Efrat, Israel – “And the Lord said to Abram, go forth to yourself, out from your country, your birthplace and the house of your father, to the land which I shall show you…And I shall make you for a great nation, and all the families of the earth shall be blessed by you.”(Gen12:1-3). 

What was the very first commandment given to Abraham, the first Jew?  A simple reading of the above quote identifies exactly the nature of that first commandment, but what do these words actually mean? Clearly this Divine declaration is much more that a command; it is a charge, a mission statement, a national calling a vocation. 

In the past I have always considered God’s first words to the first Hebrew to be a commandment to ‘go forth’ to Israel, to “make aliyah.”  Certainly such an interpretation remains applicable because, after all, no verse can be separated from the plain meaning of its words and its context, both of which point to Abram’s leaving Ur Kasdim to establish a new residence in Israel. 

However, G-d demands of Abram much more than a mere change in venue, a relocation of space.  The charge to leave one’s country, birth-place and parental home “to yourself, for yourself” (Hebrew lekha) is a charge to be fearlessly independent, to be self-reliant as one’s own person, to express one’s existential and national uniqueness.  What adumbrates within this phrase is Balaam’s later characterization of the Jewish people as “a nation which dwells alone, and is not to be counted amongst the nations” (Numbers 23:0), as well as the midrashic interpretation of the Biblical familial name “Hebrew,” (Ivri), meaning that “Abram stood on one side of the world (ever) and everyone else stood on the other side.” 

Abraham has discovered a new G-d concept, radically different from the gods of the pagan world into which he was born, a G-d of pure spirit devoid of physical form or space, a G-d of unconditional love who nevertheless enjoins ethical and moral conduct, a G-d who created human beings in His image whose lives are to be modeled after His attributes rather than a god created by human beings in their puny and paltry images. 

And G-d understands that if the world is to endure, if humanity is to live and positively develop rather than retrogress and self-destruct, this great idea and ideal of ethical monotheism must be disseminated world-wide without the intrusive, invasive, and destructive ideas that could manage to infiltrate from the world he’s leaving behind, his country, his birthplace, his parent’s home.  Abraham must separate himself from the culture he emerges from, must free himself as much as possible from genetics and geography, from nature and nurture, in order to become a blessing for the world,  influencing all of humanity in order to fulfill the Divine charge “…through you shall all the families of the earth be blessed.” 

And indeed, through Abraham’s teaching, all the families of the earth have truly been blessed.  The family of Abraham, his direct descendants, developed into the children-nation of Israel, and the people of the book --the Torah-- literally transformed world civilization as the Bible made its way to every corner of the globe. 

Exactly what are these unique ideas of Judaism that have changed the world?  I believe they are seven, each of which can certainly apply to every individual, Jew and Gentile alike.

1. The human being, free and responsible, created in the Divine Image.

2. Tsedakah, the obligation to share with the less fortunate.

3. A Sabbath day and a Sabbatical year of rest from physical work and time for family,      community, study and spirituality.

4. Freedom: – the Exodus and its prohibition of totalitarian and enslaving governments, its insistence on fundamental human freedom.

5. Herut and ahary’ut:  Freedom must be linked to responsibility, Liberation must be accompanied by Ethical and Moral Learning, the Exodus followed by the Ten Commandments.

6. G-d in man, G-d in world: soul and spirituality linked to family, proper sexual expression, meaningful celebration of historical anniversaries, seasonal changes, and life-cycle events.

7. Repentance, Peace and Redemption:  the optimistic faith in human ability to change, perfect itself , and redeem the world.

Tragically, most contemporary Jews remain ignorant of their own treasure-trove which has changed the world – and often give up their heritage for even less than the proverbial mess-of-pottage.  But I have a dream  - and after the great successes of Birthright and the Wexner Heritage Fellows, my  dream stands a reasonable chance of  being adopted; I believe it’s a proposal that can change the face of American Jewry.  Consider the following: Our tradition ordains bar and bat mitzvah (son and daughter of commandment) at ages 13 and 12 respectively, when our youth is old enough to parent a child but is hardly capable of understanding much more than “mother-goose” Judaism.  Our Talmudic sources, however understands that the individual does not really achieve independence before the age of twenty, when he/she stands responsible before God.

Hence I suggest that every Jewish family be encouraged to register each bar and bat mitzvah in their local Jewish Center, which would provide a two-hour class each week for seven years - each year’s study devoted to one of the seven Jewish ideas which have changed the world.  Exciting, relevant study texts on each of these Jewish pillars and their implementation in daily life must be developed, including their connection to the more positive aspects of the world’s cultures.  The two hour sessions ought certainly not be limited to a class-room.  Experiencing a Sabbath table with songs of praise to the wife-mother, parents blessing their children, joyous expressions of reverence for all of creation as well as vacation, field trips to help the less fortunate, (which may even mean a summer in a third world country), a Passover Seder together with people of other religions, in order to help understand the other as well as ourselves in greater depth and sensitivity, etc.  Each student should receive a significant if modest stipend for attending the class (after all, they could be earning money at that time if they were not studying). 

At the conclusion of the seven years, the JCC would sponsor a trip to the Kotel, the western wall of the Holy Temple, in Jerusalem, where each graduate would receive a “Hatan Mitzvah” and “Kallah Mitzvah” (groom and bride of commandment) certificate.  In the presence of the President of the State of Israel, and amidst orchestra music and the sounds of the shofar, they would all take an oath to do their best to uphold the traditions of their people, just as so many Israeli soldiers vow fealty to the State of Israel in that very same setting.  It goes without saying that the Massa Program could encourage as many as possible to spend that year studying in Israel. 

I believe the funding of such a program would be more than cost-effective, especially when we realize that the years between 12 and 20 are precisely when so many teenagers start thinking about their future and begin taking their first steps toward how they will live their lives, the critical years when proper peer relationships are so crucial for later life directions.  Families could also register their children at birth (when and if they move, the registries move with them to the new JCC), and life-cycle gifts can be made by family and friends towards this learning program.  Such a plan may just inspire a new generation of Jews to be proud of their heritage and make it a serious and meaningful part of their lives.

Shabbat Shalom