Avraham Avinu is called הָעִבְרִ י – the Ivri in our parashah, when Og came to tell him that his nephew Lot had been captured. The word literally means “the Hebrew,” but Chazal teach us that there is also much more meaning to this word. Rashi says that עִבְרִ י comes from the language of עבר הנהר, for that was where he came from.
But then Chazal add the following: Avraham is called “Ivri” because it is as if the world was on one side, and he was on the other. For the entire world had their beliefs, and he had his own, which were diametrically opposed to all the others.
The question is, why is it that specifically at the juncture of Og’s revealing to him that a great world war (the real first world war) was taking place, does the Torah highlight him as the one who stood on the other side?
In the chiddushim of Rav Meir Soloveichik on the Torah, Rav Meir zt’l explains: Imagine, a world war was taking place, something that every country had joined, with nine kings from different areas involved... and Avraham Avinu was so involved in his avodas Hashem that he was completely oblivious to it all!
It is very clearly here that the Torah emphasizes that Avraham Avinu is truly the Ivri — he is so very different from everyone else! For who else would have needed to be informed that there was a major conflict raging in the world at the time?!
Whether or not a person should be aware of everything that is going on in the world is not our topic for today; what is our topic is the admiration we must have for those who are able to remain aloof and completely immersed in a path of life that is devoted solely to Hashem and His Torah. For even if it is not the path for everyone, it is such a joy for us to know that such people do exist, even today....
Just this week, hashgacha pratis caused me to come across a piece written by Rav Mattisyahu Salomon zt”l in his sefer Matnas Chaim on Avos; it is truly staggering.
On the middah of being “slow to anger,” he alludes to the incident in Maseches Berachos, when Rabban Gamliel was demoted from being the full-time rosh yeshiva, replaced by Rabi Yehoshua. The Gemara adds that on that day, many benches were added to the beis medrash, and any she’ailah that was asked was answered, due to the many, many bnei Torah newly learning there.
Rav Mattisyahu then points out: Can we imagine for a moment the tumult that the changing of roshei yeshiva must have caused within the hallowed halls of the yeshiva? Could we imagine the natural “hock” that should have been going on the groups of talmidim throughout the beis medrash too?! And yet, there was nothing of the sort. Things happened, very great changes were in the air...but these young men of yesteryear were aloof from every drop of hock that might naturally have taken them over, and they were able to focus with complete and total clarity on their task at hand with discipline and determination.
That is truly something incredible to behold....
In a world so filled with tumult and hock, politics and confusion, it is so vital for us to grab hold to the middah of our forefather to the extent that we are able. For even if we can extricate ourselves from the news of the day only during the time we are davening, learning, or spending time with our families, we have accomplished something very great...and something very worthy of admiration too....
As Bilam said so eloquently, “Behold, a nation dwells alone, and in the nations they do not reckon...”
Being separate, alone and aloof from the world around us, is a middah that Avraham placed into the DNA of our people, and each distinction we create, creates for us benefits that are truly unable to ever be assessed...for they are inestimable....
B’Siyata DiShmaya.
