Do Not Turn Back
By Moshe Katz
CEO
Israeli Krav International

November 6, 2015, Israel

Father Abraham, always looking up....

Finding the right spouse is never easy. Going back three thousand and six hundred years our ancestor Abraham was seeking a wife for his son Isaac. He sent his trusted servant Eliezer on a mission...Return to my homeland, my place of birth and take a wife for my son, for Isaac. 

But Eliezer had his doubts. Just as many of our exiled Jews are still reluctant to make the move to come to Israel, Eliezer was concerned that the woman he choose might refuse to make the journey to the land.

Years earlier Abraham had been instructed by God to leave all he knew behind and have faith and come to the Promised Land, the land of Israel. He accepted the command and made the journey, never knowing what the future would hold. Even today many of our people are not up to that challenge, and that is exactly what worried Eliezer.

He asked Abraham, what if the woman does not want to come with me, should I return your son to the land from which you came?

Abraham was emphatic. No!! Never. "Beware, guard yourself against any such action lest you return my son to there."  (Genesis, 23, 6)

Abraham spoke of the great promise that God had made to him, of the great future, the future of the Jewish nation. This greatness would only come about in the Promised Land, the Holy Land, the land of Israel. No, there can be no turning back!!

Eliezer was only the servant but Abraham was the master. While Eliezer was concerned about the woman's rejection of this Great Plan Abraham was not.

God has made me a promise and it will be. God will send his messenger before you and you will take a wife for my son.

Let us see the difference and let us learn.

Abraham could see the future, what we call today the big picture. Eliezer was worried; what if this goes wrong, what if that goes wrong. Great men move forward, no matter what. Obstacles are things to be overcome.

Abraham was a visionary, he could see what lesser men could not see. He was the man of God and the warrior. He would not turn back on his dream.

What if there is a challenge, what if the girl will not come along, should we turn back? Go back to whence I came from? Are you serious? A little obstacle and we turn back on our dream! No, Guard yourself, says Abraham, from such thoughts. Guard yourself is the phrase he uses.

You start a business, things will go wrong, oh yes indeed they will! So at the first sign of trouble close up shop and go back to your job which you hated?

You start training, someone makes fun of you, progress slows down, so you turn back on your dream! Think of Abraham, there is no turning back, there is a great future ahead. If the girl says no, you are absolved from your oath. Forget about it, but never, never shall we turn back. We are on a mission, we have a goal.

As I read the words of our ancestor Abraham I feel the absolute determination in his soft voice. Words are used in command form, directions are clear and not subject to interpretation. You shall not return my son to that land. This is our land.

There is no turning back on a dream. Problems and difficulties shall arise and we shall deal with them. Objections will come from lesser men, we shall override them. But the dream must be a pure and holy one. Abraham does not say...If you fail I shall kill you, as a dictator would. No, if the woman does not want to come, so be it, we shall not force her, and you are exempt from any punishment and are absolved of our oath.

A strong will for a pure cause. Follow your dreams.

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