Lech Lecha in a Nutshell

Avraham is not the first Jew. He is a Hebrew. And he's not the first one of those either. Jews decend from Judah. Judah was not born yet. He is not even the first Israelite since Yaacov isn't born yet either. I know its just words but words matter. They mean things and the entirety of scripture is words. Knowing what they mean is imperative. Reply

Abraham married Hagar, Sarah's maid. Abraham was not yet Jewish at that time because he was not yet circumcised. Because Hagar was also non-Jewish, their son Ishmael was not Jewish either. At the age of 13, Ishmael is circumcised. He thus became Jewish.

When did Hagar become Jewish? She must also have become Jewish because she later married Abraham again under the name Keturah and had six children with Abraham. Since Abraham had become Jewish in the meantime, Keturah (Hagar) must also be Jewish, otherwise Abraham could not marry Keturah and have six children with her. Reply

It is apparent that the Torah speaks to all who seek it, with an answer tailored to their understanding. Reply

"in Haran: The “nun” of חָרָן is inverted, to tell you that until Abram [appeared], the wrath of the Omnipresent was kindled (חֲרוֹן). [The inverted “nun” symbolizes the change from Divine anger to Divine mercy.] — [based on Sifrei, Ha’azinu 311]

See Rashi Genesis 11.32

See parsha Noach comments. Reply

A quick observation.
In the article is written the following:

"A famine forces the first Jew to depart for Egypt, where beautiful Sarai is taken to Pharaoh’s palace; Abram escapes death because they present themselves as brother and sister."

What is the meaning that "the first Jew"?.

There was no possibility for Abram being Jewish. Judaism is solely based on the acceptance of the torah and her precepts. And the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Were not Jewish since they didn't accept the commandments.

They were hebrews since the came of the other side of the canaan. Reply

Shalom! Re: back in the land of Canaan, Avraham separates from Lot... it kind of appears insignificant, but I am conscious now about how employees of the Big Houses of trade commerce etc. actually reflect the values of their respective owners and masters. For instance, every big business house has values that they expect their employees, servants, slaves to imbibe and exhibit. One can learn so much about the master of the house itself thru the attitudes and behaviours of the employees. The values of Avraham and the lack of values of Lot. Waau. Toda Rabbah. Reply

Why does G-d need to be praised? is this a commandment? why would an all-powerful deity need/want/care for praise? it seems needy and ungodly. Reply

Malki-Zedek How could there be a King of Jerusalem at that point in history? I have read elsewhere the alter on which Abraham was going to sacrifice Isaac was on the site where the temple would later be built, which means it was in what would become Jerusalem, but the next week's Torah portion describes the trip to that site as though Abraham and Isaac are going through wilderness, not a city. So Jerusalem wasn't built yet. Right? Reply

B"H
Hashem doesn't need any lessons. Hashem is the creator of all, and perfect.
As far as the Ahkeda killing Sarah... if she did have a heart attack because of the news, maybe She, although our "Torah Mothers are heavenly perfect", maybe she learned that treating Hagar harshly wasn't the way to go... I don't know, according to Torah, She did no wrong. Abraham losing Sorah could have been because he listened to a mortal human being (Sarah) instead of His word. Whatever... the Torah is powerful and needs to be respected and cherished. Hagar eventually ended up being the "mother" of a very angry jealous nation making up their own fake Koran. Their nasty work begins with a lie saying Abraham , their father, chose them, not Isaac. Now the world has to watch all the hate ooze-ing out of the Arab nations at Israel and the world. Reply

I grew up in a Yashiva in England and was blessed with a team of Rabbis yet there was no argument,what is written is what it is ,the written word of G-d and the way it is,all this thinking and multiple ideas of the way it could mean or should mean is just insane to me,simply put the Torah is the written word and not to be misunderstood end of story.Man has argued this since the time of the written Torah's creation, the meaning of each word.I think if we keep watering it all down and dilute G-d's word why not just become Goyim? and just make up another book like the Goyim did.I am not sure what is being taught today but it seems to be a lot of dilution going on,it scares me,i don't feel the solidarity yet i do feel an on going presence of antisemitism daily all around me.Yes I understand we are allowed to question but to those that have doubt or to be unsure of the Word,those people scare me.I am only one humble man,i was taught what i was taught to be right. Reply

To Ruth B"H
As much as a parent would wish to ask Hashem to substitute their life for their child's, that is not halachically allowed. A person may not substitute their life for another's life, as Hashem has a different plan for each person. Reply

to ruth housman If you read the Sefer Yasher, you will see one of the reasons Iyov could have been punished, was because his injustice and cruelty towards Bnei Israel in Egypt. He was one of the main reasons they were enslaved and treated so cruelly. He was a got, after all... Reply

Ho old was Abraham when Hashem told him Lech Lecha End of Parashat: Noach: Terach took Abram, Sari and Lot to go to Canaan on the way they stopped in Haran
Lech Lecha M' Artzecha ibn Ezra opinion is Ur Kasdim (not Haran)
This is not to be confused with the Passuk that abram left Haran when was 75
Berit Ben HaBetarim Hashem tells Abram I am the one that took you out of Ur Kasdim ( not Haran)
Parashat BO Perek 12 Pasuk 40-41 and Beni Ysrael were enslaved for 430 years to the very Day
From Yitzchak Birth in the year 2048 to yetzait Mitzriam in 2448 is 400 years.
Abraham was 100 years old in 2048.
Subtract 430 from 2448 is 2018 Abraham is 70 years old when the Journey started the date was 15 Nisan and the place Hashem Spoke to Abraham Lech Lacha was Ur Kasdim.
Terach took Abraham Sari and lot on the way to Eretz Cannan at the request of Abraham when Abraham was 70 . they landed in haran and Abram helped his father living in Haran for 5 years Reply

Did G-d cause the famine that Abraham reacted to by going to Egypt I am struggling with this idea right now. Did G-d specifically cause the famine just to test Abraham or was it at act of nature like those that occur in all our lives? Was Abraham smart or in a panic when he told Pharoah that Sarah was only his sister and not his wife? Was Sarah forced to obey Abraham by her position or was she complacient with the lie? I am behind on my bible reading. Peace. Reply

the test It could be G_d tested Abraham, he failed, and mercy followed anyway, as Raf suggests. But this does not explain The Book of Job, because JOB lost everything, ad had to submit to derisive friends he thought were loyal, and he lost his family, and in fact, that test seems to me, to have been inordinately cruel. A test of, what? It's a puzzling and often dark story.. So I am stumped, about JOB and think about this often. I can say, we all suffer, and those who are righteous among us, suffer too. And for me there is no question JOB was a most righteous man. Is this our "JOB", to figure all of this out, to dialogue about mercy and goodness, and G_d? Reply

I see it another way entirely God tested Abraham - and this time he failed ( but God passed him anyway). Reply

Dear Rabbi Yaacov This is a forum. In a forum one shares ideas. Anyone who considers that his way is the only way is mistaken. i have been to the yeshiva at Aish across the Wailing Wall. The students there are very nice, but not all that knowledgeable. I spent a few days with yeshiva students in Venice. Nice kids, but they too were not very knowledgeable. I have spent brief times with rabbis in far off places. For the most part they are knowledgeable. Others are not scholars, only rote learners. The one thing they have in common is the need to look correct , keep control, even when they are unaware.
As for Abraham, rabbis teach us how greater a person he was than Noah. It is always a derisive comparison. What rabbis don't realize is that making the comparison is in poor taste. If any one out there wants to do the yeshiva/Abraham study, I would recommend Tsfat.
Finally, like it or not, I find the Akeda objectionable. It killed Sarah. G-d learned a lesson. If yeshiva teaches otherwise, it doesn't change me. Reply

the alchemy of words and all names and naming I so agree, and I have written about this down the lines for a long time on Chabad and elsewhere. I too don't see anything humorous about The Akeda, and do see however that our English word laughter is contained by the word, slaughter. I simply do... these things come to me. Lot's lot in life wasn't so great and wasn't his wife turned into, a pillar of salt? And salt reminds me of The Covenant.

I do totally believe there is comic in cosmic as Ask Moses posted by Anonymous is saying.

I do find it very hard to believe anyone would seek God by being sacrificed, and at such a tender age. No I believe the response should have been, Take Me, instead. A father would say that, if he feared God and such a command. But the command itself is really strange. Why would God need such a sacrifice, except in very deep ways, we're all being sacrificed We see this in the heavy burden of sorrow that is inherent in being alive. I believe in You More, humor, as in it's not really over. In exist, exit. Reply

Gentlemen. May I respectfully request that you move to Jerusalem and attend a yeshiva. Study in depth about Abraham and the 10 trials that G-d put him through to prove his worthiness. Then you'll have your facts straight. Please just don't go on line and make assumptions. Reply