ויאמר ה’ לאברם לך לך מארצך ומבית אביך (לך יב:א)

Hashem told Avraham, leave your hometown and your your father's home

When the holy Ridzener Rav zt’’l tried to escape from Communist Russia to Sadigera, the Russian Government deployed wild tactics to get the Ridzener Rav back to Russia.

People advised the Ridzener Rav zt’’l to change his family name to elude the Russian soldiers by saying he was not the fugitive they sought.  However, the Ridzener Rav refused to comply, saying: “For me to run away from Russia is like the nisoyan – challenge of Avraham Avinu – לך לך מארצך.  But “מבית אביך” only Avraham could do that since his father was Terach.  But I, who was worthy of such a great father as Reb Shalom zt’’l, can’t leave my father’s name behind!”

Filed under Parshas Lech Lecha |