We just landed in Connecticut. We are on the way to a Brit.
Our children had a baby boy a week ago, and we are blessed to attend the occasion.
I was struck by the confluence of events.
This Shabbat we will read of the very first Brit that took place when Gd commanded Abraham to circumcise himself
Now our grandchild will follow in those same footsteps as his great grandfather Abraham, participating in a rite of passage that is 4,000 years old.
Our patriarch Abraham had to undergo 10 challenges or tests.
These tests were designed to set Abraham up for success.
In Hebrew a test is called a nisayon.
It’s built upon the word nes.
A nes is a miracle.
A nes is also a flag.
It means that there is something to be noted in that spot, something quite miraculous.
You plant a flag to recognize the ownership of a place.
A nisayon, a challenge, highlights the greatness implanted in a person. It recognizes there is something deep and special that has now come to light.
The nisayon, the test, shines a light on an inner facet of the individual that has heretofore been buried, unexplored.
It gives a whole new context to the idea of a challenge.
We are creatures of comfort.
If you ask someone if they would like to go out of their comfort zone with any type of challenge the response is often
“I’m good”!
But what of all those inner strengths that lie beneath the surface, waiting to be mined and brought to light. Those strengths can actually change a person and in turn change the world.
I often think of the amazing institution called Shalva, located in Jerusalem.
Shalva is a treasure. It is a national gem which supports every family in Israel, be they Jewish, Christian or Muslim, who have a child with special needs.
It was borne of tragedy. A healthy toddler was given a tainted vaccination which left the child deaf, mute and blind. Rather than giving in to despair, his parents began to provide respite care to other families in a similar position. They did this in their own home.
Their desire to help families who were struggling with special needs, as they were, inspired them to create Shalva. This incredible organization is a beacon of light and hope to countless families in Israel.
It was a stop on the Lech Lecha journey of this family.
Lech Lecha means go for yourself.

The Zohar says TO yourself.
Gd commanded Abraham to leave his country, his city and his home. It is a commandment to us as well.
It is a clarion call for us not to live in the Land of “I’m Good” but to leave the place of comfort and challenge and develop oneself.
It’s an exhortation to become the best version of yourself.
Abraham was given ten tests. One of them was Lech Lecha and another was the commandment to circumcise himself.
What was the challenge in each of these?
The commandment to leave was to leave country, birthplace and home.
It seems that the locations are backwards, we first leave home, then birth place and then the country!
Perhaps leaning home is the greatest challenge.
It’s not just about leaving the physical space. It’s also about the conditioning or the messages we may have looping in our minds from “home” our place of origin.
Sometimes the preconceived notions we inherit from our homes limit us from achieving our potential. That too may be challenging to break away from.
The Parsha ends with the circumcision narrative.
We may think that the inherent challenge in the story would be the physical pain and discomfort arising from the procedure.
Our Sages gives us a deeper perspective of Abraham’s journey to himself.
While Abraham’s ultimate goal was connection to Gd, and the level of spiritual perfection he could attain through circumcision, our Patriarch was very focused on helping others appreciate the presence of Gd in their lives. Abraham was able to accomplish this by being relatable and in touch with the common man. Abraham was fearful that if he attained a level of spiritual perfection, he would not be able to reach out to others and inspire them. He would be too lofty and people would feel he was too unreachable. They would consider him detached, too lofty wnd spiritual, and therefore, unable to connect.
The test Abraham faced was between fulfilling Gd’s word or being able to disseminate it!
An advisor to Abraham whose name was Mamrei suggested that since Gd had taken care of him until now, he should trust Gd and do what Gd had asked.
And in fact, immediately after the circumcision, Abraham was gifted the opportunity to interact with guests. By rising to the challenge Abraham was able to access his potential to be spiritually lofty while still maintaining his ability to connect to others to help them on their journey.
Rabbi Judah Mishel says that our destination is never a “place”, but rather a new way of looking at things. The destination of our Lech Lecha journey should be a new way of looking at ourselves.
As I learned today from a dear friend and mentor
“While the parsha has a beginning and an end, the journey to oneself is eternal”.
Tomorrow morning our little guy will enter into the covenant of Abraham. He will begin his own Lech Lecha journey.
We pray that the challenges which come his way will be successfully accomplished so that he will be able to shine his unique light into his orbit.
And as we continue in our own journeys, may we recognize the opportunities we have to use our challenges to grow and shine as well!
Shabbat Shalom and so much love!