In the story of the Jewish people, Abraham is considered to be the first Jew because he recognized G-d on his own accord. Despite being scorned by the rest of society, and at great personal risk to his life, Abraham shared and spread his knowledge with everyone he met. It is for this reason that he was called “Avraham Ha’Ivri” ( “Abraham of the Other Side”). This would become the eternal role of the Jew, to spread the ideals of monotheism and morality throughout the world, despite great opposition.
Abraham and his wife Sarah had to endure ten challenges to prove, and to develop, their faithfulness to G-d. The Torah describes the various challenges at great length.
One of Abraham’s challenges was to uproot his family, leave his homeland, and travel to an unknown land, which would only be revealed to him later. This was meant to develop his complete trust in G-d, and also to allow him to make a total break from his past environments and influences.
Shortly after they reached Canaan, a famine struck the land. Abraham and Sarah were forced to leave and travel to Egypt, where Pharaoh abducted Sarah. Afterwards, Abraham’s nephew, Lot, parted ways with his uncle, choosing to live in Sodom, among people whose ideology was the very antithesis of Abraham’s. Yet when Lot was captured in war, Abraham risked his life to protect his nephew. Despite all these difficulties, Abraham and Sarah did not become disillusioned and maintained their faith.
Abraham and Sarah were childless for many years, despite G-d’s promise to Abraham that he would father a great nation. This was also a challenge to Abraham’s faith. Another one of Abraham’s trials was the mitzvah of circumcision, which was given to him at the age of ninety-nine years old. G-d made a covenant with Abraham that if he walked perfectly in His ways, G-d would bless him with children and give him the land of Canaan for his children. G-d commanded Abraham to seal this covenant on his body through the circumcision.
This mitzvah was given for all future generations too. Every Jewish male must be circumcised, as an eternal sign between G-d and the Jewish people of His covenant with Abraham. Circumcision has remained the hallmark of the Jew, distinguishing him from the rest of the world.
“...and the souls that they made in Charan…” (Gen.12:5)
Rashi cites the Midrash that Avraham and Sarah brought people closer to G-d throughout their travels, thus “making souls.” The Ponovezher Rav loved all Jews, and on his many travels around the world he would encourage estranged Jews to embrace their heritage. He would often say, “Certainly I want Jews to behave 100% Jewishly, but I will not settle for anything less than 100% of the Jews to behave as such, either. Just as no Jew may ever despair of G-d, G-d, too, never despairs of any Jew’s connecting with Him.”
Did You Know...
The Talmud says that children, one’s livelihood, and life are dependant upon good fortune and not on one’s merits. This seems to contradict the very idea of prayer and mitzvos, where requests are made of G-d for these very things. The classic commentators suggest two answers:
- Although fortune may determine these areas initially, prayer and deeds can change the outcome of the original decree.
- Upon the Jewish people in general, prayer and deeds can determine livelihood, children, and life; but how this affects the individual depends upon one’s good fortune.
