Dear Friends,
What is so special about Abraham? The magnificent thing about Torah is that we always discover new relevance in the weekly Torah portion. So, to me, today, what seems to be so special about Abraham is that he had the courage to be different.
We are experiencing a significant rise in Anti-semitism these days. It takes courage to stand up for what we believe in the face of our detractors. Yet, I believe that Abraham serves as a powerful insipiration and a model for us in our present circumstances.
How so?
Abraham develped an independence from his place of origin. He travelled to a new place. He followed a new path, both physically and spiritually. He connected to God as well as to his surroundings. He remained engaged with people. He took responsibility for his own decisions and he also fought for justice for others.
Abraham did all of that while exhibiting tremendous hospitality to those around him. He was not perfect. But, he was special. He had the courage to be different. He had vision and faith. He stood up for his beliefs even as he respected the rights of others to be themselves.
The Torah tells us that Abraham was blessed in many ways in his life. May we all see blessing in our lives, just as Abraham was blessed in his life.
Shabbat Shalom!
Rabbi Gilah Dror
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