The Mishnah states (Avos 5:3), נסיונות עשרה בכלם ועמד השלום עליו אבינו אברהם נתנסה, "Avraham Avinu was tested ten times and passed all ten tests." Rashi explains, ה"הקב אחרי הרהר שלא, "He didn't ask questions regarding Hakadosh Baruch Hu."
The miforshim debate about how to count the ten tests. Some say the first test was the test of לך לך, to leave his homeplace. Others say that the first test was when Avraham was thrown into the furnace in Ur Kasdim, and some go even further back to when Nimrod wanted to kill Avraham when he was a child, and he had to hide for thirteen years, which is discussed in the midrashim. Likewise, there is a machlokes as to what Avraham's final test was, whether it was the Akeidah or that Sarah was niftarah, and Avraham had to pay a fortune for her burial (Sefer HaYashar). But regardless of how we are to count the ten tests, we learn from this Rashi that the common denominator of all of them was to see whether Avraham would trust that Hashem was leading him in the best way or whether he would ask questions on Hashem and consider, chalilah, that Hashem wanted to harm him. Each nisayon was a struggle for Avraham Avinu. If it were easy for Avraham, they wouldn’t be regarded as tests. They were significant challenges, but Avraham passed them successfully. He constantly strengthened himself with the emunah that however Hashem leads him, it is for the best.
Rashi on Pirkei Avos (5:3) writes, "Pirkei d'Reb Eliezer lists the ten tests... First, (1) Nimrod tried to kill Avraham, and he hid underground for thirteen years. (2) Then Nimrod threw Avraham into the furnace of Ur Kasdim. (3) Avraham was sent into galus from his birthplace. (4) Hakadosh Baruch Hu sent a hunger in his lifetime. (5) Sarah was taken to Pharaoh's home. (6) The Kings sent Lot, his nephew, into exile. (7) Avraham saw [in a prophetic vision] by the Bris Bein HaBesarim that his descendants will be ruled and afflicted [in exile] from the four kingdoms. (8) He was commanded to circumcise himself and his son. (9) Hashem told him to banish Yishmael, his son, and Yishmael's mother. (10) Hashem commanded him to slaughter Yitzchak, his son. These are ten tests, and he didn't have questions on Hashem yisbarach due to his immense love [to Hashem]." Rashi's final words teach us the essence of the tests (as the Tosfos Yom Tov, Avos 5:3, points out). Each of the tests had the potential to chalilah arouse questions in Avraham's mind, to question Hashem's love for him and Hashem's kindness. But Avraham loved Hashem, trusted Him, and passed all his tests.
The Bas Ayin writes, "It was certainly very difficult for Avraham to leave his homeland, his father's home, where he was raised and accustomed to, and to go to a foreign land. Additionally, he didn’t even know where he was going! But he placed his trust in Hakadosh Baruch Hu, knowing that Hashem's kindness was always with him. He had bitachon [and trusted that if Hashem was sending him, that was best for him]. That is what gave him the strength to pass this difficult test. As it states, מחרן בצאתו שנה ושבעים חמש בן ואברם, 'Avraham was 75 years old when he left Charan.' 75 is the gematriya of בטחון. The pasuk is hinting that Avraham had bitachon. This is how he had the courage to uproot himself and travel to an unknown destination. Because with emunah and bitachon that everything the Creator of all worlds does is for the good, one has the strength to keep the mitzvos and pass the most difficult tests."
The Midrash (HaGadol, Bereishis 22:1) states, "Avraham was tested with ten tests, each one more difficult than the one before it, and he passed them all." The Midrash Tanchuma (Eikev 5) states, "No one had more tzaar than Avraham Avinu. He was thrown into a fiery furnace, exiled from his father's home, and chased by sixteen kings. He had ten tests and buried Sarah, but in the end, he had peace."
The Ramban (in his kuntres on emunah) writes that Avraham became a great tzaddik because he passed ten tests. These were tests of his belief in Hashem’s kindness and love, even when everything appeared otherwise. Therefore, it states, 'בה והאמן, that Avraham believed in Hashem. והאמין is written here without a yud. Agra d'Kalah explains that yud signifies chachmah, and Avraham's emunah was without chachmos. He could have asked several times, "How can this be good?" Logic defied it. But Avraham believed in Hashem with emunah peshutah, without needing to understand.
Hashem told Avraham לך לך, to go to Eretz Yisrael, and Hashem promised him that he would become wealthy and successful there. Avraham listened and came to Eretz Yisrael, but he had to deal with poverty and hunger instead of wealth and prestige. He traveled to Mitzrayim, where there was food. The leitzanei hador, the scoffers, laughed at Avraham and his beliefs. But after Avram’s short stay in Mitzrayim, he became wealthy, as it states (13:2-3) ,ובזהב בכסף במקנה מאד כבד ואברם למסעיו וילך, "And Avram was very loaded with cattle, with silver, and with gold. And he went with his journeys." Rashi writes, "He went to pay up his debts."
The Chasam Sofer says that the debts were the answers he owed the mockers. Now, he was able to pay up and give them answers. He could say, "I arrived in Eretz Yisrael without money, and now I am very wealthy. Now you see that Hashem is leading me."
