This is a guest column by Rabbi Da-vid Rosenthal, from Aish Minnesota. Read Rabbi Da-vid’s Divrei Torah on his blog.
Suspense is an interesting emotion.
We pay money to be subjected to suspense. Just think about movies we see, or books we read. If there were no suspense, no tension, we’d ask for our money back.
Yet on the other hand, we hate suspense. Someone searching for their soul mate would much rather do away with all the anxiety, and just have the right person presented to them on a silver platter.
In both this week’s and last week’s parsha, Avraham is told about a destination, but not given specifics: “Go to the place that I will show you…” He is left wandering along, not knowing where he will end up, but waiting for G-d to show him the way. Avraham is required to trust in Hashem, and go through the journey in a state of suspense. This is part and parcel of the test.
We may think that it would be great to be able to communicate directly with Hashem, have our own hotline to ask questions and get guidance. Yet very often, even those who did have such a connection, were left in doubt as to what lay ahead. Part of the nature of existence is being able to live with a question unanswered. Where is Hashem leading me – I don’t know, but I follow none-the-less.
We are often faced with major changes in our life – getting married, finding a job, finding a home – and we are stuck at an in-between point. It is during such times that we need to know it’s ok to be in suspense, it’s part of the challenge. Hashem wants us to trust Him and know that He has a plan for us that will work out just the way He wants it to.
If we are truly trusting in Hashem, that tension can actually dissipate. As long as I do my part and act responsibly, I can be guaranteed that Hashem will take care of the rest.
When I was just a little boy, I asked my mother, what shall I be. Will I be handsome, will I be rich, here’s what she said to me: “Que Sera, Sera – whatever will be, will be. The future’s not ours to see, que sera, sera…”
Hashem has a plan, we need to relax and enjoy the ride.
Good Shabbos,
Da-vid Rosenthal
(Photo: Betchaboy)
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