Friday Torah, Lech Lecha

Lech Lecha, Genesis/Bereshits 12:1 thru 17:27

G-d has a plan. Nothing happens by chance. And some times there is a person who is essential for that plan. In Lech Lecha we begin to see one of those people.
Abram is first introduced in last weeks portion. But aside from a brief mention, we learn nothing about him until this portion.

1. And the Lord said to Abram, "Go forth from your land and from your birthplace and from your father's house, to the land that I will show you.2. And I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you, and I will aggrandize your name, and [you shall] be a blessing.3. And I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse, and all the families of the earth shall be blessed in you." 4. And Abram went, as the Lord had spoken to him, and Lot went with him, and Abram was seventy five years old when he left Haran.

We learn nothing about his early life. We know nothing about his relationship with the one true G-d. But some how, he was intememt enough with G-d so that G-d spoke to him.

Abram is the first of the three great Patriarchs. But like so many other great men of the Bible, he is a deeply flawed individual. Yet G-d chose him to be a father of two nations. And all nations of the world could be blessed thru him.

This tells me that despite our own flaws (and I have many) we can be a blessing, we can be used by G-d.

The first flaw we see in Abram is during his move to Egypt. He had Sarai say that she was his sister. Most people think that Abram told her to say that because he was afraid of being killed by Pharaoh for Sarai. While this may be true, he was also looking to be enriched by Pharaoh. And the scriptures tell us that he received much for Sarai.

16. And he benefited Abram for her sake, and he had flocks and cattle and he donkeys and men servants and maid servants, and she donkeys and camels.
This brings up difficult questions. Did Abram “Pimp” Sarai? Did Pharaoh sleep with Sarai.
17. And the Lord plagued Pharaoh [with] great plagues as well as his household, on account of Sarai, Abram's wife.

The scripture doesn’t tell us. But commentaries say that Pharaoh was stricken by disease before he had a chance.

Pharaoh Got a little upset over this whole incident. He threw Abram out of town. But Abram didn’t learn from this incident. He pulled this “She’s my sister” routine again in next weeks portion.

There are several jewels in this portion. The first is where Abram is called a Hebrew (Chap 14:12). And after a battle where the clan leader Abram saves his relatives, we meet a figure called Malchizedek, King of Salem. Malchizedek gives Abram a blessing and in return Abram gives Malchizedek 10% of his belongings.

In chap. 15, we hear G-d’s promises to give Abram a son. But shortly after, both his and Sarai’s lack of faith cause Sarai to give Abram her servant, Hagar to produce children. And as we can see today, that didn’t turn out well.

And at the end of this portion, we see Abram do something that did take a great deal of faith. Abram, now called Abraham is given the covenant of circumcision.

23. And Abraham took Ishmael his son and all those born in his house and all those purchased with his money, every male of the people of Abraham's household, and he circumcised the flesh of their foreskin on that very day, as God had spoken with him.24. And Abraham was ninety-nine years old, when he was circumcised of the flesh of his foreskin

The man did himself and his family! That took FAITH.

Good Shabbos