(2010/5770)

During the Seder, we read from the Berit Bein HaBetarim, God’s covenant with Avraham, where Hashem tells Avraham that his descendants will be slaves in Egypt for 400 years, “VaAvadum VeInu Otam Areba Meiot Shanah,” “They will be enslaved there and be oppressed for four hundred years.” (BeReishit 15:13). However, another Pasuk clearly contradicts this, “UMoshav Bnei Yisrael Asher Yashvu BeMitzrayim Sheloshim Shanah VeArba Meiot Shanah” “The time Bnei Yisrael spent in Egypt was 430 years” (Shemot 12:40). Rashi comments that the thirty-year discrepancy is the time between Avraham’s covenant and Yitzchak’s birth, which the Pesukim are respectively counting from.  Rashi’s solution assumes that Avraham must have been 70 years old at the Berit Bein HaBetarim, since Yitzchak’s birth, when Avraham was 100 years old, occurred 30 years later; however, how could Avraham have made the Berit in Israel at age 70 if he didn’t actually go there until five years later at age 75?

Quoted in Midrash Rabbah, Rabi Nechemiah notes that Hashem’s seemingly repetitive words to Avraham, “Lech Lechah,” both essentially mean “go.” Why doesn’t the Torah simply say “Lech”? Rabi Nechemiah answers that the Torah repeats it to refer to Avraham’s two trips to Israel, one temporary scouting jaunt when Avraham receives God’s covenant and his permanent move with his family five years later. Thus, Avraham could have received the Berit at age 70 yet moved to Israel 5 years later.  May we merit following the path of Avraham Avinu and make a similar pilot trip to Eretz Yisrael which will lay the groundwork for our subsequent Aliyah.