30 October, 2007

Parshas Chai Sorah

Every Shemonah Esrai starts with praise for Hashem, we praise him for being the one that runs the world. We start off by saying 'Elokai Avraham’- the G-d of our forefather Avraham. This doesn't seem like an appropriate way to praise an omnipotent g-d- one that rules every being, that he's the G-d of one person or even three individuals- Avraham Yitzchak and Yakoov. Wouldn’t it be a bigger praise just to say our G-d and the G-d of the universe? Why do we individualize him as being the ruler of our forefathers?

When Avraham sends Eliezer to find a wife for Yitzchak, he makes him swear in the name of the "G-d of heaven and the G-d of the earth” that he shall not take a wife for Yitzchok form the daughters of Canaan. While a few pesukim later he says "Hashem the G-d of the heaven, who took me from my fathers land..." and fails to mention the fact that Hashem is the G-d of the earth. Rashi explains that Avraham said that when I left Charan it was only G-d of the heaven for nobody knew of him but now I can say G-d of the land also, for I spread his glory and people know of him.
This sounds astonishing, wasn't Hashem always the creature of heaven and earth? What changed after Avraham spread the word and knowledge of Hashem that only after that was he G-d of the land?
Reb Yitzchak Hutner in a letter in reference to, establishing a day to commemorate the Holocaust. He writes that wherever there is a Jew in this world, there is a witness of Hashem. Every Yid is a resting place for the Shchina. Hashem choose to manifest his glory in the very soul of each and every Jew. A Yid not just symbolizes that there is a G-d but rather is a actual “dira betachtonim”- a house for the presence of Hashem, down on this world. (He explains the cause of anti-semitism that the Goyim know and feel this, and in their illusion to eradicate Hashem from his world wish to destroy Klal Yisroel.)
Avraham Avinu was the first one to recognize Hashem and call him the master of the World. In doing so Hashem rested his glory in Avrahams soul, and thus for the first time having a place to dwell in this world. Never before had Hashem actually rested down in our world until Avraham came along and actually brought Hashem into his own world. That is what Avraham told Eliazer that before he recognized Hashem and brought him down to the earth he was only 'Elokai Hashmaim'- he didn’t have a house down on the land. This is what we mean when we say 'elokai Avrahom' the same kind of G-d that our forefather had, the G-d that has a presence down on this world in each one of us, thanks to Avrahom.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Good vort! Now I understand the 2-month hiatus (you needed time to go through Rav Hutner's Torah).

This give us a greater understanding in the maamar chazal "chayav adam loimar bishvili nivra oilam". The koach of a yachid is immense as each yochid carries the shchina.

A Chaim Berlin Talmid