Tyler’s Torah Thoughts for 5 Cheshvan, 5785
Fourth Portion of Lekh Lekha

So, today there is a LOT of energy going around the world. People are gaining clarity. Things we don’t want to believe are to be believed. It is interesting today’s passage is all about war.

I have written this over the last month multiple times:

When we are suffering and struggling, there are only four choices:

• Continue to suffer
• Control our controllables
• Change how we think about the situation
• Practice acceptance

The odds were against Abram. Lot was taken by a great kind. Abram’s love of Lot, and trust in Hashem had him sending 318 men, split them up (318/2 is 159) and they got Lot back.  That is how much Lot was loved.

This is the SAME Lot who fought with Abram over land. Family is family.

Abram cared and loved Lot – so he went after him.

And? The war was not an external one. It is a war within each and every one of us.

I wrote this a year ago, and it feels salient:

Freedom is letting go of the battle.  318 men defeated the greatest king of the time.  Hashem is with us. The war is external and internal. We can’t fight the external war. Just the one within. In each moment.

We have our wounds. We have our clarity. How we navigate it? That is up to us.

• Continue to suffer
• Control our controllables
• Change how we think about the situation
• Practice acceptance

What will we decide?

What are your thoughts?

Here are my thoughts from last year:

Tyler’s Torah Thoughts for 10 Cheshvan, 5784
Parsha Lekh Lekha: (Genesis 12:1 -17:27)
Fourth Portion: Genesis 14:1 -20

Today’s passage is all about war. It was really confusing for me to read when I first did.

Here’s a summary I wrote:

            Part 1:

There are nine kings. There was a rebellion and five kings rebelled against the major king (it seems) whose name was Chedorlaomer. The five kings included the kings of sodom and gamorrah.

In the 14th year of the rebellion, Chedorlaomer came down and really did a number on the rebellion it seems. The five kings got together and fought together against Chedorlaomer and three other kings. Although there were five kings, Chedorlaomer and his allies won.

Chedorlaomer and his allies took all the possessions from Sodom and Gamorrah and left. This included Lot.

Part 2:

What happens next is extraordinary. Basically, Abram finds out Lot has been taken, and he takes action. He sends (get this) 318 trained men to pursue Chedorlaomer and his allies. They split up and smote Chedorlaomer. They brought back all of the possessions including Lot and his family.

So. A battle between nine kings last 14 years, but Abram sends 318 men in (what sounds like) one night.

Closing:

Then, a tenth king (Melchizedek) comes forth and meets with Abram. (Hebrew writings believe this king was actually Shem son of Noah). He brought out bread and wine to bless Abram. (The Talmud suggests this was to let Abram know Melchizedek wasn’t mad that Abram had killed the people of Elam who were the descendants of Melchizedek). King Melchizedek blesses Abram with a major blessing!

In response, Abram gave Melchizedek 10% of everything he owned.

Now – the question is – how do we navigate this?  I wrote this a year ago:

One of the takeaways from this passage is the concept of “wounds.” Imagine the trauma of Sodom and Gamorah going through all of this. They rebelled, had the numbers to win (5 kings against 4) and lost. They were taken away and then rescued by 318 men. The psychological trauma of that would be incredible! I’m chewing on this as I know what is coming and what befalls sodom and gamorah.

The battle internally is real for all of us. What “wounds” exist from the battle? Even if the battle is currently raging inside of us? How has the battle impacted us?

Freedom is letting go of the battle.  318 men defeated the greatest king of the time.  Hashem is with us. The war is external and internal. We can’t fight the external war. Just the one within. In each moment.

And. We can’t get stuck on the last battle.  We can only focus on the battle of the moment. Begin again. Are we living lives of love? Are we living lives of Shalom (peace)? Or are we living lives where we take action externally that reflects the war raging within? This is the takeaway.  What has the trauma done to us? Will we be triggered by our Trauma, the way Sodom and Gamora was? Or will we build resilience from the trauma like Abram and Lot were? Post traumatic growth and resilience. That’s the key to the Torah. That is the key to loving ourselves and others.

We cannot STOP the war. We cannot undo the Trauma we’ve experienced.  Abram and Lot did NOTHING in today’s portion that warranted Lot being taken.  And instead of freaking out, Abram trusted Hashem and took action. Out of love. For Lot.

That’s my takeaway. What is yours?