From the week of November 4

Our Torah portion begins to trace the saga of Israel, the people covenanted to God, as His witness-people upon this earth. This parashah begins the story of Abraham, our first patriarch. This story of Abraham and Sarah will continue through chapter 25 of Genesis. We meet Abraham as a grown man living in Haran, north of the Euphrates valley in Mesopotamia. No details are given as to his sudden insight into God’s existence. All the stories about Abram as the idol-smashing son of a pagan retailer come from the Midrash.

This portion is also focused on the foundations of the divine promises to Abraham as part of God’s share of the covenantal agreement. These are the promises: 1) Abraham will become a great nation with a great reputation through whom all other nations will be blessed. 2) Abraham and his descendants will be given the land of Canaan as an everlasting inheritance.

3) Abraham’s descendants will be numberless, like the sands upon the sea. See chapters 13, 15, and 17.

Join us this Shabbat for an exciting Torah class.