“Because Abraham heeded My voice, and observed My commission, My commandments, My statutes, and My Torahs” (Genesis 26:5). “Because [ekev] Abraham heeded My voice” – Rabbi Yoḥanan and Rabbi Ḥanina, both of them say: Abraham was forty-eight years old when he acknowledged his Creator. Reish Lakish said: Abraham was three years old when he acknowledged his Creator, the numerical value of ekev,10Ayin – 70 + kof – 100 + bet – 2 = 172.
Abraham died at age one hundred and seventy-five, which means that he heeded God’s voice for one hundred and seventy-two years – from age three. Abraham heeded the voice of his Creator. “And observed My commission, My commandments, My statutes, and My Torahs” – Rabbi Yonatan said in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan: Abraham knew even the laws of Eiruv Hatzerot.11If there are several houses which open to a joint courtyard which is fenced in, an Eiruv Hatzerot is required to allow moving objects from the houses to the courtyard.
See Rambam Hilkhot Eiruvin 1:1–7. “My Torahs” – two Torahs; he fulfilled even minor mitzvot of the Oral Law. Rabbi Simon said: Abraham knew even the new name that the Holy One blessed be He is destined to call Jerusalem, as it is written: “Abraham called the name of that place The Lord will see” (Genesis 22:14), and it is written: “The name of the city from that day shall be: The Lord is there” (Ezekiel 48:35); and it is written: On that day12The language of the verse is: “At that time” despite the fact that the midrash cites it as “on that day.” “they will call Jerusalem the Throne of the Lord” (Jeremiah 3:17).
Rabbi Berekhya said in the name of Rabbi Yehuda: There is no day that the Holy One blessed be He does not introduce a new halakha in the supernal court. What is the source? “Hear the fury of His voice, the sound [vehegeh] that emerges from His mouth” (Job 37:2) – and hegeh means nothing other than Torah, like the matter that is stated: “You shall ponder [vehagita] it day and night” (Joshua 1:8).