The Medrash Rabbah (39:2) states: “’And Hashem said to Avram.’ Rav Berachia began to say (Shir Hashirim 1:3): ‘Because of the fragrance of your good oils, your name is ‘oil poured forth.’ Why was Avrohom compared to persimmon oil? When oil is sealed in a bottle and placed in a corner, no one knows how good its smell is. But once it is moved around, its scent wafts in the air. So too, Hashem told Avrohom Avinu: Move yourself around from one place to another and your name will become great in the world (through your mitzvos and good deeds which give the world a good smell).”
This can be compared to a can of snuff tobacco that is locked up in a drawer so that no one knows how good it smells. But once the snuff is taken out and passed around the bais medrash, the scent wafts through the air and everyone wants to get a ‘shmek tabak.’ Similarly, Hashem told Avrohom Avinu not to remain in one place. He told him to travel around from place to place so that everyone should see what a good Jew looks and acts like, and they all should learn from him the proper way to live.
The same idea applies to every Jew. If someone needs to travel and spend time amongst non-Jews for business reasons, he should use the opportunity to make a Kiddush Hashem wherever he goes. He should make sure that everyone who sees him will be impressed by how a religious Jew conducts himself in a pleasant, upright manner, how he speaks in a refined way, and always acts nicely and tries to help others.
The reward for making a Kiddush Hashem in such a manner is exceedingly great. Sefer Derech Pikudecha relates (in the introduction) in the name of Rabenu Yona (Shaarei Teshuva, Shaar 4, Ois 5) that although there usually is no atonement for making a Chilul Hashem, one can be forgiven even for this terrible transgression if he makes a Kiddush Hashem publicly and sanctifies His name in front of others.
Thus, even though one cannot do teshuva for making a Chilul Hashem, he can receive atonement by displaying in front of others how one who follows His ways acts in an upstanding manner, thereby making a Kiddush Hashem. And one who does this will certainly be blessed with the seven brachos that Hashem gave Avrohom in this Parshah.
