Torah Talk for Parashat Lech Lecha
November 9, 2016 by
In this parasha, Avram and Sarai follow Hashem’s call to journey to Cana’an, where the covenant between Hashem and Avraham is affirmed. Avram, renamed Avraham, has a son with Hagar, Sarai’s maid, and Hashem promises that Sarai, renamed Sarah, will bear a son as well.
In chapter 14, verse 13, Avram is referred to as Avram Ha’Ivri. It is from the term “Ivri” that we derive the name of the language of our ancient texts and our modern State: Ivrit. The word “Hebrew” is actually the Anglicization of the Hellenization (Greek transliteration) of the word Ivri.
Two main reasons are given for the appellation of Ivri to Avram’s name. Read more >
