Lech Lecha 5786 - War isn't murder: Abram's violence, his vision, and his fever dream

ByRabbi Anita Josefa Barzman MD Founder, micro-mishkan.net

War isn't murder, good men don't die
Children don't starve and all the women survive
"War isn't murder, " that's what they say
When you're fighting the Devil, murder's okay...
song, "War Isn't Murder", Jesse Welles 2024

Is it possible to repair the damage done to, and the trauma experienced by, the victims of wars' violence?

And what about the trauma we experience when we are the perpetrators of violence, either individual or collective? Repress that trauma as we may, unless we are sociopaths who are incapable of empathy, when we cause harm to others, it harms us.

Hiding in plain sight in Parashat Lech Lecha: the first military campaign mounted by the ancestors of the Jewish people. Hidden in plain sight, with scant detail, and a surprising glossing over of casualties and damage to "the other side" - or to "our side", for that matter. Is this a prototype that will persist through Jewish history: the valorization of violence and war, and the minimization - perhaps even the erasure - of war's sequelae in human terms?

Here's the situation: In the middle of this week's Torah portion, Parashat Lech Lecha (Genesis 12:1-17:27), there are events likely often glossed over by students and readers, coming as they do between the inspirational start of the parsha "Lech lecha - go forth" and the lengthy account of Abram and Sarai's childlessness, her suggestion that Abram have a child with Hagar, the birth of Ishmael, Abram's and Sarai's names being changed to Abraham and Sarah, and God's command that Abraham circumcise himself, Ishmael, and all of the males in his household.

The events to which I refer constitute the entirety of Genesis Chapter 14, a narrative of a complex geopolitical situation involving an ongoing conflict between a coalition of Mesopotamian states, led by King Chedorlaomer of Elam, over five Canaanite states. Chapter 14 starts with an account of the Battle of Siddim, considered to be the first war recounted in the Torah, after which the five Canaanite kingdoms are in a vassal / tribute-paying relation to the Mesopotamian states. This situation persists for 12 years; we read that in the thirteenth year, "the [five Canaanite] kings rebelled" and stopped paying tribute; the following year, the fourteenth year, the Mesopotamian kings led by King Chedorlaomer of Elam mount another military campaign which results in the sacking of Sodom and Gomorrah (two of the five vassal Canaanite states).

בראשית י״ד:י״א-י״ב

(יא) וַ֠יִּקְח֠וּ אֶת־כׇּל־רְכֻ֨שׁ סְדֹ֧ם וַעֲמֹרָ֛ה וְאֶת־כׇּל־אׇכְלָ֖ם וַיֵּלֵֽכוּ׃ (יב) וַיִּקְח֨וּ אֶת־ל֧וֹט וְאֶת־רְכֻשׁ֛וֹ בֶּן־אֲחִ֥י אַבְרָ֖ם וַיֵּלֵ֑כוּ וְה֥וּא יֹשֵׁ֖ב בִּסְדֹֽם׃

Genesis 14:11-12

(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.

In the following verses, Abram learns that Lot has been taken captive, and takes action.

בראשית י״ד:י״ג-י״ד

(יג) וַיָּבֹא֙ הַפָּלִ֔יט וַיַּגֵּ֖ד לְאַבְרָ֣ם הָעִבְרִ֑י וְהוּא֩ שֹׁכֵ֨ן בְּאֵֽלֹנֵ֜י מַמְרֵ֣א הָאֱמֹרִ֗י אֲחִ֤י אֶשְׁכֹּל֙ וַאֲחִ֣י עָנֵ֔ר וְהֵ֖ם בַּעֲלֵ֥י בְרִית־אַבְרָֽם׃ (יד) וַיִּשְׁמַ֣ע אַבְרָ֔ם כִּ֥י נִשְׁבָּ֖ה אָחִ֑יו וַיָּ֨רֶק אֶת־חֲנִיכָ֜יו יְלִידֵ֣י בֵית֗וֹ שְׁמֹנָ֤ה עָשָׂר֙ וּשְׁלֹ֣שׁ מֵא֔וֹת וַיִּרְדֹּ֖ף עַד־דָּֽן׃

Genesis 14:13-14

(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’s [household] 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.

Numerous features in these two verses are notable: in the first of these verses (Genesis 14:13), Abram is referred to as הָעִבְרִ֑י (ha-ivri) "the Hebrew" - the first occurrence of this term in the Torah.

What is a "Hebrew" - עִברִי? It derives from the verbal root √עבר (ah-var), which gives rise to a rich array of meanings, including:

to pass over / pass by / pass through
to overflow
to pass beyond
to traverse
to overtake and pass
to go in advance of
to emigrate
to pass into other hands
to become invalid or obsolete
to transgress

The entirety of Parashat Lech Lecha can be seen as an exploration of the process of emigration, passing through, traversing. Are we also in the realm of transgressions, in both their life-affirming (breaking new ground / exploring new paradigms) and also destructive (crossing boundaries that should not be crossed) dimensions?

We read that Abram gathers a group of 318 "retainers born into his household" (possibly slaves?); this suggests that his household was substantial; on the other hand, surely this will be a very small number to mount a campaign again the combined armies of the four Mesopotamian kings, led by Chedorlaomer of Elam. Further, of note to this rabbi: Abram seems to take this decision unilaterally, without consultation with... anyone.

Abram's campaign is reported in a mere two additional verses:

בראשית י״ד:ט״ו-ט״ז

(טו) וַיֵּחָלֵ֨ק עֲלֵיהֶ֧ם ׀ לַ֛יְלָה ה֥וּא וַעֲבָדָ֖יו וַיַּכֵּ֑ם וַֽיִּרְדְּפֵם֙ עַד־חוֹבָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר מִשְּׂמֹ֖אל לְדַמָּֽשֶׂק׃ (טז) וַיָּ֕שֶׁב אֵ֖ת כׇּל־הָרְכֻ֑שׁ וְגַם֩ אֶת־ל֨וֹט אָחִ֤יו וּרְכֻשׁוֹ֙ הֵשִׁ֔יב וְגַ֥ם אֶת־הַנָּשִׁ֖ים וְאֶת־הָעָֽם׃

Genesis 14:15-16

(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.

This small group travels hundreds of miles, makes a night raid, and successfully brings back "all the possessions" and evidently all of the captives.

As we engage with Parashat Lech Lecha at this particular moment in history, I suggest that it is critical for us to explore the deeper meanings and consequences of this narrative.

And what is this very particular moment in history?

I am writing this commentary in late in October 2025 / early in Cheshvan 2025)... as I am completing this commentary, it has been 283 since the current President of the United States was inaugurated; it is the 756th day since October 7 2023, and the 22nd day of the current so-called "cease fire" in Gaza, marked by Israel's continuing attacks on the starving Palestinians in Gaza).

Violence, vigilantism, disregard for laws and for basic ethical principles; minimization or distortion of the actual on-the-ground effects of individual or state violence... could it be that our treasured Torah, with narratives such as this, immunize us against truly feeling our way into the consequences of violence? Is the destructive element of boundary crossing more prominent today than the life-giving dimension?

I am all too aware, as many of my readers may be as well, of the phenomenon of minimizing or denying violence and its sequelae, a pervasive phenomenon in our world today, including the psychological damage we suffer when we participate in inflicting violence and oppression. As I study Parashat Lech Lecha this year, and ponder the brief and yet very significant episode of the military campaign that Abram wages, I cannot turn away from the realization the there is a long Jewish history, going all the way back to this third portion in our entire Torah, of minimizing the effects of the violence that "we" perpetrate.

Here is an early 17th century Florentine etching that imagines the scene as Abram rescues Lot:

Abraham Makes the Enemies Flee Who Hold His Nephew Antonio Tempesta, 1613 (Florence) (note that the artist inaccurately refers to Abram as "Abraham"; Abram's name has not yet been changed to Abraham at this point in the narrative.)

This artist seems to have pictured this narrative as a violent and chaotic one. Did this "war" - Abram's rescue of Lot - include the horror of murder?

Please note: in verse 15, the word that JPS translates as "defeated them" - וַיַּכֵּ֑ם - could more accurately be translated as "he struck them" or "he killed them".

How many died in Abram's campaign? There is no information whatsoever here in Parashat Lech Lecha about this, neither about deaths on Abrams' "side" or deaths "on the other side". And the manner of the narrative does not invite this question. We, however, can rouse ourselves to ask.

How much violence is justified to retrieve a captive? How many deaths are the legitimate price for the return of a captive?

So: were there casualties on either side? Injuries? Deaths? Admittedly these verses are in the heroic style of ancient epics, which often do not dwell on - or even mention - such quotidian details as injuries or deaths.

(details from the etching)

Other questions that arise: Abram had settled in Canaan near Hebron, but he has no particular standing at this point as a leader in a particular community. He takes military action to liberate a family member... on whose authority? He does not seem to have consulted with the five local Canaanite leaders before undertaking this military action (although later in Chapter 14, we will read that these leaders acknowledge his actions).

Immediately after, Genesis Chapter 15 begins with God coming to Abram in a vision and telling him not to be afraid.

בראשית ט״ו:א׳

(א) אַחַ֣ר ׀ הַדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֗לֶּה הָיָ֤ה דְבַר־יהוה אֶל־אַבְרָ֔ם בַּֽמַּחֲזֶ֖ה לֵאמֹ֑ר אַל־תִּירָ֣א אַבְרָ֗ם אָנֹכִי֙ מָגֵ֣ן לָ֔ךְ שְׂכָרְךָ֖ הַרְבֵּ֥ה מְאֹֽד׃

Genesis 15:1

(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.”

What does Abram fear?
Some commentators, including Rashi and Ramban, imagine that Abram is tormented about the violence he has committed in the episode in which he rescues Lot. I share this perspective, which is augmented by my decades of experience as a psychiatrist and a Jungian psychoanalyst.

For most human beings (other than those with the psychological makeup and structure of sociopaths, who are incapable of empathy), when we have committed a harmful or grievous or odious act toward another human being, we experience guilt and deep self-questioning. Our psyches are capable of forgetting / repressing such unwanted and difficult feelings; we may tell ourselves that war isn't murder. Eventually such repression will lead to damaging psychological consequences.

Rashi's commentary on this verse, along similar lines as Ramban's first formulation but focusing more on Abram's fear of punishment for having "slain so many":

רש"י על בראשית ט״ו:א׳

(א)אחר הדברים האלה. כָּל מָקוֹם שֶׁנֶאֱמַר אַחַר – סָמוּךְ, אַחֲרֵי – מֻפְלָג (בראשית רבה). אַחַר הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה אַחַר שֶׁנַּעֲשָׂה לוֹ נֵס זֶה, שֶׁהָרַג אֶת הַמְּלָכִים וְהָיָה דוֹאֵג וְאוֹמֵר, שֶׁמָּא קִבַּלְתִּי שָׂכָר עַל כָּל צִדְקוֹתַי, לְכָךְ אָמַר לוֹ הַמָּקוֹם אַל תִּירָא אַבְרָם אָנֹכִי מָגֵן לָךְ, מִן הָעֹנֶשׁ, שֶׁלֹּא תֵּעָנֵשׁ עַל כָּל אוֹתָן נְפָשׁוֹת שֶׁהָרַגְתָּ; וּמַה שֶּׁאַתָּה דוֹאֵג עַל קִבּוּל שְׂכָרְךָ, שְׂכָרְךָ הַרְבֵּה מְאֹד (בראשית רבה):

Rashi on Genesis 15:1

(1) אחר הדברים האלה — Wherever the term אחר is used it signifies immediately after the preceding event; whilst אחרי signifies a long time afterwards. אחר הדברים האלה AFTER THESE THINGS means: after this miracle has been wrought for him in that he slew the kings and he was in great anxiety, saying, “Perhaps I have already received, in this God-given victory reward for all my good deeds” — therefore the Omnipresent said to him, אל תירא אברם אנכי מגן לך FEAR NOT ABRAM, I AM THY SHIELD against punishment:for you shall not be punished on account of all these people whom you have slain. And as for your being anxious regarding the receipt of any further reward, know that שכרך הרבה מאד THY REWARD WILL BE EXCEEDING GREAT (Genesis Rabbah 44:5).

We see that Rashi suggests that Abram may have been fearful of consequences he could suffer "on account of all these people whom [Abram] has slain".

רמב"ן על בראשית ט״ו:א׳:ב׳

(ב)אַל תִּירָא אַבְרָם הָיָה מִתְיָרֵא מִשְּׁנֵי דְּבָרִים, מִן הַמְּלָכִים פֶּן יַרְבּוּ צִבְאֹתָם עָלָיו הֵם אוֹ הָעוֹמְדִים תַּחְתָּם וּבַמִּלְחָמָה יֵרֵד וְנִסְפָּה, אוֹ יוֹמוֹ יָבֹא לָמוּת בְּלֹא זֶרַע. וְהִבְטִיחוֹ כִּי הוּא יִהְיֶה מָגֵן בַּעֲדוֹ מֵהֶם, וְעוֹד יִהְיֶה שְׂכַר לֶכְתּוֹ עִם יהוה הַרְבֵּה מְאֹד:

Ramban on Genesis 15:1:2

(2) FEAR NOT ABRAM. Abraham feared two things: that the four kings — either they or their successors — might increase their forces against him and he would go down into the battle and perish, or that his day shall come to die without child. [To remove these two fears from Abraham, the Eternal] promised him that He will be his shield against them, and that his reward for walking with G-d shall be very great.

Such repression of our awareness of having done harm may emerge later and invite our attention in the form of dreams. And sure enough, Abram's vision of God will soon flow into a dream, which includes the Covenant Between the Parts / Pieces ברית בין הבתרים (Brit Bein HaBetarim), which I suggest is an expression of the psyche's attempt (both Abram's personal psyche ands our collective proto-Jewish psyche as well) to come to terms with the violence we perpetrate in the name of our people, in the name of land, in the name of power.

Dreams are instruments that our psyches spontaneously create in order to bring elements into consciousness.

There is something dreamy and temporally elided in Genesis 15. At the start of the chapter (15:1) we read that the words of God came to Arbam in a vision - a waking vision, evidently, since later in the chapter (15:12) we read that the sun was about to set and Abram fell into a deep sleep - all the while, the vision of God seeming to continue; and then after this - seemingly within the vision - or now within Abram's sleep - we read that the sun has set and it was very dark (15:17); here in this very dark verse is the climax of the ברית בין הבתרים - Covenant Between the Pieces / Parts, in which a smoking oven appears and a flaming torch passes between the pieces of the slaughtered animals.

The Deep Sleep of Abraham
Joseph Mulder after a drawing by Gerard Hoet (Dutch, early 18th Century)

בראשית ט״ו:א׳

Genesis 15:1

(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.”

בראשית ט״ו:י״ב

(יב) וַיְהִ֤י הַשֶּׁ֙מֶשׁ֙ לָב֔וֹא וְתַרְדֵּמָ֖ה נָפְלָ֣ה עַל־אַבְרָ֑ם וְהִנֵּ֥ה אֵימָ֛ה חֲשֵׁכָ֥ה גְדֹלָ֖ה נֹפֶ֥לֶת עָלָֽיו׃

Genesis 15:12

(12) As the sun was about to set, a deep sleep fell upon Abram, and a great dark dread descended upon him.

בראשית ט״ו:י״ז

(יז) וַיְהִ֤י הַשֶּׁ֙מֶשׁ֙ בָּ֔אָה וַעֲלָטָ֖ה הָיָ֑ה וְהִנֵּ֨ה תַנּ֤וּר עָשָׁן֙ וְלַפִּ֣יד אֵ֔שׁ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָבַ֔ר בֵּ֖ין הַגְּזָרִ֥ים הָאֵֽלֶּה׃

Genesis 15:17

(17) When the sun set and it was very dark, there appeared a smoking oven, and a flaming torch which passed between those pieces.

Admittedly, a "Covenant of the Pieces" is said to have been a ceremonial custom in the Ancient Near East, conducted after a battle: the parties which had fought would each sacrifice animals, splitting them in half, and then each party would walk between the pieces to symbolize that the same fate (as the slaughtered and divided animals) would befall them if the covenant was broken.

Here however, it is only one party (Abram) who is to sacrifice and bisect the halves of the slaughtered animals, and there is no walking between the parts of the parties. Abram is to bring specified animals, cut them in two, lay them out in what sounds like an orderly array... Birds of prey will come down, and Abram will drive them away. Evidently the metabolism of these sacrificed and bisected animals is a task for humanity, not for birds of prey.

And it is not the two parties - here, God and Abram - whot will pass between "the pieces"; rather, what moves between the parts are a burning oven and a flaming torch - tools, apparatuses, that are human creations.

Notably, the verb used here for the "passing" of the burning oven and the flaming torch between the arrays of divided parts is עָבַ֔ר - the very same verb from which "Hebrew" derives! So the factor, the presence, that performs the ceremonial action is doing something similar to what "Hebrews" - Jews - do: it passes between, it passes beyond, it migrates, perhaps it even transgresses.

What could the burning oven and the flaming torch represent?

קדושת לוי, בראשית, לך לך מ״ד

(מד) והנה תנור עשן ולפיד אש עבר בין הגזרים האלה (בראשית טו, יז). הכריתות ברית, הוא כאשר שניהם עוברים בין הגזרים והנה כאן עבר השכינה כביכול בין הגזרים על הכריתות ברית עם אברהם וזרעו ולא תאמר כי אז היה השכינה שורה ולא עתה. וזה שאמר הכתוב והנה תנור עשן ולפיד אש אשר עבר, כבר גם עתה יש השראות שכינה זו שהיה אז גם עתה זו השראת שכינה שורה בין ישראל:

Kedushat Levi, Genesis, Lech Lecha 44

(44) ‎Genesis 15,17., “and behold a smoking furnace and flaming torch ‎that had passed between these pieces;” in this instance the ‎‎Shechinah, G’d’s presence, passed between the pieces of the ‎sacrifices, prior to G’d making a covenant with Avraham; [this ‎was similar to heavenly fire descending on the communal ‎offerings offered by the Israelite in the Tabernacle. Ed.] The ‎reason it is described as ‎עבר‎, briefly passing, is so that we would ‎not confuse this phenomenon with the Shechinah that ‎rested permanently on the Tabernacle during the Israelites’ ‎wanderings in the desert.‎

רמב"ן על בראשית ט״ו:י״ז:א׳

(א)וְהִנֵּה תַנּוּר עָשָׁן וְלַפִּיד אֵשׁ, רָאָה כְּאִלּוּ תַּנּוּר עָשָׁן כֻּלּוֹ וּבְתוֹכוֹ לַפִּיד אֵשׁ בּוֹעֲרָה, כְּעִנְיַן "עָשָׁן גָּדוֹל וְאֵשׁ מִתְלַקַּחַת" (יחזקאל א ד), וְהֶעָשָׁן הוּא הֶעָנָן וְהָעֲרָפֶל הַנִּזְכָּר בְּמַתַּן תּוֹרָה (דברים ד יא), וְלַפִּיד הָאֵשׁ בְּתוֹכוֹ הוּא הָאֵשׁ הָאָמוּר שָׁם (ד לו) "וּדְבָרָיו שָׁמַעְתָּ מִתּוֹךְ הָאֵשׁ", וְכָתוּב (שמות כד יז) "וּמַרְאֵה כְּבוֹד יהוה כְּאֵשׁ אֹכֶלֶת" וְגוֹ'. וְהִנֵּה הַשְּׁכִינָה עָבְרָה בֵּין הַבְּתָרִים, וְהוּא הַבְּרִית אֲשֶׁר הָיְתָה אִתּוֹ מֵעוֹלָם, וְזֶה טַעַם "כָּרַת יהוה אֶת אַבְרָם בְּרִית", כִּי הקב"ה בְּעַצְמוֹ הֶעֱבִיר בְּרִית בֵּין הַבְּתָרִים. וְהַמַּשְׂכִּיל יָבִין:

Ramban on Genesis 15:17:1

(1) AND BEHOLD, A SMOKING FURNACE, AND A FLAMING TORCH. It appeared to Abraham as if the furnace was all smoke and in its midst a flaming torch was burning, similar to a great smoke, with a fire flashing up. The “smoke” mentioned here is the cloud, and thick darkness mentioned at the giving of the Torah, and “the flaming torch” in its midst is “the fire” mentioned there: And thou didst hear His words out of the midst of the fire; and it is further written: And the appearance of the glory of the Eternal was like devouring fire, etc. Thus the Divine Glory passed between the parts of the sacrifices, and this is the covenant which He made with Abraham forever. This is the meaning of the verse, the Eternal made a covenant with Abraham, as the Holy One, blessed be He, Himself carried through “the covenant of between the parts.” The student versed in the mysteries of the Torah will understand.

מכילתא דרבי ישמעאל, מַסֶּכְתָּא דְבַחֹדֶשׁ ט׳:ה׳

(ה) רַבִּי נָתָן אוֹמֵר: מְנַיִן אַתָּה אוֹמֵר, שֶׁהֶרְאָה הַמָּקוֹם לְאַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ גֵּיהִנָּם וּמַתַּן תּוֹרָה וּקְרִיעַת יַם סוּף? שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: (בראשית טו,יז) "וַיְהִי הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ בָּאָה, וַעֲלָטָה הָיָה, וְהִנֵּה תַנּוּר עָשָׁן וְלַפִּיד אֵשׁ אֲשֶׁר עָבַר בֵּין הַגְּזָרִים הָאֵלֶּה." וְהִנֵּה תַנּוּר עָשָׁן", זֶה גֵּיהִנָּם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: (ישעיה לא,ט) "וְתַנּוּר לוֹ בִּירוּשָׁלִָם." "וְלַפִּיד אֵשׁ", זֶה מַתַּן תּוֹרָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: "וְכָל הָעָם רֹאִים אֶת הַקּוֹלֹת וְאֶת הַלַּפִּידִם". (בראשית טו,יז) "אֲשֶׁר עָבַר בֵּין הַגְּזָרִים הָאֵלֶּה", זֶה קְרִיעַת יַם סוּף, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: (תהלים קלו,יג) "לְגֹזֵר יַם סוּף לִגְזָרִים".

Mekhilta DeRabbi Yishmael, Tractate Bachodesh 9:5

(5) R. Nathan says: Whence is it derived that the L–rd showed our father Abraham, Gehennom, the giving of the Torah and the splitting of the Red Sea? From (Genesis 15:17) "And it was, when the sun had set, and it was dark, and, behold, a smoking furnace" — Gehennom, viz. (Isaiah 31:9) "He has an oven in Jerusalem." And "the torch of fire" (Genesis, Ibid.) — the lightning, viz. (Exodus 20:15) "And all the people saw the sounds and the lightnings. (Genesis, Ibid. 19) "between these pieces" — the splitting of the Red Sea — viz. (Psalms 136:13) "Who split the Red Sea into pieces."

תהילים קל״ו:י״ג

(יג) לְגֹזֵ֣ר יַם־ס֭וּף לִגְזָרִ֑ים כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃

Psalms 136:13

(13) Who split apart the Sea of Reeds, His steadfast love is eternal;

For some students of Jewish texts engaging with Genesis 15:17, with its mention of a burning oven and a flaming torch, the mention of the oven - תַנּ֤וּר (tanoor) - will bring to mind an important sugya in the Talmud (Bava Metzia 59a-b) that brings the story known as "the oven of Achnai" וזה הוא תנור של עכנאי; a story which touches on many fundamental concepts in collective life. This episode nominally concerns a debate regardingr the halakhic status of a certain type of oven; however, in the course of the machloket (rabbinic disagreement) about this matter, consideration of authority, nature, divisions within communities, the problematics of harming others, and the sequelae of baseless hatred are all brought forward.

The resonance between this element of the ברית בין הבתרים - Covenant Between the Pieces - and the oven of Achnai brings to mind, for this rabbi, that there is a social / collective matrix in which our individual actions take place.

I suggest that Parashat Lech Lecha's Covenant of the Pieces is a ritual that "embodies" an attempt to repair the deep divide that may have arisen in Abram after he instituted acts of violence. There are numerous other "divisions" and transgressions that Abram has been or will be confronted with in the course of his story: his false narrative to Pharaoh that Sarah is his sister and not his wife; divisions between Sarah and Hagar, between Isaac and Ishmael.

I also consider that the Covenant of the Pieces is a precursor / prefiguration for Abram of what to what he will experience at the Akedah, the binding of Isaac (more of that in next week's commentary), when he take up a knife to slaughter his son.

The Tanakh does not directly address the problem of a divided soul; however, there are verses that we can turn to as we ponder the critical problem of a soul (individual or collective) torn and divided by the repressed effects of committing violence against others. Being distant from God... a way of thinking about a divided soul that requires repair and unification.

תהילים מ״ב

(א) לַמְנַצֵּ֗חַ מַשְׂכִּ֥יל לִבְנֵי־קֹֽרַח׃ (ב) כְּאַיָּ֗ל תַּעֲרֹ֥ג עַל־אֲפִֽיקֵי־מָ֑יִם כֵּ֤ן נַפְשִׁ֨י תַעֲרֹ֖ג אֵלֶ֣יךָ אֱלֹהִֽים׃ (ג) צָמְאָ֬ה נַפְשִׁ֨י ׀ לֵאלֹהִים֮ לְאֵ֢ל חָ֥֫י מָתַ֥י אָב֑וֹא וְ֝אֵרָאֶ֗ה פְּנֵ֣י אֱלֹהִֽים׃ (ד) הָֽיְתָה־לִּ֬י דִמְעָתִ֣י לֶ֭חֶם יוֹמָ֣ם וָלָ֑יְלָה בֶּאֱמֹ֥ר אֵלַ֥י כׇּל־הַ֝יּ֗וֹם אַיֵּ֥ה אֱלֹהֶֽיךָ׃ (ה) אֵ֤לֶּה אֶזְכְּרָ֨ה ׀ וְאֶשְׁפְּכָ֬ה עָלַ֨י ׀ נַפְשִׁ֗י כִּ֤י אֶעֱבֹ֨ר ׀ בַּסָּךְ֮ אֶדַּדֵּ֗ם עַד־בֵּ֥ית־אֱלֹ֫הִ֥ים בְּקוֹל־רִנָּ֥ה וְתוֹדָ֗ה הָמ֥וֹן חוֹגֵֽג׃ (ו) מַה־תִּשְׁתּ֬וֹחֲחִ֨י ׀ נַפְשִׁי֮ וַתֶּהֱמִ֢י עָ֫לָ֥י הוֹחִ֣לִי לֵ֭אלֹהִים כִּי־ע֥וֹד אוֹדֶ֗נּוּ יְשׁוּע֥וֹת פָּנָֽיו׃ (ז) אֱֽלֹהַ֗י עָלַי֮ נַפְשִׁ֢י תִשְׁתּ֫וֹחָ֥ח עַל־כֵּ֗ן אֶ֭זְכׇּרְךָ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ יַרְדֵּ֑ן וְ֝חֶרְמוֹנִ֗ים מֵהַ֥ר מִצְעָֽר׃ (ח) תְּהוֹם־אֶל־תְּה֣וֹם ק֭וֹרֵא לְק֣וֹל צִנּוֹרֶ֑יךָ כׇּֽל־מִשְׁבָּרֶ֥יךָ וְ֝גַלֶּ֗יךָ עָלַ֥י עָבָֽרוּ׃ (ט) יוֹמָ֤ם ׀ יְצַוֶּ֬ה יהוה ׀ חַסְדּ֗וֹ וּ֭בַלַּיְלָה שִׁירֹ֣ה עִמִּ֑י תְּ֝פִלָּ֗ה לְאֵ֣ל חַיָּֽי׃ (י) אוֹמְרָ֤ה ׀ לְאֵ֥ל סַלְעִי֮ לָמָ֢ה שְׁכַ֫חְתָּ֥נִי לָֽמָּה־קֹדֵ֥ר אֵלֵ֗ךְ בְּלַ֣חַץ אוֹיֵֽב׃ (יא) בְּרֶ֤צַח ׀ בְּֽעַצְמוֹתַ֗י חֵרְפ֥וּנִי צוֹרְרָ֑י בְּאׇמְרָ֥ם אֵלַ֥י כׇּל־הַ֝יּ֗וֹם אַיֵּ֥ה אֱלֹהֶֽיךָ׃ (יב) מַה־תִּשְׁתּ֬וֹחֲחִ֨י ׀ נַפְשִׁי֮ וּֽמַה־תֶּהֱמִ֢י עָ֫לָ֥י הוֹחִ֣ילִי לֵ֭אלֹהִים כִּי־ע֣וֹד אוֹדֶ֑נּוּ יְשׁוּעֹ֥ת פָּ֝נַ֗י וֵאלֹהָֽי׃ {פ}

Psalms 42

(1) For the leader. A maskil of the Korahites. (2) Like a hind crying for water, my soul cries for You, O God; (3) my soul thirsts for God, the living God; O when will I come to appear before God! (4) My tears have been my food day and night; I am ever taunted with, “Where is your God?” (5) When I think of this, I pour out my soul: how I walked with the crowd, moved with them, the festive throng, to the House of God with joyous shouts of praise. (6) Why so downcast, my soul, why disquieted within me? Have hope in God; I will yet praise Him for His saving presence. (7) O my God, my soul is downcast; therefore I think of You in this land of Jordan and Hermon, in Mount Mizar, (8) where deep calls to deep in the roar of Your cataracts; all Your breakers and billows have swept over me. (9) By day may the LORD vouchsafe His faithful care, so that at night a song to Him may be with me, a prayer to the God of my life. (10) I say to God, my rock, “Why have You forgotten me, why must I walk in gloom, oppressed by my enemy?” (11) Crushing my bones, my foes revile me, taunting me always with, “Where is your God?” (12) Why so downcast, my soul, why disquieted within me? Have hope in God; I will yet praise Him, my ever-present help, my God.

The notion of a "disquieted" soul may be helpful here; we can imagine that Abram was in this state as he sunk into his dream in Genesis 15.
What is "disquieted"?

I suggest that Abram's mind and heart are disquieted after his martial rescue of Lot, which leads to God telling him not to be afraid.

ירמיהו ד׳:י״ט

(יט) מֵעַ֣י ׀ מֵעַ֨י ׀[אוֹחִ֜ילָה](אחולה) קִיר֥וֹת לִבִּ֛י הֹמֶה־לִּ֥י לִבִּ֖י לֹ֣א אַחֲרִ֑שׁ כִּ֣י ק֤וֹל שׁוֹפָר֙ (שמעתי)[שָׁמַ֣עַתְּ] נַפְשִׁ֔י תְּרוּעַ֖ת מִלְחָמָֽה׃

Jeremiah 4:19

(19) Oh, my suffering, my suffering! How I writhe!

Oh, the walls of my heart!

My heart moans within me, I cannot be silent;

For I hear the blare of horns, Alarms of war.

This verse from Jeremiah expresses the heart's suffering when hearing "the blare of horns, alarms of war".

Surely war does include murder. And surely our hearts and our souls will continue to suffer until we face this, until we come to terms with it, and until we take actions that resonate with our understanding of ethics, to advocate for the end of violence and oppression everywhere.

with gratitude to Jesse Welles, War Isn't Murder (2024)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8E9l_i6HPYM