Summarized by Eitan Sivan; Translated by David Strauss
Toward the end of this week's parasha we are told of the family of Terach, Avraham's father, in considerable detail:
Now these are the generations of Terach. Terach begot Avram, Nachor, and Haran; and Haran begot Lot. And Haran died in the presence of his father Terach in the land of his nativity, in Ur Kasdim. And Avram and Nachor took for themselves wives: the name of Avram's wife was Sarai; and the name of Nachor's wife, Milka, the daughter of Haran, the father of Milka, and the father of Yiska. And Sarai was barren; she had no child. And Terach took Avram his son, and Lot the son of Haran, his son's son, and Sarai his daughter-in-law, his son Avram's wife; and they went forth with them from Ur Kasdim, to go into the land of Canaan; and they came to Charan, and dwelt there. And the days of Terach were two hundred and five years; and Terach died in Charan. (Bereishit 11:27-32)
This section raises many questions. Even when just looking at the story – why do Terach and his family set out on a journey to the land of Canaan, and why is this journey not completed, such that Terach dies in Charan? Also, from a broader perspective: why is this story necessary? And why are we introduced to our forefather Avraham in this manner, without any special details about his character and actions, but rather as a peripheral figure in the story of the family of Terach?
Avraham and Haran in the Fiery Furnace
It may be possible to connect the departure of Terach and his family from Ur Kasdim with the untimely death of Haran, "in the presence of his father Terach… in Ur Kasdim." This region was under the dominion of Nimrod, the first king of whom we are told; and it is likely that Terach's family was at odds with his rule. The Midrash expands this point into a full-blown story of a conflict between Avram and Nimrod, which involved the entire family of Terach:
Terach was an idol worshipper [and a seller of idols]. One time, he went away to some place, and he installed Avraham as salesman in his stead… He arose, took a club in his hand, shattered all the idols, and placed the club in the hand of the largest among them. When his father came… He took him and handed him over to Nimrod. He [Nimrod] said to him [Avraham]: Let us bow down to fire.
Avraham said to him: Let us better bow down to water, which extinguishes fire.
Nimrod said to him: [Alright,] let us bow down to water.
He said to him: If so, let us bow down to the clouds, which bear the water.
He said to him: [Alright,] let us bow down to the clouds.
He said to him: If so, let us bow down to the wind, which scatters the clouds.
He said to him: [Alright,] let us bow down to the wind.
He said to him: Better let us bow down to a person, who can withstand the wind.
He said to him: You are saying mere words. I bow down only to fire. I will cast you into it, and let that God to whom you bow down come and rescue you from it.
Haran was there and he was conflicted. He said: Either way [I will know what to do]; If Avraham is victorious, I will say: I am with Avraham, and if Nimrod is victorious, I will say: I am with Nimrod.
When Avraham descended into the fiery furnace and was rescued, they said to him [Haran]: With whom are you?
He said to them: I am with Avraham.
They took him and cast him into the fire and his innards were scorched. He emerged and died in the presence of Terach his father. That is what is written: "Haran died in the presence of Terach." (Bereishit Rabba 38:13)
The story describes how Avraham rebelled against his father's idolatry, and in response Terach brought Avraham to Nimrod. After a brief argument, Nimrod decides to throw Avraham into the fire, saying that if the God about whom Avraham speaks is real, He will save him from the fire. Avraham is saved from the fire, but Haran, who also wanted to rely on the miracle, dies in it. It stands to reason that in the wake of this public confrontation with the monarchy, and the death of one of the family members, Terach decides to emigrate with his entire family from the place.
Chananya, Misha'el, and Azarya
The Midrash describes how Nimrod sought to kill Avraham by throwing him into a fiery furnace – a punishment familiar to us from the book of Daniel. This connection may rest upon a broader comparison, which could shed light on other events in the story.
In the book of Daniel, Nevuchadnetzar erects a great golden statue and demands that all his princes and servants bow down to it; Chananya, Misha'el, and Azarya refuse to do so, and are cast into a fiery furnace as punishment:
And he commanded certain mighty men that were in his army to bind Shadrakh, Meshakh, and Aved-Nego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace… And these three men, Shadrakh, Meshakh, and Aved-Nego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. Then Nevuchadnetzar the king was alarmed, and rose up in haste; he spoke and said to his ministers: Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?
They answered and said to the king: True, O king.
He answered and said: Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods. (Daniel 3:20-25)
As in the story of Avraham, here too God saves His servants from the fire, and sends an angel to rescue them. The similarity between Avraham the Hebrew and his three descendants, who refused to bow down to a foreign image in the face of the threat of fire, is clear and obvious. But it seems that there is also another connection and parallel here, between the different rulers – Nevuchadnetzar and Nimrod.
Both kings were powerful monarchs in their day and ruled their subjects with an iron fist. Nevuchadnetzar was known as a gifted general who conquered large parts of the region and ruled his vast empire with a firm hand. This is, for example, the context of the story of Chananya, Misha'el, and Azarya, when Nevuchadnetzar demanded that all his subjects bow down to the image not as simple idolatry, but as a recognition of Nevuchadnetzar's own kingship and majesty.
Nimrod, who is commonly identified with the historical figure of Sargon of Akkad, is also a leader who ruled with an iron fist over the entire region. After the Flood and the drying up of the waters, technological advances began that allowed civilization to develop and to adopt high-quality weaponry that gave Nimrod control over all of Mesopotamia, the land of Shinar in the Biblical account.
These kings posed a threat to all around them, and everyone was obligated to heed their words in order to continue to live, for disobeying these tyrants meant death. Thanks to this power, the kings used their positions for personal worship in which they crowned themselves as supreme rulers over heaven and earth.
The Selection of Avraham
Similar to what we see in the book of Daniel, Avraham's rebellion against Nimrod's institution is an admirable act. Contrary to all expectations, Avraham decides to follow his truth despite all the dangers that this entails, and refuses to worship Nimrod and his idolatrous works. This action finds favor in the eyes of God, who chooses him to be the spiritual father of the entire nation of Israel.
The Rambam in his introduction to Hilkhot Avoda Zara also describes God's choosing of Avraham, and mentions his standing up for the truth before the king in Ur Kasdim; but he identifies the essence of Avraham's greatness in another area:
When he overcame them through the strength of his arguments, the king desired to kill him. He was saved through a miracle and left for Charan. There, he began to call in a loud voice to all people and inform them that there is one God in the entire world and that it is proper to serve Him. He would go out and call to the people, gathering them in city after city and country after country, until he came to the land of Canaan — proclaiming God's existence the entire time, as it is stated (Bereishit 21:33): "And He called there in the name of the Lord, the eternal God." When the people would gather around him and ask him about his statements, he would explain them to each one of them according to their understanding, until they turned to the path of truth. Ultimately, thousands and myriads gathered around him. These are the people of the house of Avraham. (Hilkhot Avoda Zara 1:3)
The Rambam explained in the previous laws that even before Avraham there were people who believed in and were exposed to God, but only in Avraham did this inner faith become something to be publicized and disseminated to all the world. The truth burned in Avraham's heart, and he could not keep it to himself: he felt a duty to share the goodness he had discovered with the whole world, to bring them closer to the path of truth.[1]
From what we have presented, it is absolutely clear that Avraham's following his inner truth was nothing less than an act of suicide – for the cruel king would murder anyone who opposes his words. It seems that this act constitutes an amazing turning point in human life, and the beginning of a spiritual man in contrast to a bestial one. This change continues the change that occurred in humanity after the Flood.
Man, like an animal, has always striven first and foremost for survival, and the supreme goal of survival sanctified all means. In the case at hand, an animal creature would forgo his beliefs in order to survive. Avraham created a change in human consciousness when he felt an inner faith for which he was willing to sacrifice his life and survival. The foregoing cognitive shift constitutes a significant principle in the life of a Jew.
Sacrifice for the Sake of Truth
It seems from here that Avraham is the spiritual father of the nation. This is not merely an abstract virtue that God bestowed upon him for his righteousness, but his actions themselves constitute the very foundations of the people of Israel – the willingness to follow one's faith at all costs, and the refusal to succumb to the dangers that result from it.
A few weeks ago we read the famous prayer, U-netaneh Tokef, of Rabbi Amnon of Mainz. The figure of Rabbi Amnon expresses the devotion to the word of God which has accompanied the Jewish people in exile in all their locales: the Crusades of the 12th century in Europe, and the harsh decrees against Jews throughout the exile in every place. A person's truth guides him, even when he knows that it will often cost him his life (although, of course, his faith also posits that God can save him from the peril).
The inner truth that prevails over all other things should also guide us in our personal lives. A person who has true and good desires to influence and change his environment must continue with this truth despite the fact that it comes at the expense of things which the soul naturally craves, such as pleasure and honor. Avraham and his sacrifice should be remembered as the cornerstone of the life of the Jewish people in the world.
[This sicha was delivered by Harav Yaakov Medan on Shabbat Parashat Noach 5783.]
Edited by Yair Lichtman
[1] If we connect this to the famous midrashim that compare Avraham and Iyov (e.g., Bava Batra 15b) – here the decision seems to be in favor of Avraham. Although Iyov offered sacrifices, the truth that burned in Avraham to share with those around him is what tipped the scales.
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