Mitzvah d'var

The oppression of the Israelites by the Pharaoh of Egypt was a tortuous time, the idea of slavery itself is horrific, and yet Abraham’s reaction was indifferent. You would think the prediction of hundreds of years of struggle and oppression would be a matter deserving of further discussion. God warned Abraham of the struggles ahead for his people; this seemingly small detail could have saved the lives of many. If Abraham could have questioned God further on what was to come would the outcome for our ancestors have been different. Or maybe Abraham's faith in God told him not to question the path God would set the Israelites on. It’s interesting to know that one line in my entire portion could have such significance for the history of our people.

But what if… what if Abraham had intervened in that moment? If he simply asked God for the reason for our enslavement, maybe even bargained differently for what could have happened. Even questioning God was not necessary. Abram could have written down these prophecies, warning his children of the fate they were destined to.

The Torah is filled with these kinds of “what if” questions. For hundreds of years rabbis have studied the Torah picking apart every decision each character in the story of our creation had to make. Noting all the factors they missed, every miscalculation. This all leads down to the fact that these messengers of god although on a high spiritual level are still human. They are still imperfect. 

Scientists across the world have presented the public with these same kinds of predictions. The world in its entirety has coexisted with the effects of climate change since  the early 19th century. We have the resources, the solutions and the money to fix a problem we have created and yet 7.8 billion people have chosen to ignore the truth. To say ignorance is bliss would be an understatement. At a certain point the effects of climate change will be irreversible. Every decision we make will surround the future we choose. 

The similarities between the thinking process of both Abraham and the response to climate change from the population of our world is worth noting. In both cases the idea of some form of oppression and suffering are dismissed easily simply because it does not apply to them. Abraham knew that the slavery of our people would occur long after he was gone. The same thing goes for the people who are truly responsible for continuing the destruction of our environment. These people will have left this world before the extreme signs of climate affect our daily lives.  It is undeniable that the decisions made by the rich and powerful will create obstacles for the generations to come.

The biggest difference between the situation Abraham was in and the one we currently find ourselves in was the aftermath of the events. God did not just predict slavery he predicted the freedom of the Israelites, and the demise of the Egyptians. Genesis 15:14 ”but I will execute judgment of the nation they shall serve and in the end they shall go free with great wealth”. In our case we have no guaranteed redemption; the outcome of our situation depends on us. The constant dismissal of our reality will only add to the workload in stopping climate change.

Although, I may have not given Abraham enough credit. In Genesis 19 God reveals to Abraham that Sodom and Gomorrah, two cities corrupt and surrounded by sin, are to be destroyed. Abraham came forward and said, “Will You sweep away the innocent along with the guilty? Abraham pleads for the lives of any who are righteous living in those lands. God first agrees to spare the both cities if 50 righteous people can be found and eventually agrees to spare them even if there are only 10. Abraham bravely argued with God, a divine being, and for the most part won. In some ways you could say that Abraham held God accountable for the possible demise of innocent lives, an unethical decision that even a god could not make. No one should have to suffer for the selfish decisions of people who are only trying to help themselves. It is simply unfair.

I have always  wanted to help the fight against climate change, but people such as myself will always be presented with the same problem. Most of the work intended to prevent climate change involves small edits to one's daily life. Such as recycling, and switching single use products with a sustainable alternative. Yes, these tasks prove helpful, but not to the extent that would prove effective on a global scale. Our planet needs solutions to problems well beyond turning out the light when leaving a room. And this is the sad reality. I personally believe the best way to help in the fight against climate change is to hold politicians and the rich and wealthy accountable for the decisions they make that hurt our climate. With that I encourage you to reach out to local politicians, sign petitions, and support causes fighting climate change. Thank you and Shabbat Shalom.

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