ALL IN THE FAMILY

“Go for yourself from your country and your kindred and your father’s house” (Gen.12.1)



Akavya Ben Mahalalel says, ‘Reflect upon three things and you will not fall into the hands of transgression’.

Know from where you came, whither you are going and before whom you are destined to give an account and reckoning (Avot 3.1).



An allusion to these three things may be found in the three words of the Torah text viz. Artzecha - your country (lit. your earth), Moladetecha – your kindred, and Bet Avicha – your father’s house. Our earth is our ultimate resting place, our kindred is our origin, and our father’s house is where we are destined to give a final account. (Pe’er Lashulhan)



Akavya presents a harsh, awesome and even frightening picture when stating that our origin is a fetid drop, that we are going to a place of worms and maggots and eventually we must give account to the King who is King of Kings - the Holy One Blessed Be He himself. This is the scenario of the stranger, the person who has estranged himself from Hashem and is unfamiliar with his ways.



From the comparison given above, we are assured that Hashem gave us life on earth for our good. The earth is our home, our fellows are our family who will not forsake us. When ultimately we give account to Hashem, we do so in our father’s house. As his loving children, he will treat us kindly, he will take our weaknesses into consideration and will judge us with Rahamim – compassion.