Avraham channeling all desires to Hashem

ואת הנפש אשר עשו בחרן מתרגמינן נפשתא דשעבידו לאורייתא כו'.

"And the souls that they made in Charan" (Bereishis 12:5) — we translate (in Targum Onkelos): "the souls that they subjugated to the Torah."

Onkelos renders "the souls they made" as the souls Avraham and Sarah "brought under the yoke" of the Torah — those they drew close and subordinated to Hashem's service. The Sefas Emes will read "nefesh" and "made" more deeply.

פירוש נפש הרצון כמ"ש יש את נפשכם והוא שאסף כל הרצונות מעולם הזה להשי"ת.

The meaning of "nefesh" is the will (ratzon), as in "if it is your will (nafshechem)" (Bereishis 23:8) — and this means that he gathered all the desires from this world (and directed them) to Hashem.

Here "nefesh" denotes ratzon, a person's deepest will and desire. Avraham's avodah was to collect all the scattered desires of olam hazeh and turn them toward Hashem, subordinating every want to His service.

עשו לשון כפי' כמו גט מעושה.

"Asu" ("they made") is a term of compulsion, as in "a coerced bill of divorce (get me'useh)."

The word "made" (asu) is read in the sense of forcing or compelling — like the halachic term "get me'useh," a divorce document obtained under pressure. Avraham "compelled" these wills, redirecting them by force toward Hashem.

כי הקב"ה א"ל מארצך כו' הפי' שיקח עמו כל הרצונות אחרים שהיו לו והוא בחי' בכל לבבך נפשך מאודך.

For the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him "(go) from your land..." (Bereishis 12:1) — the meaning being that he should take with him all the other desires that he had, and this is the aspect of "with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might" (Devarim 6:5).

"Lech lecha" was a command to gather up and bring along every desire Avraham possessed and consecrate them to Hashem. The Sefas Emes maps the three phrases of Hashem's command onto the three expressions of love in Shema — heart, soul, and might.

מארצך נגד בכל לבבך כי מחשבות האדם נוטה אחר מה שרואה ומכיר כל הדברים שבארצו.

"From your land" corresponds to "with all your heart," for a person's thoughts incline after what he sees and is familiar with — all the things in his land.

"Your land" stands for the heart (levav), because our thoughts and inclinations are shaped by the familiar surroundings we see daily. Leaving "your land" means tearing the heart away from the pull of its accustomed environment.

נפשך הוא ממולדתך כי הנפש נמשך אחר אביו ואמו ומשפחתו.

"Your soul" is (corresponds to) "from your birthplace," for the soul is drawn after one's father and mother and family.

"Your birthplace" stands for the nefesh, since a person's very soul and temperament are inherited and pulled along by his parents and extended family. "With all your soul" means rising above even those inborn familial bonds.

ומבית אביך הוא נגד בכל מאודך כי לא חסר לו בבית אביו מאומה ועזב הכל לכבודו יתברך וילך כאשר דיבר אליו כו' כלומר שלא הלך בעבור הברכה רק לעשות רצונו ית':

"And from your father's house" corresponds to "with all your might," for he lacked nothing in his father's house, and yet he abandoned everything for the sake of His honor, may He be blessed, and "he went as Hashem had spoken to him" (Bereishis 12:4) — meaning that he did not go for the sake of the blessing, but only to do His will.

"Your father's house" stands for "all your might" (me'odecha) — one's possessions and security, for Avraham wanted for nothing there. He gave it all up purely for Hashem's honor. The phrase "he went as Hashem spoke to him" underscores that Avraham journeyed not to obtain the promised brachah but solely to fulfill ratzon Hashem — the purest service, for its own sake.

Summary: "The souls they made in Charan" means the desires (the "nefesh" as ratzon) that Avraham gathered out of this world and compelled toward Hashem's service. The command "Lech lecha — from your land, your birthplace, and your father's house" maps onto the three loves of Shema: the heart drawn by familiar surroundings, the soul drawn by family, and the "might" of one's possessions. Avraham surrendered all three, going purely to fulfill ratzon Hashem and not for the sake of any blessing.