Daily Chumash & Rashi Lech Licha Rishon – Avraham travels to Eretz Canaan

Rashi Q&A – Bereishit Chapter 12:1–13

Q: What does “לֶךְ־לְךָ” (“Go for yourself”) mean?
A: It means “Go for your own benefit and good.” In Canaan, Avram would become a great nation, whereas in his current location he would not merit children. His character would also become known worldwide.

Q: Why does God say “from your land” if Avram had already left Ur and was in Charan?
A: God was telling him to move even further away and to leave his father’s house completely.

Q: Why didn’t God immediately tell Avram which land he was going to?
A: To make the land more precious in Avram’s eyes and to reward him for obeying without knowing the destination.

Q: Why does God promise Avram three blessings: nationhood, wealth, and fame?
A: Because travel typically causes loss of children, wealth, and reputation. God reassured Avram by promising these three blessings.

Q: What is the significance of “I will make your name great”?
A: God added a letter to Avram’s name, changing it to Avraham. The numerical value of “Avraham” is 248, corresponding to the number of human organs.

Q: What does “וֶֽהְיֵה בְּרָכָה” (“You will become a source of blessing”) mean?
A: Blessings are now entrusted to Avraham. He can bless others, whereas previously only God blessed people.

Q: How does this verse relate to the Amidah prayer?
A: “I will make you into a great nation” corresponds to “God of Abraham,” “I will bless you” to “God of Isaac,” and “I will make your name great” to “God of Jacob.” However, we conclude the blessing with “Shield of Abraham” based on “and you will become a blessing.”

Q: What does “וְנִבְרְכוּ בְךָ” (“will be blessed with you”) mean?
A: People will use Avraham as a model for blessing, saying, “May you be like Avraham.”

Q: What does “אֲשֶׁר עָשׂוּ בְחָרָן” (“they had made in Charan”) refer to?
A: It refers to the people Avraham and Sarah converted to belief in God. Alternatively, it refers to the servants they acquired.

Q: Why did Avram go to Shechem?
A: To pray for the future sons of Jacob who would fight there.

Q: What is the significance of “Elon Moreh”?
A: It is Shechem. God showed Avram Mount Gerizim and Mount Eival, where Israel would later accept the Torah.

Q: What does “The Canaanites were then in the land” mean?
A: They were in the process of conquering the land from the descendants of Shem. God promised to return it to Avram’s descendants, who are also from Shem.

Q: Why did Avram build an altar when God appeared to him?
A: To thank God for the promise of children and the inheritance of the land.

Q: What does “אָֽהֳלֹה” (“his tent”) teach us?
A: Though read as masculine, it is written in feminine form, teaching that Avram pitched Sarah’s tent first, showing respect.

Q: Why did Avram build another altar near Bethel?
A: He prophetically foresaw that his descendants would falter there due to Achan’s sin and prayed for them.

Q: What does “הָלוֹךְ וְנָסוֹעַ” (“moving steadily”) mean?
A: Avram traveled in stages, staying in places for a time before continuing. His direction was always toward the south, toward Jerusalem and Mount Moriah.

Q: Why was there a famine in Canaan?
A: It was a test from God to see if Avram would question the command to go to Canaan despite the hardship.

Q: What does “הִנֵּה־נָא יָדַעְתִּי” (“Look, now I know”) mean?
A: Avram realized Sarah’s beauty either through an incident or noticed she retained her beauty despite travel. Alternatively, he had always known, but now was concerned due to entering Egypt among people unaccustomed to beauty.

Q: Why was Avram worried about entering Egypt with Sarah?
A: He feared the Egyptians would kill him to take Sarah, due to her beauty.

Q: What was Avram’s plan to protect himself?
A: He asked Sarah to say she was his sister so that he would be treated well and his life spared.

Q: What does “לְמַעַן יִֽיטַב־לִי בַֽעֲבוּרֵךְ” (“that it may go well with me because of you”) mean?
A: That the Egyptians would give him gifts, thinking she was his sister.