46 – Uniting
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בייה Genesis 46 – Uniting Dear family and friends, Ha Torah Informs us in (Genesis 46.27) about Jacob’s family union / reunion, saying, ‘ כָּל־הַנֶּפֶשׁ All the soul [souls] of the house of Jacob, who came to Egypt, were seventy.’ Yet when we count, something doesn’t add up. There are subtleties in this Scripture that could be missed as in other Scriptures in Ha Torah. We encourage those who learn with us to study every intricate detail. Let’s begin by double-checking the number of descendants listed in relationship with the names given. Do they match? It matters! Leah 33 Zilpah 16 Rachel 14 Bilhah 7 Let’s review Leah’s descendants with the names. Be meticulous because several names of the deceased are mentioned but cannot be counted.’ Leah 33 [only 32 names mentioned] (Genesis 46.9) says, ‘And the sons of Reuben; Hanoch, and Phallu, and Hezron, and Carmi.’ – 5 names (Genesis 46.10) says, ‘And the sons of Simeon; Jemuel, and Jamin, and Ohad, and Jachin, and Zohar, and Saul, the son of a Canaanite woman.’ – 7 names (Genesis 46.11) says, ‘And the sons of Levi; Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.’ – 4 names (Genesis 46.12) says, ‘And the sons of Judah; Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez, and Zarah; but Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan. And the sons of Perez were Hezron and Hamul.’ – 6 names (Genesis 46.13) says, ‘And the sons of Issachar; Tola, Phuvah, Job, and Shimron.’ – 5 names (Genesis 46.14) says, ‘And the sons of Zebulun; Sered, Elon, and Jahleel.’ – 4 names (Genesis 46.15) says, ‘These are the sons of Leah, whom she bore to Jacob in Padan-Aram, with his daughter Dinah; all the souls of his sons and his daughters were thirty-three.’ – 1 name – Dinah. The total names are 32. One name is missing from the list. (Numbers 26.57) says, ‘And the name of Amram’s wife was Jochebed, the daughter of Levi, whom her mother bore to Levi in Egypt.’ (Midrash BR 94.9) says, ‘Jochebed was conceived in the land of Canaan and born in Egypt. Hence it is written, And the name of Amram’s daughter was Jochebed, the daughter of Levi, who was born to Levi in Egypt (Num. XXVI, 59)–she was born by the gates of Egypt. R. Levi said further in the name of R. Samuel b. Nahman: The Holy One, blessed be He, was wont to count the members of this tribe even while they were yet in their mother’s womb.’ What does that teach us about abortion? An unborn baby in its mother’s womb has an essence, a given name identified by The Lord God of Israel. The unborn child is a human being in development. These are some of the reasons why abortion is murder. (Psalms 147.2) says, ‘The Lord builds up Jerusalem; He gathers together the outcasts of Israel.’God Knows where every assimilated Child of Jacob / Israel is. The Ten Tribes are lost to us but not to God. He says, ‘Even them will I bring to My Holy Mountain, and make them joyful in My House of Prayer; their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon My Altar; for My, House shall be called a House of Prayer for all peoples,’ (Isaiah 57.7). We are the ones who exclude. God Forbid! (Psalms 147.4) says, ‘He [i.e., the Lord] counts the number of the stars; He calls them all by their names.’ (Isaiah 43.1) says, ‘But now thus says the Lord Who Created you, O Jacob, and He who formed you, O Israel, Fear not; for I have redeemed you, I have called you by your name; you are mine.’ וּבְנֵי יוֹסֵף אֲשֶׁר־יֻלַּד־לוֹ בְמִצְרַיִם נֶפֶשׁ שְׁנָיִם כָּל־הַנֶּפֶשׁ לְבֵית־יַעֲקֹב הַבָּאָה מִצְרַיְמָה שִׁבְעִים: ס The Holy Scriptures Remind us that this union/reunion is significant. It is a union for some and a reunion for Jacob, his 12 sons, daughter, Dinah, and granddaughter, Asnot. ‘all the soul [souls] of the house of Jacob, who came to Egypt, were seventy,’ Genesis 46.27. The Word for a single soul is נפש Nefesh. The Word for more than one soul is נפשות Nah-Fih-Showt. Mystically Ha Torah is sharing that everyone from Jacob’s loins shared the same single soul [נפש Nefesh]. In previous chapters, Jacob’s sons are spread about. Joseph is in Egypt. Simeon is in jail. Benjamin is with Jacob. The other sons are caring for their vast herds and their families. Now, Holy Scripture Informs us that all of Jacob’s seed came down with him to Egypt. They were unified with Jacob, and Jacob was unified with God. They were ‘ONE.’ (Genesis 46.5 – 7) says, ‘And Jacob rose from Beersheba, and the sons of Israel carried Jacob, their father, their little ones, and their wives, in the wagons which Pharaoh had sent to carry him. And they took their cattle, and their goods, which they had gained in the land of Canaan, and came to Egypt, Jacob, and all his seed with him; his sons, and his grandsons with him, his daughters, and his sons’ daughters, and he brought all his seed with him to Egypt.’ Our ancestors went down to Egypt as a community in unity. They were all of the same soul (Genesis 46.15, 18, 22, 25, and 27). They were like-minded! Today descendants and converts of the people of Israel are being drawn together. In a few weeks, Jews worldwide will again be like-minded as we gather for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur 5783 FC. Rosh Hashanah is known as the Day of Judgment. All creation will stand before God in judgment. Every human, animal, blade of grass, and more. Rosh Hashanah is known as The Day of Blowing the Shofar. This Rosh Hashanah or a Rosh Hashanah in the future, Moshiach will come, NOT RETURN! PRESENTLY until that Rosh Hashanah when Moshiach comes, we will have the opportunity to void our vows, repent for our mistakes, make a new plan not to repeat our mistakes, offer restitution, and walk arm in arm to a body of water to toss a stone in representing our sins. (Michah 7.18-20) says, ‘Who is a God like you, who pardons iniquity and passes over the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? He does not retain His anger forever because He delights in mercy. He will again have compassion upon us; He will suppress our iniquities, and you will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea. You will show the truth to Jacob and loving mercy to Abraham, as you have sworn to our fathers from the days of old.’ (Isaiah 43.25) says, ‘I, I myself, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake and will not remember your sins.’ (Psalms 103.8-12) says, ‘He made known His ways to Moses, His acts to the People of Israel. The Lord is merciful, gracious, slow to anger, and bountiful in loving kindness. He will not always chide, nor will He keep His anger forever. He has not dealt with us according to our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as the Heaven is high above the earth, so great is His loving kindness toward those who fear Him. As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.’ We blow the shofar during this month of Elul, which proceeds Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Hope and Expectations rise. We wonder, will Moshiach come this year? As a people, we will have the opportunity to unite with our father, Jacob, as we pray the Shema. Children returned home to reunite with parents and grandparents. Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, and Sukkot are the season of reuniting. The question is, will we bond together as one? Jewish people are scattered, fractured, and bewildered throughout the world. There is terror, tragedy, and distraction from rockets, bombings, and other explosive devices. Having stated the above, let’s remember that our goal this time of the year is reuniting. As we gather to unite in prayer, let’s be mindful of our surroundings. Let’s lift The Holy Name of God together. Let’s be conscious of those with needs. Now is the time to assist those with needs in advance of reuniting. America and many of the nations of the world are at a junction. We are on the sidelines, watching our country implode. Our world is experiencing the destructive impact of lies, Illegal acts, and liberalism. We are experiencing human rights abuses. The Lord God Created each of us as equal in the beginning. ALL LIFE MATTERS, including children in the womb, people of every color, and our Law Enforcement Officers!!! We are experiencing an extreme violations of our laws by our elected officials and civil servants. POLITICAL ABUSE OF POWER is rampant throughout our world. The Lord God Established The Seven Laws and The Ten Commands to guide each of us. These Commands hold all creation accountable. He designated lands and made borders!!! He established a system of equal justice for all. Our treatment of each other is pathetic! The Words כָּל־הַנֶּפֶשׁ Cawl – ALL- Hah – The – Nefh Fehsh Soul is the Gematria of 485. כָּל־הַנֶּפֶשׁ Cawl Hah Nefh Fehsh speaks about the unity of the Jewish Soul. One soul unites us. We are our brother’s keeper. That is one reason we pray for the forgiveness of our sins and the sins of other Jews. (Genesis 45.1) points to another mystical unity. Joseph, son of Jacob, Viceroy of Egypt, said, ‘ וַיִּקְרָא הוֹצִיאוּ כָל Aah Yee Kih Raw – And he called – Hoh Tzee Voo – [to the Egyptians] Cawl – Go out away from me. Let’s notice five points as Joseph was prepared to reveal himself to his brothers. First, Joseph had his Egyptian servants removed. Second, he spoke in Ivri / Hebrew to them. Third, He said to his brothers, ‘I am Joseph’ He identified himself to them in Hebrew. He did not use the Egyptian name that Pharaoh called him, Zaphnath-Paaneah, (Genesis 41.45). Fourth, Joseph revealed to them that he was circumcised as they were. Fifth, he called the brothers that sold him into slavery in close to him and forgave them. He whispered so as not to speak Loshon Harah – of his brother’s evil deeds in front of Benjamin. It was apparent to his ten brothers that Joseph had changed his behavior from when he was seventeen, and it was evident to Joseph that his brothers had repented and changed their behavior. Rabbi Meir Zlotowitz and Rabbi Nosson Scherman, The Artscroll Tanach Series – Bereishis Vol. I (b) (Brooklyn, New York: Mesorah Publications, Ltd. 3rd Impression, 1989), pp 1962-1963. So when we come to The Seven Laws it will be easier for us to understand them. The Gematria of ‘ וַיִּקְרָא הוֹצִיאוּ כָל Aah Yee Kih Raw – Hoh Tzee Voo – Cawl is also 485. Each was circumcised, righteous, respectful, and observant of Torah Mitzvot. We are in the season of return, repentance, restitution, and justice. As humans, we must UNITE to remove many SELF SERVING POLITICIANS!! Our country cannot unite with all the Dathan’s stirring up problems in our country and the world. We can unite in Tiferet [Beauty]. Now, in advance of The Holy Days, we should begin preparations. We should give tzedakah. We should blow the shofar. We should responsibly enjoy some liquor, wines, and other drinks with pleasant foods for our New Year celebrations. May The Lord Bless us with our physical and spiritual preparation for Rosh HaShannah, and may we be worthy to continue with our name inscribed in The Book of Living! Blessings and peace, Dr. Akiva Gamliel Belk Director of http://www.jewishpath.org
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