"Gd’s Faithfulness"
Avram is told by Gd to go forth from his home, his birthplace and
travel to a place that Gd will reveal at a later date.
It took great faith for Avram to pick up and leave.
It also took great courage for him to venture forth
not knowing where he was going.
Avram left everything he knew behind to follow Gd’s directives and
to blaze a new trail.
This meant leaving behind the idolatrous influences of his homeland.
Perhaps, he needed to separate himself from his past,
at least geographically,
in order to establish his own belief system and values.
Perhaps, his going forth was necessary
for him to be able to redefine himself independently of others.
The Jews have always stood apart.
As much as we may have tried to assimilate and blend in,
we have failed in this endeavor.
We have remained a unique, separate and independent people in the world.
Maybe it’s time to embrace and acknowledge that.
Gd tells Avram that he will become a great nation and
that he will inherit the land of Canaan.
God makes these promises to Avram and his descendants-
promises of land and great wealth.
He also promises to protect and shield Avram and
his descendants for all time.
We are those descendants.
Like Avram we are a people apart from the other nations.
We are a people that has miraculously survived over the course of time.
We have returned to the land God pledged to Avram.
God is faithful to fulfil that which was promised.
So many promises.
So many struggles and difficulties.
So much faith.
We yearn for peaceful days and for God’s assurances to be fulfilled.
In anticipation of that time, we fight for our very survival-
we fight to bring to fruition the future that Gd promised
thousands of years ago.
We desire for our enemies to lay down their arms and co-exist with us peacefully.
May the fight be short, the suffering minimal and the outcome sweet.
Much love and Shabbat shalom
Elissa
Much love
Elissa
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