Abraham Avinu's Startup Nation

The Parasha in our everyday life – Parashat Lech Lecha 5783

Rabbi Eliezer Shenvald - Head of the Hesder Yeshiva 'Meir Harel' Modiin

Israel is known in the world as the Startup Nation, mainly due to the fact that it has more startups than anywhere else in the world in relation to the size of the population. The State of Israel is also at the forefront of scientific development and technological innovation. Some of the world's leading technological breakthroughs in high-tech were made here. In the field of medical technology and drug development, in the development of special food products. In the development of agricultural technology, collaborative applications, and social software (ICQ), artificial intelligence, robotics, and satellites. And in military technology; weapons, aircraft (Kfir and Lavi), advanced tanks and amphibious vehicles, armaments, missiles, ground, naval and anti-missile defense systems, and drones.

Among other things, thanks to all these, the economy of the State of Israel is among the strongest in the world, even though it is a small country and is poor in natural resources (until the discovery of gas in the Mediterranean).

For many in the world this success is a mystery, for some it is an object of admiration, and for some, just envy. Many try to reveal the secret.

One of the main reasons for success is the human factor. Some attribute this to the long-standing learning tradition of the Jewish people and the percentage of educated people in it.

And some attribute this to mental and psychological reasons that stem from the cultural genes of Israeli society. What might be considered a disadvantage is actually an advantage: the 'Israeli Chutzpa’ (audacity), original creative thinking, not following the obvious path, but asking questions and challenging the conventions, thinking outside the box. Part of our way of life as Israelis is taking risks. Unlike countries and cultures where 'failure' is a 'sign of Cain' that is difficult to get rid of, in Israel it is considered part of the path to success. There is almost no successful entrepreneur who has not failed several times along the way.

Some even point to the influence the military service has. Becoming commanding officers at a relatively young age, learning and teaching to lead, plan and manage, collaborate in a team, dealing with tensions and pressures, being activists and initiators and not passive, being creative and improvising, and learn from failures to correct on the move, in real time.

This week's Parasha may bring us closer to solving the riddle. From it we learn that the nation of Israel from the beginning of history is The Startup Nation, and throughout history it embodies the startup methodology in its being.

The roots of the startup nation were established by Abraham Avinu, the father of the Israeli nation.

Many titles were given to Abraham Avinu, the father of the nation and the father of faith in one G-d, whom G-d chose:

אַתָּה־הוּא֙ ה' הָאֱלֹקים אֲשֶׁ֤ר בָּחַ֙רְתָּ֙ בְּאַבְרָ֔ם וְהוֹצֵאת֖וֹ מֵא֣וּר כַּשְׂדִּ֑ים וְשַׂ֥מְתָּ שְּׁמ֖וֹ אַבְרָהָֽם׃

"You are Hashem, who chose Abram, who brought him out of Ur of the Chaldeans and changed his name to Abraham”. (Nehemiah 9:7)

and called him 'Abraham My Friend’:

וְאַתָּה יִשְׂרָאֵל עַבְדִּי יַעֲקֹב אֲשֶׁר בְּחַרְתִּיךָ זֶרַע אַבְרָהָם אֹהֲבִי

"But you, Israel, My servant, Yaacov, whom I have chosen, Seed of Abraham My friend"

(Isaiah 41:8).

Already at a young age he initiated his first startup: the belief in one G-d. In complete contrast to the dogmatic pagan world in which he lived. He did not agree to 'align' with the 'accepted idolatry’, challenged the accepted 'dogmas', and posed difficult questions to those around him. When he did not receive satisfactory answers, he did not hesitate to break his parents’ statues, risking his own life (Bereishit Rabba 38:13). Abraham searches for the truth and investigates, and when he came to the monotheist conclusion on his own "from his understanding" (Rambam p7:1-3), he fearlessly adhered to it and made it public. This is the reason he is called 'Abraham the Hebrew' (אברהם העברי):

ויגד לאברהם העברי מהו העברי שכל העולם כולו לעבר אחד והוא היה לעבר אחד

"Why is he called “Ivri”? For the whole world is on one side  (לעבר)and he is on the other” (Pesikta Rabbati 33)

Later Abraham Avinu founded the most successful and sustainable startup in the world - Am Yisrael. He is also the first to mark the Land of Israel as the land of destination and destiny of the people of Israel. It all started from him. And he instilled in us the 'genes',

אומר לך כלל  …בדרך קצרה ואמרו כל מה שאירע לאבות סימן לבנים…

“I will tell you a principle…  briefly saying: “Whatever has happened to the patriarchs is a sign to the children”. (Ramban

הָאֱלֹהִי הַבָּרוּר וְהַטָּהוֹר בְּעֵת הַשִּׁלְטוֹן הַכַּבִּיר שֶׁל הָאֱלִילִיּוּת בְּטֻמְאָתָהּ-פִּרְאוּתָהּ נִתְגַּלְּתָה הַשְּׁאִיפָה לְהָקִים צִבּוּר אֱנוֹשִׁי גָּדוֹל אֲשֶׁר "יִשְׁמר אֶת דֶּרֶךְ ה' לַעֲשׂוֹת צְדָקָה וּמִשְׁפָּט". וכו'. לְמִלּוּאָהּ שֶׁל שְׁאִיפָה זוֹ צָרִיךְ דַּוְקָא, שֶׁצִּבּוּר זֶה יִהְיֶה, בַּעַל מְדִינָה פּוֹלִיטִית וְסוֹצְיָאלִית וְכִסֵּא מַמְלָכָה לְאֻמִּית, בְּרוּם הַתַּרְבּוּת הָאֱנוֹשִׁית, "עַם חָכָם וְנָבוֹן וְגוֹי גָּדוֹל", וְהָאִידֵאָה הָאֱלֹהִית הַמֻּחְלֶטֶת מוֹשֶׁלֶת שָׁמָּה וּמְחַיָּה אֶת הָעָם וְאֶת הָאָרֶץ בִּמְאוֹר-חַיֶּיהָ. וכו'" (אורות למהלך האידאות בישראל ב, עמ' קד).

“At the beginning, this people, who knew how to clearly identify the pure and Divine while the great reign of impure idolatry was around, were overcome by a desire to establish a large human group to לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת צְדָקָ֖ה וּמִשְׁפָּ֑ט ‘keep the way of Hashem by doing what is just and right’...  To fulfill this ambition this congregation is required to possess precisely a political and social state and a national kingdom, in the midst of human civilization, עַם חָכָם וְנָבוֹן וְגוֹי גָּדוֹל - a great nation, wise and discerning people. And the ultimate Divine idea reigns and animates the people and the country with its light…”

(Orot -The Process of Ideals in Israel- The Godly and the National Ideal in Israel)

And finally, there are those in Israeli society who look up to the Western nations, aspire to be like them, and 'normalize' the Israeli society accordingly.

Apparently, it's impossible, because we have a different mentality. Considering the achievements and accomplishments, luckily, it doesn't really work.