Journey of Self-actualization

God said to Abram, 'Go away from your land, (lech l’cha, literally “go to yourself) from your birthplace, and from your father's house, to the Land that I will show you.                                                                            Genesis 12:1

                Rashi, quoting Midrash Tanḥuma, comments that the meaning of our verse is "go for your good and your benefit." Truthfully, even without having read Rashi, Abraham understood that this journey was for his good and for his benefit. After all, Abraham was leaving Nimrod who had tried to kill him. Indeed, Abram had already begun his journey to Canaan prior to hearing God's command, as we read at the end of last week's parasha:

Terach took his son Abram, his grandson Lot (Haran's son), and his daughter-in-law Sarai (Abram's wife). With them, he left Ur Casdim, heading toward the land of Canaan.             Genesis 11:31

                However, the nature of Abram's journey changed immeasurably at the moment he responded to the Divine call "lech l'cha". Now Abram continued his journey for the sake of heaven, not for his own sake. Abram was not journeying for his "good and benefit," but solely to fulfill God's will.

                Zivah Shel Torah asks: if Abram's journey to Canaan is "for his good and for his benefit," how can it be reckoned as one of the ten "tests" with which God tested him? He answers that the test is to see (and to show) whether Abram is capable of ignoring the personal aspect and perform God's will exclusively for the sake of heaven. And verse four:  "Abram went as God had directed him" teaches that Abram "passed" this test.

                But beyond the above comments, we can say that the very fact that Abram acted in accordance with God's will is "for his good and for his benefit." Once Abram's journey was transformed from his personal journey to fulfillment of the divine will, he was able to receive infinitely more from its completion.

                Sfat Emet quotes Naḥmanides’ question why the Torah opens directly with God’s summons to Abram “lech l’cha” without presenting any introductory comment about Abram’s greatness (as the verses did concerning Noah, [Genesis 6:8-9]). Based upon Zohar, Sfat Emet asserts that the divine declaration “lech l’cha” is continuously sounded to all mankind, yet it was only Abram who answered the call. The very fact of his having responded to God’s declaration is tremendous praise of Abram, hence there is no need to precede the account of his journey with titles of honor.

                Alshikh (16^th century) comments that the meaning of God’s words “lech l’cha” is: “know that you cannot be the same person outside the Holy Land as you are in the Land.” In our terms, God informed Abram that his journey to the Land of Canaan is a journey of self-actualization. Abram cannot realize his potential without reaching the Promised Land, and this is “for his good and for his benefit.” Abram could not have achieved his self-actualization on the journey he began with his father.

                The only way to achieve complete self-actualization is by listening to and following the Divine call. This is the general lesson of “lech l’cha,” while the specific lesson is that Abraham’s descendants require the Holy Land to reach complete their self-actualization.

                What was true of our first father is true for us as well. Rabbi Azriel Hildesheimer [1820 – 1899] interpreted the verse “to the Land I will show you” to apply not only to Abram, but as well to his descendants throughout history and added that only within the Land is Israel able to lead an independent life.