One person is a tzaddik’s son, always among tzaddikim; another comes from a family with no merit of fathers at all. Does ancestry decide how far a person can reach in serving Hashem? And what do Hashem’s words “that I will show you” add?
Hashem said to Avram, “Go for yourself from your land, from your birthplace and from your father's house, to the land that I will show you.”
14Or we may read “Go for yourself …” as a warning against leaning on one's ancestry. Some people are tzaddikim because of the merit of their fathers, or because they are always among tzaddikim. But in truth a person must pay no attention to this. A tzaddik who is the son of a tzaddik must not look to the merit of his fathers, saying that it will stand him in good stead, and on that account not exert himself in serving the Creator; he needs great effort and strength in serving Hashem. And a tzaddik who is not the son of a tzaddik must not despair, saying that since he has no merit of fathers to help him, he cannot succeed in serving the Creator. Let him not say so; let him serve Hashem in truth, for one who comes to purify himself is helped from Heaven.1 Only, he must keep in mind that it is Hashem Who does all this for him, Who helps him.
In shortAncestry decides nothing: the tzaddik's son must not rely on his fathers' merit, the one without it must not despair, and each must know that Hashem is helping him.
15That is the meaning of “Go for yourself from your land …”: pay no attention to your land and your father's house, and go to your root, “to the land” on high. “That I will show you”: as we said of the one helped from Heaven, think only that it is I Who show you all this; everything comes from the Creator, blessed be He.
In shortLeave behind land and father's house, your pedigree, and go to your root on high, knowing that it is Hashem Who shows you all of it.
16The same idea is in “You have done good to Your servant, Hashem, according to Your word.”2 The good You have done to Your servant is that he is a tzaddik, for the tzaddik is called good.3 “Hashem, according to Your word”: this comes only through Your word; everything is from You.
Compare Yeshayahu 3:10, “Say of the tzaddik that he is good.” ↩
In shortEven being a tzaddik is the good Hashem does for His servant, and it comes only through His word.
The maamar as a whole
R’ Elimelech reads lech lecha as a warning against leaning on ancestry. Some are tzaddikim through their fathers’ merit or because they are always among tzaddikim, but a person must pay no attention to that. The tzaddik’s son must not rely on his fathers’ merit and slacken; he needs great effort in his service. The one who is no tzaddik’s son must not despair, for whoever comes to purify himself is helped from Heaven. Both must keep in mind that it is Hashem Who helps. So “go from your land and your father’s house”: pay them no attention and go to your root on high; and “that I will show you”: think that it is I Who show you all this. “You have done good to Your servant” says it too: being a tzaddik is Hashem’s good, through His word alone.
Takeaway
Whether you come from a line of tzaddikim or are the first in your family to seek Hashem, the road is the same: real effort, without leaning on the past and without despair. And whatever you reach, remember that it is Hashem Who helps you and shows you the way.
Related learning
Sources he cites
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Translated with AI assistance. Sources and summaries were checked by a separate AI review; not yet reviewed by a human editor.
