Dear Friends,
In this week’s Torah portion, Abraham seeks to save the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah from the wrath of God. Each of these cities have become so corrupt and evil that God wants to wipe them from the face of the earth, but as Abraham learns of their imminent destruction, he tries to bargain with God in an effort to save them. In a series of confrontational exchanges, Abraham pleads on behalf of Sodom and Gomorrah.
This ancient story encourages us to stand up for justice and mercy in all circumstances. It urges us to question authority for the sake of goodness in the world.
In some ways, yesterday’s elections encouraged all Americans to be like Abraham. Through the process of voting, each of us had an opportunity to have a voice in the future on our cities, states, and nation. Like Abraham, we expressed ourselves with the hope that our efforts would have a positive impact on our people and our nation at large.
With our votes counted, and the results complete, it is up to us to move forward in the spirit of the hopes of Abraham and avoid slipping into the pitfalls of Sodom and Gomorrah. May we go from strength to strength.
L’Shalom,
Steve