In this week’s Parsha, we will meet for the first time the image of the father of the Jewish faith and of monotheism – Abraham.
As any budding novelist knows, the most important part in writing a story is the initial introduction of central characters, in which the reader is presented a few background details on the key figures of the story.
Jewish stories also start mostly in such a way. For example, we find a biographical introduction in the first stages of the story of Moses (in Exodus, Chapter 2):
Birth – “The woman conceived and bore a son… she hid him for three months”.
Childhood – “The child grew up, and she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became like her son.”
Youth – “Moses grew up and went out to his brothers and looked at their burdens.”
However, our first meeting with Abraham is held without any introduction like that:
“And G-d said to Abraham, “Go forth from your land and from your birthplace and from your father’s house, to the land that I will show you” (Genesis 12,1).
Who is Abraham? Who are his parents and what was his childhood like? What are the foundational experiences that shaped him as an adult, what caused G-d to choose him specifically for the revolutionary role assigned to him?
Rabbi Yehuda Aryeh Leib Alter (1847-1905; Poland), The Gerrer Rebbe, better known as the “Sfat Emet,” wrote in his commentary a wonderful explanation for this choice of the Torah:
“It seems that this is the praise himself, that he heard the words: “Lech Lecha” – go for yourself, that was being said by Hashem for all people always.”
So many ‘little’ Abrahams were before him, but none of them were sensitive and brave enough to take the chance, and listen to the voice of G-d. The Torah begins telling about Abraham exactly at this point – because it is just the nature of Abraham, a man who knows how to listen to the word of G-d, and implement it in the practical life.
Each of us gets so many opportunities, to progress, to repair, to act correctly and to make dreams come true; the question is not whether G-d speaks to us and runs a dialogue with us, but whether we are sensitive enough – to recognize his voice, his demands, and the great opportunities he gives us –
The voice called, and I went.
I went, because the voice called
(Hanna Szenes)

Shabbat Shalom!

Rabbi Aviad Pituchey Chotam
Limudei Kodesh Teacher