God tells Avram that he will be protected and receive a great reward. But Avram still has questions. He knows he’s getting old, and he doesn’t have any children yet! God emphasizes that Avram will have children. Read what happens next:
וַיּוֹצֵ֨א אֹת֜וֹ הַח֗וּצָה
וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ הַבֶּט־נָ֣א הַשָּׁמַ֗יְמָה וּסְפֹר֙ הַכּ֣וֹכָבִ֔ים אִם־תּוּכַ֖ל לִסְפֹּ֣ר אֹתָ֑ם וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ל֔וֹ כֹּ֥ה יִהְיֶ֖ה זַרְעֶֽךָ׃
וְהֶאֱמִ֖ן בַּֽיהוה וַיַּחְשְׁבֶ֥הָ לּ֖וֹ צְדָקָֽה׃
God took him outside
and said, “Look toward heaven and count the stars, if you are able to count them.”
God said to him, “Your children will be like this.”
And he had faith in God, and it was considered tzedakah.
- Why does God take Avram outside to hear this promise? What’s the connection between the stars and the promise?
- Imagine Avram standing under the vast, star-filled sky. How might he have felt?
- What could the last phrase mean, וַיַּחְשְׁבֶהָ לּוֹ צְדָקָה (and it was considered tzedakah)? Who considered what to be tzedakah?
- According to Rashi: God considered Avram’s faith to be a kind of tzedakah.
- According to Ha’amek Davar: Avram considered God’s promise to be a kind of tzedakah.
- Does one of these seem more likely to you? Can there be more than one interpretation?
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