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Moshaich in the Parsha
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"MASHIACH, WE PROMISE!"
Breishis 14:17
Sources: Beraishis Rabah 42:5. Midrash Shirim Zuta 5:9. Torah Sheleimah 14:98 When the 4 powerful kings took Lot captive, Avraham chased them and waged war against them. On the day that Avraham defeated them, Bera, the King of Sodom, together with all the nations of the world, went to meet Avraham at Emek Shaveh (literally, the "Equal Valley", which is today filled with water: the Dead Sea). It had that name because all the nations of the world gathered in that valley and equally accepted Avraham as their king. They also swore to him that from that time on they would never serve idols. Rabbi Elazar says that in that same valley, the nations of the world will swear to Hashem and to Mashiach that they will give up idolatry forever and serve Hashem only.
THE BIRD CAME DOWN
Breishis 15:11.
Sources: Rashi. Sefer Haparshios, p.204; Midrash Lekach Tov At the "Covenant Between the Halves" (Bris Bein Habesarim), Hashem promised Avraham that he would have many, many children, and that they would inherit Eretz Yisrael. Hashem then commanded Avraham to take some animals and cut them in half as a sign of this promise. The Torah then says that, "The bird flew down on the pieces, but Avraham chased them away." Rashi explains that the cut animals represent the non-Jewish nations that keep the Jewish people in Galus. The bird that tried to eat them represents King David, who tried to destroy these nations. The bird was chased away because Hashem didn't allow King David to destroy them. The same applies to other tzadikim throughout the ages who detect a slight weakening in the strength of the non-Jewish nations. When they see this, they try to hasten the coming of Mashiach (symbolized by trying to "eat the pieces"). But they didn't succeed because the time for Redemption had not yet come; they were therefore "chased away." The final success will come with the revelation of Melech HaMashiach.
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There is another explanation of the verse which says that, "The bird flew down on the pieces." According to this explanation, the bird refers not to King David, but to Mashiach himself. When Melech HaMashiach is revealed, he will "fly down" upon the nations of the world. At that time, Avraham will come to make all the nations do teshuvah and serve Hashem. This is another explanation of the phrase, "Avraham chased them away." The word vayasheiv can be translated "chased away," but can also be translated, "made them do teshuvah." According to this, the phrase is translated, "And Avraham made them do teshuvah." Therefore, when "Mashiach flies down upon the nations," Avraham will make the nations do teshuvah. At that time the prophecy of Tzefaniah (3:9) will be fulfilled: "Then all the nations will be transformed to speak clearly and all call out in the name of Hashem and serve Him together."
TIME TO WAKE UP!
Breishis 15:12
Sources: Midrash Agadah in Torah Shleimah 15:127 After Avraham had split the animals and the day came to an end, the Torah writes, "And the sun came down, and Avraham fell into a deep sleep." The sun represents Mashiach, as it is written in Tehilim (89:37), "And his (Mashiach's) throne is like the sun before Me." Avraham represents the Jewish people. The meaning of the verse, "And the sun came down, and Avraham fell into a deep sleep," is that the Jewish people will be in a deep spiritual slumber before Mashiach comes. Mashiach will awaken us all from this sleep.
"ALSO" (v'gam) LIKE EGYPT
Breishis 15:14
Source: Rashi
After telling Avraham that the Jewish people will be enslaved in Egypt, Hashem said, "And also the nation which enslaves you I shall judge." Why did Hashem say the word "also" (v'gam)? (It would have been enough just to write "And the nation which enslaves you I shall judge.") Hashem hinted to Avraham that not only will Hashem punish the Egyptians, but that He will "also" punish all the nations that kept the Jewish people in exile. The nations which kept us in exile were hinted to in verse 12, which says that after Avraham fell asleep, "And behold, a fear, a great darkness fell upon his." The word "fear" refers to Bavel. "Darkness" refers to Madai. "Great" refers to Yavan. "Fell upon him" refers to Edom, the last of the 4 exiles, in which we still suffer. The first 3 nations were "also" destroyed, just like the Egyptians. The same will happen to those nations who keep us in this last exile.
ON "THAT DAY"
Breishis 15:18
Source: Beraishis Rabah 44:22 After the "Covenant Between Halves" between Hashem and Avraham, the Torah writes, "On that day Hashem made a Covenant with Avraham." Why does the verse say, "on that day"? It would seem to make more sense to write, "On this day Hashem made a Covenant with Avraham"!
This phrase, "on that day" is used to refer to the day of the Geulah, as the prophet Zechariah said (14:9), and as we say in our prayers at the end of Aleinu, "On that day (bayom hahu) Hashem will be One and His Name shall be One." And what did Hashem show Avraham at that time? One opinion is that Hashem revealed to Avraham everything that would happen until "that day" when the Geulah comes. Another opinion is that He even revealed to Avraham what would happen in the Days of Mashiach after "that day" of Geulah.
3 MORE LANDS
Breishis 15:19
Source: Rashi When Hashem promised Avraham that his descendants will inherit Eretz Yisrael, He listed the 10 lands which would become part of it. In the days of Moshe Rabeinu, however, Hashem told them that they will inherit only 7 nations (Devarim 7:1), as happened in the days of Yehoshua. The other three nations - Keini, K'nizi and Kadmoni -- will be given to us with the complete Eretz Yisrael in the Days of Mashiach. These 3 lands are better known by the names, Edom, Moav, and Ammon. Hashem later promised Moshe Rabeinu that He would eventually give these 3 lands to us when He said (Devarim 12:20), "Hashem your G-d will enlarge your border as He has promised you...."
YISHMAEL'S LEASE EXPIRES
Breishis 17:25
Source: Zohar 11:32a The Zohar relates an argument between Yishmael and Hashem about who should be given Eretz Yisrael. Yishmael claimed that Yitzchak was not the only one who was circumcised -- he too was circumcised. As reward for this great mitzvah, Yishmael argued, he deserved Eretz Yisrael as much as Yitzchak did. "Your mitzvah was not nearly as great as Yitzchak's," Hashem replied, "since you were already 13 years old when you were circumcised." Yishmael answered, "But don't I still deserve some reward?" At that time Hashem decided that Yishmael's descendants will control Eretz Yisrael for a certain period of time. But when that time expires, nations from all around the world will help return it to the Bnei Yisrael, through the coming of Mashiach. May this happen speedily, now.
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