Going Forth
For, to, and with Ourselves
Jerusalem is in a frenzy. New buildings are rising, trendy cafes are opening, and the light rail is stretching in every direction. After two years of war, our stifled desires and drive for progress finally have been shaken loose.
While exciting, many of the latest developments feel rash or erratic. We seem to be careening when we should be tiptoeing into a new era, barreling ahead for short-term gain instead of planning for steady, long-term growth.
This week’s Torah portion cautions against such chaotic movement. לך לך – Lech lecha – “Go forth” is God’s command to Abraham to leave his birthplace, home, and family and set out in a new direction. But that external command is connected implicitly to an internal journey. לך לך - Lech lecha also means, “Go for yourself,” “Go to yourself,” or “Go with yourself,” suggesting that any successful move forward requires a thoughtful turn inward, that our future well-being depends on our ability to bring our most deeply held values with us wherever we go.
As we enter this fragile, postwar period, let us hope we can balance our renewed energy with authenticity and reconnect with the core Zionist values of unity, equality, and mutual responsibility. Let us hope, too, that we can elect new leaders to rehabilitate the values of integrity and accountability which were among the first casualties of the war. Only then can we turn commotion into motion, and go forth with purpose.