Genesis

Friends and Family, Jewish unity is essential. We are stronger when we are unified. Israel knows that. He also knows that this is his last opportunity to use his fatherly influence to draw them together. Jacob had the opportunity to observe his sons in Goshen for 17 ‘good’ harmonious, peaceful years. Those 17 years encapsulate the Hebrew word טוֹב Tov – good. In addition, 17 hypostatizes the years Joseph learned with Jacob. He cultivated Egypt’s righteous, honest, ethical, wise, and responsible Viceroy. Joseph remained steadfast in all that Jacob taught him. (Sota 36b) says, ‘Joseph was worthy that twelve tribes should issue from him as they issued from his father Jacob, as it is said: These are the generations of Jacob, Joseph. (Genesis 37.1 – 2) ties the generations of Jacob and Joseph together, i.e., תֹּלְדוֹת יַעֲקֹב יוֹסֵף – Joseph’s face resembled Jacob. Esau hated Jacob and threatened to murder him. Joseph’s ten half-brothers hated him and planned to murder him. We mystically connect these and other similarities through Gematria and the number 17.

So, Jacob’s last call before his death was for his sons to unify. He knew plenty of contentions existed in his family. Joseph also realized that. It is the same today. Our inability to get along defeats us. Why do we focus on our disagreements? Why do we place our disagreements as our first order of business? In (Genesis 50.15 – 21) We see Joseph’s half-brothers focusing on their past differences while Joseph’s center of attention was on their present and future needs. He gave them assurances and comforted them.

Jacob was about to die, so he called all the tribes together and said to them: ‘[I am anxious and concerned] that you may bow down to another God after I have departed this world.’ Why was Jacob concerned? Because Abraham begat Ishmael and Isaac begat Esau, Both went astray. Jacob knew he must have 12 holy righteous sons to head the tribes of Israel.

Jacob searched his life to find what sin he may have committed to being punished with the loss of his son, Joseph. Why? Just as Joseph was stripped of his colorful prayer garment, Jacob felt stripped of the blessing of being the chosen of The Lord God. Jacob knew that the existence of the universes depended upon twelve sons, i.e., twelve tribes were required because there were twelve zodiacs. He felt like a reproach! He felt the merit of being selected to establish the twelve tribes was stripped away from him because of his sin. So Mystically, we see the Gematria of וַתְּחִי Vah Tih Chee, meaning living, life, and the Word חַטָּאתוֹ sin share the same Gematria’s Chah Taw Toh. Yaakov was concerned that his sin prevented him from establishing the twelve tribes.

(Pesachim 56a) says, ‘And Jacob called unto his sons, and said: Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you [that which shall befall you at the end of days].’ Jacob wished to reveal to his sons the ‘end of the days’, at which point the Shechinah departed from him. Said he, ‘Perhaps, Heaven forfend! there is one unfit among my children, like Abraham, from whom there issued Ishmael, or my father Isaac, from whom there issued Esau.’

[But] his sons answered him, ‘Hear O Israel, the Lord our God the Lord is One: just as there is only One in your heart, there is only one in our heart.’

At that moment, our father Jacob opened [his mouth] and exclaimed, ‘Blessed be the name of His glorious kingdom forever and ever.’ What is the point? We unite when we say the Shema.

Those who have lost family, employment, property, and wealth may be on the edge of losing all hope. The people of Israel have been here before. At times like these, we look for the Moshiach to come and deliver us. We want deliverance! There is nothing wrong in wanting a Moshiach, a deliverer. Our father, Jacob, wanted us to know we will be all right. Good will, Triumph! He emphasized that we will succeed. We will be successful! There was a time when I became very ill. Death seemed imminent. I began saying the Shema as most Jews do. A most beautiful, calming, comforting peace flowed through and around me. That was an amazing experience. In our seemingly darkest hour, we are connected to God, and God is Connected to us. We are not fractured. (Psalms 145.18) says, ‘The Lord is near to all those who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth.’

Dr. Akiva Gamliel Belk

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