Big Tent Judaism

This Week’s Torah Portion: Lech Lecha, “Go For Yourself”

[NOTE: Rabbi Kerry M. Olitzky, JOI’s executive director, contributed the Torah commentary in this week’s New York Jewish Week newspaper. It is reprinted below.]

Journey From The Old, Into The Soul
by Rabbi Kerry M. Olitzky
Special To The Jewish Week

Genesis 12:1-17:27

Lech Lecha: Go for yourself, for your own sake. Not for the sake of the community, not for the sake of others. The Torah uses the emphatic form as the lead in this week’s Torah portion in order to make sure that Abraham understands the force of the directive. One command (lech) is not enough. It has to be repeated in such a way so as to make sure that Abraham — and we, by extension, as those who engage the Torah — fully comprehend the thrust of the Torah’s instruction.

Lecha: For you, for your own well-being. Get out of this place. It is the only way that you can grow spiritually. If you remain here, you will stagnate. You will never reach the heights you seek. Even with its emphasis, the phrase “lech lecha” is only written once, but the intention is that it should be repeated often as a kavannah, a sacred mantra, so that we shouldn’t forget this spiritual impetus wherever our life’s journey takes us. The journey forward is indeed for our own benefit, our own good.

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Ecclesiastes - harvest of one’s life

The book of Kohelet (Ecclesiastes) is my favorite book in the Bible. And it is another reason why I enjoy these fall holidays—even though they seem to be non-stop this time of year. Since the Rabbis assign a Biblical reading to each of the holidays, Kohelet is assigned to the week of Sukkot. It is probably because Sukkot is a harvest festival and Kohelet is read as a kind-of harvest of a person’s life.

Some people don’t understand my affection for Kohelet. After all, it can be a depressing book. While most people think of the words in terms of the song made famous years ago “To everything, there is a season….Turn, turn, turn,” Kohelet is more famous for its opening statement of “Everything is vanity” (which I usually translate as “Everything is a wisp of wind”). There is no substance to it. There is nothing to it.

So rather than consider Kohelet as the manifestation of a depressed individual who sees little value in life, I actually see it the work of an insightful individual reflecting on his life from the perspective of his old age. He continues to affirm some thoughts that he had in his youth. And he rejects other notions that he assigns to immaturity and lack of perspective. Having lived a long and blessed life, he is prepared to offer his wisdom (literally that which is gained from experience) to those who might be interested in what he had to say. It is why I always imagined him as one of my teachers, not dissimilar to some of the teachers I was fortunate to study with as a young rabbinical student years ago.

So what do I learn from Kohelet that I carry with me through this holiday season that takes us from the joy of a new year at Rosh Hashanah—to the simulation of a spiritual death and rebirth during Yom Kippur—to the blessings of harvest during Sukkot—to the opportunity once again to reflect on Hoshanah Rabbah—to the joy of the Torah and its instruction for life on Simchat Torah? Living a life of blessing is the only way to challenge the vicissitudes of life.