You shall go away from your land and from your birthplace and from your father’s house (Bereishis 12:1)
Rabbeinu Bechaye explains that לך לך, normally translated as “Go away,” is referring to “filth”, לכלוך. In other words, “Go away” so that you will not be dirtied by the evil ways of the people in your homeland and your father’s household.
This raises a question: why should Avraham be negatively influenced by his native surroundings? On the contrary, Avraham’s outstanding trait, his great strength, was that he stood up for his beliefs without support from any friend, parent or teacher. His very name, Avraham HaIvri, expresses that he stood on one side, and the whole world on the other side.
He spoke up against the idolatrous ways of his father’s household. He spread emunah in Hashem throughout the world, despite the hostile atmosphere in which he lived. Why should he become “dirtied” by his surroundings?
The question is the answer. Dirt by nature sticks to a person who comes in contact with it, whether he likes it or not, even if he detests dirt. It’s simply in the air. It blows on him and sticks to him. That’s how we get influenced by our surroundings. As much as a person tells himself that he is utterly different from these people and their evil ways, it rubs off on him nevertheless.
It is written:
He who goes to the sages will become wise, and he who befriends fools will become foolish.
The Midrash explains it with an allegory. It is like someone who goes into a perfume store and picks up the good scent. When he leaves, all his clothes are perfumed, even if he didn’t make a purchase there. And it works the other way as well. If someone is around bad people, it’s like going into a tannery. His clothing picks up an evil smell no matter, how hard he tries to stay away from the tanners and the putrid skins they are working.
So writes the Rambam:
Man was created in such a way that his views follow those of his friends and associates, and he behaves as customary in his locale.
Note that the Rambam said, “Man was created in such a way.” It’s part of our essential nature. It’s not something we can change or overcome. Sooner or later, the laws of nature will prevail. Being around bad people is like being around those who have a contagious disease, while saying to yourself that you won’t catch it from them. This is not something you can control; you just have to stay away.
So it is regarding people who do not follow Hashem’s Torah, who spend their time on empty chatter, on the vanities of this world, or worse. We have no choice but avoid associating with them.
Perhaps this is why the Torah placed this important message, “Go away” so you will not become dirtied, in the story of Avraham Avinu. There never was a person who stood steadfastly against the influence of his surroundings like Avraham Avinu did. But Hashem still told him to go away from the filth of his land and his father’s home.
We surely need to do so. We should strive to always be in a clean and pure environment, surrounded by chachamim and tzaddikim.
