We have begun reading the stories of the patriarchs and matriarchs. According to the Talmud (Berakhot 26b), the patriarchs instituted the three daily prayer services. Abraham instituted the morning service (shaharit); Isaac the afternoon service (minha); and Jacob the evening service (ma’ariv). The “proof” of this is based on midrashic readings of three verses. It struck me that another way to read this text is that each presented different spiritual paths/qualities for being in the world. 

The first verse:

And Abraham awoke early the next morning and hurried to the place where he stood before God (va-yashkeim Avraham ba-boker el ha-makom asher amad sham et pnai Adonai) Genesis 19:27. The context for this verse is that Abraham had challenged God over the justice of God’s plan to destroy Sodom. He bargained with God to agree that even ten righteous people would be enough to spare Sodom it’s destruction.

      For the Talmud, Abraham standing before God is an act of prayer (as in the Amida, the standing prayer, central to each of the three services). Yet, Abraham has demonstrated that the spiritual life consists of being willing to stand up even to God. It is about speaking truth to power and speaking out against injustice. Abraham has a faith that enables him to journey into the unknown at the behest of God. He also has enough faith in himself to challenge that God. He knows that derekh Adonai—the way of God consists of tzedaka and mishpat—being just and right (Gen. 18:19).

     Abraham is clearly a morning person—eager to face the challenges that lie ahead. This is his makom-place, his way of being in the world. As I said the other week, he sees the world as a place of fire and enlightenment, therefore he greets the dawn of the new day. He understands the potential, not just the challenge of each day. As the text reads: new things with the dawn, great is your faith (Lam. 3:23). Yet, there is danger in his quality of faith and commitment. The near enemy of his way of being is righteous fanaticism. 

     Sarah has no such problem. She represents the ability to laugh at yourself and to respond with a healthy skepticism. She knows most dreams remain unfulfilled but the journey is still worth it. Despite the disappointments and the wear and tear of life, even in old age she knows that you can live with the zest of a twenty year old and the innocence of a seven year old (see Rashi on Gen. 23:1).

Next week Isaac, Rebecca and minha.