One of the richest and most beautiful dimensions of Torah study is the Midrash. Midrashim are the traditions, interpretations and stories which expand the Torah narrative. Going beyond the literal text, the Midrash gives us a deeper and more enhanced understanding, as well as teaching us profound lessons. Some Midrashim are so famous and so a part of our understanding of Torah, that it seems as though they were written in the Torah themselves.

One such Midrash is the famous incident of Avraham and the idols. Avraham, as a young child, was asked by his father Terach to supervise his idol store. Since the age of 3, Avraham had been on a journey of discovery which had led him to realize the futility of idol worship and the truth of the one true G-d. With youthful zealousness, Avraham broke the idols, leaving only one intact, and placed a hammer in its hand. When his father returned and asked what had happened, Avraham explained that a fight had broken out amongst the idols over a particularly pleasing offering. In the ensuing argument, the largest idol had taken a hammer and smashed all the others, taking the offering for itself. Avraham's father pointed out the absurdity of his son's explanation, since the idols were immobile blocks of stone and wood. Triumphantly, Avraham replied that if it were true that the idols had no power, serving them was equally absurd and futile.

Terach took his son to the idolatrous king Nimrod for judgment. The king sentenced Avraham to be thrown into a fiery furnace, from which he was miraculously saved.

Yes, you heard right, this story isn't written in the Torah - not even a mention. We find only the slightest allusion in the name of Avraham's birthplace, Ur Kasdim - Ur meaning fire.

At the end of Parshas Noach we are told that Avraham was born and traveled with his family to the land of Charan. In the next encounter that we read at the beginning of Lech Lecha, Avraham is already 75 years old. G-d commands him Go for yourself from your land, and from your birthplace and from your father's home the Land that I will show you.

Avraham began his search for and discovery of G-d at the age of 3, through philosophising. Observing the natural order of the world and the patterns of the celestial luminaries, Avraham concluded that they were merely part of the natural order, guided and controlled by one Higher Power.

Avraham's greatest achievement was bringing monotheism to the world. Avraham is referred to as the Ivri (translated as the Hebrew, but literally the one who crossed over). Avraham crossed over the prevailing line of reason and belief. Unafraid of public opinion, going against the entire civilized world, he literally put his life on the line out of faith and commitment to G-d. Furthermore, he disseminated these teaching to thousands of people, converting them as it were to belief in G-d. These stories of spiritual discovery, faith and self-sacrifice could be of great inspiration to his descendants. Indeed, for this reason we learn of them in the Midrash. So why not even a mention in the Torah?

All of Avraham's previous spiritual achievements were self-initiated and self-attained. His service of G-d came as a result of his rationalisation. He understood that there must be an orchestrator to the magnificence of creation, and he devoted himself with great faith to serve Him, in the way that he understood to do so.

Parshas Lech Lecha begins a new phase in Avraham's service of G-d and it is this dimension which is the example that the Torah seeks for us to follow: Hashem commands and Avraham submits.

Go from your land and your birthplace and your father's home to the land that I will show you was more than just a command to change his geographic location. Chassidic thought explains that the word Eretz (land) is related to Ratzon, meaning desire or will. Birthplace refers to our emotions; In Kabbalah, emotions are described as the offspring, born out of our intellectual perceptions and reflection. The father's home refers to our intellectual faculties, the 'parents' which spawn our emotional responses.

G-d was asking Avraham to change the centre of his spiritual orientation. Despite the fact that Avraham's only desire was to serve G-d, that his mind was directed to understanding G-dliness and that his love and fear was for G-d - this was not the ultimate. G-d was asking him to leave his personal desires (even though they were holy and spiritual), and go to the land that I will show you - to submit to G-d's will, for no other reason besides the fact that this is what G-d has requested.

This is the defining trait of the Jew's relationship with G-d; referred to as Kabolas Ol - submitting ourselves to the yoke of Heaven, putting aside our will to fulfill His will.

There is certainly place and need for our intellect and emotions when serving G-d. Torah study requires us to understand and comprehend; prayer as the service of the heart is an emotional experience. But the first step and foundation needs to be absolute submission to G-d's will, placing it before our own. When our service of G-d is motivated by our understanding and feelings, our service is limited to the depth of our capacity to understand and feel. It is also subject to change - depending on our mood or level of inspiration. Pledging ourselves to G-d connects our service with the infinite. This spark of infinity ultimately flows through to our finite minds and hearts as well.

G-d's commands to us are the Mitzvos. These commands serve as the quantum leap between the infinite and the finite, between Creator and created. We as finite beings cannot bridge this divide; no matter how deeply we meditate, how many songs we sing, no matter what actions we determine to be spiritually meaningful. Mitzvah means connection. Since the Mitzvos are G-d's will, they serve as the exclusive way for us to connect to Him and experience true spirituality. In His great kindness G-d has provided us a way for us to break free from finity - to touch the infinite. With every Mitzvah G-d calls out to each one of us Lech Lecha. It is up to us to go out of ourselves and take the first step.

 

~ Rabbi Yoni Johnson

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