Vayera means “and appeared,” referencing Abba YHWH appearing to Abraham with two other messengers. The trio brings news that Abraham and Sarah will have a son. Sarah, not believing Abba YHWH, laughs at hearing the pronouncement and then denies she did laugh. This is one reason why their son will be called Yitzkhak, “laughter”. Notable here also is that Abraham serves Abba YHWH and His two messengers milk and meat!
After this the dark message—the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah—is given. Since Abraham’s nephew Lot has settled there with his family, they must be evacuated from the coming disaster. At this time also is a remarkable “bargaining” session between Abraham and Abba YHWH, as they debate how many righteous souls must be found to spare the whole city. An incident similar to the one where Pharaoh took Sarah happens again with another ruler, with similar results. The portion ends with the most shocking story of them all, as Abraham is told to kill his son by Abba YHWH Himself! Also I am really looking forward to sharing with all of you a truly amazing Member Q&A this week! Enjoy!
Lech Lecha means “get yourself out.” It concerns the command Abba YHWH gives Abram to go into Canaan and has a lot of great “action” surrounding that main theme. First, move Abram has a bit of an adventure in Egypt when his wife acquired by Pharaoh because Abram said she was his sister! Then Abram had to do some intricate planning to get ahead of a potential family dispute between himself and his nephew Lot. After that a whole bunch of kings go to war around Abram and closer to home Abram is given the second most difficult test of his life and I’m just scratching the surface here…there’s a ton of action I left out here.
Noach refers to Noah, a righteous man whose name means “comfort” or “peace”. Abba YHWH tells Noah He is about to flood all of humanity out of existence except for himself, his wife, their three sons and three daughters in law. After the Flood, humanity tries to start over but there is still great evil about as Nimrod becomes a great and powerful leader and those (perhaps) under his influence attempt to build a tower to rival heaven, forcing Abba YHWH to confuse human language ever since. The genealogy brings us to the time of Abraham, thus setting up the covenant that is about to happen in the next portion.
Bereshit means “in the beginning” of course. We start with the six days of creation with Abba YHWH resting on the Shabbat day. After their expulsion from paradise, Adam and Eve have two sons, Cain and Abel and of course the former kills the latter. Afterwards, Cain flees Abba YHWH’s presence, first to Nod and then he goes build a city. As the human race begins to spread throughout the earth, the first ten generations are recounted and the life of righteous Noah is introduced.
FROM OUR SUKKAH TO YOURS–CHAG SAMEYACH!
It’s the last two parshas of the year before recycling back to Genesis, but this last installment is packed and getting us ready to recycle once more. We have special Sukkot readings and features that keep the feast going a little longer and other features that set us up to begin the Torah all over again, Enjoy!
From the deep foreshadowings of Genesis to the heart of Revelation and straight on to our apocalyptic future, see how Sukkot looms large over all things scriptural! With deep and penetrating bonus features on the entire history of this greatest of all feasts, explore the connections that show us exactly when Messiah was born and may very well point to when he is coming back. It’s the greatest feast special of them all, so don’t miss it!
It the best known and least known part of feast season. A time of fasting so one can stay alive in the new year is also said to be the most joyous time of them all. A feast clearly inaugurated by Moshe has foreshadowing all the way back to the Flood and forwards to Yeshua, Paul and even Yochanan, among the last things that apostle writes on the island of Patmos. Suppressed by some but embraced as part of our prophetic future by the remnant, enter the mystery of the this great fast, where nothing is as it seems. Keep Reeding
Nitzavim means “you stand” and it begins with more warnings for the price of disobedience. This is literally the beginning of the end of Israelite wandering and Moshe’s own life, so it is critical that every opportunity be taken to explain Israel’s responsibilities to them. This is an abnormally short portion.
Vayelech means, “and he went out/walked” referring of course to Moshe. The portion begins in a time of transition, where Joshua is brought forward as the next leader and final instructions to Israel are given. The portion ends with Moshe recording the words to a song, but those words are not given until the following portion, Ha’azinu.
Now that the Israelites are once again poised to enter the Promised Land for the first time in forty years, it’s time for a crash course, both literally and figuratively, as Moshe lays the life and death stakes on the line for 2 million people. After making a veiled rebuke to the previous generation, a massive dramatization of what Father Yah’s blessings and curses look like takes two mountains and twelve leaders to do justice. This is followed by the massive catalog of blessings and curses–and the latter greatly outnumber the former–that is chapter 28 and after all that negativity it is very good that the parsha ends at least on a somewhat hopeful note.
Chag Sameyach! Rejoice for the Feast Season if finally here! Kick it off with us with the 2019 Yom Teruah Special. Go deep into the stunning variety of names for this time (Day of Concealment, Day of Judgment being just two). What is the relationship between the Torah -mandated Yom Teruah and the modern Rosh Hashanna and how does this precious seventh new moon wind its way from the Torah to Revelation? Find out as special calendar teachings (see Video #2) and deep linguistic and historical analysis take us deeper into the his Appointed Time than ever before. Enjoy and celebrate!
Ki Teze means “when you go out” as in terms of when Israel confronts her enemies on the battlefield. One main war regulation is given at the start, and that is what to do with a woman taken captive from the nations that a Jewish man wants to make a wife. From there other requirements about marriage under other circumstances follow that have nothing to do with war. Many other marital and purity regulations follow for the remainder of this portion.
Shoftim means “judges” and Deuteronomy 16:18 begins with the command to appoint them. The Torah had suggested that these courts had to be established to resolve general disputes (Exodus 21:22, 22:8) but only here do we find the specific command to set these courts up in every city, probably because prior to this time they were not close to being settled in the land. Other warnings to kill idolaters in their midst follow along the lines of Deuteronomy 13 but lacking the provision that they do so even if predicted signs and wonders come true from the idolater’s mouth. Still other restatements of how courts should issue rulings, the roles of witnesses and the residing of the Levites with each tribe’s territory follow. Various other legal matters relating specifically to accidental death and serious injury are addressed in the remainder of the portion with a small break dedicated to rules of war.