True Leadership
Abraham is a true leader. This is why.
Before Isaac and Ishmael were born to Abraham and before Jews who trace their lineage to Abraham through Isaac and Muslims who trace their lineage to Abraham through Ishmael were imagined, Abraham struggled to keep the peace. His nephew Lot, the son of Abraham’s deceased brother, Haran, pastured a large flock while Abraham tended to his own.
The Torah reports that the land could not support both of their large flocks. There was bickering between their followers. The Torah reports: “And there was quarreling between the herders of Abram’s cattle and those of Lot’s cattle.”
Abraham quickly came up with a solution. He said to Lot, “Let there be no strife between you and me, between my herders and yours, for we are kin. Is not the whole land before you? Let us separate: if you go north, I will go south; and if you go south, I will go north.” (Genesis 13). The generous Abraham allows Lot to pick first. It is Lot who will designate Abraham’s path.
Rarely do we focus on this story. Instead, we focus on the promise made to Abraham and his descendants. “I assign the land you sojourn in to you and your offspring to come, all the land of Canaan, as an everlasting holding.” (Genesis 17) We highlight the promise made to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. We focus on the gifts given to the Jewish people.
On this day, however, I wish to highlight the magnanimity that precedes the acceptance of this gift. It is human nature that once we acquire something we hold on to it very tightly. We do not want to part with such God-given gifts. We come to believe they are mine and not yours. We come to act like there is never enough to be shared.
Abraham’s example reminds us that this magnanimous spirit is his genius. This is why he is called by God. Perhaps the mark of a true leader is one who he gives up and gives in. Abraham is a God-chosen leader because he relinquishes what he has every right to claim is his alone.
In this moment this is what I hope we can learn. To give rather than hold is the example we must follow.
And this is the leadership model we pray President Trump might emulate. (My prayer would be the same if Vice President Harris were to be our next president.) Leadership must be generous. It must be forgiving. Look to Abraham’s example for inspiration. Peace and harmony remain our dream. Unity remains our promise.
I pray. Let us stand united. Let us work together so that our nation might live up to its founding principles. Let us put aside our grievances. Let us cast aside our anger. Let us vanquish our despair. Let us be forgiving of our differences. Let us be generous to our neighbors.
And let us remember that regardless of the difficulties of any given week or the challenges, and tragedies, the world brings us on any given day, Shabbat arrives every Friday evening. And with Shabbat comes a measure of peace and harmony. And that Shabbat tranquility is so abundant that it can be shared by as many as would grasp it.