Avraham In Nimrod’s Furnace

Reprinted with permission of the Holy Beggars’ Gazette Vol 2 No 3

Not for commercial redistribution without consent
from the Estate of Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach

House of Love and Prayer, San Francisco CA, 5734
Rabbeinu speaking:

When Abraham was thrown into the fire why did G-d take him
out? He was the first person who was burned because he believed in
G-d. Do you think he walked into the fire thinking, “Ha! I have
faith in G-d. He is going to set me out of here. I have a big boss up
there. Don’t worry brothers, l’ll meet you after the show. I’m going
into the fire now. I’m going to preach there.” NO!! The fact is,
Nimrod, the king of the world at that time, asked him, “Do you
think G-d will save you from the fire? Do you think your G-d
is so mighty?” Abraham says, “Most probably not, because fire is
burning. G-d created the world in such a way that if you get into fire
you burn up. I am gladly dying for Him.”

    This is what happened, Haran, Abraham’s brother, had not
decided yet if he was on Abraham’s side or not. He made a sign for
himself like this: if Abraham comes out of the fire then I’m on his
side. If he burns then his G-d is no good, and I’m not on his side. So,
when Abraham came out of the fire, Haran started yelling, “I’m on
Abraham’s side brothers! I think it was a good show. He knows all
the tricks. I’m with my brother Abraham.” Nimrod says, “Okay, I’m
going to throw you in the fire too.” Haran says, “It’s okay, because I
know it works.” Thev threw him in the fire and he burned. If you go
into the fire and you think you are getting out of it, that is not going
into the fire for G-d. G-d is not a Coca-Cola machine. It just so
happened, G-d allowed Abraham to get out of the fire.