Lekh L’kha (Go) B’resheet/Genesis 12-17

Torah Portion:  Lekh L’kha (Go)  B’resheet/Genesis 12-17

HafTorah: Isaiah 40:27-41:16

Tonight we study one of the most pivotal Torah portions in scripture. It is a portion with insights into how we as G-d’s people are to live our life. It is also a portion that speaks to our relationship to the Jewish people.

In this Torah portion we read of G-d’s call to Avraham and Sarah. Interestingly we see today that almost half of the world’s population holds Avraham as the beginning of their faith. Jews, Muslims and Christians regard him as the spiritual ancestor of their faith.

Lekh L’Kha (Get Yourself Out) B’resheet (Genesis) 12-17

Torah Portion:  Lekh L’Kha (Get Yourself Out) B’resheet (Genesis) 12-17

Haftorah Reading: Isaiah 40:27-41:16

In this Torah portion we become acquainted with Avram, who later became Avraham. It is in the first two words we learn a very important lesson for our daily life as G-d’s people. We have read the words many times before, but tonight I want us to look at them from a new perspective. The first two words in Hebrew are Lekh L’Kha. We usually translate this phrase as, “go out.” That translation misses completely the Hebrew meaning of the words.  A clearer translation would be, “go to yourself.” What does that say to us in our life? From this phrase we can understand G-d wants us to become who we really are in Him.

B’Shallach Sh’mot (Exodus) 13

Torah Portion: B’Shallach Sh’mot (Exodus) 13:17-17:16

HafTorah: Judges 4:4-5:31

I want us to look mainly at the Exodus and see what we can learn that might give us insight into our own lives spiritually. I want to start by looking at the last question I sent you this week. In Sh’mot 13:17, in Hebrew, it is written that Pharaoh sent the people out, in Sh’mot 14:5 he is told that the people have fled and finally in Sh’mot 14:8 it says the people went out with an up raised arm. So which is true?