Page 32 - HaMizrachi Chanukah 2021 - USA

Collaborating

with G-d

Rabbi Hillel Van-Leeuwen
W Y did G-d selectAvra-

am as the founder
f His chosen people?
Unlike the choice of
Moshe, for whom the Torah relates sev-
eral outstanding actions as the reason
for which he was picked to lead, the
Torah itself gives no reason for the
selection of Avraham.
The Midrash 1 suggests that Avraham
essentially chose himself. He saw a
"burning palace," i.e., a world full of
pain, tragedy, suffering, wars and
bloodshed, and began searching for the Some of this year's shlichim at the preparation seminar earlier in the year. (PHOTO: DAVID STEIN)
palace's owner to "put out the fire." The
late Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks noted The Lubavitcher Rebbe, 4 however, resonating call of Lech Lecha - take up
that although G-d introduced Himself interprets this Mishnah in a brilliantly rabbinic and educational leadership
to Avraham as the owner of the place, radical way. When the Mishnah states, positions all over the world.
He did not assume responsibility for "On Who can we lean? On our Father
Prime Minister Naftali Bennett has
putting out its flames! That task was in Heaven," the Mishnah is not offer-
entrusted to Avraham. ing a solution to the challenges of our often said that, whereas seventy years
ago, the State of Israel was the proj-
pre-messianic generation, but rather
As Avraham and Sarah's descendants, ect for the Jewish nation, today, the
identifying another one of its chal-
the traits of responsibility, caring Jewish nation is the project of the State
lenges. Not only will our generation
for others and working tirelessly to
experience chutzpah, financial diffi- of Israel. Indeed, many communities
improve life on all fronts - domesti-
culty and confusion, but people will abroad are clamoring for Israeli shlichim
cally and globally- are in our national also excuse themselves from exerting to enrich their schools, youth move-
genes. The Sfat Emet 2 explains that G-d
their own efforts to bring the redemp- ments, university campuses, JCCs and
calls out "Lech Lecha" to all people, in tion by passively "leaning on G-d" for synagogues to strength their Jewish
all generations; Avraham was simply
help instead! and Zionist identities through Torat
the first to hear the call and the first
Eretz Yisrael.
to respond to it. This, ultimately, is the When asked why it was specifically his
root of Avraham's chosenness. generation that merited the first steps
of redemption, Rav Kook 5 responded:
The Mishnah 3 famously identifies the 1 Bereishit Rabbah 39:1.
" ... it merited redemption (of the Land
challenges awaiting humanity before of Israel) because it busied itself with 2 Lech Lecha 5632.
Mashiach's arrival: a culture replete
redemption ... " This is the ethos of shli- ' Sotah 5:15.
with chutzpah, sky-high cost of living, chut - to reject passivity and defeatism,
an absence of truth and a confused 4 Shaarei HaMoadim II, p. 238.
and do all in our power to strengthen
generation - a perfect description of 5 Shemonah Kvatzim 7:201.
our people and bring redemption!
our own generation! The Mishnah con-
tinues: "And on whom can we lean? On In response to assimilation, intermar-
A member of our Father in Heaven." The common riage rates exceeding 85% worldwide, Rabbi Hillel Van-Leeuwen is Head of
the Mizrachi understanding of this last sentence and the rapidly decreasing emotional Leadership Development at World Mizrachi
Speakers Bureau is that our only salvation from this attachment of many young Jews to and Director of its Shlichut Center. A former
mizrachi.org/ myriad of troubles will come from Israel, World Mizrachi's dedicated shli- IDF paratrooper, Rabbi Van-Leeuwen served as
speakers Heaven. chim - men and women who heard the a shaliach in Canada for three years.
32 I HAfv11ZRACHI