- there are 70 faces to 
Post by alon on May 21, 2022 7:37:38 GMT -8
This Week’s Readings:
Parashah- Genesis 35:9-36:43
Haftara- Isaiah 43:1-7
D’rash: This parishad starts with an enigma:
Genesis 35:9-10 God [had] appeared [in a visible manifestation, poss as Yeshua] to Jacob again, when he came from Paddan-aram, and blessed him. And God said to him, “Your name is Jacob; no longer shall your name be called Jacob, but Israel shall be your name.” So he called his name Israel.
First off, in most English translations it either says “God appeared” or He “appeared again” to Jacob. However in the footnotes to the ESV it says this could be translated “had appeared.” In any event, this seems to be a retelling of Gen 32:28-29. I am not going to go into it too deep, because I am a little fuzzy on how this plays out, but there are four main sources for text in Torah: Jahwist (Yahwist), (abbreviated J), Deuteronomist (D), Priestly (P), and Elohist (E). In this case there is some tension between the P version here and the J version in 32:28-29.
Again I also wish to point out that this does not appear to be a name change, but rather bestowing a title:
name- H8034 שֵׁם shêm definite and conspicuous position; an appellation, as a mark or memorial of individuality; by implication honor, authority, character: in famous, name, renown, report.
Genesis 35:22a While Israel lived in that land, Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father's concubine. And Israel heard of it.
Immediately after calling him Israel, here in the same verse he is called by Yisro’el and then Ya’aqov. Biblically, once God changes a person’s name they are never called by the old name again. However I cannot say how much influence the different sources have on this and the many other times he is called Ya’aqov afterwards.
Genesis 35:14-15 And Jacob set up a pillar in the place where he had spoken with him, a pillar of stone. He poured out a drink offering on it and poured oil on it. 15 So Jacob called the name of the place where God had spoken with him בֵּית־אֵל bêyth-‘êl house of God [Bethel].
Two times previously Ya’aqov had named this place בֵּית־אֵל bêyth-‘êl [Bethel] (ref vv 28:18-19 & 35:7). According to my JPS Study Bible, “The source analysis of vs 7 and vv 14-15 is more uncertain than usual.” If those competent Jewish scholars are uncertain, I sure am not going to try to sort it out. For our purposes, we should just note that these source variants can be the source of some controversy in Torah. Genesis 36 for example, telling of Esau's Descendants also consists of what appears to be several overlapping sources with minor inconsistencies.
Genesis 35:16-18 Then they journeyed from Bethel. When they were still some [about two hours] distance from אֶפְרָתָה 'ephrâth fruitfulness; Ephrath [also Beat’lechem; in Psa 132:6, poss for Ephraim; also of an Israelitish woman- Ephrath, Ephratah, Ephrath], Rachel went into labor, and she had hard labor. And when her labor was at its hardest, the midwife said to her, “Do not fear, for you have another son.” And as her soul was departing (for she was dying), she called his name בֶּן־אוֹנִי ben-‘ônı̂y [Ben-oni] [son of my sorrow, or son of my strength] but his father called him בִּנְיָמִין binyâmı̂yn [Benjamin- son of the right hand]
בִּנְיָמִין binyâmı̂yn can also be translated “son of the south.” According to Rashi, this idiom contrasts the southland (Yisro’el) to the territory of Lavan in the north. It is saying he is a favored son, which makes sense as both the sons of Rach’el were given differential treatment by Ya’aqov.
Ya’aqov’s obedience to his Elohim did not avert trials in his life. According to F B Meyer, “From Bethel to Bethlehem is not far. The one, the House of God; the other, the House of Bread. We need them both, if we are to bear up under the repeated shocks of life, such as the death of the old nurse Deborah, the death of our beloved Rachels, the sins of our children, and the breakup of the old home, as when our father is borne to his grave. … how greatly men misjudge death. It is not the end, but the beginning. We find hereafter Isaac associated with Abraham and Jacob, as welcoming the saints homeward.”
Coming to Genesis 35 we see the genealogy of the descendants of Esav is far more impressive than that of Ya’aqov, however this is the last we will hear of them. Adonai often uses the weaker entity to accomplish His purposes. He will build from Ya’aqov not only a more numerous nation, but one of the most prominent and enduring nations in all history; one which will endure not only slavery, but dispersement from their land and the many attempts of others to eradicate them. And they will endure into the Olam Ha’ba.
But let’s look further at this idea of death as a beginning rather than an end. From our haftara: Isaiah 43:1 But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.
גָּאַל gâ’al, go’el- to redeem according to the law of kinship; to be the next of kin; avenger, deliver(er); purchase, ransom, redeem(er), avenger.
So here God speaks as a close relative and protector.
Isaiah 43:2-3b When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.
For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.
Then we come to one of the most often phrases quoted from the Bible: “Fear not, for I am with you;” Isaiah 43:5a.
The believer should not fear death: “Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.” Hebrews 2:14-15
Death itself is described in terms of continuing life:
Tehillim 116:3 (OJB) Chevlei mavet (pangs of death; umbilical chords of death) encompassed me, and the metzarei (trouble, distress, pain, straits, confines) She’ol (world of the dead) have caught up with me and found me; tzoros and yagon (trouble and sorrow) I found.
As the metaphor of an umbilical chord and the pains of childbirth suggest here, the pains and sorrows of death will give way to new life! It goes on:
Tehillim 116:4-9 Then called I b’Shem Hashem (on the Name of the Lord): O Hashem, save my nefesh (soul)! Channun (gracious) is Hashem, and tzaddik (righteous); yes, Eloheinu is merciful. Hashem is shomer (faithful) over the petayim (simple-hearted, helpless); I was in need and li yehoshia (me He saved).
Return, my nefesh, to thy menuchah (rest, resting place); for Hashem hath dealt bountifully with thee. For Thou hast saved my nefesh from mavet (death), mine eye from dimah (tears), and mine regel (foot) from stumbling. I will walk before Hashem in the Artzot HaChayim (the Land of the Living). [NT Note that I can do that because Moshiach was cut off from there in my place and for my sins—Isa 53:8]
In 2 Sam 22:6 David refers to “chevle Sheol,” the umbilical chords of the underworld, and in the Hebrew translation 2 Tim 1:8 would refer to the “umbilical chords of the gospel.” Gives quite the imagery.
חבלי מות chevle mavet, the “umbilical chords of death” relates directly to Ha’Moshiach Yeshua, as in 1 Peter 1:11:
Kefa I 1:11 The Nevi’im (prophets) were searching for what zman (time) or what context of occasion the Ruach of Moshiach (Spirit of Messiah) in them was pointing to, when predicting the Chevlei Moshiach (umbilical chords of Messiah) and HaKavod (good or joyous time) to follow.
HaMoshiach Yeshua (Jesus The Christ) underwent chevlei mavet, the “umbilical chords of death” as He hung on the execution stake (cross). Revelation also has much to say about the death pangs the world (and all in it) will suffer in the end. But then throughout the Bible we are told we will have life anew: “And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.” 1 John 5:11.
As Yeshua suffered the pangs of death, so shall we; and so shall all the world. But “Fear not, for I am with you.”
Mekorot: All scripture from the ESV unless otherwise specified; JPS Study Bible; F B Meyer; Dr. W Wiersbe; Dr D. Ben-Gigi; my father and others
Next Week’s Readings:
Parashah- Gen 37:1-36
Haftara- Jer 38:1-13
* Apostolic references will be given in the darashot
Parashah- Genesis 35:9-36:43
Haftara- Isaiah 43:1-7
D’rash: This parishad starts with an enigma:
Genesis 35:9-10 God [had] appeared [in a visible manifestation, poss as Yeshua] to Jacob again, when he came from Paddan-aram, and blessed him. And God said to him, “Your name is Jacob; no longer shall your name be called Jacob, but Israel shall be your name.” So he called his name Israel.
First off, in most English translations it either says “God appeared” or He “appeared again” to Jacob. However in the footnotes to the ESV it says this could be translated “had appeared.” In any event, this seems to be a retelling of Gen 32:28-29. I am not going to go into it too deep, because I am a little fuzzy on how this plays out, but there are four main sources for text in Torah: Jahwist (Yahwist), (abbreviated J), Deuteronomist (D), Priestly (P), and Elohist (E). In this case there is some tension between the P version here and the J version in 32:28-29.
Again I also wish to point out that this does not appear to be a name change, but rather bestowing a title:
name- H8034 שֵׁם shêm definite and conspicuous position; an appellation, as a mark or memorial of individuality; by implication honor, authority, character: in famous, name, renown, report.
Genesis 35:22a While Israel lived in that land, Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father's concubine. And Israel heard of it.
Immediately after calling him Israel, here in the same verse he is called by Yisro’el and then Ya’aqov. Biblically, once God changes a person’s name they are never called by the old name again. However I cannot say how much influence the different sources have on this and the many other times he is called Ya’aqov afterwards.
Genesis 35:14-15 And Jacob set up a pillar in the place where he had spoken with him, a pillar of stone. He poured out a drink offering on it and poured oil on it. 15 So Jacob called the name of the place where God had spoken with him בֵּית־אֵל bêyth-‘êl house of God [Bethel].
Two times previously Ya’aqov had named this place בֵּית־אֵל bêyth-‘êl [Bethel] (ref vv 28:18-19 & 35:7). According to my JPS Study Bible, “The source analysis of vs 7 and vv 14-15 is more uncertain than usual.” If those competent Jewish scholars are uncertain, I sure am not going to try to sort it out. For our purposes, we should just note that these source variants can be the source of some controversy in Torah. Genesis 36 for example, telling of Esau's Descendants also consists of what appears to be several overlapping sources with minor inconsistencies.
Genesis 35:16-18 Then they journeyed from Bethel. When they were still some [about two hours] distance from אֶפְרָתָה 'ephrâth fruitfulness; Ephrath [also Beat’lechem; in Psa 132:6, poss for Ephraim; also of an Israelitish woman- Ephrath, Ephratah, Ephrath], Rachel went into labor, and she had hard labor. And when her labor was at its hardest, the midwife said to her, “Do not fear, for you have another son.” And as her soul was departing (for she was dying), she called his name בֶּן־אוֹנִי ben-‘ônı̂y [Ben-oni] [son of my sorrow, or son of my strength] but his father called him בִּנְיָמִין binyâmı̂yn [Benjamin- son of the right hand]
בִּנְיָמִין binyâmı̂yn can also be translated “son of the south.” According to Rashi, this idiom contrasts the southland (Yisro’el) to the territory of Lavan in the north. It is saying he is a favored son, which makes sense as both the sons of Rach’el were given differential treatment by Ya’aqov.
Ya’aqov’s obedience to his Elohim did not avert trials in his life. According to F B Meyer, “From Bethel to Bethlehem is not far. The one, the House of God; the other, the House of Bread. We need them both, if we are to bear up under the repeated shocks of life, such as the death of the old nurse Deborah, the death of our beloved Rachels, the sins of our children, and the breakup of the old home, as when our father is borne to his grave. … how greatly men misjudge death. It is not the end, but the beginning. We find hereafter Isaac associated with Abraham and Jacob, as welcoming the saints homeward.”
Coming to Genesis 35 we see the genealogy of the descendants of Esav is far more impressive than that of Ya’aqov, however this is the last we will hear of them. Adonai often uses the weaker entity to accomplish His purposes. He will build from Ya’aqov not only a more numerous nation, but one of the most prominent and enduring nations in all history; one which will endure not only slavery, but dispersement from their land and the many attempts of others to eradicate them. And they will endure into the Olam Ha’ba.
But let’s look further at this idea of death as a beginning rather than an end. From our haftara: Isaiah 43:1 But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.
גָּאַל gâ’al, go’el- to redeem according to the law of kinship; to be the next of kin; avenger, deliver(er); purchase, ransom, redeem(er), avenger.
So here God speaks as a close relative and protector.
Isaiah 43:2-3b When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.
For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.
Then we come to one of the most often phrases quoted from the Bible: “Fear not, for I am with you;” Isaiah 43:5a.
The believer should not fear death: “Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.” Hebrews 2:14-15
Death itself is described in terms of continuing life:
Tehillim 116:3 (OJB) Chevlei mavet (pangs of death; umbilical chords of death) encompassed me, and the metzarei (trouble, distress, pain, straits, confines) She’ol (world of the dead) have caught up with me and found me; tzoros and yagon (trouble and sorrow) I found.
As the metaphor of an umbilical chord and the pains of childbirth suggest here, the pains and sorrows of death will give way to new life! It goes on:
Tehillim 116:4-9 Then called I b’Shem Hashem (on the Name of the Lord): O Hashem, save my nefesh (soul)! Channun (gracious) is Hashem, and tzaddik (righteous); yes, Eloheinu is merciful. Hashem is shomer (faithful) over the petayim (simple-hearted, helpless); I was in need and li yehoshia (me He saved).
Return, my nefesh, to thy menuchah (rest, resting place); for Hashem hath dealt bountifully with thee. For Thou hast saved my nefesh from mavet (death), mine eye from dimah (tears), and mine regel (foot) from stumbling. I will walk before Hashem in the Artzot HaChayim (the Land of the Living). [NT Note that I can do that because Moshiach was cut off from there in my place and for my sins—Isa 53:8]
In 2 Sam 22:6 David refers to “chevle Sheol,” the umbilical chords of the underworld, and in the Hebrew translation 2 Tim 1:8 would refer to the “umbilical chords of the gospel.” Gives quite the imagery.
חבלי מות chevle mavet, the “umbilical chords of death” relates directly to Ha’Moshiach Yeshua, as in 1 Peter 1:11:
Kefa I 1:11 The Nevi’im (prophets) were searching for what zman (time) or what context of occasion the Ruach of Moshiach (Spirit of Messiah) in them was pointing to, when predicting the Chevlei Moshiach (umbilical chords of Messiah) and HaKavod (good or joyous time) to follow.
HaMoshiach Yeshua (Jesus The Christ) underwent chevlei mavet, the “umbilical chords of death” as He hung on the execution stake (cross). Revelation also has much to say about the death pangs the world (and all in it) will suffer in the end. But then throughout the Bible we are told we will have life anew: “And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.” 1 John 5:11.
As Yeshua suffered the pangs of death, so shall we; and so shall all the world. But “Fear not, for I am with you.”
Mekorot: All scripture from the ESV unless otherwise specified; JPS Study Bible; F B Meyer; Dr. W Wiersbe; Dr D. Ben-Gigi; my father and others
Next Week’s Readings:
Parashah- Gen 37:1-36
Haftara- Jer 38:1-13
* Apostolic references will be given in the darashot
