Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), the well known scientific term, used in its full unabbreviated form by teachers to frighten first year biology students, and the title of one of the fastest evolving sciences.
We all carry in every cell of our bodies an intricate DNA map carrying the genetic information for every one of our characteristics, facets and faculties. With the rapid advances that science is making today we can isolate defective genes responsible for inherited illness and abnormalities, and with pre-implantation genetic diagnosis can eliminate the chances of our children inheriting a defective gene.
As this is not a science module, I want to move over to the Jewish genes. Not the one responsible for the Jewish nose or the one responsible for the Jewish brain but the spiritual DNA that passes from generation to generation. Let’s go back to the ones who undertook the original genetic engineering long before the double helix was discovered.
We are now reading the book of Bereishis which records the stories of our forefathers’ trials and tribulations. We read lots of stories, many seemingly insignificant from a historical perspective. However, taking a deeper look at the way our forefathers dealt with the events in their lives there are countless lessons we can learn. There are many character traits that we can try to emulate in our own lives; this alone makes these records worthwhile. Yet, the truth is that there is much more to it than that.
The commentaries explain that the lessons to be learned are not simply ideas to ponder and to try to emulate, rather they are descriptive of traits that are deep within each and every one of us. Every achievement and exercise that our forefathers undertook and perfected became another facet of their spiritual DNA which was passed on through the generations. They did the difficult bit, the imbibing of the values, we are the fortunate heirs who receive these strengths as an inherited gene. My Grandfather O’’H a physician with great interest in genetic research shared with me the following: A laboratory mouse was put into a complicated maze and left for a long time to work its way through to the reward at the end. The rodent worked for a great deal of time to navigate the maze. After the game was over it was rewarded and then “processed”. Its offspring that were subsequently born carrying the inherited genetic material were challenged to the same maze. Indeed they completed it in seconds. This is the concept of ‘zechut avot’- ‘merit of the forefathers’. By birthright we have a host of qualities engineered by our forefathers. They have, proverbially laid the cables, we can just make the call.
This comes with a responsibility too; with this kind of lineage we must “tow the line”. The onus now lies upon us to utilise our strengths to carve out a lifestyle that reflects our illustrious beginnings.
Good Shabbos
Meir