Parashat Lekh Lekha 5782

by Rabbi Ellen S. Wolintz-Fields

In Parashat Lekh Lekha, Avram is commanded by God to leave his father’s home, and go to a new place that he does not know. In the Midrash, Rabbinic Legend, Avram is depicted as destroying his father’s idols. Avram is fearful that the kings he just defeated (Genesis 14) would retaliate and seek revenge against him. God tells Avram, “Fear not, Avram, I am a shield for you” (Genesis 15:1). God tells Avram that his descendants will spend 400 years in exile serving other people. God is referring to the time the children of Israel will spend as slaves in Egypt. One might wonder if the children of Israel knew that their slavery would eventually end after 400 years, as God had told Avram. God selects Abraham from all the people on earth to father a new nation dedicated to God.

In the Haftarah for Parashat Lekh Lekha, from Isaiah 40:27-41:16, the people are preparing for a difficult move. In Isaiah 40:18-20 and 41:6-7, we read about idols and idol makers. We read in Isaiah 41:10 and 41:14, that God tells the Israelites, “Fear not.” In the Haftarah (Isaiah 41:1-5), God invites the nations to try to argue who controls history. The prophet Isaiah in Isaiah 41:18 calls Israel “My servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, seed of Abraham, my friend.” Both the Torah and Haftarah indicate that God chose Israel, and the fate of the people of Israel depends on their allegiance to God.

There is a reference in the Babylonian Talmud, Tractate Ta’anit 21a, which explains another reason why Parashat Lekh Lekh is read together with the haftarah from Isaiah 40:27-41:16. It is stated in this talmudic passage that the dust and straw of Isaiah 41:2 refers to Abraham’s ability to throw dust and straw stubble into the air and have them turn into swords and arrows.

A midrash teaches that in Genesis 14:4, Abraham went to battle against the four kings, taking with him his army of 318 men and explains how Abraham provided weapons to his troops.