Torah Portion: Lech Lecha — Go for Yourself
Torah: Genesis 12:1–17:27 Haftarah: Isaiah 40:27–41:16 Besorah: Matthew 1:18–25
“Go for Yourself”
The opening words of this week’s Torah portion are among the most powerful in all of Scripture.
“Then the Lord said to Abram, ‘Lech lecha — go from your country, your kindred, and your father’s house, to the land that I will show you.’” (Genesis 12:1)
In Hebrew, lech lecha literally means “go for yourself” or “go to yourself.” It’s not just a command to move from one place to another; it’s an invitation to transformation.
God wasn’t simply calling Abram to leave behind his home. He was calling him to step into who he was created to be. The Hebrew phrase can mean “go for your own benefit,” suggesting that what God asks of Abram isn’t loss. it’s gain.
Rashi comments that this call meant “for your benefit and your good… there I will make you a great nation.” Abram’s obedience would bring blessing, but the blessing required a breaking.
God often begins with departure. Before He builds, He calls us to leave. Before He reveals, He invites us to release.
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The Call to Leave and the Promise to Bless
Abram’s obedience is radical. He’s seventy-five years old, established, settled, and surrounded by familiarity. Yet when God says, “Go,” he goes — without a destination, without a map, only with a promise.
“And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.” (Genesis 12:2)
In Hebrew, veh’yeh berachah — “and you will be a blessing” — is written in the imperative form. It’s not only a promise; it’s a command. God is saying, “BE a blessing.” Abram is not just a recipient of divine favor; he’s a vessel of it.
The covenant that begins here is built on relationship. God doesn’t give Abram a law, a ritual, or a system. He gives him a call: walk with Me.
Testing, Covenant, and Faith
Lech Lecha traces Abram’s journey of faith through both triumph and testing. He faces famine, conflict, and family tension. He makes mistakes… deceiving Pharaoh, taking matters into his own hands with Hagar… yet God remains faithful.
Genesis 15 marks a turning point. God formalizes His promise in covenant form. Abram believes, and it is counted to him as righteousness. The Hebrew word for “believe,” he’emin, shares a root with emunah: faithfulness or trust. Abram’s belief wasn’t intellectual agreement; it was relational trust.
Then in Genesis 17, God renews His covenant with Abram, changes his name to Abraham…“father of many nations”… and establishes circumcision as a sign of covenant belonging. This transformation completes the promise begun with lech lecha. Abram goes out, and Abraham emerges.
The Haftarah: Strength for the Journey
Isaiah 40:27–41:16 echoes this same theme of calling and courage. God speaks to Israel as He once spoke to Abram:
“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10)
This passage reminds us that the God who calls us to go also goes with us. He doesn’t send us into the unknown alone. He strengthens and upholds those who trust Him.
Isaiah 41:8–9 even recalls Abraham by name… “Abraham My friend.” The same faith that carried Abraham from Ur of the Chaldees is the faith that carries Israel, and us, through every season of uncertainty.
The Besorah: Faith in the Impossible
The Gospel reading from Matthew 1:18–25 tells another story of obedience that began with uncertainty. Joseph learns that Mary is with child, and he quietly resolves to end their betrothal. But God interrupts his plans through an angelic message:
“Do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.” (Matthew 1:20)
Like Abraham, Joseph must trust what he cannot see. He must go forward in faith, believing that God’s word will unfold exactly as promised.
Both men are called to go beyond what makes sense. Both must let go of their own understanding to walk in the obedience of faith.
Going for Your Good
Lech Lecha isn’t just God’s command to Abram… it’s His call to every believer. Go for yourself. Go for your good. Go because the life I’ve prepared for you can’t happen where you are now.
Obedience often begins as loss. Abram had to leave comfort, reputation, and familiarity behind. But in that leaving, he found purpose.
Sometimes, the hardest thing to release isn’t a place… it’s a version of ourselves that no longer fits where God is leading.
When God says “go,” He’s not pushing us away. He’s drawing us deeper into His will. Every step of obedience carries us closer to becoming who we were created to be.
So what might “Lech lecha” look like for you? It could be letting go of fear. It could be releasing control. It could be walking away from something safe in order to step into something sacred.
Whatever it looks like, know this: God never calls you to go without also promising to bless.
Hebrew Letter of the Week: ג (Gimel)
Sound: “G” as in goodness
Numerical Value: 3
Meaning: To give, to lift up, to deal bountifully
How to Write Gimel
ג
Draw a vertical line from top to bottom.
Add a small foot extending to the left at the base, symbolizing movement and pursuit.
In Hebrew tradition, Gimel is said to represent the giver, walking toward the receiver (represented by the next letter, Dalet). Gimel teaches that blessing flows through movement… through going.
Just as Abraham’s faith led him to go, Gimel reminds us that generosity, faith, and obedience are active. We give, we go, we grow.
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Study and Reflection Questions
Torah — Genesis 12:1–17:27
Genesis 12:1–3 – What does “Lech lecha” mean in Hebrew? How does the phrase “go for yourself” change your understanding of God’s call to Abram?
Genesis 12:4–9 – What can we learn from Abram’s immediate obedience? How does faith lead before understanding follows?
Genesis 15:1–6 – What does it mean that Abram believed and it was “counted to him as righteousness”? How does this connect faith with covenant?
Genesis 17:1–7 – What is the significance of Abram’s name being changed to Abraham? How does this reflect transformation through obedience?
Haftarah — Isaiah 40:27–41:16
Isaiah 40:31 – What does it mean to “wait on the Lord” in this context? How does patient faith produce renewed strength?
Isaiah 41:10–13 – How does God’s promise to uphold His people mirror His covenant with Abraham?
Besorah — Matthew 1:18–25
Matthew 1:20–21 – How does Joseph’s obedience echo Abraham’s? What risks did each take in trusting God’s word?
Matthew 1:23 – What does the name Immanuel (“God with us”) reveal about God’s presence in moments of uncertainty?
Reflection Questions
What is God calling you to “go” from in this season?
How can stepping away from comfort be an act of faith?
Where do you see God asking you to trust His promise before seeing its fulfillment?
Action Challenges
Read Genesis 12 aloud and reflect on where God might be calling you to go “for your own good.”
Write down one area of your life where obedience feels costly. Pray over it this week, asking God to strengthen your trust.
Memorize Isaiah 41:10 and speak it aloud when you feel uncertain.
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