Shabbos Parashas Lech Lecha - 5777

Shabbos Parashas Lech Lecha - 5777

Rabbi Hal Miller

He said, "My Lord, Hashem G-d, how will I know that I am to inherit it?" [Bereishis 15:8]

At first, this question seems highly impertinent. After Hashem promised Avraham that his

descendants would inherit the land, Avraham asks for some kind of proof. What is Avraham

actually asking here?

Radak and others say that this question cannot mean what it appears at first glance. The

man who had just been credited by G-d for being all the things he was, could not be

understood in such a lowly fashion.

Rav Moshe Feinstein gives us the classical answer. "Avraham knew that Eretz Yisrael would

be given to his descendants only if they proved themselves worthy of it." He goes on to

note that this justified Avraham's worry, as the people who left Egypt all died in the desert.

He then notes that this worry would have been fully correct had Hashem used His attribute

of strict justice upon the people, but as the next verse specifies, "he considered it a kindness."

We could interpret this answer as Avraham knowing that Hashem would forgive him for asking.

Ramban understands Avraham's question to be out of sympathy and mercy for the Canaanites.

If G-d kicked them out of the land, then for the same reasons, He might kick the Jews out.

Even moreso, if the Canaanites repented, He might give it back to them, which is what Avraham

expected, as he liked to think the best of all people. Thus he wanted assurance that G-d would

not take the same action against the future generations of Jews that He took against their

predecessors in the land.

Rav Hirsch compares G-d's promise here with that of other places in the text. Elsewhere, He

says, "to your descendants I will give the land", but here He says, "to take into their possession."

While it may seem small, there is a difference. Elsewhere, G-d promised the land unconditionally.

Here He is requiring an action on the part of the Jews, taking it. Avraham caught that, and was

asking what it was that his descendants need to do to achieve this.

Rashi explains that Avraham was not asking for a sign here for himself, but asking what

merit his descendants would have that would guarantee G-d's never backing off from

this promise. G-d's response was to show Avraham the sacrifice service that would be performed

in the Temple by his descendants. Nechama Leibowitz says that this means G-d Himself would

atone in the future for the Jewish people.

Malbim tells us that Avraham knew the plan of Creation, and that it was not his destiny there

to have children. His question was, I know I'm not going to have this, so how might I know that

this has been changed? Malbim writes, "G-d answered that Avram was above these sorts of

forces, and that the system that influenced the rest of the world would not withhold from Avram

that which he deserved."

No matter how we read our verse, it is clear that Avraham was not being impertinent. He was

looking to understand the path forward, what he and his descendants would need to do to

earn G-d's favor and deserve the land.