Parshat Bereshit - October 7, 2013

Member Mini Drash 

By: Even Gordon-Ramek 

In Lech Lecha we learn the chronicles of our Patriarch and forefather Abraham, who was chosen by Ha Shem to lead the Jewish people

Ha Shem said” Go away from your land, from your birthplace, and from your father’s house to the land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation. I will bless you and make you great. You shall become a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and he who curses you, I will curse. All of the families of the earth will be blessed through you.

Why did Ha Shem choose Abraham? What did He see in this man to be so chosen, and for such a formidable task?

Ha Shem had choices. There were other fine and learned men before Abraham. They believed in the Supernal Being and were qualified in many ways. There was Noah There was Manoch. These men also walked with God. But the problem was that when they died, Their belief died with them. They were unable to transmit their belief in the Supreme Being that would last throughout generations.

Ha Shem saw in Abraham amazing strength and courage, , Abraham had characteristics of kindness and generousity. Ha Shem began to test Abraham. Abraham passed all of the ten tests put before him. He welcomed the three strangers, sent to him by Ha Shem. He agreed to the covenant of circumcision, and of course, Akeda Itschak, the binding of Isaac.

He challenged his own father, at a young age, and went against the common evil practices of idolatry, It is very difficult to go against and disobey the norms of society.

Abraham even had the courage to challenge Ha Shem about Sodom, in the name of justice and mercy. In Genesis 18:25 He said”You dare not. Shall the Judge of all the earth not do justice?

Today,people sacrifice all ethics for the sake of making money. When people drop and discard all of their values, because of a society that demands it, this is contemporary idolatry.

 However, for all of his fine characteristics, the most important and successful accomplishment that Abraham displayed, was in his devotion to propagating the faith. He not only had the ambition to pass the faith on the next generation, through Isaac and to his grandson Jacob,, but he had the strength and the ability . Related to Abraham, in Genesis(18:19) “For I have known him, that he may instruct his children and his posterity to do righteousness (tsedakah) and justice.

This is a trait of the seed of our father Abraham. The giving of charity is greater than all the offerings. The doing of righteousness and justice is preferable to Ha Shem than the sacrificial offering.


As Jews today, we have the same obligation as did Abraham. The Torah repeats in many places the commandment to teach our children. The only way we can propagate the faith is through our children. In past generations, Jews were harassed and persecuted to give up their faith State sponsored anti-semitism was legend.

Today there still exists anti-semitism, but we have a worse enemy. The challenge of modern day Jews is the danger coming from ignorance, assimilation ,apathy and indifference.

As Abraham was tested, so we are being tested. Are we teaching our children.?

Today, only 5% of Jewish families send their children to Jewish Day schools. Admitedly, in past days, there were no Jewish Day schools in the Bay area. But with the availability of the schools now, why do so few Jews participate.?

Also, in the area of philanthropy, the statistic was that 50% of giving was to Jewish causes, in the 1950’s. Today, there is only 20% of giving to Jewish causes.

With only 5% of Jewish children being exposed to Jewish learning.