Parashat 3 -Lech Lecha - Portion 10

Beresheet/Gen 12:1-13:18

Blessing for the Torah:

Baruch atah YHVH, Eloheynu, Melech ha-O’lam, asher bachar banu m’kol ha-amim,

v’natan lanu eht Torah-to. Baruch atah YHVH, noteyn ha-Torah. Ameyn.”

(Blessed are you, YHVH, our Elohim , King of the Universe,

you have selected us from among all the peoples, and have given us your Torah.

Blessed are you, YHVH, giver of the Torah. Ameyn.)

“Lech lecha” or “walk on your own behalf” – is both a command and our decision to obey His commandments. We have a choice. Are we going to come out of all forms of idolatry and embrace YHVH’s Torah/Covenant with all our hearts or are we going to continue to make excuses and compromise our obedience to His Torah. For some there is no turning back; others do turn back, there is still a call going out to the masses of humanity to come out of the defilement of mediocrity and complacency and to enter into the covenant with the Elohim of Yisrael  and worship and serve Him as the scriptures instruct us.

Many people are undecided and are sitting on the fence, they are lukewarm. This is an extremely dangerous position.

Rev 3:16  “So, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I am going to vomit you out of My mouth.

I believe most of us don’t fully realize how deeply rooted we are in “Babylonian” thinking and culture. This past week we attended a Chanukah celebration and there was also a birthday celebration of one of the children; after the traditional singing of the “happy birthday song” there was a loud and spontaneous cry “hip hip hoeray” from the guests. Do we even know what these words mean and where they came from?

The word "hip" comes from Latin. It was originally HEP! HEP! 

HEP is an acronym: “Hierosolyma” (Yerushalayim) “Est” (is) “Perdita” (destroyed). It has its dark origins in the period from 117-138 AD and returned centuries later (in the eleventh century) with the crusaders from Europe to Jerusalem but we will not go into it now.

I do not say this to bring any kind of condemnation but just to remind ourselves how unaware we are of how much we are influenced by the spirit of this world.

I also remind you that there is no condemnation for those who joined together with Messiah.

We must not forget that ignorance carries a severe penalty.

Hos 4:6  “My people have perished for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I reject you from being priest for Me. Since you have forgotten the Torah of your Elohim, I also forget your children.

In this section of the Torah we have a model; a kind of prototype of how we come out of the spirit of this world.

Rom 12:2  And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you prove what is that good and well-pleasing and perfect desire of Elohim.

Let us renew our minds and consider carefully the life of our father Avraham.

In fact we need to remind ourselves of how the scripture defines the good news:

Gal 3:8  And the Scripture, having foreseen that Elohim would declare right the nations by belief, announced the Good News to Aḇraham beforehand, saying, “All the nations shall be blessed in you,”

If we truly want to understand and experience the Good News let us look at the life of Avraham.

It is interesting to note in our haftorah Yehoshua/Joshua 24:3 that the Hebrew word used for giving birth to a son is “natan” or given. Only twice in the scripture does it say a son was given.

Once here and the second time when YHVH gave His son…..

Jos 24:3  ‘So I took your father Aḇraham from beyond the River, and caused him to go through all the land of Kenaʽ’n, and multiplied his offspring and gave him Yitsḥaq.

Background History from the book of Yasher/Jasher.

The book of Yasher from chapter 11 onwards records a very interesting history about Avram. (This book  Yasher is mentioned in Yeh/Josh 10:13 and 2 Sam 1:18)

The Book of Yasher, however, as well as some other Midrash literature, speaks about Terach (Avram’s father) being a general in King Nimrod’s army when Avram was born. Because of an astrological omen, Nimrod decided to kill all new born children in his kingdom, since he was afraid that a new king had been born that would oust him from his throne. Terach gave Nimrod a newborn child of one of his maidservants and said that it was Avram. By this ruse, Avram was able to survive the first attack on his life and was hidden in a cave for 13 years. This was the first of the ten great trials that our forefather was exposed to.  

The second test that the Midrash literatures tell us about was when Avram refused to worship his father Terach’s gods of wood and stone. He also challenged King Nimrod’s idolatry and was therefore imprisoned for 10 years and afterward thrown into a burning oven together with his brother Haran. YHVH delivered him from the test by a miracle, but his brother was consumed by the flames. 

Because of all this Terach decided to leave Ur; in order to have peace in the family. He had planned to travel all the way to the land of Kana’an. He never succeeded in reaching it, but stopped halfway, in Charan, which is in the southeast part of what is known today as Turkey.

Gen 12:1  And יהוה said to Aḇram, “Go yourself out of your land, from your relatives and from your father’s house, to a land which I show you.

“Lech lecha” –could also mean:  go, you go; go for your own sake; and go to/for yourself, toward your true self. These are the first recorded words spoken to Avram.

The only time we will ever truly discover our life’s purpose and our destiny is when we agree to “lech lecha” This is the nature and heart of the Hebrew. The word “Hebrew” comes from the Hebrew word “avar” which speaks of one who has “crossed over”. Crossed over from Babylon or from man- made religion to embrace the Sovereignty of YHVH and His Torah as taught to us by Moshe and Yahshua rabbeinu.

Stones Chumash page 55 “ Though Abraham and Sarah had many disciples, they were essentially alone; they could never blend into whatever culture surrounded them. Abraham was called an “ivri” from the word “avar” which essentially means “from the other side” Literally this means that he came to Canaan from the other side of the Euphrates, but the sages interpret the title in a deeper sense, too. He was on one side of a moral and spiritual divide and the rest of the world was on the other. Righteous people must be ready to endure such isolation; popularity is pleasant but it can also be a snare, because the natural desire to win the approval of others can lead people to bend their principles. Abraham and Sarah were now given the challenge of moving to the other side – not only of their native river, but of anyone who preferred not to acknowledge the sovereignty of YHVH”

Gen 12:2  “And I shall make you a great nation, and bless you and make your name great, and you shall be a blessing!

The Hebrew reads “I have made you a great nation and I have blessed you and I have made your name great” These three statements are written in the past tense. Will YHVH ever change His mind on this issue? Never!!!

The consequences of this established truth is that this nation of Hebrews who will soon return to the land ARE A GREAT NATION AND ARE A BLESSING TO ALL OTHER NATIONS.

I believe that it is rather ironic that the greatest tragedy that came upon Yisrael was their rejection of their Messiah. It was because of this rejection that Western civilization became prominent and dominant. The promise to bring light and blessing to the world lies with the offspring of Avraham.

This tragic rejection will also bring even greater blessing when the Jews and tribes of Yisrael once again embrace the true Messiah of Yisrael – Yahshua ha Mashiach.

Gen 12:3  “And I shall bless those who bless you, and curse him who curses you. And in you all the clans of the earth shall be blessed.”

This applies to all genuine Hebrews and not just to those of Yehudah. The Hebrew word for “bless” is “barach” and implies a kneeling before someone. This is what YHVH does by giving us Messiah. It can be compared to someone kneeling before us and meeting us on our level and point of need, showing us a way back into the presence and kingdom of YHVH.

In Hebrew there are various words used for the verb "to curse" they are "arar, qualal, quabab".
"Arar" means "to curse thoroughly and properly in a premeditated manner with intention of bringing about great harm"
Qualal means "to revile or vilify in a casual way, to esteem lightly, to make a contemptuous comment to slight". It is a hasty reaction.
Quabab means "to pierce or bore through with a hole, to execrate, to stab with words".
The Arabic kebab derives from "quabab" and it has come to be the word used to show the practice of sticking a pin into the effigy of a person to hurt him by an accident illness disaster or even death. It was a common demonic practice.

To understand best the meaning of a word, one need to go to the first time the word was used. In the case of the word “arar” or curse, this word first appears in Ber/Gen 3:14 When YHVH cursed the serpent. This was an extremely severe curse which resulted in ha satan’s eternal separation from YHVH and with no possibility to ever repent and return.

Here in vs 3  it tells us that YHVH will "arar"(curse) those who "qualal" Abram.

Two different words for curse are used in this sentence. The word “qualal” (779) is a piel verb and carries a meaning of treating with utter contempt.

We have seen over the years how the Jewish people have been treated with “utter contempt”

Sadly some in the Messianic restoration are too treated with contempt. This is an extremely dangerous position to take against someone who is identified with or seeking to be indentified in covenant with the Elohim of Yisrael through the Moshiach according to the Torah.

Gen 12:4  So Aḇram left, as יהוה had commanded him, and Lot went with him. And Aḇram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Ḥaran.

Abraham was 75 years old and his wife 65 years old. Today many people say it is too late to change or make a new beginning in life. Let’s all think again!!

Gen 12:5  And Aḇram took Sarai his wife and Lot his brother’s son, and all their possessions that they had gathered, and the beings whom they had acquired in Ḥaran, and they set out for the land of Kena’an. And they came to the land of Kena’an.

Some commentators think it was a mistake to take Lot. The sages tell us that Avraham took him because he foresaw that David and the Messiah would descend from Lot

Gen 12:6  And Aḇram passed through the land to the place of Sheḵem, as far as the terebinth tree of Moreh. At that time the Kena’anites were in the land.

“Everything that happened to the Patriarchs is a signpost for their children. This is why the Torah elaborates its account of their journeys, their well-digging and the other events [of their lives]... These all come as an instruction for the future: for when something happens to one of the three Patriarchs, one understands from it what is decreed to occur to his descendants.” (Nachmanides)

“Shechem” means back or shoulder. The Hebrew word “elyon” is used for “Terebinth”.”Elyon” means “supreme” and “of Moreh”  means “Teacher” (Supreme Teacher) This is possibly a reference to those who will follow in the footsteps of our fathers when they return to the land to meet their Messiah, who will come to teach YHVH’s Torah to the nations.  (Is 2:3)

Gen 12:7  And יהוה appeared to Aḇram and said, “To your seed I give this land.” And he built there an altar to יהוה, who had appeared to him.

Gen 12:8  And from there he moved to the mountain east of Bĕyth Ěl, and he pitched his tent, with Bĕyth Ěl on the west and Ai on the east. And he built there an altar to יהוה, and called on the Name of יהוה.

The Hebrew used here is “pitched her tent”. Why her tent and not his? Is this a possible future reference to the tent of the “kehelat of Moshiach” (the bride of Messiah)

We learn this pattern from the fathers: They always BUILT their altars and PITCHED their tents and DUG their wells.  

Gen 12:9  And Aḇram set out, continuing toward the South.

Gen 12:10  And a scarcity of food came to be in the land, and Aḇram went down to Mitsrayim to dwell there, for the scarcity of food was severe in the land.

Gen 12:11  And it came to be, when he was close to entering Mitsrayim, that he said to Sarai his wife, “See, I know that you are a fair woman to look at.

Gen 12:12  “And it shall be, when the Mitsrites see you, that they shall say, ‘This is his wife.’ And they shall kill me, but let you live.

Gen 12:13  “Please say you are my sister, so that it shall be well with me for your sake, and my life be spared because of you.”

Note once again the pattern. YHVH brings Avraham out of the bondage of Babylon and now Avraham experiences FAMINE and the temptation to COMPROMISE. To some modern day Messianics this sounds familiar. These are the TESTS –

The comfort we receive in this act of disobedience is that in spite of Avrahams disobedience YHVH still make a covenant with Avram. This shows us that we do not enter into covenant with YHVH on our performance but on His goodness and promise.

The fact is that we do not perform well at times. This is not an excuse for bad behavior, but a reminder that we must face this kind of action in ourselves and others with mercy.

Consider for a moment the seriousness of Avram’s actions. He is basically giving his wife over to be sexually abused by another man.

Gen 12:14  And it came to be, when Aḇram came into Mitsrayim, that the Mitsrites saw the woman, that she was very fair.

Gen 12:15  And Pharaoh’s officials saw her and praised her before Pharaoh, and the woman was taken to Pharaoh’s house.

Gen 12:16  And he treated Aḇram well for her sake, and he had sheep, and cattle, and male donkeys, and male and female servants, and female donkeys, and camels.

Gen 12:17  But יהוה plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai, Aḇram’s wife.

Gen 12:18  And Pharaoh called Aḇram and said, “What is this you have done to me? Why did you not inform me that she was your wife?

Gen 12:19  “Why did you say, ‘She is my sister’? And so I was going to take her for my wife. Look, here is your wife, take her and go.”

Gen 12:20  And Pharaoh commanded his men concerning him, and they sent him away, with his wife and all that he had.

Gen 13:1  And Aḇram went up from Mitsrayim into the South, he and his wife and all that he had, and Lot with him.

Gen 13:2  And Aḇram was very rich in livestock, in silver, and in gold.

Gen 13:3  And he went on his journey from the South as far as Bĕyth Ěl, to the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bĕyth Ěl and Ai,

Gen 13:4  to the place of the altar which he had made there at first. And there Aḇram called on the Name of יהוה.

The consolation is that even though we as Hebrews will go through trials and testings we will return to rebuild the altar in Yerushalayim – with great wealth.

Gen 13:5  Now Lot, who went with Aḇram, also had flocks and herds and tents.

Gen 13:6  And the land was not able to bear them, that they might dwell together, for their possessions were great, so that they could not dwell together.

Gen 13:7  And there was strife between the herdsmen of Aḇram’s livestock and the herdsmen of Lot’s livestock. And at that time the Kena’anites and the Perizzites dwelt in the land.

Gen 13:8  Then Aḇram said to Lot, “Please let there be no strife between you and me, and between my herdsmen and your herdsmen, for we are brothers.

Gen 13:9  “Is not all the land before you? Please separate from me. If you take the left, then I go to the right; or, if you go to the right, then I go to the left.”

Gen 13:10  And Lot lifted his eyes and saw all the plain of the Yardĕn, that it was well watered everywhere – before יהוה destroyed Seḏom and Amorah – like the garden of יהוה, like the land of Mitsrayim as you go toward Tso’ar.

Gen 13:11  So Lot chose for himself all the plain of the Yardĕn, and Lot moved east. Thus they separated from each other,

“East” or “mikedem” (6924) is also a Hebraism to indicate that one is moving away from the “Ancient One” or the “ancient paths.”

According to the sages – Pesikta Rabbasi comments that the land was surely spacious enough to accommodate two families. Rather, the source of the problem was the quarreling between shepherds (vs7), and when people cannot get along, even the most spacious land is too small. End quote.

Is this not perhaps a similar condition prevailing amongst the Messianic movement today? Shepherds with different agenda’s trying to draw disciples to themselves, divide the flock and bring disrepute to this restoration. Today there still exists the danger of  Messianic shepherds with different agenda’s that  attempt to draw people away from the Torah and gravitate towards the immorality of religion, be it Christianity or Judaism.

Sadly sometimes the only solution to this is division and separation.

Gen 13:12  Aḇram dwelling in the land of Kena’an, and Lot dwelling in the cities of the plain and pitched his tent as far as Seḏom. (See 14: 12)

Note that Lot pitched his tent in the plain of Sodom, later on we see that he actually moved into the city.

Gen 13:13  But the men of Seḏom were evil and sinned before יהוה, exceedingly so.

Gen 13:14  And after Lot had separated from him, יהוה said to Aḇram, “Now lift up your eyes and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward,

Gen 13:15  for all the land which you see I shall give to you and your seed forever.

Gen 13:16  “And I shall make your seed as the dust of the earth, so that, if a man could count the dust of the earth, then your seed also could be counted.

Gen 13:17  “Arise, walk in the land through its length and its width, for I (will) give it to you.”

Gen 13:18  So Aḇram moved his tent, and went and dwelt by the terebinth trees of Mamrĕ, which are in Ḥeḇron, and built an altar there to יהוה.

Note Abraham moves back to a place where he studies Torah and builds an altar unto YHVH.

“Baruch atah YHVH, Eloheynu, Melech ha-‘Olam, asher natan lanu Toraht-emet,

v’chay-yeh o’lam nata-b’tochenu.

Baruch atah YHVH, noteyn ha-Torah.

Ameyn.”

(Blessed are you Yahweh, our Elohim, King of the Universe, you have given us your Torah of truth,

and have planted everlasting life within our midst.

Blessed are you, YHVH giver of the Torah – Ameyn

Please note these notes are under construction and are subject to correction and are in no way a final authority on any subject.