I'm heading to Israel for my fourth visit since October 7th, and the fifth in the past year. I am going to write about the war and also to tour Israel's unique water infrastructure, from which we in California and the U.S. can learn.
I have been very worried, as many Jews have, about the fate of Israel -- under pressure from the U.S.; under attack from Hamas and Hezbollah; and once again facing internal divisions over political leadership and religious matters.
But once one steps on the El Al plane, you feel that you are already in Israel, and that Israel is strong. I am sitting between a young tech worker who had to postpone his wedding after October 7, when he had to join his reserve unit; and on the other side, a pregnant religious woman who is touring the world helping Jewish women connect to their faith. I savor the conversations in Hebrew; I see the smiles, and the hostage tags; I know that this people will not be defeated.
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!
