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Believing is Seeing

When Abraham approached the mountain where he was to offer Isaac as a sacrifice, the Torah says, “And Abraham saw.”  What exactly did he “see?”
He saw a cloud enveloping a mountain.  Recognizing the sign Abraham said, “This is the place where the Holy One, blessed be He, told me to bring my son.” 
Abraham, then turned to Isaac and asked, “My son, do you see what I see?”   
“Yes.”
Abraham then turned to his servants and asked, “Do you see what I see?”
“No,” they answered. Midrash Rabbah


At this point Abraham and his son went on alone.  Here are four people all facing the same direction yet coming up with radically different worldviews.  The servants see emptiness while Abraham observes majesty.  What we see in life is determined how we see.

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“Between 1305 and the early 1800’s. the House of Taxis ran a form of pony express service all over Europe….   Its couriers clad in blue and silver uniforms, crisscrossed the continent carrying messages between princes and generals, merchants and money lenders.” –Alvin Toffler, The Third Wave We may think we are the first generation consumed by rapid communication but we are not.   Throughout our history it has been a priority. Of course, now in the 21 st century we must ask: are we better or worse for it?