If Abraham Avinu were alive in our generation, everyone would surely crown him with the title of "Maran." Even journalists and even all types of commentators on "Radio Haredi" for its various networks and broadcasters. Obviously. The question is what would have happened if they were supposed to deal with the leadership of Isaac Avinu. Apparently the clowns of the generation would define him as withdrawn, strict, not coming down to the people and who knows what else. God have mercy on him.
Before we judge the clowns of the generation, let us consider how great the work of our forefather Abraham was, even with an understanding, non-Torah eye. It is worth examining the descriptions that explain the revolution that Abraham made. Here are some of the words of Maimonides about those days when Abraham returned to his old age and "his heart wandered and understood until he attained the path of truth and understood the line of justice with his correct understanding, and knew that there is one God... and he began to stand and call out with a loud voice to the whole world and to inform them that there is one God for the whole world and that He is worthy of worship, and he would go and call out and gather the people from city to city and from kingdom to kingdom... and since the people would gather to him and ask him about his words, he would inform each one according to his own understanding until he brought them back to the path of truth until thousands and tens of thousands gathered to him, and they were members of the house of Abraham. He planted this great principle in their hearts and composed books in it and informed Isaac his son, and Isaac sat teaching and warning...""
Do you understand the vast array? Personal psychology, editing and distributing books, high-level hosting seminars, education and knowledge for all, and in short, a tremendous happening of faith. Thousands and tens of thousands, no less, were from Abraham's people until everyone called him the father of a multitude of nations. Real leadership on a global scale.
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And the big question naturally arises, what happened when the time came for the change of leadership, when the sun of Yitzhak, who was the "Mediet of Justice" and who was often present in the Beit Midrash, rose in virtue of his role from his father to be "a teacher and a warning..."'
Where have all those thousands and tens of thousands that Abraham, the greatest of his generation, gathered through his life's labor, disappeared?
Top, let's assume that the thousands survived, but where are the tens of thousands? Did they get among the seventy souls who went into exile with Jacob to Egypt? Absolutely not. Apparently, since the passing of our forefather Abraham, these have been slowly dwindling. It is perfectly logical that they did not know and did not come to terms with the 'separatist' leadership of our forefather Isaac. Their interpreters probably explained between the sites and the elohim that this one is not 'open' like his predecessor and does not descend to the people, as if, God forbid, Isaac was personally limited in his possibilities.
Generational Leadership
Their simple mistake was that Isaac, on the contrary, chose this leadership according to the Creator, because it was appropriate for his generation. Abraham, on the other hand, was in the period of gathering after the great apostasy of a human generation and the duration of his role in the world was different. However, after everyone already knew the option that now existed, the era of clarification came, which Isaac was entrusted with. Now was the time to advance in level and ascend, especially when more specific opponents of the current method of Abraham our father arose. (And interestingly, all of our modern leadership comes precisely as a result of Isaac's blessings to Jacob and Esau, his brothers, who shared the sword and the book, and in general in the nature of leadership in the world. For the division of roles is correct only after the required sorting).
Those who didn't understand how to mingle and upgrade themselves in the company of the great of the next generation found themselves in the trash can of history. The loss was entirely theirs, of course.
Any word about the context required for the leadership dynasty in our day is absolutely unnecessary.
It's easy to look back and understand, but unfortunately more than once, this happens to us too. Instead of receiving guidance from something greater than ourselves, we turn around and explain ourselves to know, we "know" how to explain to the public and PR everything that is happening in the world, especially when it doesn't 'suit' us or even so that it doesn't threaten and get closer to us.
For example, instead of adapting ourselves to the instructions of the great generation, we try to adapt him to us... and when the great generation instructs and directs, we explain to ourselves and sometimes to those around us that the intention is not exactly our wart, but... and in general, he says and instructs this because... and... and... and...
It is important that we be aware that we are still captives in the world of our own interests, that we still do not know how to rise above our inclinations and make life decisions that are free from any personal blemish. We must not "adapt" to ourselves the set of commandments and commandments that were intended for us, because in doing so we neutralize the sting in them, the one that is supposed to smooth and polish our personal hump.
By the way, those who survived all the transitions of leadership, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, etc., were the ones who won and became the chosen people who won all the good, finally as one united and happy brigade in their good land. The stubborn ones were left far behind and buried in the plague of darkness in Egypt. The Jewish leadership never stopped anywhere. A point for thought.
The article was published in the newspaper 'Yom Liom'.
