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.)
In the Hebraic culture you generally have two names for a soul mate.
The one is “Bashert” comes from a Yiddish word meaning destiny or fate, the
other “zivug”
A zivug
is a life partner. In modern Hebrew today ben or bat zug is the politically
correct term for one’s significant other, equivalent to partner in English.
“ Zivug
is not just a life partner. It also has the sense of being the right life
partner. The rabbis were under no illusions about how difficult the search for
a zivug can be can be. The Talmud (Sotah 2a) writes that it is as hard (for
Elohim) to make zivugim as to split the Red Sea. Another source says that since
creating the world, matching zivugim has been Elohim’s principal occupation. On
the one hand, the rabbis did express the sense of miraculousness about finding
ones predestined other half.”
Zivug is compared to when YHVH put Adam into a deep sleep and then he
took his whole one side and he made the woman. When Adam woke up he knew that
this woman was his perfect match (zivug); Eve was just like him in so many
ways.
We see a deeper mystery in this. We see a loving Heavenly Father
looking for a perfect match a “zivug” for His son Yahshua our Moshiach.
We can compare this Torah portion to a piano tuner who strikes his
tuning fork to obtain perfect pitch in order to tune all the notes of the
piano. This Torah portion gives the bride of Messiah “perfect pitch” and if we
will allow the Ruach of YHVH to guide us and help us, we will come into perfect
harmony with His heavenly Bridegroom.
Gen 24:1 And Aḇraham
was old, advanced in years. And יהוה had blessed Aḇraham in every way.
Avraham was now about 140 years old, yet history tells us
that he lived another 35 years.
There are various midrashim as to why Avraham was blessed
in every way. Some suggest that he found another wife who brought great joy and
comfort into his life.
R. Levi offers another suggestion of Abraham's
extraordinary blessing: that his tests were concluded with the near-sacrifice of Isaac, in Chapter 22. There is a strong midrashic tradition that
Abraham had 10 tests, beginning with the call to leave his homeland, and ending
with the Binding of Isaac--R. Levi points out that having calm and peaceful
time, without a new crisis every day, is a complete blessing in and of itself!
Is it possible for us today as believers to truly
be able to say with an overwhelming evidence that we are blessed in “every
way”?
Gen 24:2 And Aḇraham said
to the oldest servant of his house, who ruled over all that he had, “Please,
put your hand under my thigh”,
This was a custom whereby one could make someone a
promise to do something for them by asking them to place their hands on their
genitals (done among men only). The genitals are the source of one’s re productive
ability and also bring expectation of future generations that would come from
that seed. These generations would also
ensure that any promise made in this fashion would be kept. On the male
genitals was also found the covenant mark of circumcision. The English word
“testimony” is said to come from the word “testicle.”
This was a powerful picture of Eliezer making a promise
that the life of Avraham would only be continued through a chosen people.
It is also significant that Eliezer’s name is not
mentioned. Eliezer means “Elohim is Help” and some Messianic scholars believe
this is a possible reference to the work of “Ruach ha kodesh” (the Set apart
Spirit) of YHVH carrying the life of YHVH to those whom He chooses.
Is it possible that the work of YHVH’s Ruach is to
prepare a Bride for the Bridegroom?
Rev 22:17 And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And
he who hears, let him say, “Come!”
We must not
just assume that we automatically qualify to become the bride –
In most weddings, there are
3 groups of people: 1) the guests, forming the largest group, 2) the attendants
of the Bride and the Groom, usually a small group, and 3) the Bride and her
Bridegroom. All are content and happy within their situation. But, only the
Bride gets to go home with the Bridegroom and live in His House forever. She
has an intimacy with Him that no one else has! And, so there is a new earth,
which will be created for the “saved” guests. There are the attendants--who are
“saved” and who represent the guests before the Father and the Bridegroom. And,
there is the Bride, who stays with her Husband in the Father’s House.
(Revelation 21:22-22:5, 14)
This is also mentioned in
Revelation 3:7-13: --the letter to the assembly at Philadelphia, which
represents the Bridal remnant in the last days. She is marked, because 1) she
is submissive and yielded to her Bridegroom, guarding and obeying the terms of
His marriage Covenant, the Torah, 2) because she loves Him with a perfect love,
3) because she follows her Bridegroom (the Lamb) wherever He goes, and 4)
because she has made herself ready--purified herself and separated herself
totally unto Him. She belongs to Him, and her relationship with Him is
intimate. He knows her, and she knows Him, and their fellowship is sweet. End
quote.
Gen 24:3 so that I
make you swear by יהוה, the Elohim of the heavens and the
Elohim of the earth, that you do not take a wife for my son from the daughters
of the Kena’anites, among whom I dwell,
Gen 24:4 but to go
to my land and to my relatives, and take a wife for my son Yitsḥaq.”
Gen 24:5 And the
servant said to him, “What if the woman refuses to follow me to this land? Do I
then take your son back to the land from which you came?”
Gen 24:6 And Aḇraham
said to him, “Beware lest you take my son back there!
Gen 24:7 “יהוה, Elohim
of the heavens, who took me from my father’s house and from the land of my
relatives, and who spoke to me and swore to me, saying, ‘To your seed I give
this land,’ He sends His messenger before you, and you shall take a wife for my
son from there.
Gen 24:8 “And if
the woman refuses to follow you, then you shall be released from this oath;
only, do not take my son back there.”
Gen 24:9 Then the
servant put his hand under the thigh of Aḇraham
his master, and swore to him concerning this matter.
Is this not a parable of the bride of Messiah? The Ruach
(Spirit) of YHVH goes to “Babylon” to find a bride. The instruction of YHVH is
that if the bride does not want to accompany His messenger back to the Promised
Land he will be not be held responsible for her actions.
Gen 24:10 And the
servant took ten of his master’s camels and left, for all his master’s good gifts
were in his hand. And he arose and went to Aram Naharayim, to the city of Naḥor.
Gen 24:11 And he
made his camels kneel down outside the city by a fountain of water at evening
time, the time when women go out to draw water.
Note the implication of Eliezer the servant who conducts
this mission (which means Elohim is my help) is
a reference to the work of the Ruach of YHVH. The use of the number 10
could also imply a reference to the “ten sayings” The gifts could be a reference
to the gifts of the Ruach (note these gifts are only given to a deserving bride
to be).
Gen 24:12 And he
said, “יהוה, Elohim
of my master Aḇraham, please cause her to meet before me this
day, and show kindness to my master Aḇraham.
Gen 24:13 “See, I
am standing here by the fountain of water, and the daughters of the men of the
city are coming out to draw water.
Fountains of water are often hidden references to the the
life that comes from a revelation from Torah.
Gen 24:14 “Now let
it be that the young woman to whom I say, ‘Please let down your jar to let me
drink,’ and she says, ‘Drink, and let me water your camels too,’ let her be the
one whom You have appointed for Your servant Yitsḥaq.
And let me know by this that You have shown kindness to my master.”
Gen 24:15 And it
came to be, before he had ended speaking, that see, Riḇqah,
who was born to Bethu’ĕl, son of Milkah, the wife of Naḥor, Aḇraham’s
brother, came out with her jar on her shoulder.
Gen 24:16 And the
young woman was very good-looking, a maiden, no man having known her. And she
went down to the fountain, filled her jar, and came up.
Gen 24:17 And the
servant ran to meet her and said, “Please let me drink a little water from your
jar.”
Gen 24:18 And she
said, “Drink, my master.” And she hurried and let her jar down to her hand, and
gave him a drink.
Gen 24:19 And when
she had finished giving him a drink, she said, “Let me draw water for your
camels too, until they have finished drinking.”
Gen 24:20 And she
hurried and emptied her jar into the trough, ran back to the fountain to draw
water, and drew for all his camels.
Gen 24:21 And
watching her, the man remained silent in order to know whether יהוה had
prospered his way or not.
Gen 24:22 And it
came to be, when the camels had finished drinking, that the man took a golden
nose ring weighing half a sheqel,(bekah) and two bracelets for her wrists
weighing ten sheqels of gold,
Gen 24:23 and
said, “Whose daughter are you? Please inform me, is there room in your father’s
house for us to spend the night?”
The task that Rivkah performs is enormous; these camels
could drink very large quantities of water. She goes far beyond what is
expected from her and she does this with a good heart not expecting anything in
return.
Note also the gifts weighing a half shekel or “bekah” The
word “bekah” has a gematria of 172 which corresponds to the number of words in
the 10 sayings (Torah) and the two bracelets weighing 10 shekels reminds again
of the Torah being 10 sayings written on two tablets of stone.
This is ultimately what makes the bride of Messiah so
desirable – she is clothed with the teaching and instruction of Torah.
Gen 24:24 And she
said to him, “I am the daughter of Bethu’ĕl, Milkah’s son, whom she bore to Naḥor.”
Gen 24:25 And she
said to him, “We have both straw and fodder enough, and room to spend the
night.”
Gen 24:26 And the
man bowed down his head and worshipped יהוה.
Gen 24:27 And he
said, “Blessed be יהוה Elohim of my master Aḇraham,
who has not forsaken His kindness and His truth toward my master. As for me,
being on the way, יהוה led me to the house of my master’s
brothers.”
Gen 24:28 Then the
young woman ran and informed those of her mother’s house these matters.
Gen 24:29 And Riḇqah
had a brother whose name was Laḇan, and Laḇan ran out to the man, to the fountain.
Gen 24:30 And it
came to be, when he saw the nose ring, and the bracelets on his sister’s
wrists, and when he heard the words of his sister Riḇqah,
saying, “Thus the man spoke to me,” that he went to the man and saw him
standing by the camels at the fountain.
Gen 24:31 And he
said, “Come in, O blessed of יהוה! Why do you stand outside? I myself
have prepared the house, and a place for the camels.”
Gen 24:32 So the
man came into the house, while he unloaded the camels and provided straw and
fodder for the camels and water to wash his feet and the feet of the men who
were with him,
Gen 24:33 and set
food before him to eat. But he said, “Let me not eat until I have spoken my
word.” And he said, “Speak on.”
Gen 24:34 And he
said, “I am Aḇraham’s servant.
Gen 24:35 “And יהוה has
blessed my master exceedingly, and he has become great. And He has given him
flocks and herds, and silver and gold, and male and female servants, and camels
and donkeys.
Gen 24:36 “And
Sarah my master’s wife bore a son to my master when she was old. And he has
given to him all that he has.
Gen 24:37 “And my
master made me swear, saying, ‘Do not take a wife for my son from the daughters
of the Kena’anites, in whose land I dwell,
Gen 24:38 but go
to my father’s house and to my relatives, and take a wife for my son.’
Gen 24:39 “And I
said to my master, ‘What if the woman does not follow me?’
Gen 24:40 “But he
said to me, ‘יהוה, before whom I walk, sends His messenger with you and shall
prosper your way. And you shall take a wife for my son from my relatives and
from my father’s house.
Gen 24:41 ‘Then,
when you go to my relatives, you are to be released from this oath. And if they
do not give her to you, then you are released from my oath.’
“Baruch atah YHVH,
Eloheynu, Melech ha-‘Olam, asher natan lanu Toraht-emet, v’chay-yeh o’lam
nata-b’tochenu. Baruch atah YHVH, noteyn ha-Torah. Ameyn.”
(Blessed are you Yahweh,
our Elohim, King of the Universe, you have given us your Torah of truth, and
have planted everlasting life within our midst. Blessed are you, Yahweh giver
of the Torah – Ameyn
Please note these notes
are under construction and are subject to correction and are in no way a final
authority on any subject.