Neil Blumofe

SHABBAT SHALOM — VAYERA BRINGING BALANCE TO THE FORCE B”H. I have often wondered why we read from this Torah portion each day of Rosh Hashanah. Perhaps it’s because Abraham is all in. He isn’t connecting to God only when convenient. His is a connection that wraps its hands around his throat, always present, threatening to undo what he has nevertheless sought to accomplish in his life. His connection is not harmonious. And yet, Abraham does not waver when God comes calling. He pours himself into every situation he faces in every moment, recognizing the Divine Presence, no matter what.

This is a powerful lesson for us. We don’t connect to God only when we need something. Sometimes God interrupts us and our sweet life and asks us to go deeper, try harder, and better align what we say with what we do. Abraham is an exemplar of this, always rebuilding what seems to perpetually slip away, like sands in the hourglass. We are to show up and even in moments of our greatest resistance, we say here I am when summoned, and we choose to believe that what we stand for and what we do will ultimately bring balance into our off-kilter world.