Genesis

בייה

Dear Ones, This past week has been especially difficult for Jews. We are deeply hurting. We will continue to mourn, weep, and hurt for an unknown time. We must continue in unity and cause; all terrorists must be eradicated.

The Torah does not mention every detail from the first Word written, i.e., Beresheit – ‘In the beginning’ until now. However, The Torah does hint about other places and times. We cannot go into that discussion now. Some of the blackest, darkest, most horrific, frightful, gruesome, barbaric acts are omitted from the Torah. They did exist, but they do not exist. Those who commit savage, vicious, heinous acts are separated, isolated, and completely disconnected from everything in our universe except the darkest, blackest dungeons of the abyss. Terrorist are eternally confined in an abyss where they cry, weep, sob as their victims did, and scream like those they tortured. They beg for forgiveness, but God does NOT HEAR them!! There is nothing more horrible. Abyss is not the grave, Sheol, hell, or hades. It is an endless and continuous abyss.

I have often stated that God forgives any sin. This is true. However, God does not excuse the unrepentant. The people living in Noah’s time were unrepentant. The people of Sodom were unrepentant. The people of Shechem were unrepentant. Esau was unrepentant. Pharaoh was unrepentant. Terrorists are unrepentant. They think God approves of their brutal, murderous, heinous actions, but GOD DOES NOT!! We are not venturing there now.

This past week has been especially difficult for Jews. We are witnesses of humanity’s worst.

In this enormous time of suffering and sadness, let’s try to pray and hope for a better tomorrow. We are saturated with the constant streaming of the wounds of our people and country, Israel. The prospect of a better tomorrow exists, but it seems like a million miles away. We are trapped in a congested traffic of confusion That is slowly being sorted out… We want to escape that massive screaming traffic jam and go to a peaceful, relaxing place with no murder, torture, or death where we can breathe fresh air and drink pure water. There is one reliable place where people can feel safe secure, and escape the blaring chaos.

Ha Torah/God’s Word; music and melodies work to unite, heal and restore us. They work around the clock to build up our trust. Trust in God’s Word is a fundamental necessity. People need certainty, assurance, and reliance. Life can be cold, empty, lonely, and depressing without these.

Jacob suffered twenty-two years over the presumed death of Joseph. Sefer HaYashar says Joseph’s brothers handed Serach a harp and led her to the back of Jacob’s tent, encouraging her to play and sing a song they had composed. Serach played the harp with great skill. After a while, she began to sing that Joseph was alive and rules In Egypt. The soft harp, along with Serach’s voice, comforted Jacob. He began to trust the Word of Joseph’s Dreams/Prophecy. The Spirit of God, which revealed prophecies to him, returned. His soul left the sad, lonely place of mourning in which he had Isolated himself for twenty-two years. Sefer HaYashar (Hoboken, NJ: KTAV Publishing House, Inc., 1993) pp 146-147 – 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 1986-1987

Spiritual people like Jacob’s sons may experience times of weakness where their trust is shaken. The time surrounding the loss of their father was challenging for them. Jacob was their rock. He held the family together and settled issues like many fathers and mothers. We pray that death does not knock on your family’s door, but it could happen at some point. (Genesis 50) indicates that their trust was momentarily disrupted. They were in a time of shock. Ha Torah informs us of their momentary lapse in faith when they felt needy, uncertain, and concerned. After a short while, they bounced back. Their trust was restored. Our world is full of people seeking dependability. Genesis 50 describes Joseph’s half-brothers as needy, uncertain, and concerned.

The day came when Israel died and was buried in Canaan in the cave of Machpelah in Canaan, where Adam and Chavah, Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebecca, and his wife Leah were buried, as he expressed to Joseph. (Genesis 47.30) shares Israel’s request to Joseph,‘ I will lie with my fathers, and you shall carry me out of Egypt and bury me in their burying place.’

(Genesis 50.12) says, ‘His sons did to him according as he commanded them; For his sons carried him to the land of Canaan, and buried him in the cave of the field of Machpelah, which Abraham bought with the field for a possession of a burying place of Ephron the Hittite, before Mamre.” After the burial of Israel, his descendants and other members of the burial party returned to Egypt.’

Yet it doesn’t end there.

The news of Jacob’s death reached Esau and his sons. ‎They were informed that all of Egypt was bringing Jacob into the land of Canaan to bury him. Numerous people came to weep and mourn over ‎Jacob. Joseph and his brothers ‎carried him to Hebron to the cave of Macphelah. When they reached that place, Esau and his sons stood up ‎against Joseph and his brothers to prevent them from entering the cave, saying: Jacob cannot ‎be buried in this cave for it belongs to our father and us. Joseph stepped ‎forward to Esau, saying: My father bought this ‎cave from you after the death of Isaac twenty-five years ago.

Esau answered, saying: You are speaking a falsehood. I have not sold anything in this land as you claim, ‎and neither did my brother Jacob buy anything in this land.

Joseph told Esau: All ‎my father’s transactions with you are recorded in a book of sale, and ‎he had it attested by witnesses, and that book is in Egypt. Joseph ‎called his brother Naphtali and said: Make haste! Sprint to Egypt and bring the Book of Sales to me along with all the documents concerning this purchase. Naphtali listened to the words of Joseph and hastened to Egypt. When ‎Esau saw that Naphtali had gone to bring the documents, he became still bolder concerning his ‎claims upon the cave, and Esau, with all his men, rose up to fight against Joseph and his ‎brothers. And all the sons of Jacob and all the Egyptians fought against Esau and his men, and ‎Esau and his sons with all their people were smitten by the sons of Jacob, and they slew of ‎Esau’s people forty men. And Chushim, the son of Dan, the son of Jacob, was among Jacob’s ‎sons; he was hard of hearing, yet He noticed the uproar and asked what was going on. Upon learning, he ran towards Esau, smiting him with a sword. He cut off Esau’s head.

Jacob’s sons prevailed against Esau’s sons, ‎and they buried their father, Jacob, in the cave by force before the eyes of Esau’s sons. Thus ‎, Jacob was buried in the cave of Machpelah, which Abraham had purchased from the sons of Heth ‎for the possession of a burial ground, and he was buried in very costly garments. A king never received such honors as Joseph conferred upon his father at his death.

As babies in their mother’s womb, Esau fought with Jacob. On the day of Abraham’s death, Esau kidnapped and raped a girl who was betrothed to another man; he murdered, denied the resurrection, denied the existence of God, reward, and punishment, and despised his birthright. When Jacob received Isaac’s blessing of the firstborn, Esau Bitterly Cried out That he would kill his brother Jacob. Later, Esau sent his oldest son, Eliphaz, to murder him. Instead, he took all of Jacob’s wealth. Years later, he came with four hundred men to murder Jacob, his wives, and children. Finally, on the day of Jacob’s burial, Esau’s rain of terror ended. As most of you know, I have taught us to be loving and kind to take the higher road for decades. Jacob took the high road his entire life. His sons had to deal with the seed of terror.

May we reach out to our children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren with the message of Truth, Hope, and Return with lovingkindness and help repair our world. Let’s try to make our world a better place. May the Creator of all guide our message of return, blessings, health, prosperity, kindness, and peace. May our Lord Bless us in our daily walk, and may we stay within the Torah’s guidelines. May we bring peace and healing to our world. May this coming Sabbath and every Sabbath be a blessed Day.

Good Sabbath!

Dr. Akiva Gamliel Belk

Author