In Parshat Lech Lecha we read about
Avraham’s choice to follow God to the Land of Israel.
This is not the only place in the
Tanach where Avraham’s journey is mentioned. At the end of Yehoshua’s life
(Yehoshua 24:2-4), in his last speech to B’nai Yisrael, Yehoshua says: “Thus
said Hashem, the God of Israel: ‘Your forefathers- Terach, the father of
Avraham and the father of Nachor- always dwelt beyond the Euphrates River and
they served gods of others. But I took your forefather Avraham from beyond the
river and led him throughout the Land of Cnaan; I increased his offspring and
gave him Yitzchak. To Yitzchak I gave Yaakov and Esav. To Esav I gave Mt. Seir
to inherit and Jacob and his sons went down to Egypt.’”
This account is familiar as we
recite it each year in the Magid section of the Passover Hagada “Mitchila ovdei
avoda zara hayu avoteinu”, “In the beginning our forefathers were idol
worshippers.”
Maharal explains that the three
generations are mentioned here to show that in each generation the idol
worshippers were rejected. Avraham was chosen over Nachor, Yitzchak was chosen
over Yishmael and Yaakov was chosen over Esav. All of Yaakov’s offspring were
holy and therefore all twelve tribes were chosen.
Our forefathers left the spiritual
enslavement of idol worship for the intellectual freedom of a faith based
religion. Avraham was the first to free himself from idol worship.
According to the Kabala, Avraham
passed away on Erev Pesach. Seven generations later, Yehoshua brings Avraham’s
descendents back to the land of Avraham.
At the end of Yehoshua’s speech the
nation declares their loyalty to the God of their forefathers and continues in
Avraham’s path.
At the Passover seder we also
declare our loyalty to the God of Avraham- the God who took us out of Egypt.
Abravanel explains that when God
brought Avraham to the Land of Israel, He revealed himself over and over again
to Avraham in prophetic visions. This shows the holiness of the Land of Israel.
With the founding of the State of
Israel, the Jewish people once again have the opportunity to follow in the
footsteps of Avraham and return to the holiest place on earth.
