From TorahVort.com
Lech-Lecha
Shalom! It’s that great time of year again, Parshat Lech Lecha!! At the beginning of this weeks Torah reading, G-d informs Avram to leave his land, his relatives and his father's house and travel to an unknown destination where G-d would transform him into a great nation. Avram left, and took with him his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, their servants, and those whom he converted to faith in G-d. Avram was the first so called ‘out reach (Kiruv) worker’ and had phenomenal success in helping people find the ways of G-d, he always had his tent opened to anyone who wanted to come in for a meal, for a conversation, he followed the ways of G- d and was the most approachable and well liked of all men of his era. He honored everyone he met, greeted all individuals and we learn from him an important lesson; Pirkei Avot asks ‘who is the truly honored person?’ the answer given is ‘one who gives honor to other people.’ Avram looked at the good in all people and brought them to follow the ways of G-d with pure joy and happiness. When they reached the land of Canaan, G-d appeared to Avram and told him that this is the land that He will give to his descendants. A famine then ensued almost immediately in the land and Avram was then forced to relocate to Egypt to find food. Realizing that his wife’s beauty could potentially cause his death at the hand of the Egyptians, Avram requested her to act as his sister. Sarai was taken to Pharaoh, however G-d afflicted Pharaoh and his court with severe plagues in order to prevent Pharaoh from co habiting with Sarai, and she was released unmolested (Commentators say that Pharaoh was the first man to suffer from leprosy). Avram then returned to Eretz Yisrael (Canaan) with much wealth given to him by the Egyptians, as it was customary in the old days when marrying off ones sister in the biblical era, the man marrying the woman would shower the family of the bride with gifts and money. The reading continues with an argument which breaks out between Avram’s shepherds and Lot’s shepherds, over the grazing rights between their lands; as Lot’s shepherds were grazing their animals in fields which were not theirs. Lot and Avram then moved off to different destinations, Lot chose to move to the rich but much corrupt land of Sodom (a City which we will learn about in the next weeks Torah reading). Lot is soon after captured in the ‘first ever World War’ between the Four kings against the Five kings, the Four kings defeated the ‘Five kings’ and they in turn captured Lot. An unlikely hero stepped in to inform Avram that his nephew, Lot, had been captured, that was the giant of the name ‘OG.’ He informed Avram, with a hidden motive, with Avram going to battle against the Four Kings, he was sure Avram would be killed, that would allow him now to marry the beautiful Sarai. Despite OG’s hidden agenda, he was still rewarded with a very long life, which shows that when one performs a mitzvah insincerely they still will get reward for performing them. The victory was miraculous for Avram as many opinions say that it was himself and his servant, Eliezer, who were able to defeat the four kings and their armies, which proves how much Avram had G-d on his side. The Torah portion continues with a prophetic covenant, G-d revealed to Avram that his offspring will be exiled to a strange land where they will be oppressed for 400 years, after which they would emerge very wealthy and return to Eretz Yisrael, their irrevocable inheritance. The reading then continues, relating to the birth of Yishmael. Sarai was barren and gave Hagar, her Egyptian hand-maiden (daughter of Pharaoh), to Avram in the hope that she will provide them with a child. Hagar then became arrogant when she discovered that she was pregnant. Sarai in turn dealt harshly with her, and Hagar fled. On the instruction of an angel, Hagar returned to Avram, and then gave birth to Yishmael. The Torah reading then concludes with G-d commanding Avram to circumcise himself and his offspring throughout the generations as a Divine covenant. Circumcision should always take place on the eight day after the baby being born, however different circumstances may prevent it being taken place on that specific day. The Haftorah of this weeks Torah reading is taken from chapter 40 in the book of Yeshaya. I would like to thank all of you for the very positive feedback I have been receiving on my Dvar Torah’s, hopefully I will in due coarse also be recording a shiur given over by myself on the weekly Torah reading’s and other Torah related topics! Hope you all have a fantastic day and a spiritually uplifting, fun and Incredible Shabbat!!!! From Michael Z at Ohr Sameach Yeshiva in Jerusalem.
