Lech Lecha | Torah HaDorshot

Prayer Before Torah Study

B’rucha aht Shekhinah eloteinu ruach ha’olam asher kidshatnu bemitzvoteha vetzivatnu l’asok bedivrei torah.

Blessed are You, Holy One, whose Presence fills creation making us holy through the sacred connective action of cultivating words of Torah.

Lech Lecha Summary

Abram gets a message from G-d to leave Haran with his household, including his wife Sarai and nephew Lot
Abram goes to Egypt because there is a famine -> Sarai briefly enters the harem of Pharaoh -> Abram gets lots of livestock -> plagues befall Pharaoh and attributes it to Sarai being Abram's wife
Lot and Abram amicably part ways because there isn't enough grazing land
Lot settles near Sodom; Abram settles in the terebinths of Mamre
There's a war among various kings and Lot is kidnapped, Abram saves him
G-d promises that Abram will have biological offspring and countless descendants; G-d also promises him land in Canaan
Sarai proposes that Abram consort with her maid Hagar so that Sarai can have offspring by her
Hagar becomes pregnant but Sarai perceives her as haughty and treats her harshly
Hagar runs away but G-d convinces her to return, promising that Hagar will have a son named Ishmael and many descendants; Ismael is born
G-d reaffirms the covenant with Abram, renaming him Abraham ("father of a multitude") and tells him to circumcise all the males
G-d renames Sarai as Sarah and blesses her
G-d reaffirms that Abraham will have a son by Sarah and that the son will be named Isaac; G-d also blesses Ishmael
Abraham circumcises all the males in his household

בראשית י״ב:ד׳-ו׳

(ד) וַיֵּ֣לֶךְ אַבְרָ֗ם כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר דִּבֶּ֤ר אֵלָיו֙ יהוה וַיֵּ֥לֶךְ אִתּ֖וֹ ל֑וֹט וְאַבְרָ֗ם בֶּן־חָמֵ֤שׁ שָׁנִים֙ וְשִׁבְעִ֣ים שָׁנָ֔ה בְּצֵאת֖וֹ מֵחָרָֽן׃ (ה) וַיִּקַּ֣ח אַבְרָם֩ אֶת־שָׂרַ֨י אִשְׁתּ֜וֹ וְאֶת־ל֣וֹט בֶּן־אָחִ֗יו וְאֶת־כׇּל־רְכוּשָׁם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר רָכָ֔שׁוּ וְאֶת־הַנֶּ֖פֶשׁ אֲשֶׁר־עָשׂ֣וּ בְחָרָ֑ן וַיֵּצְא֗וּ לָלֶ֙כֶת֙ אַ֣רְצָה כְּנַ֔עַן וַיָּבֹ֖אוּ אַ֥רְצָה כְּנָֽעַן׃ (ו) וַיַּעֲבֹ֤ר אַבְרָם֙ בָּאָ֔רֶץ עַ֚ד מְק֣וֹם שְׁכֶ֔ם עַ֖ד אֵל֣וֹן מוֹרֶ֑ה וְהַֽכְּנַעֲנִ֖י אָ֥ז בָּאָֽרֶץ׃

Genesis 12:4-6

(4) Abram went forth as the LORD had commanded him, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran. (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, (6) Abram passed through the land as far as the site of Shechem, at the terebinth of Moreh. The Canaanites were then in the land.

Sarah traveled--that is, was taken by Abram--from one hallowed place to another. Ur, her birthplace, and Haran were both centers of moon worship and boasted large temple complexes. Once in Canaan she seems never to have set foot on other than holy ground, symbolized by the sacred terebinth, the grove at Mamre being the most siginificant. Her life, as we shall see, was dedicated solely to those functions with religious implications.

Savina J. Teubal, Sarah the Priestess: The First Matriarch of Genesis, p. 93.

בראשית י״ב:י״א-ט״ז

(יא) וַיְהִ֕י כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר הִקְרִ֖יב לָב֣וֹא מִצְרָ֑יְמָה וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ אֶל־שָׂרַ֣י אִשְׁתּ֔וֹ הִנֵּה־נָ֣א יָדַ֔עְתִּי כִּ֛י אִשָּׁ֥ה יְפַת־מַרְאֶ֖ה אָֽתְּ׃ (יב) וְהָיָ֗ה כִּֽי־יִרְא֤וּ אֹתָךְ֙ הַמִּצְרִ֔ים וְאָמְר֖וּ אִשְׁתּ֣וֹ זֹ֑את וְהָרְג֥וּ אֹתִ֖י וְאֹתָ֥ךְ יְחַיּֽוּ׃ (יג) אִמְרִי־נָ֖א אֲחֹ֣תִי אָ֑תְּ לְמַ֙עַן֙ יִֽיטַב־לִ֣י בַעֲבוּרֵ֔ךְ וְחָיְתָ֥ה נַפְשִׁ֖י בִּגְלָלֵֽךְ׃ (יד) וַיְהִ֕י כְּב֥וֹא אַבְרָ֖ם מִצְרָ֑יְמָה וַיִּרְא֤וּ הַמִּצְרִים֙ אֶת־הָ֣אִשָּׁ֔ה כִּֽי־יָפָ֥ה הִ֖וא מְאֹֽד׃ (טו) וַיִּרְא֤וּ אֹתָהּ֙ שָׂרֵ֣י פַרְעֹ֔ה וַיְהַֽלְל֥וּ אֹתָ֖הּ אֶל־פַּרְעֹ֑ה וַתֻּקַּ֥ח הָאִשָּׁ֖ה בֵּ֥ית פַּרְעֹֽה׃ (טז) וּלְאַבְרָ֥ם הֵיטִ֖יב בַּעֲבוּרָ֑הּ וַֽיְהִי־ל֤וֹ צֹאן־וּבָקָר֙ וַחֲמֹרִ֔ים וַעֲבָדִים֙ וּשְׁפָחֹ֔ת וַאֲתֹנֹ֖ת וּגְמַלִּֽים׃

Genesis 12:11-16

(11) As he was about to enter Egypt, he said to his wife Sarai, “I know what a beautiful woman you are. (12) If the Egyptians see you, and think, ‘She is his wife,’ they will kill me and let you live. (13) Please say that you are my sister, that it may go well with me because of you, and that I may remain alive thanks to you.” (14) When Abram entered Egypt, the Egyptians saw how very beautiful the woman was. (15) Pharaoh’s courtiers saw her and praised her to Pharaoh, and the woman was taken into Pharaoh’s palace. (16) And because of her, it went well with Abram; he acquired sheep, oxen, asses, male and female slaves, she-asses, and camels.

It is difficult to estimate at what period priestesses became celibate in the ancient world, but it is interesting to note in this connection that the most powerful Goddess, the one represented by the priestess in the hieros gamos, was Inanna [...] She was never a "mother" goddess; she remained childless. Like Innana, the priestess was to remain childless also. Only in a much later time are we told that if the priestess should conceive, the child of the sacred union was to be exposed to the elements and left to its fate, which was usually death. (It could be conjectured that the Akedah, the binding of Isaac, which has caused scholars centuries of perplexity, had its origin in the patriarch's effort to comply with this tradition.) Like the Goddess and the priestess, the matriarch Sarah (and possibly Rebekah also) is portrayed as (almost) having sexual relations with kings, even though she remained childless for close to thirty years.

Teubal, Sarah the Priestess, pp. 82-83.

Genesis

1. The famine was severe in the land.

2. The Lord afflicted his household with mighty plagues on account of Sarah (Gen. 12:17).

Sacred Marriage Ritual

[1.] Drought; calamity of nature.

[2.] Effect of unfavorable oracle.

Teubal, Sarah the Priestess, p. 119.

בראשית ט״ז:א׳-ו׳

(א) וְשָׂרַי֙ אֵ֣שֶׁת אַבְרָ֔ם לֹ֥א יָלְדָ֖ה ל֑וֹ וְלָ֛הּ שִׁפְחָ֥ה מִצְרִ֖ית וּשְׁמָ֥הּ הָגָֽר׃ (ב) וַתֹּ֨אמֶר שָׂרַ֜י אֶל־אַבְרָ֗ם הִנֵּה־נָ֞א עֲצָרַ֤נִי יהוה מִלֶּ֔דֶת בֹּא־נָא֙ אֶל־שִׁפְחָתִ֔י אוּלַ֥י אִבָּנֶ֖ה מִמֶּ֑נָּה וַיִּשְׁמַ֥ע אַבְרָ֖ם לְק֥וֹל שָׂרָֽי׃ (ג) וַתִּקַּ֞ח שָׂרַ֣י אֵֽשֶׁת־אַבְרָ֗ם אֶת־הָגָ֤ר הַמִּצְרִית֙ שִׁפְחָתָ֔הּ מִקֵּץ֙ עֶ֣שֶׂר שָׁנִ֔ים לְשֶׁ֥בֶת אַבְרָ֖ם בְּאֶ֣רֶץ כְּנָ֑עַן וַתִּתֵּ֥ן אֹתָ֛הּ לְאַבְרָ֥ם אִישָׁ֖הּ ל֥וֹ לְאִשָּֽׁה׃ (ד) וַיָּבֹ֥א אֶל־הָגָ֖ר וַתַּ֑הַר וַתֵּ֙רֶא֙ כִּ֣י הָרָ֔תָה וַתֵּקַ֥ל גְּבִרְתָּ֖הּ בְּעֵינֶֽיהָ׃ (ה) וַתֹּ֨אמֶר שָׂרַ֣י אֶל־אַבְרָם֮ חֲמָסִ֣י עָלֶ֒יךָ֒ אָנֹכִ֗י נָתַ֤תִּי שִׁפְחָתִי֙ בְּחֵיקֶ֔ךָ וַתֵּ֙רֶא֙ כִּ֣י הָרָ֔תָה וָאֵקַ֖ל בְּעֵינֶ֑יהָ יִשְׁפֹּ֥ט יהוה בֵּינִ֥י וּבֵינֶֽיׄךָ׃ (ו) וַיֹּ֨אמֶר אַבְרָ֜ם אֶל־שָׂרַ֗י הִנֵּ֤ה שִׁפְחָתֵךְ֙ בְּיָדֵ֔ךְ עֲשִׂי־לָ֖הּ הַטּ֣וֹב בְּעֵינָ֑יִךְ וַתְּעַנֶּ֣הָ שָׂרַ֔י וַתִּבְרַ֖ח מִפָּנֶֽיהָ׃

Genesis 16:1-6

(1) Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children. She had an Egyptian maidservant whose name was Hagar. (2) And Sarai said to Abram, “Look, the LORD has kept me from bearing. Consort with my maid; perhaps I shall have a son through her.” And Abram heeded Sarai’s request. (3) So Sarai, Abram’s wife, took her maid, Hagar the Egyptian—after Abram had dwelt in the land of Canaan ten years—and gave her to her husband Abram as concubine. (4) He cohabited with Hagar and she conceived; and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was lowered in her esteem. (5) And Sarai said to Abram, “The wrong done me is your fault! I myself put my maid in your bosom; now that she sees that she is pregnant, I am lowered in her esteem. The LORD decide between you and me!” (6) Abram said to Sarai, “Your maid is in your hands. Deal with her as you think right.” Then Sarai treated her harshly, and she ran away from her.

Each verse in Genesis 16 corresponds to a paragraph in Hammurapi's Code. Let us compare the Code and the Bible.

Code
1. If a priestess who is also a wife has given a slave girl to her husband.
2. And she bears children.
3. If thereafter the maid goes about making herself equal to her mistress...
4. Her mistress may not sell her...
5. She may put to mark (of a slave) on her.

Genesis
1. So Sarai took her maid and gave her to her husband as concubine.
2. And she conceived.
3. Her mistress was lowered in her esteem.
4. Your maid is in your hands, deal with her as you think right.
5. Sarai treated her harshly.

In other words, Sarah gave her handmaid to Abram as a concubine, but when the woman showed disrespect to her mistress, she was treated harshly; that is, Hagar was reduced to the status of a slave. [...] Abram's "Deal with her as you think right" is recognition of Sarah's authority.

Teubal, Sarah the Priestess, pp. 36-37

בראשית ט״ז:ט׳-י״ג

(ט) וַיֹּ֤אמֶר לָהּ֙ מַלְאַ֣ךְ יהוה שׁ֖וּבִי אֶל־גְּבִרְתֵּ֑ךְ וְהִתְעַנִּ֖י תַּ֥חַת יָדֶֽיהָ׃ (י) וַיֹּ֤אמֶר לָהּ֙ מַלְאַ֣ךְ יהוה הַרְבָּ֥ה אַרְבֶּ֖ה אֶת־זַרְעֵ֑ךְ וְלֹ֥א יִסָּפֵ֖ר מֵרֹֽב׃ (יא) וַיֹּ֤אמֶר לָהּ֙ מַלְאַ֣ךְ יהוה הִנָּ֥ךְ הָרָ֖ה וְיֹלַ֣דְתְּ בֵּ֑ן וְקָרָ֤את שְׁמוֹ֙ יִשְׁמָעֵ֔אל כִּֽי־שָׁמַ֥ע יהוה אֶל־עׇנְיֵֽךְ׃ (יב) וְה֤וּא יִהְיֶה֙ פֶּ֣רֶא אָדָ֔ם יָד֣וֹ בַכֹּ֔ל וְיַ֥ד כֹּ֖ל בּ֑וֹ וְעַל־פְּנֵ֥י כׇל־אֶחָ֖יו יִשְׁכֹּֽן׃ (יג) וַתִּקְרָ֤א שֵׁם־יהוה הַדֹּבֵ֣ר אֵלֶ֔יהָ אַתָּ֖ה אֵ֣ל רֳאִ֑י כִּ֣י אָֽמְרָ֗ה הֲגַ֥ם הֲלֹ֛ם רָאִ֖יתִי אַחֲרֵ֥י רֹאִֽי׃

Genesis 16:9-13

(9) And the angel of the LORD said to her, “Go back to your mistress, and submit to her harsh treatment.” (10) And the angel of the LORD said to her,“I will greatly increase your offspring,And they shall be too many to count.” (11) The angel of the LORD said to her further,“Behold, you are with childAnd shall bear a son;You shall call him Ishmael,For the LORD has paid heed to your suffering. (12) He shall 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.” (13) And she called the LORD who spoke to her, “You Are El-roi,” by which she meant, “Have I not gone on seeing after He saw me!”^-d

What actually happens to Hagar during this encounter with the Divine? One can discover three occurrences in this parashah that mirror Abram's experiences. First, Hagar leaves her home, her personal lechi lach, "go forth" (fem). Although it is not specified as such in the text, this parallels Abram's lech lecha, "go forth" (masc.). Thus, her leaving is similar to his departure from his home. Second, G-d makes a brit, a covenant, with her, in which she is promised that she will have numerous offspring, just as Abraham receives this same assurance in a more elaborate covenant that appears later in this Torah portion (Gen. 17:19). Third, she is told her son's name, just as Abraham will later be told his other son's name before his birth.

Rabbi Michal Shekel in The Women's Torah Commentary: New Insights from Women Rabbis on the 54 Weekly Torah Portions, pp. 58-59.

Hagar names G-d el ro'i, "God Who sees me." This is in response to G-d's naming of her child Yishma'el, which means "G-d hears." In naming G-d, Hagar affirms that G-d sees as well as hears. Here, too, there is a parallel with Abraham. After the akedah, the binding of Isaac, Abraham calls the mountain where he offered his son "Adonai sees," personalizing his relationship with G-d through the familiar name Adonai. Hagar gives her relationship with the Divine a more formal aspect by using the title el, G-d. They have in common that both affirm G-d as seeing. Hagar is a woman who has had a spiritual encounter and is strengthened by it to such an extent that she is the first person in the Torah who has the chutzpah to endow the Divine with a name.

Rabbi Shekel in The Women's Torah Commentary, pp. 59-60.

בראשית י״ז:ט״ו-ט״ז

(טו) וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֱלֹהִים֙ אֶל־אַבְרָהָ֔ם שָׂרַ֣י אִשְׁתְּךָ֔ לֹא־תִקְרָ֥א אֶת־שְׁמָ֖הּ שָׂרָ֑י כִּ֥י שָׂרָ֖ה שְׁמָֽהּ׃ (טז) וּבֵרַכְתִּ֣י אֹתָ֔הּ וְגַ֨ם נָתַ֧תִּי מִמֶּ֛נָּה לְךָ֖ בֵּ֑ן וּבֵֽרַכְתִּ֙יהָ֙ וְהָֽיְתָ֣ה לְגוֹיִ֔ם מַלְכֵ֥י עַמִּ֖ים מִמֶּ֥נָּה יִהְיֽוּ׃

Genesis 17:15-16

(15) And God said to Abraham, “As for your wife Sarai, you shall not call her Sarai, but her name shall be Sarah. (16) I will bless her; indeed, I will give you a son by her. I will bless her so that she shall give rise to nations; rulers of peoples shall issue from her.”