By Rabbi Ozer Pinchas Zeffren
In this week’s Parsha (12:8), the Passuk Says:
ויעתק משם ההרה מקדם לבית אל ויט אהלה בית אל מים והעי מקדם
And he relocated to the mountain east of Bais El and pitched his tent, with Bais El to the west and Ai on the east…
The Chofetz Chaim is bothered why the Passuk needs to relate exactly where Avraham Avinu pitched his tent? Why does the Torah go out of its way to say which cities were nearby?
Answers the Chofetz Chaim that the Torah is teaching us that Avraham Avinu looked for the best place for him to perform the mitzvos of chesed (kindness) and Hachnasas Orchim (hospitality). He placed his tent in between two big cities so he could service the many travelers that were going to and from. We learn from this how we must place ourselves in the most optimal place and situation to enable us to serve Hashem in the finest manner.
Further in the Parsha (15:4) Avraham Avinu was worried that his merits were used up due to his victory over the kings. Hashem reassures him that his merits are great. Avraham then says that he has no children to inherit his reward. The Pasuk says: ויוצא אתו החוצה ויאמר הבט נא השמימה וספר הכוכבים אם תוכל לספר אתם ויאמר לו כה יהיה זרעך
And He (Hashem) took him outside, and said “Gaze, now, towards the heavens and count the stars if you are able to count them” andHe said to him “So shall be your children”.
Simply read, Hashem told Avraham that the same way he can’t count the stars, so too, his children will be innumerable. Rav Meir Shapiro, Rosh Yeshiva of Chachmei Lublin and founder of the Daf Hayomi, in his sefer ניצוצי אור המאיר, has an additional explanation. Hashem was telling Avraham although it’s not possible to count the stars – still try. And in that sense כה יהיה זרעך – so will be your children. Meaning your children will inherit this attribute to attempt to do My Will, even when it seems to be impossible to succeed.
The Torah is teaching us that Hashem wants us to try our hardest even when things seem beyond our reach. Sometimes, we will succeed where we didn’t imagine and in either case Hashem wants to see our רצון, our resolve.
