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The entire history of the Jewish people began with two words – Lekh L’Kha – Go Forth!
This Shabbat, we begin the story of the Jewish people as we read about God choosing Abraham to be a prophet to the world.
“Go forth from your land, the place of your birth, and from your father’s house, and go unto the land that I will show you.” (Genesis 12:1)
The midrash begins to wonder, why would Abram need to leave his birthplace? Could he not begin spreading the word of God’s oneness where he lived in Padan Aram?
Midrash Rabba says: “Rabbi Berekhyah said: to what was Abraham our father similar? To a flask of perfume closed, placed in a corner, and its fragrance was not emitted. When it was moved, its fragrance was emitted. Thus the Holy Blessed One said to Abraham our Father, move yourself from place to place and your name will become great in the world....”
The midrash understands that part of God’s plan was that Abraham was too special, too important to be ‘stuck away’ in a corner of the world. Instead, Abraham was meant to be a ‘pollinator’, a person who spreads the message of God everywhere they go, leaving generations of inheritors behind them.
I have always found this metaphor to be particularly powerful for our lives. What talents do you have that are pent up, waiting to be let out? What new ideas are in your head that need to be shared with the world? And what new places are you destined to go, so others can benefit from what you have to share? As the old quotation goes: “The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.”
But the lesson of Abraham comes to teach us that ‘The journey of two thousand years begins with the courage to take a leap, and to Go Forth!’
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Joel
Executive Director
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