Ilustration Credit: Elad Lifshitz, Dov Abramson Studio
Midrash מִדְרָשׁ
When Avram and Sarai leave Haran, the Torah describes them taking along their property, as well as Avram’s cousin Lot, and also some people who get an unusual description (Bereishit 12:5): הַנֶּפֶשׁ אֲשֶׁר עָשׂוּ בְחָרָן (the people that they made in Haran).
- What does this mean? Who were these people, and what can we learn from the way the Torah describes them?
Reish Lakish explains that these were Avram and Sarai’s students!
אָמַר רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ כָּל הַמְלַמֵּד אֶת בֶּן חֲבֵרוֹ תּוֹרָה מַעֲלֶה עָלָיו הַכָּתוּב כְּאִלּוּ עֲשָׂאוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: "וְאֶת הַנֶּפֶשׁ אֲשֶׁר עָשׂוּ בְחָרָן."
Reish Lakish said: If you teach Torah to someone else’s child, it’s as if you created them, as it says: “The people they made in Haran.”
- Why do you think Reish Lakish compares teaching to creating?
- Have you ever had a special relationship with a teacher? What words would you use to describe that relationship?
- Who helps to “make” you? Whom do you help to “make”?
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