’s narrative of Avraham and the Jewish people starts with Lech Lecha. It is the perpetual call for us to “go to yourself”, to reveal our essence though absolute surrender to Hashem.
Hashem is telling Avraham to travel (Lech) away from his homeland, to Eretz Yisroel. The Meforshim question what the word Lecha (literally to you) comes to add to the meaning of this command.
Rashi and the Ramban explain that the intent is “go for yourself”, that travelling to Eretz Yisroel would be a source of benefit and goodness for Avraham. There in Eretz Yisroel, Avraham would merit children, become a great nation and his reputation would spread throughout the world.
The Kabbalists take a different approach, interpreting the words Lech Lecha literally - “go to you”. The Zohar teaches that Hashem was sending Avraham on a spiritual journey to perfect himself and his level.
Pri Tzaddik elaborates on the words of the Zohar. The angels are described by the Novi as Omdim (literally standers), because they are fixed in their level. In contrast, the Neshama is called a Mehalech (a mover). A Jew’s Avodah is to be constantly refining ourselves and striving to grow and raise ourselves up from level to level.
In an amazing commentary, the Alshich writes that Hashem told Avraham “Do not think that your level in Chutz Laaretz and in Eretz Yisroel is the same. While you are in Chutz Laaretz you cannot cleave to your source and to your essence. You will remain separated from yourself. But when you travel to Eretz Yisroel, you will be travelling towards and uniting with your source and with your essence.” Lech Lecha - go to yourself - means to go to one’s essence. That essence is to cleave to Hashem.
The Alter Rebbe connects this message to end of verse “to the land that I will show you”. The word Areka can also mean “I will reveal you”. Hashem tells Avraham that through this journey, I will reveal your true self.
To reach this essence, Avraham is told to leave his land (Artzecha), his birthplace (Moladtecha) and his father’s house (Beis Avicha). The commentaries explain that this not just a physical departure, but a mental or psychological departure.
They refer to the key influences in a person’s life that can be the source of acquiring negative Middos and ways of thinking and behaving; the ways of one’s land, the influence of one’s friends and the influence of one’s parents and upbringing.
Chassidus goes a step further, explaining that one’s land, birthplace and father’s house, also refer to layers of one’s own personality, alluding to the Animalistic soul. The path of spiritual growth requires us to leave these as well.
Artzecha - refers to the course “earthy” behaviours of the animalistic soul.
Moladetcha - refers to the emotional drives and urges of the animalistic soul.
Beis Avicha - refers to the intellect and understanding and thinking of the animalistic soul.
But the journey does not end there. To reach one’s true essence, it is insufficient to leave the constraints from the negative and unholy layers of our animalistic soul. We also need to strip down the layers of our G-dly soul that also create a veil of concealment of our true essence.
Just as they refer to the attributes of our Animalistic soul, the terms Artzecha, Moladtecha and Beis Avicha allude to the different dimensions of our G-dly soul; our desire, our emotions and our intellect.
These expressions of the G-dly soul are holy. They are our desire for Hashem and to connect to Him through feeling and understanding. Their deficiency is that they are tinged with a sense of self, a personal craving for connection. It’s about “your” experience; “your land” “your birthplace” “your father’s house”.
The essence of a Jew is Kabbolas Ol, absolute surrender to Hashem; not because it makes sense, not because we understand and not because we feel, but because that is who we are and what we have to do. It’s not about us, it’s about Hashem.
This is why the Torah’s narrative of Avraham and the Jewish people starts with Lech Lecha. It is the perpetual call for us to “go to yourself”, to reveal our essence though absolute surrender to Hashem.