(כז) וַיַּ֥עַן אַבְרָהָ֖ם וַיֹּאמַ֑ר הִנֵּה־נָ֤א הוֹאַ֙לְתִּי֙ לְדַבֵּ֣ר אֶל־אֲדֹנָ֔י וְאָנֹכִ֖י עָפָ֥ר וָאֵֽפֶר׃
(27) Abraham spoke up, saying, “Here I venture to speak to my Lord, I who am but dust and ashes:
(א) ואנכי עפר ואפר. ע"ד הפשט ואנכי עפר הייתי, ואפר אשוב, וזהו ודוי הצדיקים. וכן דוד ע"ה אמר (תהלים קג) כי הוא ידע יצרנו זכור כי עפר אנחנו. וכן אמר איוב (איוב מב) על כן אמאס ונחמתי על עפר ואפר. (ב) וע"ד המדרש בזכות שאמר אברהם ואנכי עפר ואפר זכו בניו לשתי מצות עפר סוטה ואפר פרה. וכן מצינו כל ישראל שנקראו בשם אפרים, שנאמר (ירמיה לא) הבן יקיר לי אפרים, הוא כאלו אמר אפרים שני אפרים, אפרו של אברהם ואפרו של יצחק.
(1) ואנכי עפר ואפר, ”though I am only dust and ashes.” The plain meaning of these words is: “I started out as עפר, “dust,” and I am destined to become אפר, “ash.” This is part of the standard confessional of the righteous. David also used similar phraseology in Psalms 103,14 כי הוא ידע יצרנו זכור כי עפר אנחנו, ”for He knows our various urges; He is mindful that we are dust.” Job 42,6 also made a similar comment על כן אמאס ונחמתי על עפר ואפר, “Therefore I recant and relent, being but dust and ashes.”
According to a folktale recorded in the literature of all three Abrahamic faiths, Abraham's father, Terah, was an idol manufacturer who once went away and left Abraham in charge of his store. While Terah was away a man walked in and asked to buy an idol. Abraham asked him how old he was and then the man responded, Fifty years old." Abraham said, "You are fifty years old and would worship a day-old statue!" Realizing even a young boy recognizes the foolishness of idolatry, the man left, ashamed.
Later, a woman walked into the store and wanted to make an offering to one of the idols. But Abraham took a stick, smashed all the idols but the largest one and then placed the stick in the hand of the remaining idol. When Terah returned, he asked Abraham what happened to all the idols. Abraham told him that a woman came in to make an offering to the idols. The idols argued about which one should eat the offering first. Then the largest idol took the stick and smashed the other idols to bits.
Angrily, Terah scolded Abraham, saying, "They are only statues. They can't move. They have no knowledge and they have no power." Whereupon Abraham asked, "If all of that is true, why do you worship them?"
At this point, Terah took Abraham to Nimrod, the local ruler. Nimrod probclaimed to Abraham that if he thought idols had no power, he should worship fire. Abraham responded that water puts out fire. So Nimrod suggested he worship water. Abraham responded that clouds hold water. Next Nimrod declared he worship clouds. Abraham responded that wind pushes clouds. Then Nimrod declared they worship wind. Abraham responded that people withstand wind.
Finally, Nimrod became angry with Abraham and declared that Abraham should be cast into the fire, saying that if there is a real God, that God would save him. Abraham was cast into the fire - and saved by God.
More Beautiful Than Before, Rabbi Steve Leder
Later, a woman walked into the store and wanted to make an offering to one of the idols. But Abraham took a stick, smashed all the idols but the largest one and then placed the stick in the hand of the remaining idol. When Terah returned, he asked Abraham what happened to all the idols. Abraham told him that a woman came in to make an offering to the idols. The idols argued about which one should eat the offering first. Then the largest idol took the stick and smashed the other idols to bits.
Angrily, Terah scolded Abraham, saying, "They are only statues. They can't move. They have no knowledge and they have no power." Whereupon Abraham asked, "If all of that is true, why do you worship them?"
At this point, Terah took Abraham to Nimrod, the local ruler. Nimrod probclaimed to Abraham that if he thought idols had no power, he should worship fire. Abraham responded that water puts out fire. So Nimrod suggested he worship water. Abraham responded that clouds hold water. Next Nimrod declared he worship clouds. Abraham responded that wind pushes clouds. Then Nimrod declared they worship wind. Abraham responded that people withstand wind.
Finally, Nimrod became angry with Abraham and declared that Abraham should be cast into the fire, saying that if there is a real God, that God would save him. Abraham was cast into the fire - and saved by God.
More Beautiful Than Before, Rabbi Steve Leder
Everyone must have two pockets, with a note in each pocket, so that he can reach into the one or the other, depending on the need. When feeling lowly and depressed, discouraged or disconsolate, one should reach into the right pocket, and, there, find the words: "For my sake was the world created." But when feeling high and mighty one should reach into the left pocket, and find the words: "I am but dust and ashes."
Rabbi Simcha Bunim of Peshischa (1765-1827)
Rabbi Simcha Bunim of Peshischa (1765-1827)
The past and present wilt—I have fill'd them, emptied them.
And proceed to fill my next fold of the future.
Listener up there! what have you to confide to me?
Look in my face while I snuff the sidle of evening,
(Talk honestly, no one else hears you, and I stay only a minute longer.)
Do I contradict myself?
Very well then I contradict myself,
(I am large, I contain multitudes.)
I concentrate toward them that are nigh, I wait on the door-slab.
Who has done his day's work? who will soonest be through with his supper?
Who wishes to walk with me?
Will you speak before I am gone? will you prove already too late?
Song of Myself, Part 51, Walt Whitman
And proceed to fill my next fold of the future.
Listener up there! what have you to confide to me?
Look in my face while I snuff the sidle of evening,
(Talk honestly, no one else hears you, and I stay only a minute longer.)
Do I contradict myself?
Very well then I contradict myself,
(I am large, I contain multitudes.)
I concentrate toward them that are nigh, I wait on the door-slab.
Who has done his day's work? who will soonest be through with his supper?
Who wishes to walk with me?
Will you speak before I am gone? will you prove already too late?
Song of Myself, Part 51, Walt Whitman