Post by alon on Nov 20, 2018 12:20:14 GMT -8
This week’s readings 24 November 2018/ 16 Kislev 5779
Name of Par’shah- Vayishlach, He Sent
Par’shah- Genesis 32:3- 36:43
Haftara- Hoseah 11:7- 12:21; Obadiah 1:21
Brit Chadashah- 1 Corinthians 5:1-13; Rev 7:1-12
D’rash: The common theme in our readings seems to be sexual immorality. This within the body of believers goes against God’s
, and is an act of rebellion:
1 Samuel 15:23 (ESV) For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and presumption is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has also rejected you from being king.” Strong’s defines 2 key words here as:
rebellion- מרי mᵉrîy, mer-ee'; bitterness, rebellion; concretely, bitter, or rebellious:
presumption- פצר patsar, to peck at, stun or dull: press, urge; presumptive; stubbornness.
So יהוה Shaphat, the Lord Our Judge (Is 33.22) sees sexual immorality within the body of believers as He sees divination and idolatry. Our stubborn presumption that we can do such things and still be accepted by a Holy God is exactly what will cause Him to reject us in the end. We are told how to deal with such people in our B’rith Chadashah reading:
1 Corinthians 5:4-6, 11 (ESV) When you are assembled in the name of the Lord Jesus …, you are to deliver this man to (ha’satan) for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord. … I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one.
However our par’shah has the story of one who feared rejection not by God, but by his brother who he had “cheated” (sic) out of his birthright and the blessing of the firstborn. While his brother despised the birthright and, in all fairness demanded Ya’akov trade that for some soup, Ya’akov did deceive his father into giving him the blessing he wished for Esav. However that blessing included the phrase “Cursed be everyone who curses you, and blessed be everyone who blesses you!” (Gen 27:29). This is the language of the covenant which would produce the Messiah. So did Ya’akov do wrong? Remember, this was the part of the birthright he was interested in; the same part Esav despised.
Hosea 12:3 (ESV) In the womb he took his brother by the heel, and in his manhood he strove with God. He strove with the messenger and prevailed; he wept and sought his favor. He met God [Heb him] at Bethel, and there God spoke with us— יהוה, the God of hosts, יהוה is his memorial name: “So you, by the help of your God, return, hold fast to love and justice, and wait continually for your God.”
Esav may have been the mighty warrior, hunter, first from the womb, and man of he field. But it was Ya’akov who had the force of character to persevere no matter with who or whatever circumstances he was dealing; even if he strove with El-Elyon, God Most High (Genesis 14:18).
וְרַב יַעֲבֹד צָעִיר irav iyavod tsair, ‘elder will serve younger.’ Sounds pretty straight forward to us; In English the subject always comes before the predicate, but in Hebrew, the predicate can come before the subject. I might say “I punked Mark.” But in Hebrew you could say “Mark punked I.” Who really got punked? Since “younger” could be the subject, Ya’akov could be the one serving Esav. Had this said את, et irav iyavod tsair then the older would clearly have been the servant, however without this deliniating term there is some ambiguity. And in fact, Ya.akov calls Esav “master” and refers to himself as the servant when they meet.
Ya’akov had to struggle with himself to face his brother. He also needed to restore those things to Esav that his deception had taken which were not his. Esav was the one who sought wealth and power. Ya’akov was the one who would sire the line of Messiah, therefore he was called to a higher halacha. And that meant he had to show the kind of integrity which would humble himself and ask forgiveness from his brother, and restore to him his part of the blessing as it would restore their relationship.
There ‘wrestled,’ or ‘struggled’ וַיֵּאָבֵק l’avek a man אִישׁ ish; עֲלוֹת הַשָּׁחַר alot hasachar ‘the coming up of the dawn.’
Genesis 32:26 (ESI) And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him.
This messenger, who could have easily defeated Ya’akov, apparently wanted to see if he would give up. But even injured Ya'akov persevered.
וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו מַה-שְּׁמֶךָ v’amer alav ma’,shimcha, ‘said he to him “what is your name?”’ וַיֹּאמֶר יַעֲקֹב va’yomer Yaakov, ‘my name is Ya’akov.’
As a “Heel Catcher” Ya’akov had persevered. He’d fought for most of his time in the womb, and he came out fighting; holding on to the only part he could, the heel of Esav. His new title, יִשְׂרָאֵל Yisroel has as its root שָׂרִיתָ śarah "to rule, contend, have power, prevail over- a ‘prince.’” However it also ends in “el,” meaning God. So it also could mean El, God struggles, or God has dominion or power, or God prevails. Another translation is יִשְׂ ish, a man; רָ ra, to see; אֵל el, God- a man seeing God. All would fit here, though the text explains the primary meaning, “as a prince you have power with God and with men, and have prevailed.”
This title is like an upgrade to his name. He struggled with Elohim, he persevered and prevailed, and he gained influence with his God. This kind of perseverance has characterized the Jewish people to this day. It also characterizes those of us who struggle and ultimately stay with Messianic Judaism. May we be as Ya’akov.
Name of Par’shah- Vayishlach, He Sent
Par’shah- Genesis 32:3- 36:43
Haftara- Hoseah 11:7- 12:21; Obadiah 1:21
Brit Chadashah- 1 Corinthians 5:1-13; Rev 7:1-12
D’rash: The common theme in our readings seems to be sexual immorality. This within the body of believers goes against God’s
, and is an act of rebellion:1 Samuel 15:23 (ESV) For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and presumption is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has also rejected you from being king.” Strong’s defines 2 key words here as:
rebellion- מרי mᵉrîy, mer-ee'; bitterness, rebellion; concretely, bitter, or rebellious:
presumption- פצר patsar, to peck at, stun or dull: press, urge; presumptive; stubbornness.
So יהוה Shaphat, the Lord Our Judge (Is 33.22) sees sexual immorality within the body of believers as He sees divination and idolatry. Our stubborn presumption that we can do such things and still be accepted by a Holy God is exactly what will cause Him to reject us in the end. We are told how to deal with such people in our B’rith Chadashah reading:
1 Corinthians 5:4-6, 11 (ESV) When you are assembled in the name of the Lord Jesus …, you are to deliver this man to (ha’satan) for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord. … I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one.
However our par’shah has the story of one who feared rejection not by God, but by his brother who he had “cheated” (sic) out of his birthright and the blessing of the firstborn. While his brother despised the birthright and, in all fairness demanded Ya’akov trade that for some soup, Ya’akov did deceive his father into giving him the blessing he wished for Esav. However that blessing included the phrase “Cursed be everyone who curses you, and blessed be everyone who blesses you!” (Gen 27:29). This is the language of the covenant which would produce the Messiah. So did Ya’akov do wrong? Remember, this was the part of the birthright he was interested in; the same part Esav despised.
Hosea 12:3 (ESV) In the womb he took his brother by the heel, and in his manhood he strove with God. He strove with the messenger and prevailed; he wept and sought his favor. He met God [Heb him] at Bethel, and there God spoke with us— יהוה, the God of hosts, יהוה is his memorial name: “So you, by the help of your God, return, hold fast to love and justice, and wait continually for your God.”
Esav may have been the mighty warrior, hunter, first from the womb, and man of he field. But it was Ya’akov who had the force of character to persevere no matter with who or whatever circumstances he was dealing; even if he strove with El-Elyon, God Most High (Genesis 14:18).
כג. וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה לָהּ שְׁנֵי )גֹייִם( ]גוֹיִם[ בְּבִטְנֵךְ וּשְׁנֵי לְאֻמִּים מִמֵּעַיִךְ יִפָּרֵדוּ וּלְאֹם מִלְאֹם יֶאֱמָץ וְרַב יַעֲבֹד צָעִיר
Genesis 25:23 (ESI) And the Lord said to her, Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples shall be separated from your bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger.וְרַב יַעֲבֹד צָעִיר irav iyavod tsair, ‘elder will serve younger.’ Sounds pretty straight forward to us; In English the subject always comes before the predicate, but in Hebrew, the predicate can come before the subject. I might say “I punked Mark.” But in Hebrew you could say “Mark punked I.” Who really got punked? Since “younger” could be the subject, Ya’akov could be the one serving Esav. Had this said את, et irav iyavod tsair then the older would clearly have been the servant, however without this deliniating term there is some ambiguity. And in fact, Ya.akov calls Esav “master” and refers to himself as the servant when they meet.
Ya’akov had to struggle with himself to face his brother. He also needed to restore those things to Esav that his deception had taken which were not his. Esav was the one who sought wealth and power. Ya’akov was the one who would sire the line of Messiah, therefore he was called to a higher halacha. And that meant he had to show the kind of integrity which would humble himself and ask forgiveness from his brother, and restore to him his part of the blessing as it would restore their relationship.
כה. וַיִּוָּתֵר יַעֲקֹב לְבַדּוֹ וַיֵּאָבֵק אִישׁ עִמּוֹ עַד עֲלוֹת הַשָּׁחַר
Genesis 32:25 (ESI) And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day.There ‘wrestled,’ or ‘struggled’ וַיֵּאָבֵק l’avek a man אִישׁ ish; עֲלוֹת הַשָּׁחַר alot hasachar ‘the coming up of the dawn.’
Genesis 32:26 (ESI) And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him.
This messenger, who could have easily defeated Ya’akov, apparently wanted to see if he would give up. But even injured Ya'akov persevered.
כח. וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו מַה-שְּׁמֶךָ וַיֹּאמֶר יַעֲקֹב
כט. וַיֹּאמֶר לֹא יַעֲקֹב יֵאָמֵר עוֹד שִׁמְךָ כִּי אִם-יִשְׂרָאֵל כִּי-שָׂרִיתָ עִם-אֱלֹהִים וְעִם-אֲנָשִׁים וַתּוּכָל
Genesis 32:228-29 (ESI) And he said to him, What is your name? And he said, Jacob. And he said, Your name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel; for as a prince you have power with God and with men, and have prevailed. וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו מַה-שְּׁמֶךָ v’amer alav ma’,shimcha, ‘said he to him “what is your name?”’ וַיֹּאמֶר יַעֲקֹב va’yomer Yaakov, ‘my name is Ya’akov.’
As a “Heel Catcher” Ya’akov had persevered. He’d fought for most of his time in the womb, and he came out fighting; holding on to the only part he could, the heel of Esav. His new title, יִשְׂרָאֵל Yisroel has as its root שָׂרִיתָ śarah "to rule, contend, have power, prevail over- a ‘prince.’” However it also ends in “el,” meaning God. So it also could mean El, God struggles, or God has dominion or power, or God prevails. Another translation is יִשְׂ ish, a man; רָ ra, to see; אֵל el, God- a man seeing God. All would fit here, though the text explains the primary meaning, “as a prince you have power with God and with men, and have prevailed.”
This title is like an upgrade to his name. He struggled with Elohim, he persevered and prevailed, and he gained influence with his God. This kind of perseverance has characterized the Jewish people to this day. It also characterizes those of us who struggle and ultimately stay with Messianic Judaism. May we be as Ya’akov.
