Challenges are what make life interesting. Overcoming them is what makes life meaningful.
There is no challenge more challenging, than the challenge to improve oneself.
When we least expect it, life sends us a challenge to test our courage and willingness to change.
All these thoughts come to mind as we read of the greatest test and challenge presented to Avraham by Hashem, when he was instructed to take Yitzchak and bring him as a offering at the Akedah.
This entire episode, as recorded this week’s Sedrah of Vayerah, is very perplexing and brings with it enormous questions as to its propriety and the quality of conforming to G-Dly accepted standards of behavior and morality.
With this quandary, comes to mind the following thought, “Life is full ofchallenges, but these challenges are only given to one whom G-D knows his faith is strong enough to get him through them.”
Avraham prepares himself to meet the challenge for the Akedah, and inspires Yitzchak to a greater sense of faith, and both continue to walk hand in hand towards Har Hamoriah , proving to the world their faith and trust in the Almighty.
Everyone, eventually, faces challenges in life and it is a matter how we learn how to overcome them and use them to our advantage.
Let us remember well, that the biggest challenge of life is to be yourself in a world that is trying to make you like everyone else.
This is the greatest problem that faced Avraham. He realized that his directive in life is to fulfill the word of G-D that will lead him to reach his potential of spiritual greatness, and thereby becoming our Patriarch from whom we are destined to learn the ways of Hashem, bringing fulfillment as the עם הנבחר.
As we speak of challenges and tests, we realize that Hashem who is יודע הכל does not require a test in order to clarify what the intention of Avraham was through this entire episode, but rather it was to make Avrahamsearch within himself and to conclude that he had the capacity and the wherewithal to be the leader and the father of the Jewish People. Hashem saw the immense attribute of humility and modesty that Avrahampossessed and only through some extreme measures would he come to know that he possessed great Emunah and Betachon,enabling him to achieve the goals of being an אב המון גויים and the ultimate Patriarch of עם ישראל.
Rav Soloveitchik tz”l, reflected on the Medrash that describes the world bewailing the death of Avraham, “ Woe to the world that has lost its leader and woe to the ship that lost its navigator”.
One wonders, “What was gained by adding the idea that Avraham was the navigator of the world, to the fact that he was leader of the world?”
The Rav explained, “While Avraham was truly the leader of the Tzibur, of the populace, he never lost sight of the individual. Abraham was the leader and the navigator of his society and always worried about the individual.” We saw this many times, as he worried about Lot and went to rescue him after he was captured. Even though Lot rejected Hashem, Avraham went to battle for him.
Avraham was a man who lived up to his responsibility as a true man of Chesed. He faced a severe challenge and faced it with great alacrity and showed the world what responsibility means to all of humanity.
The lesson is a poignant one. Avraham recognized that G-D was a source of strength at a time of great stress, and a source of comfort when he was in pain. He recognized that Hashem was an important part of his life and that he needed G-D at all times, and that Hashem would be there for him always. With this in mind, we acceptAvraham as our emulator, learning how to accept challenges in life, in a very positive way.
Too often we try to avoid challenges by asking the question,”Why Me?”, instead of asking, “How?” “How can I deal with this crisis; How to assuage the anguish that comes with many of our challenges?” With the How, we then take on the responsibility of finding solutions to these tests and challenges of life, like Avraham did at the Akedah.
The Baal Shem Tov said it well, “Wherever a person’s mind is, that is where they are entirely.” Our pure minds will lead us to the true דרך הי, which will lead us to our modern day הר המוריה, ushering a time of peace to all our challenges, reliving the life of Blessing that graced the life of Abraham.
Avraham is our most glorified Patriarch and will always be known to all as our מגןאברהם, for he is our Father who brought the presence of Hashem into our lives, and for that we will always glorify his being.
SHABBAT SHALOM
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