Parsha Lech Lecha: The courage to walk alone

What’s said in this shiur

The opening of this shiur, in Dr. Jack Cohen’s own words — taken from the captions, so names and Hebrew terms may be approximate.

Hi, Rabbi Dr. Jack Cohen here. Let me ask you an important question. What does it take to change the world? Is it money, power, fame, perhaps an army? The answer, none of the above. Because nearly 4,000 years ago, one man changed the course of human history. His name was Abraham Avinu, Abraham our father, and he did it with something far more powerful than money or armies. The courage to stand alone. In this week's parashah Lech Lecha, Hashem tells Abraham, "Lech Lecha Me'artzecha, U'mimoladetecha, U'mibeit Avicha." Leave your country, leave your birthplace, leave your father's home. But why? Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks offers a magnificent insight. Hashem was teaching Abraham that to become who you are destined to be, you must sometimes have the courage to break away from everything that has defined you. Your environment, you need to leave. Your society, even the expectations of those closest to you. Think about that. Abraham lived in a world of idol worship. Everyone believed one thing, and Abraham believed something entirely

Jump to a moment

1. 0:00Hi, Rabbi Dr. Jack Cohen here. Let me ask you an important question. What does it…
2. 0:30Avicha." Leave your country, leave your birthplace, leave your father's home. But why? Rabbi Lord Jonathan…
3. 1:00different. Our Rabbis explain why he was called Avraham Ha'ivri, Abraham on the other side, because…
4. 1:30sacrifice their principles for popularity, their convictions for acceptance, their values for applause. But parashah Lech…
5. 2:00to do what is right. You need conviction. You need faith. And above all, you need…

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