From the Rabbi’s Study…Shabbat, October 31, November 1, 2025/9, 10 Cheshvan 5786
The Torah continues when Abram is called to leave his family and the city of Haran in Mesopotamia. G-d appears to Abram in Canaan and tells him that this land will be assigned to him and his Heirs. Because of a famine in Canaan, Abram goes to Egypt, and for a time he lives there. Abram separates himself from his nephew Lot by remaining in the land of Canaan, while Lot journeys eastward, ultimately settling near the wicked city of Sodom. Lot becomes involved in a war with enemy chieftains, and Abram comes to Lot’s rescue. G-d makes a covenant/an agreement with Abram in which G-d promises him that Canaan shall be the land of the generations of Hebrews to come. Because Abram has no children with his wife Sari, he takes Hagar too as his wife and with her bears a child named Ishmael. G-d makes a covenant (requiring circumcision of every male on the eighth day) with Abram, whose name is changed to Abraham, meaning “father of a Multitude of nations.” G-d changes Sari’s name to Sarah, meaning “princess,” and she is told that she will bear a son. Abraham circumcises himself in his ninety-ninth year, while his son Ishmael is circumcised at age thirteen.
Some Judaic concepts and values:
The call to Abram, peace is a value toward which humanity must strive, the covenant of Abraham (circumcision), and the importance of a person’s name.
The most notable Mitzvah in this Torah portion is circumcision.
While both the Torah portion and the Haftarah have an interesting connection, which is Lech Lecha found in the Haftarah in chapter 41:8: “But you, Israel, My servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham My friend.” G-d had made a covenant more than a thousand years prior to the time of the prophet Isaiah. The covenant assured Abraham of becoming father of a nation that would be as numerous as the stars in the sky. Isaiah reminds the Israelites of that agreement to comfort them, that redemption was near and that G-d would bring them ultimate victory. Isaiah’s prophecy came true when, in 539 B.C.E., Cyrus conquered Babylon, permitting the Israelites to return to their homeland. The returning exiles carried with them the plundered vessels of the temple and funds for its construction. Both were gifts from Cyrus.
Another important concept is having faith in G-d which will help renew one’s strength.
(Isaiah 40:31)
Having faith in G-d, Abram left his family and traveled into the unknown. When scholars compare Noah the righteous man of his time to Abram just following G-d’s command, Noah constantly needs G-d’s instructions while Abram journeyed on a vast distance with many challenges and dangers. Yet one of my many questions is, “If Abram had such faith in G-d that he would be the father of a great nation as numerous as the stars in the sky, why did he take Hagar as his wife?” In ancient times, remember, the wife has to approve. Sari was the one that allowed Abram to have Hagar as a wife. As the story continues, Hagar’s son and Sarah’s son did not get along. Ishmael was a bad influence on Isaac. Sarah was also the one that convinced Abraham to send them both away. The story and people continue as the Jewish people and the Arabs. One day peace will happen; I have faith.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Helene Ainbinder
