Yesterday at shul the Rabbanit gave a really beautiful drasha about Avram's discovery of G-d, using the Midrash in Bereishit Rabba (39:1):
מָשָׁל לְאֶחָד שֶׁהָיָה עוֹבֵר מִמָּקוֹם לְמָקוֹם, וְרָאָה בִּירָה אַחַת דּוֹלֶקֶת, אָמַר תֹּאמַר שֶׁהַבִּירָה הַזּוֹ בְּלֹא מַנְהִיג, הֵצִיץ עָלָיו בַּעַל הַבִּירָה, אָמַר לוֹ אֲנִי הוּא בַּעַל הַבִּירָה
"There is a parable to one who was wandering from place to place, and saw a fortress that was lit up. He said to himself, "could you say that this fortress has no governor"? The master of the fortress peered out at him and said to him, "I am the master of the fortress"."
The traveler is a young Avram, the fortress is the world, and the master is G-d, alluding to the logical conclusion a young Avram came to that there had to be a greater power in the world.
The word "דּוֹלֶקֶת" is an interesting word, because it can be used to mean "illuminated", like a fortress all lit up against the night sky, or it can be used to mean "on fire", like a fortress burning down. And in both situations, asking where its owner is appropriate. For the former, the traveler is asking where the owner is, because someone would have had to have been the one to light all the torches and candles. For the latter, the traveler is horrified that such a monument is burning down with no one to take responsibility.
This Midrash has been the topic of numerous Torah insights, most especially from Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, synthesizing these two seemingly contrasting ideas. That we can simultaneously look at the world as though it is engulfed in flames, or as though it is twinkling in the darkness, and in both times cry out, "where is G-d?!" We can come to spirituality out of horror or out of wonder, and sometimes the same situation can evoke both reactions. There are people who are spurred into action because of a sense of wonder at the world, because they see beauty and complexity and greatness and want to find out how and why the world works the way it does. There are others who are spurred into action because they are horrified at the world seemingly collapsing all around them, because it looks like no one is there to take responsibility and that they must be the one to do it. Both mindsets are valuable.
And I'd like to add to the Rabbanit's drasha:
This parable doesn't just have to apply to only those who believe in G-d or not, or those who are religious or not. Imagine the parable ended before the owner of the fortress showed himself. How would the traveler react? If the fortress was illuminated with kindled torches and candles, would the traveler enter the fortress and make sure the lights stayed on to light the way for other weary travelers? If the fortress was on fire, would the traveler go to try and extinguish the flames? If no one is claiming responsiblity for the fortress, then we must claim responsibility, because no one else will.
