Tucked away unassumingly in this week’s Parsha is one of the most penetrating verses into the essence of the Jewish Nation. The verse reveals exactly what makes us tick; why we have been charged as the Chosen Nation; and what it means to be a ‘light to the nations’.
Hashem says that from Avraham will descend this ‘Chosen Nation’, Why? “Because I have cherished him because he commands his children and his household after him that they keep the way of Hashem”. In other words, Avraham was an educator. But why is this, the key to being chosen?
Avraham was not the first monotheist, there were many individuals before him. Where Avraham differed was what he did with his discovery. Avraham was the first to preach monotheism, he was compelled not just to know the truth himself but to tell others. This is the key to becoming the Chosen Nation, because when looking for a nation to do the job, Hashem ‘needs’ sustainability – are they are going to keep passing on the message till the end of time. When Hashem saw Avraham he saw a teacher, He knew that he was worthy of the task.
So has become our genetic make up. Long before any other nation had systematic education the Jews excelled in education. 1870 saw the establishment of schools in England – Jews already had such a system some 18 centuries earlier! I don’t think there ever existed a time in history when the Jews were illiterate.
Avraham as it were was the first Jew – the first to educate. On a national level we see the same point right before the Torah was given. The Jews, gathered at the foot of Mount Sinai about to become the Chosen Nation and Hashem opens the proceedings with, “So you shall say to the women and relate to the men”.
Why are the women mentioned first? Asked R’ Moshe Feinstein. Answers R’ Moshe: the key to receive the Torah is continuity – the Revelation about to happen “is never to be repeated”. How can Hashem ensure that he doesn’t need to repeat Himself? Only if there is education throughout each generation; then the message is not lost. The educational process cannot be started when people are young adults, by then it’s too late. Education starts from day one, to inculcate the children with the basics of our beliefs. This most important job is predominantly the women. Women hold the key to Jewish continuity – only a Jewish mother can make the children Halachically Jewish, not the father. So too they hold the key to the early years of education.
I came across an interesting Gemora that tells us that the mother of Avraham was called the same name as the mother of Haman! Interesting, but why are told about this fact? There are many great mothers throughout Jewish history whose names we are not told. Yet here we have two, about whom we know nothing except their names?
Surely if they shared the same names then this means they had similar character traits, I reasoned…..
Avraham’s journey of discovering Hashem took place when he was very young. How did he discover Hashem? He saw the world and started asking questions. The Medresh relates how he questioned, “can there be a palace without a master?” “Who created this world?”
If the key to a Jewish Nation is education, then Seder-Night is the one night a year of Jewish education. We have the four sons all asking questions, we have the ‘Mah Nishtanah’ questions. On the night when we pass on the Jewish story, Halachah dictates that we have to do so through questions and answers. Real education is only in this way. We tempt our children with questions, this way they are bothered and the answers mean things to them. Rather then just to bombard them with the facts, let them discover for themselves.
There is an intriguing Gemora that tells us that Haman is alluded to in the Torah in the verse after Adam ate from the tree. Hashem asks him, “was it from (“hamin”) the tree from which I commanded you not to eat that you have eaten?!”. The word “hamin” – “was it from” can also be read with different vowels to read “Haman”. Why is Haman alluded to here? And is this a mere play on words?
No! Haman’s very essence is alluded to is this verse. Haman is from the family of Amalek – whose name is the numerical value as “safek” – doubt. The Amalkites who continually attacked us throughout Jewish history do so intellectually by putting doubt into the minds of the Jews. They start questioning everything. Maybe there is no G-d? Maybe the world made itself? Maybe there is no meaning to life? This is why Haman is alluded to here – his very essence is a question! Is there really a Hashem who really cares that you disobeyed his command?
Perhaps this is the Avraham-Haman connection. They both had mothers who promoted the same style of education – ask questions. Indeed both of their sons asked! But there is a way to ask. You can ask because you are searching for answers or you can ask because your questions are your answers! Look at Haman, the question in which he is alluded to is a rhetorical question! This is Haman – to ask not wanting to know an answer!
Good Shabbos, Yaakov