Some Implications of Lech Lecha:
Lech Lecha: Dare Greatly
Welcome to College: Dive On In!
Talk It Out:
- Imagine that you are Abram and/or Sarai. What are you thinking and feeling when you hear this command?
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Did you find it difficult to leave home when you started college?
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In what ways did leaving home give you opportunities to figure out who are?
() אל הארץ אשר אראך יתכן לפרש כי צווהו לילך לארץ מקום המיועד לעבודה ולקרבנות ששם הקריבו אדה"ר ונח קרבנותיהם ושם יפרסם אלקות ויקדיש שמו בשחוט בנו ויראה את הכחות הטמונים בסתר לבבו אשר מצא נאמן לפניו וזה שאמר אראך פועל יוצא שיראה את הטמון בלב אברהם לאחרים וכמו שאמר המלאך כי עתה ידעתי כו' והנה לפ"ז אברהם יתראה ויהיה הנראה לאחרים ודו"ק.
To the land which I will show you: We might suggest that Abram was commanded to go to the place earmarked for divine service... there he was to publicize the idea of God and sanctify His name... and demonstrate the potential which lay latent in his heart and his commitment to God. This is the meaning of the phrase “which I will show you”. It means that God will exhibit publicly that which hitherto lay hidden in Abram’s heart.... thus Abram will be ‘shown’ to himself and will become visible to others.
http://www.alexisrael.org/#!lech-lecha---abrahams-journey/cfyu
Ask: In the Torah, God does so many miracles for us. Why have a whole holiday to commemorate sitting in huts? What was so special about living in huts for 40 years?
Rabbi Yitz Greenberg, The Jewish Way: Living the HolidaysNew York: Touchstone, 1988, p. 99-101
The sukkah, the booth, is the central symbol of the ancient Israelites’ trust and hope for forty years in the desert. The Hebrews left the protection of man-made thick walls to place themselves under the protection of God. Exposed to dangerous natural conditions and hostile roving bands, they placed their confidence in the divine concern, which is the only true source of security. Their act of faith remains a source of merit for the people of Israel and a continuing support for the covenantal commitment. By eating, learning, and sleeping in the booth so that the sukkah becomes one’s home for a week, we re-enact their original act of faith.
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The most important part of the Sukkah, halachically, is the s’chach, materials of vegetable origin such as evergreen branches or marsh rushes that form the roof.
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The s’chach is meant to teach something about the true nature of protection. Human beings instinctively strive to build solid walls of security. People shut out life; they heap up treasures and power and status symbols in the hope of excluding death and disaster and even the unexpected. The search for “solid” security all too often leads to idolatry, to the worship of things that give security. People end up sacrificing values and even loved ones to obtain the tangible sources of security. The sukkah urges people to give up this pseudo-safety.
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The move into the sukkah is a movement from the certainty of fixed position toward the liberating insecurity of freedom. Participants open up to the world, to the unexpected winds, to the surprise setback as well as the planned gain. The joy of Sukkot is a celebration of the privilege of starting on the road to freedom, knowing that to finish the task is not decisive but failure to start is.
- What do you think Rabbi Greenberg means when he says, "The move into the sukkah is a movement from the certainty of fixed position toward the liberating insecurity of freedom."?
- As you begin the school year, what are the "solid walls of security" that you have built for yourself?
- How would you like to move beyond your comfort zone this school year? What would your life look like if you did?
- What is holding you back?
(טז) הוּא הָיָה אוֹמֵר, לֹא עָלֶיךָ הַמְּלָאכָה לִגְמֹר, וְלֹא אַתָּה בֶן חוֹרִין לִבָּטֵל מִמֶּנָּה...
(16) He used to say: It is not your responsibility to finish the work, but neither are you free to desist from it.....
You may not reach a real end to your journey, but this selection from the Mishnah reminds us of the value of a constant quest. Our work is never done, and yet we continue to push forward. What action or change are you working on? Do you expect to see significant change in your lifetime?
(א) לך לך לַהֲנָאָתְךָ וּלְטוֹבָתְךָ, שָׁם אֶעֶשְׂךָ לְגוֹי גָדוֹל, כָּאן אִי אַתָּה זוֹכֶה לְבָנִים וְעוֹד שֶׁאוֹדִיעַ טִבְעֲךָ בָּעוֹלָם:
(1) לך לך GET THEE OUT (literally, go for thyself) — for your own benefit, for your own good: there I will make of you a great nation whilst here you will not merit the privilege of having children. Furthermore, I shall make known your character throughout the world (Tanchuma)
Sometimes one has to move from one place to another, whether physically or metaphorically, in order to have an impact on the world. Rashi, the great medieval Torah commentator, interprets God's commandment to Abraham as a way of letting him know that things won't work out for him until he goes elsewhere. His physical travels will give him new and crucial opportunities on the journey of life. Can you think of a time when a decision you made to move on, physically or not, made a difference in your life?
יהִי רָצוֹן מִלּפָנֶיךָ יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵנוּ וֵאֱלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵינוּ, שֶׁתּוֹלִיכֵנוּ לְשָׁלוֹם וְתַצְעִידֵנוּ לְשָׁלוֹם, וְתִסְמְכֵנוּ לְשָׁלוֹם, וְתַנְחֵנוּ אֶל מְחוֹז חֶפְצֵנוּ לְחַיִּים וְלְשִּׂמְחָה ולְשָּׁלוֹם. (ותחזירנו לביתנו לשלום). וְתַצִּילֵנוּ מִכַּף כָּל אוֹיֵב וְאוֹרֵב בַּדֶּרֶךְ וּמִכָּל מִינֵי פֻּרְעָנֻיּוֹת הַמִּתְרַגְּשׁוֹת לָבוֹא לָעוֹלָם, וְתִשְׁלַח בְּרָכָה בְּמַעֲשֵׂה יָדֵינוּ. וְתִתְנְנוֹ לְחֵן וּלְחֶסֶד וּלְרַחֲמִים בְּעֵינֶיךָ וּבְעֵינֵי כָּל רוֹאֵינוּ, וְתִשְׁמַע קוֹל תַּחֲנוּנֵינוּ. כִּי אֵל שׁוֹמֵעַ תְּפִלָּה וְתַחֲנוּן אַתָּה. בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהֹוָה שׁוֹמֵעַ תְּפִלָּה.
May it be Your will, Lord, our God and the God of our ancestors, that You lead us toward peace, guide our footsteps toward peace, and make us reach our desired destination for life, gladness, and peace. May You rescue us from the hand of every foe and ambush along the way, and from all manner of punishments that assemble to come to earth. May You send blessing in our handiwork, and grant us grace, kindness, and mercy in Your eyes and in the eyes of all who see us. May You hear the sound of our humble request because You are God Who hears prayers and requests. Blessed are You, Lord, hearer of prayers.
This prayer is traditionally recited when undertaking a significant journey - to mark a "lech lecha" moment. The words remind us that venturing out into the world can be frightening, and we take a moment to recognize that there are sure to be dangers and pitfalls along the way. The prayer asks God for success in our quest to make an impact on the world, and to ensure that we travel safely wherever our journeys may take us. Think of a time when you've begun a significant new journey or path in life. What did you feel in that moment? What would you add to this prayer?
הגוזלים שלי עזבו את הקן
פרשו כנפיים ועפו
ואני ציפור זקנה נשארתי בקן
מקווה מאוד שהכל יהיה בסדר.
תמיד ידעתי שיבוא היום
שבו צריך להיפרד
אבל עכשיו זה ככה בא לי פתאום
אז מה הפלא שאני קצת דואג.
עוף גוזל
חתוך את השמיים
טוס לאן שבא לך
רק אל תשכח
יש נשר בשמיים
גור לך.
עכשיו נשארנו לבדנו בקן
אבל אנחנו ביחד
חבקי אותי חזק תגידי לי כן
אל תדאגי ביחד כיף להזדקן
עוף גוזל
חתוך את השמיים
טוס לאן שבא לך
רק אל תשכח
יש נשר בשמיים
גור לך.
אני יודע שככה זה בטבע
וגם אני עזבתי קן
אבל עכשיו כשבא הרגע
אז מחניק קצת בגרון
מחניק קצת בגרון.
עוף גוזל
חתוך את השמיים
טוס לאן שבא לך
רק אל תשכח
יש נשר בשמיים
גור לך.
This modern Israeli song, by the 20th century Israeli songwriter Arik Einstein, speaks of a mother bird whose chicks have "flown the nest." Beyond the literal context, it is a reflection on all those left behind. While it is usually true that children leave parents to strike out on their own, the mandate to go out into the world and take action inevitably means that at times, someone will be left behind. How do we manage relationships with those we have left behind? How do we draw them into our journeys, even if only indirectly?