- God calls Avram to leave his family - the city of Haran
- Avram goes to Egypt due to a famine in Canaan, before arriving in Egypt he tells his wife Sarai to say she's his sister (she's so beautiful) for fear they may kill him in order to take her.
- He and his nephew Lot separate; Avram in Canaan and Lot goes east settling near Sodom
- Avram rescues Lot when he gets involved in a war with enemy chiefs
- God makes a covenant with Avram, promising Canaan shall be the land for future generations to come
- Avram has a child, Ishmael, with Hagar, Sarai's concubine
- God makes a brit, covenant with Avram and future Jewish males, his name is changed to Avraham, "father of a multitude of nations".
- God changes Sarai's name to Sarah, "princess", and she is told that she will bear a son
- Ninety-nine years old, Abraham circumcises himself and Ishmael at age 13
(ט) אֵ֚לֶּה תּוֹלְדֹ֣ת נֹ֔חַ נֹ֗חַ אִ֥ישׁ צַדִּ֛יק תָּמִ֥ים הָיָ֖ה בְּדֹֽרֹתָ֑יו אֶת־הָֽאֱלֹהִ֖ים הִֽתְהַלֶּךְ־נֹֽחַ׃
(9)This is the line of Noah.—Noah was a righteous man; he was blameless in his age; Noah walked with God.—
תָּמִ֣ים תִּֽהְיֶ֔ה עִ֖ם יהוה אֱלֹהֶֽיךָ׃ (ס)
You must be wholehearted with your God יהוה.
אמן = Oomahn = artisan, craftsman, practitioner
אִמּוּן = Eemoon = training, exercise, practice
מֻנָּה = Moonah= to be appointed
אֹמֵ֜ן = Ohmayn= to bring up, to nurture (Biblical, see Megillat Esther 2:7)
אמן = Amen = אל מלך נאמןLoyal to God, the Sovereign El Melech Ne’emanloyal, faithful, devoted ; reliable, trustworthy
~Ruth Schapira
(יב) וִידֵ֤י מֹשֶׁה֙ כְּבֵדִ֔ים וַיִּקְחוּ־אֶ֛בֶן וַיָּשִׂ֥ימוּ תַחְתָּ֖יו וַיֵּ֣שֶׁב עָלֶ֑יהָ וְאַהֲרֹ֨ן וְח֜וּר תָּֽמְכ֣וּ בְיָדָ֗יו מִזֶּ֤ה אֶחָד֙ וּמִזֶּ֣ה אֶחָ֔ד וַיְהִ֥י יָדָ֛יו אֱמוּנָ֖ה עַד־בֹּ֥א הַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ׃
(12) But Moses’ hands grew heavy; so they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it, while Aaron and Hur, one on each side, supported his hands; thus his hands remained steady until the sun set.
(א) וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יהוה אֶל־אַבְרָ֔ם לֶךְ־לְךָ֛מֵאַרְצְךָ֥ וּמִמּֽוֹלַדְתְּךָ֖ וּמִבֵּ֣ית אָבִ֑יךָ אֶל־הָאָ֖רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֥ר אַרְאֶֽךָּ׃(ב) וְאֶֽעֶשְׂךָ֙ לְג֣וֹי גָּד֔וֹל וַאֲבָ֣רֶכְךָ֔ וַאֲגַדְּלָ֖ה שְׁמֶ֑ךָ וֶהְיֵ֖ה בְּרָכָֽה׃(ג) וַאֲבָֽרְכָה֙ מְבָ֣רְכֶ֔יךָ וּמְקַלֶּלְךָ֖ אָאֹ֑ר וְנִבְרְכ֣וּ בְךָ֔ כֹּ֖ל מִשְׁפְּחֹ֥ת הָאֲדָמָֽה׃(ד) וַיֵּ֣לֶךְ אַבְרָ֗ם כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר דִּבֶּ֤ר אֵלָיו֙ יהוה וַיֵּ֥לֶךְ אִתּ֖וֹ ל֑וֹט וְאַבְרָ֗ם בֶּן־חָמֵ֤שׁ שָׁנִים֙ וְשִׁבְעִ֣ים שָׁנָ֔ה בְּצֵאת֖וֹ מֵחָרָֽן׃
(1) יהוה said to Abram, “Go forth from your native land and from your father’s house to the land that I will show you.(2) I will make of you a great nation, And I will bless you;
I will make your name great, And you shall be a blessing.(3) I will bless those who bless you
And curse the one who curses you; And all the families of the earth Shall bless themselves by you.”(4) Abram went forth as יהוה had commanded him, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran.
~ Sfat Emet, Lech Lecha - 1903
One of the mitzvot that was commanded from the verse "Go forth from your land..." is that one's soul leaves material things in order to fully realize the soul's potential
(א) וַיְהִ֣י אַבְרָ֔ם בֶּן־תִּשְׁעִ֥ים שָׁנָ֖ה וְתֵ֣שַׁע שָׁנִ֑ים וַיֵּרָ֨א יהוה אֶל־אַבְרָ֗ם וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֵלָיו֙ אֲנִי־אֵ֣ל שַׁדַּ֔י הִתְהַלֵּ֥ךְ לְפָנַ֖י וֶהְיֵ֥ה תָמִֽים׃
(1) When Abram was ninety-nine years old, יהוה appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am El Shaddai. Walk in My ways and be wholehearted.
So long as you are physically whole (i.e. uncircumcised), you are spiritually broken in God’s eyes, we are told. You are blemished so long as you are unblemished....Something must be shattered if there is to be repair. The aspiration of temimut, then, could not be an untested wholeness or a simple perfection, but a fullness ("shleimut" in Rashi's words) born of one's awareness of one's profound imperfection. It is what emerges on the other side of religious rupture." ~ Rabbi Erin Leib Smokler
(א) אַחַ֣ר ׀ הַדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֗לֶּה הָיָ֤ה דְבַר־יהוה אֶל־אַבְרָ֔ם בַּֽמַּחֲזֶ֖ה לֵאמֹ֑ר אַל־תִּירָ֣א אַבְרָ֗ם אָנֹכִי֙ מָגֵ֣ן לָ֔ךְ שְׂכָרְךָ֖ הַרְבֵּ֥ה מְאֹֽד׃(ב) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אַבְרָ֗ם אדני יהוה מַה־תִּתֶּן־לִ֔י וְאָנֹכִ֖י הוֹלֵ֣ךְ עֲרִירִ֑י וּבֶן־מֶ֣שֶׁק בֵּיתִ֔י ה֖וּא דַּמֶּ֥שֶׂק אֱלִיעֶֽזֶר׃(ג) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אַבְרָ֔ם הֵ֣ן לִ֔י לֹ֥א נָתַ֖תָּה זָ֑רַע וְהִנֵּ֥ה בֶן־בֵּיתִ֖י יוֹרֵ֥שׁ אֹתִֽי׃(ד) וְהִנֵּ֨ה דְבַר־יהוה אֵלָיו֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר לֹ֥א יִֽירָשְׁךָ֖ זֶ֑ה כִּי־אִם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר יֵצֵ֣א מִמֵּעֶ֔יךָ ה֖וּא יִֽירָשֶֽׁךָ׃(ה) וַיּוֹצֵ֨א אֹת֜וֹ הַח֗וּצָה וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ הַבֶּט־נָ֣א הַשָּׁמַ֗יְמָה וּסְפֹר֙ הַכּ֣וֹכָבִ֔ים אִם־תּוּכַ֖ל לִסְפֹּ֣ר אֹתָ֑ם וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ל֔וֹ כֹּ֥ה יִהְיֶ֖ה זַרְעֶֽךָ׃(ו) וְהֶאֱמִ֖ן בַּֽיהוה וַיַּחְשְׁבֶ֥הָ לּ֖וֹ צְדָקָֽה׃(ז) וַיֹּ֖אמֶר אֵלָ֑יו אֲנִ֣י יהוה אֲשֶׁ֤ר הוֹצֵאתִ֙יךָ֙ מֵא֣וּר כַּשְׂדִּ֔ים לָ֧תֶת לְךָ֛ אֶת־הָאָ֥רֶץ הַזֹּ֖את לְרִשְׁתָּֽהּ׃(ח) וַיֹּאמַ֑ר אדני יהוה בַּמָּ֥ה אֵדַ֖ע כִּ֥י אִֽירָשֶֽׁנָּה׃
(1) Some time later, the word of יהוה came to Abram in a vision:
“Fear not, Abram,
I am a shield to you;
Your reward shall be very great.”(2) But Abram said, “O lord יהוה, what can You give me, seeing that I shall die childless, and the one in charge of my household is Dammesek Eliezer!”(3) Abram said further, “Since You have granted me no offspring, my steward will be my heir.”(4) The word of יהוה came to him in reply, “That one shall not be your heir; none but your very own issue shall be your heir.”(5) [Then in the vision, God] took him outside and said, “Look toward heaven and count the stars, if you are able to count them”—continuing, “So shall your offspring be.”(6) And he put his trust in יהוה, who reckoned it to his merit.(7) Then [God] said to him, “I am יהוה who brought you out from Ur of the Chaldeans to assign this land to you as a possession.”(8) And he said, “O lord יהוה, how shall I know that I am to possess it?”
When you reach this level, you will not be broken or become sad regardless of how the Almighty sets up your life. You will accept whatever happens with love. ~ R’ Chaim Zaitchyk zt”l
(ה) וְלֹא־יִקָּרֵ֥א ע֛וֹד אֶת־שִׁמְךָ֖ אַבְרָ֑ם וְהָיָ֤ה שִׁמְךָ֙ אַבְרָהָ֔ם כִּ֛י אַב־הֲמ֥וֹן גּוֹיִ֖ם נְתַתִּֽיךָ׃
(5) And you shall no longer be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham, for I make you the father of a multitude of nations.
(י) זֹ֣את בְּרִיתִ֞י אֲשֶׁ֣ר תִּשְׁמְר֗וּ בֵּינִי֙ וּבֵ֣ינֵיכֶ֔ם וּבֵ֥ין זַרְעֲךָ֖ אַחֲרֶ֑יךָ הִמּ֥וֹל לָכֶ֖ם כׇּל־זָכָֽר׃
(10) Such shall be the covenant between Me and you and your offspring to follow which you shall keep: every male among you shall be circumcised.
Rather, it is measured at those times when catastrophe strikes, when poverty and other misfortunes pursue him. At such times, his determination to remain trusting is the real measure. It is at times like these that the righteous man is tested to see if his Divine service stems from true love of God. ~ Sefer Ha-ikarim
(כ) אִ֣ישׁ אֱ֭מוּנוֹת רַב־בְּרָכ֑וֹת וְאָ֥ץ לְ֝הַעֲשִׁ֗יר לֹ֣א יִנָּקֶֽה׃
(20) A dependable man will receive many blessings,
But one in a hurry to get rich will not go unpunished.
חַֽסְדֵ֣י יהוה עוֹלָ֣ם אָשִׁ֑ירָה לְדֹ֥ר וָדֹ֓ר ׀ אוֹדִ֖יעַ אֱמוּנָתְךָ֣ בְּפִֽי׃ כִּֽי־אָמַ֗רְתִּי ע֭וֹלָם חֶ֣סֶד יִבָּנֶ֑ה שָׁמַ֓יִם ׀ תָּכִ֖ן אֱמוּנָתְךָ֣ בָהֶֽם׃
I will sing of the LORD’s steadfast love forever;
to all generations I will proclaim Your faithfulness with my mouth. I declare, “Your steadfast love is confirmed forever;
there in the heavens You establish Your faithfulness.”
אלא על זה נאמר (תהלים לז): בטח ביהוה ועשה טוב שכן ארץ ורעה אמונה
On this scripture says: "trust in G-d and do good dwell in the land and be nourished by faith" (Tehilim 37:3).
ומי שירצה שלא ינהג עצמו בדרך החכמה ויפקיר עצמו לסכנות, הנה אין זה בטחון, אלא הוללות. והנה הוא חוטא במה שהוא נגד רצון הבורא יתברך שמו, שרוצה שישמור האדם את עצמו.
But someone who does not want to guide himself in an intelligent manner and exposes himself to dangers - this is not trust in G-d but rather foolishness. Such a person sins in that he is acting against the will of G-d who desires that a man guard himself.
ארבע מדרגות בבושה: האחד: המתבייש לעשות עבירות בגלוי, ועושה עבירות בסתר – הרי זה גונב דעת עליון, שמתבייש לפני העולם ולא לפני השם ברוך הוא. ורעתו רבה מאוד. השני: שמתבייש לפני העולם, וגם בסתר ימנע מן העבירות, כי ירא שמא יוודע לבני אדם, ויתבייש לפניהם. על זה אמרו (פסחים נ ב): מתוך שלא לשמה בא לשמה. השלישי אם יחשוב: "איך אעשה בסתר הרעה הזאת, אשר אתבייש לפני העבד יותר מלפני האדון, ואגנוב הדעת העליונה?!" – ומתוך כך ימנע מן העבירה, מעלה טובה היא זאת. הרביעי אם יתבייש האדם בגלוי ובסתר לפני השם ברוך הוא לבד – אין מעלה למעלה ממעלה הזאת. אמרו חכמים (ברכות יב ב): כל העושה דבר עבירה ומתבייש בו – מוחלין לו כל עונותיו. ועוד אמרו (אבות ה כ): בושת פנים לגן עדן. ואמרו חכמים: הבושה והאמונה מחוברות זו למעלה מזו, כי הביישן מחזיק באמונה עם כל אדם, ומי שאינו נאמן – אין לו בושת. אמר החכם: כשאינך מתבייש, תעשה כל רצונך.
There are four stages in a sense of shame. The first is a person who is ashamed to do sins in public and sins in secret. Such a person insults God for he shows that he cares more for people's opinion than he does for God's opinion, and his transgression is a great one. The second is a person who is ashamed to do wrong publicly and holds back from sinning even privately because he feels that somehow his sin will become known and then he will be ashamed before God, Blessed is He, and man (for his fault will be a profanation of the Name.) Of this person our Sages said: "From a base motive he will arrive at following a precept for its own sake" (Pesahim 50b). The third is a person who thinks, "How shall I do this evil in secret and show more shame before a servant (human beings) than before the master (God) and thereby attempt to deceive God." Thus he holds back from the transgression. This is a good virtue. The fourth is a person who is ashamed before God alone, Blessed is He, for anything wrong he does publicly or privately. There is no quality above this virtue. Our Sages said: "Anyone who does a transgression and is ashamed of his deed is forgiven for all his sins" (Berakoth 12b). And they said further, "He who has a sense of shame is destined for Paradise" (Aboth 5:42). And our Sages said, "Faith and a sense of shame are linked together, for the one who is ashamed before people shows that he believes in people. If he did not believe in the importance and worth of people he would not care for their opinion and therefore would not be ashamed before them." The wise man said, "If it brings you no shame do all that you desire."
(ג) לְהַגִּ֣יד בַּבֹּ֣קֶר חַסְדֶּ֑ךָ וֶ֝אֱמ֥וּנָתְךָ֗ בַּלֵּילֽוֹת׃
(3) To proclaim Your steadfast love at daybreak,
Your faithfulness each night
כִּי־ט֣וֹב יהוה לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּ֑וֹ וְעַד־דֹּ֥ר וָ֝דֹ֗ר אֱמוּנָתֽוֹ׃
For the LORD is good;
His steadfast love is eternal;
His faithfulness is for all generations.