We thank you, HaShem our G-d... Perek 19 begins with Avra(ha)m at age 99. G-d tells him: "Walk before Me and be perfect (TAMIM)." Easier said than done, but G-d tells him what is involved. G-d is going to enter into a covenant - a BRIT - with Avra(ha)m. He changes his name to Avraham and promises him many, many descendants. That said, G-d tells Avraham that the covenant is between Him and Avraham and his descendants - not just Avraham alone. And that's where we come in. So listen up. This covenant will be an ever- lasting covenant. For Avraham and his seed. This is repeated over and over. G-d's part of the deal is that He will be our G-d. And He will give us the land... ALL the land of Canaan... FOR AN EVERLASTING POSSESSION. Our part of the covenant is HIT- HALEICH L'FANAI... to be faithful to G-d, to serve Him... we would sum this up as "keep the Torah and Mitzvot". He causes the descendants of Avraham to propagate. He becomes our G-d. He gives us Eretz Yisrael. We follow Him, His Torah, His commands. And, as part of the covenant and the sign of the covenant, G-d commands us to circumcise our males. [Included in the "deal" is that Sara will have a son. That Sara will be the progenitor of a multitude. Subsequently, the promises are repeated to Yitzchak and Yaakov, which makes it clear that it is the Jewish People that is the intended partner with G-d in this EVERLASTING covenant. And this part also includes women in the covenant as well. BRITO SHEL AVRAHAM AVINU is not just for half of the Jewish People - it is for all of us.] Torah, Eretz Yisrael, and Brit Mila are acknowledged together - as a package deal - that we reconfirm on many occasions and in many ways - including-after every meal. Acknowledging and reconfirming is good, but we must also DO IT ALL. Torah & Eretz Yisrael. [The Parshat Lech L'cha Homepage]
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