Parshat Lech-Lecha; Genesis 12:1-17:27 By: Rabbi Denise L. Eger
In this week's portion Abram, the chosen one of God, is called to service and relationship. He begins the journey towards the Promised Land. From the east in the land of Ur of the Chaldeans, Abram goes first toward Haran and then on to the land of Canaan as God told him to. Abram and his wife, Sarai, his nephew Lot and a whole entourage of people go with him on this adventure.
This journey to a new land is filled with promises by God to Abram and his family. God promises great things. God promises blessings and progeny and nation building. God promises land and wealth. God enters into a special relationship with Abram and his family. This unique covenant is built upon the faith and dedication of this servant of God, Abram. Abram recognizes the Unity of the Divine Name in a time with idols and idol worship filled his universe. This Unity of the Holy One is the thread of connection that brings together Abram and his descendants-the Jewish People with God.
The midrash teaches us in Bereshit Rabba that Abram was 48 years old when he first recognized God in the universe. Slowly over many years Abram was shaped to hear and build the inner strength to heed God's voice and message. Finally at the age of 75 according to the Torah, Abram is ready to receive the call and is ready to tune in to God's message of relationship. This is no different than many of us. Sometimes we get an inkling or hint, a revelation of a truth. We might even acknowledge it but we are paralyzed by circumstance to do anything about it. It can take us many years to really actualize this truth in our lives. With this week's Torah portion, Abram is ready to put the truth and faith in one God in a central place in his life. Abram is ready to finally receive in fullness God's love for him!
Even as we read the Torah portion Lech Lecha, we too, must be ready to receive God's love for us! We are on that very same journey as Abram and Sarai were on so many generations ago. The promises made to him are remade with each one of us as a part of the Jewish people. But like Abram and Sarai, we must reciprocate that love and dedication with our hearts and our faith in the One God, the One Divine Source of All.
So how do we show our love for God in this time and day?
We show our love and faith when we celebrate Shabbat. We show our love and our faith when we take time to pray. We show our love and faith when we honor our friends and family and act in ways that are gentle and fair. We show our love and faith when we give tzedakah and perform acts of loving kindness. We show our love and faith in God when we acknowledge and celebrate Jewish Holy Days. We show our love and faith in God when we welcome the stranger and extend a sense of hospitality to those visitors in our midst just as Abram and Sarai always did. We show our love and faith in God when we support the synagogue and Jewish community and participate actively. We show our love and faith when we give our children and ourselves a Jewish education!
The point is to be in relationship with God. Like Abram who can even question God and demand answers, we too must ask questions and seek answers with our tradition, with God and with one another. This strengthens our people and makes this journey we are on truly an adventure!
Posted by Aaron at October 15, 2007 12:00 PM
