11/05/2022

Parashat 5 (Chayei Sarah) Portion 22 Ber/Gen 24:42-67 Yesh/Is 12:3-13:4 +14:1-2


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. Amein.

The Torah was given by YHVH to Moshe and the nation of Yisrael in the wilderness (Heb ‘’midbar’’). All the Torah’s teaching was given in the diaspora (Egypt) and in the wilderness.

This has always been true for all ‘’called out’’ Hebrew Yisraelites/Israelites – it has always been YHVH’s plan for His people to bring about ‘’separation, preparation and revelation. True Yisraelites were pilgrims who always first built altars, pitched their tents and dug wells.

This was the legacy of the lives of the Patriachs - Gen 26:25  And he built a slaughter-place there, and called on the Name of יהוה, and he pitched his tent there, and the servants of Yitsḥaq dug a well there. 

The Set Apart Spirit will call us back into the wilderness in these last days - Hos 2:14  “Therefore, see, I am alluring her,(Heb piel verb ‘’miftiah’’ I will entice or deceive her) and shall lead her into the wilderness, and shall speak to her heart…’’

Will Yahshua once again allure His gentile bride to a well - Joh 4:7  A woman of Shomeron came to draw water. יהושע said to her, “Give Me to drink.” This was the same ancient well that Yaqov had dug in Shechem.

ואבא היום ''I came today..''

Gen 24:42  “And this day I came to the fountain and said, ‘יהוה, Elohim of my master Aḇraham, please, if You are prospering the way in which I am going,

 וָאָבֹא הַיּוֹם, אֶל-הָעָיִן   ‘’ain’’ in Hebrew means ‘’eye’’ used seven times in chapter 24.

An ‘’eye’’ is a natural spring created by YHVH. Several of these wells and fountains were given names eg – ‘’Beer-lahai-roi’’  From (1) the noun באר (be'er), well, from the verb באר (ba'ar), to make plain, (2) the particle ל (le), to, (3) the adjective חי (hay), living, and (4) the verb ראה (ra'a), seeing - “well where clarity is found through the Living One seeing me” 16:14, 24:62,25:11 –

Fountain is a shallow pool with a water feature in the middle. A well is a deep underground source of water.

Gen 24:43  see,(‘’hinei’’ surprised) I am standing by the fountain(‘’ain’’) of water, and when the maiden comes out to draw water, and I say to her, “Please give me a little water from your jar to drink,”

Gen 24:44  and she says to me, “Drink, and let me draw for your camels too,” let her be the woman whom יהוה has appointed for my master’s son.’

Gen 24:45  “I had not yet ended speaking in my heart, then see, Riḇqah was coming out with her jar on her shoulder. And she went down to the fountain (‘’ain’’) and drew water. And I said to her, ‘Please let me drink.’

Gen 24:46  “And she hurried and let her jar down from her shoulder, and said, ‘Drink, and let me water your camels too.’ So I drank, and she watered the camels too.

Gen 24:47  “And I asked her, and said, ‘Whose daughter are you?’ And she said, ‘The daughter of Bethu’ĕl, Naḥor’s son, whom Milkah bore to him.’ Then I put the nose ring on her nose and the bracelets on her wrists.

Gen 24:48  “And I bowed my head and worshipped יהוה, and blessed יהוה, Elohim of my master Aḇraham, who had led me in the true way to take the daughter of my master’s brother for his son.

Gen 24:49  “And now, if you are going to show kindness and truth to my master, let me know, and if not, let me know, so that I turn to the right or to the left.”

Gen 24:50  And Laḇan answered – Bethu’ĕl too – and said, “The matter comes from יהוה, we are not able to speak to you either evil or good.

Gen 24:51  “See, Riḇqah is before you. Take her and go, and let her be your master’s son’s wife, as יהוה has spoken.”

Gen 24:52  And it came to be, when Aḇraham’s servant heard their words, that he bowed himself towards the earth before יהוה.

Gen 24:53  And the servant brought out ornaments of silver, and ornaments of gold, and garments, and gave them to Riḇqah. He also gave costly gifts to her brother and to her mother.

Gen 24:54  And he and the men who were with him ate and drank and spent the night. When they arose in the morning he said, “Let me go to my master.”

Gen 24:55  But her brother and her mother said, “Let the young woman stay with us a few days, at least ten, then you go.”

Gen 24:56  And he said to them, “Do not delay me, since יהוה has prospered my way. Let me go so that I go to my master.

Delayed obedience is disobedience – see Mat 21:28-32

Gen 24:57  And they said, “Let us call the young woman and ask her.”

Gen 24:58  So they called Riḇqah and said to her, “Are you going with this man?” And she said, “I shall go.”

Gen 24:59  So they let go Riḇqah their sister and her nurse, and Aḇraham’s servant and his men.

Gen 24:60  And they blessed Riḇqah and said to her, “Let our sister become the mother of thousands of ten thousands, and let your seed possess the gates of those who hate them.”

Gen 24:61  And Riḇqah and her young women arose, and they rode on the camels and followed the man. So the servant took Riḇqah and left.

Gen 24:62  And Yitsḥaq came from the way of Be’ĕr Laḥai Ro’i, (well where clarity is found through the Living One seeing me) for he dwelt in the South.

Gen 24:63  And Yitsḥaq went out to meditate in the field in the evening. And he lifted his eyes and looked and saw the camels coming.

Gen 24:64  And Riḇqah lifted her eyes, and when she saw Yitsḥaq she dismounted from her camel,

Gen 24:65  and she had said to the servant, “Who is this man walking in the field to meet us?” And the servant said, “It is my master.” So she took a veil and covered herself.

Gen 24:66  And the servant told Yitsḥaq all the matters he had done.

Gen 24:67  And Yitsḥaq brought her into his mother Sarah’s tent. And he took Riḇqah and she became his wife, and he loved her. Thus Yitsḥaq was comforted after his mother’s death.

“To the measure a man contemplates the deeper issues of life, to this same measure he is enabled to more fully enjoy the moments of pleasure available in relationships with those he loves.”

“and he loved her” this is only the second time in the Torah thus far that the word “love” in Hebrew “ahav” appears. The first time this word appears is in Ber/Gen 22:2 and speaks of Avraham’s love for Yitzchak.

Finally Yitzchak is comforted. It bothers some people that not more detail is given about a marriage ceremony. We can speculate that there was but the Torah does not mention it.

Joh 4:13  יהושע answered and said to her, “Everyone drinking of this water shall thirst again,Joh 4:14  but whoever drinks of the water I give him shall certainly never thirst. And the water that I give him shall become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.”Joh 4:15  The woman said to Him, “Master, give me this water, so that I do not thirst, nor come here to draw.”Joh 4:25  The woman said to Him, “I know that Messiah is coming, the One who is called Anointed. When that One comes, He shall announce to us all.” Joh 4:26  יהושע said to her, “I who am speaking to you am He.” 

Joh 7:37  And on the last day, the great day of the festival, יהושע stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me, and let him who believes in Me drink.Joh 7:38  “As the Scripture said, out of His innermost shall flow rivers of living water.”1 Footnote: 1Isa. 44:3, Jer. 2:13, Jer. 17:13, Zech. 14:8, Ps. 36:8,9, Prov.14:27, John 4:10, John 6:63, 1 Cor. 10:4, Rev. 7:17, Rev. 21:6, Rev. 22:1 & 17.Joh 7:39  And this He said concerning the Spirit, which those believing in Him were about to receive, for the Set-apart Spirit was not yet given,1 because יהושע was not yet esteemed. Footnote: 1Ezek. 36:26-27, Joel 2:28-32, Acts 1:4-8, Acts 2:4 & 33, Acts 10:44-47, Acts 11:15-16, Eph. 5:18.

Zec 13:1  “In that day a fountain shall be opened for the house of Dawiḏ and for the inhabitants of Yerushalayim, for sin and for uncleanness. 

Isa 12:1  And in that day you shall say, “I thank You יהוה, though You were enraged with me, Your displeasure has turned back, and You have comforted me. Isa 12:2  “See, Ěl is my deliverance, I trust and am not afraid. For Yah, יהוה, is my strength and my song; and He has become my deliverance.”a Footnote: aSee Exo_15:2, Psa_118:14. Isa 12:3  And you shall draw water with joy from the fountains of deliverance. Isa 12:4  And in that day you shall say, “Praise יהוה, call upon His Name; make known His deeds among the peoples, make mention that His Name is exalted. Isa 12:5  “Sing to יהוה, For He has done excellently; this is known in all the earth. Isa 12:6  "Cry aloud and shout, O inhabitant of Tsiyon, for great is the Set-apart One of Yisra’ěl in your midst!” 

Isa 14:1  Because יהוה has compassion on Ya‛aqoḇ, and shall again choose Yisra’ěl,a and give them rest in their own land. And the strangers shall join them, and they shall cling to the house of Ya‛aqoḇ.b Footnotes: aSee Isa_45:17, Jer_30:11, Jer_46:28, Dan_2:44, Amo_9:8, Zec_1:16-17, Zec_2:10-12, Joe_3:16. bSee Isa_56:6-8 and Isa_60:3, Amo_9:12, Zec_2:11, Zec_8:23, Rom_11:17-24, Rev_21:24Isa 14:2  And peoples shall take them and bring them to their own place. And the house of Yisra’ěl shall possess them for servants and female servants in the land of יהוה. And they shall make captives of their captors, and rule over their oppressors. 

Rev 22:1  And he showed me a river of water of life, clear as crystal, coming from the throne of Elohim and of the Lamb. Rev 22:2  In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. Rev 22:17  And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And he who hears, let him say, “Come!” And he who thirsts, come! And he who desires it, take the water of life without paying!  

Jer 2:12  “Be amazed, O heavens, at this, and be frightened, be utterly dried up,” declares יהוהJer 2:13  “For My people have done two evils: they have forsaken Me, the fountain (makor) of living waters,c to hew out for themselves cisterns, cracked cisterns, which do not hold water. Footnote: cSee Jer_17:13

Jer 17:13  O יהוה, the expectation of Yisra’ěl, all who forsake You are put to shame. “Those who depart from Me shall be written in the earth, because they have forsaken יהוה, the fountain of living waters. 

And so ultimately Yahshua’s purpose is to bring His Bride to the same source of Life that has sustained Him until this day and for all eternity.

Additional Midrash:

Wilderness journeys are not easy. Wilderness pilgrims can often feel anxious because of the uncertainty of their very survival – ‘’will we find fountains? If we dig wells, will we find water? What about our families and livestock?

1Co 10:13  No trial has overtaken you except such as is common to man, and Elohim is trustworthy, who shall not allow you to be tried beyond what you are able, but with the trial shall also make the way of escape, enabling you to bear it. 

No one can be certain of their future - Ecc 7:14  Be glad in the day of prosperity, but in the evil day take note that Elohim has also appointed the one as well as the other, so that man should not uncover whatever shall be after him (or the future).

Jas 4:13  Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow, let us go to such and such a city, spend a year there, and trade, and make a profit,” 

Yakov/Jas 4:14  when you do not know of tomorrow. For what is your life? For it is a vapour that appears for a little, and then disappears – Jas 4:15  instead of your saying, “If the Master desires, we shall live and do this or that.” Jas 4:16  But now you boast in your proud speeches. All such boasting is wicked. 

Jer 15:1  And יהוה said to me, “Even if Mosheh and Shemu’ěl were to stand before Me, My being is not toward this people. Send them away from My presence, let them go. Jer 15:2  “And it shall be, when they say to you, ‘Where do we go?’ then you shall say to them, ‘Thus said יהוה, “Those for death, to death. And those for the sword, to the sword. And those for scarcity of food, to scarcity of food. And those for captivity, to captivity.” ’ Jer 15:3  “And I shall appoint over them four kinds,” declares יהוה, “the sword to kill, the dogs to drag, the birds of the heavens and the beasts of the earth to devour and destroy.

 Oba 1:17  “But on Mount Tsiyon there shall be an escape,[a] and they shall be set-apart. And the house of Ya‛aqoḇ shall possess their possessions. Footnote: a Isa_4:2-3, Joe_2:32, Rev_14:1Oba 1:18  “And the house of Ya‛aqoḇ shall be a fire, and the house of Yosěph a flame, but the house of Ěsaw for stubble. And they shall burn among them and they shall consume them, so that no survivor is left of the house of Ěsaw.” For יהוה has spoken. 

Psa 84:1  How lovely are Your dwelling places….

Psa 84:5  Blessed is the man whose strength is in You,(pilgrim) Highways are in their heart.  Psa 84:6  Passing through the valley of weeping, They(Heb ‘’He) make it a fountain;(ain) The Teacher ‘’moreh – former rain)also covers it with blessings. (… discover cool springs and pools brimming with rain!)

Baruch atah YHVH, Eloheinu, Melech ha-‘Olam, asher natan lanu Toraht-emet, v’chai-yeh o’lam nata-b’tochenu. Baruch atah YHVH, notein ha-Torah. Amein.

Blessed are you YHVH, 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, YHVH giver of the Torah – Amein.