D’var torah in honor of the Yahrtziet of Mark Samuel, 5773

Parashat Lech Lecha


A D’var torah in honor of the Yahrtziet of Mordechai Aharon Ben Michael, Mark Samuel

Parashat Lech Lecha begins with the call to Avram from Hashem to leave his residence in Haran and go to Eretz Yisrael. However, if we go back to the end of Parashat Noach, we see that Avram’s his father Terach and his family actually contemplating going to Canaan. During his Parasha Shiur last week, Rav Nadav Levin quoted Rav Nebensahl, pointing out that the family of Terach was on a sojourn from Ur Casdim to Eretz Canaan (Noach, chapter 11, verse 31). However, on their way they stopped in Haran, and stayed there. Rav Nebesahl reflects on the short-sightedness of Terach’s decision. Rather than continue on their journey and develop roots in Eretz Canaan, which was and would become the world’s center of spirituality, they stopped in Haran, most likely because it was familiar, because it was comfortable, and reminded them of their previous home. Instead of moving out of their comfort zone, instead of trying to reach the next level, they were satisfied with Haran, and there they stayed until Avram got the call to leave in our parasha.


It is difficult to leave your comfort zone, and to try to get to the next level. We look al around us at family, friends and acquaintances, and in general people don’t like to rock the boat, make waves or effect great change. It is those people who do leave their comfort zone, who do seek something higher and greater, that make the most difference in peoples’ lives. Avaraham Avinu set the greatest example, following G-d’s word and moving from the comfort of Haran to the wilderness of Canaan, a stranger among the tribes there. His is purpose, to find and develop spirituality, to publicize the concept of one G-d, completely changed Mankind. This is why the seemingly trivial detail that his father set of to Canaan and stopped, whereas Avraham heeded the call to go, is highlighted in the Torah. The contrast in decisions is one we all face and make in many aspects of our lives.

To reflect on Mark’s life is to reflect on someone who clearly was never satisfied with staying in his comfort zone. His work challenged the basic building blocks of matter and life. He worked continuously to question fundamental principles and to provide real solutions to the question of what makes up the basic tenants of the world. His quest to determine mathematical proofs to these issues (for over 25 years in the pre-PC world, with a slide rule or a calculator that used “reverse Polish Logic”) is even more impressive today as we can hardly add and subtract without pulling out our smart phones or doing an Excel spread sheet. This quest for ultimate truth led him to collaborate with people all over the world, and his travels frequently took him to colleagues in Israel. There is no question how happy this made him. He would make any excuse to see Professor Karlinsker in Tel Aviv, and always would visit Jerusalem and be sure to take in a good piece of the country. He would always come back from Israel reenergized and recharged, and ready to tackle the next challenge.

Leaving our comfort zone, challenging and pushing the envelope is not easy, but staying in our personal “Haran” rather than completing the journey to Eretz Yisrael can leave us empty. Whether we actually do change the world is not the issue. However, if we strive for the best, if we think out of the box, if we aim for higher heights of understanding and spirituality, the positive changes that occur in us will be the ultimate reward.

May Mark’s memory be a blessing and inspiration for us all.
Th-ey nishmato tzrurah b’tzror ha-chaim