rabbijaffe

The Avraham (Abraham) of this week’s parsha, Parshat Lech Lecha, is unique in so many ways. Possibly the most inspiring part of what makes him special was his ability to turn his life completely around, making so much out of so little, with wondrous amounts of success, and an uncanny ability to not look back.

In fact, the first time we experience Avraham, that’s not even his name. His original name was Avram, and only later do we find that God changed his name to Avraham.

In my opinion one of the hardest things in life is to change who we are, even if we desperately want to, need to, and have all the resources and motivation.

So many obstacles stand in the way of personal change.

Sometimes the difficulties are from within, but often it’s from our friends or our communities.

I picture a man in his mid-thirties who wants to stop binge drinking and wasting his evenings at bars, but knows that the pressure from his old college buddies will be intense and incessant.

Change is hard. But the rewards are abundant. 

When one can find it in themselves to fully change who they are, despite all the many obstacles that might stand in their way, they truly are a new person.

When Avraham received his new “title” it was a message that he had succeeded against all odds, having fully changed his nature, resisting any and all temptations to return to his birth community or the ways of his family.

And we will forever remember the accomplishments of Avraham, while Avram will just disappear.  

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