A Journey, 7 And An Oath

I said this at a sheva berachot of my cousin this week.  

The Midrash (Bamidbar Rabbah 11:2) says אָמַר רַבִּי פִּינְחָס בֶּן יָאִיר שֶׁבַע בְּרָכוֹת בֵּרַךְ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֶת אַבְרָהָם, וְאֵלּוּ הֵן: וְאֶעֶשְׂךָ לְגוֹי גָּדוֹל (בראשית יב, ב): וַאֲבָרֶכְךָ (בראשית יב, ב): וַאֲגַדְלָה שְׁמֶךָ (בראשית יב, ב): וֶהְיֵה בְּרָכָה (בראשית יב, ג): וַאֲבָרְכָה מְבָרְכֶיךָ (בראשית יב, ג): וּמְקַלֶּלְךָ אָאֹר (בראשית יב, ג): וְנִבְרְכוּ בְךָ. כְּנֶגֶד שִׁבְעָה פְּסוּקִים שֶׁבְּמַעֲשֵׂה בְרֵאשִׁית שֶׁכָּתוּב בָּהֶן כִּי טוֹב.  What does the כי טוב of Berashit have to do with Avraham?  

 וַיֹּ֤אמֶר י״י֙ אֶל־אַבְרָ֔ם לֶךְ־לְךָ֛ מֵאַרְצְךָ֥ וּמִמּֽוֹלַדְתְּךָ֖ וּמִבֵּ֣ית אָבִ֑יךָ אֶל־הָאָ֖רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֥ר אַרְאֶֽךָּ.  The question is, the possuk is out of order, it should have first said בית אביך and end with ארצך because one first leave's their father's house and ends up with leaving the entire country?  The Chassideshe seforim explain that Avraham wasn't just instructed to physically leave his father's country, Avraham is being instructed to leave the ideology of where he came from behind.  The ideology, the spiritual trappings and mindset of a idolator has to be left behind and Avram was to become Avraham, the founder of the Jewish nation.  This transformation doesn't happen merely by taking steps but is a mental process that one goes through.  That process started by Avraham leaving behind the ideology of the general country and continued until he diverged himself of the  false believes of his father.  

Avraham's leaving of Charan going to Eretz Yisrael was his berashit.  It was not just a journey of space but a mental odyssey to transform himself.  There was a לֶךְ to לְךָ֛, for Avraham to discover his inner being.  This was Avraham's berashit, his beginning of creating Klal Yisrael.  That is why the 7 berachot parallel the seven times of כי טוב in Berashit. 

But why 7 berachot, why does he need 7 berachot specifically?  

The Gemarah Niddah (30b) says before the soul comes into the world משביעין אותו תהי צדיק ואל תהי רשע.  What is the point of this oath if no one remembers it and one is given free reign to ignore it?  The Tzemach Tzedek explains that the word שבועה has the root of שבע, satiated, for taking an oath fills one up with power to overcome difficulties.  It helps bring to the forefront dormant abilities within a person as one is deeply committed to the cause so much so they have made an oath to fulfill it.  The challenges of the world are so great that the soul needs the push of the שבועה to help one overcome the challenges thrown at a person.  Similarly, the word for the number 7, שבע is the same root.  As is well known form the Maharal, 7 is the completion of טבע.  It is the full power, the complete satiation of טבע.  The 7 berachot given to Avraham were to give him the push, to give him the ability to bring to the forefront all in his capabilities to stand up to the challenge of being העברי, on the other side of the pressing issues of the day.  It was a slight aid to push Avraham over the edge to be successful in his mission.