It takes courage to change your mind. It takes superhuman effort to change your whole outlook.
Here is a story of a conversation that occurred close to 160 years ago between two leaders of the Chabad movement that provides tremendous insight into how we can always become better people.
This week’s Parsha begins with the story of how Avraham experienced a tremendous revelation from G-d after observing the Mitzvah of Bris (circumcision) when he was 99 years old. This Shabbat also coincides with the 20th of Cheshvan on the Jewish calendar, which is the birthday of the fifth Chabad Rebbe, Rabbi Shalom Dov Ber, who had an exceptional relationship with his grandfather, the third Chabad Rebbe, known as the Tzemach Tzedek.
On the Shabbat evening of his fourth or fifth birthday, he walked into his grandfather’s study and started crying. “I learned in school that G-d revealed Himself to our patriarch Avraham. Why does G-d not reveal himself to me?”
“When a Jew who is 99 years old decides it’s appropriate to do a Bris,” the Tzemach Tzedek responded, “he is worthy of such an intense divine revelation.”
There is so much to unpack from this story, but I’d like to focus on one aspect of the response. The fact that Avraham observed G-d’s command to do a circumcision despite his old age is not the most impressive thing he did during his lifetime. Early on he was called upon to risk his life to prove his allegiance to G-d and later on he was willing to sacrifice his son to fulfill G-d’s command.
The symbolism of the circumcision is that although Avraham was the embodiment of piety and the greatest champion for G-d and G-d awareness in the world for close to a century, he was nevertheless ready for radical change even at such an advanced age. The Bris circumcision is not a medical surgery, it is G-d’s way of branding Avraham. No longer would his passion for Monotheism be the product of his own intellectual and emotional growth or efforts, it would now become his very essence.
These are the kind of “late-in-life” changes that continue to define the beauty of our people. Over the last two weeks, I had the pleasure of helping two Jews wear Tefillin for the first time in their lives, and another Jew well into his eighties who last wore Tefillin when he was 20 years old. These three friends proved to me it is never too late in life to “change your mind” or even “change your perspective.”
The same applies to national perspectives that can impact all of Israel and Jews around the world. A month ago certain widely accepted perspectives have proven to be tragically wrong and misguided. Avraham teaches us that we can have the courage to examine them, reject them, and seek out the Torah's true perspectives that will inevitably pave our path to true and lasting peace for all.
My friend Rabbi Dovid Margolin authored an important article on this topic illustrating how the Torah can provide world Jewry the clarity and encouragement we so desperately need. I highly recommend the lengthy read :)