Knowing is Destiny
Presidential buddy Kenneth O’Donell wrote a memoir called ‘Johnny, I Hardly Knew Ye’ after the assination of JFK. This title was borrowed from an English song first published in 1867. This ditty was originally a comic song, but later was used as an anti-war anthem. Even without any context, we can discern the intent of this name: Often, we don’t get the chance to truly get close and understand people that we care deeply about.
Our Torah reading makes the exact opposite claim about God’s relationship with Avraham Avinu. The verse states: For I know him, that he may instruct his children and his posterity to keep the way of God by doing what is just and right, in order that God may bring about for Abraham what has been promised him (Breishit 18:19).
The Hebrew term for ‘I know him’ is YIDATIV. Because of the context and the different uses of the term YODE’AH, I found many other translations: I have singled him out, I have affection for him, I recognize him, I love him, I perceive him, I have elevated him, I have chosen him, I have acknowledged him, I have formed a relationship with him.
The Ramban explains that this type of God’s knowledge is synonymous with Divine Supervision (HASHGACHA PRATIT). This denotes great care and concern for the individual. The devout should know that God pays attention individually to each pious individual and watches over them constantly. This is in distinction to HASHGACHA KLALIT which is a more general supervision as in protection for a species or a nation, but not necessarily for individuals.
Rav Shimshon Rephael Hirsch goes even further in his description of this relationship. He compares it to the use of the word YADA between spouses where it means intimacy, and concludes that it means special and even unique supervision and attention to the individual.
But why? What’s the purpose of this guidance and surveillance over Avraham Avinu? Well, that’s the continuation of the verse: that he may instruct his progeny and posterity to keep the way of God.
What is this ‘way (DERECH, perhaps ‘path’) of God’? Rav Ya’akov Mecklenberg explains that the Biblical term DERECH becomes MIDOT (character traits) in the language of our Sages. It’s interesting that this Biblical term has become rather popular to describe a Jew who has left the traditional lifestyle. We’ve come to call that phenomenon OTD, or ‘Off The DERECH’.
So, what are the crucial aspects of this DERECH? Well, the verse jumps right in with TZEDAKA and MISHPAT. MISHPAT is rather easy to describe. It means ‘justice’, both in a law court and in human behavior: Do the right thing!
TZEDAKA is a bit more ambiguous. We translate the term as ‘righteousness’, but that doesn’t really pin it down. Hirsch goes with ‘benevolence’. And he avers that the two must go together because MISHPAT without TZEDAKA becomes perverted and can lead to brutality. It lacks the spark of humanity and devolves into cruelty (ACHZARIUT).
TZEDAKA is more situational than MISHPAT, which is usually an objective decision made by a court. TZEDAKA, often translated as ‘charity’, on the other hand, is contextual and involves doing what another person needs at that moment. It’s harder to describe it than to recognize it in the field.
So, in context, why is God telling us all this? Why is our Divine Mentor relating the praises and unique role of Avraham at this juncture?
Well, this is the introduction to the story of the destruction of Sodom. God deems it necessary that Avraham become aware of the punishment to be meted out to the villainy of Sodom. Why? Because Avraham and his progeny are supposed to care about humanity.
I remember going to the rally for Darfur in Washington DC on April 30, 2006. When they printed the initial list of the organizers, they were all Jewish, led, of course, by Elie Wiesel OBM.
That’s what God saw in Avraham, and that’s why God knew that he must know about Sodom and its fate. The S’fat Emet explains that Avraham, Yitzchak and Ya’akov are AVOT because their actions are connected to us their descendants:
Their actions were foundational and recorded in the Torah, guiding B’nei Yisrael to understand and correct their ways…Therefore, each person should consider how their actions impact their descendants, helping them remain steadfast against wrongdoing.
The Chizkuni points out the negative:
Unless they follow Avraham’s tradition they might end up like Sodom. We follow the path of our ancestors for guidance and instruction but it also provides a measure of safety. He then reminds us that the punishment of Sodom wasn’t for idolatry (crimes against God) but for how they treated each other (crimes against humanity).
We must study and remember the ways of our ancestors. We must ‘know’ them to better ‘know’ God. Why? Well, obviously to be better people and to, therefore, protect ourselves, but there’s something more.
Rav Kalman Kalonymus Shapira (the Piaseczna Rebbe, 1889-1943) became the pedagogic guide for the generation of Eastern European Jews between the World Wars. He pushed an educational agenda which emphasized deep concern and love for the youth. But he used our verse to teach a profound reality about instruction:
Every generation in Israel is a link in the chain of our legacy, beginning with Avraham until our righteous Messiah. A generation receives its Torah, its faith and fear of God from the generation that preceded it; then uses them to serve God, and passes them on to the next generation. “That he may instruct his children, etc.” is the essence of our survival.
We all have anticipations and aspirations for our children and grandchildren, but to see those hopes come to fruition we must model the behavior we expect from them. God saw that display of character in Avraham. He showed others how to behave.
We must make sure that our progeny really know and understand what we’re all about. So, that they’ll never say: I hardly knew ye!
