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are pages studied by Messianic believers at our messianic yeshiva,
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May you receive a barucha and may Hashem use you. The Kitvei Hakodesh are clear about Klal Yisrael. They will not change their G-d: they will still believe in the G-d of Avraham, Yitzchak, and Ya'akov. They will not change their religion.
They will still hold dear to Judaism as their faith. Nevertheless, the Kitvei Hakodesh are clear: they will be changed by teshuva and hitkhadeshut, all the Jewish people people in the world. And they will be redeemed. One day they will look up into heaven and they will see the Kodesh HaKodashim in heaven open, and they will see not a changing of religions but a changing of Kohanim Gedolim. And in this changing of the guard of the Kohanim Gedolim in the Kodesh HaKodeshim in heaven, they will see a new Kohen Gadol (after the order of Malki-Tzedek) replacing the old Kohen Gadol. But this spiritual revelation will not cause them to discard their Siddurim or their copies of the Shas. They will not cancel Bar Mitzvahs or High Holiday Services. They will not do away with Torah Services on Shabbos. They will still be loyal to the Sinai Covenant and its mitzvot. They will change very little, almost nothing as far as their Orthodox Jewish manner of life is concerned. But they will be changed. They will see him in heaven, wearing the garments that Caiapha once wore when Caiapha unwittingly ordered the Akedah and had him bound and led away, carrying the Scapegoat's burden of the evil Olam Hazeh. They will see him--Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach Adoneinu Yehoshua, standing in the Kodesh HaKodashim in Shomayim. They will see him and they will weep. And the shul and the yeshiva will never be the same after that. And they will have far better people to produce materials such as the following, because there will be thousands and thousands of rabbis and yeshiva scholars weeping as I have wept for the Jewish people and looking up into heaven and seeing the changing of the guard of the Kohanim Gedolim in the Kodesh HaKodashim. But, until then, this meager offering is presented with a prayer and with faith in the Kitvei Hakodesh and in the Geulah Redemption of Klal Yisrael. THE COMPLETE BOOK FOR ARTISTS FOR ISRAEL COPYRIGHT (c) 1996 Artists For Israel International All rights reserved. ONE: HEBREW BERESHIS (GENESIS) 1:1-3:19 (1,039 WORDS FOR STUDY) 1 beh-ray-SHEET 2 bah-rah 3 Eh-loh-HEEM 4 et (es) 5 hash-shah-MY-yeem 6 vuh-et 7 ha-AH-rets 8 v'ha-AH-rets 9 ha-yeh-TAH 10 TOH-hoo 11 vah-VOH-hoo 12 vuh-KHOH-shekh 13 ahl 14 p'NAY 15 teh-HOHM 16 vuh-ROO-ahkh 17 Eh-loh-HEEM 18 m'rah-KHEH-feht 19 ahl 20 p'NAY 21 hahm-MY-yeem 22 vahy-YOH-mer 23 Eh-loh-HEEM 24 yeh-HEE 25 ohr 26 vah-yeh-HEE 27 ohr 28 vahy-YAHR 29 Eh-loh-HEEM 30 et (es) 31 ha-ohr 32 kee 33 tohv 34 vahy-yahv-DAYL 35 Eh-loh-HEEM 36 bayn 37 ha-ohr 38 oo-VAYN 39 ha-KHOH-shehkh 40 vahy-yeek-RAH 41 Eh-loh-HEEM 42 lah-OHR 43 yom 44 v'lah-KHOH-shehkh 45 KAH-rah 46 LAI-lah 47 vah-yeh-HEE 48 EH-rev 49 vah-yeh-HEE 50 VOH-ker 51 yohm 52 eh-KHAD 53 vahy-YOH-mer 54 Eh-loh-HEEM 55 yeh-HEE 56 rah-KEE-ah 57 buh-TOKH 58 hah-MY-yeem 59 vee-HEE 60 mahv-DEEL 61 bayn 62 MY-yeem 63 lah-MY-yeem 64 vah-YAH-ahs 65 Eh-loh-HEEM 66 et (es) 67 ha-rah-KEE-ah 68 vahy-yahv-DAYL 69 bayn 70 hahm-MY-yeem 71 ah-sher 72 mee-TAH-khaht 73 lah-rah-KEE-ah 74 oo-VAYN 75 hahm-MY-yeem 76 ah-sher 77 may-AHL 78 lah-rah-KEE-ah 79 vah-yeh-HEE 80 khehn 81 vahy-yeek-RAH 82 vah-yeh-HEE 83 lah-rah-KEE-ah 84 shah-MY-yeem 85 vah-yeh-HEE 86 EH-rev 87 vah-yeh-HEE 88 VOH-ker 89 yom 90 shay-NEE 91 vahy-YOH-mer 92 Eh-loh-HEEM 93 yee-kah-VOO 94 hahm-MY-yeem 95 mee-TAH-khaht 96 hahsh-shah-MY-yeem 97 el 98 mah-KOHM 99 eh-KHAD 100 vuh-teh-rah-EH 101 ha-yah-bah-SHAH 102 vah-yeh-HEE 103 khehn 104 vaahy-yeek-RAH 105 Eh-loh-HEEM 106 lah-yah-bah-SHAH 107 EH-rets 108 oo-l'meek-VAY 109 hahm-MY-yeem 110 kah-RAH 111 yahm-MEEM 112 vahy-YAHR 113 Eh-loh-HEEM 114 kee 115 tov 116 vahy-YOH-mer 117 Eh-loh-HEEM 118 tahd-SHAY 119 ha-AH-rets 120 DEH-sheh 121 EH-sev 122 mah-zeh-REE-ah 123 ZEH-rah 124 aitz 125 p'REE 126 OH-seh 127 p'REE 128 leh-mee-NOH 129 ah-sher 130 zah-oh 131 voh 132 ahl 133 ha-AH-rets 134 vah-yeh-HEE 135 khehn 136 vah-toh-TSEH 137 ha-AH-rets 138 DEH-sheh 139 EH-sev 140 mahz-REE-ah 141 ZEH-rah 142 luh-meen-NAY-hoo 143 v'aitz 144 OH-seh 145 p'REE 146 ah-sher 147 zah-roh 148 voh 149 leh-meen-NAY-hoo 150 vahy-YAHR 151 Eh-loh-HEEM 152 kee 153 tov 154 vah-yeh-HEE 155 EH-rev 156 vah-yeh-HEE 157 VOH-ker 158 yom 159 sheh-lee-SHEE 160 vay-YOH-mer 161 Eh-loh-HEEM 162 yeh-HEE 163 meh-oh-ROHT 164 bee-r'KEE-ah 165 hahsh-shah-MY-yeem 166 leh-hahv-DEEL 167 bayn 168 ha-YOM 169 oo-VAYN 170 ha-LAI-lah 171 veh-ha-YOO 172 leh-oh-TOHT 173 oo-l'moh-ah-DEEM 174 oo-leh-yah-MEEM 175 veh-shah-NEEM 176 veh-ha-YOO 177 lee-moh-ROHT 178 bee-r'KEE-ah 179 hahsh-shah-MY-yeem 180 leh-ha-EER 181 ahl 182 ha-AH-rets 183 vah-yeh-HEE 184 khehn 185 vah-YAH-ahs 186 Eh-loh-HEEM 187 et (es) 188 shuh-NAY 189 ham-meh-oh-ROHT 190 ha-guh-doh-LEEM 191 et (es) 192 ham-mah-OHR 193 ha-gah-DOHL 194 leh-mehm-SHEHL-et 195 ha-YOM 196 vuh-et 197 ham-mah-OHR 198 ha-kah-TOHN 199 leh-mehm-SHEHL-et 200 ha-LAHY-lah 201 vuh-et 202 ha-koh-khah-VEEM 203 vahy-yee-TEHN 204 oh-TAHM 205 Eh-loh-HEEM 206 bee-r'KEE'ah 207 hahsh-shah-MY-yeem 208 leh-ha-EER 209 ahl 210 ha-AH-rets 211 vuh-leem-SHOHL 212 bah-YOM 213 oo-vah-LAI-lah 214 oo-lah-hahv-DEEL 215 bayn 216 ha-OHR 217 oo-VAYN 218 ha-KHOH-shehksh 219 vahy-YAHR 220 Eh-loh-HEEM 221 kee 222 tov 223 vah-yeh-HEE 224 EH-rev 225 vah-yeh-HEE 226 VOH-kehr 227 yom 228 reh-vee-EE 229 vahy-YOH-mehr 230 Eh-loh-HEEM 231 yeesh-ruh-TSOO 232 hahm-MY-yeem 233 SHEH-retz 234 NEH-fehsh 235 chai-YAH 236 vuh-OHF 237 yuh-oh-FAYF 238 ahl 239 ha-AH-rets 240 ahl 241 p'NAY 242 r'KEE-ah 243 hahsh-shah-MY-yeem 244 vahy-yeev-RAH 245 Eh-loh-HEEM 246 et (es) 247 ha-tahn-nee-NEEM 248 ha'geh-doh-LEEM 249 v'et 250 kohl 251 NEF-fesh 252 ha-chai-YAH 253 ha-roh-MEH-set 254 ah-sher 255 shah-ruh-TSOO 256 hahm-MY-yeem 257 luh-mee-nay-HEHM 258 v'et 259 kol 260 ohf 261 kah-NAHF 262 luh-meen-NAY-hoo 263 vahy-YAHR 264 Eh-loh-HEEM 265 kee 266 tov 267 vah-yeh-vah-REHKH 268 oh-tahm 269 Eh-loh-HEEM 270 lay-MOHR 271 peh-ROO 272 oor-VOO 273 oo-meel-OO 274 et 275 hahm-MY-eem 276 ba-yahm-meem 277 v'ha-OHF 278 YEE-rev 279 ba-AH-rets 280 vah-yeh-HEE 281 EH-rev 282 vah-yeh-HEE 283 VOH-kehr 284 yom 285 chah-mee-SHEE 286 vay-YOH-mer 287 Eh-loh-HEEM 288 toh-TSAY 289 ha-AH-rets 290 NEH-fesh 291 chai-YAH 292 luh-mee-NAH 293 beh-hay-MAH 294 vah-REH-mehs 295 veh-chay-TOH 296 EH-rets 297 leh-mee-NAH 298 vah-yeh-HEE 299 khehn 300 vay-yah-ahs 301 Eh-loh-HEEM 302 et 303 chay-yaht 304 ha-AH-rets 305 leh-mee-NAH 306 v'et 307 ha-beh-he-MAH 308 leh-mee-NAH 309 v'et 310 kol 311 REH-mes 312 ha-ah-dah-MAH 313 leh-mee-NAY-hoo 314 vay-yahr 315 Eh-loh-HEEM 316 kee 317 tov 318 vay-YOH-mehr 319 Eh-loh-HEEM 320 nah-ah-SEH 321 ah-DAHM 322 bay-tsahl-MAY-noo 323 kee-duh-moo-TAY-noo 324 vuh-yeer-DOO 325 veed-GAHT 326 ha-YOM 327 oo-vuh-OHF 328 hahsh-shah-MY-yeem 329 oo-va-beh-hey-MAH 330 oo-veh-CHOL 331 ha-AH-retz 332 oo-veh-KHOL 333 ha-REH-mes 334 ha-roh-MESH 335 ahl 336 ha-AH-rets 337 vay-yeev-RAH 338 Eh-loh-HEEM 339 et 340 ha-ah-DAHM 341 beh-tsahl-MOH 342 beh-TSEH-lehm 343 Eh-loh-HEEM 344 bah-RAH 345 oh-TOH 346 zah-KHAR 347 oon-keh-VAH 348 bah-RAH 349 oh-TAHM 350 vah-y'vah-rech 351 oh-TAHM 352 Eh-loh-HEEM 353 vay-YOH-mehr 354 lah-HEHM 355 Eh-loh-HEEM 356 p'ROO 357 oor-VOO 358 oo-meel-OO 359 et 360 ha-AH-rets 361 veh-kheee-vuh-SHOO-hah 362 oor-DOO 363 beed-gaht 364 hay-YAHM 365 oo-vuh-OHF 366 hahsh-shah-MY-yeem 367 oo-veh-khohl 368 chai-YAH 369 ha-roh-MEH-set 370 ahl 371 ha-AH-rets 372 vahy-YOH-mehr 373 Eh-loh-HEEM 374 hee-NAY 375 nah-TAH-tee 376 lah-khehm 377 et 378 kol 379 EH-sev 380 zoh-RAY-ah 381 ZEH-rah 382 ah-sher 383 ahl 384 p'NAY 385 khohl 386 ha-AH-rets 387 v'et 388 kol 389 ha-aitz 390 ah-sher 391 boh 392 p'REE 393 aitz 394 zoh-RAY-ah 395 ZAH-rah 396 lah-KHEHM 397 yee-heh-yeh 398 leh-ohkh-LAH 399 oo-leh-khohl 400 chai-YAHT 401 ha-AH-rets 402 oo-leh-KHOHL 403 ohf 404 hash-shah-MY-yeem 405 oo-leh-KHOHL 406 roh-MES 407 ahl 408 ha-AH-rets 409 ah-sher 410 boh 411 NEH-fesh 412 chai-YAH 413 et 414 kohl 415 YEH-rek 416 EH-sev 417 leh-ohkh-LAH 418 vay-yeh-HEE 419 khehn 420 vay-yahr 421 Eh-loh-HEEM 422 et 423 kohl 424 ah-sher 425 ah-SAH 426 v'hee-NAY 427 tov 428 meh-OHD 429 vah-yeh-HEE 430 EH-rev 431 vah-yeh-HEE 432 VOH-kehr 433 yom 434 ha-shee-SHEE 435 vah-yuh-khoo-LOO 436 hahsh-shah-MY-yeem 437 veh-ha-AH-rets 438 vuh-KHOHL 439 tseh-vah-AHM 440 vah-yuh-KHOHL 441 Eh-loh-HEEM 442 bahy-YOM 443 hah-shuh-vee-EE 444 meh-lahkh-TOH 445 ah-sher 446 ah-sah 447 vahy-yeesh-BOHT 448 bah-YOM 449 hash-shuh-vee-ee 450 mee-KOHL 451 meh-lahkh-TOH 452 ah-sher 453 ah-sah 454 vah-y'vah-REHKH 455 Eh-loh-HEEM 456 et 457 yom 458 hash-shuh-vee-ee 459 vah-yuh-kah-DAYSH 460 oh-TOH 461 kee 462 voh 463 shah-VAHT 464 mee-KOHL 465 muh-lahkh-TOH 466 ah-sher 467 bah-RAH 468 Eh-loh-HEEM 469 lah-ah-SOHT 470 EH-leh 471 tohl-DOHT 472 hahsh-sha-MY-yeem 473 veh-ha-AH-rets 474 buh-hee-bahr-AHM 475 buh-YOHM 476 ah-SOT 477 Adonoy 478 Eh-loh-HEEM 479 EH-rets 480 v'shah-MY-yeem 481 vuh-KHOHL 482 SEE-ahkh 483 hahs-sah-DEH 484 TEH-rehm 485 yee-heh-YEH 486 vah-AH-rets 487 vuh-KHOHL 488 EH-sev 489 hahs-sah-DEH 490 The-rehm 491 yeets-MAHKH 492 kee 493 lo 494 heem-TEER 495 Adonoy 496 Eh-loh-HEEM 497 ahl 498 ha-AH-rets 499 vuh-ah-DAHM 500 AH-yeen 501 lah-ah-VOHD 502 et 503 ha-ah-dah-MAH 504 veh-EHD 505 yah-ah-LEH 506 meen 507 ha-AH-rets 508 veh-heesh-KAH 509 et 510 kohl 511 p'NAY 512 ha-ah-dah-MAH 513 vahy-yee-TSEHR 514 Adonoy 515 Eh-loh-HEEM 516 et 517 ha-ah-DAHM 518 ah-FAHR 519 meen 520 ha-ah-dah-MAH 521 vahy-yee-PAHKH 522 beh-ah-PAHV 523 neesh-MAHT 524 chai-YEEM 525 vay-yeh-HEE 526 ha-ah-DAHM 527 luh-NEH-fesh 528 chai-YAH 529 vahy-yeet-TAH 530 Adonoy 531 Eh-loh-HEEM 532 gahn 533 beh-EH-dehn 534 mee-KEH-dehm 535 vah-YAH-sehm 536 shahm 537 et 538 ha-ah-DAHM 539 ah-sher 540 yah-TSAR 541 vahy-yahts-MAHKH 542 Adonoy 543 Eh-loh-HEEM 544 meen 545 ha-ah-dah-MAH 546 kohl 547 aitz 548 nehkh-MAHD 549 leh-mahr-AY 550 vuh-tov 551 leh-mah-ah-KHOHL 552 vuh-aitz 553 ha-chai-YEEM 554 beh-TOHKH 555 ha-gahn 556 vuh-aitz 557 ha-DAH-aht 558 tov 559 vah-RAH 560 veh-nah-HAHR 561 yoh-TSEH 562 meh-EH-dehn 563 leh-hahsh-KOHT 564 et 565 ha-gahn 566 oo-mee-SHAHM 567 yee-pah-REHD 568 veh-hai-YAH 569 leh-AHR-bah-ah 570 rah-SHEEM 571 shehm 572 ha-eh-KHAD 573 pee-SHOHN 574 hoo 575 ha-soh-VEHV 576 et 577 kol 578 EH-rets 579 ha-khah-vee-LAH 580 ah-sher 581 shahm 582 haz-zah-HAHV 583 oo-zah-hahv 584 ha-AH-rets 585 ha-HEE 586 tov 587 shahm 588 hahb-DOH-lahkh 589 veh-EH-vehn 590 ha-SHOH-hahm 591 vuh-SHEHM 592 hahn-nah-HAHR 593 ha-shay-NEE 594 ghee-KHOHN 595 hoo 596 ha-soh-VEHV 597 et 598 kohl 599 EH-rets 600 Koosh 601 veh-shem 602 hahn-nah-HAHR 603 ha-sheh-lee-SHEE 604 chee-DEH-kehl 605 hoo 606 ha-hoh-LEHKH 607 keed-MAHT 608 ah-SHOOR 609 vuh-hahn-nah-HAHR 610 ha-ruh-vee-EE 611 hoo 612 fuh-RAHT 613 vahy-yek-KAHKH 614 Adonoy 615 Eh-loh-HEEM 616 et 617 ha-ah-DAHM 618 vahy-yah-nee-KHAY-hoo 619 vuh-gahn 620 EH-den 621 leh-ahv-DAH 622 oo-leh-shahm-RAH 623 vah-yuh-TSAHV 624 Adonoy 625 Eh-loh-HEEM 626 ahl 627 ha-ah-DAHM 628 leh-MOHR 629 mee-KOHL 630 aitz 631 ha-gahn 632 ah-KHOHL 633 toh-KHEHL 634 oo-meh-AITZ 635 ha-DAH-aht 636 tov 637 vah-rah 638 lo 639 toh-KHOHL 640 mee-MEHN-noo 641 kee 642 buh-YOM 643 ah-KHOHL-khah 644 mee-MEHN-noo 645 MOHT 646 tah-MOOT 647 vahy-YOH-mehr 648 Adonoy 649 Eh-loh-HEEM 650 lo 651 tov 652 heh-YOHT 653 ha-ah-DAHM 654 leh-vah-DOH 655 EH-eh-seh 656 lo 657 AY-zehr 658 keh-nehg-DOH 659 vahy-yee-TSEHR 660 Adonoy 661 Eh-loh-HEEM 662 meen 663 ha-ah-dah-MAH 664 kohl 665 chai-YAHT 666 hahs-sah-DEH 667 vuh-et 668 kohl 669 ohf 670 hahsh-sha-MY-yeem 671 vahy-yah-VAY 672 el 673 ha-ah-DAHM 674 leer-OHT 675 mah 676 yee-krah 677 lo 678 vuh-KHOHL 679 ah-sher 680 yeek-RAH 681 lo 682 ha-ah-DAHM 683 NEH-fesh 684 chai-YAH 685 hoo 686 sh'MOH 687 vahy-yeek-RAH 688 ha-ah-DAHM 689 sheh-MOHT 690 leh-CHOHL 691 ha-beh-he-MAH 692 oo-leh-OHF 693 hahsh-shah-MY-yeem 694 oo-leh-KHOHL 695 chai-YAHT 696 has-sah-DEH 697 oo-l'ah-DAHM 698 lo 699 mah-TSAH 700 EH-zehr 701 kuh-nehg-DOH 702 vahy-yah-PAYL 703 Adonoy 704 Eh-loh-HEEM 705 tahr-day-MAH 706 ahl 707 ha-ah-DAHM 708 vahy-yee-SHAHN 709 vahy-yee-KAHKH 710 ah-KHAHT 711 meets-tsahl-oh-TAHV 712 vahy-yees-GOHR 713 bah-SAHR 714 tahkh-TEHN-nah 715 vahy-yee-VEHN 716 Adonoy 717 Eh-loh-HEEM 718 et 719 hats-tseh-LAH 720 ah-sher 721 la-KAHKH 722 meen 723 ha-ah-DAHM 724 leh-eesh-SHAH 725 vah-y'vee-EH-hah 726 el 727 ha-ah-DAHM 728 vahy-YOH-mehr 729 ha-ah-DAHM 730 zoht 731 ha-PAH-ahm 732 EH-tsehm 733 meh-ah-tsah-MAHY 734 oo-vah-SAHR 735 mee-beh-sah-REE 736 luh-ZOHT 737 yee-kah-REH 738 ee-SHAH 739 kee 740 meh-EESH 741 loo-kah-CHAH 742 zoht 743 ahl 744 ken 745 yah-ah-zahv 746 eesh 747 et 748 ah-VEEV 749 vuh-et 750 eem-MOH 751 vuh-dah-VAHK 752 beh-eesh-TOH 753 vuh-ha-YOO 754 luh-vah-SAHR 755 eh-KHAHD 756 vahy-yee-huh-YOO 757 sheh-nay-HEM 758 ah-roo-MEEM 759 ha-ah-DAHM 760 veh-eesh-TOH 761 veh-lo 762 yeet-bo-SHAH-shoo 763 veh-hahn-nah-KHAHSH 764 ha-yah 765 ah-ROOM 766 mee-KOHL 767 chay-YAHY 768 has-sah-DEH 769 ah-sher 770 ah-SAH 771 Adonoy 772 Eh-loh-HEEM 773 vahy-YOH-mehr 774 el 775 ha-eesh-SHAH 776 ahf 777 kee 778 ah-MAHR 779 Eh-loh-HEEM 780 lo 781 tohkh-LOO 782 mee-KOHL 783 aitz 784 ha-gahn 785 vah-toh-MEHR 786 ha-ee-SHAH 787 el 788 hahn-nah-KHAHSH 789 mee-p'REE 790 aitz 791 ha-gahn 792 noh-KHEHL 793 oo-mee-p'REE 794 ha-AITZ 795 ah-sher 796 beh-TOHKH 797 ha-gahn 798 ah-mahr 799 Eh-loh-HEEM 800 lo 801 tohkh-LOO 802 mee-MEH-noo 803 v'lo 804 teeg-guh-OO 805 bo 806 pehn 807 the-moo-TOON 808 vah-YOH-mehr 809 hahn-nah-KHAHSH 810 el 811 ha-ee-SHAH 812 lo 813 moht 814 the-moo-TOON 815 kee 816 yoh-DAY-ah 817 Eh-loh-HEEM 818 kee 819 beh-YOHM 820 ah-khohl-KHEHM 821 mee-MEH-noo 822 veh-neef-kuh-KHOO 823 ay-nay-KHEHM 824 vee-h'yee-TEHM 825 kay-loh-heem 826 yod-AY 827 tov 828 vah-rah 829 vah-TEH-reh 830 ha-ee-SHAH 831 kee 832 tov 833 ha-aitz 834 leh-mah-ah-KHOHL 835 vuh-KHEE 836 tah-ah-vah 837 hoo 838 lah-ay-NAHY-eem 839 vuh-nehkh-MAHD 840 ha-aitz 841 leh-hahsh-KEEL 842 vah-tee-KAHKH 843 mee-peer-YOH 844 vah-toh-KHOHL 845 vah-tee-TEHN 846 gahm 847 luh-ee-SHAH 848 ee-MAH 849 vahy-yoh-KHAHL 850 vah-tee-pah-KAHK-noo 851 ay-NAY 852 sheh-nay-HEHM 853 vahy-yay-duh-OO 854 kee 855 ay-roo-MEEM 856 hem 857 vahy-yeet-peh-ROO 858 ah-leh 859 tuh-ay-NAH 860 vah-yah-ah-SOO 861 la-HEM 862 khah-go-ROT 863 vah-yeesh-meh-OO 864 et 865 kol 866 Adonoy 867 Eh-loh-HEEM 868 meet-hah-LEHKH 869 bah-gahn 870 luh-ROO-ahkh 871 ha-YOHM 872 vah-yeet-chah-BEH 873 ha-ah-DAHM 874 vuh-eesh-TOH 875 mee-p'NAY 876 Adonoy 877 Eh-loh-HEEM 878 buh-TOHKH 879 aitz 880 ha-gahn 881 vah-yeek-RAH 882 Adonoy 883 Eh-loh-HEEM 884 el 885 ha-ah-DAHM 886 vahy-YOH-mehr 887 lo 888 ah-YEH-kah 889 vay-YOH-mehr 890 et 891 kol-KHAH 892 shah-MAH'tee 893 bah-gahn 894 vah-ee-RAH 895 kee 896 ay-ROHM 897 ah-NOH-khee 898 vah-eh-chah-VEH 899 vay-YOH-mehr 900 mee 901 hee-geed 902 leh-CHAH 903 kee 904 ay-ROHM 905 AH-tah 906 ha-meen 907 ha-aitz 908 ah-sher 909 tsee-vee-TEE-chah 910 leh-veel-TEE 911 ah-KOHL 912 mee-MEH-noo 913 ah-KHAHL-tah 914 vahy-YOH-mehr 915 ha-ah-DAHM 916 ha-ee-SHAH 917 ah-sher 918 na-TAH-tah 919 ee-mah-DEE 920 hee 921 nah-t'NAH 922 lee 923 meen 924 ha-aitz 925 vah-OH-khehl 926 vah-YOH-mehr 927 Adonoy 928 Eh-loh-HEEM 929 lah-ee-SHAH 930 mah 931 zot 932 ah-SEET 933 vah-toh-MEHR 934 ha-ee-SHAH 935 ha-nah-KHAHSH 936 hee-shee-AH-nee 937 vah-oh-KHEL 938 vah-YOH-mehr 939 Adonoy 940 Eh-loh-HEEM 941 el 942 ha-nah-KHAHSH 943 kee 944 ah-see-TAH 945 zot 946 ah-ROOR 947 ah-TAH 948 mee-KOHL 949 ha-beh-heh-MAH 950 oo-mee-KHOHL 951 chay-YAHT 952 has-sah-DEH 953 ahl 954 geh-khoh-NEH-chah 955 teh-LEHKH 956 vuh-ah-FAHR 957 toh-KHOHL 958 kol 959 yeh-MAY 960 chay-YEH-chah 961 v'ay-VAH 962 ah-SHEET 963 bey-neh-CHAH 964 oo-VAYN 965 ha-ee-SHAH 966 oo-vayn 967 zah-ah-CHAH 968 oo-vayn 969 zahr-AH 970 hoo 971 yeh-shoof-CHAH 972 rosh 973 v'ah-tah 974 the-shoo-FEH-noo 975 ah-KEV 976 el 977 ha-ee-SHAH 978 ah-mar 979 hahr-bah 980 ahr-BEH 981 eets-voh-NEHCH 982 veh-he-roh-NEHKH 983 beh-EH-tsehv 984 teh-luh-DEE 985 vah-NEEM 986 veh-el 987 ee-SHEHKH 988 teh-shoo-kah-TEHKH 989 veh-hoo 990 yeem-SHOHL 991 bakh 992 oo-leh-ah-DAHM 993 ah-mahr 994 kee 995 shah-mah-TAH 996 leh-KOHL 997 eesh-teh-KHAH 998 vah-toh-KHOHL 999 meen 1000 ha-etz 1001 ah-sher 1002 tsee-vee-tee-CHAH 1003 leh-MOHR 1004 lo 1005 toh-CHOHL 1006 mee-MEH-noo 1007 ah-roo-RAH 1008 ha-ah-dah-MAH 1009 bah-ah-voo-REH-chah 1010 beh-eets-tsah-vohn 1011 toh-chah-LEH-noo 1012 kol 1013 yeh-MAY 1014 chai-YEH-chah 1015 veh-KOHTS 1016 veh-dahr-DAHR 1017 tahts-MEE-ahkh 1018 lach 1019 vah-ah-khahl-TAH 1020 et 1021 EH-sehv 1022 hahs-sah-DEH 1023 beh-zeh-AHT 1024 ah-PEH-chah 1025 toh-KHOHL 1026 LEH-chem 1027 ahd 1028 shuv-CHAH 1029 el 1030 ha-ah-dah-MAH 1031 kee 1032 mee-MEH-nah 1033 loo-KAHKH-tah 1034 kee 1035 ah-far 1036 AH-tah 1037 veh-el 1038 ah-fahr 1039 tah-shuv GENESIS 1:1 1 beh-ray-SHEET 2 bah-rah 3 Eh-loh-HEEM 4 et (es) 5 hash-shah-MY-yeem 6 vuh-et 7 ha-AH-rets The above seven Hebrew words, read right to left, are the first words in the Bible, Bereshis 1:1. In this Hebrew course, we are going to read these seven words plus the first three chapters of Genesis (up to the end of Gen. 3:19), and examine each of the 1039 words found there. In this way we will be able to not only master the alphabet and the essentials of pronunciation and grammar, but we will also be able to study in depth three of the most important chapters in the Bible. This experience should help us as we pursue a lifetime of study of the rest of the Hebrew Bible. Let's look at these words one by one. [But first get a CHUMASH and make an enlarged xerox of the first three chapters of Bereshis (Genesis) and then take a red pen and number the first 1,039 words up to the end of Gen. 3:19. 1. beh-ray-SHEET "in-the-beginning" is the first word. Find this word in your Hebrew Bible. We are going to look at it's letters one by one, right to left. This will just take a few minutes. Then, as soon as we finish this one word, we are going to learn the entire Hebrew ALEF BET, memorizing a different letter for each prophecy about the Moshiach!!!!! The first syllable of beh-ray-SHEET is made up of a consonant BET (it is pronounced "b" as in "beginning") and a SH'VA, two vertical dots below the letter, which, when it is vocal, has an "eh" sound as a half-vowel as in "math-EH-ma-tics." The first syllable is pronounced "beh." The second syllable is made up of a consonant RESH (it is pronounced "r" as in "ray"), a vowel TZAYREH made up of two horizontal dots below the letter pronounced "ay" as in "pray," and a silent ALEF. The second syllable is pronounced "ray." The third syllable is made up of, first, a consonant SHIN. The letter SHIN is pronounced "SHEEN" and the sound is pronounced "sh" as in "sheet" and is not to be confused with SIN, a letter pronounced "SEEN" and the sound of the letter pronounced "s" as in "see"). Notice the SHIN has a dot above the right side and the SIN has a dot over the left side. Then we have a vowel called CHEEREEK GADOL (a dot followed by a YUD and pronounced "ee" as in "TREE"), and a consonant called a TAV (pronounced "t" as in "tent"). (Note that TET also has a "t" sound; compare word number #33 "tov"). The third syllable is pronounced "sheet." If you take your Chumash and look at the CHEEREEK dot under the SHIN, you will see a tipcha accent mark, a kind of slanted mark to the left of the CHEEREEK. This is a musical note helping the Baal Koreh or Reader sing or chant the reading in shul. It tells us the proper pronunciation, that the accent is on the last syllable, "beh-ray-SHEET." The accent is on the third syllable. We know this thanks to the tipcha. We you buy a Biblical Hebraica at your local Bible Society headquarters, a list of these accents is provided in a handy book mark card. The "beh" is the prefixed preposition meaning "in." Related words to the root RESH ALEF SHIN are "rosh" ("head") and "ree-SHOHN" meaning "first"). Now, if you want to jump in and learn the entire ALEF BET then turn to Tehillim (Psalm) 119 where you get an acrostic with eight repetitions of each letter of the ALEF BET with a new letter introduced as the first letter for each new eight verses of the Psalm: 8 ALEF's, 8 BET's, 8 GIMMEL, DALET, HAY, VAV, ZAYIN, CHET, TET, YUD, KAF, LAMMED, MEM, NOON, SAMECH, AYIN, PAY, TZADE, KOOF, RESH, SIN/SHIN, TAV. Make a copy of each letter and write it out eight times with its name as you study Psalm 119 and you will be ready to continue your lesson. Or here's a better way to learn the Hebrew ALEF BET. Let's memorize a different letter for each prophecy about the Moshiach, and especially a key word in each prophecy that begins with that letter. For example, TZEMACH (TZADE-MEM-CHET) starts with a TZADE in Zecharyah (Zechariah) 6:12, where it says that YEHOSHUA (Joshua/Yeshua) will have the name TZEMACH (MOSHIACH THE "BRANCH" [OF DOVID]). So look it up in your Tanakh and memorize TZADE--ZECHARYAH 6:11-12 YEHOSHUA SHMO TZEMACH MOSHIACH. Then, learn some Hebrew calligraphy and start designing a tract or a poster with the letters of the Hebrew ALEF BET and the names and titles and prophecies of Moshiach in the Tanakh. Hebrew sounds fun now, right? It is more than fun. It is the most serious thing you can learn, and means the difference between Shomayim and Gehinnom for 14 million Jewish people and 6 billion Gentiles now living on the face of planet earth. ALEF, Moshiach is the "EH-ven" ALEF-VET-FINAL NOON, the "Stone" that the builders rejected, TEHILLIM (PSALM) 118:22 BET, Moshiach is "beh-KHOHR" BET-CHAF-CHOLOM-RESH, TEHILLIM (PSALM) 89:28(27), the "Firstborn" heir, the most exalted king of the earth GIMMEL Moshiach is the "GOH-ehl" "Redeemer" GIMMEL-CHOLOM-ALEF-LAMMED, RUTH 2:20; IYOV (JOB) 19:25-26 DALET Moshiach is the "DEH-rekh ha-chay-YEEM" "the way of Life" DALET-RESH-FINAL CHAF, YIRMEYAH (JEREMIAH) 21:8 HAY Moshiach is the one born of "ha-al-MAH" "the virgin" YESHAYAH (ISAIAH) 7:14 HAY AYIN LAMMED MEM HAY with a miraculous "he-ra-yohn" "conception" (RUTH 4:13) VAV Moshiach is the one who will be violently killed "V'AYN LO" "and not for himself" (DANIEL 9:26) VAV ALEF YUD FINAL NOON ZAYIN Moshiach is the "ZEH-rah ha-ee-SHAH" "Seed of the Woman" BERESHIS (GENESIS) 3:15 ZAYIN-RESH-AYIN and the "z'ROH-ah HASHEM" "THE ARM OF THE L-RD" YESHAYAH (ISAIAH) 53:1 ZAYIN-RESH-CHOLOM-AYIN CHET Moshiach is the "chem-daht kol ha-Goyim" "the desired of all nations" CHAGAI (HAGGAI) 2:7 CHET-MEM-DALET-TAV meaning the desired object TET Moshiach is the one led like a lamb to the "The-vakh" "slaughter" YESHAYAH (ISAIAH) 53:7, a word that refers to the slaughter of animals, since Moshiach died on Pesach as a korban pesach at the same time as the lambs were being slaughtered by the kohenim TET-VET-CHET YUD Moshiach is the one who will "yatz-DEEK" YUD-PATACH-TZADE-SH'VA-DALET-CHEEREEK-YUD-KOOF "justify" many, make them have a right standing before Hashem YESHAYAH (ISAIAH) 53:11 KAF Moshiach is the one sold for thirty pieces of "KEH-sehf" "silver" KAF-SAMECH-FINAL FAY ZECHARYAH (ZECHARIAH) 11:13 LAMMED Moshiach is the one born in "beth LECHEM" LAMMED-SEGOL-CHET-SEGOL-FINAL MEM "house of BREAD" MICHOH (MICAH) 5:1 (2) MEM Moshiach is the "Moh-SHEE-akh" MEM-SHIN-YUD-CHET who will be violently killed and cut off from his people, but not for himself DANIEL 9:26; YESHAYAH (ISAIAH) 53:8 NOON Moshiach is the one whose "NEF-esh" NOON-FAY-SHIN has to undergo suffering YESHAYAH (ISAIAH) 53:10-11 and become an "ah-shahm" guilt offering for the "transgressions of Israel" YESHAYAH (ISAIAH) 53:8 SAMECH Moshiach is our "SEH-vel" bearer SAMECH-VET-LAMMED, our "burden" bearer, who carries away our sins YESHAYAH (ISAIAH) 53:11-12 AYIN Moshiach is the RIGHTEOUS "ahv-DEE" "My Servant" YESHAYAH (ISAIAH) 53:11 AYIN-VET-DALET-YUD PAY Moshiach is the one put to death and cut off from the land of the living for the "PEH-shah ahm-mee" PAY-SHIN-AYIN ("transgression of my people Israel") YESHAYAH (ISAIAH) 53:8; 49:5; He is also our Pesach PAY-SAMECH-CHET korban lamb TZADE Moshiach is the "tzad-DEEK ahv-DEE" "My Righteous Servant" YESHAYAH (ISAIAH) 53:11 TZADE DALET YUD KOOF KOOF Moshiach is the BEN YOSEF HAADON "SON OF JOSEPH THE L-RD" who commands us to come "qah-ROHV" "near" KOOF-RESH-CHOLOM-VET BERESHIS (GENESIS) 45:9-10; MALACHI 3:1; YESHAYAH (ISAIAH) 1:24; ZECHARYAH (ZECHARIAH) 4:14; 14:4; 6:5 RESH Moshiach is the "ro-EH" who is stricken RESH-CHOLOM-AYIN-HAY ZECHARYAH (ZECHARIAH) 13:7; see also YESHAYAH (ISAIAH) 53:8 SIN/SHIN Moshiach is the SEH HAELOHIM (LAMB OF G-D) BERESHIS (GENESIS) 22:8; SHEMOT (EXODUS) 12:5-13; YESHAYAH (ISAIAH) 53:7 SIN SEGOL HAY TAV Moshiach is the one who brings the TORAH of the Besuras haGeulah to the Nations TAV-CHOLOM-RESH-KAMATZ-HAY (TORAH) YESHAYAH (ISAIAH) 42:4 Now that we know our letters of the ALEF BET, let's return to word #1, beh-ray-SHEET. This very important word tells us that the creation had a definite beginning in historical time. There was a time when the creation did not exist, indeed before time itself. In the timeless eternity of G-d Himself, there was only Eh-loh-HEEM and the Ruach Haelohim (the Spirit of G-d--Gen.1:3) and the Dvar Hashem, the Word of G-d--Psa.33:6). Genesis 1:1-2:1 tells us that G-d used His Spirit and His Word to create everything that exists. So behind the finite universe stands not G-dless Evolution but the Creator G-d. The "steady-state" theory of the universe is a scientific speculation that asserts that the universe had no beginning and will have no end. This theory is refuted by this word beh-ray-SHEET which asserts that the universe does have a beginning and also carries the inference that the universe will have an end. Therefore, Genesis is not merely a book of origins; it is an eschatological (or end-times) teaching which is the way Revelation, Ezekiel, Isaiah and other parts of the Bible interpret it. The "big-bang" cosmological theory is more favored by scientists today than the "steady-state" theory. The "big-bang" theory asserts that the universe began with a primordial explosion and has a finite size and age, meaning it had a definite beginning and will one day have a definite end. It is not our purpose to speculate about these theories, as to which is scientifically more defensible, only to comment that the "steady-state" theory is Biblically refuted. This does not mean that we are endorsing the "big-bang" theory. But this idea of a definite beginning and a definite end is what the Bible teaches, and this is also what the science of cosmology (a branch of astronomy concerned with the origin of the universe) has tended to confirm. However, scientists go through great theoretical contortions trying to get around all the enigmas involved in the fragmentary and frequently changing character of their purported empirical scientific evidence (of which much defies theory). They postulate the "big-bang theory" and assert that the universe exploded into existence perhaps some 20 billion years ago, more or less, and project that the earth is between 4.5 and 4.7 billion years old and that humans evolved from some sort of apelike primate ancestor 2.5 million years ago. Then, just when they are certain of their results and have convinced themselves that their cosmological scientific theories fit all the complexities of new astronomical discoveries, the fossil record, radio-carbondating, paleontological discoveries, etc, conflicting new data emerges and they are left to flounder around with a lot of empty and passing ideas and unsettled "conclusions" that are more a matter of blind faith than scientific fact. "For the heavens are as high above earth as G-d's thoughts are above our thoughts," Isaiah 55:9 says, and things without number are beyond our comprehension. So we cannot endorse any scientific theory. But we can find out what the Bible teaches. Biblical faith is sure of this: if we reject the words of Genesis and look elsewhere for an inerrant cosmology, we will never find one, because mere man, unaided by the inspiration of the Ruach Hakodesh of G-d, can never write an inerrant cosmology, and to this, at least, the ever collapsing theories and endless disputes of scientists eloquently concur. 2. bah-rah "(He) created" is the second word. You have had all of these consonants. What are they? Review #1. The new vowel point KAMATZ looks like a small T under the consonants BET and RESH and is pronounced with an "ah" sound as in "card." This same small T is sometimes a KAMATZ HATOOF pronounced "o" as in "soft" in words like #450, meaning "from all" and pronounced "mee-kohl" (#450), not "mee-kahl." The G-d of Israel is always the subject of this verb in the Hebrew Bible, never man or pagan deities. No one can "bah-rah" except the G-d of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. "Mother Nature" cannot "bah-rah," G-dless "Evolution" cannot "bah-rah." Also, as every spiritually reborn believer knows experientially, not psychotherapy, not human science, nor human endeavor of any kind, but only G-d can "bah-rah" the new creation we have in Moshiach Yehoshua. This verb bah-rah is in the perfect tense, meaning the action is complete. G-d accomplished the creation of everything and this is a finished work. Since only G-d was in the beginning and everything else came to exist as part of His creation, creation is creatio ex nihilo, out of nothing. Without the use of pre-existing materials G-d "called into existence the things that do not exist" (Romans 4:17). 3. Eh-loh-HEEM "G-d" is the next word ALEF and CHEEREEK GADOL we have already had. Review #1. ALEF is a silent consonant. A syllable in Hebrew never begins with a vowel. It always consists of a consonant plus a vowel or a consonant plus a vowel plus a consonant. CHATAF SEGOL under the first letter looks like five dots and has an "eh" sound. LAMMED has an "l" sound. CHOLOM is a dot above the consonant and has an "oh" sound. It can be written with or without a VAV and in either case has an "oh" sound. The second syllable is "loh." HAY is a consonant with an "h" sound. And the "m" consonant is called a MEM but looks like SAMECH but is more rectangular when it comes at the end of a word as FINAL MEM as here (SAMECH has an "s" sound as in "six"). This syllable is pronounced "heem." In your Biblia Hebraica the accent mark under the HAY and to the left of the CHEEREEK marks this word as the middle of the verse. This accent is called an atnah (meaning "rest"). The word Eh-loh-HEEM is plural in form (CHEEREEK YUD FINAL MEM is a plural ending) but singular in meaning, here construed with a singular verb, "He created," not "They created." (However, see Gen.35:7 Elohim "They were revealed" to him. Also, see Ps.58:12.) This plural is called "plural of majesty." So in the word for G-d we have the idea of plurality in unity, the One G-d who is eh-KHAHD "one" in the sense of complex unity, not yah-KHEED "one" in the sense of absolute, uncompounded singleness. See these last two Hebrew words in Deut.6:4 and compare Gen.2:24 and Jdg.11:34. 4. "et" untranslated sign of the direct object is the next word, which tells you that "the heavens and the earth" are the direct objects of the verb and therefore are the objects of the verb's action. Note the ALEF and the TZAYREH and the TAHV. Review #1 if you've forgotten these. 5. hahsh-shah-MAH-yeem "heavens, sky" is the next word. Note the short horizontal dash under the HAY. This is called a PATACH and is pronounced "ah" as in "card." The dot inside the SHIN doubles the letter. We have already had all the other letters. What are they? HAY is the definite article "the," used here because "the heavens" and "the earth" (see #7) are nouns with unique referents. Remember that a noun is the name of a person, place, or thing. Notice here the plural ending CHEEREEK YUD FINAL MEM as in Eh-loh-HEEM. 6. vuh-et "and (sign of direct object)" is the next word. Notice the prefixed conjunction "and" VAV pronounced with a "v" sound as in "vote." (Do not confuse this letter with ZAYIN which has a "z" sound as in "zoo".) The name of G-d we will see later contains the consonants YUD HAY VAV HAY. 7. ha-AH-rehts "the earth" is the next word. Notice the accent under the ALEF indicating that this is the accented syllable. Do you see the SEGOL? the KAMATZ? The last letter is a FINAL TZADE which is the way the TZADE looks when it comes as the last letter of a word. It is pronounced "ts" as in "fits" or tsuris (Yiddish = "trouble"). Notice the definite article HAY at the beginning of this word, "the earth." When compounded with "the earth," "heaven" designates the whole cosmos; so this expression, "the heavens and the earth" really means "everything." So Genesis 1:1 teaches an absolute beginning of everything that exists as a direct act of G-d. This is why He alone is worthy of praise and worship. Everything has its existence of Him and through Him and from the good pleasure of His will. GENESIS 1:2A 8 v'ha-AH-rets 9 ha-yeh-TAH 10 TOH-hoo 11 vah-VOH-hoo 12 vuh-KHOH-shekh 13 ahl 14 p'NAY 15 teh-HOHM 8. v'ha-AH-rets "and-the-earth" --Review #6 and 17. 9. ha-yeh-TAH "(she) was" --Notice the accent mark under the last syllable. Look at the first syllable HAY KAMATZ. Look at your three vowels (the SH'VA here is a half-vowel). Syllables that end in a vowel-sound are called open syllables (meaning syllables without a consonant ending), so we know to break the syllable here and pronounce the word "ha-yeh-TAH," not "hi-TAH." This is the way we write "she was" since "earth" is feminine in Hebrew. 10. TOH-hoo "nothingness. formless" --For the CHOLOM review #3. Notice the SHURUK long vowel at the end, which looks like a dot in the middle of a VAV. This has an "oo" sound as in "loot" and is pronounced the same as KUBUTZ which is three slanted dots under the consonant. 11. vah-VOH-hoo "and-empty, void" --On the prefixed conjunction "and" see #6 and #8, here written with a KAMATZ instead of a SH'VA. We had BET in #1. Without the dot it is VET and pronounced "v" instead of "b" (vet, not bet). Notice the SHURUK. 12. vuh-KHOH-sheh~ "and-darkness" --See prefixed conjunction "and." SH'VA is a half-vowel. It is pronounced quickly and softly with the VAHV as "vuh." Do not confuse CHET (pronounced "kh" as in "Sikh" or "ch" as in CHanukah) and HAY (see #3) and DALET which has a "d" sound as in "doll" and FINAL CHAF. Notice the two dots which must be written but have no sound. This vowel has the same sound as the second letter CHET. The dot in the KAF ("k" as in "kick") distinquishes it from the CHAF. The KOOF also has a "k" sound. For the CHOLOM review #3. Note the accent under the second syllable. For the SHIN see #1. Note the SEGOL "eh" vowel under the SHIN. 13. ahl "upon" AYIN is a silent consonant like ALEF. Note the PATACH and review #5. Note the LAMMED and review #3. This is a preposition, since it is used before the noun in #14 and forms a prepositional phrase with it modifying word #12. 14. p'NAY "faces-of, surface of" --PAY has a "p" sound as in "put" and when the dot is absent is FAY with an "f" sound as in "fit." FINAL FAY (see #403) is not to be confused with FINAL CHAF. NOON is an "n" sound as in "not" but when it comes as the last letter of a word looks like FINAL NOON in word #38 and is not to be confused with VAV. Do not confuse GIMMEL which has a "g" sound as in "get" with NOON which has an "n" sound as in "not." TZAYREH is a vowel with an "ay" sound as in "pray" and is two horizontal dots under the consonant. TSEREH can also be followed by YUD as in #14 but is pronounced the same. (Do not confuse TZAYREH with CHEEREEK which has only one dot under the consonant and is pronounced "ee" as in "siesta" and may or may not have a YUD following it.) 15. tuh-HOHM "the (oceanic) deep". "p'NAY" is said to be in construct" with "tuh-HOHM" because p'NAY is closely connected with the following word "tuh-HOHM" and also "p'NAY" has a construct ending TZAYREH YUD. The accent under the second syllable of "tuh-HOHM" marks this word as the middle of the verse. Now let's review the alphabet, first the consonants, then the vowels. Make sure you have a mental image of each one and a sound in your ear for the sound of each as we go along. You may have to go back over the last 15 paragraphs and look at each word in the Tanakh and make flash cards for yourself. ALEF BET VET GIMMEL DALET HAY VAV ZAYIN CHET TET YUD KAF FINAL KAF CHAF FINAL CHAF LAMMED MEM FINAL MEM NOON FINAL NOON SAMECH AYIN PAY FAY FINAL FAY TZADE FINAL TZADE KOOF RESH SHIN SIN TAV. Make not of all of them as we go along until you have mastered the ALEF BET. Now let's take the vowels. KAMATZ (the vowel under the BET and the RESH in word #2), PATACH (the vowel under the CHET in word #16), TZAYREH (the vowel under the RESH in word #1), SEGOL (the vowel under the RESH in word #7), SH'VA (the vowel under the BET in word #1), CHOLOM (the vowel dot above the HAY and to the left of the LAMMED in word #3; also the third letter in word #15), CHEEREEK (the vowel under the HAY in word #17), KUBUTZ (the vowel under the CHAF in word #435, first word in Gen.2:1, vah-yuh-khoo-LOO), SHURUK (the last letter in word #93, yee-kah-VOO), CHATAF KAMATZ (I could not find one in the first 1039 words. You will see one only rarely. It is a KAMATZ with a SH'VA to the right of it. Go to Ezekiel 39:14 and look at the next to the last word, the first letter CHET and you will see a CHATAF KAMATZ under it), CHATAF PATACH (the vowel under the ALEF in word #424), CHATAF SEGOL (the vowel under the ALEF in word #3). Make flash cards for yourself for all vowels and the entire ALEF BET using the relevant words I am giving you form Gen.1:1-3:19. These will be learned by memorization and repetition, but it will be fun because we are going to master this material and see the doctrines of our faith in the words in the process. Just as you did not learn English by listening to a lecture, so neither will you learn Hebrew by merely staring at these pages. You must become like a child with a crayon and write out your alphabet and, as it were, once again make your own copy of "See Dick run. See Jane run. See Spot run." Otherwise you will be like the kid who says he can't ride bicycles and has never even got on one. Practice writing in your own handwriting the first several verses of Genesis. Purchase a large print Hebrew Bible (preferably the Biblica Hebraica Stuttgartensia which I will show you how to use and which will come in very handy when we get to the messianic prophecies.) As you write each letter down, look it up above. GEN.1:2B 16 vuh-ROO-ahkh 17 Eh-loh-HEEM 18 m'rah-KHEH-feht 19 ahl 20 p'NAY 21 hahm-MY-yeem 16. vuh-ROO-ahkh "and-Spirit-of" --Notice the PATACH is pronounced before the CHET and not after it, as in mo-SHI-ach (see Daniel 9:26) (Anointed One, Messiah). This is called furtive PATACH and we will discuss it later. 17. Review word #3. The same Spirit of G-d in Exod.31:3 that filled the artist Bezalel and equipped him to build the tabernacle is at work here in creating the earth. 18. m'rah-KHEH-feht "brooding" from the root RESH CHET FINAL FAY meaning "to hover tremulously, shake, tremble" as in Deut. 32:11 where it describes an eagle hovering over the young in its nest. Like a giant eagle egg was the earth under the hovering Ruach Hakodesh. See how your knowledge of Hebrew helps you read the Bible on a whole new level of comprehension. You should now have the motivation to want to read the next three chapters of Genesis with us. The MEM at the beginning indicates it is a participle or verbal adjective, here modifying "Spirit of G-d." 19. review #13. 20. review #14. 21. hahm-MY-yeem "the-waters" --The short vertical accent under the first MEM indicates the end of the verse, and the large colon-like marks after FINAL MEM always follow this accent and function as the period of the sentence. Notice the dot in the first MEM. A dot in a letter preceded by a full vowel indicates doubling of the letter and the dot is called dagesh-fort. (Remember, SH'VA is only a half-vowel, not a full vowel.) So the "m" is doubled "hahm-MY-yeem." The usual form of the definite article "the" prefixed at the beginning of a noun is HAY PATACH with the dagesh-forte' in the following letter (doubling the letter); see #5. However, notice the exception in #7, because there is no dagesh-forte in the ALEF in #7 since HAY CHET AYIN RESH ALEF do not have the dagesh dot in them. The doubling dagesh or dot should not be confused with the pronunciation dagesh that makes a BET out of a VET, a KAF out of a CHAF, and a PAY out of a FAY, and can also appear in a GIMMEL, a DALET, and a TAV, though not all these letters are pronounced differently in modern Hebrew. This is called the b-g-d-k-f-t dagesh. So when you see a dagesh dot in a letter, ask yourself if it is a doubling dagesh or a b-g-d-k-f-t pronounciation dagesh. GEN.1:3 22 vahy-YOH-mer 23 Eh-loh-HEEM 24 yeh-HEE 25 ohr 26 vah-yeh-HEE 27 ohr 22. vahy-YOH-mehr "and-(He)-said" --Note the dagesh-forte in the YUD, which indicates there are two YUDS "vahy-YOH-mehr." There are two main tenses in Biblical Hebrew: the perfect tense, which are actions that are completed as in "He said;" and the imperfect tense, which are actions that are not completed as in "He will say, He usually says, He might say.." The word ALEF MEM RESH, is 3rd person masculine singular perfect of "he said." Here it is a divine fiat that not only commands but commands effectively, actually declaring the future and then causing what it declares to come into being; see #24 and #26. In #22 the YUD indicates the imperfect "he will say" but the VAV PATACH DAGESH conjunction "and" not only connects this sentence with the preceding, it also makes the imperfect "he will say" equivalent to the perfect "he said," so we call it a VAV CONVERSIVE. The VAV PATACH DAGESH VAV CONVERSIVE is often attached to verbs in a sequence and reverses their tense. When a verb is in the imperfect tense, the addition of the VAV PATACH DAGESH VAV CONVERSIVE changes its meaning to that of the perfect tense. If the verb is in the perfect tense, the addition of the reversing VAV changes its meaning to that of the imperfect tense. If you looked up #22 in your Hebrew lexicon (language dictionary) you would have to look up the word under the root form ALEF MEM RESH. Remember that roots have three letters and all other letters are prefixes and suffixes added to the root. You have to subtract all of these to find the root and therefore be able to know how to look up the word in the dictionary. This is a very high frequency word and must be memorized. Put it on your vocabulary flash cards. Remember the conjunction "and" VAV SH'VA connects but the reversing VAV PATACH DAGESH connects and changes the tense of the verb. 23. review #3. 24. yuh-HEE "shall be" or "let be" from HAY KAMATZ YUD KAMATZ HAY "he was"--see #9. The SH'VA is always vocal SH'VA if it is in the first syllable like this. Compare the silent SH'VA in #28. The initial YUD indicates the imperfect tense as in #22. However, this tense is called the jussive, although in this case it is written exactly like the imperfect. The jussive tense expresses volition "let it be." G-d wanted light and that's what he called forth and got. There are three kinds of imperatives in Hebrew that you need to know about: cohortative ("let me/us do some action [first person]), imperative ("you do some action [second person]); jussive ("let it/him/her/them do some action [third person]). Do not feel overwhelmed with all this; you will be seeing all this new material over and over again as you go along in Gen.chps. 1-3 and it will eventually sink in. Don't get discouraged. Allow your mind to get the repetitions it needs to begin to clarify everything conceptually through repetition. This is how we learn. 25. ohr "light" 26. vah-yuh-HEE "and-(there)-was" --This word is written like an imperfect verb with an initial YUD but has the CONVERSIVE VAV VAV PATACH DAGESH in front of it, which switches it to a perfect "and there was." Compare the two words "#26 and #24 to see how the CONVERSIVE VAV VAV PATACH DAGESH throws the switch from imperfect to perfect, incomplete action to completed action. The CONVERSIVE VAV VAV PATACH DAGESH is not merely a conjunction connecting the previous part of the sentence. The CONVERSIVE VAV VAV PATACH DAGESH converts the imperfect ("shall be") into a perfect tense ("there was"). 27. see #25. The hyphen at #26 indicates that this word is to be accented with #26 and pronounced with it. GEN.1:4 28 vahy-YAHR 29 Eh-loh-HEEM 30 et (es) 31 ha-ohr 32 kee 33 tohv 34 vahy-yahv-DAYL 35 Eh-loh-HEEM 36 bayn 37 ha-ohr 38 oo-VAYN 39 ha-KHOH-shehkh 28. vahy-YAHR "and-(He)-saw" --Notice the letter YUD indicates imperfect tense "he will see" but the CONVERSIVE VAV VAV PATACH DAGESH makes it perfect. Is the SH'VA silent or vocal? Review #24. The root for "he saw" is RESH ALEF HAY in the Hebrew dictionary. 29. review #3 if you need to. 30. review #4 if you need to. 31. review #25. What is HAY KAMATZ? Review #21. Why is there no dot in the ALEF? Review #21. Look at the horizontal stroke or hyphen-like mark (it's called a makkef "binder" and shows that these two words are bound together and there is only one major accent and it is on the last word of those bound) between #31 and #30? Review #27. "The light" is the object of the verb of perception "and-He-saw." Note the sign of the direct object #30. 32. kee "that" --This word can mean various things, depending on the context: "that, but, except, because, for, when, if, as, like." See p.155, William L. Holladay, A Concise Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament, Eerdmans, 1971. 33. tohv "good, beautiful, fit for its purpose" --Note the TET. Notice the creation reflects the goodness of its Creator. This little word refutes the gnostic false teacher Cerinthus (I Yochanan 2:22, OJBC) who taught that the creation and the body are evil and that therefore the divine good Moshiach could not actually be the same as the dying man Moshiach Yehoshua in a real (presumeably evil, according to Cerinthus) body. 34. vahy-yahv-DAYL "and-(He)-caused-a-division/separation" --from the root VET DALET LAMMED ("to divide") with the HAY preformative (indicating "cause to divide"). (We will explain what happened to the HAY later; it has disappeared and the dot in the YUD is the only trace of it.) If you look this word up in The Englishman's Hebrew Concordance (p.181, Baker Book House Publishers) you see that G-d is in the business of separating and causing division. In Ezra 9:1 the Jews had not kept themselves separate from the neighboring people and their detestable practices. In Num. 16:21 G-d said to Moses and Aaron, "Separate yourselves from this wicked (Korah's) assembly so I can put an end to them at once. But even before this, G-d caused a division between Cain and Abel and between the children of Ishmael and Isaac. In Luke 12:51-52 Moshiach Yehoshua is the light causing a division in a household. Notice the imperfect YUD and the CONVERSIVE VAV, VAV PATACH DAGESH. 35. review #3. 36. bayn "between" --Notice the FINAL NOON. 37. review #25 and #31 if you need to. 38. oo-VAYN "and-between." The conjunction VAV SH'VA ("and") is generally found written like a SHURUK before MEM FAY and VET and vowelless consonants. Compare #36 and #38. 39. review #12. Do you see the definite article. Do you remember why there is no dagesh dot in the CHET? Review #21. GEN.l:5 40 vahy-yeek-RAH 41 Eh-loh-HEEM 42 lah-OHR 43 yom 44 v'lah-KHOH-shehkh 45 KAH-rah 46 LAI-lah 47 vah-yeh-HEE 48 EH-rev 49 vah-yeh-HEE 50 VOH-ker 51 yohm 52 eh-KHAD 40. vahy-yeek-RAH "and-He-called" --Notice the KOOF and review #12. From KOOF RESH ALEF a root meaning "to call, to proclaim, to read." This last definition is important in terms of certain Masoretic marginal notes in your BHS (Biblica Hebraica Stuttgartensia). The Masaretes were a new type of Hebrew Biblical scholar and they came on the scene after 500 C.E. They developed a system of notations to help preserve their critical and explanatory notes of their authoritative exegetical guide to the grammar and pronunciation etc of the Hebrew Bible. They would not altar the consonantal text, but if they felt there was a scribal error in the consonantal text, or if they knew of a textual variant, they would put the word "to be read" KOOF RESH YUD "kerey" in the margin with the abbreviation KOOF with a dot above it and they would put this word's vowel points under the word in the consonantal text. For example, in BHS Gen.8:17 the form that is KAF TAV YUD VET (written) in the consonantal text is that Noah VAV YUD TZADE ALEF "came out" but the word in the margin is in the imperative HAY YUD TZADE ALEF "Go out". Taking this reading as perferred, the New Revised Standard Version translates, "Then G-d said to Noah, 'Go out of the ark.." whereas the NIV translates the consonantal text, "And Noah came out..." The BHS text is the so-called Masorah (collection of notes) of these scribes plus a reproduction of Codex Leningradensis (1008 C.E.) plus the critical apparatus at the bottom of the pages indicating portions where other manuscripts or versions differ or where scholarly research brings the BHS text into question. All of these witnesses help us stay close to the original inerrant autographs of the infallible Biblical authors. KOOF RESH ALEF = he called YUD KOOF RESH ALEF = he will call + CONVERSIVE VAV, VAV PATACH DAGESH = "he called." 41. review #3. 42. lah-OHR "to-the-light" --The preposition "to, for" is LAMMED. 43. yohm "day" 44. v'lah-KHOH-shehkh "and-to-the-darkness" VAV = "and" LAMMED = "to, for" HAY PATACH DAGESH = def.art."the"--Notice the HAY of the article elided (ignored) and its vowel PATACH is given to LAMMED. We have had this word. Learn it. Review #12. 45. KAH-rah "he called" --Review #40. This is the simple stem or root of the verb. Most Hebrew roots consist of three letters called radicals. The root is generally given in its simplest verbal form, 3rd person masculine singular perfect. 46. LAHY-lah "night" --Notice we have a chiasmus (reversal in the order of words" in verb/indirect object here: "cal1ed-light/darkness-called." This expresses unity between the two acts of naming as one action. 47. review #26. 48. EH-rehv "evening" as in erev Shabbat or Friday evening. 49. review #26. 50. VOH-kehr "morning" --Notice the accent under the VET. 51. review #43. 52. review #3. The cardinal "one" may be used for the ordinal "first" in Hebrew. See Gen. 2:1 ha-eh-khad "the first." There are those who assert that this "first day" must be a twenty-four hour solar day. However, evening and morning appear three days before the sun and moon, which the text says are to be for "days and years" (1:14). Psalm 90:4 gives us the impression that a cosmic day, from the divine point of view, might be a thousand years or more, indeed a whole age or epoch. Since this section has to do with life and eternal life and eternal righteousness (Gen. 2:9,17; 3:22-24), the larger point seems to be that if even G-d finds eternal rest at the end of his "week" of good works, will not there be Chayyei Olam eternal life and rest and righteousness and "glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good" (Rom. 2:l0)? Made in the image of G-d to live by every word that proceeds from the mouth of G-d, Man cannot live his life's work-week for bread alone (Deut. 8:3; Yochanan 6:27), since there is no true rest or food for his soul except in G-d (Matt. 11:29). And those who doubt this fundamental teaching of Torah should remember that the creation has been so ordered from the beginning. Not only so, G-d will bring every deed into eternal judgment when evening comes at the end of life's brief "week" (Eccles. 12:14; Gen. 29:27-28; Dan. 9:24). The good G-d we see at work in Gen. 1:1-2:3 reflects Himself in His good creation in which everything is put together "decently and in order," the "luminaries" of Day 4 interdependently pointing back to the divine "light" in Day 1, the "birds and fish" of Day 5 symbiotically related to the separated rain clouds and oceans of Day 2, the animals and man of Day 6 beneficially dependent on the dry land and vegetation of Day 3, and, finally. all this divine time of creative work dependent on the Sabbath of eternity, where G-d returns when His good cosmos is finished, for this is where He started "in the beginning" (Gen. 1:1). GEN. 1:6 53 vahy-YOH-mer 54 Eh-loh-HEEM 55 yeh-HEE 56 rah-KEE-ah 57 buh-TOKH 58 hah-MY-yeem 59 vee-HEE 60 mahv-DEEL 61 bayn 62 MY-yeem 63 lah-MY-yeem 53. review #22. 54. review #3. 55. review #24. 56. rah-KEE-ah "dome"--This word is found in Ezek. 1:22-23 "spread out above the heads of the living creatures was what looked like a dome, sparkling like awesome crystal." It is the atmosphere seen as a vaulted ceiling or dome. The PATACH under the AYIN is called PATACH furtive. Review #16. 57. buh-TOHKH "in midst of" 58. review #21. 59. vee-HEE "and let (it) be" review #24. This is YUD SH'VA HAY CHEEREEK GADOL + "and" VAV so that the SH'VA contracts to HEEREEQ forming VAV CHEEREEK. 60. mahv-DEEL "causing-a-division" --review #34. This is a participle or a verbal adjective as indicated by the preformative MEM. Because this participle follows the verb "to be" it expresses continuing future action. 61. review #36. 62. MAH-yeem "waters" 63. lah-MAH-yeem "from-the-waters" = LAMMED = "from, to, for" --Notice the KAMATZ replaces the normal PATACH under the MEM in #62 and #63 because it's the last word in the sentence, the voice rests upon it, strengthens the vowel, and words with such vowel changes are said to be "in pause." Notice the final accent in the verse, which is called siIluq. Look under the MEM. Notice the aof passuq which looks like a colon (:) and marks the end of the verse. GEN.1:7 64 vah-YAH-ahs 65 Eh-loh-HEEM 66 et (es) 67 ha-rah-KEE-ah 68 vahy-yahv-DAYL 69 bayn 70 hahm-MY-yeem 71 ah-sher 72 mee-TAH-khaht 73 lah-rah-KEE-ah 74 oo-VAYN 75 hahm-MY-yeem 76 ah-sher 77 may-AHL 78 lah-rah-KEE-ah 79 vah-yeh-HEE 80 khehn 64. vah-YAH-ahs "and-(He)-made"--not SHIN but SIN. The root is AYIN SIN HAY "he made" with the imperfect form "he will make" YUD AYIN SIN HAY and VAV PATACH DAGESH conversive. 65. review #3. 66. review #4. 67. ha-rah-KEE-ah --review #56. 68. review #34. 69. review #36. 70. review #21. 71. ah-SHER "which" --This is a high frequency relative pronoun meaning "who, which, that." Memorize it. 72. mee-TAH-khaht "from under" TAV CHET TAV means "under" and MEM CHEEREEK FINAL NOON means "from" and the NOON is assimilated or absorbed when the two words become one. 73. Study #56 and #63 and you ought to be able to figure this one out by yourself. 74. review #38. 75. review #21. 76. review #71. 77. may-AHL "from upon" MEM CHEEREEK FINAL NOON = "from" + AYIN PATACH LAMMED "upon" with the FINAL NOON absorbed lengthening the HEEREEQ under MEM to TZAYREH 78. lah-rah-KEE-ah "to the dome" 79. review #26 "and-it-was" 80. khehn "so" --The note in the textual apparatus of BHS for #79 and #80 tells you that the Targum Ha-Shivim (Septuagint) transposes this phrase to the end of verse 6. You will notice that the symbol for the Greek translation of the Tanakh is an ornate looking G. Cp = chapter. The two a's separated by a dash next to 7 means that everything between those two a's is referred to. Cf means compare. Each footnote is separated by parallel double vertical lines. The apparatus footnote tells you that the Targum Ha-Shivim translates "And G-d saw that it was good" into Greek and inserts it at the end of verses 4,10,12,18,21,31, and 8. However, this is an inept attempt at standardization because the Masoretic Text has this formula seven times to show the complete perfection of G-d's works. If you want to know more about the ancient versions referred to in the apparatus at the bottom of each page (Samaritan Pentateuch, Syriac [Peshitta], Latin Vulgate, Targum Onqelos, etc), get Ernst Wurthwein's The Test of the Old Testament, Eerdmans Publishers, 1979. GEN.1:8 81 vahy-yeek-RAH 82 vah-yeh-HEE 83 lah-rah-KEE-ah 84 shah-MY-yeem 85 vah-yeh-HEE 86 EH-rev 87 vah-yeh-HEE 88 VOH-ker 89 yom 90 shay-NEE 81. review #40. The little "s" like mark under the RESH in your BHS is an accent. 82. review #3. 83. review #78. 84. review #5. 85. review #26. 86. review #48. 87. review #26. 88. review #50. 89. review #43. 90. shay-NEE "second." Notice in the BHS that the FAY to the left of this word means paragraph, indicating a new paragraph begins after that letter. GEN. 1:9 91 vahy-YOH-mer 92 Eh-loh-HEEM 93 yee-kah-VOO 94 hahm-MY-yeem 95 mee-TAH-khaht 96 hahsh-shah-MY-yeem 97 el 98 mah-KOHM 99 eh-KHAD 100 vuh-teh-rah-EH 101 ha-yah-bah-SHAH 102 vah-yeh-HEE 103 khehn 91. review #22. 92. review #3. 93. yee-kah-VOO "let be collected" --The root is KOOF VAV HAY "he collects." The passive stem is indicated by a NOON preformative. The word for the place for the tevilah immersion is mikvah meaning a "gathering/collection of waters" using a MEM prefix which is often used in noun-formations. Study this word carefully. The YUD indicates the imperfect or jussive (review #24) 3rd person singular. The dagesh forte in the KOOF indicates the absorbed NOON prefix of the passive stem of the root. See also #108. Many Jewish people believe they must take a mikvah to remove a state of ritual impurity. This is a ritually prepared bath for purification in accordance with various regulations. Strictly observant Jews often attempt to purify themselves in this way before Sabbaths and Festivals. Also, following the menstrual period, a woman is required to immerse herself. This is TET VET YUD LAMMED HAY "tevilah" or total immersion. This occurs following seven "clean" days after the woman's last menstrual period. Many Jewish women even take their dishes to the mikvah or "ritualarium" to be immersed before ever using them. A complete immersion is necessary. This ritual goes back to the kohanim in the Torah who had to cleanse themselves from ritual impurity derived from contact with unclean objects or circumstances. That there were such ritual bath facilities at the time of Moshiach Yehoshua is clear from excavations at the desert fortress Masada. It is therefore clear that Yochanan the Tevilah immersionist was a kohen (hereditary priest) navi (prophet) offering a tevilah haTeshuvah "immersion of repentance." It is an absurd lie to say that this is a Gentile ritual foisted on the Jewish people. See Deut.23: l0-11. 94. review #21. 95. review #72. 96. review #5. 97. el "to" 98. mah-KOHM "place, location." 99. review #52 100. review #28. vuh-teh-rah-EH "and-she-shall-be-seen" --The subject ("dry land") is feminine. TAV is a prefix for the imperfect 3rd pers. fem. sing. just as YUD is a prefix for the imperfect 3rd pers. masc.sing. Look at #21 to see why, although the NOON prefix of the passive N-stem assimilates into the previous letter, in this case, since it is a RESH there is no dagesh forte in the RESH. See Isaiah 53:10 YUD RESH ALEF HAY "he will see" which is predicated about Moshiach at the time of his Resurrection after Moshiach was "cut off out of the land of the living" (53:8). 101. ha-yah-bah-SHAH "dry land" = feminine noun. Notice the def.art. HAY PATACH DAGESH "the" 102. review #79 103. review #80. GEN.1:10 104 vaahy-yeek-RAH 105 Eh-loh-HEEM 106 lah-yah-bah-SHAH 107 EH-rets 108 oo-l'meek-VAY 109 hahm-MY-yeem 110 kah-RAH 111 yahm-MEEM 112 vahy-YAHR 113 Eh-loh-HEEM 114 kee 115 tov 104. Review #40. 105. Review #3. 106. Review #101. LAMMED prefix means "to, for." Review #97 and #78. 107. Review #7. EH-rets = "land." 108. Review #93 and #38 and #97. oo-luh-meek-VAY "and-to-collection-of" 109. Review #21. In Biblical Hebrew there is no word to express the English word "of' when it indicates either possession or description as in "the house of Ruth" or a "word of kindness." However, in Hebrew, when two nouns are linked together to create a single idea, the first noun carries with it the meaning "of." This noun is in what is called the construct state. 110. Review #40. kah-RAH "he-called" 111. yahm-MEEM "seas" YUD KAMATZ FINAL MEM = "sea." Notice the KAMATZ under the YUD becomes PATACH when the plural is formed by adding CHEEREEK YUD FINAL MEM at the end, making the form you see here "seas". 112. review #28. 113. review #3. 114. review #32. 115. review #33. GEN.1:11 116 vahy-YOH-mer 117 Eh-loh-HEEM 118 tahd-SHAY 119 ha-AH-rets 120 DEH-sheh 121 EH-sev 122 mah-zeh-REE-ah 123 ZEH-rah 124 aitz 125 p'REE 126 OH-seh 127 p'REE 128 leh-mee-NOH 129 ah-sher 130 zah-oh 131 voh 132 ahl 133 ha-AH-rets 134 vah-yeh-HEE 135 khehn 116. review #22. The simple stem is called the Qal stem. The n-stem or passive stem is called the nifal stem. The h-stem or causative stem is called the hifil stem. For example, "he ate" is the Qal or simple stem. The nifal stem is "it was eaten," and the hifil is "he caused to eat, he fed." 117. review #3 118. tahd-SHAY "she-shall-cause-to-spring-forth, sprout, be green --The TAV prefix indicates the imperfect tense "she shall." The PATACH under the TAV indicates that this is a HAY causative stem verb "she shall cause." On this see also #122 and the causative PATACH under the YUD in #34. The root is DALET SHIN ALEF and we see on page 75 of William Holladay's A Concise Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the the Old Testament (Eerdmans, 1971) that it is a jussive as in #24, "let her sprout." 119. review #7. 120. DEH-sheh "grass, vegetation" see #118 DALET SHIN ALEF "be green" 121. EH-sehv "herbs, plants" 122. mah-zeh-REE-ah "causing to seed" --Root ZAYIN RESH AYIN. Notice the furtive PATACH and review #56 and #16. The prefix MEM indicates the word is a verbal adjective or participle. We must ask what noun it modifies and the answer is #121, "plants yielding seed." 123. ZEH-rah "seed." The noun form of the previous word, the verb ZAYIN RESH AYIN "it seeds, he sows." This is a very important word. Yehoshua says that Abraham looked forward to seeing his day (Yochanan 8:56). Yehoshua means that Abraham's seed in Gen. 12:7 refers to the Moshiach (see Gal. 3:16). David's seed (II Sam. 7:12) also is a Messianic term. Isa. 53:10 says the Moshiach shall see his seed (believers). The Seed of the Woman, also a Messianic term, in Gen. 3:15 is ZAYIN RESH AYIN HAY "her Seed." 124. aitz "trees, tree." --Look at 2:9, 17; 3:5,22. The "aitz haDa'as tov varah" ("tree of the knowledge of good and evil" is the tree of moral autonomy where men add to G-d's commandments (Deut. 4:2) their own will and their own traditions (Mark 7:9) and reject G-d's word in order to honor their own ideas about what is good and evil. There is a way that seems right to a man but whoever turns aside from the law and goes that way (Josh. 1:7) will find that its end is death (Prov. 16:25). On the other hand, there is also the "aitz haChayyim" (the tree of life) which if a man eat of it, he will live forever. This tree points to Moshiach Yehoshua (Yochanan 5:46; 6:51; Rev. 22:l-2). 125. p'REE "fruit" 126. OH-seh "making" --This is a participle of ALEF SIN HAY "he made" The CHOLOM indicates a participle or verbal adjective and here it modifies "fruit trees." 127. review #125. "Baruch atah Adonoy Eloheinu Melech haOlam bore p'ri hagafen. "Blessed art thou 0 L-rd our G-d, King of the universe, who creates the fruit of the vine." Moshiach Yehoshua gave this blessing over the Kiddush cup at his Last Pesach. 128. leh-mee-NOH "to-his-kind" --The pronoun suffix "his" (CHOLOM) is at the end. The inseparable preposition LAMMED SH'VA is at the beginning. The noun is MEM CHEEREEK YUD FINAL NOON "kind." The Bible says that G-d created the first member of each kind and put the seeds of reproduction in each so that it could perpetuate its kind. Evolution teaches that species simply evolve from one to the other, and that if you have apes and you wait long enough some of them will evolve into higher forms, that is, human beings through ape like/man like inter-species "transitional forms." This speculation is by no means proven to be true. 129. review #71. 130. zah-oh "his seed" 131. voh "in him." Notice the inseparable preposition BET SH'VA "in." For the suffix review #123. 132. review #13. 133. review #7. 134. review #26. 135. review #80. Gen. 1:12 GEN.1:12 136 vah-toh-TSEH 137 ha-AH-rets 138 DEH-sheh 139 EH-sev 140 mahz-REE-ah 141 ZEH-rah 142 luh-meen-NAY-hoo 143 v'aitz 144 OH-seh 145 p'REE 146 ah-sher 147 zah-roh 148 voh 149 leh-meen-NAY-hoo 150 vahy-YAHR 151 Eh-loh-HEEM 152 kee 153 tov 136. vah-toh-TSEH "and-she-caused-to-bring-out"--the PATACH under the VAV is causative --(review #118). The root YUD TZADE ALEF means "go out" in the Qal stem and in the hifal stem stem it means "caused to go out" or "bring out" (review #116). The TAV is imperfect 3fs "she will cause to go out" but the VAV PATACH DAGESH CONVERSIVE converts it to the perfect "she caused to go out." 137. review #7. 138. review #120. The New Revised Standard Version punctuates this by putting a colon after #138. 139. review #121. 14O. review #122. 141. review #123. 142. luh-meen-NAY-hoo "to-his (its) kind" --Review #128. The HAY SHURUK ending is the full form of the pronominal suffix meaning "his" or "him." The TZAYREH under the NOON is a connecting vowel. 143. review #124. 144. review #126. 145. review #125. 146. review #71. 147. review #130. 148. review #131. 149. review #142. 150. review #28. 151. review #3. 152. review #32. 153. review #33. GEN. 1:13 154 vah-yeh-HEE 155 EH-rev 156 vah-yeh-HEE 157 VOH-ker 158 yom 159 sheh-lee-SHEE 154. Review #26. 155. Review 148. 156. Review #26. 157. Review #50. 158. Review #43 159. shuh'lee-SHEE "third." What does the FAY mean after #159 in BHS? It means new paragragh. The SAMECH before the first word in Genesis mean Sedarim. There are 167 Sedarim or lessons in the Torah. This mark divides the Hebrew Bible into 452 lessons. On page 85 in the BHS you have the counts for Genesis. It says "Sum of the verses of book, thousand and five hundreds and thirty and four 1000 500 30 4 and mid-point is "VAV AYIN LAMMED (makkef) CHET RESH BET FINAL CHAF (this is the middle verse--see p. 43 in BHS) and paragraphs 45. As the Masoretes counted also every letter, they could avoid scribal errors where words were inadvertently added or subtracted from the text as the scribe's eye skipped on the text as he was writing. On page 353 in BHS we are told that there are 79,856 words in the Torah. In this course we will read 1039 of them. According to page 353 in the BHS, there are also 400,945 letters in the Torah, but we will not count them; we will take the Masoretes' word for it. Amen? GENESIS 1:14 160 vay-YOH-mer 161 Eh-loh-HEEM 162 yeh-HEE 163 meh-oh-ROHT 164 bee-r'KEE-ah 165 hahsh-shah-MY-yeem 166 leh-hahv-DEEL 167 bayn 168 ha-YOM 169 oo-VAYN 170 ha-LAI-lah 171 veh-ha-YOO 172 leh-oh-TOHT 173 oo-l'moh-ah-DEEM 174 oo-leh-yah-MEEM 175 veh-shah-NEEM #160. Review #22. 161. Review #3. 162. Review #24. #163. meh-oh-ROHT "luminaries" --The MEM in front, if taken away reveals, the word ALEF CHOLOM RESH or "light." #164. bee-r'KEE-ah "in-dome-of" --This word is in construct with #165 (review #109). Review #1 and #56. #165. review #5. 166. leh-hahv-DEEL "to-cause-a-separation." Notice the HAY. This word is the causative hifal stem. On LAMMED SH'VA "review #97. #167. Review #36. 168. Review #43. Do you see the definite article? Review #21. #169. Review #38. #170. Review #46. Do you see the definite article? Review #21. The luminaries (carefully not mentioned by name since many worship them as g-ds--see Deut. 17:3) divide the day from the night, the moon lighting the night, the sun lighting the day. SHEMESH is the name for "sun" and yah-RAY-ach is the name for "moon." #171. veh-ha-YOO "and they shall be" --This is the verb "to be." #172. leh-oh-TOHT "for signs (that is, of fixed times)" --ALEF CHOLOM TAV = "sign" #173. oo-leh-moh-ah-DEEM "and for seasons" from MEM CHOLOM AYIN DALET = mo'ed = "season" --Notice the plural ending. Review #3. The conjunction VAV SH'VA before a consonant with SH'VA (in this case LAMMED SH'VA) is written SHURUK (SHURUK is always written with VAV used as a vowel-letter). #174. oo-leh-yah-MEEM "and days" --Review #43. #175. veh-shah-NEEM "and-years" --SHIN NOON HAY "sha-nah" = "year." On Rosh Hashanah we say shah-nah tov-ah. GEN.1:15 176 veh-ha-YOO 177 lee-moh-ROHT 178 bee-r'KEE-ah 179 hahsh-shah-MY-yeem 180 leh-ha-EER 181 ahl 182 ha-AH-rets 183 vah-yeh-HEE 184 khehn #176. Review #171. #177. Review #163. Contrast the feminine plural ending here CHOLOM TAV with the masculine plural ending we've encountered many times thus far CHEEREEK YUD FINAL MEM. #178. Review #164. #179. Review #5. #180. leh-ha-EER "to-cause-to-shine/light" from the verb ALEF CHOLOM RESH = "be/become light" in the hifil stem HAY ALEF YUD RESH with the causative force here in the infinitive. Review #116. #181. Review #13. #182. Review #7. "to-cause-to-shine/light upon the earth." Charles Darwin's speculations would lead one to believe that what looks like design and a Designer in nature (the so-called Teleological Argument for the existence of G-d) is actually "natural selection" wherein, for example, the skunk's odor-generating capacity was not designed and put there by G-d for its protection but was a chance variation or mutation retained in the process of evolution for its advantageousness in the survival of that species. But natural selection cannot explain the inorganic adaptation in the universe, wherein the earth and the sun are in such a relationship to each other that life and breath are possible, a fact that indicates there is design and a Designer in the universe, as this verse teaches. Had the earth not been designed to have the particular size and mass and position in the ecosphere (region around the sun) that it is favored with, it would not have the kind of atmosphere it enjoys, with oceans and clouds of water (review Gen. 1:6-8), oxygen-rich air, and a temperature conducive to life. Slightly closer to or farther from the sun and the earth might never have developed life. Mercury essentially has no atmosphere and Venus has one that is 90 times denser that the earth's and is composed primarily of carbon dioxide, with some sulfuric acid. Can earth's favored status be decribed by any "survival of the fittest planet" theory? Of course not. Also, to say that the earth's size, mass, ecospheric position, etc is a fortuitous accident producing a breathable atmosphere quite gratuitiously and without a Designer's plan is as absurd as asserting that Rembrandt's paintings were produced by paint accidently spilled on a canvass. The causative force in word #180, a hifil stem infinitive, shows that there is a Designer and the sun and the moon were formed by Him in order to cause light to shine on the earth, "leh-ha-EER" #183. Review #79 and #26. #184. Review #80. GEN.1:16 185 vah-YAH-ahs 186 Eh-loh-HEEM 187 et (es) 188 shuh-NAY 189 ham-meh-oh-ROHT 190 ha-guh-doh-LEEM 191 et (es) 192 ham-mah-OHR 193 ha-gah-DOHL 194 leh-mehm-SHEHL-et 195 ha-YOM 196 vuh-et 197 ham-mah-OHR 198 ha-kah-TOHN 199 leh-mehm-SHEHL-et 200 ha-LAHY-lah 201 vuh-et 202 ha-koh-khah-VEEM #185. Review #64. #186. Review #3. #187. Review #4. #188. shuh-NAY "two-of" --Review #90. This is in the construct state of the number sh'nayim (where the dual ending of CHEEREEK YUD FINAL MEM for objects that go in pairs) has been altered to TZAYREH YUD to show this word is in contruct with #189. #189. Review #163. ham-mah-ohr "luminary, light" (HAY MEM ALEF CHOLOM RESH) is masculine noun, although in the plural it has a feminine plural ending. Review #177. #190. ha-guh-doh-LEEM "the great" --Notice this adjective (called an attributive adjective) follows the noun it modifies and agrees with it in the masculine plural ending (it has CHEEREEK YUD FINAL MEM since #189 is a masculine plural noun). An attributive adjective agrees with the noun it follows in gender, number, and definiteness. #191. Review #4. #192. Review #163. #193. ha-gah-DOHL "the great" --Review #190. #194. leh-mehm-SHEHL-et "for-dominion-of" from MEM SHIN LAMMED "he rules, has dominion. This is a very important thematic word in Genesis and the Hebrew Bible. The sun and the moon rule over the day and the night (Gen. 1:18), the husband rules over the woman/wife (Gen. 3:16); Mankind is to rule over the fish of the sea and birds of the air and all creation (Gen. 1:28); Joseph will rule (Gen. 37:8); Moshiach is to be a ruler in Israel (Micah 5:1-2); Psalm 8:6 (7) says, "Thou madest him to have dominion; Anti-Moshiach will rule, Dan. 11:43; Moshiach will rule (Zech. 6:13) and will have dominion from sea to sea (Zech. 9:l0). By using this linking the matic word you can show what Moshiach Yehoshua meant when he said the Bible is speaking about him, really, all the way through (Luke 24:27). This kind of in-depth study of the Scriptures is impossible without some grasp of the Hebrew. The first MEM is a noun preformative. The TAV is a feminine ending. You know the inseparable preposition LAMMED SH'VA (review #97. It can mean "to" or "for," in this case "for"). #195. hay-YOHM "the day" --Review #43. #196. Review #6. #197. Review #163. #198. ha-kah-TOHN "the small." 199. Review #194. #200. Review #46. Do you see the definite article HAY PATACH DAGESH? #201. Review #6. #202. ha-koh-khah-VEEM "the stars" --KAF CHOLOM CHAF VET "koh-KHAHV" = "star." A koh-KHAHV will come out of Ya'akov (Jacob) according to Num. 24:17. A false Moshiach was named "Son of a Star" or Bar Kokh-vah and hundreds of thousands of Jewish people perished because they listened to a rabbi who taught them to believe in such men and to reject the true Messianic prophecies and doctrines of our Shluchim. (This took place during the time of the Second Jewish revolt about a hundred years after the resurrection of the Moshiach.) Ironically, this rabbi is considered a hero to this day, and no one blames the "false Moshiach holocaust" he was partially responsible for on him, though those who use blanket statements to blame the Holocaust on followers of our Moshiach would never blame their hero rabbi. This is terrible hypocrisy and irrationality. Incidently, while you're learning Hebrew, you probably should pick up a little inexpensive paperback, The Signet HEBREW-ENGLISH ENGLISH/HEBREW Dictionary, by Dov Ben Abbe (Signet New American Library, 1977). If you look on page 143 in the Hebrew half, you will see how to pronounce koh-KHAV. I also recommend Zevi Scharfsteins Shilo Pocket Dictionary because it has many important Biblical and theological words. GEN.1:17 203 vahy-yee-TEHN 204 oh-TAHM 205 Eh-loh-HEEM 206 bee-r'KEE'ah 207 hahsh-shah-MY-yeem 208 leh-ha-EER 209 ahl 210 ha-AH-rets #203. vahy-yee-TEHN "and he gave/set/put" --Root NOON TAV FINAL NOON, "he gave/set/put" --The dagesh forte is an assimilated NOON as in #72. This is a Qal imperfect with VAV CONVERSIVE giving it perfect force. Review #22. #204. oh-TAHM "them" This is the sign of the direct object ALEF TAV (review #4) with the masculine plural pronominal suffix KAMATZ FINAL MEM, condensed together. #205. Review #3. #206. Review #164. #207. Review #5. #208. Review #180. #209. Review #13. #210. Review #7. GEN.1:18 211 vuh-leem-SHOHL 212 bah-YOM 213 oo-vah-LAI-lah 214 oo-lah-hahv-DEEL 215 bayn 216 ha-OHR 217 oo-VAYN 218 ha-KHOH-shehksh 219 vahy-YAHR 220 Eh-loh-HEEM 221 kee 222 tov #211. Review #194. #212. Review #43 and #l. #213. Review #38. #44, #46. #214. Review #34. Remember HAY = causative. What is LAMMED? Review #42. #215. Review #36. #216. Review #25. #217. Review #38. #218. Review #12. #219. Review #28. #220. Review #3. #221. Review #32. #222. Review #33. GEN.1:19 223 vah-yeh-HEE 224 EH-rev 225 vah-yeh-HEE 226 VOH-kehr 227 yom 228 reh-vee-EE #223. Review #26. #224. Review #48. #225. Review #26. #226. Review #50. #227. Review #43. 228. ruh-vee-EE "fourth" --Now count from one to four: eh-KHAD (one) shuh-nayim (two) shalosh (three) ahr-ba (four) GEN.1:20 229 vahy-YOH-mehr 230 Eh-loh-HEEM 231 yeesh-ruh-TSOO 232 hahm-MY-yeem 233 SHEH-retz 234 NEH-fehsh 235 chai-YAH 236 vuh-OHF 237 yuh-oh-FAYF 238 ahl 239 ha-AH-rets 240 ahl 241 p'NAY 242 r'KEE-ah 243 hahsh-shah-MY-yeem #229. Review #22. #230. Review #3. #231. yeesh-ruh-TSOO "they shall swarm" from SHIN RESH FINAL TZADE "it swarmed" --imperfect active 3rd person plural. #232. Review #21. Notice that this is the subject of #231. #233. SHEH-retz "swarm" or, collectively, swarms. This noun is formed with the same root letters as #231. #234. NEH-fehsh "soul, being, breath" #235. chai-YAH "living thing" (a feminine noun) --Translate #234 and #235 together as "living creatures." When this word is chayyim it means "life." #236. vuh-OHF "and bird" #237. yuh-oh-FAYF "he shall fly" --Imperfect 3rd person masculine of AYIN VAV FINAL FAY "he flew." #238. Review #13. #239. Review #7, #240. Review #13. #241. Review #14. #242. Review #78. #243. Review #5. GEN.1:21 244 vahy-yeev-RAH 245 Eh-loh-HEEM 246 et (es) 247 ha-tahn-nee-NEEM 248 ha'geh-doh-LEEM 249 v'et 250 kohl 251 NEH-fesh 252 ha-chai-YAH 253 ha-roh-MEH-set 254 ah-sher 255 shah-ruh-TSOO 256 hahm-MY-yeem 257 luh-mee-nay-HEHM 258 v'et 259 kol 260 ohf 261 kah-NAHF 262 luh-meen-NAY-hoo 263 vahy-YAHR 264 Eh-loh-HEEM 265 kee 266 tov #244. vahy-yeev-RAH "and-(He)-created" --Review #2. Do you see that this is imperfect "he-will-create" YUD VET RESH ALEF with CONVERSIVE VAV PATACH DAGESH? #245. Review #3. #246. Review #4. #247. ha-tahn-nee-NEEM "the sea-monsters" --Root TAV NOON YUD FINAL NOON --This word is used of the powerful creatures G-d has made. In Isaiah 27:1 the word is used of Leviathan the serpent whom the L-rd will destroy and who symbolizes the power of evil and the anti-G-d nations. #248. Review #190. An adjective, when attributive, follows its noun, and agrees with it in gender, number and definiteness. Compare the endings of #248 and #247. #249. Review #6. #250. kohl (not kahl) This KAMATZ is a KAMATZ HATOOF and is not pronounced like a KAMATZ. It means "all." It can also mean "any." Review #15. #251. Review #234. #252. Review #235. #253. ha-roh-MEH-set "the (one) creeping/moving" --A participle from the root RESH MEM SIN "he creeped/glided along/moved about." The participle stresses the doer of the action. The participle is also like an adjective modifying in this case word #235, a feminine noun. Therefore we should not be surprised to see a feminine ending TAV on this participle. #254. Review #71. #255. shah-ruh-TSOO "they swarmed" --Review #231. #256. Review #21. #257. luh-mee-nay-HEHM "to their kinds/types" --Review #128. HAY SEGOL FINAL MEM at the end of this form is a pronominal suffix 3rd person masculine plural "their." #258. Review #6. #259. Review #250. #260. Review #236. #261. kah-NAHF "wing" --This word is found in Daniel 9:27 where it means "wing" ..."and on a wing will be a desolating abomination: even until the End, even one being decreed (by G-d), overwhelms the desolator." This passage is about a wing of the Beis Hamikdash that the Anti-Moshiach will desecrate. The winglike top corner of the Temple could be the pinnacle of Mat.4:5, or possible the winglike top corner of the altar. #262. Review #142. #263. Review #28. #264. Review #3. #265. Review #32. #266. Review #33. GEN.1:22 267 vah-yeh-vah-REHKH 268 oh-tahm 269 Eh-loh-HEEM 270 lay-MOHR 271 peh-ROO 272 oor-VOO 273 oo-meel-OO 274 et 275 hahm-MY-eem 276 ba-yahm-meem 277 v'ha-OHF 278 YEE-rev 279 ba-AH-rets 267. vah-yeh-vah-REHKH "and (He) blessed" from the root BET RESH FINAL CHAF, "he blessed." Now here you have a new stem, the piel intensive stem. The characteristic of the intensive piel stem is dagesh forte in the second radical or letter of the root, in this case RESH. However, as we saw in #21, RESH rejects the dagesh dot so you cannot use that indicator to identify this word as a piel. You must just memorize it as a piel stem. #268. Review #204. #269. Review #3. #270. lay-MOHR "to say" --We translate this as "saying" and know that what follows is a direct quotation that should be put in quotation marks. #271. peh-ROO "be-ye-fruitful" --a Qal imperative 2nd person plural of PAY RESH HAY, "he bore fruit/was fruitful." Yochanan 15:5,8 is an allusion to this verse. #272. oo-ruh-VOO "and-multiply-ye/increase ye --a Qal imperative 2nd person plural of RESH VET HAY "he multiplied. #273. oo-meel-OO "and-fill-ye" from the root MEM LAMMED ALEF "he filled" a Qal imperative 2nd person plural. #274. Review #4. 275. Review #21. #276. Review #111. 277. Review #236. #278. YEE-rehv "let it multiply" --Review #272. #279. Review #1 and #7. GEN.1:23 280 vah-yeh-HEE 281 EH-rev 282 vah-yeh-HEE 283 VOH-kehr 284 yom 285 chah-mee-SHEE #280. Review #26. #281. Review #48. #282. Review #26. #283. Review #50. #284. Review #43. #285. khah-mee-SHEE "fifth." GEN.1:24 286 vay-YOH-mer 287 Eh-loh-HEEM 288 toh-TSAY 289 ha-AH-rets 290 NEH-fesh 291 chai-YAH 292 luh-mee-NAH 293 beh-hay-MAH 294 vah-REH-mehs 295 veh-chay-TOH 296 EH-rets 297 leh-mee-NAH 298 vah-yeh-HEE 299 khehn #286. Review #22. #287. Review #3. #288. toh-TSAY "let her cause to bring out" hifil imperfect 3rd person feminine singular at YUD TZADE ALEF "he went forth." Review #136. This word in the hifil means "produce" both here and in #136. #289. Review #7. This is the feminine subject of #288. #290. Review #234 end #235. #291. Review #234 and #235. #292. luh-mee-NAH "to her kind" --Review #128 and note the difference between the masculine singular pronominal suffix CHOLOM and the feminine singular pronominal suffix KAMATZ HAY, here and in Gen. 3:l5 "her seed" (i.e. the Moshiach). The dot in the HAY is not a dagesh but a mappiq to differentiate the 3fs suffix from a feminine noun ending KAMATZ HAY, as in the next word, #293, which is a feminine noun. #293. beh-hay-MAH "beast, animal, cattle" #294. vah-REH-mehs "and creeping things" --Review #253. #295. vuh-khahy-TOH "and beast of." The TAV tells you that chay-YAH "beast" is in construct with #296. The CHOLOM is an old ending, now obsolete. This word "beast" is what the King of Babylon becomes in Dan. 4:13(16) for seven "times" or years. In chps 13,17,18 in the book of Revelation the King of Babylon is the Anti-Moshiach "Beast" who makes unsaved people take the "mark of the Beast." See. Rev. 16:2. Although the word in Daniel is Aramaic, it is the same word. Remember that Anti-Moshiach Beast Hitler who made the Jewish people carry the mark of his tatoo, marking them for death. This kind of word study helps one follow Yochanan's thought. The Anti-Moshiach will be a killer, like a wild animal, and he will have not one shred of humanity or human compassion or mercy. Don't confuse this word for the noun "beast" with the word (verb) for "be/stay alive" or the word meaning "life," Chai, or this same word in the plural, Chayyim. #296. Review #7. #297. Review #292. #298. Review #79. #299. Review #80. GEN.1:25 300 vay-yah-ahs 301 Eh-loh-HEEM 302 et 303 chay-yaht 304 ha-AH-rets 305 leh-mee-NAH 306 v'et 307 ha-beh-he-MAH 308 leh-mee-NAH 309 v'et 310 kol 311 REH-mes 312 ha-ah-dah-MAH 313 leh-mee-NAY-hoo 314 vay-yahr 315 Eh-loh-HEEM 316 kee 317 tov #300. Review #64. #301. Review #3. #302. Review #4. #303. Review #295. #304. Review #7. #305. Review #292. "after her kind." #306. Review #6. #307. Review #293. #308. Review #292. #309. Review #6. #310. Review #250. #311. Review #253. #312. ha-ah-dah-MAH "the ground, the earth" --Keep in mind that this word is made of the same root radicals or letters as Man (ALEF DALET FINAL MEM, which is like saying that the first man was named Mr. Mud (which is surely what his name was after the fall!). This word-play is lost in English. Another reason to learn Hebrew. There is the Adam from the mud and there is the Adam from Shomayim. #313. Review #292. #314. Review #28. #315. Review #3. #316. Review #32. #317. Review #33. GEN.1:26 318 vay-YOH-mehr 319 Eh-loh-HEEM 320 nah-ah-SEH 321 ah-DAHM 322 bay-tsahl-MAY-noo 323 kee-duh-moo-TAY-noo 324 vuh-yeer-DOO 325 veed-GAHT 326 ha-YOM 327 oo-vuh-OHF 328 hahsh-shah-MY-yeem 329 oo-va-beh-hey-MAH 330 oo-veh-CHOL 331 ha-AH-retz 332 oo-veh-KHOL 333 ha-REH-mes 334 ha-roh-MESH 335 ahl 336 ha-AH-rets x#318. Review #22. #319. Review #3. #320. Review #64. See the NOON -- this tells you the form is 1st person common plural "we." However, here the verb is not imperfect but cohortative--"let us make." G-d is speaking to His Spirit mentioned back in 1:2. Up till now G-d has used the jussive ("let there be"); now He uses the cohortative ("let us make") as He prepares to use His Spirit in the creation of a unique spiritual being made in His image, namely Mankind. Because of the complexity in the being of the One G-d, He can communicate with his rational creative Word (Ps. 33:6) and also with His Spirit. Man, who is likewise both rational and spiritual can deliberate within himself like G-d does in Gen. 11:7 NOON RESH DALET HAY "let us go down" and Isaiah 6:8 "Who will go LAMMED KAMATZ NOON SHURUK for us?" #321. ah-DAHM "mankind" (not a proper name here in this verse). ha-ah-DAHM "the man." Ah-dahm = Adam. #322. bay-tsahl-MAY-noo "in-our-image" --Notice the inseparable preposition at the beginning of the form. Review #1. The root is TZADE SEGOL LAMMED SEGOL FINAL MEM "image" as in p.306 in your Hebrew lexicon and as in Gen.5:3 "when Adam had lived 130 years he had a son in his own image." Review #321 to see how human beings resemble G-d in a way that animals, lacking rationality and a human spirit, do not. Notice the pronominal suffix "our" (NOON SHURUK at the end of the form. Not "my image" but "our image." Elohim HaAv, and Ben haElohim Moshiach Chochmah of G-d (Psa. 2:7; Mishle 30:4) and the Ruach Hakodesh. Moses was made aware of the complexity within the unity of the One G-d who is Eh-loh-HEEM and Roo-ahkh ha-Eh-loh-HEEM, the Spirit of G-d and D'vahr ha-Eh-loh-HEEM, the Word of G-d. It is foolhardy and faithless to assert that such an idea is foreign to the Hebrew Bible when it is literally staring right at you there in the text. #323. "kee-duh-moo-TAY-noo" according to our likeness" as in Ezek. 1:26 where it says that on G-d's throne was the "likeness as the appearance of a man" --the root is d'mut DALET SH'VA MEM SHURUK TAV "likeness." KAF SH'VA "as, while, according to" is an inseparable preposition. #324. vuh-yeer-DOO "and let them rule" --root RESH KAMATZ DALET KAMATZ HAY "he rules." This is jussive 3rd person masculine plural. Man is like G-d in that he can rule over the rest of the creation with G-d-like dominion. #325. vee-duh-GAHT "over the fish of" --root DALET GIMMEL HAY = "fish." The TAV tells you it is in construct with #326. Review #109. #326. Review #111. #327. oo-vuh-OHF Review #236. There are a few rules to remember concerning when the SH'VA is pronounced with an "uh" sound. (Otherwise it is a silent syllable divider as in #324.) SH'VA is generally pronounced at the beginning of a word as in #1. SH'VA is generally pronounced if there are two of them, in which case only the second of them would be pronounced as in #231. A SH'VA under a dotted letter is generally pronounced as in #189. A SH'VA is generally pronounced when it follows CHEEREEK as in #325 or #397, when it follows SHURUK as in #330, when it follows CHOLOM as in #826, when it follows TZAYREH, as in #853, and when it follows KAMATZ as in #255 (though there are exceptions, so let the accents help you). The SH'VA is generally silent in the following CHATAF PATACH, CHATAF SEGOL, CHATAF KAMATZ #328. Review #5. #329. Review #293. #330. Review #250. #331. Review #7. #332. Review #250. #333. Review #294 #334. Review #253 #335, Review #13. #336. Review #7. GEN.1:27 337 vay-yeev-RAH 338 Eh-loh-HEEM 339 et 340 ha-ah-DAHM 341 beh-tsahl-MOH 342 beh-TSEH-lehm 343 Eh-loh-HEEM 344 bah-RAH 345 oh-TOH 346 zah-KHAR 347 oon-keh-VAH 348 bah-RAH 349 oh-TAHM #337. Review #244. 338. Review #3. 339. Review #4 #340. Review #321 and #312. #341. buh-tsahl-MOH "in His image" --Review #322 and #128. #342. buh-TSEH-lehm. Notice the accent. Review #322. #343. Review #3. 344. Review #2. #345. oh-TOH "him" Review #204. When for any reason it is better to put the suffix somewhere else rather than at the end of the verb, it can be connected with the sign of the direct object ALEF TAV as here, CHOLOM + ALEF TAV = #345. Review #128. #346. zah-KHAHR "male" #347. oo-neh-keh-VAH "and female" from NOON KOOF VET HAY "female." The inseparable conjunction ("and") VAV before a consonant with SH'VA becomes SHURUK as here and also in #327 and #330. When you see the ending KAMATZ HAY as here, it is an indication of feminine gender. Notice mankind is ma1e and female, humanity being incomplete one without the other, and the complex unity of the Echad G-d not reflected without male-and-female, two who can generate three. A similar reflexion of G-d and his complex personhood is found in Daniel 7:13-14. #348. Review #2. #349. Review #204. GEN.1:28 350 vah-y'vah-rech 351 oh-TAHM 352 Eh-loh-HEEM 353 vay-YOH-mehr 354 lah-HEHM 355 Eh-loh-HEEM 356 p'ROO 357 oor-VOO 358 oo-meel-OO 359 et 360 ha-AH-rets 361 veh-kheee-vuh-SHOO-hah 362 oor-DOO 363 beed-gaht 364 hay-YAHM 365 oo-vuh-OHF 366 hahsh-shah-MY-yeem 367 oo-veh-khohl 368 chai-YAH 369 ha-roh-MEH-set 370 ahl 371 ha-AH-rets #350. Review #267. #351. Review #204. #352. Review #3. #353. Review #22. #354. Iah-HEHM "to them." Review #63. You need to know these pronominal suffixes. 3ms HAY SHURUK or KAMATZ YUD VAV or CHOLOM "his," 3mp HAY SEGOL FINAL MEM "their, them" (as in this word #354) 3fs HAY KAMATZ or KAMATZ HAY with mappiq (see #292) "her" 3fp HAY SEGOL FINAL NOON "their, them" 2ms FINAL CHAF with KAMATZ "you, your" 2mp CHAF SEGOL FINAL MEM "you, your" 2fs FINAL CHAF with SH'VA "you, your" 2fp CHAF SEGOL FINAL MEM "you, your" 1cs CHEEREEK YUD "my, me" 1cp NOON SHURUK "our, us" (see #320) #355. Review #3. #356. Review #271. #357. Review #272. #358. Review #273. #359. Review #4. #360. Review #7. #361. veh-khee-vuh-SHOO-hah "and subdue-you (plural)-her" from KAF VET SHIN, "he subdues" --Review 3fs pronaminal suffix in #354. Notice the KUBUTZ under the SHIN and review #15. This is the SHURUK written defectively. #356, #357, #358 and this word are all masculine plural imperatives or commands. These are commandments to the human race. You should be aware of all the imperatives in the Bible because obeying G-d is your duty. All these imperatives look like the 2mp imperfect active verb without the TAV in front. #362. oo-ruh-DOO "and rule ye." Review #324. Another imperative. Does not G-d command us to rule and reign and be overcomers? Remember Revelation's refrain "to him who overcomes I will give...?" Notice this word and how it unifies the meaning: The sun rules over the day, the moon rules over the night, the tree rules over eternal life, mankind rules over creation in the divine image and after the divine likeness, the husband rules over the wife, the Moshiach will rule over (actually crush Satan's head) the seed of the Serpent, and G-d rules over all. The Fall is rebellion against this G-d-ordained ruling order in the cosmos. The Olam Hazeh is in rebellion, just as Rav Sha'ul was as long as he was part of the world and attacking the Messianic Jewish people. Do you think it's time you stop your rebellion? #363. Review #325. Is the SH'VA pronounced? Review #327. #364. Review #111. Notice the definite article. The article cannot be prefixed to a noun in the construct state (#363 is in the construct state--review #109); if the article is needed, it is given to the noun following, as here. #365. Review #236. #366. Review #5. #367. Review #250. #368. Review #295 "living." #369. Review #253. #370. Review #13. #371. Review #7. GEN.1:29 372 vahy-YOH-mehr 373 Eh-loh-HEEM 374 hee-NAY 375 nah-TAH-tee 376 lah-khehm 377 et 378 kol 379 EH-sev 380 zoh-RAY-ah 381 ZEH-rah 382 ah-sher 383 ahl 384 p'NAY 385 khohl 386 ha-AH-rets 387 v'et 388 kol 389 ha-aitz 390 ah-sher 391 boh 392 p'REE 393 aitz 394 zoh-RAY-ah 395 ZAH-rah 396 lah-KHEHM 397 yee-heh-yeh 398 leh-ohkh-LAH #372. Review #22. #373. Review #3. #374. hee-NAY "Look!" This word means "pay attention." Unfortunately, we don't pay attention to eating habits, even though G-d has made the gift of vegetables and green, leafy herbs and fruits available "for food" to the human race. Nutritionists know that these will not have the adverse effects on health that other types of diets have. Obese people often lose weight by eating lots of vegetables and cutting down on other foods. This verse needs to be meditated on by people who are foodoholics. Look at what Prov. 23:20-21 says about the glutton ZAYIN CHOLOM LAMMED TZAYREH LAMMED who gorges himself on flesh/meat. #375. nah-TAH-tee "I have given" --Qal perfect 1st common singular. Someday when you are depressed and you feel you have nothing, take your Englishman's Hebrew and Chaldee Concordance of the Old Testament (Baker Book House Publishers) and look up NOON TAV FINAL NOON "he gives" and see the hundreds and hundreds of times it occurs on pages 851-863 in that book and you will be overwhelmed with all G-d has given you and the world and the Jewish people. #376. Review #42 and #354. #377. Review #4. #378. Review #250. #379. Review #121. #380. zoh-RAY-ah "seed-bearing" This is a participle as we see from the CHOLOM. Participles are also indicated by a preformative MEM. Review #122. #381. Review #123. #382. Review #71. #383. Review #13. #384. Review #14. #385. Review #250. #386. Review #7. #387. Review #6. #388. Review #250. #389. Review #124. #390. Review #71. #391. Review #131. Notice the dagesh makes it "boh" instead of "voh." #392. Review #125. This is in construct with #393. Review #109. #393. Review #124. #394. Review #380. #395. ZAH-rah "seed" Review #123 and #3 (the accent we spoke of in #3 has lengthed this vowel because it is "in pause"). #396. Review #42 and #354. #397. yee-huh-yeh "he/it shall be" imperfect 3ms of #24. Is the SH'VA pronounced? Review #327. #398. luh-ohkh-LAH "for food" --See the verb "he ate" in #116. GEN.1:30 399 oo-leh-khohl 400 chai-YAHT 401 ha-AH-rets 402 oo-leh-KHOHL 403 ohf 404 hash-shah-MY-yeem 405 oo-leh-KHOHL 406 roh-MES 407 ahl 408 ha-AH-rets 409 ah-sher 410 boh 411 NEH-fesh 412 chai-YAH 413 et 414 kohl 415 YEH-rek 416 EH-sev 417 leh-ohkh-LAH 418 vay-yeh-HEE 419 khehn #399. Review #250. "and-to-every-of." #400. Review #295. #401. Review #7. #402. Review #250. #403. Review #236. #404. Review #5. #405. Review #250. #406. Review #253. Do you see the CHOLOM that makes this a participle? Review #380. #407. Review #13. #408. Review #7. #409. Review #71. #410. Review #131. #411. Review #234. #412. Review #235. Translate #234 and #235 as "breath of life." #413. Review #4. #414. Review #250. #415. YEH-rehk "green" from YUD RESH KOOF "green." #416. Review #121. #417. Review #398. #418. Review #79. #419. Review #80. GEN.1:31 420 vay-yahr 421 Eh-loh-HEEM 422 et 423 kohl 424 ah-sher 425 ah-SAH 426 v'hee-NAY 427 tov 428 meh-OHD 429 vah-yeh-HEE 430 EH-rev 431 vah-yeh-HEE 432 VOH-kehr 433 yom 434 ha-shee-SHEE #420. Review #28. #421. Review #3. #422. Review #4. #423. Review #250. #424. Review #71. #425. Review #64. #426. Review #374. #427. Review #33. #428. meh-OHD "very, exceedingly." This 13 an adverb modifying the adjective #427. The perfection and harmony of the universe and the earth and all that is in it is "very good." #429. Review #26. #430. Review #48. #431. Review #26. #432. Review #50. #433. Review #43. #434. "ha-shee-SHEE" "the sixth." Go back and make sure you can count from one to six in Hebrew. GEN.2:1 435 vah-yuh-khoo-LOO 436 hahsh-shah-MY-yeem 437 veh-ha-AH-rets 438 vuh-KHOHL 439 tseh-vah-AHM #435. vah-yuh-khoo-LOO "and they were finished" from the root CHAF LAMMED HAY "he finished." Review #116 and #267 where you were introduced various verb stems and the force of their meaning. In the piel (intensive active) stem, this verb means finish. In the pual (intensive passive) this verb means "be finished" which is the meaning here. The KUBUTZ in verbal forms marks the passive, and under the first radical or letter of the root, as here, marks the pual stem. #436. Review #5. #437. Review #7. #438. Review #250. #439. tsuh-vah-AHM "their hosts, array" from TZADE VET ALEF, "army, host." The L-rd is the L-rd of Hosts or Armies in the Bible, Adonoy Tz'vaot. --Notice the pronominal suffix, "their array." Review #354. GEN.2:2 440 vah-yuh-KHOHL 441 Eh-loh-HEEM 442 bahy-YOM 443 hah-shuh-vee-EE 444 meh-lahkh-TOH 445 ah-sher 446 ah-sah 447 vahy-yeesh-BOHT 448 bah-YOM 449 hash-shuh-vee-ee 450 mee-KOHL 451 meh-lahkh-TOH 452 ah-sher 453 ah-sah #440. vah-yuh-KHAHL "and he finished." Review #435. #441. Review #3. #442. bahy-YOHM "by the day" Do you see the definite article has been omitted? When the definite article HAY PATACH DAGESH is preceded by a preposition (as here) it is omitted and its vowel is thrown back to fall under the preposition. Do you see the dagesh of the definite article in the YUD? What two things tell you the definite article is hidden in this word? Remember it is not "by day" but "by the day." Moshe Rabbeinu is teaching, "If G-d can finish all His work by the Sabbath, why can't you Sabbath-breakers finish all your work by the Sabbath?" #443. hah-shuh-vee-EE "the seventh". (Jewish people "sit shivah" or seven days as a period of avelut (mourning) when a loved one dies). Review #248. #444. muh-lahkh-TOH "his work" Review #354. This is a noun MEM LAMMED ALEF CHAF HAY = "work, occupation. workmanship, service." Shliach Sha'ul says that whoever is not willing to engage in this, let him not engage in eating either (II Thes. 3: 10). #445. Review #71. #446. Review #64. #447. vahy-yeesh-BOHT "and he rested" Qal imperfect with CONVERSIVE VAHV. --root SHIN VET TAV "he rested." This is where we get the noun SHABBAT or Sabbath, which we see begins on Friday evening and ends on Saturday evening, with Yom Rishon, Yom HaAdon, actually starting on Saturday evening and ending just before Sunday evening, according to the Biblical reckoning that a day begins at evening. The early believers in the Brit Chadasha observed both days (I Cor. 16:2; Acts 20:7; Rev. 1:l0; Acts 21:20) and, since the thing that ultimately matters is the new birth, we're warned not to take an arrogant attitude toward either day or toward anyone who observed either day (Rom. 14:5,l0). However, in Jewish ministry we cannot neglect starting messianic synagogues with a full array of week-end services where we minister on both Shabbos and Yom haAdon the days like the first Brit Chadasha Kehillah in Yerushalayim. #448. Review #442. The preposition can mean "by, in, on, over, with." Here it means on. #449. Review #443. #450. mee-KOHL --Review #250 and #72. "from all of." #451. Review #444. #452. Review #71. #453. Review #64. GEN.2:3 454 vah-y'vah-REHKH 455 Eh-loh-HEEM 456 et 457 yom 458 hash-shuh-vee-ee 459 vah-yuh-kah-DAYSH 460 oh-TOH 461 kee 462 voh 463 shah-VAHT 464 mee-KOHL 465 muh-lahkh-TOH 466 ah-sher 467 bah-RAH 468 Eh-loh-HEEM 469 lah-ah-SOHT #454. Review #267. #455. Review #3. #456. Review #4. #457. Review #43. 458. Review #443. #459. veh-yuh-kah-DAYSH "and he made holy, he sanctified, set apart" --from KOOF DALET SHIN "he was holy." This is the piel (intensive or causative) stem. Review #267 and look for the dagesh forte in the second radical or letter of the root. #460. oh-TOH "it" Review #204 and #354. #461. Review #32. #462. Review #32 but here it means "because." #463. Review #447. #464. Review #450. #465. Review #444. #466. Review #71. #467. Review #2. #468. Review #3. #469. This is the Qal infinitive of the verb you had at #64. There are two infinitive forms, the infinitive construct and the infinitive absolute. When you see a preposition (as here) affixed to an infinitive or pronominal suffixes attached to the end, you know it is an infinitive construct. The infinitive construct is a verbal noun, the name of the action or state expressed by the verb. Here "to make" = "in making. creating." So here we see that rest is holy, not worldly recreation. Notice the SAMECH in the right hand margin of BHS next to this word and review #159. This is the end of the first of 167 Sedarim in the Torah. GEN.2:4 470 EH-leh 471 tohl-DOHT 472 hahsh-sha-MY-yeem 473 veh-ha-AH-rets 474 buh-hee-bahr-AHM 475 buh-YOHM 476 ah-SOT 477 Adonoy 478 Eh-loh-HEEM 479 EH-rets 480 v'shah-MY-yeem #470. EH-leh "these" --This is a demonstrative pronoun. You need to learn it. Also "this" ZAYIN SEGOL HAY (masculine) and "this ZAYIN CHOLOM ALEF TAV (feminine). #471. tohl-DOHT "account/history of generations." Here we see that the creation of the heavens end the earth was an historic event as opposed to the Greek idea of the eternality of the universe. This word #471 is a major organizing word for outlining the book. See its reappearance 5:1; 6:9; 10:1; 11:10,27; 25:12, 19; 36:1, 9; 37:2. #472. Review #5. #473. Review #7. #474. buh-hee-bahr-AHM "when to be created them" or "in their being created." Review #2. This is a Nifal (passive stem) infinitive construct (review #469) governed by the preposition BET. The nifal NOON has become dagesh forte in the VET (review #203). The other sign that this is a nifal infinitive construct stem is the KAMATZ under the first radical with the HAY in front of it. Do you see that the pronominal suffix is "them" or "their" (review #354). #475. Review #448 but here no def. article. #476. Review #469. #477. The original pronunciation of YUD HAY VAV HAY is sacred but we say Hashem (literally, the Name). The JW cult mispronounces and blasphemes his holy name. Jewish people read Adonai and put the vowel points of that word under this word in order to remind them not to use the sacred name itself. Review #6. #478. Review #3. #479. Review #7. #480. Review #5. We need to make this verse more fluent in English, "This is the history of the generations of the heavens and the earth when they (the heavens and the earth) were created." GEN.2:5 481 vuh-KHOHL 482 SEE-ahkh 483 hahs-sah-DEH484 TEH-rehm 485 yee-heh-YEH 486 vah-AH-rets 487 vuh-KHOHL 488 EH-sev 489 hahs-sah-DEH 490 The-rehm 491 yeets-MAHKH 492 kee 493 lo 494 heem-TEER 495 Adonoy 496 Eh-loh-HEEM 497 ahl 498 ha-AH-rets 499 vuh-ah-DAHM 500 AH-yeen 501 lah-ah-VOHD 502 et 503 ha-ah-dah-MAH #481. Review #250. #482. SEE-ahkh "desert shrub of"--Review #16 to pronounce the last syllable. #483. hahs-sah-DEH "the field" Root SIN DALET HAY = "field, land." #484. TEH-rehm "not yet" --This is en adverb, here modifying the verb in #485. #485. Review #397. #486. Review #7. #487. Review #250. #488. Review #121. #489. Review #483. #490. Review #484. #491. yeets-MAHKH "he sprang up" --Root TZADE MEM CHET "he sprouted, branched out." This verb has the same root letters found in the noun for the allegorical name of the Moshiach, "The Branch" TSEH-mahkh in Jer. 23:5-6 and Zech. 3:8; Ezra 3:8; 6:11-12. and it says Yehoshua/Yeshua is "his" name. In Acts 7:45 we find out that the Greek word for Yehoshua, Joshua, and Yeshua is all the same word, proving that the Hebrew name of our Messiah, Yehoshua, according to the Brit Chadasha and the Tanakh Scriptures is the name of Moshiach. (See HOW TO POINT TO MOSHIACH IN YOUR RABBI'S BIBLE on this word from our AFII website at http://www.afii.org ) This is a Qal imperfect 3ms verb. Remember the imperfect tense has the incomplete idea that the action of the verb had not yet come to pass or is not completed. #492. Review #32. #493. loh "not, no." #494. heem-TEER "he had caused rain" --The root is MEM TET RESH "he/it rained" but the HAY preformative means it is the hifil stem of the root. Review #116. #495. Review #477. #496. Review #3. #497. Review #13. #498. Review #7. #499. Review #321. #500. AH-yeen "was not" --This is a substantive (noun) meaning "nothing" but it is used as a predicate "and there was not." See the word used in Dan.9:26, "And after the 62 heptads Moshiach will be cut off and there was not to him." Or "Moshiach will be cut off [violently killed] and not for him [i.e. for himself, see Isaiah 53:5 "he was wounded/pierced for OUR transgressions," not for HIS transgressions.] #501. lah-ah-VOHD "to work" --Qal infinitive construct of the verb AYIN VET DALET "he worked, served." The CHOLOM is a sign of the Qal infinitive construct. Review #469. #502. Review #4. #503. Review #312. In the beginning, everything is barren because the L-rd had not yet "worked" the land by causing rain to fall on it, and there was not yet a man to "work" the land by tilling it or farming it. We see here that when man comes an the scene, G-d intends him to be a fruitful co-laborer with G-d (I Cor. 3:9). GEN.2:6 504 veh-EHD 505 yah-ah-LEH 506 meen 507 ha-AH-rets 508 veh-heesh-KAH 509 et 510 kohl 511 p'NAY 512 ha-ah-dah-MAH #504. veh-EHD "but spring". #505. yah-eh-LEH "it used to go, rise" --Qal imperfect of AYIN LAMMED HAY, "he went up." The imperfect in past sense expresses duration or customary action. #506. Review #72. #507. Review #7. #508. veh-heesh-KAH "and He watered" --Root SHIN KOOF HAY "he gave to drink, he watered." This is the hifal stem. Do you see the HAY? The CONVERSIVE VAV VAV PATACH DAGESH gives the verb the same force as the verb in #505. Review #21 for why there's no dagesh or dot in the HAY. #509. Review #4. #510. Review #250. #511. Review #20. #512. Review #312. GEN. 2:7 513 vahy-yee-TSEHR 514 Adonoy 515 Eh-loh-HEEM 516 et 517 ha-ah-DAHM 518 ah-FAHR 519 meen 520 ha-ah-dah-MAH 521 vahy-yee-PAHKH 522 beh-ah-PAHV 523 neesh-MAHT 524 chai-YEEM 525 vay-yeh-HEE 526 ha-ah-DAHM 527 luh-NEH-fesh 528 chai-YAH #513. vahy-yee-TSEHR "and He formed" Root YUD TZADE RESH "he formed" --This is the Qal imperfect with CONVERSIVE VAHV VAV PATACH DAGESH #514. Review #477. #515. Review #3. #516. Review #4. #517. Review #321. #518. ah-FAHR "dust." If one sees how a dead body decomposes and in time becomes dust, it does not take much of a chemist to see that such is the "stuff" of which the body is made and returns. Man is made of dirt, he works or tills the dirt, and he returns to it (see 3:19 where the same word is used), but if we are the clay, G-d is the potter who shapes us (see #513). #519. Review #72. #520. Review #312. #521. vahy-yee-PAHKH "and He breathed" from the root NOON FINAL NOON FAY CHET meaning "to blow." The NOON is assimilated into dagesh forte in the PAY. Do you see why it is perfect and not imperfect? CONVERSIVE VAHV changes imperfect to perfect. G-d breathed the breath of life into Man's nostrils (Gen.2:7), and it is through the nostrils that man breathes so also lives. (See Isa.2:22, which says "Turn away from mortals, which has only the breath in its nostrils. Of what account are they?") The sneeze of the son of the Shunammite woman in II Kings 4:35 showsthat life has returned. But more profoundly Yochanan says, "In Him was (the breath of divine) life, and the life was the light of Man" (Yochanan 1:4) and he breathed on them (to regenerate them in the divine life) and they received the Ruach Hakodesh (Yochanan 20:22). #522. beh-ah-PAHV "into his nostrils" --Root is ALEF FINAL FAY nose. 3rd masculine singular suffix, review #354. #523. Review #234. This word is in construct with #235. #524. Review #235. #525. Review #24 and #26. --"and he became" (the subject of this verb is #526. #526. Review #321. #527. Review #234. #528. Review #235. GEN.2:8 529 vahy-yeet-TAH 530 Adonoy 531 Eh-loh-HEEM 532 gahn 533 beh-EH-dehn 534 mee-KEH-dehm 535 vah-YAH-sehm 536 shahm 537 et 538 ha-ah-DAHM 539 ah-sher 540 yah-TSAR #529. vahy-yeet-TAH "and he planted" from NOON TET AYIN "he planted" Review #203. #530. Review #477. #531. Review #3. #532. gahn "garden". #533. beh-EH-dehn "in Eden." Notice the accent. #534. mee-KEH-dehm "from East, in East" --KOOF DALET FINAL MEM = East. Review #72. #535. vah-YAH-sehm "and he put" --Root SIN YUD FINAL MEM = he put. #536. "shahm" there. #537. Review #4. #538. Review #321. #539. Review #71. #540. Review #513. GEN.2:9 541 vahy-yahts-MAHKH 542 Adonoy 543 Eh-loh-HEEM 544 meen 545 ha-ah-dah-MAH 546 kohl 547 aitz 548 nehkh-MAHD 549 leh-mahr-AY 550 vuh-tov 551 leh-mah-ah-KHOHL 552 vuh-aitz 553 ha-chai-YEEM 554 beh-TOHKH 555 ha-gahn 556 vuh-aitz 557 ha-DAH-aht 558 tov 559 vah-RAH #541. vahy-yahts-MAHKH --Review #491. The PATACH under the preformative is an indicator of the hifil stem. Review #116. "he caused to sprout forth." #542. Review #477. #543. Review #3. #544. Review #72. #545. Review #312. #546. Review #250. Before an indefinite noun (without the definite article) this word may mean "all kinds of." #547. Review #124. "all kinds of trees." #548. nehkh-MAHD "being pleasant"--from NOON CHET MEM RESH "to be desirable" --The NOON indicates nifal. Review #116. #549. leh-mehr-AY "to sight" Review #28. The noun is formed out of the verb by the prefix MEM. #550. Review #33. #551. leh-mah-ah-KHOHL "for food." "Good for eating." Review #398. #552. Review #124. #553. Review #295. Do you see how the plural ending might be a "plural of extension" (as in AYIN CHOLOM LAMMED MEM YUD FINAL MEM which is the plural of AYIN LAMMED FINAL MEM "ancient time, ages" and in the plural means everlasting ages or eternity or forever as in Isaiah 51:9 (cf. Isa. 53:1) regarding the Z'ro'a Hashem Moshiach)? Remember the plural ending of Elohim is not a true plural but a plural of majesty or plural of excellence." The word #553 is in the Hebrew Bible used of endless life not only in Daniel 12:2 but from the beginning, right here, as is clear in Gen. 3:22 "he might reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life, and eat, and live forever." So the notion that the concept of Chayyei Olam (Eternal Life) is a late idea in Judaism is a liberal untruth. Such was the Besuras haGeulah from the beginning. We are making every sacrifice to see Jews and Non-Jews delivered from judgment because as Daniel 12:2 makes clear, Shomayim and Gehinnom are forever. #554. Review #57. "In the middle of" suggests its central importance. #555. Review #532. #556. Review #124. #557. ha-DAH-ahs "the knowledge" from the root YUD DALET AYIN "he knew." Review #248. Notice the accent under the second syllable. #558. Review #33. #559. vah-RAH "and evil RESH AYIN = evil. Review #124 for the meaning of this expression. GEN. 2:10 560 veh-nah-HAHR 561 yoh-TSEH 562 meh-EH-dehn 563 leh-hahsh-KOHT 564 et 565 ha-gahn 566 oo-mee-SHAHM 567 yee-pah-REHD 568 veh-hai-YAH 569 leh-AHR-bah-ah 570 rah-SHEEM #560. veh-nah-HAHR "and river/stream." #561. Review #288. "going forth" The CHOLOM tells you this is an active participle of the Qal stem. Review #406. #562. meh-EH-dehn "from Eden." Review #72. #563. Review #508. leh-hahsh-KOHT "to cause to drink, i.e. to water." This is a hifal infinitive construct (note the HAY).Review #469. #564. Review #4. #565. Review #532. #566. oo-mee-SHAHM Review #72 and #536. #567. yee-pah-REHD "it divides itself." Note the assimilated NOON seen as dagesh forte in the PAY. The nifal can be either passive or reflexive, here reflexive. Review #116. The KAMATZ under the first radical is the second indicator of the nifal stem. #568. veh-hay-YAH "and it became" Review #9. #569. leh-AHR-bah-ah "for four" --Review #228. #570. rah-SHEEM "heads, head streams" --Review #1. The Zohar speaks about three heads in Elohim, see EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO GROW A MESSIANIC SYNAGOGUE and EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO GROW A MESSIANIC YESHIVA on our website. Download the files. GEN. 2:11 571 shehm 572 ha-eh-KHAD 573 pee-SHOHN 574 hoo 575 ha-soh-VEHV 576 et 577 kol 578 EH-rets 579 ha-khah-vee-LAH 580 ah-sher 581 shahm 582 haz-zah-HAHV #571. shehm "name" not to be confused with #536. #572. Review #52. #573. pee-SHOHN. Scholars believe that this river flowed into what is today the Persian Gulf, an area which is important in the beginning of the Bible and may prove important in end-time prophetic fulfillments in our own day. #574. hoo "he/it" (is). #575. ha-soh-VEHV "the one winding" --Root SAMECH VET VET "to turn around, go around, surround." Do you see this is a participle? Review #406. #576. Review #4. #577. Review #250. #578. Review #7 and #546. #579. ha-khah-vee-LAH "the Havilah" In Gen. 25:18 Havilah is Ishmaelite territory and seems to be in southwestern Arabia. #580. Review #71. #581. Review #536. #582. haz-zah-HAHV "the gold" --Do you see the definite article? ZAYIN HAY VET = "gold." GEN. 2:12 583 oo-zah-hahv 584 ha-AH-rets 585 ha-HEE 586 tov 587 shahm 588hahb-DOH-lahkh 589 veh-EH-vehn 590 ha-SHOH-hahm #583. Review #582. Remember #38 because it falls before a consonant with SH'VA. #584. Review #7. #585. This is archaic. ha-HEE "the that(f.)" here used as a remote demonstrative pronoun modifying #584, which is also feminine. Review #470. #586. Review #33. #587. Review #536. #588. hahb-DOH-lahkh "bdellium" --a fragrant yellowish transparent gum to which manna is compared in Num.11:7. #589. veh-EH-vehn "and stone of" This word "stone" refers to the Moshiach in Dan.2:35 and Psalm 118:22. The "Builders" of Judaism rejected this Stone (Psalm 118:22; Isaiah 53). #590. ha-SHOH-hahm "the onyx." GEN. 2:13 591 vuh-SHEHM 592 hahn-nah-HAHR 593 ha-shay-NEE 594 ghee-KHOHN 595 hoo 596 ha-soh-VEHV 597 et 598 kohl 599 EH-rets 600 Koosh #591. Review #571. #592. Review #560. #593. Review #90 and #248. Do you the definite article? #594. ghee-KHOHN --This river is associated with the Nile and Egypt as is the river at #573. #595. hoo "that (m.) (was)" --Here the remote demonstrative pronoun "that (m.)" modifying the masculine noun #592 has the force of a copula or "linking verb." Review #585. #596. Review #575. #597. Review #4. #598. Review #250. #599. Review #7 and #546. #600. koosh "Cush" (this word may indicate western Iran here although normally it refers to ancient Nubia or modern northern Sudan, a land of famine and fundamentalist Islamic despotic government now. This word describes one of Gog's allies, along with Iran and Libya in Ezekiel 38:5 when an end-time invasion of Israel takes place.) GEN. 2:14 601 veh-shem 602 hahn-nah-HAHR 603 ha-sheh-lee-SHEE 604 chee-DEH-kehl 605 hoo 606 ha-hoh-LEHKH 607 keed-MAHT 608 ah-SHOOR 609 vuh-hahn-nah-HAHR 610 ha-ruh-vee-EE 611 hoo 612 fuh-RAHT #601. Review #571. #602. Review #560. #603. Review #159. #604. hee-DEH-kehl "Tigris." #605. Review #595. #606. ha-ho-LEHKH "the one running/going" Qal active participle (see the CHOLOM?) of HAY LAMMED FINAL CHAF "he went, walked." The participle often serves as the equivalent of a relative clause," which flows etc" --From this root we get the noun halakhah, which is the legal part of the Talmud where the rabbis discuss how one must "walk," according to the laws of the Bible and their own traditions, which they call "the oral law." #607. keed-MAHT "eastward of" Review #534. #608. ah-SHOOR "Assyria" See Micah 5:5. This is Iraq, which the Bible says will invade Israel. (The Northern kingdom of Israel and its capital Samaria were invaded and destroyed in 722 B.C.E. as a partial fulfillment of Micah's prophecy.) "The Assyrian" is the eschatological enemy of Israel, like Gog in Ezekiel (both invade Israel in the last days). Apparently, Micah expected the Moshiach to come at the end ofthe Assyrian (Iraqi?) crisis in the last days. #609. Review #560. #610. Review #228. #611. Review #595. #612. fuh-RAHT "Euphrates" GEN 2:15 613 vahy-yek-KAHKH 614 Adonoy 615 Eh-loh-HEEM 616 et 617 ha-ah-DAHM 618 vahy-yah-nee-KHAY-hoo 619 vuh-gahn 620 EH-den 621 leh-ahv-DAH 622 oo-leh-shahm-RAH #613. vahy-yeek-KAHKH "and he took" from LAMMED KOOF CHET "he took" but here the LAMMED is assimilated as in #203. Do you see the imperfect indicator YUD and the conversive VAV that makes the imperfect perfect? Review #22. #614. Review #477. #615. Review #3. #616. Review #4. #617. Review #321. #618. vahy-yahh-nee-KHAY-hoo "and He caused to put/rest him" hifil stem from NOON VAV CHET "he gave rest, put" with 3rd masculine pronominal suffix ending "him" --Review #354. #619. Review #532. #620. Review #533. #621. Ieh-ahv-DAH "to work her (i.e. the garden)" --Review #501. #622. oo-leh-shahm-RAH "and to cars for/keep her" 9DV "he keeps, watches" Review #621. The infinitive form ofthe verb is "infinite," without the limits of person, gender,number, or tense and does not need to agree with any other word in the sentence. In English, "I went to serve," serve is an infinitive indicated by the word "to" and the unconjugated form of the verb. #621 and #622 are both infinitive constructs. So G-d put man on earth to till his garden and to keep it. The purpose for which man was created was to work and take care of G-d's world as G-d's steward. Ecclesiastes (Kohelet) says man should find pleasure in this. The Thessalonian epistles says that man, even regenerate man, must work. Here in this verse we find the reason. It was for this cause that we were created in the beginning. One of the things that requires work is Textual Criticism. This is the task of reconstructing the original inerrant text of the Bible from the available manuscripts, versions, and ancient translational clues. If you look at page 192 in your Biblica Hebraica and look at Lev.20:l0 you will see five Hebrew words sandwiched in between two a's. These five words are ISH ASHER YINAF ES ESHET. If you look down at the bottom of the page in the BHS textual apparatus, you will see the note 10 a-a > G min, dl (dttg). This means that these Hebrew words are absent from the Septuagint, and that you should delete them, because this is dittography, the accidental duplication of a letter or letters in a single word or group of words. If you notice, these five words are an almost exact duplication of the first five words in the verse. The scribe's eye skipped and he unwittingly copied these words twice. Now do you see why you need the Biblica Hebraica? How can we begin preaching a text until we have first established the text? See p.218. GEN 2:16 623 vah-yuh-TSAHV 624 Adonoy 625 Eh-loh-HEEM 626 ahl 627 ha-ah-DAHM 628 leh-MOHR 629 mee-KOHL 630 aitz 631 ha-gahn 632 ah-KHOHL 633 toh-KHEHL #623. vah-yuh-TSAHV "and He commanded" from the root TZADE VAV HAY, "he commanded." This is imperfect with CONVERSIVE VAV. The PATACH under the first radical indicates it is a piel intensive stem. We get the word MITZVAH from this same root, meaning a deed, duty, or commandment. Orthodox Jews believe they have found 613 MITZVOT in their Scripture which they must obey. The problem is that "merit" gets involved in their thinking. In THE TORAH: A MODERN COMMENTARY (UNION OF AMERICAN HEBREW CONGREGATIONS, NEW YORK, 1981), the comment says that "the mainstream of Judaism" refused to make the "tale of Eden" an important aspect of its world view and maintained that the only road to salvation was through g-dly deeds (mitzvot) rather than through belief in a Moshi'a (savior), and that "while man tended to corruption (Gen. 6:5; 8:21), he was not basically a corrupt creature." Notice the Pelagianism dressed up like Judaism. The comment goes on to assert that by carrying out G-d's commandments man can overcome or at least control the yetzer hara and thereby develop his impulse for good. In this view mitzvot innoculate against sin. Later we will analyze the Pelagian error in this statement. For right now, realize that the early Jewish followers of Moshiach in the first century had zeal for the mitzvot (Acts 21:20) but did not rely on mitzvot for salvation (Eph. 2:8-9). To reach the Orthodox Jews and the Chassidic Jews with the Good News, messianic synagogue planters need to be raised up by G-d and trained to establish shuls that are zealous for the mitzvot and which put themselves as if subject to the Law to win those who are under the Law (I Cor. 9:20). To see what that entails, one must ask, "When we see the Orthodox Jewish man hurrying to shul every day, which laws is he so zealous to observe?" To answer the question, start by reading Abraham Chill's THE MITZVOT, the commandments and their rationale, Keter Publishing, 1974. #624. Review #477. #625. Review #3. #626. Review #13. #627. Review #321 #628. Review #270. #629. Review #72 and #250. #630. Review #124. #631. Review #532. #632. Review #116. Remember we said an infinitive can be either an infinitive construct or an infinitive absolute. This is a Qal infinitive absolute (the form that stands alone without pronouns or prepositions) and we translate it "to eat." The KAMATZ under the first radical and the CHOLOM between the second and third radicals are the indicators. #633. same root as #632. VERY IMPORTANT: the imperfect active 2ms. Do you see the TAV preformative? G-d is talking to the man as the kohen of his own household and he is giving the commandment to him, not to his wife. The man is the head of the household, not the wife. Later we will see that the woman does not check with the head of her household, her husband, before she gets involved with the forbidden tree and the Tempter. She in effect goes over the head of his office, like Korah in the wilderness with Moses. She does not respect her head. I Cor. 11 is on this problem. And the man does not function as the kohen of his bayis (household). Look at the verb --"you (masculine singular) may eat." Notice the infinitive absolute emphasizes the verb. This is why the translations say "you may indeed eat" or "you may freely eat." Do you see the same root ALEF CHAF LAMMED "he ate" used in both #632 and #633? GEN. 2:17 634 oo-meh-AITZ 635 ha-DAH-aht 636 tov 637 vah-rah 638 lo 639 toh-KHOHL 640 mee-MEHN-noo 641 kee 642 buh-YOM 643 ah-KHOHL-khah 644 mee-MEHN-noo 645 MOHT 646 tah-MOOT #634. Review #72 and #124. #635.Review #124. #636. Review #124. #637. Review #124. #638. Review #493. #639. Review #633. #640. Review #72 and #354. MEM CHEEREEK FINAL NOON (MIN) takes a special form before suffixes. The HAY is assimilated and represented by dagesh forte in the NOON. mee-MEHN-noo = "from it." #641. Review #32. #642. Review #1 and #43. #643. ah-KHOHL-khah "your eating" --This is an infinitive construct. Review #469. #644. Review #640. #645. Review #633 on the force of the infinitive absolute. The root in both #645 and #646 is MEM VAV TAV "he died." It looks different because it is a so called "hollow verb. "dying." #646. tah-MOOT "you will die." This is also an imperfect active 2nd person masculine singular verb as in #633. Because the infinitive absolute in #645 emphasizes the verb, the root of which is repeated in #646, we should translate, "dying you will die" into more fluent "you will indeed die." G-d is emphasizing the lethal aspect of disobeying his commandment. So the text of Gen. 2:17 is saying that the man who scorns G-d's sovereign and revealed will in the Holy Scriptures and instead chooses moral autonomy will eat the corrupting fruit of his sin. This is an epochal commandment to the entire old humanity in Adam. We will soon see in the narrative that man by nature is lost in the fall and eats of this tree by nature and has a blind and stubborn heart needing spiritual circumcision and a Deliverer. When the Moshiach comes on the scene as the new Adam with the tevilah of the Ruach Hakodesh and the spiritual rebirth for man, a new humanity will begin to be fruitful and multiply all over the earth in anticipation of the new heavens and the new earth and the new Jerusalem coming down from heaven. This new Adam will say, "My food (not from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil) is to do (not my own will as in moral autonomy) but the will of him who sent me" (Yochanan 4:34). GEN. 2:18 647 vahy-YOH-mehr 648 Adonoy 649 Eh-loh-HEEM 650 lo 651 tov 652 heh-YOHT 653 ha-ah-DAHM 654 leh-vah-DOH 655 EH-eh-seh 656 lo 657 AY-zehr 658 keh-nehg-DOH #647. Review #22. #648. Review #477. #649. Review #3. #650. Review #493. #651. Review #33. #652. Review #9. This is an infinitive. "to be" #653. Review #321. #654. leh-vah-DOH "in his separation, i.e. alone" BET PATACH DALET = separation (noun). Review #354. It may not be G-d's will for every person to marry, but it is G-d's will for people not to be separate from Messianic fellowship. It is not good to separate oneself from G-d's people and be alone. The mental illness and spiritual immaturity we see even in believers often stems from this problem, where people willfully cut themselves off from Messianic chavurah and the Moshiach's Tish and go their own way and stubbornly do what is not good for them. #655. Review #64, especially Imperfect active 1cs, EH-eh-seh "I will make." The mappiq dot in the last HAY in BHS is unusual and is not followed by most manuscripts. It is not the feminine singular suffix "her" as in "her seed" in Gen. 3:l5. Ignore it here. #656. Review #44 and #354. #657. AY-zehr "helper." Man needs help. In separation he is weak and not adequate, in the sense that he is in a situation that is not good. #658. keh-nehg-DOH "like opposite to him" NOON GIMMEL DALET = "opposite to." Review #354 and #323, which can also mean "like." This has the idea of complementary as opposed to identical. The helper corresponds to and complements the opposite sex. We will see later in the Torah (Deut. 22:5) that G-d does not want the sexes to dress alike because to do so obscures this aspect. GEN. 2:19 659 vahy-yee-TSEHR 660 Adonoy 661 Eh-loh-HEEM 662 meen 663 ha-ah-dah-MAH 664 kohl 665 chai-YAHT 666 hahs-sah-DEH 667 vuh-et 668 kohl 669 ohf 670 hahsh-sha-MY-yeem 671 vahy-yah-VAY 672 el 673 ha-ah-DAHM 674 leer-OHT 675 mah 676 yee-krah 677 lo 678 vuh-KHOHL 679 ah-sher 680 yeek-RAH 681 lo 682 ha-ah-DAHM 683 NEH-fesh 684 chai-YAH 685 hoo 686 sh'MOH #659.Review #513. #660. Review #477. #661. Review #3. #662. Review #72. #663. Review #312. #664. Review #250. Remember this word can also mean "every." #665. Review #295. #666. Review #483. #667. Review #6. #668. Review #250. #669. Review #236. #670. Review #5. Here the word means "the air." #671. vahy-yah-VAY "and He caused to come/He brought" --Hifil imperfect 3rd. masc. singular with VAV conversive of the root BET CHOLOM ALEF he "he brought in." Normally you would have PATACH under the preformative in a hifil stem (Review #541) but because it is in an open syllable (a syllable without a consonant at the end) it becomes KAMATZ here. #672. ehl = "to" --This is a preposition. #673. Review #321. #674. Review #28. This is an infinitive construct "to see." Notice man is not predisposed by an eternal decree to do everything. G-d watches man exercise a certain amount of freedom here, which is something hypercalvinists don't allow G-d the freedom to do. Even now we are "in the garden" under surveillance in a sense, because G-d is watching to see if we'll use our freedom to name sin in our lives and turn in teshuvah. #675. mah "what~ (This is the interrogative "what?", a word you will need to use a great deal in speaking conversational Modern Hebrew.) For the task of learning this, you may want to acquire Haiim B. Rosen's A textbook of Israeli Hebrew, University of Chicago Press, 1966. #676. Review #40. There is no VAV reversive so we translate it imperfect "he would call/name" --Is the SH'VA pronounced? Review 327. yee-kuh-rah #677. Review #131. This is "to it." Review #42. #678. Review #250. #679. Review #71. #680. Review #676. #681. Review #677. #682. Review #321. #683. Review #234. This word can also mean "creature." #684. Review #235. #685. Review #595. #686. Review #571 and #354. The CHOLOM pronominal suffix changes the TZAYREH under the SHIN in "name" to SH'VA. GEN. 2:20 687 vahy-yeek-RAH 688 ha-ah-DAHM 689 sheh-MOHT 690 leh-CHOHL 691 ha-beh-he-MAH 692 oo-leh-OHF 693 hahsh-shah-MY-yeem 694 oo-leh-KHOHL 695 chai-YAHT 696 has-sah-DEH 697 oo-l'ah-DAHM 698 lo 699 mah-TSAH 700 EH-zehr 701 kuh-nehg-DOH #687. Review #40. #688. Review #321. #689. Review #571. Notice the feminine plural ending on CHOLOM TAV on this noun as opposed to the masc. p1. ending in #553. Because man is able to label the rest of his world, he has discernment on a completely different level than that of the animal kingdom. Part of the divine image in man is the G-d-like ability to assign names (cf.#40-#46). #690. Review #250. #691. Review #293. #692. Review #236. #693. Review #670. #694. Review #250. #695. Review #295. #696. Review #483. #697. Review #321. --"but for the man/mankind". #698. Review #493. #699. mah-TSAH "he found" --MEM TZADE ALEF "he found" #700. Review #657. #701. Review #658. "to correspond to" "to suit" "matching him." As far as the animal kingdom is concerned, man is matchless. He is not an animal. There is nothing in the animal kingdom that corresponds to him. You could wait a billion years and the ape family could not join and become part of the human family because the human family is matchless and nothing in the animal kingdom corresponds to it. Unlike an animal, "the human spirit is the lamp of the L-rd, searching every innermost part" (Prov. 20:27). GEN. 2:21 702 vahy-yah-PAYL 703 Adonoy 704 Eh-loh-HEEM 705 tahr-day-MAH 706 ahl 707 ha-ah-DAHM 708 vahy-yee-SHAHN 709 vahy-yee-KAHKH 710 ah-KHAHT 711 meets-tsahl-oh-TAHV 712 vahy-yees-GOHR 713 bah-SAHR 714 tahkh-TEHN-nah #702. vahy-yah-PAYL "so He made/caused fall --root NOON FAY LAMMED, "he caused to fall."The PATACH under the preformative YUD tells you the verb stem is hifil (causative force). Do you see how the first radical of the root is a NOON that has assimilated to dagesh forte in the YUD? Do you see the PATACH hifil indicator under the preformative? Review #541 and #203. #703. Review #477. #704. Review #3. #705. tahr-day-MAH "deep sleep" #706. Review #13. #707. Review #321. #708. vahy-yee-SHAHN "and he slept" --root YUD SHIN FINAL NOON "he slept" #709. Review #613. #710. Review #52. Notice this word is in construct with #711 so we supply an "of." This is feminine of ECHAD. #711. meets-tsahl-oh-TAHV "from ribs of him." Here we have a feminine noun TZADE LAMMED AYIN. Review #689, #354 and #77. The word can also mean "side" as in Exod. 26:20 "the (north) side of the tabernacle...," suggesting that male and female are made equal, out of essentially the same essence, and are complementary, different "sides" of the same thing, with humanity incomplete without both, just as Elohim is incomplete without his Dvar Hashem Moshiach and his Ruach Hakodesh (Gen. 2:24; Deut. 6:4). #712. vahy-yees-GOHR "and He closedup" from SAMECH GIMMEL RESH "he shut/closed". #713. bah-SAHR "flesh." This is a very important theological word in the Bible. It can mean 1) meat or muscle of animals or man; 2) humanity at large 3) what is frail or perishable about the human race 4) in the Brit Chadasha Scriptures it is translated with the Greek word SARKS and is a technical term for the life of the old human nature unrenewed by the Ruach Hakodesh. #714. tahkh-TEHN-nah "in place of it (rib). The word can mean "under" (Review #72). It can also mean "below, instead of," and here it means "in place of." Review #354. Do you see the pronominal suffix "her" referring to the rib which is a feminine noun? The NOON is a connecting letter. GEN. 2:22 715 vahy-yee-VEHN 716 Adonoy 717 Eh-loh-HEEM 718 et 719 hats-tseh-LAH 720 ah-sher 721 la-KAHKH 722 meen 723 ha-ah-DAHM 724 leh-eesh-SHAH 725 vah-y'vee-EH-hah 726 el 727 ha-ah-DAHM #715. vahy-yee-VEHN "then He made/built" from the root BET NOON HAY "he made/built." The Stone that ha-Bonim (the Builders) rejected has become the chief cornerstone. (Ps. 118:22) The word ha-Bonim in that verse is from this same root. The builders of Judaism were destined to reject the Moshiach. See Isaiah 53. #716. Review #477. #717. Review #3. #718. Review #4. #719. Review #711 and #21 on the definite article. #720. Review #71. #721. Review #613. #722. Review #77. #723. Review #321. #724. leh-eesh-SHAH "into woman"--ALEF SHIN HAY, means "woman" (see #738). The word sounds like the word for "man" (see #740), and the author will make a word play in Gen. 2:23 on these two words "nashim" = plural. #725. Review #671 and #354. #726. Review #97. #727. Review #321. GEN. 2:23 728 vahy-YOH-mehr 729 ha-ah-DAHM 730 zoht 731 ha-PAH-ahm 732 EH-tsehm 733 meh-ah-tsah-MAHY 734 oo-vah-SAHR 735 mee-beh-sah-REE 736 luh-ZOHT 737 yee-kah-REH 738 ee-SHAH 739 kee 740 meh-EESH 741 loo-kah-CHAH 742 zoht #728. Review #22. #729. Review #321. #730. Review #470. This is the first time a human being speaks in the Bible, so we should expect it to be an important saying, "This (one)" #731. See the definite article. PAY AYIN FINAL MEM = "time, stroke." Here the article has demonstrative force "this time." See Gen.29:34, where Rachel says, "Now HAY PAY AYIN FINAL MEM this time my husband will become attached to me." #732. EH-tsehm "bone" --Do you see the accent on the first syllable. Look at your Biblica Hebraica. #733. Review #732, #354, #72. #734. Review #713. #735. Review #713, #354, #72. #736. Review #470, #42. #737. Review #40. "it (i.e. the flesh/bone) shall be called." The KAMATZ under the first radical is a sign of nifal imperfect 3ms. #738. Review #724. #739. Review #32. #740. "Ish" = "man" --Review #72. #741. Review #613. The KUBUTZ under the first radical of the root indicates the pual verb stem (Review #435). "she was taken" #742. "this (one)" --Review #470 and #730. Notice this is the subject of #741. GEN. 2:24 743 ahl 744 ken 745 yah-ah-zahv 746 eesh 747 et 748 ah-VEEV 749 vuh-et 750 eem-MOH 751 vuh-dah-VAHK 752 beh-eesh-TOH 753 vuh-ha-YOO 754 luh-vah-SAHR 755 eh-KHAHD #743. Review #13. #744. Review #80. This is an idiom (an expression whose meaning cannot be derived from its constituent elements, as "kick the bucket" is an idiomatic expression meaning "to die." "upon so (#743 and #744)" means "therefore." Memorize it. These means that Gen. 2:23 explains Gen. 2:24. "Therefore" means for this reason. #745. yah-ah-zahv "he will leave/forsake" AYIN ZAYIN VET = leave. Notice the "he." It does not say the woman will achieve the detachment from parents that the man achieves or should achieve when he stops being a child and marries and starts his own family. The woman may cling to her husband but she does not forsake her parents as completely as the man does. This is a shrewd psychological insight and means that in marriage counselling the man should be advised to take a good look at his prospective father-in-law and especially his prospective mother-in-law since his fiancee is not likely to forsake either one of them, especially her mother. #746. Review #740. #747. Review #4. #748. Review #354. ALEF VET = "father." Review #354. Moshiach Yehoshua called G-d by the intimate and affectionate word for Father (AB-bah) "dear Father." Can you? #749. Review #4. #750. Review #354. ALEF TZAYREH FINAL MEM = mother. Mommy in modern Hebrew is EEM-mah. #751. The VAV reversive makes it imperfect "and he will unite." DALET VET KOOF = "he united." #752. Review #724, #448, #354 #753. Review #171. Notice #525 and #527 where this verb is often followed by LAMMED SH'VA in which case we do not translate LAMMED SH'VA in English. #754. Review #713. #755. Review #52. Notice that a cluster of grapes is a complexunity in Num. 13:23. GEN. 2:25 756 vahy-yee-huh-YOO 757 sheh-nay-HEM 758 ah-roo-MEEM 759 ha-ah-DAHM 760 veh-eesh-TOH 761 veh-lo 762 yeet-bo-SHAH-shoo #756. Review #171 with VAV conversive. #757. Review #188, #354. #758. AYIN RESH CHOLOM FINAL MEM = "naked, nude." #759. Review #321. #760. Review #724, #354. "his woman, his wife" #761. Review #493. #762. The root is VET CHOLOM SHIN = "was ashamed." This is the hitpael stemnamed after the "hit" HAY CHEEREEK TAV that precedes the perfect, imperative, and infinitive forms of the verb and tells you that the verb has an intensive reflexive force as in #762 which is a hitpael 3mp "they were intensely ashamed of themelves". First there was the primal innocence before the Fall. "The fall of mankind" refers to that sense of primal shame and lost innocence that rebellious morally autonomous Man experiences as part of his ontology (nature of existence). This verse together with Gen. 3:7 tells us that there is now deep primal guilt in every human being and that this is part of our very nature as members of the race of Adam and we cannot be truly happy and at peace with ourselves or anyone else until we have regeneration and reconciliation with G-d. GEN. 3:1 763 veh-hahn-nah-KHAHSH 764 ha-yah 765 ah-ROOM 766 mee-KOHL 767 chay-YAHY 768 has-sah-DEH 769 ah-sher 770 ah-SAH 771 Adonoy 772 Eh-loh-HEEM 773 vahy-YOH-mehr 774 el 775 ha-eesh-SHAH 776 ahf 777 kee 778 ah-MAHR 779 Eh-loh-HEEM 780 lo 781 tohkh-LOO 782 mee-KOHL 783 aitz 784 ha-gahn #763. veh-hahn-nah-KHAHSH "now the Snake" (Deut. 8:l5 speaks of poisonous snakes.) The word for snake is NOON CHET SHIN, Nah-KHASH. But we are going to see that this Snake has enough power in his venom to bite the whole human race and therefore enslave them all to the fear of death, because he is "the devil that ancient serpent" (Rev. 12:9; 20:2; Heb. 2:l4-l5). See also Isa. 27:1 and Job 26:13. #764. Review #9. #765. ah-ROOM, AYIN CHATAF PATACH RESH SHURUK FINAL MEM "crafty, shrewd in the sinister sense of full of wiles, very tricky." The author seems to be making a word play on "nude" AYIN CHATAF PATACH RESH CHOLOM FINAL MEM and this word "shrewd." Compare words #758 and #765. #766. Review #250 and #77. "more than all of" (notice that comparison is expressed by means of the MEM CHEEREEK FINAL NOON preposition). #767. Review #295. #768. Review #483. #769. Review #71. #770. Review #64. #771. Review #477. #772. Review #3. #773. Review #22. #774. Review #97. #775. Review #724. #776. Indeed? #777. really? (#776 and #777 are together an idiom--review #744 -- with the thought something like, "Really? Just to think that (G-d gave you such an unreasonable commandment)..." The Serpent is acting shocked with G-d's supposedly severe commandment, which he twists in a subtle lie that makes the commandment seem severe, which it really isn't. The commandment is generous. Everything is given to them except one thing: the license to be disobedient and morally autonomous, proudly thinking that they are shrewd enough to discern good from evil without G-d's teaching or the Torah of his mitzvot. #778. Review #22. #779. Review #3. (Notice He is not called by His personal covenant name (see #477) used by those who know Him but by a remote label, which tells you something about the Adversary's relationship with G-d.) #780. Review #493. #781. Review #116. This is imperfect 2mp ["you (plural) shall eat"]. Notice Gen. 2:16 and see how the Snake twists the mitzvah (commandment). The woman also garbles it. The reason that neither one of them know it is because it was not given to either one of them but to the kohen of the Bayis, the mashgiach ruchani (spiritual overseer) of the mishpachah family unit, the man. Look at #639 and #633 which shows that the commandment was 2ms, given to the man, who is not even included in the discussion but these two kehillah spliters. Don't miss this nuance in the Hebrew. In a way, this is the first "Brit Chadasha kehillah split" in the Bible, since the one in charge, the mashgiach ruchani of the home, has his authority ignored, and a rebellious, demonic plot is carried out with the help of a presumptuous "congregant" in league with the devil and, moreover, a "congregent" who is not in charge and has no kehillah office to be in charge but takes over at Satan's urging. #782. Review #72 and #250. #783. Review #124. #784. Review #532. GEN. 3:2 785 vah-toh-MEHR 786 ha-ee-SHAH 787 el 788 hahn-nah-KHAHSH 789 mee-p'REE 790 aitz 791 ha-gahn 792 noh-KHEHL #785. Review #22. With verbs that have it for the first radical of their root ALEF you will often see the CHOLOM after TAV in the imperfect. #786. Review #724. #787. Review #97. #788. Review #763. #789. Review #125 and #72. #790. Review #124. #791. Review #532. #792. Review #116. lcp imperfect "we may eat" GEN. 3:3 793 oo-mee-p'REE 794 ha-AITZ 795 ah-sher 796 beh-TOHKH 797 ha-gahn 798 ah-mahr 799 Eh-loh-HEEM 800 lo 801 tohkh-LOO 802 mee-MEH-noo 803 v'lo 804 teeg-guh-OO 805 bo 806 pehn 807 teh-moo-TOON #793. Review #125 and #72. #794. Review #124. #795. Review #71. #796. Review #57. #797. Review #532. #798. Review #22. #799. Review #3. #800. Review #493. #801. Review #116. #802. Review #640. #803. Review #493. #804. teeg-guh-OO "you shall touch" --Note how the NOON is assimilated into the GIMMEL by means of dagesh forte. 2mp imperfect of NOON GIMMEL AYIN, "he touched." Note that SHURUK + TAV = imperfect 2mp. Look at Gen.2:16-17 again and you will see that she is adding to G-d's word, something Deut.4:2 specifically forbids, and something Rabbinic Judaism and all non-Biblical religions do. When Rabbinic Judaism at Yavneh (near Jaffa, Israel), around the year 100 C.E., began formulating the liturgy so that Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, could be transferred from the Beis Hamikdash in Yerushalayim to the synagogue, effectively substituting prayer and good deeds, confession and repentance, for Lev. 17:11 "It is the blood that makes atonement for the soul," the rabbis followed the sin of the woman in our text here, Gen. 2:16-17, and added to G-d's word. They should have believed Isaiah: Moshiach "gives his life as an asham guilt offering for sin" (Isaiah 53:10). Remember the Reformation watchword Sola Scriptura (the Bible alone is authoritative for faith), which means that only the Bible can tell us how to 1ive or how to interpret Scripture. Rom. 4:17 has to tell us how to interpret Gen. 1:1. If we trust some liberal commentator we are letting his words add to G-d's word. An even so helpful a commentary as the Talmud must not be placed on the same par as the Bible. We devote our attention not to man's word but to G-d's inspired and anointed Word. #805. Review #131. #806. pehn "lest/so that ...not" #807. Review #645. This has an archaic ending in the final NOON at the end. This verb is imperfect 2mp. Look at the indicators and review #804. Note how KUBUTZ can be SHURUK as here. GEN. 3:4 808 vah-YOH-mehr 809 hahn-nah-KHAHSH 810 el 811 ha-ee-SHAH 812 lo 813 moht 814 eh-moo-TOON #808. Review #22. #809. Review #763. #810. Review #97. #811. Review #724. #812. Review #493. #813. Review #645. (This is a Oal infinitive absolute--Review #632.) Here the Snake implies that G-d is a liar not to be trusted and, surprisingly, the woman doesn't resist this idea or the devil who conceived it. #814. Review #807 and especially #646 ("you will indeed/surely not die"--a direct contradiction). GEN. 3:5 815 kee 816 yoh-DAY-ah 817 Eh-loh-HEEM 818 kee 819 beh-YOHM 820 ah-khohl-KHEHM 821 mee-MEH-noo 822 veh-neef-kuh-KHOO 823 ay-nay-KHEHM 824 vee-h'yee-TEHM 825 kay-loh-heem 826 yod-AY 827 tov 828 vah-rah #815. Review #32. "For" (what follows is the secret evil reason G-d supposedly has for giving his allegedly unreasonable mitzvah commandment, according to the devil's big lie) #816. Review #557. "he knows" yoh-DAY-ah (see accent in BHS, Biblica Hebraica Stuttgartensia). #817. Review #3. #818. Review #32. #819. Review #412. #820."of your eating" This is a Qal infinitive construct with the pronominal suffix given to you in #354. #821. Review #640. #822. veh-neef-kuh-KHOO "they will be opened" nifal perfect with VAV reversive 3p from root ~ "he opened" --Which SH'VA is pronounced? Review #327. #823. Review #354. ay-nay-KHEHM your eye: from AYIN YUD FINAL NOON = "eye". #824. Review #171. Notice 2mp perfect with reversive VAV. Notice in #822 and #824 the conjunction VAV is used to connect a statement of time with the clause to which it relates. Note: in the day of your eating then will be opened your eyes and then you will be like G-d (morally autonomous). #825. Review #32 and #3. "like G-d" Satan is saying that equality with G-d is a thing that can be grasped (Phil. 2:6). However, instead of becoming like G-d we are a race condemned to "eternal shame" (Gen. 2:25; 3:7; Dan. 12:2) unless we have that primordial shame washed away by the Moshiach's blood (Lev. 17:11; Isaiah 53:10; Heb. 9:22; Babylonian Talmud Yoma 5a, Menahoth 93b, Zebahim 6a), which is the only acceptable blood we have, now that the center of Judaism, the Beis Hamikdash, has been taken away. #826. Review #557. #827. Review #33. #828. Review #124. GEN. 3:6 829 vah-TEH-reh 830 ha-ee-SHAH 831 kee 832 tov 833 ha-aitz 834 leh-mah-ah-KHOHL 835 vuh-KHEE 836 tah-ah-vah 837 hoo 838 lah-ay-NAHY-eem 839 vuh-nehkh-MAHD 840 ha-aitz 841 leh-hahsh-KEEL 842 vah-tee-KAHKH 843 mee-peer-YOH 844 vah-toh-KHOHL 845 vah-tee-TEHN 846 gahm 847 luh-ee-SHAH 848 ee-MAH 849 vahy-yoh-KHAHL #829. Review #28. Imperfect 3fs with VAV conversive. #830. Review #724. #831. Review #32. #832. Review #33. #833. Review #124. #834. Review #398. #835. Review #32. #836. tah-ah-vah "delight" The verb ALEF VAV HAY for "want" or "desire" (as found in the tenth commandment against coveting--see Deut.5:21 "you shall not desire your neighbor's house etc") is turned into a substantive or noun "delight" with the prefix TAV. #837. hoo "he" (this refers to the tree). You need to learn some of the independent pronouns: anachnu (we 1cp), ani, anochi (I 1cs), atem (2mp), atah (2ms), aten (2fp) at (2fs), hem hemmah (3mp), hoo (3ms), hen hennah (3fp), hee (3fs) #838. Review #823 and #42. #839. Review #548. #840. Review #124. #841. leh-hahsh-KEEL hifil infinitive construct of "to make or cause to be wise" SIN CHAF LAMMED -- The way of death offers a false wisdom and a g-d-like knowledge and beckons with eye-catching, desirable allurements and pseudo-wisdom as well as individualistic ethics. #842. Review #613. #843. Review #125 and #72 and #354. #844. Review #116. #845. Review #203 and compare #375. First one person corrupts himself/herself and then becames a "serpent of temptation" to corrupt someone else. #846. gahm "also" #847. Review #325 and #42 and #354. "to her man/ her husband" #848. ee-MAH "together with her" Review #354. = AYIN CHEEREEK FINAL MEM "with, together with." "who was with her" #849. Review #116. Compare #22 to see imperfect with reversing VAV. "and he ate." GEN. 3:7 850 vah-tee-pah-KAHK-noo 851 ay-NAY 852 sheh-nay-HEHM 853 vahy-yay-duh-OO 854 kee 855 ay-roo-MEEM 856 hem 857 vahy-yeet-peh-ROO 858 ah-leh 859 tuh-ay-NAH 860 vah-yah-ah-SOO 861 la-HEM 862 chah-go-ROT #850. Review #822. imperfect passive (nifal) 3fp with VAV CONVERSIVE "and they were opened." This is a nifal stem imperfect (note the dagesh forte in the first radical of the root and also the KAMATZ under it). #851. Review #823. Do you see how the form changes when it is in contruct with the following word and we have to translate by adding an "of"? #852. Review #188 and #354. #853. Review #557. Oal imperfect 3mp with VAV conversive. Figure out the pronunciation. "vahy-yay-duh-OO" Do you see that the SH'VA has to be pronounced and is just a silent syllable divider. Review #327. #854. Review #32. #855. Review #758. The plural is somewhat irregular here. #856. Review #837. #857. vahy-yeet-puh-ROO "and they sewed" root TAV FAY RESH; "he sewed" This is Qal imperfect 3mp with VAV conversive. Yochanan 3:19 says that unregenerate fallen Man tries to use darkness as a covering of evil deeds. Man is always sewing a web of concealment to try to mask, even from his own eyes, his primal guilt and fear before a Holy G-d. #858. AYIN LAMMED HAY = leaf. Notice it is the contruct state with #859. #859. TAV ALEF NOON HAY = "fig (tree)" Is there any symbolic significance of this verse in the Brit Chadasha Scriptures in that the fig tree Moshiach Yehoshua curses (Mark 11:13-14,21) and the one that blooms in the "summer" of the last days (Mark 13:28-29) as Israel comes to faith in our Moshiach is the "covering" of the world, namely a symbol of the people both of the Temple and the Jerusalem atonement, the Jews? #860. Review #64. #861. Review #837. #862. CHET GIMMEL CHOLOM RESH HAY = "loin covering girdle or loincloth" The kohen wore a linen ephod as did King David. The Second Adam Moshiach Yehoshua may or may not have had one (Roman victims such as he was were often naked) but He knew only our primal shame in such nudity, for he had none of His own. GEN. 3:8 863 vah-yeesh-meh-OO 864 et 865 kol 866 Adonoy 867 Eh-loh-HEEM 868 meet-hah-LEHKH 869 bah-gahn 870 luh-ROO-ahkh 871 ha-YOHM 872 vah-yeet-chah-BEH 873 ha-ah-DAHM 874 vuh-eesh-TOH 875 mee-p'NAY 876 Adonoy 877 Eh-loh-HEEM 878 buh-TOHKH 879 aitz 880 ha-gahn #863. SHIN MEM AYIN = he heard. This word is found in the "Shema" confession in Deut.6:4. vahy-yeesh-muh-OO "and they heard." #864. Review #4. #865. KOOF CHOLOM LAMMED = "sound, voice" Deut.4:l2 says that this is the way G-d revealed himself, by his voice from the fire, with no idolatrous form or image. In the Day of the L-rd, which will be inaugurated with plagues and will climax in fire, there will be the voice of the L-rd and the archangel(I Thes.4:16). #866. Review #417. #867. Review #3. #868. Review #606. This is a hitpael (Review #762) participle meaning "walking." Review #762. This is a masculine singular hitpael participle, as is indicated by the MEM. #869. Review #532. #870. Review #16. "In the breeze of" i.e. the windy or breezy cooler early evening as opposed to "the heat of the day." This is the word for wind or Spirit. #871. Review #442. #872. This is the hitpael of CHET VET ALEF, "he hid" --Review #762, "he intensively hid himself." Notice Adam is supposed to be the kohen of his home, but ironically the only thing he takes the lead in is hiding from G-d." #873. Review #321. #874. Review #724 and 354. #875. Review #14. #876. Review #477. #877. Review #3. #878. Review #57."among" #879. Review #124. #880. Review #532. Notice that Man hides among the trees of the garden. Like a modern day atheist hiding out in his faculty post at the local university, Man uses his source of self-sufficient knowledge and moral autonomy (a tree) to flee and hide from G-d. GEN. 3:9 881 vah-yeek-RAH 882 Adonoy 883 Eh-loh-HEEM 884 el 885 ha-ah-DAHM 886 vahy-YOH-mehr 887 lo 888 ah-YEH-kah #881. Review #40. #882. Review #477. #883. Review #3. #884. Review #97. #885. Review #321. #886. Review #22. #887. Review #42 and #354. #888. "where (are) you? ALEF TZAYREH YUD = "where?" also ALEF TZAYREH YUD FAY CHOLOM HAY = "where?" The CHAF KAMATZ HAY is a fuller way to write the pronominal suffix for 2ms. Review #354. Morally autonymous man is lost and condemned under the wrath of G-d, without a relationship of mishma'at and shalom with the G-d he has offended and forfeited personal knowledge of. GEN. 3:10 889 vay-YOH-mehr 890 et 891 kol-KHAH 892 shah-MAH'tee 893 bah-gahn 894 vah-ee-RAH 895 kee 896 ay-ROHM 897 ah-NOH-khee 898 vah-eh-chah-VEH #889. Review #22. #890. Review #4. #891. Review #865 and #354. Notice how this word, which is the direct object of the verb, should be in italics in your translation because it is put before the #892 verb rather than after it as in the normal manner. Sinners fear not idols but the voice of the one true G-d who did not show his form or any idolatrous image either to Adam or on the holy mountain in Deut.4. #892. Review #863. This is a perfect active Ics verb. #893. Review #448 and #532. #894. YUD KAMATZ RESH TZAYREH ALEF = "he feared" Qal imperf 1cs with VAV conversive. The tragedy of man is that he knows about G-d's existence but, unless G-d opens his heart, he hides from G-d and shamefully flees from His presence. #895. Review #32. #896. Review #758. #897. Review #837. #898. Review #872. This is the nifal imperfect 1cs with VAV conversive. Notice the nifal (passive) often has a reflexive force. We translate "I hid myself." We hide the self but G-d wants the self made completely new in G-d's perfect image, the Son of Man, the Son of G-d, His Word, Moshiach Yehoshua. GEN. 3:11 899 vay-YOH-mehr 900 mee 901 hee-geed 902 leh-CHAH 903 kee 904 ay-ROHM 905 AH-tah 906 ha-meen 907 ha-aitz 908 ah-sher 909 tsee-vee-TEE-chah 910 leh-veel-TEE 911 ah-KOHL 912 mee-MEH-noo 913 ah-KHAHL-tah #899. Review #22. #900. mee = "who?" #901. This is a hifal (causative) perfect 3ms of NOON FINAL NOON GIMMEL DALET "he made known" with the NOON assimilated into the GIMMEL. Remember if aletter elides, it simply disappears; if it assimilates, it leaves a dagesh behind; if it is quiescent the letter can be seen but is not heard, as is the case with the ALEF in #899. #902. Review #42 and #354. #903. Review #32. #904. Review #758. #905. Review #837 (notice: G-d is talking to the head of the house, the man). #906. Review #72. Notice the HEH interrogative HAY CHATAF PATACH prefixing the preposition. This signals a question being asked. #907. Review #124 and #21. #908. Review #71. #909. Review #623 and #354. This is a piel perfeat lcs. Notice the suffix. He is still talking to the man. The dagesh forte in the second radical is characteristic of the piel which has an intensive active force. #910. BET LAMMED TAV YUD is the negative "not" used with inseparable prepositions such as #42. #911. Review #116. #912. Review #640. #913. Review #116. (Notice the absolute infinitive #911 and verb #913 together emphasize the verb "I commanded you not to EAT" --Review #633.) GEN. 3:12 914 vahy-YOH-mehr 915 ha-ah-DAHM 916 ha-ee-SHAH 917 ah-sher 918 na-TAH-tah 919 ee-mah-DEE 920 hee 921 nah-t'NAH 922 lee 923 meen 924 ha-aitz 925 vah-OH-khehl #914. Review #22. #915. Review #321. #916. Review #724. #917. Review #71. #918. Review #375. Qal perfect active 2ms. #919. Review #848 and #354. #920. Review #837. The independent pronoun used as subject of a verb is expressed whenever, as here, it is emphatic. "The woman whom You put with me she gave to me from the tree and I ate." Man blames both G-d and others for his sin, thus excusing himself and trying to justify himself. #921. Review #375. #922. Review #42 and #354. #923. Review #72. #924. Review #124. #925. Review #116. Notice this is a VAV conversive but the dagesh forte has been rejected by the ALEF (Review #21) and the VAV conversive has a VAV KAMATZ instead of a VAV PATACH in this verb. While you may be sure that VAV PATACH DAGESH in front of a verb makes it VAV conversive, not every prefixed VAV indicates VAV reversive and you have to look at the context to see which are simple conjunctions and which reverse the tense of the verb. GEN. 3:13 926 vah-YOH-mehr 927 Adonoy 928 Eh-loh-HEEM 929 lah-ee-SHAH 930 mah 931 zot 932 ah-SEET 933 vah-toh-MEHR 934 ha-ee-SHAH 935 ha-nah-KHAHSH 936 hee-shee-AH-nee 937 vah-oh-KHEL #926. Review #22. #927. Review #477. #928. Review #3. #929. Review #42 and #724. #930. mah = what? Review #900 for another interrogative pronoun you need to memorize. #931. Review #470. #932. Review #64. perfect active 2fs. "what this you did?" #933. Review #22. #934. Review #724. #935. Review #763. #936. Review #354. NOON SHIN ALEF = "he deceived" See the HEH? hifil perfect 3ms. Do you see the assimilated NOON of the root? Notice the warp in mankind. Instead of repenting, demonic powers are blamed. The nature tendency to sin that we will see in Mankind from here on until we get to Moshiach is already in operation. This is the doctrine of Chet Kadmon, Original Sin, Rom. 5:12. #937. Review #116. GEN. 3:14 938 vah-YOH-mehr 939 Adonoy 940 Eh-loh-HEEM 941 el 942 ha-nah-KHAHSH 943 kee 944 ah-see-TAH 945 zot 946 ah-ROOR 947 ah-TAH 948 mee-KOHL 949 ha-beh-heh-MAH 950 oo-mee-KHOHL 951 chay-YAHT 952 has-sah-DEH 953 ahl 954 geh-khoh-NEH-chah 955 teh-LEHKH 956 vuh-ah-FAHR 957 toh-KHOHL 958 kol 959 yeh-MAY 960 chay-YEH-chah #938. Review #22. #939. Review #477. #940. Review #3. #941. Review #97. #942. Review #763. #943. Review #462. #944. Review #64 2nd person masculine perfect. See how the personal indicators of the perfect are affixed at the end instead of the beginning as in the imperfect. #945. Review #470. This is a demonstrative adjective, pointing out the thing that the Snake did. #946. This is a Qal passive participle of ALEF RESH RESH, "curse" "being cursed" --In the Bible when one curses someone or something, one invokes G-d's judgment on that person or thing. Notice how similar this word looks to #765. Do you think Moses is making a point with this word-play? What is it? #947. Review #837. #948. Review #77, #250. In Hebrew we compare and say "more than" by using the particle MEM CHEEREEK FINAL NOON in front of a noun or adjective. "more than all" #949. Review #293. #950. Review #948. In front of the letters VET MEM FAY the conjunction VAV SH'VA becomes the long vowel SHURUK. #951. Review #295. #952. Review #483. #953. Review #13. #954. Review 2ms suffix in #354, telling you G-d is referring to the belly of the masculine Snake and not the woman. GIMMEL CHET CHOLOM FINAL NOON = belly. #955. Review #606. imperfect 2ms. #956. Review #518. #957. Review #116. #958. Review #250. #959. Review #43. #960. Review #295 and #354. The snake was worshipped as a g-d in Egypt but Moses is saying that the "shrewd g-d of this world" is cursed (the word "shrewd" and the word "cursed" sounding alike in Hebrew). To crawl and eat dust is a figurative way of saying "live in abject humiliation and defeat" as a vanquished enemy (Ps. 72:9; Isa. 49:23; Mic. 7:17). The Snake g-d of the Olam Hazeh this world is defeated by the true G-d, the G-d of Israel. GEN. 3:15 961 v'ay-VAH 962 ah-SHEET 963 bey-neh-CHAH 964 oo-VAYN 965 ha-ee-SHAH 966 oo-vayn 967 zah-ah-CHAH 968 oo-vayn 969 zahr-AH 970 hoo 971 yeh-shoof-CHAH 972 rosh 973 v'ah-tah 974 teh-shoo-FEH-noo 975 ah-KEV #961. ALEF TZAYREH YUD VET KAMATZ HAY = enmity, personal hostility. This is the "ancient enmity" (Ezek. 35:5) that is at the center of this life and which only the death of Moshiach and his love can excise. We are going to see this hatred and hostility erupt in bloodshed and fratricide in the next chapter. (See Brown, Driver, and Briggs, Hebrew Lexicon, p.33, Oxford, 1972, and its Index by Bruce Einspahr, Moody Press, 1976. See also below in chapter five the additional material on Gen. 3:15.) #962. SHIN YUD TAV "he set/put" imperfect 1cs. #963. Review 136 and #354 2ms suffix "between you (snake)." #964. Review #38. #965. Review #724. Notice it is "the woman" with a definite article just as it is "the virgin" with a definite article in Isaiah 7:14, as if a Messianic allusion to this verse is implicit in the definite article in Isaiah 7:14. #966. Review #38. #967. Review #763 and #354. 2ms suffix again "your (snake) offspring." This word leads us to believe that we will see people arising later in the story who are full of wiles and have a nature that is wickedly shrewd, like the Snake (3:1). The offspring of the Snake is set in contrast with the "Seed of the Woman" here and with the "sons of G-d" in Gen. 6:2 and with the seed of Moshiach in Isaiah 53:10, the Messianic believers. The first such offspring of the Snake will be Cain the murderer. The first "son of G-d" will be Abel the first g-dly worshipper to offer an acceptable blood sacrifice and in a sense the first martyr for true Messianic religion. The enmity between the sons of G-d and the offspring of the Snake will continue throughout the history of Man until the Seed of the Woman crushes the head of the serpentine anti-G-d humanity, the Anti-Moshiach. Expectation is building in this verse for a coming eschatological Redeemer-Ruler, a Moshi'a Savior from sin and death, a "Great Descendent" or "Seed" ZAYIN SEGOL RESH PATACH AYIN. In Genesis we see the "Fall" or "creation being subjected to futility" (Rom. 8:20) and the whole human race being brought under the bondage of the law of sin and death (Rom. 6:23) and all this occurred long before the death-dealing Law of Moses was given at Mt. Sinai. Romans 5:12 tells us how to view this chapter. Adam is an epochal figure whose failure and fall determines the character of all encompassed in his epoch; that is, all of G-d-alienated humanity is in need of the epoch of the second Adam, the New Man, the Moshiach, and especially in need of the new life that flows from him. When we look at the first man lying on the ground dead (Gen. 5:5), the Bible is showing us the first sinner of a sinning/dying epoch which only the Moshiach's death brings to an end (II Cor. 5:14). This verse contains a promise so vast that the Exodus from Egypt, the conquering of the land of Israel, the building of the Beis Hamikdash, and the return from the Exile, are all part of the process of making the way straight for the coming of this One who will crush Satan's head. The theme of the eschatalagical Deliverer is enlarged by Isaiah. Since Satan deceives and tempts to sin, death is both sin's penalty and Satan's power (Isa. 27:1). Isaiah shows us a deliverer coming who can wrest this Satanic power away, pay sin's penalty, defeat both sin and death itself (Isa. 53:10-12), and so reveal the new life where the exile of sin (Isa. 59:2) is ended in a mighty exodus from death's eternal torment (Isa. 66:24; 14:11; 48:22; 50:11; 57:21; 1:31). This deliverer will come from the line of Seth (Gen. 4:25), from the offspring of Shem (Gen. 9:26), from the family of Abraham (Gen. 12:3), from the seed of Isaac (Gen. 26:3) and from the sons of Ya'akov (Gen. 46:3) and from the tribe of Judah (Gen.49:10), and of course, he must be Jewish and an Israelite living on the land (Deut. 17:l5;l8:15). #968. Review #38. #969. Review #292. Notice the suffix #354. Keep in mind that Khavvah (Eve) is a virgin here. The seed of the virgin is an odd phrase, since the seed is in the man unless G-d works a miracle. This is one of the first Biblical references to the Moshiach who will be referred to again later in verses that seem to have this passage in mind: Gen.49:10 (obedience of the wicked peoples belongs to him), Isa. 7:14 (the "G-d-with-us" miraculous ben haAlmah will be born of a virgin to the House of David and Judah's enemies will be defeated) and Mic. 5:3 ("G-d will abandon His people only until she who is imminently about to go into labor and bring forth" finally gives birth to the Moshiach). This is no etiological myth explaining why there is hostility between the serpent world and mankind. The Serpent was no ordinary serpent and the Seed of the Woman will be no ordinary man. In both the Palestinian targums (Targum Pseudo-Jonathan, Targum Neofiti, and Fragment-Targum) and in rabbinic literature (Babylonian Talmud, Sot. 49b) is a Messianic interpretation given to this text. Rom. 16:20; Yochanan 2:4; 6:70; 8:44 are some of the Brit Chadasha passages that corroborate the interpretation that sees both Satan and his "children" and the Moshiach and the "seed" of the elect woman Israel that are with him (Isaiah 53:10). #970. Review #837 and #920 on emphatic force of the pronoun. "As for him (the Seed of the Woman Moshiach)" he... #971. SHIN VAV FINAL FAY "bruise/crush." Notice the object suffix and review #354. Qal imperfect 3ps. Compare Isa. 53:5 "he was crushed for our iniquities" using another word meaning "crushed" DALET CHAF ALEF. That the same word is used in #974 and a serpent would not ordinarily "crush" a human heel is beside the point. This is no ordinary serpent but the Tempter of the whole human race. #972. Review #1. This is called accusative of specification. "As for him, he will crush you, that is, (your) head (,Snake)." #973. Review #837. Because this is a 2ms we know it refers to the Snake. #974. Review #971. Qal imperfect 2ms with object suffix that is 3ms "him." Note the pronominal suffix HAY SHURUK (him) with the connecting syllable SEGOL NOON. #975. Review #972. "As for you, you will crush him, that is (his) heel" This implies that the Moshiach will have to be utterly crushed, he will have to die, but the lethal blow will hit the site of his heel, one of the five wounds of Moshiach at Golgotha. Ya'akov is the word for Jacob, and it means "he grasps the heel." GEN. 3:16 976 el 977 ha-ee-SHAH 978 ah-mar 979 hahr-bah 980 ahr-BEH 981 eets-voh-NEHCH 982 veh-he-roh-NEHKH 983 beh-EH-tsehv 984 teh-luh-DEE 985 vah-NEEM 986 veh-el 987 ee-SHEHKH 988 teh-shoo-kah-TEHKH 989 veh-hoo 990 yeem-SHOHL 991 bakh #976. Review #97. #977. Review #724. #978. Review #22. #979. Review #272. See #645 and #646 on the infinitive absolute and verb, which together emphasize the idea of the action. "to cause to multiply" hifil infinitive absolute. #980. Review #272. "I will cause to multiply" hifil imperfect 1cs. #981. AYIN TZADE VET CHOLOM FINAL NOON = pain, toil. Review #354. Notice this is a 2fs pronominal suffix. Compare it to the 2ms pronominal suffix in #971. #982. HAY RESH CHOLOM FINAL NOON = "pregnancy,conception, childbearing" Review #354. #983. Review #981, #448. #984. YUD LAMMED DALET = "bear, beget, father someone" imperfect 3ms. In Isaiah 7:14 it says that the virgin will be with child (pregnant) and will bear (using this word #984) a son and she will call his name Immanuel. #985. plural of BET TZAYREH FINAL NOONi; = son (BET PATACH TAV bat = daughter). #986. Review #97. #987. Review #740 and #354. #988. TAV SHIN SHURUK KOOF HAY = "longing, urge, desire" Review #354. Notice 2fs pronominal in #988 and #991 also. This same word will be used in Gen. 4:7 when it says that "sin is crouching at the door and its desire/longing is to have you." It could have a negative meaning of wanting to control and dominate. Her husband, however, is the one to whom she is accountable, and her desire is for him (see #990). #989. Review #837 and #920 on the emphatic use of the pronoun. #990. Review #194. imperfect 3ms. #991. Review #354. "over you (f.s.)" GEN. 3:17 992 oo-leh-ah-DAHM 993 ah-mahr 994 kee 995 shah-mah-TAH 996 leh-KOHL 997 eesh-teh-KHAH 998 vah-toh-KHOHL 999 meen 1000 ha-etz 1001 ah-sher 1002 tsee-vee-tee-CHAH 1003 leh-MOHR 1004 lo 1005 toh-CHOHL 1006 mee-MEH-noo 1007 ah-roo-RAH 1008 ha-ah-dah-MAH 1009 bah-ah-voo-REH-chah 1010 beh-eets-tsah-vohn 1011 toh-chah-LEH-noo 1012 kol 1013 yeh-MAY #992. Review #42 and #321. Moses will make a play on words with "Adam" in verse 19. #993. Review #22. #994. Review #462. #995. Review #863. #996. Review #865 (see #997. He listened to the voice of his wife rather than to the voice of G-d, whom Adam hides from in Gen. 3:10 just as the children of Israel similarly hide in Deut 5:24-21, a point in favor of common authorship, but more importantly an important insight about fallen man). #997. Review #724 and #354. #998. Review #116. Do you see the VAV conversive? #999. Review #77. #1000. Review #124. Do you see the definite article? Adam's sin was listening to a human voice rather than G-d's word, thus effectively adding to the Bible (Deut. 4:2). This is where Rabbinic Judaism and Biblical Judaism parts company. He chose a life wherein he could obtain his own knowledge of good and evil apart from the abundant life that G-d provides through his word. Whoever chooses that life will find death, and whoever tries to keep his life and go his own way searching for a knowledge of good and evil will lose his life. #1001. Review #71. This is a relative pronoun, introducing the clause that follows, with the antecedent "tree (of the knowledge of good and evil)" being referred to. G-d wants to talk about the way of moral autonomy that he specifically forbade. #1002. Review #623 and #354. Notice the 2ms suffix. G-d is talking to the man, the priest of the home. The woman is ignored. The father is ultimately responsible. #1003. Review #270. What follows is direct speech. #1004. Review #493. #1005. Review #116. #1006. Review #640. #1007. Review #946. Qal passive participle #1008. Review #312. This is a feminine noun, as you see from its KAMATZ HAY ending and from the 3fs suffix in #1011. #1009. Review #354. BET AYIN VET SHURUK RESH = "because of" #1010. Review #981 and #448. "by painful toil" #1011. Review #116. Notice 3fs suffix referring you back to #1008. #1012. Review #250. #1013. Review #43. Do you see the plural construct ending? #1014. Review #295. GEN. 3:18 1014 chai-YEH-chah 1015 veh-KOHTS 1016 veh-dahr-DAHR 1017 tahts-MEE-ahkh 1018 lach 1019 vah-ah-khahl-TAH 1020 et 1021 EH-sehv 1022 hahs-sah- DEH #1015. "and thorn" #1016. "and thistle" #1017. Review #491 hifil. she (the ground) will cause to spring forth/sprout. #1018. "for you (2ms)" It looks like 2fs but the atnah puts the word in pause and changes the vowel. This is why it is a FINAL CHAF SH'VA #1019. Review #116. #1020. Review #4. #1021. Review #121. #1022. Review #483. GEN. 3:19 1023 beh-zeh-AHT 1024 ah-PEH-chah 1025 toh-KHOHL 1026 LEH-chem 1027 ahd 1028 shuv-CHAH 1029 el 1030 ha-ah-dah-MAH 1031 kee 1032 mee-MEH-nah 1033 loo-KAHKH-tah1034 kee 1035 ah-far 1036 AH-tah 1037 veh-el 1038 ah-fahr 1039 tah-shuv #1023. ZAYIN AYIN HAY = "sweat, perspiration" Review #448 "by sweat of" Do you see the TAV contruct ending? #1024. Review #522. literally "nostrils, nose" we translate" brow" 2ms suffix. #1025. Review #116. #1026. literally "bread" we translate "food" In Mic.5:2 the place of the Moshiach's birth is Beth-Lechem "house of bread" #1027. "until" #1028. SHIN SHURUK VET = "to turn beck, return" From this word we get the word repentance teshuvah TAV SHIN SHURUK VET HAY = teshuvah #1029. Review #97. #1030. Review #312. Do you see the play on words? It's like saying "Mr. Mudd, by the sweat of your face you shall eat bread until you return to the mud." #1031. Review #462. #1032. Review #640 and #354. "from her (the ground)" #1033. Review #613 and #435 on pual. "you were roughly taken" pual perfect 2ms passive intensive. The KUBUTZ under the first letter tells you it is a pual. Notice also the dagesh forte in the middle letter of the root. Remember the difference between the active and the passive voice. In the passive voice the subject is the recepient of the action of the verb rather than the agent. The active voice is the state of the verb in which the subject is doing the action. #1034. Review #462. #1035. Review #518. #1036. Review #837 and #920 on emphatic use of pronouns. #1037. Review #97. #1038. Review #518. #1039. Review #1028. Having completed this short Introduction to Biblical Hebrew course, it is our hope that you see that "all we like sheep have gone our own way" (Isaiah 53:6) eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, but that Hashem has laid on Moshiach the iniquity of us all (Isaiah 53:6), and therefore the Aitz of Moshiach Yehoshua (Deut. 21:23) has become for us who are being delivered from Judgment the Aitz haChayim. SHORT NOTE ON DIBLICA HEDRAICA STUTTGARTENSIA (8115): If you look on the bottom of page 3 of the BHS you will see various abbreviations. A few of them are important to recognize now. For example, look at the symbol for the Samaritan Pentateuch, a 5th century Hebrew document, and the Septuagint (G), a 3rd-2nd century Greek translation. In Genesis 2:2, in the fourth Hebrew word in the verse, HAY SHIN VET YUD AYIN YUD, we see an a superscript pointing us to the bottom of the page in the BHS textual apparatus. There we see that the Syriac (S) Aramaic translation also supports the reading HAY SHIN SHIN YUD ("the sixth") rather than the seventh day. This appears to be a "correction" in these versions to make it clear that G-d was not active on the seventh day. In this case the Masoretic reading is preferable. At the front of the BHS, on pages XLIV-XLVIII, you see other abbreviations, such as that for the Dead Sea Scrolls (Q). Some of these you will begin to recognize. TWO: TANAKH Before we begin studying the Bible together, let us remember the danger that lies in only reading about the Bible. If you read the notes we've given you and do not read what the notes are derived from, i.e. the entire text of Scripture (in this case the entire book of Genesis), then you are like the person born without a tongue who did not eat the ice cream but only had the experience described to him in a book. G-d wants to speak to you directly through "every word that proceeds from the mouth of G-d." His words are inerrant and will stand forever in the theatre of mankind. All that our fallible little notes can do is help to set the stage for you and to possibly raise the curtain. If you don't have an on-going schedule to keep you actually reading the Bible itself cover to cover, you may possibly "miss the show" and these pages will be useless in the end, like program notes given to you by an usher for a play you never saw. So sit down now and read the book of Genesis, all fifty chapters. Put the food of the Word of G-d directly into your mouth. Then we can talk about it. We will proceed only on the assumption that you have done that and will continue to do that as we go along from book to book. BERESHIS (GENESIS) ....B'ray-SHEET ("in the beginning") is the Hebrew name for Genesis. Many of the books of the Hebrew Bible are named from their first words. This Hebrew word begins the first fifth of the so-called "book of the Law of Moses" SEFER TORAT-MOSHE II Kgs. 14:6). In view of the watchword Sola Scriptura (the Bible alone is authoritative for faith), we must allow inerrantly inspired authors of Scipture to give us our normative interpretation of Scripture. For example, when we look at Genesis 1:1, we should remember Rav Sha'ul's teaching of the doctrine of creation ex nihilo (Latin, "from nothing") that G-d "calls into being that which does not exist" (Romans 4:17). With Rav Sha'ul's inerrant teaching to guide us, we will not be tempted to interpret Genesis 1:1 in any way that would have G-d creating the cosmos from pre-existing materials. The book of Romans would have us see the book of Genesis in terms of the sovereignty of G-d, that G-d created the cosmos out of nothing and the chosen nation of Israel out of nothing, since Abraham and Sarah were old and "as good as dead" (Romans 4:19). So Genesis chps 1-11 are about the creation of the inhabited world. And the book begins with Adam, who is told to govern the world as the son of G-d, being a type of "the one who is to come" (Romans 5:14; Genesis 3:15; 49:10 NIV), as expectation begins to build about a promised eschatological Redeemer-Ruler, a Savior from sin and death, a Great "Descendant" or "Seed" ZERAH. In Genesis we see the "fall," that is, "creation being subjected to futility" (Romans 8:20) and the whole human race being brought under the bondage of the law of sin and death (Romans 6:23) and all this occurred long before the death-dealing Law of Moses was given at Mt. Sinai. Romans 5:12 tells us how to exegete (interpret) Genesis 3. Adam is an epochal figure whose failure and fall determines the character of all encompassed in his epoch; that is, all of God-alienated humanity in need of the epoch of the second Adam, the New Man, the Moshiach, and especially in need of the new life that flows from the Kingdom of G-d and G-d's great King Moshiach and the Messianic Adamic fountain head. When we look at the first man lying on the ground dead (Gen. 5:5), the Bible is showing us the first sinner of a sinning/dying epoch which only the Moshiach's death brings to an end (II Cor. 5:14). The six days of creation may also stand for creationary epochs because the Seventh Day or Shabbos may also point toward the millennial epoch at the end of this age, if the book of Revelation (Rev. 20:4) and its creation theology is allowed to exert any force as an interpretive key to the meaning of Gen. chp. 1-3. YOM can be a period of in definite length in the Hebrew Bible. The age-day interpretation fits well with the geological record. Moreover, if the sun had not yet been created on Day One, you could hardly have a 24-hour solar day on that "day" of no sun! If the sun were not visible until day #4 (as in a long period where thick clouds constituted the primordial atmosphere) such a description as Genesis gives us could be reconciled with science. However, we need to remember in all of this that Moses is not conducting an amoral science lecture but rather is preaching a life-or-death sermon (Deut. 30:l5) to get his Jewish people to stop violating the law and get delivered from the wrath of G-d. In a sense it would be better to read the book of Genesis last instead of first. The reason is that Genesis answers all kinds of questions that only get raised for the reader later in the Bible. So it is only when you read Obadiah and Malachi that you really start asking, "Who are the Edomites and when do we first hear of their patriarch Esau?" Similarly, when Gog and Magog are mentioned in Ezekiel, when Javan (Greece) is mentioned in Zechariah, when Babylon (Shinar--Gen. 14:1) is mentioned in Isaiah, when the Canaanites and the Moabites and the Amorites (Noah's son Ham is the father of the Amorites) are discussed in the rest of the Scriptures, Genesis is the place to turn to get the Bible's theological introduction and overview of their significance and determinative character. Genesis introduces us theologically to all the major questions of life. What is mankind? What is marriage? What is work and rest from work in relation to G-d? In Proverbs it says that wine is a mocker (20:1). How does the Bible first introduce us to that fact? (Hint: see Gen. 9. Read also Lev. 10:8-11; Num. 6 :l-4; Luke 1-15; Rom. 14:2l.) How did the evil of polygamy begin? (Note Gen. 4:19 and Lamech's overweening desire for both women and violence--see Gen. 2:24 on monogamy.) What is sin? What is guilt? Does man have to sin? (See Gen. 4:7). How in the human heart did wickedness begin and proliferate over the earth? How did it happen that the life-blood was set apart as holy in the beginning, when G-d began to institute blood sacrifice as a necessary aspect of the faith of Abraham? Where did Moses and Joseph and the children of Israel come from? How did bondage, especially bondage in Egypt come about? How can it be circumcised and rolled away from the human heart so that we might know G-d personally and become his true sons? Adam, Abel, Seth, Enosh, Enoch, Noah, Shem, Arphachshad, Shelah, Eber, Peleg, Reu, Serug, Nahor, Terah and Abraham show us sons of G-d, whereas the sons of the Serpent become a brood of "Lamech's" swallowed in a flood of wrath. The coming "Descendant" is "the seed of the woman" and "the son of Man" and is also part of the promise given to Abraham. Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach Yehoshua/Yeshua tells us this when he says, "Abraham your father rejoiced at the thought of seeing the day of my coming" (Yochanan 8:56) See correct spelling of the Moshiach's name in the Hebrew Bible Neh. 7:39; see prophecy regarding this name as Moshiach's name Zech. 6:12; Ezra 3:8. Now this is important: Galatians 3:16 interprets in this Messianic sense Genesis 12:7;13:15; 17:7; 22:18 and 24:7. G-d promised many descendents but the fact that the word ZERA or SPERMA is singular Shliach Sha'ul takes as a Messianic reference, not merely a reference to the nation. Shliach Sha'ul sees the notion of promise, including a promised esohatological covenant (Genesis 17:2), as central to the book of Genesis, because the Exodus from Egypt, the conquering of the land of Israel, the coming of the King Moshiach, and his inheritance of the nations are all an unfolding of the promise that has its beginning in Genesis (the word "Genesis" is from a Greek word meaning "origin"). Since a gracious promise from a sovereign G-d who creates out of nothing negates any notion of salvation through meritorious works-righteousness, Shliach Sha'ul has Moses and Habakkuk to say "amen" when Shliach Sha'ul teaches that righteousness was credited to Abraham's faith when Abraham became the father of all (Jewish people and Gentiles alike) who believe (see Genesis 15:6; Deuteronomy 7:7-8; 9:4-6; Habakkuk 2:4). This is the teaching of Yehoshua in Yochanan 6:28-29. Although the book of Genesis tells us the origin of everything from marriage to polygamy and from the Edomites to the Sodomites, Shliach Sha'ul shows us the most important doctrine that originates from Genesis, the doctrine of justification by faith alone (Romans 3:28). Important prophecies in Genesis are these: one descendent of Abraham will bless the nations (see Genesis 12:1-4; Isaiah 49:5-6); Abraham's descendants will be slaves 400 years in a land not their own (Genesis 15:13); Abraham's descendants will be delivered in the fourth generation (Genesis 15:14-16); the land of Canaan would be given to Abraham's descendants as an inheritance (Genesis 15:16-21) and the promise would be given graciously and miraculously through Isaac (17:21; 21:12). If the book of Revelation reads Genesis 3 with an apocalyptic symbolic interpretation (see Revelation 12:9 and 20:2) then we should not read it with an empty literalism as though it were just a story about the origin of lethal snake bites (some famous rabbis have made this mistake). On the other hand, we would make a big error if we read Genesis 3 as a fictious myth, as though it weren't dealing with facts and with the sober historical reality of the human condition. Just because something is told in picture language fraught with symbolism rather than with scientific mathematical formulas does not mean that it is any less true or that it did not in fact occur. The story in Genesis 3 is not a mere parable. However, like a parable, the story points beyond itself to its practical lesson, that the fruit of going our own way (Isa. 53:6) against G-d's Word is death, and there is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death (Prov. 16:25). For Man must live by every word that proceeds from the mouth of G-d (Deut. 8:3). Satan is not literally a snake. If he were, we wouldn't need the new birth, just medicine to neutralize the venom. But Moses talks about the need for hitkadeshut when he uses the metaphor of the "circumcision of the heart" in Deut. 10:16; 30:6 and when he talks about the spiritual change or new birth indicated when Abram and Jacob received their new names as Abraham (father of many") and Israel ("he strives with God"). On this, see Gen. 17:5;32:28. Man is morally responsible before G-d and is commanded to yield his heart in obedience. On the other hand, G-d is free to choose and to judge. G-d is free to judge the attitude of Cain or to sovereignly choose the younger rather than the elder son as the heir of the promise. Judging from what we are saying here, would you say that Shliach Sha'ul is dealing with the issue of the new birth versus a works-righteousness religiosity when he refers to Genesis and to the "children of the promise" in Romans 9:8? Is Shliach Sha'ul seeing in Genesis the idea that only a sovereign Creator can effect the new creation, and that self-righteousness and self-efforts can never be our savior? The world offers various g-dless cosmogonies (theories of the origin and development of the universe) such as evolution. But the Bible declares that without regeneration from G-d, Man is not evolving upward from the beast but downward toward the Beast, and the number of his name is 666, the number of unregenerated Mankind at his most bestial. Without regeneration, man tends away from the likeness of G-d and toward the likeness of the unreasoning beast (Jude 10). If you come to the Bible looking for information to support the latest scientific theory instead of approaching the Bible to look for Yehoshua (Yochanan 5:39) and to gather fruit from the Aitz HaChayim (the tree of life), you are reading the Bible the wrong way, like a woman trying to find a recipe in a telephone directory. The Bible was not written to form us into gods who know exactly how old the universe is or how scientists might someday create a human being from the mud of matter. The Bible was written to give assurance of salvation and to equip the man of G-d for every good work (Yochanan 20:31; I Yochanan 5:13; II Tim. 3:16-11). Any fool might believe that such a complex organ as the human eye could by evolution spontaneously generate itself to see and rationally comprehend the world, but a miracle is needed before a depraved heart can believe that it has a need for G-d's Moshi'a (Deliverer), the Moshiach. The Bible was written to tell us what is man, something paleoanthropologists only pretend to know. They try to divine that what differentiates humanity from the animal kingdom is human speech or rational thought or the ability to use complex tools or to walk in an upright manner on two feet. They can't agree, however, and tend to put clever extinct species of apes and "near-men" and "cave men" and modern man all in the same genus, Homo (man). However according to the Bible, the genus of Man is not alone defined by his rationality (which serves a depraved will) but by the fact that Man is something that animals are not: man is a sinner needing the covering of G-d's saving hand, that is, a sinner needing the Moshiach. If we ask ourselves, where does the notion of a suffering yet innocent redeemer of the world originate, the answer again is Genesis. Starting in chp 37, Joseph, like Yehoshua son of Joseph, is an incognito prophet and savior, unrecognized by his own people, envied and rejected as not from G-d, buried as dead, but raised up by G-d to the right hand of supreme power to feed the bread of new life to the whole world, including at last his own people who do not recognize him until the end. (Rav Sha'ul may have had this Joseph cycle in mind when he wrote Romans 11.) This Anointed King, this Deliverer, will come from the line of Seth (Genesis 4:25), from the offspring of Shem (Genesis 9:26), from the family of Abraham (Genesis 12:3), from the seed of Isaac (Genesis 26:3) and from the sons of Jacob (Genesis 46:3) and from the tribe of Judah (49:10). Are you staying with me? Got a dictionary? The word ZERA means what? ______________________ What does ex nihilo mean? _____________________ Read Gen. chps 6-10. Archaeologists are not ignorant of flood strata in the geological record of ancient Mesopotamia. There definitely was some kind of horrific flood in antiquity. Flood stories are part of the memory of the human race and are almost universally known. The death that swallows Adam and the generations after him nearly swallows the whole human race in the wrath of G-d unleashed in the great deluge. But once again there is a Moshi'a savior figure, a kind of second Adam, and those who find salvation in his ark survive, while all those outside him are destroyed. See II Shimon Kefa 3:6. Possibly around 2166 B.C.E. Abraham was born in what is today modern Iraq. His home was in the city of Ur of the Chaldees (part of today's Iraq and Kuwait) and his people were Arameans, a Semitic group spreading out from the Euphrates in Iraq. His family migrated to Haran (an area near the Turkey-Syrian border 20 miles southeast of Urfa in modern Turkey), where his father died, where his brother Nahor settled, and where this Gentile named Abraham received his call to make aliyah [he was the first foreign emissary of Moshiach's shlichut (mission) to the Holy Land.] G-d chose to save Abraham and to make him the founder of a nation (Israel) and the father of many peoples (the Arab people come through his son Ishmael, born when Abraham was 86). G-d chose to make him a prophet and to give to him and to his "seed" both a covenant and a land and various promises, including the promise of a Moshiach and universal salvation, including the inheritance of the Gentile nations. These covenant promises were renewed to Abraham's son Isaac and Abraham's grandson Jacob. Jacob's name was changed to Israel. The area of Haran is important because it was from this region that Nahor's granddaughter Rebecca came, and she was destined to become the wife of Isaac and the mother of Jacob. Also, Leah and Rachel, the wives of Jacob, came from this region, because the father of these girls was Laban, Rebecca's brother and Jacob's uncle/father-in-law. When we study Genesis, we see this 75 year old Abraham leaving Haran and being guided by G-d to the land of Canaan with stops at Shechem, the vicinity of Bethel, the Negev desert to the south of Israel, Egypt, Bethel again, and then Hebron, where Abraham spent most of his life. He is a prophet, proclaiming G-d to the heathen Canaanites by "calling on the name of the L-rd." He acts not only like a prophet (notice his prophetic intercessory ministry in 20:17 and in 18:23-32) but also like a kohen, building altars and making sacrifices. But then appears a greater kohen, a mysterious royal figure ruling almost messianically over the city that became known later as Jerusalem. This kohen, a type of the Moshiach, takes Abraham's tithe and blesses him (Gen. 14). Four eastern kings then attack Sodom and, because Abraham's nephew Lot lives there, Abraham rescues him. But the same G-d who leads Lot to escape that homosexual stronghold Sodom, leads Abraham to miraculously father a son (Isaac) in his old age and then to send his servant (possibly the Eliezer of Gen. 15:2) to Laban to get Isaac a bride (see Gen. 24). With the birth of Isaac (a promise 25 years in coming), the promise of the rise of the nation, the possession of the nation's land (Israel), the coming of the Moshiach, and the inheritance of all the nations of the world--this great unfolding promise and its fulfillment--is assured. This is why the visit of the Angel of the L-rd in Gen. 18 is so important (18:2,17,22,33; 19:1 seems to make the inference that the Angel of the L-rd is G-d himself). Under the guidance of G-d we see Abraham moving around to different places, Hebron, the Philistine territory in Gerar, Beersheba, and Mount Moriah (later the site of the Beis Hamikdash mount--II Chron. 3:1). This is where his faith endured its most difficult test, prefiguring the vicarious, substitionary sacrifice in the coming Beis Hamikdash, prefiguring the sacrifice of the Moshiach, and prefiguring the sacrifice of every true believer who must put all on the altar to follow the L-rd. But G-d's guidance, made real to Abraham by the intervention of an angel (Gen. 22:11), came to his rescue even in the midst of severe testing. Abraham was put in the right before G-d by faith (15:6), as are all his Messianic heirs and spiritual children according to the promise (Gal. 3:7-9,29). Isaac's movements are also under the guidance of G-d from the time he narrowly escapes death as a child until his dying day: Mount Moriah, Gerar (Philistine territory), Beersheba. When his servants dig a well, the L-rd invariably leads them to water and the eyes of the heathen see "plainly that the L-rd has been with you" (26:28). Even as a blind old man, Isaac's hands were guided by the L-rd (see Gen. 27). The Edomites, a people south and southeast of the Dead Sea, in the country called Edom or Seir, raided Judah at the time of the Babylonian invasion (Obad.11) in the 6th century B.C. and possessed lands in the Negev desert (Ezek.35). But any claim they might have made on the territory of Israel was forfeited by the founder of their nation, Jacob's brother, Esau, who despised his birthright and was supplanted by his twin brother Jacob. We see the hand of G-d protecting Jacob, sending him away from Esau to Haran, prospering him in spite of all Laban's deceptive practices. As G-d was with Abraham and Isaac, so G-d guided Jacob. Just as both Sarah and her maid-servant, Hagar, gave Abraham offspring, so from Leah was born Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun. From Rachel was born Joseph and Benjamin. From Rachel's maid-servant Bilhah was born Dan and Naphtali. From Leah's maid-servant Zilpah was born Gad and Asher. When Jacob's caravan left Haran, G-d was with him as he headed for Gilead, protecting him from Laban. "The L-rd watch(ed)" (31:48) and angels met him at the place he named Mahanaim and he strove with G-d and prevailed until he received the blessing as "Israel." G-d guided Jacob to Shechem and met him at Bethel, leading him to Hebron. Through his son Joseph, G-d led Jacob even to Pharaoh's court in Egypt. And the same G-d that led his son Joseph to become a prophet in Egypt led Jacob's body to be returned for burial in the promised land, where his tomb (Gen. 50) would become a sign pointing to the Moshiach's tomb and the Exodus from sin and death. The tribes of Israel that Moses led out of Egypt in the Exodus were given much assurance by these stories from G-d's prophetic Word: G-d was likewise leading and guiding and providing for them as he had for their fathers. Joseph's movements under the guidance of G-d can be seen in three days: the day his brothers rejected him as a prophet and as their savior, refusing to do obeisance, selling him as a slave, and burying him as dead; the day he was falsely accused and imprisoned in Egypt; and the third day, the day he was raised to the right hand of supreme power as a vindicated prophet and the Moshi'a Savior of the world, ruler of all (Gen. 45:8). (See I Cor. 15:4 "the third day") The inference of Gen. 49:10 is that Judah's sovereignty (shepherd's staff) will remain with that tribe until the coming of David and the Son of David the Moshiach. See Ezek. 21:27 and its near quote of Gen. 49:l0, "until he comes to whom it rightfully belongs." Gen. 49:l0 says "the obedience of the peoples" is his, that is the Moshiach's. In the Babylonian Talmud, Sanhedrin 98b says that this is indeed a Messianic prophecy. GENESIS 3:15 And I will put enmity between thee (the Serpent) and the woman, and between thy seed (the children of the evil one--Yochanan 8:44) and her seed; it (the seed of the woman) shall bruise thy head (the Serpent), and thou shalt strike his heel. ["The Son of the promise" is an important Messianic theme. The "seed of the Woman" who is promised in Genesis 3:15 is to crush the Serpent. This idea of the "Son of the Promise" underscored in Genesis 18:14 points toward the Deliverer foreshadowed also by others, like Samson and Samuel, whose supernaturally orchestrated births were a sign of divine rescue on the way. Moses tells us in Genesis 49:10 that the Deliverer will come through Judah. But here, even before Judah or Jacob, G-d miraculously brings into being Isaac, just as G-d miraculously brings into being his true people of the new birth. The supernatural birth of both people (from the exile of sin) and the Moshiach (Immanuel) is a key theme related to the doctrine of salvation in Isaiah.] GENESIS 49:10 The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a ruler's staff from between his feet until Shiloh (or if Shelo "until he whose it is") come and the obedience of the nations (peoples) is his. SHEMOT (EXODUS) G-d's blessing on the people of Abraham (Gen. 12:3; 15:5) is such that, according to Ex. 1:12, "the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread." We see this in our own day in the way the Nazi Holocaust of 1933-1945 led to the thriving nation of Israel in 1948, growing with a vast exodus of diaspora Jews from the Soviet Union, Ethiopia, and other lands. G-d keeps his promises as we see in Gen. 15:13 and Ex. 12:40. There are modern liberal scholars (not too many of them) who believe that the Exodus from Egypt did not take place historically. Abraham is declared to be a fictional character and his prophecy in Gen. 15:13-16 about the Egyptian Exodus is declared to be a post events literary creation. But we know that it is an historical fact that the Exodus from the Babylonian Exile began around 538 B.C.E. (see Ezra 1:1-4) and that Jeremiah was a real historical character and his prophecy about the coming Babylonian Exodus in Jer.16:14-15 can be dated before 586 B.C.E. when Jerusalem's destruction made the Exile in Babylon complete. Now if G-d can prove to us that the latter Exodus is historical, why should we be skeptical that the former Exodus is historical? The doubters living in the last decade of the 20th century are without excuse for their unbelief, since they are themselves eye-witnesses of a full scale Russian Exodus that promises to double Israel's population in just a few years. This book tells of the enslavement and deliverance of a people and the birth and preparation of their deliverer. We hear of a contest between the G-d of the people of the coming Moshiach and the people of Pharaoh and his fals g-ds We learn of a miraclous deliverance out of Egypt and the journey to Mt. Sinai (Mt. Horeb). It is on this mountain that G-d reveals Himself first to Moses and then to the people, requiring by means of a covenant or contract that they be exclusively devoted to Him as a holy nation, with His holy presence accompanying them on the march by means of the mishkan and the kehunnah (priesthood) carrying the law of Moses. As men had to enter the ark of Noah's salvation to be saved from death, so we must enter the ark of the true Messianic deliverance to be saved. And another deliverer, the baby Moses, [MOSHE has the idea of "drawing out (of the water)], was also in a tiny ark (the same word is used in both stories: TEVAH meaning "vessel" is probably from an Egyptian loan word meaning "chest" or "coffin"). In the case of both Noah and Moses, the people would have to be submerged in a tevilah into covenantal fellowship with their deliverer to be saved (see I Corinthians 10:2; I Shliach Kefa 3:20f; II Shliach Kefa 2:5). And just as the Noah cycle in Genesis shows a glimmer of Messianic typology (see Matthew 24:38; Luke 17:27), so the book of Exodus is also Messianic and eschatological. Both stories point toward a new world coming which only a remnant preserved through judgment will inherit. Moses is depicted not merely as a prophet but as a mediator and judge/ruler who does a kohen's work as well. When he says "a prophet like me" in Deut. 18:15, this would include all these facets and by necessity would refer to the Moshiach. This is confirmed by Isaiah, who declares that the Prophet Moshiach will be a new Moses (Isa. 49:9-10). Look at chapter 24:2, where Moses is a type (a perfect model pointing to something higher) of Messiah because he symbolizes G-d's mediator. Like the expected Moshiach-Prophet, Moses is also a Mediator and law-giver (see Isaiah 42:4; Deuteronomy 18:18-19; Isaiah 49:8-9), liberator, the inaugurator of the Kingdom of G-d, the bringer of the covenant, the one delivered in order to be G-d's deliverer, the one who rules and judges G-d's people and raises up the divine dwelling of G-d in their midst, the tabernacle, the MISHKAN OHEL MO'ED (the sanctuary of the tent of meeting). Actually, Moses and Aaron together give us a picture of the ruler-kohen Moshiach of Zechariah 6:13 (Yehoshua-Zerubbabel) and Psalm 110. There is a recapitulation of the life of Moses in the life of Moshiach Yehoshua. Both are saved from a slaughter of innocents, both are called out of Egypt; Herod is a latter-day Pharaoh. Twelve disciples to match the twelve tribes; there are forty days in the wilderness to match the forty years of wandering, etc. However, Moses is not a mere political leader bringing in a this-worldly national liberation or revolution (this is only the "Moses" of the "liberation theology" of Roman Catholic liberalism in South America). He is a mediator pointing toward an other-worldly G-d (G-d's angel goes before the Israelites--see 23:23; 33:2 and they see God--24:10). This G-d descends from heaven and pitches His tent with His people, Himself dwelling over the Aron HaEdut (ark of the testimony) where He sits enthroned between the cherubim and over the Word He inscribed on stone tablets. Moses sprinkles the elect nation (Exodus 24:8) just as the Moshiach will sprinkle the elect nations (Isaiah 52:15). In both cases the elect are redeemed as a blood-covenanted possession. Furthermore, in the book of Exodus, Egypt's "new king who knew nothing of Joseph" (Exodus 1:8) is a prefigurement of the Anti-Moshiach of the book of Revelation, where the Exodus-like plagues of G-d's wrath (angry judgment) fall on the Anti-Moshiach Beast's end-time Sodom civilization. So Pharaoh's fall gives us a foreglimpse of the fall of the Beast and his last-days "Babylon" civilization we see pictured so vividly in Revelation 16 (see also Rev. 11:8). The Besuras Hageulah of Yochanan is also organized much like Exodus, with "signs" in both books convincing the people of the credibility of each saving Mediator. While there are seven signs in Yochanan there are ten signs building up to the Exodus of Moses. These ten are Dahm (blood 7:14-24); Z'fard'im (frogs 8:1-15); Kinim (gnats 8:16-19); Arov (flies 8:20-32); Dever (pestilence on livestock 9:1-7); Sh'chin (boils 9:8-12); Barad (hail 9:13-35); Arbeh (locusts 10:4-20); Chosech (darkness 10:21-29) Makat B'chorot (slaying of firstborn 12:29-32). These are recited every year in the Passover Seder, which is eaten with matzah and M'rorim bitter herbs (see 12:8). Read carefully 12:1-27. Notice the mixed crowd or rabble Erev Rav (large motley group) in 12:38 and remember the parable of the tares and wheat in Matt. 13:25. Not all were prepared for holy battle (13:18). Normally, passages like 12:37-39 are used in the Seder to explain the matzah or unleavened bread. Ex. 12:42 explains why some Jewish people stay up all night for the Chag festival. Read the breath-taking description of the parting of what is traditionally called the "Red Sea" (Yam Soof in Hebrew) in Ex. 14. and the "Mi-chamochah Ba'Alim Adonai song in Ex. 15:11 found in the synagogue liturgy. Notice a key theme of the entire Torah in Ex. 15:13, "You guided them by Your strength to Your Holy Abode." A Messianic theme in Exodus is the refrain we heard in Genesis 37:8, where Joseph's brothers taunt Joseph with the question: "Do you think that you will indeed be king over us and rule us?" In Exodus 2:14 Moses, even though he has been raised in a palace as a prince, is likewise taunted, "Who set you as an official and judge over us?" This is a continuation of the theme we will see again in King David's life and in Isaiah 53 where, once again, the spiritually anointed Leader is sent by G-d but rejected by the people. In the case of both the Mediator of the Sinai Covenant and also the Mediator of the (Jer. 31:31-34) Messianic Brit Chadasha, the Savior-figure who "sprinkles" ["NAZAH"], with the blood of the Covenant (Ex. 24:8; Isaiah 52:13) is called the Eved (Servant) of the L-rd (Ex. 14:31; Isa. 52:13). Prince Moses will be a type of the Moshiach, just as Joseph "prince among his brothers" (Gen. 49:26) was. Genesis 49:10 tells us that the obedience of the nations will come to the Moshiach descended from the tribe of Judah, but Scripture gives us various pictures of him. For example, the Jewish people (some of them, that is) meant to do Yehoshua Son of Joseph harm, but G-d meant to bring good out of it by saving many people (Genesis 50:20). Also, Genesis offers the promise of land and life but ends with everyone being sucked into a tomb (see Genesis 49:29-33), and the body of Joseph going back to that tomb in a 400 year long trek (Genesis 50:24-26; Exodus 13:19). But a victory over the defeat of that tomb will occur when "the 70" (Exodus 1:5) burst forth from the tomb of Egypt in a great exodus of "600,000" (Exodus 12:3?). This was possible because of midwives who didn't believe in abortion (1:17), who did believe instead in the G-d of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob as the G-d of the living. This awesome G-d commissions Moses (1:23-2:15) while he is a shepherd in Midian on Mt. Sinai (Horeb) to deliver His people with Match Ha'Elohim (the rod of God) performing signs and wonders (this word wonder" mofet in Ex.7:3 we will see again in a key Messianic passage in Zechariah 3:8). The G-d of Israel reveals to Moses his personal covenant Name which contains his character, that he is the G-d who always is (Ex. 3:14), the eternally self-existent true G-d. This one true L-rd is the author of salvation (Ex. 6:1-8), and he explains that he is going to remember his covenant with the Patriarchs (Ex. 2:24) and then he will plunder the Egyptians (3:21-22; 11:2-3 12:35-36) and harden Pharaoh's heart before he brings out Israel from Egypt with a mighty hand. G-d has many marvelous reasons for this (see 6:1; 7:3; 9:16; 10:1-2; 11:9; 14:4; 18:11). The plagues of the Exodus were acts of judgment. The plagues were also deliberate denigrations of the destructive deities and idol religion of the Egyptians (12:12), the kind of Holy War that Moses and Joshua will be continuing as preparations are made to invade the Holy Land. Ex. 6:6 says "I am the L-rd, and I will free you from the burdens of the Egyptians and deliver you from slavery to them. I will redeem (I will be the Go'el) Redeemer, literally buying you back from slavery by putting a blood sacrifice ransom on every door). I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment." But in doing these acts of judgment, in pouring out the plagues, G-d promises to "make a distinction between my people and your (Pharaoh's) people" (Ex. 8:23; Gen. 3:15). This is the key to what Yochanan means in Rev. 3:10, "Because you have kept my word of patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth." Believers have been taken out of judgment and they will not be "destroyed with those who destroy the earth" (Rev. 11:18); just the opposite, they will be raptured first (Rev. 11:12). G-d will "take" them like he took Enoch and Elijah. However, not all the tribulation plagues of Exodus necessitate evaculation for G-d's people to escape them (see 8:22; 9:20-21,26,34; 10:23; 11:6-7). This should prompt us to anticipate an imminent rapture but not to presume that rapture is the only way G-d can protect his kedoshim while He pours out bowls of wrath and plagues of judgment on the worldly people all around his chosen ones. Like a typical reprobate who continually refuses to humble himself before G-d (10:3), the proud unregenerate Pharaoh does not believe even though all the terrible plagues of judgment and wrath fall on him. But these plagues the L-rd uses to distinguish between Egypt and Israel (11:7), for He is redeeming a people of slaves set apart to worship Him (10:26) and to become a free nation of kohanim to G-d. The L-rd will make his covenant with his redeemed people, and they will remember the covenant in a solemn covenant meal, the Pesach Seder (chapter 12 Pesach). Chapter 13 hearkens back to Genesis 22 and shows that only the first-born of the redeemed will be included in the Pidyon HaBen redemption of the son--see 22:29b-30). When the first-born of Pharaoh and Egypt were struck down while the first-born of Israel was preserved alive even before the Red Sea parted, these events showed the Israelites that they were being delivered from destruction by One who is omnipotent and can alone assure their future (their future lay with the ruling heir, the firstborn). The early Messianic Jews had the same realization when they saw G-d likewise save and raise his own firstborn Son from the dead and effect their and His "exodus"--see Luke 9:30 and I Cor. 5:7. Matthew also presents Moshiach Yehoshua as the New Moses, just as Isaiah looks forward to a new exodus of salvation and the Moshiach to lead it (see Isaiah 49:9-10). The Pesach lamb was a vicarious sacrifice for the first-born heir, who represented the whole community and its future. The Pesach Lamb purchased the redemption of those who were saved and its blood on their houses literally bought them so that they became the people whom G-d bought or acquired ["KANAH"] Ex. 15:16; 12:23-27). Atonement money (30:11-16) was meant to remind the Israelites of the ransom given in the blood sacrifice of the Pesach lamb and in the tent of meeting, that is "the kofer (ransom) given for your lives" (30:12). Trace the word for lamb in Hebrew Seh from Genesis 22:7 to Exodus 12:3 to Isaiah 53:7. Moshiach is the coming Passover Lamb, the redemptive-savior of Abraham's progeny. He is the one that Isaac asks for (unwittingly not only for his own redemption but also for the purchased redemption of all Abraham's children by faith). Sometimes, as in the case of the detour the Israelites took through the desert rather than the more direct route to Israel, G-d has a reason for making us take longer to reach our objectives. The disheveled ex-slaves needed time to get disciplined and organized. We talmidim also sometimes need more time and therefore should not get discouraged when our long-range goals are not reached over-night. See 13:17-18. The important point is that we must wait on the L-rd who will remember his people (2:24). The L-rd works very quickly when he wills to do so. It took only three months for the L-rd to bring his Lamb-redeemed (13:13-14) and Red Sea-mikvehed people to Mount Sinai (Horeb) where he met with their mediator Moses for one year and where Israel became a blood-covenanted nation! These latter two events look forward to the mediator Moshiach on the Mount of Transfiguration and the remnant Shluchim of Israel at the Moshiach's Last Passover Seder, when we too became a blood-covenanted people. One of the twelve sons of Jacob was Levi. He had a son named Kohath who had a son named Amram whose children were Aaron and Miriam and Moses. Aaron had a son named Eleazar who had a son named Phinehas (read about Eleazar's death in the last verse of Joshua). In the book of Exodus Moses is depicted as a Levite who in chapter 32 leads a vanguard of zealous Levites in setting the standard of kedushah for the Israelites in the wilderness. Many Hebrews are still slaves in Egypt, spiritually speaking, worshipping the Egyptian bull G-d Apis (the golden calf) with orgiastic worship (the Hebrew word L'Tsachek in 32:6 has, according to the medieval rabbinic commentator Rashi, sexual connotations). The point is that the called out kahal of the Exodus is in need of a second Exodus, a new creation Exodus from the "Egyptian" idolatry and bondage within and the hard-hearted "Pharoah" of their own proud and unspiritual nature. Moses has been to the mountaintop and has seen the pattern of G-d's coming salvation (25:9,10; 26:30), but the people, lacking his vision, murmur against G-d's leader, break the covenant, and perish ("without a vision the people perish" [Prov. 29:18]--not realizing that there is a spiritual march and a discipleship discipline necessary to reach salvation's goal.) The people develop increasing carnality, rebelliousness, faithlessness, ingratitude, unteachability, anger and cowardice until G-d condemns them and replaces them with a new-born people that emerges at the end of the forty year wilderness wanderings. Only the new-barn "inherit the earth" of the land of Israel in the end! But G-d is the Prime Mover of the Exodus; it doesn't depend on Moses' eloquence (or lack of it--4:l0; 6:30) or even on Israel's competence. He will say, "Israel, come forth!" and she who was dying in chains in an unclean land of idols will come forth living and free, destined for kedushah and hitkhadeshut. Notice the power encounter is between the "New Age" Anti-Moshiach pseudo-miracles and occult arts of magicians in Pharaoh's court and the power of the Ruach Hakodesh (7:11; see II Thes. 2:9-10; Rev. 13:11-18). We see that Anti-Moshiach oppression is of a political and religious kind, and that it is diabolically designed to hinder worship of the true G-d and His Moshiach (See 13:13). In many ways Moses prefigures the Moshiach. Moses himself is no messianic hero, however, but a limited man who needs Aaron as his press secretary and spokesman, and Miriam as his music and choreography worship leader. Through Jethro's advice, Moses wisely admits his need for a vast division of labor as far as leadership is concerned (18:18, 21), because the job of Shofet (Judge) was getting too large for him. So we see Moses as a model of the true spiritual leader, one who spends time on the mountaintop alone in intercessory prayer and devekut with G-d as well as in meditation on the Word, and then allows a host of others to help him carry the load of work, which would be too heavy for him to bear alone. He does this by supervising their work which is compartmentalized and graded in complexity under properly fitted leadership so that as problems go up the hierarchy, most get solved before they reach him. Exodus 29:4 shows the kohen's total abulation looking forward to Moshaich's tevilah. This kohen's washing is the source of the consecration ritual for service to G-d (19:14) and the proselyte initiation ritual which is Brit Chadashah tevilah. See the word (mikveh) in Exodus 7:19 and Genesis 1:10. There is typology for this in the parting of the Red Sea and in the washings of the kohanim as they are installed in their ministry. Deliverance and redemption, however,are not ritually received (rituals are commanded but as "wilderness tests" of obedience and faith, not for their supposed magical properties). Deliverance and redemption come through emunah in the ransom of the Passover Lamb (later fulfilled in the Moshiach) that heals us from the plagues of sin and death (Ex. 15:26; 23:25; Isa. 53:5,7). The promised life G-d offers (later fulfilled in the mavet, kevurah and techiyas hamesim of the Moshiach) is symbolized in time (Shabbos and Festivals of Sacred Calendar) and in space (Holy Camp, Mishkan and Promised Land). In front of the OHEL MO'ED was the KIYYOR for washing and the MITZBE'ACH of the burnt-offering. In the Holy Place was found the golden SHULCHAN with the LECHEM PANIM and beside it, the MENORAH. In front of the PAROKHET on the KODESH HAKODESHIM was a MITZBE'ACH HAKETORET. In the KODESH HAKODESHIM was the ark of the covenant with the ASERET HADIBROT on the LUCHOT AVANIM inside and the KAPPORET functioning as its lid, with the two cherubim facing each other on top of the KAPPORET. Typology of Moshiach is seen in the MISHKAN's construction, since he is the perfect pattern of G-d's saving presence with men; he is the bread of life, the Lechem Panim, bread of the Presence and he is the Shulchan upon which all our sustenance rests; he is the menorah, the Lampstand, the light of the world; he is the Mizbe'ach Haketoret (the altar of incense), He is the sweet fragrance of salvation's incense; He is the Mizbe'ach Ha'Olah, (the altar of burnt-offering); he is the great Kohen Gadol, the acceptable sacrifice, the one MELITZ, the kiyyor (basin) who washes us with the Ruach Hakodesh, the law-giver, the door, the KAPPORET, the blood, the victim, and the Word as well as the Presence who tabernacled with us in the flesh. Isaiah says He is even the covenant (Isa. 42:6). Exodus 30:30 is the origin of the word Moshiach. Kohanim were anointed with a special oil, and among laymen only the Davidic King (Himself a kohen after the order of Malki-tzedek) was anointed. When David's dynasty became acknowledged as the Messianic line, "G-d's anointed" (Moshiach) became a portentous way of referring to David's Moshiach-bringing dynasty. (See the Hebrew word in Psalm 2:2 and Daniel 9:26). In the theology of Exodus, Egypt is not just exited; it is judged and condemned, just as is the old humanity in the momentous sacrifice of the Lamb of G-d. The true people of G-d is a remnant within the "rabble." Not all Israel is Israel. The royal idol of Pharaoh was a serpent g-d, a cobra, and the most important of all Egyptian devils was Apophis represented by a serpent. Genesis 3 has this in its background since Moses is the author. The Serpent g-d of this world is being rejected. Ironically, Moses finds he has a more gruelling challenge in dealing with the people of G-d than he did with the people of Pharoah. Nearly stoning him, they crave the sensual delights of their former life of slavery, not realizing that these will bring upon themselves the evil diseases of Egypt (see Exodus 15 and Deuteronomy 7). The murmurers are always yearning to get out of the ministry and have a "normal life." Doubting that G-d can furnish a table in the wilderness" (Psalm 78:19), many fail to endure to the end and be saved. As we see in the Servant Songs of Isaiah, both Israel and Moshiach are G-d's first-born Son (see Exodus 4:23; Psalm 89:27). They are both the "seed" of Abraham, but Isaiah 53 says that Moshiach makes atonement for the people. "For the transgression of my people was he stricken" (Isa. 53:8). We see much typology of Moshiach in Exodus: the Pesach lamb chavurah meal (with blood protection for covenant-keepers), the manna "test of obedience" meals (teaching not to "gather" faithlessly in the flesh but to wait on the L-rd and trust in the L-rd's providence and his provision), and the legislation about strangers and outsiders needing to be consecrated in the covenant initiation of circumcision to partake of Pesach, as well as the sections on the Zekenim eating and drinking with G-d. Exodus 36:2 speaks of the artists G-d used to make His worship beautiful and acceptable to Him (see also Ex. 35:10-19; 35:30-36:7). If the worshipers sacrificing and meeting G-d at the MISHKAN are a prophetic foreshadow or type of the people of G-d, then each KEHILLAH should have its artisans and artists today to coordinate and embellish the gifts and talents that each worshipper is prompted by his own heart to bring to G-d's service. In Exodus we see the leaders coordinating the arts and the artistic contributions of the people for the esthetic enhancement of worship. It's important to remember that Solomon's Beis Hamikdash and other artistic achievements of great beauty (such as the Bible itself as a literary achievement) are used by G-d to attract the heathen to come and taste and see that the L-rd is good. No Brit Chadasha kehillah should underestimate the power of the arts in attracting outsiders. Exodus chps. 35-40 tells about the building of the mishkan (a type of portable royal pavilion-palace for G-d to dwell in as His people travelled with Him toward the Promised Land of new life). The fire and cloud (Ex. 40:34-38) associated with it from the time of its completion are a sign that G-d indeed dwells there. At the end of Deuteronomy we find Moses, old and ready to die and yet not entering the promised land. G-d had almost killed him once before (possibly in a deadly illness) over the mitzvah of Bris Milah (circumcision) [Ex. 4:26]. In the book of Exodus we learn about many Jewish matters of importance: the L-rd calls Himself the Elohei Ha'Ivrim (G-d of the Hebrews) (7:16); the L-rd gives the prohibition on travel and fire-building on Shabbos (16:29-30; 35:3); the testing of Moses occurs (compare Ex. 17 and Num. 20); we see the Amalek (17:14) people over whom King Saul got in trouble for not killing their king (I Sam. 15:8), There are other important themes. The people of G-d are called to be a malchut of kohenim and a holy nation (19:6). The reverential glory attached to the ministry is seen in the striking ceremonies and clothing of the kohanim (28:40-43). We see the trumpet or shofar and catch its esohatological significance (see 19:13,16 and I Thes. 4:16). The Aseret haDibrot which form the basis of all other laws in the Bible are introduced (20:1-17). A depiction of G-d's nature is given to us (34:6-7). The fear of the L-rd is seen as a preventative against sin (20:20). The redemption price of a slave is thirty shekels of silver (see Zech. 11:12 and Matt. 26:15; 27:3,9). The typology of Moses the Judge points to Moshiach the Judge, since, to come before such a Judge means to come before G-d (see 22:9); the Angel (Messenger) of the L-rd will have the Name or Presence of G-d in Him and will be virtually the equivalent of the L-rd Himself and therefore a picture of Mal. 3:1--see Ex. 23:20-21. The reason for the Holy War In the Holy Lend concerns the seven indigenous peoples there who were made Charem (devoted under the ban of destruction--Ex.23:32-33). Much of this book is taken up with the detailed plans for building the Mishkan as an acceptable place for G-d to dwell and be met by His people. In fact it is called Ohel Mo'ed the tent of meeting." Notice the fulfillment that comes with serving the L-rd there. "The Israelites had done all of the work just as the L-rd had commanded Moses. When Moses saw that they had done all the work just as the L-rd had commanded, he blessed them" (Ex. 39:42-43). On Moses' authorship, see 24:4,7 which says "Moses wrote down all the words of the L-rd"..and read from "the Sefer HaBrit (Book of the Covenant)." On the other "book," the Sefer HaChayyim, referred to elsewhere in Scripture, see Ex. 32:33. The Moshiach is Immanuel ("G-d-with-us"), the Word of G-d (G-d's Wisdom, His Son) who descended from heaven to Mount Sinai to dwell "with us" in the Devir (Kodesh HaKodeshim) of the Tabernacle of the Tent of Meeting, where G-d pitches His Royal Pavilion among His people and can only be approached with Biblically specified blood sacrifice acceptably mediated. The temporary Tent of Meeting that Moses set up before the tabernacle was erected is mentioned in Ex. 33:11. EXODUS 3:13 And Moses said unto G-d, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The G-d of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them? EXODUS 3:14 And G-d said unto Moses, I AM WHO I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you. EXODUS 25:40 And see that thou make them after their pattern, which was shown thee on the mountain. VAYIKRA (LEVITICUS) A whole book of the Bible is devoted to underscoring the fact that Biblical (as opposed to Talmudic) Judaism is a faith requiring shefikhat dahm (shedding of blood) for the SELICHAT AVON. On Mt. Sinai the L-rd made it clear that He could not be truly honored as G-d without blood (7:37-38). We were bought at great price, and all the blood of bulls and goats pointed to the blood of the Lamb of G-d who takes away the sin of the world. When we meditate on this book we see at what great price of blood the world was redeemed. For, as in the institution of the Brit Chadasha (Matt. 26:28), so the Sinai Covenant was instituted by blood sacrifice (Ex. 24:3-8). In Leviticus we see that this is emphasized with no less than eight types of offerings: the sin offering [CHATTAT] (Lev. 4:1-35; 6:24-30) to atone for specific unwitting sin; different animals or offerings were required, depending on the rank of the offender--ruler, kohen, or common person, poor person, very poor person; the offerer laid his hand on the victim and identified with it (as we must identify with Moshiach); this blood alone was put on the horns of the incense altar (4:16-18) in the Holy Place; on the Yom Kippur, this blood was taken into the Kodesh HaKodeshim and manipulated as for a leprous unclean people (Lev. 14:7; 16:14). The kohen performed ritual eating with part of the meat in the Beis Hamikdash area; the Moshiach's Seder looks back to this since we are Brit Chadasha kohanim (Yochanan 6:49-58). Next, the guilt or trespass offering [ASHAM] (the same word is predicted about the Moshiach in Isaiah 53:10) to atone for unwitting sin requiring restitution (this was also eaten; read Lev. 5:14-6:7; 7:1-7; whenever G-d or someone else was defrauded or cheated of what was rightly his, this sacrifice was necessary. Like the leper who, because of his uncleanness, defrauds G-d of acceptable service and needs the cleansing blood applied to his ears, hands, and feet (see 14:12-14), so we, who have defrauded G-d of much service because of our uncleannesses, need the blood of the Moshiach applied to our whole being. Next, the holocaust [OLAH or burnt offering] to atone for unwitting sins in general; the kohen had to keep the fire burning continuously (Lev. 6:8-13) because the victim had to be burned completely and there were sacrifices morning and evening. In the L-rd's work the minister has to keep the fire of spiritual awakening burning continuously by not neglecting the Word and prayer and other ministry duties (see Acts 2:42; Heb. 10:25). Next, the cereal offering [MINCHAH] to secure or retain good will (not a blood sacrifice but fine flour, olive oil, and frankincense offered along with such); unless the offering was for his own sin, the kohen could eat part of it (6:16; 1:9), and this was one of his "mitzbe'ach rights," just as we have certain mitzbe'ach rights at the Table of the L-rd that unbelievers have no right to share (Heb. 13:10). Next, the peace offering [SHLOMIM] or fellowship offering to render thanks to G-d; the kohen took the sacrificial meat and the cakes or wafers and gave them back to the repentant choteh to eat wherever he chose. This is a picture of the privileges and benefits that accompany the ministry of the laity and also points to the Moshiach's Tish. Next, the drink offering [NESECH] was denied the kohen and completely poured out, just as our lives must be wholly expended for the L-rd (see II Tim. 4:6) and we must not get involved in civilian pursuits (II Tim. 2:4); (in addition there was the thank offering [TODAH] for a blessing received, Next, the vow offering [NEDER] upon completion of a vow, and the freewill offering [N'DAVAH]"from a glad heart" (a voluntary offering, such as was given at the three major feasts: Pesach, Shavuos and Sukkot). In some of these sacrifices, hands are laid on the victim, which must be without flaw, and the victim then, with this physical contact, becomes (through the gracious gift of saving emunah) a substitute, and a vicarious kapporah is thereby appropriated for the choteh (see Leviticus 1:4). With the touch of the hand and the emunah of the believer, the sin transfers to the victim whose bloody death expiates (removes) the chet from the choteh and propitiates (appeases) the wrath or anger of G-d against sin. Thus the sin is covered or atoned for. In Leviticus 4:1-3 we see that sin doesn't get off scot-free...somebody has to pay. We see the bull come forward to pay, just as later we see the perfect victim, the filial Word of G-d the man Rebbe Melech HaMoshiach Yehoshua, come forward to pay (as foretold in Isaiah 53). In Leviticus 4:15 we see the zekenim of the community lay their hands upon the head, just as later they unwittingly laid their hands upon the head of the eternal Word Himself, the Moshiach Kohen-Lamb. In this respect the Moshiach's death was not only an Asham it was also a Chattat that is, a sin offering for the whole community. In fact all of the sacrifices find their fulfillment in the death of the Moshiach. On Yom Kippur, the Kohen Gadol lays both of his hands on the head of the victim, confesses over it all the perverse sins and transgressions of the people, transfering them to the head of the doomed victim, who will bear [NASAH] them away outside the makhaneh (camp) to the wilderness where it will die (notice Lev. 16:22 and Isaiah 53:12 "He bore the sin of many"). The covenant of salt referred to in Lev. 2:13 symbolizes permanence, which is an aspect of both salt's preservative quality and G-d's covenant love for his people. G-d spoke to Moses about such critically important matters from the Ohel Moed (Tent of Meeting) (Lev. 1:1). And the chesed Hashem is emphasized in the fact that Aaron, although he had made a golden calf for the people and was completely unworthy to be a minister (like Shliach Kefa and Rav Sha'ul), and although he in no way earned by zechus the personal relationship to the King of Kings that the Covenant offered, nevertheless, the grace of G-d was such that G-d revealed to Moses how He wanted to be worshipped in the Mishkan. Then G-d had Moses ordain Aaron and instruct him to perform the holy duties of a kohen as are written out in this book, the book of Leviticus. Nevertheless, not many should become teachers and engage in the kohen's service of teaching, since those who teach will be judged with greater strictness (Ya'akov 3:1), and Leviticus warns us several times about what will happen to kohanim who are careless in their duties. In Leviticus 4:31 it says, "Thus the kohen shall make atonement for him and he shall be forgiven." The perfect Word of G-d, who came to Moses with this oracle, Himself came later as our eternal kohen (Psalm 110:4) and made expiation for us with his own flawless life poured out in a bloody death so that we could be forgiven. This is "the ram of the guilt offering" (Lev. 5:16) that G-d promised to provide for Abraham (Genesis 22:11-14; Isa. 53:l0). Leviticus 9 promises the glorious Presence of the L-rd will appear to you if the enjoined sacrifice is accepted (9:1,5-7, 23); Yehoshua is the Word of G-d's Presence appearing among us as Immanuel (God-with-us). Notice I Cor. 15:5f says "he appeared. In chapter 10 we see that two kohanim went beyond what is written and the L-rd permanently retired them from their S'MICHA (ordination), just as many great spiritual leaders, involved in the "illicit fire" of wine, women and financial corruption, have likewise been ingloriously defrocked and wiped out of the ministry by the L-rd. If we know the Moshiach and we are kohanim who have entered the Tent of Meeting, then why do we break the law and drunkenly crave wine (Lev. 10:9)? If you are in the L-rd's ministry, you cannot go anywhere you want or do anything you want; you must not go outside the entrance of the Tent of Meeting lest you die" (10:7). We must not touch anything unclean, lest we grieve the Ruach Hakodesh and break our Rev. 3:20 communion with the L-rd, to which Lev. 10:17 points. If anyone thinks that he is so gifted and invaluable to the L-rd that he can get away with secret sin, he should remember that G-d had for kohanim only Aaron's four sons and G-d put half of them to death! No man is indispensible with G-d; all of us can be eliminated and replaced (G-d replaced the whole people of Israel in the wilderness); so we should meditate on this book and fear G-d. G-d seems to be saying in Lev. 10:2-3, "Offer right sacrifices, O ministers, or you will be sacrificed." The eye-witnessed detail in Lev. 10:5 reminds us of Acts 5:1-11 where two other ministers committed high-handed sin. Aaron's sons deliberately shunned the fire from G-d (Lev. 9:24) and offered unholy fire (10:1) of their own choosing. In chapter 13, we see that G-d's minister must examine the flock and sometimes infected members must be quarantined and dealt with apart from the others. Suppose you as a spiritual leader interviewed a lonely bachelor with a history of fornication and suppose he was seeking admission to your ministry because he was "lonely" for lady companionship. Would you see this as "leprosy" and quarantine him? Or would you play the Jewish matchmaker and rush to "meet his needs?" We need to make sure that all of us keep our "itch" (Lev. 13:30) under the examination of the Lord's body through faithful submission to the House of G-d where we've been called. Lev. 16:2 tells us about the Parokhet (or curtain veiling the Kodesh HaKodashim) and about the Aron Kodesh (the Holy Ark) and regarding the atonement cover or Kaporet where G-d Himself appears. In Rom. 3:25 the word (ilastE/rion is the word for Moshiach's sacrifice of atonement, and it is a direct reference to this Greek word which is also found here in the Septuagint translation of Lev. 16:2. So Yehoshua is where G-d appears in holy sacrifice. Yehoshua sprinkles the nations in a cosmic Yom Kippur sacrifice, according to Isaiah 52:15, since he is the cosmic and eternal kohen of Psalm 110:4. Aza'zel is generally translated "scapegoat" in Lev. 16:10. It cannot mean demon (see Lev. 17:7). In chapter 18 polygamy (18:18) and homosexuality (18:22) are condemned and sexual sins are made one of the grounds for exile which is threatened (compare 18:25 to 18:28; also 26:34). Since the illicit and incestuous unions in Leviticus 18 seem to be referred to in Acts 15:20 and Matthew 19:9, a case can be made that Moshiach Yehoshua allowed no other grounds for divorce and remarriage (other than porneia). Porneia would have been the grounds for the annulment of Yosef's marriage to Miryam had she been guilty of this kind of sexual deception during the engagement period (see Matthew 1:19), and in that case had he remarried he would be considered married only once (I Timothy 3:2). Other than these types of exceptions, Yehoshua considered the marriage vow indissoluble. If one intends to be a leader in G-d's work and if one knows that his calling entails it, one should seek ordination, not necessarily a prestigious academic degree. The Bible says nothing about prestigious degrees (except that Moshiach Yehoshua condemns the idolatrous and caste-creating use of titles in the L-rd's House -- Matthew 23:5-12), but it says plenty (even in Leviticus) about ordination! Do you think someone should not have to possess a medical license (that can be revoked if they engage in malpractice) if they want to be a doctor or a medical healer of bodies? If this is true, why do you think you should be able to lead in the L-rd's work without a similar recognized appointment holding you accountable for your moral and doctrinal integrity? Just as Exodus gives minute details for the building of the Mishkan, so Leviticus gives minute details for how the kohanim are to be ordained so they can be overseers who inspect the worshippers according to the exact laws and regulations protecting the holiness of G-d's people. G-d wants quality control and quality control inspectors to insure holiness in his worshippers. This is why Shliach Sha'ul lays down qualifying principles for the standards ministers must keep (see 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1). Anti-clericalism is the renunciation of the ordained ministry and is a reaction against clericalism, wherein the clergy is turned into a caste system that abuses ministerial privileges and lords it over the laity. But anti-clericalism is itself a sin against G-d's Word because G-d does want mesharetim (ministers, servants) and G-d does want them authorized and accountable to those who appointed them. In Lev. 8:22-32 we see the ordination ceremony. Moses officiates. (See also Ex. 29:19-34 and its description.) Notice that a man cannot ordain himself. Aaron and his sons are dependent on the G-d who called them to dress them in the holy garments of a kohen using his "dresser" Moses. The minister's hands, ears, end feet are made holy and sanctified and consecrated for avodas kodesh by the purifying blood. From now on, everything the minister touches, or listens to, and every place he frequents must be part of his holy business as a kohen because it is all under the blood (see Lev. 8:23,30). The minister's hands have been filled with holy work and he must be about G-d's holy business (see 8:26-28). G-d will uniquely sustain the minister in all this (Ex. 29:33), but the minister must eat the offering G-d provides in the place where G-d assigns him (8:31-36) and not journey out in his own stubborn will to minister wherever he pleases. To do so might mean the death of his ministry (see Lev. 8:35). These are some of the many deep spiritual truths in Lev. 8, and there is a sense in which these truths apply to both lay and ordained ministers, though the specific teachings regarding ordination are emphasized. In Leviticus 26:39-45, G-d promises he will expel and return the Jewish people to the land of Israel as part of his moral dealings with the world. Therefore, how can anyone write a treatise on ethics and leave such matters out entirely? Shliach Sha'ul didn't in his treatise on ethics called the Letter to the Romans (Romans 9-11). G-d is a land leaser and a leaser of harvests, according to Leviticus 25:13-24. The Holy Land belongs to Him, and even the Jewish people are aliens there resident with G-d. He will throw unclean tenants out of his Holy Mishkan (dwelling, tabernacle) and off of His Holy Land (Admat Hakodesh). Therefore, we must repent of all our uncleanesses and tremble at His Word. Against the rationalizing reductionism of the Midrash (Leviticus Rabbah vii), Leviticus does not say the study of the Torah will fulfill the imperatives of its commands. Leviticus 17:11 demands divinely acceptable sacrificial blood, not mere Torah study. Those who say that Leviticus gives no warrant for a Messianic re-interpretation of its text should remember one important fact. If a later canonical prophet of the Holy Tanakh points to the Torah and gives it a typological Messianic meaning (as Isaiah does by apocalyptically applying the word (asham) from Leviticus to the Davidic Servant of the L-rd in Isaiah 53:10 and the word NAZAH "sprinkle" from Leviticus to Isaiah 52:15), then a Messianic re-interpretation of Leviticus is in fact implicit in the Tanakh, and is not merely read in gratuitously by Messianic believers. In the Torah, and especially in Leviticus, blood was always associated with G-d's saving covenant and Holy Word, and the Sovereign L-rd enthroned above the atonement cover over the ark of testimony cannot be approached without biblically prescribed blood acceptably mediated (note the Kohen Gadol on Yom Kippur -- Lev. 16). Since G-d is holy, there is no shadow or unclean thing in Him. He is living; the unclean are dead. He must cover or remove or atone for sin to stay in contact with unclean sinners seeking His fellowship. We cannot experience His presence in congregational worship unless we approach Him with acceptable sacrifice removing our uncleanness. We bring the sacrifice he requires to his House but not merely to the minister; we bring this sacrifice to the L-rd Himself as the worshippers do in the book of Leviticus. Meditating on Leviticus can help any believer maintain a sacrifice of holiness: a clean mind, a clean body, a clean house, clean clothes, and clean contacts (see Leviticus 15) because we have been made clean and then holy or set apart for exclusive service in Yehoshua, and every aspect of our lives must reflect this. However, the dirty, the poor, the helpless are not excluded from G-d's concern and neither should they be from ours (19:14,32; 25:17,36,39-43). Jewish feasts are Pesach and Chag HaMatzot, Shavuos (variously called First Fruits or Feast of Weeks or the Feast of Harvest, Rosh Hashanah (Trumpets) or the Jewish New Year, Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur), Tabernacles or the Festival of Booths (Sukkot) (see the reference to this festival's esrog and the lulav or palm branch in Lev. 23:40), with its concluding day, technically a holiday in itself, Shemini Atzaret, the Eighth Day of Assembly referred to in Yochanan 7:37 and Lev. 23:39. (Purim is in Esther and Channukah is predicted in Daniel 8:11 and mentioned in Yochanan 10:22). The Jewish people rest on Shabbat (pronounced Shabbos by Ashkenazic [European-origin] or Yeshiva-trained Jews). Seven weeks after Pesach is Shavuos, the rest period for harvesters, and this period is supposed to be literally counted day by day from the waving of the sheaf (Hebrew Omer -- Lev. 23:10) by the kohen when the coming harvest is dedicated to the L-rd until Shavu'os? when the harvest arrives. (In the Brit Chadasha the Lamb of G-d was offered at Pesach and the Harvest arrived seven weeks later at Shavu'os?). The nation itself rests on the seventh month at Rosh Hashanah. Every seventh year is a sabbatical when the land is to rest, and every seventh seven of years everything is to rest, slaves are to be released, etc--this is the year of Jubilee (see the 70 weeks of sevens in Daniel 9 when the Messianic Age brings in the final rest.) [On Shemittah see Deut. 15:1f] The Ner Tamid, or perpetual light above the synagogue ark and its Torah scroll derives from Lev. 24:2. Notice this key verse. "You shall be holy because I am holy" (Lev. 19:2). The word "holy" is a key word in Leviticus, appearing there more than any other word. But Leviticus 19:15 is the "kingly law" of Yehoshua: "You must love your neighbor as yourself." (Also see Deut.10:19.) To love our neighbor there are times when we must with gentleness and love, respecting his dignity as a creature in the divine image, nevertheless rebuke him. G-d warns that we will incur guilt ourselves if we don't rebuke him (Lev. 19:17). Sins of a deliberate, willful, "high-handed" nature (remember Korah? -- Nu.16) could not be atoned for (Num. 15:30-31) and the book of Hebrews uses this fact to warn the apostate against any deliberate, willful renunciation of the L-rd. Deliberate idolaters, Shabbos-breakers, blasphemers, murderers, adulterers, false-witnesses and the like who disobeyed the Aseret HaDebrot (the Ten Commandments) with a high hand were put to death in the Sinai Covenant dispensation, and their sins were not atoned for (see also Heb. 5:2; 6:4-6: 10:26-31; Deu. 17:12; Ps. 19:13). This is why Shliach Sha'ul is quick to point out that his violent crimes against the Messianic Jews were done in ignorance (I Tim. 1:13). The way some of the Pharisees are speaking against the Ruach Hakodesh prompts Moshiach Yehoshua to warn them about sinning beyond the reach of atonement and forgiveness. Moses completed the building of the Mishkan (a type of portable royal pavilion-palace for G-d to dwell in as His people traveled with Him toward the Promised Land of new life) just as G-d showed him on the holy mountain of Sinai, exactly one year after the Exodus (Ex. 40:l7). But, just as G-d sometimes gives us something first and only then shows us what to do with it, Moses did not receive all these detailed instructions in Leviticus until the month following the completion of the building of the tabernacle. Lev. 27:34 tells us that these are the mitzvot? that G-d gave Moses during the year that the people of Israel were at Mount Sinai. These were given to insure the purity of the kohen and the nation of kohanim, and to insure that G-d's House would be kept clean enough for such a holy G-d to dwell there. The decontamination process we see in Lev. 14:34 for houses infested with dry-rot or fungus is necessary for these houses to be inhabitable by a clean and holy people; similarly the Day of Atonement provides a function to make it possible for G-d to continue to dwell in His House in the midst of His people. G-d made sure the book of Leviticus was included in the Bible so that the people might be "no more dull of understanding" when it comes to His Holy Covenant faith, His Holy presence, His holiness, and His acceptable sacrifice. I Yochanan 1:7 sees the death of the Moshiach as a sin offering. Yochanan 1:29 sees it as a vicarious burnt offering, and Hebrews sees it "outside the camp (Lev. 4:12; Heb. 13:13). The author of Hebrews proves that Yehoshua was a kohen, for only kohanim could offer the blood. As Ps. 110:4 and Isaiah 53 was fulfilled in our Moshiach Kohen so this verse in Lev. 1:20 was fulfilled in Him: V'Chiper Aleichem HaKohen V'Nislach Lahem. The kohen shall make atonement for them, and they shall be forgiven. The Kohen Gadol was anointed with oil (Lev. 8:10-12) just as the coming Moshiach ("Anointed One") Kohen would be the king anointed by the Ruach Hakodesh (Isa. 42:1; Ps. 110:4). Everything starts when you are confronted by sin (Lev. 4:28). Then there is the vicarious part (you must touch Moshiach Yehoshua -- Lev. 4:29) and the mediatorial part (the kohen makes the kill and offers the blood, which is what He did). When the kohen changes clothes, this typifies our regeneration as kohanim of the Brit Chadasha (Lev. 6:10; Rev. 1:6). Notice Lev. 9:l-6 gives us the order of G-d's salvation in that first there is sacrifice and suffering, then there is theophany and glory. This is one of the passages Shliach Sha'ul is referring to in I Cor. 15 when he says the Moshiach died, was buried and appeared, according to the Scriptures. Which Scriptures? Scriptures like these in Lev. 9:1-6. Lev. 14:34 says that Israel has been given to the Jewish people as a homeland but Lev. 26:32-39 makes the point that by no means will they have unconditional security in Israel if they sin in their unbelief in the Scriptures (see 18:24-25,29; 20:22-26). The land will cry out as it did against Cain and vomit them out. This is a summary of some of the Mitzvot or commandments and other points of interest to us in the book of Leviticus. The Mikveh is variously prescribed in Lev. 15. The key purpose of much of Leviticus is given in Lev. 15:31, "Thus you shall keep the people of Israel separated from their uncleanness, so that they do not die in their uncleanness by defiling my mishkan that is in their midst. The law of kashrut? (fit, proper foods) comes from Lev. 17:13 and 11:1-47. Why many ultra-orthodox Jews wear the Pa'ot is given in Lev. 19:27. Hebrews 10:25 was written with Lev. 19:30 in mind. Astrology, New Age practitioners and every kind of occult lure is rejected by Lev. 19:31; 20:6,27. Sacrificing children (as in abortion) to the G-d Molech is forbidden in Lev. 20:2-5. Homosexuality is forbidden in 18:22 and 20:13. Modern day Israeli jurisprudence needs to study Lev. 24:22 and 19:34 and look more kindly on Gentile believers? who want to live in the Holy Land. Also see Ex. 12:49. Lev. 27:30 mentions the tithe called Ma'aser meaning one-tenth. LEVITICUS 16:14-17 14. And he (Aaron the Kohen Gadol) shall take of the blood of the bull, and sprinkle (see Isa. 52:15, same word) it with his finger on the front of the atonement cover; and before the atonement cover shall he sprinkle of the blood with his finger seven times. 15. Then shall he kill the goat of the sin offering, that is for the people, and bring his blood within the veil, and do with that blood as he did with the blood of the bull, and sprinkle it upon the atonement cover and before the atonement cover. 16. And he shall make an atonement for the holy place, because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel, and because of their transgressions in all their sins: and so shall he do for the tabernacle of the congregation, that remaineth among them in the midst of their uncleanness. 17. And there shall be no man in the tabernacle of the congregation when he goeth in to make an atonement in the holy place, until he come out, and have made en atonement for himself, and for his household, and for all the congregation of Israel. BAMIDBAR (NUMBERS) Numbers tells the story of a remnant going forward while most people backslide or lose their way in rebellion and self-will. Israel is on her way from Mount Sinai to the plains of Moab on the border of Canaan, where, through the temptations of the Moabites and Midianites, many will succomb to "Balaam's error" of idolatry and immorality (see Numbers 25; 31:16 and II Shliach Kefa 2:15 and Jude II) and rebel against the L-rd and His leaders and die in the wilderness. "Balaam's error" surely turned the L-rd against Israel then and it will turn the L-rd against the Brit Chadasha kehillah today, though many who are lukewarm in the Brit Chadasha kehillah think such sins are not so serious. But Phinehas was the zealous minister (he was a kohen and, as the grandson of Aaron, he serves as a "military chaplain" in Num. 31:6) who put to death Cozbi the immoral Midianite woman and her Israelite lover (25:1-15), because of this same kind of sin, which precipitated the holy war against the Midianites. Num. 10-21 tells of the 38 years, almost 40 years (1447-1407 BCE) of wandering that the rebellious Israelites were divinely sentenced to, wandering not only in the Transjordan but particularly in the five different wildernesses of the Sinai Peninsula: the Wildernesses of Zin, Shur, Etham, Paran, and Sin. In eleven days they traveled from Mt. Sinai (Horeb) to the hill country of the Amorites, Kadesh-barnea, which is about 40 miles south of Beersheba. G-d had given the Amorites over to them, but this became the fateful turning point of unbelief, and it was not till near the end of Moses' life, some thirty-eight years later, that these Amorites (both Sihon and Og were Amorite kings--see Deut. 3:8; 4:47) were defeated. The people of Israel were so close and yet so far from the Promised Land, but it was at this time that they rebelled and were defeated by the Amalekites (Num. 11:39-45). It says these latter defeated them because they "presumed to go up to the heights of the hill country, even though the ark of the covenant of the L-rd, and Moses, had not left the camp." If we run ahead of the leadership the L-rd has assigned over us, we run the risk of spiritual defeat as believers. From the book of Numbers we can learn much about the function of administration (Greek diakonia), meaning the spiritual authority to rule or administer a ministry--see Romans 12:7). Those who say they lack this gift (and can therefore excuse themselves) are wrong, because the Parable of the Talents emphasizes that we all will have to give an accounting for our stewardship of our talents (Matt. 25:14-30; Rom. 14:10; II Cor 5:10) and this would include the way we administer the ministries G-d entrusts with us. The message of Numbers is that we must humbly learn to administer our assigned duties, because unclean rebellion will bring chaos and death in the wilderness. Num. 1:2 says, "Take a census of the whole Israelite community." A first principle of Brit Chadasha kehillah growth strategy is to count what you've got, and then to count what you've had, and then to see if you are growing, and if so, at what rate. Here it is ominous statistics gathering indeed, because we know from 14:29 this is in reality a body count of those rebels who would be put to death in the wilderness for failing to carry their burden of obedience in order to see the Promised Land (see 26:63-65). Compare the army muster in chapter 1 with the army muster in chapter 26. In the L-rd's march to victory, the rebels fell out of step with their G-d and were "numbered" for death and were not called out to be part of the victorious assembly (kahal or ecclessia from the root meaning "called out," that is, a congregation called out from a world alienated from G-d, the Brit Chadasha kehillah, the community of the elect, the chosen people). G-d "had their number." Moses makes the first count with Aaron and then, a generation later, shortly before his own death, makes the last count with Aaron's surviving son Eleazar (Aaron's generation having died off) serving as kohen gadol. When you look at the white hair of the aging Moses and when you look at Joshua and Caleb, you see that only non-rebels live to see the promise fulfilled. The rebels lose the vision and perish in the wilderness (Prov. 29:18). This is an important theological idea in the book. The Levites are numbered in chapters 3 and 4, and they are literal stand-ins for the Firstborn of Israel who were in turn given to the L-rd in exchange for the Firstborn of Egypt (see 3:11-13). Chapter 2 shows the "decent and in order" way the tribal camp was masterfully arranged and administered by their true Leader, the L-rd of Glory. Num. 1:16 speaks the chieftains elected by their tribes, so the election of zekenim (elders) and leaders by ministers and congregations is not the injection of unbiblical politics into Brit Chadasha kehillah polity or government. Therefore, we are to be members of a congregation, having been "enrolled" or "counted" or "numbered" [PAKAD] for war (1:3). The idea here is of a group of troops divinely summoned into assembly to be counted and enlisted by means of a military roll call and we are not to sniff at or run from congregational business meetings and elections as beneath us, though the danger of overweening bureaucratic control and politicking in the L-rd's body is real. Num. 1:47-53 shows there has to be a set-apart leadership to protect the purity of the faith from the distortions of the ignorant and the unqualified. The ministers literally camp around the Word (the Aseres Ha-Dibros or Ten Commandments are in the Ark of the Covenant) to protect sound doctrine. Therefore, semicha or ordination is G-d's will for those accountable for sound doctrine and the care of souls. Aaron and his sons (the kohanim descended from Levi through Kohath and Aaron--see Ex. 6:16-20; Num. 4:5,15,19; 18:1-20) are distinguised from the Levites, who do not touch the holy things or enter the sacred areas, on pain of death, but assist the kohanim (see 1:47-53; 3:5-37; 18:2-7), which non-Levites are not permitted to do. This is important to keep in mind to understand the sin of Korah because as a Levite he tried to usurp the kohen's authority. This was also the sin of Antiochus Epiphanes who allowed the kehunnah to be usurped. "He has allowed you to approach him, and all your brother Levites with you; yet you seek the kehunnah as well" (16:10). Every minister-baiting rebellious layman, every false teacher and false prophet commits the sin of Korah (see Jude 11). Chapter 2 highlights the wisdom of G-d as an administrator with each tribe given its own position, each person his own clan, family, and tribal grouping, each tribe its own order of breaking camp, its own assigned leadership hierarchy, its own identifying banner, its own order of march, its own position relative to the mobile central sanctuary, with the Levites in the middle protecting the Mishkan (Tabernacle) and with the tribe of Judah (the tribe of G-d's anointed leader, the Moshiach) leading out as the vanguard and with the tribe of Dan coming last as the rearguard. Here is a place where the Word of G-d and the Moshiach are connected in the Tanakh, as in the Logos-Moshiach in Yochanan chapter 1. Judah is the tribe of the Moshiach (Genesis 49:10) and is therefore the first to break camp (Numbers 2:3,9) and makes the first offering (7:12) and sets out first in the march from Sinai (10:14). See Proverbs 8:23 where G-d's Wisdom, His Word, is "first" as well as Judges 20:18, where the Moshiach's tribe is likewise called "first." Notice in 3:5-10 there is full delegation of the work of the ministry throughout the tribe of Levi, just as there should be today in the Body of the L-rd. 4:16 says, "Responsibility shall rest with Eleazar son of Aaron the kohen for the lighting oil." Each believer has a responsibilty in the ministry that should be delegated to him. Shliach Sha'ul says, "See to it that you fulfill (the responsibilities) of your ministry (Col. 4: 17)." In 3:11-13 we see the Levites as a type of the elect, those called to be G-d's own possession, those who are not their own, but have been bought with a price (3:44-51). However, since they have no land and receive the MA'ASER (tithe) in compensation (18:21-24), there is a definite corollary between them and the L-rd's ministers. In chapter 5 we witness a trial by ordeal for an allegedly unfaithful wife that points forward to a better kind of probe, the word of knowledge, a spiritual gift that has replaced this Sinai Covenant lie detector test and, moreover, has made it as applicable to men as to women. (See I Cor. 12:8) In chapter 6 we see an example of a vow of commitment that the laity, men or women, could take, the ascetic NAZIR (Nazarite) vow, where they set themselves apart for temporary withdrawal from the world unto G-d and this included avoiding intoxicating beverages, contact with the dead, and cutting the hair. Chapter 7 emphasizes that when one initiates any type of new ministry one should first dedicate it formally to the L-rd. Moreover, every Sabbatical year (seventh year) the unfarmed land rested (Lev. 25:1-7 on Shemittah, see also Deut. 15:1f) and the children of Israel rededicated themselves by gathering on Sukkoth (the Feast of Tabernacles) and publically reciting the covenant provisions of the Torah to which Israel under Moses had committed itself (see Deut. 31:10; 15:9-18.). Also at the end of seven Shabbaths of years of seven times seven years, the so-called Year of Jubilee [Yovel] the Hebrew slaves went free, debt was forgiven, and land was returned to the original tribal occupants (Lev. 25:8-54). The poor were liberated from the debts and the enslavement to the rich into which they had fallen, and the rich, who had accumulated vast land acquisitions, were divested of some of their filthy lucre. All this happened on Yom Kippur every 49 years (Lev. 25:8-9) and such is the essential background for understanding Isa. 61 as Moshiach Yehoshua quotes it in Luke 4:18. This was theoretically how the law worked, if it were actually enforced, which would keep too much wealth from falling into the hands of a few. Unfortuately evil rulers do not always enforce just and merciful laws, and the period of the 70 years of Exile was actually a punishment for violating this part of the Torah, as G-d said in effect, "I am not mocked: if you will not give me my Sabbaths and let the land rest every seven years, I will take my Sabbaths anyway and you will sit in Exile waiting for the land to rest until its appointed Sabbaths are completed" (see Lev. 26:34-35; II Chron. 36:20-21). Chapter 8:6,15,21,22 show that your ministry begins with your water initiation, and therefore we need to create pre-tevilah instructional materials and classes so that we give Moshiach's tevilah only to serious people willing to became serious talmidim and lay ministers, not double-minded people intent on backsliding. This means we must have pre-tevilah as well as post-tevilah classes. Chapter 8:19 shows where Shliach Sha'ul gets his ecclesiology. He sees ordained ministers as MATANOT (gifts) to the Brit Chadasha kehillah in Ephes. 4:11. Chapter 9:15-23 shows that we must stay deep in prayer in order to discern when the L-rd is moving us out in a new venture and when he is encamping us. Many prayerless grumblers, their feelings or their pride hurt by some imagined slight, stay with a congregation only until their patience runs out or they get bored and then they drift to something else, which instead of another congregation may be the world, because these malcontents often backslide completely. They moved without looking for the cloud ascending from the Mishkan, without watching for the place where it settled down (9:15-23). Their ears were not attuned to the sound of the two silver trumpets, one blowing to assemble the leaders (which departing backslider cares if he is a leader?) and both trumpets blowing to assemble the whole congregation to move out together (10:1-10). See I Thes. 4:13-18 on how our ears are to be tuned to the rapture's trumpet. Read Ps. 90 to see the wrath of G-d being revealed from Shomayim (Rom. 1:18) against Israel in the wilderness. Chapter 10:8 says that the Israelites didn't make war without music. This shows how important the ministers of music are in the L-rd's body. From 10:11 to 14:45 we march with the Israelites from Sinai to Kadesh-barnea, which takes us no more than 2 months. The complaining started here in the wilderness of Paran and the Israelites provoked G-d to anger (11:1-3,4-35; Psa. 78:26-31; 106:13-l5). But, when Moses is rebelled against, we are told that Moses is greater than a prophet and in this sense a unique mediator of revelation (12:6-8); it surely is in this sense that the Moshiach will be "like me" (Deut. 18:15), but he too will have his Shliach Kefa's and his Judas's rebel against him. Chapter 11:25b says of those set apart for ministry with the 15th century BCE lawgiver Moses, "And when the Spirit that was on him (Moses) rested upon them, they prophesied but did not continue." Is this unfortunate situation also true of you? Yehuda 1:20 says that we should continue to daven in the Spirit (meaning leshonot) as we build ourselves up in the most holy faith, studying and meditating on the Scriptures. In chapter 12 Miriam the prophetess has to be physically healed to cure her of a rebellious mouth. Her offense was that she slandered G-d's leader. 13:32 says that 10 of the 12 spies slandered the vision of G-d's prophet and so turned the people away from it, refusing to urge the people to conquest. For that crime a whole generation wandered in the wilderness under divine wrath and a death sentence (14:21-23, 34-35). Let us not give an evil report by saying, "It can't be done here, the giants are too big!" Such an unbelieving leader will be doomed to become a mere caretaker of wandering dead men walking in their own blind flesh. Numbers is a book that shows the folly of wandering in the lusts of one's flesh. Num. 15:1-21:20 tell the story of this wilderness wandering. And, lest the backslider harden his heart and go all the way and apostatize, Num. 15:22-31 warns (along with Heb. 10:26) that there is no kapporah for deliberate, defiant sin. The wilderness period was remembered by some of the prophets as the time of Israel's apostasy (Amos 5:25-26), when she did not keep covenant faithfulness with her L-rd (see Josh. 5:2-9 and compare Acts 21:21). The TSITSIT (Num. 15:38) were to be worn to remind the Israelites not to forget the word and follow their own lusts. But the final refutation to the folly of the old-timers who focus on the "giants" and say "it can't be done" is that it in fact was done, with 1,820 fewer people the second time around, when the Israelites finally went in and possessed the Promised Land (compare the census in 26:51 and 1:46). Chapter 18:21-32 says that not just anyone is to receive the MA'ASER [tithe] but only G-d's ordained leadership. Some love the tithes but not the years of ministerial training and the accountability of ordination that goes with them. Chapter 19:1-10 shows that because of our uncleanness we must have faith in the kaparrah of Moshiach and have a tevilah into him, for he is the antitype of the red cow who died outside the camp and became the tevilah that cleanses us from our sins forever. Chapter 20:12 gives the ominous warning that even Moses would die outside the Promised Land like Miriam (20:1) and Aaron (20:22) because, although he was beseiged by rebellion from his own mishpochah and others, Moses did not trust G-d enough to keep his head in all situations (II Tim. 4:5) and did not obediently honor the L-rd who delivers us from all our critics and slanderers. Moses did not honor G-d as holy before the people and so he too lost a blessing (27:14) Moses should have known that no weapon formed against us will prosper. Then he would have honored G-d as holy before the people no matter how they taxed their leader's patience. The disobedience of the people does not excuse the disobedience of the leader. Notice that bitterness against G-d's leaders is just a step removed from bitterness toward G-d himself (21:5). Chapter 21:8 points toward the One who, though He was the Ben HaElohim and without sin, yet he took the form of the likeness of sinful flesh (Romans 8:3), the flesh of the corrupt children of the Serpent (Gen. 3:15; Yochanan 8:44), and was lifted up, so that men might look on him and live. See Yochanan 3:14-15. The snake Moses lifted up on a standard at the end of the wilderness wanderings, before the the conquest of the Transjordan began, points to the Ben HaAdam Moshiach being lifted up and drawing all men unto himself (Yochanan 12:32). Balaam's donkey speaks because "the L-rd opened its mouth" (22:28). The Syrian prophet Balaam with his talking donkey points toward Saul the persecutor, who, on his horse on the way to Damascus, wanted to curse the people of G-d, the Messianic Jews, but could only bless them (24:9). Like the talking snake in Gen. 3, this talking donkey is placed at a cross-roads as far as human destiny is concerned. Those who make the decision of faith will be blessed (24:9; Gen. 12:3). Balak (bah-LAHk) is king of Moab (his G-d is Chemosh--Num. 21:29). And he looks down from a mountain and sees Israel camping tribe by tribe on his territory as they are passing through on their way to the Promised Land. He in league with the Midianites, whom Moses will defeat in Num. 31 and whom Gideon will have to fight later in the time of the Judges. King Balak knew he needed divine help to oppose Israel, so he looked for the type of professional preacher who is always harshly denouncing everybody, so he could unleash such a maggid on Moses and the Israelites and defeat them with curses. So Balak begins by trying to tell Balaam what to preach and what to prophesy and attempts to persuade this Gentile prophet Balaam (beel-AHM) to curse the chosen people. Of course, we know that Balaam will be killed later (31:8) and G-d knows that even his donkey knows the fear of the L-rd better than Balaam, but for the moment money does not corrupt his ministry (22:18). Later, even illicit sex will become a source of corruption to the true faith as well (25:1). The most important prophecy Balaam utters is 24:17 which is the KOKHAV (star) that shall come out of Jacob and shall become the star of David, the Moshiach. Notice how Korah starts a rebellion against Moses in chapter 16 even though Moses has taken nothing for himself (16:15). It is important to note that the only thing that keeps the people from going down to Sheol is that they do not rebel against G-d and his leadership (16:26-34). Our muttering can be the death of us (17:25). The battle cry of Brit Chadasha kehillah-splitting rebels is Numbers 12:2-3. Chapter 27 (also 36) speaks of the equal inheritance promised to women, so the laws of inheritance included provisions for daughters. This should be seen within the larger context of the book as a whole, since Israel was herself nearly disinherited as a nation on at least two occasions (see chapters 11 and 14). Moses had married a non-Israelite (12:1) woman, a fact that might have set a bad example for the people about the sanctity of their inheritance, but this was actually just a pretext Aaron and Miriam used to challenge the authority of Moses for the sake of their own personal ambitions. We see that G-d grants us our inheritance as a gift, but we still have to fight the good fight and seek first the kingdom in order to enjoy it (note the tribes of Gad, Reuben and the half tribe of Manasseh son of Joseph received the Transjordan land as a gift but they still had to fight with the other tribes first before, they could enjoy their inheritance--see Num. 32). Chapter 27:15-23 teaches that leaders should have assistants they are equipping to take over their ministries (as Moses equipped Joshua). The ministry can continue in a manner that is decent and in order only when these transitions are anticipated and prepared for. See chapters 25 and 31:15-16 on the consequences of sexual sin. Notice the Levites were given 48 towns but no land allotments. Would it be a bad application of exegesis to say that the Levitical towns and pastures (chapter 35) might be warrant for a congregation providing its spiritual leader with a place to live in? In 35:13 we see there were six cities of refuge. Even today, people who have disagreements in one congregation seek refuge in another. But where there has been a case of unrepented sin and a person flees one congregation to join another as a kind of "city of refuge," spiritual leaders should co-operate in matters of intra-congregational discipline. Notice that the kohanim and Levites are responsible to Aaron (18:3). A congregational board and its shammashim should be responsible to the congregational leader. A "board-run" congregation is not Scriptural, because they can make the congregational leader a mere errand boy to do their bidding, and he loses his prophetic voice in the body. However, leadership must be shared, as Jethro emphasized to Moses.
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