The Parsha opens with Hashem’s command to Avraham Avinu to “Go to the land which I will show you.” What was Hashem’s point in being vague, why didn’t He tell Avraham where to go immediately? Rashi quotes the Midrash that says it is in order to give Avraham reward for every step he takes. Yet the question seemingly remains: wouldn’t Avraham still receive reward for every step he took, even if he knew his destination?
By way of explanation let me summarize a story brought by R’ Yechiel Spero in Touched by A Story #2:
One morning, Rochel Auerbach found an infant on her doorstep. Try as they might, neither she nor her husband were able to locate the boy’s parents, so they adopted and raised the child, naming him Dovid.
After he graduated from mesivta, the Auerbach’s informed the young man that they were not his biological parents. Dovid’s work and behavior deteriorated dramatically. It was Elul and his Rosh Yeshiva told him that he needed to “shape up or ship out.” Dovid started to improve a little bit, but unfortunately not enough, and he was asked to leave the yeshiva. Baruch Hashem he was able to find a new place and became a top student.
Soon Dovid got married and things were going well, except he and his wife didn’t have much money. Their financial situation got worse as the years went by. One day, Dovid decided he would try to raise $20,000 to keep his family afloat. His Rebbe gave him a brocha for success, but was quite worried, as Dovid had absolutely no experience fundraising. To his surprise, Dovid seemed to raise the money easily.
“How did you do so well?” the Rebbe asked. Dovid responded, “When I was struggling in my previous yeshiva, it was the month of Elul. I was reciting “L’Dovid Hashem Ori” and when I reached the pasuk, ‘for my father and mother have abandoned me’ I began to cry. This was talking about me – Dovid – abandoned by my parents! But then I considered the end of the pasuk, ‘but Hashem has gathered me in.’ I was suddenly overcome with a tremendous sense of calm. I realized: I am not forsaken, Hashem has taken me in! That was my turning point. I went from feeling unwanted to feeling incredibly precious and cradled in the hands of Hashem. I improved and am successful because I feel Hashem is with me, every step I take. That’s exactly how I raised the money, because I know and feel Hashem is with me every step of the way.”
Now we can answer our question. If Hashem had told Avraham where to go, he would still have gotten merit for each step, but by accepting to “go to a land that I will show you” Avraham placed himself completely in Hashem’s hands. Hashem offered Avraham a higher opportunity of service by not revealing where he would need to go. The travel became an entirely different journey; each stride was a step along with Hashem.
Now we also have a new appreciation of why Hashem elaborated: “From your land, and from your birthplace and from your father’s house.” His parents abandoned Avraham spiritually and now he was leaving behind any connection with them. “For my father and mother have abandoned me but Hashem has taken me in.” He was to cut off all attachment with his past and be taken up solely by Hashem.
In our daily lives we know that one of the most unsettling feelings is not knowing what will be in the future. We have this feeling all the time; we make plans, yet never know what will actually happen. We leave early to go to work, but a major traffic jam makes us late. We go to sleep early to be well rested for the next day, yet our child keeps us up half the night. “Man thinks, but G-d laughs,” they say, but in truth Hashem isn’t laughing, He’s smiling. You’re right where you need to be, right next to Him.