This week's portion covers the story of Isaac, the second of the three Jewish founding fathers. He is the quietest, and perhaps the least ambitious: he does not fight wars, or explore new lands, as Abraham did. He contents himself with maintaining the wells his father dug.
And yet there is a quiet nobility to his life. He is the only one of the three patriarchs never to live the Land of Israel. His life anticipates the destiny of the Jewish people. Tradition has it that he intercedes with God on behalf of Jews when they pray for His forgiveness.
Isaac also has the happiest marriage in Genesis, and it is perhaps no coincidence that he is the only one of the three patriarchs to be married to, or involved with, only one woman (his wife, Rebecca).
It is Rebecca who cares for him -- and who also intercedes, behind the scenes, to make sure that he blesses Jacob, instead of Esau. She defers to him publicly but guides him in private -- a perfect partner.
This week’s portion launches the great story of Abraham, who is told to leave everything of his life behind — except his immediate family — and to leave for “the Land that I shall show you.”
There’s something interesting in the fact that Abraham is told to leave his father’s house, as if breaking away from his father’s life — but his father, in fact, began the journey, moving from Ur to Haran (in last week’s portion). His father set a positive example — why should Abraham leave him?
Some obvious answers suggest themselves — adulthood, needing to make one’s own choices, his father not going far enough, etc.
But I think there is another answer. Abraham (known for the moment as Abram) needs to establish his own household. This is not just about making one’s own choice, but really about choosing one’s own starting point. It’s starting over.
Sometimes we start over in fundamental ways even if much that surrounds us remains the same. Sometimes the journey we have to ...
The story of Noah is familiar; the details, less so.
Noah is often seen as an ambivalent figure. He was righteous -- but only for his generation. What was his deficiency?
One answer suggests itself: knowing that the world was about to be flooded, he built an Ark for the animals and for his own family -- but did not try to save anyone else or to convince them to repent and change their ways (the prophet Jonah, later, would share that reluctance).
Abraham, later, would set himself apart by arguing with God -- with the Lord Himself! -- against the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, saying that they should be saved if there were enough righteous people to be found (there were not).
Still, Noah was good enough -- and sometimes, that really is sufficient to save the world. We don't need heroes every time -- just ordinary decency.
Hi all -- as I noted last month, I'm going to be closing down my Locals page, at least for tips and subscriptions -- I may keep the page up and the posts as well, but I'm no longer going to be accepting any kind of payment.
Look for cancelation in the very near future. Thank you for your support!
