Komentarz do Rodzaju 12:1
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהוָה֙ אֶל־אַבְרָ֔ם לֶךְ־לְךָ֛ מֵאַרְצְךָ֥ וּמִמּֽוֹלַדְתְּךָ֖ וּמִבֵּ֣ית אָבִ֑יךָ אֶל־הָאָ֖רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֥ר אַרְאֶֽךָּ׃
I rzekł Wiekuisty do Abrama: Wyjdź z ziemi twojej, i z ojczyzny twojej, i z domu ojca twojego, do ziemi, którą ci wskażę.
Rashi on Genesis
לך לך GET THEE OUT (literally, go for thyself) — for your own benefit, for your own good: there I will make of you a great nation whilst here you will not merit the privilege of having children (Rosh Hashanah 16b). Furthermore, I shall make known your character throughout the world (Midrash Tanchuma, Lech Lecha 3)
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Ramban on Genesis
AND THE ETERNAL SAID UNTO ABRAHAM ‘LECH LECHA’ (GET THEE OUT). This means, “For your own benefit and for your own good. And there I will make of you a great nation whilst here you will not merit the privilege of having children.” Thus the language of Rashi.
Now there is no need for it1Ramban’s intent is that it is unnecessary to explain the word lecha (literally, “to you”) as meaning “for your own benefit” for it is merely the idiomatic usage of the Hebrew language, as explained further in the text. for such is the normal expression of the Hebrew language as in the verses: The rain is over and gone ‘lo’;2Song of Songs 2:11. Literally, “gone to itself.” I will get ‘li’ unto the great men;3Jeremiah 5:5. Literally, “get to me.” Rise up, and get ‘lachem’ over the brook Zered;4Deuteronomy 2:13. Literally, “and get to you.” and many similar examples. Our Rabbis, however, have made a Midrash — (a homiletical interpretation) — concerning the verses [addressed to Moses] which state, And thou shalt make ‘lecha’ an ark of wood,5Deuteronomy 10:1. Literally, “make to thee.” The Midrash of the Rabbis is as follows: “Here the verse states, And ‘thou’ shalt make an ark, meaning Moses, but in Exodus (25:10) it states, And ‘they’ shall make an ark! This teaches us that the people of a community are commanded to do the work of a Torah-scholar who resides in their midst.” (Yoma 72b.) and Make ‘lecha’ two trumpets of silver,6Numbers 10:2. Literally, “make to thee.” The Rabbis commented: “As though it were possible, I would prefer it to be from that which is thine to that which is theirs.” (Yoma 3b.) since it was not his work and it would have been proper for these verses to be stated in the same way as that concerning the tabernacle, i.e., And thou shalt make the tabernacle.7Exodus 26:1.
Now there is no need for it1Ramban’s intent is that it is unnecessary to explain the word lecha (literally, “to you”) as meaning “for your own benefit” for it is merely the idiomatic usage of the Hebrew language, as explained further in the text. for such is the normal expression of the Hebrew language as in the verses: The rain is over and gone ‘lo’;2Song of Songs 2:11. Literally, “gone to itself.” I will get ‘li’ unto the great men;3Jeremiah 5:5. Literally, “get to me.” Rise up, and get ‘lachem’ over the brook Zered;4Deuteronomy 2:13. Literally, “and get to you.” and many similar examples. Our Rabbis, however, have made a Midrash — (a homiletical interpretation) — concerning the verses [addressed to Moses] which state, And thou shalt make ‘lecha’ an ark of wood,5Deuteronomy 10:1. Literally, “make to thee.” The Midrash of the Rabbis is as follows: “Here the verse states, And ‘thou’ shalt make an ark, meaning Moses, but in Exodus (25:10) it states, And ‘they’ shall make an ark! This teaches us that the people of a community are commanded to do the work of a Torah-scholar who resides in their midst.” (Yoma 72b.) and Make ‘lecha’ two trumpets of silver,6Numbers 10:2. Literally, “make to thee.” The Rabbis commented: “As though it were possible, I would prefer it to be from that which is thine to that which is theirs.” (Yoma 3b.) since it was not his work and it would have been proper for these verses to be stated in the same way as that concerning the tabernacle, i.e., And thou shalt make the tabernacle.7Exodus 26:1.
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Sforno on Genesis
אל הארץ אשר אראך, to the specific area within the country which I will show you in a heavenly vision. This is why Avram kept moving further into the land without pitching his tent to settle down until he received the appropriate sign from G’d. This occurred when he reached Shechem, where we are told that G’d appeared to him (verse 7)
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