Parshas Bereishis: Avrohom's Bracha - The Lowly Sand Stops The Mighty Sea
After the Akeida, the Malach tells Avrohom that Hashem will multiply his children like the stars in heaven and like the sand on the edge of the sea. To be like the stars is quite a bracha, but why do we want to be like the lowly sand?
The mighty seas cover most of the earth's surface. Their powerful waves are among the strongest forces in nature. It would seem that at some point the seas would wash away the entire civilization. Yet Hashem placed a small strip of specks of sand along the edge of the ocean, maybe a hundred yards wide, that somehow manage to tame the seas and keep the powerful waves at bay. Each wave makes a rush at the beach but as it approaches the sand, it humbly bows and turns back towards the ocean.
The nations of the world are the powerful seas. Klal Yisroel is the small strip on the beach. Wave after wave makes its best effort to crush and obliterate the shores. But like Hashem promised Avrohom, they each come tumbling down and meekly retreat.
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