A fascinating probate story surrounds our Torah Portion this week concerning King Nimrod, the wicked pagan monarch whose very name means 'rebellion', who led the people astray from the belief in one G-d. As he prepared to die, he wrote in his will that only one of his two sons would inherit all of his great wealth. Only the son who was like him would inherit him; the other would receive nothing.
King Nimrod had two sons: the first was a wicked protege of his father, the other was Eliezer, the faithful servant of Abraham and fiercely committed to his master's teachings of monotheism. Naturally, everyone assumed that the wicked son would inherit all his father's great wealth. But, to everyone's surprise, Eliezer brought the case to probate court.
When asked to support his claim that he somehow resembled his father, Eliezer made a shocking revelation: 'My father audaciously rebelled against all his predecessors by leading the people away from the belief in G-d and forcing them to bow to idols. He was a true rebel. I too am a rebel because I rebelled against everything my father taught. My brother, the idolater, is nothing but a meek follower.'
Eliezer won the case and the inheritance.
There is no shame in being different. When you believe in what you're doing, it will pay off in ways that no one ever dreamed possible.
Indeed, Abraham the first Jew, was the first to be called a Hebrew. In Hebrew, the word Hebrew means 'the other side'. He was called this because he was different to his peers in what they perceived to be his strange beliefs and values.
Today, we wear this title of Hebrew as a badge of honor. We, like our courageous ancestors, refuse to bow before those who try to intimidate us. As we live amongst the gentiles in the Diaspora, we know that we need not try to be like them. Au contraire! Our gentile friends have infinitely more respect for us when we respect ourselves rather than try to be like them.
There is no shame in being different. Abraham, the individual who influenced mankind more than any other human being who ever lived, was scorned for being different. He believed in himself and he changed the world with his ideas.
Standing up to United Nations a few weeks ago, the Prime Minister of Israel said the following courageous words: 'And here’s my message to all the countries represented here: Whatever resolutions you may adopt in this building, whatever decisions you may take in your capitals, Israel will do whatever it must do to defend our state and to defend our people.'
There is no shame in being different. It is the only way we will survive.
Let us too celebrate the fact that we are different. Let us proclaim with pride that we are Jews and unashamedly wear it on our sleeves. Let us show that the world that 'Am Yisrael Chai'!