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By Rabbi Joshua Kullock,
Comunidad Hebrea de Guadalajara, Mexico

Translated by Inés Baum - Proofreading by Ellen Zindler

Throughout the Hebrew calendar, some parashiot are always closer or more meaningful to us, for countless reasons. In my particular case, writing about Parashat Lekh Lekha constitutes a joy and a privilege, since this is the parashah that, many years ago, I read for my Bar Mitzvah.

Parashat Lekh Lekha closes the circles opened in the first two parashiot of the Torah, moving on to focus specifically on the story of a particular family. After introducing us to the creation of the entire world, and describing some of the wanderings of all humankind, the text now focuses on the story of Abraham, who with his wife Sarah, will start a journey that will change their life history forever. Not by chance, this parashah reflects, from the name itself – Lekh Lekha, or “go for you” – how fundamental it is for every human being to retrace their own steps, and make new paths as they walk forth.

One of the classic questions that have interested our sages from generation to generation regarding this parashah, refers to the reason why Abraham was chosen to become the first of our patriarchs. According to the biblical text, God unilaterally determined – with no account or explanation – that this already old man, born in Mesopotamian lands in the ancient Middle East, would be the father of what later on would be known as the People of Israel. But could God have chosen a man with no special inner quality that distinguished him from all other men? Would God act in such an irrational way, giving free rein to mere chance?

Commentaries on this text, from the Midrash to our days, didn’t believe this could be so. What’s more, we can find an important number of explanations in each one of these commentaries, which gradually express how it was Abraham the one who discovered a God who appeared to have been exiled from the world (and not the other way around), because of His philosophical, astrological, and/or moral abilities. One of those famous midrashim suggests an interesting parable, comparing Abraham with a man who sees a palace on fire and, looking at this image, rhetorically asks himself whether it is possible that this palace has no owner and lord. Likewise, Abraham, watching the world and reflecting upon what went on around him, even in moments of destruction and fire, understood that it was not possible for the world to lack a Creator, Who not only spoke and made the world come into being, but Who worries daily about what happens here. Thus, the Midrash teaches us that only those who acknowledge the world’s order, even in desperate times, can be worthy of being the pioneer of the Jewish people.

To this Midrash message, I would like to add a new reason why I believe Abraham was chosen as our first forefather. It refers to a commentary I read a few days ago, in Rabbi David Wolpe’s book, “Why Faith Matters”. Among the reasons given by Rabbi Wolpe concerning the importance of faith for the 21st century people, the rabbi quotes the parable of the burning palace, and mentions that in Hebrew, the Midrash uses the word doleket, which may be understood as either Abraham saw a building “aflame”, or an “illuminated” building. Then, in view of Wolpe’s interpretation, we could ask ourselves whether Abraham found God when he was able to find order in a world surrounded by continuous catastrophe, or whether our patriarch found God awed at those small miracles that happen all around us in our daily life. If this was so, the reason for Abraham’s decision invites us to reflect upon the way we see the world, and what we usually emphasize in that vision.

When we establish relations, are we among those who, at every possible chance, mention the defects of our fellow beings, or are we among those who find virtue in everyone around us? When we walk through a park, do we stop to admire the flowers, or do we complain about the mud on our path? When we get up early in the morning, do we groan about how bad we slept, or do we appreciate all the good things we have? Do we see palaces that go up in flames, or palaces full of light?

Each one of us views the world not as it is, but rather as a projection of ourselves. Wolpe suggests, and I agree with him, that Abraham was chosen because he knew how to open his eyes and see the beauty of creation. Abraham was chosen because he understood that, even if the world is full of injustice and sadness, our lives are full of good things, of lasting friendships and memorable moments. Abraham was chosen because he committed to a full life, as a result of the proactivity of his own commitment and responsibility, from caring for his neighbors and incessantly searching for his own place.

May God grant us that we learn from him, so that we can retrace our steps and make new paths as we walk forward.

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Forwarded by Rabbi Gustavo Kraselnik, from Kol Shearith Israel Congregation, Panama.
Translated by Inés Baum and proofread by Ellen Zindler, from B’nei Israel Congregation, Costa Rica.

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