Did you know that there is a teaching that says that we must say God's name in order for a blessing to "count?" How can we both be careful about using God's name but not so careful that we don't use it?
These words might make you imagine God as a great miracle-worker, doing impressive things like creating the world or splitting the sea.
But the words actually come from our parashah, and the context here is something else entirely.
Counting comes up a lot in Parashat Yitro and it’s a theme in tefillah as well. Learn a pasuk about counting that is part of Pesukei D’Zimra, the warmup section of Shaharit (the morning prayer).
At the end of the first בְּרָכָה (berakhah, blessing) of the Amidah, we describe God as מָגֵן אַבְרָהָם (magen Avraham, shield of Avraham). If you’ve wondered where this description comes from, the answer is: Parashat Lekh Lekha!