Avraham Avinu: A Life of Emuna

Avraham Avinu was the first to teach the world about truth and emuna: that there is a Creator of this world, that Someone is running everything, and that each one of us is meant to live with generosity and chessed and emulate the ways of our creator.

Before Avraham, people worshipped idols. But Avraham searched for truth. He looked at the stars and at the incredible beauty of the world and asked: Who created all of this? Who is behind it all? Through that search, Avraham came to understand that there is one Creator who controls everything.

And his emuna was not only something he believed. It shaped the way he lived.

Just three days after his brit milah, while he was still in tremendous pain and healing, Avraham sat outside his tent waiting for an opportunity to invite people in. When he saw people in the distance, he actually ran toward them so that he could do chessed with them. He was eager for every opportunity to help people and invite them in to eat. What an incredible level of holiness. There is so much we can learn from him.

Avraham was known to keep the entire Torah. He was an incredible tzaddik who kept the whole Torah in its entirety. And through his life, he teaches us that Sukkot is not only about ourselves. It is also about opening our homes and our hearts to others: inviting people in, treating them with love and respect, giving to them, and developing the ability to truly see the other person.

But Avraham also teaches us that real chessed is deeper than simply giving. He would give to others, and then teach them to recognize Hashem, to bless Him, and to say thank You to Him. His chessed was connected to emuna.

Avraham also went through ten challenges. Again and again, he chose to believe, even when the path did not seem to make sense and when things were far from clear.

This is what we can try to bring into our own homes: Avraham’s middot of giving, emuna, chessed, and ahavat Yisrael.

Maybe this is one of the greatest gifts Avraham gives us. Emuna is not only something we express in synagogue. It is reflected in the way we treat other people, in the way we act, in the way we give, and in the way we open our homes. Every time we give with love and welcome another person with warmth, we are continuing the derech of Avraham Avinu.