Lech Lecha
By Steven Schulberg, Koach REC VP, 2005-06 5765
Parshat Lech Lecha begins with God commanding Avraham, then known as Avram, to leave his home and travel to that place that God will show him. God also adds that he will make Avraham's children a large nation. Avraham listens to God's commandment and leaves his place and settles in the land of Cannan. After some time, there was a famine in the land of Cannan, so Avraham decieded to move down to Egypt and settle there. After a run-in with Pharaoh, Avraham moves back up to Cannan. While there, Avraham and Lot, Avraham's nephew, have a disagreement and find separate places to live. Lot then gets captured in a war between 4 kings and 5 kings, and Avraham goes to his rescue. This is an example of 'P'dion Shevuim' or redemption of prisoners. The Parsha ends with Avraham having his Brit Milah, or the bris, at the age of 99, showing his dedication to God and the soon to be Jewish people.
One part of this Parsha stands out in my mind. When Avraham and Lot are choosing where to live, the Torah clearly tells us how Avraham's Shepard's and Lot's Shepard's dislike each other. It says, "vayehi reev ben roei mekneh Avram ooben roei mekneh Lot"?or, "And there was a conflict between the Shepard's of Avram's cattle and the Shepard's of Lot's cattle." Rashi says that the fight and dislike between Avraham and Lot's Shepard's is as if Avraham and Lot themselves are fighting. The next verse proceeds to say, "Va'yomer Avram el Lot, al na thi meriva beni oobeneicha o ben roee ooben roe-cha ki anashim achim anachnu" or, "And Avram said to Lot: 'Let there be no confilct, between me and you, and between my Shepard's and your Shepard's; for we are brothers." Avraham is able to go up to someone, whom he does not like and is able to say "Ki anashim achim anachnu", 'we are like brothers.' Rashi says that Avraham literally sees some of himself in Lot and because of this, wants to end the disagreement between them. Avraham has the courage and ability to go up to someone who he dislikes and say we are like brothers.
As most of you know, November 4th marked the 10th anniversary of Yetzchak Rabin's assassination. Yetzchak Rabin, may his memory be for a blessing, and Avraham had much in common. They both had the ability to go up to a person who they dislike and were able to recognize that both of them were like Achim, brothers. They both tried to end fights and dislike because both of them were human. Avraham did this with Lot and Yetzchak Rabin did this with Yasser Arafat and the Palestinians. Though some did not agree with Rabin's theories, it is safe to say that all people will recognize that Rabin attempted to make it as if the Palestinians and we were like achim?and make an attempt for peace. As the 10 year anniversary of Rabin's assassination passed, we should all remember what Yetzchak Rabin stood for and how he was able to say to Yasser Arafat 'anashim achim anachnu', we are like brothers, and try to make peace. We should learn from Rabin that no matter how bad a fight might be, we are still achim, and should try to see the best in people.
