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Familial Obligations
Are At The Forefront

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Parhsat Lech Lecha: Genesis 12:1-17;
Isaiah 40: 27-4, 16.

0

ur biblical tradition seems
to live in a paradox between
the universal and the par-
ticular, between our obligations to
the world at large and our obliga-
tions to our own nation and family.
Is there a final resolution to the ten-
sion between these two polarities?
With Abraham, the paradox takes
on an especially poignant human
and familial dimension. Abraham
is to found a new family-nation in
the specific location of the Land of
Israel.
However, in the next verse the
nationalistic fervor of
going up to one's own land
is somewhat muted by the
more universalistic mes-
sage of God's next charge:
"... And in you shall all
families of the earth be
blessed:' (Genesis 12:3).
From this moment on,
both of these elements —
a particular nation guar-
anteed by God and the
broader vision of world
peace and redemption —
will vie for center stage in
the soul of Abraham's descendants.
Abraham emerges as a war hero
who rescues the five regional nations
from the stranglehold of terrorizing
kings. Abraham is desirous of con-
tinuing his relationship with Lot —
even after this nephew and adopted
son rejects the Abrahamic teachings
and the Land of Israel in favor of
Sodom — and even remonstrates
with God to save the wicked cities
of Sodom and Gomorrah. Abraham
is even initially against banish-
ing Hagar and Ishmael, wishing
everyone to find shelter under the
Abrahamic umbrella.
The Midrash magnificently cap-
tures Abraham's concern with the
world and world opinion. There
is the paradox of the universal —
inclusivistic — versus the national
— exclusivistic — takes on the most
serious threat to Abraham's equa-
nimity in terms of his relationship to
Sarah. Remember that they worked
together as consecrated partners to
accomplish the work of the Lord.

Yet, despite Abraham's total devo-
tion to Sarah, they differed strongly.
Hagar may have been brought into
the picture by Sarah, but when Sarah
realizes that the behavior of her son
Ishmael constitutes a serious threat
to her family, she is not willing to
compromise: Hagar and her son
must be banished.
Now, since Abraham's vision
wants to embrace all of human-
ity, how could he see his own flesh
and blood exiled to the desert? Our
sages recount the following dialogue
between Sarah and Abraham: "I
see Ishmael building an
altar, capturing grasshop-
pers and sacrificing them
to idols. If he teaches
this idolatry to my son
Yitzchak, the name of
heaven will be desecrated,"
says Sarah. Abraham
replies to her: "After I gave
her such advantages, how
can I demote her? Now
that we have made her a
mistress (of our house),
how can we send her
away? What will the other
people say about us?"
Sarah is more than willing to work
together with Abraham to save the
world — but not at the expense of
her own son and family. There is
room to be concerned about the
world — but not at the price of los-
ing one's son and future identity.
Our identity as a unique people
must first be forged and secured —
and then the dialogue with and the
redemption of the nations will follow
in due course.
God teaches Abraham that Sarah is
right: "Whatever Sarah says to you,
listen to her voice, for through Isaac
shall your seed be called:' (Genesis
21:12) Indeed, it is even possible that
the subsequent trial of the binding of
Isaac comes in no small measure to
teach Abraham to properly appreci-
ate and be truly committed to his
only son and heir Isaac. ❑

Rabbi Shlomo Riskin is chancellor of Ohr
Torah Stone Institute and chief rabbi of

Efrat

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October 25 • 2012

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