Gen. 12:1 -17:27
Précis: This parasha, “get you up” or “go yourself” (lech lecha) begins with “the call” of Abram to leave his home and depart for a new land. At God’s command, Abram and Sarai journey to Canaan. When famine strikes, they travel to Egypt, where Sarai is taken into Pharaoh’s harem after Abram calls her his “sister,” but she escapes without harm. They then leave Egypt, with Abram now a rich man. To avoid family squabbles, Abram separates himself from his nephew Lot (who moves to Sodom), but Abram is forced to rescue Lot and reaches a negotiated settlement with the locals. God promises him an heir. Because Sarai is barren, she offers Abram her servant (Hagar), and Hagar gives birth to a son, Ishmael. Abram is then promised a son through Sarai, to be his true heir. Abram’s name is changed to Abraham, and Sarai’s to Sarah, in recognition of the new Covenant with God, which is then symbolized by Abraham’s circumcision.
Gen. 12:10-20 There was a famine in the land, and Abram went down to Egypt...As he was about to enter Egypt, he said to his wife Sarai…‘Please say that you are my sister, that it may go well with me...and that I may remain alive’…The Egyptians saw how beautiful she was...and praised her to Pharaoh, and the woman was taken into Pharaoh’s house…And because of her, all went well with Abram, but Adonai afflicted Pharaoh…who sent for Abram and said… ‘take your wife and be gone.’”
The story is interesting on several fronts. Was Abram’s deception due to fear? Was he really lying to Pharaoh (because she was his “niece” or that the word for “sister” could have had another meaning)? Other commentators are guided by the observation of Nachmanides: “It was a sin.”
When we think of the greatest figures of authority in our texts, we often mention Moses as the greatest leader of the Jewish People. He was punished for his failures by being denied entry into the Promised Land. Abram was the Founder of the Jewish People, committed a sinful act here (and, some would argue, again at Moriah).
We learn that our Jewish leaders are human beings, and that they share inevitable traits of all of us imperfect humans. This profound part of our tradition should cast its aura on how we perceive our current leaders. They are far from perfect.
