Going Forth: Avram’s Journey of the Soul
Avram's incredible journey in the Book of Genesis is more than Biblical history. On one level, its an ancient and powerful analogy for the elevation of the human soul.
When we meet Avram in Genesis 12, he is about to undergo one of the most significant transformations in the Bible. His incredible journey begins with the following words:
Lech Lecha (לֶךְ־לְךָ) - "Go, to you" - Genesis 12:1
Since ancient times, commentators have puzzled over this strange phrasing. A simple "Go!" would have sufficed. So why does the text add, "to you," or "to yourself"?
Many commentators have offered suggestions. Medieval commentator Rashi reads the phrasing as "for your benefit." This makes sense of all the blessings that Avram will receive in the coming years.
One interpretation¹ sees a deeper hint in the numerical value (Gematria)² of Lech Lecha, which is 100:
"Go forth" is a hint to Abraham that when he will be one hundred years old, he will have a son, Isaac, who will be like a nation to him.
There is another reading I find insightful. We can see hints of this idea in the writings of Philo of Alexandria³, and through modern Chasidic teachings.
This idea comes through the mystical interpretation of the Torah in which Avram's journey is a metaphor for spiritual growth.
The Soul Going Forth
Avram's going forth mirrors what the mystics call the descent of the soul. G_D's command, "Go to yourself," is a charge to the Neshamah⁴ to begin its journey toward elevation and growth.
But like any journey, it can only begin when we leave comfort behind.
Avram's homeland was an important starting point, but it could not provide the opportunities and trials that would ultimately transform him into Avraham.
Each of us undergoes a similar journey in life.
The Descent of the Soul
The Neshamah begins in the world of souls (Olam HaNeshamot), the place it calls home. When it is time to begin its developmental journey, it leaves this place of peace and light and enters into physical existence.
Each soul enters life with a purpose, sent to accomplish something it could not do in the upper worlds where there is nothing to overcome, no potential for evil, less opportunity for growth. The hard and transformative work can only be done here.
Like Avram, the Neshamah is called to go into the unknown. The soul is given a body, a family⁵, and a place of birth in the physical world (Assiyah⁶).
The Journey of Tests
Avram’s journey began with many difficulties. Living in a society entrenched in idolatry, famine drove him to Egypt. Sarai was taken from him. He went to war to rescue his nephew Lot, and he waited decades for the promised son.
Jewish tradition counts ten major trials in Avram's life⁷. Each trial challenged him, and each one brought him closer to who he was meant to become.
Our lives follow a similar pattern. Loss, change, waiting, conflict, setbacks, and new opportunities.
The Unnamed Destination
In the text, G_D did not tell Avram where he was going. He said, “to the land that I will show you.”
Neither does the soul receive a map. Each of us is asked to walk in trust (Bitachon), one step at a time. But the destination is not a place, but a changed state; elevation.
Going to Yourself
For me, this is the hint we learn about life: Avram did not become someone else through his journey; he became himself.
His faith helped him achieve his fullest potential in his life on Earth. This is why the letter heh (ה) was added to his name, completing him. Avraham.
Lech Lecha is the soul's story. The winding challenges of Avram's life remind us that each of our own trials is a step toward becoming who we are intended to be.
Notes:
¹ Baal HaTurim on Genesis 12:1
² Gematria - Decoding the Hidden Secrets of Torah
³ Philo, On the Migration of Abraham 1–12
⁵ Entangled Souls: The Bond Between You and Your Soul Group
⁷ Pirke Avot 5:3
