[youtube url=”https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=0gPSp69aAis&feature=youtu.be”]<\/p>\n
This week\u2019s reading is from Parashat Lech Lecha (Shemot \/ Genesis 12:1-17:27<\/span><\/em>), the Lord calls to Abram to leave his father\u2019s house and land, to go to a place that He will show him.\u00a0 In the opening verses of the portion this week, the Lord promises to bless Abram and make him into a great nation (\u05d5\u05b0\u05d0\u05b6\u05e2\u05b6\u05e9\u05b0\u05b9\u05da\u05b8 \u05dc\u05b0\u05d2\u05d5\u05b9\u05d9 \u05d2\u05bc\u05b8\u05d3\u05d5\u05b9\u05dc).\u00a0 In addition to this, the Lord says, those who bless him will be blessed, and those who curse him will be cursed.\u00a0 Based upon the progression shown in the opening verses, the covenant that God is making with Abram, the promises go personally to Abram and to his descendents, and then on to all the world.\u00a0 The reason the Lord singled out Abram from all the rest is unknown.\u00a0 However, according to Bereshit \/ Genesis 20:7<\/span><\/em>, the Lord God Almighty says Abraham is a great man, and that he was a prophet of God.<\/p>\n Bereshit \/ Genesis 20:6-8<\/span><\/em><\/strong> According to the Scriptures, the Lord speaks of Abraham as His prophet.\u00a0 Studying the Tanach we learn that Abram\u2019s father was an idolater, a Chaldean idolater (Joshua 24:2<\/span><\/em>).\u00a0 Based upon the way the Lord calls Abram out, Abram is unique in the sense that a blessing would come through him and his descendents.\u00a0 Based upon the definition of a \u201cprophet\u201d<\/span><\/em> Abraham appears to have served as an intermediary on behalf of humanity and God.<\/p>\n \u05e1\u05e4\u05e8 \u05d1\u05e8\u05d0\u05e9\u05d9\u05ea \u05e4\u05e8\u05e7 \u05d9\u05d1<\/strong> Bereshit \/ Genesis 12:1-3<\/span><\/em><\/strong> Based upon these Scriptures, examining these few scriptures from the Torah, we can conclude that Abraham proclaimed the truth about the One True God to the nations around him.\u00a0 The Scriptures appear to tell us that he (Abram) acted as a guide to the nations.\u00a0 This is the rabbinic understanding of Abraham, that he had been given a special revelation from God, to walk in righteousness and truth, as compared to the other nations.\u00a0 The opening Parashah of Midrash Rabbah Bereshit on Parashat Lech Lecha has the following to say concerning our father Abraham (Midrash Rabbah Bereshit, Parashat 39, Part 1<\/span><\/em>, \u05de\u05d3\u05e8\u05e9 \u05e8\u05d1\u05d4 \u05d1\u05e8\u05d0\u05e9\u05d9\u05ea \u05e4\u05e8\u05e9\u05d4 \u05dc\u05d8 \u05e1\u05d9\u05de\u05df \u05d0):<\/p>\n Midrash Rabbah Bereshit, Parashat 39, Part 1<\/span><\/em><\/strong> \u05de\u05d3\u05e8\u05e9 \u05e8\u05d1\u05d4 \u05d1\u05e8\u05d0\u05e9\u05d9\u05ea \u05e4\u05e8\u05e9\u05d4 \u05dc\u05d8 \u05e1\u05d9\u05de\u05df \u05d0<\/strong> The midrash opens with comments on the opening verse of the Torah portion, and compares the Lord\u2019s calling to Abram to the daughter who has been married, who is going to her husband\u2019s house, she is to forget her former ways because she is entering into a new life with her husband.\u00a0 This seems to be what the Lord is calling Abram to do leaving his family and his land, his former ways, with the parallel of being married to the Lord.<\/p>\n Rabbi Isaac compared this verse to a man who was traveling and saw a building in flames and wondered about the person who was given responsibility of the building that was in flames.\u00a0 Interestingly, the owner of the building looked out and said that he was the one responsible for the building.\u00a0 Nothing is said however, regarding the owner looking out while the building is burning.\u00a0 Seems either the owner is not aware of the flames, or might there be something more the rabbis are wanting us to observe in the parable?\u00a0 The parable ends with Abraham being called out to be a guide unto the world.\u00a0 Based on the parable, it might be that the world is considered to be on fire, by reason of sin, and the people living in the world are not even be aware of the danger to their lives.\u00a0 It takes someone who is standing outside, who is called by God, to see and make known the flames that are consuming the building.\u00a0 It is in this way that the Lord God Almighty looked to Abram and said that He is a guide to the world.\u00a0 The problem is, the world was not listening.<\/p>\n Why did God choose Abram to be His servant and, through him, bring ancient Israel into existence as a nation?\u00a0 What did God have in mind, and why did He call Abram into His service at this particular time in history?\u00a0 Abram was from a family of idol worshipers.\u00a0 What motivated the Lord to call Abram out from his fathers house and from his people?\u00a0 We might be able to take a hint from the biblical narrative thus far.\u00a0 According to the biblical narrative, following the Flood in the days of Noah, the earth\u2019s inhabitants once again began to turn their back on God.\u00a0 This happened pretty much immediately at the tower of Babel.\u00a0 As a result, the Lord caused the people to disperse across the face of the earth by confusing language.\u00a0 By Abraham\u2019s time all peoples had again grown corrupt.\u00a0 As a result, the Lord set in motion a major aspect of His plan to draw back mankind to righteousness, truth, and justice, and to offer salvation to all of mankind.\u00a0 Selecting Abram was a crucial step in God\u2019s long-term plan to turn all nations back to Him.\u00a0 The remainder of the Bible is woven around God\u2019s plan to reconcile all humanity to Himself.\u00a0 Part of the Lord\u2019s plan, as we see in the midrash, was for the nations to recognize they are on fire because of ther sin about to be consumed (destroyed).\u00a0 The Lord desires that all peoples recognize the difference between two conflicting ways of life, the one that follows sin, unrighteousness, corruption, lies, stealing, murders, lust, etc., and the other, to learn and walk in His ways and to turn from sin, to walk in truth, justice, and righteousness.\u00a0 This is the message that Abraham brought to the world, knowledge of the One True God, and to walk in Righteousness, Truth, and Justice before God (like we learned in Parashat Noach, last week).\u00a0 In God\u2019s promise to Abraham, He brought a great blessing to all nations through His Messiah Yeshua, and the message of Salvation.\u00a0 The Lord had a plan to bring brought His Messiah in a particular way, that would demonstrate His power and strength according to Isaiah 53:1-3<\/span><\/em>:<\/p>\n Isaiah 53:1-3<\/span><\/em><\/strong> Prophetically, Isaiah anticipated two things, first, the oddity of a suffering Messiah, and secondly, the rejection of the Messiah that many would not believed the report.\u00a0 It is in this way, the Lord God enabled the Messiah to suffer for the sins of the world and to lay his life down on our behalf.\u00a0 It is also in this way that Yeshua would function as \u201cthe arm of the Lord,\u201d<\/span><\/em> a picture of God\u2019s strength, power, and might, that is expressed in the midst of suffering and weakness.\u00a0 Man\u2019s weakness and God\u2019s suffering illustrate the Lord\u2019s plan that we in our weakness are to rely upon the Lord for everything.\u00a0 God\u2019s power and strength is demonstrated in Yeshua\u2019s death and resurrection.\u00a0 During Yeshua \u2018s ministry on earth and afterwards demonstrated by the disciples, Yeshua had great authority and power to heal, to set the captive free, to deliver from bondage, and to forgive sin, and He still does today.\u00a0 The Messiah Yeshua was not simply just another man or just another prophet.\u00a0 The rabbis taught that the Messiah would have the name of God Himself, He would speak on behalf of the Lord, and perform great signs and miracles for the salvation of Israel and all the world. (Talmud Bavli Sukkah 52a, Zohar Part 3, folio 307<\/span><\/em>)\u00a0 That is why the Messiah has played such a prominent role in rabbinic theology.\u00a0 This is also why Judaism continually looked forward to the coming of the Jewish Messiah.\u00a0 This is who Yeshua the Messiah is for us today.\u00a0 Believe in Him and be saved, what are you waiting for? BTT_Parashat Lech Lecha-2014<\/a> <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" [youtube url=”https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=0gPSp69aAis&feature=youtu.be”] This week\u2019s reading is from Parashat Lech Lecha (Shemot \/ Genesis 12:1-17:27), the Lord calls to Abram to leave his father\u2019s house and land, to go to a place that He will show him.\u00a0 In the opening verses of the portion this week, the Lord promises to bless Abram and make him into […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":3421,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-3417","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-uncategorized"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.matsati.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3417","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.matsati.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.matsati.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.matsati.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.matsati.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3417"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.matsati.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3417\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.matsati.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3421"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.matsati.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3417"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.matsati.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3417"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.matsati.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3417"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\n 20:6 Then God said to him in the dream, \u2018Yes, I know that in the integrity of your heart you have done this, and I also kept you from sinning against Me; therefore I did not let you touch her. 20:7 \u2018Now therefore, restore the man\u2019s wife, for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you and you will live. But if you do not restore her, know that you shall surely die, you and all who are yours.\u2019 20:8 So Abimelech arose early in the morning and called all his servants and told all these things in their hearing; and the men were greatly frightened. (NASB)<\/span><\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n
\n\u05d0\u00a0\u00a0 \u05d5\u05b7\u05d9\u05bc\u05b9\u05d0\u05de\u05b6\u05e8 \u05d9\u05b0\u05d4\u05d5\u05b9\u05b8\u05d4 \u05d0\u05b6\u05dc-\u05d0\u05b7\u05d1\u05b0\u05e8\u05b8\u05dd \u05dc\u05b6\u05da\u05b0-\u05dc\u05b0\u05da\u05b8 \u05de\u05b5\u05d0\u05b7\u05e8\u05b0\u05e6\u05b0\u05da\u05b8 \u05d5\u05bc\u05de\u05b4\u05de\u05bc\u05d5\u05b9\u05dc\u05b7\u05d3\u05b0\u05ea\u05bc\u05b0\u05da\u05b8 \u05d5\u05bc\u05de\u05b4\u05d1\u05bc\u05b5\u05d9\u05ea \u05d0\u05b8\u05d1\u05b4\u05d9\u05da\u05b8 \u05d0\u05b6\u05dc-\u05d4\u05b8\u05d0\u05b8\u05e8\u05b6\u05e5 \u05d0\u05b2\u05e9\u05c1\u05b6\u05e8 \u05d0\u05b7\u05e8\u05b0\u05d0\u05b6\u05da\u05bc\u05b8: \u05d1\u00a0\u00a0 \u05d5\u05b0\u05d0\u05b6\u05e2\u05b6\u05e9\u05b0\u05b9\u05da\u05b8 \u05dc\u05b0\u05d2\u05d5\u05b9\u05d9 \u05d2\u05bc\u05b8\u05d3\u05d5\u05b9\u05dc \u05d5\u05b7\u05d0\u05b2\u05d1\u05b8\u05e8\u05b6\u05db\u05b0\u05da\u05b8 \u05d5\u05b7\u05d0\u05b2\u05d2\u05b7\u05d3\u05bc\u05b0\u05dc\u05b8\u05d4 \u05e9\u05c1\u05b0\u05de\u05b6\u05da\u05b8 \u05d5\u05b6\u05d4\u05b0\u05d9\u05b5\u05d4 \u05d1\u05bc\u05b0\u05e8\u05b8\u05db\u05b8\u05d4: \u05d2\u00a0\u00a0 \u05d5\u05b7\u05d0\u05b2\u05d1\u05b8\u05e8\u05b0\u05db\u05b8\u05d4 \u05de\u05b0\u05d1\u05b8\u05e8\u05b2\u05db\u05b6\u05d9\u05da\u05b8 \u05d5\u05bc\u05de\u05b0\u05e7\u05b7\u05dc\u05bc\u05b6\u05dc\u05b0\u05da\u05b8 \u05d0\u05b8\u05d0\u05b9\u05e8 \u05d5\u05b0\u05e0\u05b4\u05d1\u05b0\u05e8\u05b0\u05db\u05d5\u05bc \u05d1\u05b0\u05da\u05b8 \u05db\u05bc\u05b9\u05dc \u05de\u05b4\u05e9\u05c1\u05b0\u05e4\u05bc\u05b0\u05d7\u05b9\u05ea \u05d4\u05b8\u05d0\u05b2\u05d3\u05b8\u05de\u05b8\u05d4:<\/p>\n
\n 12:1 Now the Lord said to Abram, \u2018Go forth from your country, And from your relatives And from your father\u2019s house, To the land which I will show you; 12:2 And I will make you a great nation, And I will bless you, And make your name great; And so you shall be a blessing; 12:3 And I will bless those who bless you, And the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.\u2019 (NASB)<\/span><\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
\n Now the Lord said unto Abram, Get You out from your country, etc (Bereshit \/ Genesis 12:1).\u00a0 Rabbi Issac commenced his discourse with, Listen, O daughter, and consider, and inclined your ear; forget also your own people, and your fathers house (Tehillim \/ Psalms 45:2).\u00a0 Said rabbi Isaac, This may be compared to a man who was traveling from place to place when he saw a building in flames.\u00a0 Is it possible that this building lacks a person to look after it?\u00a0 He wondered.\u00a0 The owner of the building looked out and said, I am the owner of the building.\u00a0 Similarly, because Abraham our father said, Is it conceivable that the world is without a guide? The Holy One blessed be He, looked out and said to him, I am the Guide, the Sovereign of the Universe.\u00a0 So will the king desire your beauty (Tehillim \/ Psalms 1:2) e.g. to make you glorious in the world.\u00a0 For he is your Lord and do homage unto him, hence, The Lord said unto Abraham, Get you, etc.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n
\n\u05d0 \u05d5\u05d9\u05d0\u05de\u05e8 \u05d4\u05f3 \u05d0\u05dc \u05d0\u05d1\u05e8\u05dd \u05dc\u05da \u05dc\u05da \u05de\u05d0\u05e8\u05e6\u05da \u05d5\u05d2\u05d5\u05f3, \u05e8\u05f3 \u05d9\u05e6\u05d7\u05e7 \u05e4\u05ea\u05d7 (\u05ea\u05d4\u05dc\u05d9\u05dd \u05de\u05d4) \u05e9\u05de\u05e2\u05d9 \u05d1\u05ea \u05d5\u05e8\u05d0\u05d9 \u05d5\u05d4\u05d8\u05d9 \u05d0\u05d6\u05e0\u05da \u05d5\u05e9\u05db\u05d7\u05d9 \u05e2\u05de\u05da \u05d5\u05d1\u05d9\u05ea \u05d0\u05d1\u05d9\u05da, \u05d0\u05de\u05e8 \u05e8\u05d1\u05d9 \u05d9\u05e6\u05d7\u05e7 \u05de\u05e9\u05dc \u05dc\u05d0\u05d7\u05d3 \u05e9\u05d4\u05d9\u05d4 \u05e2\u05d5\u05d1\u05e8 \u05de\u05de\u05e7\u05d5\u05dd \u05dc\u05de\u05e7\u05d5\u05dd, \u05d5\u05e8\u05d0\u05d4 \u05d1\u05d9\u05e8\u05d4 \u05d0\u05d7\u05ea \u05d3\u05d5\u05dc\u05e7\u05ea \u05d0\u05de\u05e8 \u05ea\u05d0\u05de\u05e8 \u05e9\u05d4\u05d1\u05d9\u05e8\u05d4 \u05d6\u05d5 \u05d1\u05dc\u05d0 \u05de\u05e0\u05d4\u05d9\u05d2, \u05d4\u05e6\u05d9\u05e5 \u05e2\u05dc\u05d9\u05d5 \u05d1\u05e2\u05dc \u05d4\u05d1\u05d9\u05e8\u05d4, \u05d0\u05de\u05e8 \u05dc\u05d5 \u05d0\u05e0\u05d9 \u05d4\u05d5\u05d0 \u05d1\u05e2\u05dc \u05d4\u05d1\u05d9\u05e8\u05d4, \u05db\u05da \u05dc\u05e4\u05d9 \u05e9\u05d4\u05d9\u05d4 \u05d0\u05d1\u05d9\u05e0\u05d5 \u05d0\u05d1\u05e8\u05d4\u05dd \u05d0\u05d5\u05de\u05e8 \u05ea\u05d0\u05de\u05e8 \u05e9\u05d4\u05e2\u05d5\u05dc\u05dd \u05d4\u05d6\u05d4 \u05d1\u05dc\u05d0 \u05de\u05e0\u05d4\u05d9\u05d2, \u05d4\u05e6\u05d9\u05e5 \u05e2\u05dc\u05d9\u05d5 \u05d4\u05e7\u05d1\u05f4\u05d4 \u05d5\u05d0\u05de\u05e8 \u05dc\u05d5 \u05d0\u05e0\u05d9 \u05d4\u05d5\u05d0 \u05d1\u05e2\u05dc \u05d4\u05e2\u05d5\u05dc\u05dd, (\u05e9\u05dd \u05ea\u05d4\u05dc\u05d9\u05dd \u05de\u05f4\u05d4) \u05d5\u05d9\u05ea\u05d0\u05d5 \u05d4\u05de\u05dc\u05da \u05d9\u05e4\u05d9\u05da \u05db\u05d9 \u05d4\u05d5\u05d0 \u05d0\u05d3\u05d5\u05e0\u05d9\u05da, \u05d5\u05d9\u05ea\u05d0\u05d5 \u05d4\u05de\u05dc\u05da \u05d9\u05e4\u05d9\u05da \u05dc\u05d9\u05e4\u05d5\u05ea\u05d9\u05da \u05d1\u05e2\u05d5\u05dc\u05dd \u05d5\u05d4\u05e9\u05ea\u05d7\u05d5\u05d9 \u05dc\u05d5 \u05d4\u05d5\u05d9 \u05d5\u05d9\u05d0\u05de\u05e8 \u05d4\u05f3 \u05d0\u05dc \u05d0\u05d1\u05e8\u05dd.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
\n 53:1 Who has believed our message? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? 53:2 For He grew up before Him like a tender shoot, And like a root out of parched ground; He has no stately form or majesty That we should look upon Him, Nor appearance that we should be attracted to Him. 53:3 He was despised and forsaken of men, A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; And like one from whom men hide their face He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. (NASB)<\/span><\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n