בחירתו של אברהם

R. Abin said: Abraham may be likened to a flask of oil that had been hidden away in a cemetery, the fragrance of which was unknown to anyone. What did they do with it? They removed it from the cemetery and carried it about from place to place until its fragrance became familiar throughout the world. This happened to Abraham. He dwelt among idolaters, and so the Holy One, blessed be He, commanded him: Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred in order that I may make thy nature known throughout the world. Get thee out of thy country. What is the meaning of lekh lekha (“get thee out”)? Each lamed in these words equals thirty, and each kaf equals twenty, totaling one hundred in all; thereby hinting to Abraham: When you become one hundred years old, you will beget a righteous son, as it is written: And Abraham was one hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him (Gen. 21:5).

"G-d said to Abram, 'Go forth from your land…'" (Genesis 12:1) Rabbi Yitzchak opened: "Listen, daughter, look, and incline your ear, and forget your people and your father's house." (Psalms 45:11) Rabbi Yitzchak said: this may be compared to a man who was traveling from place to place when he saw a a castle aglow. He said, "Is it possible that this castle lacks a person to look after it?" The owner of the building looked at him and said to him, 'I am the master of the castle.'" What happened with Abraham our father was similar. He said, “Is it possible that this universe lacks a person to look after it?," the Holy Blessed One looked at him and said to him, 'I am the Master of the Universe.'" "And let the king be aroused by your beauty since he is your master" (Psalms 45:12) And let the king be aroused for your beauty in the universe. "And bow to him" (Psalms 45:12) Hence, G-d said to Abram, [go forth...].Rabbi Yitzchak opened: "Listen, daughter, look, and incline your ear, and forget your people and your father's house." (Psalms 45:11) Rabbi Yitzchak said: this may be compared to a man who was traveling from place to place when he saw a castle aglow. He said, "Is it possible that this castle lacks a person to look after it?" The owner of the building looked at him and said to him, "I am the master of the castle." What happened with Abraham our father was similar. He said, "Is it possible that this universe lacks a person to look after it?" The Holy Blessed One looked at him and said to him, "I am the Master of the Universe." "And let the king be aroused by your beauty since he is your master..." (Psalms 45:12) And let the king be aroused for your beauty in the universe. "And bow to him" (Psalms 45:12) Hence, G-d said to Abram, [go forth...]. "G-d said to Abram…" (Genesis 12:1) Rabbi Berekhyah opened: "Your perfumes have good fragrance, your name is poured-out oil" (Song of Songs 1:3) Rabbi Berekhyah said: to what was Abraham our father similar? to a flask of balsam-tree juice close with a tight lid, placed in a corner and its fragrance was not emitted. When it was moved, its fragrance was emitted. Thus the Holy Blessed One said to Abraham our Father, move yourself from place to place and your name will become great in the world.... Rabbi Azariah in the name of Rabbi Acha opened: “You love justice and hate evil, therefore God, your God has anointed you with oil of joy over your peers” (Pslams 45:8). Rabbi Azariah solved this verse [as being in reference to] Abraham: at the time that Abraham our father stood to request mercy for the Sodomites, what is written there? “Far be it from you to do this thing – to kill the righteous with the evildoer so that [the righteous is like the evildoer] – should not the judge of all the earth do justly?” (Genesis 18:25) Rabbi Acha said: you swore and said that you would not bring a flood ever again – why have you violated your vow?! It is strange! A flood of water you won’t bring, but a flood of fire you will bring?! If so, you have not fulfilled your vow. “Does not the judge of all the earth do justice” If you want a world, you can’t have strict justice; if you want strict justice, you can’t have a world. How can you hold a world with two heads? You want a world and strict justice - Choose one of them! If you cannot give up a little, the world cannot exist. The Holy Blessed One said to him: Abraham, “you love justice and hate evil… over your peers” Who is your peer? From Noah to you, [there were] 10 generation, and from all of them I have not spoken with one of them other than you. YHVH said to Abram, "Go forth from your land…" (Genesis 12:1) What was written prior to this matter? “…and Teraḥ died in Ḥaran.” (Genesis 11:32) Rabbi Yitzḥak said: if the matter is the math, then up to now [where Avram leaves, for Teraḥ to be dead,] it would need another 65 years, but initially, you can interpret that evildoers are called “dead” during their lives. It is because Abraham our father was afraid and said, “If I go out, they will profane the Heavenly Name through me and say that he left his father and went during his [father’s] old age. The Holy One Blessed Be He said to him, I exempt you from honoring father and mother, but I do not exempt [any] other from honoring father and mother. And not only that, but I moved forward his death to before your going out: first, “And Teraḥ died in Ḥaran.”, and afterwards “And YHVH said to Avram”