Messianic Shoes

In the previous post we cited the Gemorah that connects the feet that go up to Yerushalim for the regel to the נדיבות of Avrohom.  What still needs to be explained is why is there an emphasis on the feet?  The ערוך לנר in Sukkah explains based upon the midrash in Lech Lecha that we received the mitzvah of עלייה לרגל because Avrohom didn’t even take a shoelace from the King of Sedom.  It is in the merit of the shoes that me have the mitzvah of עלייה לרגל.  What is the connection between the act of Avrohom of not taking the shoelaces and עלייה לרגל?

 We also find a reference to shoes in the haftorah for the last day of Pesach (Yeshayahu 11:15) which describes us coming from the golus to Eretz Yisroel in the times of Mashiach walking in our shoes through the split river.  Why does the possuk need to mention that we are wearing shoes?  We explained here from the Bechai and Shem M'Shmuel in Shemos that shoes represent the ability to elevate the ground, the lowest levels in the world.  In the days of Moshiach even the lowest levels will be elevated. As touched on here, this was the message Avrohom was conveying to the King of Sedom (see Michtav MaEliyahu volume 2 page 170-3.)  Even the lowest parts of a person, the shoelaces must come from a pure source and may not be contaminated by a Sedomite King.  By being עולה לרגל a person isn’t just physically using his feet, the kedusha that is experienced from being in Yerushalim for the regel has an effect even on the “feet” of his life.  Now that we don’t have the actuality of being עולה לרגל  this experience must be felt in our prayers. (See also Toras Menachem 5725 (printed in this week’s Dvar Malchut) on the last day of Pesach and in the Alter Rebbe on the possuk in Shir Hashirim.)