Lej Lejá (VIDEO) / The seventh promise to Abraham and its messianic fulfillment

Introduction: God's promise to Abraham

The Parashat Lej Leja, contained in Genesis 12:1–17:27, marks one of the fundamental moments of biblical history: God's call to Abraham and the establishment of a promise that reaches all the families of the earth.

This promise brings together three essential dimensions: the election of Abraham, the formation of a lineage, and the blessing destined for other peoples.

From a Hebrew perspective, Lech Lecha represents the beginning of a vocation based on faith, obedience, and covenant with God. Jewish tradition develops these themes through the Torah, rabbinic commentaries, and mystical interpretation.

For its part, the New Testament links the promise to Abraham with Jesus and the incorporation of the nations into the divine blessing.

It is important to distinguish between the two perspectives: Rabbinic Judaism does not recognize Jesus as the Messiah, while the Christian faith interprets his life and mission as the fulfillment of the messianic hope.

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The meaning of Lej Leja and the calling of Abraham

The Hebrew expression לֶךְ־לְךָ (Lej Lejá) appears in Genesis 12:1 and communicates the divine command to leave the land, the relatives and the father's house to go to the place that God will show.

Rashi interprets this expression as a journey that will benefit Abraham. The mystical tradition also finds in it an invitation to spiritual growth and the discovery of one's own vocation.

However, the contextual meaning retains a concrete dimension: Abraham must go out, walk, and trust in a promise whose fulfillment he does not yet know.

Faith is thus presented as an active response to the divine call.

God's promises to Abraham in Genesis

The Abrahamic promise unfolds progressively throughout Genesis 12–17.

Its main elements include:

• The formation of a great nation.
• The divine blessing upon Abraham.
• An innumerable offspring.
• The giving of the land of Canaan.
• A lasting covenant between God and his offspring.
• The blessing of all the families of the earth.
• The continuity of the covenant through Isaac.
• The special blessing given to Ishmael.

These promises show that Abraham's choice is not limited to his individual well-being. His calling has familial, communal, and universal consequences.

Genesis 12:3 and the blessing of the nations

The central Hebrew expression is:

And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.

Venivreyu veya kol mishpeyot haadama.

One possible translation is: "In you all the families of the earth will be blessed."

The interpretation of this verse is fundamental to understanding the relationship between Abraham and messianic hope.

Rashi understands that Abraham will become a model of blessing. The Talmud, in Yevamot 63a, develops a homiletic interpretation related to the incorporation of people from other nations into his lineage.

The New Testament, especially Galatians 3, interprets this promise in relation to Christ and the participation of the Gentiles in the divine blessing.

These readings maintain thematic links, although they belong to different theological traditions.

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The Abrahamic covenant: descendants, land, and faith

Genesis 15 presents the covenant between the parties, known as brit bein habetarim. God announces to Abraham a future that includes descendants, suffering, liberation, and land.

In Genesis 15:6, Abraham's faith takes center stage. Paul will return to this passage in Romans 4 to develop his teaching on righteousness through faith.

The covenant also takes on a bodily and generational dimension through the brit milah, the circumcision established in Genesis 17.

The story of Sarah, Isaac, Hagar, and Ishmael reminds us that the promise unfolds within complex family relationships, marked by both blessing and human suffering.

Abraham and the hope of the Messiah in Jewish tradition

The promise to Abraham continues through Isaac and Jacob and takes on a dynastic dimension in the story of David.

The promise of 2 Samuel 7, along with the announcements of Isaiah and Jeremiah, contributes to the development of Jewish messianic hope.

Maimonides links the identity of the expected Messiah with the restoration of the Davidic kingdom, the rebuilding of the Temple, and the gathering of the dispersed of Israel.

Therefore, Jewish messianism includes a historical, communal, and spiritual restoration, and is not limited to an individual transformation.

Lej Leja in Kabbalah and Jewish spirituality

Lej Leja's Kabbalistic interpretation adds an inner dimension to Abraham's journey.

The Zohar connects the calling with spiritual rectification and the development of the soul. The Tanya, for its part, links Abraham with chesed, a quality associated with love and generosity.

These interpretations do not replace the historical and narrative sense of Genesis, but rather develop a spiritual reading characteristic of the Jewish mystical tradition.

Practical teaching consists of understanding that faith must be manifested through acts of kindness, responsibility, and service.

Yeshua and the fulfillment of the promise to Abraham

The New Testament presents Jesus within the history of Israel and the promises made to Abraham and David.

Matthew 1:1 establishes this genealogical and theological relationship. Galatians 3 interprets the promised offspring in relation to Christ and considers those who belong to him to be heirs of the promise.

This interpretation constitutes a Christological reading of the biblical text. It does not mean that the Hebrew of Genesis 12:3 explicitly mentions Jesus, nor that rabbinic commentators share this conclusion.

Abraham in the teachings of Yeshua

The gospels present various references from Jesus to Abraham.

In Matthew 8:11, Abraham appears at the banquet of the kingdom. In Matthew 22:32, his relationship with God forms part of an argument about the resurrection.

Luke 13:16 identifies a woman in need of liberation as a daughter of Abraham. Luke 19:9 also recognizes Zacchaeus as a son of Abraham and links his restoration to concrete actions.

In Luke 16, Abraham appears within the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, where responsibility towards the suffering of others occupies a decisive place.

John 8 develops a particularly significant relationship between Abraham and the identity of Jesus. The statement in John 8:58 expresses, from the perspective of gospel theology, that Jesus existed prior to the patriarch.

Yeshua as Redeemer of the world from his Hebrew roots

Redemption in the Hebrew Scriptures includes concepts of rescue, liberation, justice, and faithfulness to the covenant.

The New Testament presents Jesus' mission in continuity with that history and attributes to it a universal scope.

John 4:42 records the recognition of Jesus as the savior of the world. Hebrews 2 connects his mission to humanity and the descendants of Abraham, while Hebrews 7 develops a priestly interpretation based on Melchizedek.

From the Christian perspective, Jesus is the Messiah and Redeemer whose mission allows us to understand the blessing promised to Abraham as a hope open to the nations.

The Hebrew roots of the faith

Understanding the Hebrew roots of the Christian faith requires recognizing the enduring importance of Israel in biblical history.

Romans 11 uses the image of the olive tree to warn Gentile believers against arrogance and to remind them of Israel's relationship with the patriarchs.

Ephesians 2 presents the incorporation of the Gentiles through Christ as a work of reconciliation.

This perspective encourages studying the Scriptures faithfully, respecting the differences between Judaism and Christianity, and avoiding interpretations that attribute to a tradition claims that it does not support.

Conclusion: to live the blessing promised to Abraham

The Parashat Lej Leja presents a vocation that begins with one man and extends to generations and peoples.

God's promise to Abraham encompasses faith, descendants, land, covenant, and responsibility. Jewish tradition preserves and develops these elements through its own interpretations, while the New Testament connects them to the mission of Jesus.

From the Christian faith, Jesus as Messiah and Redeemer of the world represents an interpretation of the fulfillment of the universal blessing announced to Abraham.

Spiritual teaching remains valid: receiving a blessing implies assuming the responsibility of passing it on.

Walking with faith, acting with justice, and serving with humility are concrete ways of responding to the call that begins in Lej Leja.