An Upset Talmid

A talmid walked into the room very upset. The talmid’s math teacher returned his test, and the results were less than stellar. The student was particularly disturbed — saying he had the opportunity to cheat, but chose not to. “Why should I not cheat?” he asked. He said, “I was honest, and honesty did not pay off.” The talmid noted that saying Hashem would, eventually, even accounts in Olam Haba would not satisfy him. He wanted to hear a compelling “this world” (Olam Hazeh) reason to refrain from cheating.

Who We Come From

We read in the haftara of parshat Eikev of Yishayahu HaNavi (51:2) urging us to be keenly aware of our origins. “Look to Avraham, your forefather, and Sarah, who birthed us.” Avraham Avinu and Sarah Imeinu were both tzaddikim and yesharim — proper, clean and honest. Sefer Bereishit is called: “Sefer Hayashar (the Book of the Upright),” because of Avraham and Sarah’s honesty and uprightness.

Avraham Avinu’s Pristine Integrity

The Torah in Bereishit, perek 14, oddly describes at length Avraham Avinu waging war against the four Mesopotamian kings who captured his nephew, Lot. Why does the Torah present this battle in such detail?

We need to hear this story since it conveys — like no other — Avraham Avinu’s exemplary behavior and integrity. First, Avraham Avinu had every reason not to enter this battle to rescue Lot. He was over 80 years of age — severely outnumbered — and the five kings were capable warriors. Lot’s poor decision to move to the evil Sedom led to his capture. Moreover, Avraham Avinu risked his entire enterprise of building a special nation that conveys Hashem’s message to the world. If he died in battle, which was very likely to occur, his grand project of creating Am Yisrael would abruptly end. Despite all this, Avraham Avinu risked it all to rescue his wayward nephew. Commitment to his family was more important to Avraham, than all else.

Second, we read of Malkitzedek Melech Shalem feeding Avraham Avinu and his hungry band of fighters returning from their overwhelming victory. But, let us pause for a moment… Why were our forefathers and his supporters hungry? In the ancient world (and even today), soldiers returning from victory in battle would rob, rape and pillage on their route home. In sharp contrast, Avraham and his men refrained from such ugly behavior and did not take what was not theirs.

The grandfather of TABC talmid Elan Berner, Uri Uralevitch, reports that when his platoon took control of Chevron during the Six Day War, Arab store owners were shocked when they paid for the food they purchased. Likewise, Israeli soldiers living in Arab homes while fighting in Lebanon and Gaza left money when they took food (when they had nothing to eat). Such honesty is the Jewish way of emulating Avraham Avinu!

Finally, Melech Sedom told Avraham Avinu to return the rescued captives to Sedom, but to keep Sedom’s property that Avraham Avinu recaptured from the four kings. Midrash Lekach Tov explains that Melech Sedom presumed Avraham Avinu — as was typical behavior — waged war to enrich himself. Instead, Avraham Avinu shocked Melech Sedom by swearing to Hashem to return every last bit of restored Sedom property. Such ethical behavior (foreshadowing the mitzvah of hashavat aveida, returning lost items) was unheard of in the ancient world. Avraham Avinu, though, set an example of a much better way.

Conclusion — True Descendants of Avraham Avinu Don’t Cheat

“Look where we come from,” I told my upset talmid (echoing Yishayahu’s call). “Look at the role model yesharim from whom we descend!”

In the haftara of parshat Lech Lecha, Yishayahu HaNavi (41:8) tells us that Hashem takes pride in us as the “descendants of Avraham who loved me.” To qualify for this lofty title, we must live like Avraham Avinu. Biological descent alone does not suffice to earn such high divine regard.

Why be honest? The profound satisfaction from living up to the truthful model set by our illustrious ancestors is more than sufficient reason to live honorably (aside from consequences in the next world). It feels so good to be clean and authentic! Why not cheat? Because this is not how true descendants of Avraham and Sarah behave …

Rabbi Haim Jachter is the spiritual leader of Congregation Shaarei Orah, the Sephardic Congregation of Teaneck. He also serves as a rebbe at Torah Academy of Bergen County and a dayan on the Beth Din of Elizabeth.