(Genesis 12:1-2) Rabbi Yitzchak said: Four things tear up a person's harsh decree. They are these: charity, crying out, change of name, and change of deed. Crying out, as it is written, "And they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and He brought them out of their distress." Charity, as it is written, "And charity delivers from death." Change of name, as it is written, "As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, for Sarah is her name," and it is written, "And I will bless her, and I will also give you a son by her." Change of deed, as it is written, "And God saw their deeds." And some say: change of place too, as it is written, "And the LORD said to Abram: Go forth," and afterward, "And I will make you into a great nation." And the other holds: that was the merit of the Land of Israel that availed him.
Four Things That Tear Up A Persons Harsh Decree
Yalkut Shimoni on Torah 63:3
(בראשית יב א-ב) אָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק: אַרְבָּעָה דְבָרִים מְקָרְעִין גְּזַר דִּינוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם. אֵלּוּ הֵן: צְדָקָה, צְעָקָה, שִׁנּוּי הַשֵּׁם, וְשִׁנּוּי מַעֲשֶׂה. צְעָקָה, דִּכְתִיב: "וַיִּצְעֲקוּ אֶל ה' בַּצַּר לָהֶם, וּמִמְּצוּקֹתֵיהֶם יוֹצִיאֵם". צְדָקָה, דִּכְתִיב: "וּצְדָקָה תַּצִּיל מִמָּוֶת". שִׁנּוּי הַשֵּׁם, דִּכְתִיב: "שָׂרַי אִשְׁתְּךָ לֹא תִקְרָא אֶת שְׁמָהּ שָׂרָי, כִּי שָׂרָה שְׁמָהּ". וּכְתִיב: "וּבֵרַכְתִּי אֹתָהּ וְגַם נָתַתִּי מִמֶּנָּה לְךָ בֵּן". שִׁנּוּי מַעֲשֶׂה, דִּכְתִיב: "וַיַּרְא הָאֱלֹהִים אֶת מַעֲשֵׂיהֶם". וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים: אַף שִׁנּוּי מָקוֹם. דִּכְתִיב: וַיֹּאמֶר ה' אֶל אַבְרָם לֶךְ לְךָ, וַהֲדַר: וְאֶעֶשְׂךָ לְגוֹי גָּדוֹל. וְאִידָךְ, הַהוּא זְכוּתָא דְאַרְעָא יִשְׂרָאֵל דְּאַהַנְיָא לֵהּ.