This week's 10-Minute Torah (October 16, 2021): "Parashat Lech Lecha" 5782

https://youtu.be/X12cn57ohqY

Parashat Lech-Lecha 5782 / פָּרָשַׁת לֶךְ־לְךָ

Read on 16 October 2021 / 10 Cheshvan 5782.

Parashat Lech-Lecha is the 3rd weekly Torah portion in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading.

Torah Portion: Genesis 12:1-17:27 https://tikkun.io/#/r/1-12-1

Parashat Lech-Lecha tells the stories of God's calling of Abram (who would become Abraham), Abram's passing off his wife Sarai as his sister, Abram's dividing the land with his nephew Lot, the war between the four kings and the five, the covenant between the pieces, Sarai's tensions with her maid Hagar and Hagar's son Ishmael, and the covenant of circumcision (brit milah).

Triennial year 3

1: 16:1-6 · 6 p’sukim ·

2: 16:7-9 · 3 p’sukim ·

3: 16:10-16 · 7 p’sukim ·

4: 17:1-6 · 6 p’sukim ·

5: 17:7-17 · 11 p’sukim ·

6: 17:18-23 · 6 p’sukim ·

7: 17:24-27 · 4 p’sukim ·

maf: 17:24-27 · 4 p’sukim ·

Haftarah: Isaiah 40:27 - 41:16 · 21 p’sukim

In this parashat, Avram is approached by G-d. Hashem tells him to leave his home and his family with is wife Sarai. Hashem tells him to go to a place where G-d will show him. Hashem will bless him and all who bless him, and curse all who curse him.

Thus begins the story of our first and greatest patriarch and prophet. Abram is chosen by G-d after he (according to Midrash) conceived of a one true G-d rather than the deification of natural forces by the pagan worshippers of his time. Abram is 75 years old and Sarai is 65.

Abram and Sarai travel with Lot, his nephew (whom he is taking care of after his parents die) to Egypt to avoid a famine in Canaan. In Egypt, Abram asks Sarai, who is of beautiful form to pretend to be his sister. Abram is afraid that Egyptians kill him so they can take Sarai for themselves.

Hashem releases a plague on the Egyptians. Pharaoh suspects why and confronts Abram. Abram confronts Pharaoh that he was in danger. Pharaoh releases Sarai and gives Abram many gifts of livestock and precious metals.

Since Lot and Abram have much wealth, they settle in different places so as not to interfere with each others use of resources. Lot settles near Sodom and Gamorrah where the soil is rich. He also gets involved in a war and is taken captive. Abram rescues him.

Sarai is barren and tells Abram to consort with her maidservant, Hagar. Hagar gives birth to Ishmael. G-d tells Hagar that Ishmael will be the father of a nation.

Sarai finally gets pregnant. Hashem tells Abram to circumcise Isaac, his son with Sarai, at eight days of age. Abram also circumcised himself, Ishmael (who is 13) and Eliezer, his chief manservant.

Hashem then tells Abram he will now be called Abraham, and Sarai will be Sarah. By adding the Hebrew letter “hei" (ה) they are adding the name of Hashem.