"Happy is the man who has not walked…" – and then it lists the paths we should avoid: the counsel of the wicked, the way of sinners, the company of the insolent.
According to Bereshit Rabbah, a classic collection of rabbinic interpretations of the Book of Genesis, these paths have some pretty specific examples. "The wicked," it says, refers to the generation of the Dispersion, those who tried to build the Tower of Babel. "The path of sinners" points to the people of Sodom, whose wickedness was so extreme. As Genesis 13:13 tells us, "The people of Sodom were extremely wicked and sinful to the Lord." And "the company of the insolent one"? That's Avimelekh.
Now, Avimelekh might seem like an odd choice. After all, he showed kindness to Abraham, didn't he? But Bereshit Rabbah sees his later behavior – telling Abraham, "Behold, my land is before you, dwell wherever it suits you…" (Genesis 20:15) and then acting like Abraham owed him for the privilege — as a form of arrogance. Abraham, wisely, didn't accept Avimelekh's offer to dwell near him.
So, if avoiding these negative influences leads to happiness, what should we be doing? The Psalm continues, "But whose desire is the Torah of the Lord, and he meditates on His Torah day and night." This brings us back to Abraham. How did he learn Torah? Rabbi Shimon, in Bereshit Rabbah, offers a fascinating idea: Abraham "had no father to teach him, and he did not have a teacher. From where, then, did he learn Torah? The answer is that the Holy One blessed be He set his two kidneys [kilyotav] as two teachers of a sort, and they would flow forth and teach him Torah and wisdom."
The kidneys? What's that about? Well, in ancient times, the kidneys were considered the seat of thought and understanding. So, the idea is that God himself instilled wisdom directly into Abraham’s very being. It's a beautiful image of divine guidance, echoed in Psalm 16:7: "I bless the Lord who counsels me, even on nights when my thoughts [khilyotai] are anguished.”
And what was the result of Abraham's dedication to Torah? The Psalm says, "He will be like a tree planted… which brings forth its fruit in season, and whose leaf does not wither, and whatever he does will prosper." Bereshit Rabbah connects this to Abraham's descendants. "Which brings forth its fruit in season" refers to Ishmael, while "whose leaf does not wither" refers to Isaac.
Then comes the somewhat surprising connection: "And whatever he does will prosper" refers to the sons of Ketura. Wait, Ketura? Who's she? That's where we started: "Abraham took another wife, and her name was Ketura" (Genesis 25:1).
So, why Ketura? Why end with her sons representing prosperity? Perhaps it's a reminder that even later in life, after immense trials and triumphs, Abraham's commitment to God continued to bear fruit. Even in unexpected ways. It suggests that the blessings of a life dedicated to Torah extend beyond what we can immediately see, rippling outwards to future generations, through all of our actions.
Maybe true happiness isn’t just about avoiding the negative, but about actively seeking wisdom and living a life rooted in Torah. A life that, like Abraham’s, continues to bring forth fruit, season after season. What do you think?