Ulpan — Learn Hebrew
Ulpan אוּלְפָּן
Learn Hebrew through two linked weekly tracks: Midrash and Mishnah stories, plus everyday Israeli conversations with shared vocabulary.
This week’s story סִפּוּר הַשָּׁבוּעַ
Avram and the Idol Shop
אַבְרָם וְחֲנוּת הַפְּסָלִים
Torah: Genesis 12:1–17:27 · Mishnah: Pirkei Avot 5:3
Original Midrash source · הַמִּדְרָשׁ הַמְּקוֹרִי
Bereshit Rabbah 38:13 (on Genesis 11:28)
ישמעו אזניך מה שפיך אומרThe core conversation with Terach, the woman’s flour offering, and the stick placed with the largest idol are adapted from Bereshit Rabbah 38:13. Avram’s journey and the later changes of names are from Genesis 12 and 17. The wording is simplified to modern beginner Hebrew; it is not a verbatim transcription.
Read the story · קִרְאוּ אֶת הַסִּפּוּר
Beginner Hebrew adaptation of traditional sources. Simplified dialogue is not a verbatim quotation.
לִפְנֵי שֶׁאַבְרָם יָצָא לְאֶרֶץ כְּנַעַן, הוּא גָּר בְּבֵית אָבִיו תֶּרַח.
Before Avram traveled to the land of Canaan, he lived in the home of his father, Terach.
הַמִּדְרָשׁ מְסַפֵּר שֶׁתֶּרַח הָיָה עוֹבֵד עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה.
The Midrash relates that Terach worshipped idols.
בְּבֵיתוֹ הָיוּ פְּסָלִים רַבִּים, וְתֶרַח מָכַר אוֹתָם.
He had many idols in his shop and sold them.
יוֹם אֶחָד הָלַךְ תֶּרַח לְמָקוֹם אַחֵר.
One day Terach went away.
הוּא בִּקֵּשׁ מֵאַבְרָם לִשְׁמֹר עַל הַפְּסָלִים.
He asked Avram to watch over the idols.
אִישׁ אֶחָד בָּא כְּדֵי לִקְנוֹת פֶּסֶל.
A man came to buy an idol.
אַבְרָם שָׁאַל אוֹתוֹ: ״בֶּן כַּמָּה אַתָּה?״
Avram asked him, “How old are you?”
הָאִישׁ עָנָה: ״אֲנִי בֶּן שִׁשִּׁים״.
The man answered, “I am sixty years old.”
אַבְרָם אָמַר לוֹ: ״אַתָּה בֶּן שִׁשִּׁים, וְאַתָּה רוֹצֶה לְהִשְׁתַּחֲווֹת לְדָבָר שֶׁנַּעֲשָׂה רַק הַיּוֹם?״
Avram said, “You are sixty, and you want to bow to something that was made only today?”
הָאִישׁ הִתְבַּיֵּשׁ וְהָלַךְ.
The man became embarrassed and left.
אַחַר כָּךְ בָּאָה אִשָּׁה וְהֵבִיאָה קֶמַח.
Later, a woman came and brought flour.
הִיא בִּקְּשָׁה מֵאַבְרָם לְהַקְרִיב אֶת הַקֶּמַח לִפְנֵי הַפְּסָלִים.
She asked Avram to offer the flour before the idols.
אַבְרָם לָקַח מַקֵּל וְשָׁבַר אֶת הַפְּסָלִים.
Avram took a stick and broke the idols.
הוּא הִשְׁאִיר רַק אֶת הַפֶּסֶל הַגָּדוֹל.
He left only the largest idol standing.
אֶת הַמַּקֵּל שָׂם בְּיָדוֹ שֶׁל הַפֶּסֶל הַגָּדוֹל.
He put the stick in the hand of the largest idol.
כְּשֶׁתֶּרַח חָזַר, הוּא רָאָה אֶת כָּל הַפְּסָלִים הַשְּׁבוּרִים.
When Terach returned, he saw all the broken idols.
״מִי שָׁבַר אֶת הַפְּסָלִים?״ שָׁאַל תֶּרַח.
“Who broke the idols?” Terach asked.
אַבְרָם אָמַר: ״הַפְּסָלִים רָבוּ עַל הָאֹכֶל, וְהַפֶּסֶל הַגָּדוֹל שָׁבַר אֶת כֻּלָּם״.
Avram said, “The idols argued over the food, and the largest idol broke them all.”
תֶּרַח אָמַר: ״אֵיךְ אַתָּה אוֹמֵר כָּךְ? הַפְּסָלִים אֵינָם יְכוֹלִים לְדַבֵּר אוֹ לָזוּז!״
Terach said, “How can you say that? Idols cannot speak or move!”
אַבְרָם עָנָה: ״אִם כָּךְ, לָמָּה אַתָּה עוֹבֵד אוֹתָם?״
Avram replied, “If so, why do you worship them?”
כָּךְ מְלַמֵּד הַמִּדְרָשׁ עַל דַּרְכּוֹ שֶׁל אַבְרָם לֶאֱמוּנָה בַּה׳.
This is how the Midrash teaches about Avram’s path toward faith in God.
בִּפְרָשַׁת לֶךְ־לְךָ ה׳ אוֹמֵר לְאַבְרָם לַעֲזֹב אֶת אַרְצוֹ.
In the Torah portion Lech Lecha, God tells Avram to leave his land.
אַבְרָם יוֹצֵא לַדֶּרֶךְ עִם שָׂרַי אִשְׁתּוֹ וְעִם לוֹט.
Avram sets out with his wife Sarai and with Lot.
זֶהוּ צַעַד גָּדוֹל שֶׁל אֱמוּנָה.
This is a great step of faith.
בְּסוֹף הַפָּרָשָׁה ה׳ מְשַׁנֶּה אֶת שְׁמוֹ מֵאַבְרָם לְאַבְרָהָם.
At the end of the Torah portion, God changes his name from Avram to Avraham.
גַּם שְׁמָהּ שֶׁל שָׂרַי מִשְׁתַּנֶּה לְשָׂרָה.
Sarai’s name is also changed to Sarah.
הַמִּשְׁנָה אוֹמֶרֶת שֶׁאַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ עָמַד בַּעֲשָׂרָה נִסְיוֹנוֹת.
The Mishnah says that our father Avraham withstood ten tests.
לִפְעָמִים הָאֱמֶת דּוֹרֶשֶׁת אֹמֶץ, גַּם כְּשֶׁקָּשֶׁה לְדַבֵּר.
Sometimes truth requires courage, even when speaking is difficult.
מֵאַבְרָהָם אָנוּ לוֹמְדִים לִשְׁאֹל, לַחֲשֹׁב וְלַעֲשׂוֹת אֶת הַדָּבָר הַנָּכוֹן.
From Avraham we learn to ask questions, think, and do what is right.
Words to learn · מִלִּים חֲדָשׁוֹת
| Hebrew | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| אַבְרָם | Avram | Avram (before his name changed) |
| תֶּרַח | Terach | Avram’s father |
| חֲנוּת | chanut | shop |
| פֶּסֶל | pesel | idol / statue |
| מַקֵּל | makel | stick |
| שָׁבַר | shavar | broke |
| לִקְנוֹת | liknot | to buy |
| קֶמַח | kemach | flour |
| הִשְׁתַּחֲוָה | hishtachavah | bowed down |
| אֱמֶת | emet | truth |
| שָׁאַל | sha’al | asked |
| עָנָה | anah | answered |
| אֱמוּנָה | emunah | faith |
| אֹמֶץ | ometz | courage |
| נִסָּיוֹן | nisayon | test / trial |
Language note
Practice question-and-answer patterns: מִי? = who?; לָמָּה? = why?; אֵיךְ? = how?; כִּי = because. In this story the Torah-era name is אַבְרָם until Genesis 17, when it becomes אַבְרָהָם; שָׂרַי then becomes שָׂרָה.
Practice · תִּרְגּוּל
מִי מָכַר אֶת הַפְּסָלִים?
Who sold the idols?
Show answer · הַצֵּג תְּשׁוּבָה
תֶּרַח.
Terach.
מָה שָׂם אַבְרָם בְּיָדוֹ שֶׁל הַפֶּסֶל הַגָּדוֹל?
What did Avram place in the hand of the largest idol?
Show answer · הַצֵּג תְּשׁוּבָה
מַקֵּל.
A stick.
מָה אָמַר תֶּרַח עַל הַפְּסָלִים?
What did Terach say about the idols?
Show answer · הַצֵּג תְּשׁוּבָה
שֶׁהֵם לֹא יְכוֹלִים לְדַבֵּר אוֹ לָזוּז.
That they cannot speak or move.
מָתַי נַעֲשָׂה אַבְרָם לְאַבְרָהָם?
When did Avram become Avraham?
Show answer · הַצֵּג תְּשׁוּבָה
בִּבְרֵאשִׁית פֶּרֶק י״ז.
In Genesis chapter 17.