Exercise: The Multiple Meanings of “Lech L’cha”
Read the sentence on the left – which kind of “Go Forth!” do you think is invoked here? You can mark more than one, but make sure you can explain what you mean in each case. If you mark more than one, show which one you think might be more central than the others (if this is the case).
Go forth – leave where you are (for another place) | Go for yourself! (your own benefit) | Go to your yourself (to greater self-understanding) | Go – to the person you will become | |
Sam: “The camping trip will be good for you – you should go!” | ||||
Kate: “I’m going to miss you when you leave, but I know the job in Boston pays a higher salary.” | ||||
Eli: “I went on this retreat to get in touch with the ‘real me’ – it was very cool. I learned lots about myself. | ||||
Zaitlan: “Going to summer camp last year was really important – I really became more self-confident and independent. | ||||
Esti: “We are moving to Israel– I don’t want to go, but my parents say it is the only place we can truly be ourselves. But I am my best self right here. | ||||
Ronie: “In my head I am such a different person than people around me see – I think the only way I can make that person come out is to start over somewhere else.” | ||||
David: “Getting up on Sunday morning for Synagogue School is not fun, but I know that I’ll appreciate the fact that I made this effort when I get older.” |
Go back to the Biblical text – for each of these different forms of “Lech l’cha” – how does that change your reading of Avram’s journey?