This week's Parsha of Lech l'cha introduces us to Avrohom Avinu (our father Abraham) and the eternal relationship that develops between HaShem and Avrohom. This relationship continues through to his son Yitzchok (Isaac) and on to Yitzchok's son, Yaakov. Finally this relationship manifests itself in HaShem's choosing Avrohom's grandchildren to be His nation and to carry His Torah through the world.

The prophet Isaiah identifies the nature of this relationship as being one of love. "But you, O Israel, My servant, Yakov, you whom I have chosen , offspring of Avrohom who loved Me ... I have chosen you and will not reject you..." The Book of Chronicles refers to Avrohom as the beloved of HaShem. There is a mutual love relationship between HaShem and Avrohom.

Love relationships can develop on the basis of varying factors. In many of these factors there is a strong self interest on the parties that are engaged. These factors may be comfort, financial, self-propagation and perhaps many others. There is also a selfless factor upon which the relationship can develop. The origin of this factor is the recognition of how much I owe to the other person. In other words, to simply love someone out of selflessness is ridiculous; there must be something that initiates this relationship. When I realize how much my parents have done for me from the day I was born until today I will be filled with a love towards them. The more my recognition increases the stronger the love will become. There is nothing I am interested in getting from this relationship; to the contrary, I want only to give. As I realize that I was cared for every moment by my mother in the first years of my life; she always had her mind on me and made sure I was comfortable, well-fed, warm and had whatever I needed, my heart wants to return that infinite goodness and to show that it is appreciated.

The love that is built upon self interest is not durable. It cannot last forever. However, the selfless love only continues to grow stronger and stronger. The love Avrohom had for HaShem was built exclusively upon his sense of gratitude to HaShem. As Avrohom grew up he recognized that every moment of his life was a continual gift from HaShem. He realized that the whole of creation was done for the sake of Man. The more he learnt about the world around the more his love grew as he recognized how much HaShem did for him. His love for HaShem became so internalized within his very essence that it became part of genetic material. His love of HaShem became transferable to his descendants.

With an eternal love that endures all travails HaShem knew that he could build the Jewish people from Avrohom's descendants. Hence, Avrohom was chosen to father the chosen people.

It is difficult to comprehend how this relationship can be transferred to children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Does it really become part of the genetic material? I am not sure how to answer this question; nevertheless, the pages of our history are replete with stories that demonstrate this.

Our Sages compare the Jewish people to a dove. Once a dove chooses a mate they will stay together for the rest of their life. Even in the event that one dies early the surviving mate will not join up with another dove. Rather it will remain alone to rest of its life. This is a remarkable trait considering that animals conduct their life's activities for the sole purpose of living and propagating. Somehow the dove has an instinctive selfless love for its mate.

In this respect we are compared to a dove. Even when it appears that HaShem has abandoned us and it seems that we abandoned HaShem nevertheless that instinctive love still surfaces. To illustrate this notion I would like to share with you the story of Esfir and Mottel Kreymer.

Esfir and Mottel were not practicing religious Jews when they lived in Moscow. Although their parents or grandparents were practicing Jews nevertheless they had no real Jewish education or any real Jewish environment which would be conducive to learning Judaism. Naturally, the family slipped from observance of Torah. In spite of their distance from observance of mitzvos when their son Mikhail was born one month before Stalin died Esfir and Mottel arranged that baby Misha should receive a Bris!

To fully appreciate the exclamation mark following Bris you must realize that to perform a Bris in 1953 under the shadow of the Kremlin was putting oneself in extreme danger. If the authorities would find out about it the parties involved could expect to be sent to Siberia for 10 - 15 years.

The Kreymer family made a point to have matzo on Pesach and taught their children that they should not tell anyone about their matzo. In the event that someone found out they were taught to claim that it is just a type of white cookies.

If Esfir and Mottel were not observant, from where did they have this intense commitment to these mitzvos?

Esfir and Mottel have this love for HaShem in their blood. And while they could not perhaps articulate it as such, nevertheless, they got from their great grandfather Avrohom Avinu.

How wise a choice HaShem made in choosing us to be His beloved people! How wise a choice it is for us to uncover that eternal love for Him that lies deep inside!

Have a wonderful Shabbos.

Paysach Diskind