CHOCHMAS NASHIM: LECH LICHAH
By: Suri Davis
In the 14th chapter of Genesis, we read that Avram waged a war on behalf of Lot. In that battle, he captured King Sodom’s people. King Sodom offered Avram to trade the captives for possessions or war booty. Avram refused with these words, 22/23, I swear by G-d who owns heaven and Earth that I will not take any possessions from you so that you cannot say I made Avram Rich.
Avram wanted to ensure that he sanctified G-d’s name revealing to the world that all his wealth came from G-d. If this is so, then why is it that at the beginning of the Torah portion, Avram took money from Pharoah, when he went down with Sarah in Chapter 12.
The Yalkut Meeam Loez, paragraph 48 reveals the answer. Avram had no choice in taking the money from Pharoah. Avram and Sarah had created a lie which stated that Sarah was Avram’s sister. Under the customs of that era, Avram, as Sarah’s brother, must take that money from Pharaoh when Pharaoh took Sarah as his wife, or the charade would have been broken.
The Yalkut continues, that even through Avram’s lie, G-d accomplished His plan for Avram because he went down to Egypt broke, came out wealthy and was able to dedicate his life to G-d and spreading Judaism around him without worrying about his sustenance. This whole scene came about so that Avram would receive the wealth that would sustain his life dedicated to G-d.
After the war, Avram gives maser 1/10th of his wealth to king Malkitzedek, who was a Jewish priest to acknowledge G-d’s hand in his victory and wealth.
In masechet, Menachos 63-70, there are two instances where we talk about acknowledging G-d’s hand in our wealth:
The law of Challah, taking a piece of dough out of bread dough and giving it to the priest in the days of the temple, or burning it these days, was given to us after the incident of the spies in Israel. Where they saw the people of the land, and reported back that they did not have faith that G-d could conquer the land from the giants. The laws of challah remind us that even our basic bread, a natural act that we take for granted, comes from G-d.
There was the story of Shunamit who was poor. Elijah the prophet came to her to ask for food. She said that she barely had enough food for herself. He told her to take out all the available pots and pans and jars and to start pouring the small amount of oil that she had into all of the containers. Miraculously, the small amount of oil filled up all the containers. The rabbi asked whether maser, 1/10th, had to be given out of that oil, and the reply was that oil received as part of a miracle does not need to be tithed for it was obviously from G-d and none of it was produced by her own hand.
It is important for us to know that our income is only 90% ours, the other 10% is a test from G-d as to whether we acknowledge that all is from Him, and that we pass the other 10% to someone who is in need.
I understand in the nature of the world, Israel “needs” the assistance of its allies, but we should not permit our allies, AND OUR PEOPLE, think that our victory will come ONLY with the help of our allies and their armaments, for although wherever a nation is in trouble, Israel is the first to send assistance, we do not see a reciprocal response, even a word from other nations in support of Israel and against Hamas terror.
We have an accord with United Arab Emirates and Bahrain and hopes with an alliance with Saudi Arabia, and they want to push through a United Nations resolution in support of those in Gaza who are being harmed allegedly by Israel, as they are used by their government as human shields.
Since Israel and Jews have been victimized, G-d has given us the favor of seeing the pure face of hatred in people around the world, including in the heart of New York in Times Square and all over our country on college campuses and in the streets, and there is no government to call them out on their antisemitism in support of Iran-backed terror, which will ultimately affect all, in its desire to terrorize all democratic nations and free people. As Avram wanted to show clearly that his wealth came not from man but from G-d, we will not fear that the world revealed itself, as always, antisemitic for our victory is ultimately in G-d’s hands, as Bilam said to Balak: Mah Ekov, lo kabo kel/I cannot curse a nation that G-d does not want cursed.
Oseh shalom bimromav, hu yaaseh shalom aleinu, v’al kol Yisrael v’imru Amen/He who creates peace in His [heavenly] abode, will create peace amongst us and all of Israel, Amen!!!
Shabbat shalom.
-Suri