Are we Listening?

God gave the message. Avram heard and responded positively. But are we listening as attentively as our illustrious forebear?  Rabbi Paul Bloom explains.

The central theme of this week’s Torah portion, Lech Lecha, is the command for Avram to leave his homeland and journey to Eretz Yisrael, the land that Hashem promised to show him. The words "לךְ־לְךָ מֵאַרְצְךָ וּמִמּוֹלַדְתְּךָ וּמִבֵּית אָבִיךָ אֶל הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר אַרְאֶךָ" (“Go forth from your land, from your birthplace and from your father’s house, to the land that I will show you”) are the very first mitzvah ever given to a Jew. Rav Meir Yechiel of Ostrovtza points out that Hashem could have begun Judaism with any number of commands. Yet the first message to Avram, the first Jew, was to leave his familiar surroundings and settle in the special land that Hashem chose.

Why did Hashem choose this as the foundational mitzvah? R. Yehudah HaLevi, in Sefer HaKuzari, explains that Avram, already the most righteous person of his generation, had reached a spiritual level where he was ready to connect with the Divine in an even deeper way. Eretz Yisrael, the land uniquely suited for spiritual perfection, was the only place where Avram could reach his full potential. Even though Avram had already attained a high level of closeness to God outside of Eretz Yisrael, Hashem knew that only in the Land could he fully realize his destiny.

Avram’s life in chutz la’Aretz was not lacking in purpose. He was discovering Hashem, fighting against idolatry, teaching monotheism, and performing acts of kindness—just as many Jews in the diaspora today raise families, run businesses, study Torah, and lead communities. However, Hashem told Avram, “All this is good, but you are doing it in the wrong place. In My special land, you will achieve so much more.” The message of Lech Lecha is that Hashem’s call to live in Eretz Yisrael is timeless.

For years, people delayed making aliyah due to material concerns. Today, with a comfortable life possible in Israel, the real barrier is often spiritual complacency. Many feel they have everything they need in chutz la’Aretz: thriving communities, Torah learning, chesed organizations, kosher restaurants, and yeshivas. But Lech Lecha teaches us that while it’s possible to reach spiritual heights in chutz la’Aretz, even greater achievements await in Hashem’s chosen land.

7 October served as a wake-up call, prompting many Jews to consider aliyah more seriously than ever. It’s not an easy decision. Uprooting from the familiar, selling a home, leaving family and friends, and adjusting to a new life can be daunting. Yet the blessings Hashem promises to those who move to Eretz Yisrael, as outlined in this parsha, speak to our time as well: “I will make you into a great nation, I will bless you, I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.”

Rabbi Zalman Sorotzkin comments in Oznayim LaTorah that this promise applies to Avram’s descendants as well. Am Yisrael can only reach its true greatness—militarily, economically, and spiritually—when we are in our Land. The Shechinah (Divine Presence) does not dwell in the diaspora; we need to open our eyes to the miracles Hashem performs in Israel daily.

The Netziv adds that Avram's example of acting immediately upon Hashem’s command to leave teaches us how to approach the mitzvah of aliyah. He didn’t wait for everything to be perfect; he set out immediately, leaving others to handle his affairs. For us, this can mean making small concrete steps: talking about aliyah, choosing careers suited for Israel, renting instead of buying in chutz la’Aretz, or investing in property in Israel. Such steps lock us into the journey toward aliyah, making it easier to follow through when the time is right.

Even with all the challenges, Rabbi Chayim of Volozhin teaches that the trials Avram endured were meant to strengthen his descendants. His steadfast commitment to aliyah instilled within each Jew the ability to heed Hashem’s call to move to Eretz Yisrael. The recent events have sparked a renewed desire for aliyah, reminding us that every Jew possesses the inner strength and spiritual "DNA" to make this journey.

In these times, it is imperative for Jewish leaders—rabbis, teachers, and mentors in diaspora schools and shuls—to emphasize the centrality of Israel in Jewish life. As role models, they have a responsibility to inspire their communities to recognize that the future of Am Yisrael lies in Eretz Yisrael. This message needs to permeate our educational systems and our daily conversations, instilling within each of us the drive to fulfill Hashem’s timeless command: “Lech Lecha”—go to the land He has shown us. I know for a fact that this constant message works. In my shul, in Highland Park, Congregation Ohav Emeth, the Rabbi constantly talked about the importance of  Eretz Yisrael and  Aliya. Over the years, this shul had by far the highest percent of aliya from any shul in the community 

Let me end with a beautiful thought from the Sefas Emes, who raises a question about the closing words of the first blessing in our Shmoneh Esrei, "Magen Avraham" — "the Shield of Abraham." Why do we ask Hashem to protect Avraham? Avraham Avinu has been gone for thousands of years; why would he need protection? The Sefas Emes, in a classic insight of his Hasidut, explains that we are not asking Hashem to shield Avraham himself. Rather, we are asking Him to preserve within ourselves that spark of Avraham Avinu — the essence that drove him to leave his homeland, come to Eretz Yisrael, and settle and conquer the Land of Israel.

We seek to retain the strength Avraham embodied, the unwavering commitment to avodat Hashem (serving God), enabling him to pass all his tests, from brit mila (circumcision) to the battles he entered, enduring hardship with an indestructible faith. Avraham’s life was built entirely on the will of Hashem, unshaken by the surrounding cultures and norms. This enduring spark, this legacy of resilience and faith, is the true blessing we ask for.

Ultimately, the question we must ask ourselves is: Are we listening to Hashem’s call?

The Song of the Morning Stars

 In this week's Torah reading, we read (at Bereishit 15:1 to 5) the following passage:

אַחַ֣ר  הַדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֗לֶּה הָיָ֤ה דְבַר־יְהֹוָה֙ אֶל־אַבְרָ֔ם בַּֽמַּחֲזֶ֖ה לֵאמֹ֑ר אַל־תִּירָ֣א אַבְרָ֗ם אָנֹכִי֙ מָגֵ֣ן לָ֔ךְ שְׂכָרְךָ֖ הַרְבֵּ֥ה מְאֹֽד׃

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אַבְרָ֗ם אֲדֹנָ֤י יֱהֹוִה֙ מַה־תִּתֶּן־לִ֔י וְאָנֹכִ֖י הוֹלֵ֣ךְ עֲרִירִ֑י וּבֶן־מֶ֣שֶׁק בֵּיתִ֔י ה֖וּא דַּמֶּ֥שֶׂק אֱלִיעֶֽזֶר׃

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אַבְרָ֔ם הֵ֣ן לִ֔י לֹ֥א נָתַ֖תָּה זָ֑רַע וְהִנֵּ֥ה בֶן־בֵּיתִ֖י יוֹרֵ֥שׁ אֹתִֽי׃

וְהִנֵּ֨ה דְבַר־יְהֹוָ֤ה אֵלָיו֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר לֹ֥א יִֽירָשְׁךָ֖ זֶ֑ה כִּי־אִם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר יֵצֵ֣א מִמֵּעֶ֔יךָ ה֖וּא יִֽירָשֶֽׁךָ׃

וַיּוֹצֵ֨א אֹת֜וֹ הַח֗וּצָה וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ הַבֶּט־נָ֣א הַשָּׁמַ֗יְמָה וּסְפֹר֙ הַכּ֣וֹכָבִ֔ים אִם־תּוּכַ֖ל לִסְפֹּ֣ר אֹתָ֑ם וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ל֔וֹ כֹּ֥ה יִהְיֶ֖ה זַרְעֶֽךָ

1.       After these things the word of the Lord came to Avram in a vision, saying: “Fear not, Avram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.”

2.       But Avram said, “My Lord, what will you give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?”

3.       And Avram said, “Look, you have given me no offspring, and a member of my household will be my heir.”

4.       And look, the word of the Lord came to him, saying: “This man shall not be your heir; only your very own son shall be your heir.”

5.       And He brought him outside and said, “Look toward the heavens, and count the stars, if you are able to number them.” Then He said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”

 Our member Max Stern (whose surname appropriately means "star") has composed a cosmic song of praise based on another reference to stars in Tanach, this time from the Book of Iyov (Job 38:7):

 בְּרָן-יַחַד, כּוֹכְבֵי בֹקֶר;    וַיָּרִיעוּ, כָּל-בְּנֵי אֱלֹהִים

"When the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy".

Max adds: These are the stars which shed their light after all the other stars have ceased to shine, and while the sun yet delays to rise. Are these too the stars that Avram saw when he gazed into the sky--and would he have heard their song?

Max's composition, "Song of the Morning Stars". can be accessed here. This recording is performed by the Israel Sinfonietta (Beer Sheva) under the baton of Uri Mayer, conductor.  

A Matter of Mindsets: Lech Lecha 5786

Lech lecha - “Go for yourself, from your land… to the land that I will show you.”

With these words, Avraham Avinu not only begins a physical journey but continues a lifelong mission of growth and discovery. His path—and the contrasting path of Lot—teaches us one of the Torah’s most enduring lessons: the power of stepping beyond comfort in pursuit of spiritual greatness.

Psychologist Carol Dweck famously distinguishes between a “fixed mindset” and a “growth mindset.” Those with a fixed mindset see their abilities and circumstances as unchangeable; those with a growth mindset believe in learning, striving, and the possibility of transformation. Avraham and Lot personify these two outlooks.

When Lot separates from Avraham, he chooses the fertile plains near Sodom. Rashi comments that he turned away “mikedem” (Bereishit 13:11) —literally “from the east,” but also away from kadmono shel olam—the One who preceded the world. Lot said to himself “I can no longer bear to be with Avraham nor with his God”. Lot sought comfort and prosperity, and in so doing he rejected his faith, calling and purpose. His decision was guided by convenience rather than conviction.

Yet later we find Lot risking his life to host guests in Sodom. His act of hospitality is admirable, yet limited. Lot continues doing what comes naturally, what came effortlessly in the home of Avraham without stretching beyond the familiar zone of comfort. He follows what feels right but avoids the harder work of growth.

Avraham, by contrast, constantly pushes past what feels natural. He continuously answers the call to move beyond what seems possible. Not by coincidence are his descendants compared to the stars. Rav Meir Shapiro explains that, when Hashem tells Avraham to count the stars and “thus shall be your descendants”, Hashem is telling him: Just as it is impossible to count the stars, so too the Jewish people will achieve the impossible in this world. As Rabbi Jonathan Sacks captured it beautifully: “Judaism is the defeat of probability by the power of possibility.”

These past two years have shown that spirit vividly. In moments of trial, Am Yisrael once again defied expectation - rising in unity, faith, and courage. Like Avraham’s stars, we illuminated the night with acts of bravery, chesed and resilience, proving that the Jewish story is one of surpassing limits.

As we read Lech Lecha, we are reminded that greatness begins when we step beyond what is comfortable. Each of us can follow Avraham’s call by leaving our “land” —our routines, familiar assumptions and old habits—to grow closer to Hashem. May we continue to walk in Avraham’s footsteps, transforming comfort into courage and possibility into reality.

 Shabbat Shalom! Rabbi Joel Kenigsberg

The Antecedent to the Precedent

Most of us have read the story of Avram's departure from Ur Kasdim and his early career as an apprentice Patriarch--but we may be sleep-reading through a familiar story instead of asking ourselves some penetrating questions. Why Avram? What's so special about him? Our member Rabbi Steven Ettinger takes a close look at the Torah text and shows us what we may have missed.

If you are reading critically, Lech Lecha poses a question rather than presenting a request or command. The question is, out of every other living person, why does Hashem choose Avram as the progenitor of His holy nation, effectively making him father of the three major world religions? The Torah does provide limited background about him: who his father was, that his brother died, that he got married and that his wife was childless. It also tells us that it was his father—and not Avram—who began the journey from their homeland. It conveys nothing of his character, his beliefs or his fitness for such a pivotal role in human history.

Some mistakenly identify him as the first monotheist.  However, there were others who preceded him: Adam and his three sons, Noach, Shem, Ever, Chanoch and Malkizedek (some say he was Shem). Yet Avram gets all the credit. Why?

There are midrashim that recount how Avram

1. inferred that Hashem existed by observing the natural world;

2. destroyed the idols in his father’s store and;

3. survived Nimrod’s attempt to burn him in a fiery furnace for not worshipping other deities.

However, the Torah, which sometimes details seemingly minor incidents, is silent as regards these events.  The Torah does not provide this background. The Avram narrative begins with Hashem directly addressing him – and Avram does not seem surprised by this. Why?

All of this is even more perplexing when we examine Hashem’s first communication/request: Hashem asks Avram to leave his land, birthplace and father’s home to go to an unspecified land in exchange for great reward. Avram had already left his land and birthplace. His father moved the family from Ur Kasdim to Charan. Additionally, they set out to travel to Canaan (Israel) – the place Hashem was going to show him, anyway (Gen. 11:31). This is like receiving a reward for breathing. Yet this is considered a turning point in history. Why?

 As explained, we know little of the pre-Lech Lecha Avram. However, there are three narratives that follow Hashem’s revelation to Avram that may answer the three “whys.”

The first is the Sarai story.  After Avram journeys to “the land” there is a famine that causes him to relocate temporarily to Egypt which had food. He tells his “beautiful” wife Sarai to present herself as his sister so that the locals will not kill him and treat her better. As the story unfolds, the Egyptians bring her to the Pharoh who intends to claim her. Hashem intervenes and threatens him. Pharoh returns Sarai to Avram, admonishes him for the deception, but presents him with an abundance of wealth. Avram now has the resources he needs as the head of the family, to be a provider.

The second is the Lot narrative. The story begins with a family dispute over grazing land, following which Lot separates from Avram and moves to Sodom. Lot is taken captive during the First World War (the war between the Five Kings and Four Kings). When Avram hears this, he gathers a small band of 318 men to challenge and defeat the larger, previously victorious army; he defeats them and recovers Lot. Avram thus proves his mettle as a protector of the family.

The third is the Hagar/Yishmael narrative. Sarai is barren so she encourages Avram to take her maidservant Hagar as a second wife. Hagar becomes pregnant but Sarai oppresses her and she flees to the desert. An angel bids her to return and she later gives birth to a son – whom Avram embraces and names Yishmael. Avram biologically creates a family. Immediately after this third event, Hashem forges a new covenant with Avram, changing his name from Avram to Avraham – signifying that now he is the father of a multitude of nations. Gen 17:5.

These three stories retrospectively show us why Hashem chose Avraham. While other men may have recognized that there is one God in the universe, only Avraham understood that He is not a singular distant, powerful and sometimes vengeful entity – the King of the World. Instead, he perceived and encountered God as the Father of Mankind.He also understood that, to the extent that Avraham was created in Hashem’s image, he himself, likewise, had to be a father – the archetypical father.

These three stories are stories of family: of supporting the family, of preserving the family, of risking all to protect the family, and  of creating a family –-- of being a father. Hashem chose Avraham because he was capable of being Avraham Avinu. When this narrative cycle was complete Hashem acknowledged this by designating him as the “Av Hamon Goyim,”. the father of the multitude of nations.

In summary, here are the answers to the three “whys” that we encountered above:

1.Avraham was not the first monotheist, but he was the first to recognize that the one God ultimately relates to mankind intimately as a father.

2.  The Torah did not recount the early, formative stories of Avraham’s past because they are not relevant to understanding his critical essence. Yes, he was a courageous champion of monotheistic faith. But more germane, he was the only individual with the character to be the father of our nation.

3. Hashem’s request is not what it seems. It is a code – it explains why Avraham was chosen. Avraham had already left his land and birthplace. The family actually intended to relocate to where Hashem ultimately sends him (Canaan/Israel). So, the only sojourn is from the house of his father. In other words, to become the father, he needed to leave the house of his father. The point of the command “lech lecha” was not to tell him where to go. It was to separate the child from his father Terach so he could become our father.

Not a tourist or a refugee: Lech Lecha 5785

We are fortunate to have not one but two divrei Torah from Rabbi Wein for this week. This devar Torah was circulated with the Hanassi Highlights, but the one below ("From the Universal to the Special") is the devar Torah that was originally prepared. Please enjoy them both!

The first two words of the second verse of this week’s Torah reading have received much attention and a great deal of comment. This is because the second of those two words—lecha (“for you”)—appears to be redundant. Rashi therefore interprets it as meaning “for your benefit and for your own good.” On the basis of this interpretation the Lord instructs Abraham to leave his homeland and family in Mesopotamia in order to achieve the greatness that is inherent within him, as the forebear of nations and the founder of the Jewish people.

An alternative interpretation of lecha has always fascinated me. Travel can be an enjoyable experience that also broadens the mind. A worldwide travel industry continues to burgeon as people increasingly crave visits to unseen shores and exotic locations. If travel is such a pleasant pastime, why should we consider Abraham and Sarah’s journey from Mesopotamia to Canaan as a challenge and a test of Abraham’s faith in the Almighty? The answer lies in the fact that lecha implies permanence. Reading between the lines, the message to Abraham is this: “Never again will you return home to Mesopotamia. You are not a visitor, a tourist or a traveler. When you depart you will do so as a stateless refugee and an alien”. Unlike Rashi’s interpretation of lecha, this second explanation has an ominous ring to it. Abraham and Sarah were about to face a truly challenging journey. They were not going on vacation.

Abraham’s descendants, the Jewish people, have shared this test and faced the same challenge throughout our long history. We have experienced insecurity and impermanence during the long night of our exile and dispersal. Even countries where Jews resided for centuries, such as Spain, Germany and Poland, eventually ceased to accommodate our presence. Even when we played a positive part in the culture of the nations that hosted us, we were “in” but remained the odd men out. How did we survive these enormous trials? Because we always believed and knew that eventually we would be going home. We prayed for it to happen and we struggled against all odds and enemies to make it happen. And, in our time, it did.

This belief in our return to Zion and Jerusalem sustained us in our darkest hours. It transferred us in our own minds—though not in the minds of others— from the status of tolerated but unwanted aliens into visitors and sojourners who actually have a legitimate and permanent home elsewhere. This is the feeling I have every time I travel abroad and present my Israeli passport for inspection. I am no longer a pariah or a refugee but a visitor, a tourist, perhaps even an honored guest. The children of Abraham have returned home.

Shabbat shalom, Rabbi Berel Wein

From the universal to the special: Lech Lecha 5785

In this parsha the Torah’s narrative now proceeds from the general, universal story of humanity to concentrate on the specific narrative of the founding of the Jewish people. From this and next week’s parshiyot we learn of Avraham and Sarah, their difficulties and challenges, their loneliness and their spiritual quest. Their biographies show how they create the prototype for all later Jewish and familial society.

The Torah, unlike many contemporary hagiographies, avoids painting a blissful picture of righteous people who are forever blessed with serenity, immaculate character and perfect behavior. Rather, it shows us the ever-present challenges to faith in the Almighty: the difficulties of maintaining domestic harmony and of creating a positive worldview while surrounded by enemies, jealousy and an immoral public culture.

Tradition and the Mishna crown Avraham with the laurel of having withstood and overcome ten major challenges in his lifetime. Remarkably, the great Jewish commentators to the Torah differ as to which ten challenges the Mishna is referring to. Indeed, if we combine all of their opinions, there are a significantly greater number of challenges in the life of Avraham than just ten. The Torah’s portrayal of these events – the wandering and rootlessness of coming to the promised land of Israel, the disloyalty of Lot, domestic difficulties with Sarah and Hagar, the behavior of Pharaoh and his courtiers, to mention only a few – reveals a life of struggle, of pain, of striving and of hurdles still to overcome. 

In spite of all the very troubling details and incidents that the parsha records, there is a tone of optimism and fulfilled purpose that permeates the entire parsha.  Even the cursory reader senses that Avraham and Sarah are up to something great and that this is no ordinary tale of pioneering and struggle. There are Godly covenants and blessings, commitments made that surely will be met. We also learn of visions of a great and influential people, and of a holy land.

God’s relationship with humankind generally will be centered in His relationship with the family of Avraham, Sarah and their progeny. Nations and beliefs will vie for the honor of being the descendants and followers of Avraham. Millions will adopt his name and follow his monotheistic creed. He and Sarah will be some of the most influential personages in world history. They will not avoid trouble and travail in their personal and family lives; great will be their reward in spiritual and historical achievement. As such, they truly are the forerunners of the story of the Jewish people – a small and lonely people, wanderers and beset by inner disloyalty and external persecution while remaining optimistic and vastly influential in a manner that belies its physical numbers and temporal power.

So Avraham is the father of many nations and of all monotheistic believers. But he is special to us because he is the founder and father of the Jewish people whose march through human history parallels his own. The Godly covenant and blessings will assuredly be fulfilled through the accomplishments of the Jewish people, its nationhood and land.

Shabat shalom, Rabbi Berel Wein

Lech lecha: Are we listening?

Here's another thought-provoking piece by our member Rabbi Paul Bloom, on why this parasha is such a powerful call to make aliyah.

The central theme of this week’s Torah portion, Lech Lecha, is the command for Avraham to leave his homeland and journey to Eretz Yisrael, the land that Hashem promised to show him. The words "לךְ־לְךָ מֵאַרְצְךָ וּמִמּוֹלַדְתְּךָ וּמִבֵּית אָבִיךָ אֶל הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר אַרְאֶךָ" (Go forth from your land, from your birthplace, and from your father’s house, to the land that I will show you) are the very first mitzvah ever given to a Jew. Rav Meir Yechiel of Ostrovtza points out that Hashem could have begun Judaism with any number of commands. Yet the first message to Avraham, the first Jew, was to leave his familiar surroundings and settle in the special land that Hashem chose.

Why did Hashem choose this as the foundational mitzvah? R. Yehudah HaLevi, in Sefer HaKuzari, explains that Avraham, already the most righteous person of his generation, had reached a spiritual level where he was ready to connect with the Divine in an even deeper way. Eretz Yisrael, the land uniquely suited for spiritual perfection, was the only place where Avraham could reach his full potential. Even though Avraham had already attained a high level of closeness to God outside of Eretz Yisrael, Hashem knew that only in the Land could he fully realize his destiny.

Avraham’s life in Chutz La’Aretz was not lacking in purpose. He was discovering Hashem, fighting against idolatry, teaching monotheism, and performing acts of kindness—just as many Jews in the diaspora today raise families, run businesses, study Torah, and lead communities. However, Hashem told Avraham, “All this is good, but you are doing it in the wrong place. In My special land, you will achieve so much more.” The message of Lech Lecha is that Hashem’s call to live in Eretz Yisrael is timeless.

For years, people delayed making aliyah due to material concerns. Today, with a comfortable life possible in Israel, the real barrier is often spiritual complacency. Many feel they have everything they need in Chutz La’Aretz: thriving communities, Torah learning, chesed organizations, kosher restaurants, and yeshivas. But Lech Lecha teaches us that while it’s possible to reach spiritual heights in Chutz La’Aretz, even greater achievements await in Hashem’s chosen land.

October 7th served as a wake-up call, prompting many Jews to consider aliyah more seriously than ever. It’s not an easy decision. Uprooting from the familiar, selling a home, leaving family and friends, and adjusting to a new life can be daunting. Yet the blessings Hashem promises to those who move to Eretz Yisrael, as outlined in this parsha, speak to our time as well: “I will make you into a great nation, I will bless you, I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.”

Rabbi Zalman Sorotzkin comments in Oznayim LaTorah that this promise applies to Avraham’s descendants as well. Am Yisrael can only reach its true greatness—militarily, economically, and spiritually—when we are in our Land. The Shechinah (Divine Presence) does not dwell in the diaspora; we need to open our eyes to the miracles Hashem performs in Israel daily.

The Netziv adds that Avraham's example of acting immediately upon Hashem’s command to leave teaches us how to approach the mitzvah of aliyah. He didn’t wait for everything to be perfect; he set out immediately, leaving others to handle his affairs. For us, this can mean making small concrete steps: talking about aliyah, choosing careers suited for Israel, renting instead of buying in Chutz La’Aretz, or investing in property in Israel. Such steps lock us into the journey toward aliyah, making it easier to follow through when the time is right.

Even with all the challenges, R. Chayim of Volozhin teaches that the trials Avraham endured were meant to strengthen his descendants. His steadfast commitment to aliyah instilled within each Jew the ability to heed Hashem’s call to move to Eretz Yisrael. The recent events have sparked a renewed desire for aliyah, reminding us that every Jew possesses the inner strength and spiritual "DNA" to make this journey.

In these times, it is imperative for Jewish leaders—rabbis, teachers, and mentors in diaspora schools and shuls—to emphasize the centrality of Israel in Jewish life. As role models, they have a responsibility to inspire their communities to recognize that the future of Am Yisrael lies in Eretz Yisrael. This message needs to permeate our educational systems and our daily conversations, instilling within each of us the drive to fulfill Hashem’s timeless command: Lech Lecha!—go to the land He has shown us. I know  for a fact this  constant  message  works. In my shul, in Highland Park, Congregation Ohav Emeth, the Rabbi constantly talked  about the importance of  Eretz Yisrael and  Aliya. Over the years , this  shul  had  by far the highest percent of  Aliya from any shul in the community 

Let me end with a beautiful thought from the Sefas Emes, who raises a question about the closing words of the first blessing in our Shmoneh Esrei, "Magen Avraham" — "the Shield of Abraham." Why do we ask Hashem to protect Avraham? Avraham Avinu has been gone for thousands of years; why would he need protection? The Sefas Emes, in a classic insight of his Hasidus, explains that we are not asking Hashem to shield Avraham himself. Rather, we are asking Him to preserve within us that spark of Avraham Avinu — the essence that drove him to leave his homeland, come to Eretz Yisrael, and settle and conquer the Land of Israel.

We seek to retain the strength Avraham embodied, the unwavering commitment to avodas Hashem (serving God), enabling him to pass all his tests, from bris mila (circumcision) to the battles he entered , enduring hardship with an indestructible faith. Avraham’s life was built entirely on the will of Hashem, unshaken by the surrounding cultures and norms. This enduring spark, this legacy of resilience and faith, is the true blessing we ask for.

Ultimately, the question we must ask ourselves is: Are we listening to Hashem’s call?