Recap for 11 Cheshvan 5776 (Parsha Lech Lecha)

This Shabbos we discussed parsha Lech Lecha including commentary by Rav Yeager. We discussed how in the parsha, Abraham is commanded to leave his home and go to a new land which Hashem will show him. We discussed how “lech lecha” means for Abraham to go for his own benefit, and not for the benefit of Hashem.

We discussed how this is an important point in Judaism, that all the guidelines, commandments, mitzvah, and directive we are given from the Torah and Hashem, is not for Hashem’s benefit, but for our own benefit.  So why does Hashem bother to guide us like this?  This is because Hashem loves us.  The Torah is an expression of Hashem's love.  Doing mitzvah and following the Torah benefits us greatly and is for our own good.

We discussed how as Jews we are “chosen people” but this comes with added responsibility as we are held to a higher standard than everyone else.  Not everyone in the world wants to be held to this higher standard, and that is ok.  Hashem made a covenant with Abraham and his descendants, that we will do our part and Hashem will do his.

Norm talked about some of the ways that Hashem has done his part.  Norm mentioned how we have been able to win one war after another, conquer our enemies and survive against all odds.  All of this is evidence of Hashem's existence and that he has been on our side.

Some would say that there are specific factors that have led towards our success and it has nothing to do with Hashem. For example, we have been able to develop specific weapons.  And this may be how we have won the wars, but why were we chosen to have certain talents as people that led to our ability to defend ourselves?  And why do we have certain characteristics, that powerful countries like the United States are sometimes helpful to us?

We discussed this Shabbos that science and technology can answer the “how” of understanding the world, but we need to believe in and understand Hashem to understand the “why”.  We discussed that we are a people that value morality and life, who have a covenant with hashem, and this helps explain why Hashem has been on our side.  At the same time, we have enemies that value death and have other moral problems.  

We did a review this Shabbos of the first parsha, in which hashem creates man and remarks that it is “very good”. We discussed how unlike everything else around us, including physical objects and animals, we as human beings have free will to make choices. We discussed how it is Hashem’s will that we follow his Torah and make moral choices, however it is a more perfect world in which we have this choice rather than being robots that automatically do the right thing. 

We discussed how Hashem purposely designed the Garden of Eden, to have some temptation with some forbidden fruit. We discussed how up until that point in time, our choices were a lot more clear cut as to what was the right thing to do. However, starting with the forbidden fruit, it became more difficult for us to do the right thing, or even know what the right thing is. 

We discussed this conflict we all have between short term pleasure, and long term reward, that began in the Garden of Eden. There are behaviors and activities that may bring pleasure in the short term, but are destructive in the long term.  It can be very difficult to make long term change, with all the short term temptations and distraction going on.  That is certainly my experience!

We discussed how Noah made moral choices however the people did not, and Hashem let nature go forth which resulted in a flood. We discussed how Hashem did not so much create the flood, as he simply allowed the flood to go forward. If we were not going to be organized in our morality, Hashem was not going to implement any organized control of nature.

We discussed some of the differences between Noah and Abraham. Noah did make moral choices, but Abraham exhibited more concern and kindness towards others. Eventually it is Abraham whom Hashem chooses to inhabit the promised land, and to join in a covenant.

What if we need to make major changes in our life that will take time because they represent long term goals?  Certainly we should avoid short term distractions and temptation that would be destructive with respect to these long term goals.  But should we measure our success based on where we are in life absolutely, or where we are with the "vector" or direction we are headed?  David mentioned that we should be satisfied if we are doing the best we can to move in the right direction, and if we are doing the best we can perhaps this is how Hashem judges us as well.   

Ellie spoke about how it is easier to make changes if we accept ourselves. Ellie shared that it is important that one wants to make a change and there is not a piece of oneself holding them back. If 100% of someone wants to make the change, it would take willpower not to make the change.  We may need to do something about the pieces of us that do not want to make a change, which can be part of moving in the right direction.

Finally we discussed this Shabbos how when something makes a big impression on them, they remember it very well. David told a story from his father, Rav Dr. George N Schlesinger, that it is admirable those who can remember a lot about their Torah study, the same way they remember the details of 9/11.  It is admirable to remember not only the Torah that we studied, but when and where we were, as all of this indicates it made a big impression on us.

This is a summary of what we discussed. No Halachic rulings are intended or should be inferred.