A Word From The Rabbi
Dear Friend,
After a fatal car accident, three friends meet in heaven, where an angel asks, "What would you like your friends and family to say about you at your funeral?"
The first guy says, "I hope they talk about what a great doctor and a loving family-man I was."
The second friend agrees. "I would like them to say that I was a caring husband and a schoolteacher who made a huge difference to kids."
But the third has a different take: "I would like them to say, 'Look! He's moving!'"
From the very get-go, Jews have been moving. Abraham, the very first Jew, was commanded, before anything else, to move!
G‑d instructs him, in this week’s Torah portion, to leave his land, his birthplace, and his father’s home, and travel to Israel. He promises that if Abraham complies, He and his offspring will be given the greatest of personal and communal blessings.
Two questions spring to mind: First, why would a simple move be deserving of such immense reward? And second, why was this request G‑d's very first message to the very first Jew, and by extension, to the Jewish people as a whole?
The answer lies beneath the surface of G‑d's request. G‑d was not merely demanding a geographical move; He was looking for spiritual change. The places Abraham was told to leave—his land, his birthplace, and his father's home—represent the most powerful influences in our lives: our habits, our surroundings, and our background, all of which can obstruct our quest for spiritual perfection. G‑d was, in fact, urging Abraham to free himself from these external influences, so he could truly embrace monotheism.
Moreover, G‑d was revealing to Abraham and all future generations the secret to self-discovery. Once you rid yourself of the external influences and obstructions, you will find yourself in touch with your true spirituality-seeking self, enabling you to easily connect with your Judaism in a very real and meaningful way.
Making these behavioral, life-altering changes is the start of an awesome and rewarding journey. It is the secret to self-discovery and thus truly worthy of being the very first message ever conveyed to the Jewish people.
Wishing you a successful week,
Rabbi Yudy Shemtov
Senior Rabbi/Executive Director