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,
(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.)
This week’s Torah portion reminds us in one of the
strongest possible ways how fragile the Hebrew community really is.
Perhaps there is an unrealistic expectation among those who desire to seek and embrace the Hebraic restoration of the faith.
The sooner we come to terms with the fact that this
restoration is far from complete and is filled with many contradictions and
inconsistencies within its Hebrew family, the more shalom we will have.
We are encouraged however that there will be a
restoration of all things before Messiah returns.
Act 3:19 “Repent therefore and turn back, for the
blotting out of your sins, in order that times of refreshing might come from
the presence of the Master,
Act 3:20 and that He sends יהושע Messiah, pre-appointed for you,
Act 3:21 whom
heaven needs to receive until the times of restoration of all matters,
of which Elohim spoke through the mouth of all His set-apart prophets since of
old.
Before Messiah returns we can safely assume there is
going to be a lot of repentance and a lot of restoration.
This
Greek word for “restoration” refers to “put back again” and implies a
reconstitution or restitution of the government of YHVH’s Torah.
Let
us closely examine the beginnings of our Hebrew roots:
Beresheer/Gen 29:31 And יהוה saw that Lĕ’ah was unloved, and He opened her womb, but Raḥĕl was
barren.
From the very outset we can easily see the beginnings of
an extremely dysfunctional family.
One man, two wives and two concubines; one wife was
barren and the other unloved.
Gen 29:32 And Lĕ’ah conceived and bore a son,
and she called his name Re’uḇĕn, for she said, “For יהוה has looked on my affliction,
because now my husband is going to love me.”
Gen 29:33 And she
conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Because יהוה has
heard that I am unloved, He gave me this son too.” And she called his name Shim’on.
Gen 29:34 And she
conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Now this time my husband is joined
to me, because I have borne him three sons.” So his name was called Lĕwi.
Gen 29:35 And she
conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Now I praise יהוה.” So she
called his name Yehuḏah. And she ceased bearing.