In this week’s portion the Torah records the first war in history. Four powerful kingdoms fought against five weaker kingdoms and during the war Lot the nephew of our forefather Avraham was captured. Og, the great giant, notified Avraham who immediately gathered a small group and without arms went to save Lot.
Targum Yonason Ben Uziel points out that Avraham heard about Lot’s capture on the 14th of Nissan ― Erev Pesach ― when Avraham was baking Matzah. In one of the poems we chant at the end of Seder many things in history that happened on Pesach night are recorded. The first on the list is how Avraham divided his army on Pesach night in preparation for the next day’s battle.
The Medrash details some of the miracles that accompanied Avraham and his group. When they picked up clods of earth and threw them towards the enemies the particles turned into bullets. When they threw blades of grass and the like, they turned into spears and arrows.
In a short time Avraham defeated the four powerful kings and rescued his nephew Lot.
During the course of the war, the kings and their people were killed. One of the wicked kings that Avraham killed was Kadorlomer the son of Shem who was the son of Noach. Avraham was concerned that he would suffer retribution from the righteous Shem for his son’s death. The Medrash relates that G-d assured Avraham that Shem would not harbor ill against him, and that is exactly what happened.
After the stunning victory, the Torah relates that Shem, who went by the name Malki Tzedek the King of Shalem the high priest to G-d, came out to Avraham, blessing him and presenting him with bread and wine. He then blessed the Almighty.
Here the Torah gives Malki Tzedek the title of Priest to G-d, however, from this point on, this Priestly title was transferred to Avraham. Our Sages explain that Malki Tzedek should have blessed G-d first and for this he was held accountable. This oversight changed the course of Shem’s personal destiny.
After the incident of Avraham’s victory at war, G-d told Avraham not to worry. What was on Avraham’s mind? Avraham felt that the merits of the deeds that he had previously performed and accumulated had been depleted due to the miracles that happened to him during the war. G-d assured Avraham that his merits were great and G-d also promised Avraham that he would be the father of a great nation and inherit the land of Israel.
The Torah tells us that due to a famine in the land of Israel, Avraham and Sarah had to leave and travel to Egypt. Sarah was stunningly beautiful and thus Avraham was concerned that the decadent Egyptians will kill him so that Sarah would be available to be taken for the Pharoh. He devised a plan that they would say they are sister and brother and that way he would be spared. There was a concern; Sarah’s brother Lot was with them and he had a big mouth. However he actually kept quiet and did not spill the beans. As a reward for remaining quiet, G-d rewarded him by dispatching His angels to save him when the cities of Sedom and Amorah in which he resided were destroyed.
In the final phase of the journey of the Jews through the desert toward the Land of Israel, G-d told Moshe to wage war against the great giant Og. Moshe was reluctant to do so. Why? As we mentioned, Og was the one who notified Avraham that his nephew Lot was captured. Moshe felt that this merit would benefit Og and perhaps he would defeat Moshe and the Jews. G-d therefore assured Moshe that he would defeat Og.
Now, we have to make it clear, Og’s intentions in notifying Avraham about his nephews capture, were not altruistic at all. He had his eyes set on Sarah, and figured that by notifying Avraham about his nephew’s capture Avraham would go to war and get killed, and he would wind up with Sarah.
Of course it didn’t pan out as he had imagined.
If this is so, why was Moshe worried that this deed may protect Og? After all, it was done in self-interest.
An answer offered is that when one performs something good or what is required, even if it is done for selfish reasons, G-d accepts it. For the exercise of doing what is correct will eventually impress upon the person to do it for the right purposes. Moshe, the most humble, devoted and spiritually accomplished servant of G-d, was concerned about Og’s one roundabout deed, for Moshe realized the great value of a good deed.
So when we are faced with doing something good, even when we know that it is self serving – let’s go for it! And if we feel compelled to say, text, post or tweet something negative about another – and we overcome the urge, G-d takes notice, and our private achievement stands to protect, reward and benefit us greatly!
