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Judaism beckons us to move ahead and alter our physical place in this world by undertaking an emo- his week's parsha is about tional and spiritual travel plan. traveling and the lessons Life is a journey with lots of twists we learn along the way. and turns, full of celebrations and At the beginning of this disappointments. God calls out to all week's portion we meet Abram for of us, like he did Abram and Sarai, the first time. In Genesis 12:1-2, God by saying lech lecha — go for your- says to Abram, "Go forth from your self, for your benefit, do land, your kindred, and something new. Make the from your father's house to a most out of the life on this land that I will show you. I earth that you have been will make a great nation of given. Go back to school, you and will give you a learn a new language, make blessing and will make your Torah study part of your name great. daily life. Open your mind Rashi, the medieval and don't be afraid to take a Torah commentator, tells us chance. Our tradition that God made this seem- affirms that it is okay if we ingly unreasonable demand RABBI JOSEPH have no idea where we are for Abram's own good. going at the start of our life H. KRAKOFF What God knows but journey and no understand- Special to the Abram does not yet under- ing of where our wander- Jewish News stand is that in order to ings will take us — neither become a great nation, to did Abram and Sarai. This be blessed and to possess a great is the beauty of the journey, of name, Abram could not possibly branching out, of really living the remain in his homeland and in the commandment of lech lecha! house in which he grew up. Sometimes we get so caught up in In order to grow emotionally and the day-to-day issues, worries and spiritually, Abram is told he has to concerns that we cannot see the light leave his whole background behind at the end of the tunnel. We must for a vague place toward which God take the strength and energy we need will direct him. It is not so much a to break forth and live in the space chance at fame and fortune by being between one place and the next — to the first Jew that Abram desires, for absorb the tension and revel in the he was comfortable in his homeland unpredictability. Life is not about of Ur Chasdim. Rather, Rashi notes staying in one place, but about ven- that it is God's promise of children, turing forth into the unknown and of progeny, for which Abram and eventually crossing the threshold into Sarai desperately yearn that convinces a renewed existence where we will them to agree to undertake the jour- grow, learn and mature. ney into the unknown. Abram Abram and Sarai are rewarded for observed that everyone else was hav- their arduous journey through the ing children while he and Sarai were range of experiences they encounter. unable and God tells Abram that it is Some experiences were positive — in the new land of Canaan that he Abram is the hero of a war fought and his wife Sarai will give birth. among nine kings. Others were nega- Hence, their journey begins. tive, like the famine that overcame There is a concept in Judaism of the land. Yet the most important shinui makom, that changing one's result is that their personal journey physical place can affect a new des- filled with opportunities and experi- tiny. Abram and Sarai were perhaps ences caused Abram and Sarai to an extreme case of shinui makom, for grow both emotionally and spiritual- they had to leave everything they ly. And while in next week's Vayera knew and loved behind in order to they will even attain their long achieve their goal of parenthood. Yet, sought-after goal of parenthood, it is the actual journey more so than the destination where the most amount Joseph H. Krakoff is a rabbi at of personal growth occurs. Congregation Shaarey Zedek. Shabbat Lech Lecha: Genesis 12:1-17:27; Isaiah 40:27-41:16 7 "