DIVREI MENACHEM BY MENACHEM PERSOFF Special Projects Consultant, OU Israel Center [email protected]

that of all the places where Hashem could Where the have appeared to Avraham, Hakadosh Baruch Hu chooses Shechem, that bastion Odyssey Begins of evil? For at this juncture, Hashem appears ech Lecha is always an inspiring to Avraham to confirm that this is the Parsha, for after all, this is where the land that he will give to his seed. Surely, odyssey begins: L Yerushalayim would have been a more .suitable place to make such an assertion ויצאו ללכת ארצה כנען ויבואו ארצה כנען Now the Oak of Mamre suddenly takes “They left to go to the land of – and on a special meaning when it is realized they came to the land of Canaan.” that at that very place, the Canaanites Unlike so many who have good intentions, worshiped those trees! Avraham actually takes leave of his homeland with all his family, possessions, and “souls that he acquired in Haran,” in A closer look at the text, however, clarifies order to seek out “the land which I shall matters. The narrative talks of the show you.” “place of Shechem,” not of the city itself. When reaching Eretz Yisrael – Eretz Canaan That is to say that, in consonance with – Avraham travels southwards and passes our commentators and findings reflected “the site of Shechem until the in ancient Egyptian texts, it appears that of Moreh.”Surprisingly, the narrative Shechem as a city did not actually exist adds that (at that time) the Canaanite was in Avraham’s time. Shechem would be already in the land. It seems that from a established later by Chamor who would legal perspective the Canaanites still had name the place after his son. Thus, ownership of the territory but just the later, “Yaakov comes ‘intact’ at the city of awareness of that tenuous situation should Shechem which is in the land of Canaan” have been enough to deter Avraham. (Bereishit 33:18).

The Canaanites were idol worshipers; So what is the meaning of “the site of they were the epitome of depravity. Why Shechem”? Shechem, it seems, embodies would Avraham wish to settle among the entire spectrum of moral and ethical them? And how could we understand potential.

46 TORAH TIDBITS / LECH LECHA 5781 On the one hand, the city will be the close to the city. And here, under Joshua’s prototype of Canaanite corruption, idol tutelage, the people renewed the Covenant. worship, and evil practices. Shechem is where Yosef will find his brothers planning his demise. Moreover, our sages recount Notably, at the end of that ceremony, that so horrific was the degeneracy of Joshua takes a large stone and sets it up the place that at “the site of Shechem,” “under the oak near the holy place of the Avraham prayed for the protection of his Lord” (Yehoshua 24:26). It is as if Joshua descendants who would later fight there is telling us that eventually good will for the honor of their sister Dina who was vanquish evil: The malevolence that is ravished by Canaanite prince, Shechem. Canaan will eventually be buried.

Shechem is where Yeruchavam was Hashem chose this place specifically anointed king in place of Shlomo, but in because Shechem symbolizes the his foolishness caused the division of the extremes to which humanity can reach. kingdom. Thus is Shechem the subject of No wonder that here the people had to one of David Hamelech’s laments as he choose between the blessing and the envisions the ruined Shechem returning curse – Because in Shechem one could to the people (Tehillim 60): reach to the lowest depths or the highest realms. “God spoke in His holiness that ‘I would exult; Shechem, ironically, can be both a “city That I would divide Shechem.’ of refuge” and a Levite city: Like life, it is … Who will bring me into the fortified city? what we make of it. … Has Thou, O God, cast us off? Shabbat Shalom! …Give us help against the adversary For vain is the help of man.”

On the other hand, Shechem was the CHESED FUND The Chagim are over. place where was situated the Terebinth But it's never too late to help the needy, of Moreh, where Moreh signifies teaching especially in these trying days. and the Torah. Here Avraham prophesies Make checks (Israeli only) payable to "The Chesed Fund" that Bnei Yisrael will accept the Covenant and send to with Hashem at mounts Eval and Gerizim. ISRAEL CENTER CHESED FUND Here Yaakov made the second purchase att. Menachem Persoff of land in Eretz Yisrael and established POB 37015 Jerusalem 91370 Hashem as the “God of Israel.” or contact us at 050-570-1067 to make a bank transfer. Shechem was both a city of refuge and a Thanks to all who have helped during the Corona Levite city. Traditionally, Yosef was buried

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