Chapter 12

12:1] Leave your land

• v1: Lord spoke to Abram
• v2: I will make you into a great nation
• v3: I will bless you++
• v4: Abraham was 75 years old

א וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהֹוָה֙ אֶל־אַבְרָ֔ם לֶךְ־לְךָ מֵֽאַרְצְךָ֥ וּמִמּֽוֹלַדְתְּךָ֖ וּמִבֵּ֣ית אָבִ֑יךָ אֶל־הָאָ֖רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֥ר אַרְאֶֽ

1. And the Lord said to Abram, "Go forth from your land and from your birthplace and from your father's house, to the land that I will show you.

♆ A new creation.

The sidrah begins a new birth for mankind. The 1st 2000 years from creation is known as the Era of Desolation. Adam had fallen, Abel had been murdered, idolatry was introduced, the deluge occurred and the dispersion of Babel. Abraham was born in the year 1948 from Creation. In the year 2000 — four years after the Dispersion and six years before the death of Noah — he started to influence disciples to serve HaShem. With the emergence of Abraham, the Era of Desolation came to an end, and the Era of Torah began. (Avodah Zarah 9a).

With Abraham there began a profound change in the spiritual nature of mankind. The plan of Creation was for all human beings to have an equal share in fulfilling the Divine mission. But after twenty generation of failure, the privilege of G-d's Chosen People was earned by Abraham and his offspring. They would receive the Torah and they would be in the vanguard of perfecting the world and bringing all people to accept the sovereignty of the One G-d. [Avos, ibid.; Derech Hashem].^[1]

♆ The concept of trail.

Abraham had to prove his greatness by passing ten tests of faith (Avos 5:4). The first trial is the command, in this Sidrah, that Abraham give up his entire past and follow G-d's lead to a new land. A heavenly test is one that forces a person to choose between G-d's will and his own nature or understanding of what is right... Thus Abraham was tested by being forced to subordinate his wishes and wisdom to those of G-d. By doing so, he demonstrated his conviction that man's highest goal is to accept the Divine wisdom as the sole truth.^[2]

Why did G-d need to test Abraham? Was it to display to the world how a great man obeys G-d? (Rambam [Moreh Nevuchim 3:24]). Ramban argues that the outcome is not in doubt to G-d, and a just G-d will never impose trials that are beyond the capacity of the individual — G-d only tests righteous people who will do His will, not the wicked who will disobey. Thus all the Torah's trials are for the benefit of the one being tested, who has free choice, and therefore he must find the strength and wisdom to choose correctly. If he does, then he has translated his potential into action and made himself a greater person, for actual deed far outweighs mere potential.

♆ Abraham comes to Canaan.

Though Abraham and Sara had many disciples, they were essentially alone; they could never blend into whatever culture surrounded them. Abraham was called an Ivri, from the word עבר, the other side. Literally that means the he came to Canaan from the other side of the Euphrates, but there is a deeper sense as well. He was on one side of a moral and spiritual divide, and (much of) the rest of the world was on the other. {Note: This is not completely true, as for instance Melchezidik was on the side of HaShem, Hagar praised G-d upon receiving the prophecy from the angel, etc.} Righteous people must be ready to endure such isolation; popularity is pleasant, but it is also a snare, because the natural desire to win the approval of theirs can easily lead people to bend their principles.

Abraham and Sarah's names were changed 24 years after they left for Canaan.

n12:1] לֶךְ־לְךָ — Go for yourself.(*) The seemingly superfluous לְךָ means "go for your own benefit and for your own good". What is this benefit and good? Here you will not have children and there you will. There you will become famous [so that you will be able to carry out your spiritual mission].

Rashi: לֶךְ־לְךָ — Go forth. Go to you, for your benefit and for your good, and there I will make you into a great nation, but here, you will not merit to have children. Moreover, I will make your character known in the world. — [from Rosh Hashanah 16b, Tan.]

Rashi: מֵֽאַרְצְךָ֥ — from your land. Now had he not already gone out of there with his father and come as far as Haran? Rather, thus did He say to him, “Distance yourself more from there and leave your father’s house.”

12:2] Blessing and promise

ב וְאֶֽעֶשְׂךָ֙ לְג֣וֹי גָּד֔וֹל וַֽאֲבָ֣רֶכְךָ֔ וַֽאֲגַדְּלָ֖ה שְׁמֶ֑ךָ וֶֽהְיֵ֖ה בְּרָכָֽה:

2. And I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you, and I will aggrandize your name, and [you shall] be a blessing.

n12:2] G-d assures Abraham that he will not suffer the detrimental consequences commonly resulting from extended travel: Its rigours make it harder to bear children, they diminish one's wealth, and harm one's reputation (Rashi).^[3]

n12:4] Lot's father was Haran, Abraham's brother who had died in the flames of Ur Kasdim [n11:28]. Abraham then undertook the responsibility of raising the orphaned Lot (Chizkuni).

12:5] The souls acquired ^[4]

ה וַיִּקַּ֣ח אַבְרָם֩ אֶת־שָׂרַ֨י אִשְׁתּ֜וֹ וְאֶת־ל֣וֹט בֶּן־אָחִ֗יו וְאֶת־כָּל־רְכוּשָׁם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר רָכָ֔שׁוּ וְאֶת־הַנֶּ֖פֶשׁ אֲשֶׁר־עָשׂ֣וּ בְחָ֑רָן וַיֵּֽצְא֗וּ לָלֶ֨כֶת֙ אַ֣רְצָה כְּנַ֔עַן וַיָּבֹ֖אוּ אַ֥רְצָה כְּנָֽעַן:

5. And Abram took Sarai his wife and Lot his brother's son, and all their possessions that they had acquired, and the souls they had acquired in Haran, and they went to go to the land of Canaan, and they came to the land of Canaan.

n12:5] וַיִּקַּ֣ח — Took. Abraham took Sarah through persuasion, because a man is forbidden to take a wife to a foreign land^[5] without her consent (Zohar).^[6]

הַנֶּ֖פֶשׁ אֲשֶׁר־עָשׂ֣וּ — The souls they made. The souls refer to the those whom they had converted to faith in HaShem (Rashi).^[7]

n12:6] Deeds of the Patriarchs, portents for the children. כל מה שׁאירע לאביות סימן לבנים, Whatever happened to the Patriarchs is a portent for the children... The story of the Patriarchs is replete with such symbolic acts in order to couple the particular Divine decree with a physical deed, follwing the principle that whenever a prophecy is clothed in a symbolic act, the decree becomes permanet and unalterable (see Jeremiah 51:63-64; see also n13:17 below).

12:7] "To your seed I will give this land"

ז וַיֵּרָ֤א יְהֹוָה֙ אֶל־אַבְרָ֔ם וַיֹּ֕אמֶר לְזַ֨רְעֲךָ֔ אֶתֵּ֖ן אֶת־הָאָ֣רֶץ הַזֹּ֑את וַיִּ֤בֶן שָׁם֙ מִזְבֵּ֔חַ לַֽיהֹוָ֖ה הַנִּרְאֶ֥ה אֵלָֽיו:

7. And the Lord appeared to Abram, and He said, "To your seed I will give this land," and there he built an altar to the Lord, Who had appeared to him.

n12:7] וַיֵּרָ֤א יְהֹוָה֙ — HaShem appeared. G-d is not physical, so the means by which He "speaks" and makes Himself "visible" to people is an eternal mystery. Nevertheless, the He appeared in a way that was tangible to Abraham (R' Hirsch).

12:8] 2nd Altar (Beth-El)

ח וַיַּעְתֵּ֨ק מִשָּׁ֜ם הָהָ֗רָה מִקֶּ֛דֶם לְבֵֽית־אֵ֖ל וַיֵּ֣ט אָֽהֳלֹ֑ה בֵּֽית־אֵ֤ל מִיָּם֙ וְהָעַ֣י מִקֶּ֔דֶם וַיִּֽבֶן־שָׁ֤ם מִזְבֵּ֨חַ֙ לַֽיהֹוָ֔ה וַיִּקְרָ֖א בְּשֵׁ֥ם יְהֹוָֽה:

8. And he moved from there to the mountain, east of Beth el, and he pitched his tent; Beth el was to the west and Ai was to the east, and there he built an altar to the Lord, and he called in the name of the Lord.

n12:8] Abraham builds a second altar at which he invoked Hashem by Name.

12:9] Continued south^[8]

טוַיִּסַּ֣ע אַבְרָ֔ם הָל֥וֹךְ וְנָס֖וֹעַ הַנֶּֽגְבָּה:

1. And Abram travelled, continually travelling southward.

n12:10-20] Abraham in Egypt. This is another test.^[9]

12:11-13] Sarai is my sister^[10]

יא וַיְהִ֕י כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֥ר הִקְרִ֖יב לָב֣וֹא מִצְרָ֑יְמָה וַיֹּ֨אמֶר֙ אֶל־שָׂרַ֣י אִשְׁתּ֔וֹ הִנֵּה־נָ֣א יָדַ֔עְתִּי כִּ֛י אִשָּׁ֥ה יְפַת־מַרְאֶ֖ה אָֽתְּ: יב וְהָיָ֗ה כִּֽי־יִרְא֤וּ אֹתָךְ֙ הַמִּצְרִ֔ים וְאָֽמְר֖וּ אִשְׁתּ֣וֹ זֹ֑את וְהָֽרְג֥וּ אֹתִ֖י וְאֹתָ֥ךְ יְחַיּֽוּ: יג אִמְרִי־נָ֖א אֲחֹ֣תִי אָ֑תְּ לְמַ֨עַן֙ יִֽיטַב־לִ֣י בַֽעֲבוּרֵ֔ךְ וְחָֽיְתָ֥ה נַפְשִׁ֖י בִּגְלָלֵֽךְ:

11. Now it came to pass when he drew near to come to Egypt, that he said to Sarai his wife, "Behold now I know that you are a woman of fair appearance. 12. And it will come to pass when the Egyptians see you, that they will say, 'This is his wife,' and they will slay me and let you live. 13. Please say [that] you are my sister, in order that it go well with me because of you, and that my soul may live because of you."

n12:13] May it go well with me, for your sake.

12:14-20] Sarai is Taken

12:14] Sara is pretty

יד וַיְהִ֕י כְּב֥וֹא אַבְרָ֖ם מִצְרָ֑יְמָה וַיִּרְא֤וּ הַמִּצְרִים֙ אֶת־הָ֣אִשָּׁ֔ה כִּֽי־יָפָ֥ה הִ֖וא מְאֹֽד:

1. And it came to pass when Abram came to Egypt, that the Egyptians saw the woman, that she was very pretty.

12:15] Sarai taken to the house of Pharoah

טו וַיִּרְא֤וּ אֹתָהּ֙ שָׂרֵ֣י פַרְעֹ֔ה וַיְהַֽלֲל֥וּ אֹתָ֖הּ אֶל־פַּרְעֹ֑ה וַתֻּקַּ֥ח הָֽאִשָּׁ֖ה בֵּ֥ית פַּרְעֹֽה:

15. And Pharaoh's princes saw her, and they praised her to Pharaoh, and the woman was taken to the house of Pharaoh.

12:16] He benefited Abraham^[11]

טז וּלְאַבְרָ֥ם הֵיטִ֖יב בַּֽעֲבוּרָ֑הּ וַֽיְהִי־ל֤וֹ צֹֽאן־וּבָקָר֙ וַֽחֲמֹרִ֔ים וַֽעֲבָדִים֙ וּשְׁפָחֹ֔ת וַֽאֲתֹנֹ֖ת וּגְמַלִּֽים:

16. And he benefited Abram for her sake, and he had flocks and cattle and he donkeys and men servants and maid servants, and she donkeys and camels.

12:17] HaShem intervenes^[12]

יז וַיְנַגַּ֨ע יְהֹוָ֧ה | אֶת־פַּרְעֹ֛ה נְגָעִ֥ים גְּדֹלִ֖ים וְאֶת־בֵּית֑וֹ עַל־דְּבַ֥ר שָׂרַ֖י אֵ֥שֶׁת אַבְרָֽם:

17. And the Lord plagued Pharaoh [with] great plagues as well as his household, on account of Sarai, Abram's wife.

יח וַיִּקְרָ֤א פַרְעֹה֙ לְאַבְרָ֔ם וַיֹּ֕אמֶר מַה־זֹּ֖את עָשִׂ֣יתָ לִּ֑י לָ֚מָּה לֹֽא־הִגַּ֣דְתָּ לִּ֔י כִּ֥י אִשְׁתְּךָ֖ הִֽוא: יט לָמָ֤ה אָמַ֨רְתָּ֙ אֲחֹ֣תִי הִ֔וא וָֽאֶקַּ֥ח אֹתָ֛הּ לִ֖י לְאִשָּׁ֑ה וְעַתָּ֕ה הִנֵּ֥ה אִשְׁתְּךָ֖ קַ֥ח וָלֵֽךְ:

18. And Pharaoh summoned Abram, and he said, "What is this that you have done to me? Why did you not tell me that she was your wife? 19. Why did you say, 'She is my sister,' so that I took her to myself for a wife? And now, here is your wife; take [her] and go."

12:20] Abraham kicked out of Egypt

20. And Pharaoh commanded men on his behalf, and they escorted him and his wife and all that was his.

כ וַיְצַ֥ו עָלָ֛יו פַּרְעֹ֖ה אֲנָשִׁ֑ים וַיְשַׁלְּח֥וּ אֹת֛וֹ וְאֶת־אִשְׁתּ֖וֹ וְאֶת־כָּל־אֲשֶׁר־לֽוֹ:

n12:20] וַיְשַׁלְּח֥וּ — And they escorted. Pharaoh hastend to rid himself ot he cause of his Divine affliction, but, not wishing to incure G-d's further wrath by mistreating Abraham and Sarah, he sent them away in honour, guaranteeing that no evil would befall them.^[13]

Chapter 13 - Abraham & Lot separate

13:1] Go south from Egypt

א וַיַּ֩עַל֩ אַבְרָ֨ם מִמִּצְרַ֜יִם ה֠וּא וְאִשְׁתּ֧וֹ וְכָל־אֲשֶׁר־ל֛וֹ וְל֥וֹט עִמּ֖וֹ הַנֶּֽגְבָּה:

1. And Abram came up from Egypt, he and his wife and all that was his, and Lot with him, to the south.

n13:1] וַיַּ֩עַל֩ אַבְרָ֨ם — So Abraham went up. It is true that Abraham ascended because the terrain of Eretz Yisrael is higher than that of Egypt, the Zohar perceives in the verb an addition indication that Abraham ascended spiritually from the "lower degrees" of Egypt. He left a place of spiritual pollution and returned to his former, higher condition. He emerged from Egypt unscathed and undiminished.^[14]

13:3-4] Calls in the Name of the Lord

ג וַיֵּ֨לֶךְ֙ לְמַסָּעָ֔יו מִנֶּ֖גֶב וְעַד־בֵּֽית־אֵ֑ל עַד־הַמָּק֗וֹם אֲשֶׁר־הָ֨יָה שָׁ֤ם אָֽהֳלֹה֙ בַּתְּחִלָּ֔ה בֵּ֥ין בֵּֽית־אֵ֖ל וּבֵ֥ין הָעָֽי: ד אֶל־מְקוֹם֙ הַמִּזְבֵּ֔חַ אֲשֶׁר־עָ֥שָׂה שָׁ֖ם בָּרִֽאשֹׁנָ֑ה וַיִּקְרָ֥א שָׁ֛ם אַבְרָ֖ם בְּשֵׁ֥ם יְהֹוָֽה:

3. And he went on his journeys, from the south and until Beth el, until the place where his tent had been previously, between Beth el and between Ai. 4. To the place of the altar that he had made at first, and Abram called there in the name of the Lord.

n13:3] לְמַסָּעָ֔יו — On his journeysOne should not change his customary lodgings unless he has suffered harassment and anguish there. Otherwise, he discredits himself [as he will be considered hard to please or direputable], or he will give the impression that his lodgings were unsatisfactory, thus harming his host's reputation.

13:10-13]

13:10] Like the garden of the Lord

י וַיִּשָּׂא־ל֣וֹט אֶת־עֵינָ֗יו וַיַּרְא֙ אֶת־כָּל־כִּכַּ֣ר הַיַּרְדֵּ֔ן כִּ֥י כֻלָּ֖הּ מַשְׁקֶ֑ה לִפְנֵ֣י | שַׁחֵ֣ת יְהֹוָ֗ה אֶת־סְדֹם֙ וְאֶת־עֲמֹרָ֔ה כְּגַן־יְהֹוָה֙ כְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם בֹּֽאֲכָ֖ה צֹֽעַר:

10. And Lot raised his eyes, and he saw the entire plain of the Jordan, that it was entirely watered; before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt, as you come to Zoar.

13:11] Lot chooses money over morality.

11] Lot chooses to live near Sodom

יא וַיִּבְחַר־ל֣וֹ ל֗וֹט אֵ֚ת כָּל־כִּכַּ֣ר הַיַּרְדֵּ֔ן וַיִּסַּ֥ע ל֖וֹט מִקֶּ֑דֶם וַיִּפָּ֣רְד֔וּ אִ֖ישׁ מֵעַ֥ל אָחִֽיו:

11. And Lot chose for himself the entire plain of the Jordan, and Lot travelled from the east, and they parted from one another.

n11] מִקֶּ֑דֶם — From the east. Since the word קֶּ֑דֶם can also be understood as the ancient one, the Sages comment that by leaving Abraham, Lot separated himself מקדמונו של עולם from [G-d,] the Ancient One of the World, saying: "“I care neither for Abram nor for his God!” (_Midrash; Rashi).

Lot chose the richest part of the country, although it was also the cruelest and most corrupt. Perhaps, he thought, that he could enjoy the Sodomites' wealth without being affected by their evil. As usually happens, he was wrong.

13:״14-18 The repetition of the promise

13:16] Like the dust of the earth^[15]

טז וְשַׂמְתִּ֥י אֶת־זַרְעֲךָ֖ כַּֽעֲפַ֣ר הָאָ֑רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֣ר | אִם־יוּכַ֣ל אִ֗ישׁ לִמְנוֹת֙ אֶת־עֲפַ֣ר הָאָ֔רֶץ גַּם־זַרְעֲךָ֖ יִמָּנֶֽה:

16. And I will make your seed like the dust of the earth, so that if a man will be able to count the dust of the earth, so will your seed be counted.

13:18]

יח וַיֶּֽאֱהַ֣ל אַבְרָ֗ם וַיָּבֹ֛א וַיֵּ֛שֶׁב בְּאֵֽלֹנֵ֥י מַמְרֵ֖א אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּחֶבְר֑וֹן וַיִּֽבֶן־שָׁ֥ם מִזְבֵּ֖חַ לַֽיהֹוָֽה:

18. And Abram pitched his tents, and he came, and he dwelt in the plain of Mamre, which is in Hebron, and there he built an altar to the Lord.

n18] {Abraham builds an altar in gratitude for what G-d has promised him.
In this case, first G-d speaks to Abraham, then he builds the altar.}

Chapter 14 - War of the Kings^[16]

v1:

• Amraphel the king of Shinar,
• Arioch the king of Ellasar,
• Chedorlaomer the king of Elam, and
• Tidal the king of Goyim

waged war against (v2):

• Bera the king of Sodom
• Birsha the king of Gomorrah,
• Shineab the king of Admah, and
• Shemeber the king of Zeboiim, and
• the king of Bela, which is Zoar.

v3: - joined in the Valley of Siddim

v5-6: They smote

• the Rephaim in Ashteroth Karnaim and
• the Zuzim in Ham, and
• the Emim in Shaveh Kiriathaim
• and the Horites in their mountain Seir

until the plain of Paran returned and came to v7:

• Ein Mishpat, which is Kadesh,

and they smote

• the Amalekites, and
• the Amorites who dwelt in Hazezon Tamar.
• v8: Engaged in the Valley of Siddim with Chedorlaomer the king of
  Elam and Tidal the king of Goyim and - Amraphel the king of Shinar and - Arioch the king of Ellasar.

13: The fugitive comes, and tells Abraham. Who was living on the

• plain of Mamre the Amorite,
• brother of Eshkol,
• and brother of Aner

n3-5] Joined

n7]

n13a] Fugitive is Og.

n13b] העברי: Hebrew, from eber

14-16] Saves Lot #### 14] trained men (or disciples)

n14-16] 318 disciples: Eliezar's name. ילידי: children - like reborn Christians.

18-20] Melchezidek's blessing

n18-24] Honours

n18] מלכי־צדק
כהל לאל אליון

n20] וברוך אל

Chapter 15 - Strange chapter

1-9] Words of HaShem in a vision (מחזה)

1] Lord comes to Abraham

א אַחַ֣ר | הַדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֗לֶּה הָיָ֤ה דְבַר־יְהֹוָה֙ אֶל־אַבְרָ֔ם בַּמַּֽחֲזֶ֖ה לֵאמֹ֑ר אַל־תִּירָ֣א אַבְרָ֗ם אָֽנֹכִי֙ מָגֵ֣ן לָ֔ךְ שְׂכָֽרְךָ֖ הַרְבֵּ֥ה מְאֹֽד:

1. After these incidents, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying, "Fear not, Abram; I am your Shield; your reward is exceedingly great."

Rashi: אחר הדברים האלה — After these incidents.Wherever the term אַחַר is used, it signifies immediately afterwards; אַחֲרֵי signifies a long time afterwards (Gen. Rabbah 44:5). After this miracle had been wrought for him, that he slew the kings, he was worried and said, “Perhaps I have received reward for all my righteous deeds.” Therefore, the Omnipresent said to him, “Fear not Abram, I am your Shield” from punishment, that you will not be punished for all those souls that you have slain, and as far as your being worried about receiving reward, your reward is exceedingly great. [from Aggadath Bereishith 16:2; Tan. Buber, Lech Lecha 15; Pirkei d’Rabbi Eliezer ch. 27]

2-3] ִֹֻשׁ8900ְלכשׁ [ רתיית ]

Childless & Steward

ב וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אַבְרָ֗ם אֲדֹנָ֤י יֱהֹוִה֙ מַה־תִּתֶּן־לִ֔י וְאָֽנֹכִ֖י הוֹלֵ֣ךְ עֲרִירִ֑י וּבֶן־מֶ֣שֶׁק בֵּיתִ֔י ה֖וּא דַּמֶּ֥שֶׂק אֱלִיעֶֽזֶר:

2. And Abram said, "O Lord God, what will You give me, since I am going childless, and the steward of my household is Eliezer of Damascus?"

Rashi: הולך ערירי — since I am going childless. It appears to me, however, that עֵר וְעֹנֶה is derived from the same root as (Song of Songs 5:2): “but my heart is awake (עֵר),” whereas עֲרִירִי is an expression of destruction, as in (Ps. 137:7): “Raze it, raze it (עָרוּ עָרוּ)” and as in (Hab. 3:13): “destroying (עָרוֹת) the foundation,” and as in (Jer. 51:58): “shall be completely destroyed (עַרְעֵר תִּתְעַרְעַר),” and as in (Zeph. 2:14): “for the cedarwork will be destroyed (עֵרָה).”

Rashi: ובן משק ביתי — and the steward of my household.וּבֶן מֶשֶׁק בֵּיתִי, to be interpreted like the Aramaic translation, (וּבַר פַּרְנָסָה הָדֵין דִי בְּבֵיתִי): and this sustainer who is in my house). My entire household is sustained by his orders, as (below 41:40): “and by your orders they will be sustained (יִשַּׁק).” [בֶּן מֶשֶׁק means] “my administrator,” but if I had a son, my son would be appointed over my possessions. > Rashi: דמשק — Damascus.According to the Targum, he was from Damascus, but according to the Midrash Aggadah (Gen. Rabbah 44:9) [the meaning is] that he pursued the kings until Damascus. And in our Talmud (Yoma 28b), it (the word דַּמֶּשֶׂק) is interpreted as a notarikon [acrostic for דּוֹלֶה וּמַשְׁקֶה]: he drew and gave to drink from his master’s teachings to others.

4]

And behold, the word of the Lord came to him, saying, "This one will not inherit you, but the one who will spring from your innards-he will inherit you.

" דוְהִנֵּ֨ה דְבַר־יְהֹוָ֤ה אֵלָיו֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר
לֹ֥א יִירָֽשְׁךָ֖ זֶ֑ה כִּי־אִם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר יֵצֵ֣א מִמֵּעֶ֔יךָ ה֖וּא יִֽירָשֶֽׁךָ:

5] Count the stars

ה וַיּוֹצֵ֨א אֹת֜וֹ הַח֗וּצָה וַיֹּ֨אמֶר֙ הַבֶּט־נָ֣א הַשָּׁמַ֔יְמָה וּסְפֹר֙ הַכּ֣וֹכָבִ֔ים אִם־תּוּכַ֖ל לִסְפֹּ֣ר אֹתָ֑ם וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ל֔וֹ כֹּ֥ה יִֽהְיֶ֖ה זַרְעֶֽךָ:

5. And He took him outside, and He said, "Please look heavenward and count the stars, if you are able to count them." And He said to him, "So will be your seed."

Rashi: ויוצא אתו החוצה — And He took him outside. According to its simple meaning: He took him out of his tent, outdoors, to see the stars. But according to its midrashic interpretation, He said to him, “Go out of your astrology,” for you have seen in the signs of the zodiac that you are not destined to have a son. (Ned. 32a, Gen. Rabbah 44:10) Another explanation: He took him out of the terrestrial sphere and lifted him above the stars. This explains the expression of הַבָּטָה, looking down from above (Gen. Rabbah 44:12).

{Note: This is a continuation of His promise to Abraham to have many offspring. In the first case, He compares his offspring to the dust of the earth (v13:16). Now He compares it to the starts in the heavens.

6] Trusted in G-d

ו וְהֶֽאֱמִ֖ן בַּֽיהֹוָ֑ה וַיַּחְשְׁבֶ֥הָ לּ֖וֹ צְדָקָֽה

6. And he believed in the Lord, and He accounted it to him as righteousness.

8-9] Ceremony (instructions)

ח וַיֹּאמַ֑ר אֲדֹנָ֣י יֱהֹוִ֔ה בַּמָּ֥ה אֵדַ֖ע כִּ֥י אִֽירָשֶֽׁנָּה ט וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלָ֗יו קְחָ֥ה לִי֙ עֶגְלָ֣ה מְשֻׁלֶּ֔שֶׁת וְעֵ֥ז מְשֻׁלֶּ֖שֶׁת וְאַ֣יִל מְשֻׁלָּ֑שׁ וְתֹ֖ר וְגוֹזָֽל:

8. And he said, "O Lord God, how will I know that I will inherit it?" 9. And He said to him, "Take for Me three heifers and three goats and three rams, and a turtle dove and a young bird."

10-11] Ceremony

י וַיִּקַּח־ל֣וֹ אֶת־כָּל־אֵ֗לֶּה וַיְבַתֵּ֤ר אֹתָם֙ בַּתָּ֔וֶךְ וַיִּתֵּ֥ן אִֽישׁ־בִּתְר֖וֹ לִקְרַ֣את רֵעֵ֑הוּ וְאֶת־הַצִּפֹּ֖ר לֹ֥א בָתָֽר:

10. And he took for Him all these, and he divided them in the middle, and he placed each part opposite its mate, but he did not divide the birds.

Rashi: ויבתר אותם — and he divided them. It is the custom of those who form a covenant to divide an animal and to pass between its parts, as it is written (Jer. 34:19): “who passed between the parts of the calf.” Here too, “a smoking furnace and a fire brand, which passed between the parts,” was the agent of the Shechinah, which is [referred to as] fire. [from Pirkei d’Rabbi Eliezer , ch. 28]

יא וַיֵּ֥רֶד הָעַ֖יִט עַל־הַפְּגָרִ֑ים וַיַּשֵּׁ֥ב אֹתָ֖ם אַבְרָֽם

11. And the birds of prey descended upon the carcasses, and Abram drove them away.

Rashi: הָעַיִט — And the birds of prey. This is a bird, and [it is called עַיִט] because it swoops down [עָט] and seeks the carcasses. Like (Job 9:26): “to swoop upon food,” and like (I Sam. 15:19): “and you flew (וַתַּעַט) upon the spoil.”

Rashi: וַיַּשֵּׁב — and Abram drove them away. An expression of blowing and causing to fly away, like (Ps. 147:18): “He causes His wind to blow (יַשֵּׁב).”

12-16 ] Prophecy

12] Deep Sleep

יב וַיְהִ֤י הַשֶּׁ֨מֶשׁ֙ לָב֔וֹא וְתַרְדֵּמָ֖ה נָֽפְלָ֣ה עַל־אַבְרָ֑ם וְהִנֵּ֥ה אֵימָ֛ה חֲשֵׁכָ֥ה גְדֹלָ֖ה נֹפֶ֥לֶת עָלָֽיו:

12. Now the sun was ready to set, and a deep sleep fell upon Abram, and behold, a fright, a great darkness was falling upon him.

12. Now the sun was ready to set, and a deep sleep fell upon Abram, and behold, a fright, a great darkness was falling upon him. {Note: This is often looked at as a metaphor for a journey as well.} #### 13] Strangers in a foreign land

יג וַיֹּ֣אמֶר לְאַבְרָ֗ם יָדֹ֨עַ תֵּדַ֜ע כִּי־גֵ֣ר | יִֽהְיֶ֣ה זַרְעֲךָ֗ בְּאֶ֨רֶץ֙ לֹ֣א לָהֶ֔ם וַֽעֲבָד֖וּם וְעִנּ֣וּ אֹתָ֑ם אַרְבַּ֥ע מֵא֖וֹת שָׁנָֽה:

1. And He said to Abram, "You shall surely know that your seed will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, and they will enslave them and oppress them, for four hundred years.

Rashi: כי גר יהיה זרעך — that your seed will be strangers. From the time that Isaac was born until the Israelites left Egypt was four hundred years. How so? Isaac was sixty years old when Jacob was born, and Jacob, when he went down to Egypt, said, “The days of the years of my sojournings are one hundred and thirty years,” which total 190. They were in Egypt 210 years, like the numerical value of רְדוּ (see Rashi, below 42:2; ר = 200, ד = 4, ו = 6, totaling 210). Thus, the total is 400 years. Now, if you should say that they were 400 years in Egypt, [this is not so] because Kehath was one of those who descended to Egypt. If you compute the years of Kehath (133) and those of Amram (his son, 137), and the 80 years of Moses, his age when they left Egypt, you will find only 350 [years]. And you must still subtract from them all the years that Kehath lived after the birth of Amram and that Amram lived after the birth of Moses. [from Seder Olam ch. 3]

{Note: Perhaps, after coming out of the vision, Abraham remembers it as 400 years.} ### 17] Furnace and fire brand

יז וַיְהִ֤י הַשֶּׁ֨מֶשׁ֙ בָּ֔אָה וַֽעֲלָטָ֖ה הָיָ֑ה וְהִנֵּ֨ה תַנּ֤וּר עָשָׁן֙ וְלַפִּ֣יד אֵ֔שׁ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָבַ֔ר בֵּ֖ין הַגְּזָרִ֥ים הָאֵֽלֶּה:

17. Now it came to pass that the sun had set, and it was dark, and behold, a smoking furnace and a fire brand, which passed between these parts.

n15:17] וַיְהִי הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ בָּאָה — Now it came to pass that the sun had set. The subject apparently does not
agree with the predicate, because שֶׁמֶשׁ is a feminine noun, whereas
וַיְהִי is a masculine verb. Therefore, Rashi explains as follows: The
subject of וַיְהִי is not הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ but דָבָר זֶה (i.e., it is as if the masculine noun דָבָר זֶה (this event) were inserted after
וַיְהִי.] The same is true in the two instances quoted by Rashi, in which the subject is plural, whereas the predicate is singular. There too, the subject of וַיְהִי is דָבָר זֶה.

Rashi: בָּאָה — had set. Its accent is on the first syllable. Therefore, it is explained that it had already set; but if its accent were at the end, on the “alef,” it would be explained to mean: as it was setting. but it is impossible to say this, for it is already written (above verse 12): “Now the sun was setting,” and the passing of the smoking furnace happened after this. It is found that it had already set. And this difference exists in every word in the feminine gender, whose radical consists of two letters, such as בא (to come), קם (to arise), שב (to return). When the accent is on the first syllable, it is in the past tense, e.g., this case and e.g., (below 29:9): “and Rachel came (בָּאָה)”; (below 37:7): “my sheaf arose (קָמָה)”; (Ruth 1:15): “Lo! Your sister-in-law has returned (שָׁבָה).” However, when the accent is on the final syllable, it is in the present tense, denoting a thing that is happening now and is continuing to happen, like (below 29:6): “She is coming בָּאָה with the flocks”; (Esther 2:14): “In the evening she would come (בָּאָה), and in the morning she would return (שָׁבָה).”

18] Covenant (land)

יח בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֗וּא כָּרַ֧ת יְהֹוָ֛ה אֶת־אַבְרָ֖ם בְּרִ֣ית לֵאמֹ֑ר לְזַרְעֲךָ֗ נָתַ֨תִּי֙ אֶת־הָאָ֣רֶץ הַזֹּ֔את מִנְּהַ֣ר מִצְרַ֔יִם עַד־הַנָּהָ֥ר הַגָּדֹ֖ל נְהַר־פְּרָֽת:

18. On that day, the Lord formed a covenant with Abram, saying, "To your seed I have given this land, from the river of Egypt until the great river, the Euphrates river.

19-21]

Tribes that occupied the land

• Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites
• (v19) Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaim
• (v20) Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites, Jebusites

Chapter 16 - Hagar & Ishmael

1-3] Sends Hagar to Abraham

2] Hagar goes to Abraham

ב וַתֹּ֨אמֶר שָׂרַ֜י אֶל־אַבְרָ֗ם הִנֵּה־נָ֞א עֲצָרַ֤נִי יְהֹוָה֙ מִלֶּ֔דֶת בֹּא־נָא֙ אֶל־שִׁפְחָתִ֔י אוּלַ֥י אִבָּנֶ֖ה מִמֶּ֑נָּה וַיִּשְׁמַ֥ע אַבְרָ֖ם לְק֥וֹל שָׂרָֽי:

2. And Sarai said to Abram, "Behold now, the Lord has restrained me from bearing; please come to my handmaid; perhaps I will be built up from her." And Abram hearkened to Sarai's voice.

{Note: "Abraham hearkened to Sarah's voice...". Just like Adam, who hearkened to Eve's voice. Rashi says that he listened to the Divine Spirit within her (Gen. Rabbah 45:2). So, if that is the case, then so did Adam regarding Eve. Which makes an alternative reading of the story of Adam and Eve more probable.}

3] As a wife.

• sends Hagar to Abraham
• Hagar concieves
• becomes haughty
• Sarah treats her badly
• she flees

ג וַתִּקַּ֞ח שָׂרַ֣י אֵֽשֶׁת־אַבְרָ֗ם אֶת־הָגָ֤ר הַמִּצְרִית֙ שִׁפְחָתָ֔הּ מִקֵּץ֙ עֶ֣שֶׂר שָׁנִ֔ים לְשֶׁ֥בֶת אַבְרָ֖ם בְּאֶ֣רֶץ כְּנָ֑עַן וַתִּתֵּ֥ן אֹתָ֛הּ לְאַבְרָ֥ם אִישָׁ֖הּ ל֥וֹ לְאִשָּֽׁה:

3. So Sarai, Abram's wife, took Hagar the Egyptian, her handmaid, at the end of ten years of Abram's dwelling in the land of Canaan, and she gave her to Abram her husband for a wife.

7-15] The Angel visits Hagar

9] Angel tells her to return

10] You will be fruitful

11] Ishmael will be born to you.

13] G-d of vision

16] Abraham is 86

טז וְאַבְרָ֕ם בֶּן־שְׁמֹנִ֥ים שָׁנָ֖ה וְשֵׁ֣שׁ שָׁנִ֑ים בְּלֶֽדֶת־הָגָ֥ר אֶת־יִשְׁמָעֵ֖אל לְאַבְרָֽם:

16. And Abram was eighty-six years old, when Hagar bore Ishmael to Abram.

Chapter 17 - Journey

1] Abraham 99

• HaShem appears
• Abraham falls on his face
• El Shaddai

2-8] Covenant

4] Abram -> Abraham

9-14] Circumcision

15-16] Sarai -> Sarah -> child

17] Abraham falls on his face, and laughs

• How can an 89 year old woman have a child?

18] Said to G-d: Ishmael... ל֥וּ יִשְׁמָעֵ֖אל יִֽחְיֶ֥ה לְפָנֶֽיךָ:

19-21] Blessing or offspring

22] G-d ascended: וַיַּ֣עַל אֱלֹהִ֔ים מֵעַ֖ל אַבְרָהָֽם:

23-26] Circumcised everyone!

Footnotes