Genesis 18 – Warmth & Lovingkindness
One of our goals at JewishPath.org is to encourage, comfort, love, and be kind to those we come into contact with in-person and online since the late 1980’s. Before Covid 19, my wife, Revi, and I were in one of America’s busiest VA clinics. Every seat was taken. Veterans were standing in the large waiting rooms on both sides and down a long corridor to another hall. There was no place for us to sit. We try to live mindfully that The Lord is always with us. We are in God’s Presence continually. We communicate with God in our mind like The Holy Scriptures Teaches, ‘Abraham said in his heart / mind.’ – Genesis 17.17 – Eliezer of Damascus spoke to God in his heart. – Genesis 24.45.
I thought to myself and prayed to God in my mind. ‘Ooh Lord, what are we going to do? Revi and I are seniors with serious physical conditions. Where will we sit?’ Veterans with serious health issues surrounded us. Some were much more serious than ours. Doctors, nurses, attendants, technicians and, clerks were scurrying here and there, providing care quickly. One of the attendants called out a name. A man near me stood up. He vacated his chair, heading in the direction of the attendant who called him. Revi sat in that seat and said to me, ‘Honey, sit here.’ Instead of taking the seat for herself, she insisted that I take it. The man sitting next to me stood up and said to Revi, ‘Here ma’am, sit here next to your husband.’ He gave up his chair happily then stood in her place. Several other vets followed his action and gave up their seats for those of us who were seniors and noticeable weak. Quietly I sought The Lord to Bless these kindhearted men. I prayed, ‘God, please Bless this man.’ When they called his name, I noted his name. Instead of reading a magazine or playing a cell phone game, I focused on silent prayer for each individual waiting for medical attention along with us.
Later, after his appointment, the kindhearted gentleman was exiting the waiting room. I called out to him as he passed by. Blaine! He stopped and turned toward me, no doubt wondering how this old vet knew his name. I thanked him again for his kindness.
Genesis 18.19
[The Lord States in regards to Abraham] For [יְדַעְתִּיו Yih Dah Tee ] I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment; that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he has spoken of him.
Why is Ha Torah informing us that The Lord Knows Abraham? The Lord Knows each of us. Nothing is hidden from The Lord! The Midrash reminds us, Sovereign of the Universe, the hidden things and the revealed are precisely known to You. Everything is manifest to You, and there is nothing hidden from You. – Bamidbar Rabba 20.6
Here is the study point. [יְדַעְתִּיו Yih Dah Tee] The Lord Knows each of us. Rashi says, to truly know someone means you have loved her / him. The one who loves another brings her / him close and thus. As a result, knows her / him well. Rabbi Meir Zlotowitz and Rabbi Nosson Scherman, The Artscroll Tanach Series – Bereishis Vol. I(a) (Brooklyn, New York: Mesorah Publications, Ltd. 3rd Impression, 1989), p 651
Genesis 18.19 is informing us that the Lord Loved and Continues to Love Abraham and each of us. Also, the Lord Commended Abraham’s pattern of observing The Torah. Why? ‘Abraham taught Torah Observances to his children and his household after him. The children referenced here is us. We are the children of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The Torah was speaking directly to us. The Torah does not say, child. Ha Torah Says, children. Why? At that time, Abraham did not have any children. He had one child, Ishmael. Yet, years later, we are Abraham’s children. We are the ones Ha Torah is addressing in Genesis 18.19. The Lord Knows us and Loves us! We are a part of Abraham’s household. How do we know this?
Abraham kept the Way of The Lord?
That he kept the Way of the Lord means Abraham guarded all 613 Observances in The Holy Scriptures even though only some Observances applied to him. He carefully followed what The Lord God Commanded. He was meticulous with the Observances that applied to him. In my book entitled ‘Would You Like To Be Jewish, I write, ‘Some Observances are just for women. Some Observances are just for men. Some Observances are for the High Priest. Some are just for the Priests. Some are just for the Levites. Some are just for farmers. Some are just for children. Some are for plants, some for animals; some are for mother earth. The point is that there are 613 Observances. Each Observance is a Revelation of God’s Light to us. No one Observes all 613 Observances. Yet each of us is obligated to observe some of our Creator’s Directions for living. How well our world functions or fails to function depends upon each of us doing our righteous part.’ Dr. Akiva Gamliel Belk Would you Like To Be Jewish? (Cedar Hill Missouri, B’nai Noach Torah Institute, LLC, Publisher 2013) PP 45 – 46
Abraham judged situations fairly without deviation. He stayed on the Path of The Lord. He taught his children and those living with him to follow the Observances that applied to them, i.e., to us. Following the Observances worked for Abraham. Following the Observances will also work for us. First, we must learn what the Observances are and then which apply to us individually.
The Gematria of יְדַעְתִּיו Yih Dah Tee is 500. [יְדַעְתִּיו Yih Dah Tee means ‘I know him.’ I am speaking in the spiritual sense, NOT the physical sense. In the Aleph Bet. נֹתֵן Noh Tayn – means ‘to give.’ The Gematria is 500. Mystically what is the relationship between these two words? We benefit because God Knows us spiritually, and God Gives / Bestows Blessings upon us. The ‘FINAL’ Letter Kuf ך is the numerical number 500. The final Letter, Kuf ך – means ‘as or like’. We are supposed to be spiritually like The Lord God. As we know others spiritually, we love and give to them like The Lord God Loves and gives to us.
Our other side is our not so obedient soul. God said, ‘the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth.’ Genesis 8.21 Most of us are at war with the not so observant side of us. It is a good day when our not so obedient soul joins in peace and lovingkindness with our spiritual soul, our obedient soul.
When The Lord Says, I Know him this means Love is at the center of The Emanations of God. Abraham was surrounded by God’s Great and Powerful emanations!
We do not know people like God Knows us. When a stranger does a loving and kind deed, that has an impact!! That changes situations!
May we stay within the Torah’s Guidelines of righteous living and repentance. May we help others, 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
