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Drash for Shabbat Lech L'cha By Sharon Geiger - November 3, 2006 The belief of contemporary Torah scholars that the faces or interpretations of Torah are infinite and our congregation's tradition create the framework for adding my face to Torah by interpreting Lech-Lecha, this week's Parshah. This portion chronicles almost twenty-five years of Abram's (God renames him Abraham as father of mu.ltitudes) life beginning when he is 75 and leaves with his wife Sarai (God renames her Sarah the princess), his nephew Lot, and his followers from their homeland for an unknown land at God's calling. It ends when God commands the 99 year old Abraham to circumcise himself and all of the males in his household. Every male shall be circumcised on the eighth day of his birth. Abraham and Sarah shall have a child. The covenant between God and his people through Abraham is forged with Brit Milah. At one level, Abraham's story is a real adventure and "page turner." At another level, according to Maimonides the story of Abraham in Lech Lecha is not so much an adventure as an accounting, of Abraham to God for seven of the ten tests God gives to Abraham. The story is also about Abraham's relationships with Sarah, their childless marriage, his second wife Hagar , their son Ishmael, his extended family, and followers, war and nature, and how Abraham's"wits"and God's actions work within these relationships. However, it is Abraham's ongoing relationship with God and God's tests, particularly the call to go forth that we follow in Abraham's physical and spiritual journey. In the opening words of Lech Lecha, (go forth) God commands Abraham to go … "from your land, from your birthplace, and from your father's house to the land that I will show you", promising to bless Abraham and his children, and cursing anyone that curses you. "All the families of the earth will be blessed in you". ..Abraham heeds this call only because of God's command. The test was whether Abraham could do what God expected without confusing those actions with Abraham's own motives or benefit. A trusting relationship between the human and divine is forged that extends beyond choice and command. When Abraham goes forth "to your self" God is instructing Abraham, and us through Abraham, to begin and continue a spiritual journey through ongoing self-reflection and evaluation of habits, personal choices, and preconceptions. We leave behind those notions that deter and often block us from our spiritual potential, and personal growth. God commands Abraham to be alert, focused and action-oriented. So we ought to be alert, and focused on ourselves and our people in our personal and community relationships, centered by our relationship with God. Shabbat Shalom.
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