Resources: • Adventist Mission Website: http://wjafc.globalmissioncenters.org/
This website is the new resource provided by the Office of Adventist Mission of the General Conference of the Seventh-day
• Website: www.jewishadventist.org
We pray every week for the leaders of the Jewish Ministry,
Shabbat Shalom Newsletter
752
Shabbat - Lech-Lecha
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28 October 2017 8 Cheshvan 5778
This issue
A must website. To subscribe to our newsletter. To download some resources (Hebrew Sabbath School, and other documents). To order the book “Comfort, Comfort my people…” and many other things. •
Professional Urban Development: The WJAFC provides:
Shalom Adventure Magazine online: www.ShalomAdventure.com
If you would like to read articles, watch videos, learn things about Judaism and Israel, this website is just for you.
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WJAFC: If you would like to share with people, this forum on facebook is a good place for that.
• Photos: https://get.google.com/albumarchive/1131446298409925652
- Professional Urban training for Jewish Ministry
91?source=pwa We have posted a lot of pictures on Internet during the last years. Don’t hesitate
- Teaching for theological students
• Russian Website: http://www.boruh.info/ This website is in Russian, many articles
- Help to plant new congregations. - Support for AdventistJewish dialogue with scholars and rabbis
to look at them.
and the parasha are posted on it every week.
A weekly Journal of information and training published by the World Jewish Adventist Friendship Center Under the umbrella of the General Conference —Office of Adventist Mission
Journal of Information and Training — Issue 752— 28 October 2017 / 8 Cheshvan 5778
News 1 Parasha’s comments 2-4 Haftarah 4-5 Apostolic Writings 5 Stories & Traditions 6 Inspirational Corner 6, 7
Weekly Jewish-Adventist Journal of Information
We pray every week for the Jewish Friendship Ministry. I suggest our partners to pray from October 29 to November 4 for Bruno Santeli pastor in Curitiba, in Brazil. Let’s pray for Bruno, his family and his congregation.
News Yom Kippur, in Florida
We continue to receive news about the last celebrations in Jewish Adventist congregations, that is why I am sharing this news about the marking of Yom Kippur, the day of atonement in St-Petersburg and New Port Richey, the congregations of Jeff Zeremski. One of the specificities of the Jewish people is that on Yom Kippur they put on white clothes, which symbolize the purity and justification obtained by God on this special day of judgement.
Carlos Muniz English Edition: Richard-Amram Elofer
Richard Amram Elofer
Russian Edition: Alexandra Obrevko French Edition: Sabine Baris Portuguese Edition: Carlos Muniz Dutch Edition: Hubert Paulleta
Hubert Paulleta 8
Emails: English: richard@elofer.com
Alexandra Obrevko
Russian: sashok_l@mail.ru French: sabinebaris@gmail.com Portuguese: cdmuniz@gmail.com Dutch: hpauletta@hotmail.com
Credit photos: Richard Elofer, Alexandra Obrevko, Jael Wells Cuellar Hubert Paulleta, Laurent Baris and Advent Digital Media
for more information: contact us at www.jewishadventist.org
Sabine Baris
Here is his e-mail: “Last week we marked Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement). Many people dressed in white symbolizing that their sins have been atoned for and washed clean. Even the Torah is dressed in white as the High Priest on Yom Kippur would take off the colors, gems, gold, etc. on Yom Kippur and wear white. (see pictures below)”
Free Calendars for the year 5778 from Shalom Adventure
Jeff Zremsky posted this e-mail: “We are giving a free wall calendar for donations of any size during the month of Oct. This beautiful calendar has a new picture every month, gives the Sabbath sunset times, the Torah reading for the week, Holy Days marked in color, and other helpful information. Donations can be made to Shalom Adventure – http://www. jewishheritage.net/article/5/support. or you can call Jeff (1) 727-375-7502
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en generations have passed since Noach. Man has descended spiritually. In the year 1948 from Creation (according to the Jewish tradition), Avram is born. By observing the world, Avram comes to recognize G-ds existence, and thus merits that G-d appear to him. At the beginning of this weeks Torah portion G-d tells Avram to leave his land, his relatives and his father’s house and travel to an unknown land where G-d will make him into a great nation. Avram leaves, taking with him his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, their servants, and those whom they converted to faith in G-d. When they reach the land of Canaan, G-d appears to Avram and tells him that this is the land that He will give to his descendants. A famine ensues and Avram is forced to relocate to Egypt to find food. Realizing that his wife’s beauty would cause his death at the hand of the Egyptians, Avram asks her to say that she is his sister. Sarai is taken to Pharaoh, but G-d afflicts Pharaoh and his court with severe plagues and she is released unmolested. Avram returns to Eretz Yisrael (Canaan) with much wealth given to him by the Egyptians. During a quarrel over grazing rights between their shepherds, Avram decides
Lech-Lecha
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Genesis 12-1 - 17:27 Lech Lecha
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he Torah states: “Now the L-RD said to Abram, “Go [Lech Lecha] from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you.” (Gen 12:1 NRSV). Lech Lecha is the order that Abraham received from G-d when he had to leave Haran for an unknown land, the Promised Land. But it is strange order, because when one’s wants to say to somebody “Go” the order should be “Lech”. We add “le” to the following word when we want to specify a place “lech leparis” “Go to Paris”, but “lech lecha” is very unusual. This very expression “Lech Lecha” is used in the whole Bible only in connection to Abraham. First in Genesis 12 when he has to leave Haran and second in Genesis 22:2 when Abraham receive the order to go to Moriah to offer his son Itzhak as a burn offering. The expression “Lech Lecha” means literally “Go for (or to) yourself ”. It is an expression which invite the recipient to go to his own way, to go to isolation, to separate himself from others.
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That is why Rabbi Hirsch translate this expression by a paraphrase “Go for yourself, go your own way, go the way that will isolate you from your land from your birth place, and from your father’s house—from all your previous connection.” Abraham’s generation was again far away from G-d, it was important for Abraham to leave the city in order to serve G-d in a true and full manner. “Go for yourself, go your own way” — this is an even more exalted value. No one may say: I am as good and as honest as everyone else, as is the fashion here nowadays. Every individual is directly responsible to G-d for his personal conduct. If it becomes necessary, if the principle adopted by the majority is untrue — then go at it alone and serve G-d. This was the attitude demanded of Abraham as the starting point for his own mission and that of the nation that was to descend from him.
“Go To You”
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he Parasha starts: “The L-rd said to Abraham go [to
you] from your country, from your birthplace and from your father’s house unto the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation and I will bless you and make your name great and you will be a blessing.” (Gen 12:1-2) Everyone knows that the title of each parasha is taken from the first verse of the parasha. “Lech lecha” is the command G-d gave to Abraham to leave his country. “Lech lecha” means “Go to you”. How can we understand these words. 1. “It is better to you” to leave this country full of idolatry and immorality. According to our sages “lech lecha” means “to your benefit” 2. “Go to you” is also a divine invitation to go to your mind, your heart to understand why the almighty ask you to leave your country and to leave even if you don’t know where to go, G-d did not describe the land — he didn’t even tell Abraham where he was supposed to go. He merely said: “go out” — leave, further instructions to follow.
Credit: freebibleimages.org
Parasha for this Week
Parasha Overview: Lech-Lecha
“Pharaoh’s officials saw her, and spoke highly of her to Pharaoh. The woman was taken to Pharaoh’s palace. He treated Abram well because of her, and [Abram] thus acquired sheep, cattle, donkeys, male and female slaves, she-donkeys, and camels.” (Genesis 12:15,16)
To Your Benefit
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ur sages explain the words Lech Lecha, “go to you,” to mean “to your benefit.” G-d said to Abraham that, although these tests seem a hardship, yet, in the end it will be to your benefit.
Abram and Sarah
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he Torah affirms: “Abram took Sarai his wife and his nephew Lot, and all their wealth that they had amassed, and the people they had acquired in Charan; and they embarked for the land of Canaan, and they came to the land of Canaan.” (Genesis 12:5) They brought them under the wings of the Divine Presence: Abraham converted the men, and Sarah converted the women (Rashi to Genesis 12 5).
Toward the Neguev
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he Torah states: “Abram passed through the land to the place at Shechem, to the oak of Moreh. At that time the Canaanites were in the land.” (Genesis 12:6), Abra-
ham “passed through” every place, but he did not settle in the places though which he passed. He was waiting for a sign, a promised sign from G-d that would show him the place where he was to settle. Abraham journeyed on, waiting until G-d would show him the place where he was to settle. in the verse 9 it is written “Abram journeyed on by stages toward the Negev (southward)” (Gen 12:9). Abraham avoided the cities and towns. He first wanted to build a firm foundation for himself and his household, and for this he felt he needed isolation. The Neguev (South of Canaan) was not like a flourishing garden. it is a desert. The command given to Abraham, drew him to the inhospitable South. The Negev is not an easy place to live, it is a place where the sun’s rays hit vertically. G-d does not always lead us in an easy life but test our faith and our faithfulness to him.
Honoring His Wife
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he Torah states: “And He (Avram) relocated from there to the mountain in the east
of Bait El and pitched his tent.” (Genesis 12:8) The word for tent in Hebrew is ohel; “his tent” is ohelo. Why does the Torah spell “his tent” with the feminine suffix, the letter “he?” The Midrash comments that this teaches us that Avram first pitched his wife’s tent and then his own. From here we learn that when a husband needs to do something for himself and for his wife, he should take care of his wife’s need first. Avram understood that there is a higher level of pleasure in honoring and helping his wife than in having his tent pitched first!
Test and Miracle
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est in Hebrew is Nisayon. It comes from the same word as Ness “miracle” and “uplifting.” When one experiences a miracle one realizes it as an obvious sign that G-d cares and looks out for the person and it is indeed an “uplifting” experience. Our sages say that the same also applies with the tests which we experience throughout our lives. For through these tests a person is uplifted, attaining a higher
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to part ways with his nephew Lot. Lot chooses to live in the rich but corrupt city of Sodom in the fertile plain of the Jordan. A war breaks out between the kings of the region and Sodom is defeated. Lot is taken captive. Together with a handful of his converts, Avram rescues Lot, miraculously overpowering vastly superior forces, but Avram demurs from accepting any of the spoils of the battle. In a prophetic covenant, G-d reveals to Avram that his offspring will be exiled to a strange land where they will be oppressed for 400 years, after which they will emerge with great wealth and return to Eretz Yisrael, their irrevocable inheritance. Sarai is barren and gives Hagar, her Egyptian handmaiden, to Avram in the hope that she will provide them with a child. Hagar becomes arrogant when she discovers that she is pregnant. Sarai deals harshly with her, and Hagar flees. On the instruction of an angel Hagar returns to Avram, and gives birth to Yishmael. The weekly portion concludes with G-d commanding Avram to circumcise himself and his offspring throughout the generations as a Divine covenant. G-d changes Avram’s name to Avraham, and Sarai’s name to Sarah. Hashem promises Avraham a son, despite Avraham being ninety-nine years old and Sarah ninety. On that day, Avraham circumcises himself, Yishmael and all his household.
Isaiah 40:27-41:16
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he book of Isaiah is a very beautiful text. This prophet was a real poet and our text of this week is a wonderful poem. “Have you not known? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth.” (Isaiah 40:28). The God of Israel is an everlasting God with an everlasting love for his children. He call Israel his servant, the chosen, and He called Abraham his friend. Here we have the link between the Parasha and this Haftarah, both of them are about Abraham who left his home to respond to the calling of God. “But you, Israel, my servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, the offspring of Abraham, my friend; you whom I took from the ends of the earth, and called from its farthest corners, saying to you, “You are my servant,
credit: freebibleimages.org
Haftarah Overview
“Abram’s wife Sarai had not borne him any children. She had an Egyptian slave-girl by the name of Hagar. Sarai said to Abram, ‘God has kept me from having children. Come to my slave, and hopefully I will have sons through her.’ Abram heeded Sarai.” (Genesis 16:1,2) spiritual level and achieves greater strength. The fact that G-d chooses to test an individual shows that the person has special qualities and the ability to pass the test. It is exactly what Shaul the Shaliach (Paul) says in his first letter to the believers living in Corinth. “No testing has overtaken you that is not common to everyone. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tested beyond your strength, but with the testing he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to endure it.” (1 Cor. 10:13).
As The Dust Of The Earth
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he Torah states “[G-d said to Abraham] And I will make your seed as the dust of the earth.” (Genesis 13:16). And the Midrash (Jewish tradition) say “G-d said to Abraham, Just like the sand is from one end of the world to the other, so too, will your children be scattered throughout the world. Just as everyone steps upon the earth, so too, will your children be oppressed. But just as the earth survives everything and is forever, so too, will your descendants last forever and ever.”
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Count the Stars
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he Torah states: “And (the Almighty) took (Avraham) outside and He said to him, ‘Look up, please, at the heavens and count the stars, if you can count them.’ And He said to him, ‘So, too, will be your descendants’” (Genesis 15:5). Rabbi Packouz asks this question: Was the Almighty just telling Avraham about the number of his descendants—or was there a deeper message? Here is his answer. The Baal Shem Tov explained that the descendants of Avraham are like stars. We see the stars from a great distance and they appear to be mere tiny specks, but in reality in the heaven they are gigantic. So, too, in this world many people look very small. However, in reality they have greatness! When you look at another person—particularly, a child—realize that he is like a star. He might seem small to you. He might not appear as having accomplished very much. Gain an awareness of the great potential of each person. View each person as an entire world, as an enormous being in the cosmos.
When you see people in this light you will behave towards them with great respect. When you show others this respect, they will gain greater respect for themselves. This can give a person the encouragement he needs to live up to his potential greatness!
Everlasting Covenant
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ll covenants with the Almighty are eternal, never to be abrogated or replaced by new covenants. The covenant with Abraham was not the first one, in the last parasha G-d made a covenant with Noah and his descendants (all the humanity) “I now establish my covenant with you and with your descendants after you … I establish my covenant with you: . . . . I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth” (Gen. 9:917) We are all sure that this covenant is still valid, G-d will never destroy the earth by a flood. In the same way, the covenant G-d has establish with Abraham and his descendents is still valid.
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Apostolic Writings — Luke 1:26-33
n the text of the parasha we read about the first time that G-d appeared to a man in order to speak to him in a vision. It was a vision given to Abram Avinu. “Then the LORD appeared to Abram, and said, ‘To your offspring I will give this land.’” (Gen 12:7). The Apostolic Writings have been written under the same inspiration of the Tanakh. The G-d of Israel who appeared to Abram and to the prophets is the same G-d who spoke to the prophets and the shaliach (apostles) of the Brit Hachadasha. However, with a great difference. It is not God in “person” who appeared to the prophets of the Brit Hachadasha but the “Angel of the L-rd.” In the Tanakh we have 104 times the apparition of an angel speaking to some people. But one specific angel appeared with a special purpose, it was the angel Gabriel in the book of Daniel (8:16; 9:21). The specificity of this angel is that he is the angel who is in charge to announce the Messiah. He was sent to the prophet Daniel only for this purpose. And he even gave to Daniel the exact date of the coming of the Messiah in a prophetic time of 70 weeks (Daniel 9:24-27). The same angel, Gabriel, was sent to the parents of Mashiach-ben-David, to announce them the coming of the Mashiach. “In the sixth month, G-d sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Myri-
am.” (Luke 1:26–27). And then the same angel was sent to Joseph her future husband to comfort him about the news he just heard, that his fiancée, who is virgin, is waiting for a baby. An experience very difficult to believe without a direct intervention of G-d. The angel continue his revelation to her saying: “And he came to her and said, ‘Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!’ But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Yeshua. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most-High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end’.” (Luke 1:28–33), the great difficulty of this text is about the concept of a virgin, giving birth to a baby, we have never seen that in the human history. First, it is not because we have never seen that, that it is impossible. Let’s remember that we are speaking about the Messiah and not a regular or common human being. Second, Myriam herself had some difficulties to believe what was happening to her. That is why in the Besorat Matatyahu the Angel give a biblical indication about this virgin birth of Yeshua saying: “All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: ‘Behold, the virgin shall con-
ceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel’” (Matthew 1:22–23) this quotation of Isaiah is from Isaiah 7:14. The Jewish people have some difficulties with this text, because the word used for virgin is Almah, when in the Bible the most common Hebrew text used for virgin is Betulah. That is why the Jewish people affirm that this text of the Besorah is wrong, based on a wrong translation. But we can affirm that the text of Isaiah 7:14 is really about a special virgin birth. The word betulah is the more common word for “virgin” that is clear, it occurred 50 times in the Hebrew Bible. However the word Almah is more exceptional only 9 times in all the Tanach. Thus the word used in Isaiah 7:14 is not used very much, and among the texts which uses this word, we find Genesis 24:43, where Rebeccah is the virgin who has to come to draw water, it is clear that she is not yet married to Isaac and is a virgin. The second text, Exodus 2:8 is about Myriam, the sister of Moses, who is called by the daughter of Pharaoh to find a “milk mother” for the baby Moses and it is clear that this Myriam is still a young girl not married and still virgin. Thus, there is no doubt that the word Almah means also “virgin.” However, the Bible does not use the common word betulah, because the coming of the Messiah is a very special event in humanity and for this reason, everything about the Messiah must be special and exceptional, the angel will used a word not very much used in the Hebrew Bible.
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I have chosen you and not cast you off”; do not fear, for I am with you, do not be afraid, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my victorious right hand. (Isaiah 41:8-9) God is our protection, there is nothing to fear when we are with the Almighty. Abraham left his home, and was protected during all his life even if he was travelling to an unknown country. Fear not, for I am with you, Be not frightened, for I am your God; I strengthen you and I help you, I uphold you with My victorious right hand (Isaiah 41:10)
Stories and Traditions
Who is the aggressor
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Inspirational Corner v God called Abraham to be a teacher of His word, He chose him to be the father of a great nation, because He saw that Abraham would instruct his children and his household in the principles of God’s law. And that which gave power to Abraham’s teaching was the influence of his own life. His great household consisted of more than a thousand souls, many of them heads of families, and not a few but newly converted from heathenism. Such a household required a firm hand at the helm. No weak, vacillating methods would suffice. (Ed 187.2}
Jew, an Englishman, and an American went on a hunting expedition in Africa. It was not long before the hunters became the hunted and they were captured by a group of cannibals who were going to have them for dinner. They were granted one request before they were to be roasted. The Englishman asked to sing his national anthem, the American asked to say the Pledge of Allegiance, and the Jew asked the chief to kick him in the back. The Englishman sang his anthem; the American said the Pledge of Allegiance and the Jew got a very powerful kick in the back. Suddenly the Jew spun around. In his hand was a pistol that he had secretly strapped to his ankle. He shot the chief and the others fled. After thanking the Jew for his bravery, the American and the Englishman both asked him, “Why in the world did you ask for a kick in the back? Why didn’t you use the gun immediately?” The Yiddel sighed, “I did not want to be labeled as the aggressor.”
Circumcision
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he first mitsva given to Abraham was the commandment of he circumcision. and The Talmud tells that King David was at all times careful to perform mitzvot and study Torah. He was completely connected to G-d every minute of the day. Once, when King David was in the bathhouse, he realized that he was not only physically naked, but also naked of Mitzvot, for in the bathhouse one is prohibited to study Torah and he had no mitzvah to perform there. He felt bad. But then he remembered that he was circumcised and knew that no matter where he was, he was always connected to G-d through the mitzvah of Brit Milah! This is why this mitzvah is so unique. It is the only mitzvah which is with us all the time.
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World History
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he Sages tell us, the world will last 6,000 years, and this history is divided into three periods, each lasting 2,000 years. The first is called the Era of Tohu Va’vohu (void and nothingness), the second, the Era of Torah, and the third, the Messianic Era. The Sages identify the beginning of the Era of Torah with Abraham’s conversion of the idol worshipers of Charan into believers in God.
It connects us with G-d
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he wicked Roman governor, Turnus Rufus, once asked Rabbi Akiva, “Whose deeds are more beautiful, G-d’s doings or that of man? “That of man,” replied Rabbi Akiva, “for man improves on the work of G-d.” To prove his point, Rabbi Akiva brought him wheat and barley and baked bread and asked him, “is not the man made bread, better than the grains? You see, man can improve on G-d’s work.” “But if G-d desires for you to be circumcised, why didn’t he make the infant born circumcised?” He challenged. Rabbi Akiva replied, “G-d gave the Jewish people the commandments in order that we shall be purified through them.” Circumcision, like all other mitzvot, is not for health benefits. It may have that benefit too, but that’s only secondary. The true benefit is that it connects us with G-d.
The Rabbi and Antonius
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abbi Yehuda HaNasi, author of the Mishna, became a close personal friend of the Roman Emperor Antoninus, through the mitzvah of circumcision. Here’s how it happened. When Rabbi Yehuda was
born, there was a decree by the Roman emperor who ruled over the Holy Land, prohibiting circumcision. Rabbi Yehuda’s father, Rabbi Shimon, ignored the decree and on the eighth day, circumcised his new born son. Rabbi Shimon was summoned to Rome for violating the emperor’s order. Knowing the severity of the punishment, he set out with a heavy heart with his wife and son for Rome. On the way, Rabbi Shimon, his wife and their new born son stayed in the home of a friendly Roman nobleman. When Rabbi Shimon told him the purpose of their trip, the nobleman said, “You can’t go to the emperor with your baby. He will surely put you to death! Our baby was born about the same time as yours. Leave your son with us, take our baby and show him to the emperor to prove that your son wasn’t circumcised!” When they came to Rome, the emperor was furious at Rabbi Shimon. “How dare you disobey my decree!” he roared. “Look at the baby yourself to see if I obeyed your orders or not!” Rabbi Shimon answered. The baby was examined and their lives were saved. Rabbi Shimon then used the opportunity to plead with the emperor and convinced him to abolish his decree. The little Jewish baby grew up to be Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi “the prince”, who became the leader of the Jewish people. The other baby also grew up to become a leader of his people, Antoninus Emperor of Rome. For the rest of their lives, Rabbi Yehuda and Antoninus were very close friends.
Kids Parasha Lech-Lecha
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Inspirational Corner v God designed that
Genesis 12:1- 17:27 “Now there was a famine in the land. So Abram went down to Egypt to sojourn there, for the famine was severe in the land. When he was about to enter Egypt, he said to Sarai his wife, “I know that you are a woman beautiful in appearance, and when the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife.’ Then they will kill me, but they will let you live. Say you are my sister, that it may go well with me because of you, and that my life may be spared for your sake.” When Abram entered Egypt, the Egyptians saw that the woman was very beautiful. And when the princes of Pharaoh saw her, they praised her to Pharaoh. And the woman was taken into Pharaoh’s house. And for her sake he dealt well with Abram; and he had sheep, oxen, male donkeys, male servants, female servants, female donkeys, and camels.” (Genesis 12:10–16) http://www.bnai-tikkun.org.nz 7
Abraham should be a channel of light and blessing, that he should have a gathering influence, and that God should have a people on the earth. Abraham was to be in the world, reflecting in his life the character of Jesus. When he received the divine call, Abraham was not a man of renown, neither a lawgiver, nor a conqueror. He was a simple herdsman, dwelling in tents, but employing a large number of workmen to carry on his humble employment. And the honor which he received was because of his faithfulness to God, his strict integrity and just dealing. (YI March 4, 1897)