Go to Yourself

'God Said to Avraham: "Lech Lecha" - Go from your land, from your birthplace, from your father's house, to the land which I will show you.' (Genesis 12:1)

The 1st two words that open this parashah and lend it its name - Lech lecha (literally meaning "Go, to yourself") - are perhaps the most important words ever spoken in history. With these words, God set Avraham on the course that would reverse the process of degeneration that humanity had been locked into ever since the expulsion of Adam & Eve from the garden of Eden, a course that would eventually lead the world to the Giving of the Torah on Mt. Sinai. It's fascinating that the 1st real thing we learn about Avraham is this command from God to "go." The Midrash teaches us multitudes of amazing stories about events in Avraham's life, including his preaching of monotheism to every idol worshiper around him, getting thrown into a furnace by King Nimrod and miraculously surviving, and much more! And yet, the Torah begins its narrative of Avraham's life at age 75, when he is told by God to go on a new journey. The reason for this, our Sages explain, is because as great a level as Avraham had thus reached through his heroic self sacrifice for his beliefs, his spiritual level was limited to his human capabilities. When God spoke to Avraham, commanding him to travel to Israel, this wasn't simply a travel tip. God was telling Avraham that as great a level as he had reached, there were deeper levels infinitely beyond. With this command, God was empowering Avraham to "Go to yourself" - to tap into levels unreached before. This applies to our lives today. One can meditate and contemplate the deepest mysteries of the world and God's existence, but as lofty as one can get, it will always be humanly limited. The Mitzvot, however, are Godly - and therefore lift us up through our performance of them, to levels we could never have reached on our own.

The Midrash says: "And God said to Avraham: 'Go from your land, your birthplace, and your father's house...'" (Genesis12:2) -- To what may this be compared? To a man who was traveling from place to place when he saw a palace in flames. He wondered: "Is it possible that the palace has no owner?" The owner of the palace looked out and said, "I am the owner of the palace." So Abraham our father said, "Is it possible that the world lacks a ruler?" G‑d looked out and said to him, "I am the ruler, the Sovereign of the universe." Why does the Midrash use such an analogy for Avraham? Couldn't it have merely said: "...It's like a man who sees a beautiful palace and wonders "who created such a magnificent palace?" Why does the Midrash say a "burning palace"? Our sages explain a powerful idea is being expressed here. Avraham recognized that this world was a 'beautiful palace', full of colors and sounds, miraculous childbirth and roaring waves, planets and galaxies. But he also saw that the palace was in flames - the world is full of thugs, abusers, thieves, and worse who demolish the palace, lighting it in flames of destruction! Avraham wondered, where is the owner to this palace? How can he allow this to go on!?

The Midrash says: "The Owner of the palace looked out and said, I am the owner..." God replied to Avraham's wonderment that he was indeed the owner of the world. But notice that in the analogy, the owner calls out from inside the burning palace! It is as if God, the owner, is calling for help. God made the palace, man set it on fire, and only man can put out the flames. Avraham asks G‑d, "Where are you?" G‑d replies, "I am here, where are you?" Man asks G‑d, "Why did You abandon the world?" G‑d asks man, "Why did you abandon Me?" As Chief Rabbi Jonathan Sacks explains: 'Thus began the revolution of Judaism --- humanity's courageous venture to extinguish the flames of immorality and bloodshed and restore the world to the harmonious and sacred palace it was intended to be. Abraham's encounter with G‑d in the presence of a burning palace gave birth to the mission statement of Judaism - to be obsessed with good and horrified by evil.' May we start today to follow in our forefather Avraham's revolutionary path.

Shabbat Shalom!