This study is offered in the loving memory of Mrs. Ida Simmons Belk and Mr. Will Belk, may they rest in peace.
Adam’s contact with G-d was just five recorded times within Ha Torah over 930 years. About once every 186 years or just five times on the sixth day and then never again...
Bereishis 1:28-30
Bereishis 2:15-17
Bereishis 2:20
Bereishis 2:21,22
Bereishis 3:9-24
Chava, Adam’s wife, had only one contact with G-d in her entire life...
Bereishis 3:13-16
Kayin, the brother of Hevel and son of Adam and Chava, had just two contacts with
G-d during the seven generations {spanning hundreds of years} of his life...
Bereishis 4:6,7
Bereishis 4:9-16
Hevel who was murdered by Kayin had no recorded contact with G-d...
Seth, the third recorded son of Adam and Chava, had no recorded contact with G-d...
Enoch walked with G-d for 300 years but no direct contact is indicated...
From Creation forward to the time of the Flood, these are the only people Ha Torah records spoke with G-d during 1,656 years. So Ha Torah records that just three people - Adam, Chava and Kayin - had contact with G-d during the period from Adam up to Noach. Contact with G-d was not an everyday event. In other words, there are eight recorded contacts with G-d during 1,656 years which would average one recorded contact for every 207 years or basically eight recorded contacts from Creation to Kayin’s murder of Hevel, then no recorded contacts for over 1,600 years.
At the time of the Flood, the earth’s population was millions, maybe even billions. Sefer Ha Yasher reports that over 700,000 people gathered around the Ark after the door was shut and the flood began.
Noach had contact with G-d
Bereishis 6:13-21
Bereishis 7:1-4
Bereishis 7:16
Bereishis 8:15
Bereishis 9:1-17
Contact at Babel and confusion of languages
Bereishis 11:7-9
Abraham had contact with G-d
Bereishis 12:1-3
Bereishis 12:7,8
Bereishis 12:17
Bereishis 12:14-17
Bereishis 15:1-20
Bereishis 17:1-22
Bereishis 18:1-33
Bereishis 21:8
Bereishis 22:1,2
Bereishis 22:11-14
Bereishis 2:15-18
Sarah
Bereishis 18:15
Yitzchok
Bereishis 22
Bereishis 26:2-5
Rivkah
Bereishis 25:23
Yaakov
Bereishis 28:12-15
Hagar
Bereishis 16:7
Bereishis 21:17-21
Yishmael
Bereishis 21:17-21
Lot
Bereishis 19:1-22
Residents of Sodom / Gomorrah
Bereishis 19:1-29
Abimelech
Bereishis 20:3-8
From Creation to the evening that Yaakov placed his head upon the stone {which represents a span of 2,185 years}, G-d spoke through dreams, visions, messengers {angels} and special events like the Flood, Babel and the destruction of Sedom / Amorrah approximately 35 separate times... This is not to say that G-d did not talk to other people or that every contact is recorded.
The fact is, according to Ha Torah, G-d spoke to just thirteen people over a period of thousands of years. G-d passed judgment on mankind three times. Each time His destructive power was witnessed by millions: at the Flood, at Babel and at the destruction of Sedom / Amorrah, G-d spoke to just thirteen people over a period of thousands of years.
Now we read that “Hashem said to Yaakov...” Yaakov is the 13th person that Ha Torah records as being spoken to by the Creator. This is the 36th time in Ha Torah where we observe Hashem having communication with a human or humans. The last time we read of Hashem having communication with a human was 20 years earlier. This time was also with Yaakov. Now after Yaakov’s working 20 years... slaving for Lavan, Hashem speaks to Yaakov instructing him to return to his father’s house. Hashem speaks to Yaakov this second time in year 2235 from Creation.
Classmates, there is a serious point to this discussion. Be careful around individuals that claim G-d speaks to them. While it is true that we experience revelation, revelation is different than hearing the voice of G-d or experiencing a vision from G-d. Revelation is like entering a dark room where the light bulb is not working. One cannot see as well in the room because it is dark. Yet when the broken bulb is replaced and the light is turned on one can see much better. The point is that one does not see well in the dark. Turning a light switch on reveals more in the room than with the swtich off. We may apply this example to one who studies Ha Torah. As one studies Ha Torah they should receive light. This enlightenment is revelation. Many individuals receive revelation. Revelation is there waiting to be discovered. This is not the same as a verbal conversation with the Creator of the universe.
Do you actually think the Creator would actually speak to an individual that goes about stating, “the Creator has spoken to me"? If you look carefully at the 36 instances above, one fact that is clearly evident is modesty. The individuals that the Creator spoke with for the most part did NOT broadcast the conversation. They remained quiet! They were modest. Please remember Sefer Bereishis was revealed to the prophet Moshe. Then Moshe scribed what the Creator revealed to him.
Blessings and peace,
Dr. Akiva Gamliel Belk
Written in 5760
Updated in 5764
