November 11th: Vayera
THIS WEEK IN THE TORAH
Rabbi David E. Ostrich
As I wrote last week, our Tradition reads the Torah more as a document of faith than history and thus sees Abraham’s story as primarily one of faith and piety. Accordingly, the Midrash often enhances the story and “reveals” some interesting details. For example, did you know that Abraham and Sarah are prolific missionaries? According to the Midrash, they spread their new faith all over Mesopotamia. Since the dominant religions are pagan and polytheistic, their proselytizing is not without controversy. In one of the more famous Midrashic legends, Abram’s father owns an idol shop, and Abram tries to instruct his father about the One God by breaking the idols and claiming that they broke each other. When word of his blasphemy reaches King Nimrod, Abram is thrown into a fiery furnace. This is “supported” by the mention last week of King Amraphel of Shinar. Shinar, as we know from the story of the Tower of Babel, is the region around Babylon, and Amraphel is identified as the famous King Nimrod. This insight is gained from a close examination of his name. Amar means said in Hebrew, and phel means fall in Hebrew (nafal). In other words, Amraphel says that Abram should be thrown into the fiery furnace for his preaching. Of course, with God’s help, Abram survives the ordeal and emerges unscathed. Faith in God is very powerful.
Another support for the legend of Abraham’s and Sarah’s conversionary efforts in Mesopotamia comes in a cryptic line in Lech Lecha. Shortly after God instructs, “Lech Lecha: Go forth from your native land and from your father’s house to the land that I will show you,” we read about Abram’s obedience: “Abram took his wife Sarai and his brother’s son Lot and all the wealth that they had amassed and the persons that they had acquired in Haran, and they set out for the land of Canaan.” (Genesis 12.11-5) The phrase that got the Rabbis’ attention was “the persons that they had acquired in Haran” because the Hebrew literally says, “the souls that they made in Haran.” Modern translators understand that the Hebrew word asah/made can also be used for other sensibilities—that it refers to the servants and retainers that became part of Abram and Sarai’s camp or tribe. However, the literal sense of the word begs for a deeper meaning, and the Rabbis explain as follows. Abram and Sarai were great missionaries who brought the truth about the One God to Mesopotamia, and they converted many people to their new religion. When one converts, it is as though he/she is reborn, so the Torah is “explaining” that these new converts were essentially made/remade by Abram and Sarai’s teaching.
The agenda of the Tradition is to accentuate Abraham’s spiritual strength and piety. It is the role the Tradition wishes to model.
As we continue through Abraham’s spiritual and prophetic career, we see a succession of spiritual challenges—or, as the Tradition sees it, a number of tests of his faith and piety. The ultimate test, Akedat Yitzchak (the Binding of Isaac) concludes our Torah portion, but Tradition holds that there are actually ten tests administered by God to Abraham: “With ten trials was Abraham our father, may he rest in peace, tried, and he withstood them all.” (Pirke Avot 5.3).
Though Pirke Avot states this teaching, it is curious that the ten tests are not identified—thus leaving it to subsequent commentators to tell us what they are.
The Rambam (Moses Maimonides), for example, lists these ten:
(1) God instructs Abram to leave his homeland and move to Canaan.
(2) When he arrives in Canaan, there is a famine, and he must deal with it.
(3) The Egyptians seize Sarai and bring her to Pharaoh’s harem.
(4) Abram fights in the War of the Four Kings versus the Five Kings and rescues Lot.
(5) Childless with Sarai, Abram cohabits with Hagar to fulfill God’s plan and have a son.
(6) God instructs Abram to circumcise himself.
(7) King Abimelech of Gerar seizes Sarah, intending her to be his wife.
(8) God (agreeing with Sarah) instructs Abraham to send away Hagar.
(9) This means that Abraham is estranged from his son Ishmael.
(10) God instructs Abraham to sacrifice Isaac.
Rabbi Ovadiah of Bertinoro, on the other hand, identifies these as Abraham’s ten tests:
(1) Abram is thrown into a fiery furnace by Nimrod/Amraphel.
(2) God instructs Abram to leave his homeland and move to Canaan.
(3) When he arrives in Canaan, there is a famine, and Abram must deal with it.
(4) The Egyptians seize Sarah and bring her to Pharaoh’s harem.
(5) Abram fights in the War of the Four Kings versus the Five Kings and rescues Lot.
(6) Abram is told that his children will be strangers and slaves in a foreign land.
(7) God instructs Abram to circumcise himself.
(8) King Abimelech of Gerar seizes Sarah, intending her to be his wife.
(9) God (agreeing with Sarah) instructs Abraham to send away Hagar and Ishmael.
(10) God instructs Abraham to sacrifice Isaac.
There are other compilations by other commentators, which suggests that each scholar read the Torah and Midrash and came up with his own “top ten.” Nevertheless, notice how each is portrayed as a test of faith—faith being the key ingredient in Abraham’s greatness. Again, that is the trait that the Tradition hopes to inculcate in his many descendants.
Though Akedat Yitzchak is the most dramatic of the tests, there is one moment back in Chapter 15 (verse 6) that paints the relationship of faith and faithfulness between Abraham and God. In this encounter, God is speaking about Abram’s future progeny that will be as numerous as the stars in the heaven. Abram, however, brings us a sore subject: I am over ninety years old and am childless and have no heir. How can this promise come true? God assures him once again, and Abram believes. “And because Abram put his trust in the Lord, the Lord reckoned it to his merit.”
The Torah can be read in many ways, but the Tradition has come to see Abram/Abraham as a hero of faith and piety. The hope is that we can carry on these qualities—and thus receive and continue his spiritual legacy.