ויאמר ה' אל אברם לך לך מארצך וממולדתך ... (יב-א)
MASHAL: A wealthy businessman once came to the Avodas Yisroel, R’ Yisroel Hopstein zt”l, complaining that his wealth and assets were stolen. The Rebbe replied sharply: “Why are you accusing me? Do you think I stole them? I have witnesses who can testify that I couldn’t have been there at that time!”
The man was shocked. “I wasn’t accusing the Rebbe. All I was saying was that I had a great loss, and I was looking to receive a beracha from the Rebbe for success in getting back my lost money.” With that, he pulled out some more money to give as a customary “pidyon” to merit salvation.
“I’ll agree,” replied the Rebbe, “on the condition you give me fifty gold coins right now.” The man looked at the Rebbe with incredulity. “Fifty gold coins?!” he repeated, “that’s an enormous sum of money!”
Stunned, he stood up to leave, telling his wife, “I’d rather daven to Hashem than pay so much for a yeshuah. Hashem can help us without the fifty gold coins!”
As soon as the Rebbe heard these words, he smiled and told the man that he could sit down and not worry. “Your salvation is on its way. I only intended to bring you to the realization that the One and Only Source of your salvation is Hashem. He is the only One Who can reimburse you.”
Within a short amount of time, he recovered all his losses.
NIMSHAL: Avraham Avinu was tested by Hashem on ten major occasions, and he passed them all with flying colors. Whether Avraham succeeded despite the hardship they entailed, or because they made him into a greater person, is debatable (probably both are true). But there is one thing we can clearly learn that Avraham Avinu’s rock solid implacable belief is what made him the father of the Chosen Nation.