Maghen Abraham - Thoughts From Mayer Sasson

"And G-d said to Avraham isolate yourself from your country and from your birthplace…and I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you and I will make your name great…" (12, 1-2)

Three Segulahs

On that said in our Parsha Rashi explains that traveling on the road causes a reduction in three things – having children, money and a reputation- therefore he needed these three blessings that were promised to him for sons, money and reputation and that is "and I will make you into a great nation" – I will add a letter to your name, for until now your name was Avram and from now on it will be Avraham". From here we understand that by G-d adding the letter Heh to Avram's name, Avraham merited 3 blessings – sons, money and reputation. We must understand –by the addition of the letter Heh how did Avraham merit these blessings?

The holy Rabbi of Apta said in the name of Rabbi M.A. of Pano that the letter Heh has three Segulahs - special qualities for the Jewish Nation.

The first one is a protection of the Jewish Nation from the curse of the wicked Bilam. The second is that they are blessed thereby with great abundance in their livelihood, and the third is that they are blessed with sons.

He adds that 2 of these special qualities – a good livelihood and sons – are alluded to in the verse "הא לכם זרע" – i.e. from the letter Heh they will have a seed – wheat that alludes to livelihood and seed that they will have healthy children.

Therefore since the letter Heh contains a special quality for sons, in all the names of the Matriarchs there is a Heh (שרה, רבקה, ולאה). But Rachel whose name did not have the letter Heh did not have children until she told Yakov to marry her maid, "thus will I too be built through her." From the letter Heh of Bilhah I will be also be blessed and be able to have children.

And this is why G-d blessed Avraham "and I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you and I will make your name great". Because traveling reduces these three things I will add a letter to your name. For until now "your name was Avram and from now on Avraham".

The Heh brings a blessing for sons and livelihood and "I will make your name great" – G-d will publicize his name in the entire world.

SHABBAT SHALOM!!