Parashat Lech Lecha and George Orwell’s 1984

Comparing the Torah, a book handed down from God containing timeless truths for all humanity, with a work of fiction may seem odd, even blasphemous. And for the most part, the comparison is silly. But there is one line in 1984 that could have come straight out of this week’s paraha.

Remember that 1984 is tells the story of Winston Smith, a functionary at the Ministry of Truth, whose work consists of editing historical accounts to fit the government's policies. Towards the end of the book when Winston has been captured and about to be “reeducated” he utters a line that we can picture Avraham having said. I’ll get to the line in a minute

Remember, we don’t meet Avraham until he’s in his 70’s. He grew up in a world full of idolatry, his father was the cities chief idol maker – you would certainly expect him to be full entrenched in that world. However, he wasn’t.

As a child, Avraham came to the realization that there must be a single, all powerful God. The midrash relates a wonderful story of Avraham as a child working in his father’s idol shop. When his father goes out and leaves Avraham in charge, he takes a hammer and smashes all the idols, except the biggest one. He then places the hammer in the remaining idols hand and waits for this father to return. When his father returns and sees the mess he asks Avraham what happened. Avraham answers, "it was amazing dad, the idols got into a fight and the biggest one won." Of course, his father tells Avraham that that he’s lying, since the idols are just stone and can not do that. So Avraham responds, "if they are just stone, why do you worship them." Obviously Avraham discovered a fundamental truth.

What’s truly amazing about Avraham’s realization was that he did it totally of his own logic – he did not experience revelation until 50 or so years later when God speaks to Avraham is in this week’s parsha when God tells him to move to Israel. Imagine that, for 50 years you have a belief that no one else around you shares, one that is directly contrary to that of everyone you know. And you believe it so deeply that, despite the opposition, you set out as your life’s goal to spread the message.

You could imagine Avraham (or Avram as he was still known) being confronted about this. You can picture someone saying “Avram, why do you cling to such silly beliefs, no one else in the word agrees with you, did you ever consider that maybe you’re just wrong.”

This is where the line from 1984 comes in. As Winston is about to be reeducated he is confronted about his beliefs, his response: “There are truths, and there are untruths. Just because you’re in a minority of one, doesn’t make you wrong.”

What a line, exactly what Avraham would have said. In fact, this line sums up the history of our people. For 1000+ years after Avraham brought monotheism to the world, the Jews were the only people in the whole world to believe it. Every time a new power came to the region (Syria, Greece, Rome…) they would have challenged the Jews as to why they hold on to such a silly concept. But we kept at it, an slowly people started to come around. Today, half of the world has come around.

But it doesn’t stop there. Look at modern Israel. How many times has it had to do something that the entire world condemned, but we knew was right? Bombing the Iraqi nuclear facility. The entire world condemned it at the time, but 10 years later, during the first Gulf War. I’m sure coalition troops were happy Israel did that. And more recently, the security fence, unilateral withdrawals, the list goes on and on.

We all need to head this lesson, in our religious life, and outside. If you know something is right or wrong, we can’t bow to public opinion or political correctness, we need to stand up and advocate and heed the advice of Avraham via Winston.

Shabbat Shalom.