Genesis · Weekly Torah portion
Parashat Lech-Lechaלֶךְ־לְךָ
Torah reading
Genesis 12:1-17:27
Haftarah
Isaiah 40:27-41:16
What happens in Lech-Lecha
God speaks to Abram with two words that change history: lech-lecha, 'go forth.' Abram leaves everything familiar — his land, his birthplace, his father's house — for a land God will show him. In Canaan he builds altars, parts ways peacefully with his nephew Lot, rescues him from war, and receives God's covenant: his descendants will be as countless as the stars. The parsha ends with the covenant of circumcision and new names — Abram becomes Abraham, Sarai becomes Sarah.
Big themes
- Courage to begin
- Covenant and belonging
- Faith and trust
If this is your bar or bat mitzvah portion
Abraham's journey starts with a call to leave his comfort zone — something every bar and bat mitzvah student understands standing at the bimah for the first time. What does it take to begin a journey when you can't see the destination?
Learning to chant Lech-Lecha?
Ready 13 builds a verse-by-verse practice plan for this exact portion — chanted reference audio, karaoke highlighting, trope games, and a countdown that keeps the big day on track.
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