Shabbat Shalom: Parshat Vayera Genesis 18:1-22:24

By Shlomo Riskin

Efrat, Israel - The Torah portion of this week is especially marked by the awe inspiring, prophetic and even tragic story of the akedah. It is fascinating however that the conclusion of the akedah - and indeed the conclusion of the Torah portion - seems almost mockingly strange;

“It came to pass after these things, that Abraham was told saying: behold, Milcah too has born children to Nahor, your brother: Uz, his first born; Buz, his brother; Kemuel, the father of Aram; and Chesed, Hazo, Pildash, Jidlaph, Bethuel; And Bethuel begot Rebecca. These eight (children) Milcah bore Nahor Abraham’s brother. And his concubine whose name was Reumah also bore children: Tebah Gaham, Tahash, and Maacah. (Genesis 22: 20-24)

Now we have just studied ten Biblical chapters which speak of the heartfelt difficulty which Abraham and Sarah experienced in their search for a son. They adopt Lot, they attempt to raise a concubine’s son Yishmael, and finally G-d grants them, in their old age, Isaac. And even Isaac puts Abraham through the torture of an akedah, a near slaughter. And then, at the conclusion of the akedah story the Torah tells us that Abraham’s brother Nahor has borne eight children with his wife Milcah and an additional four with his concubine Reumah. I do not know whether or not Nahor was wicked, but he certainly couldn’t have held a candle to the righteous path breaker and preacher of the Lord, Abraham. What can possibly be the point of contrasting Abraham’s painful experience in a search for one son with Nahor’s brood of twelve which seems to have come to him effortlessly.

I believe a direction towards understanding emerges from the name of Nahor’s first born, Uz. You may remember that the book of Job, the tragic story of a righteous individual who suffers the loss of his family and wealth through no fault of his own, opens as follows: “There was a man in the Land of Uz whose name was Job; that man was wholesome and upright he feared G-d and shunned evil. Seven sons and three daughters were born to him. His possessions consisted of 7,000 sheep and goats, 3,000 camels, 500 pairs of cattle, 500 she- donkeys and very many enterprises. That man was the wealthiest man of all the people in the East.” (Job 1-3). And that man loses all of these things because Satan wants to tempt him to blaspheme G-d. Is this fair? It certainly does not appear to be fair. And Job comes from the land of Uz, apparently named for the first son of Nahor. Was it fair that Abraham should have such travail with one son and Nahor should have such an easy time with 12 children? It too is not fair, Uz is not fair; Job comes from Uz-land, Unfair- land.

In effect, the Torah is telling us that the world is an unfair place, that there are righteous who suffer and wicked who prosper. In the words of the Talmud, “Children, length of years, and material sustenance are not dependent on merit but are rather dependent upon (blind) fortune.” (B.T. Moed Katan 28) There is not necessarily reward for the commandments in this world (B.T. Kidushin 39); reward comes in the world to come, in the life-after-life in a world of souls. In this world G-d created light and darkness, good and evil. It is our task to live in it as a momentous challenge, and to do our best - no matter the personal situation in which we find ourselves - to be partners with G-d in attempting to bring light where there is darkness, order where there is chaos, and to ultimately perfect the world in the Kingship of the Divine.

Perhaps this is precisely the Divine response to Job’s remonstration as to the injustice of the world as it is.

“And the Lord responded to Job from out of a whirlwind and He said, Gird now your loins like a man (a gever). I wish to ask you and I want you to tell Me (instead of your challenging Me and insisting that I respond to you). Will you then abrogate My laws (by which I established a world of evil as well as of good)? Will you make Me out to be evil in order for you to remain righteous?! Is it then not true that you have an arm just like G-d’s and a voice which can thunder just like His! Adorn yourself now with confidence and pride; dress yourself in glory and respect. Scatter your anger; look upon all of the (wicked who are) in high places and cause them to be brought low. Look upon all of the (wicked who are) in high places and subdue them; crush the wicked underfoot. Bury their faces in the dust, conquer them in places of burial. Then even I (G-d) will praise you because your right hand has brought you deliverance.” (Job 40:6-14)

Yes, this world may very well be the world of Uz, the world of unfairness. But we humans who are created in G-d’s image must assume responsibility for our legacy and - in partnership with the Almighty - must bring about the ultimate salvation in a world where G-d’s goodness and love will become manifest to all.

Shabbat Shalom.