Lech-Lecha

Likkutei Sichos, Vol. V, p. 57ff. I. As mentioned on frequent occasions, it is doubtful that [any of] the names of the weekly Torah portions are cited in the Talmud.Megillah 29b does mention the name of readings VeAtah Tetzaveh and Ki Sissa, and Megillah ...

There appears to be a contradiction between the name of this Sidra and its content. For “Lech Lecha,” as the Sicha will explain, means “Go to yourself”—Abraham’s movement towards the fulfillment of his task. But the Sidra describes a series of events whic...

Every child knows the story of Abraham - how he discovered G-d as a lad, broke his father’s idols, was thrown into the furnace by Nimrod and saved by G-d. None of these details, however, can be found in the Written Torah. The Torah mentions Abraham only b...

Adapted fromLikkutei Sichos, Vol. V, p. 57ff; Vol. XX, p. 59ff, p. 301ff;Vol. XXV, p. 52; Sefer HaSichos 5750, p. 96ff. What the Torah Chooses to Highlight Every child knows the story of Avraham how he discovered G-d as a lad, broke his father’s idols, wa...

Why Abraham delayed the Mitzvah of circumcision until he was commanded by G-d, and the virtue of our Torah observance today over that of the Patriarchs.

Avraham had two sons: Yishmael and Yitzchak. From the contrast between them, we can derive lessons fundamental to parenting, and learn that the greatest nachas, satisfaction, parents derive from their children is seeing them continuing their legacy.

The sequence of the first three parshiyos of the Torah reflect three different epochs in the world’s spiritual history.

From early childhood on, we have been taught the story of Avraham breaking his father’s idols and his self-sacrifice in spreading the awareness of G‑d. Why is this story not told – or even directly hinted at – in the Written Torah?

The third section of the Book of Genesis begins the chronicle of Abraham, who was selected by G-d to found the Jewish people, through whom the process of moral degeneration that humanity had been locked into since their expulsion from the Garden of Eden w...

Two Forms of Tithing In recounting the mitzvos that existed prior to the giving of the Torah, the Rambam writes:Hilchos Melachim beginning of ch. 9. “Yitzchak gave ma’aser , [Yitzchak tithed.]” But there is an explicit verse in Lech Lecha that states:Bere...