The “BaKol” Mindset

 

What exactly does it mean to be “blessed with it all”? This is the question that needs answering when we read about the end of Avraham’s life in Parshat Chayei Sara (24:1):

וְאַבְרָהָ֣ם זָקֵ֔ן בָּ֖א בַּיָּמִ֑ים וַֽה בֵּרַ֥ךְ אֶת־אַבְרָהָ֖ם בַּכֹּֽל:

And Abraham was old, advanced in days, and the Lord had blessed Abraham BaKol (with everything).

Rashi quotes that the Gematriya of the Hebrew word “BaKol” is the same as the word “Ben”, son. As the chapter goes on to describe the search for a wife for Yitzchak, it prefaces that story that reminding the reader that Yitzchak was a blessing for Avraham (and Sara), the fulfillment of the Divine promise of progeny. An alternate explanation suggests that Avraham was also blessed with a daughter whose name was “Bakol”. Rabbi Marc Angel suggests that the reference here to “Bakol” is meant toi remind us of the many places where Hashem promised, blessed and reassured Avraham that He would make Avraham the patriarch of God’s chosen nation. Some examples of verses where the word “kol” is used are:  “And through you, all (kol) the families of the earth will be blessed” (12:3). “For all (kol) the land which you see, to you will I give it, and to your seed forever” (13:15). “This is My covenant which you shall keep, between Me and you and your seed after you: every (kol) male among you shall be circumcised” (17:10). Rabbi Angel suggests that at the end of his life Avraham, like many people, questioned his accomplishments and wondered about his impact on the world and his ultimate legacy. The blessing of “BaKol” is Hashem’s reassurance that the Divine promises will be fulfilled, and Avraham will leave an everlasting legacy.

I’d like to offer another explanation. Instead of translating the word “BaKol” as “WITH everything” we can understand the word “BaKol” as meaning “THROUGHOUT everything”. Avraham had some challenges during the course of his life. Midrash identifies ten major tests that Avraham endured. This does not include all of the normal tests, challenges and setbacks that anyone who is human will experience over the course of a lifetime. We would not have blamed Avraham if he felt resentful, worn out, perhaps even a little pessimistic after all that he went through. Instead, he realized that he had lived a blessed life. Avraham realized that Hashem had blessed him at all moments of his life. Both the triumphs and the chllenges were blessings. Some blessings are more obvious, and some blessings are in disguise. We too can strive to emulate our forefather Avraham with a “BaKol” mindset. As the Talmud teaches (Brachot 60b) לעולם יהא אדם רגיל לומר כל דעביד רחמנא לטב עביד: “One must always accustom oneself to say: Everything that God does, He does for the best.”