Jacob and Esau are born

And when the time came, the twins were born.

The first was very red at birth. He was covered with so much hair that one would think he was wearing a piece of clothing. So they called him Esau which means hair.

Then the other twin was born with his hand grasping Esau's heel. So they called him Jacob which means he grasps at the heel, but it also mean deceive which will be important shortly in our story. Isaac was sixty years old when the twins were born.

Twins Jacob and Esau

Today, we tell the history of the family of Isaac, the son of Abraham. Did you enjoy your trip to Israel? What were some of the high points?

< = = = Ein Gedi and Masada were awesome. I liked celebrating Shabatt in Israel. The buffet breakfast at the hotels, I liked everything. We hired an armored bus and went to Rachel's tomb, Hebron, and the cave of the patriarch's that you have been telling me about. And we went to Ramat David, where my cousin flies an F16 and he let me climb into the cockpit, it was all great.

Excellent, well let's begin with our story. When Isaac was forty years old, he married Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel the Aramean from Paddan-aram and the sister of Laban. Isaac pleaded with the LORD to give Rebekah a child because she was childless. So the LORD answered Isaac's prayer, and his wife became pregnant with twins.

But the two children struggled with each other in her womb. So she went to ask the LORD about it. "Why is this happening to me?" she asked. And the LORD told her, "The sons in your womb will become two rival nations. One nation will be stronger than the other; the descendants of your older son will serve the descendants of your younger son."

Abraham Marries Keturah

This picture was adapted from here.

Now Abraham married again with the chuppah tent, the veil ceremony and the traditional (as in the second time, but it will become a tradition) blessing. Keturah was his new wife, and she bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah. Jokshan's two sons were Sheba and Dedan. Dedan's descendants were the Asshurites, Letushites, and Leummites. Midian's sons were Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida, and Eldaah. These were all descendants of Abraham through Keturah.

< = = = And where are they today?

Well Abraham sent them away to the east, and they settled in the Trans Jordan region. They were not a major people, her sons did not possess the gates of their enemies and they were assimilated over time into other tribes.

Abraham left everything he owned to his son Isaac, the son of promise. But before he died, he gave gifts to the sons of his concubines and sent them off to the east, away from Isaac.

< = = = Why do the scriptures say concubine? We just saw him get married.

It simply denotes a lower status. And that is why it is so significant he left everything to Isaac. Sarah, his childhood sweetheart, was the love of his life and the line that the manifested the promise of God:

I will cause you to become the father of a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and I will make you a blessing to others.

I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you. All the families of the earth will be blessed through you."

Ishmael's Descendants

This picture was adapted from here.

This is the history of the descendants of Ishmael, the son of Abraham through Hagar, Sarah's Egyptian servant. Here is a list, by their names and clans, of Ishmael's descendants: The oldest was Nebaioth, followed by Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, Mishma, Dumah, Massa, Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah.

These twelve sons of Ishmael became the founders of twelve tribes that bore their names, listed according to the places they settled and camped. Ishmael finally died at the age of 137 and joined his ancestors in death.

< = = = Are these names important to know?
Tough question, neither the Torah because they are not the children of the promise or other literature tracks them exactly so they are lost except for the records God Keeps. That said, you will recall God promised and God did make them a great nation. You will recall:
"This son of yours will be a wild one--free and untamed as a wild donkey! He will be against everyone, and everyone will be against him. Yes, he will live at odds with the rest of his brothers."
However, God also said:
As for Ishmael, I will bless him also, just as you have asked. I will cause him to multiply and become a great nation. Twelve princes will be among his descendants.

The bottom line, because of the diaspora, the scattering of the Jewish peoples, there is probably more blood of Abraham in many of the Middle Eastern Islamic people than in the Jews. They are descendants of Abraham not just through Ismael, but also through the sons of Keturah. Never underestimate them Issy, God has richly blessed them for the sake of Abraham. Never forget Abraham's request of God:
And Abraham said to God, "Yes, may Ishmael enjoy your special blessing!"
Nonetheless, the sons and daughters of the promise God made to Abraham come through the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. That is what matters.

Ishmael's descendants were scattered across the country from Havilah to Shur, which is east of Egypt in the direction of Asshur, the first capital of Assyria. The clans descended from Ishmael camped close to one another.

Abraham is buried in the cave at Macpelah

<= = = Mr. Comfort, it is amazing we are on the same flight. And by the way, that does not look like a cave, it looks like a building.

We are both going to Israel, El Al flies to Israel, my miles are on El Al what is amazing about that. And it is a building, a building with a lot of history. It is the oldest site in Jewish history, but like the temple mount, we are denied. Do you know that Jews can only enter Ohel Yitzhak ten days a year? It is under Muslim control and we are denied.

< = = = Who built the building?

None other than Herod the Great, it is actually the best condition Herodian building, others modified it, Herod simply enclosed it, there was no roof. Anyway, let's finish this last story in the life of Patriarch Abraham.

Abraham lived for 175 years, and he died at a ripe old age, joining his ancestors in death. His sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah, near Mamre, about half way between the Dead Sea and the Mediterranean in the field of Ephron son of Zohar the Hittite. All of the Patriarchs and Matriarchs are buried there except Rachel, who was buried near Bethlehem. This was the field Abraham had purchased from the Hittites, at full price, where he had buried his wife Sarah.

Rebekah arrives at Isaac and Abraham's home

I understand you begin your trip to Israel tomorrow, are you excited?

< = = = Yes, sir, actually we don't I just take a quick flight to New York and we are going to get everyone together, some of the people are traveling from as far away as Kauai. The Wednesday we go.

It should be fun, though it is a long flight. OK, today, Rebekah will meet Isaac.

So they sent their sister Rebekah on her way, along with her nurse and Abraham's servant and his men. And they blessed Rebekah and said to her, "Our sister, may you increase to thousands upon thousands; may your offspring possess the gates of their enemies."

Then Rebekah and her maids got ready and mounted their camels and went back with the man. So the servant took Rebekah and left.

Now Isaac had come from Beer Lahai Roi, for he was living in the Negev. Now you remember this place, it is where Hagar was told to return to her mistress.

Then the angel of the LORD said, "Return to your mistress and submit to her authority." The angel added, "I will give you more descendants than you can count." And the angel also said, "You are now pregnant and will give birth to a son. You are to name him Ishmael, which means "God hears" for the LORD has heard about your misery.

The angel of the LORD continued, "This son of yours will be a wild one--free and untamed as a wild donkey! He will be against everyone, and everyone will be against him. Yes, he will live at odds with the rest of his brothers."

Thereafter, Hagar referred to the LORD, who had spoken to her, as "the God who sees me," (El-roi) for she said, "I have seen the One who sees me!" Later that well was named Beer-lahairoi, which means “well of the Living One who sees me.” and it can still be found between Kadesh and Bered.

Well that is where Isaac was living. He went out to the field one evening to meditate, and as he looked up, he saw camels approaching.

Rebekah also looked up and saw Isaac. She got down from her camel and asked the servant, "Who is that man in the field coming to meet us?" "He is my master," the servant Eleazar, whose name means God, My Help, answered. So she took her veil and covered herself.

< = = = So this is a love at first sight sort of thing?

Very much so, they saw and both pretty much knew from a distance and as Rebekah got closer and Issac saw how beautiful she was, his heart started beating very fast, he was strong and in top physical shape, but he seriously wondered if he would be OK.

Then the servant told Isaac all he had done and Issac started to calm down. Isaac brought her into the tent of his mother Sarah, and he married Rebekah. And to this day, when Jewish people marry they marry under a tent, a chuppah and during the ceremony there is the badekin, or veiling for Rebekah was veiled. And of course when we marry today, the traditional blessing is the blessing her people gave her on parting, " may you increase to thousands upon thousands; may your offspring possess the gates of their enemies." So Rebekah became the wife of Isaac, and he loved her very much; and Isaac was comforted after his mother's death.

Eleazar's Story About Rebekah

< = = = You used to come every week and noww you show up once a month, this is interesting, you are like the wind, you come and go.

This is not the first time someone has referred to me as being like the wind. Rosh Hashanah is upon us. Are you prepared for Yamim Noraim? Also, how are you doing getting ready for your trip to Israel? Oh, and I brought you something.

<= = = That is a thick pile of money, why so much money?

Actually it is only a hundred dollars, but they are all one dollar bills. It is easy to dry up in the Holy Land and you can get a water bottle almost everywhere for a dollar bill.

< = = = I thought they used the Shekel, in fact I know the currency is the Sheckel.

If it doesn't work you can spend the money when you get back, but give it a try. So now Eleazar needs to pop the question, will they agree to send Rebekah back with him as a bride for Issac.

Now if you will show kindness and faithfulness to my master, tell me; and if not, tell me, so I may know which way to turn."

Laban, Rebekah's brother and Bethuel, her father, answered, "This is from the Lord; we can say nothing to you one way or the other. Here is Rebekah; take her and go, and let her become the wife of your master's son, as the Lord has directed."

@Abraham, I am inbound with Rebekah, well comported and quite the looker, you will be pleased.

When Abraham's servant heard what they said, he bowed down to the ground before the Lord. Then the servant brought out gold and silver jewelry and articles of clothing and gave them to Rebekah; he also gave costly gifts to her brother and to her mother. Then they had supper, and the servant and the men with him stayed there overnight. When they got up the next morning, he said, "Send me on my way to my master."

But her brother and her mother replied, "Let the girl remain with us ten days or so; then you may go."

< = = = Where is Bethuel right about now, this is his daughter.

Well many Midrash say that he was against the wedding and so he was struck down by G-d. Actually, he had a bit of a drinking problem and snuck out to get a few drinks ahead of the party's pace. Anyway, to get to the conclusion of this story.

Then Eleazar said to them, "Do not detain me, now that the Lord has granted success to my journey. Send me on my way so I may go to my master." Then they said, "Let's call the girl and ask her about it." So they called Rebekah and asked her, "Will you go with this man?" "I will go," she said.

< = = = She was very brave to leave her home like that.

Well, with a boozer of a father and we will learn Laban is no prize, she was probably pretty happy to get in a different situation.

Rebekah's Brother Laban

< = = = Long time since I have seen you Mr. Comfort, where have you been?

That is a long story, but it is good to see you. I understand you are going to Israel with a Christian church group in a month or two, how did a nice Jewish boy like you end up in a situation like that?

< = = = A friend of mine from school is going with his family and they invited me. My dad just told me to remember I was a member of the tribe and have fun.

Smile, I have to go to Israel for some business myself, who knows, maybe I can look in on you. Until then, get all your school work done, Rosh Hashanah is coming in a few weeks, don't fall behing, I hope you are looking forward to your mom's Sweet Potato & Carrot Tzimmes, ummm. Well, back to our story, when we last met we were talking about Eleazar, Abraham's servant who went to find Issac a wife from Abraham's tribe. And Rebekah was the answer to his prayer. Now we are going to meet her brother Laban.

After Eleazar told her his mission, Rebekah ran and told her mother's household about these things. She had a brother named Laban, and he hurried out to the man at the spring. As soon as he had seen the nose ring, and the bracelets on his sister's arms, and had heard Rebekah tell what the man said to her, he went out to the man and found him standing by the camels near the spring.

< = = = Was it the gold that got his attention or was he looking out for his sister? You are nodding which is it? Both? Ah.

"Come, you who are blessed by the Lord," he said. "Why are you standing out here? I have prepared the house and a place for the camels." So the man went to the house, and the camels were unloaded. Straw and fodder were brought for the camels, and water for him and his men to wash their feet.

Then food was set before him, but he said, "I will not eat until I have told you what I have to say." "Then tell us," Laban said.

So he said, "I am Abraham's servant. The Lord has blessed my master abundantly, and he has become wealthy. He has given him sheep and cattle, silver and gold, menservants and maidservants, and camels and donkeys. My master's wife Sarah has borne him a son in her old age, and he has given him everything he owns. And my master made me swear an oath, and said, 'You must not get a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I live, but go to my father's family and to my own clan, and get a wife for my son.'
Then I asked my master, 'What if the woman will not come back with me?' "

He replied, 'The Lord, before whom I have walked, will send his angel with you and make your journey a success, so that you can get a wife for my son from my own clan and from my father's family. Then, when you go to my clan, you will be released from my oath even if they refuse to give her to you--you will be released from my oath.' "When I came to the spring today, I said, 'O Lord, God of my master Abraham, if you will, please grant success to the journey on which I have come. See, I am standing beside this spring; if a maiden comes out to draw water and I say to her, "Please let me drink a little water from your jar," and if she says to me, "Drink, and I'll draw water for your camels too," let her be the one the Lord has chosen for my master's son.' "Before I finished praying in my heart, Rebekah came out, with her jar on her shoulder. She went down to the spring and drew water, and I said to her, 'Please give me a drink.' "She quickly lowered her jar from her shoulder and said, 'Drink, and I'll water your camels too.' So I drank, and she watered the camels also. "I asked her, 'Whose daughter are you?' "She said, 'The daughter of Bethuel son of Nahor, whom Milcah bore to him.' "Then I put the ring in her nose and the bracelets on her arms, and I bowed down and worshiped the Lord. I praised the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who had led me on the right road to get the granddaughter of my master's brother for his son.

Rebekah

Well now Mister Cohen, did you enjoy Japan? What did you learn?

<= = = Everything is incredibly expensive. And it was a long plane flight, I watched the move the Watchmen, mom would have never let me see it, but it was playing and I was bored and it was really intense. And keep some toilet paper with you in case you need it since it is not always available. And some of the hotels there are huge, we stayed at the Hotel Nikko. Tokyo. It is incredible, we ate dinner one night as the sun was setting and the city lights started getting brighter, it was really cool. And the Japanese were all very friendly and I was amazed how many people from all over the world were in Tokyo and the same was true of Kobe. We visited the Synagogue at Kitano-cho. It turns out most of the people there are not into fishing, it is actually pearls, but I guess it is similar. But I have a question sir. On Wednesday the Asahi Shimbun newspaper carried a story about the Euphrates. They said it is drying up and that is a sign of the end times and that was predicted in the book of Relevation. The Watchmen had sighs about the end times as well, what exactly are the end times, what does the Torah say about it?

Well, first of all, it is the book of Revelation, the vision of St. John when he was imprisoned on the island of Patmos. In verse 16:12, it says "The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up to prepare the way for the kings from the East." However, what is going on in Iraq is not the work of an angel, Turkey and Syria have built dams to keep water from feeding the Euphrates. The Torah refers to "The end of days". The prophet Isaiah says: "And it will be in the end of days, the mountain of the House of YHWH will be established at the head of the mountains, and higher than the hills, and all the nations shall stream unto it. And many peoples shall go and say 'Let us go and ascend to the mountain of YHWH, to the House of the God of Jacob that he teach us from his ways and that we may go in his paths, for the Torah goes forth out of Zion and the word of YHWH from Jerusalem.' And he will judge between many nations and rebuke many peoples. And they will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. And nation shall not lift up sword against nation and they shall no longer learn war."

So it is a time of profound reverence to the LORD. If you look around, we are not in such a time. It will be a significant upheaval going from an earth in rebellion to the LORD to a world that reveres the LORD. And of course it will be the time when the LORD is able to bless the families of the world through the offspring of Abraham and so we return to our story, OK?

Then Eleazar the servant took ten of his master's camels and left, taking with him all kinds of good things from his master. He set out for Aram Naharaim, (Aram of Two Rivers) and made his way to the town of Nahor, which is called Harran today in Southern Turkey. He had the camels kneel down near the well outside the town; it was toward evening, the time the women go out to draw water.

Then he prayed, "O Lord, God of my master Abraham, give me success today, and show kindness to my master Abraham. See, I am standing beside this spring, and the daughters of the townspeople are coming out to draw water. May it be that when I say to a girl, 'Please let down your jar that I may have a drink,' and she says, 'Drink, and I'll water your camels too'--let her be the one you have chosen for your servant Isaac. By this I will know that you have shown kindness to my master."


Before he had finished praying, Rebekah came out with her jar on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Bethuel son of Milcah, who was the wife of Abraham's brother Nahor. The girl was very beautiful, a virgin; no man had ever lain with her. She went down to the spring, filled her jar and came up again.

The servant hurried to meet her and said, "Please give me a little water from your jar." "Drink, my lord," she said, and quickly lowered the jar to her hands and gave him a drink. After she had given him a drink, she said, "I'll draw water for your camels too, until they have finished drinking."

So she quickly emptied her jar into the trough, ran back to the well to draw more water, and drew enough for all his camels. Without saying a word, the man watched her closely to learn whether or not the Lord had made his journey successful. When the camels had finished drinking, the man took out a gold nose ring weighing a beka and two gold bracelets weighing ten shekels.

Then he asked, "Whose daughter are you? Please tell me, is there room in your father's house for us to spend the night?" She answered him, "I am the daughter of Bethuel, the son that Milcah bore to Nahor." And she added, "We have plenty of straw and fodder, as well as room for you to spend the night."

Then the man bowed down and worshiped the Lord, saying, "Praise be to the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who has not abandoned his kindness and faithfulness to my master. As for me, the Lord has led me on the journey to the house of my master's relatives."

Abraham commands Eleazar to find a wife for Isaac

The original photo is here.

< = = = Hello sir, seems like everyone is talking about Michael Jackson, on Twitter he shot past the Iran discussions. What happens when you are dead?

Well, for all intents and purposes Michael Jackson has been dead for a long time, the news is that his heart stopped beating. However to answer your question, he descends to Sheol, or as some people say, the grave. Sheol is a condition, a place for the human spirit. It is a place those who do not know and love God should fear greatly. As Moses told the people about turning from the LORD, "I know that after my death you will become utterly corrupt and will turn from the path I have commanded you to follow. In the days to come, disaster will come down on you, for you will make the LORD very angry by doing what is evil in his sight." When they followed God and avoided foreign gods, God blessed them. " But Israel soon became fat and unruly; the people grew heavy, plump, and stuffed! Then they abandoned the God who had made them; they made light of the Rock of their salvation. And this is what God says about Sheol, the grave, " They have roused my jealousy by worshiping non-gods; they have provoked my fury with useless idols. Now I will rouse their jealousy by blessing other nations; I will provoke their fury by blessing the foolish Gentiles. For my anger blazes forth like fire and burns to the depths of Sheol, the grave. It devours the earth and all its crops and ignites the foundations of the mountains.

< = = = So the lights don't just go out, there is activity in Sheol?

Indeed, the most important activity for those that love and follow God is being redeemed from the grave, as David said, "But God will redeem my soul from the power of Sheol, For He will receive me." Hosea as well talks about the power of God to redeem from the grave, "Shall I ransom them from the power of Sheol? Shall I redeem them from death? O Death, where are your thorns? O Sheol, where is your sting? Compassion will be hidden from My sight." But, for now, let us return to the story of Abraham, who is not far from the grave himself.

Abraham was now old and well advanced in years, and the Lord had blessed him in every way. He said to Eleazar, whose name means God my help, the chief servant in Abraham's household, the one in charge of all that he had, "Put your hand under my thigh. I want you to swear by the Lord, the God of heaven and the God of earth, that you will not get a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I am living, but will go to my country and my own relatives and get a wife for my son Isaac."

The servant asked him, "What if the woman is unwilling to come back with me to this land? Shall I then take your son back to the country you came from?" "Make sure that you do not take my son back there," Abraham said. "The Lord, the God of heaven, who brought me out of my father's household and my native land and who spoke to me and promised me on oath, saying, 'To your offspring I will give this land'--he will send his angel before you so that you can get a wife for my son from there. If the woman is unwilling to come back with you, then you will be released from this oath of mine. Only do not take my son back there."

<= = = I read about this before, Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch, Germany, pointed out the influence of a Canaanite wife on Isaac would be all the greater since he dwells in the midst of the Canaanite people. Not only the wife but her whole family, extended family and circle of friends and relations would have to be contended with. Issac would have been assimilated into Caanan culture and we would never have come to exist. Abraham is really smart with his directions to his servant.

Very discerning, so the servant put his hand under the thigh of his master Abraham and swore an oath to him concerning this matter.

<= = = Sir, one last thing . . .

I know, I know, what's with the thigh, right? That has driven Torah commentators crazy throughout the ages. The scripture rarely mentions anything related to sex or sexual organs outside of the Song of Solomon so that when you see it you are wise to take a close look and ask questions. Abraham is reminding his servant that they are set apart from others, they have the covenant of circumcision with God. I understand you are going to Japan with your United Synagogue Youth leader, are you excited?

< = = = I am sir, it turns out there have been Jews in Japan for almost a thousand years on and off with a modern community that is over a hundred years old, since the great fire burned down the city of Kobe. In recent times, most of them have left for Israel, but there are still some families that fish in Kobe. Most of our time will be in Tokyo, but we will get to visit Kobe as well by train.

Death of Sarah

If you want to see the original image look here!


<= = = Hello sir, it has been a long time. Have you been busy?

Issy, I desired to come see you sooner, but was constrained, things have been a bit crazy.

<= = = Is that the Iran thing?

To be honest with you Issy, the passing of Michael Jackson had more impact on the the minds of people during the time I was gone than the "Iran thing". But I am glad to be here now. We will be talking about the passing of Abraham's wife Sarah.

Sarah lived to be a hundred and twenty-seven years old. She died at Kiriath Arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan. Several Midrashim connect the near sacrifice of Issac to the death of Sarah, died in a panic, died of sadness, her cries are the six cries of the shofar and such, but actually a hundred and twenty-seven years is a good long time, the plain truth Issy is that she died of old age and a good long marriage to Abraham if you can overlook the being passed of as his sister and the indiscretion with Hagar and what marriage doesn't have its bumps?

This was a very sad moment for Abraham. Issy, they had traveled together for so many years, they were very close so then Abraham went to mourn for Sarah and to weep over her.

Then Abraham rose from beside his dead wife and spoke to the Hittites, the children of Heth, a Canaanite nation. He said, "I am an alien and a stranger among you. I have no property here, I am a sojourner through this land. Sell me some property for a burial site here so I can bury my dead." The Hittites replied to Abraham, of our tombs. None of us will refuse you his tomb for burying your dead." Then Abraham rose and bowed down before the people of the land, the Hittites. Please intercede with Ephron son of Zohar on my behalf so he will sell me the cave of Machpelah, which belongs to him and is at the end of his field. Ask him to sell it to me for the full price as a burial site among you."

Ephron the Hittite was sitting among his people and he replied to Abraham in the hearing of all the Hittites who had come to the gate of his city. "No, my lord," he said. "Listen to me; I give you the field, and I give you the cave that is in it. I give it to you in the presence of my people. Bury your dead." Again Abraham bowed down before the people of the land and he said to Ephron in their hearing, "Listen to me, if you will. I will pay the price of the field. Accept it from me so I can bury my dead there."

<= = = So this is bartering of some sort? Ephron offers to give the field for free and Abraham offers full price, but this is the reverse of normal bartering, both of them are starting at their bargaining limit.

Wisely said Issy, if it were your fate to become a businessman, you would be most skilled. Abraham is revered, a legend and the Hittites want to show respect. Abraham knows though, that his time on earth is limited and his household is but a few compared to the Hittite nation so he wants to blend in.

The bargaining continues, Ephron answered Abraham, "Listen to me, my lord; the land is worth four hundred shekels of silver, a vastly overstated price, but what is that between me and you? Bury your dead."

Abraham, who was greatly rich, agreed to Ephron's overpriced terms really surprising the Hittites listening to the negotiation and weighed out for Ephron the price he had named in the hearing of the Hittites: four hundred shekels of silver, according to the weight current among the merchants.

Ephron's field in Machpelah near Mamre--both the field and the cave in it, and all the trees within the borders of the field--was deeded to Abraham as his property in the presence of all the Hittites who had come to the gate of the city, where the elders sat for business transactions just like this one.

This and another field with a cave Abraham purchased in Shechem were the first steps in fulfilling God's promise that all of this land would belong to the descendants of Abraham.

Afterward Abraham buried his wife Sarah in the cave in the field of Machpelah near Mamre (which is at Hebron) in the land of Canaan.

<= = = Mamre, isn't that where he built the altar. But Mamre is also the name of the Mishneh Torah that my father uses.

Yes, exactly, the place had a very strong significance to Abraham and will have a strong significance to all of the patriarchs. And yes, the Mechon Mamre ( Mamre Institute ) are scholars of the word.

So the field and the cave in it were deeded to Abraham by the Hittites as a burial site.

Rebekah is born

Good afternoon Issy, that is some story about Iran, yes? What have you heard?

< = = = I understand some folks are calling President Ahmadinejad "The George Bush of the Middle East" because he is such a cowboy, Hamas and Syria were quick to show support. I read that the rival candidate, the more moderate Mousavi has been arrested. Some reports say the election was not fair and there is rioting in Iran. At one point they cut cell phone service, which was interesting because text messaging was a big part of Mousavi's campaign organization strategy.

A very powerful tool for a totalitarian government, cutting cell phone service isn't it? Expect to see that card pulled again in the next few years. And you can expect to see an increase in Qassam rockets fired into Israel. Abraham's children continue to contend with each other. But let's return to the story of Abraham. After the test concerning Issac was complete, Abraham called that place The Lord Will Provide. And to this day it is said, "On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided."

The angel of the Lord called to Abraham from heaven a second time and said, "I swear by myself, declares the Lord, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me."

<= = = And the Christian faith takes this only son statement as a reference to Jesus Christ, yes?

Yes, though there are differences, they generally state the Angel of the Lord is Christ, speaking about Christ. Issy, we can talk about Christ, Redeemers and Messiah at another time, in fact we should, but there are two points I want you to take from this reading so far.

The first is repetition, God is not senile so when he repeats himself it is not because of memory failure. Rather God is emphasizing how important this promise is, to make Abraham's descendants numerous and that through his offspring the world will be blessed. You have seen this as a unilateral promise, a bilateral covenant, but the point is it will be so.

The second is the only son thing, God is telling Abraham again, that the son of promise, the son of the covenant is Issac. Just because Abraham slept with his wife's handmaiden Hagar does obligate God to bless that offspring. God does to some extent, the children of Ishmael will be numerous, a mighty nation and right now Islam is the fastest growing population group in Europe. But they are not the children of promise.

Then Abraham returned to his servants from Mount Moriah, and they set off together for Beersheba. And Abraham stayed in Beersheba. Some time later Abraham was told about an increase in his tribe back in Ur, "Milcah is also a mother; she has borne sons to your brother Nahor: Uz the firstborn, Buz his brother, Kemuel (the father of Aram), Kesed, Hazo, Pildash, Jidlaph and Bethuel." Bethuel became the father of Rebekah. Milcah bore these eight sons to Abraham's brother Nahor. His concubine, whose name was Reumah, also had sons: Tebah, Gaham, Tahash and Maacah.

God tests Abraham

Hello Issy, that was a terrible tragedy yesterday at the Holocaust Museum. Have you spoken with your parents about this?

< = = = Yes, but I do not understand. He wasn't stupid, he was a member of Mensa like my parents. Yet he did not believe the Holocaust happened. I can't make sense of it, in my own life I have spoken with people that were in the concentration camp. And this after the attempted bombings of the synagogues, why do people hate us Jews? What did we do?

God's chosen race, anyone that is against God is against you. But, make sure you see the positive, despite von Brunn's intelligence, his hatred blinded him. Of course the Holocaust happened, what did President Obama say?, "I am shocked and saddened by today's shooting at the US Holocaust Memorial Museum. This outrageous act reminds us that we must remain vigilant against anti-Semitism and prejudice in all its forms. No American institution is more important to this effort than the Holocaust Museum, and no act of violence will diminish our determination to honor those who were lost by building a more peaceful and tolerant world." I don't know that you will see a more tolerant world as God's restraining force diminishes, but the more the saber rattles, the more you will see His hand on Israel. But you do not want to be one of those confused reformed Jews that doesn't know the scriptures from the Wall Street Journal do you? We will not have any more trouble from von Brunn, let us get started shall we?

< = = = May I ask one more question sir. They say von Brunn is a white supremacist, but I am white. I don't understand.

Issy, I say it again. You are sealed, you are different, you are chosen. And not everyone, but many people can see that, sense that, know that. Those that hate God, hate you. And the time is coming soon when those that hate God will vastly outnumber those that love God.

<= = = What happens then?

That, I will share with you after Bar Mitzvah, but the short answer is: God prevails. Now, time is ticking and we must get to the lesson, so some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, "Abraham!" "Here I am," Abraham replied.
Then God said, "Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about."

Now notice this characteristic of Abraham, he embraces each day, he does not sleep when there is work to be done or a mission to be accomplished. Early the next morning Abraham got up and saddled his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about. On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place, Moriah, in the distance.

Abraham said to his servants, "Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you."

< = = = Hold it! "We will come back to you" God has told Abraham to sacrifice Issac.

And so he will, but he believes God's promises as well. All of these years Abraham has listened to God and mostly followed, they have a relationship, Abraham has trust. Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them went on together, Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, "Father?" "Yes, my son?" Abraham replied. "The fire and wood are here," Isaac said, "but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?"

Abraham answered, "God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son." And the two of them went on together. When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son.

< = = = Woah, as a son, I would like to comment this is really heavy, especially if you read the news.

Sure Issy, but there was no news and we learn something about Issac's character as well. He trusts Abraham who told him God himself will provide the lamb. Keep in mind Abraham is of seriously advanced age, but Issac is a strapping young man. Who carried the wood? Issac carried the wood. Ever carry wood? Enough for a sacrifice? Issac carried it a long way. Issac was twenty five years old at the time at the peak of the speed of his reflexes. Abraham was an awesome warrior, but Issac had Abraham's genes, in a pitched battle there was only one possible outcome Issac wins. However Issac, who carried the wood, the wood he would be sacrificed on, all the way up the mountain, laid down willingly; trust. And as we see, trust that was well placed. But the angel of the Lord called out to him from heaven, "Abraham! Abraham!" "Here I am," he replied. "Do not lay a hand on the boy," he said. "Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son." Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son.

Abimelech and Abraham make a treaty, even two

Hello Izzy, it is good to see you. This afternoon we are going to have an interesting event, Abimelech, as pagan a king as ever, has noticed that Abraham has the call of God on his life. So, Abimelech came with Phicol, his army commander, to visit Abraham. "It is clear that God helps you in everything you do," Abimelech said. "Swear to me in God's name that you won't deceive me, my children, or my grandchildren. I have been loyal to you, so now swear that you will be loyal to me and to this country in which you are living."

Abraham replied, "All right, I swear to it!"

Then Abraham took the opportunity and complained to Abimelech about a well that Abimelech's servants had taken violently from Abraham's servants. "This is the first I've heard of it," Abimelech said. "And I have no idea who is responsible. Why didn't you say something about this before?" Then Abraham gave sheep and oxen to Abimelech, and they made a treaty.

But when Abraham took seven additional ewe lambs and set them off by themselves, Abimelech asked, "Why are you doing that?" Abraham replied, "They are my gift to you as a public confirmation that I dug this well."

<= = = Sir, you said that Abraham was a great warrior, why didn't he just take the well back?

The scriptural record is clear that Abraham was a great warrior and partly because he never, ever picked a fight. He avoided conflict with Lot, with Pharaoh and with Abimelech. He even tried to avoid conflict between Sarah and Hagar, but that wasn't on the table. If you fight every battle that comes your way, you end up exhausted and unable to fight the battles that matter.

God had told Abraham to come to this place. His descendants would one day own it all if they kept God's commandments. Abraham could dig another well, but this was a godless, lawless place and Abraham used the opportunity to tell Abimelech that. If he had to fight he would. And he would win decisively, Abraham knew that. But after the battle, every third cousin of a fallen Gerarian would slip back in under cover of darkness to avenge family and make off with spoils for their trouble. Abraham gives Issac a special inheritance, in addition to servants and livestock, he gives him a good reputation in the land.

So ever since, that place has been known as Beersheba--"well of the oath"--because that was where they had sworn an oath. After making their covenant, Abimelech left with Phicol, the commander of his army, and they returned home to the land of the Philistines. Then Abraham planted a tamarisk tree at Beersheba, and he worshiped the LORD, El Owlam, the Eternal or everlasting God, at that place. And Abraham lived in Philistine country for a long time.

< = = = Could planting that tree lead to idolatry sir, you said the Philistines worshipped their gods in groves of trees?

"I suppose if you bow down to the tree and call it your god it could be idolatry", Mr. Comfort said with a gentle smile. But planting trees is one thing that sets the people of Israel apart from the rest of the world. You take an American or worse, a South American and show them a tree and they start itching for their chain saw or bulldozer. Show an African a tree and they start breaking off limbs for their cooking fire. Show an Israeli land without a tree and they try to find a way to plant a tree there.

<= = = I guess that is true, sir, when I was born my father planted ten trees in Israel with the Jewish National Fund. I have the certificate in my life scrapbook. And I learned about the importance of trees in school, the roots help prevent erosion and they bring water and minerals to the surface. Abraham set a good example for all of us.

Ishmael and Hagar leave Abraham's camp

So Abraham got up early the next morning, prepared food for the journey, and strapped a container of water to Hagar's shoulders. He sent her away with their 16 yr old son, and she walked out into the wilderness of Beersheba, wandering aimlessly, all that time in the desert and she had still not learned her way around and she wasn't willing to listen to Ishmael's directions. When the water was gone, she left the boy in the shade of a bush.


Then she went and sat down by herself about a hundred yards away. "I don't want to watch the boy die," she said, as she burst into tears.

Then God heard the boy's cries. He didn't choose to hear Hagar's cries, she was insubordinate and not the voice you would want to listen to if you were God, but he heard Ishmael's cries. Ishmael, at 16, schooled by Abraham himself was perfectly capable of crossing the desert, but his mom was having a total breakdown. He was crying out to God to save Hagar.

So God responded. The angel of God called to Hagar from the sky, "Hagar, what's wrong? Do not be afraid! God has heard the boy's cries from the place where you laid him. Go to him and comfort him, for I will make a great nation from his descendants."

<= = = Sir, who is the angel of God?

Insightful question Izzy. He is a part of Elohim, God, that chooses to express characteristics suitable to interacting with the human race. If Jehovah God appeared before any man, that man's life would be over instantly, vaporized by His greatness, His glory. He did allow Moses to see a bit of his back, but not his face. The angel of God will appear three times in the stories of the patriarchs. More commonly as you clearly noted, is the term angel of the LORD. Here he is helping Ishmael keep his mother from losing it in the desert.

Then God opened Hagar's eyes, and she saw a well and her panic attack ended. She immediately filled her water container and gave the boy a drink. After this, Hagar decided it was wiser to follow the boy's lead and they continued to travel through the desert without further incident. And God was with the boy as he grew up in the wilderness of Paran, the place where the Israelites will wander for 40 lost years. Ishmael became an expert archer, he had his father's business sense and began to assemble herds of sheep and cattle and his mother arranged a marriage for him with a young woman from Egypt, a lovely Hyksos girl, not a true Egyptian. Thus was Hagar's father, Pharoh granted double success in his plan, Abraham indeed did have the mark of God in his life who helped him, he would sire nations and now, his first son would be half Hyksosian and by marrying a Hyksos girl, their bloodline would be established until the end of the earth.

Ismael teases Issac and is sent away

But Sarah saw Ishmael--the son of Abraham and her Egyptian servant Hagar--making fun of Isaac. So she turned to Abraham and demanded, "Get rid of that servant and her son. He is not going to share the family inheritance with my son, Isaac. I won't have it!"

This upset Abraham very much because Ishmael was his son. But God told Abraham, "Do not be upset over the boy and your servant wife. Do just as Sarah says, for Isaac is the son through whom your descendants will be counted." This is why they say Sarah the Matriarch is also a prophet, because God told Abraham to listen to her and do as she says.

And then God said, "But I will make a nation of the descendants of Hagar's son because he also is your son."

<= = = "Islam", whispered Izzy, "But they are not the descendants that are counted."

Yes, Master Cohen, Islam indeed, Ishmael will survive the journey through the desert and will prosper and he will number his sons as twelve great princes. And of all peoples to ever walk the earth to hate and plot against Zion, Islam is first and foremost. And as you count yourself a descendant of Abraham, make no mistake your Islamic world neighbors count themselves the children of Ibrahim as well.

And no, Islam is and always will be a strong force, they are the children of Abraham who is chosen by God to be the father of many nations. But God's people will be the sons and daughters of Abraham, Issac and Jacob.

Issac is born to Abraham and Sarah

The image is partially based on gcawleyart.

Good afternoon Izzy, I am sure you have heard the news about the four American Islamic terrorists that wanted to bomb Riverdale Temple and Riverdale Jewish Center?

<= = = Yes sir, Benjamin pointed out on the school bus that at least they were equal opportunity terrorists, they wanted to take out one reform and one orthodox center each. Sounds like they weren't too bright. My father told me once, that angry men would always be trying to hurt or kill us, but if they were just angry and dumb, they could only do a little harm, it is the ones that are hateful and cunning we need to be wary of. If I may change the subject, I have been thinking about what you said last time. It is true that people that have contact with God are different looking, more attractive, I have noticed that the United Synagogue Youth leader at our synagogue has a gorgeous wife and that is true of the other USY events I have visited. I wonder what God has in store for me.

Rest assured that He has something very special for you, it will even top what he did for the USY leader. You are still on track for your Bar Mitzvah? How are the chanting lessons coming?

<= = = Well sir, I missed this week, I had so much school work, but I will try to make it next week.

Try hard Izzy, the time is short and getting shorter, but in the story of Abraham, the timing is perfect. Then the LORD did exactly what he had promised, such a surprise. Sarah became pregnant, and she gave a son to Abraham in his old age. It all happened at the time God had said it would.

Eight days after Isaac was born, Abraham served as the Mohel and circumcised ISSAC as God had commanded, then blessed the child and prayed that he would grow up to be healthy and pious and in the prayer Abraham named his son Isaac, a gentle reference to the time Sarah laughed and God said, you laughed. Afterwards a meal was served. And more or less this is the pattern that has been followed for Jewish people everywhere when blessed with a baby boy. Abraham was one hundred years old at the time.


And Sarah declared, "God has brought me laughter! All who hear about this will laugh with me. For who would have dreamed that I would ever have a baby? Yet I have given Abraham a son in his old age!" As time went by and Isaac grew and was weaned, Abraham gave a big party to celebrate the happy occasion.

Abimelech takes Sarah into his harem

How's that school project going Izzy? I understand you are to diagram all the parts of a computer.

<= = = Yes sir and I was lucky, they let me take a few old broken ones apart, so I have mounted them on this board and labled all the parts you can see. And thank you for coming later for today's lesson, I needed the time to get that project done.

Now Abraham moved south to the Negev desert, a broad expanse of nothing but dust at that time. But following the vision of David Ben-Gurion much of this is productive agriculture today. Abraham and settled for a while between Kadesh and Shur at a place called Gerar marked by Tel Haror today.


The king of Gerar was a thug named Abimelech that considered himself quite the lady's man and had sired children with most of the women in Gerar. Since it was not appropriate in that culture to bed a married woman, what commonly happened is Abimelech has his way with them before marriage and if a child resulted, rewarded the family for raising the child as their own. Abraham played his old trick and told people there that his wife, Sarah, was his sister. So King Abimelech sent for her and had her brought to him at his palace.

<= = = No way! We have been learning about how old they are, there is no chance the king would want Sarah.

There is every chance, first she has been in the presence of the LORD, that transforms your appearance, remember Moses? Second, It happens sometimes that women are allowed to keep their beauty in advanced age, what about Jane Fonda and Nichelle Nichols. Look them up with Google sometime. The one night God came to Abimelech in a dream and told him, "You are a dead man, for that woman you took is married." But Abimelech had not slept with her yet, so he said, "Lord, will you kill an innocent man? Abraham told me, `She is my sister,' and she herself said, `Yes, he is my brother.' I acted in complete innocence!"

"Yes, I know you are innocent," God replied. "That is why I kept you from sinning against me; I did not let you touch her. Now return her to her husband, and he will pray for you, for he is a prophet. Then you will live. But if you don't return her to him, you can be sure that you and your entire household will die."
This is the first time the word prophet is used in scripture and we keep adding to the character of Abraham, exalted father, father of many nations, generous with family, fierce warrior, loving husband, wayward husband and now prophet, one to whom God reveals his will and then in turn shares God's will with the people. Finally, note that Abraham is being cast in the role of intercessor.

Abimelech got up early the next morning and hastily called a meeting of all his servants. When he told them what had happened, great fear swept through the crowd. Then Abimelech called for Abraham and essentially repeated the pharaoh speech. "What is this you have done to us?" he demanded. "What have I done to you that deserves treatment like this, making me and my kingdom guilty of this great sin? This kind of thing should not be done! Why have you done this to us?"

"Well," Abraham said, "I figured this to be a godless place. I thought, `They will want my wife and will kill me to get her.' Besides, she is my sister--we both have the same father, though different mothers--and I married her. When God sent me to travel far from my father's home, I told her, `Wherever we go, have the kindness to say that you are my sister.' " Then Abimelech took sheep and oxen and servants--both men and women--and gave them to Abraham, and he returned his wife, Sarah, to him. "Look over my kingdom, and choose a place where you would like to live," Abimelech told him.

Then he turned to Sarah. "Look," he said, "I am giving your `brother' a thousand pieces of silver (~25 pounds) to compensate for any embarrassment I may have caused you. This will settle any claim against me in this matter."

Then Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech, his wife, and the other women of the household, so they could have children. For the LORD had stricken all the women with infertility as a warning to Abimelech for having taken Abraham's wife.

Lot and his daughters

This will be a slightly longer lesson, Izzy as we look at part II of the escape from Sodom. Afterward Lot left Zoar because he was afraid of the people there, they blamed him for the destruction of the Costco and Wal-mart superstore in Sodom and he went to live in a cave in the mountains with his two daughters, a far cry from serving as an elder sitting in the gate in Sodom, a man with many possessions.

One day the older daughter said to her sister, "There isn't a man anywhere in this entire area for us to marry. And our father will soon be too old to have children. Come, let's get him drunk with wine, and then we will sleep with him. That way we will preserve our family line through our father." So that night they got him drunk, and the older daughter went in and slept with her father. He was unaware of her lying down or getting up again.

The next morning the older daughter said to her younger sister, "I slept with our father last night. Let's get him drunk with wine again tonight, and you go in and sleep with him. That way our family line will be preserved."

So that night they got him drunk again, and the younger daughter went in and slept with him. As before, he was unaware of her lying down or getting up again.

<= = = I am having a bit of trouble with this. How could he not know?

The scripture does not say he did not know, it says he didn't notice her coming or going. Granted alcohol is involved, but he knew full well he was having sex. And no, God is not going to honor their sin, there is more pain yet for all of them and for generations and generations to come. But for the moment they have their victory from having worked out their predicament.

Both of Lot's daughters became pregnant by their father. When the older daughter gave birth to a son, she named him Moab, which means from father which was certainly the case. He became the ancestor of the nation now known as the Moabites, a race that would be no end of trouble for the Israelites, especially when they enlist the help of Balak son of Zippor.

@MissMoabite Please RT, just had a son, Moab, 16 inches, 6 lb 4 oz. M&B doing fine

When the younger daughter gave birth to a son, she named him Ben-ammi, son of my people. He became the ancestor of the nation now known as the Ammonites. They will one day help ensnare Israel with the false god Molech and the detestable practices associated with him.

Izzy, what I want you to see is the chain of disobedience, the cost of disobedience. God told Abraham to leave his family; he took Lot. Later Lot's shepherds and Abram's shepherds are fighting. Lot moves towards Sodom where he is captured and has to be rescued, then he moves into the city, his women lose their sense of spirituality and one becomes salt, two the mothers of tribes that will cause Israel no end of pain. These little decisions can have eternal consequences.

Escape from Sodom

Quite the story Sodom is, do you agree Izzy?

<= = = I certainly do Sir. Was it the most wicked city ever?

Oh, no, not by a long shot. One day the people of cities like Capernaum, Las Vegas, Mogadishu and Rome will be judged and it will be clear Sodom was not the worst of them. But Sodom was pretty bad and they were in the wrong place at the wrong time because Abraham is about to receive his son Issac, the laughing one. So today we learn about escape, failure to listen and some more indiscretion.
The city is about to be destroyed and Lot still hesitated. The angels seized his hand and the hands of his wife and two daughters and rushed them to safety outside the city, for the LORD was merciful. "Run for your lives!" the angels warned. "Do not stop anywhere in the valley. And don't look back! Escape to the mountains, or you will die."

"Oh no, my lords, please," Lot begged. "You have been so kind to me and saved my life, and you have granted me such mercy. But, I have become a city mouse, I cannot go to the mountains. Disaster would catch up to me there, and I would soon die. See, there is a small village nearby. Please let me go there instead; don't you see how small it is? Then my life will be saved." "All right," the angel said, "I will grant your request. I will not destroy that little village. But hurry! For I can do nothing until you are there." From that time on, that village was known as Zoar which means little.

The sun was rising as Lot reached the village. Then the LORD rained down fire and burning sulfur from the heavens on Sodom and Gomorrah. He utterly destroyed them, along with the other cities and villages of the plain, eliminating all life--people, plants, and animals alike. But Lot's wife looked back as she was lagging behind Lot, and she became a pillar of salt.

<= = = Salt? No brimstone just salt?

Salt indeed! Kosher salt. Pure salt. So many points to make, they had been living in this evil city and Haran's boy Lot was still considered righteous, but he was not a strong example at home and all three of the women in his life, his wife, and two daughters had a weakened sense of spirituality. When an angel tells you escape, "don't look back or you will die", it is a good idea to listen. But Sodom had its pull on her. Now why salt you ask.

First as a pillar, she was a milepost, a point to change direction, not that they did. And salt purifies. Izzy, can you have blood with the meat you eat? Of course not, but salt gets rid of the blood, dries it up. And that whole area is full of salt pillars, in fact if you take a tour the guide will undoubtedly point you to the one that was Lot's wife.

The next morning Abraham was up early and hurried out to the place where he had stood in the LORD's presence. He looked out across the plain to Sodom and Gomorrah and saw columns of smoke and fumes, as from a furnace, rising from the cities there. But God had listened to Abraham's request and kept Lot safe, removing him from the disaster that engulfed the cities on the plain.

AbrahamWanderer never really liked those guys in Sodom, but sort of sad to see them barbecued!

The two angels come to Sodom

Good afternoon Izzy, today we speak of judgment and wrath. But before that, how was your Pesach, your Passover Seder? I understand your family hosted two Seder's this year, so what is the most important lesson?

<= = = Pei-Samekh-Cheit, Pass over, pass through, spare or exempt, that if we did not have the sign of God on our doorpost, the firstborn in our own houses would be killed. And even if an Egyptian that had caused us pain, had the sign of God on his house the angel of death passed over the Egyptian's house.

Excellent Izzy, and tell me another important lesson of Pesach please.

<= = = The removal of Chematz, or Levin from our houses and lives, this reminds us not to be puffed up, this illustrates the importance of removing sin from our lives.

And that was the problem with Sodom Izzy, they tolerated sin and it went from tolerating to encouraging and then to needing. You can imagine that if Sodom hasn't got ten righteous it is a pretty bad place. The same evening they had eaten with Abraham the two angels finally came to the entrance of the city of Sodom ( they walked slowly in hopes Abraham would ask the LORD to spare the city on behalf of one righteous), and Lot was sitting at the gate to the city, a place where the elders judged between disputes as the angels arrived. When Lot saw them, he stood up to meet them. Then he welcomed them and bowed low to the ground.

"My lords," he said, "come to my home to wash your feet, and be my guests for the night. You may then get up in the morning as early as you like and be on your way again." "Oh no," they said, "we'll just spend the night out here in the city square." But Lot insisted, hospitality was very important in his culture, so at last the angels went home with him. He set a great feast before them, complete with fresh bread made without yeast.
After the meal, as they were preparing to retire for the night, all the men of Sodom, young and old, came from all over the city and surrounded the house. They shouted to Lot, "Where are the men who came to spend the night with you? Bring them out so we can have rough sex with them."

Lot stepped outside to talk to them, shutting the door behind him. "Please, my brothers," he begged, "don't do such a wicked thing. Look--I have two virgin daughters. Do with them as you wish, but leave these men alone, for they are under my protection."

"Stand back!" they shouted. "Who do you think you are? We let you settle among us, and now you are trying to tell us what to do! We'll treat you far worse than those other men!" And they lunged at Lot and began breaking down the door. But the two angels reached out and pulled Lot in and bolted the door. Then they blinded the men of Sodom so they couldn't find the doorway.

"Do you have any other relatives here in the city?" the angels asked. "Get them out of this place--sons-in-law, sons, daughters, or anyone else. For we will destroy the city completely. The stench of the place has reached the LORD, and he has sent us to destroy it." So Lot rushed out to tell his daughters' fiancés, "Quick, get out of the city! The LORD is going to destroy it." But the young men thought he was only joking. At dawn the next morning the angels became insistent. "Hurry," they said to Lot. "Take your wife and your two daughters who are here. Get out of here right now, or you will be caught in the destruction of the city."

<= = = What sin was Sodom destroyed for?

All of their sins Izzy, the homosexuality which is the only thing most people focus on, but the lack of hospitality, the violence. Remember the previous wrath of God ten generations earlier with Noah, Now the LORD observed the extent of the people's wickedness, and he saw that all their thoughts were consistently and totally evil. And the LORD said, "I will completely wipe out this human race that I have created. Yes, and I will destroy all the animals and birds, too. I am sorry I ever made them." But Noah found favor with the LORD.
God is in the process of establishing His people on earth, Israel and we have this rich city in the same general area where all their thoughts were evil and violent and yet Lot has moved right in. God has to take Sodom out, Israel barely makes it as it is.

Three Visitors to Abraham's Tent

Well now Izzy, it is good to see you again, did you have a good day with your family on Sunday? Are you ready for your lesson today?

<= = = Yes sir, but I am still pondering the notion of Abraham not being a Jew, I realize the term comes from Judah, but . . .

As, I pointed out earlier, when he was still called Abram, the scriptures called him Abram the Hebrew, but never Abram the Jew. So, let's get started, this section, like Melchizedek's is quite mysterious and more than a bit sobering. The LORD appeared again to Abraham while he was camped near the oak grove belonging to Mamre. One day about noon, as Abraham was sitting at the entrance to his tent, trying to catch a bit of the light breeze coming out of the east while still staying out of the sun when he suddenly noticed three men standing nearby. He got up and ran to meet them, and though Abraham was a great man himself as part of the act of welcoming them, he bowed low to the ground.

<= = = Is this just part of their culture, or did he recognize them as greater than he?

Abraham had a special gift to hear and obey God, he has met the LORD more than once so of course be recognized Him. "My lord," he said, "if it pleases you, stop here for a while. Rest in the shade of this oak tree while my servants get some water to wash your feet. Let me prepare some food to refresh you. Please stay awhile before continuing on your journey." "All right," they said. "Do as you have said." So Abraham ran back to the tent and said to Sarah, "Quick! Get three pounds of your best flour, none of the moldy stuff, and bake some bread." Then Abraham ran out to the herd and chose a fat calf and told a servant to hurry and butcher it. When the food was ready, he took some cheese curds and milk and the roasted meat, and he served it to the men. As they ate, Abraham waited on them there beneath the trees.

<= = = Why all the hurry, hurry, hurry, I thought God was outside of time, what harm could another half hour bring? Also, you can't serve meat and cheese together, that isn't kashrut.

The great I AM is indeed outside of time, but Abraham and all that is around him is not outside of time and that will be a point of this story. Now the meat and cheese thing, that is a big misunderstanding, when we wrote not to boil a young goat in its mother's milk we meant exactly that. You guys eat lox and cream cheese and no one gets excited, go ahead, eat a cheeseburger they are amazingly good, just try to skip the bacon, OK? All this talk of cheeseburgers is getting me hungry, let's get back to our story.

"Where is Sarah, your wife?" they asked him. "In the tent," Abraham replied. Then one of them said, "About this time next year I will return, and your wife Sarah will have a son." Now Sarah was listening to this conversation from the tent nearby. And since Abraham and Sarah were both very old, and Sarah was long past the age of having children, she laughed silently to herself. "How could a worn-out woman like me have a baby?" she thought. "And when my master--my husband--is also so old?" Then the LORD said to Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh? Why did she say, `Can an old woman like me have a baby?'

Izzy, you can take one thing to the bank, when God asks you a question, and in your life that will happen more than once, He already knows the answer, He wants you to go through the exercise of developing an answer. My favorite question is part of the story of Adam: Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as He was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man, "Where are you?" Adam answered, "I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid." And He said, "Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?" Always remember, when God asks you a question, He already knows the answer. And Izzy, it is very important you are never somewhere that God has to ask you where you are, do you understand? Now, Abraham had quite the relationship with the LORD, because He chose to answer gently and to reaffirm their covenant even after Sarah's laughter and her later denial of her own words.

Is anything too hard for the LORD? About a year from now, just as I told you, I will return, and Sarah will have a son." Sarah was afraid and she had every right and reason to be afraid especially if she understood the mission at hand, so she denied that she had laughed. But God said, "That is not true. You did laugh."

That is enough for now, maybe I can slide by White Manna in Jersey and get a cheeseburger on my way to my next appointment. The bun is too big for the burger, but I usually toss the bottom bun and eat them upside down. And Izzy, really, make sure you never go anywhere that God has to ask you where you are, trust me, He knows!

Covenant of Circumcision (Brit Mila)

Good morning Master Cohen, I trust you are enjoyed your Sunday morning breakfast, I have always loved the smell of cheese blintzes. I understand that the family is going bike riding on the Jaeger trail after your lesson.

<= = = Yessir, my dad got an emergency phone call, one of their instructors got sick, he got recalled and our last ride got tripped up, so we rescheduled. I confess, I have not read ahead today sir.

That is fine, today we speak of covenant, Brit, and in particular Brit Mila, the covenant of circumcision. You have noticed of course in the locker room and scouting that your penis may be different that some of the other kids and you are familiar with Brit Mila, I am sure, but today, we want to make sure you know it is more than an elective surgery. And we have another first, the first use of El Shaddai, God Almighty, a term that turns up in Job very often.

When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD came and appeared to him and said, "I am El Shaddai , God Almighty, serve me faithfully and live a blameless life. I will make a covenant with you, by which I will guarantee to make you into a mighty nation."

At this, Abram fell face down in the dust. Then God said to him, "This is my covenant with you: I will make you the father of not just one nation, but a multitude of nations! But wait, there's more, I am changing your name. It will no longer be Abram, exalted father; now you will be known as Abraham, the father of many nations. I will give you millions of descendants who will represent many nations. Kings will be among them! "I will continue this everlasting covenant between us, generation after generation. It will continue between me and your offspring or seed forever. And I will always be your God and the God of your descendants after you. Yes, I will give all this land of Canaan to you and to your offspring forever. And I will be their God.

Now Izzy, I am sure you have been taught that if a deal seems too good to be true, then look for the catch. If any deal in the history of earth is too good to be true, this is it. So Abraham remained silent, face down in the dust, listening, waiting for the other shoe to drop. "Your part of the agreement," God told Abraham, "is to obey the terms of the covenant. You and all your descendants have this continual responsibility. This is the covenant that you and your descendants must keep: Each male among you must be circumcised; the flesh of his foreskin must be cut off. This will be a sign that you and they have accepted this covenant. Every male child must be circumcised on the eighth day after his birth. This applies not only to members of your family, but also to the servants born in your household and the foreign-born servants whom you have purchased. All must be circumcised. Your bodies will thus bear the mark of my everlasting covenant. Anyone who refuses to be circumcised will be cut off from the covenant family for violating the covenant."

<= = = Sir, I believe the famous Woody Allen joke is "Cut off my head, that is my second favorite organ." How is it possible this practice has survived through time?

Well Izzy you can think of this as a cosmic intelligence test. Do you want to be part of the covenant family and enjoy all the blessings God has for you, or not?

<= = = Sir, please do not misunderstand me, but I have been called names at school, when we went to Jerusalem, we had to curtail our visit to other parts of the country because of the Palestinian rockets, the news that is reported is heavily biased, and yet when I look at history it is worse, the holocaust, the diaspora, it seems like we have and always are on the brink of survival. I’m starting to feel like Tevia from Fiddler, when he says something like, “I know we’re the chosen people, but every once and a while couldn’t you choose someone else?”

Izzy, could it be that if we were not always on the brink, we would trust in the strength of our own hands, the wisdom of our own minds and not count on God? The covenant means we are part of the family God so long as we keep our side of the covenant. And speaking only for myself, I find in impossible to imagine being separated from God. I hope you feel the same way, much is riding on you.

<= = = You have hinted at that several times, can't you just tell me?

After your Bar Mitsvah, when you begin to cross into manhood, we can talk about such manly things, am I right? Of course I am right. Now, back to the story or this blogpost will exceed my terms of service with the ISP for length.

Then God added, "Regarding Sarai, your wife--her name will no longer be Sarai; from now on you will call her Sarah (princess). And I will bless her and give you a son from her! Yes, I will bless her richly, and she will become the mother of many nations. Kings will be among her descendants!" Abraham bowed down to the ground, ( he got up with God started talking about surgery to the male organ), he laughed to himself in disbelief. "How could I become a father at the age of one hundred?" he wondered, "I'm as good as dead". "Besides, Sarah is ninety; how could she have a baby?"
And Abraham said to God, "Yes, may Ishmael enjoy your special blessing!" Abraham was thinking God was senile and needed a bit of help.

But God Almighty who is ageless and all-knowing replied, "Sarah, your wife, will bear you a son. You will name him Isaac, one who laughts, and I will confirm my everlasting covenant with him and his descendants.


As for Ishmael, I will bless him also, just as you have asked. I will cause him to multiply and become a great nation. Twelve princes will be among his descendants. And it has been just as God has said. Later we will recite their names, but for now let's just say that much of the Middle Eastern Islamic world is the seed of Ishmael.

< = = = I heard in school that Arabs could not possibly be the seed of Ishmael, is that true?

The scriptures say that Ishmael will become a great nation. Most people will not give you a second listen if you try to claim Ishmael is the father of the United States, Russia, China, India, Europe, or even that one in a million underdog Israel. And yet God promised a great nation. Twelve princes that far back allows for a lot of diversity and reach, one might be able to assert the Arab nations are not purely the seed of Ishmael, using some scientific or historical approach that is in favor at the time, but it is flat out impossible to say there is no relation of the bloodline of the Arabs to the seed of Ishmael. The scripture says great nation, why beat that to death? Anyway, what is most important is how God concludes the conversation with Abraham.

El Shadai, the Almighty God then said, "But my covenant is with Isaac, who will be born to you and Sarah about this time next year." That ended the conversation, and God left, vanished from, Abraham just as He had appeared.

On that very day Abraham took his son Ishmael and every other male in his household and circumcised them, cutting off their foreskins, exactly as God had told him. Abraham was ninety-nine years old at that time, and Ishmael his son was thirteen. Both Abraham and Ishmael were circumcised the same day, along with all the other men and boys of the household, whether they were born there or bought as servants. The next few days, there was a marked loss in productivity in terms of herd development and for the next week the women in the camp were markedly edgy.

<= = = So is Abraham now a Jew?

Nope, but he is the founder of the covenant family. Other races can and do claim Abraham as their father, even tribes, tongues and races outside of the covenant family and scripture supports this. Now enjoy a biking outing with your family and I will come to you again soon.

Hagar and the Angel of the LORD

Short lesson today, I know you have your Torah chanting lesson with Benjamin, Hagar has run away from Sarai and Abram. Running away was an emotional decision, but not a wise one, it was a long way to Egypt and through rough territory. Hagar was lucky, she found a spring with drinkable water, but she was afraid to leave it as she had almost run out of water in the journey and was seriously dehydrated when she found the spring. Now she had water, but her food was running out. And then the angel of the LORD found Hagar beside a desert spring along the road to Shur.

<= = = Who is the angel of the LORD? In some of the Christian commentaries it says he is a pre-incarnation of Jesus Christ like Melchizedek.

Melchizedek, Mashellsedek! If Priest Melchizedek, wasn't Melchizedek, why do you think the scriptures call him Melchizedek? This is going to come up again in just a second, so for the moment let us just say the angel of the LORD is a specific, chosen messenger of God. And in this case, the message was "Hagar, Sarai's servant, where have you come from, and where are you going?" "I am running away from my mistress," Hagar replied.

Then the angel of the LORD said, "Return to your mistress and submit to her authority." The angel added, "I will give you more descendants than you can count." And the angel also said, "You are now pregnant and will give birth to a son. You are to name him Ishmael, which means "God hears" for the LORD has heard about your misery.
The angel of the LORD continued, "This son of yours will be a wild one--free and untamed as a wild donkey! He will be against everyone, and everyone will be against him. Yes, he will live at odds with the rest of his brothers."
Thereafter, Hagar referred to the LORD, who had spoken to her, as "the God who sees me," (El-roi) for she said, "I have seen the One who sees me!" Later that well was named Beer-lahairoi, which means “well of the Living One who sees me.” and it can still be found between Kadesh and Bered.

So, it seems Master Cohen, the title angel of the LORD isn't an angel at all, because a created being can hardly give Hagar more descendants than she can count. And Hagar herself refers to him as God. Though this is the first time the phrase is used, we will see this special messenger, this extension of God on earth in a physical manifestation again and again. He often will show up at an important turning point for the Jewish people or as now, at a time of special consequences. The intention of scripture is to cloak his identity, to paint him, like Melchizedek, as mysterious and we should honor that as we collect more information about him as the story unfolds. I promise we will come back to this and Melchizedek as well before our time is complete. Now, let's get back to Ishmael.

So Hagar gave Abram a son, and Abram named him Ishmael. Abram was eighty-six years old at that time.