This week’s Torah portion shares a unique and most basic paradigm for which Judaism is both exemplary and unique
By zevi770 · October 9, 2013
Many are those who seek truth, but all fall on the paradigm in which they seek it!
In other words, generally speaking, man seeks things within the framework from which he begins his search.
Hence, as our sages teach, any love which is based on a desire, the moment the desire is achieved, the love dissipates!
Similarly, behind all human endeavor, including spiritual, is some sort of desire.
To find the truth, of course is great, noble and perhaps the finest of human desires, yet it is based on an erroneous premise.
That there is such a thing called the truth!
For we are created, born into a paradigm of boxes, everything we know, we categorize, name, label – in fact all of science has reached both the conclusion that all of the boxes, categories etc. we have spent decades, if not centuries, and in some sciences millennia discovering, is patently false, for when we probe to the depths, we see a infinite hand, beyond any human understanding!
Similarly, in our quest for truth – when we probe truth beyond human intellect, we realize we are the product of the truth, not vice-versa.
And it was this that catapulted Abraham into fame – for as our commentaries teach us, prior to Abraham there were also great saints dedicated to selflessness, but Abraham made a single, simple yet extraordinary discovery, which formed an entire new paradigm.
The truth is, we are incapable of understanding the truth; rather our capability, is only in adhering to it!
For this reason, though Abraham had already had great self-sacrifice for the truth he discovered – namely one omnipotent God – spreading this message to heathens, quite successfully; the moment God said to him “pack your bags for an unknown land” he packed.
Furthermore, it was his willingness to offer his beloved son as a sacrifice that we know caused this covenant – enteral – between God and his children, creating the future chosen nation!
All in all, the lesson is both exceptionally simple, yet profoundly relevant – truth coming from infinity, is accessed not through our minds, but through our submission.