Ever feel like you’re stuck between a rock and a hard place, like there’s just no way out? We’ve all been there, that feeling of being trapped, as if under a rock or a brick, unsure how to move forward or get unstuck. But there is a way out.
The first step is to take a closer look at what’s really holding us back. A rock and a brick might seem similar, but they’re actually very different. A rock is created by G-d; a brick is made by humans. Knowing the difference can change everything.
When we live like “bricks,” relying only on our own effort and strength, we can build something that looks solid, but may only go so far. When we learn to be more like “rocks,” tapping into our G-dly core, we connect to a strength much greater than anything that we could make on our own.
This week’s Torah portion, Vayeira, gives us a clue about how to do that. Abraham’s story is split into two parts: Lech Lecha and Vayeira. The first part happened before his brit milah (circumcision), the second, afterward.
The names themselves are telling. Lech Lecha means “go forward,” an inner journey of self-growth. Vayeira means “and He appeared” as in, “G-d appeared to Abraham.”
So how do we move from working on ourselves (Lech Lecha) to actually experiencing G-d (Vayeira)?
Through brit milah. Not just the physical act, but what it represents: removing the layers that block us from feeling close to G-d.
Sometimes we get so busy “making bricks,” building our own projects, making our own plans, that we forget the most important ingredient: humility, making space for G-d in our lives.
So, if you ever feel stuck, try letting G-d in just a bit more. Do one extra mitzvah. That small act might just turn your “brick wall” into a solid “rock” you can stand on.
Shabbat Shalom