Moshaich in the Parsha

"MASHIACH, WE PROMISE!"

 Breishis 14:17
Sources:
Beraishis Rabah 42:5. Midrash Shirim Zuta 5:9. Torah Sheleimah 14:98 When the 4 powerful kings took Lot captive, Avraham chased them and wagedwar against them. On the day that Avraham defeated them, Bera, the Kingof Sodom, together with all the nations of the world, went to meet Avrahamat Emek Shaveh (literally, the "Equal Valley", which is today filledwith water: the Dead Sea). It had that name because all the nations of the world gathered in thatvalley and equally accepted Avraham as their king. They also swore tohim that from that time on they would never serve idols. Rabbi Elazar says that in that same valley, the nations of the worldwill swear to Hashem and to Mashiach that they will give up idolatryforever and serve Hashem only.

 

THE BIRD CAME DOWN

Breishis 15:11.
Sources:
Rashi. Sefer Haparshios, p.204; Midrash Lekach Tov At the "Covenant Between the Halves" (Bris Bein Habesarim), Hashempromised Avraham that he would have many, many children, and that they wouldinherit Eretz Yisrael. Hashem then commanded Avraham to take some animalsand cut them in half as a sign of this promise. The Torah then says that,"The bird flew down on the pieces, but Avraham chased them away." Rashi explains that the cut animals represent the non-Jewish nations thatkeep the Jewish people in Galus. The bird that tried to eat them representsKing David, who tried to destroy these nations. The bird was chased awaybecause Hashem didn't allow King David to destroy them. The same appliesto other tzadikim throughout the ages who detect a slight weakening in thestrength of the non-Jewish nations. When they see this, they try to hastenthe coming of Mashiach (symbolized by trying to "eat the pieces"). But they didn't succeed because the time for Redemption had not yet come;they were therefore "chased away." The final success will come with therevelation of Melech HaMashiach.

 * * * 

There is another explanation of the verse which says that, "The bird flewdown on the pieces." According to this explanation, the bird refers not to King David, but toMashiach himself. When Melech HaMashiach is revealed, he will "fly down"upon the nations of the world. At that time, Avraham will come to make all the nations do teshuvah andserve Hashem. This is another explanation of the phrase, "Avraham chasedthem away." The word vayasheiv can be translated "chased away," but canalso be translated, "made them do teshuvah." According to this, the phraseis translated, "And Avraham made them do teshuvah." Therefore, when "Mashiach flies down upon the nations," Avraham will makethe nations do teshuvah. At that time the prophecy of Tzefaniah (3:9) willbe fulfilled: "Then all the nations will be transformed to speak clearlyand all call out in the name of Hashem and serve Him together."

 TIME TO WAKE UP!

Breishis 15:12
Sources
:Midrash Agadah in Torah Shleimah 15:127 After Avraham had split the animals and the day came to an end, the Torahwrites, "And the sun came down, and Avraham fell into a deep sleep." The sun represents Mashiach, as it is written in Tehilim (89:37), "And his(Mashiach's) throne is like the sun before Me." Avraham represents theJewish people. The meaning of the verse, "And the sun came down, andAvraham fell into a deep sleep," is that the Jewish people will be in adeep spiritual slumber before Mashiach comes. Mashiach will awaken usall from this sleep.

 "ALSO" (v'gam) LIKE EGYPT

Breishis 15:14
Source:
Rashi  After telling Avraham that the Jewish people will be enslaved in Egypt,Hashem said, "And also the nation which enslaves you I shall judge."Why did Hashem say the word "also" (v'gam)? (It would have been enoughjust to write "And the nation which enslaves you I shall judge.") Hashem hinted to Avraham that not only will Hashem punish the Egyptians,but that He will "also" punish all the nations that kept the Jewish peoplein exile. The nations which kept us in exile were hinted to in verse 12, which saysthat after Avraham fell asleep, "And behold, a fear, a great darkness fellupon his." The word "fear" refers to Bavel. "Darkness" refers to Madai."Great" refers to Yavan. "Fell upon him" refers to Edom, the last of the4 exiles, in which we still suffer. The first 3 nations were "also" destroyed, just like the Egyptians. Thesame will happen to those nations who keep us in this last exile. 

ON "THAT DAY"

Breishis 15:18
Source
:Beraishis Rabah 44:22 After the "Covenant Between Halves" between Hashem and Avraham, the Torahwrites, "On that day Hashem made a Covenant with Avraham." Why doesthe verse say, "on that day"? It would seem to make more sense to write,"On this day Hashem made a Covenant with Avraham"!  This phrase, "on that day" is used to refer to the day of the Geulah, asthe prophet Zechariah said (14:9), and as we say in our prayers at theend of Aleinu, "On that day (bayom hahu) Hashem will be One and His Nameshall be One." And what did Hashem show Avraham at that time? One opinion is that Hashemrevealed to Avraham everything that would happen until "that day" whenthe Geulah comes. Another opinion is that He even revealed to Avrahamwhat would happen in the Days of Mashiach after "that day" of Geulah.  

 

3 MORE LANDS

Breishis 15:19
Source:
Rashi When Hashem promised Avraham that his descendants will inherit EretzYisrael, He listed the 10 lands which would become part of it. In the days of Moshe Rabeinu, however, Hashem told them that they willinherit only 7 nations (Devarim 7:1), as happened in the days of Yehoshua.The other three nations - Keini, K'nizi and Kadmoni -- will be given tous with the complete Eretz Yisrael in the Days of Mashiach. These 3 landsare better known by the names, Edom, Moav, and Ammon. Hashem later promised Moshe Rabeinu that He would eventually give these3 lands to us when He said (Devarim 12:20), "Hashem your G-d will enlargeyour border as He has promised you...."   

YISHMAEL'S LEASE EXPIRES

Breishis 17:25
Source:
Zohar 11:32a The Zohar relates an argument between Yishmael and Hashem about who shouldbe given Eretz Yisrael. Yishmael claimed that Yitzchak was not the only one who was circumcised --he too was circumcised. As reward for this great mitzvah, Yishmaelargued, he deserved Eretz Yisrael as much as Yitzchak did.  "Your mitzvah was not nearly as great as Yitzchak's," Hashem replied,"since you were already 13 years old when you were circumcised." Yishmael answered, "But don't I still deserve some reward?" At that time Hashem decided that Yishmael's descendants will controlEretz Yisrael for a certain period of time. But when that time expires,nations from all around the world will help return it to the BneiYisrael, through the coming of Mashiach. May this happen speedily, now.