"Please take out your Torah books," Morah Rivka said to the students. The boys had just finished studying Parashat Noach and were eager to begin Lech Lecha.
""We are going to learn about Avraham Avinu," ("our patriarch"), the Morah continued.
""We were already introduced to Abraham and his family at the end of Parashat Noach. Now we will begin Parashat Lech Lecha. Hashem commands Abraham to leave his birthplace and travel to Eretz Israel.""
""But what happened to the rest of the stories?" Miriam asked, surprised. The other kids looked at her, confused.
""What do you mean Miriam?" Morah Rivka asked. "What stories?""
""I remember the story of Abraham discovering God when he was only three years old. Morah Yael taught us that story last year.".
The class nodded, looking at Miriam. Other boys also raised their hands. "And," said Yoel, "about the other story of when he broke his father's idols while he was looking after the business.""
""Or when Nimrod threw him into the fiery furnace," Ruben added.
""Why doesn't the Torah begin telling us about Abraham before the moment when Hashem tells him Lej Lejá?""
Morah Rivka looked at Miriam with a smile. "Very good, Miriam! Your question made the whole class think. Let me explain.".
Abraham Avinu believed in God and dedicated his life to teaching others to believe as well. Many things happened during his life. The first story the Torah tells us about Abraham teaches us the most important lesson about how he served God.
""But how does this story teach us more than the others that came before?" Miriam asked.
""There is a difference between this story and the others," replied Morah Rivka.
""This is the first time Hashem speaks directly to Abraham and commands him to do something. And Abraham does it immediately, believing in Hashem without question. In the other stories, Abraham does things on his own. He discovers Hashem, breaks the idols, chooses to be thrown into the fiery furnace.""
""The Torah doesn't just tell us stories. The Torah teaches us that a Jew must dedicate his life to listening to Hashem. That's why the first story about Avraham Avinu, the first Jew, is that Hashem tells him to do something and he does it.".
""When a person does good deeds on their own, it's very important. But here the Torah is teaching us what it means to be Jewish: Hashem tells us what to do, and we do it. That's exactly what Abraham did, and the Torah teaches us to follow his example.".