Vayera תרל”ז
במד’ ואחר עורי נקפו זאת כו’ הרבה גרים באו אלולי שמלתי מהיכן הי’ הקב”ה נגלה עלי. אף שכ’ מקודם ג”כ וירא ה’ אל אברם. אבל ההפרש שמקודם לא הי’ מתגלה לבחי’ הגוף רק אל הנשמה ואחר המילה כ’ וירא אליו ממש ומקודם כתיב אל אברם כו’ השם של האדם הוא כח נשמתו ושרשו. והנה קודם חטא אדה”ר הי’ הגוף מאיר כמו הנשמה. ואח”כ כתיב ויעש להם כתנות עור והוא מלבוש הגוף החומריי. אך בני ישראל זכו למצות מילה והוא פתיחת פתח באור זה. להאיר הארת הנשמה בהגוף. לכן נקרא ברית כי ודאי מקום פתיחת פתח הנ”ל הוא שרש התקשרות הגוף בכח שרשו. ולכן שם נפתח. וזהו נק’ פתח האהל. ולכן אחר עורי נקפו זאת שנתגלה הארה גם בגופו ועי”ז יש התדבקות גם לגרים. ואמנם צריך האדם לתקן ע”י פתח הגוף הנ”ל. את כל חומר גופו ובודאי כן הי’ באברהם שגם מקודם תיקן כל גופו רק שהי’ נחסר לו פתח הנ”ל וכיון שנימול נמצא שלם בכל השלימות. ולכן כתיב וירא אליו דהיינו שניתקן כל קומת רמ”ח איבריו והוא יושב פתח האהל שלא סר זכרון הברית מאבינו אברהם אף אחר תיקון כל גופו כתיב יושב פתח האהל:
The Midrash relates how Avraham was concerned that no converts would want to join him once he circumcised himself. However, on the contrary, many more joined him. Furthermore, Avraham said about himself that if he had not circumcised himself, Hashem would not have appeared to him.
This might seem difficult to understand because Hashem had already appeared to him previously. However, there was a fundamental difference between this revelation and the previous one. Previously, the verse states, “Hashem appeared to Avraham,” whereas now there was a much more direct appearance, “Hashem appeared to him – אליו.” Originally, the appearance was “To Avraham,” where the name of the person signifies the power of the source of his soul, beyond the body. Here, however, it was an appearance “to Him,” a direct appearance even in his bodily form.
This was only possible due to his circumcision, which perfected his body. Before the sin of Adam, his body shone just like the neshama. However, after he sinned, “Hashem made garments of leather,” a reference to physicality.
Bnei Yisrael, however, merited the mitzvah of milah, which is truly an opening in this physical body. It is called a “bris,” a covenant and connection, as it connects the body to its source.
This is the reason why the words “at the opening to the tent” are used, alluding to the opening in the physical body to connect to its source.
Therefore, the meaning of the Midrash is: “Once I have pulled back my skin, I can see Hashem from my body.” This means that due to this perfection and connection of the body to its source, there was an opening for converts to connect as well.
Nevertheless, it is through this opening in the body that a person must uplift the rest of their physicality.
Even before Avraham was given the mitzvah of milah, he perfected his body, and the only thing lacking was this opening of milah. Once he had done that, he was complete. Therefore, once Avraham reached this stage of perfection, Hashem appeared אליו directly to him, for his entire structure and 248 limbs were all perfect.
With all this in mind, we are nevertheless told of Avraham’s humility. He never forgot the bris, and even after all this perfection, he was still “sitting at the opening to the tent.”
את בנך יחידך כו’ פרש”י לתת שכר על כל דיבור וקשה מה תוספות שכר בזה. אמנם ודאי אלה המדריגות כ”א יותר מחבירו ומקודם נתרצה לתת סתם בנו ואחר כך יחידו האהוב לו כו’. ואמת כי אבינו אברהם הי’ שוחטו מיד אם הי’ אומר לו תיכף את יצחק. אך כי כל מעשה אבות הי’ הכנה לבנים שפעלו במעשיהם שנוכל גם אנחנו להיות עושים כמעשיהם ומי שאינו זוכה מיד למסור כל נפשו אעפ”כ ע”י המדריגות מקודם נכנס באהבת הבורא מעט. וע”י שכבר חביב לו מצות ה’ יכול אח”כ לגבור יותר נגד יצרו ולבוא למס”נ וז”ש רש”י לחבבו בעיניו ולכן נכתב בנך יחידך כו’ נגד כל המדריגות שנמצא במס”נ של בנ”י וכולם על ידי הכנת האבות כנ”ל:
Hashem told Avraham, “Take your son, your only one, Yitzchak” (Bereishis 22:2). Rashi explains that the reason why Hashem didn’t immediately tell him to “take Yitzchak” was to give Avraham more reward for his commitment to fulfill each and every saying of HaShem. What additional benefit and reward does this provide?
The truth is that each of these levels represents a deeper and more challenging commitment, as it progresses from the vague to the more explicit. In truth, had Hashem told Avraham immediately to “take Yitzchak,” he would not have hesitated, so it was not about slowly introducing the idea of sacrificing his own Yitzchak.
The answer can be understood through the teaching of our sages that “the actions of the forefathers are a sign for their children.” This means that they paved the way and established the spiritual foundation for us to follow in their path.
Therefore, by Hashem breaking it up into easier to harder commitments, it also sets the spiritual energy for future generations. Even a person who is not fully committed but is partly committed can still draw from the commitment energy established by the actions of Avraham. By doing so, they can gradually develop their love for Hashem, and with one commitment, it can bring the love of Hashem into their hearts, ultimately leading to complete self-sacrifice.
With this, we can understand Rashi’s words when he explains that the reason why Hashem presented Avraham with all these levels of commitment was “to make him precious in his eyes.” This means that through these levels of self-sacrifice found in our forefathers, one can become “precious in Hashem’s eyes” and gain more love for HaShem. *
