47 Minimalists

Dear family and friends,

Genesis 47 discusses Israel (Jacob) and his descendent’s transition from Canaan to Egypt. Scripture States, וְכָל־אֲשֶׁר לָהֶם בָּאוּ ‘They brought everything with them.’ That’s a huge move! They did not leave anything in the land of Canaan. What does that tell us?

They did not burden themselves with things they did not need. Our Sages said, ‘no man is free (of encumbrances) but he who occupies himself in the learning of Torah.’ Avot 6.2 4. The Sages continue, ‘This is the way that is becoming for the one who studies the Torah: Eat a morsel of bread with salt, drink water by measure, sleep on the ground, and live a life of austerity while toiling in the Torah,’ Avot 6.4. Does that describe Jacob and his household? How did the patriarchal family live? What was their lifestyle?

In previous discussions, we learned that the children of Jacob possessed great physical strength and bravery. Jacob’s sons shepherded together from an early age. Ha Torah States (Genesis 30.36) ‘And he gave the [sheep he received from Laban] to his sons.’ The sheep were a down payment to Jacob for shepherding Laban’s flocks after completing 14 years of service for Rachel and Leah. At that time, Ruben was six, Simeon was five, Levi was four years old, etc. Ha Torah says (Genesis 29.20) ‘Jacob served seven years for Rachel.’ Yet, instead of receiving Rachel as agreed, Laban schemed with his daughters to fool Jacob. As a result, Jacob married Leah. Towards the end of the eighth year, his wife, Leah, bore Jacob her first son, Rubin. That is how we understand the ages of Jacob’s sons. We continue with the answer to how Jacob and his household lived.

Ha Torah states Jacob’s financial condition after working for Laban for 14 years (Genesis 30.30) says, ‘When / How shall I provide for my household, [at the age of 91]?’ Jacob was 63 when he hid, learned, and prepared for marriage at the Academy of Shem and Eiver (Rabbi Avrohom Davis, The Mesudah Chumash A New Linear Translation Bereishis(Hoboken New Jersey, KTVA Publishing House, Inc., 1991) p 309). He was 77 years of age when he arrived at Laban’s resident. After serving 14 years for Laban’s two daughters, he was 91 years old. Ha Torah Shares Jacob’s financial condition upon arriving at his Uncle Laban’s. (Genesis 32.11) ‘ I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which you have shown to your servant; for with my staff I passed over this Jordan, and now I have become two bands.’ What Truth is Jacob referring to? David testified of the Torah’s Truth in (Psalms 119.142) ‘Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and your Torah is the Truth.’ Maimonides writes, ‘One should accept the Truth from whatever source it proceeds.’

Moses Maimonides’ Eight Chapters: Maimonides’ Introduction to Pirkei Avot (p. 4). Kindle Edition. Ha Torah was the focal point of Jacob’s life. So now we come to the big question.

Was our patriarch Jacob, his children, grandchildren, and household minimalists? Perhaps! It depends on how one define’s minimalism. Revi and I were visited by my son, Joshua, my grandson, Josiah, and my granddaughter, SJ Sena Julia. One morning we were sitting around the dining room table when Josiah informed me that he and his sister are part of the minimalist generation. I said, What?? Josiah explained that minimalists live with only the things one needs. In our age, minimalists remove anything that distracts them from living with intentionality and freedom. I believe that is what Jacob and his household did.

This week’s discussion follows Yom Kippur’s work of self-evaluation, improvement, and restoration. Perhaps during the Holiday Observances, we make commitments in our hearts that we now need to solidify? Maimonides wrote, ‘No man / woman is free but he / she who occupies themself in the learning of Torah.’ That is what Jacob did. So now it is time for Grandparents and Parents and each of us to bring what should be most essential in our lives, i.e., Ha Torah, to the forefront. Family members who we have been separated should also come. We should be as close as a complete family again. It is time to go like Joseph came to Jacob and unite around The Holy Scriptures.

And All That They Have Came

וְכָל־אֲשֶׁר לָהֶם בָּאוּ = 641

Vih Chawl Ah Shehr Law Hehm Baw Oo

And [Joseph] Came Unto His Father in Goshen to see him

אָבִיו גּשְׁנָה וַיֵּרָא אֵלָיו = 641

Aw Vee Goshen Vaw Yay Raw Ay Lawv

The mystical side of our discussion from The Holy Scriptures is a Gematria spelling the same word but with different vowels. Before Joseph was kidnapped and sold into slavery, he and his father studied Eglah Arufah, which is about a heifer whose neck was broken in expiation because of an unsolved murder in (Deuteronomy 21.1 – 9.) Why is that significant? עַגְלָה Ah Gih Law – Wagon / Carriage has the exact spelling of the subject they were studying in Ha Torah, עֶגְלָה Eh Gih Law. — Heifer – Calf – it was a hidden code so Jacob then knew that indeed Joseph was alive. Rabbi Meir Zlotowitz and Rabbi Nosson Scherman, The Artscroll Tanach Series – Bereishis Vol. I(b) (Brooklyn, New York: Mesorah Publications, Ltd. 3rd Impression, 1989), p 1989

Dear ones, May we be vigilant in our self-improvement efforts and stripping away things that distract and interfere with our better self. May we labor in learning the good and pure Words flowing freely from the Power of Ha Torah.

Dr. Akiva Gamliel Belk

Author

JewishPath.Org

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