Shabbat Shalom - Parasha Lech Lecha - Go Forth - Crossing Over Into Destiny !!!
Shabbat Shalom - Parasha Lech Lecha - Go Forth - Crossing Over Into Destiny !!! Our last Torah study, Noach (Noah), concluded with a genealogy of Shem, Noah’s son, ending with Terah, father of Abram, Nahor and Haran. Terah took his son Abram and Abram’s wife Sarai, as well as Lot, son of Haran, who had died, out of Ur of the Chaldeans and headed toward the Land of Canaan. Instead of reaching their destination, however, they settled at Haran where Terah lived out the rest of his days. In this week’s Parasha, at God’s command, Abram carries on with his father’s unfinished mission to reach the Land of Canaan, the name given to the Promised Land at this time. “Abram passed through the land to the place of Shechem, as far as the terebinth tree of Moreh. And the Canaanites were then in the land.” (Genesis 12:6 Abram and his wife, Sarai, become the first settlers of the Holy Land by packing up their belongings and settling in Elon Moreh, near Shechem (modern day Nablus). God, as the original Zionist, made an eternal promise to give the Land to Abram and his offspring: "To your offspring will I give this land.” (Genesis 12:7) Previously posted ... SATANIC HALLOWEEN - CELEBRATE NOT !!! http://conpats.blogspot.com/ ✡ ✡ ✡ BREAKING NEWS FROM ISRAEL Minute by minute updates here ... http://www.kolbonews.com/ http://www.ynetnews.com/home/ http://www.jewishworldreview. http://www.israpundit.org/ http://pamelageller.com/ Thanks - Ted Belman writing from Jerusalem, Israel w vid Dr Martin Sherman – Rethinking Palestine I urge you all to take the time to watch this very important lecture by Dr Martin Sherman. He presents the only permanent long term solution to the Israel/Palestinian conflict that will work. No other solution comes close. To listen to this lecture takes a serious commitment of time. But you owe it to yourself and to Israel to listen carefully. [...] http://www.israpundit.org/ http://www.youtube.com/watch? http://www.youtube.com/user/ The high poverty rate and other Israeli myths by Evelyn Gordon - JPOST Ascribing complex problems to simplistic causes exaggerates their scope and makes them harder to fix. Three news items over the last two weeks highlight the degree to which real problems, like poverty and discrimination, are often wrongly exaggerated by lumping several unrelated issues together. The well-meaning may hope to draw more attention to these problems by magnifying them; the malicious simply seek to make Israel look worse. But regardless of the motive, it’s deeply counterproductive. [...] http://www.israpundit.org/ http://www.jpost.com/Experts/ Into the Fray: And I quote…Pat Condell by Martin Sherman - JPOST … for once we, in the terminally guilt ridden West, really can blame ourselves. Pat Condell, in “Boo-hoo Palestine” This week I thought I would cut myself a little slack – and at the same time offer what I consider to be a public service, by providing The Jerusalem Post’s readership with a transcript of the latest video put out by the inimitable Pat Condell, titled “Boohoo Palestine,” interspersed with comments/ commentaries of my own. [...] http://www.israpundit.org/ http://www.jpost.com/Opinion/ https://www.youtube.com/watch? https://www.youtube.com/user/ Jordan Threatens to Revoke Peace Treaty Over Temple Mount Jordanian minister blames Netanyahu for 'not keeping promise' of discriminatory status quo on Temple Mount, drafts plan against 'breaches.' [...] http://www.israelnationalnews. Thanks - Christine Hummingbird Daniel 9:27 – “The Covenant with many.” Look up EVERYONE – Lift up your heads !!!!! http://hummingbird027.com/ http://www.breitbart.com/Big- ✡ ✡ ✡ Thanks - Ben Davidson 200,620+ community members http://www.youtube.com/user/ Electric Universe | S0 News October 31, 2014 (5:37) http://www.youtube.com/watch? Are The Solar Polar Fields Done Flipping Yet? (3:10) http://www.youtube.com/watch? Electric Universe https://medium.com/the- Laniakea: Our home supercluster https://www.youtube.com/watch? https://www.youtube.com/user/ w vids Costa Rica Turrialba volcano erupts after 100+ years http://news.yahoo.com/video/ http://www.bbc.com/news/world- Ozone Hole http://science.nasa.gov/ “Adonai said to Abram, “Go forth [lech lecha] from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you ... and I will bless you.” Genesis 12:1–2 Shabbat Shalom - Parasha Lech Lecha - Go Forth - Crossing Over Into Destiny !!!  A Torah scroll
Shabbat shalom !
Welcome to Lech
Lecha (Go Forth), this week’s Parasha
(Torah Portion).
We know you will be blessed as you read along with us
this portion of Torah that will be read in synagogues around
the world during the Shabbat (Saturday) service. Enjoy!
PARASHA LECH LECHA
(GO FORTH!)
Genesis 12:1–17:27; Isaiah 40:27–41:16; Matthew
1:1–17
“Adonai said to Abram, “Go
forth [lech lecha] from your country, your people and your
father’s household to the land I will show you ... and I
will bless you.” (Genesis 12:1–2)
Our last Torah study, Noach (Noah), concluded with a
genealogy of Shem, Noah’s son, ending with Terah, father of
Abram, Nahor and Haran. Terah took his son Abram and
Abram’s wife Sarai, as well as Lot, son of Haran, who had
died, out of Ur of the Chaldeans and headed toward the Land
of Canaan.
Instead of reaching their destination, however, they
settled at Haran where Terah lived out the rest of his days
In this week’s Parasha, at God’s command, Abram
carries on with his father’s unfinished mission—to reach
the Land of Canaan, the name given to the
Promised Land at this time.
 Abram's Journey from Ur to Canaan, by Jozsef Molnar
The Covenant of
God and the Promised Land
“Abram passed through the
land to the place of Shechem, as far as the terebinth tree
of Moreh. And the Canaanites were then in the land.” (Genesis
12:6)
Abram and his wife, Sarai, become the first
settlers of the Holy Land by packing up their belongings
and settling in Elon Moreh, near Shechem (modern
day Nablus).
God, as the original Zionist, made an eternal promise to
give the Land to Abram and his offspring: "To your offspring will I give this
land.” (Genesis 12:7)
Although the Canaanites at that time had control of
Canaan, God reassured Abram that it would one day belong to
his offspring—the Jewish People.
We may see a clear correlation to the political
situation in the Middle East today.
The Palestinians have gained control of large tracts of
land within Israel, which leaves many Israelis wanting to
see the Promised Land divided. They believe that establishing a
separate Palestinian state beside a Jewish state will
create peace.
 A Jewish man and an Arab man share the street in Israel.
Many around the globe also think that this is a
fair solution because some of the Arabs that live in
Israel have lived there for centuries.
Some even wonder if the Jewish People have returned to
the Land in vain.
Rivers of tears and pools of blood have been shed in
order to re-claim our God-given land. Did all those who
risked or even sacrificed their lives to drain
malaria-infested swamps, to re-build the cities, and to
defend this nation against the hordes of enemies do so in
vain?
Have the Jewish People survived the threat of
extermination throughout 2,000 years of persecution—pogroms
and inquisitions and even the Holocaust—in the lands of
their exile, finally to return to their Promised Land, just
to be driven out once and for all by hate-crazed, religious
radicals?
Only if God
breaks His covenant.
“‘Though the mountains be
shaken and the hills be removed, yet My unfailing love
for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be
removed,' says the LORD, who has compassion on you.’” (Isaiah 54:10)
 Two Jewish boys stand before the Torah scroll.
God made more than a promise to Abraham.
He made a blood covenant to give this land to Abraham's
descendants through Isaac and Jacob as an eternal
inheritance:
To Abraham:
“I will establish My
covenant as an everlasting covenant between Me and you and
your descendants after you for the generations to come, to
be your God and the God of your descendants after you.
The whole land of Canaan, where you now reside as a
foreigner, I will give as an everlasting
possession to you and your descendants after
you; and I will be their God.” (Genesis 17:7–8)
To Isaac:
“To you [Isaac] and your
descendants I will give all these lands and will confirm
the oath I swore to your father Abraham.” (Genesis
26:3)
To Jacob:
“I am the Lord, the God of
your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you
[Jacob] and your descendants the land on which you are
lying. Your descendants will be like the dust of the
earth, and ... all peoples on earth will be blessed
through you and your offspring.” (Genesis 28:13–14)
 Abram Guarding His Sacrifice, by James Tissot
Abram had to do nothing to establish this covenant with
God. In fact, in Chapter 15 of Genesis, God alone walked
through the animals that Abraham offered, indicating that the covenant he cut with
Abraham was unconditional.
God had actually caused a deep sleep to fall on
Abram when He made the covenant with him,
probably to emphasize its unconditional character and
prevent Abram from walking through it (Genesis 15:8–20).
In ancient covenant practices, both parties would walk
through the offering if it were conditional.
With so many Scriptures declaring God's everlasting
promise, our claim to this land is not political but by
Divine right.
Of course, there is great opposition to God’s Word. The
Canaanites had their weapons and allies, and so do the
enemies of Israel today; both gained some temporary
victories in their efforts to claim the land as their own
but, ultimately, God owns the land and can give it to
whomever He wishes. His everlasting covenant with Abraham
will stand.
 A father walks with his sons in Israel.
Walking the Land
as the First Hebrew
“Arise, walk in the land
through its length and its width, for I give it to you.” (Genesis
13:17)
When God commanded Abram to walk the length and
breadth of the land, it was not just for a little
sightseeing stroll; it fulfilled a legal custom
in ancient times to claim ownership of a property by walking
through it.
Egyptian and Hittite kings would regularly leave their
grand palaces to take a ceremonial walk through their
countryside in order to confirm their ownership of the land.
In Mesopotamia, according to ancient records, the seller
of a property would lift his foot off the land and
purposefully set the buyers foot upon it. This may further
explain the cultural context of the Scripture in which God
promises Joshua “every place the sole of his foot treads
upon.”
“I will give you every
place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses.” (Joshua
1:3)
Legally, then,
when Abram walked the length and breadth of the land, he
took possession of it for himself and his descendants as
an eternal possession.
 A young man reads the Torah using a yad (Torah pointer).
Talmudic rabbis have compared Abram’s walk
through the land to a vial of perfume that only gives
scent when moved, wafting the fragrance of faith
throughout the Promised Land.
Whereas Noah walked “with” God; Abraham walked “before”
God, paving the way for the world to come to the knowledge
of faith in the one true God.
Abram had an ability to cross over borders: He not only
crossed from Mesopotamia to Canaan, he courageously crossed
from a world of idol worship to a world in which the one
true God was worshiped, instead. The world stood on one
side and he stood with truth on the other.
He crossed over into his destiny, and his descendants
inherited the reward and blessing as well as the
characteristic of being those who cross over.
For this reason, Abram became the first person to be
called an Ivri—the one who crossed over.
This word comes from the Hebrew verb la’avor (to cross
over) and is transliterated into English simply as
a Hebrew.
Lech Lecha, therefore, is one of the most exciting
chapters in the Torah, since it chronicles the adventures of
the first Hebrew with God.
May we, too, come to this life-altering place where we
“cross over” into a new, exciting adventure in our life with
Him.
 A Jewish man prays at the Western (Wailing) Wall in Jerusalem.
Lech Lecha:
Finding Ourselves and Hearing the Call
The Zohar, an ancient book of Jewish mysticism,
interprets the opening words of this Parasha, Lech Lecha,
as go to yourself.
Lech means
go and lecha means
to you.
Therefore, according to Jewish metaphysical thinking,
the first crucial step in life is to go within—to our own
inner self—to discover who God has called us to be, to
discover our higher mission in life.
Once we come to a realization of our God-given destiny,
when we hear that Divine call of lech lecha (go
forth), then our outward journey may begin
with purpose and courage.
 A Jewish mother prays at the Western Wall using a siddur (Jewish prayer book).
Abraham Wins the
War of the Kings
“And there was strife
between the herdsmen of Abram’s livestock and the herdsmen
of Lot’s livestock.” (Genesis 13:7)
In chapter 13 of Genesis, Abram and his nephew Lot have
become quite wealthy. Their herds are so large that the
land cannot support all of them. (Genesis 13:6)
Consequently, strife breaks out between the
herdsmen of Abram and Lot, and instead of diffusing the
situation, they decide to part ways.
We may perhaps see a hint of the underlying source of
strife through the choice that Lot makes.
When Abram offers him first choice of the area, Lot chooses the best for
himself, instead of insisting that his uncle, who has
treated him much like a son, take the best.
Lot chooses the green, fertile plains of the Jordan near
Sodom and Gomorrah and Abram moves on to the plains of Mamre
(Hebron).
“And Lot lifted his eyes
and saw all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered
everywhere (before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah)
like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt as you
go toward Zoar. Then Lot chose for himself all the plain
of Jordan, and Lot journeyed east. And they separated
from each other.” (Genesis 13:10–11)
 The Jordan River Valley on the southern shore of the Sea of Galilee.
Although the grass may be greener on the other side of
the hill, that fact does not mean it is better, nor does it
mean we should go there.
Soon after parting company, Lot needs Abram’s
aid when four powerful kings capture all of Sodom,
including Lot. Abram rounds up a small army of
318 men and frees the captives:
“And he
[Abram] and his servants deployed against them at night
and struck them; he pursued them as far as Hobah, which is
to the north of Damascus. And he brought back all the
possessions; he also brought back his kinsman, Lot, with
his possessions, as well as the women and the people.” (Genesis
14:15–16)
Not only did Abram reveal military prowess and valor in
the War of the Kings, he also showed great self-sacrifice
and kindness toward his nephew Lot. With a very small army,
vastly outnumbered by the four kings and their armies,
Abram risked his own life to save his nephew’s.
Such valor was recently demonstrated by our Israeli
Defensive Forces (IDF) soldiers who went into the terrorist
stronghold of Gaza to find and destroy over 30 tunnels that
had been constructed for the purpose of kidnapping and
murdering Jewish Israelis.
Here in Israel, we are all mishpacha
(family); therefore, just as with Abram,
the IDF soldiers did not allow themselves to fear the
possible consequences of entering into battle, but protected
the collective Israeli family at the risk of their own
lives.
Let us pray that the leaders of Israel will be strong
and of good courage, sincerely seeking God, as the end-time
threat of annihilation plays out against this nation.
 Israel Defense Forces soldiers entered Gaza to destroy terrorist tunnels that posed a serious security threat to Israelis.
The Destiny of
Abraham—Eternal Salvation
Parasha Lech Lecha spans Abram’s life from the age of 75
to 99.
That means he lived most of his life without
really knowing his destiny—not until God revealed it to
him through a covenant that led to a name change.
And Abraham waited a long time before he began to see its
fulfillment through a son named Isaac.
In this Parasha, God tells him, “No longer shall your name be
called Abram [אַבְרָם] but your name shall be Abraham
[אַבְרָהָם]; for I have made you a father of many nations
[or Gentiles—אַב-הֲמוֹן גּוֹיִם].” (Genesis 17:5)
With the addition of only one Hebrew letter—the letter hey (ה)—Abram (exalted
father) became Abraham—exalted father of a multitude of
nations.
The letter ה is often used as an abbreviation for the
name of God and is found twice in God’s personal name. So
by adding this letter to Abram’s name, God added Himself as
Abba Father to Abraham’s nature, character and destiny.
By adding the letter hey to Abraham’s wife’s name, it
changed from Sarai (My
Princess) to Sarah
(Princess of the whole world).
For this reason, it is traditionally believed that a
change of name can change one’s destiny.
 A 13-year-old Jewish boy prays at the Western Wall.
God did not only promise Abraham the land of
Israel, but also that he would be a blessing to the
nations (Genesis 12:2; 18:18; 22:17–18;
26:3–4).
Today, there are countless ways in which God fulfills
this promise to Abraham through the nation of Israel.
Israel's technological, agricultural, and medical
innovations and advances are helping people around the
globe.
But the most meaningful fulfillment of this promise is
the Word of God that the Jewish People have faithfully
protected and brought to the world, as well as eternal
salvation through faith in Yeshua HaMashiach (Jesus the
Messiah):
“All praise to God, the Father of
our Lord Yeshua the Messiah. It is by His great mercy
that we have been born again, because God raised Yeshua
the Messiah from the dead. Now we live with great
expectation, and we have a priceless inheritance—an
inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and
undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay.
“And
through your faith, God is protecting you by His power
until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be
revealed on the last day for all to see.” (1 Peter
1:3–5)
God’s destiny for Abraham to become the father
of a multitude of nations (even Gentile nations) is
fulfilled in a significant way through Yeshua,
who is a direct descendant of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (Matthew
1:2).
Anyone from any tribe, tongue, or nationality who
declares faith in Yeshua becomes an heir of Abraham:
“There
is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free,
there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in
Messiah Yeshua. And if you are Messiah’s then you are
Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”
(Galatians 3:27–29) 
Time is short and the vast majority of Jewish people do
not yet know Yeshua.
“In those days Judah will be saved
and Jerusalem will live in safety. This is the name by
which it will be called: The LORD Our Righteous Savior.” (Jeremiah 33:16)
“‘Bring the whole
tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in My
house. Test Me in this,’says
the Lord Almighty, ‘and see if
I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out
so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store
it.’”
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