Parshas Lech Lecha
The Founders of Our People
The obvious question that troubles us when we read this parsha, or when we
think of our father Avraham in general terms, is why was Avraham successful
in influencing his generation and all subsequent generations while the great
pious Noach who preceded him was apparently incapable of being such a force?
The obvious answer to that obvious question is, in my opinion, that Avraham
was a people person.
He did not build arks nor did he warn of impending disasters. His
methodology for spreading monotheism and goodness in the world was by
example, by being a powerfully good person. People respond to people.
All of us who have engaged in fundraising for worthwhile causes are aware
that people give mainly because of the relationship of the individual
representing the institution or cause than to the objective merit of the
cause or institution itself. Again, people respond to people.
Avraham and Sarah were exemplary people and people listened to them and
responded to their ideas and message. All great movements in Jewish history
were created by people and became popular because of the people who founded
and led them. For example, one need only look at the Chasidic movement of
the eighteenth century and the Mussar movement of the nineteenth century.
The ideas and goals of these movements were far reaching and appealing but
their popularity was based solely on the relationship of its leading people
to other people.
The Baal Shem Tov and his followers and Rabbi Yisrael Lipkin of Salant and
his followers made those movements successful in their time because of their
ability to relate to people, both one on one and generally as well.
Avraham had boundless faith in the innate ability of people to do good. Even
in dealing with the wicked populations of Sodom and Amorah in next week’s
parsha, he is convinced that there is a hard core of goodness even in that
evil population. Maybe that is unrealistic on his part in practical result
but that is his nature and inclination.
And, it is his natural ebullience and care for others that eventually causes
even those lukewarm to his ideas to proclaim that “you are a prince of the
Lord who lives in our midst.” Avraham faced many disappointments and
frustrations in his long life. Family problems abounded and wars and
conflicts were his lot in his earthly existence. The rabbis taught us in
Avot that Avraham was tested ten times. Nevertheless his faith and good
nature, developed over his lifetime, carried him through all of those tests,
severe as they may have been.
He was able to encompass in his thoughts and efforts all peoples and nations
- and he became the father of a multitude of peoples and societies. Though
the Jewish people are a particular and even parochial group of human
individuals, our Torah demands of us a universal outlook as well. This is an
inheritance from our father Avraham and reflects God’s concern, so to speak,
for all of His creatures. That is why the Torah demands that we in our
personal lives measure ourselves according to the yardstick established by
Avraham and Sarah, the founders of our people.
Rabbi Berel Wein