PARSHA: LECH LECHA

Avraham Goes to Egypt Lech Lecha (Bereshit) 12:1 ‐ 17:27

Avraham was a man chosen by God.

God said to Avraham, “Get up and leave the land where you were born and your parents lived, and go to a place I will show you.” So Avraham and Sarah, his wife, travelled from Haran to Canaan (which is Israel today). Once they got to Canaan, God made a promise: that Avraham would be the father of a great nation in this land, a nation that would be blessed by all the nations of the world, a nation with a special bond to God forevermore. PARSHA: LECH LECHA

Why study this story? The Torah are divided into stories or Parsha (parts). Each week we have a new story to read!

Why do we study Torah? Torah stories teach Jewish values. Torah stories teach us how to make Jewish decisions. For thousands of years Jews have read and studied Torah. All over the world, Jews read the same Torah portion each week.

Ideas, Activities and Resources ● Studying torah is a mitzvah, before you learn about this week’s parsha, recite the blessing on the previous page and you will know that your study will be fulfilling one of G‐d’s commandments!

Questions to Spark Discussion around your Shabbat Table 1. What do the opening words, Lech lecha ‐‐ "Go to yourself" ‐‐ mean? 2. Why does Abram seem to only be looking out for himself in Egypt? He acts like a self‐centered liar, so why is he worthy of God's covenant? Why does God punish Pharaoh for taking Sarai if he didn't know that she was Abram's wife? 3. How is Abram able to defeat the various kings so easily? Why does it say that Abram brought back all of the possessions after rescuing Lot if Abram later says he will not take anything but the people who accompanied him?