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Discussion Plan: Different 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, explain what it would mean to ‘go’ for each one you marked (eg: going camping might be ‘go forth’ because going to camp means you are moving geographically, but it also may be ‘go to yourself’ because when you are camping you discover you are now capable of doing things that you never would have thought you could do).
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Go! Leave where you are for somewhere else |
Go for yourself! For your own benefit — (eg: financial or physical benefit) |
Go to yourself! Go to greater self-understanding (to understand who you are now better) |
Go to the person you will become! The person you will one day be — fulfilling your destiny, or becoming a better person |
| 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 grow up to be ourselves. But I think I am my best self right here.” | ||||
| David: “Getting up early for basketball training is not fun, but I know that I’ll appreciate the fact that I made this effort when I make it to the championships.” | ||||
| Sam: “Once a week after school I go with my mum to the home where my grandparents live. I help them to go down to the dining room and sometimes I sing for them because they like that.” |
Go back to the Biblical text – if we view Avram’s journey through each of these lenses, how might we understand the meaning and significance of his journey?
