One verse, five voices. Edited by Nina Litvak and Salvador Litvak, the Accidental Talmudist
And Abram went, as the Lord had spoken to him, and Lot went with him, and Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran.
– Gen. 12:4
Dr. Erica Rothblum
Head of School, Pressman Academy
This parsha has incredible lessons for the Jewish people today. Our Rabbis teach that verse 12:4 is a reminder from God; Abram had already been commanded to leave his home, and this is a gentle reminder from God that Abram should start the journey. On the other hand, our Rabbis teach that 12:4 shows Abram’s faith; while in 12:5 we learn more details about the journey, this verse indicates that Abram started the journey because of his faith in God and not because he understood the details or the destination. And in this contradiction is, I think, the beauty of our Torah. When we learn of our ancestors as one-dimensional people, it is hard to relate and then to emulate. How can we be as faithful as Abram, as wise as Moshe, as resilient as Jacob? But when we understand our ancestors as people who struggled and nonetheless prevailed, they provide an example for us to emulate, even on our hardest days. And in 2024, Abram is the role model we need. He lived a life that was different from anyone else of his time; he was not afraid to be different and to stay aligned with his values. So too, as antisemitism and anti-Zionism increase around the world, the Jewish people can strive to be like Abram — despite our struggles or our fears, we must live a life of courage and faith, a life in which our core values guide us as we make difficult decisions.
Rabbi Bentzion Kravitz
Founder, Jewsforjudaism.org
Our sages teach that the deeds of the Patriarchs are a portent for their children. So, when Abram took a leap of faith and moved his family to the land of Canaan, his spiritual DNA was transmitted to us and empowered us to overcome situations that challenge our faith.
My father fought in Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco, Sicily and Italy during World War II. While in Rome, he did a favor for the Catholic soldiers under his command. He visited the Vatican to get them rosaries blessed by the Pope Pius XII. Although everyone in line kneeled to the Pope, my father remained standing and politely explained that as a Jew, he does not bow to anyone but God.
Abram refused to bow to the idols, and my father, along with generations of Jews, inherited this trait and refused to bow when his faith was challenged. I inherited this trait, and it gave me the strength to found Jews for Judaism and successfully respond to cults and missionaries who seek the conversion of Jews to foreign beliefs. Our ancestors were trailblazers, and it is up to us to carry on the mission of spreading the monotheism, wisdom, and values of Judaism.
Rabbi Nolan Lebovitz, Ph.D.
Valley Beth Shalom
When God issues Abram the command of Lech Lecha – translated as “you go” in the singular – Abram intuitively brings along his wife Sarai and his nephew Lot. In doing so, he models that the Jewish journey of life in general, and specifically the path toward heightened spirituality, cannot be accomplished alone. Today, we face modern challenges such as living great distances apart from our family. We also maintain the benefit of technology. Our understanding of family has expanded to include our biological relatives, and also family of our choosing. As we adapt to the changing nature of family, finding our place in larger communities can help us adjust. Our Sages teach us in a midrash, “A society and a family are like a pile of stones. If you remove one stone, the pile will collapse. If you add a stone to it, it will stand.” (Genesis Rabbah 100:7) Ultimately, the Jewish journey is one of togetherness. Whether it be family or community, we are meant to live within a structure in relationship with others. From the arc of Abraham’s narrative, we know that he feels a great responsibility for Lot, even after they live apart. In a world in which we hear news streaming from the far corners of the earth, this section of the Torah reminds us to focus on our loved ones. Can we articulate this priority to our family with compassion and responsibility? I believe that Abram did. His descendants can certainly do the same.
Rabbi Jonathan Leener
Prospect Heights Shul
Abraham is best known for his radical hospitality to strangers. He and Sarah designed their home to be open on all sides, ensuring they could always see and assist those in need. Amid Abraham’s extraordinary care for strangers, however, his unwavering generosity toward his nephew, Lot, is overlooked. After the tragic death of his brother, Abraham adopted Lot and treated him as his own son. Later in Genesis, we see Abraham take drastic measures to save Lot: he goes to war to rescue him from captivity and even argues with God over the fate of Sodom and Gomorrah, where Lot eventually settled.
What’s most remarkable is that Abraham did all of this despite knowing that Lot’s choices didn’t align with his own values. Lot chose to live in Sodom, drawn by its wealth and indulgent lifestyle. Yet, Abraham was always there for him. Why? According to Rebbe Noson of Breslov, Abraham had the capacity to see the endless potential in every individual. While Lot certainly had his demons, Abraham continually saw sparks of holiness trapped within him. Ultimately, Abraham was right — Lot’s descendants would include Ruth and King David, beginning the messianic line.
While Abraham’s openness to the stranger became his spiritual legacy, his relationship with Lot may be his crowning achievement. Having enduring faith in a family member, despite every reason not to, is truly remarkable and reveals Abraham’s profound patience and kindness.
Rabbi Dr. Janet Madden
Malibu Jewish Center and Synagogue
Martin Buber wrote “All journeys have secret destinations of which the traveler is unaware.” How could our ancestor Abram have envisioned the magnitude of his destiny?
As the sum of the first five pentagonal numbers, 75 is a pyramidal number, a mathematical representation of Abram’s name: “high father.” This is the age at which, in order to fulfill his own destiny, Abram must leave his father, his past life, and the place where his family has settled after leaving Ur.
Haran, named for his deceased brother is, for Abram, a “parched place,” “a crossroad.” Leaving, as Avot d’Rabbi Natan teaches, constitutes one of Abram’s 10 Divinely-designed tests. Haran is his jumping-off point into sealing trust in the Divine, a decisive movement that is a literal act of faith.
With his wife and his nephew-companion, Lot, whose name — “veiled”/“hidden”— hints both at Lot’s character and at the many revelations that lie ahead, Abram steps into a life-partnership with the Holy One. He cannot know that he will live another 100 years. He cannot know that he will be claimed as patriarch by three major faith traditions, his journey releasing a “wafting aroma,” says Bereshit Rabbah, as his name — his essence — is enlarged in the world.
But in choosing to trust that the blessings promised to him will manifest, our ancestor demonstrates that he does know the power of choosing to be in intimate relationship with Divine. And his example stands as a lasting reminder of our power to choose the same.
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