Parshat Lech Lecha: Hearing the Call of Good over Evil

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We hear nothing about Avraham’s faith or righteousness before God calls to him, “Lech lecha.” So why was he chosen? The midrashim fill in the story, portraying Avraham’s moral clarity and spiritual courage, yet the pshat itself offers a quieter but powerful lesson—about standing up with faith and conviction for Jews and Israel today.

Bereshit Rabbah teaches that Avraham once saw a palace in flames and cried out, “How can it be that this palace has no leader?” God replied, “I am the master of this palace.” Avraham’s faith was born through questioning, through refusing to accept a world that made no moral sense. As Rabbi Sacks zt”l wrote: “For Abraham, faith began in cognitive dissonance. There is only one way of resolving this dissonance: by protesting evil and fighting it… It is as if God were saying to Abraham: I need you to help Me to put out the flames.”

Avraham’s distinctiveness may also be alluded to when he is later called “ha-ivri,” which means “the Hebrew” or “from the other side.” One midrashic opinion explains: “The entire world stood on one side, and he on the other.” This image feels especially relevant today, reminding us to speak truth and uphold moral clarity even when it defies popular opinion.

Perhaps the plainest reason God chose Avraham was because he responded to God’s call “Lech lecha…” Avraham answers the call fully even though it involves uncertainty and sacrifice. This too, is the story of the Jewish people and their love and commitment to Israel through the ages. As the world watches the elections in New York this coming week, we can learn from Avraham about the power of each individual to stand up and voice moral clarity about good and evil. Shabbat Shalom -Karen Miller Jackson

Parshat Lech-lecha: from Avarham to Us

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Why was Avraham chosen? We hear nothing about his faith or righteousness before God calls out to him “Lech lecha.” However, the biblical commentaries develop a fuller picture of Avraham’s moral clarity and spiritual strength, teaching us a valuable lesson about standing strong in our faith and devotion to Israel today.   

There are many descriptions from the midrash to Rambam about how Avraham discovered and embraced monotheism and became the father of the Jewish people. Bereshit Rabbah teaches: Avraham wandered from place to place and saw a palace in flames. He said, “how can it be that this palace has no leader?!” The owner of the castle (God) peered out and said, “I am the master of this palace (this world).” Here, Avraham’s faith came about through questioning, through not being able to make sense of the world. As Rabbi Sacks zt”l wrote: “What moved Abraham was not philosophical harmony but moral discord. For Abraham, faith began in cognitive dissonance. There is only one way of resolving this dissonance: by protesting evil and fighting it… It is as if God were saying to Abraham: I need you to help Me to put out the flames.”

Avraham’s distinctiveness may also be alluded to when he is later called “ha-ivri,” which means “the Hebrew” or “from the other side.” One midrashic opinion suggests a meaning which particularly resonates today: The entire world was on one side and he was on the other side [ever]. We will continue to speak the truth even when it goes against popular world opinion.

Perhaps the reason God chose Avraham was because of his response to God’s call “Lech lecha…” Avraham answers the call fully even though it involves uncertainty and sacrifice. This too, is the story of the Jewish people and their love and commitment to Israel through the ages. 

Avraham models faith despite disorder and evil in the world, moral clarity even while in the minority, and strength of commitment to Israel – that is why he was chosen and inspires us to hear the call of “Lech lecha…” Shabbat Shalom -Karen Miller Jackson

Lech Lecha 2023: Why Avraham?

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One of the major questions about parshat Lech Lecha is this: Why was Avraham chosen? We hear nothing about his faith or righteousness before this point. However, the biblical commentaries develop a fuller picture of Avraham’s moral clarity and spiritual strength, teaching us a valuable lesson about standing strong in our faith and devotion to Israel today.   

There are many descriptions from the midrash to Rambam about how Avraham discovered and embraced monotheism and became the father of the Jewish people. Midrash Bereshit Rabbah teaches: Avraham wandered from place to place and saw a palace in flames. He said, “how can it be that this palace has no leader?!” The owner of the castle (God) peered out and said, “I am the master of this palace (this world).” Here, Avraham’s faith came about through questioning, through not being able to make sense of the world. As Rabbi Sacks zt”l wrote: “What moved Abraham was not philosophical harmony but moral discord. For Abraham, faith began in cognitive dissonance. There is only one way of resolving this dissonance: by protesting evil and fighting it… It is as if God were saying to Abraham: I need you to help Me to put out the flames.”

Avraham’s distinctiveness may also be alluded to when he is later called “ha-ivri,” which means “the Hebrew” or “from the other side.” One midrashic opinion suggests a meaning which has resonated throughout Jewish history and again now: The entire world was on one side and he was on the other side [ever]. We will continue to speak our truth even when it goes against popular world opinion.

Perhaps the very reason God chose Avraham was because of his response to God’s call “Lech lecha…” Avraham answers the call fully even though it involves uncertainty and sacrifice. This too, is the story of the Jewish people and their love and commitment to Israel through the ages. 

Avraham models faith despite disorder and evil in the world, moral clarity even while in the minority and strength of commitment to the land of Israel – that is why he was chosen and inspires us to continue to hear the call of “Lech Lecha…” Shabbat Shalom -Karen Miller Jackson

Parshat Lech Lecha: Morning Mindfulness

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“If I am not for myself, who will be for me? If I am only for myself, what am I…?” – Pirkei Avot 1:14

Avraham is the paradigm of chesed and compassion, of doing for others. For this reason, it is surprising to read Rashi’s commentary on the opening words of parshat Lech Lecha. Rashi, noting the “kefel lashon,” double language, interprets the words “lech lecha” as: Go for YOURSELF. Going on this journey to an unspecified destination was for Avraham’s own benefit: “להנאתך ולטובתך.” By going forth and having faith in Hashem, Avraham will be rewarded with becoming a father, not only of his own children, but also of a great nation. The Zohar, similarly interprets “lech lecha” as “go unto yourself…to know and to fix yourself.” Before Avraham could inspire others he needed to journey inward and strengthen himself. 

A similar idea is expressed by two great thinkers on mindfulness as we awaken. Rav Kook, in Olat Reiyah, comments on the “Modeh ani” prayer: When we wake up and are awestruck by the vastness of the universe, we might feel small and insignificant. By emphasizing the I (ani), and drawing on our inner strength and gratitude to God, “the individual self remains undaunted, the ‘I’ finds divine confirmation and validation.” Rebbe Nachman of Breslav shares a similar thought in his commentary on the opening words of the Shulchan Aruch – that a person should awaken with zest like a lion. Rebbe Nachman, sensitive to human nature, understood that sometimes people wake up and feel unhappy with themselves, distant from God and unmotivated. Hence, he suggests finding a “nekuda tova,” a good point to focus and build on within oneself. 

This is a particularly relevant message for our time, as increasing numbers of people are feeling unhappy and unmotivated. “Modeh ani” provides an opportunity each morning to go to/for oneself and discover one’s personal uniqueness and potential. Shabbat Shalom – Karen Miller Jackson

Lech Lecha: From Loneliness to Community

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Parshat Lech Lecha contains a message about individuality but also about community. On the one hand, Avraham stands out for his exemplary uniqueness and ability to stand up for what he believes is right, even if he was alone in his non-mainstream ideas. On the other hand, the parsha emphasizes that Avraham does not remain alone, but together with Sarah, builds a community through his commitment to monotheism and lovingkindness. 

Avraham is commanded by God to leave his home and family to set out for an unknown destination. Rambam teaches that before this, Avraham spent many hours and years meditating alone over the world, until he came to know God the Creator of the world at age forty. Rashi interprets the words “Lech Lecha” (go for yourself) as: for your own benefit and your own good. These sources highlight Avraham’s uniqueness but also his likely loneliness at this point in the narrative. Rabbi Soloveitchik characterizes Avraham as feeling “intense loneliness” before entering into the “brit” or covenantal relationship with God and inspiring others to join the “covenantal community.” 

When Avraham and Sarah set out on their journey they also bring along “the souls they had made in Haran.” This odd terminology is understood by the midrash to mean that Abaraham had taught, hosted and converted the men and Sarah, the women. Based on this, the Ha’amek Davar interprets “Lech Lecha” as meaning that even though Avraham was alone in his faith, he and Sarah chose to share their beliefs along the way and greatly influenced and enriched the lives of others. 

Loneliness is an increasing challenge in our world today. Avraham and Sarah remind us of the greatness of community and provide a model for how to build meaningful relationships. Shabbat Shalom

Lech Lecha: Go To Yourself

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“If I am not for myself, who will be for me? If I am only for myself, what am I? And if not now, when?” – Pirkei Avot

Avraham is the paradigm of chesed and compassion, of doing for others. For this reason, it is surprising to read Rashi’s commentary on the opening words of parshat Lech Lecha. Rashi, noting the “kefel lashon,” double language, interprets the words “lech lecha” as Go for YOURSELF. Going on this journey to an unspecified destination was for Avraham’s own benefit: “טובתך והנאתך.” By going forth and having faith in Hashem, Avraham will be rewarded with becoming a father, not only of his own children, but also of a great nation. The Zohar, similarly interprets “lech lecha” as “go unto yourself…to know and to fix yourself.” Before Avraham could inspire others he needed to journey inward and strengthen himself.

Rav Kook expresses a similar idea on Modeh Ani. In his commentary on the siddur, Olat Ra’ayah, he explains that each morning when we wake up and are awestruck by the vastness of the infinite universe, we might feel small and insignificant. By emphasizing the I, and drawing on the inner strength and gratitude to God within ourselves, “the individual self remains undaunted, the ‘I’ finds divine confirmation and validation.”

Perhaps the message is that in order to be able to give to others and live a life of meaning, we need to be healthy and strong in mind and body ourselves. Shabbat Shalom🌻