Beraishis 12A – לך לך – Avraham is Commanded to Seek Isolation

Avraham is told to go; to remove himself from his homeland, his birthplace and family.

Judaism places great value on Family, Community and Nationhood.

Family, the home, is the private sphere in which a person thrives.

A homeland grants a person civic status and independence.

The community should represent exalted values. On this premise Judaism attaches importance to the community and forbids the individual from detaching himself from the community.

However if it becomes necessary, if the principle adopted by the majority is untrue – then go it alone and serve God!

This was the attitude demanded of Avraham as the starting point from his own mission and that of the nation that was to descend from him. True, strong ties bind a person to his homeland and to his family. Nevertheless, the bond that attaches us to God must be stronger than the bond that attaches us to homeland and family.

(Note the order that Avraham was commanded. First the homeland, then the community and lastly the home. This was in the order of difficulty.)

Yaakov’s Isolation: See Beraishis 28:10, page 598:
… We see Yaakov, like Avraham, carrying out his own “Lech Lecha”; we see him too – our last patriarch… going forth into isolation. But his departure differs from that of Avraham. True Avraham left his homeland to go into isolation, but he did so as head of his household, with relatives and with wealth. Yaakov, however, took nothing with him at all. Yaakov goes forth in order to establish a Jewish home. To achieve this he needs only the resources inherent in his personality. (see more there)

Beraishis 12:1
pages 286-290