Was Abraham In It For The Reward?

God called to Abraham, “Lech lecha, leave your home and go to the land that I will show you!” It’s such a familiar story that we never stop to ask – why did Abraham follow God’s call? Was it because he was so pious? Because he was the first monotheist who devoted his life to God? Or maybe, just maybe, it was because God promised him a reward of children and a great nation.

It’s an uncomfortable thought to entertain, but it doesn’t seem so crazy when we read the text carefully. What was Abraham’s true motivation for following God’s command?

Join Daniel Loewenstein as he compares this story with another time when God called Abraham, “Lech lecha – go!” It turns out that reading these two stories together can hold a key to understanding the defining moments in how Abraham responded to God's call.

Check out Rabbi Fohrman’s course, "Akeidah: Was the Sacrifice of Isaac Heroism or Murder?"