Here in Eretz Yisrael, we just began praying for rain this last week. And, whadayaknow, it rained this week! I've learned a fair amount of meteorology, nonetheless, I am repeatedly astonished by the spectacle of palpable drops falling from thin air. Who is pouring that stuff down on me?
The Iszbitzer begins his discussion of this week's parasha with a verse from Yeshayahu 44:3 - "As I pour water upon the thirsty, and liquids upon dry land, so shall I pour My spirit upon your seed, and My blessing upon your offspring". He sees in this verse a reference to Avraham, and writes as follows:
"When Avraham began, he sought the root of his life, since he had come to understand that it is impossible to call all the desires and charms of this world by the name of "true life". This is because, while they are substantial in a physical SENSE, they ultimately lack substance, since what the desires and charms of this world achieve for us is merely the removal of irritants and obstacles. They make being less bothersome, less burdensome, less painful, they distract us and occupy us. Once all of those objectives have been accomplished, however, what is the body and substance of life upon which this world is founded?
"That is why Hashem said to Avraham, 'go you', that is to say, 'go to yourself/your bone'. For, in truth, all the matters of this world cannot be called life; rather, you'll find the root of life in yourself, and (upon finding it) you will rejoice in Hashem…
The Izbitzer goes on to quote the famous midrash which compares Avraham to a wayfarer who, upon the way, comes across a mansion ablaze with light. He wonders aloud, "Could it be that this mansion has no guide or overseer?". The master of the mansion then peers out upon him and proclaims, "I am the master of the mansion". Likewise, Avraham said, "Could it be that this world has no guide or overseer?" Hashem peered out upon him and said, "I am the Master of the world"
The Izbitzer is troubled by the word "upon him". One would expect that Hashem would reveal Himself to Avraham, instead of peering/gazing upon him. His explanation is that Avraham was astonished by the generation around him the generation of the tower of Bavel, pursuing their life-tasks with mindless efficiency and marvelously meaningless coordination, and he asked, "who created such creatures oblivious to their own gifts and the world around them?" It was at this point, says the Izbitzer, that Hashem responded to Avraham and said, "Isn't it curious that no one else seems to be bothered by this? No one else is preoccupied with unsolvable existential questions about life, meaning, emptiness! Where do you think this preoccupation, which takes you beyond the immediacy of this world, comes from?"
The ceaseless prodding of our soul, the refusal to accept pat answers, the insistence that behind it all there is meaning and purpose - all that is not only an indication of Hashem's existence, it is the very voice of Hashem calling to His beloved, and then scampering off behind the rocks and trees of His garden. Consciousness of our consciousness is disturbing, like the first drops of rain in still-too-warm fall. Nevertheless, let us plow the fields of our souls now, so that when He pours down His Spirit, it will seep into every crevice of our beings.
Rav Yehoshua Kahan
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Rav Yehoshua Kahan is a teacher at Yeshivat Bat Ayin. He has held pulpits in Knoxville, Tennessee and Los Angeles, and served as educational director of Livnot U'Lehibanot. He blogs on Parashat Hashavua here |