In the Torah portion of Lech Lecha, G-d promises Avraham: "I shall give your children this land."
[1] The Midrash comments:
[2] "While Avraham was traveling in Aram Naharayim... he observed the inhabitants eating, drinking and acting frivolously and wantonly. He said: 'I wish to have no part in this land.' When he arrived at the entrance of Tzur, he observed them weeding... cultivating... He said: 'I wish to have my share in this land.' G-d said to him: 'I shall give your children this land.' "
It is understandable that Avraham desired to have his portion among people who toiled and behaved properly, rather than among individuals who spent their lives frivolously.
However, G-d's promise that "I shall give your children this land," meant that the Jewish people would inherit and conquer the entire land. What reason is there for connecting G-d's promise to the conduct of the land's inhabitants during the time of Avraham?
The importance of labor and toil is to be seen from the verse: "Man is born to toil."[3] What is so important about toil and labor? Moreover, since G-d is the Essence of Good and it is the nature of one who is good to act in a kind and benevolent manner, it seems strange that He made it necessary for man to work.
It is true that man's nature is such that he derives pleasure from something accomplished through labor and toil, in accordance with the expression:[4] "A person desires one measure of that which is his more than nine measures of that which belongs to his fellow."
However, we cannot say that this is why G-d made man work, for it is man's nature to enjoy the fruits of his labor only because G-d imbued him with this tendency.
So the original question remains: Why did G-d create man in such a way that his greatest joy comes through toil? Why not create him with the ability to be delighted by idleness, for example?
The ultimate achievement of a human being lies not only in realizing his full potential, but in attaining a level such that he is, as it were, similar to his Creator, in line with the saying:[5] "He becomes a partner with G-d in Creation."
It was for this reason that G-d established the world in a manner such that the things which man needs for his existence are not ready-made. For it is through toil and labor that man is able to elevate himself, not only to the highest "recipient" level - the highest possible attainment of a created being - but to the level of a provider and "creator."
This is why man does not derive pleasure from things acquired without effort, but is instead ashamed of them. Toil and effort are the hallmarks of mankind's efforts to improve the world - he can thus enhance Creation and thereby become a "partner with G-d."
Labor that involves the recognition of and faith in G-d as Creator and Provider[6] leads to "labor in Torah,"[7] whereby individuals lift the entire world to a level beyond itself. By doing so, one "creates" a new entity.
In a similar vein, the labor of the Jewish people in Eretz Yisrael consisted of working to "create" a holy land of Torah out of that which was previously mundane. The first steps taken in this direction were a fitting prelude to G-d's promise that "I shall give your children this land."
Based on Likkutei Sichos, Vol. XV, pp. 93-99
Notes:
- (Back to text) Bereishis 12:7.
- (Back to text) Bereishis Rabbah 39:8.
- (Back to text) Iyov 5:7.
- (Back to text) Bava Metzia 38a.
- (Back to text) Shabbos 10a, 119b.
- (Back to text) See Kol Adam 5689 chs. 3, 6; Or HaTorah, Vayeishev p. 1,111; Lo Hibit 5670 (p. 195ff.).
- (Back to text) See Sanhedrin 99b.
The Torah portion of Lech Lecha
[1] relates how G-d commanded Avraham to circumcise himself and the members of his household. By doing so, Avraham became the first and primary individual
[2] to adopt the sign of the holy covenant that exists between G-d and every Jew.
This connection between circumcision and Avraham is so strong that the blessings for circumcision include the phrase: "to enter him into the covenant of Avraham, our father," i.e., the circumcision currently taking place is directly related to our patriarch Avraham. Since Avraham is our father, he makes it possible for all of us, his children, to inherit the privilege of entering into an eternal covenant with G-d.
This kind of inheritance is not at all dependent on any preparations or qualifications on the part of the inheritor - a one-day old infant can inherit everything. Moreover, such inheritance does not even entail a change of ownership;[3] the inheritor merely takes the place of the legator.[4]
So, the covenant made by each and every Jew is the actual covenant of Avraham, since the ability of all Jews to enter into it comes as an inheritance from their father Avraham.
The following, however, must be understood: In explaining the commandment of circumcision, the Rambam states:[5] "We do not engage in circumcision because our father Avraham, of blessed memory, circumcised himself and his household, but rather because G-d commanded us through our teacher Moshe to circumcise ourselves."
But why then does the blessing read "into the covenant of Avraham, our father," stressing the connection with Avraham? Would it not be better to say, "into a covenant with G-d," thereby emphasizing that the person being circumcised is entering into a Divine covenant, as commanded by the Almighty?
There is something about circumcision that is unlike any other commandment. While all commandments bring about a unification with G-d, the result of this unification is not usually visible within the body of the one performing the deed; while the hand that distributes charity becomes more spiritually refined through the act, the change is not apparent. Circumcision is unique in that the change brought about by the performance of the commandment becomes a part of the person himself.
In effect, circumcision causes the entire person, even his lowest parts, to be eternally bound to G-d. Thus, a Jewish child is circumcised at an age when there can be no intellectual desire to fulfill commandments. For an act to affect every fiber of a person's being, even his lowermost level, it is best to perform it when one is only eight days old.
The reason why the text of the blessing reads "to enter him into the covenant of Avraham, our father," can be understood accordingly:
It is logical to assume that the performance of circumcision was more difficult for Avraham than for later generations; since he was the first to do so, he had to blaze the trail, as it were.[6] But in truth, every Jew who performs circumcision performs it in the same manner as Avraham. The reason for this is that, were circumcision performed as the result of a logical imperative, then the logic behind it would become more readily discernible with the passage of time.
As stated above, however, circumcision is not performed because it is logical to do so; this is why it is performed on a child when he is only eight days old. Therefore, every Jew's performance of circumcision is entirely similar to Avraham's - he is verily performing it as a "first," entering into it in exactly the same manner as did our father Avraham.
Based on Likkutei Sichos, Vol. X, pp. 44-47
Notes:
- (Back to text) 17:9ff.
- (Back to text) Pesichtah d'Esther Rabbah 10.
- (Back to text) Bava Kamma 111b; Bava Basra 44a.
- (Back to text) Responsa Tzofnas Pa'aneiach, (Dwinsk) 1:118.
- (Back to text) Commentary on Mishnayos, Chulin conclusion of ch. 7.
- (Back to text) See Pri Ha'Aretz, Vayeira. See also Mechilta and Rashi on Yisro verse 19:5: "All beginnings are difficult."
Noach