1. Our triennial brings two sources for our prayers. Can you spot them? [א-ל עליון קונה שמים וארץ \\ מגן אברהם]
Who are the kings involved? [Note the names as indicative of the character of those kings]
[NOTE: Melchitzedek is not Jewish, but his words almost goad Avraham to do the right thing. Can you prove this from the text?]
2. In the brit bein habetarim Avraham asks God: How will I know? What are other moments in the saga of Avraham that the word "to know" is fundamental? [Akedah // destruction of Sodom vaAmorah]
(א) וַיְהִ֗י בִּימֵי֙ אַמְרָפֶ֣ל מֶֽלֶךְ־שִׁנְעָ֔ר אַרְי֖וֹךְ מֶ֣לֶךְ אֶלָּסָ֑ר כְּדָרְלָעֹ֙מֶר֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ עֵילָ֔ם וְתִדְעָ֖ל מֶ֥לֶךְ גּוֹיִֽם׃ (ב) עָשׂ֣וּ מִלְחָמָ֗ה אֶת־בֶּ֙רַע֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ סְדֹ֔ם וְאֶת־בִּרְשַׁ֖ע מֶ֣לֶךְ עֲמֹרָ֑ה שִׁנְאָ֣ב ׀ מֶ֣לֶךְ אַדְמָ֗ה וְשֶׁמְאֵ֙בֶר֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ צביים [צְבוֹיִ֔ים] וּמֶ֥לֶךְ בֶּ֖לַע הִיא־צֹֽעַר׃
(1) Now, when King Amraphel of Shinar, King Arioch of Ellasar, King Chedorlaomer of Elam, and King Tidal of Goiim (2) made war on King Bera of Sodom, King Birsha of Gomorrah, King Shinav of Admah, King Shemeber of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela, which is Zoar,
(יד) וַיִּשְׁמַ֣ע אַבְרָ֔ם כִּ֥י נִשְׁבָּ֖ה אָחִ֑יו וַיָּ֨רֶק אֶת־חֲנִיכָ֜יו יְלִידֵ֣י בֵית֗וֹ שְׁמֹנָ֤ה עָשָׂר֙ וּשְׁלֹ֣שׁ מֵא֔וֹת וַיִּרְדֹּ֖ף עַד־דָּֽן׃ (טו) וַיֵּחָלֵ֨ק עֲלֵיהֶ֧ם ׀ לַ֛יְלָה ה֥וּא וַעֲבָדָ֖יו וַיַּכֵּ֑ם וַֽיִּרְדְּפֵם֙ עַד־חוֹבָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר מִשְּׂמֹ֖אל לְדַמָּֽשֶׂק׃ (טז) וַיָּ֕שֶׁב אֵ֖ת כָּל־הָרְכֻ֑שׁ וְגַם֩ אֶת־ל֨וֹט אָחִ֤יו וּרְכֻשׁוֹ֙ הֵשִׁ֔יב וְגַ֥ם אֶת־הַנָּשִׁ֖ים וְאֶת־הָעָֽם׃ (יז) וַיֵּצֵ֣א מֶֽלֶךְ־סְדֹם֮ לִקְרָאתוֹ֒ אַחֲרֵ֣י שׁוּב֗וֹ מֵֽהַכּוֹת֙ אֶת־כְּדָרלָעֹ֔מֶר וְאֶת־הַמְּלָכִ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֣ר אִתּ֑וֹ אֶל־עֵ֣מֶק שָׁוֵ֔ה ה֖וּא עֵ֥מֶק הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃ (יח) וּמַלְכִּי־צֶ֙דֶק֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ שָׁלֵ֔ם הוֹצִ֖יא לֶ֣חֶם וָיָ֑יִן וְה֥וּא כֹהֵ֖ן לְאֵ֥ל עֶלְיֽוֹן׃ (יט) וַֽיְבָרְכֵ֖הוּ וַיֹּאמַ֑ר בָּר֤וּךְ אַבְרָם֙ לְאֵ֣ל עֶלְי֔וֹן קֹנֵ֖ה שָׁמַ֥יִם וָאָֽרֶץ׃ (כ) וּבָרוּךְ֙ אֵ֣ל עֶלְי֔וֹן אֲשֶׁר־מִגֵּ֥ן צָרֶ֖יךָ בְּיָדֶ֑ךָ וַיִּתֶּן־ל֥וֹ מַעֲשֵׂ֖ר מִכֹּֽל׃ (כא) וַיֹּ֥אמֶר מֶֽלֶךְ־סְדֹ֖ם אֶל־אַבְרָ֑ם תֶּן־לִ֣י הַנֶּ֔פֶשׁ וְהָרְכֻ֖שׁ קַֽח־לָֽךְ׃ (כב) וַיֹּ֥אמֶר אַבְרָ֖ם אֶל־מֶ֣לֶךְ סְדֹ֑ם הֲרִימֹ֨תִי יָדִ֤י אֶל־ה' אֵ֣ל עֶלְי֔וֹן קֹנֵ֖ה שָׁמַ֥יִם וָאָֽרֶץ׃ (כג) אִם־מִחוּט֙ וְעַ֣ד שְׂרֽוֹךְ־נַ֔עַל וְאִם־אֶקַּ֖ח מִכָּל־אֲשֶׁר־לָ֑ךְ וְלֹ֣א תֹאמַ֔ר אֲנִ֖י הֶעֱשַׁ֥רְתִּי אֶת־אַבְרָֽם׃ (כד) בִּלְעָדַ֗י רַ֚ק אֲשֶׁ֣ר אָֽכְל֣וּ הַנְּעָרִ֔ים וְחֵ֙לֶק֙ הָֽאֲנָשִׁ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר הָלְכ֖וּ אִתִּ֑י עָנֵר֙ אֶשְׁכֹּ֣ל וּמַמְרֵ֔א הֵ֖ם יִקְח֥וּ חֶלְקָֽם׃ (ס)
(14) When Abram heard that his kinsman had been taken captive, he mustered his retainers, born into his household, numbering three hundred and eighteen, and went in pursuit as far as Dan. (15) At night, he and his servants deployed against them and defeated them; and he pursued them as far as Hobah, which is north of Damascus. (16) He brought back all the possessions; he also brought back his kinsman Lot and his possessions, and the women and the rest of the people. (17) When he returned from defeating Chedorlaomer and the kings with him, the king of Sodom came out to meet him in the Valley of Shaveh, which is the Valley of the King. (18) And King Melchizedek of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was a priest of God Most High. (19) He blessed him, saying, “Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth. (20) And blessed be God Most High, Who has delivered your foes into your hand.” And [Abram] gave him a tenth of everything. (21) Then the king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the persons, and take the possessions for yourself.” (22) But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I swear to the LORD, God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth: (23) I will not take so much as a thread or a sandal strap of what is yours; you shall not say, ‘It is I who made Abram rich.’ (24) For me, nothing but what my servants have used up; as for the share of the men who went with me—Aner, Eshkol, and Mamre—let them take their share.”
NOte the unimaginable battle: those are four BIG kings that conquered five smaller ones already, and Avraham is coming with only 318 men. Or, if you follow the midrash, it is him and his servant Eliezer, since the midrash points out that the gematria for Eliezer and 318 is the same. Regardless, this is a pretty big miracle.
(א) חזן: בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' אֱלקֵינוּ וֵאלקֵי אֲבותֵינוּ. אֱלקֵי אַבְרָהָם אֱלקֵי יִצְחָק וֵאלקֵי יַעֲקב. הָאֵל הַגָּדול הַגִּבּור וְהַנּורָא אֵל עֶלְיון. קונֵה שמַיִם וָאָרֶץ:
Blessed are You, Ad-nai our God and God of our ancestors, God of Abraham, God of Isaac and God of Jacob, the great, mighty, awesome and exalted God, Creator of heaven and earth.
In our Amidah, what does it mean to be praying words of a non-Jew that actually makes Avraham grow? How can we not appreciate the tension the tradition presents in this, that is arguably the most particularistic prayer - AVOT - in the most particular moment - Kabbalat Shabbat - by bringing in words that Avraham learns with a non Jew?
(1) Some time later, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision. He said, “Fear not, Abram, I am a shield to you; Your reward shall be very great.” (2) But Abram said, “O Lord GOD, what can You give me, seeing that I shall die childless, and the one in charge of my household is Dammesek Eliezer!” (3) Abram said further, “Since You have granted me no offspring, my steward will be my heir.” (4) The word of the LORD came to him in reply, “That one shall not be your heir; none but your very own issue shall be your heir.” (5) He took him outside and said, “Look toward heaven and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” And He added, “So shall your offspring be.” (6) And because he put his trust in the LORD, He reckoned it to his merit. (7) Then He said to him, “I am the LORD who brought you out from Ur of the Chaldeans to assign this land to you as a possession.” (8) And he said, “O Lord GOD, how shall I know that I am to possess it?”
(ב) בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' אֱלקֵינוּ וֵאלקֵי אֲבותֵינוּ. אֱלקֵי אַבְרָהָם. אֱלקֵי יִצְחָק. וֵאלקֵי יַעֲקב. הָאֵל הַגָּדול הַגִּבּור וְהַנּורָא אֵל עֶלְיון. גּומֵל חֲסָדִים טובִים. וְקונֵה הַכּל. וְזוכֵר חַסְדֵּי אָבות. וּמֵבִיא גואֵל לִבְנֵי בְנֵיהֶם לְמַעַן שְׁמו בְּאַהֲבָה: מֶלֶךְ עוזֵר וּמושִׁיעַ וּמָגֵן: בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה', מָגֵן אַבְרָהָם:
Blessed are You, Ad-nai our God and God of our ancestors, God of Abraham, God of Isaac and God of Jacob, the great, mighty, awesome and exalted God, who bestows bountiful kindness, who creates all things, who remembers the piety of the Patriarchs, and who, in love, brings a redeemer to their children's children, for the sake of His Name. King, Helper, and Savior and Shield. Blessed are You Ad-nai, Shield of Abraham.
In our prayer, what is it like to see ourselves as Avraham, in this moment of complete vulnerability, still trusting in God? Do we have the ability to at the same time believe and ask 'how will I know'?
ויאמר אליו כו' לתת [וכו'] לרשתה ויאמר במה אדע כו׳. לכאורה איך עלה על דעת הצדיק אברהם שישאל אות? ורש"י ז"ל הרגיש בזה, אך אין הלשון 'במה אדע' עולה שפיר. אך נראה דמלת "אדע" הוא לשון התגלות על הדבר שיקום כן לעולם, וזהו שנאמר באברהם "עתה ידעתי כי ירא אלקים אתה", ולכאורה איך שייך אצל השי"ת ב"ה היודע מחשבות לומר עתה ידעתי? אלא פירושו ג"כ עתה נתגלה הדבר כי ירא אלקים אתה לעולם, * דכל הדברים הם אצל השי"ת ב"ה בכח, ובניסיון העשירי הזה נתגלה הדבר שיהיה ירא אלקים לעולם. וכאן ג"כ הפירוש "במה אדע", באיזה אופן הוא הזכות להתגלות על הדבר, "כי אירשנה", שתהא הירושה זו לעולם בלי הפסק, כמה שדרשו חז"ל 'תינח בזמן שבית המקדש קיים' כו׳.
Noam Elimelech, Bereshit, LechLecha - d"h Vayiomer elav etc, latet, etc, as inheritance. And he said 'in what will i know" etc.
On the surface, how could the tzadik even think of asking for a sign? And Rashi, z"l, felt this, but the expression"I will know" is not here in its simple meaning. It seems that the expression "I will know" is the language to indicate revelation of something that will happen to the world, and this is what is meant by what is said about Avraham "Now I know that you are someone who fears El-him", since theoretically regarding the Holy One of Blessing, Who Knows [even] Thoughts it is not logical to say "now I know". Rather, the explanation is also that "now it is revealed this thing, that you are a God-fearing person, to the world; since all words regarding the Blessed Exalted Name are with force, and in this tenth test the thing was revealed that he will be a God-fearing person forever. And also in this case the explanation of "in what will I know": in what way there is merit to reveal this thing, "that I will inherit it", that this inheritance will be forever without a doubt, as our sages z"l explained: (Taanit 27b) 'it was done in the time that the Beit Hamikdash was standing, etc'.
For one of my old loves, the Noam Elimelech, the idea of knowing is not so much of lack of knowledge as it is announcing in to the world, making happen into the world.
Do we have the strenght to add to our master's words the other "I know" of Avraham's story - Sodom and Gomorra - and actually make known in the world that we are a people who does tzedakah umishpat, social justice and law?
(יז) וַֽה' אָמָ֑ר הַֽמְכַסֶּ֤ה אֲנִי֙ מֵֽאַבְרָהָ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֖ר אֲנִ֥י עֹשֶֽׂה׃ (יח) וְאַ֨בְרָהָ֔ם הָי֧וֹ יִֽהְיֶ֛ה לְג֥וֹי גָּד֖וֹל וְעָצ֑וּם וְנִ֨בְרְכוּ ב֔וֹ כֹּ֖ל גּוֹיֵ֥י הָאָֽרֶץ׃ (יט) כִּ֣י יְדַעְתִּ֗יו לְמַעַן֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יְצַוֶּ֜ה אֶת־בָּנָ֤יו וְאֶת־בֵּיתוֹ֙ אַחֲרָ֔יו וְשָֽׁמְרוּ֙ דֶּ֣רֶךְ ה' לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת צְדָקָ֖ה וּמִשְׁפָּ֑ט לְמַ֗עַן הָבִ֤יא ה' עַל־אַבְרָהָ֔ם אֵ֥ת אֲשֶׁר־דִּבֶּ֖ר עָלָֽיו׃ (כ) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ה' זַעֲקַ֛ת סְדֹ֥ם וַעֲמֹרָ֖ה כִּי־רָ֑בָּה וְחַ֨טָּאתָ֔ם כִּ֥י כָבְדָ֖ה מְאֹֽד׃
(17) Now Ad-nai said, “Shall I hide from Avraham what I am about to do, (18) and Avraham is to become a great and populous nation and all the nations of the earth are to bless themselves by him? (19) For I know him, so that he will instruct his children and his posterity to keep the way of Ad-nai by doing what is just and right, so that Ad-nai may bring about for Abraham what He has promised him.” (20) Then Ad-nai said, “The outrage of Sodom and Gomorrah is so great, and their sin so grave!