Why God Told Abraham to Go Forth from the Idolaters

Another interpretation of (Genesis 12:1) "Go forth." This is what Scripture says: "Listen, O daughter, and consider, and incline your ear; forget your people and your father's house" (Psalms 45:11). "Listen, O daughter, and consider" — this is Abraham. "And forget your people and your father's house" — this is idolatry, as it is said, "who say to a tree, 'You are my father'" (Jeremiah 2:27). "And the king will desire your beauty" (Psalms 45:12) — this is the King who is King over the kings of kings, the Holy One, blessed be He, to beautify you in the world. Rabbi Abin said: "For He is your lord; bow down to Him" (ibid.). And to what was Abraham comparable? To a flask of balsam that is placed in a cemetery, and no person knew what its fragrance was. What did a certain one do? He took it and carried it from place to place, and its fragrance began to spread abroad in the world. So too was Abraham dwelling among the worshippers of idolatry. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: Why are you sitting among the wicked? Go out from among them and make your good deeds known in the world, as it is said, "Go forth."