Sicha, Purim 5711
A. Can the Minority Survive?
Abraham is referred to as “Abram the Hebrew.” The Midrash explains that this symbolizes his being a person standing on one side, opposed to the entire world on the other side (Source 1). This character is reflected in his belief in one G-d, contrasted with a world that worshiped idols, in his journeys among corrupt nations while remaining pure and upright (Source 2), and in his intervention in a global war to rescue his nephew Lot when no one else was willing to lift a finger (Source 3).
However, despite everything, Abraham was a very small minority. Indeed, at Isaac’s bar mitzvah, Og, king of Bashan, mocked Abraham’s way, claiming he could crush both Abraham and Isaac with a single finger and eliminate their spiritual path (Source 4).
The Rebbe asks: Since the Jewish people are a small minority relative to the nations of the world, how can we demand that a minority uphold its principles against an overwhelming majority? And even if they remain faithful, how can they succeed in influencing the nations, which are the vast majority? This question is also reflected in our personal lives: the majority of our time is dedicated to material matters, with only a small minority devoted to spiritual pursuits. How much impact can the little time we devote to spirituality have compared to the majority of our time spent on materiality?
B. The Power of the Atom
The Rebbe explains that this can be understood through the discovery of atomic power (nuclear energy). Until this discovery, it was believed that quality depended on quantity, and to achieve a qualitative effect, a large quantity is needed. Atomic energy proves that quality is not dependent on quantity, but rather on bringing forth the quality that exists within even a small quantity. Furthermore, the way to reveal the quality present in matter is precisely by breaking it down into smaller parts.
The lesson in Divine service: We should not be deterred by the fact that the Jewish people are a minority or that only a small amount of our time is dedicated to spirituality, because quality is what matters. We must reveal the hidden strengths within us, and this is accomplished through self-sacrifice. Then, the tremendous power that exists within a Jew will be expressed, despite our being a small minority of the world’s population.
The person who exemplified this more than anyone else was Abraham. Despite being a tiny minority in a world that mocked him, through the power of his faith and self-sacrifice he conquered the entire world and achieved immense success in spreading belief in one G-d.
