by Rabbi Noah Gradofsky
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed here are that of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of the Union for Traditional Judaism, unless otherwise indicated.
God said to Abram: Go from your land, your birthplace and the house of your father to the land that I will show you. (Gen 12:1)
Well, that’s a little vague! Where did you say I was going again? I know what I’m leaving – my land, my birthplace, my father’s house. I’m leaving everything I know. And where am I going? Oh. You’ll show me that later. Great. That’s reassuring.
About to embark on a spiritual journey that will change his whole life, God doesn’t even tell Abram where he is going. Why not? The Midrash asks why God did not reveal to Abram the destination of this trip. Genesis Rabbah (Ch. 39 & 55) explains: ‘in order to make it precious in his eyes, and to give him reward for each and every step.” Not knowing his destination, Abram would have to constantly look to God for instruction. And each step of the way had its own reward.
Perhaps this is true about every spiritual journey. As a person grows and develops in his/her spirituality, one cannot be certain where one will end up. Each day presents us with new realizations, new ways to understand God’s world. New inspiration and new challenges. But it is because of this that, like Abram, each and every step closer to God can be so rewarding.
An example: I did not grow up halakhically observant. Nor did a light switch get flipped one day that magically turned me into a halakhic Jew. Getting to where I am today was a journey. From the time I first decided to wear tsitsit daily, to the time when I decided to no longer eat non-kosher food, to the time that I started to observe the Sabbath. There were many steps along the way, and I suppose there are an infinite number of steps that remain for me to take. But with each step I made, I could never be sure where it would lead me. Would I keep it up? Would I take a step back?
When I started to pray three times a day – would it make me feel a more permanent connection to God – would it lead me to observe even more, or would I be frustrated by failing to live up to that commitment? Or perhaps doing too much would lead me to burnout. I did not know.
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Ordained by the UTJ’s Institute of Traditional Judaism in 2004, Rabbi Noah Gradofsky has remained a steadfast member, serving for years as a member of the UTJ Executive Board, the board of Morashah - UTJ's rabbinic fellowship - and as chairman of the UTJ conference committee.
Rabbi Gradofsky served as a full-time rabbi at Temple Israel in Long Beach, NY, for 6 years and has since served a number of synagogues on a contract basis. He is also a full-time practicing attorney.
Rabbi Gradofsky is also a moderator of the UTJ Facebook group, and he is a prolific writer on Jewish law and sociological topics affecting the religious Jewish community. Among his essays and writings are:
To learn more about Rabbi Gradofsky and access any essays not yet included in Viewpoints, go to: www.e-ark.net
Rabbi Gradofsky is married to Dr. Melissa Klapper and lives in the Philadelphia area.