The word “yehudí” is equivalent to the word “Jew.” But in terms of their function, these two terms are sometimes opposite: “Yehudi” is an honorary title, as I will explain towards the end of this article. At the same time, the word “Jew” in various Gentile cultures has a very negative connotation. Let’s start with the latter. For centuries, the Spanish language could not free itself from anti-Semitic prejudices. The colloquial use of the word “Jew” (judío) demonstrates the depth of that destructive feeling. Spanish dictionaries, until 1983, defined «Judío» as «stingy», or «usurer». There is another word, less used in modernity but with more discriminatory weight: “Judiada” (the action of a Jew). The Spanish dictionary definition was “inhuman action.” Incredibly, and despite the intellectual juggling that some linguists do to defend the indefensible (see here), the Spanish Royal Academy of Language (RAE) still preserves this definition, albeit a little more softened. I  Copy & Paste: «Judiada» 1.f colloq. Bad deed or action that harms someone ».

JEWS AND TANGO

In my native Buenos Aires, this connotation of the word “Jew” was very transparent. A few decades ago (not sure if this continues today, but I wouldn’t be surprised) many times I received a derogatory shout, usually coming from a truck or motorcycle driver. What were they yelling at me ? “Judioooo!”.  Again, they did not have to shout “Jew of this” or “Jew of the other”, in the Spanish vocabulary of the anti-Semite mind; the word “Jew”, without any other adjective carried by itself the connotation of an insult and no additional epithet was needed. The negative history of this word did not begin in Buenos Aires. And not in the 20th century. The early Christians at first referred to the Jews as Hebrews. But later, the Church borrowed the term Hebrews for the first Christian (as in “Epistle to the Hebrews”) and referred to us as “Jews”. Why? Because of the derogatory association between the patronymic “Jew” (judío) and “Judas”. Judas, according to the New Testament, was the man who betrayed Yeshu. Thus, whenever they referred to a “Jew”, or said the word “Jew,” Spanish speakers immediately associated it with treason and deicide, which naturally inspired contempt and hatred for mus (the clear sound association between the word “judío” and “Judas” is not immediately recognized in the English word “Jew”. The absence of the letter “d”, which appears in “Judea”, for example, might have had a substantial softening impact on the history of antisemitism in English-speaking culture). In some places in Spain—for example, Melilla, my wife’s birthplace—Jews called themselves “Hebrews”. It is possible that they did it to protect themselves or to try to minimize the demonizing connotation that the term “Judío” inspired (inspires?) in the minds of many Spanish speakers who carry fifteen centuries of systematized anti-Semitism in their subconscious minds.

YEHUDI OR ISRAELITE?

Now let’s look at the word Jew in Hebrew. This patronymic means belonging to “Yehuda”, Judea.  But it is not the first nor the only word Jewish sources used to define the Jewish people. The oldest Biblical patronymic has been “Israel”, as bené Israel, the people who descend from Yaakob (who is also called Israel). Why are we named after Israel/Yaakob? Despite the conflicts between Yosef and his brothers, in the end, all the sons of Jacob ended up united and created a single nation with 12 tribes. Unlike the children of Abraham, for example, or the children of Ytschaq (Yishmael and Esav), who did not form “tribes” but different “nations”.
There is another patronymic that is also mentioned in the Torah: “Hebrew”, which means “he who comes from the other side [of the river]”. The first time it is mentioned in reference to Abraham, Yosef, and his descendants. The Tora mentions the word “Hebrew” several times when the Egyptians refer to a member of the Children of Israel (Joseph, Moses, the midwives, etc.). It’s also interesting that in the Amarna Letters, the writings of Pharaoh Amenhotep IV (1350-1330 BCE), which is the oldest non-biblical document mentioning the Jews, the Egyptians also refer to the Jews as “Hebrews” (habiru or habriu).

After the death of King Solomon, around 900 BCE, the Kingdom of Israel was divided into two: on one side was the Kingdom of Judah with its capital in Jerusalem, which continued the dynasty of King David, and on the other side was the Kingdom of Israel, also known as the Ten Tribes, with its capital in Samaria. Around 720 BCE, the Assyrian Empire invaded and destroyed Samaria, killing and exiling its citizens as prisoners of war to their kingdom, where Sennacherib forcibly assimilated them (Sancherib bilbel et haumot).. What remained of the Israelite people was the Kingdom of Judah, known in Spanish as “Judea.” From that moment on, we acquired the name Yehudim or Jews. One of the most famous examples of the use of this name is in the Book of Esther, where Mordecai and the Jewish people in general are referred to as Yehudi or Yehudim.

YEHUDI = GRATEFUL

The origin of Yehudi can be found in this week’s Parasha, Vayetse. Jacob and Leah already had 3 sons, which was more than she expected to have. When her fourth son was born, Leah overflowed with joy and gratitude and named him Yehuda, saying, “Now [that I have given birth to 4 sons], I will thank God.” Each time Leah mentioned the name of her son, Yehuda, she immediately remembered that she had to thank God. Indeed, the name Yehuda derives from the Hebrew root YDH, which is the root of one of the most well-known words in Hebrew: TODA, which means “thanks”. When I am asked what the word “Jew” represents to me, it is very clear: YEHUDI is a human being who connects with God and remembers God not only when they need God but, above all, to be grateful to God.

Spech given on April.25.2009 Tazria – Metzora (Holocaust) 1.Yiar.5769

This is a difficult week for a Rabbi to decide on a subject for his speech. This Shabbat falls in between the commemoration of the Holocaust, Yom HaShoah, and Yom Haatzmaut: respectively the biggest tragedy and the biggest achievement of the Jewish people in modern History. Luckily, YMJC Board made my life easier by deciding to celebrate Yom Haatzmaut next Shabbat.

I will dedicate this week’s sermon, therefore, to reflect on Yom haShoa, or better said to reflect on the circumstances that surrounded the advancement of the Nazi death machinery. This past Monday night, we commemorated in this building Yom haShoa and we had two special guests. First, we had a veteran American soldier who was present at the moment of liberating the concentration camps. We saw some very shocking pictures that he took with his camera, but as we said to him that night, the most important thing for us was to be able to look directly at the eyes that witnessed this horror. This will be our way to become witnesses ourselves… Then we listen to Mr. Stephen Berger, a Holocaust survivor who was born in Hungry and lost in the Shoa 26 members of his immediate family. The fate of the Hungarian Jews was unique. Unlike other Jewish communities in Europe, the deportation of Hungarian Jews started when the Nazis knew that the war was lost: they invested their forces to pursue the final solution rather than fighting the Soviets. In a matter of months, half a million Jews were deported, mainly to Auschwitz, where 90% of them were killed at their arrival…. Winston Churchill wrote in a letter to his Foreign Secretary dated July 11, 1944, “There is no doubt that the persecution of Jews in Hungary and their expulsion from enemy territory is probably the greatest and most horrible crime ever committed in the whole history of the world….”

Mr. Berger told us many stories of the horrors he and his family had lived. But what personally shocked me the most was to hear him saying that in his dictionary, the word “never” does not exist. I think that he was hinting at the fact that, ironically, on the same day that we remembered the Holocaust in Europe, specifically in neutral Geneva, Switzerland, the Durban II conference was taking place. Very much like Durban I, back in 2001, Israel -the Jew among the nations- was bashed over and over. The deplorable highlight of the conference was –incredibly- the President of Iran, Mr. Ahmadinejad, who once again hinted at the denial of the Holocaust and advocated for a second one.

Interestingly, when this man started to speak, many European countries walked out of the room, and some European countries stayed in the room: Switzerland because they still didn’t get that neutrality is a form of collaboration, and when a member of the UN is calling for the elimination of another UN member, silence is agreement. Do you know who else stayed from Europe? One of Israel’s “best” friends Norway. Norway justified its presence because it defended “freedom of speech”. So, they should let anyone, including a dictator who incites to mass murder like Ahmadinejad, freely express his ideas. Norwegians are very consistent with their beliefs. Last month, as it was reported in a Norwegian newspaper, Adressavisa, an exhibition by painter Guillvag took place: “Requiem for the children of Gaza” (check: http://www.israelwhat.com/?p=1116 ) where you could enjoy the art of giant paintings depicting blood thirsty Israeli soldiers stepping on the heads of naked.

Palestinian children… everything in the name of freedom of speech. However, that same week in the same city, there was another important exhibition: “It’s not forbidden to think” by Ahmed Mashhouri, who, in a series of prints, exhibited some of the most controversial parts of the Koran. After only a few hours, the exhibition was attacked, partly demolished and subsequently taken down from the town. Not surprisingly, nobody complained, no demonstrations about freedom of speech because when “Islam” is criticized, Norway does not advocate freedom of speech. In Norway, NO newspaper would dare to reproduce the drawings of the Prophet or to say anything critical of Muslims. It is a new kind of selective and COWARD freedom of speech, typical of the new era of paralyzing personal fear, which started so victoriously for radical Islam with Salman Rushdie’s persecution. Even in America, cartoons like “The Simpson” or “Family Guy” will make frequent unrestricted fun of the Jewish or Christian faith, but they would NEVER, EVER make fun of Mohammad or Islam. More from Norway, a country that obviously has no geographical or political reason to hold any conflict with Israel: This week, I’ve got an email called: “Why I won’t be seeing the fjords this summer”. Thanks to this email, I’ve learned that the Norwegian supermarkets decided to place special identification stickers on products coming from Israel. To add insult to injury, they dare to affirm to the press that the stickers “do not constitute a boycott of Israel”. Norwegians do not have anti-Semitic feelings! They just are pro-Palestinians. Now, why a European country would be Pro-Palestinian? In which sense the Israeli Palestinian conflict affects Norway, directly or indirectly? When the Norwegians care so much exclusively about Palestinians, it raises a flag of suspicion!!!. Let me explain: Is Norway weighing boycotting Chinese products from their supermarket in protest of China killing and expelling the Tibetans from their territories? Are the Norwegians going to ban Sri Lankan products because Norwegians identify with the Tamil victims? I guess that only if the Tamil Tigers decided to fight Israel instead of Sri Lanka, would Norway and many European countries will pay a lot more attention to the Tigers and less attention to the Palestinians. (PLEASE, PLEASE see the following link: you won’t believe your eyes!!! http://www.israelwhat.com/?p=1778&cpage=1#comment-79. This fixation to empathize exclusively with the enemies of Israel is very suspicious of a different kind of hate. Interestingly -and ironically- in 1941, the popular graffiti on Jewish business in Oslo read: “Jews, go to Palestine”. But now that Jews have built a beautiful country, to their distress, the new Norwegian slogan is: “After 50 years of Jewish occupation: free Palestine!” Talking of anti-Semitism and Norway. I’m reading here from Asianews.Net,. I quote: “Judges of the organization of the Islamic conferences and Norwegian lawyers accuse Israel of war crimes and ethnic cleansing during the recent war in Gaza….Norway and Iran want to sue Tel Aviv for the bombings in Gaza. … Norwegian lawyers have accused Israel of war crimes for the Gaza offensive…The lawyers have said that they will charge Tzipi Livni (prime minister at the time) and Ehud Barak (defense minister at the time), asking for their extradition and arrest”.

Going back to Mr. Berger’s; as he was leaving the building, somebody asked him: “Do you think it can happen again?” And he said: NO. But not because the world has changed. Our case study, Norway, is the living proof that anti-Semitism disguised as “anti-Israelism” is still very much alive. Mr. Berger believes that the Shoa is very unlikely to happen again

because now we have Medinat Israel. Now we have an army to deter those who seek our annihilation. Now we can defend ourselves!!!.

I agree. Anti-Semitism is on the rise in a level that the world has not seen, probably since 1939. Incredibly, in an era of scientific progress and unprecedented progress in human rights, a dictator who is explicitly known to support terrorist organizations denies the horror of the Shoa in European soil, advocates for the extermination of the Jewish people on an International Forum gathered to fight persecution and racism, and he does not only walk away with murder but he is also applauded by more than 100 nations of the world… Can we still have faith in any international system of law or justice? If Chas veShalom there is a new threat of a Shoa against the Jewish people, do you think that these 100 nations will raise a finger to stop it? I can’t help but believe that the conditions right now are, unfortunately, fertile for a new Shoa.  Radical Islamic regimes are gaining more and more ground. The Muslim demographic is a huge threat to Europe and even to America (I urge you to watch this video clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-3X5hIFXYU&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.jerusalemon)

I really hope I’m wrong, but I believe that the world would not do anything that will imply even a diplomatic risk for them, in order to save Israel…

HaShem Almighty is on our side and He will always protect us from our enemies. And they know that now, unlike 1939, we have Medinat Israel. All the modern Hitlers and Ahmadinejad are fully aware that if they ever want to pursue their evil plans, they will have to face one of the most powerful armies in the world and the most amazing and motivated soldiers.

May HaShem always protect us. May He inspire the world to see the truth and pursue peace. May we have the merit of seeing the dream of SHALOM coming true in our days,

Israel is facing a military operation that is essentially a rescue mission. Hamas has invaded Israel, violated, tortured, wounded, and massacred thousands of Israeli civilians, and currently holds over 100 Israelis hostage in Gaza.

One of Israel’s military objectives is the liberation of the kidnapped Israeli civilians and soldiers who have been taken as prisoners of war.

Israel has assured Hamas that if they release the hostages, there will be a ceasefire. Unofficially, one day of ceasefire for every ten hostages released.

Incredibly, it is HAMAS that does not want to release the kidnapped individuals! It is Hamas that has no interest in a ceasefire. However, it is Israel that is cynically pressured in all international forums to declare a ceasefire WITHOUT OBTAINING THE FREEDOM OF THE ISRAELI HOSTAGES.

Pressure should be placed where it belongs: on HAMAS.

INTRODUCTION:

In 586 BCE, Jerusalem was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar, emperor of Babylon. The Jews were exiled and dispersed throughout the empire. In 539 BCE, two generations after the exile, the Persian Emperor Cyrus (Koresh) conquered the Babylonian Empire. Cyrus had a very positive attitude toward the Jews and did something remarkable. In the first year of his reign, 538 BCE, he issued a proclamation that encouraged the Jews to return to the land of Israel and rebuild the Bet HaMikdash, a project he would finance with royal treasures. Over time, some 50,000 Jews did just that, led by Zerubbabel. In 516 BCE, seventy years after the exile, the second Bet HaMikdash was inaugurated, fulfilling Jeremiah’s prophecy (chapter 25:11-15). But even though the Bet HaMikdash was built and functioning, most Jews chose to remain in the Persian Empire. Why? According to Rabbi Yehuda HaLevi, they were financially well off. According to Samuel Kurinsky, their businesses thrived: they engaged in international trade, exporting glass jewels to China and importing gold, silver, and silk. Persian Jews also developed a credit industry, as documented in the extensive records about the Jewish family of Nippur, Murashu (see here). The Persian Empire continued to grow. In 500 BCE, Darius the Great, grandson of Cyrus, extended the empire to include Egypt, Libya, Sudan, and Ethiopia, stretching as far as India. Only one region remained for the Persian emperor to conquer and dominate the world: Greece. Darius attempted it but was unsuccessful, leaving the task to his son, Xerxes.

With this brief introduction, we can begin the story in the Book of Esther.

VERSES 1-4

In 486 BCE, after Darius’ death, the empire passed into the hands of his son Xerxes, also known in Persian as Khashayarsha and in Hebrew as “Achashverosh.” At that time, the Persian Empire included 127 states or provinces, stretching from India to Ethiopia—the largest empire humanity had ever known. It was up to Achashverosh to conquer Greece, which was the ultimate goal. First, he consolidated his rule, and in the third year of his reign, he began preparing for the invasion of Greece. It was the most numerous military expedition ever. According to Herodotus –the father of modern history– the Persian emperor assembled the most extensive army in military history: 5,283,220 men, including soldiers and auxiliaries.

The Megilla tells us that Achashverosh organized a mishte, often seen as a “feast” lasting 180 days. However, according to Herodotus, this mishte was more like a training time than a celebration. The Megillah indicates this by noting who the guests were: first mentioned are the armies of Persia and Media, the generals, and governors of the imperial provinces. These were in charge of recruiting, organizing, and training this enormous army to invade Greece. Achashverosh brought them to work but treated them well, impressing them with exotic banquets and showing that he had the means to support the army in the war with Greece. Why doesn’t the Megillah explicitly mention that this mishte was preparation for the king’s military campaign? The Megillah was written during Achashverosh’s reign and had to pass imperial censorship. So, the text is cautious, maintaining political correctness and avoiding anything offensive toward the king. In this case, it was also sensitive because, despite his army’s size, Achashverosh ultimately lost the war with the Greeks.

VERSES 5-12

After 180 days of preparation for the “mother of all battles,” the king organized a real celebration lasting seven days for all the people of Shushan, rich or poor.  This feast aimed to boost morale among the people, celebrating in advance of the victory over the Greeks. This party, unlike the first one, is described in generous detail: the lavish decoration of the palace gardens, the utensils, luxurious tableware, and, notably, the wine from the king’s cellar, which was served in unlimited quantities. Queen Vashti also hosted a feast, though not in the gardens but in the royal palace hall. Her celebration was exclusively for women: the ladies of Shushan and the wives of military officials and dignitaries who had come from afar. On the seventh and last day of the celebration, the king, who had too much wine, made a grave mistake. He invited the queen to attend the men’s party. But instead of inviting her  as a husband invites his wife, he summoned her via protocol, “ordering seven of his officials to bring her to the men’s party, wearing (just?) the royal crown, to show off her beauty to the people and dignitaries.” Queen Vashti refused. According to the Sages of Eretz Israel, this was not because she was unpresentable, as the Babylonian Sages explained, but out of modesty, to avoide public exposure and humiliation. When the king sobered up, he became furious with himself for his tremendous mistake (Rabbi Moshe Almosnino). Because by disregarding the king’s order—no matter how trivial—Vashti now legally faced the full weight of the law: capital punishment (or exile).

VERSES 13-22

The king, desperate, consulted with his advisors (astrologers) and especially with his legal counselors for a way out of this constitutional crisis. Seven high-ranking officials, the king’s legal advisors, are mentioned individually. Achashverosh wanted to save Vashti.

The legal advisors brought the king terrible news: Vashti’s crime was an issue of implications that affected the whole empire. And, as everyone knew, once the king issued an order, it could not be revoked—not even by the king himself, not even if it could be proven that the king was not fully conscious. Furthermore, as the advisors explained,  Vashti’s defiance had become public knowledge. Not punishing her would set a precedent, potentially affecting the empire’s stability. The Vashti affair became a matter of national security.

The king’s chief advisor, Memuchan (whom the Sages later identified as Haman), suggested that the king seize this crisis as an opportunity to win the favor of the empire’s men and soldiers—something beneficial for the impending war. Memuchan advised the king to issue a decree to be sent to all corners of the empire, stating the following:

Article One: Queen Vashti would be removed from her position ( this could be a euphemism, meaning she would be executed or exiled).

Article Two: King Achashverosh would, in due time, seek a better (i.e., more obedient) queen to replace Vashti.

Article Three: The kingdom’s women must honor their husbands (i.e., obey them) regardless of their rank or status.

The decree was sent across the empire’s 127 provinces, in the language spoken in each region, announcing that by royal order, men were to exercise leadership in their families and that when husband and wife speak different languages, which seemed to have been a common conflict in many of the empire’s mixed families the language of the husband would be spoken in the household.

This concludes the first chapter of Megillat Esther. Rabbi Almosnino explains that this chapter, which contains no direct references to what happened with the Jews in the Perosan empire, is part of the Book of Esther for two reasons. First, it foreshadows the eventual arrival of Queen Esther, who would replace Vashti. But also—and perhaps primarily—this chapter shows that in the Persian Empire, the king’s orders had to be obeyed, even if issued while he was intoxicated, and once proclaimed, the decree could not be reversed, not even by the king himself, even if it meant “killing his own wife.” With this in mind, Rabbi Almosnino notes that when the reader sees that Haman “deceives” the king into signing a royal edict to annihilate the Jews, they understand, from Vashti’s case, that this mandate could not be undone!  Thus, one can better appreciate the extraordinary Divine intervention that saved us from total annihilation (להראות את גודל הנס).

Adapted from the book “Encounters” by Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan z»l

Abraham hears a Voice. The Voice is familiar. It is the same Voice that commanded him to leave the land of his ancestors and migrate to the land of Canaan. The same Voice that promised him that he would bless him and that his offspring would be as numerous as the stars in the sky. That voice, the Voice of God, made many promises and never let him down. Sometimes he had doubts, like when he got to the promised land and found a terrible drought. Or when the Egyptian Pharaoh kidnaped his wife Sara. But Abraham realizes that not all Divine promises materialize immediately. Sometimes you have to wait. And that is how “patience” became a pivotal part of his faith. Abraham learned to obey and trust his interlocutor: The Creator of the heavens and the earth. That Voice promised Abraham, at the age of 100, that Sara would have a son. The promise was fulfilled, and that child was called Yitzhaq, “the [child] who will make his parents laugh”. He will be the source of happiness for Abraham and Sara for the rest of their lives.

But now, when Abraham gets up to pray and thank the Creator in the morning, the Voice addresses him with the familiar call: “Abraham, Abraham”. Abraham hears that Voice physically as if someone is speaking very close to him. Abraham looks around him to make sure no human is there, and then he replies: “Hineni”. “Here I am”, I’m ready to carry out Your command.” And then he hears the Voice telling him something unimaginable: “Take your son, your only son, the one you love so much: Yitzchaq. And go with him to the land of Moriah (Jerusalem) and offer him there as a sacrifice to me.” And then the Voice disappears.

Abraham is left alone. His mind is confused. He has no idea that this is just a test. He feels dizzy as if the world around him is collapsing. He is about to faint. Abraham leans against a tree to keep from falling. His heart is beating very fast. “Oh, Creator of the world, this is not possible. You cannot have ordered me to sacrifice my son Yitzchak. The son You gave me in my old age. The child who finally brought infinite joy to me and my beloved wife, Sara. This is a mistake. A hallucination. A nightmare “.

But then Abraham realizes that he cannot fool himself. God that guided and blessed him has given an order to the most loyal of all His servants. To the man who taught the world that there is a Creator, the source of life and all blessings, that He must be obeyed by His creatures. Now is the time for the most excruciating test of Abraham Abinu’s loyalty to God. Will Abraham only obey God when it suits him? Would Abraham be loyal to God only when He bestows upon him blessings and glory? Will Abraham be able to obey God and be faithful to Him when he is about to lose what he most wants in his life?

Abraham is still in the same place. He hopes to hear the Voice again with some clarification. Or a counterorder. But as the day passes, Abraham’s doubts about the Voice’s identity dissipate. The order was not a hallucination. The Voice was as clear as when He promised him a son, whom he now loves more than anything. Much more than himself. How easy it would be to obey this order, thought Abraham if the Voice had commanded him to offer himself as a sacrifice! But Abraham is asked to do more than any other man has ever done.

After a night of terror and when Abraham no longer doubts the origin of the Voice, he realizes that he cannot deny God anything. The Creator gave him to his son, and for some reason that Abraham cannot understand, now He is asking for him back. In the morning, Abraham gets up early from his bed and prepares to fulfill the still inexplicable Divine order. Without saying a word, Abraham indicates his beloved son Isaac and his two servants to help him load a wood pile onto the donkey. And then the four men leave in silence.

Abraham’s face is stiff as a stone. His gaze, elusive, fixed on the road ahead. His eyes reflect light but hide some secret. No one dares to question Abraham, who always does the right thing. They walk for three agonizing days through the woods and fields. Abraham remains silent; he does not utter a word, strangely, not even to his son.
At last, they see Mount Moriah. Abraham orders his servants to unload the wood and load it onto young Isaac’s strong back. Abraham takes the stones to light a fire, and under his robe, he hides a long knife.

Now, father and son walk up the mountain together. Speechless. Isaac finally breaks the silence and asks Abraham the obvious question, “Father, it looks like we’re going to offer a sacrifice. I see the wood and the stones to light the fire. But where is the animal we will sacrifice?” Abraham closes his eyes and cries. Can he reveal to his beloved son that God has chosen him to be the sacrifice? “God will provide the sacrificial animal,” Abraham answers, his voice cracking. Isaac continues walking next to his beloved father and says nothing more. Isaac fully trusts that his father is fulfilling some Divine order. And so, father and son, together in mind and heart, continue to climb the mountain until they come close to the top. There Isaac watches as his father brings some heavy rocks to build an altar, and when he finishes, he helps him place the wood on the newly built altar.

Abraham, pale and trembling, asks his son to extend his hands and binds his wrists with leather straps. Once Isaac’s hands are restrained, Abraham binds his feet. Isaac doesn’t understand what’s going on. Unable to imagine the truth, he thinks his father is playing some game with him. He looks at his father, but Abraham avoids looking at him. There are only tears in his eyes and a muffled cry. Something terrible is happening. “Where is the sacrificial lamb?” Isaac wonders again. And suddenly, he realizes that the lamb is him! Isaac pales and begins to tremble, but his respect for his father is as great as Abraham’s respect for God. And incredibly, he offers no resistance. The old patriarch takes the young man in his strong arms, lifts him up, and lays him gently on the altar. Isaac looks at him in disbelief. His father continues to avoid his gaze. Isaac watches as his father pulls out the knife hidden under his clothes and feels the cold metal against his throat.

Abraham holds the knife and takes courage to finish the most challenging test that no man of faith had ever had to accomplish. But suddenly, just before the final act, he hears the Voice calling him urgently and saying: “Abraham, Abraham.” Abraham lowers the knife and replies, “Here I am.” Ready to fulfill Your command. The Voice, now louder and more evident than ever, orders him: “Do not direct your hand at your son. Don’t do him any harm. Now you have shown your complete devotion to God: you have not denied Him anything, not even your only son.” And the Voice says no more. Abraham’s eyes are filled again with tears, but those tears are joy this time. Abraham unties his son; he lifts his eyes and sees that very close to where they are, there is a ram with its horn caught in a bush. Abraham takes the animal, brings it to the altar he built for Isaac, and offers it as a sacrifice.
The test is over.

Our sages have indicated that Abraham, our first patriarch, underwent 10 “nisiyonot,” trials or life experiences. Each of these experiences should be seen as a life lesson or learning that teaches Abraham how to relate to God. The learning is cumulative and progressive: What is learned in the previous trial is necessary to move on to the next level and overcome the next test. Let’s remember how we got here. In his childhood, Abraham discovers the existence of a Creator on his own. After many years, the Creator reveals Himself to Abraham. Abraham identifies God’s voice, validates it, and obeys the difficult command: to leave everything behind, go to a distant land, and start anew. Abraham passes the first test of loyalty and begins his journey. Abraham learns that God created the world, cares about human beings, and guides them.
WHEN THE DIVINE PROMISE IS NOT FULFILLED
The life of a man of faith, who believes in God and follows His voice, is not necessarily easier than that of a man without faith; it is full of challenges and difficulties! Let’s remember that when HaShem commands Abraham to go to the land of Canaan, He promises to bless him with prosperity and abundance. Abraham might have imagined that this promise would be fulfilled immediately. Perhaps he thought that upon arriving in Canaan, dozens of camels laden with wealth and treasures would be waiting for him, like a story from the “One Thousand and One Nights.” But to his surprise, Abraham did not find any riches in Canaan. On the contrary, shortly after his arrival, when autumn came, rain did not appear, and a national drought was declared.
NEITHER LOGIC NOR EXPLANATIONS
We should realize the nature of the problematic “trial” to which Abraham is subjected: God ordered Abraham to leave his prosperous land and promised him blessings and riches in the new land. But when Abraham arrives in Canaan, a drought is declared, and now he has to leave. What must have gone through Abraham’s mind at that moment? Didn’t he have doubts about God’s powers and might or credibility?
And something even more complicated: what went through the mind of Sara , his wife? Perhaps they argued, and Sara blamed Abraham for taking her from her comfort zone with promises of greatness only to lead her to poverty… Or perhaps it was the other way around: maybe Sara encouraged Abraham to continue and not give up. The text does not reveal these details. But we always see them together.
To make this situation even more challenging, when Abraham needed it most, the Divine Voice did not reveal itself again to explain what was happening or what he should do. In these circumstances, any other individual, I imagine, would have ended his adventure and returned home to his hometown Ur or to Haran, where his family now lives.
But instead of giving up, Abraham clings to his conviction that God knows what He is doing. This is a very high level of “Emuna,” trust between man and his Creator. Abraham puts into practice one of the essential elements of the Jewish faith: patience and decides to continue trusting in the Divine Promise despite adversity. With this in mind, Abraham decides to go down to Egypt and get food until the drought ends and then return to the promised land. It’s as if Abraham decides to fulfill his part even though, for now, God is not fulfilling His part… (this idea, the unconditional and unilateral loyalty of the Jewish people to God, is developed with all its depth and beauty in the beautiful Psalm 44 of Tehilim).
THE REVOLUTION OF ABRAHAM
From the Divine perspective, “Abraham is under observation.”
Keep in mind that this is the first time such an event is recorded in the Tora. That is, a man faithfully follows the Divine command – in this case, to abandon his past and settle in the land of Israel – and persists in his loyalty to God despite suffering for doing what God asked him to do. We, the readers, know that the story will have a happy ending and that the promise God made to Abraham will eventually be fulfilled. But Abraham doesn’t know that! And no one had instructed him on how to react when bad things happen to good people. Abraham’s situation challenges logic and common sense: God is Almighty. Why doesn’t He immediately reward those who obey Him? Abraham, in a way, gives up Divine reward. In the idolatrous world, when a “god” does not grant the individual who serves it the expected results, they simply replace it with another god more powerful and effective. Within that cultural context, it is impressive and absolutely revolutionary that Abraham decides not to abandon God, to trust His word, and to proceed.
Abraham’s behavior teaches his descendants that the rewards God grants to a righteous man are neither guaranteed nor immediate. Abraham is learning that the relationship with God must be different. If I only obey God to be rewarded, then I must abandon God when I don’t get what I expect. The key to the survival of the Jewish people is their unconditional loyalty to God, both collectively and individually.

אַבְרָהָם אֹהֲבִי
Three thousand years later, Maimonides will explain that from Abraham, we learn to serve God unconditionally: neither out of fear of punishment nor for convenience but out of love for God. We learned from Abraham to follow God even when we suffer for being Jews: that is, for being loyal to Him and His commandments. Abraham’s loyalty—love— toward God is unconditional. His relationship with God does not depend on material reward. For Abraham, the greatest reward is his relationship with God, in good times and bad times.

התהלך לפני והיה תמים

“Walk before Me with integrity.”

ABRAHAM AND NOAH

When the Torah describes the relationship between God and Noah the text says: “ET HAELOQIM HITHALEKH NOAH”, which means: “And Noah walked with God.” Our Sages explained that this means that Noah relied on God, and the Creator rescued him from his problems. Noah obeyed God and created a healthy dependence on Divine assistance. His greatest aspiration was for God to hold his hand, lead him, and draw him out of the hole if he ever fell. On the other hand, when the biblical text describes in this Parasha the dynamics between God and Abraham, we don’t see this kind of relationship. God says to Abraham, “HITHALEKH LEFANAI”, “Walk before Me …” What does this mean? What is the meaning “before” Me ? There are several profound interpretations, and I will present just two opinions.

LIVE UNDER MY SIGHT

We can understand this text in the first place as “Walk before My Presence,” that is, live a life aware of My presence. Knowing that I am always watching you. It is like what King David said in Tehillim “SHIVITI HASHEM LENEGDI TAMID”, “I have HaShem in my mind / before Me, permanently.” This interpretation is compatible with the end of that verse that says VEHEYE TAMIM, that is to say: “[conduct yourself] … with integrity “. In other words: in every step you take in your life, keep My existence in mind and live with integrity. Acting according to what God indicates is a way of promoting the idea of ​​His existence. Acting honestly, with nobility and generosity, when other people know that one is guided by Divine instruction has an effect of “admiration” for God and a desire to emulate that behavior. This is called in Hebrew “Qiddush HaShem”, sanctifying His name, that is, increasing the reputation of the Creator through our actions.

SHOWING GOD TO THE WORLD

Another interpretation is neither less profound nor less beautiful. These words התהלך לפני והיה תמים can also be translated as: “Walk before Me” as when one person says to another: “Walk ahead of me, and I will follow you …” But, how should Abraham walk ahead of God? A Midrash says that God asked Abraham to go ahead of Him to show the world the presence of God. “Like a servant that goes ahead of the royal carriage at night, illuminating the presence of the King with his lamp so that the King’s subjects can see him”. But showing the rest of the world God’s existence is not an easy task …

DEMAGOGY

Abraham’s first mission was to show humanity that Aboda Zara, idolatry, was false. As Maimonides explains, the religious pagan leaders made up rituals and beliefs to control and manipulate people with fears and fetishism. These people were charlatans who used superstitions – which they had invented – to dominate and obtain power. When Abraham denounced the falsehood of idolatry, he made many enemies like King Nimrod. 

IMAGE OF GOD 

Abraham had another mission. Demonstrate that God cannot be seen and that it is absurd to represent Him with idols and statues. Now he had to make them understand that although God cannot be seen, God exists and can definitely see us! Abraham taught that to “discover” the Creator, we must observe Creation and regain our capacity for wonder.

EVOLUTION OR CREATION?

Abraham also demonstrated the existence of God by practicing hesed, benevolence. Abraham was dedicated to hosting guests in his tent, offering shade, water, and food to strangers. And when they thanked him for his hospitality, Abraham would say to them: “Don’t thank me,” nebarekh sheakhalnu mishelo, “Let us bless the Highest, God, who provided us with this food.” Practicing good is a way of expressing our belief in God. Why? Because if there is no Creator, if we are only evolved animals, then we must be guided by the fundamental law of nature: “the survival of the fittest.” As Nietzsche said (and as the Nazis did): “Having mercy on the weakest will make you weaker. The man without God must use all his means and efforts to make the already strong stronger and not waste his efforts on helping the weak”. On the other hand, hesed, doing good selflessly, is only justified when we affirm that Creation is Divine, and that the Creator is the “Father” of humanity, and as a father who loves his children, expects us to take care of each other.

IMPOSSIBLE MISSIONS

Abraham has several challenging missions: 1. To live, think, and act with integrity so that his behavior projects the existence of God onto the world. 2. Intellectually enlighten humanity to displace the lies of opportunists and help men and women to discover the Creator 3. Doing good and behaving with integrity towards others as the best way to put belief in God into practice.