Lech Lecha
Hashem tells Avraham “לך לך מארצך” and the passuk says “and Avram went as Hashem told him… and Avram was 75 years old when he left Charan.” Further on in the parsha by the bris bein habesarim it says “and He said to Avram you should know that your descendants will be strangers in a land not their own, and they will make them slaves and afflict them for 400 years.” Rashi explains the 400 years are from Yitzchak’s birth until Klal Yisroel left Mitzrayim. Yitzchak was 60 when Yaakov was born; Yaakov was 130 when he came to Mitzrayim. They were in Mitzrayim itself for 210 years (רדו); totaling 400 years, not exclusively in the land of Mitzrayim.
The Ramban in Parshas Bo asks: the passuk (In Bo) says “and the dwelling of Bnei Yisroel… in Mitzrayim was 430 years.” Rashi explains that from when Yitzchok was born until Yitziyas Mitzrayim was 400 years, and from when Hashem decreed at the bris bein habesarim until Yitzchok was born was another 30 years, totaling 430 years, in Mitzrayim and also other lands. If so, Avraham was 70 at the bris bein habesarim, and not 75 which the passuk mentions at the beginning of our parsha?
The Ramban answers in the name of the Seder Olam that really Avram was 70 at the bris bein habesarim, however afterwards he returned to Charan for 5 years. At age 75 he left for good, not to return (at the beginning of the parsha).
Why did Hashem tell Avram to go to Eretz Yisroel, leave and then return? The Sefer Chareidim brings a Midrash that Hashem said to Avraham Avinu for the 1st time, that he should go to Eretz Yisroel and see it and return to Charan. After he was back in Charan he was not given permission to go back to Eretz Yisroel until 5 years later. During those 5 years Avraham desired and anticipated returning to Eretz Yisroel saying “I’d prefer to sleep in the deserts of Eretz Yisroel then the palaces of chutz la’aretz.”
Before Avraham came to Eretz Yisroel he did not have the desire to come. Only after the 1st time he arrived and saw the nevuah about the precious glory of the holiness of the land did he have yearning to return. From Avraham we learn for future generations to also have this desire even though there may challenges and difficulties living in Eretz Yisroel.
It’s well known that many people have a sudden desire to move to Eretz Yisroel, frum and not yet frum. Harav Ahron Shechter shlita explains based on the Chareidim that this is as מעשה אבות סימן לבנים. Just as Avraham Avinu had a special love and desire to return and come to Eretz Yisroel so too this feeling is implanted into our beings.
May Hashem help all of Klal Yisroel return to the kedushas Eretz Yisroel with the בנין בית המקדש במהרה בימינו אמן!
