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October 29, 2004/Cheshvan 14 5765, Vol. 57, No. 9
Life isn't fair
Torah study
SHLOMO RISKIN
Parshat Vayera/Genesis 18:1-22:24
The Torah portion of this week is marked by the story of the akedah. It is fascinating that the conclusion of the akedah seems almost mockingly strange:
"It came to pass after these things, that Abraham was told saying: behold, Milcah too has born children to Nahor, your brother: Uz, his first born; Buz, his brother; Kemuel, the father of Aram; and Chesed, Hazo, Pildash, Jidlaph, Bethuel; And Bethuel begot Rebecca. These eight (children) Milcah bore Nahor Abraham's brother. And his concubine whose name was Reumah also bore children: Tebah Gaham, Tahash, and Maacah (Genesis 22: 20-24).
We have just studied 10 biblical chapters that speak of the difficulty that Abraham and Sarah experienced in their search for a son. They adopt Lot, they attempt to raise a concubine's son, Yishmael, and finally God grants them Isaac. and even Isaac puts Abraham through the torture of an akedah, a near slaughter. And then, at the conclusion of the akedah story, the Torah tells us that Abraham's brother Nahor has borne 12 children. What can possibly be the point of contrasting Abraham's painful search for one son with Nahor's brood of 12?
I believe a direction towards understanding emerges from the name of Nahor's first born, Uz. The book of Job opens as follows: "There was a man in the Land of Uz whose name was Job; that man was wholesome and upright he feared God and shunned evil" (Job 1:1). And that man loses everything because Satan wants to tempt him to blaspheme God. Is this fair? It certainly does not appear to be. And Job comes from the land of Uz, apparently named for the first son of Nahor. Was it fair that Abraham should have such travail with one son and Nahor should have such an easy time with 12 children? It too is not fair.
The Torah is telling us that the world is an unfair place, that there are righteous who suffer and wicked who prosper. In the words of the Talmud, "Children, length of years, and material sustenance are not dependent on merit but are rather dependent upon (blind) fortune" (B.T. Moed Katan 28).
In this world, God created good and evil. It is our task to do our best - no matter the personal situation in which we find ourselves - and to be partners with God in attempting to bring light where there is darkness and order where there is chaos.
Perhaps this is precisely the Divine response to Job's objection to the injustice of the world.
"And the Lord responded to Job from out of a whirlwind and He said, Gird now your loins like a man. I wish to ask you and I want you to tell Me (instead of your challenging Me and insisting that I respond to you). Will you then abrogate My laws (by which I established a world of evil as well as of good)? Will you make Me out to be evil in order for you to remain righteous?! Is it then not true that you have an arm just like God's and a voice which can thunder just like His. Adorn yourself now with confidence and pride; dress yourself in glory and respect. Scatter your anger; look upon all of the (wicked who are) in high places and cause them to be brought low. Look upon all of the (wicked who are) in high places and subdue them; crush the wicked underfoot. Bury their faces in the dust, conquer them in places of burial. Then even I (God) will praise you because your right hand has brought you deliverance" (Job 40:6-14).
This world may very well be the world of Uz, the world of unfairness. But we humans who are created in God's image must assume responsibility for our legacy and - in partnership with the Almighty - must bring about the ultimate salvation in a world where God's goodness and love will become manifest to all.
Rabbi Shlomo Riskin is the spiritual leader of Efrat, Israel.
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