TORAH PORTION

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An Example
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Shabbat Toledot:
Genesis 25:19-28:9;
Malachi 1:1-2:7.

land be blessed."
n this week's Torah
It is also revealing to
portion, we continue
note that God assures each
with the saga of the
of the patriarchs "do not
progenitors of the Jewish
fear; and each of these
people with the story of
assurances comes in the
Isaac and his family.
context of their relation-
There is a famine in
Rabbi Eliezer ships with other nations.
the land, and God insists
To Abraham, after his
Cohen
that Isaac remain in the
land (26:3-5) and among Special to the involvement hi the "War of
Jewish News the Kings", God reassures
other promises tells him
(Genesis 15:1): "Don't fear,
"... and through your
Abram
(later
changed to
descendants will be blessed all the
Abraham);
I
will
protect you..:' To
nations of the land; because
Isaac, right in our own Torah por-
Abraham listened to my voice and
tion, after the disputes with the
kept my charge, my command-
inhabitants of the land over water
ments, my rules and my teach-
rights, he is told (Genesis 26:24) "...
ings:" This blessing, that other
do not fear, for I am with you." And
nations would be blessed through
as Jacob leaves on his way to Egypt
the patriarchs and their descen-
to settle with his family, God reas-
dants, was promised to all three
sures him (Genesis) 45:3) "... I am
patriarchs.
the God of your fathers; do not fear
To Abraham, it was stated three
different times. The first was at the going to Egypt ..."
Each patriarch is assured of
initial command to leave his home
divine protection and aid as they
and follow God's instructions
fulfill their destiny and meet the
(Genesis 12:3) and again after his
challenge of living amongst other
demonstration of absolute obedi-
nations. They will not only survive,
ence to God even to the point of
but by maintaining their tradition
sacrificing the "promised son"
and way of life — dictated by
(Genesis 22:18). The other time
God's will, the Torah — they will
this blessing is bestowed upon
be an example to the nations with
Abraham is in the context of God
revealing to him that He intends to whom they dwell. The Jewish com-
destroy the wicked cities of Sodom munity, following the precepts of
God's law, will create and demon-
and Amorah (Genesis 18:17-19).
strate to the world a community
It seems from these verses that
whose priority is righteousness
God reveals Himself to Abraham
and justice to serve as an example
to teach him to do justice and
and blessing to all mankind. O
righteousness, and this itself is the
blessing that the other nations will
Eliezer Cohen is rabbi of
learn and, therefore, enjoy through
Congregation Or Chadash in
Abraham and his progeny.
Oak Park.
Isaac is told to remain in the
land to influence the inhabitants
there. Likewise, Jacob is promised
Conversations
the same blessing as he leaves
How do these verses fit with
home (much as Abraham's first
the
verses in Deuteronomy
encounter) and God tells him
4:5-8?
How have the Jewish
(Genesis 28:14): "And your descen-
generations
of the past ful-
dants will be like the dust of the
filled
these
blessings?
How
earth and spread to the west, to the
are
the
Jewish
communities
east, to the north and to the south;
now (particularly in Israel)
and through you and your descen-
fulfilling
God's promise?
dants will all the families of the

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