The Coin of Avrohom Avinu

The first Rashi in parshas Lech Lecho says that Hashem told Avram to go out into the world and that Hashem would publicize Avram's character to the world. Rashi uses the word "tivacho", your nature, your character. Chazal tell us that Avrohom minted and circulated a coin which had the image of an old man and old woman on one side and a young man and young woman on the other. This symbolized that he wanted everybody to be part of his quest to teach monotheism to the world.

I would like to posit that Rashi's usage of the word "tivacho" can also mean that Hashem would publicize Avrohom's coin to the world, as in "matbeah", a coin. Avrohom's goal was to unite all the members of a society as one community. Further I think that homiletically we can view the coin as being the strength of youth and its ability to constantly renew itself. Mechadesh b'chol yom maasei bereishis. To renew each day ideals of a new world. Unite this faculty of "hischadshus", the renewal ability of youth, with the wisdom and experience of the maturity of elders and you can really grow intellectually and constantly, every day.

Chazal say that when Eliyahu Hanovi will herald the advent of Moshiach, he will reunite the parents and the children. I think this can connote what Avrohom was trying to do by showing the two images on his coin. The union and conciliation of the concept and faculties of youth with that of the mature members of society. As the Torah states in Haazinu "ask your father and he will relate to you, your grandparents and they will tell you".  And as Shlomo Hamelech says in Mishelei, "al titeish Toras imecho". Do not forsake the teachings of your mother.

Klal Yisroel was given a mitzva of making a lunar calendar that begins with the month of Nissan. The language the Torah uses is "hachodesh hazeh lochem", this month is yours to begin the year. We can express this idea homiletically as the concept of "chodosh" renewal, is being given to you. Nissan always comes out at the onset of spring, an occuring renewal of nature. Just as the corporeal, gashmiyus, world renews itself, so too can the ruchniyos, spiritual world renew itself. And as stated earlier, mechadesh b'chol yom, we can constantly renew ourselves each day. How? By listening to our fathers, mothers and elders and following in their footsteps and Yiddishkeit path. Uniting the renewal ability of youth with the wisdom and experience of the mature.