Get going

The LORD had said to Abram, "Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you.

Leave- Hebrew: lech lecha (literally, "go for yourself", or "go for you"). Most English translations leave out "for you."

Abram is going to be the start of a new attempt by God to have humanity make a just, caring and compassionate society.* (See previous blog post). No longer will God wipe out humanity and destroy all flesh as He did with the flood. God will start with one man. One family. And through that man's family, have the entire world learn what it means to do the way of the Lord-tzedakah u'mishpat (justice and righteousness).

But Abram could not do that in Haran. Or among the people of Haran. Or in his father's house. There is a midrashic legend that Abram's father, Terah, was an idol maker. The people of Haran were probably idol worshippers, as were most people of that area at that time. And where in Haran could Abram develop his relationship with God?

Notice the word order in this verse. Your country, your people, your father's house.


To be continued...



*Term borrowed from my rabbi at shul.