Able and atonement(continued)

Adam and Eve try to cover their "nakedness" with plants(fig leaves). God removes the leaves and uses animal skins. Cain raises produce(plants) to continue his father Adam's work. Able raises sheep to continue God's work of covering man with animal skins.

Love creates

It is for love that we compose our greatest works of art. Love of the Divine is not only the greatest love of all, it is the source of all true love. When that love is lost we begin to loose our ability to not only create art but even recognize beauty.

Abel and atonement

In an earlier post I said that perhaps the reason Abel became a shepherd was to escape the curse. I believe that it is generally assumed that Abel raised sheep for food and clothing. But man was not given the right to eat meat until Noach left the ark(Gen 9:3). Abel must have been raising sheep for clothing(covering). After God hands out his punishment to the three culprits he makes coverings for Adam and Chava out of animal skins replacing the fig leaves that they had provided for themselves. Abel was not only working outside the curse, he was helping to continue what God had started namely covering our naked/fallen bodies. Cain on the other hand, chose a vocation within the bounderies of the curse. He is connected to the cursed ground. Abel is working outside of the curse to make a covering for mans "fallen" state.

Jacob as King and Priest

"Then Isaac trembled in very great perplexity, and said, 'Who then is the one who hunted game, brought it to me, and I partook of all when you had not yet come, and I blessed him? Indeed, he shall be (remain) blessed!'" (Genesis 27:33)


When Izaak wants to give Esau his blessing is he intending to continue God's choosing process? If so, why wouldn't he recognize the spiritual one, God's choice? What would give him the audacity to continue what only God had done up to this point?

It seems logical that Izaak believed that at some point a whole family had to be chosen in order to become a nation and since both his children came from the same mother Rebeca, in fact they were twins, both sons would carry on the chosen (bechira) line. As opposed to the two sons of Abraham with whom only one was chosen by God.

Izaak understood God's choosing process. Perhaps he believed that his two sons were bechira-chosen to propagate the nation. He did not receive the prophecy that Rebeca had and apparently she did not tell him. Esau was "a man of the field” - a man of physicality in charge of the physical needs of the family (food, protection, business, etc.). He would naturally be the king of the clan. It is worth noting that the blessing (beracha) that Izaak intends to bestow on Esau has similar elements to the blessings that Jacob later bestows on Judah and Joseph (Gen. 49:8, 22ff) who were to be present and future leaders/kings.

Though Jacob's blessing is a bit more complicated, there are also similarities with the levitical roll (Deut. 33:10) and comparable word usages that Jacob later says to Shimon and Levy in his blessing/curse to them (Gen. 49:5). Although Izaak gives an Abrahamic Blessing to Jacob, he does not grant him bechira but says, "May He grant you the blessing of Abraham". Perhaps at this point Izaak is now beginning to understand what Rebeca has known all along that the two sons are two nations.

Clearly, Jacob is the natural spiritual leader. He is a man "abiding in tents"1. He represented the priesthood, study of scripture - the clergy. In consequence of having stolen Esau's blessing, Jacob is forced to become dual natured - a man of the field and a man who abides in tents. He becomes both King and Priest. When Jacob is complete, it is then his progeny that become the bechira (chosen) nation.

“Summing up our thesis: the division of the three pillars of spirituality in the world of the 'might have been' would have resulted in separating the spiritual roles of Esau and Jacob along the fault line that separates olam hazeh, this material world that we inhabit, from olam haba, the World to Come. Jacob would have been assigned the duties that call for separation from the material world and total immersion in the spiritual realms of Divine service and Torah study, while Esau would have been assigned the responsibility of supporting Jacob's spiritual efforts through his control of the material world. In effect Esau would have been assigned olam hazeh as his lot, while Jacob would have taken charge of olam haba.”(Rabbi Noson Weisz)

Perhaps this is the reason why Jacob retains both of his names (Jacob and Israel) throughout the Scriptures (unlike Abraham and Sarah). Each name is an indication of his two natures.

CONCLUSION

“O profane and wicked prince of Israel, whose day has come, whose time of punishment has reached its climax, this is what the Sovereign LORD says: Take off the turban, remove the crown. It will not be as it was: The lowly will be exalted and the exalted will be brought low. A ruin! A ruin! I will make it a ruin! It will not be restored until he comes to whom it rightfully belongs; to him I will give it.” (Ezekiel 21:25-27)

Ezekiel foretells the combining of the turban (priesthood) and the crown to be given to Him, the one to whom it rightfully belongs, the coming Messiah. The King/Priest will usher in a new era, a new covenant and a new kingdom.

But if you are willing to look deeper into the Holy Scriptures, you will find that God has been revealing his plan of salvation from Genesis all the way through the Prophets. Long before Ezekiel prophesies of this King/Priest, the book of Genesis briefly lifts the veil and gives us a glimpse of the coming King/Priest.

Just as the Akaidah (the Binding of Izaak) was a glimpse into the death and resurrection of Christ, the story of Jacob tells us something of the two natures of the future Messiah.

the Holy Trinity in creation and the construction of the Mishkan

Moshe puts two "contractors" incharge of the building of the Mishkan/Ohel moed Tabernacle/Tent of Meeting- Betzallel and Oholiav.
Betzallel- in the shadow of El(God) a figure of Christ the Son of God

"He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature..." Heb. 1:3

Oholiav- Tent of the father

"The Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters." Gen 1:2

Betzallel represents the Logos(Davar- word, object) of God that solidified, became flesh-Christ

Oholiav represents The Holy Spirit of God that spreads out(tent) over the waters of creation.

Moshe represents the Father "And Moshe saw all the work, and behold, they had done it, as the LORD had commanded, so had they done it. Then Moshe blessed them." Ex.39:43

"And God saw that it was good... ...And God blessed them..." Gen 1:25-28

Garden of thistles

The garden I was put in charge of was nothing more than a haven of thistles. I became lethargic from its fermented, rotten produce. I tried to arouse my senses over and over again to restore it to the beauty I once envisioned. I was chased off, again and again, by the rabid dogs who were once my companions. I am sentenced to continually return to the edges of the garden of thorns to care for the two precious saplings arising from this den of noxious weeds.

Man's two obligations to love

And HaShem shall be King over all the earth: in that day shall HaShem be one, and his name one.

Zech 14:9

And the glory which thou hast given me I have given unto them; that they may be one, even as we are one;

John 17:22

Man in his physical state has a dual duty to love; love God and love his neighbor. The Christian hangs on to life so he can fulfill both. At death the believer will continue to love God but his neighborly love is cut off until the Resurrection. Then our physical bodies will "rise" and our dual love will be unified and He will be one and His name one.

Christ is our Rest

Christ is our rest(our Sabbath) and our Priest.
Shabbot(sabbath) is the one duel natured commandment in the Ten Commandments. The Ten were written on two stones; one for our relationship to God(you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, soul and mind) and the other for our relationship with our neighbor(you shall love your neighbor as yourself). The Sabbath is the connection between God and our neighbor. The Sabbath is the time when we assemble together(neighbor) to listen to the Word of God(God).

seperation

I have been meditating on separation and death. Death is ultimately a separation. That is perhaps, of course, the reason we grieve. We are not so much worried as to where they are(although that is a factor) after death but the dead have become separated from us. When Adam and Chava were warned that on the day they ate from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil they would "die". That day they became separated from God. God comes to the garden and says "Adam, where are you?" He has to ask that because Adam and Chava began the separation process that God finishes by expelling them from the Garden of Eden.

Pidyon Haben and the Son of God(expanded)

“…being designated by God a high priest after the order of Melchetzedek.” (Hebrews 5:10). Jesus’ eligibility to kingship is well established through his genealogy given in Matthew 1 and Luke 3*. Joseph(and Mary?) is clearly from the Tribe of Judah which through King David is eternally given the kingship(II Sam. 7:12-17). But in order to prove Christ’s eligibility to the priesthood the author of Hebrews connects Jesus’ office of high priest with Melchetzedek. Some have seen this as an attempt to bypass the Moseic Law that prohibits all but those of the Tribe of Levi from serving as priests. But can Jesus be eligible for the priesthood without contradicting the Law of Moses?

And The LORD spoke unto Moses, saying, And I, behold, I have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel instead of all the first-born that openeth the womb among the children of Israel; and the Levites shall be mine: for all the first-born are mine; on the day that I smote all the first-born in the land of Egypt I hallowed unto me all the first-born in Israel, both man and beast; mine they shall be: I am The LORD. Num 3:11-13 (ASV)

God changes priestly duties from the “first born” of Israel to the Levites only. Prior to this every “first born” of Israel was set aside for temple worship or priesthood.(See also Exodus 11:4-13:15, 24:5) From this point on all the first born of Israel except the Tribe of Levi was to perform Pidyon Haben – redemption of the first born.

Everything that openeth the womb, of all flesh which they offer unto The LORD, both of man and beast shall be thine: nevertheless the first-born of man shalt thou surely redeem, and the firstling of unclean beasts shalt thou redeem. And those that are to be redeemed of them from a month old shalt thou redeem, according to thine estimation, for the money of five shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary (the same is twenty gerahs). Num 18:15-16 (ASV)

Why the change? To answer this I will refer to an ancient Jewish source, Bamidbar Rabbah 3:5:

"Originally, the Temple service devolved upon the first- born, but when they committed the sin of the Golden Calf the Levites, inasmuch as they had not erred in the matter of the Calf, were privileged to enter in their stead."

They also are distinguished in the scriptures by their zeal against those that participated in the sin of the golden calf.

And it came to pass, as soon as he came nigh unto the camp, that he saw the calf and the dancing: and Moses' anger waxed hot, and he cast the tables out of his hands, and brake them beneath the mount...then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, Whoso is on The LORD's side, let him come unto me. And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him. And he said unto them, Thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel, Put ye every man his sword upon his thigh, and go to and fro from gate to gate throughout the camp, and slay every man his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbor. And the sons of Levi did according to the word of Moses: and there fell of the people that day about three thousand men. And Moses said, Consecrate yourselves to-day to The LORD, yea, every man against his son, and against his brother; that he may bestow upon you a blessing this day. Ex 32:19, 26-29(ASV)

Pidyan Haben was a “release” or punishment from God for the sin of the gold calf. Jesus being of the tribe of Judah would be seemingly disqualified from the Mosaic priesthood and subject to the laws of Pidyon Haben. But according to Jewish oral law a persons “Jewishness” is reckoned from his/her Mother’s side where as his/her tribal(shevet) association is reckoned from his Father’s side. In order for Christ to be eligible for the priesthood his Father would have to be from a lineage/line that did not participate in the sin of the golden calf.

And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jonah: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father who is in heaven.
Matt 16:17 (ASV)

*Many suggestions have been offered as to Luke's genealogy whether or not this is Mary's genealogy or Joseph's. Some suggest the different father in Luke is Joseph's father-in-law that perhaps “adopted” Joseph because Mary was the only child thus leaving no males to leave an inheritance with.

Pixel's Revenge timelapse showreel from David Coiffier on Vimeo.

Hispeed nature shots from David Coiffier on Vimeo.

Mary- the new Eve

Paul calls Christ the new Adam and many Church Fathers saw Mary as the new Eve. If you juxtapose the two responses to their "miraculous" births(the only two "seed" of a woman) you can see direct opposite reactions.
Eve says, "I have acquired(kinyon) a man with(et in heb.) God". Eve uses the term et instead of im which possibly means utility- such as I dug a hole with(et) a shovel. vs I dug a hole with(im) Dave. Im would imply partnership. So her reaction to the birth of Cain was pride.(perhaps this also explains the difference in the two sacrifices of Cain and Able.)
Mary, on the other hand, responds with humility and adoration:

46And Mary said: "My soul glorifies the Lord 47and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, 48for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, 49for the Mighty One has done great things for me— holy is his name. 50His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. 51He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. 52He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. 53He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty. 54He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful 55to Abraham and his descendants forever, even as he said to our fathers."

desire and rule

Genesis 3:16 "to the woman He said, 'I will greatly increase your suffering and your childbearing; in pain shall you bear children. Yet your craving/desire(teshuka) shall be for your husband, and he shall rule(mashal) over you.'"

Genesis 4:7 "Surely if you improve yourself, you will be forgiven. But if you do not improve yourself, sin rests at the door. Its desire(teshuka) is towards you, yet you can conquer(mashal) it.

there is a clear connection between these verses. the dynamics in the relationship between Adam and Eve under the new fallen order are somehow equivalent to the relationship between sin and Cain.

A desires B. B will/can rule over A.

Eve and sin are A. Adam and Cain are B

Is Eve somehow equivelant to Sin? Is the Torah misogynistic? Or is there a different understanding of sin(chatat) in this passage?

Pidyon Haben and The Son of God.

The Laws of Pidyon Haben(redemption of the firstborn, Numbers 18:15) according to Jewish tradition began after the Egel haZahav(golden calf) incident. Before that the first born male of every tribe was to be set aside for Mishkan/Beis HaMikdash(Tabernacle/Temple) service(see Exodus 13:1-2, Exodus 24:5 with Rashi). The tribe of Levi was the only one that did not participate in the sin of the Egel haZahav so the whole tribe was dedicated to Mishkan/Beis HaMikdash service. So it seems that Pidyon Haben was a release, mandated by God, that every other tribe had to do regardless of whether or not the father of that child wanted his firstborn to become a priest. Christ not being of the tribe of Levi would have to have a Father that was not of any of the tribes that sinned with the golden calf and thus not be subject to the laws of Pidyon Haben making him eligible for the Priesthood.

The Akaidah and the Passion.

The Passion of the Christ is in many ways parallel with the Akaidah(Binding) story of Genesis 22. Christ carries the cross on His back to Calvary-Isaac carries the wood for the sacrifice. Isaac willingly allows himself to be the sacrifice for his father. Like Jesus and the Father, Abraham and Isaac are unified. There is also a sense of dispare in both willing "victims". Jesus crying "My God my God why have you forsaken me". And when Yaakov is confronted by Lavan after fleeing his home he says in Genesis 31:42 "Had not the God of Avraham and the Dread of Itzchak been with me..." After Crucifixion Christ disappears for a while before returning to His disciples- Isaac disappears from the narrative for a while until he reappears just before his wedding to Rebecca.

Things start splittin' at the seams...

Reuniting two brothers. Who was the ish(man) Yaakov wrestled with?

Genesis 32:24-30


24And Jacob was left alone. And a man(ish) wrestled with him until the breaking of the day. 25When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he touched his hip socket, and Jacob’s hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him. 26Then he said, "Let me go, for the day has broken." But Jacob said "I will not let you go unless you bless me." 27And he said to him, "What is your name?" And he said, "Jacob." 28Then he said, "Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed." 29Then Jacob asked him, "Please tell me your name." But he said, "Why is it that you ask my name?" And there he blessed him. 30So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel, saying, "For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life has been delivered."




This is got to be one of the most fascinating passages in all the Torah. For thousands of years Jews and later Christians have pondered over the identity of this mysterious man.


General consensus holds that it was an angel that Yaakov wrestled primarily due to Hosea's oracle;


"In the womb he took his brother by the heel, and in his manhood he strove with God. He strove with the angel and prevailed..."
Hosea 12:3,4



Many Christians hold that it was a christophany(preincarnate appearance of Jesus).
Jewish interpretation holds, for the most part, that the ish was Eisav's Gardian Angel or sar in Hebrew. Every nation has an angel attached to it such as Daniel's "Prince of Persia". Eisav is the founder/father of the Edomites. Jewish legend holds that the Edomites are the early ancestors of Rome(Midrash HaGadol) which is represented as Christianity by many medieval and modern commentators.

In any case the struggle with the "man" is directly connected to the struggle he has with his brother. but through out history Esav has been making amends.

It was the Edomites after converting to Judaism(the only coersed conversion in Jewish history) During Khoshmonaim Period that they come to rule Judea. They built "Herod's Temple". Remember as well that it was Itzchaks intention that Esav be the physical leader of the family/nation(see earlier post). The same temple that Jews to this day daven/pray at its western wall. And Edom in the form of Christianity and the Christian west that gave them the freedom to worship and helped to give them back their homeland.

So the Ish, you could say, was the Guardian Angel of the Church... And now we look forward to a true reconciliation of the two brothers.

For I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery, lest you be wise in your own estimation, that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fulness of the Gentiles has come in; and thus all Israel will be saved; just as it is written, "THE DELIVERER WILL COME FROM ZION, HE WILL REMOVE UNGODLINESS FROM JACOB." "AND THIS IS MY COVENANT WITH THEM, WHEN I TAKE AWAY THEIR SINS." From the standpoint of the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but from the standpoint of God's choice they are beloved for the sake of the fathers; for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.

-Romans 11:25-29

Benedictine Monks of Santo Domingo De Silos

יְדִיד נֶפֶש

Lover of the soul, Compassionate Father, draw Your servant to Your will. Then Your servant will hurry like a hart to bow before Your majesty. To him Your friendship will be sweeter than the dripping of the honeycomb and all taste.

Majestic, beautiful, radiance of the universe my soul is sick for your love. Please O G-d, heal her now by showing her the pleasantness of Your radiance. Then she will be strengthened and healed and eternal gladness will be hers.

All worthy One -- may Your mercy be aroused and please take pity on the son of Your beloved, because it is so very long that I have yearned intensely to see the splendor of Your strength, only these my heart desired, so please take pity and do not conceal Yourself.

Please be revealed and spread upon me, my Beloved, the shelter of Your peace that we may rejoice and be glad with You. Hasten, be loved, for the time has come, and show us grace as in days of old.

Dual natured Yaakov Part 2

Perhaps the reason why Yaakov retains both of his names throughout the Torah(unlike Avraham And Sarah) Is an indication of his two natures. His two struggles, one with Lavan and the other his brother Esav, was the way he received and/or perfected these two natures.

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Dual natured Yaakov

When Itzchak wants to give Esav his blessing is he intending to continue God's choosing process? If so why wouldn't he recognize the spiritual one, God's choice? What would give him the audacity to continue what only God had done up to this point?

It seems logical that Itzchak understood that at some point a whole family had to be chosen in order to become a nation and since both his children came from the same mother Rivka, in fact they were twins, both sons would carry on the chosen(bechira) line. As opposed to the two sons of Avraham with whom only one was chosen by God as Avraham was.

Itzchak understood God's choosing process. He believed that his two sons were bechira-chosen to propagate the nation. He did not receive the prophecy that Rivka had and apparently Rivka didn't tell him. Esav was "a man of the field". A man of physicality in charge of the physical needs of the family-food, protection, business, etc. He would be naturaly the king of the clan. The blessing(beracha) that Itzchak intends to bestow on him has very similar elements to the blessings that Yaakov later bestows on Yehuda and Yoseph(Bereishis49:8, 22ff) who at the time were present and future leaders/kings.

Yaakov's blessing is a bit more complicated but there are some similarities with the levitical roll (Devarim 33:10) and some similar word usages that Yaakov later says to Shimon and Levy in his blessing/curse to them such as congregation(Bereishis 49:5). Although Itzchak gives a Birchos Avrahom he does not grant him bechira but says, "May He grant you the blessing of Avraham". Perhaps at this point Itzchak is now beginning to understand what Rivka has known all along that the two sons are two nations.

So Yaakov is the natural spiritual leader. He is a man "abiding in tents". He represented the priesthood, Torah study-the clergy. Now that he stole Esav's blessing he has to become dual natured-a man of the field and a man who abides in tents. King and Priest. When he is complete it is his progeny that become the bechira nation.

wrestling with man and God

Esav's character trait was pride, haughtiness. he did not recognise his imperfect state as always needing improvement. He felt complete as his name indicates(Esav come from the word asu:complete- ein sin vav). There was no struggle in him.
Yaakov on the other hand was wrestler from the begining. He had hold of his brothers foot on their way out of the womb(Yaakov is possibly a play on the word ekev-heel). His wrestling was philosophical and emotional. He had a grasp of his "fallen nature". He was always in a struggle to better himself and to understand the world around him.

Maya Edan

Maya Eden

She arrived in a star shaped comet. Our newest addition to our family. she was born saterday at 8:33 pm. We are praying that she doesn't need a blood transfusion. She is as beautiful as her mother.

Point Defiance

Some thoughts on parshas toldos

Why did God "hate" Esav(Esau) and "love" Yaakov(Jacob) (Malachi 1:2-3)? Why was Yitzkhak's(Isaac) favor towards Esav and not towards God's "favorite"? Was Yitzkhak's intention to continue God's bechira(selection) process with Esav? Was the birthright(bekhoratehka) that Yaakov "stole" the blessing of the selecting of God's one chosen nation? What was the nature of the birthright? What was the nature of the beracha(blessing) that Yaakov "stole"? What was the nature of the last two berachot that Yitzkhak gives: one to Esav and the last to Yaakov?
Why is Yitzkhak's love connected to something ("...for game was in his mouth[befiv]") wherase Rivka's is unconnected?