Lech-Lecha - Day #3

Lech-Lecha לֶךְ-לְךָ Go Forth Yourself!  

Torah Portion: Genesis 12:1-17:27

Genesis 13:5–18

13:5 Lot, who went with Abram, had flocks, herds, and tents. 6 The land was not able to bear them, that they might live together; for their possessions were so great that they couldn’t live together. 7 There was strife between the herdsmen of Abram’s livestock and the herdsmen of Lot’s livestock. The Canaanites and the Perizzites lived in the land at that time. 8 Abram said to Lot, “Please, let there be no strife between you and me, and between your herdsmen and my herdsmen; for we are relatives. 9 Isn’t the whole land before you? Please separate yourself from me. If you go to the left hand, then I will go to the right. Or if you go to the right hand, then I will go to the left.”

10 Lot lifted up his eyes, and saw all the plain of the Jordan, that it was well-watered everywhere, before Hashem destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, like the garden of Hashem, like the land of Egypt, as you go to Zoar. 11 So Lot chose the Plain of the Jordan for himself. Lot traveled east, and they separated themselves from one other. 12 Abram lived in the land of Canaan, and Lot lived in the cities of the plain, and moved his tent as far as Sodom. 13 Now the men of Sodom were exceedingly wicked and sinners against Hashem.

14 Hashem said to Abram, after Lot was separated from him, “Now, lift up your eyes, and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward, 15 for I will give all the land which you see to you and to your offspring forever. 16 I will make your offspring as the dust of the earth, so that if a man can count the dust of the earth, then your offspring may also be counted. 17 Arise, walk through the land in its length and in its width; for I will give it to you.” 18 Abram moved his ten, and came and lived by the oaks of 

Mamre, which is in Hebron, and built an altar there to Hashem.

Today’s Meditation:

Was Lot looking out for himself? He thought he was choosing the better land, but he actually got some polluted and corrupt land, Sodom. And look at the result of that. Sodom was destroyed. And in the end, Abram was blessed by Hashem with a promise of receiving all of the land.

Next time we have a choice, we will turn to Hashem and ask for guidance on what to do. Also, it might be advantageous and righteous to choose the lesser and give the other person the best.

Today’s Challenge:

I have a friend who is like Abram. She always gives me the best in every situation. I have learned a great deal from her. Here is my challenge for today. The next time you are given a choice with someone else, choose the lesser option and give your friend the best. You will be blessed even more for doing so. 

Lech-Lecha - Day #2

Lech-Lecha לֶךְ-לְךָ Go Forth Yourself!  

Torah Portion: Genesis 12:1-17:27

Genesis 12:14–13:4  

12:14 When Abram had come into Egypt, the Egyptians saw that the woman was very beautiful. 15 The princes of Pharaoh saw her, and praised her to Pharaoh; and the woman was taken into Pharaoh’s house. 16 He dealt well with Abram for her sake. He had sheep, cattle, male donkeys, male servants, female servants, female donkeys, and camels. 17 Hashem afflicted Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai, Abram’s wife. 18 Pharaoh called Abram and said, “What is this that you have done to me? Why didn’t you tell me that she was your wife? 19 Why did you say, ‘She is my sister,’ so that I took her to be my wife? Now therefore, see your wife, take her, and go your way.”

20 Pharaoh commanded men concerning him, and they escorted him away with his wife and all that he had.

13 Abram went up out of Egypt—he, his wife, all that he had, and Lot with him—into the South. 2 Abram was very rich in livestock, in silver, and in gold. 3 He went on his journeys from the South as far as Bethel, to the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai, 4 to the place of the altar, which he had made there at the first. There Abram called on Hashem’s name.

Today’s Meditation:

I always thought Abram was lying about Sarai being his sister. But really, it is true. Some believe she is his half-sister and that they have the same father, Terah. Others think that she could have been Abram’s niece. So, was Abram (Abraham) lying? And he does this again, further on in Scripture.

We will never know the absolute truth about all this, but just think, if your life and your beloved wife’s life were in jeopardy, would you lie? Or would you agree to speaking a “half-truth”? 

I think about how people hid Jews in their homes during the Holocaust. If a Nazi official came to their home, they would lie to save the Jews they were hiding. Is that okay? Of course. I had a great uncle who hid out a family of Jews in his home, and I had other relatives in Europe who gave their lives to the underground in Poland. 

Sometimes, when a life is involved, one must go before Hashem and seek Him for guidance on what to do. 

Today’s Challenge: 

Think about a time when you may have said a white lie to protect yourself or someone else. Was it truly necessary? Would you do it again? What did you learn from that situation?

Lech-Lecha - Day #1

Lech-Lecha לֶךְ-לְךָ Go Forth Yourself!  

Torah Portion: Genesis 12:1-17:27

Genesis 12:1–13  

12 Now Hashem said to Abram, “Leave your country, and your relatives, and your father’s house, and go to the land that I will show you. 2 I will make of you a great nation. I will bless you and make your name great. You will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who treats you with contempt. All the families of the earth will be blessed through you.”

4 So Abram went, as Hashem had told him. Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran. 5 Abram took Sarai his wife, Lot his brother’s son, all their possessions that they had gathered, and the people whom they had acquired in Haran, and they went to go into the land of Canaan. They entered into the land of Canaan. 6 Abram passed through the land to the place of Shechem, to the oak of Moreh. At that time, Canaanites were in the land.

7 Hashem appeared to Abram and said, “I will give this land to your offspring.”

He built an altar there to Hashem, who had appeared to him. 8 He left from there to go to the mountain on the east of Bethel and pitched his tent, having Bethel on the west, and Ai on the east. There, he built an altar to Hashem and called on Hashem’s name. 9 Abram traveled, still going on toward the South.

10 There was a famine in the land. Abram went down into Egypt to live as a foreigner there, for the famine was severe in the land. 11 When he had come near to enter Egypt, he said to Sarai, his wife, “See now, I know that you are a beautiful woman to look at. 12 It will happen that when the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife.’ They will kill me, but they will save you alive. 13 Please say that you are my sister, that it may be well with me for your sake, and that my soul may live because of you.”

Today’s Meditation:

How strong and confident Abram must have been in hearing the voice of Hashem. Can you imagine uprooting your whole family and taking them to an occupied land? And then to be told that Hashem would make you into a great nation. One would have to be absolutely sure that they were hearing from Hashem. Abram must have been in a very close relationship with Hashem. Could we have the same type of relationship?

Today’s Challenge: 

Do you hear Hashem’s voice clearly in your life? A while ago, my husband and I were introduced to something called “listening prayer.” We would take a prayer request to Hashem by sitting together, getting quiet, asking Him a question, and then listening to what He had to say. It was interesting because we would often hear the same thing from Hashem. 

I challenge you today to do some “listening prayer”. All you have to do is find a quiet space, ask your question or request of Hashem, and quiet yourself to listen to Him. Usually, it’s the first thing that comes into your mind. It could be Scripture, a “yes”, “no”, or “wait”, or it could actually be some unexpected action you are to take. Try it. You will be amazed. You will learn to listen to Hashem just like Abram did.

Noach - Day #7

Noach נֹחַ - Rest  

Torah Portion: Genesis 6:9-11:32

Haftarah: Isaiah 54:1-55:5

Shabbat:  Genesis 11:1–32   

11 The whole earth was of one language and of one speech. 2 As they traveled east, they found a plain in the land of Shinar, and they lived there. 3 They said to one another, “Come, let’s make bricks, and burn them thoroughly.” They had brick for stone, and they used tar for mortar. 4 They said, “Come, let’s build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top reaches to the sky, and let’s make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad on the surface of the whole earth.”

5 Hashem came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men built. 6 Hashem said, “Behold, they are one people, and they all have one language, and this is what they begin to do. Now nothing will be withheld from them, which they intend to do. 7 Come, let’s go down, and there confuse their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech.” 8 So Hashem scattered them abroad from there on the surface of all the earth. They stopped building the city. 9 Therefore, its name was called Babel, because there Hashem confused the language of all the earth. From there, Hashem scattered them abroad on the surface of all the earth.

10 This is the history of the generations of Shem: Shem was one hundred years old when he became the father of Arpachshad, two years after the flood. 11 Shem lived five hundred years after he became the father of Arpachshad, and became the father of more sons and daughters.

12 Arpachshad lived thirty-five years and became the father of Shelah. 13 Arpachshad lived four hundred three years after he became the father of Shelah, and became the father of more sons and daughters.

14 Shelah lived thirty years and became the father of Eber. 15 Shelah lived four hundred three years after he became the father of Eber, and became the father of more sons and daughters.

16 Eber lived thirty-four years and became the father of Peleg. 17 Eber lived four hundred thirty years after he became the father of Peleg, and became the father of more sons and daughters.

18 Peleg lived thirty years and became the father of Reu. 19 Peleg lived two hundred nine years after he became the father of Reu, and became the father of more sons and daughters.

20 Reu lived thirty-two years and became the father of Serug. 21 Reu lived two hundred seven years after he became the father of Serug, and became the father of more sons and daughters.

22 Serug lived thirty years and became the father of Nahor. 23 Serug lived two hundred years after he became the father of Nahor, and became the father of more sons and daughters.

24 Nahor lived twenty-nine years and became the father of Terah. 25 Nahor lived one hundred nineteen years after he became the father of Terah, and became the father of more sons and daughters.

26 Terah lived seventy years, and became the father of Abram, Nahor, and Haran.

27 Now this is the history of the generations of Terah. Terah became the father of Abram, Nahor, and Haran. Haran became the father of Lot. 28 Haran died in the land of his birth, in Ur of the Chaldees, while his father Terah was still alive. 29 Abram and Nahor married wives. The name of Abram’s wife was Sarai, and the name of Nahor’s wife was Milcah, the daughter of Haran, who was also the father of Iscah. 30 Sarai was barren. 

She had no child. 31 Terah took Abram, his son, Lot, the son of 

Haran, his son’s son, and Sarai, his daughter-in-law, his son Abram’s wife. They went from Ur of the Chaldees to go into the land of Canaan. They came to Haran and lived there. 32 The days of Terah were two hundred and five years. Terah died in Haran.

Today’s Meditation: 

In Genesis 9:7, Hashem says, “Be fruitful and multiply. Increase abundantly in the earth, and multiply in it.” I believe He wanted Noah’s family to go out and literally populate the earth. But, we see in this week’s portion that the desire of the people, a couple of generations later, is to try and make a name for themselves and build a tower that reaches heaven so that they will not be dispersed.

Instead of following their Creator’s desires to be fruitful and populate the earth, they want to huddle together in one place and be important. The result of their sin of pride and gain is to be scattered and have different languages. Some see this as the start of the 70 nations later mentioned in Scripture. 

A lesson to be learned. You may try to change what Hashem has planned for you, and because of this, you now experience the consequence you most feared. It's better to seek His plan first, follow it, and be blessed.

Today’s Challenge:

Can you think of a time when you knew you were choosing to do something that you knew was not right, but you got stubborn and did it anyway? What happened when you did that? Go back and think about what may have happened had you obeyed Hashem? What blessing do you think you missed out on? 

This Week's Haftarah: Isaiah 54:1-55:5

54 “Sing, barren, you who didn’t give birth; break out into singing, and cry aloud, you who didn’t travail with child: for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife,” says Hashem. 2 “Enlarge the place of your tent, and let them stretch out the curtains of your habitations; don’t spare: lengthen your cords, and strengthen your stakes. 3 For you will spread out on the right hand and on the left;  and your offspring will possess the nations and settle in desolate cities.

4 “Don’t be afraid, for you will not be ashamed. Don’t be confounded, for you will not be disappointed.

For you will forget the shame of your youth. You will remember the reproach of your widowhood no more.

5 For your Maker is your husband; Hashem of Armies is His name. The Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer. He will be called the Elohim of the whole earth. 6 For Hashem has called you as a wife forsaken and grieved in spirit, even a wife of youth, when she is cast off,” says your Elohim.

7 “For a small moment I have forsaken you, but I will gather you with great mercies. 8 In overflowing wrath I hid My face from you for a moment, but with everlasting loving kindness I will have mercy on you,” says Hashem your Redeemer.

9 “For this is like the waters of Noah to me; for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah will no more go over the earth, so I have sworn that I will not be angry with you, nor rebuke you. 10 For the mountains may depart, and the hills be removed; but My loving kindness will not depart from you, and My covenant of peace will not be removed,” says Hashem who has mercy on you.

11 “You afflicted, tossed with storms, and not comforted, behold, I will set your stones in beautiful colors, and lay your foundations with sapphires. 12 I will make your pinnacles of rubies, your gates of sparkling jewels, and all your walls of precious stones. 13 All your children will be taught by Hashem, and your children’s peace will be great. 14 You will be established in righteousness. You will be far from oppression, for you will not be afraid, and far from terror, for it shall not come near you. 15 Behold, they may gather together, but not by Me. Whoever gathers together against you will fall because of you.

16 “Behold, I have created the blacksmith who fans the coals into flame, and forges a weapon for his work; and I have created the destroyer to destroy. 17 No weapon that is formed against you will prevail; and you will condemn every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of Hashem’s servants, and their righteousness is of Me,” says Hashem.

55 “Hey! Come, everyone who thirsts, to the waters! Come, he who has no money, buy, and eat! Yes, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. 2 Why do you spend money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which doesn’t satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in richness. 3 Turn your ear, and come to me. Hear, and your soul will live.  I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David. 4 Behold, I have given him for a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander to the peoples. 5 Behold, you shall call a nation that you don’t know; and a nation that didn’t know you shall run to you, because of Hashem your Elohim, and for the Holy One of Israel; for He has glorified you.”

Today’s Haftarah Meditation:

Even though Hashem’s people have been dispersed throughout time, to the nations for their sins, He always gathers them back. That is just what has been happening in Israel over the past 70 years. Jews from all over the world have been brought back to Israel. And that is just the start. In the Messianic Age, we will all be gathered back to Him. And what a fantastic day that will be!

In verse 10, we read, “My loving kindness will not depart from you, and My covenant of peace will not be removed.” That is a promise for the future, but also a promise for today. We just need to step into this promise and accept it with a thankful heart.

Today’s Haftarah Challenge:

There are times in our lives when we stray from Hashem. But when push comes to shove, we usually return. Look at your life today. Is there an area in your life you have strayed from Hashem and need to repent and return? Do it quickly so that you can receive His promise of the covenants of peace and kindness.