Abraham Makes God Known and Becomes a Partner in Creation

"Possessor of heaven and earth" (Genesis 14:19). What is meant by "possessor of them"? Like a person who says, "So-and-so, his eyes are beautiful, his hair is beautiful" [praising one for what is admirable in him]. Abraham used to receive the passersby, and after they had eaten and drunk he would say to them, "Bless." And they would say to him, "What shall we say?" He said to them, "Say: Blessed be the eternal God of whose bounty we have eaten." The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, "My name was not known among My creatures, and you made Me known to My creatures; I account it to you as though you were a partner with Me in the creation of the world." This is what is written, "Blessed be Abram of God Most High..." (Genesis 14:19). "And blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your foes into your hand" (Genesis 14:20). He turned your enemies' own shield against them. How many maneuvers I performed in order to bring them under your hand! They were lovers of one another, sending letters to one another, sending gifts to one another, and I made them rebel against one another so that they would come and fall under your hand. "And he gave him a tithe of all." Rabbi Yehudah bar Rabbi Simon said: by the power of that blessing, three great pillars of the world ate: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Of Abraham it is written, "And the LORD blessed Abraham in all things" (Genesis 24:1), by the merit of "and he gave him a tithe of all." Of Isaac it is written, "and I ate of all" (Genesis 27:33), by the merit of "a tithe of all." Of Jacob it is written, "for God has favored me, and I have all" (Genesis 33:11), by the merit of "a tithe of all." "Give me the souls, and take the goods for yourself" (Genesis 14:21). For what was Abraham our father punished, that his children were enslaved in Egypt two hundred and ten years? Because he conscripted Torah scholars [into the battle], as it is said, "and he armed his trained men, born in his house" (Genesis 14:14). And Samuel said: because he went too far with the standards of the Holy One, blessed be He, when he said, "By what shall I know that I will inherit it?" (Genesis 15:8). Rabbi Yochanan said: because he held people back from entering under the wings of the Divine Presence, as it is said, "Give me the souls, and take the goods for yourself." Samuel said: because he equipped them [his men], as above.