Lech Lecha

Let the leave-taking begin.....

God tells Abram "to leave his land, his kindred, his father's house and go to the land I will show you." Abram, along with Sarai, his wife; Lot, his nephew; and his whole entourage and went to Canaan. Along the way, Abram built two alters to God.

There was a famine, so Abram traveled to Egypt. As they approached Egypt, Abram told Sarai to tell the Egyptians that she is his sister, so they will not kill me. When the princes of the Pharaoh saw the beautiful Sarai, they took her to Pharaoh's house, giving Abram many sheep, oxen, donkeys, servants, asses and camels. Because of this, God put great plagues upon Pharaoh and his house. Pharaoh summoned Abram and said, "Why didn't you tell me she was your wife! Take her and go!" Pharaoh had Abram escorted out of Egypt with all he had acquired.

Abram and Lot traveled together, each with their immense flocks, herds, and tents. When a quarrel broke out between their herdsmen, Abram told Lot to choose which way to go, right or left, and he would go the other way. Lot chose to go east to Jordan, and he settled near Sodom. Abram settled in Canaan.

The alliance of the kings of Shinar, Ellasar, Elam and Goyim fought a series of wars with the alliance of the kings of Sodom, Ammorah, Admah, Tziboyim and Tzoar. Sodom and Ammorah were seized, with the victors taking all the property of the towns. Lot, Abram's nephew, became a captive and was taken away when the invaders left Sodom. When Abram heard this news, he gathered 318 men of his household and went in pursuit of the captors of Lot. Abram's force defeated the invaders, and Lot and all his property were freed.

The king of Sodom came out to meet him. King Melchizedek of Salem, a priest of "Ail Elyon", God Most High, brought bread and wine and blessed Abram: "Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth. And blessed be God Most High, Who has delivered your foes into your hand." Abram gave him a tenth of all he possessed.

Some time after this, God came to Abram in a vision. God promised the childless Abram that he would produce heirs, "Look toward heaven and count the stars . . . so shall your offspring be." God once again promises that this land will be possessed by Abram's descendents. God tells Abram that his offspring "shall be strangers in a land not theirs, and they shall be enslaved and oppressed four hundred years," but in the fourth generation they will return.

Abram's wife Sarai, was barren. She told Abram to take her servant Hagar as a consort so that Sarai could have a son through her. When Hagar conceived, Sarai was lowered in her esteem. This upset Sarai, who treated Hagar harshly. Hagar ran away, but was convinced by an angel of God to go back, telling her that her offspring would be numerous and that her son, Ishmael, would be "a wild ass of a man; His hand against everyone, And everyone's hand against him; He shall dwell alongside of all his kinsmen." Hagar returned and Ishmael was born.

God reaffirms his covenant with Abram, changing his name to Abraham--"Ab-Raham," the father of many. As a sign of the convenant, God says that every male shall be circumcised when he is eight days old. God also changed Sarai's names to Sarah, and blessed her with the promise of a son, Isaac. Abraham laughs, unbelieving that a child could be born to a couple so old. God also blesses Ishmael with the promise that his offspring will be numerous and will become a great nation. But the covenant will be established with Isaac, who will be born in one year. Abraham had his son Ishmael and all the males in his household circumcised.

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When you start studying Torah as an adult, there's always this amazement of what is there and what isn't there. For example, the story of Abraham destroying his father's idols is midrash, a story. It's not in the text. But Abraham as warrior, defeating the armies of the 5 kings and the homage paid to him by the mysterious Melchizedek of Salem is something they never taught me in Hebrew school, although that is there.

Who is Melchizedek - King of Righteousness? He is a priest of God, the Creator--the same God as Abraham's God? He is from Salem--could that be Jerusalem, a city sacred to so many now and, maybe, then? How does he know of Abraham and his God? Is he a messenger of God, there to precede the giving of the covenant? Does he serve as a test for Abraham, who gives him a tithe, a tenth of all he possesses--a tithe to God?

I have no answers, just questions. If you have answers, share them. If you have more questions about this or anything else in the parsha, pose them. Just click on comments and spark some discussion.

Lech Lecha