Rabbi Howard Morrison

Today's Parsha mentions and links together the three founding patriarchs of Judaism - Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

It is noteworthy that every Amidah begins with our standing on the shoulders of our three founders when we recite the words, "God of Abraham, God of Isaac, and God of Jacob." The Talmud teaches us that before we can approach God with our own needs, we praise God by remembering  "Zechut Avot - The merit of the patriarchs." A number of times in the Torah, mention is made of God's appearing to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The author of the Amidah, however, embellishes the Biblical words by adding "the God of" before the mention of each patriarchal name. Why so? On one hand, each of them developed his own relationship with God. None was a clone of the one who came before. The Talmud identifies morning prayer being attributed to Abraham, afternoon prayer being attributed to Isaac, and evening prayer being attributed to Jacob. All of this inspires us to stand on the shoulders of those who came before us and developing our own relationship with God and our tradition. 

Perhaps another reason for the daily mentioning of our founding fathers is that they represent three successive generations. Abraham, the Zaidee; Isaac, his son; and Jacob the grandson. The first multi-generational family understood that the litmus test of a tradition being handed down and received is seeing it play out with three generations. In contemporary Jewish life, I have observed such a beautiful phenomenon here at Beth Emeth when three or even sometimes four generations of a family sit together for High Holy Days, Shabbat and Festival meals,  and other occasions.

Each patriarch understood and experienced tensions within the family. Abraham and his shepherds experienced conflicts with his nephew Lot and his shepherds. Isaac experienced conflict with his half-brother Ishmael. Jacob experienced conflict with his twin brother Esau. In all three situations, one had to actually depart from the other. The Torah ambiguously describes Isaac and Ishmael both standing together at their father's grave. Did they reunite? Did they have a continuing relationship? The Torah is silent. We will never know. At the end of today's Parsha, Jacob has to flee from his brother Esau. Only twenty years later after they both developed families and followings of their own do we learn that they embraced each other. Was the embrace sincere? While they then went on their separate ways, did they stay in touch?  The Torah is silent. We will never know. 

The Torah speaks the truth of family and personal challenges. How many of us experience tension and conflict with nephews, siblings, or other members of the immediate or extended family? Can we learn lessons for our situations from the early Biblical stories of our history?

Each patriarch understood and experienced hostilities from outsiders. Abraham confronted an Egyptian Pharaoh and a Philistine emperor. Isaac paralleled his father's encounters and experienced hatred from his neighbors each time he dug a well for water. Jacob's uncle Lavan was more like an outsider who tricked Jacob. In subsequent history, the Passover Haggadah instructs us, "Go and learn what Lavan the Aramean sought to do to Jacob our patriarch."

The Torah speaks the truth of hatred and enmity coming from outsiders. Sadly, and tragically, this would become the norm of Jewish history for four thousand years non-stop. The Haggadah reminds us that in each generation there are those who rise up to destroy us. If we thought that concluded with the end of the Shoah and the creation of the State of Israel, we were sadly mistaken as the last two years have taught us to this very day.

Our Sages teach us, "Ma'seh Avot siman la'banim - The experiences of our ancestors serve as a sign for their descendants." Many of the experiences Abraham faced are replicated by Isaac - case in point, each faced a Pharaoh, a Philistine, encounters when digging wells. Many of the experiences of the patriarchs are shared by all three of them - case in point, each had to face the infertility of a beloved barren wife - Sarah, Rebecca, and Rachel.

I would imagine that many of us have replicated events faced by our parents or grandparents. What have we learned from their experiences? From the experiences of our founding fathers? What did Jacob learn from Isaac and Abraham?

By starting each Amidah with the words, "God of Abraham, God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob," we do more than echo four thousand years of history. Each daily mention provides a menu for all kinds of life lessons.

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Howard Morrison