Great is the Day of Ishmael

 It is well-known that you can never lose your ethnicity, no matter how many generations pass, or where you are on planet earth. The life of a scripturally designated forefather has its progeny in every generation.  Thus, when we read about the forefathers of the enemies of Israel in Psalm 83, we can be very certain that we are sharing this world and the nations with them.  This is why Yeshua was absolutely right about the last days’ wars and rumors of wars, nations fighting nations, kingdoms against kingdoms. If we were to view world history from His time all the way to ours, we would have to conclude that we have been in the last days for two thousand years.  The wisest man who ever lived declared that “there is nothing new under the sun” (ref. Ecclesiastes 1:9).

Since the war broke out in Israel, the Christian and Messianic communities have been associating this war with the ancient enemies of Israel.  How ironic, that many agree that the forefathers who are mentioned in Psalm 83 are alive and well in the present Arab world of Islam.  The latter themselves claim their ancestry from Ishmael, Esau, Amalek, Hagarites, etc.  And we too have no problem believing that they truly are the seed of Abraham and Ishmael.  However, when it comes to the descendants of the twelve tribes of Israel, we limit our understanding to a relatively small number of less than 20 million Jews worldwide.  We assume that all the tribes are included in that Jewish population.  This leaves a very anemic fulfillment of the promises of a multiplicity of the ethnicity of Abraham, through Isaac, through Jacob the father of the tribes: "By Myself I have sworn… indeed I will greatly bless you, and I will greatly multiply your seed as the stars of the heavens, and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your seed shall possess the gate of their enemies.  And in your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice” (Genesis 22:16-18).

I mentioned a few weeks ago that the fulfillment of Joel 3 could be in the making in the present situation. There are many other scriptures that can be plugged into the current circumstances. But truly it is only YHVH who is responsible for the timing of their scriptural fulfillment, or even for the preliminary stages in the process of His overall plan to bring back the whole house of Israel. “And the sons of Judah and the sons of Israel will be gathered together, and they will appoint for themselves one leader, and they will go up from the land/earth, for great will be the day of Jezreel” (Hosea 1:11), or is it Ishmael's great day?

In 1983-84, a year or so after the Spirit showed me from Scripture the biblical history of the House of Jacob and the division into what has been labeled the two houses of Israel - “Judah and Ephraim/Joseph”, we left the kibbutz where we were living and moved to a new settlement in the Judean desert. For seven months I typed out all the scriptures that I could find of “Thus says the LORD” pertaining to this aspect of the history of Israel. After the Internet came in, we set up a website and I posted it.  If you are interested in reading from it, go to www.israelitereturn.com open the file “Thus says Elohey Israel” and go to the 6th chapter, “Concerning Israel and Her Enemies”.  After 40 years I’m sure I would be rearranging many of the scriptures differently, but this is what the Spirit gave me at the time. 

Shabbat Shalom,

Ephraim and Rimona

Most Endangered Species

 

In Genesis 12:2 Abraham is called to be a "great nation" – goy - and much further on in Scripture, in Romans 4:13,  it is predicted that he "will inherit the world". The journey from point one to the goal of inheriting the world is one of the main themes of the Word of Elohim. What station have we arrived at now, on this journey?

The establishment of the State of Israel spelled the regathering of Judah's nation in (parts of) the Promised Land. A little later, an awakening toward their Messiah and Redeemer among a growing remnant within the Jewish people started to occur.  At the same time, another awakening has been taking place of the redeemed from many nations recovering their Israelite identity.

With the acceleration of world events, various agendas, and major shifts in natural conditions, one cannot help but surmise that the convergence of these two "awakenings" is closer than ever, and that perhaps sooner than later "saviors shall come to Mount Zion to judge the mountains of Esau, and the kingdom shall be YHVH's" (Obadiah 1:21).

However, before this comes to its conclusion, there are several phases and stages yet to be crossed, some of which are quite challenging. Revelation chapter 12 gives a very vivid glimpse into this.

The revealing of the sons of Elohim poses the greatest threat to the kingdom of the enemy. He therefore gathers all his forces in order to oppose this eventuality on all fronts. He raises the powers of Islam, first and foremost against the Jewish state, and with them also the forces of humanism and antisemitism.

But not only the Jewish 'entity' is constantly subjected to assaults. Although in a totally different way, and without it being life-threatening, the body of Israelites which is growing in their spiritual and natural revelation of identity while waiting for their Shepherd's whistle (Zec. 10:8), are also the object of attacks and nonacceptance from all quarters.

Christianity with its spiritual and universal ideology certainly cannot accept what would be termed an 'exclusive' doctrine. Messianic Jews are vehemently opposed to a group claiming to be Ephriam/Israel (second stick). At the same time, in their opinion only the Jews, Messianic and otherwise, constitute all of Israel, being also the point of view of evangelical and Zionist Christians. These hold strongly to the One New Man vision, of Jews and (forever) Gentiles being united. The Two-House understanding with its Ephraimite claimants is therefore relegated to the camp of the heretics, replacement theologists, with some even going as far as calling these believers the "synagogue of Satan".

While many among the Orthodox Jews do recognize the need for the return of Israel's tribes, Yeshua, of course, is anathema to them. One may return as a member of one of the tribes, but conversion to Judaism is mandatory, and leaving Yeshua at the door goes without saying.

Secular Jews, together with the rest of humanity's seculars and adherents of humanism, are against anything to do with Elohim, especially with their most recent agendas which defy the Creator in every way possible.

So why are the Islamists attacking Israel so viciously? Why are the world's humanists so anti-Elohim? Why is the 'Church' so anti-Torah? Why are Messianic Jews, Zionist Christians, and even some so-called Hebrew Roots adherents so much against Ephraimite claimants? Why are religious Jews so against Yeshua? And there are many more 'whys' that can be cited….

The ingathering of all of Israel, the sons of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, as the sons of Elohim, acting as the priesthood of all humanity with the Great High Priest at their head, so that all creation can be set free is the greatest threat to the extant kingdom of the enemy/kingdom of man.

"And it shall come to pass in the place where it was said to them, 'You are not My people,' there it shall be said to them, 'You are sons of the living Elohim'. Then the children of Judah and the children of Israel shall be gathered together, and appoint for themselves one head; and they shall come up out of the land, for great will be the day of Jezreel! (Hosea 1:10-11. See Romans 8:19-22; Ez. 37:24 ff).   "… a stone was cut out without hands, which struck the image [Man's composite kingdom] on its feet of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces.  Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were crushed together, and became like chaff from the summer threshing floors; the wind carried them away so that no trace of them was found. And the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth" (Daniel 2:34-35, emphasis added).

Is it any wonder, my friend, that you (and I and those from both houses, especially Judah's, who are still destined to have their eyes opened) are the most endangered species on the face of the earth?

Sovereignty In the Midst of Adversity

By now every one of you is no doubt quite aware of the most grievous and tragic events that have transpired here in Israel, and of the long way that is still ahead of us in order to "right the wrong" in some measure.  The following is not an attempt to cover these events – but only to point to the sovereignty of the Almighty and to the precise nature of His Word through a 'scriptural journey' that He has taken me since Yom Teruah until now.

At times we may barely notice a chain of occurrences that come our way until life circumstances provide us with a retrospective understanding, which makes 'all the difference in the world'. Looking back, such was my daily reading during the recent High Holy Days, which includes consecutive chapter readings taught by a certain rabbi, who sends daily audio recordings. These readings are not attached to the year's seasons, yet on Yom Teruah the chapter read dealt with that particular feast, on the Eve of Yom Kippurim I was surprised to find out that where we had gotten in our reading, was exactly the chapter that speaks about this topic. On one of the days of Succot, lo and behold, the daily reading had to do with this feast.  Another scripture that became very meaningful to me last week was Psalm 16, especially verse 6: "The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; Indeed, my heritage is beautiful to me".  The "lines" are "chavalim", literally ropes that in ancient times were used to mark out territories or boundaries. However, that word also means "troubles, tribulations, birth pangs" etc. Thus, I was shown that my YHVH-allotted 'territory' of circumstances may have some pangs or difficulties but they are not without their 'pleasantness', eventually leading to a "beautiful heritage" or "inheritance".

Last week at our weekly praise and prayer meeting, one of the participants drew our attention to David's lament over Saul and Yonatan, in 2^nd Samuel chapter 1. One of those verses kept showing up on the cell phone, and from the Bluetooth onto the receiver in the car, day in and day out: "How the mighty have fallen, and the weapons of war perished!" (v. 27).

On Friday, we made our way to the Upper Galilee, by the Lebanese border, for our grandson's fourth birthday. Beforehand, we went to pay condolences to a young widow, the mother of three young children, who is one of the few believers on this kibbutz, where our daughter and family reside. The atmosphere switched in an instant, in the succah where the delightful birthday party took place. During a conversation with my in-law, who is a typical leftist atheist, about the deep social discord in our society, she remarked that in the absence of a 'responsible adult' at the helm of the country the only rescue from this situation, will be a crisis, and furthermore, something no less than a catastrophe. Her words went right into my heart, and I knew, and even told her so, that what she was saying was like a prophecy of biblical scope. I agreed with her, and added, "We are drawing fire to ourselves, this is inevitable".

As you can imagine, the next morning (Shabbat, Shemini Atzeret/Simchat Torah), shortly after 6 A.M. I received a message from my in-law, "Last night we spoke about the catastrophe that will rescue us from our situation, perhaps it is now…" From then on, the world turned upside down. On the 50^th Anniversary of the Yom Kippur-October War we were thrust into a situation that we never foresaw or expected, and in some way was also a repeat of the 1973 war. One of the central places where a great carnage took place was at a "trance party" where 3 thousand young people (quite a few scantily dressed) were not only dancing, drinking, etc. but were doing so with a huge image of a Budha right in the midst of their prancing. As much as the hearts are broken for the loss of so many young lives or the abduction and abuse of others, it is hard not to make some kind of connection…  On the other hand, others have been subject to the same atrocities, but gave up their lives for others, "indeed how the mighty have fallen, and the weapons of war perished!". So many have been paraded by their cruel and brutal captors down the streets of Gaza, making verse 20 of 2^nd Samuel chapter 1 (referred to above) eerily relevant: "Tell it not in Gath, proclaim it not in the streets of Ashkelon -- Lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, Lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph".

Looking back at my week, every Word of Yah was declared in His perfect timing, and that brought so much trust and confidence in His total sovereignty, knowing that this is the overall "given" and unchangeable fact. I couldn't help but think, "The lines/boundaries of suffering have fallen to us" in spite of everything "in pleasant places," which will lead to the "beautiful inheritance" that YHVH has for us.  Additionally, you will not be surprised to know that although I haven't listened  to the rabbi's recordings for several days, due to the circumstances, when I caught up with it, the first was the Leviticus chapter dealing with the blessings and the curses.  

The next couple of days were no different. It started with the reading about the mustering of Israel's army in the wilderness (Numbers chapter 2), and then Amos' comparison of Israel to Sodom and Gomorrah, both in conduct and in the results of their action, ending it with "Prepare to meet your Elohim, O Israel!" (Amos 4:12). Psalm 11 describes the situation from a different and yet very appropriate angle: "In YHVH I put my trust; How can you say to my soul, 'Flee as a bird to your mountain'?  For look! The wicked bend their bow, they make ready their arrow on the string, that they may shoot secretly at the upright in heart.  If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?" This is quite an apt description of conditions here in the land, especially the highlighted words.

"YHVH is in His holy temple, YHVH's throne is in heaven; His eyes behold, His eyelids test the sons of men.   YHVH tests the righteous, but the wicked and the one who loves violence His soul hates.  Upon the wicked He will rain coals; Fire and brimstone and a burning wind shall be the portion of their cup.  For YHVH is righteous, He loves righteousness; His countenance beholds the upright".  

The description in Daniel Chapter 7 of the fourth and most dreadful beast with its devouring power, and of one of its horns that was seen making war against the saints, prevailing against them, came next, to be concluded by both Mark 3:24-25 and Luke 11:17, the two of which (random reading, again) warn against a house divided against itself (again, so appropriate for the state of the nation).  And finally, is the very sad statement of Amos, regarding Israel's idols (5:26), a visual expression of which was, as mentioned above, the large image that was displayed at the psychedelic trance party that `was a flagrant display of the lust of the flesh and which ended in the most tragic manner.  

 

Out of the Shadows

 The Colossians 2:16-17 scripture informs us that, “a festival or a new moon or Sabbaths… are a shadow of things to come…” In other words, the Shabbats, feast days, new moons etc. are prophetic or have prophetic properties. 

Both Passover and Shavuot/Bikkurim (literally Feast of Weeks and Firstfruits), that is, the first month’s (spring) feasts, have had their fulfillment, respectively, by the Lamb’s atoning sacrifice that has liberated us from the tyranny of sin, and then by the power of the outpouring of the Spirit of Holiness which has inscribed the Torah on the hearts.  

Such fulfilments have not been seen yet in regards to the seventh month’s (fall) feasts. But, it seems that we are ‘inching’ our way also into their completion.

The first of these is the “Day of Remembering the Sound” of YHVH’s voice when He spoke to the Israelites at Mount Sinai. Some of the redeemed of today, who have heeded the call of the Shepherd of Israel - Yeshua – are also beginning to hear the voice that resounded on Mount Sinai. While "deep is speaking to deep", they are recalling who they are as the seed of the forefathers who exited Egypt. So perhaps one of the signs of the fulfillment of Yom Zichron Teruah is that the house of Joseph is coming out of its prophesied condition of “not my people” and is starting to remember its/their true identity.  (Hosea 1:10).

Yom Kippur, which follows Yom Teruah, is most likely still waiting to ‘come out of the shadows’ and to be realized in its fullness.   Yom Kippur is also known as the “Great Day of YHVH’s Judgement”. What is it that is being judged?  It is “SIN” as a power, or a kingdom, or as Paul puts it - the body of Sin (ref Romans 6:6), or the ‘evil inclination’. This takes place when Yeshua the High Priest lays His hands on the head of the Azazel goat, “the Satan”, which is sent out to the wilderness to be cast into the dry places. The other goat represents the body of Messiah, being offered up and thrown into the fires of an atoning sacrifice.  Having the power of sin removed will give us the understanding and experience of what the scriptures mean by, “it is no longer I who live, but Messiah lives in me” (Galatians. 2:20). Yeshua’s experience, of giving up His life at Passover, will be experienced by us on Yom Kippur.

Being thus transformed in our inner being will have its effect also on our mortal bodies.  It will allow us to have a different perspective on the next feast, “Succot”.  The seven days of the proverbial Succot means that we, as Messiah’s Body, will still be in our ‘earth-suits’-succahs during the millennial rule, which will be fulfilled when YHVH takes the two sticks of Ezekiel 37:19-28 and will join them together as one Kingdom and one nation in the land of promise. Being free from the power of sin, we will minister as the Messiah did in His first advent and preform even greater works, as He himself announced in John 14:12.  This will last until the “eighth day”, that is Shmini Atzeret* – literally the “eighth of ceasing” – that is, the ceasing of time, when Time is no more.

“And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away… And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, ‘behold, the Mishkan of Elohim is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and Elohim himself shall be with them, and be their Elohim’” (Revelation 21:1-3)….and on and on… these splendid descriptions continue in the concluding chapters of the book of Revelation….

 *Presently celebrated as “Simchat Torah” – the rejoicing of the Torah - which begins the annual Torah reading cycle.

Succah – Succot – Symbol – Event – Time – Place

 How have a few sticks with a couple of sheets for walls, and some cut-off branches for a ceiling come to symbolize a momentous episode of the past, and another, which will culminate this age, as well as (symbolize) those who form an inextricable part of these events? 

 Let us start with this last point. Psalm 139 says, “You covered me in my mother’s womb”. The Hebrew verb used here for ‘covered’ is “te’su’ke’ni”, i.e., literally, ‘You have made/formed me as a succah’.  Psalm 39:4-5 confirms our fragility and transience, much like the succah, which is a flimsy and temporary structure.

 Before taking a journey to visit the succah and the feast of Succot, it has to be admitted that, the original succahs in the wilderness were structured differently than the typical ones which have been traditional for hundreds of years in the Jewish world. Our forefathers dwelt in structures that consisted of stone-marked circles in the middle of which was placed a stone or stick pole with hides or furs draped from the top down, making it more like a tent (at least that appears to have been the case at Kadesh Barnea, where they remained for quite a few years).

 The reason for Succot is stated thus: “You shall dwell in booths for seven days. All who are native Israelites shall dwell in booths, that your generations may know that I made the children of Israel dwell in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt” (Leviticus 23:42-43 emphasis added).   

 Quite frankly, this command seems curious and raises a question. Elohim performed great and mighty miracles and wonders for the people of Israel during their wilderness sojourn, protecting, rescuing, and providing for them in amazing ways, so why is it that out of all other possible symbols, the succah was chosen to commemorate this experience? Moreover, the succah is definitely not a secure shelter, and yet Amos 9:8-12 states:

 "’Behold, the eyes of the YHVH Elohim are on the sinful kingdom, and I will destroy it from the face of the earth; Yet I will not utterly destroy the house of Jacob,’ Says YHVH.  ‘For surely I will command, and will sift the house of Israel among all nations, as grain is sifted in a sieve; Yet not the smallest grain shall fall to the ground.  All the sinners of My people shall die by the sword, who say, 'the calamity shall not overtake nor confront us. On that day I will raise up the tabernacle/succah of David, which has fallen down, and repair its damages; I will raise up its ruins, and rebuild it as in the days of old; that they may possess the remnant of Edom, and all the Gentiles [nations/peoples] who are called by My name,’ says YHVH who does this thing”.

 This text describes troublesome times, replete with judgments of sinners from among the people of Israel. And yet, YHVH also promises “in that day” to raise up the “falling” (literal Hebrew) succah of David. The usage of the present continuous tense may be indicative of an ongoing action, and likely connected to man’s similitude to a succah, which does not cease falling until YHVH Himself raises it/them (His people) as His own kingdom, according to the text.

 The words from Amos 9, relating to the succah, are quoted in Acts 15:16-17, albeit with slight modifications, and read thus: “’After this, I will return and will rebuild the tabernacle of David, which has fallen down; I will rebuild its ruins, and I will set it up; so that the rest of mankind may seek YHVH, even all the Gentiles [nations/peoples] who are called by My name’, says YHVH who does all these things’”. Rather than “that they – Israel – will possess the remnant of Edom”, our present quote says, “so that the rest of mankind will seek YHVH”.

 In looking at the words that were changed, in Hebrew, it is very easy to see how “yirshu” – will possess – can be changed into “yidreshu” – will seek, and how “she’erit Edom” – the remnant of Edom – can be changed to “she’erit Adam” - remnant of mankind, i.e. Adam.  But beyond the simplistic word-switching possibilities, this alteration may be also viewed as the extension of YHVH’s plan - beyond the local and onto a worldwide one.

 Let’s examine the term “succah” again, as it appears in the two cited excerpts. Why “succah of David” and not “temple of David”? “sanctuary of David”, or “House of David”? Why is the succah one of the ultimate symbols of the establishment of YHVH’s kingdom on earth?

 Isaiah and Micha’s parallel prophecies (Is. 2: 2-4: Mic. 4:2) describe one of the greatest peaks of scriptural fulfillment: “Now it shall come to pass in the latter days that, the mountain of YHVH's house shall be established on the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow to it” (Isaiah 2:2). 

 On that great and auspicious day, what are the nations supposed to do? “And it shall come to pass that everyone who is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall go up from year to year to worship the King, YHVH of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Succot” (Zechariah 14:16 emphasis added), whilst draught and plagues await those who do not obey this word. The two previous temples, Solomon's and the 2nd Temple after the return from the 70-year Babylonian exile) were both inaugurated on Succot (1st Kings 8:2, 65-66; 2nd Chron. 5:3; Neh. 8:14-18).

 Many are of the opinion that the birth of Messiah was around the Succot season, while, unlike the spring feasts which have had their fulfillments during Yeshua’s first coming and immediately after, Succot’s fullest manifestation has not taken place yet. Nevertheless, John chapter 7 verse 10 inform us, perhaps with a view to the greater latter-day fulfillment, that Yeshua "went up to the feast, not openly, but as it were in secret" (emphasis added).  Therefore, is it possible that His return (on which "day and hour no one knows", Matt. 24:36) will indeed take place around this time?

 Is it possible that His return will indeed take place around this time? In Revelation 19:6 -9 there is a description of the Lamb's royal wedding, and this, no doubt, is also referring to the time of Succot. Let's read it: "And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, "Halleluyah! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns! Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.'  And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.  Then he said to me, 'Write: 'Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!' "

 Later on, a new eon is described in Revelation 21:3: “Behold, the tabernacle of Elohim is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and Elohim himself shall be with them, and be their Elohim” is it referring to the time of Succot? In the Greek original, “tabernacle” as it is used here, and “dwell” both originating in a Semitic term, “skay-nay” which means a structure made of green boughs, skins, or other materials. What makes this verse even more fascinating is its context; this above-mentioned scene is to occur after the establishment of the “new heaven” and the “new earth” and also of the “New Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from Elohim” (vs. 1, 2). Peter describes what precedes these occurrences: “… the heavens pass away with a great noise, and the elements melt with fervent heat” and “both the earth and the works that are in” are “burned up” (2 Peter 3:10). Moreover, the consonants of "skay-nay" are quite reminiscent of "succah" as well as of "shachan", which is the verb "to dwell", and thus, Mishkan.

 Remember our reference at the beginning, to Psalm 139:13: “You have covered – made a succah out of – me in my mother’s womb”? Psalm 27:5 says, “For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in his succah”. That is to say that Elohim Himself has a sukkah, which is a place of refuge in times of trouble.

 How may we conclude this survey, and what does it point to?

Let us review: I and my formation in the womb are likened to a… succah. The reminder of the wilderness' miracles – YHVH’s incredulous provision for His people and His protection all add up to a… dwelling in succahs. The very establishment of Elohim’s kingdom is depicted as a… succah. The Messiah’s return is in… Succot when His marriage to His bride takes place.  Thus, it is no coincidence that when Jacob returned to the land from his sojourn to Aram, after meeting his brother Esau, he first “journeyed to Succot” which he himself named because of the succah he constructed there (Gen. 33:17), and that the first place the Israelites came to after leaving Egypt and before the Reed Sea crossing was Succot (Ex. 13:20), while the inauguration of both temples took place at Succot (1^st Kings 8:2, 65; Nehemiah 8). Succot seems to be indicative of new beginnings.

 Does the imagery of the succah and of the Feast of Succot give us a glimpse into the Mighty Creator’s worldview, as it were, where a flimsy and weak structure symbolizes His creatures, but also the shelter that He provides for His own, while the great wedding feast is also to take place during the feast that centers on the very same flimsy booth which points to His birth as well as to His much-awaited return at the very peak of human history?

 This survey will not be complete without citing Isaiah 4: 2-6: “In that day the Branch of YHVH shall be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and appealing for those of Israel who have escaped. And it shall come to pass that he who is left in Zion and remains in Jerusalem will be called holy -- everyone who is recorded among the living in Jerusalem. When YHVH has washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and purged the blood of Jerusalem from her midst, by the spirit of judgment and by the spirit of burning, then YHVH will create above every dwelling place of Mount Zion, and above her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day and the shining of a flaming fire by night. For over all the glory, there will be a covering - CHUPA.  And a tabernacle - SUCCAH - for shade in the daytime from the heat, for a place of refuge, and for a shelter from storm and rain”.  In the Hebrew original “succah” follows “chupa” without a break. Again, is this a hint as to the connection of succah to the wedding canopy, chupa, and to the time when Messiah marries His bride, pointing to His return in order to dwell among His own? 

Note: It seems that the succah ceases to be on the “eighth day” – Shmini Atzeret. In Leviticus 23:42 it says, “You shall dwell in booths for seven days”, while the eighth day, and not the seventh, is a “holy convocation” (v. 36). On this holy day, the eighth, there is no more booth dwelling. If we convert this day into a thousand years, then the eighth millennium symbolizes eternity when the proverbial ephemeral succah is not seen anymore.

Bitter-Sweet Tearful Guideposts

 

Last Shabbat, as we were reading Jeremiah 31 (one of the traditional readings for Yom Zichron Teruah), a verse from this chapter that exploded into my life back in 1976, was illumined in a surprising manner.  The 1976 experience is described in my testimony book, Return to the Land - an Ephraimite Journey Home*.  But little did I know at that time that there was far more to the episode…

The aforementioned incident occurred when a friend and I drove a motor home from San Francisco to Ohio.  Here is a quote from the book: “We were now out of the mountains and were crossing the Wyoming Plains. Wanting to get an early start, I woke up that morning at about 4:00 a.m., walked into the kitchen area, and saw my Bible open next to the sink. I was somewhat surprised, as I did not remember leaving it there. The flashlight lit up the open page and these verses jumped up at me as if they were on springs: “Set up for yourself road marks, place for yourself guideposts, direct your heart to the highway, the way by which you went. Return, O virgin of Israel, return to these your cities. How long will you go here and there, O faithless daughter?” (Jeremiah 31:21, 22).

"Tears started streaming down my face. I couldn’t help but wail as if I had lost a loved one.  I think my travel partner thought I had “gone off the deep end.” How could I explain to her this longing in my heart for the Land of Israel?” End quote.

Fast forward almost 45 years. Here I was, sitting in my living room in Aviel ("God is my Father") Israel, with my wife, son, and his pregnant wife reading these very words, when Rimona pointed out a peculiar word from the above-mentioned verse that was used in Hebrew for “guideposts”.  In sort of a nonchalant way, as if it is just natural for a Hebrew speaker to make these connections, our son pointed out that the same word - “tamrurim” – also appears in a previous verse (15), which is translated as “bitter” (8564), “Thus says YHVH: ‘A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation and bitter weeping, Rachel weeping for her children, refusing to be comforted for her children because they are no more’" (Jeremiah 31:15, emphasis added. The Hebrew reads: "he is no more", referring to Joseph's disappearance in Gen. 37:30; 42:13;32,36).  However, in verse 21 “guideposts” (8563) is the translation of the same word, "tamrurim". Why would the prophet (Holy Spirit) connect these two verses with the same word, albeit each having an altogether different meaning?

My thoughts immediately went back to that strange experience in the Wyoming desert.  Was my bitter weeping a reaction to something so deep within that it reached back to the very heart of Joseph’s mother, Rachel?  I too felt as though I had lost a loved one, as she did over the loss of her firstborn Joseph.  Was Jeremiah using the one-word - “tamrurim” - as a guidepost for the sole (soul) purpose of directing us/me back to our/my identity as Rachel’s lost beloved son and in some mysterious way, comforting her and giving her hope?  “Thus says YHVH: ‘Refrain your voice from weeping, and your eyes from tears; For your work shall be rewarded, says YHVH, and they shall come back from the land of the enemy.  There is hope in your future,’ says YHVH, ‘that your children shall come back to their own border’” (Jeremiah 31:16-17). Examining the respective roots of those two identically written and sounding words, one finds that bitterness is rooted in m.r.r.  whereas guidepost is rooted in t.m.r. which means "tall", hence a high heap of stones, a (tall) palm/date tree, as well as the fruit "date" – tamar. Breaking up "tamar" into "tam-mar" reveals that "mar" (bitterness) has come to an end and is therefore gone, that is, "tam".

Interestingly, an episode in our forefathers' desert experience also brings these two words together.  “They moved from Marah and came to Elim. At Elim were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees; so they camped there” (Numbers 33:9 emphases added).  Originally there were seventy Israelite souls who went down to Egypt, and now their progeny was moving from the bitter waters (that were made sweet) to an oasis that provided them with seventy palm trees loaded with sweet fruit.   

It is no coincidence that Jeremiah 31 presents the New Covenant immediately after all those verses that speak of Ephraim and Rachel’s “tamrurim”.  The prophet Amos addresses those who do not grieve “for the affliction of Joseph” (Amos 6:6), warning them of the punitive measures that will be taken against them.  Perhaps the sages of old made no mistake when they chose the following readings for the feast of the first of the seventh month: 1^st Samuel 1 -2:10; Jeremiah 31:2-21; Hosea 14; Micah 7:18-20.  Was it the wording of Psalm 81 that influenced their choices, since the House of Joseph is charged in this text to blow the shofar on that particular day?  “Blow the shofar at the time of the New Moon, at the covered moon, on our solemn feast day. For this is a statute for Israel, a law of the Elohim of Jacob.  This He established in Joseph [Yehosef] as a testimony” (Psalm 81:3-5). This the only instance where Joseph's name in Hebrew is spelled Yehosef (rather than Yosef).  Why Yehosef? Is it because he has been hidden and now, through the New Covenant, is brought out of darkness and concealment into the light by the power of resurrection life in Messiah Yeshua? The letter hey added to his name indicates the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.  

I would like to end this letter with the apostle’s exclamation from the end of Romans 11: “Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of Elohim! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!”   (Romans 11:33).  "But if you seek first His kingdom and His righteousness all these things [understandings] will be given to you" (Matt 6:33 emphasis added).

 *   Return to the Land  

Hebrew Insights into Parashat Ha'azinu - D'varim (Deuteronomy) Chapter 32

Parashat Ha’azinu, which consists almost entirely of the ”Song of Moses” - Shirat Ha’azinu in Hebrew - is the crescendo that has been building up in the Dvarim (Deuteronomy) account. It is a recitation that summarizes the Israelites’ history, projecting future situations, while continually revolving around a central pivot - YHVH as the Almighty and the loving Father of His people. Shirat Ha’azinu (the Ha’azinu song or poem) was to bear testimony for future generations. Last week heaven and earth were also summoned as “witnesses”, as they are, indeed, here too: “Give ear, O heavens, and I will speak; and hear, O earth, the words of my mouth” (32:1, italics added). The imperative “ha’azinu” (“listen”) is a derivative of “ozen” – “ear”, and would therefore be best translated “give ear”.  Psalm 80 also opens up with: “Give ear- ha’azina - O Shepherd of Israel, You who lead Joseph like a flock; You who dwell between the cherubim, shine forth!” Perhaps if we “give ear” to the Shepherd of Yisrael, He will also give ear to our cry.

The common Hebrew word for “scales” is “moz’na’yim” (e.g., Lev. 19:36). The ancients must have known that the ear is responsible for balance, thus connecting the two words which stem from the root a.z.n (alef, zayin, noon). With that said, the picture depicted before us is of heaven and earth acting as scales that are to weigh Israel in the balance. You will notice that many of the verses are made up of couplets, where the same point is stated once and then repeated with a slight variation. Perhaps this device highlights all the more the ‘weighing scales', as well as being a double witness. The first two verses of the poem serve as a good example of this poetic device, which is so typical of biblical poetry:

Give ear, O heavens, and I will speak;

And hear, O earth, the words of my mouth.

My doctrine shall drop as the rain;                                                                  My speech shall drop down as the dew.

 

As the small rain on the tender plant,

And.aslthe;showerslon;the;grass((vs.1-2). 

   These words find their confirmation in the following: "For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, and do not return there, but water the earth, and make it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it" (Isaiah 55:10-11 emphasis added).       

YHVH’s love and care for Yisrael form the backdrop against which Yisrael’s past and future are respectively described and cast. According to the poem, the people’s relationship with and toward YHVH appears to be a primary cause of the events (past, present, and future) that befall them. 

Verse 4 exclaims that YHVH is “the Rock who is perfect”. The word used here for rock is “tzur”. This word is repeated several times in the poem, and thus we read in verse 13, in reference to YHVH’s benevolence toward Yisrael, “He made him suck honey from the rock and oil out of the flinty rock” (italics added). In response, Yeshurun (Jeshurun) – rooted in “straight",?acts?more?like?apYa’acov (root of "crookedness”), and; “scorned9the?Rockbofftheir Salvation” (v. 15).  Verse 18 reads thus: “You forgot the Rock who birthed you”. The verb used here for “forgot” is “teshi” of the root n.sh.h (noon, shin, hey), which is also the root for the name Menashe (Manasseh). The imagery of the “rock”, a substance that is definitely not associated with tenderness, much less with motherhood, is juxtaposed with metaphors related to birthing and suckling. This type of unusual imagery is echoed somewhat in 1^st Corinthians 10:1 and 4, where we read: “Our fathers…. all drank of the spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Messiah”.

In verses 30 and 31 there are several more references to “tzur” ("How could one chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight, unless their Rock had sold them, and YHVH had surrendered them?  For their rock is not like our Rock…"), while in verse 37 the “rock” is the one in whom “refuge is taken” (He will say: 'Where are their gods, the rock in which they sought refuge?) “chasayu”, ch.s.h., chet, samech, hey – is to “take refuge”, being a more conventional usage of the rock metaphor. Because the idols of the peoples were often made of stone or carved into a rock, “tzur” is also used here in relation to the gods of the pagans (e.g., verse 31), contrasting the term with Yisrael’s Elohim, who is totally detached from the literal substance of the rock.

Other parts of our text appear to highlight different attributes of Elohim; one, in particular, is found in verse 27, but let us also include verse 26. YHVH says about His treacherous people: “I will make an end of them, I will make their memory cease from among men. Were it not that I dreaded the enemy’s provocation, lest their adversaries should misconstrue, lest they should say, ‘our hand is exalted and not YHVH has performed all this’” (italics added). This last verse (27) contains a very daring anthropomorphism [personification-humanization of YHVH], “indeed attributing to Him the sentiment of fear, as it were… has no parallel in the Torah”. In this commentary Nechama Leibowitz includes other instances where Moshe expresses concern over the desecration of YHVH’s name among the nations and concludes: “This concern over desecrating the Divine name… assumes a much more intense and extreme form in our sidra [Parasha]. Here it is the Almighty Himself who is, as it were, “concerned” over the world being misled and diverted from the path leading mankind spiritually forward. He is filled with apprehension lest His name be brought into disrepute instead of sanctified and His sovereignty universally recognized and acknowledged, which is the ultimate goal of all creation.”[1]  

“I will make an end of them…” (back to verse 26) is couched here in a very unique term, which appears nowhere else in the Tanach (O.T.) - “af’ey’em”. Several possible interpretations of this term have been extrapolated. Most "have traced its meaning to the word pe’ah – “corner”, while others connect it with af (“anger”)”. Rashi breaks up the word into its three syllables and comes up with: “af ey hem”, which is a question that reads as follows: “In anger (“af” meaning YHVH’s anger), where are they?” Thus implying that YHVH’s anger has reduced them to non-existence.[2]?Da’attMikra4offersyanother interpretation, with the same “pe’ah” – “corner, edge” in mind: “I will not leave of them as much as an edge”,[3] or being picked up in the shemitta year by anyone who so wishes, and/or being scattered to the utmost ends (symbolized by the edges of the fields).

Another verse that requires some attention is verse 5, which says: “They have corrupted themselves: they are not His sons; it is their blemish; they are a crooked and perverse generation”. And although the Hebrew is somewhat obscure, according to Da’at Mikra it should read, “His sons’ blemish is theirs” (literal translation), that is to say: “their perversion is of their own making. Hence it may be said that they are “lo-banav”- “not-His-sons” (although there is yet another, alternate, though similar, reading of this). This is also reminiscent of the name that will be given at a much later date to Ephraim - “not-My-people”0(“Lo-Ami”,oHos.1:9). In? contradistinction, verse 6 names YHVH as “your father, the One who purchases you” – “kone’cha”. Quite often the term “koneh” (k.n.h, kof, noon, hey) – to “buy, or purchase” – is synonymous with redeeming and lends the latter act its graphic meaning, as the role of the redeemer is primarily to pay for and buy that which is lost (such as freedom or property). In 1^st Corinthians 6:20 and 7:23, Shaul (Paul) reminds the redeemed community: “You are bought with a price”. “Kone’cha”, with its similarity to “ken” (a “bird’s nest”), inspired Rashi to suggest that this is a reference to the nest that YHVH is making for Yisrael (see also verse 11) [4].

At this point, starting with verse 6 and through 14, the poem expounds very tenderly on the establishment of the Israelite nation, and on the care and love bestowed on it by its Maker. That Yisrael, even in its nascent state, had a major role in global affairs is made apparent from verse 8: “When the Most High divided to the nations their inheritance; when He separated the sons of Adam, He set the bounds of the people according to the number of the sons of Israel” (italics added). When one takes into consideration the fact that the above separation took place after the Flood, and more particularly that YHVH scattered the people during the Tower of Ba’vel (Babel) era (see Gen. 10:25, 11:8), this statement becomes all the more significant and points to an even greater future for Yisrael.

A string of verbs, which follow one another in progressive intensity and describe YHVH’s involvement with Yisrael is introduced in verses 10 & 11. “He found him…He compassed him about … He cared for him…. Like an eagle that stirs up His nest… He hovers… He spreads his wings… He takes him… lifts him….”  The “desert land”, the “waste” and the “howling wilderness” mentioned here (v. 10), bring to mind a lost entity wandering around, and thus these verbs appear as the solution and response to the people’s dire condition. These verbs are fraught with activity: “vay’vone’nehu” (root b.n.h, bet/vet, noon, hey), translated “cared”, in actual fact could relate to “bina” – “wisdom” and thus may read: “endowed him with wisdom”. Another possibility is that the above verb stems from “hitbonen”, which is to “look closely, watch”, or to “boneh”, “build, build up, or edify”. “Guarded him” is a translation of “yitz’renhu” and continues, “as the apple of His eye”. The latter is the pupil, “eeshon”, which literally is a “little man”. When one looks into someone else’s eye, one sees a miniature reflection of one’s self.  “Hovers” is particularly interesting, as it is “ye’ra’chef”, of the root r.ch.f (resh, chet, pey/fey), which is found in B’resheet (Genesis) 1:2 in reference to the Spirit of Elohim. We recall the idea of being protected from above as well as being airborne in Parashat Va’era, in Shmot (Exodus) 6:7, 8 where we read YHVH’s promise: “And I will take you…. to the land concerning which I lifted up My hand…” (italics added). In Sh’mot (Exodus) 19:4 YHVH addressed Yisrael: “I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself”. Parashat Ha’azinu, therefore, echoes and captures promises of the past, transferring them to the Israelites’ present reality on the threshold of the Promised Land.

Next is the enumeration of the goodness and plenty that was conferred upon Yisrael, and with which she shall be blessed in the future ("He made him ride in the heights of the earth, that he might eat the produce of the fields; He made him draw honey from the rock, and oil from the flinty rock;  curds from the cattle, and milk of the flock, with fat of lambs; and rams of the breed of Bashan, and goats, with the choicest wheat; and you drank wine, the blood of the grapes" vs. 13-14). Verse 15 witnesses a transition, and once again, there is an inventory, if you will, of densely listed verbs. Unfortunately, not all of them can be translated into verb form in English: “Yeshurun grew fat… kicked… became fat… became thick… covered in layers… forsook Elohim his maker….” In Hebrew, all these are in verb and adjective form, and follow one another thusly: “va’yishman… va’yiv’at… shamanta, avita, kasita, va’yitosh… vay’na’bel”, almost in stampede fashion. Just as before, where YHVH’s intense activities around His people were depicted in verb form, action-laden, so too here, the Israelites’ intent on turning away from their Creator is described in a chain reaction of fast moves.

The excerpt of verses 28-35 presents a controversy, which has been engaging the commentators for generations. Who is the subject of verses 28-29 ("For they are a nation void of counsel, nor is there any understanding in them.  Oh, that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end!")? Is it Yisrael, or is it the enemies? In verse 30 ("how could one chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight…), again, who is being chased, is it Yisrael, or the enemies? Verse 36: “For YHVH will bring His people justice; and He shall have compassion on His servants…” seems to indicate that the former section would have referred to the enemy. However, according to verses 30 and 31 again, it would appear that Yisrael is the subject of the section: “How shall one chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight unless their Rock had sold them and YHVH had shut them up?  For their rock is not as our Rock, even our enemies themselves being judges”. Who is it that YHVH is “selling”? (Remember verse 6, where He was depicted as the Father and the “buyer”?) Does He not sell that which belongs to Him? And in verse 31, in the references to “their rock” and to “our rock”, is there, not a distinction made between Yisrael and the other nations?  Verses 37 and 38 ("He will say: 'Where are their gods, the rock in which they sought refuge?  Who ate the fat of their sacrifices, and drank the wine of their drink offering? Let them rise and help you, and be your refuge") present a similar dilemma. Again, is it Yisrael or is it the nations that are the subject of this brief portion? Having just read that YHVH will have compassion on His people, this could possibly refer to the enemies, whose rock and god (the rock is the "god" and not a mere metaphor for strength, unlike the Elohim of Yisrael who is symbolized by the rock but is not the rock itself) is unable to help them. Conversely, this could also be talking to Yisrael, who had been leaning on false gods whom they trusted to no avail. What do you think?

“And Moses made an end of speaking all these words to all Israel. And he said to them, ‘Set your hearts to all the words which I testify among you today, which you shall command your sons to observe and to do, all the words of this law; For it is not a vain thing for you, because it is your life. And by this word you shall prolong your days in the land where you go over Jordan, there to possess it’” (vs. 45-47 italics added). Thus, Moshe seals these most solemn words of the testimonial poem. The words, “for it is not a vain thing for you, because it is your life” are rendered in Hebrew, “for it is not an empty word for you, because…” and here it is possible to read, “He is your life…"  “I am the way, the truth, and the Life”, were Yeshua’s words in John 14:6. And just as Shirat Ha’azinu was to bear a testimony, so did the Word-made-flesh (John 1:14) who bore testimony in His very being, “so that all may believe…” (John 1:7).

Once the recitation of the poem is over, Moshe is told by Elohim: "Go up this mountain of the Abarim, Mount Nebo, which is in the land of Moab, across from Jericho; view the land of Canaan, which I give to the children of Israel as a possession" (Deuteronomy 32:49). "Abarim" – avarim in Hebrew pronunciation - is rooted in our familiar "over", to cross or pass over. Thus, although Moshe was not to cross over to the land of C'na'an, there is another crossing that awaits him… from this present world to the next…

 

[1] New Studies in Devarim, Nechama Leibowitz, trans. Aryeh Newman. Eliner Library, Department for Torah Education and Culture in the Diaspora. Hemed Books Inc., Brooklyn, N.Y.

[2] Ibid

[3] Da’at Mikra, A’ahron Mirski, Rav Kook Inst., Jerusalem, 2001

[4] Ibid.