Avram receives his call up from the Creator of the world - commanded with the ultimate mission. Perhaps the first, ‘Tzav Shmoneh’*.
וַיֹּאמֶר ה' אֶל־אַבְרָם לֶךְ־לְךָ מֵאַרְצְךָ וּמִמּוֹלַדְתְּךָ וּמִבֵּית אָבִיךָ אֶל־הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר אַרְאֶךָּ׃
“Go forth from your land, from your birthplace and from your father’s house to the land that I will show you.”
Avram is called to leave all that he knows, in pursuit of that which he cannot yet know. This is clearly not a call for a geographical relocation alone - but rather a transformative journey - one that will turn Avram into Avraham and set Bnei Yisrael on its ultimate course of serving as an ‘Or LaGoyim’.
The Midrash Rabbah addresses the clear question, “Why didn’t Hashem reveal the actual destination (Canaan) to him?” It answers, “In order to make the journey precious and beloved in his eyes and to give him reward for every single step.”
We can look back and know what once was. But, during these days of waiting and preparing, we look ahead and the destination feels uncertain. What will it look like? How will it shape up? What do the next days, weeks and months hold for the Jewish People? How will we make it through and to what?
The first step that Avraham took on this journey was motivated purely by belief. In a misguided world, he heard the call of Hashem and followed His voice towards the light of good - no matter how long the journey and how distant the destination. He took that first step over 3,500 years ago.
The story behind the modern-day ‘Tzav Shmoneh’ being specifically the 8th resolution is fairly enigmatic. It is now an expression deeply entrenched in the consciousness of our modern nation - associated with challenging times. A key clause of the resolution is that it has no set timespan - the call-up term is, ‘infinite’. I can’t help but see the ‘8’ of beyond nature. On its side - the symbol of infinity.
Avraham got the first call up, but we follow that same infinite mission every single day, every step that we take. Whether it’s charging forward or waiting patiently - every moment of faith is rewarded in the precious journey of our People.
G-d is the Commander. Love will conquer hate. Good will defeat evil. The destination will be extraordinary - beyond imagination. “When Hashem returns the captivity from Tziyon, we shall be like dreamers.” (Tehillim 126)
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*’Tzav Shmoneh’ (Resolution No. 8) is the name of the resolution that empowers the Israeli government to call up soldiers and reserves to active duty during times of national emergency, for an unlimited amount of time.
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