Lech Lecha – Afraid of What Exactly

That is the first thing Hashem says to Avraham Avinu after his victory over the
four kings. It's a strange thing to say to someone who has just miraculously
won a war.
Avraham had gone out with a small group of men to rescue his nephew Lot from four powerful kings.
Against all odds, he emerged victorious. We would have expected him to return home with an
enormous sense of confidence. After all, he had just experienced an extraordinary demonstration of
Hashem's protection.
And yet, Hashem comes to Avraham and tells him not to be afraid.
What exactly was Avraham afraid of?
W E E K L Y D V A R T O R A H L E C H L E C H A
Afraid
of What,
Exactly?
4 G S E N I O R M E C H A N E C H
Rav Mordechai Burg
ְך ָל ןֵ ג ָ מ י ִכֹ נָא ם ָר ְבַא א ָרי ִּת לַא
"Do not be afraid, Avram. I am your shield."
B E R E I S H I S 1 5 : 1
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R A S H I ' S A P P R O A C H
The Fear That Comes After the Victory
Rashi explains that Avraham had two concerns:
Hashem therefore reassured him: ְך ָ ל ןֵג ָמ י ִכֹנָא, that he would be protected from punishment,
and דֹא ְמ ה ֵּב ְר ַה ָך ְ ר ָכ ְׂש, that his reward would still be very great.
The question we need to consider is the timing of Avraham's fears.
When Lot was captured, Avraham didn't hesitate. He gathered his men and went to war. Whatever
concerns he might have had about the consequences, they didn't prevent him from doing what
needed to be done. Only once the battle is over does Avraham begin to consider the implications of
the war. Why is it that only now is Avraham Avinu afraid?
The truth is that I think we can relate to Avraham Avinu's experience. During a crisis itself, we are often
incredibly capable. Maybe more capable than we ever thought possible. We find the strength to
make difficult decisions and take responsibility for situations that we never imagined we would be
able to handle. There is an immediate problem in front of us, and our attention is entirely focused on
solving it.
Only afterward, when life begins returning to normal, do we sometimes discover how much the
experience has affected us. During the crisis we were occupied with surviving. Only now, when
everything is okay, can we begin to process what happened.
Avraham has been the beneficiary of an extraordinary miracle, but in the aftermath, as he processes
what happened, he is concerned about the spiritual price he may have paid. Has the neis diminished
what remains available to him? Perhaps the miracle has exhausted his zechuyos.
There is something remarkably relatable about this concern. Sometimes we find it difficult to receive
something good without wondering what it will eventually cost us.
C O N C E R N O N E
After being gifted with this extraordinary
miracle, perhaps he had already received
the reward for all of his righteousness.
C O N C E R N T W O
Avraham had killed people during the
war, and he was afraid that he might be
held accountable for their deaths.
“We hold ourselves together throughout a difficult period and then
fall apart when everything is finally okay.
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Perhaps we have received an amazing gift, but instead of simply saying thank you and enjoying it,
we begin thinking about everything that will now be expected of us. When someone offers to help us,
although we are genuinely grateful, we may feel uncomfortable accepting the kindness because we
wonder what we will owe them in return.
For some people, this way of experiencing the world began early in life. Perhaps affection and
generosity were accompanied by expectations. What was given could later be used to make us feel
indebted, and we learned that receiving something good meant paying a price.
Over time, we may develop a way of relating to the world in which every kindness must eventually be
repaid. Even when nobody is asking anything of us, we find ourselves keeping score. And this can
make it surprisingly difficult to experience joy. Instead of allowing ourselves to appreciate what we
have received, we immediately begin calculating what it means and what it might cost.
Chazal explain (Bereishis Rabbah 44:5) that Hashem responded to Avraham that everything He has
done for him in this world was given chinam, freely. His reward has not been diminished.
Avraham was concerned that the miracle represented a withdrawal from his accumulated
zechuyos. Hashem reassures him that the salvation was not a payment for his past
accomplishments. It was something Hashem had given him without diminishing what was still
waiting for him.
Not everything good that comes into our lives needs to be understood as compensation for
something we have done. They want to help because they genuinely care.
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T H E R A M B A N ' S A P P R O A C H
What the Victory Could Not Give Him
The Ramban offers a different explanation for Avraham's fear. He explains that Avraham was afraid
of two things:
“Sometimes someone loves us simply because they love us. And
sometimes we are allowed to receive something wonderful without
immediately wondering what we will have to give up in return.
F E A R O N E
Perhaps the kings would return with
greater armies and he would be killed.
F E A R T W O
Perhaps his life would come to an end
without children.
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The first concern is understandable. Avraham had survived one battle, but there was no guarantee
that he would survive another. Just because he won the war doesn't mean the war is necessarily
over.
The second concern is particularly heartbreaking. Avraham has just defeated four kings and rescued
Lot. He has experienced an extraordinary miracle, and he has every reason to be grateful for what
Hashem has done for him. But he still doesn't have a child.
Scottie Scheffler, the world's number one golfer, held a press conference before the British Open in
July 2025. Scheffler had achieved what most professional golfers spend their entire lives dreamin