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Parshat Lekh Lekah
Isaiah assures us that God is well aware of His people's doubts. His message, found in this week's haftarah, chides God's people for their lack of faith, even while they sit in exile, uncertain of their future: "Why do you say, O Jacob, why declare, O Israel, 'My way is hid from the Lord, my cause is ignored by my God.'" (40:27) The people, who sat in exile, felt it unconscionable that God should ignore their plight and allow their sorrowful condition to continue. The prophet's response to this despair was resonant: "Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is God from of old, Creator of the earth from end to end. He never grows faint or weary, fresh vigor to the spent. Youths may grow faint and weary, and young men stumble and fall. But they that trust in the Lord shall renew their strength as eagles grow new plumes: they shall run and not grow weary; they shall march and not grow faint." (28-29) The tone of this message is clear. It equates lack of faith with despair and faith with optimism. Despondence is linked with inaction; faith in God is associated with the energy to go on and conquer the challenges which face the people. Isaiah, himself addresses the reasons for the people's lack of faith and despair a few verses before this week's haftarah. He asserts that it is based on people's assumption that they really understand the machinations of how God works. The prophet dashes this supposition: "Who has plumbed the mind of the Lord? What man can tell Him His plan? Whom did He consult and who taught Him, guided Him in the way of right? Who guided Him in knowledge and showed Him the path of wisdom?" (13-14) What the prophet wants us to know that God is always with us. Our role is not to question this presumption; rather the truly Jewish response to these questions is programmatic. It is to use our God given strength to right what needs to be righted and to do what needs to be done and to maintain our God given optimism to meet the challenges which are likely to face us. Perhaps this is what links this prophetic message to Abraham and Sarah, our tradition's paradigms of faith. Throughout their not so simple lives, they remained steadfast in their faith even when God's promises were challenged. This is what allowed them to manifest the promise. The world and its future are founded on their faith and optimism.
The United Synagogue Conservative Yeshiva in Jerusalem offers students of all backgrounds the skills for studying Jewish texts. We are a vibrant, open-minded egalitarian community of committed Jews who learn, practise and grow together. Our goal is to provide students the ability and desire to continue Jewish learning and practice throughout their lives. Rashei Yeshiva: Rabbi Richard Lewis, Rabbi Joel Roth and Rabbi Pesach Schindler.
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