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Why does Avrohom invoke "Elokei hashamayim v'Elokei ha'aretz" when making Eliezer swear, but only "Elokei hashamayim" when answering his follow-up question? Rashi (רש"י)'s answer reveals progressive levels of divine recognition - from Avrohom's lone awareness to making Hashem (ה׳) "ragil ba'aretz" through outreach. The shiur maps this against the levels in Shema, showing how "Elokei ha'aretz," "Hashem Elokeinu," and "Hashem echad" represent increasingly complete recognition of divine control.
This shiur examines a subtle textual question in Parshas Chayei Sarah regarding Avrohom's oath to Eliezer about finding a wife for Yitzchok. Rashi (רש"י) notices that when Avrohom initially makes Eliezer swear, he invokes "Elokei hashamayim v'Elokei ha'aretz," but when responding to Eliezer's question about what to do if the woman refuses to come, Avrohom mentions only "Hashem (ה׳) Elokei hashamayim," dropping "Elokei ha'aretz." Rashi explains this distinction by noting that when Hashem first took Avrohom from his father's house, He was only "Elokei hashamayim" because people in the world did not recognize Him - "lo hayu ba'alei olam makirim oso, u'shmo lo haya ragil ba'aretz." However, by Avrohom's later years, through his efforts to make Hashem known - "hirgalti oso b'fi habriyos" - Hashem had become "Elokei ha'aretz" as well.
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Parshas Chayei Sarah 24:3-7
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