Parshat Lech Lecha
Rashi explains the phrase Lech lecha that God tells Abraham go for yourself as in for your benefit.
The journey Abraham and his family are about to undertake may have many set backs and challenges. it may even seem that God is not with us on the journey,m but this is all a test. As kind David wrote “I am with him in his distress”. God is with us in the bad times as well as the good. we only need to reach out to Him.
Lech lecha can also be translated “go to yourself”. Who am I really?
The journey to oneself takes a lifetime.
Ones true self is the divine soul which is a spark of godliness.
It can be very hard to access this art of ourselves living in a material world that seems to only emphasis pleasure and profit.
Abraham and Sarah were able to access and touch the souls of others mainly through acts of kindness and compassion.
That is why they are the founders of Judaism. To teach the world that their is a God is not enough. Abraham taught the world that if God creates us in Love then we too must mirror that Love and see the Divine imprint of love on all humans.
At a time when or society is so divided politically this basic message is so pertinent to ensuring we build a society founded on justice and compassion.
Shabbat Shalom