Into the Verse - A Parsha Podcast Lech Lecha: Responding to Life’s Challenges
Oct 24, 2023
Join Rabbi David Fohrman, a Torah teacher and founder of Aleph Beta, as he explores Abraham and Sarah's struggles with childlessness. The conversation dives into how the Torah addresses despair during challenging times, drawing connections between Abraham's experiences and unexpected verses from Leviticus. They discuss complex themes of chesed, guilt, and the legitimacy of relationships, ultimately highlighting the importance of action over self-blame in the face of life's hurdles. Rabbi Fohrman's insights provide a profound understanding of perseverance.
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Leviticus Echoes Abraham's Story
- Leviticus 20:17 uses the unexpected verb 'yikach' and the word 'chesed' when describing a man taking his sister, echoing Abraham's story.
- This unusual language suggests a deeper link between the incest laws and the ambiguous Abraham–Sarah relationship.
Genesis Mirrors Leviticus Language
- Genesis records Abraham presenting Sarah as his sister to Pharaoh and Avimelech using the verb 'vayikach', not 'vayishkav'.
- Those parallels reinforce the idea that Leviticus 20:17 is intentionally commenting on Abraham's ambiguous relationship with Sarah.
Childlessness Language Connects Stories
- Leviticus prescribes childlessness as punishment for certain incestuous acts, using the rare word 'ariri', which also appears in Abraham's complaint about being childless.
- This linguistic overlap suggests Torah wrestles with whether Abraham's family situation was divinely sanctioned or morally fraught.