B"H
Tuesday, Mar-Cheshvan 9 5784 / October 24, 2023
In this week’s Parsha, Lech Lecha, G-d commands Avram (It was later changed to Avraham), to leave his birthplace and his father’s home and travel to, “The Land which I will show you.” Avram was seventy-five at the time and his wife Sara, sixty-five and they were childless. G-d promises them that in the new land they will be blessed with wealth and a great name. They are also promised descendants and to become a great nation.
Q. The numerical value of the name of the Parsha, Lech Lecha is 100. Why is this significant?
A. The Parsha begins with G-d’s commandment to Avram, who had no children, to leave his country, his birthplace and his father’s home and travel to, “the land which I will show you.” G-d promised Avram that there, “I will make you into a great nation.” Avram was 100 years old when he had his son, Isaac (Yitzchak). The numerical value of the name Parsha, Lech Lecha, alludes to this.
Q. As mentioned, Avraham was originally called Avram. In the Parsha we find that G-d changed his name from Avram to Avraham. What is the significance of this name change?
A. Avraham was born in a place called Aram. Originally, he was named Avram, which means, “leader of Aram.” Until then Abraham was a leader only in his birthplace. But G-d changed his name to Avraham which means, “father of a multitude of nations,” as many nations came from him.
Q. Except for being husband and wife, were Avraham and Sarah related?
A. Yes. Sarah was Avraham’s niece – she was his brother, Haran’s, daughter.
Q. In the Parsha, G-d blesses Avraham, “And I will make your children as the dust of the earth. Just as a person cannot count the dust of the earth, so too, your descendants will not be able to be counted.” What is the significance of comparing the Jewish people to the “dust of the earth”?
A. Maimonides, in a comforting letter to a Jewish community that experienced much oppression and suffering, explains this blessing as follows, “Everyone walks and steps upon the dust of the earth, yet, the dust is here forever, long after those who stepped on it are gone. So too,” writes Maimonides, “Jews may be stepped upon and oppressed, but in the end, like the dust of the earth, the Jewish people will outlive them and be here much after those who oppressed them, are gone.”
How true are the words of Maimonides; Over the past 3000 years many nations have trampled on us and tried to destroy us, but in the end, the Jewish nation outlived and survived them all.
As we follow the news from Israel these days, it is worth mentioning that so many times in this Parsha, and the following Parshiot, G-d promises our forefathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, “To your descendants, will I give this entire Land.” The Land of Israel is G-d’s special eternal gift to the Jewish people. Am Yisrael Chai – The people of Israel live and will live.
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY
WITH SPECIAL PRAYERS FOR OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN ISRAEL