The name of the Sidra means GO. God addresses Avram, Abraham’s original name, for the first time, and instructs him as follows: “Go to the land which I will show you.” The Torah does not explain why God spoke to Avram. The call came out of the blue. Only in next week’s Sidra, we read God’s own explanation in which he declares that He had chosen Abraham, because He had confidence in him that he would teach his children and children’s children to walk in the ways of God and pursue justice and righteousness. At the age of 75, Abram began his long journey from Ur of the Chaldeans to the land of Canaan, with his wife Sarai, and his nephew Lot. He also took with him people whom they had influenced and slaves whom they had bought. Soon after their arrival, Avram and Sarai had to leave Canaan and find refuge in Egypt, due to the famine that raged in Canaan. Some of our ancient rabbis say that this was one of the ten great tests which Abraham had been expected to overcome. After all, God had commanded him to go to the land and as soon as he had settled, he was forced to leave. As Avram and Sarai approached Egypt, Avram said to his wife: “I know that you are beautiful woman; therefore, when the Egyptians will see you they shall say: “This is his wife; they will kill me, but let you live and take you.’ Please, say that you are my sister so that I may survive, even if they take you.” He was right. Sarai was taken into the palace and Avram was spared. It is interesting to note that Nachmanides, one of our greatest commentators, considers Avram’s conduct to have been sinful on two counts. He should not have gone down to Egypt and he should not have made a plan to save his life. In both instances, he should have trusted the Almighty. But another medieval commentator, Rabbi David Kimchi, disagrees, arguing that Avram was right to take measures to protect himself and his wife. He cites the principle mentioned in the Talmud that a person should never rely on a miracle.
Pharaoh’s servants abducted Sarai and took her to the palace. Pharaoh released her after God brought plagues on him and his household. Under the pressure of these plagues, he released Sarai and let the family go home. In these incidents we can detect one of the great themes of the book of Bereshit, which our rabbis call: Ma’asei Avot-Siman Labanim. It means that many of the events that happened to our forefathers happened later to the Jewish people, both during the biblical period and also much later in our history. Many commentators have also noted the interesting fact that the Book of Bereshit employs the notion of moral geography which reveals to us something about the character of the people who lived in the cities of the region. Sodom, for example, is the lowest point in the world both geographically and morally. As one “goes down” to Egypt, so does the moral and spiritual standard goes down. Conversely, Avram’s return to Canaan is described as an ascent, both geographically and spiritually. The author of the Zohar comments on chapter 13, verse 1, which says: “So Avram went up from Egypt, together with his wife and all his possessions,” tells us that Avram ascended spiritually from the lower level of moral integrity, which prevailed in Egypt. He left a place of spiritual pollution and returned to what was to become the holy land. Some say that the Zohar is offering a third way of explaining Avram’s conduct regarding his wife Sarai. According to this explanation, the corrupt practices of Egypt pulled him down. Even a person of Avram’s calibre was affected by the society around him. If this was true of Avram, then it is certainly true of ordinary people. The moral standards which surround us have an impact on our lives. For this reason we have to choose carefully where we live.
In the next section, Lot’s shepherds and Avram’s shepherds quarrel. Abram was extremely anxious to avoid conflict and asked Lot to choose a different area for grazing. Lot chose the fertile Jordan Valley, near Sodom, and separated from Abram. Our rabbis regarded it as a great mistake. Lot had gained so much by being together with Abram. As soon as he left, his moral life deteriorated drastically. Lot’s choice of Sodom reflected his view that economic success was more important than moral values.
In chapter 14 we come across the story of the war between the five Canaanite kings and the four Kings who came down from the North to invade the fertile piece of land near the Dead Sea. The war started when the five Kings, including the King of Sodom, rebelled against Cherdorlaomer, King of Elam. He and his allies moved to punish the rebels. In the battles between the two armies, Lot, newly resident in Sodom, was captured. Avram organised an army, consisting of 318 followers, and pursued Lot’s captors in order to rescue his nephew. He defeated them and brought Lot and the other captives back home. In its description of this ancient battle, the Torah introduces a new appellation for Avram: “Avram, the Hebrew, ha-ivri” There are several explanations of this term. The most obvious one is that he was descendant of Ever who is mentioned earlier in the book as one of the descendants of Noah. The Midrash offers an explanation which has characterised the Jewish people throughout the ages. According to this interpretation the term derives from the word ‘side’; namely: “All the world was on one side “ever” and Abram was on the other side.” In other words, to be a true descendant of Abraham means that there are times and places where we cannot conform to the moral standards of the world in which we live. We believe that Judaism has something to say that is different and which may, at times, be the opposite of what secular society glorifies and rewards.