Torah Commentary - Lech Lecha
*Commentary courtesy of Menachem Me-Zahav
Our Sidrah today is dedicated to one man. It covers the life and times of “Avraham Ha’ivri” – Abraham the Hebrew Man. Abraham is the First Jew and the father and founder of a great nation.
We also refer to him as Avraham Avinu (Abraham our father). He is the First Believer in One God. He is the first Settler of the Land that later will be known as Israel. Abraham is one of the most fascinating people in the Bible. His name is mentioned by us (at least) 3 times a day in our Shmoneh-Essrei prayer. Being the first man ever to go through the ritual of a Brit Millah (Circumcision), it is also named after him: “Britto shell Avraham Avinu” (The Covenant of our Father Abraham). The Brit Millah serves as a sign that there is a sacred pact between the Jewish people and God. It is also a reminder to the Jewish people that their life has a purpose.
The Talmud tells us the following: “There are 10 generations between Adam and Noah which demonstrate God’s tolerance. Men do provoke God with their evil doings for a long time, while God delays their punishment until things get beyond any hope. He finally brings on them, the Great Flood. Afterwards, there are 10 more generations, between Noah and Abraham. Men start to provoke God anew, and God again shows his tolerance. But now, on the world scene does appear, our father Abraham. Abraham then does amass all the rewards, that the people before him,
failed to qualify for”.
Abraham begins his fascinating life around 2,800 years ago, in establishing a new faith. It is the faith in One God. Soon, he is called upon by God, to leave his home in Haran (Mesopotamia), and go to an unknown Land “Which God will show him”. God uses the words “Lech Lecha” – “Walk at your own free will” (Genesis 12:1). The 75 years old Abraham leaves behind him his wealth, his parents, his home, and the powerful pagan culture in which he has grown up, to begin a relationship with God, which is to develop into a deep faith.
On arrival in Canaan with his wife Sarah, God makes the promise to Abraham that the land (Cana’an) will become the home of his descendants “And God said to Abraham: Raise your eyes and look, from the place, that you are now, to the north and to the south, to the east and to the west, as all the land that you see, I will give to you and your children forever. Walk about the land, through its length and breadth, for I will give it to you ” (Genesis 13:14-17).
Because of a famine in Cana’an, Abraham goes to Egypt, and for a time he lives there. The famine ends and he returns to Cana’an. Abraham then separates from his nephew Lott. The nephew is taken prisoner during a war and Abraham comes to his rescue.
Abraham and Sarah’s change of names. Both use the names given to them at birth. Abraham’s birth name is: Avram (Aleph, Bet – w/out a Dot-Dagesh *, Reish and Mem). Sarah’s birth name is Sarai (Ssin *, Reish and Yud). Both Abraham and Sarah by direct order of God will each get a Hei added to their respective names. The Hei stands for ‘Hammon’ – meaning - ‘A huge number’. “For I (God) am making you the father of ‘Hammon’ a multitude of nations”. Avram’s new name is now “Avraham” and Sarai’s new name is now “Sarah”. (Genesis 17:1-8 and 17:15-16).
* Note: The Hebrew letters: Bet in the name Avraham and Shin in the name Sarah.
The Hebrew Letter “Bet” with a Dot (Dagesh), is pronounced “Bet”. W/out a Dot (Dagesh) it is
pronounced “Vet”. “Avraham” or “Avram” are spelled with a letter “Bet” w/out a Dot.
The Hebrew Letter “Shin” with a Dot on the right side is pronounced “Shin”. With a Dot on the left
side it is pronounced “Ssin”. “Ssarah” or “Ssarai” are spelled with a letter “Shin” with a dot on the left
side. (The dot in the “Bet” and in few more letters like “Kaf” and “Pei”, are named Dagesh.
The dot that determines the pronunciation of the “Shin or Ssin” is NOT named Dagesh).
God establishes a covenant with Abraham, to be known as “Brit Bein Ha’betarim” or “The Covenant between the Portions”. (The reference is, to the portions of the offerings that Abraham made to God). God repeats His promise to Abraham: The Land of Canaan will be the land of his descendants, the Jewish people. It will be the Jewish homeland for all future generations “On that day The Lord made a covenant with Abraham, saying: To your offspring, I (God) assign this Land. From the River of Egypt (The Nile) to the Great River, The River Euphrates” (Genesis 15:18).
Having no children with Sarah, the 86 years old Abraham (By Sarah’s request) takes Hagar, as a second wife and with her he has a child whom they name, Ismael-Yishma’el.
Some 13 years later, Abraham and all males of his household go through the ritual of the Brit-Milah (Circumcision).
Abraham and his wife Sarah are now ready for a new chapter in their own lives – becoming parents to their son Isaac – Yitzchak (Next week’s reading).
Haftarah: Isaiah 40:27-41:16, Page 95
Our Haftarah tenders a message of encouragement to the Jewish people in exile. They have been living away from Jerusalem and the Holy Temple for a long time. Been uprooted by their conquerors from the land of their fathers, the Jewish exiles are desperately unhappy in the lands where they have been exiled to. They feel as if God has forgotten them. The prophet assures them that the redemption is about to come. “Who has awakened a Victor from the East, summoned him to His service, has delivered nations to him…Rendered their swords like dust…I am the Lord who was first, and I will be with the last (of all generations) as well” (Isaiah 41:2-4). By tradition the words “Victor from the East” relate to King Cyrus (Koresh) who came from the East. King Cyrus defeated the Babylonians (538 BCE) and soon afterwards proclaimed the restoration of the Jewish people to their land (Israel) declaring that “God had asked him (Cyrus) to re-build His Home (The Holy Temple) in Jerusalem” (II Chronicles 36:23).
As for now, the prophet asks his fellow Jews for patience and steadfast faith, in face of daily oppression. God’s help will soon come. A strong reaffirmation of God’s promise (serving also as a linkage to our Sidrah) is then made in a form of a direct reference, to God’s covenant with Abraham - Israel’s forefather:
“But you Israel, Jacob whom I (God) have chosen, the descendants of Abraham my beloved friend. You whom I have brought (back) from the end of the world, whom I called (back) from its far corners, to whom I have said: You are my people” (Isaiah 41:8-9).
There is another interesting connection between our Sidrah and the Haftarah. The city of Haran was located most likely, on the border between today’s Turkey and Syria. Abraham’s departure from Haran and migration (Aliyah) to Canaan, parallels the Jewish exiles future departure, from where they currently live, and their return (Aliyah) to their Homeland. Both migrations originate in places, not too far from each other. Both migrations, aim at the Land of Israel as the final goal.
The Haftarah ends with God’s final promise to the Jewish people returning to their Homeland: “And you (Israel) shall rejoice in the Lord, and be exalted by the Holy One of Israel” (Isaiah 41:16).
