n° 756
Shabbat Shalom Ne wsletter
November 25, 2017 7 Kislev 5778
Let’s Pray together We pray every week for the Jewish Friendship Ministry. I suggest our partners to pray
Shabbat - Vayetse
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Yeshua was not living in Yerushalayim, his town was Capernahum, in Galilee, this town is very nice small village where it is nice to live, with a nice spring time all the winter season, it would be better for Yeshua to stay during all the cold season in Capernahum. However, for Yeshua, the Temple and its service were crucial to understand his ministry, that is why, he wald a long way (about 100 miles or 160 kilometers), in the winter to be on time in Yerushalayim for the feast. The next point is that Yeshua had a favorite place in the temple, “the colonnade of Solomon.” This place will be also the favorite place of the Talmidim of Yeshua, following his example, they stay in the colonnade of Solomon to teach the people of Israel (Acts 3:11; 5:12). Here is a graphic of the Temple of Herod.
Next Jewish Celebration: Chanukah
If you are attentive to the Newsletter/parasha I send every week, you have noticed that we entered the moth of Kislev. This month is the month of Chanukah, many Christians call this feast, the feast of the light, but for the Jewish people it is the feast of the Dedication. It is with this appelation that the Besorat (Gospel) of John knows it. It is written: “At that time the Feast of Dedication took place at Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the colonnade of Solomon.” (John 10:22–23). Here is 2nd temple.
from November 26 2 for Matt & Tina Munson leaders of the Jewish Adventist Congregation in Cleveland (GA). Let’s pray for both of them, their families, and their ministries and congregation.
It is an interesting text which gives us the exact time of this feast, it is written that “It was winter” it is exactly the time of Chanukah, this feast will be in three week, December is the month of Christmas, snow and winter, even in Jerusalem it is winter and it could be cold. The second point is that Yeshua is walking in the Temple, the temple is the center of all the attention during the time of Chanukah, it was the celebration of the Dedication of the Temple during the time of the Maccabeh, in the second century before Yeshua.
© NIV Dictionary of the Bible
through December
Because of the celebration of this feast by Yeshua, it seems to me that it is good for all the congregation involve in the Jewish-Adventist Friendship ministry to have some meetings where our Jewish friends are invited and to thank G-d for helping the Jewish people to maintain the Temple and its service until the coming of Yeshua.
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 https://wjafc.globalmissioncenters.org/ English Edition: Richard-Amram Elofer Russian Edition: Alexandra Obrevko French Edition: Sabine Baris Portuguese Edition: Carlos Muniz Dutch Edition: Hubert Paulleta
Emails: English: richard@elofer.com Russian: sashok_l@mail.ru French: sabinebaris@gmail.com Portuguese: cdmuniz@gmail.com Dutch: hpauletta@hotmail.com
Carlos Muniz
Richard-Amram Elofer Editor Hubert Paulleta
Sabine Baris
Alexandra Obrevko
Yaakov’s Difficult Life
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Parasha for this Week Vayetse
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Genesis 28:10-32:3 Parasha Overview: Vayetse
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leeing from Esav, Yaakov leaves Beer Sheva and sets out for Charan, the home of his mother’s family. Yaakov Arrives at Bethel, Hebrew word meaning “House of God. “ He sleeps there and dreams of angels going up and down a ladder between Heaven and earth. G-d promises him the Land of Israel, that he will found a great nation and that he will enjoy Divine protection. Yaakov wakes and vows to build an altar there and tithe all that he will receive. Then he travels to Charan and meets his cousin Rachel at the well. He arranges with her father, Lavan, to work seven years for her hand in marriage, but Lavan fools Yaakov, substituting Rachel’s older sister, Leah. Yaakov commits himself to work another seven years in order to also marry Rachel. Leah bears four sons: Reuven, Shimon, Levi and Yehuda, the first Tribes of Israel.
Rachel is barren, and in to give Yaakov children, she gives her handmaiden Bilhah to Yaakov as a wife. Bilhah bears Dan and Naftali. Leah also gives Yaakov her handmaiden Zilpah, who bears Gad and Asher. Leah then bears Yissachar, Zevulun, and a daughter, Dina. Hashem finally blesses Rachel with a son, Yosef. Yaakov decides to leave Lavan, but Lavan, aware of the wealth Yaakov has made for him, is reluctant to let him go, and concludes a contract of employment with him. Lavan tries to swindle Yaakov, but Yaakov becomes extremely wealthy. Six years later, Yaakov, aware that Lavan has become dangerously resentful of his wealth, flees with his family. Lavan pursues them but is warned by G-d not to harm them. Yaakov and Lavan agree to a covenant and Lavan returns home. Yaakov continues on his way to face his brother Esav.
aakov had a difficult life, life of fear and drudgery for more than 20 years. Nothing came easily to him. First he contended with Esau and had to flee, than he contended with Lavan and also had to flee, then again with Esau on the way back. His only daughter was raped, his favorite son was sold into slavery, and he ended his life in exile. And yet, according to the Jewish sholars, Yaakov was the greatest of their forefathers. It is in this context that we understand why G-d gave him this wonderful vision of the ladder. “When he reached a certain place, he stopped for the night because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones there, he put it under his head and lay down to sleep. He had a dream in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.” (Gen 28 11-12) He was afraid to leave the land of his father and grand-father. This dream meant a lot to him, G-d will be with him. The angels of heaven are there to help him to stay connected to heaven. Then he received for himself the blessings which have been given to Abraham and Isaac. “There above it stood the L-rd, and he said: ‘I am the L-rd, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you are lying. Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring. I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.’ When Yaakov awoke from his sleep, he thought, ‘Surely the L-rd is in this place, and I was not aware of it.’ He was afraid and said, ‘How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God; this is the gate of heaven.’ (Gen 28 13-17). Yaakov had a difficult life but Rabbi Shaul affirms “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.” (1 Cor 10:13) that is why we can be sure that Yaakov was tested according to this ability to overcome these test, and if not, G-d gave him the strength he needed. The lesson, is that G-d gives us strengths and abilities to overcome our tests and temptations. Yaakov lost a beloved wife but never a child. He didn’t suffer from illness or old age; he didn’t have any handicapped children and so on. God made sure to inflict him with exactly the sort of difficulties and tests that he needed to achieve his spiritual growth and to be able to communicate to his 13 children what he received from G-d.
The House of G-d
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hen Yaakov received the vision of the ladder, he understood that he was in a special place, which will be called, Bethel, “the house of God.” Indeed, the Torah states, Surely the L-rd is in this place; and I knew it not. And he was afraid, and said, How dreadful is this place! this is none other but the house of G-d, and this is the gate of heaven. And Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put for his pillows, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil upon the top of it. And he called the name of that place Bethel: but the name of that city was called Luz at the first. And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If G-d will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on, So that I come again to my father’s house in peace; then shall the L-rd be my G-d: And this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be G-d’s house: and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee. (Genesis 28:16b-22). In short, what happens here is that Jacob encounters G-d. His response is to erect a monument or, in Hebrew, matzeva, which he vows to transform into a House of G-d upon his return. His vow is symbolic, an expression of his aspirations. He hopes that he will realize this potential, and the blessings bestowed upon him will come to their fruition, and he will fulfill the destiny that he senses about this awesome place and this rock—to become a House of G-d.
The L-rd is there
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ooking at the ladder Yaakov saw: “And behold, the L-rd stood above” (Gen 28:13) in Hebrew “YHWH Natsav ‘alayv”. Rabbi Hirsch says that this expression denotes almost everywhere in the Tanakh (Hebrew bible) not the place upon which one stands, but the thing on which one’s attention is fixed (Gen 24:13; Gen 45:1; Ex 18:14; Deut 23:6; 1Sam 19:20) all denote standing by something, with one’s attention focused on it. Nitsav itself denotes not simply standing, but standing fully alert and ready for actions; thus nitsav: guard, outpost. However, the G-d who is standing, guarding in alert above the ladder is a special revelation of G-d, it is not Elohim, but YHWH. This name of G-d reveals the G-d who care of his creation and his people. To understand the difference, we have to remember that the first chapter of Bereshit
“He had a vision in a dream. A ladder was standing on the ground, and its top reached up toward heaven. G-d›s angels were going up and down on it.” (Genesis 28:12)
(Genesis) was written exclusively with the name of G-d as Elohim, but the second chapter has been written with the name of G-d as YHWH, the holy Tetragrammaton. The first chapter of Genesis is about the great G-d, the Creator who is above everything, the G-d Creator of the universe. However, the second chapter of Genesis is about the G-d who come on the earth to be close to his creation, he is the G-d who care for his creation, the G-d who is able to plant a garden in order to give to the newly created human being everything he needs. That is why when Moses was called to deliver Israel he wanted to know who is this G-d “Then Moses said to G-d, “If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘The G-d of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?”” (Ex 3:13). G-d answered giving his name YHWH, he was the G-d who wanted to care for his people, he was the one who was ready to deliver him from the slavery, he will be the one who will take care of him for the 40 years in the wilderness. It is not an anonym “Elohim” (G-d), it is a personal G-d, who has a name, He is a G-d who stands by the person (Natsav ‘alayv). His Holy name (YHWH) is an attribute of mercy. This attribute revealed primarily in the education of man. and He not only sees the past and the present, but also sees the future. He sees in “the person of the present” and “the person of the future”, what he will become. And if there is a kernel of good in him, He preserves this kernel and develops it. It is the G-d who is able to say to Yaakov after his great disappointment “I am the L-RD, the G-d of Abraham your father and the G-d of Isaac. The land on which you lie I will give to you and to your offspring. Your offspring shall be like the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south, and in you and your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed. Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” (Gen 28:13–15). What a brilliant future!
“Jacob got up early in the morning and took the stone that he had placed under his head. He stood it up as a pillar and poured oil on top of it.” (Genesis 28:18)
Rachel and Leah in the Jewish Tradition
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fter working for Lavan, Yaakov wanted to married, Rachel, his fiancé: “Then Jacob said to Laban, ‘Give me my wife that I may go in to her, for my time is completed’.”(Genesis 29:21). And the Torah continues: “But in the evening he took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob, and he went in to her.” (Genesis 29:23). And Yaakov worked again 7 years to be able to married Rachel. It is interesting to know what the Jewish tradition says about the stories of the parasha. Rabbi Yochanan Zweig says that according to the Talmud, Yaakov gave Rachel a secret message that would identify her on their marriage night. He did this in order to prevent Lavan from substituting Leah for Rachel. When Rachel realized that Leah would be publicly humiliated if she could not give Yaakov the message, Rachel revealed the secret words to her.[1] The Daas Zekainim cites a Midrash which says that in the morning, when Yaakov realized that the woman with him was Leah and not Rachel, he asked her, “Why have you tricked me into believing that you were Rachel?” Leah responded, “It is from you that I learned to do so. Did you not pose as your brother in order to receive the blessings?” Later in the parasha, Reuvein, Leah’s eldest son brings her Duda’im (mandrakes), a plant that, according to some commentaries, increases the chances of conception. Rachel asks Leah to give her the Duda’im, to which Leah retorts, “But she said to her, ‘Is it a small matter that you have taken away my husband? Would you take away my son’s Duda’im also’?” (Genesis 30:15). How could Leah make such a statement when the only reason that she was married to Yaakov was Rachel’s kindness toward her? Rashi teaches that Leah was originally destined to marry Eisav, and Rachel, Yaakov.[5] When Leah saw that Yaakov took over the mantle of Eisav, Leah realized that Yaakov became her soul mate. This is what she alluded to when she told Yaakov, “It is from you I learned”; since you substituted for Eisav, taking his blessings and birthright, you have become my soul mate. Leah argued that her marriage to Yaakov was not due to Rachel’s kindness; it was Leah’s right once Yaakov had assumed Eisav’s role. Therefore, Leah felt justified in criticizing Rachel for having taken away her husband.
SClosing tories and Traditions on Shabbat
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omeone once asked the Magid of Dubna, “How can I close my business on Shabbat when I am burdened with the responsibility of providing sustenance and a livelihood for my family?” The Magid answered with the following parable: A poor man was walking alongside the road carrying a heavy bundle. The town was far and the bundle was heavy, yet the poor man couldn’t pay transportation and thus had no choice but to walk to his destination. As he was walking, a rich man drove by in his carriage. He had pity on the poor man and offered him a lift, which the poor man happily accepted. After a while, the rich man noticed that the poor man was still carrying his heavy bundle on his shoulder. “Why don’t you put the bundle down?” he asked. The poor man politely answered, “You kindly offered me a ride in your carriage, how can I also burden you with my bundle? This would be too much chutzpah on my part!” The rich man laughed and said, “It’s all the same to me whether you put your bundle down or not. My carriage is carrying you and your bundle anyway. So you might as well take the load of your back and enjoy the ride!” “The same,” explained the Magid, “is with Shabbat. During the six days of the week, G-d carries us and supplies our needs. If He takes care of us all week, he certainly can supply our needs if we listen to His commandment and rest on Shabbat”
Where is your Furniture
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wealthy man from a distant land once came to visit a venerated sage. The sage’s house was a simple, dilapidated hut. The interior was even shoddier. The sage was sitting at a table made of rough-hewn logs. None of the chairs matched each other, and the tablecloth was threadbare. The sage greeted him kindly and pointed to a chair. “Please sit down.” The wealthy visitor gingerly tested the chair and sat down. He seemed surprised that it did not collapse under his weight.
“I don’t understand,” he said. “How can a great and famous person like you have furniture like this? Why don’t you have real furniture?” The sage smiled. “Tell me, my good friend, do you have good furniture?” “Of course, I do. It is actually quite elegant - and solid like a rock.” “I see. And where is this furniture? Do you have it with you?” “With me? You must be joking! Don’t you know that I’m traveling? You don’t take furniture along when you’re only passing through!” “You certainly don’t,” said the sage. “Well, you see, I am also only passing through. I’m going to be here in this world for a limited time only. Just like you, I don’t need furniture when I’m passing through.” We are all passing through this world, on our way to a far better place. Like our forefather Jacob, we should not allow ourselves to be taken in by the illusions of materialism. We should always remember that “bread is for eating and clothes are for wearing,” If we are fortunate enough to be blessed with affluence, we should not view the accumulation of wealth as an end in itself. Rather, we should use the freedom and expansiveness that wealth provides as a means to achieve continuous personal growth. In this way, we can enjoy material satisfaction in this world while we accumulate spiritual wealth for the continuation of our journey toward eternal life.
Yehudah Yehudim
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hy are the Jewish people called “Yehudim”? When Leah, gave birth to her fourth child she called him “Yehuda” to give thanks to the Almighty, from this name came the word “Yehudim” Jews, to be a Jew is to give thanks to G-d. Three times a day—the morning, the afternoon, the night—a Jew stops his activity to focus on the Almighty to give thanks and to make requests. Three times a day the prayer service trains them to develop spirituality by focusing on gratitude. Why not the follow this example and to build a daily program of prayers just to give thanks to G-d.
Inspirational Corner
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Like Abraham’s servant, Jacob tarried beside a well, and it was here that he met Rachel, Laban’s younger daughter. On making known his kinship, he was welcomed to the home of Laban. A few weeks showed the worth of his diligence and skill, and he was urged to tarry. It was arranged that he should render Laban seven years’ service for the hand of Rachel. (EP 122) Generally the dowry which the father had received was given her at her marriage. In the case of both Rachel and Leah, however, Laban selfishly retained the dowry that should have been given them. They referred to this when they said, just before the removal from Mesopotamia, “He hath sold us, and hath quite devoured also our money.” (EP 123)