In the very beginning of the Parashah, Hashem tells Avraham Avinu to leave his home and begin on a journey to Eretz Yisrael. In describing this command to Avraham, Hashem is very specific in telling him from where he needs to leave. Hashem says “from your land, your birthplace, your father’s house”. On the other hand, when describing the destination, Hashem is vague and Hashem tells Avraham only, “to the land which I will show you”. What is the nature of this difference and how does it relate to the general theme and Avodah of this Parashah?

On a deeper level, Hashem is telling Avraham to uproot himself from the world of specifics. Leave a place where you were too focused and rooted in the individual details. Every person is influenced by many different factors in his life, whether it is his place of birth, country he lives in, or the people he has surrounded himself with. Hashem is telling him to leave all of that, to a place which is general, a place which isn’t governed by a multitude of factors. What does this mean for Avraham?

Avraham Avinu’s entire life has been devoted to uprooting himself from the ideology of Avodah Zara into which he was born. The nature of idolatry can be found in the word that we use to describe it: Avodat Kochavim – a worshipper of stars and constellations. Every star has its own name and every constellation provides a specific level of influence. The point of Avodah Zara is to break down everything into its individual parts and Kochot. Everything in the creation has its own Ko’ach which is governing and driving it. There is an inability to see the unity that lies behind it all. 

The nullification of Avodah Zara is to recognize that Hashem is beyond the world of specifics and multiplicity. He who clings to Hashem isn’t just serving Him in one way; he who clings to Hashem is willing to give his entire being into His service. Even if one excels in one area of Avodas Hashem or connects to one specific Mitzvah, he is still obligated to devote his being to the Kalaliyot (totality) of the entire Torah. When one does this, he is effectively nullifying the force of Avodah Zara.

In the case of Avraham Avinu, once he found Hashem, he realized that all of the specific influences in life were all mute in comparison to the wholeness and oneness of Hashem. Avraham’s new name Avraham is in Gematria Reish Mem Chet, which is 248, corresponding to the 248 limbs of a person. In order to devote himself to Hashem, Avraham must give his entire life and being to Hashem. It is insufficient for him to merely recognize that Hashem exists, but he also has to realize that true service is BeChol Nafshechah (with all your heart). This is why Avraham must throw himself into the Kivshan HaEish, to show that he is willing to sacrifice everything  for Hashem.

Once Avraham Avinu was able to climb out the world of specifics and moved toward a place of generality, Hashem then commands him to go to Eretz Yisrael using the vague and unspecific terminology “Asher Ar’eka”Hashem is telling Avarham, go to Eretz Yisrael because it is a place which is not under the specific influence of any Mazal or sort of specific power.

For this reason, Eretz Yisrael is given to Avraham Avinu, it is a Zechut for performing the Mitzvah of Brit Milah. Milah in the Kabbalistic Sefarim refers to the Middah of Yesod. Yesod is the aspect of Hashem that brings together all of the earlier attributes and makes them one. It transforms that which is specific and makes it into a whole. Once Avraham Avinu performs Milah, Hashem tells him that he has become Tamim, complete and whole.

Therefore, it is only through this Mitzvah of Milah that one can push away the disparate forces of Avodah Zara and truly reveal the kingdom of Hashem in this world. Yosef, who excelled in the Mitzvah of Milah, and is generally referred to as a Tzaddik (which the Zohar says refers to one who is perfect in this area) was given Shechem as a portion. Shechem has Roshei Teivot of Shem Kavod Malchuto. Once one enters the world of general, the Kingdom of Hashem can be fully revealed. This is the reason that the first place Avraham Avinu visits in Eretz Yisrael was Shechem, because now he is able to reveal Hashem’s presence fully in the world.

This message is applicable to every one of us. Each person feels he may excel or connect to a certain area of Avodat Hashem. One must not think that one should put his efforts only into the area where he excels. We must devote our entire beings to the service of Hashem, no matter what area. It is in that Zechut that we will merit the true revelation of Hashem’s presence in the world and see the coming of Mashiach BeMeheirah BeYameinu, Amen Selah!