Blessing for the Torah:
Baruch atah YHVH, Eloheynu, Melech ha-O’lam, asher
bachar banu m’kol ha-amim,
v’natan lanu eht Torah-to. Baruch atah
YHVH, noteyn
ha-Torah. Ameyn.”
(Blessed are you, YHVH, our Elohim , King of the Universe, you have selected us from among all the peoples,
(Blessed are you, YHVH, our Elohim , King of the Universe, you have selected us from among all the peoples,
and have given us your Torah. Blessed are you, YHVH,
giver of the Torah. Ameyn.)
In the book of Yasher we have some
interesting background information concerning this week’s Torah portion. The
book of Yasher is referred to twice in our scriptures; once in Joshua 10:13 and
once in 2Samuel 1:18 (“it is written in the book of Yasher”…..) and therefore
can be considered a fairly reliable source of information.
Quote
from Yasher chapter 16 verses 1-8.
“1
At that time Chedorlaomer king of Elam sent to all the neighboring kings, to
Nimrod, king of Shinar who was then under his power, and to Tidal, king of
Goyim, and to Arioch, king of Elasar, with whom he made a covenant, saying,
Come up to me and assist me, that we may smite all the towns of Sodom and its
inhabitants, for they have rebelled against me these thirteen years.”
The midrash identifies
Chedorlomer as Elam, son of Shem, son of Noach. Chedorlomer appeared to be the
leader of the alliance which included king Nimrod (Amraphel).
Shem is also identified to
be the righteous king of Yerushalyim (Melchizidek) that Avram meets after his
miraculous victory over the kings.
Note also how Shem’s
descendant Chedorlomer has also become a king ruling over people like Nimrod.
Shem however is the leader of a set apart people whose descendants will
eventually bring forth the Messiah.
Religious tyranny is most
probably more enslaving than civil tyranny.
“2
And these four kings went up with all their camps, about eight hundred thousand men, and they went as they were, and
smote every man they found in their road.
3
And the five kings of Sodom and Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, Shemeber king
of Zeboyim, Bera king of Sodom, Bersha king of Gomorrah, and Bela king of Zoar,
went out to meet them, and they all joined together in the valley of Siddim.
4
And these nine kings made war in the valley of Siddim; and the kings of Sodom
and Gomorrah were smitten before the kings of Elam.
5
And the valley of Siddim was full of lime pits and the kings of Elam pursued
the kings of Sodom, and the kings of Sodom with their camps fled and fell into
the lime pits, and all that remained went to the mountain for safety, and the
five kings of Elam came after them and pursued them to the gates of Sodom, and
they took all that there was in Sodom.
6
And they plundered all the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, and they also took
Lot, Abram's brother's son, and his property, and they seized all the goods of
the cities of Sodom, and they went away; and Unic Abram's servant, who was in
the battle, saw this, and told Abram all that the kings had done to the cities
of Sodom, and that Lot was taken captive by them.
7
And Abram heard this, and he rose up with about three hundred and eighteen men
that were with him, and he that night pursued these kings and smote them, and
they all fell before Abram and his men, and there was none remaining but the
four kings who fled, and they went each his own road.
8
And Abram recovered all the property of Sodom, and he also recovered Lot and
his property, his wives and little ones and all belonging to him, so that Lot
lacked nothing.” (Excerpt out of the book of Yasher)
Let
us consider the significance of Abram’s servant Eliezer, this name in Hebrew
has a gematria of 318. Vs 7 states that there were 318 servants who
miraculously defeated the army of 800 000 men.
Eliezer
whose name means “Elohim is my helper”; this reminds of the description given
to the Ruach (Spirit) of YHVH in Yoch/John 16:7.
This
Torah portion also reminds us of the miraculous events that are celebrated at
Chanukah and also remind us that when the Ruach of YHVH empowers us we are able
to do “all things” through him who enables us.
When
we consider the events of Shavout/Pentecost and the outpouring of the Ruach we
understand that the Ruach of YHVH can only be effectively contained in Torah
observant clay vessels. The continual infilling of His Ruach are extremely
important to accomplish the purposes of YHVH on earth as well as for our spiritual well-being and victory in this life.
Yoch/Joh 16:7 “But I say the truth to you. It is better for
you that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper shall not come to you
at all, but if I go, I shall send Him to you.
Joh 16:8 “And having come, He shall reprove1
the world concerning sin,2 and concerning righteousness, and
concerning judgment – Footnotes: 1Or confute or prove
wrong. 22 Chr. 24:20, Neh. 9:30, Ezek. 36:27, Mic. 3:8, Acts
28:25-27.
Joh 16:9 concerning sin because they do not believe in
Me,
Joh 16:10 concerning righteousness because I go to My Father
and you see Me no more,
Joh 16:11 concerning judgment because the ruler of this
world1 is judged. Footnote: 1See Lk. 4:6.
Joh 16:12 “I still have many words to say to
you, but you are not able to bear them now.
Joh 16:13 “But when He comes, the Spirit of the Truth,
He shall guide you into all the truth. For He shall not speak from Himself, but
whatever He hears He shall speak, and He shall announce to you what is to come.
Joh 16:14 “He shall esteem Me, for He shall take of
what is Mine and announce it to you.