Unlike almost everyone I know, I waited until election day to vote. I chose the time of day carefully, planning to go between the pre-work rush and the lunch-hour rush.

But there was no rush. In fact, there was no line at all, although a poll worker told me that there had been a line in the morning.

I carefully marked my ballot, all four pages of it. And then emerged into the bright sunshine of the morning, feeling no more hopeful than I had when I walked in.

I am writing in late afternoon, before the polls close. But it is probable that we won’t know anything definitive about who will be the president until a couple of days from now, maybe even weeks.

Before leaving home I read several prayers for voting that friends and colleagues had posted on Facebook and Instagram. They were all earnest, all hopeful, all praying for a peaceful transition of power. I pray for that too. But Judaism warns us to not pray for the impossible, and like so many others, I worry.

This week’s Torah portion is called Lech L’cha, the phrase that God spoke to Abraham. It can be translated as “get yourself up and go,” but it can also mean “go [inward] to yourself.”

On the surface, it is clear that God was telling Abraham to leave everything behind and go to a new place, an as yet un-named place, which God promised to show him. Abraham acted with deep faith, and did as directed.

This has always amazed me. As far as we know, this was the first time God spoke to Abraham. How does a person react when they hear a Deity speak to them for the first time? Most of the prophets, including Moses in the book of Exodus, question God, question God’s choice of them as the One. But neither Abraham nor Noah asked God anything at all, and each one of them immediately set about doing what God requested.

Except Abraham cheated. He did as God asked, but he did not go alone. He took his wife, his nephew, a number of men, and a great many belongings. He did not venture out on his own. He surrounded himself with love and support.

Whenever I feel most alone, I think of Abraham. He did not fail God. But neither did he fail himself.

Whatever happens after our votes are counted, we must each be Abraham. Flawed, yes. But also determined to be partners with the Divine in the work of creating a just society.