Avram obeys G-d's commandment to abandon his homeland and travels to the Land of Canaan with his wife, Sarai, and her brother, Avram's nephew, Lot. G-d promises Avram that he will give Canaan to his descendants. After some time in Canaan, a famine arises and Avram, Sarai, and Lot travel to Egypt to find food. In an attempt to protect himself, Avram instructs Sarai, a woman of great beauty, to pretend that she is his sister, so that he will not be killed. Pharaoh, thinking that Sarai is unmarried, takes her to his house and subsequently G-d afflicts him with a plague. Pharaoh, angry with Avram for deceiving him and not telling him that Sarai is actually his wife, tells him and his party to leave Egypt. They then decide to return to Canaan.
        Both Lot and Avram have amassed great wealth by this time. Their land is not sufficient for their abundant livestock so Lot moves to Sodom. G-d reaffirms His promises to deliver Canaan to Avram's numerous descendants.
        Four kings of nearby lands wage war against a band of five kings and Lot is captured in one of the battles. A war refugee tells Avram about Lot's capture and Avram and his servants proceed to defeat the five kings. G-d speaks to Avram and tells him that his descendants will be like the stars in the sky. Although he is currently childless, He promises that someday he will have children. G-d then tells him that he will inherit Canaan and proves this with the Brit ben Habitarim, Covenant Between the Parts. G-d also tells Avram of the future painful exile and ultimate redemption of his descendants.
        Sarai tells Avram to marry her maidservant Hagar so he can have a child who will receive all of these blessings. Hagar conceives and begins to act superior to Sarai, so Sarai is harsh with Hagar and Hagar flees. G-d tells her to return to Sarai. Hagar has a son whom Avram names Yishmael. When Avram is 99 years old, G-d gives him and his descendants the commandment of circumcision. G-d changes Avram's name to Avraham, "father of the multitudes", and Sarai's name to Sarah. He also promises that she will give birth to a child. Avraham listens to G-d's command and circumcises himself, Yishmael, and his servants.
 

AVRAHAM: THE POSSESSOR AND POSSESSION
Ariella Schwartz – CC ‘06

        Parshat Lech-Lecha introduces us to the father of our nation, Avraham Avinu. The Oral Law designated one passuk in particular from the parsha to speak volumes on the effect of Avraham’s legacy. Following Avraham’s miraculous victory in the war of the four versus five kings, Malci-Tzedek approaches the victor and declares, “Blessed is Avram of G-d the Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth” (14; 19). The Torah Temimah reveals two distinct Talmudic sources that quote this verse. The first is located in Masechet Sotah, 4b, where the Gemara relates, “Avraham our father acquired for G-d the heavens and earth.” Though this statement appears rather cryptic, the whole of Parshat Lech-Lecha supports this idea. The parsha relates numerous times, “And Avraham called in the name of Hashem.” By telling us how Avraham would repeatedly invoke Hashem by name, the Torah means to explain that Avraham began to guide the world toward a new monotheistic belief. Therefore, Avraham was the first to associate G-d with the creation of heaven and earth, and appeal to the world with this correlation. The act of associating or acquiring the heavens and earth for G-d stands unique to Avraham Avinu, though the ramifications are universal.
        The second source that employs the passuk in Lech-Lecha is found in Perkei Avot, 6; 10. The Perek discusses five “possessions” that G-d has made his own in this world, including the Torah, the heavens and earth, Avraham, Bnei Yisrael, and the Beit Hamikdash. Abarbanel elucidates what the Mishnah is referring to by claiming that Avraham is a possession of G-d. He explains that G-d chose Avraham specifically as the father of nations. From the moment that G-d saved Avraham from the burning furnace, as described in the Midrash, G-d revealed his designation of Avraham as the source and founder. Just as G-d created the heavens and earth by his own design and for a specific purpose, He similarly created Avraham for a particular goal.
        However, Avraham’s quality as a “possession” of G-d, is not something unique to Avraham, the single man. Rather, it is a quality assigned repeatedly throughout Tanach, to Avraham’s lineage, Am Yisrael. For example, in Shmot, 15; 16, Shirat Hayam includes the phrase, “this people you acquired.” Rashi explains that in this instance, the idea that G-d acquired Israel refers to G-d’s love for his nation. The Rasag interprets this phrase to mean that Hashem has taken Bnei Yisrael under his jurisdiction and rule. In Dvarim, 32; 6, Moshe uses the same language when he says, “Is He not your father, your acquirer?” Here, the Rashbam comments that the implication of this verse is that Hashem is the redeemer of Israel, as He saved the people from slavery. The aforementioned are only a few examples of the many recurrences of the phraseology of acquisition in reference to Bnei Yisrael in Tanach. The connotations are numerous and include the ideas of love, subjugation, and redemption. Indeed, the multitude of priceless responsibilities and privileges of our people, remain the legacy of one man who acquired heaven and earth for G-d.
 

FINDING YOURSELF
Shoshi Osofsky – BC ‘06

        Parasha Lech Lecha opens with Hashem’s commandment of Avraham, lech lecha meaning go for yourself. Immediately, two questions arise. Firstly, Hashem mentions that Avraham should go from his land, from his birthplace, and from his father’s house. Why do these three specific places need to be mentioned? Isn’t it enough that Hashem tells Avraham to go from his land? Secondly, why is the word lecha, as in ‘for yourself’, used? Does this imply that the commandment is beneficial to Avraham himself?
        The Or Hachaim (a Biblical commentator) explains that Hashem lists the three places from which Avraham has to separate himself in increasing order of difficulty, as leaving his father is the most difficult. Instead of grouping all three places from which Avraham has to leave in one statement, Hashem breaks it into steps. First Avraham must leave his land, then his birthplace and finally his father’s house. It is always the most difficult to break up connections with parents. Although Avraham’s father treated him poorly, Avraham is still dedicated to him and therefore it is still difficult for Avraham to leave. Rashi, along with the Or Hachaim, mentions that Avraham will gain reward each step of the way.
        Rashi gives a simple pshat of the reason the word lecha is used. He says that it is for Avraham’s own benefit and for his own good. As Rashi states it, Avraham is now worthy of having kids. The Kli Yakar takes this a step further and says that by using the word lecha, Hashem emphasizes the importance of going toward yourself. Each person is closest to himself which is his identity and source. When Hashem tells him to “go to yourself,” Hashem does not mention where he is going, but knowing that the word “yourself” implies a foundation, Avraham is going toward his source. Adam was created from dust on Har Hamoriah which is the the place of the Temple. This is where he is headed because he is going to himself, to his roots.
        The Kli Yakar ties together the word lecha with the idea from Or Hachaim regarding the steps. The Kli Yakar agrees that there are three steps mentioned in the pasuk, verse, but he categorizes them by increasing closeness and also adds a fourth step. He says that the fourth degree is with yourself. First, leaving your land is leaving a place where your name has been established; leaving your birthplace is leaving the people that surrounded and helped you; and leaving your father is leaving the house you grew up in and your connection. Each person should have the strongest connection with himself and therefore it is the highest degree of closeness.
        This one pasuk alone gives us all an inspiration. Avahram has to leave so many things that are dear to him in order to become close to himself and go back to his source, to the place of his beginning. One common Jewish idea that comes from this pasuk is ma’ase avos siman lbanim- the action of the fathers is an example for the sons. We should all take Avraham as an example in everything we do. If we are going toward our foundation, either physically or spiritually, we may have to leave behind many valuable
 

ADAM VS. AVRAHAM
Jessica Levi – BC ‘06

        In the Midrash, Breishit Raba, there is a discussion regarding the greatness of Adam compared to that of Avraham. The Midrash says that Adam was created "ready made" -- complete and whole, shalem (as perfect as G-d would create man). However, he still failed to withstand his first test and ate from the Tree of Knowledge. Meanwhile, Avraham was not created shalem and was not taught any formal Torah; he had to start from scratch. Yet, we see throughout his life that Avraham was able to pass all ten of the tests that G-d placed before him. Breishit Raba 42 says that the whole world was of one type and Avraham was of another. How was Avraham able to withstand ten tests and Adam was not able to withstand even one?
        Rav Filber explains that one who is given everything he needs to begin with is not strong enough to withstand all of life's tests. Only one who has strived to better himself and has struggled against his upbringing and surroundings really has the strength to overcome life's challenges. Adam came into a world where it was clear what was good and what was bad, and all he had to do was to follow the good to make the world whole. He failed to follow the good and instead went towards the bad. When he sinned he "tipped the scales" of the world in favor of the bad. When Avraham came into the world his responsibilities were twofold: initially, he had to fix the mistakes of Adam, then he had to bring the world closer to the shlemut, wholeness, that Adam was supposed to achieve. Avraham's achievements were so strong that they were able to bring G-d’s presence back to the world after years of being separated as a result of many sins. Commenting on the verse "G-d said: ‘let there be light,’ and there was light," the Midrash says that Avraham was the light. Avraham held the hope and the light of the world.
        Unlike Adam, Avraham struggled with his surroundings and challenged his idolatrous upbringing until he had the courage to realize and acknowledge G-d’s primacy. Only after struggling and strengthening himself could Avraham fulfill his responsibilities. Likewise, only after we confront our environment and work on improving ourselves despite our surroundings can we follow in Avraham's path.
 

       Avraham does not appear in Nevi'im very often. Most of the times that he is mentioned it is either to relate a historical event, as in Isaiah 24, or as part of a list of the three forefathers, as in Jeremiah 33. This week's Haftara contains one of the mere dozen times Avraham's name appears in Navi. What is most striking about this reference is that here the Jews are called the children of Avraham. This is an almost singular occurrence in the Bible; we are typically referred to as the children of Yaakov or Yisroel. Since parshat Lech L'cha is mostly about Avraham as the future father of Israel, we read this portion of the Navi as this week's Haftara (see Ibn Ezra).
        The Haftara homiletically relates that Hashem wrought a miracle for Avraham when he fought the four kings. His sword killed many like sand and G-d made him pass by in peace. Malkee-Tzedek king of Yerushalayim (who was Noa'ch's son Sheim) came and encouraged Avraham. Together they brought forth the word of Hashem and not the message of idolatry. Isaiah tells the Jews that just as Hashem strengthened Avraham and saved him from the four kings, so too He will redeem B'nei Yisrael.
        The Haftara begins with five verses from the fortieth chapter to complete the minimum twenty-one verses needed for a Haftara. These verses also give hope to the Jews in exile. They show that even if we seem weary from our troubles, Hashem will give new strength and energy to those who have faith in Him.
 

         Last week we asked who had the most children that are named in Tanach. While there are some people, like Gideon the Judge (Shofet), who had a large number of children, very few of them are named.
        King David, however had 18 named children. Six of them are named earlier in Samuel, when he was still in Chevron, and another twelve were born and named after he was king in Jerusalem, later in the book.
        This week’s question: How many years did Avraham’s life overlap with Noach’s?

        A person is not allowed to receive income for work done on Shabbat. If, however, he or she puts in some work during the week then payment can be made even if most of the work is done on Shabbat itself. Exceptions to this are people being paid to lead groups in shul. Generally, if one is performing a mitzvah with his or her work then payment can be received for it, even without putting in any effort during the week. However it still is recommended to do some amount of preparation during the week, before Shabbat begins.