Chayei Sora

" AND AVRAHAM BREATHED HIS LAST, AND DIED AT A GOOD AGE, OLD AND SATISFIED, AND HE WAS GATHERED UNTO HIS NATION.. . (Bereishis 25:8)"

The Ramban comments that when the Torah speaks here of Avrohom Avinu's satisfied life, it means to teach us two things: 1] The kindness of Hashem in that He bestows upon the Tzadikim a life of satisfaction; and 2] That the Tzadikim possess the mida tova, the fine character trait of being satisfied with what they have. They are not plagued and tormented by temptations for luxuries, and unnecessary indulgences, which would make it impossible for them to ever be satisfied. This is unlike those who are not righteous, who are constantly dissatisfied and unhappy, and are never gratified, for they are constantly being driven by a desire to attain more, as Chazal say (Koheles Rabbah 1:34), "If he possesses one hundred he desires two hundred, if he possesses two hundred he desires four hundred.¹"

Thus, according to the Ramban, the Torah is extolling Avrohom Avinu's greatness and sterling character. He lived a satisfied life, sameach BeChelko, satisfied with his lot, never tormenting himself by desiring unnecessary materialistic luxuries or extras.

This is mystifying. For what was the life of Avraham Avinu and what did he possess?. He was blessed with enormous wealth. He commanded enormous respect, and was revered as a Nasi Elokim, a prince of Hashem. He enjoyed much power, even defeating Nimrod the foremost warrior of the generation. He also defeated the four powerful kings in battle. Thus in essence Avrohom Avinu possessed every material want and need a person can ever dream of attaining. If so, is it really so exceptional of Avrohom Avinu, who was "blessed by Hashem with everything," to live a satisfied life, without being tormented with temptation for additional materialistic luxuries or extras?

Furthermore, Avrohom Avinu's entire life revolved around ruchniyus. He was totally immersed with dedication and devotion in disseminating to the masses emunah Bashem, belief in the very existence of an omnipotent Creator and to walk in His ways. Avrohom did this with all his heart and soul. If so, where is there room in the holy heart of Avrohom Avinu to have temptations for additional materialistic extras. Why does the Torah here heap so much praise upon Avrohom Avinu that he did not torment himself by desiring to acquire yet more. Surely he was light years beyond the desire to amass petty materialistic extras.

It seems that if the Torah goes out of its way to laud Avrohom Avinu for his midah tovah, his fine character trait, in being a Sameach BeChelko, satisfied with his lot, then even he had to exert effort to become a Sameach BeChelko. this behavior is something worthy of such praise. Had Avrohom Avinu not attained this lofty spiritual level of Tzidkus in being a Sameach BeChelko, he too would have been plagued and tormented with an inner drive and passion to attain even more than he had already attained. Notwithstanding all that he had achieved in materialistic attainment, namely, his fantastic wealth, power, and Kavod, and notwithstanding the fact that his life was totally immersed in the pursuit of ruchniyus leaving no room whatsoever in his heart to drive him to additional mundane materialistic achievements. Had he not been the great Tzaddik and Kadosh who was Sameach BeChelko, he too would have succumbed to these passions. He too would have lived a dissatisfied and ungratified life being plagued and tormented by these inner passions for more. For so is the innate nature of every human being. There exists within us an inner propelling drive for wealth, Kavod, and power. "One who loves money will not be satisfied with money (Koheles 5:9)." "If one has one hundred he desires two hundred. If he succeeds in acquiring two hundred he desires four hundred (Koheles Rabbah 1:34)." This drive knows no limits nor barriers, even to one who has everything. Even an Avrohom Avinu, who had everything, and whose entire life's focus was spiritual attainment, would have succumbed to these passions, had it not been for his greatness and Tzidkus in Sameach BeChelko. It is for this greatness that the Torah praises Avrohom Avinu that he was able to gather his strength and exert effort, thereby succeeding in overcoming this inner passion for more, thus enabling him to live a satisfied life.

May we merit to recognize that there exists within us this inner drive to always have more which brings us unhappiness and never leaves us satisfied. May we realize that this drive for more is irrational and unsound, since indeed everything comes from Hashem. He gives to whomever He wants whenever He wants. This realization can curb and obliterate that inner drive for more that exists within us. This in turn will provide us with a life of tranquility, satisfaction and happiness. May we be zoche to emulate Avrohom Avinu's pure character, greatness and holiness as manifest in his inner self-satisfaction, in being a Sameach BeChelko. Amen.