THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS

Friday, November 8, 1985

55

TORAH PORTION

Isaac Took Unassuming
Road To Greatness

BY RABBI MORTON F. YOLKUT
Special to The Jewish News

Rembrandt's etching "Abraham and Isaac."

If there were ever a father
and son who possessed diametri-
cally opposite personalities they
were Abraham and Isaac. The
dynamic Abraham was a man
who shook heaven and earth,
who prepared to sacrifice his be-
loved son, who defended the
wicked city of Sodom, who
transformed the face of his
society and brought God and the
world together. There was noth-
ing passive about Abraham. He
was the revolutionary, the doer,
the activist par excellence.
In dramatic contrast to his
father, Isaac is almost a silent
figure. He darts like a shadow
across the pages of the Bible
saying little, doing little. He is
essentially a passive personal-
ity. He submitted to the akedah,
to become a sacrifice to God
without any verbal protest; he
accepted the wife that was cho-
sen for him without any corn-

Chaye Sarah:
Genesis 23:1-25:18.
I Kings 1:1-31.

ment; and when the Philistines
disputed his rights to a well, he
retreated. Rather than doing
things, things are done to him.
It is as if he has no role to play.
The fact, however, remains
that Isaac, despite his passivity,
became one of the three great
patriarchs whose characteristics
and deeds Jews have tried to
emulate throughout the genera-
tions. The truth is that just as
the world needs movers and
shakers, men of thunder and
lightning, it also needs people
who reflect the quiet, still voice
of God, who go about doing their
tasks quietly, consistently, even
passively. They who are still
also serve, and the world needs
them.
In the first place, to do no
more than transmit the wisdom
and creativity of the past to new
hands is, in itself, an important
enterprise. if sometimes we
wonder about our historic sig-
nificance, our role as the link
between the past and the future
is enough to justify our exist-
ence. By serving as a link, we
enable the coming generation to
do as good a job as they can pos-
sibly do. This, in itself, makes

our presence an historical event.
But we do more than provide a
link between the generations.
Our seemingly trivial labors
are the raw material of which
the famous and great men make
tomorrow. The generals map the
strategy and enjoy the credit,
but the soldiers do all the fight-
ing. Congressmen pass the
appropriations but you and I
must pay the bills. It is the
small person who makes the
world go around. It is the un-
known soldier whose grave
merits a nation's respect, for it
is he who assures its security
and guards its freedom. The
world could get along without
Abrahams; it could not survive
without Isaacs.
Secondly, the most meaning-
ful and productive moments of
our lifetimes often come when
we stand still. It is often harder
to stay with the old than to ap-
proach the new. The more dif-
ficult thing is not beginning a
new job, but remaining on the
old one with enthusiasm. It re-
quires greater effort and sac-
rifice to keep the flame of mar-
ried love burning than to ignite
a fresh one.
Having children is easy, even
dramatic; raising them takes
real dedication and persever-
ance. The most fruitful portions
of our lives often take place dur-
ing the least spectacular years,
when the days in the office and
the evenings at home follow
each other in dull succession.
Then does our commitment have
the greatest value, the strongest
effect. Where there is the least
movement there is often the
greatest amount of progress.
Finally, there are times when
just holding the line is the
equivalent of moving forward.
The famous maxim that the best
offense is a good defense is as
valid in the Jewish home as in
the sports arena. When parents
today manage to develop in
their children a love for learn-
ing, a respect for tradition, and
a sense of communal responsi-
bility, they are doing nothing
more than their parents did for
them. But in view of current
trends toward alienation, as-
similation and defection, these
modern parents have managed
no small feat. The fact that a
new generation is as learned, as
observant, and as active as their
elders is certainly a notable ad-
vance in contemporary Jewish
life.

72 H
Colq*esi

THE JEWISH NEWS is sponsoring a contest for children to create
cover art for the Chanukah issue. All young people, up to fifteen
years old, are invited to submit their work.

SIZE: 10 1/4 inches wide by 9 1/2 inches high.

MEDIUM: Anything that shows up bold, such as crayons, paint, cut

paper, material. No pencils or light blue crayons, please. We
suggest taping work on cardboard to protect it. Do not fold! In
order to qualify, an entry form must be taped to the back.

GRAND PRIZE is $75. This piece will be reproduced on the cover

of the December 6th issue.

FIRST PRIZE for each category is $25.

HONORABLE MENTIONS: Finalists in all categories will be featured

inside the issue.

AGE CATEGORIES: to 6; 7 to 9; 10 to 12; 13 to 15.

DEADLINE: FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 1985 AT NOON

TO ENTER: All work must be received at The Jewish News office,

20300 Civic Center Dr., Suite 240, Southfield 48076. All work
must have an entry form attached on the back. A self-addressed,
stamped envelope must be included if you want your work re-
turned to you.

ENTRY FORM

AGE

NAME

ADDRESS

STATE

CITY

ZIP

PHONE NUMBER

PARENTS' NAMES

SCHOOL

Yes, return my work

No, do not return my work

