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Orchard of Delights Lech Lecha

£Torah and ProphecyTorah and ProphecyTorah and Prophecy 3 completion of the ten tests – of the lech lecha process – as ten squared,
which equals 100. Furthermore, one might suggest that Abraham
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merited inheriting the ten nations’ territories by virtue of passing
the ten tests (Genesis 15:18-20). Indeed, the text may allude to this
As discussed in the introduction, our Sages teach that the Torah has as, the letter alef – the first letter in Abraham’s name – appears ten
seventy faces. The Arizal posits that there are 600,000 faces, each one times, in the very verse where God tells Abraham to leave all behind
corresponding to a letter in the Torah and a Jewish root soul spark. and go to the land He will show him (Genesis 12:1). As we will see
These faces represent the multi-faceted Torah perspectives revealed below, the number 100 even appears in Isaac’s life indicating that
within the manifold levels of reality, especially as revealed through this son continued his father’s work.
the system of PaRDeS.
Ultimately, Abraham and Sarah’s constant struggle and desire
One facet or theme that the oral tradition highlights is the prophetic to fulfill God’s word, along with their inner search for faith and
allusions to future events in Jewish history. These allusions, which knowledge, allowed them to transcend the laws of nature and have a
recur time and again throughout the Torah, often derive from the child. With God’s grace, they were able to actualize the fruits of their
Torah’s archetypal nature, which is epitomized by the notion that “the spiritual and physical labors. The ability to reach the deepest inner
actions of the fathers are a sign to the children” (Sotah 34a). Viewed place of revelation is one of the secrets of the Land of Israel, and it is
from this perspective, biblical personalities, narratives, and events only in the Holy Land that God could bring to fruition his plan for
are not merely one-time occurrences, temporal incidents undergone Abraham and the Jewish People.
by specific individuals long ago. Rather they reflect eternal spiritual
energies that manifest repeatedly in nature, history, and the human By reflecting on the very first words God spoke to Abraham,
psyche. Sometimes these prophetic allusions appear in the Prophets we can discover the basis for God’s relationship with the Jewish
and the Writings as well, but, of course, the prophets went beyond people. God commanded Abraham to go to the Land of Israel and
mere allusion, explicitly prophesying upcoming events. ultimately decided to give the Land of Israel to the Jewish people
so that Abraham and his descendants, the nation of Israel, would
One of the Torah’s most significant prophecies occurs in this portion. receive certain blessings: the chief among these was the opportunity
Unlike most biblical prophesies it is neither cryptically alluded to to develop and attain their highest inner potentials.
by the text nor revealed symbolically in a dream. Furthermore, its
fulfillment does not depend on human action – as do many of the From everything we know of Abraham, it is obvious that he
prophecies in Deuteronomy and the Prophets – but rather it defines possessed an unceasing passion and desire to disseminate knowledge
the very nature of reality as decreed by God. The prophecy is given about the greatness of the One God; to exalt God’s name; and to reveal
when Rebecca turns to God to explain her turbulent pregnancy. Rashi His nature and the blessing granted those close to Him. Strikingly
explains that Rebecca asked Shem, a reputed prophet and Noah’s these three goals mirror the three promises God makes to Abraham
son, to inquire of God for her. God responded with the following: at the beginning of Lech Lecha: “I will make you a great nation, and I
“Two nations are in your womb; two nations from your womb will be will bless you and make great your name, and you shall be a blessing.”
separated. One people will be stronger than the other and the elder The symbiotic relationship between God and Israel stems from their
will serve the younger” (Genesis 25:23). true love for each other, as each partner’s greatest desire is what is
best for his beloved.
Not only did these words prophesy the tortuous relationship
between Rebecca’s twins, Esau and Jacob, but they also prophesied This idea is expressed beautifully by the Rebbe of Radomsk in his
explanation for why the Torah refers to Passover as Chag Hamatzot

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