There are times when reviewing the text of Torah She Bich-tav that we ask, along with the voluminous amount of commentators, why a certain event took place, what it means, what is the purpose of it, and what it teaches. But, also, there are occasions when an event we know took place is not recorded at all in the Torah, and we ask the same question: why isn't it mentioned at all?

Such an event happens somewhere between the end of Parshat Noach and the beginning of Lech Lechah, and that event is the confrontation between Avraham Avinu and the idolators of Ur Casdim, which ended up with Avraham being thrown into the fire and eventually emerging unscathed. Torah She Be"Al Peh records this event in Midrash and Talmud, but absolutely nothing at all of this most important account is even alluded to in the Torah She Bich-tav (although the Ramban thinks otherwise). So why is this the case? (as asked by the Ibn Ezra).

 The answer is supplied by the Ohr HaChaim who begins his response with a question: Why is it that with all other people, the normal reading of the text is that G-d appears and then speaks to the individual. But, at the beginning of the Parshah, we have, as it were, a voice, but no divine revelation to Avraham. The reason for this is that Avraham was the most unique person on earth in as much as he traced his own spiritual odyssey alone and unaided. His spiritual maturation into the belief of monotheism was done by a process of looking around the universe and analyzing how everything around him must be following the pattern of a great power (a religious Stephen Hawking) and that first he contemplated how that power must be the moon and then, thereafter, the sun, until he realized there was a power even greater than these two elements. The Midrash goes into further detail. And so since Avraham has travelled heavenward towards G-d, so Hashem does not need to reveal Himself to Avraham, for the latter has completed the journey with a total belief in G-d.

The second reason given by the Ohr Ha-Chaim is that holiness went missing for ten generations from Noach to Avraham  - ten generations when G-d spoke to nobody. Now, to Avraham, He breaks His silence, but before He grants Avraham the ultimate gift of appearing to Him personally, Avraham must first be tested. And the test? Whether he would obey G-d's command. And that becomes the litmus test for every Jew, for we are not granted recognition for what we decide is right for others, based on our own initiative. The ultimate test for the Jew is whether he can fulfil the divine commands and mitzvot as G-d intends for us. Gadol metzuveh ve'oshe m'eino metzuveh ve-oseh. Thus it was only once Avraham left his place, homeland, and country and followed G-d's directions that G-d ultimately revealed Himself.

 So, then, why does not the Torah mention Ur Casdim and the sacrifice Avraham had to undergo there? Because the Torah wishes us to learn that Avraham's successful spiritual odyssey begins with command and response to command. Ur Casdim is honourable and epic - but Ur Casdim does not define the real purpose of the Jew, which is to respond to G-d's commands.

 The Chofetz Chaim was once asked to interceded on behalf of a sick person and to pray for him in the words: Tzadik gozer ve Hakodosh Boruch hu Mekayem. To which the Chofetz Chaim replied, I prefer the reverse: Hakodesh Boruch hu Mekayem, ve ha Tzadik gozer. First we have to respond to Hashem, and then receive the shopping list we require from Him.

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