בס”ד

Parashat Lech Lecha

This week’s Torah reading relates the story of Avraham fighting against the kings, among other stories. G-d tells Avraham tht He would be “his shield”. Why would Avraham need a shield after the war? Based on Tora Or, Lech Lecha, Magen Avraham.

Lech Lecha: Finding Balance Between Kindness and Restraint

This week’s Torah portion, Lech Lecha, begins with a divine call: “Go forth” — G-d’s command to Abraham to leave his homeland and begin a new spiritual journey. Among the many stories in this portion, one stands out vividly — the war between four kings and five kings, and Abraham’s surprising role in it.

After the war, Abraham returns victorious. Yet, instead of celebrating his military success, he has a conversation with G-d. G-d tells him:

“Do not fear, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.”
— Genesis 15:1

A curious question arises: Why would G-d tell Abraham not to fear, and that He will protect him, right after Abraham has just won a war? Wouldn’t Abraham have needed protection before the battle?

A Simple Answer — and a Deeper One

On the surface, we could say G-d was reminding Abraham that his victory was not due to his own strength, but because of divine protection all along. Yet, as we know, the Torah is not just a book of stories; it’s a book of teachings — lessons for life. So what deeper message is hidden in these words, “I am your shield”?

The Inner Meaning: Abraham as Kindness

In Jewish thought, the three patriarchs — Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob — each represent a spiritual quality within the human soul:

Each of these traits is essential, yet when taken to the extreme, each can also become unbalanced and even harmful.

The Danger of Unlimited Kindness

Kindness is wonderful — but unlimited kindness can be dangerous. Abraham’s compassion was boundless. He prayed even for those who opposed G-d’s ways, including his son Ishmael, asking G-d that “Ishmael may live before You.”

But pure kindness without boundaries can give life and energy even to that which shouldn’t thrive. Indeed, Jewish tradition teaches that the source of Ishmael’s negative influence comes from Abraham’s excessive kindness — kindness without judgment or limit.

The Danger of Excessive Restraint

On the other hand, Isaac represents the opposite extreme — Gevurah, or restraint and judgment. Too much severity, too much concealment, leads to coldness and distance. From Isaac came Esau, representing the imbalance of too much judgment, too much self-concealment.

Just as infinite kindness can overflow into chaos, infinite restraint can suffocate all growth. Both need moderation.

The Balance: Jacob and the Shield

Here lies the brilliance of Jacob — the harmony between giving and withholding. Jacob embodies Tiferet — Mercy. Mercy is not blind kindness; it recognizes imperfection yet still chooses to give. It is compassion grounded in truth.

And this, our sages explain, is what G-d meant when He told Abraham, “I am your shield.”
G-d was teaching Abraham that even kindness needs a shield, a boundary — a way to protect it from spreading into places it doesn’t belong.

Kindness without limits is like light without form: it may illuminate everything, but it can also burn and destroy. The “shield” symbolizes restraint, giving shape and direction to kindness so that it truly heals and uplifts.

A Modern Analogy

Think of the mind as an example.
When thoughts flow freely, that’s creativity — kindness in mental form. But if thoughts spread endlessly without focus, they become confusion. Likewise, too much restraint — never expressing ideas or feelings — leads to silence and stagnation.
The mind, like the heart, needs balance.

The World Stands on Balance

Our sages teach that when G-d created the world, He first considered creating it with the attribute of justice (Elohim) — pure restraint. But He saw that the world could not survive on judgment alone. So He combined it with mercy, creating a balance between severity and kindness.

And that balance is what sustains the universe.

Living the Lesson

G-d’s message to Abraham — “I am your shield” — is also a message to each of us.
We are all called to examine where we lean too far:

The spiritual art of life is to know when to give and when to hold back, to find the middle path — the path of mercy and truth.

May we all find that balance within ourselves, and may G-d, our ultimate shield, help us bring light and kindness into the world — with wisdom and harmony.

Talk from Rabbi Tuvia Serber


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