1

‫לך לך‬ ‫בס"ד‬

The two ‫ פרשיות‬that speak of ‫ אברהם‬are- ‫=לך לך וירא‬317=‫אברהם אבינו‬.

One may ask why is ‫ לך לך מארצך וממולדתך ומבית אביך‬considered such a
big test. Firstly, Hashem is the telling Avraham directly to go. Rashi
says ‫להנאתך ולטובתך‬, and so who wouldn’t go? Also the fact Avraham
was seventy five years old, it was about time that he leave his father’s
home. The test was if Avraham would leave because it was
‫להנאתך ולטובתך‬, because it was to his great benefit, or would he follow
the will of Hashem solely because it was Hashem’s will, w/o any
ulterior motive, which is exactly what Avraham did-
‫וה‬-‫וילך אברם כאשר דבר אליו יה‬. The Parsha speaks of the first Jew, who
transformed himself from his past, which was full of idol-worship.
The last words in Parshas ‫נח‬, are ‫ וימת תרח בחרן‬. Terach did not pass
away at this time. Rashi says that the Parsha says Terach passed away
now, so that people would not say that Avraham did not honor his
father by leaving him in his old age. We can also say that because
Avraham cut himself off from his past, it was as if Terach passed away
(from him). All through the Chumash, the beginning of the Parsha is
connected to the end. The fact that Hashem chose us is ‫למעלה מן הדעת‬.
The end of Parshas ‫לך לך‬, brings the eighth mitzva given, which is
‫ברית מילה‬, and is performed on the eighth day, the concept of
‫למעלה מן הדעת והזמן‬. This mitzva was performed by the entire
household of Avraham, and the ‫ סימן‬given to the 126 pesukim, is ‫נמלו‬.

We always read ‫ לך לך‬in the month of ‫מרחשון‬, the month empty of

Yomim Tovim, the month referred to in ‫ תנ"ך‬as ‫ירח בול‬, the month of
decay. The ‫ מזל‬of ‫ חשון‬is the ‫עקרב‬, or the scorpion, whose poison
freezes the nervous system. When translated into ‫רוחניות‬, this means a
cooling us off from the intense excitement of Tishrei. The ‫ משנה‬says
that in the middle of ‫ שמונה עשרה‬if a snake wraps around him, he
should continue to pray, but not if a ‫ עקרב‬does, since it is much more
dangerous. MarCheshvan is called the ‫חודש השמיני‬, being that it is the
eighth month from Nisan. Therefore Parshas ‫ לך לך‬is associated with
‫שמיני‬, (the number of ‫למעלה מן הטבע‬, and that the nations have no
connection to) – the eighth month, the eighth mitzva, ‫ברית מילה‬, which
is performed on the eighth day. How do we answer the paradox of ‫חשון‬
being the ‫ חודש‬of decay and rotting – ‫ירח בול‬, with it also being the
eighth month, the number connected to the supernatural. The ‫ נביא‬calls
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‫ ירח בול הוא בחודש השמיני– חשון‬. Simililarly, at the end of the Parsha,
which speaks of the ‫ ברית‬of ‫מילה‬, the Torah says ‫יג– בריתי בבשרכם‬:‫יז‬.
The term ‫ ברית‬denotes an everlasting covenant, something that lasts,
like the fruit on the ‫תיבה‬- (Rashi). A marriage is called a ‫ברית נשאוין‬,
since we all hope that the marriage will last. However ‫ בשר‬is
temporary and decays after a short time. The answer to both is that the
job of a yid is to take the ‫ גשמיות‬and bring ‫ נצחיות‬into it, by connecting
it to Hashem- ‫=ירח בול הוא חודש השמיני‬1001=‫משיח בן דויד משיח בן יוסף‬
We must make Cheshvan into the month that the ‫ חנוכת בית השלישי‬will
take place, by elevating it with Torah and Mitzvos being performed
with the same fire as we had in Tishrei. The Munkatcher says that the
acronym of ‫ ושבו בנים לגבולן‬is ‫בול‬. This is after the tikun-
‫= ושבו בנים לגבולם‬527=‫פתאום‬. The ‫ משיח‬will come ‫ בהיסח הדעת‬or ‫פתאום‬.
Avraham was told by Hashem to leave his past behind, and travel
toward ‫י"ם‬, which is the eternal city. The Gemorra in ‫נח‬: ‫ ברכות‬says
that ‫והנצח זו י"ם‬. Therefore the ‫ ברית מילה‬and the city of ‫ י"ם‬are
spiritually one - ‫=והיה לאות ברית ביני ובניכים‬1285=‫ירושלים עיר הקדש‬
)‫יא‬:‫)יז‬. The holy city of ‫ י"ם‬is connected to the number eight-
‫=שין ממ יוד נון יוד‬586=‫ירושלם‬. Noach experienced the world of eight,
only while he was in the ‫תיבה‬, but not when he left the arc. This is why
he fell into ‫חולין‬. Noach was not ‫ שייך‬to ‫ברית מילה‬.

The ‫ דור המבול‬was immoral, steeped in ‫זנות‬, and produced the ‫צדיק נח‬.
The ‫ דור הפלגה‬was on the other hand a generation of ‫מינות‬, of atheism,
which results from a coldness to ‫עניני אמונה‬. Due to all the high tech.
we have today, we think that we know everything. We can get to outer
space. Avraham becomes the ‫ ראש למאמינים‬in this generation, which
was passed down to all ‫כלל ישראל‬. The people of Ashur received the
merit that the script of a ‫ ספר תורה‬is written in ‫אשורית‬, because they
had the sense to separate from the ‫דור הפלגה‬. Avraham was called
‫עברי‬, since his ways were “on the other side” than everyone else.

The Ramban and the ‫ מהר"ל‬ask why is there no introduction to who

Avraham is, and even though Hashem speaks to Avraham here, it is
only in Parshas ‫ וירא‬that there is a revelation- ‫ ?וירא אליו‬If Hashem
would have revealed himself to Avraham earlier, then it would seem as
if Hashem chose Avraham because of his greatness. The love that
Hashem has for the yidden is unconditional and ‫למעלה מן הטבע‬. In the
pasuk ‫וה אשר תקראו אתם‬-‫אלה מועדי יה‬, the ‫ אותם‬is w/o a ‫ ו‬, and the
Gemorra says that even if the ‫ בית דין‬made a mistake purposely, the
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month would be sanctified. Therefore ‫ אתם‬means even ‫מזידים‬. When

Hashem said ‫וה‬-‫ בנים אתם ליה‬.. , this means that we are Hashem’s
children no matter what we do, and Hashem will never leave the
yidden. The ‫ בני יששכר‬says that the ‫ מסירות נפש‬that Avraham had in
‫ אור כשדים‬was really not permitted. Goyim are not commanded in
‫יהרוג ועל יעבור‬. Avraham was willing to give up his ‫עולם הבא‬. The love
that Avraham had for Hashem, is why Hashem has such unconditional
love to all yidden. Yitzhak and ‫ יעקב‬were both brought up in an
atmosphere of ‫אמונה‬, whereas Avraham had to battle the darkness. The
final redemption will come with this tremendous ‫אמונה‬.

With real ‫ אמונה‬we will be able to nullify the ‫ טומאה‬of the ‫עקרב‬. The
Gemorra says that three things come with ‫– היסח הדעת‬the ‫משיח‬, a ‫מציאה‬
(a person doesn’t go looking for lost wallets), and the ‫עקרב‬. Rebeinu
Bechaya in Parshas ‫ וילך‬says the ‫ מזל‬of ‫ ישמעאל‬is the ‫עקרב‬, and so
‫ מרחשון‬is the month that ‫ ישמעאל‬is revealed. The Arabs yell Allah
Akbar- which are the letters ‫עקרב‬. He equates ‫ ישמעאל‬with the ‫עקרב‬
from the pasuk in ‫כה‬-‫כד‬:‫פרשת וישב לז‬, where it says ‫והבור רק אין בו מים‬
and Rashi says ‫מים אין בו אבל נחשים ועקרבים יש בו‬. In the next ‫ פסוק‬it
says ‫והנה ארחת ישמעאלים באה‬. There is a ‫ היסח הדעת‬which is
‫ למטה מן הדעת‬which is ‫ישמעאל‬, whose actions come sudden, and are
illogical. To combat this, we need the ‫ היסח הדעת‬that is ‫למעלה מן הדעת‬,
which is ‫אמונה‬. If we take the ‫ רע‬out of ‫עקרב‬, we’re left with
‫=קב‬102=‫אמונה‬. The ‫ בק‬also stands for ‫ ברית קודש‬which is synonymous
with ‫ אמונה‬and together sudue the ‫ קליפה‬of ‫עקרב‬. Yishmael also has
‫ אמונה‬and ‫ מסירת נפש‬and tefilla, all inherited from Avraham, and
therefore the yidden must intensify their ‫ אמונה‬and tefilla with ‫ כונה‬in
order to sudue theirs. Yishmael was given a ‫ מילה‬when he was thirteen
years old, when he had ‫דעת‬. If we notice, we said that ‫ ישמעאל‬had a
‫מילה‬, not a ‫ברית מילה‬. An eternal ‫ ברית‬is only ‫ שייך‬to the yidden. What
Yishmael had was an operation, and no more, and so he has no claim
to the Holy Land- ‫= (את בריתי) אקים את יצחק‬760=‫ומלכי צדק מלך שלם‬.
Jerusalem is the city only for the ‫בני ברית‬. We see clearly in the
pesukim at the end of the Parsha that the ‫ ברית‬is with ‫ יצחק‬only.

In no other Parsha is the word ‫ ברית‬used so much. In the Parsha is

written of the ‫ ברית‬of ‫יז( א"י‬-‫ טו‬:‫(יג‬, the ‫ ברית בן הבתרים‬-‫יח‬-‫ט‬:‫ טו‬and of
course the ‫ ברית מילה‬-‫יא‬:‫יז‬. In pasuk ‫יט‬:‫ יז‬it says -
‫והקמתי את בריתי אתו לברית עולם‬, referring to ‫יצחק‬. In pasuk ‫ כא‬it says
‫ואת בריתי אקים את יצחק‬, which clearly demonstrates that ‫ ברית‬is only by
4

‫ יצחק‬and ‫כלל ישראל‬. We have the ‫ מצוה‬of ‫ ברית מילה‬at eight days old,
teaching us that a yid has to serve Hashem w/o ‫דעת‬, or above ‫דעת‬,
with ‫אמונה‬. The ‫ מצוה‬of ‫ מילה‬connects us to Hashem-
‫ = ברית מילה‬697= ‫נ שערי בינה‬. Yishmael cannot grasp the concept of
‫למעלה מן הדעת‬. As we already said, ‫ נח‬experienced this level in the arc,
however once he left the ‫תיבה‬, he fell into ‫חולין‬, and became drunk,
resulting in the concept of slavery, ‫ עבדות‬being introduced in the
world. Avraham on the other hand grew higher with every test, where
even the ‫ עבדי כנענים‬also were circumcised and kept to the ‫מצוות‬. It
says ‫ אברהם‬took with him 318 soldiers into battle- ‫= אליעזר‬318.
Eliezer was equal to 318 soldiers.

The ‫ מילה‬of Avraham’s ‫ עבדים‬were equated to his own- ‫נמלו אתו‬, and
shows how great the effect Avraham had in the world. There are three
parts to ‫ ברית מילה‬, the ‫ מילה‬which was the cutting away of the ‫ ערלה‬or
the ‫רע‬, the ‫ פריעה‬which revealed the ‫עטרה‬, which is the
‫= כתר‬620=‫=בך חותמין ולא בהם‬620=‫ שער נ‬, and the ‫ מציצה‬which was the
‫=מילה ופריעה ומציצה – רפואה‬697=‫ברית מילה‬. This level, only a yid
could reach. The ‫ מילה‬of ‫ ישמעאל‬was w/o ‫פריעה‬, and the Halacha says
that ‫ מל ולא פרע כאילו לא מל‬. The ‫ עטרה‬is the crown, the ‫כתר‬. The
famous pasuk in ‫… צאנה וראנה– שה"ש‬. ‫ עטרה שעטרה לו אמו‬where
‫=שעטרה לו‬620=‫כתר‬. The punishment for not performing a ‫ ברית‬is ‫כרת‬,
the same letters as ‫=שש אנכי – כתר‬681=‫שער הנון‬. Avraham reaches the
‫ שער נ‬here in ‫= לך– לך לך‬50. The ‫ בני יששכר‬says that ‫ עקרב‬is ‫עיקר בית‬, as
the ‫ ילקוט שמעני‬says that the dedication to the ‫ בית שלישי‬will be in ‫חשון‬.

The real first world war takes here in ‫ פרשת לך לך‬with the war of the
five kings against the four kings. ‫ ספרי חסידות‬explain that this eludes
to the war of the body, which is made up of four parts- fire, earth, air
and water, against the soul which has five levels- ‫נפש רוח נשמה חיה יחידה‬
The ‫ מדרש‬says ‫חמשה שמות נקראו לה‬-
‫=חמשה שמות‬1099=‫נפש רוח נשמה חיה יחידה‬. The four kings won,
inferring that the body usually wins out over the ‫נשמה‬. However
Avraham fights against, and defeats the four kings, the body, as he was
in total control of all his organs- ‫ויחבש את חמרו‬, his ‫חומריות‬. One of the
four kings was ‫אמרפל‬, where ‫ רשי‬says that he got his name by
throwing ‫ אברהם‬into the fire ‫פול לתוך כבשן‬. Rashi says this was ‫נמרוד‬,
and we can see a connection of the two names. ‫ אמרפל‬refers to the fire
of physical desires, which is synonymous to ‫נמרוד‬, the one who rebels
against Hashem, the ‫כופר‬. Being steeped in physical desires leads to
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‫כפירה‬, because if one doesn’t believe, he can do what he wants, and

follow all his base desires, as it says ‫לא תתורו אחרי לבבכם ואחרי עיניכם‬
where ‫ לבבכם‬is ‫ מינות‬and ‫ עיניכם‬is physical taivos. The main intention
of Avraham, that is, the real purpose of this world war was to rescue
Lot from captivity, and save the ‫מלכות בית דוד‬.
The split of the ten tribes, took place in the month of ‫מרחשון‬, when
Yeravam made an ‫עיבור חודש‬, and pushed ‫ סוכות‬off to ‫טו חשון‬.
Rechavam took the wrong advice from his young advisers that told
him to increase the taxes ‫=חודש מרחשון‬922=‫ מלכות בית דוד‬and
‫קרע ב= עקרב‬- ‫ עם ישראל‬was split in two. Rav Mendal Riminov says
that most ‫ גזירות‬against the yidden happen in ‫חשון‬. Rechavam said that
he would whip the people (taxes) with ‫עקרבים‬, strong whips -
‫אני איסר אתכם בעקרבים‬. Yeravam Ben Nevot took the ten tribes and
settled in Shechem, and set up guards to make sure no one was to
come to ‫י"ם‬. He never referred to ‫ דוד המלך‬by name, but called him
‫=בן ישי‬372=‫עקרב‬. Yeravam was responsible for persuading the masses
to worship idols, rather than come to the ‫בהמ"ק‬. One of the main goals
we have in ‫ מרחשון‬is in removing the ‫ גלולים‬the ‫ ערלה‬the ‫ ע"ז‬-
‫=ירח מרחשון‬822=‫להבעיר גלולים מן הארץ‬. The war of ‫ גוג ומגוג‬is a war
against the ‫ אמונה‬of ‫כלל ישראל‬, and all yidden must draw from the
wellspring of ‫ אמונה‬that Avraham passed down to us. Avraham being
proclaimed king is a ‫ משל‬to ‫ משיח‬being proclaimed king, after
‫מלחמת גוג ומגוג‬. Parshas ‫ לך לך‬has in it the whole history of
‫כלל ישראל‬- ‫ מעשה אבות סימן לבנים‬, including ‫מלחמת גוג ומגוג‬, and ‫בנין י"ם‬.

The city of ‫ י"ם‬is mentioned here for the first time, when the Parsha
speaks of ‫מלכי צדק מלך שלם‬. Really the ‫ שלם‬part of ‫ י"ם‬is here, and the
‫ ירא‬is written in next week’s Parshas ‫וירא‬, by the ‫ עקידה‬--‫וה יראה‬-‫בהר יה‬.
The ‫ עקרב‬and ‫ י"ם‬are opposites, as the Mishne in ‫ פ"א‬says that-
‫לא הזיק נחש ועקרב בי"ם‬- (‫=בשלם (והיה בשלם סוכה‬372=‫עקרב‬. The middle
letters of ‫ עקרב‬is ‫קר‬, since the scorpion’s poison freezes the nervous
system. The scorpion stings with its tail, hinting to the -
‫ אשר קרך בדרך ויזנב בך‬of Amalek. It is also the letters ‫ רק‬which is a
‫מיעוט‬, surrounded by the ‫= עב‬72=‫חסד‬. In ‫ פרק השירה‬the ‫ עקרב‬says
‫וה לכל ורחמיו על כל מעשיו‬-‫טוב יה‬. This is the ‫ עקרב‬after he is ‫מתהפך לטוב‬.
Rav Shimshon Astropoli says that ‫ ריש לקיש‬was a ‫ נצוץ‬of ‫ישמעאל‬. Even
‫ישמעאל‬, the ‫ עקרב‬could be ‫מתהפך‬. The goal of Avraham was to calm the
‫ חרון אף‬of the Almighty. The ‫ צבי לצדיק‬says that the last word of
Parshas ‫ נח‬is ‫= חרן‬258, and the first word in Parshas ‫ לך לך‬is
‫= ויאמר‬257, which is the term used for soft-spoken speech. Avraham
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was calming the ‫ חרון אף של מקום‬and turning it into the ‫בית המקדש‬-
‫=חרון אף של מקום‬861=‫בית המקדש‬. The three mitzvos that we were
commanded to fulfill after entering and conquering ‫א"י‬, are hinted in
the Parsha- ‫מחיית עמלק‬, ‫ מנוי מלך‬and ‫בנין בהמ"ק‬. These three commands
are connected to the three parts to ‫ברית מילה‬- ‫מילה‬, or removing the
‫ ערלה‬is ‫מחיית עמלק‬, the ‫ פריעה‬or ‫ גלוי העטרה‬is ‫מנוי מלך‬, and the ‫ מציצה‬or
‫ רפואה‬is connected with ‫בנין בהמ"ק‬. In pasuk ‫יח‬:‫ יד‬it says -
‫ מלכי צדק מלך שלם הוציא לחם ויין‬where ‫ רשי‬brings the ‫ מדרש‬that this is a
hint to the ‫ מנחות‬and the ‫ נסכים‬brought with ‫ קרבנות‬in the ‫בהמ"ק‬.

The only way to conquer ‫ א"י‬is with ‫אמונה‬, as we can see today.
As great as the month of Tishrei is, when we merited ‫– דעת‬
‫למען ידעו דורותכם‬, it is still the ‫חודש השביעי‬. In the ‫פנימיות‬, the month of
‫ מרחשון‬is greater, it being the ‫חודש השמיני‬. In Tishrei was the
inauguration of the ‫בית ראשון‬, which was destroyed, however in ‫מרחשון‬
will be the ‫ חנוכת בית השליש‬which will never be destroyed. Hashem
didn’t choose the yidden because of their ‫צדקות‬, and thus the Parsha
has no introduction of Avraham. The fact that Hashem chose us is
‫למעלה מן הדעת‬, and to connect with the end of the Parsha, the ‫ברית מילה‬
performed on the eighth day is also ‫למעלה מן הדעת‬. This Parsha teaches
us how we can get through our low base generation, and that is with
the ‫ כח‬of ‫אמונה‬. The way to combat ‫ ישמעאל‬is with tefilla. When we
combat the ‫ היסח הדעת‬of the ‫עקרב‬, with ‫ למעלה מן הדעת‬of ‫אמונה‬, we will
be ‫ זוכה‬to real ‫ מצאתי את דוד עבדי– מציאה‬which is ‫משיח‬.

The reason that ‫ ז חשון‬was chosen to be the date in ‫ א"י‬that yidden

begin to ask for rain, is to allow even the last yid to arrive home (dry),
after being ‫עולה רגל‬, even though we need the rain so badly. This
teaches us the great lesson of ‫אהבת ישראל‬. The yidden are united in this
month of ‫פירוד‬. The ‫ מרידה‬of ‫ מלכות בית דוד‬is rooted in the ‫ מחלקת‬of
Yosef with his brothers. We said that according to the ‫יערת דבש‬, the
month of ‫ חשון‬is connected with ‫שמעון‬, the one most responsible for
‫מכירת יוסף‬. According to another opinion, the month of ‫ אייר‬is ‫שמעון‬.
These two months are connected. Both of these months are
sandwiched between two great months, to prepare us for revelation of
Torah. Iyar prepares us for ‫שבועות‬, the revealed Torah, and Cheshvan
prepares us for ‫חנוכה‬, which is the hidden Torah. In the Chumash,
‫ חודש מרחשון‬is written as ‫חודש השני‬, whereas in Navi, ‫ חשון‬is written as
‫חודש השמיני‬. Cheshvan is both the second month from Tishrei, and the
eighth month from Nisan. There is a big difference- ‫ שני‬or two, leads
7

to ‫מחלקת‬, where there are two opinions. This is why on ‫ יום שני‬of
creation, Hashem does not say that it was good. If we put Hashem into
the picture- ‫מי פעל קל‬, and we add the ‫=מי‬50=‫ נ‬to ‫שני‬, we get ‫שמיני‬.

The source of ‫ישמעאל‬, is where it is written first in the Chumash,

which is here in Parshas ‫לך לך‬. The ‫המתקה‬, which is accomplished by
the ‫שורש‬, is also here, with the ‫ אמונה‬of Avraham, as already
mentioned. The first place that Avraham came to was ‫שכם‬, and
Avraham poured out his heart in tefilla. The ‫ ברית אברהם‬says that he
saw that this was a place of bad ‫פורעניות‬- 1) ‫ מכירת יוסף‬2) rape of Dina
3) the split of ‫מלכות בית דוד‬. This tefilla by Avraham later helped the
‫ )שמעון ולוי( – בני יעקב‬in their war against ‫שכם‬. Shimon was battling for
Yehuda, for ‫מלכות בית דוד‬, and his portion was in the same portion of
Yehuda, and also the ‫ ברכה‬given by Moshe to Shimon, was hinted in
the Bracha of Yehuda- ‫וה קול יהודה‬-‫שמע יה‬. The same place that the
brothers sold Yosef, because they saw that ‫ ירבעם בן נבט‬would descend
from him, was the same place that the split of the ‫ שבטים‬took place.
Shimon was obviously not ‫ נגד‬the mida of Yosef- ‫יסוד‬, because he was
fighting ‫ שכם‬for the ‫קדושת הברית‬. The goal is to come to ‫י"ם‬-
‫וה ויחשבה לו צדקה‬-‫=והאמן ביה‬696=‫על ירושלים‬. When Avraham came to
the place of Dan -‫שכם‬, the place of the ‫ מרידה‬of ‫מלכות בית דוד‬, he
became weak, since he saw that this will be a place of ‫ ע"ז‬in the time
of ‫ירבעם‬. When the ‫ בעל שם טוב‬passed Aushwitz with his students, he
said that this was a place of ‫פורעניות‬.

The ‫ עבודה‬of ‫ מרחשון‬is to ‫ מתקן‬the ‫פירוד‬. One example is what we

mentioned that for one yid, all of ‫ כלל ישראל‬waits to pray for the badly
needed rain. Iyar is also Shimon- ‫ מזל שור‬, the mazal of Yosef. Getting
back to the connection between ‫ –חודש השני‬Iyar, and ‫– חודש השמיני‬
Cheshvan, both are connected to ‫רפואה‬. The ‫ גמרה‬says that
‫רפואה בשמינית‬, as the ‫ ברכה‬of ‫ רפאנו‬is the eighth Bracha of ‫שמונה עשרה‬,
and ‫ מרחשון‬being the eighth month, is ‫ מסוגל‬for ‫רפואה‬. The word ‫ אייר‬is
the acronym of ‫אני י"י רופאך‬, where ‫ ספרים‬say that drinking any rain
that falls in Iyar is a ‫ סגולה‬for ‫רפואה‬. The ‫ מזל‬of ‫ אייר‬is the ‫שור‬, and of
‫ חשון‬is the ‫עקרב‬, and both lead us to ‫ משיח‬-
‫=ממ שין יוד חית‬878=‫ עקרב שור‬. We have to rectify the ‫ קליפה‬of the
‫ עקרב‬in the month of ‫חשון‬, the month ‫( רק‬empty) of Yomim Tovim.
Our ‫ עבודה‬is to fill up the emptiness, and prepare the month for ‫משיח‬
who will rectify the ‫ עקרב‬completely. In the middle of the ‫חומש‬, it says
‫כל הולך על גחון וכל הולך על ארבע‬, where Rashi says that ‫ גחון‬is the ‫נחש‬,
8

and ‫ ארבע‬is the ‫עקרב‬. In the ‫מדבר‬, which is a place of ‫נחשים שרפים‬
‫… ועקרבים‬Rashi says that the ‫ עקרבים‬were the size of ‫קשתות‬. The tail of
the scorpion is also shaped like a ‫קשת‬. The term ‫ קשת‬refers to ‫ישמעאל‬,
as it says by Yishmael that he was a ‫רובה קשתו‬- ‫=ישמעאל‬451=‫המות‬.

As we already mentioned Rebeinu ‫ בחיי‬says that the ‫ עקרב‬refers to

‫ישמעאל‬, which is the fifth ‫ עץ הדעת טוב( גלות‬by Chaim Vital), and who
gets its sustenance from the ‫ ) כל הולך על ארבע ( ארבע גלויות‬that precede
it. The Galus of ‫ ישמעאל‬is a combination of all four exiles. ‫משיח בן דוד‬
will wage war against ‫ישמעאל‬- ‫=הולך על ארבע‬434=‫משיח בן דויד‬. The
‫ משיח‬will bring ‫פדות‬, the redemption- ‫=כול הולך על ארבע‬490=‫פדות‬. In
‫ עד‬:‫ בבא בתרא‬there is a story of an Arab that showed ‫ רבה בר בר חנה‬-
Har Sinai, and they saw ‫ עקרבים‬standing like white donkeys. The
‫ מהרש"א‬says that the ‫ עקרבים‬represent the ‫תלמידי חכמים‬, (hinting to
keeping to the ‫ )מצות דרבנן‬of who have a sting like ‫עקיצת עקרב‬. We see
that there is an ‫ עקרב‬of ‫קדושה‬. The way to nullify the coldness and
insensitivity of the ‫ עקרב‬of ‫ טומאה‬is through the ‫ עקרב‬of ‫קדושה‬. The
word ‫ עקרב‬is the ‫ ר"ת‬- ‫עושים באימה רצון קונה‬.

In Parshas ‫כב‬:‫ ויחי מח‬it says that Yaakov gave Yosef ‫ שכם אחד‬which he
took ‫ מיד האמרי‬- ‫בחרבי ובקשתי‬. The very next pasuk says that Yaakov
wanted to reveal the ‫קץ‬. Before the ‫גאולה‬, we have to battle ‫ עשו‬- ‫חרב‬
and ‫קשת – ישמעאל‬. When the ‫ קלקול‬of what took place in ‫ שכם‬will be
rectified, then we will overpower ‫ עשו‬and ‫ישמעאל‬. In Parshas ‫לך לך‬,
Avraham is running to save Lot ‫בסדם‬, which ‫ ר"ת‬- ‫סוד מלכות בית דוד‬.
From Lot came ‫ רות דוד‬and ‫משיח‬. Shimon rescues Dina, whose
daughter ‫ אסנת‬marries Yosef. The same ‫ שמעון‬who was most
instrumental in ‫מכירת יוסף‬, is fighting for ‫ קדושת הברית‬and for ‫ד‬.‫ב‬.‫ מ‬-
‫= שמעון יהודה‬496=‫מלכות‬. One of the portions in ‫ יהודה‬is called
‫מעלה עקרבים‬, above the ‫עקרב‬. The ‫ עקרב‬is rectified in Yehuda-
‫מלכות בית דוד‬. The ‫ עקרב‬will be transformed into ‫)בני יששכר ) עיקר בית‬.

Hashem says to Avraham ‫לך לך‬, that he should strive to reach the
‫שער נ‬- ‫= לך‬50. This is accomplished on ‫ הר המוריה‬where Hashem says
‫וה יראה‬-‫וה יראה– בהר יה‬-‫=בהר יה‬449=‫ מזל עקרב‬. This is where the ‫קליפה‬
of the ‫ עקרב‬will be rectified. Maybe we can say that in Tishrei we were
like ‫ מלאכים‬constantly surrounded by ‫קדושה‬. But ‫ לך לך‬teaches us that a
yid must constantly move forward. Avraham is always traveling ‫הנגבה‬,
south toward ‫ י"ם‬. Whatever happened in the life of Avraham became
history later on. Avraham was born in a house of idol worship, and he
9

was a ‫בן נדה‬. On his own he came to recognize the creator, and taught
the world the unity of Hashem. This all began in ‫שכם‬, the place
corresponding to the ‫עקרב‬, and in the time of the ‫עקרב‬, which is ‫ חשון‬-
‫=עד מקום שכם‬620=‫היא מרחשון‬. The brothers threw Yosef into the pit of
scorpions, in ‫שכם‬. The ‫ עקרב‬represents ‫ כפירה‬which is intensified in
‫מרחשון‬, the month of the ‫עקרב‬. When there is no ‫י"ט‬, no ‫קדושה‬, then
comes the questions, the ‫קושיות‬, which evolves into ‫כפירה‬. We must
then ‫לך לך‬- just go, and then there will be a revelation- ‫וירא‬. Avraham
was already bringing ‫ וירא‬to ‫שכם‬, bringing the ‫ קדושה‬to ‫שכם‬.

As we enter the month of the ‫עקרב‬, both ‫ עמלק‬and ‫ ישמעאל‬are

mentioned here for the first time. Parshas ‫ לך לך‬is the beginning of
‫ כלל ישראל‬as a nation, and the beginning of the 2,000 years of Torah.
Avraham has to erase his past, and start new. ‫ אמונה‬means when one
doesn’t see, before ‫וירא‬. In our times, we live in ‫ מזל עקרב‬all year
round. We are now before the ultimate revelation, the ‫משיח‬. We have
to move on and on, even though we are blind- ‫בתוך הסתרה‬. The three
places that the Gemorra says that nobody could deny that they are
ours, because we bought them, are ‫ שכם‬and ‫ חברון‬and the ‫מקום המקדש‬.
All of these places are occupied by the Arabs. The ‫ ספר היצירה‬says that
‫ מרחשון‬was created with the letter ‫= עד מקום שכם – נ‬620=‫שער נ‬. In the
Parsha, we have ‫ יצחק‬and his counterpart ‫ישמעאל‬, Avraham and his
counterpart ‫נמרוד‬, and the beginning of ‫ כלל ישראל‬and its counterpart
‫עמלק‬. There is also the counterpart of ‫י"ם‬, which is ‫דמשק‬, which are the
same letters as ‫מקדש‬.

Everything mentioned in the Parsha was to bring ‫ אברהם אבינו‬to the

forefront, so that everyone should recognize who Avraham was, and
who Hashem is.The same thing in our time, everything that is
happening in the world now, is a preparation for that great day when
‫וה אחד ושמו אחד‬-‫וה למלך על כל הארץ ביום ההוא יהיה יה‬-‫והיה יה‬
10