Why does the Torah add the word "Rak" which always comes to preclude?
Ba'al ha'Turim: To teach us that the Avos are also subject to Din 1 - since each one of them sinned - "Avraham asked "ba'Meh Eda ... ?"; 2 Yitzchak loved Esav 3 and Ya'akov declared "Nist'rah Darki me'Hashem" ('My way is hidden from Hashem'). 4
What is the connection between this Pasuk, the previous one and the following one?
Seforno: It is further proof that Hashem means only for our good. 1 See how heaven and earth - esteemed creations that are not subject to deterioration - belong to Hashem, yet He changed their nature for your sakes 2 on the merit of the Avos. 3 Clearly, it was in order to achieve an objective that is superior to heaven and earth - a perfect human-being, inasmuch as he is as similar to his Creator as is humanly possible. 4 It is therefore befitting to remove the blockage of your minds. 5