Miller's Musings Parshas Lech Lecho: You Can't Have One Without The Other

בס''ד

Possibly the greatest proponent of outreach that ever lived, was none other than Avrohom, our Patriarch.  Standing alone in his ideals and philosophies, he fought against the great tide of polytheism and emerged unscathed with great numbers persuaded by his truths and converted by his strength of belief.  When we are told that Avrohom brought with him the “souls that he made in Choron”, Rashi informs us that this refers to those he had brought under the wings of the Al-mighty.  So what happened to them? What happened to all these people who had been persuaded by Avrohom to follow the creed of ethical monotheism? It seems that no mention of them is ever made again.

Whenever the mantle of leadership is passed from one to another, there is almost always a certain amount of adjustment that must take place on account of the differences between the two leaders.  They will have different styles of leadership and different attitudes towards the priorities of their role.  Avrohom was known to exemplify the attribute of Chesed, kindness.  It may well have been his warmth and concern for others that led to his ability to bring in the masses to his way of thinking.  Yitzchok on the other hand, was a man who epitomised Gevurah, the trait of strength and discipline.  The characteristic of loving kindness was one which was easy to attract people towards, but when Yitzchok became the leader of Avrohom’s flock, they were unwilling to follow a path that demanded of them might and determination.  This unwillingness led to them falling by the wayside and in the end rejecting their newfound lives.

The journey for those who have made the decision to embark upon a religious Jewish life can sometimes be characterised by initial feelings of tremendous enthusiasm and excitement at the beauty and inherent goodness of an orthodox lifestyle.  This is then followed somewhere down the line by disappointment and inner turmoil when they see that the life that is required of them also involves grit, toil and fortitude.  Both these elements are equally true and both these elements are equally necessary.  The truth is that for all of us this is an equally important message.  Of course the way of the Torah is one of pleasantness and joy, but we should not be ignorant to the fact that there are times where resilience and strength is required to do that which is required of us, despite that which would get in our way. This is part and parcel of a Torah life and ultimately therein may lie our greatest achievements.  

*May the power of Shabbos endow us with the power to succeed*

לעילוי נשמת לאה בת אברהם 

לעילוי נשמת שרה יעל בת ברכה אסתר