Parsha and Humanity: Lech Lacha

Lekh Lecha – Abraham’s Blessing

The Torah begins with the grand, expansive story of creation—of the world and of humanity. But in Parshat Lech Lecha, the focus narrows to one central figure: our Patriarch, Abraham. It is here that the saga of the Jewish people begins.

It is crucial to understand, especially for Jews, that God’s choice of Abraham and his descendants does not imply the neglect of the rest of humanity. On the contrary, God’s will is to bring blessing to the entire world. The Torah teaches that through Abraham and his offspring, all nations and families of the earth will be blessed. Later, at Mount Sinai, the Jewish people are told they will become a “nation of priests.” The role of a priest is to serve, and so the Jewish people are called upon to bring blessing to the broader human family.

What is the nature of this blessing? Some suggest it is monotheism. However, monotheism predates Abraham. The Torah mentions Melchizedek as a priest to the “Most High God,” clearly showing that the concept of one God was already known. So, what unique blessing did Abraham bring to the world? Why did God choose him? The answer lies in Genesis 18:19, where God says of Abraham: “For I have known him … he will command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord, to do righteousness and justice.” Abraham was chosen for his human virtues—or more precisely his ability to connect the divine with the human. He understood God’s path and implemented it in the world through the practice of charity and justice. This is the mission of Abraham, the mission of the Torah, and the path of God.

Rabbi Kook, in his book For the Perplexed of the Generations, begins by asserting that the principle of humanity being created in the image of God is the essence of the entire Torah. This was the core of Abraham’s life’s work: connecting the vertical relationship between humanity and God with the horizontal relationships between people, infusing human interactions with the love of God. It may be no coincidence that Rabbi Kook shares the name of our Patriarch—Abraham.

As video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20g5u8I00xU