Lech Lecha

"AND WHEN AVRAM HEARD THAT HIS BROTHER (LOT) WAS TAKEN CAPTIVE HE ARMED [VAYAREK] HIS STUDENTS, BORN IN HIS HOUSE, THREE HUNDRED AND EIGHTEEN, AND PURSUED AS FAR AS DAN. (Bereishis 14:14)"

The Gemorah in Nedarim (32A) states that "VaYarek" means that Avram brightened his students with gold [He gave them much gold]. Why did Avrohom Avinu give them gold? Tosfos (Sukkah 31b) explains, "So that they would not be tempted to secure for themselves spoils of war, and would be able to concentrate on saving lives (see Matnos Kehuna on Bereishis Rabba 43:2)."

According to this explanation of Tosfos, the Posuk is saying that prior to their embarking on their sacred mission to rescue Lot from captivity, Avrohom Avinu gave each and every one of his students an abundance of gold. The reason for this somewhat strange behavior for people going to war was that in the course of battle, these students might be tempted by the glitter and glare of the spoils of war laying on the battlefield. They might stop, even if only briefly for "a few short moments", to acquire for themselves this newfound wealth, and thus jeopardize their goal of saving Lot. Avrohom Avinu foresaw this possibility and gave them gold to counter this temptation. They no longer would need to stop. They would now be wealthy in their own right.

This clearly implies that had Avrohom Avinu not given them the gold, there would have been a significant possibility that indeed these students of Avrohom Avinu would have stopped and become diverted from their sacred mission by the lure of financial gain.

This is mystifying. For who were these students? They were Gedolei Torah and Tzaddikim in their own right (Nedarim 32a), worthy of being disciples of the Patriarch of Klal Yisroel, Avrohom Avinu. These noble people had volunteered to risk their lives LeShaim Shamayim, for the holy Mitzvah of Hatzolas Nefashos, of rescuing Lot from captivity. Is it conceivable that such great and idealistic people would jeopardize their entire mission by stopping to acquire for themselves spoils of war? Wouldn't rational people, as they surely were, understand how precious every moment actually is? Shouldn't they realize that tarrying even for a few short moments could jeopardize their entire mission? Surely, it makes no sense for them to stop, even for one moment. Why then did Avrohom Avinu deem it necessary to give them gold?

Furthermore, for what reason should the Talmidei Avrohom Avinu have any desire whatsoever to deter from their path to pick up spoils of war? What worth is monetary spoils of war to people who are willing to sacrifice their most priceless possession, namely their very lives. Is it at all conceivable that they would be willing to give up their lives for the sake of this mission, but they would not be willing to give up this opportunity to amass for themselves precious spoils of war? Surely not! If so, it is wholly illogical for the Talmidei Avrohom Avinu to deter from their path to pick up spoils of war. Why then did Avrohom Avinu give them gold to counter this temptation?

We see from here a profound insight into the human temperament. Even rational people, Gedolei Torah, and Tzaddikim embarking on a sacred life threatening mission, willing to risk their own lives for the sake of this goal,might stray from their path and engage themselves in absurd trivialities. While on the path to attain their holy objective when they see the enticing gleam and glitter of the spoils of war laying on the battlefield, they will be attracted to it. When the radiance of the precious stones and pearls shines in their faces, a hypnosis befalls them, a temporary paralysis that causes the logic of their mission and its holy objective, to cease. This is the mechanism of human nature. Avrohom Avinu, with his brilliance and depth foresaw and understood these inner machinations of a human being. He, therefore, addressed the issue directly by satiating that desire at the onset, by giving his Talmidim and abundance of gold prior to their embarking on their mission to rescue Lot, in order to counter that temptation.

Perhaps we can apply this thought to our own lives. Hashem created us and charged us with a mission and purpose in life, to do Hashem's will and to study and follow His Torah. Despite the fact that we are fully cognizant of this sacred mission which is our obligation on earth and the purpose of our creation, and despite the fact that we may set out to attain this goal with great self-sacrifice, we can nevertheless become distracted from this noble goal. We can involve ourselves in trivial pursuits, and in matters of no spiritual consequence. We can tarry on the way, to the extent that we may never attain our holy objective, which means so very much to us, and for which we are so willing to sacrifice so very much.

May we recognize this weakness within us, and may we find the might to overcome it. May we be zoche to attain in fullness the sacred mission in life for which we have been created. Amen.