Was Esav’s kiss genuine?

Genesis 32:30 (31 Heb.) – 33:5

But Esau ran to meet Jacob and embraced him; he threw his arms around his neck and kissed him. And they wept.

(Gen. 33:4 NIV)

Was Esav’s kiss genuine?

The Hebrew text shows a slightly different feature in this instance. The Hebrew word translated as “and kissed him” – vayishkahu וישקהו – has a small dot over each letter. The famous medieval commentator Rashi explains that when these kinds of dots are over a word it is a sign that the word must be interpreted in a special way. If there are more letters than dots, the word is interpreted as it is, but if there are more dots than letters, the letters under the dots count as a separate word from the one that is already there. In this text, the amount of dots and letter coincide and therefore, there are different interpretation opinions among the rabbis. Some say that the word must be interpreted as if it didn’t exist, that is, that Esav’s kiss was fictitious. Others think that it must be understood the other way around, that even if Esav hated Yaakov, he had compassion in that moment and that the kiss was really heartfelt.

Personally, I believe we must interpret the text according to the last opinion. Within Esav, there was both good and bad, as in anyone. In the moment of this encounter, the Eternal activated the positive emotions he had toward his brother and the miracle of that wonderful encounter between both just happened. This came as a result of the struggle that our father Yaakov had the night before. After having humbling himself and acknowledged his fault, he was lifted up and blessed. The Eternal took control of the situation and produced this divine encounter between them. Yaakov acknowledges that not only did he see the face of the Almighty in the angel that strove with him but also in the face of his brother who received him in such a wonderful way.

How great the Eternal is! He can change death into life. Certain death for Yaakov and his family was changed into life and peace. He who humbles before the Eternal will be exalted and see a radical change in his circumstances.

Yaakov’s experience is also a symbol that speaks of the death and resurrection of the Son of Man. He humbled himself to the greatest extent; he was hung and killed on the Roman execution stake. And due to that humble and obedience act, the Eternal rose him and lifted him up to the highest places, giving him a name that is above all names, so that he can now act as a governor of all creation in the Name of the Eternal.

May the Eternal help us humble ourselves before His powerful hand and experience those radical changes that we need to live a life in victory.

What happened to Yaakov in that fight?

Genesis 32:13 (14 Heb.) – 29 (30 Heb.)

And Jacob was left alone. And a man wrestled with him until the breaking of the day. When 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. Then he said, "Let me go, for the day has broken." But Jacob said, "I will not let you go unless you bless me." And he said to him, "What is your name?" And he said, "Jacob." Then he said, "Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed."

(Gen. 32:24-28 ESV)

What happened to Yaakov in that fight?

At last Yaakov was left alone. That was what the Eternal wanted. He wanted to deal with him alone and He sent a heavenly messenger to wrestle with him. This is the final fight to prepare our father for the entry in the promised land. The fight with the angel is a summary of the entire struggle between Yaakov and the Eternal along his 97 years of life. Yaakov wanted to get things done his way and on his own strength, but the Eternal wanted to weaken his trust in himself so He could manifest His supernatural strength and do things His way. The Eternal wanted to take Yaakov to a breaking point in which he would acknowledge and accept that he had been an impersonator, a deceiver, as his brother Esav had said: “Is he not rightly named Jacob? For he has supplanted me these two times.” (27:36a NKJV)

When the angel noticed that he couldn’t fight the strength of Yaakov’s ego, he gave him a blow in the strongest part of the human body. So Yaakov was left handicapped not being able to trust his physical strength anymore. Then, in order to receive a blessing he had to say his name out loud. It was necessary that he admitted that his name was “one who supplants or replaces” which implies that there was something in him that was not good before the Eternal, because it meant that he would be able to recur to lies, tricks, deceit and theft in order to achieve material and spiritual benefits.

In that very moment Yaakov’s deceitful character was exposed to the light of that One who sees all, and Yaakov couldn’t but cry, broken, as it is written in Hosea 12:2, 3-4: “The LORD... will punish Jacob according to his ways; he will repay him according to his deeds. 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; he wept and sought his favor. He met God at Bethel, and there God spoke with us” (ESV)

In that hurt the blessing and the victory were. Yaakov received a new name which implies a new way of being, a new identity. When one humbles oneself, one is also lifted up, and when our father Yaakov humbled himself as much as he could, the Eternal could finally rectify – make tikkun – of his character.

If He could do it with Yaakov at his 97 years of life, He can do it with us if we are humble and let Him mould us in liking of his great Model for men, the Son of Man.

May the Eternal take us to perfection,

Ketriel

How to do the Eternal’s will?

Genesis 30:28 – 31:16

Now Jacob heard that the sons of Laban were saying, "Jacob has taken all that was our father's, and from what was our father's he has gained all this wealth. And Jacob saw that Laban did not regard him with favor as before. Then the LORD said to Jacob, "Return to the land of your fathers and to your kindred, and I will be with you."

(Gen. 31:1-3 ESV)

How to do the Eternal’s will?

The wish of a righteous man is to do the will of the Eternal. His constant prayer is: “Not my will be done but Yours”. The righteous person doesn’t live for himself but for the Eternal’s purpose be fulfilled in his life.

The Eternal’s will has been revealed in the Torah. The patriarchs had the oral Torah together with prophetic revelation and they were guided through them, as it is written in Genesis 26:5: “because Abraham obeyed my voice and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws." (ESV)

We have the written Torah, given through Moshe in Sinai and we have the books of the prophets, the Writings and the Apostolic Scriptures. We also have the oral torah and we have the Spirit of the Messiah that teaches us all things. So the Eternal has provided us with enough information and equipped us spiritually so that we can know what He wants us to do in order to please Him; and how we have to behave to live a righteous and sanctified life; and, also what we have to do so His will is done at all times.

A righteous man’s passion is to fulfill the Eternal’s purpose in his life. However, we don’t always know what the will of the Eternal is in specific situations.

The timing factor is also important regarding the fulfillment of the Eternal’s will. There are things that He wants to happen in our lives and that we do, but even if there are some things that are His will, it is not always time for them.

It is very important to do the Eternal’s dealings in His time. If we do His will but not in His time, then we are not fulfilling His will. There are many good intentions and purposes that have been delayed or aborted because of initiatives taken according to His will but not in His time. It is important that these two factors go together.

The Eternal’s will was that Yaakov went back to Kenaan. He revealed this in that dream Yaakov had when fleeing from his brother, “I will bring you back to this land” (28:15). But Yaakov didn’t know when the time for going back would be. His mother had promised to send him a message when Esav’s fury had calmed down, but that day never came. So Yaakov couldn’t make his decisions based on what his mother had told him.

When the departure time came, the Eternal created adverse situations in Lavan’s house. The text we are working with reveals that there were three signs sent to our father Yaakov to indicate him that it was time for him to go back to the land. The three signs were:

- Yaakov heard negative words from Lavan’s sons.

- Yaakov saw that Lavan didn’t have a favourable attitude toward him.

- HaShem spoke to Yaakov and told him that it was time to go back.

After twenty years in exile, the time for Yaakov to go back to his land, had come. The Eternal wanted this period of time to pass because the twenty years are a prophetic sign for the last exile of the Jews. The twenty years correspond to 2000 years, as it is also written in Hosea 6:1-2: “Come, let us return to the LORD; for he has torn us, that he may heal us; he has struck us down, and he will bind us up. After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will raise us up, that we may live before him.” (ESV) A day corresponds to a thousand years (Ps. 90:4; 2 Pet. 3:8). Two days correspond to 2000 years. The last Jewish exile will last 2000 years and then Yaakov will go back to his land.

Dear disciple of the Messiah, study and submit yourself to the Torah to know the general will of the Eternal for your life. Make your heart sensitive so it is guided by the Spirit of the Messiah that you received when you confessed Yeshua as your Lord. In that way you will fulfill the Eternal’s specific will for your life. Make your five spiritual senses sensitive to be guided by the Eternal in every moment, even in the most basic decisions in your day to day life. Walk in the Spirit and be guided by the Spirit,

“For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.” (Rom. 8:14 ESV).

Grace and peace from the Almighty, our Father, and from Yeshua the Messiah, our Lord,

Ketriel

Were the mandrakes effective or not?

Genesis 30:14-27

Then God remembered Rachel, and God listened to her and opened her womb.

(Gen. 30:22 ESV)

Were the mandrakes effective or not?

Mandrakes – in Hebrew dudaim דודאים

– were considered efficient to help increase fertility. When Rachel saw Leah’s firstborn give her some mandrakes, she asked Leah to give them to her in exchange for a night with Yaakov. She believed that they might help her to be fertile and have children.

But we see that the Torah doesn’t say that the mandrakes made any effect in Rachel. Even if the Torah doesn’t show events in a successive way, it seems that in this case there was a period of time between the mandrakes episode and Rachel being healed from infertility.

Were the mandrakes effective or not?

No, they weren’t. The Torah doesn’t say that it was thanks to the mandrakes that Rachel was healed, but thanks to the Eternal who remembered her and listened to her.

But, can the Eternal forget anything so that He has to remember? No. This is an expression in the sacred Scriptures that indicates that there are moments when the Eternal, Who is outside His creation, considers, visits and intervenes in the life of an individual in a personal way.

The Eternal had remained passive regarding Rachel for years. She prayed a lot and for a long time without getting an answer. The Eternal opted to wait because He had a purpose. If the Eternal is quiet it is because He has a plan.

It is not good that a person gets what he wants immediately all the time. It is good that parents teach their children not to get all they want. It is good for the children to learn to wait for certain things because many times waiting produces positive traits in the soul. The modern culture of immediate and instant results creates characters with no patience and lacking inner strength to endure anything.

Yaakov worked hard for seven years before being able to marry the woman he loved. He didn’t suggest marrying first and working later, but he endured seven years of waiting in order to get what his heart yearned for. He is an example of an approved character who worked patiently in order to achieve long term goals. An immature person cannot wait but prefers a short term benefit even if it is smaller than a long term one. A mature person knows to deny receiving a short or mid-term benefit to achieve a bigger benefit on the long run.

HaShem wanted to produce something in Rachel’s character and that’s why He made her wait. And, eventually, He remembered her and listened to her prayers, pleads and tears that were kept in heaven until the proper time came.

Don’t think that the Eternal’s silence means He doesn’t listen to your prayers. If there is silence, there is a purpose for it. The Eternal is more interested in shaping your character than in giving you what you want. It is true that the Eternal’s plan was to give Rachel children but there were areas in Rachel’s character that needed some work and that’s why the Eternal preferred to wait with the answer so He could change her way of being before giving her children. What she was going to give of herself to her children became more valuable to the Eternal with the results from that period of silence from heaven.

May the Eternal grant you your heart’s desire in His time and His way,

Ketriel

How to get, endure and keep so much wealth?

Generations

Genesis 26:13-22

And the man became rich, and gained more and more until he became very wealthy.

(Gen. 26:13 ESV)

How to get, endure and keep so much wealth?

The Torah says that our father Avraham was very rich in livestock, gold, silver, male and female servants (13:2; 24:35). His riches were one of the results of the divine blessing. Scarcity is a result of the curse. The Eternal’s blessing frees from poverty.

Now, Avraham was very rich and at the end he gave all his riches to Yitzchak (25:5). Yitzchak was blessed after his father’s death and he kept getting richer and richer until he got so powerful that the philistines envied him and expelled him from their land. Then, how wealthy was Yitzchak! How is it possible that the Eternal trusted him with so many riches if the love of money is a root of all evils? (1 Tim. 6:10)

It is obvious that Yitzchak had such a character that he could be a good administrator of material riches in such a way that the Eternal had no problem with enriching him so. Yitzchak could endure a rich man’s life because he was trustworthy.

One of the conditions that he fulfilled to be able to endure such wealth is that he didn’t love money. He loved the Eternal more than anything. That one who loves money cannot be a good manager.

Another condition he fulfilled is that he didn’t put his trust in his wealth but in the One who gave him all that wealth. That one who trusts his possessions cannot be a good manager of many riches.

Another condition that helped Yitzchak endure such wealth is the way he treated his fellowman. In this text we see that the philistines were envious of his many riches. And instead of defending himself or fighting them and use all his power to crush them, he walked away humbly. Even though he had dug the wells, the philistines said that the water was theirs. Yitzchak could have used his power to face them and take the water by force from the wells he had dug. He could have even faced them in war and expel them from the land. But he didn’t; instead, he moved to a different place to solve the problem. How noble was our father Yitzchak’s character!

Water is essential for the existence of life on earth. The well represents prayer in our spiritual lives. In order to be rich with the Eternal we must know how to bring water from the well. If there is no water, we die and if there are no wells we have to dig and dig until we find water. We see again the importance of being strong in prayer to reach water in the spiritual depths. If you can’t find spiritual water you die and if you cannot maintain the wells that give you water, you die. Don’t give up until you find water. Be strong and courageous, take time, search, move from one spot to another until you find those waters that will quench your spiritual thirst. This is the only way of prospering spiritually.

The philistines represent all those enemies that want to impede our prayer life. If the enemies have blocked a well in your life, dig there again. Don’t allow your wells to be blocked. Keep your intimate relationship with the Eternal alive always. In this way, you will get, endure and keep wealth, both spiritual and material.

May the Eternal help us have clean water abundantly and always, in order for our lives to be powerful for His glory,

Ketriel

To what people was Avraham gathered?

The lives of Sarah

Genesis 25:1-11

Abraham breathed his last and died in a good old age, an old man and full of years, and was gathered to his people.

(Gen. 25:8 ESV)

To what people was Avraham gathered?

If our father Avraham had come out of his native land and he didn’t live near his relatives anymore, how is it possible that the Torah says that he was gathered to his people when he died?

The expression “gathered to his people” doesn’t refer to the soul that possibly exists after death in an unknown and unreachable place for the living. So this is not about Avraham’s soul being gathered to the people of the righteous ones that had died.

This expression is a Hebraic form that refers to the ancient way of burying the dead. Ancient tombs had enough room for several bodies because they were usually family tombs. Inside the tomb, which could be a cave, chambers were excavated on the walls that were large enough to put the bodies in. In the middle of the tomb there was a place on a lower floor called “valley”, where the bones of already decomposed bodies were placed. (cf. Ez. 37:1).

In ancient times, there were two burials. On the first one, the body was placed in the chamber on the wall. Then, they waited until the body decomposed, and the second burial would take place, generally a year after the first one. On the second one, they would take the bones out and gather them in the valley.

In a cemetery of the first century of the Common Era, located on the Mount of Olives, a custom of that time can be seen. It was to put the longest bone, the femur, in a small stone coffin, with inscriptions that identified the body, which was kept by the family.

In the time of the second temple the inheritance was given out on the second burial when the relatives gathered (cf. Matt. 8:21-22).

What we can learn from this is that the expression “he was gathered to his people” has to do with the custom of putting the bones of the deceased family members together in the same tomb.

Avraham buried his wife, Sarah, in a cave that he bought from the children of Chet. He was buried later in that same cave by his sons, Yitzchak and Yishmael (25:9) and in that way he was gathered to the bones of Sarah who was part of his people. Later on, his children Yitzchak and Yaakov were buried in the same cave, and also their wives Rivkah and Leah. In total, there are six bodies of the patriarchs and their wives buried in that cave. It is still known where that tomb is because its location has been passed down by tradition.

The Scriptures teach that a dead body has to go back to the earth from where it was taken (Gen. 3:19), which means that cremation is not an option for those who fear the Eternal.

Follow the example of your father Avraham and do not accept being cremated.

May the One who blessed Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov bless you so that you can fill your days according to His purpose for your life and does not allow you to die before time. May it please Him to do so, and let us say “amen”.

Ketriel

Who understands the power of a blessing?

The lives of Sarah

Genesis 24:53-67

And they blessed Rebekah, and said to her, Our sister, be the mother of thousands of millions, and let your seed possess the gate of those who hate them.

(Gen. 24:60 ESV)

Who understands the power of a blessing?

Rivkah’s relatives said their farewell with a powerful blessing. A blessing full of prophetic words about her offspring. By these words that were backed by heaven, Rivkah’s descendants multiplied in such way that nowadays the whole world depends on them. Firstly, it refers to the Jewish people. But it is also a reference to all those who from among the gentiles embrace Avraham’s faith.

Some two thousand years later, Avraham, Yitzchak, Yaakov and king David’s main descendant, he who was the recipient of all the promises given to the fathers, rose and proclaimed: “And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My assembly, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against her.” (Matt. 16:18 LITV)

This blessing does not refer to the Christian church, as it has been mistakenly interpreted, but to the messianic congregation within the physical people of Israel. The expression “the gates of Hades” – in Hebrew shearei sheol שערי שאול – is a Hebraic form that speaks of the governmental power of the gentiles. The elders that judged the ancient cities gathered at the gates to judge and make decisions about the city ruling. When we say that Rivkah’s descendants, the people of Israel, shall possess the gates of their enemies, it refers exactly what the Rabbi says about the gates of the sheol. This means to have political and spiritual control over those who have dominion of the gentiles. This is the mission of the people of Israel and specifically the mission of the messianic congregation, a limited portion among the physical people of Israel.

The messianic congregation will not be dominated by gentile governments but it will finally take over the gentiles’ cities. May that day come soon and in our days, Amen!

The descendants of Shem, son of Noach, knew very well what a blessing meant. They knew that the power of a blessing guides the future of a person and their offspring. That is why Rivka’s relatives wanted to bless her with powerful words so they would influence the whole world forever. Who understands the power of a blessing?

Dear disciple of the Messiah: learn to use your mouth to bless, not only the Eternal – a hundred times a day – but also your wife, your children and those around you. Your words have the power to influence their future.

Blessed be the Elokim and Father of our Lord Yeshua HaMashiach that has blessed us with all spiritual blessing in the Messiah!

Kol tuv – all the best,

Ketriel

Can the truth be a way?

The lives of Sarah

Genesis 24:27-52

Then I bowed my head and worshiped the LORD and blessed the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who had led me by the right way to take the daughter of my master's kinsman for his son.

(Gen. 24:48 ESV)

Can the truth be a way?

When Avraham avinu’s servant saw that the Eternal had guided him exactly to the home of the woman that was destined to be the wife of his master’s son, he wasn’t ashamed of bowing down to the floor and worshipping the Eternal in front of everyone there. His boldness and courage came from the spiritual atmosphere in the house of Avraham where he had been raised.

This servant was very careful to tell only the truth about Avraham with no exaggeration and exactly what happened before his trip and his encounter with Rivkah (Rebecca). It is obvious that he was a man that loved truth and righteousness. It’s not surprising that Avraham trusted him completely. His honesty is clearly seen in this chapter. He was a man that not only knew the Eternal’s grace but also His truth (24:27) and he expected men to reflect these two very important aspects of the Eternal’s character (24:49).

Now, Eliezer said that the Eternal had led him in a way of truth (derech emet דרך אמת) according to the Hebrew text. An angel was sent before him to prepare circumstances so that the divine encounter between Eliezer and Rivkah could take place beside the well.

We can learn two important things from the expression “way of truth”; first, that the truth is a way. A way in the Scriptures symbolizes the life style. There are those who walk the way of lies and others that walk the way of truth. There are those who think that white lies are not serious and don’t know that any lie belongs to the way of lies and are the product of the influence of the father of lies of this world (Juan 8:44). Anyone who resorts to lies and falsehood connects with the enemy of the Eternal, the satan. It is true that we don’t always have to say the whole truth, but it’s not the same to say part of the truth than a lie. A lie is a distortion of the truth and that comes from the evil one.

The Elokim of Avraham is the Elokim of truth as it is written in Psalm 31:5: “Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O LORD God of truth.” (KJV) and Jeremiah 10:10a: “But HaShem Elokim is truth”. (Darby revised) If He is an Elokim of truth, there is no room at all for lies in Him. So, too are His true children, as it is written in Psalm 51:6a: “Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts” (MKJV) Eliezer loved the truth and walked the path of truth.

The second thing we can learn from this text is that the way of truth takes us to a destination prepared by the angel of the Eternal. If we walk around in lies thinking that it is the way to solve problems, we won’t reach the destination of the Eternal. We will only be successful in the way of truth.

Dear disciple of the Messiah. Since our Rabbi is the way and the truth (John 14:6), we can only walk with him and through him if we love truth in our inward parts and we hate every false way, small as it may be (Psalm 119:104, 128). “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.” (3 John v.4 ESV)

Peace upon all who walk in truth with love,

Ketriel

How are Avraham’s followers?

The lives of Sarah

Genesis 24:10-26

And the man bowed down his head, and worshipped the LORD.

(Gen. 24:26 KJV)

How are Avraham’s followers?

Avraham’s most trusted servant went to Mesopotamia to look for a wife for Yitzchak. He carried with him ten camels loaded with all kinds of goods. With Yitzchak’s birth, Eliezer had been displaced from Avraham’s plans. Before Yitzchak, Avraham was planning on leaving him all his possessions (15:2) but the Eternal changed Avraham’s plans and said that Yitzchak would be the heir (15:4; 21:10,12). The inheritance included not only material goods but also something much more important, an immovable faith and eternal promises and blessings.

Eliezer had grown up with the faith and within the spiritual atmosphere of his master. Avraham trusted him completely because he knew that he was absolutely loyal. This servant wasn’t after his own interests while serving in his mission as a shaliach – emissary. The only thing he cared for was to fulfill the will of the one who had sent him, and in this particular case, he knew that it was not just a regular mission but an important part of the divine plan for the world’s future redemption. It was very important that Yitzchak had a heavenly sent wife. That’s why the servant didn’t trust his own discerning abilities but he trusted the Eternal and acted by faith, as he had learned from his master.

When he arrived in his destination, he made the camels kneel by a well (24:11). Camels need to kneel in order to rest. The fact that the Torah mentions this can teach us something in an allegoric manner. The Hebrew word for kneeling is barach, ברך - which is related to berech ברך – knee. The word barach also means “to bless” (24:1). It is the word we use when we bless the Eternal: “Baruch HaShem”. Baruch means blessed. The interesting part is that blessing is closely related to knee. Avraham had learned this truth and had also taught it to those who lived in his household. He who knows to bend his knee is able to receive blessings; the one who humbles himself will be lifted up.

The fact that Eliezer made the ten camels kneel teaches us, in allegoric form, about what Avraham had been teaching his followers. The same way Eliezer had his servants, the camels, kneel, so Avraham had been teaching his followers to humble themselves and to kneel before the Eternal. Avraham was the friend of the Eternal and he knew what the Eternal liked and what He wanted most from men. He knew that The Eternal is seeking for worshipers as is it written in John 4:23: “But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such to worship Him.” (MKJV)

Avraham had won many souls (12:5) and he taught all of them to be worshippers. The only desire in his soul was to satisfy the desires of his Lord and that’s why he took time to teach his people to become worshippers that knew how to incline their hearts and bend their knees before the Eternal.

When Avraham’s servant had received a clear answer to his mission of taking a wife for Yitzchak from among his master’s relatives, he bowed down to earth and worshipped the Eternal.

Be a worshipper of the Eternal. Get used to bend not only your knees but also to incline your heart before Him. In that way, you’ll be a son, follower of Avraham who follows his faith because it is those of faith who are sons of Avraham. (Rom 4:12; Gal 3:7).

May you be blessed together with Avraham your father,

Ketriel

Why couldn’t Yitzchak go to the land from where Avraham had left?

The lives of Sarah

Genesis 23:17 – 24:9

Abraham said to him, "See to it that you do not take my son back there…only you must not take my son back there."

(Gen. 24:6, 8b ESV)

Why couldn’t Yitzchak go to the land from where Avraham had left?

Yitzchak was 40 and the time to find him a wife had come. The Eternal didn’t want him to marry a woman from the daughters of Kenaan, nor a woman from Egypt. Avraham made his most trustworthy servant, Eliezer, swear by the sign of the circumcision covenant, and sent him to find a wife for his son in the land where his relatives, the descendants of Shem, son of Noach, lived. When Eliezer asked him if he could take Yitzchak there, in case the woman didn’t want to come, Avraham said a firm “no”, and he did so twice. Why couldn’t Yitzchak go to the place from where Avraham had come?

On the one hand we can see that Yitzchak couldn’t leave the promised land. Further on, when he tries to go down to Egypt, the Eternal forbids him to do it and orders him to stay in the land (26:2). Yitzchak was the only one of the three patriarchs who wasn’t allowed to go to a foreign land. His life was attached to the land of the promise and he had to remain there until the resurrection.

On the other hand, we have to ask ourselves, why didn’t Avraham want his son to go visit his cousins and other relatives? What was wrong with that?

The Scriptures reveal that the family Avraham had left was an idolater family (Jos. 24:15). Avraham made the decision to leave all kinds of idolatrous practices and live solely for the Creator of heaven and earth (24:3). He knew too well the influence family members can have, and it is very possible that he didn’t want to expose his son, Yitzchak to the pressure that comes with family bonds. Yitzchak would be in danger of adopting their pagan customs which would corrupt his soul and damage the redemption plan for the world. Yitzchak was the son of the promise and he had to be protected from any kind of evil corruption.

Avraham avinu’s example shows us that we have to be very careful if sending our children to a world that we have left so they are not corrupted by their ways. Now that we have left behind contexts and relationships with those who engage in worldly practices, it is important to prevent our children from going back there. Because, why then did the Eternal bring us out of there? All the process of redemption and restoration that we are living would be stopped and aborted with the next generation.

May the Eternal give us grace to guide our children correctly so they can continue on the line of blessing and redemption that we received from our father Avraham and our Lord Yeshua, the Messiah,

Ketriel

How did Avraham weep for Sarah?

The lives of Sarah

Genesis 23:1-16

A

nd Sarah died at Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan, and Abraham went in to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her.

(Gen. 23:2 ESV)

How did Avraham weep for Sarah?

Our mother Sarah suddenly died in Chevron. All the joy that Avraham avinu was experiencing from his victory and blessing on the tenth test was changed into sorrow. Avraham went to mourn and cry for her.

However, the written Torah hides a secret regarding our father’s weeping. In the word livkotah לב

כותה that has been translated as “to weep for her”, the masoretic text displays (on purpose) the letter chaf כ smaller than the rest of the letters. There are eight – probably nine – smaller letters in the Chumash – Pentateuch – and this is the second instance in which we see this phenomenon. If we start from the standpoint that these are not copyists’ mistakes since Moshe wrote the Torah, we have to ask ourselves what is the purpose for this? Why the letter chaf כ is smaller than the other letters in this word? Obviously the Eternal wants to teach us something because not even the smallest letter of the Torah will pass until all is accomplished (Mat. 5:18). Normally, it is understood that this letter is smaller than the rest because Avraham’s weeping was smaller than normal. The Torah doesn’t show us that Sarah’s death had a big impact on Avraham either. Why?

One of the reasons why Avraham didn’t cry that much is because he was going to meet with Sarah again on the resurrection of the death. This totally agrees with Shaul’s words in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 where it is written: “But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Yeshua died and rose again, even so, through Yeshua, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Messiah will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words. (ESV revised)

Avraham was expecting the heavenly city to come to the land of Kenaan where he lived as a foreigner as it is also written in Hebrews 11:13-16: “These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth (here, the land of Kenaan should be understood). For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.” (ESV)

Here, it is not about the soul going to the heavenly city when one dies because no one has received the promise of the world to come yet, according to what is written in Hebrews 11:39-40: “All these people won approval for their faith but did not receive what was promised, since God had planned something better for us so that they would not become perfect without us.” (ISV)

Those who died haven’t received the promise yet. They will when the Messiah comes back and raises those who died in faith.

So, our father Avraham didn’t weep very much for his beloved wife, knowing that he was going to see her again in the resurrection of the dead.

It is a custom among the Jewish people that when someone passes away, the immediate family fasts on that day. The burial should take place on the same day of the death or as soon as possible. According to the halachah – practical rabbinical set of laws – there are three mourning periods after the burial of a close relative: a week, a month and a year. There are ten specific rules for the first week:

1. Both to sit down, and to eat on the floor.

2. No wearing leather shoes.

3. No greeting others.

4. No working.

5. No cutting one’s hair or shave (for the first 30 days).

6. No washing the whole body and no wearing perfumes (7 days, but according to a more strict opinion 30 days).

7. No washing or ironing one’s clothes (7 days, but according to the above mentioned opinion, 30 days).

8. No studying the Torah.

9. No sexual intercourse.

10. No taking part in feasts (12 months).

At the beginning of the 7th and of the 30th day, the community gathers at the mourner’s home to pray minchah – the afternoon prayer – and arvit – the evening/night prayer – and to study Torah. The mourner recites the kadish – sanctification of the Name of the Eternal – in community prayers (in specific moments) during twelve months less one week. After 30 days and during the first year a headstone can be erected in remembrance of the deceased relative. Many do this in the anniversary of the death.

The mourning period should end on the 30^th day. However, if a yom tov – a festival ordered by the Scriptures – comes during that period, the mourning can end as of this day.

In the anniversary – yartseit – it is a custom to fast, light a remembrance candle, give tsedaká – alms – to have guests and to host a special session of Torah study, between minchah and arvit at the beginning of the anniversary day. Avraham avinu didn’t weep a lot for his beloved wife, because he knew that the blessing that the Eternal had given them included a wonderful share for them both in the world to come.

May the Eternal allow us all the privilege of reaching the world to come and the heavenly city that will descend to earth.

Shavua tov,

Where is the solution to the problem?

And he appeared

Genesis 21:22-34

Then God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water. And she went and filled the skin with water and gave the boy a drink

.

(Gen. 21:19 ESV)

Where is the solution to the problem?

Avraham had divorced Hagar and sent her on her journey with his teenager son, Ishmael. They had trouble in the desert because they couldn’t find water. Ishmael was about to die because he was ill. Hagar went away from him because she didn’t want to see him die. They both cried, but the Eternal only heard the voice of the boy and sent an angel with a message for her. The angel didn’t tell her where the water was but that she had to help her son because he was to become a great nation. In that moment, the Almighty opened Hagar’s eyes so she could see the well and that’s how they survived this potentially mortal crisis.

We can learn several things from this narration in the Torah. First, Avraham sent Hagar and their son Ishmael away even though it hurt him. He did so because the Eternal had ordered him to do it. We have to obey the Eternal even if it is painful. The path of obedience is not the easiest path. Most of the times it is hard and many times we have to suppress our feelings; but if the Eternal commanded it, it is for the best and we simply have to obey.

The second teaching is that Hagar wasn’t a good mother leaving her son by himself. She was more engrossed in her own suffering than in the boy’s. She didn’t want to see her son die, but in case he had died, he would have needed his mother more than ever during his last moments in life.

We also learn that Hagar didn’t put the promise about Ishmael’s future in her heart. She knew what the Eternal had said about the future of her son (17:20), but when the crisis came she didn’t care for that promise. Instead of trusting the Eternal who gave the promise, she acted and spoke totally in the opposite direction believing that her son would die. That was one of the reasons why the Eternal didn’t hear her cry but only the boy’s.

When the angel spoke to Hagar, he didn’t give her the solution to the problem, but dealt instead with something more important, the reason why she didn’t get help before. Her way of treating her child prevented the Eternal’s intervention in her life. Her disbelief and rejection of the promise were obstacles for the Eternal’s hand during the crisis. When she paid attention to what the angel said – to take care of her child and focus on the divine promise for his future, then she was in the right condition for receiving help. In that moment, the Eternal opened her eyes to let her see that exactly in the place where they were, there was a well.

Where was the solution to the problem? In this passage we learn that:

- The solution to all problems is always in the Eternal.

- If we mistreat those who are around us, the Eternal cannot send help.

- If we don’t pay attention to what He has said, He cannot help us.

- When we repent of our lack of love to our neighbour and we pay attention to the divine message, we will be in the condition of finding the solution to the problem.

Help is not far away. It is actually close to where we are, we only need to open our senses in order to perceive whatever is within our reach.

Cry out to heaven when you are facing a crisis. Look around you to check if you haven’t mistreated your neighbour. Trust what the Eternal told you and obey what He says now. Open your eyes and look around, help is within reach. Act, meet the needs of those who are under your care and the Eternal will be with you.

May the Eternal make us sensitive to perceive his hints and act accordingly, and not according to our own hearts.

Ketriel

What is the best way to hold back sin?

VaYerah 4-5

And he appeared

Genesis 21:5-21

And Abraham said, Because I thought, Surely the fear of God is not in this place, and they will kill me for my wife's sake.

(Gen. 20:11 MKJV)

What is the best way to hold back sin?

King Avimelech had taken Sarah as his wife because Avraham had said that she was his sister. Avraham knew that if only a key ingredient was missing in these people’s souls, he would be in danger of death for his beautiful wife’s sake. That key ingredient was fear of the Most High.

In the Hebrew text it is written: rak ein yirat Elokim ba makom haze רק אין יראת אלקים במקום הזה - “

only there is no fear of the Almighty in this place”. There was only one thing needed for that society not to surrender to unlimited sin – fear of heaven.

Fear of heaven is the best way to hold sin back in human beings. Where there is no fear of heaven sin can spread and multiply freely.

In Exodus 20:20 it is written: “Moses said to the people, "Do not fear, for God has come to test you, that the fear of him may be before you, that you may not sin." (ESV) And in Jeremiah 32:40 it is written: “I will make with them an everlasting covenant, that I will not turn away from doing good to them. And I will put the fear of me in their hearts, that they may not turn from me.” (ESV) And in Deuteronomy 10:12-13 it is written: “"And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments and statutes of the LORD, which I am commanding you today for your good? (ESV)

The Eternal intervened in this critical situation by speaking to the Philistine king in dreams. He told him that if he didn’t bring Sarah back to Avraham he would die along with all his people. This caused a lot of fear in him and his men.

The one who understands that the Almighty who is in heaven can do everything, sees all and judges the entire world; becomes aware that if he doesn’t do the right thing he is in danger of death. The one who doesn’t know that “...the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.” (Rom. 1:18 ESV); and the one who doesn’t know that “God is a righteous judge, and a God who feels indignation every day.” (Psal. 7:11 ESV) does not mind his thoughts, nor controls his tongue, nor holds his hand from evildoing. The one who knows that “...no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account” (Heb. 4:13 ESV) is afraid of sinning. He who knows that sin carries grave consequences minds his behaviour.

When the men at Gerar found out that the Eternal was watching everything and that He rebuked the king’s behaviour, even if he acted out of innocence, trusting Avraham and Sarah’s half truth, they were very afraid. A seemingly innocent incident against an anointed prophet of the Eternal caused sterility in the whole people and the risk of dying before time.

In Psalm 147:11 it is written: “The LORD is pleased with those who fear him, with those who wait with hope for his mercy.” (God´s Word)

Let’s serve the Eternal with fear and trembling,

Ketriel

How was the Messiah taken from Sedom?

VaYerah 4-4

And he appeared

Genesis 19:21 – 21:4

Thus both the daughters of Lot became pregnant by their father. The firstborn bore a son and called his name Moab. He is the father of the Moabites to this day. The younger also bore a son and called his name Ben-ammi. He is the father of the Ammonites to this day.

(Gen. 19:36-38 ESV)

How was the Messiah taken from Sedom?

The Eternal doesn’t want anybody to perish but that all are saved and come to the knowledge of the truth. He doesn’t take pleasure in the death of the wicked. He always desires the repentance of the sinner in order to rescue him from his misery and give him a new life.

When the children of Israel came into the promised land, they received orders to destroy the seven nations who were descendants of Kenaan, because of their depravation. But there was an exception among them: a prostitute named Rachav (Rahab) repented of her sins (Heb. 11:31, Yaacov (James) 2:25) and was received in the people of Israel in such a way that she became one of the mothers (women in the genealogy) of the Messiah. (Matt. 1:5)

This teaches us that the door wasn’t closed for Kenaan’s descendants to enter into the people of the salvation, Israel. Through repentance and faithfulness to the Elokim of Israel, any gentile, no matter how far away from the Eternal he is, can receive an inheritance among those who are sanctified.

Rachav, descendant of a cursed and depraved people was honoured to be mentioned in the genealogy of the Messiah, Yeshua. How great is the Eternal’s grace to a repented person!

This means that there are Kenaan’s genes in the Messiah. When the body and soul of the Messiah were formed, a part had to come from the people of Kenaan in order to be able to redeem them of their sins, because he is not only the redeemer of the Jewish people, but of the whole world (1 Jn. 2:2). The Messiah had to reunite in his own being, all men on earth and Rachav’s example shows that the most cursed people in history were also included in the salvation plan that takes effect through the Messiah, Yeshua. If these people could fit in the Messiah, also all the other peoples can.

Now, there is more in this sense. Lot’s daughters had a mother from Sedom, also a daughter (descendent) of Kenaan. Both of them got pregnant of their father after making a drinking plot taking advantage of him. In spite of not having a high moral standard, they had a good motivation behind that act of fornication. They wanted to have descendants and that’s why the Eternal granted them to be mothers of two peoples. The oldest had a child and shamelessly named him Moav – from the Hebrew meav

מאב

“from father”. The younger one, a bit more discreet, called her son Ben Ammi – בן עמי “son of my people”. From Moav came the Moabite people and from Ben Ammi, the Ammonites.

Further on, we find a Moabite woman, Ruth, that makes the decision of leaving her gods and her people and enter the people of her mother in law, Naomi, the people of Israel where salvation is found. Ruth the Moabite was accepted by the judges, because they had established the halachah – practical law – that the prohibition of entering the people of Israel against the Ammonites and Moabites applied only to men, and not to women (Deut 23:3). Boaz was the head judge in Israel at that time and he established this halachah. This also teaches us that a large part of the written Torah has to be interpreted and understood by the oral torah, transmitted from leader to leader of the people of Israel throughout history.

Ruth came from the Moabites, who in turn came from Lot’s wife, who came from Sedom that came from Kenaan (Gen 10:19), the cursed people.

Later on, there was a king, Rechavam (Rehoboam), son of king Shlomo (Solomon) who was born from Shlomo and an Ammonite woman named Naamah (1 Kin. 14:21, 31; 2 Cron. 12:13). This king Rechavam is also one of the ancestors of the Messiah Yeshua (Matt. 1:7).

In other words, we see that through three women, genes from Kenaan came into the Messiah Yeshua and that by his merit, his suffering and atoning death, these women were rescued from curse and death that had befallen upon their peoples. Repentance and faithfulness toward the Elokim of Israel set on this redemption plan for them. All the descendants of Kenaan had this opportunity to repent but very few took advantage of it.

This shows us that there is no curse too big that cannot be removed through the work of the Messiah. He became a curse in order to redeem from the curse those who trust the Eternal and his redemption plan in the Messiah Yeshua, our Lord (Gal. 3:13).

This is why we understand that the angels had to take Lot and his daughters out of Sedom, because indirectly, they were taking the Messiah from there. He needed part of the genes from that people in order to be able to represent them before the Almighty and take them in his body to rectify what they had twisted.

How wonderful are the plans of the Eternal! He can use evil and wickedness to carry out His purpose and He can deliver us from all consequences of sin through His Anointed one Yeshua. Blessed be His name forever!

Yom tov – have a good day,

Where did Lot’s wife come from?

VaYerah 4-3

And he appeared

Genesis 19:1-20

Behold now, I have two daughters which have not known man. I pray you, let me bring them out to you, and you do to them as you see fit. But do nothing to these men, for this is why they came under the shadow of my roof. And they said, Stand back! And they said, This one came in to stay, and must he judge always? Now we will deal worse with you than with them. And they pressed hard upon the man, Lot, and came near to breaking the door

(Gen. 19:8-9 MKJV)

Where did Lot’s wife come from?

When the two angels came to Sedom to save Lot and his family, all the men in the city wanted to abuse them sexually. Lot refused to bring them out and offered them his two virgin daughters instead.

We can learn two things from this: first, it was very important for Lot to treat his guests well, to give them shelter, food and safety in every way. This was a very positive feature in Lot.

The second thing we can learn is that Lot’s level of morality was very low. How could this righteous man be willing to deliver his virgin daughters to these beasts that lacked any sense of sexual morality? Free sex and homosexuality are results of having apostatized from the Creator and His commandments. Homosexuality is in the lowest level in the scale of depravation, down on the road of apostasy and perdition. (see Rom. 1:18-32).

According to the context (v12), it seems that Lot had more children that were already married to people from Sedom. Now he just had two girls left at home (v.15) and he didn’t seem to care much that they would be degraded in their bodies and souls by this free sex practice. Where did these values come from? Not from Avraham avinu, who had very high moral standards.

The Hebrew text shows that these evil men said that Lot had come to Sedom alone, meaning single, because he had indeed come with many servants. What was translated in 19:9 as “This one came in to stay” says literally in Hebrew: “This one came to sojourn”– haechad ba lagur האחד בא לגור – which teaches us that Lot had taken a woman from Sedom. She was a descendant of Kenaan – the one who treated Noach in such an evil manner when he was drunk and therefore was cursed. Depravation in Kenaan’s descendants caused them to surrender to all kinds of immoralities, especially the sexual one.

Avraham was very careful not to mix his seed with Kenaan’s descendants due to their low moral standards (24:3), but Lot didn’t have that inner strength to refuse the values of the world that surrounded him. This made him surrender little by little, to the pressure of his wife and the other inhabitants of Sedom. It is true that his righteous soul suffered because of the sin of the sons of Kenaan, as it is written in 2 Peter 2:7-8: “and if he rescued righteous Lot, greatly distressed by the sensual conduct of the wicked (for as that righteous man lived among them day after day, he was tormenting his righteous soul over their lawless deeds that he saw and heard)”. (ESV) However, Lot didn’t have the spiritual strength to guide his sons and daughters in the path of high moral values, as did our father Avraham (18:19). This was one of the reasons why Avraham had to split from Lot.

The Eternal had mercy of Lot and saved him from destruction, but he lost most of his family, his wife turned into a pillar of salt for turning back – possibly because of her motherly instinct when thinking of her children who stayed behind, and her love to the world in which she lived until then. Lot also lost all his possessions and all he had left was his two daughters, daughters of Sedom, whose moral principles weren’t higher than the rest of Kenaan’s descendants.

Avraham refused to be influenced and guided by the values of the world around him, and that’s why he was chosen and blessed. His moral strength keeps blessing the world until today. But Lot gave in to low moral values and lost pretty much everything. The Eternal however, had mercy of him and saved him along with his daughters, because he had a wonderful plan for the girls’ future. We’ll talk about that in tomorrow’s manna.

Let’s reject Lot’s behaviour and follow our father Avraham’s example, refusing to stain our souls with sin of the world around us. Let’s teach our children and grandchildren to walk in the path of the Eternal, doing judgment and justice so that they can remain in the line of blessing that comes from heaven; not only for the physical offspring of Avraham, but also for those who follow the steps of his faith, because all those who are the Messiah’s are seed of Avraham and heirs according to the promise (Rom. 4:9-13; Gal. 3:29).

Chazak ubaruch – be strong and blessed,