“For I have known him, because he will command his children and his household after him, and they will keep the way of HaShem…” (Bereishis 18:19)
Avraham Avinu’s way was to walk with temimus (simplicity and wholehearted faith), as we also saw in the previous parashah.
In Rebbe Nachman’s story The Sophisticate and the Simpleton, we learn that the Simpleton rose to greatness all at once. The king summoned him, and along the way, he was appointed to various positions until he eventually became the highest-ranking minister of all. All of this happened in a single moment!
When we look around at the world, it may seem that being simple means being a poor, unfortunate person who is submissive and weak. But that is not at all what temimus means.
Temimus means walking with emunah and tefillah at every step, recognizing that there is Someone above us Who directs the entire world, and striving to remain connected to Him.
In the story, the Simpleton received the kingship and ruled with strength and might. Similarly, although Avraham Avinu embodied temimus, we see the tremendous strength and courage he displayed in battle against the kings.
I once heard a very powerful and profound statement: “Whoever can conquer himself can conquer others.”
When a person engages in hisbodedus, cries out to HaShem about his actions and conduct, and judges himself honestly for what he does, approaching everything with temimus and peshitus (simplicity), he also gains the strength and authority to carry out his responsibilities with firm and steadfast leadership.
It is specifically the truly simple and wholehearted person who will ultimately triumph. As we saw in the story, the Simpleton continued to rise higher and higher, while the Sophisticate fell into a pit of waste.
May it be HaShem’s will that we merit to judge ourselves honestly and conquer our own selves before HaShem, with temimus and peshitus, always. Amen.
Shabbat Shalom
Chaim Kramer
