Dear Friends,
What was the very first word spoken by G-d to Abraham the very first Jew, 3700 years ago?
"Lech", "Go"!
Abraham from the get go was someone who was told "Go"!
Meaning, don't be complacent, stuck where you are bogged down in your mindset of stagnation and resignation to the challenges of life, and hopeless in your belief of what you can accomplish.
Instead, believe that your job is to always move forward, leave boundaries and limitations behind you, move on to new frontiers, and be ready to outgrow the narrow vision that often can cloud our vision and limit our ability to succeed.
As Abraham's descendants we read these stories and reflect and remember their messages.
While the challenges and responsibilities of life, can often seem so overwhelming and insurmountable at times, and at times it seems easier just to settle in and give in to the challenges, and surrender to their terms.
Yet we think of Abraham and Sarah who were charged with a mission to share G-d with humanity, to inspire the world that life has purpose and meaning, to treat others and to teach them that kindness and compassion are the pillars that uphold our world, and to challenge others to have hope and belief in others, even when all seems so challenging.
When G-d tells Abraham GO it was to do just that.
When G-d tells Abraham GO, it is also a calling to each one of us, GO, KADIMA, ADELANTE, or whatever language you prefer. Believe in the potential and mission G-d has invested in you, and no matter the challenge, you can power yourself forward, one hurdle and obstacle at a time.
On Sunday, I was in the hills of Israel as I visited a farm on the top of a hill that overlooked the city of Shechem and the town of Elon Moreh. My friend who took me there, showed me the verses of the Torah reading of that day, which describe how Abraham reached the land of Israel, and came to the area of Shechem and Elon Moreh.
I looked down at the plains below and at the mountains around me, and thought of the fact that our ancestor walked these hills and these paths thousands of years ago, as he marched into the unknown, and began living a story that has been unfolding for thousands of years.
Who would have imagined the change, the goodness, the blessings and so much more that have developed from those footsteps which took place in the hills and valley below where I stood, when he was willing to act on the words "GO".
Surely there are still challenges in abundance, but when G-d says GO to each one of us, we need to learn to believe in the potential of the journey, of our mission to make the world be a world of kindness, and a world that reflects G-d's vision, and keep walking, hiking, running and moving forward.
Shabbat Shalom & Good Shabbos
Yisroel
P.S Tomorrow at services I will share some very meaningful anecdotes from this visit.