Going Only Because Hashem Commanded

1The Midrash on this parshah records that R' Azariah said in the name of R' Yochanan: “Should you think that Avraham was not glad and did not rejoice at Hashem's word, then why had he not left before? Because he had not yet been given permission.” The Midrash shows that Avraham wanted to go. With all his heart he longed to go to Eretz Yisrael. If so, what kind of test was this?¹ We can answer with an idea found in the Yeshuos Yaakov and other holy books, on a later passage in the same Midrash [Bereishis Rabbah 39:9]: “R' Levi said: ‘Lech lecha’ is written twice², and we do not know which is more precious, the second or the first.” As is known, serving Hashem through eating and drinking is harder than serving Him through fasting and self-denial³. That is the Midrash's question: we cannot tell which of the two was dearer. (See their holy words there.) The same is true here. Avraham Avinu truly wanted, longed and yearned to go to Eretz Yisrael; he simply did not have permission. Yet when Hashem told him, “Lech lecha” [Bereishis 12:1], he did not go because his heart desired it. Rather, “Avram went as Hashem had spoken to him” [Bereishis 12:4]. He went only because Hashem had spoken, and not at all because he himself wanted to. That is a great test. Think it over. (Thus far from the handwritten manuscript of my father and teacher, R' Yechiel of Alexander, zt"l.)