Torah Commentary - Lech L'cha

CNN recently aired a segment on "Klout." As defined by the young, earnest CEO of the Klout start-up, Klout is a measure of one's personal and/or professional success based on how effectively one uses social media. So- if your blog has hundreds of followers; you're the subject of thousands of tweets; your Facebook page attracts a million friends; and your video has gone viral; you have a high Klout score. (It doesn't hurt to have been on the cover of numerous "People" magazine and "National Enquirer" issues! Think Klout as in Kardashian.)

What bearing could Klout possibly have on the Torah Portion Lech L'cha?
Abram (later Abraham), whom we meet in Lech L'cha, plays an essential, transformational role in the evolution of Judaism. In today's terminology, we'd call him a "game changer." But, why Abram? Why did God choose this particular descendent of Noah to launch the Judaism of One God that is our eternal belief? Did Abram have some ancient Middle Eastern version of Klout?

While there is a charming Midrash about young Abram smashing the merchandise in his father's idol shop, the Torah doesn't explain God's choice. We don't learn that Abram is well known, or a recognized leader in his time, or famous in any way.
The Portion Lech L'cha begins almost abruptly with God's commandment and a statement of God's Covenant with Abram and his descendents.
"And YHWH said to Abram, 'Go from your land and from your birthplace and from your father's house to the land that I'll show you. And I'll make you into a big nation and I'll bless you and make your name great. And be a blessing.' " (Genesis 12:1-2)*

Without a question, a comment, a complaint, or a proclamation, Abram makes a life-altering commitment and does as God commands. Thus, we learn from Abram's first action that, spiritually, his belief in God is incredibly strong, and he is open to "hearing" and obeying God's commands. From a worldly perspective, we discover that Abram is a man of property, a family man who has assumed responsibility for his dead brother's son, Lot and Lot's family.

As God moves Abram on his groundbreaking journey, Abram's relationship with God grows in depth and complexity.. He acknowledges God's presence by building altars and by invoking God's name. (Genesis 12:8)
At the same time, Abram doesn't surrender his ability to act as an individual and passively allow God to determine his and his familiy's fate. In Egypt, Abram makes a plan to have his wife, Sarai, pose as his sister in order to survive the Egyptians' lustful advances. The plan actually works too well and Sarai is taken to be a wife to Pharaoh. God intervenes with plagues on Pharaoh and Abram, Sarai, and their large household escape unharmed. (Genesis 12:10-20) God and Abram act together here to ensure Abram's survival.

Abram continues to travel and to grow in a patriarchal role. He solves the problem of finding territory for his flocks and Lot's flocks by suggesting that they separate and settle in different parts of the land. (Genesis 13: 5-13)
When Lot and his family are imprisoned by warring kings, Abram organizes a rescue and refuses any compensation from the king of Sodom so as to avoid any obligation to an earthly ruler. (Genesis 14: 13-23)

So far, in Lech L'cha we've seen Abram obey God's commandments and ably look after his family. What we haven't seen is any attempt by Abram to communicate the special relationship unfolding between himself and God. Abram doesn't share his unique status with family members, not even with Sarai. Abram doesn't use God's promise to multiply his descendents into a nation to intimidate kings or to enrich himself in any way. Abram doesn't seek self-promotion or embrace self-importance. He isn't sidetracked into pursuing some ancient form of Klout.
Abram, even now, a role model honored in our prayers, listens, obeys, trusts, believes, and strives to understand how he can fulfill the destiny which God promises.

As Lech L'cha continues, God repeats the Divine Promise to protect Abram's family; to multiply his descendents; and to give them land.
As a symbol of the Covenant, God changes Abram's name to "Abraham" and Sarai's name to "Sarah." In observance of the Covenant, God commands circumcision of all males eight days and older in Abraham's household and in the generations to come. God reveals that Abraham and the aging Sarah will have a son, Isaac.
In the final verses of Lech L'cha, without a word to anyone that he, Abram renamed Abraham by God, is a partner in God's Covenant, Abraham diligently listens, firmly believes, and completely obeys.

Admittedly, it's an immense leap from Klout to Covenant, but here's the take-away. From Abraham's example we learn that God's commandments are fulfilled by acts, not by announcements. It's what we do, not how many we tell that matters. Lech L'cha reminds us that in our hyper-connected, super-social world, it's our Covenant score, not our Klout score that defines who we are.

*From: Commentary on the Torah by Richard Elliott Friedman