All The Endless Ruins Of The Past Must Stay Behind (Jerry Garcia - "The Cream Puff War")

           This week seems to have lasted much longer than seven days. From Tuesday until Friday, we have had the news listening to and watching the results of the U.S. elections. Yes, as citizens, we had a vested interest. We all voted. Having a daughter run a campaign for a congressional seat in Texas also gave us a personal interest in the outcome. As we watched, it became clear that the U.S. is horribly divided. One political talking head commented that there really are two nations that are south of the Canadian border. It seems that these “two Americas” have nothing in common except for one thing. Both are full of fear. One America is scared of the future, scared of the changing demography, scared that the current alienation that they sense will grow worse. This America perceives that their world was better in 1955 than it could ever be in 2025. The other America fears the present. They fear Covid19, they fear systemic racism, they fear the continued erosion of democratic institutions and America’s values. They look towards the future with hope, possibility, the see the future as aspirational, as a means to “build a more perfect union.”

          This Shabbat we read from Parsha VaYeira. The narrative and adventures of Avraham the Patriarch continue. While healing from his ritual circumcision, he fulfills the mitzvah of Hachnasat Orchim, hospitality. He negotiates with God and reduces the number of righteous people that must be found in Sodom and Gomorrah in order to prevent its destruction. The narrative of Avraham is interrupted as we read the narrative of Lot, the two Angels (the same two that had visited Avraham at the beginning of the Parsha), the destruction of the city, and the impure relationship that results when the survivors think that world has been destroyed. The narrative returns to Avraham as its focus and he and his wife Sarah give birth to a son (Yitzchak), the banishment of Hagar and Ishmael (Avraham’s firstborn son and his concubine) and the final test of his belief, the Akeidat Yitzchak – the Offering of Isaac. 

          During these adventures, during these tests, it is fascinating to watch Avraham deal with each new issue, each new tension, and arrive at solutions. Avraham always looks forward. Avraham looked forward, he looked towards the horizon towards Sodom and Gomorrah while God talked to Avraham about his intention to destroy those cities. When he is commanded to banish Hagar and Ishmael, Avraham looks forward. He looked towards the horizon, in the direction they were heading, and provided them food and water in order to survive the journey. When asked to sacrifice his son, Isaac, Avraham doesn’t look back, he looks forward, towards the mountain where the sacrifice will supposedly occur. Compare this with Lot and his family (Gen 19:12-26). Three times the angels tell Lot that he and his family must leave. First, Lot tells his children to leave, although there is no indication that Lot and his wife intent to go. The second time, the two angels lead Lot, his wife, and children out, but Lot still can’t just leave! VaYitmama – still he lingered (Gen 19:16). Even when God’s messengers grab Lot, his wife, and his daughters by the hands and led them out of the city VaYomer Himaleit Al Nafshecha Al Tabit Acharecha v’Al Taamod B’Chol HaKikar Hahara Himaleit pen Tisafeh- Flee for your life! Do not look behind you nor stop anywhere in all the plain; flee to the mount lest you be swept away (Gen 19:17). Lot can’t just move on. He stays to stay and negotiate, figuring he can flee to a nearby city.  Finally, they begin making their way towards the alternative destination VeTabeit Ishto M’Acharav Vathi  Ntziv Melach  But His wife looked back and she became a pillar of salt (Gen. 19:26) Ramban explains that she looked back to make sure her daughters were following. What parent would flee and have the children (little or young adult) behind them? A parent would either have the children in front of them or be holding their hand while fleeing. So what other reason was there to turn around. Like her husband, who had such a difficult time moving forward, Lot’s wife wants to turn around one last time in order to see life and the world she was leaving. She was merely emulating Lot. However, she did it “one more time”. From the Angels’ perspective, enough was enough. 

          Sometimes moving forward can be very difficult. Fear of the future, fear of the unknown can be overwhelming. Sometimes there is comfort looking back towards the past. However, one must avoid being enslaved by the past or romanticize the past to the point where the past is only a myth. Doing so endangers an individual’s welfare and it endangers a nation’s welfare. For Lot’s wife, that simple glance over her shoulder symbolized not only a lack of faith in the future, it symbolized her preference for the perceived idealized life that she was leaving behind. A nation struggles with itself, nearly half looking back at a past built upon myth, not fact, fearful of the horizon fearful of a future.  Elections are very similar to  Lot’s wife. Some vote in elections looking towards the horizon with hope and anticipation of a better possibility, and some vote in elections fearful of the future and prefer the life of a bygone time. Eventually, however, we know that time continues to move forward.  

Peace,

Rav Yitz