Two Minute Torah Podcast

Lech Lecha 5773 by Rabbi Jerome Epstein

If the Jewish world is not yet what we would like it to be, each of us can play a role in transforming it. How? By following the example hinted at in this week's parasha. In Bereshit 12:5, we are told that Abram and his family went to Canaan with kol hanefesh asher asu vcharan—with all of the souls that they made (or created) in Haran. Rashi, wondering how they "created such a large number of souls" notes that Avraham m'gayer et ha'anashim v"Sarah m'gayeret et hanashim. Avraham converted the men and Sarah converted the women. Although conversion—as we know it—did not exist at that time, what they did was to stimulate people to transform their lives—and thus, if you will, they became "new" people. Avraham and Sarah inspired them through their example. They sold their message and, in effect converted them.

Each of us is committed to Jewish life to one an extent or another. Yet, many of our friends are not. We cannot transform their lives for them. They have to want to do that. But, we CAN influence them. We CAN inspire them. We CAN mentor them….and in these ways, we can help to create new souls who will share our love for God and Jewish living. To be effective will require a willingness to go beyond satisfaction with living our own Jewish life and understand that we can enrich the lives of others by influencing and inspiring them to grow in their commitment to Jewish living.