Parshat Lech Lecha: Finding the Courage to Change and the Power of Faith

“And the Lord said to Abram: Go forth from your land, from your birthplace, and from your father’s house, to the land that I will show you. And I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, and you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all the families of the earth shall be blessed through you” (Genesis 12:1–3).

The first commandment Abraham fulfills is to leave behind the familiar and embark on a journey into the unknown. Movement is an essential expression of life itself. The ancient Greek philosopher Heraclitus famously declared that “everything flows,” suggesting that existence is characterized by constant change. While stagnation can signify decline and deterioration, movement, transformation, and renewal are signs of vitality.

Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook expressed a similar idea, describing existence as a state of continuous physical and spiritual movement. This contrast between movement and stagnation is reflected in the difference between Abraham and the builders of the Tower of Babel. While the people of Babel sought to remain in one place, united by a single worldview, Abraham began his defining journey by leaving his comfort zone and embracing change.

A similar distinction can be found in psychology. Some psychological approaches emphasize the pursuit of equilibrium and the reduction of internal tension. Developmental psychologist Jean Piaget, for example, described psychological development as a progression toward increasingly stable forms of equilibrium.

Existential psychology, by contrast, emphasizes growth, self-transcendence, and the pursuit of meaning. In Man’s Search for Meaning, psychiatrist and Holocaust survivor Viktor Frankl argued that human beings do not primarily need freedom from tension, but rather a meaningful goal worth striving toward. One of the defining characteristics of human existence, he maintained, is our capacity to direct ourselves toward something beyond our immediate needs.

Abraham's journey embodies this principle. His greatness lay not in remaining comfortable and secure, but in his willingness to move toward a purpose greater than himself.

The Courage to Take the First Step

The transition from zero to one, from nothing to something, is uniquely challenging. Beginning something entirely new requires creating a reality that did not previously exist. The more unprecedented the undertaking, the greater the courage required. Without established models to follow, innovation demands faith, determination, and confidence in the possibility of success.

The Danish philosopher Søren Kierkegaard explored this dimension of Abraham's journey in Fear and Trembling. He described how Abraham left the land of his ancestors through the power of faith, becoming a stranger in the land of promise. Abraham left behind his ordinary human understanding and carried faith with him. Had he relied solely on conventional reasoning, he might never have undertaken a journey that appeared to contradict common sense. Yet Abraham believed.

This willingness to move beyond familiar assumptions is not merely a historical lesson. It represents a challenge that every person encounters.

Rabbi Nachman of Breslov offers a profound interpretation of Lech lecha, explaining that God's command to Abraham contains a message for every human being. The instruction to “go forth” can also be understood as a call to journey toward one's true self.

Rabbi Nachman teaches that a person's essential identity, the deepest meaning of the word “I,” is the soul. Our journeys, experiences, and actions should therefore bring us closer to the source of our soul. In this sense, the journey outward is ultimately a journey inward. By moving beyond what is familiar, we create the possibility of discovering who we truly are.

Breaking Free From Limiting Beliefs

Sometimes, embarking on such a journey requires abandoning old ways of thinking. When Abraham was promised a son despite his advanced age, the prospect seemed almost impossible. He was approaching one hundred years old, and Sarah was well beyond the conventional age of childbearing.

Yet Abraham had already demonstrated an extraordinary willingness to challenge accepted beliefs. Long before leaving his homeland, he had confronted the religious and social conventions of his time. According to Bereishit Rabbah, Abraham took a stick and smashed the idols in his father's house, dramatically rejecting the beliefs that surrounded him.

This act symbolized more than the destruction of physical statues. It represented a willingness to challenge inherited traditions and deeply rooted assumptions.

Nevertheless, when it came to his own longing for a child, Abraham faced a deeply personal struggle. He had previously expressed his pain before God: “What will You give me, seeing that I remain childless?” (Genesis 15:2). Even someone capable of challenging an entire society may struggle to move beyond beliefs shaped by personal disappointment.

God's response was to take Abraham outside: “And He brought him outside” (Genesis 15:5).

Rashi explains that God was instructing Abraham to abandon the conclusions he had drawn from astrology, which suggested that he would never have a son. While Abram would not have a son, Abraham would. Similarly, while Sarai would not give birth, Sarah would. Their new names signified a transformation in their destiny.

Rashi offers another interpretation: God elevated Abraham above the stars, enabling him to look down upon them rather than remain subject to their influence.

On a deeper level, this moment represents an invitation to rise above limiting assumptions and recognize possibilities that once seemed unimaginable. Abraham was being called to step beyond the boundaries of his existing understanding, just as he had once stepped beyond the boundaries of his homeland.

Why Did Abraham and Sarah Laugh?

When God later promised Abraham that Sarah would give birth to a son, Abraham responded with laughter: “Then Abraham fell upon his face and laughed, and said in his heart: Shall a child be born to a man who is a hundred years old? And shall Sarah, who is ninety years old, give birth?” (Genesis 17:17).

Sarah also laughed upon hearing the news: “And Sarah laughed within herself, saying: After I have grown old, shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?” (Genesis 18:12).

Although both laughed, Rashi draws an important distinction between their reactions. Abraham's laughter expressed faith and joy, while Sarah's reflected disbelief and skepticism.

The Torah presents several other instances of laughter, each carrying a different meaning. When Lot warned his sons-in-law that Sodom was about to be destroyed, they regarded him as though he were joking. Later, Sarah observed Ishmael, the son of Hagar, metzachek, a term interpreted in various ways, including laughter, mockery, or inappropriate behavior.

These examples reveal the complexity of laughter. It can arise from surprise, disbelief, ridicule, or contempt. It may serve as a means of hurting others or as a defense against being hurt. Sometimes, laughter helps us cope with painful circumstances; at other times, it emerges from absurdity or the harmless violation of expectations. Laughter can also be an authentic expression of playfulness, human connection, and genuine happiness. More profoundly, it can reflect faith and confidence in the future.

Rabbi Akiva provides a striking example. While his companions wept at the sight of the Temple's destruction, Rabbi Akiva laughed. He understood that the fulfillment of prophecies of destruction strengthened his confidence in the eventual fulfillment of prophecies of redemption.

His laughter did not reflect indifference to suffering, but rather the ability to view painful circumstances from a broader perspective, one grounded in faith and hope.

Two Kinds of Laughter: Cynicism and Hope

The philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche also recognized laughter as an expression of vitality and an affirmation of life. In Thus Spoke Zarathustra, he urged his readers to embrace laughter rather than surrender to excessive solemnity and despair.

Contrary to the image of philosophers as withdrawn and somber thinkers, Nietzsche celebrated humor, playfulness, and joy. He believed that genuine thought need not be burdened by perpetual seriousness, suggesting that a day without dancing was a day wasted and that truth itself should leave room for laughter.

Yet as the biblical examples demonstrate, not all laughter is the same. There is a fundamental difference between laughing at the world and laughing within it.

One form of laughter is rooted in cynicism, discomfort, fear, or distrust. It may emerge from an inability to accept reality or from a desire to distance ourselves from its difficulties. Such laughter can conceal sadness, disappointment, or a deeper sense of alienation.

Another form of laughter emerges from harmony with life itself. It does not deny the complexity of existence, but expresses the ability to embrace life despite its uncertainties and contradictions. At its core lies a profound sense of hope.

Learning to See Light in the Darkness

Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook placed great importance on cultivating joy as an expression of spiritual vitality. “I am filled with joy,” he wrote, expressing his aspiration that happiness should permeate every corner of life.

From this perspective, joy rooted in faith and an affirmation of life represents a higher spiritual state than laughter born of cynicism or contempt.

And yet, developing this kind of joy requires effort. The ability to laugh with hope rather than despair demands that we cultivate a perspective capable of recognizing possibilities for goodness even when circumstances appear bleak. It means learning to identify points of light within darkness, without denying the darkness itself.

Rabbi Kook taught that even during the darkest hours of the night, a person must strive to remain connected to a state of inner illumination. This does not mean ignoring suffering or pretending that everything is easy, but maintaining faith in the possibility of renewal, even when the future remains uncertain.

Abraham's journey teaches us that life requires movement, courage, and a willingness to challenge the limitations of our existing beliefs. His laughter teaches us that faith can transform our response to the unexpected, allowing us to encounter uncertainty with hope rather than despair.

Together, these lessons reveal a profound connection between growth and joy. To move forward is to believe that change is possible. To laugh with genuine hope is to believe that the future can hold goodness beyond what we can presently imagine.

Perhaps this is the deeper message of Lech lecha: We are called not merely to leave behind the familiar, but to develop the courage, faith, and optimism needed to embrace the possibilities that lie ahead.

As the Book of Psalms declares: “Then our mouths will be filled with laughter, and our tongues with songs of joy” (Psalms 126:2).

Dr. Roi Cohen holds a PhD in Philosophy from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He is also an attorney, mediator, producer, director, and content creator.