Gen. 49 – One
Dear family and friends, we are drawing close to the final chapter of this year’s study of Genesis. We are entering Genesis Chapter 49 and God Willing next week. We will conclude this year’s study of The Book of Genesis. God Willing, we will begin our annual cycle of Genesis for 5781 From Creation after Sukkot /The Festival of Tabernacles.
Our discussion this week comes from the last two words of Genesis 49.2,יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲבִיכֶם – Yisroel Ah Vee Chehm, meaning ‘Israel your Father.’ To the best of my knowledge Genesis, 49.2 is the only place.
– Yisroel Ah Vee Cheh is recorded in all Scripture. When we think of ONE, our thoughts should focus on The Lord God, Who is ONE and only ONE. The Gematria of – Yisroel Ah Vee Cheh is 614. That is unique because there are 613 Observances in The Torah. 614 is ONE beyond 613 Observances. So The Lord God as One gave us the 613 Observances to follow. Observing these Mitzvot, following them makes Israel Our father and we are drawn into ONE. We will review a few examples.
The word ישראל Israel is an Acronym. Each Letter of ישראל Israel is formed from other names. The Letter [ י ] Yud is from יצחק Isaac and יעקב Jacob.
The Letter [ ש ] Shin is from שרה Sarah.
The Letter [ ר ] Reish is from רבקה Rivkah and רחל Rachel.
The Letter [ א ] Aleph is from אברהם Abraham.
The Letter [ לֹ ] Lamed is from לֵאָה Leah.
Together The first letter of each of the patriarchs and matriarchs names form ONE word, ‘Israel’. Together we are one. We are one nation. We are one people. When we were in Genesis 46, we paid particular attention to verse 27. Why? The Torah informs us that ‘all the soul [s] of the house of Jacob, who came to Egypt, were seventy.’ All of Jacob’s descendants that came with Jacob down to Egypt are referred to in The Torah as one soul. For more information on this subject, please request a copy of our study of Genesis 46 in 5779 FC.
Those who are not the natural-born children of Jacob are included with – Yisroel Ah Vee Chehm, meaning ‘Israel your Father.’ Israel is the father of all Jews! The Jews who convert and the Jews who descend from Jacob. Israel is your father. We are all one.
In Genesis Chapters one, two, and five, we learn that Adam and Eve were initially one body, mind, and soul until The Lord God Divided them into two separate bodies. The creation body of Genesis 1.26 – 27 had male and female parts. They were androgynous. They had physical characteristics of both sexes; they were partly male and partly female in appearance. Rabbi Meir Zlotowitz and Rabbi Nosson Scherman, The Artscroll Tanach Series – Bereishis Vol. I(a) (Brooklyn, New York: Mesorah Publications, Ltd. 3rd Impression, 1989), p167. Genesis 2.24 Informs us that a man will leave his father and mother and will cling to his wife ‘and the two of them shall be one flesh.’
Today we see division among people of various religions, but that will change as we approach the time of the Messiah. The nations of the world will unite around The Lord Being ONE. The world will be
drawn together under ONE Name. Zechariah 14.1 Informs us that ‘The Lord shall be king over all the earth; on that day, The Lord shall be ONE, and His Name ONE. We are heading towards the last days that Jacob spoke of in Genesis 49.1.
Isaiah 43.10 – 11
You are my witnesses, said The Lord, and my servant whom I have chosen; that you may know and believe Me, and understand that I am He; before Me, there was no God formed, neither shall there be after Me. I, I Myself, AM The Lord; and beside Me, there is no savior.
May The Lord Bless us in our daily walk towards unity. May we stay within Torah’s Guidelines. 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
