When you think about God's command to Abraham how do you understand the emphatic Lekh Lekha? God could have just said "Lekh!" - Go, journey! - BUT we have an extra Lekha in the Hebrew usually translated as "to you." But that doesn't seem to make so much sense, unless we were to interpret it as God saying - "Yes, YOU! I'm talking to YOU Avram!"
What picture do you have in your mind of Avraham travelling from Haran to the land of Canaan? What color are his eyes? His skin? He comes from Mesopotamia. The clan was more nomadic than an urban. Imagine the scene. Compare your view to this illustration:

Tom Lovell (1909 – 1997)
Young Abraham Travels With Family Up Euphrates Valley
Tom Lovell (5 February 1909 – 29 June 1997) was an American illustrator and painter. He was a prolific creator of pulp fiction magazine covers and illustrations, and of visual art of the American West. He produced illustrations for National Geographic magazine, and many others, and painted many historical Western subjects such as interactions between Indians and white settlers and traders. He was inducted into the Society of Illustrators Hall of Fame in 1974
https://painting-mythology.blogspot.com/2015/12/88-works-religious-art-story-of-abraham.html
Here's Rashi's commentary on Lekh Lekha:
Take a crack at the Hebrew - the Gur Aryeh is Rabbi Judah Leow of Prague who wrote a super-commentary on Rashi (16th Century):
OR SKIP THIS SOURCE AND CONTINUE with VERSE 5.
(א) לך לך להנאתך ולטובתך. דאם לא כן לא יתכן לומר "לך לך". כתב רש"י כפל לשון, מפני שכתב "לך לך מארצך" דמשמע לצורכך, .... ונראה משום דכל מקום הלשון משמע "לך" - לעצמך, כלומר לדעת עצמו, וגם "שלח לך" (במדבר יג, ב) - לרצונך, שלא היתה מצוה על זה. אבל במקום הזה שהוא מצוה "לך לך מארצך" דכתיב (להלן טו, ז) "אני ה' אשר הוצאתיך מאור כשדים וגו'", אם כן צוואה היתה, ואיך יאמר "לך לך", אלא הכי פירושו 'להנאתך ולטובתך', כלומר שגם הליכה הזאת הוא לרצונך, שהרי היא להנאתך ולטובתך:
Note the Torah's description of who goes with Avram and Sarai on their journey.
How did they decide to move on? Was it only because of God's command? At the end of last week's parsha Terah, Avram's father, died. Were they ready for a new chapter? What are the events in a person's life that reveal sparks of the Divine?

James Jacques Joseph Tissot (French, 1836-1902)
Abram's Counsel to Sarai, c. 1896-1902
Gouache on board
6 x 8 1/8 in. (15.2 x 20.7 cm),
Jewish Museum, New York
Jacques Joseph Tissot (15 October 1836 – 8 August 1902), Anglicized as James Tissot, was a French painter and illustrator. He was a successful painter of Paris society before moving to London in 1871. He became famous as a genre painter of fashionably dressed women shown in various scenes of everyday life. He also painted scenes and characters from the Bible.
https://painting-mythology.blogspot.com/2015/12/88-works-religious-art-story-of-abraham.html
Study the verse:
(ה) וַיִּקַּ֣ח אַבְרָם֩ אֶת־שָׂרַ֨י אִשְׁתּ֜וֹ וְאֶת־ל֣וֹט בֶּן־אָחִ֗יו וְאֶת־כָּל־רְכוּשָׁם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר רָכָ֔שׁוּ וְאֶת־הַנֶּ֖פֶשׁ אֲשֶׁר־עָשׂ֣וּ בְחָרָ֑ן וַיֵּצְא֗וּ לָלֶ֙כֶת֙ אַ֣רְצָה כְּנַ֔עַן וַיָּבֹ֖אוּ אַ֥רְצָה כְּנָֽעַן׃
(5) Abram took his wife Sarai and his brother’s son Lot, and all the wealth that they had amassed, and the persons that they had acquired in Haran; and they set out for the land of Canaan. When they arrived in the land of Canaan,
Notice what Rashi comments on:
Rashi "uses" the Midrashim that he had available in his library, and sometimes he would send to his old teachers or colleagues to find him commentaries and midrashim that he wanted to incorporate in his teachings.
Below is the Midrash that mentions Avram and Sarai converting souls in Haran. What element of the Midrash was kept in the commentary we have, as it was passed down to us? What elements and themes are kept out of the Rashi commentary? Why?
(14) “And the souls that they had made in Haran.” Said Rabbi Elazar ben Zimra: Even if every creature on earth conspired to create (out of nothing) even one mosquito, they could not give it a soul--and you say “the souls that they had made.” Therefore (they must be) they must be those who lived with them and converted. And it it meant “converted” why did it say “made?” In order to teach you that each one who brings an idol worshipper and converts him, it is as though he created him. And why did it say “that they made” rather than “that he made?” Said Rav Huna: Abraham would convert the men, and Sarah would convert the women.
Compare Ibn Ezra and Chizkuni, two other Medieval commentators who "know" Rashi:
(א) רכושם. מקנה וכן כי היה רכושם רב (ב) ואת הנפש. עבדים ילידי בית. או עשו. כמו קנו. וכן עשה לי את החיל הזה. ויש אומרים הנפשות שהורם האמת לעבוד את השם. וטעם ויצאו ללכת. אל המקום אשר אמר השם
...All the souls they made: these are the servants and their children. OR the verb "made" refers to acquisitions. AND there are those who say that Avram taught them truth and to worship Adonai...
In the 19th Century the CHIDA wrote a Torah commentary. How does he include themes from the original MIDRASH that Rashi borrowed from? How does he use the Midrash more comprehensively?
(א) ואת הנפש אשר עשו בחרן. אמרו רז״ל אפילו מתכנסין כל בריות שבעולם אינם יכולים לבראת שום בריה אפילו יתוש אלא שגיירום. יש מי ששאל דהיו יכולים לבראת בני אדם על ידי ספר יצירה וכו׳ וכמ״ש בסנהדרין רבא ברא גברא. וכתב הרב של״ה ז״ל דהשבטים היו בוראין צאן ע״י ספר יצירה וכו׳ ואני הדל אומר שגם העושה בספר יצירה הוא אינו עושה רק מצרף אותיות ומכוין כונות ומן השמים עושים וקרא דדייק טובא הול״ל (הוצרך לומר לנו) ואת הנפש אשר נעשו בחרן ולא יאמר עשו כי הם אינם יכולים לעשות שום דבר רק בצירוף וכונות נעשו. ועוד דייק ואת הנפש אשר עשו דמשמע דעשו הנפש ולא הגוף ולז״א שגיירום ותקנו נפשם:
Chomat Anakh on Torahחומת אנך על תורה
מחבר: חיים דוד אזולאיAuthor: Hayyim Joseph David Azulay
נוצר/נערך ב (1784 - 1804 לספירה בקירוב). פירוש על התנ"ך להחיד"א.
Composed in (c.1784 - c.1804 CE). Commentary on the Tanakh written by Rabbi Hayyim Joseph David Azulay (Hida). The Hida was a prominent Sephardic rabbi. Born in Jerusalem, the Hida was sent to travel Europe as an emissary from the Land of Israel.
These next two sources suggest that a mystical and magical theme of making/creating beings was already in Talmudic layers of Rabbinic text.
It is just interesting to note that RASHI did not reference any of these traditions in his commentaries despite the fact that traditions about Abraham being the author of Sefer Yetzirah were known.
ONTO CHAPTER 14 - JUST AFTER THE JOURNEY TO CANAAN, SPLITTING WAYS WITH LOT AND ESTABLISHING HIMSELF BACK IN CANAAN AFTER A SOJOURN IN EGYPT.....
Abraham rounded up 318 of his fighting men and pursued the Elamite imperial enemy who kidnapped his nephew.
The alliance with Canaanite kings whether just for expediency or to establish himself as a champion in the region stands as a core element of the Abraham narrative.



SUMMARY, chapter 14:
In the days of Lot, before the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, the Elamite king Chedorlaomer had subdued the tribes and cities surrounding the Jordan River plain. After thirteen years, four kings of the cities of the Jordan plain revolted against Chedorlaomer's rule. The revolt started with their refusal to pay tribute to King Chedorlaomer. In response, Chedorlaomer and three other northern kings started a campaign against Bera, the king of Sodom, and the three other southern kings with him
During the rebellion of the Jordan River cities against Elam, Abram's nephew, Lot, was taken prisoner along with his entire household by the invading Elamite forces. The Elamite army came to collect the spoils of war, after having just defeated the king of Sodom's armies. Lot and his family, at the time, were settled on the outskirts of the Kingdom of Sodom which made them a visible target.
One person who escaped capture came and told Abram what happened. Once Abram received this news, he immediately assembled 318 trained servants. Abram's force headed north in pursuit of the Elamite army, who were already worn down from the Battle of Siddim. When they caught up with them at Dan, Abram devised a battle plan by splitting his group into more than one unit, and launched a night raid. Not only were they able to free the captives, Abram's unit chased and slaughtered the Elamite King Chedorlaomer at Hobah, just north of Damascus. They freed Lot, as well as his household and possessions, and recovered all of the goods from Sodom that had been taken.
https://painting-mythology.blogspot.com/2015/12/88-works-religious-art-story-of-abraham.html
Let's look closely at Rashi's commentary on a few verses.
This first one helps establish the context of Abraham's relationship to the people and king of Sodom.
(10) Now the Valley of Siddim was dotted with bitumen pits; and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah, in their flight, threw themselves into them, while the rest escaped to the hill country.
(א) בארת בארת חמר. בְּאֵרוֹת הַרְבֵּה הָיוּ שָׁם, שֶׁנּוֹטְלִין מִשָּׁם אֲדָמָה לְטִיט שֶׁל בִּנְיָן. וּמִדְרַש אַגָּדָה שֶׁהָיָה הַטִּיט מֻגְבָּל בָּהֶם, וְנַעֲשָׂה נֵס לְמֶלֶךְ סְדוֹם שֶׁיָּצָא מִשָּׁם, לְפִי שֶׁהָיוּ בָאֻמּוֹת מִקְצָתָן שֶׁלֹּא הָיוּ מַאֲמִינִין שֶׁנִּצַּל אַבְרָהָם מֵאוּר כַּשְׂדִּים מִכִּבְשַׁן הָאֵשׁ, וְכֵיוָן שֶׁיָּצָא זֶה מִן הַחֵמָר, הֶאֱמִינוּ בְאַבְרָם לְמַפְרֵעַ:
(ב) הרה נסו. לְהָר נָסוּ, הֶרָה, כְּמוֹ לְהָר; כָּל תֵּבָה שֶׁצְּרִיכָה לָמֶ"ד בִּתְחִלָּתָהּ, הֵטִיל לָהּ הֵ"א בְּסוֹפָהּ. וְיֵשׁ חִלּוּק בֵּין הֶרָה לְהָהָרָה, שֶׁהֵ"א שֶׁבְּסוֹף הַתֵּבָה עוֹמֶדֶת בִּמְקוֹם לָמֶ"ד שֶׁבְּרֹאשָׁהּ, אֲבָל אֵינָהּ עוֹמֶדֶת בִּמְקוֹם לָמֶ"ד וּנְקוּדָה פַּתָּח תַּחְתֶּיהָ, וַהֲרֵי הֶרָה כְּמוֹ לְהַר אוֹ כְּמוֹ אֶל הַר, וְאֵינוֹ מְפָרֵשׁ לְאֵיזֶה הַר, אֶלָּא שֶׁכָּל אֶחָד נָס בַּאֲשֶׁר מָצָא הַר תְּחִלָּה, וּכְשֶׁהוּא נוֹתֵן הֵ"א בְרֹאשָׁהּ לִכְתֹּב הָהָרָה אוֹ הַמִּדְבָּרָה, פִּתְרוֹנוֹ כְּמוֹ אֶל הָהָר אוֹ כְמוֹ לְהָהָר, וּמַשְׁמַע לְאוֹתוֹ הַר הַיָּדוּעַ וּמְפֹרָשׁ בַּפָּרָשָׁה:
(1) בארת בארת חמר FULL OF BITUMEN PITS — There were many pits there from which they took earth as clay for building purposes. The Midrashic explanation is that the clay was closely kneaded together in them (was very sticky) so that it was only because a miracle was performed for the king of Sodom that he escaped from them. For amongst those nations there were some who did not believe that Abraham had been delivered from Ur-Kasdim — from the fiery furnace — but as soon as this one escaped from the slime they corrected their past disbelief regarding what had happened to Abraham (literally, they believed retrospectively in Abraham) (Genesis Rabbah 42:7).
RASHI - GRAMMAR LESSON
(2) הרה נסו means THEY FLED TO A MOUNTAIN. The word הרה is the same as לְהַר. When a word requires a ל as a prefix one may put instead a ה as a suffix. There is a difference between הֶרָה and הָהָרָה, for the ה at the end takes the place of a לְ (with Shewa) prefixed (another version has: for the ה at the end does not take the place of a prefixed ל with Patach which would mean to “the”) so that הֶרָה is equal to לְהַר or to אֶל הַר to “a” mountain, without explaining which mountain — so that the meaning here is that each person fled to the first mountain he came across. When, however, a ה is prefixed to a word having this ה suffix so that it reads e. g., הָהרה or הַמדברה, it is the same as אל הָהר or לְהָהר (to “the” mount) signifying that mount which is well-known and has been definitely mentioned in the passage.
In the chapter before ours, 13, the People of Sodom were noted to be wicked. The King, on the other hand, in chapter 14 was turned into a believer.
(א) רעים. לבני אדם ויחזקאל פירש זה ויד עני ואביון לא החזיקו
Why was Avraham called the IVRI?
(11) [The invaders] seized all the wealth of Sodom and Gomorrah and all their provisions, and went their way. (12) They also took Lot, the son of Abram’s brother, and his possessions, and departed; for he had settled in Sodom. (13) A fugitive brought the news to Abram the Hebrew, who was dwelling at the terebinths of Mamre the Amorite, kinsman of Eshkol and Aner, these being Abram’s allies.
(14) When Abram heard that his kinsman had been taken captive, he mustered his retainers, born into his household, numbering three hundred and eighteen, and went in pursuit as far as Dan. (15) At night, he and his servants deployed against them and defeated them; and he pursued them as far as Hobah, which is north of Damascus. (16) He brought back all the possessions; he also brought back his kinsman Lot and his possessions, and the women and the rest of the people. (17) When he returned from defeating Chedorlaomer and the kings with him, the king of Sodom came out to meet him in the Valley of Shaveh, which is the Valley of the King. (18) And King Melchizedek of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was a priest of God Most High. (19) He blessed him, saying, “Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth. (20) And blessed be God Most High, Who has delivered your foes into your hand.” And [Abram] gave him a tenth of everything. (21) Then the king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the persons, and take the possessions for yourself.” (22) But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I swear to the LORD, God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth: (23) I will not take so much as a thread or a sandal strap of what is yours; you shall not say, ‘It is I who made Abram rich.’ (24) For me, nothing but what my servants have used up; as for the share of the men who went with me—Aner, Eshkol, and Mamre—let them take their share.”
...וַיַּגֵּד לְאַבְרָם הָעִבְרִי, רַבִּי יְהוּדָה וְרַבִּי נְחֶמְיָה וְרַבָּנָן, רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר כָּל הָעוֹלָם כֻּלּוֹ מֵעֵבֶר אֶחָד וְהוּא מֵעֵבֶר אֶחָד. רַבִּי נְחֶמְיָה אָמַר שֶׁהוּא מִבְּנֵי בָּנָיו שֶׁל עֵבֶר. וְרַבָּנָן אָמְרֵי שֶׁהוּא מֵעֵבֶר הַנָּהָר, וְשֶׁהוּא מֵשִׂיחַ בִּלְשׁוֹן עִבְרִי.
“Avram the Hebrew was told.” Rabbi Yehudah, Rabbi Nechemyah, and the sages [disagree]. Rabbi Yehudah says: the entire world is on one side and he is on the other side [the word for “side” in Hebrew is מעבר , which stems from the same root עבר ]. Rabbi Nechemyah says: Because he is of the descendants of Ever [the son of Shem, the son of Noah]. The sages say: he is from the other side of the river and that he speaks in the Hebrew tongue.

Maerten van Heemskerck, 16th century
Abraham Receiving the Blessing of Melchizedek
oil on panel
99 × 105.5 cm.
Maerten van Heemskerck, (born 1498, Heemskerck, Holland—died 1574, Haarlem), one of the leading Mannerist painters in 16th-century Holland working in the Italianate manner.
He spent a period (c. 1528) in the Haarlem studio of Jan van Scorel, then lately returned from Italy. Van Heemskerck’s earliest works—“Ecce Homo” (Musée des Beaux-Arts, Ghent) and “St. Luke Painting the Portrait of the Virgin” (Frans Halsmuseum, Haarlem), both dated 1532—while adhering closely to the Romanist style of Scorel, seek to outdo it by dramatic lighting and illusionistic effects of plasticity.
From 1532 to 1535 he was in Rome, recording in innumerable sketches, some of which are preserved in Berlin, the architecture and sculpture of classical antiquity and the painting of the High Renaissance. Of the latter he directed his attention particularly to the frescoes of Michelangelo in the Sistine Chapel and those of Raphael in the Villa Farnesina.
The Ramban noted a difficulty in our parsha - that God says "Go forth..." without first mentioning why Avraham in particular was so precious as to receive such a command. It appears to me that the holy Zohar sees this very fact as what makes Avraham praiseworthy. He heard the call of 'go forth' which comes out from God to all people at all time, as it says 'oy to those who sleep in their holes (and do not hear)!' Our father Avraham heard the call and received its message. Perforce the Divine word was calling to him alone, because there was no one but he listening. Certainly this itself is his greatest praise - that he was ready to receive the call.