Parshat Lech Lecha: How Abraham Taught the World to Love Hashem

In this week's Torah portion, Parshat Lech Lecha, the Torah tells us about Abraham: "He built an altar there to Hashem and called upon the name of Hashem" (Genesis 12:8).

What does the phrase "called upon the name of Hashem" actually mean? Onkelos translates it as meaning that Abraham prayed, and this also appears to be Rashi's interpretation.

The Ramban, however, offers a different explanation. In his commentary, he writes: "The correct interpretation is that he called out the name of Hashem in a loud voice before the altar, making His name and Divinity known to people... And so our Sages said in Bereishit Rabbah (39:16): 'This teaches that he caused the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, to be proclaimed by every creature.'"

According to the Ramban, Abraham's calling upon the name of Hashem was not merely a personal act of prayer, but it was an effort to make God's existence and sovereignty known to others. In fact, this responsibility is part of a mitzvah incumbent upon every Jew, as an expression of the commandment to love Hashem. Abraham serves as the timeless example of someone who fulfilled this obligation.

Loving Hashem Means Inspiring Others to Love Him

The Rambam explains this idea in Sefer HaMitzvot, Positive Commandment 3: 

"The third commandment is that we have been commanded to love Him, may He be exalted... Our Sages have already said that this commandment also includes encouraging and calling upon all people to serve Him and believe in Him.

"When you love someone, you pay attention to that person, speak his praises, and encourage others to love him as well. This is an analogy. Similarly, when you truly love God, according to the understanding of His truth that you have attained, you will undoubtedly seek to bring those who do not believe or who lack understanding to recognize the truth that you have come to know.

"The Sifrei states: 'And you shall love Hashem' means that you should make Him beloved to others, as Abraham your father did, as it says: 'And the souls they made in Haran.'

"In other words, just as Abraham, because of his love for Hashem, as Scripture testifies when it calls him 'Abraham, My beloved,' and because of his profound understanding, encouraged others to embrace faith out of the strength of his love, so too must you love Hashem to the extent that you seek to bring others closer to Him."

The Rambam's words reveal a powerful principle: genuine love of Hashem naturally inspires a desire to share that love with others. Just as we enthusiastically recommend something valuable to people we care about, someone who recognizes the beauty and truth of Torah wants others to experience that connection as well.

Every Jew Can Make a Difference

Many people assume that helping others grow spiritually and encouraging them to perform mitzvot, is a responsibility reserved for rabbis, teachers, and Jewish educators. However, every one of us has the ability to bring another person closer to Hashem and help them develop a deeper connection with their Creator.

Consider the tremendous spiritual merit that can come from such efforts. When someone inspires another person to observe mitzvot, the good deeds that result are also credited to the person who encouraged them, because they helped bring those actions into being.

The possibilities are extraordinary. A single act of encouragement can lead to countless additional mitzvot, creating an ongoing chain of spiritual merit that continues to grow over time, even across generations.

Through helping others strengthen their connection to Torah and mitzvot, a person can accumulate thousands, and potentially millions, of merits that continue multiplying long after the original act of inspiration. There is no investment more rewarding than this.

The Extraordinary Reward for Inspiring Others

The Zohar teaches: "Whoever brings merit to others, that merit remains with him and never departs from him."

The Chesed LeAvraham states: "Hashem desires nothing more than those who bring merit to others."

The author of the Rokeach similarly teaches: "There is no merit comparable to bringing merit to the public."

Even the simplest individual can attain an extraordinarily elevated spiritual level through helping others perform mitzvot. The merit of inspiring others is so great that our Sages describe it as one of the most significant spiritual accomplishments a person can achieve.

Our Sages also taught in Pirkei Avot (5:18): "Whoever brings merit to the public, no sin comes about through him." Hashem grants special assistance to those who help others grow spiritually, protecting them from falling into sin.

The prophet Jeremiah declares: "If you bring forth the precious from the worthless, you shall be as My mouth" (Jeremiah 15:19).

Our Sages explain that someone who strengthens others and helps them draw closer to Hashem can attain an extraordinary spiritual level, described as being like the mouth of God Himself. In this exalted position, it is as though the person's decrees are fulfilled by Hashem.

The message of Abraham's example is clear. Bringing others closer to Hashem is not a mission reserved for a select few. It is an expression of love for God that every Jew can fulfill, each according to their own abilities and opportunities.

By sharing Torah, encouraging mitzvot, and helping others discover their connection to Hashem, we follow in Abraham's footsteps and create spiritual merit that can continue influencing lives for generations.