This study of mysticism in Hebrew Gematria is dedicated in the loving memory of Mrs. Ethel Sakash Belk, my mother, may she rest in peace.
Our parsha begins with Yitzchok pleading to Hashem for children. His wife Rivkah is barren... Yitzchok is sixty years of age and Rivkah is twenty-three years of age when Rivkah conceives, thank G-d!. The Torah states a short time later,
"And they crushed [and bruised and struggled] the sons inside her, and when this happened she questioned why is this happening to me ? And she went to inquire from Aleph to Tav about this from Hashem.
And said Hashem to her two nations are in your womb and two peoples will separate from within you and to one people will be fullness [and great] boldness and the great will serve the junior.” Bereishis 25:22,23
Classmate there are interesting letters added to several of the words in the first passuk. This is not by mistake. I have noted these letters in red. The Yud represents the intensity of the struggle between Ay Sawv {Eisov} and Yaakov. The Tav in Vah Yeet Roh Tzah Tzoo represents that this fighting in the womb of Rivkah was a sign. The Tav in Vah Toh Mehr represents another sign. Rivkah spoke out loud to her sons. “Why are you fighting?” Like a mother would say to her children, “Why are you fighting / hurting your brother?” Yet this was very puzzeling to Rivkah.
Our sages state that when Rivkah would pass by the doorways of Torah study at the school of Sheim and Evier Yaakov would rush to come out, and when Rivkah would pass by houses of idol worship Eisov would rush to come out. Can you imagine how Rivkah must have felt?
Let's examine this a little closer. Notice the phrase, Shih Nay - Goh Yeem - Bih Veet Naych {Two nations are in your womb} Within these three words there are two unique acrostics.
The first acrostic is from the first letter of each of the three words of the phrase Shih Nay - Goh Yeem - Bih Veet Naych. The second acrostic follows the first as Yaakov followed Eisov in birth. This acrostic is taken from the last letter of the last two words of the same phrase.
This describes Yaakov the second born son, the son who fled from his brother. Yaakov was the son who for twenty years was the poor son. From a lesson in a course {Torah 203} at B’nai Noach Torah Institute entitled Yaakov’s Staff” we take the following quote which discusses Yaakov’s poverty: “Our sages teach that when Yaakov fled his father Yitzchok’s home, Elifaz, the son of Eisov, went after him {Yaakov} and overtook him. Elifaz was ordered by his evil father Eisov to murder his Uncle Yaakov. Yet Elifaz was raised by his grandfather Yitzchok. Elifaz did not want to disobey his father’s order to kill his Uncle Yaakov even though he realized it was an evil order. Elifaz recognized this responsibility to his father, yet he also recognized his responsibility to do righteousness... When he overtook his Uncle Yaakov he explained his predicament. His Uncle Yaakov helped him sort things out.
...Yaakov’s counsel to his nephew was to take everything that he [Yaakov] had with him because a poor man is considered dead. So Elifaz heeded his Uncle Yaakov’s counsel and took everything but Yaakov’s clothes and staff.”
So from the same three word phrase Shih Nay - Goh Yeem - Bih Veet Naych
{Two nations are in your womb} we have the acrostic of Saw Gahv {to be high, mighty, strong, extolled, sublime} representing Eisov and the acrostic of Mawch {poor, humble} representing Yaakov. The Gematria of Saw Gahv is 305. The Gematria of Mawch is 60.
The Gematria 305 through Mysticism describes the actions and intent of Eisov in the word "Lih Haw Rah" {to hurt, harm; to do evil} which is what Ha Torah states Eisov intended to do to his brother Yaakov. "Eisov said in his heart, 'The days of mourning for my father are approaching. I will then kill everything from Aleph to Tav of my brother, Yaakov.'" Bereishis 27:41 Eisov’s evil intention was to make it seem as if Yaakov had never been born or exixted.
In the Gematria 60 we see reverence for G-d and reverence for His commands in Ha Torah in the word Hah Law Chawh {law, rule, tradition}. It was Yaakov who loved to study Hah Law Chawh according to our sages, Yaakov who loved to dwell in tents of learning... Yaakov learned with Shem, the righteous son of Noach, and with Eiver, the righteous great grandson of Shem.
So among these two nations we see Eisov, the "high, mighty and strong one," subdued by Yaakov, the "humble" student of Ha Torah!
May you have the best!
Dr. Akiva Gamliel Belk
Written in 5760
Updaten in 5764
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