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PAR'SHAT VAYISHELACH: The Importance of repairing family relationships.

11/28/2017

ויאמר אלהים
נעשׂה אדם בצלמנו כדמותנו וירדו בדגת הים ובעוף השׁמים ובבהמה ובכל־הארץ ובכל־הרמשׂ הרמשׂ על־הארץ׃
ויברא אלהים את־האדם בצלמו בצלם אלהים ברא אתו זכר ונקבה ברא אתם׃

Then God said,
"Let us make humankind in our image, in the likeness of ourselves; and let them rule over the fish in the sea, the birds in the air, the animals, and over all the earth, and over every crawling creature that crawls on the earth." So God created humankind in his own image; in the image of God he created him: male and female he created them.
(Gen 1:26-27 CJB)

The sages often wondered about that passage. "What is the 'Image' of HaShem ..." they ask, seeing as He is incorporeal?. This led to the idea of the Adam Kadmon, the original 'blue print' that Hashem created for man. The sages referred to this blue print as the 'First Adam' which is alluded to in:
... On it, above it, was what appeared to be a person. (Eze 1:26 CJB)
as well as in,

But he exclaimed, "Look! I see four men, not tied up, walking around there in the flames, unhurt; and the fourth looks like one of the gods!"
(Dan 3:25 CJB)

Paul the emissary also referred to this idea in,

...Adam, the first man, became a living human being; but the last "Adam" has become a life-giving Spirit.
(1Co 15:45 CJB)

Paul was familiar with the Biblical idea of, 'As it is below, so it is above", that the reality below is a representation of the heavenly reality. It is in those terms that Moshe was required to build the Tabernacle. As such, we see the same basic representation of the Temple model when we read what prophets such as Ezekiel, and John saw when 'invited' to the Throne Room It goes therefore to say that when HaShem created man, He must have used the model of a 'Heavenly Blue-Print', a created Blue-print who is His perfect 'Image'. In those terms, Paul says of created man,

For a man indeed should not have his head veiled, because he is the
image and glory of God

and of woman taken from within man,

, and the woman is the glory of man.
1Co: 11:7 CJB

But this 'man' Adam has become corrupt through sin and disobedience. As such, he lost the glory that he was created with and all of humanity has borne the consequences of it,

... and just as we have borne the image of the man of dust,...
1Co: 15:49 CJB

But because He was victorious against all tests and temptations, Yeshua ...

... himself suffered death when he was put to the test,
he is able to help those who are being tested now.
Heb: 2:18 CJB
Even though he was the Son, he learned obedience through his sufferings.
(Heb 5:8 CJB)
So that He became

... the visible image of the invisible God. Col_1:15

... the radiance of the Sh'khinah, the very expression of God's essence, upholding all that exists by his powerful word; and after he had, through himself, made purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of HaG'dulah BaM'romim. (Heb 1:3 CJB)

Paul, Yeshua's emmissary challenges us who have inherited the infection of Adam's sin to now also take the nature of the Heavenly Adam ...

... and just as we have borne the image of the man of dust so also we will bear the image of the man from heaven.
1Co: 15:49 CJB

... albeit, like Yeshua Himself, we also learn through the agency of suffering. So Paul teaches not to chaff against our present suffering, but whether the suffering is legitimate or not, to accept it as the means by which HaShem transforms us into His Image. We always must look at ourselves with the eyes of the thief on His side at Mount Golgotha, the one who said,

Ours (suffering) is only fair; we're getting what we deserve for what we did. But this man did nothing wrong."

(Luk 23:41 CJB)

We must also remember Paul who unjustly suffered at the hand of both the Romans authorities and that of his Jewish brethren when he says,

I don't think the sufferings we are going through now are even worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed to us in the future.......
we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called in accordance with his purpose; because those whom he knew in advance, he also determined in advance would be conformed to the pattern of his Son, so that he might be the firstborn among many brothers; and those whom he thus determined in advance, he also called; and those whom he called, he also caused to be considered righteous; and those whom he caused to be considered righteous he also glorified!
(Rom 8:18-30 CJB)

Ya'akov the earthly brother of the Master concurs with Paul saying,

Regard it all as joy, my brothers, when you face various kinds of temptations; for you know that the testing of your trust produces perseverance. But let perseverance do its complete work; so that you may be complete and whole, lacking in nothing.
(Jas 1:2-4 CJB)

Judaism actually teaches that HaShem, having foreseen the eventual rebellion and downfall of mankind, created Messiah as the antidote for sin, as the way to repentance, even before creation....

"Adonai made me as the beginning of his way, the first of his ancient works. I was appointed before the world, before the start, before the earth's beginnings. When I was brought forth, there were no ocean depths, no springs brimming with water. I was brought forth before the hills, before the mountains had settled in place; he had not yet made the earth, the fields, or even the earth's first grains of dust. When he established the heavens, I was there. When he drew the horizon's circle on the deep, when he set the skies above in place, when the fountains of the deep poured forth, when he prescribed boundaries for the sea, so that its water would not transgress his command, when he marked out the foundations of the earth, I was with him as someone he could trust. For me, every day was pure delight, as I played in his presence all the time, playing everywhere on his earth, and delighting to be with humankind.
(Pro 8:22-31 CJB)

Something which John agreed with,

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. All things came to be through him, and without him nothing made had being.
(Joh 1:1-3 CJB)

John even taught the Jewish idea that the 'lamb' was slained before the foundation of the world,

Everyone living on earth will worship it except those whose names are written in the Book of Life belonging to the Lamb slaughtered before the world was founded.
(Rev 13:8 CJB)

* * * * * * *
This Image of HaShem that we are meant to recapture is not a physical appearance nor something only having to do with clothing, culture, and lifestyles. Humanity (or 'adam-ity') obviously comprises many different races, and cultures, and even physical differences such as morphology and gender. But in spite of all these differences, all of us are made in the Image of HaShem, and we, like Yeshua does, should learn to see the Image of HaShem in each and every individual that we meet no matter what He looks like. It is easy to imagine the 'Image of HaShem' in someone that looks and lives like us, but less natural in someone who belongs to another race, social group, religion, culture, and even sometime the other political party.

The way we apply this idea of seeing everyone as made in the Image of Hashem is to do acts of chesed חסד kindness. The Chofetz Chayim says that, "The very survival of humanity is dependent on chesed/kindness. Every person, without exception [at some time or another] needs the help of his fellow man." How do we show chesed? By, without respect to social, religious, ethnic, or political groups being willing to:

lend money,
provide a way to get an income,
rejoice with those who rejoice,
mourn with those who mourn,
comfort also those who mourn,
help those who carry a heavy load,
practice hospitality,
care for the sick,
bury the dead.

These are some of the things which help us practice respecting man as the Image of HaShem. Teaching along the same lines Yeshua says,

I tell you that whenever you did these things for one of the least important of these brothers of mine, you did them for me!'
(Mat 25:40 CJB)

Yeshua says that to love HaShem and our neighbor, which is done by showing chesed, was the greatest commandment of the Torah, even those upon which the whole rest of the Torah balances. When defining the concept of these commandments, He gave a story. It was the parable of the Good Samaritan, a man who at his own risks and expenses stopped to rescue another man, a man who actually hated him and considered him the scum of the earth because he was a Samaritan. Yeshua used that concept to teach us about HaShem's love for us. Why? Because we ourselves were at one time in enmity with HaShem because of our sinful nature, but He ...

... demonstrates his own love for us in that the Messiah died on our behalf while we were still sinners [enemies].
(Rom 5:8 CJB)

Yeshua also teaches about that perfect heavenly 'Image of HaShem' we all long to return to; our perfect heavenly nature; and one day we will. But what does returning to that perfect nature looks like? yehsua teaches about it. He says,

"You have heard that our fathers were told, 'Eye for eye and tooth for tooth.' But I tell you not to stand up against someone who does you wrong. On the contrary, if someone hits you on the right cheek, let him hit you on the left cheek too! If someone wants to sue you for your shirt, let him have your coat as well! And if a soldier forces you to carry his pack for one mile, carry it for two! When someone asks you for something, give it to him; when someone wants to borrow something from you, lend it to him. "You have heard that our fathers were told, 'Love your neighbor -- and hate your enemy.' [ACTUALLY NOWHERE IN THE TORAH DOES IT SAY TO HATE YOUR ENEMY. IT ONLY SAYS TO HATE EVIL]But I tell you, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! Then you will become children of your Father in heaven. For he makes his sun shine on good and bad people alike, and he sends rain to the righteous and the unrighteous alike. What reward do you get if you love only those who love you? Why, even tax-collectors do that! And if you are friendly only to your friends, are you doing anything out of the ordinary? Even the Goyim do that!
Therefore, be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.

(Mat 5:38-48 CJB)

The Chofetz Chayim taught that the survival of humanity depended on us being able to act towards people remembering that they are created in HaShem's image. I personally believe that the survival of HaShem's congregation depends on it. If we don't learn this, we are not special at all; we are exactly like the rest of the world. This idea is what makes us fifferent; holy and set apart. It represents the difference between being 'common', or 'holy'. Common is being like the rest of the world; holy/kadosh/קדוש is to be separated by being different in our lifestyles.

Yeshua teaches,

What reward do you get if you love only those who love you?
Why, even tax-collectors do that!
And if you are friendly only to your friends,
are you doing anything out of the ordinary?
Even the Goyim do that!

Mat 5:46-48 CJB

MAY WE LEARN TO BE HOLY BY BEING DIFFERENT,
BY LIVING BY HASHEM'S STANDARD OF PERFECTNESS,
BY SEEING EACH AND EVERYONE AS CREATED IN HIS IMAGE ...

AND ACT LIKE IT!

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PAR'SHAT VAYETZE: The Responsibility of Words.

11/24/2017

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WE MUST ALWAYS CAREFULLY WEIGH OUR WORDS. WE MUST BE FAITHFUL WITH THE BELONGINGS OF OTHERS

עם אשׁר תמצא את־אלהיך לא יחיה ... ׃

But if you find your gods with someone,
that person will not remain alive. ...
(Gen 31:32)

Rashi cites the Midrash which states that because of this curse Rachel died shortly thereafter ... Sforno write that Ya'akov assumed hat one of his servants must have stolen the idols in order to worship them. It did not occur to him that his own wife took them of course not to worship them, but rather to prevent her father from worshiping them. We must always carefull weigh our words. that no harm can conceivably result from them, and all the more if we are in a position of responsibily..(Chofetz Chayim al Hatorah, on this verse).

The chofetz Chayim was once eating a meal at an inn ... One of the guests present mentioned that the food lacked salt. The Chofetz Chayim whispered to him, "That's lashon harah!". At first the guest did not understand ... but a short while later ... he saw the owner who had overheard the guest's comment strongly censure the cook for not having taken sufficient care in preparing the meal for his prominent guests. (Heard from Rabbi Aharon Paperman ...)

One time I commented to a waitress how she must be making good tips on Sunday morning with all the people coming out of Church to eat at the restaurant where she worked. She said that not only it was her worst tip day, but also the day when she received the most criticism from picky customers. I found this to be a sad statement. It is so easy nowadays to let our mouths spill all sort of criticism. Religious and political dialogue seems to be the most venomous of all. YouTube and FB overflow with venomous religious debates.

It is also a sad state of affairs also is when husbands use offensive epithets on their wives, or when wives put down their husbands using patronizing criticism. Also as parents, we play the role of Hashem in the lives of our children, therefore we should never allow ourselves to call our children names. It is a bad reflection on who these children really belong to!

I heard one time someone complaining that whatever they post on FB cannot ever be erased. They felt that it was an infringement of their right to privacy. It seems though that FB provides an excellent reality check. Whether our words are posted on FB or not, once they uttered, they are like toothpaste coming out of a tube: they can never be put back.

Remember what the Master said on the matter:
The good person brings forth good things from his store of good, and the evil person brings forth evil things from his store of evil. Moreover, I tell you this: on the Day of Judgment people will have to give account for every careless word they have spoken;
for by your own words you will be acquitted,
and by your own words you will be condemned."
(Mat 12:35-37)

Laban had heavily mistreated and used Jacob, but Jacob was not going to stoop down and play Laban's game. Whatever came to him, Jacob learned to keep his integrity. if someone from Jacob's camp had stolen for Laban the thief, that person would not live. That is what we call the 'fear of Hashem', and performing for an audience of One!

Along with the whole idol incident, Laban has the audacity to accuse Jacob of wrong doing,

"What do you mean by deceiving me and carrying off my daughters as if they were captives taken in war? Why did you flee in secret and deceive me and not tell me? I would have sent you off with joy and singing to the music of tambourines and lyres. You didn't even let me kiss my sons and daughters good-bye! What a stupid thing to do! I have it in my power to do you harm; but the God of your father spoke to me last night and said, 'Be careful that you don't say anything to Ya`akov, either good or bad.' Granted that you had to leave, because you longed so deeply for your father's house; ..." (Gen 31:26-30 CJB)

When Laban couldn't find anything, Jacob who didn't know that Rachel had taken them to keep them away from her father, indignantly claimed his righteousness by reminding Laban of his above perfect work ethics,

... "What have I done wrong?" he demanded. "What is my offense, that you have come after me in hot pursuit? You have felt around in all my stuff, but what have you found of all your household goods?

Put it here, in front of my kinsmen and yours, so that they can render judgment between the two of us!

I have been with you for these twenty years!

Your female sheep and goats haven't aborted their young,
and I haven't eaten the male animals in your flocks.
If one of your flock was destroyed by a wild animal, I didn't bring the carcass to you but bore the loss myself. You demanded that I compensate you for any animal stolen, whether by day or by night.
Here's how it was for me: during the day thirst consumed me,
and at night the cold -- my sleep fled from my eyes.
These twenty years I've been in your house -- I served you fourteen years for your two daughters
and six years for your flock;
and you changed my wages ten times!

If the God of my father, the God of Avraham, the one whom Yitz'chak fears, had not been on my side, by now you would certainly have already sent me away with nothing! God has seen how distressed I've been and how hard I've worked, and last night he passed judgment in my favor." Gen 31:36-42 CJB)

We have here the perfect example of Messiah who did not open his mouth in front of persecution and injustice (Is 53:7); of Paul who teaches that it is better to be wronged while relying on Hashem's justice than to seek the revenge of secular courts of law (1 Cor 6:7). Indeed, in spite of Laban's unjust and ungodly treatment towards him, Jacob took it on the chin and learned to rely on his God for the future.

"For I think God has been placing us emissaries on display at the tail of the parade, like men condemned to die in the public arena: we have become a spectacle before the whole universe, angels as well as men. For the Messiah's sake we are fools, but united with the Messiah you are wise! We are weak, but you are strong; you are honored, but we are dishonored. Till this very moment we go hungry and thirsty, we are dressed in rags, we are treated roughly, we wander from place to place, we exhaust ourselves working with our own hands for our living. When we are cursed, we keep on blessing; when we are persecuted, we go on putting up with it; when we are slandered, we continue making our appeal. We are the world's garbage, the scum of the earth -- yes, to this moment!"
(1Co 4:9-13 CJB)

Jacob indeed seems to have taken pages from his father Isaac's book when the Philistines stole his wells (Gen 26;12-30), as well as from his grandfather Abraham in the episode of the Hittite mockingly asking for an outrageous sum of money for the Cave of Marchpela, which Abraham humbly gave (Gen 23). These patriarchs showed a perfect example of trusting Hashem.

If we are indeed sons of Abraham, we ought to, as Yeshua said 'do the works of Abraham' Joh 8:39). If we are sons of the covenant, we ought to act like the people of the covenant. The character of a man is never so tested as when faced with strong unjust opposition. The patriarchs, the disciples, and even Yeshua learned obedience though the things they suffered, and mostly suffered at the hand of unrighteous men.

In these words from the Tanach, we learn how these giants of the faith conducted their affairs and their lives in this world that was so contradictory to them. We have these words so that we learn also how to conduct our lives and affairs in this world that is so contradictory to us. And if this is the way we ought to conduct ourselves towards enemies, towards strangers in the world, how much should we apply these same principles towards our brethren in the Congregation, towards those of the Body of Messiah. Our Master Yeshua taught us that this, not correct theology and doctrine, was the key to 'perfect' and being the Children of our father in Heaven.

"You have heard that our fathers were told,
'Eye for eye and tooth for tooth.'
But I tell you not to stand up against someone who does you wrong.
On the contrary, if someone hits you on the right cheek, let him hit you on the left cheek too!
If someone wants to sue you for your shirt, let him have your coat as well! And if a soldier forces you to carry his pack for one mile, carry it for two! When someone asks you for something, give it to him;
When someone wants to borrow something from you, lend it to him.
"You have heard that our fathers were told, 'Love your neighbor -- and hate your enemy.' But I tell you,
Love your enemies!
Pray for those who persecute you!
Then you will become children of your Father in heaven.
For he makes his sun shine on good and bad people alike, and he sends rain to the righteous and the unrighteous alike.
What reward do you get if you love only those who love you?
Why, even tax-collectors do that!
And if you are friendly only to your friends, are you doing anything out of the ordinary? Even the Goyim do that!

Therefore, be perfect,
just as your Father in Heaven is perfect.

(Mat 5:38-48 CJB)

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PAR'SHAT TOLDOT: It is an Honor and Privilege to Serve our Parents.

11/15/2017

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ותקח רבקה את־בגדי עשׂו בנה הגדל החמדת אשׁר אתה בבית ... ׃

Next, Rivkah took `Esav her older son's best clothes, which she had with her in the house, ... (Gen 27:15)

Both in Hebrew and in English, the text tells uses a particular word that describes the kind of clothes Esau wore. In English it says, 'best clothes', in Hebrew 'החמדת'.

This indicated to the sages of the midrash that Esau always used his best attire when serving his father. Some translations use the word, 'best', choicest', 'beautiful' as an English rendition of this word. The Sages of Israel describe Esau's garments as: THE COVETED ONES.

We must remember that Esau was Abraham's grandson, and that Nimrod had actually tried to kill Abraham.   The Midrash states that Esau's coveted garments were the ones he seized from Nimrod after having killed him. Esau wore these garments whenever he served his father.

We are not used to speak of Esau in favorable terms, but Rabbi Shimon ben Gamliel said, "I served my father my entire life, but did not reach even one percent of the level of honor with which Esau served his father. I wore soiled garments when I served my father and wore clean garments when I went outside. When Esau served his father he only word regal garments. he felt that it was improper to attend his father wearing any attire other than his best."

What can we learn from that?

Our modern society has lost much of its social ethics of respect. As such,most of us act like Rabbi Rabbi Shimon ben Gamliel. We have a casual familiar relationship with our parents. I heard it said that 'Familiarity breeds contempt'. I said most of us, because I actually got to know some people from a Swiss aristocratic family where till this day, people get dressed in their best to come to dinner with the rest of the family.

As a European, in my childhood I also learned that whether we have guests or not, we change clothes for 'Kabalat Shabbat/the receiving of the Shabbat' on Friday night. We take a bath, wear a white shirt, and clean pants in honor of receiving the Shabbat as a guest in our home. We often have guests on Friday night, but whether we do or not, even if it is just with my wife, till this day I still wash and change clothes before officiating the Kiddush, before entering into a more intimate relationship with the 'Father'.

Twice the Torah reminds us to love, honor, and respect our parents. There are no 'if' or 'buts' added to Hashem's instructions about this.

As parents, we expect our children to love, honor, and respect us, but how can they when very often they hear us, their own parents, publicly rail, disrespect, mock, and criticize our own parents. As parents ourselves, we need to model the attitude we expect from our children. The sad reality of raising children is that no matter how much we try to inculcate good manners into them, they stubbornly cling to emulating our own bad example.

The Master was very clear about the priorities we owe to our parents. He considered those who get on the 'parent-bashing' band-wagon as people who honor the traditions of man above the commandments of God. Despite our contemporary modern Western culture, which seems to glorify those who challenge, disrespect, and disobey their parents, or even have a casual attitude toward them He said,

... "you have made a fine art of departing from God's command in order to keep your tradition! For Moshe said, 'Honor your father and your mother,' and 'Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.' But you say, 'If someone says to his father or mother, "I have promised as a korban" ' " (that is, as a gift to God) " ' "what I might have used to help you," ' then you no longer let him do anything for his father or mother. Thus, with your tradition which you had handed down to you, you nullify the Word of God! And you do other things like this."  (Mar 7:9-13)

In the text of the Torah, the word 'honor' as in 'honor your parents' refers to children's obligation to financially support their parents in their old age. Paul used this word in that very same manner when he said that Torah-teachers are worthy of double-honor (1 Tim 5:17). The context of this statement by our Master is this. Religious authorities had decreed that whenever someone gave money or goods to the Temple, he was excused from the responsibility of financially helping his parents. His donation served as some sort of a 'tax' break from his Torah responsibilities to his parents.

Needless to say, Yeshua thought this decree preposterous and didn't mince His words when expressing His opinions about it. The lesson of the event is that even religious duties and serving God do not hold priority over the love, honor, and respect we ought to show to our parents, as the Torah commands.

Last but not least, to illustrate my point on the relationship we ought to have with our parents, I will bring the following statements from the Master. First he deals with the matter of criticizing others:

'But I tell you that anyone who nurses anger against his brother will be subject to judgment; that whoever calls his brother, 'You good-for-nothing!' will be brought before the Sanhedrin; that whoever says, 'Fool!' incurs the penalty of burning in the fire of Gei-Hinnom!' (Mat 5:22 CJB)

  'So if you are offering your gift at the Temple altar and you remember there that your brother has something against you, leave your gift where it is by the altar, and go, make peace with your brother. Then come back and offer your gift. If someone sues you, come to terms with him quickly, while you and he are on the way to court; or he may hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the officer of the court, and you may be thrown in jail! Yes indeed! I tell you, you will certainly not get out until you have paid the last penny.' (Mat 5:22-26)

In these teachings, our Master instructs us that the priorities of peaceful relationships with others are far above those of our ritual services to Hashem. Therefore:

IF IT IS SO CONCERNING MERE STRANGERS, ACQUAINTANCES, FRIENDS, OR EVEN BROTHERS AND SISTERS, HOW MUCH MORE TRUE SHOULD IT BE TOWARDS OUR PARENTS!

PERSONAL ADDENDUM: People often hold negative feelings towards their parents. They often do just because they don't like them, or because they still hold a rebellious grudge against the disciplinary hand that they probably sorely needed. So in essence, the judgment one has against his own parents is rather arbitrary and not necessarily bathed in objective truth.

I myself was basically abandoned by my mother at a very young age and was raised in a boarding school. I do therefore acknowledge the possible situation that sometimes parents do not act worthy of their title. Even in this case though, this advice still applies. We may have our issue, but it does not give us the right to pollute the sound waves around us with negativity. We have much better and useful things to talk about!

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PAR'SHAT CHAYEI SARAH: Sarah and Rivka

11/8/2017

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SARAH AND RIVKA

והיה הנער אשׁר אמר אליה הטי־נא כדך ואשׁתה ואמרה שׁתה וגם־גמליך אשׁקה אתה
הכחת לעבדך ליצחק ובה אדע כי־עשׂית חסד עם־אדני׃

I will say to one of the girls, 'Please lower your jug, so that I can drink.' If she answers, 'Yes, drink; and I will water your camels as well,' then let her be the one you intend for your servant Yitz'chak. This is how I will know that you have shown grace to my master."
(Gen 24:14 CJB)

In par'shat Vayera, three 'strangers' come to Father Avraham (Gen 18:2). When Avraham sees them he offers what sounds like a light snack, but ends up serving a banquet (Gen 18:4-8). This teaches us that, contrary to modern successful business and political practices which prides in offering much and delivering little, we should always offer little, and deliver much.

In Par'shat Chayei Sarah, Eliezer, Avraham's servant is charged to travel back to his master's family in Iraq, near to what could be called Babylon, in order to find and vet a wife for Isaac. This would prove to be a very important task that Eliezer felt incapable of accomplishing, he therefore enrolled the help of He whom he called the God of Avraham. He prayed in the following terms,

"Adonai, God of my master Avraham,
please let me succeed today;
and show your grace to my master Avraham."
(Gen 24:12 CJB)

Eliezer knew that the wife of Isaac should become the new matriarch. She would walk in Sarah's shoes. The virtue and character therefore of the sought bride was of utmost importance. She would also have to leave her home in 'Babylon'. Eliezer then established a vetting system. Taking a page from his master's rule book of ethics he prayed,

"Here I am, standing by the spring, as the daughters of the townsfolk come out to draw water. I will say to one of the girls, 'Please lower your jug, so that I can drink.' If she answers, 'Yes, drink; and I will water your camels as well,' then let her be the one you intend for your servant Yitz'chak. This is how I will know that you have shown grace to my master."
(Gen 24:13-15 CJB)

In essence, he said, "I will ask for a little water, but if the girl offers more than I asked, I know that this is she whom HaShem has chosen." To appreciate this, it is important to know that a thirsty camel can drink as many as 30 gallons of water in about 13 minutes..

Before he had finished speaking, Rivkah the daughter of B'tu'el son of Milkah the wife of Nachor Avraham's brother, came out with her jug on her shoulder. ... The servant ran to meet her and said, "Please give me a sip of water from your jug to drink." "Drink, my lord," she replied, and immediately lowered her jug onto her arm and let him drink. When she was through letting him drink, she said, "I will also draw water for your camels until they have drunk their fill." She quickly emptied her jug into the trough, then ran again to the well to draw water, and kept on drawing water for all his camels. The man gazed at her in silence, waiting to find out whether Adonai had made his trip successful or not. When the camels were done drinking, the man took a gold nose-ring weighing one-fifth of an ounce and two gold bracelets weighing four ounces
(Gen 24:15-22 CJB)

Eliezer knew that anyone who would do that had a very great sense of chesed, altruism, virtue, goodness, etc ...

In his writings about that part of the text, Rashi makes a good point about the fact that it is a person's acts of kindness that reveal their true virtue, not miracles done on their behalf. Here is an anecdote heard from rabbi Yosef Soloveitchik from Rosh Hayeshiva of Brisk in Jerusalem to illustrate the point. "A Jewish scholar asks the question, "Why did Abraham's servant Eliezer run to meet Rivka?" To answer his question, Rashi cites a midrash. This midrash cited by the venerated scholar states that Eliezer ran because he saw the waters of the well miraculously rise to meet Rivka. Although Eliezer was said to witness this event, he did not consider it sufficient evidence to prove that she was worthy to be Isaac's wife. A test of her eagerness to do chesed [acts of mercy and kindness] was still necessary. From here we see that even if a person is worthy of having miracles perform on his behalf, he is not deemed truly worthy unless he performs acts of chesed."
In the same vein Moshe warned us not to determine the validity of a prophet solely by his miracle-workings. He advises the Children of Israel,

"If a prophet or someone who gets messages while dreaming arises among you and he gives you a sign or wonder, and the sign or wonder comes about as he predicted when he said, 'Let's follow other gods, which you have not known; and let us serve them,' you are not to listen to what that prophet or dreamer says. For Adonai your God is testing you, in order to find out whether you really do love Adonai your God with all your heart and being.  (Deu 13:1-3)

Our master will also use the same parameters with his people and disciples at his return. He warned,...

... On that Day, many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord! Didn't we prophesy in your name? Didn't we expel demons in your name? Didn't we perform many miracles in your name?' Then I will tell them to their faces, 'I never knew you! Get away from me, you workers of lawlessness!' (Mat 7:22-23)

... and at the end of days ...

... "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, accompanied by all the angels, he will sit on his glorious throne. All the nations will be assembled before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates sheep from goats. The 'sheep' he will place at his right hand and the 'goats' at his left. "Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you whom my Father has blessed, take your inheritance, the Kingdom prepared for you from the founding of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you made me your guest, I needed clothes and you provided them, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.' Then the people who have done what God wants will reply, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and make you our guest, or needing clothes and provide them? When did we see you sick or in prison, and visit you?' The King will say to them, 'Yes! I tell you that whenever you did these things for one of the least important of these brothers of mine, you did them for me!' (Mat 25:31-40)

Back to Rivka at the well.

Rivka passed the test. She was worthy of filling Sarah' shoes, to inhabit Sarah's 'tent'.
The sages learned from "Isaac thus found comfort after his mother's death" (Gen. 24:67) that Rebekah's deeds resembled those of Sarah (Pirkei de-Rabbi Eliezer).
The midrash states that as long as Sarah lived, a cloud was visible over her tent, and when she died the cloud departed; when Rebekah came, the cloud returned. All the days of Sarah's life the gates of the tent were wide open, but once she died, that opening ceased; when Rebekah came, that opening returned. All of Sarah's days a blessing was in the dough, and the lamp burned in her tent from one Sabbath eve to the next, but they ceased upon her death; when Rebekah came, they returned. Isaac saw that Rebekah acted in the same manner as had his mother: she kneaded dough in purity and set aside her hallah in purity. Immediately (v. 67) "Isaac then brought her into the tent of his mother Sarah" (Gen. Rabbah 60:16).

These midrashic expositions stress the close similarity between Sarah and Rebekah. The commandments such as baking a challa and of lighting two candles on Friday evening for the Shabbat are commandments reserved for women. Isaac sought in a wife the specific traits that would remind him of his mother and her righteousness. Even though he himself did not select Rebekah, she was the suitable wife for him, because her actions were like those of his mother. Thereby goes the true saying that a man often looks for a second mother in a prospective wife.

In our midrash last week we mentioned about Sarah's two abductions being as Jerusalem's Babylonian and Roman exiles. We spoke of Isaac's climbing Mt Moriah to certain death and resurrection (which happened as in the parable (see last week's newsletter)) foreshadowing Messiah's climb to certain death on Mt Golgotha, death from which He resurrected. Also, just as after the binding of Isaac, Sarah dies, paralleling the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans shortly after Yeshua's crucifixion.

In our text this week, Isaac disappears from the Torah narrative. He only reappears when he meets Rivka as she arrives with Eliezer. The sages asked, "Where was Isaac all this time?" Some sages boldly assumed hat after the binding on Mt Moriah, Isaac went to HaShem to get healed of his wounds and to learn Torah.
Except for the disappearing of Isaac for several, the Torah offers no clues as to what happened to him. But the scholar who dared to suggest that Isaac went to learn Torah from the Father might have been on to something. If Isaac foreshadowed Yeshua both carrying the wood of their own sacrifice on the same mountain, then the idea idea of Isaac going to God foreshadows the pattern of Yeshua going to God to sit at the right hand of the father after the Crucifixion. And what's more, as Isaac reappears only to meet his bride to be, we also expect that at the time appointed by His Father, Yeshua will return to marry His bride (Rev 19) who will also have been challenged to come out of Babylon (the world)(Rev 18:1-5).
As Sarah's tent (Jerusalem) revives when Rivka, the wife of the dead and resurrected son of Abraham moves in, Jerusalem at the end of days will again fulfill its destiny as our Master returns also to marry His bride, a bride who does not go and live in a different 'house', practicing a different 'religion', in a different lifestyle, but one who fully occupies our Jewish mother Sarah's tent and shoes.

MAY WE,
THE CONGREGATIONS THAT ARE CALLED THE 'BRIDE'
LIVE IN SARAH'S TENT AND SHOES.

LIKE RIVKA,

MAY WE ALSO ANSWER THE CALL
TO LEAVE THE SELFISHNESS, PRIDE, ARROGANCE,  VIOLENCE,
AND HATRED OF BABYLON,
AND LIVE IN THE PRACTICE OF THE SAME
VIRTUE, HUMILITY,  ALTRUISM, FAITHFULNESS,  HOSPITALITY,
AND LOVE AS SARAH OUR MOTHER.

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PRA'SHAT VAYERA: The Ten Trials of Abraham pt 2

11/1/2017

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וירא אליו יהוה באלני ממרא והוא ישׁב פתח־האהל כחם היום׃
וישׂא עיניו וירא והנה שׁלשׁה אנשׁים נצבים עליו וירא וירץ לקראתם מפתח האהל וישׁתחו ארצה׃

Adonai appeared to Avraham by the oaks of Mamre as he sat at the entrance to the tent during the heat of the day. He raised his eyes and looked, and there in front of him stood three men. On seeing them, he ran from the tent door to meet them, prostrated himself on the ground,
(Gen 18:1-2 CJB)

Our Rabbi, Teacher, Master, and Redeemer Yeshua taught His disciples in these words, "If you are children of Avraham, then do the things Avraham did!" Joh 8:39. In essence, 'The proof is in the pudding!' He said. Those of us who claim descendance from Abraham, be it biological or grafted in, need to honor that descendance by doing what Yeshua coined as 'the things Avraham did.', or in Hebrew, ' אברהם כמעשי עשיתם' do after the deeds/actions/works of Avraham.'

In this part 2, let us then take more time to study these things that Avraham did. How did he handle the intense trials that HaShem allowed him to go through?

Let us first go again through the enumeration of the ten trials of our Father Avraham, this time, in chronological order..

In part one we talked about the seven first trials of Abraham:

1. The call from his homeland
2. The famine in Cana'an
3. The abduction of Sarah in Egypt
4. The war with the four kings
5. The long wait for a son and his marriage to Hagar
6. The exile of Hagar after she gave birth
7. The commandment of circumcision

Now we will go over the last three ones.

8. The abduction of Sarah by Abimelech.
9. The exile of Ishmael
10. The sacrifice of Isaac

8. The abduction of Sarah by Abimelech
I want to reiterate what we talked about last week about the idea that Abraham seemed to have lied to protect himself and also mention about the idea of Sarah's Tent. Here is what the Midrash says about it,

"All the days in which Sarah lived, there was a cloud attached to the entrance of her tent. Since she died, the cloud ceased; and when Rebecca came, the cloud returned. All the days in which Sarah lived, the doors of the entrance [to her tent] were open to the wind (ruah).... And all the days in which Sarah lived, there was a blessing sent through the dough [with which she baked].... All the days in which Sarah lived, there was a light burning from one Shabbat evening to the next Shabbat evening...." (Genesis Rabbah 80:16 on Genesis 24:67).

These characteristics of Sarah's tent (and later Rebecca's), parallel the characteristics of the Tabernacle and of the Temple. Sarah's bread is like the shewbread, the light burning from Shabbat to Shabbat prefigures the Menorah, and the wind resembles the Holy Spirit, Ruach HaKodesh. In particular, the cloud mentioned in the midrash alludes to the cloud of the Shekhinah, the personified aspect of HaShem that is imminent.

Here is more about the idea of Mishkan/the Sanctuary/The Temple.
In Hebrew the word mishkan is: מ ש כ ן

The Aftara for this week is: 2 Kings 4:1-37 in which is embedded the story of the Shunamite woman who practiced hospitality towards Elisha the Prophet of God.

Verse 10 in English says,
Please, let's build him a little room on the roof. We'll put a bed and a tablein it for him, and a stool and a candlestick, then, whenever he comes to visit us, he can stay there."

Here it is in Hebrew ,

נעשׂה־נא עלית־קיר קטנה ונשׂים לו שׁם מטה ושׁלחן וכסא ומנורה והיה בבאו אלינו יסור שׁמה׃
(2Ki 4:10 CJB)

(The word candlestick in Hebrew is נר starting with a nun. The text in the verse uses מנורה which means lamp in general, but we know that in those days there was no electricity so, a lamp was actually a candlestick).

Thus, we find the word Mishkan in the things we provide when we practice hospitality,.

The sages therefore have concluded that, having guests is more important than speaking to God, a statement reminiscent of Yeshua's, "he who has done it to the least of these my brothers has done it unto me!'

IF THEN SARAH'S TENT REPRESENTS THE TEMPLE IN JERUSALEM, THEN HER TWICE ABDUCTIONS REPRESENT THE TWO EXILES OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, FIRST BY BABYLON, THEN BY THE ROMANS, WHICH IS THE CURRENT EXILE.

The idea of sages that, having guests is more important than speaking to God, is also reflected in Gen 18. In that text Avraham, a rich desert Sheik endowed with servants, sees 3 people coming to him. The text of the Torah tells us that Avraham ran towards them and that, even though he had many servants, he himself took care of them in every way. Avraham's dedication to serve is even more accentuated when we realize that, as we are told in Gen 18:1, it was the heat of the day, meaning that he was at the height of the fever due to his recent circumcision.

The midrash also tells us that Abraham used to send send his servant Eliezer by the by the byways to 'compel' people to come to his table where after serving them in abundance, he would tell the people of the heavenly source of the food they ate.

IT IS AFTER THIS THAT WE ARE TOLD OF THE BIRTH OF ISAAC.

9. The exile of Ishmael
Avraham did not want to let go of Ishmael. It was after all his son. But he obeyed HaShem anyways. Maybe this was a preparatory test for what was to come through Isaac, the son of promise. Sending Ishmael away was again cutting off any hope that the promise would be fulfilled.

Basically what we see in Avraham is that he received a promise, but then all the instructions he received from HaShem seemed to go completely against the fulfillment of that promise. In spite of it all, Avraham obeyed. That is what faith, confidence in the fulfillment of Hashem's promises looks like!

When Sarah complained to Avraham about Hagar's attitude, he may have told her, "Hey, this was your idea to start with!" But checking with HaShem, he heard, "Listen to everything Sarah says to you, because it is your descendants through Yitz'chak who will be counted.

10. The sacrifice of Isaac
In Genesis 22 we read about the binding of Isaac on the altar or the Akeida. What was the background of it? The yet unfulfilled promise of,

"Get yourself out of your country, away from your kinsmen and away from your father's house, and go to the land that I will show you. I will make of you a great nation, I will bless you, and I will make your name great; and you are to be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, but I will curse anyone who curses you; and by you all the families of the earth will be blessed." (Gen 12:1-3 CJB)

Let's now read what HaShem requires of Abraham ou father in this final excrutiating test,

After these things, God tested Avraham. He said to him, "Avraham!" and he answered, "Here I am." He said, "Take your son, your only son, whom you love, Yitz'chak; and go to the land of Moriyah. There you are to offer him as a burnt offering on a mountain that I will point out to you." Avraham got up early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, together with Yitz'chak his son. He cut the wood for the burnt offering, departed and went toward the place God had told him about. On the third day, Avraham raised his eyes and saw the place in the distance. Avraham said to his young men, "Stay here with the donkey. I and the boy will go there, worship and return to you." Avraham took the wood for the burnt offering and laid it on Yitz'chak his son. Then he took in his hand the fire and the knife, and they both went on together. Yitz'chak spoke to Avraham his father: "My father?" He answered, "Here I am, my son." He said, "I see the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?" Avraham replied, "God will provide himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son"; and they both went on together. They came to the place God had told him about; and Avraham built the altar there, set the wood in order, bound Yitz'chak his son and laid him on the altar, on the wood. (Gen 22:1-9 CJB)

The Brit tells us much about this.
By trusting, Avraham, when he was put to the test, offered up Yitz'chak as a sacrifice. Yes, he offered up his only son, he who had received the promises, to whom it had been said, "What is called your 'seed' will be in Yitz'chak." For he had concluded that God could even raise people from the dead! And, figuratively speaking, he did so receive him. (Heb 11:17-19 CJB)

In verse 19, the original Greek word for 'figuratively' is 'paraboley' or 'parable'. Thus verse can be read, For he had concluded that God could even raise him from the dead! And, he did as in the parable.

Here is the parable:
Rabbi Judah said: When the sword reached his neck, Isaac's soul fled and left his body. But, when the Lord caused His voice to be heard from between the two cherubs saying, "Do not stretch out your hand against the child and do not do anything at all to him," his soul returned to his body and Isaac stood up on his feet. Isaac knew that this is how the dead will be resurrected, and so he opened [his mouth] and said, "Blessed are You, 'Adonay, Who resurrects the dead." (Pirkei de Rabbi Eliezer, chapter 30 [in some translations, chapter 31]):

In essence, Heb 11:19 tells us that being faced with the impossible dilemma of HaShem asking him to kill the one though whom all the promises stood, Abraham took a very pragmatic decision saying, 'Well, if I am to kill Isaac, that simply means that HaShem will have to resurrect him in order to fulfill His promise. It's just that simple!" Just like ours today, Abraham's faith was in the Resurrected Son!

Isaac was not a child. He was a young man. Some say he was 37 years old. Whatever age he was, he knew exactly what he was doing and was willing to do it.

As Yeshua carrying wood on his back willingly climbed Mount Golgotha to what was a certain death, Isaac also carrying wood climbed Mount Moryah to what was a certain death.

They both had the option of to not do it but both said to their father, Not my will but yours be done.

The Aftara for this week is: 2 Kings 4:1-37 in which is embedded the story of the Shunamite woman. This is a story that is very similar to the story of Isaac's miraculous birth, 'figurative' death and resurrection. This why it has been chosen as the parasha.

MAY WE AS YESHUA CHALLENGES US TO, AS CHILDREN OF ABRAHAM,  DO THE WORKS OF ABRAHAM.

SAY EACH AND EVERY DAY AS WE AWAKE, IN ALL WAYS AND IN ALL THINGS  WITHOUT COUNTING, WHETHER WE SEE OR RECEIVE THE FULFILLMENT OF DIVINE PROMISES SAY TO HASHEM:

'NOT MY WILL BUT YOURS BE DONE!'

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PAR'SHAT VAYISHELACH: The Importance of repairing family relationships.

PAR'SHAT VAYETZE: The Responsibility of Words.

PAR'SHAT TOLDOT: It is an Honor and Privilege to Serve our Parents.

PAR'SHAT CHAYEI SARAH: Sarah and Rivka

PRA'SHAT VAYERA: The Ten Trials of Abraham pt 2

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