True Appreciation of Ruchniyas: I Do not Understand
“ויאמר ד’ אל אברם לך לך מארצך וממולדתך ומבית אביך אל הארץ אשר אראך.”
רש”י: “אל הארץ אשר אראך – לא גלה לו הארץ מיד, כדי לחבבה בעיניו, ולתת לו שכר על כל דבור ודבור…”
Rashi: “To the Land I will show to you- He did not immediately reveal to Avraham which Land, in order that it should be dear in his eyes, and to grant him reward for each word…”
Surely it must have piqued Avraham Avinu’s curiosity, when he was told by the Borei Olam to leave his home and travel to a mysterious location. And of course, when he eventually discovered that his new home was Eretz Canaan, he must have been pleased and excited. But can mere curiosity translate into a deep and lasting connection? Will excitement create a true cherishing of the Land? The continuation of Rashi is likewise unclear. Why should Avraham receive reward for each word, just because he does not know where he is going?
Hakadosh Baruch Hu was not playing a game with Avraham, withholding crucial information, just to whet his curiosity. Nor was this a marketing gimmick, intended to generate excitement. There are certain things which are so exalted, so much above us, that we would never attempt to define them for fear that we would be limiting them to our own understanding. We hesitate even to describe them, and we only mention them with awe. Hashem did not initially reveal to Avraham the Land, because in essence, Eretz Yisroel is of such a quality. In truth it is too high; it transcends our simple existence. And as much as possible, it should stay that way; it shouldn’t be brought down. In not revealing Eretz Yisroel, Hashem was conveying to Avraham that the destination of your journey is something that you cannot fully grasp. This is the dearness referred to by Rashi: Chavivus is an appreciation of something which is above you.
Avraham cherished the Land because he realized that it was part of a greater and higher reality. And that Chavivus did not end once Avraham reached Eretz Yisroel. Even after he entered the Land, Eretz Yisroel remained “above”. He didn’t say, “Oh, now I got it!” — it remained Chaviv to him. Eretz Yisroel is still unknown; it’s not “in our pocket”. That’s why our existence in Eretz Yisroel is so tenuous: “ותקיא הארץ את ישביה”. We are interacting with a higher existence, always struggling to raise ourselves accordingly. Chavivus is related to the word chov-obligation. It obligates us to behave in a manner befitting that higher existence.
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When Rashi writes that Hashem did not reveal to Avraham the land in order to “grant him reward for each word”, he means as follows. The word “מארצך” — from your land — and the word “ממולדתך” — your birthplace, your culture — and the words “מבית אביך”- your father’s house, your roots: these all are concrete, comprehensible commands from the Borei Olam. But once Hashem says “אל הארץ אשר אראך” — to the Land I will show you – the command takes on a new, otherworldly dimension. True, for Avraham to forsake his old country and culture was a logical and practical step. But it doesn’t stop there; it’s a concrete step towards a higher reality. The recognition of the true value of Eretz Yisroel imbues every other step with greater meaning.
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One lesson here is about how we relate to דברים שבקדושה. We need to recognize that we are in truth dealing with ideas and mitzvos that are completely above us. And they must remain as such always, regardless of whatever understanding we do have. They are still above us.
A child in first grade should have an understanding that there is more to Torah than Aleph-Beis and parsha sheets. The Torah is bigger than that – he knows that his father learns Torah differently. The child does not progress to second grade and then realize, “Oh, there’s more to it.” Rather, the Torah is always greater than where he’s holding, whether in first grade and second grade, Yeshiva Ketanah or Yeshiva Gedolah. For adults, Talmidei Chachamim, Mekubalim, the same rule holds true: there is always infinitely more to it, because you are dealing with something which is above you. That is true Chavivus.