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Heshvan 17, 5762 /
Nov
3, 2001
Heshvan 15, 5765 / Oct 30,
2004
Heshvan 15, 5768 / Oct 27,
2007
Heshvan
15, 5771 / Oct 22, 2010
Hershvan 15, 5774 / Oct 19,
2013
Heshvan 18, 5777 / Nov 19,
2016
Heshvan 18, 5780 / Nov 16, 2019
Heshvan 18, 5783 / Nov 12, 2022
Vayavo
/ Then He Arrived
SCRIPTURES should be read first
(V.18) Then Jacob
arrived safely – meaning whole or perfect – in the city of
Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan – the Promised Land.
As spiritual descendants of
Jacob, this portrays the Promised Land that awaits our
arrival – in wholeness and perfection, though Laban the
cruel will set out to kill us along the way.
As long as Jacob stayed in
Sukkot (the temporary dwelling of this world), he lived in
fear, sending gifts to appease Esau. But upon arriving in
the Promised Land, he was safe and whole and perfect. His
father Isaac (whom we saw earlier representing Yeshua –
being bound to wood for sacrifice) was present in the land,
and Esau could not do harm in His presence.
(V.19) Jacob purchased the
property on which he camped (100 kesitahs is approx. 4
shekels, or it could be 100 sheep from an Aramaic word).
Later, this would be the first part of the Promised Land to
be conquered (v.34:28), almost 300 years before Israel
inhabited all the land. “How shall we sing Yahweh’s praise
on foreign soil?” – Psalm 137:4.
(V.20)
Then he erected an altar, and using his new name, there
called upon “El-Elohe-Yisra-el – which could translate “The
Master Above is Master of the master below.” However, this
did not fulfill Jacob’s 22-year-old vow to build an altar at
Bethel.
Some commentators say that
Jacob was punished for his haughty remark (“the master
below”) by the following incident concerning his daughter
Dinah. In any case, the incident about Dinah caused him to
flee, and finally fulfill his vow at Bethel.
_______________
(V.34:1) Jacob’s daughter,
Dinah, is referred to as “the daughter of Leah,” because she
neglected modesty (see v.30:16) to go into the town of
Shechem, to “look over the daughters of the land.” So the
proverb, “Like mother like daughter.”
(V.2) Shechem (the son of
Hamor the serpentine), the prince of the land, saw her, took
her, and lay with her by force. Hamor was an Amorite
(v.48:22); the term “hivi,” commonly translated “Hivite,” is
Aramaic for snake (serpentine). “He who breaks down the
fence will be bitten by a snake” – Ecclesiastes 10:8: Dinah
broke down the fence of propriety and was bitten by the
son-of-a-snake Prince Shechem.
Simeon and Levi, the second
and third sons of Jacob by Leah, would be teenagers, five
and four years older than their full sister Dinah.
The Midrash relates that
everyone who passed through Shechem was asked to be
circumcised. “Why?” asked one of the peasants. “So that
Shechem may marry Jacob’s daughter,” they answered. “Shechem
is getting married and the peasant has to get circumcised!”
This became a proverb for situations where one person
suffers for another’s decision.
On the third day, when all
were circumcised and in pain, Simeon and Levi slew all the
men of Shechem, and took Dinah from Shechem’s house. The
other brothers joined and pillaged the city. Jacob, who
represented “truth,” complained about the deception his
son’s had perpetrated (even when deceiving his father, Jacob
had made a “technically true” statement); he now feared the
wrath of the surrounding nations. The sons argued that their
act was just judgment.
(V35:1) Elohim said to
Jacob, "Arise, go up to Bethel, and live there; and make an
altar there to El, who appeared to you when you fled from
your brother Esau." So Jacob caused all his household to get
rid of false gods, go through a mikvah, and leave for
Bethel. There he fulfilled his vow, and made an altar, and
called upon El-Beth-El – Elohim in the House of God.
________________
In the Haftarah, Nahum tells
us Yahweh’s word concerning Ninevah, that though many strong
rise against Israel, they will be “cut off” and pass away.
Though Yahweh (the Eternal who is gracious) has afflicted
His people, it was for their profit. Idols will be “cut off”
from the House of Elohim.
Then, Yahweh says, pay your
vows! Celebrate the Feasts! The wicked are “completely cut
off.”
In the Psalm that we sang,
David’s prayer for justice sounds applicable to Shechem: “Do
not drag me away with the wicked and with those who work
iniquity; who speak peace with their neighbors, while evil
is in their hearts. Requite them according to their work and
according to the evil of their practices; requite them
according to the deeds of their hands; repay them their
recompense. Because they do not regard the works of Yahweh
nor the deeds of His hands, He will tear them down and not
build them up.” We
have spoken before, how that David’s pleas for justice are
for the building/purification of God’s Kingdom, not from
selfish motivation.
In the Apostolic Reading,
John says that the time is near: let the wicked fulfill
their wickedness, but let the righteous continue walking in
God’s instruction and let the holy continue being set apart
for God’s work. The
Spirit and the bride say, "Come." Let the one who hears say,
"Come." Let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who
wishes take the water of life without cost.
Do we hunger and thirst for
righteousness – for understanding God’s way? Do we long for
a dwelling in the Holy City, wherein dwells righteousness,
not just to get away from hardship and pain here? The water
of eternal life is not just a fire extinguisher; it’s the
path to righteousness and holiness, symbolized by going
through the waters of the mikveh.
(Genesis 33:18)
Then Jacob arrived safely – meaning whole or perfect – in
the city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan – the
Promised Land. As spiritual descendants of Jacob, this
portrays the Promised Land that awaits our arrival – in
wholeness and perfection, though “Laban the cruel” will set
out to kill us along the way.
(Nahum 1:14-15) Yahweh says
of the cruel one, “I
will prepare your grave, for you are contemptible.”
Behold, on the mountains the feet of him who brings good
news, who announces peace!
(Psalm 28:9) David says, “Save Your people, and bless
Your inheritance; be their shepherd also, and carry them
forever.”
(Revelation 28:14) “Blessed
are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right
to the tree of life, and may enter by the gates into the
city.”
As long as Jacob
stayed in Sukkot (the temporary dwelling of this world), he
lived in fear, sending gifts to appease Esau. But upon
arriving in the Promised Land, he was safe and whole and
perfect. His father Isaac (whom we saw earlier representing
Yeshua – being bound to wood for sacrifice) was present in
the land, and Esau could not do harm in His presence.
Prayer:
We teach the Shemoneh
Esrei, the Disciples Prayer of Matthew 6, as a
pattern for prayer – as a learning tool. We say
blessings before and after Scripture readings and meals.
Now, for those who are
beginning in this way, and may not yet understand as
much as they would wish, I would like to offer some
suggestions:
Begin every day by asking
God for His guidance to walk in His paths. Read a
portion of Scripture to start your day’s thoughts on
God.
Before eating, practice
to learn regularly to acknowledge God as your provider
of everything needed to serve Him.
At the end of each day,
thank Him for all of His provisions, remembering as many
blessings as you can think of. These may include
salvation, God’s Word, health, safety, prosperity,
friends, weather, beauty, housing, clothing, job, etc.
Reading a portion of Scripture will help guide your
thoughts as you sleep.
.
Readings:
"Blessed are You, Yahweh our God, King
of the Universe,
Who chose us from among all peoples by
giving us Your Torah.
Blessed are You, Yahweh, giver of the
Torah."
Reader 1*
Amen. 18 Now Jacob came safely to the city
of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came
from Paddan-aram, and camped before the city. 19
He bought the piece of land where he had pitched his tent
from the hand of the sons of Hamor, Shechem's father, for
one hundred pieces of money. 20 Then he erected
there an altar and called it El-Elohe-Israel.
Reader 2*
Amen. 34:1 Now Dinah the daughter of Leah,
whom she had borne to Jacob, went out to visit the daughters
of the land. 2 When Shechem the son of Hamor the
Hivite, the prince of the land, saw her, he took her and lay
with her by force. 3 He was deeply attracted to
Dinah the daughter of Jacob, and he loved the girl and spoke
tenderly to her. 4 So Shechem spoke to his father
Hamor, saying, "Get me this young girl for a wife." 5
Now Jacob heard that he had defiled Dinah his daughter; but
his sons were with his livestock in the field, so Jacob kept
silent until they came in. 6 Then Hamor the
father of Shechem went out to Jacob to speak with him.
Reader 3*
Amen. 7 Now the sons of Jacob came in from
the field when they heard it; and the men were grieved, and
they were very angry because he had done a disgraceful thing
in Israel by lying with Jacob's daughter, for such a thing
ought not to be done. 8 But Hamor spoke with
them, saying, "The soul of my son Shechem longs for your
daughter; please give her to him in marriage. 9
"Intermarry with us; give your daughters to us and take our
daughters for yourselves. 10 "Thus you shall live
with us, and the land shall be open before you; live and
trade in it and acquire property in it." 11
Shechem also said to her father and to her brothers, "If I
find favor in your sight, then I will give whatever you say
to me. 12 "Ask me ever so much bridal payment and
gift, and I will give according as you say to me; but give
me the girl in marriage."
Reader 4*
Amen. 13 But Jacob's sons answered Shechem
and his father Hamor with deceit, because he had defiled
Dinah their sister. 14 They said to them, "We
cannot do this thing, to give our sister to one who is
uncircumcised, for that would be a disgrace to us. 15
"Only on this condition will we consent to you: if you will
become like us, in that every male of you be circumcised,
16 then we will give our daughters to you, and we
will take your daughters for ourselves, and we will live
with you and become one people. 17 "But if you
will not listen to us to be circumcised, then we will take
our daughter and go."
Reader 5*
Amen. 18 Now their words seemed reasonable
to Hamor and Shechem, Hamor's son. 19 The young
man did not delay to do the thing, because he was delighted
with Jacob's daughter. Now he was more respected than all
the household of his father. 20 So Hamor and his
son Shechem came to the gate of their city and spoke to the
men of their city, saying, 21 "These men are
friendly with us; therefore let them live in the land and
trade in it, for behold, the land is large enough for them.
Let us take their daughters in marriage, and give our
daughters to them. 22 "Only on this condition
will the men consent to us to live with us, to become one
people: that every male among us be circumcised as they are
circumcised. 23 "Will not their livestock and
their property and all their animals be ours? Only let us
consent to them, and they will live with us." 24
All who went out of the gate of his city listened to Hamor
and to his son Shechem, and every male was circumcised, all
who went out of the gate of his city.
Reader 6*
Amen. 25 Now it came about on the third day,
when they were in pain, that two of Jacob's sons, Simeon and
Levi, Dinah's brothers, each took his sword and came upon
the city unawares, and killed every male. 26 They
killed Hamor and his son Shechem with the edge of the sword,
and took Dinah from Shechem's house, and went forth. 27
Jacob's sons came upon the slain and looted the city,
because they had defiled their sister. 28 They
took their flocks and their herds and their donkeys, and
that which was in the city and that which was in the field;
29 and they captured and looted all their wealth
and all their little ones and their wives, even all that was
in the houses. 30 Then Jacob said to Simeon and
Levi, "You have brought trouble on me by making me odious
among the inhabitants of the land, among the Canaanites and
the Perizzites; and my men being few in number, they will
gather together against me and attack me and I will be
destroyed, I and my household." 31 But they said,
"Should he treat our sister as a harlot?"
Reader 7*
Amen. 35:1 Then God said to Jacob, "Arise,
go up to Bethel and live there, and make an altar there to
God, who appeared to you when you fled from your brother
Esau." 2 So Jacob said to his household and to
all who were with him, "Put away the foreign gods which are
among you, and purify yourselves and change your garments;
3 and let us arise and go up to Bethel, and I
will make an altar there to God, who answered me in the day
of my distress and has been with me wherever I have gone."
4 So they gave to Jacob all the foreign gods
which they had and the rings which were in their ears, and
Jacob hid them under the oak which was near Shechem. 5
As they journeyed, there was a great terror upon the cities
which were around them, and they did not pursue the sons of
Jacob. 6 So Jacob came to Luz (that is, Bethel),
which is in the land of Canaan, he and all the people who
were with him. 7 He built an altar there, and
called the place El-bethel, because there God had revealed
Himself to him when he fled from his brother. 8
Now Deborah, Rebekah's nurse, died, and she was buried below
Bethel under the oak; it was named Allon-bacuth.
"Blessed are You, Yahweh our God, King
of the Universe,
Who in giving us Yeshua, the Living
Torah, has planted everlasting life in our midst.
Blessed are You, Yahweh, giver of the
Torah."
______________________
"Blessed are You, Yahweh our God, King
of the Universe,
Who selected good prophets, delighting
in their words which were spoken truthfully.
Blessed are You, Yahweh, Who chose the
Torah, Your servant Moses, Your people Israel,
and the prophets of truth and
righteousness."
Nahum 1:12 – 2:5
Reader 8*
Amen.
12
Thus says Yahweh, "Though they are at full strength and
likewise many, even so, they will be cut off and pass away.
Though I have afflicted you, I will afflict you no longer.
13 "So now, I will break his yoke bar from upon
you, and I will tear off your shackles."
14 Yahweh has issued a command concerning
you: "Your name will no longer be perpetuated. I will cut
off idol and image from the house of your gods. I will
prepare your grave, for you are contemptible." 15
Behold, on the mountains the feet of him who brings good
news, who announces peace! Celebrate your feasts, O Judah;
pay your vows. For never again will the wicked one pass
through you; he is cut off completely.
Reader 9*
Amen. 2:1 The one who scatters has come up
against you. Man the fortress, watch the road; strengthen
your back, summon all your strength. 2 For Yahweh
will restore the splendor of Jacob like the splendor of
Israel, even though devastators have devastated them and
destroyed their vine branches. 3 The shields of
his mighty men are colored red, the warriors are dressed in
scarlet, the chariots are enveloped in flashing steel when
he is prepared to march, and the cypress spears are
brandished. 4 The chariots race madly in the
streets, they rush wildly in the squares, their appearance
is like torches, they dash to and fro like lightning
flashes. 5 He remembers his nobles; they stumble
in their march, they hurry to her wall, and the mantelet is
set up.
[KJV 3b the chariots
shall be with flaming torches in the day of his preparation,
and the fir trees shall be terribly shaken. 4 The chariots
shall rage in the streets, they shall justle one against
another in the broad ways: they shall seem like torches,
they shall run like the lightnings.]
Psalm 28
(To be sung.) A Psalm of David.
1 To You, O
Yahweh, I call; my rock, do not be deaf to me, for if You
are silent to me, I will become like those who go down to
the pit. 2 Hear the voice of my supplications
when I cry to You for help, when I lift up my hands toward
Your holy sanctuary. 3 Do not drag me away with
the wicked And with those who work iniquity, Who speak peace
with their neighbors, While evil is in their hearts.
4
Requite them according to their
work and according to the evil of their practices; Requite
them according to the deeds of their hands; Repay them their
recompense. 5 Because they do not regard the
works of Yahweh Nor the deeds of His hands, He will tear
them down and not build them up. 6 Blessed
be Yahweh, Because He has heard the voice of my
supplication. 7 Yahweh is my strength and my
shield; my heart trusts in Him, and I am helped; therefore
my heart exults, and with my song I shall thank Him. 8
Yahweh is their strength, and He is a saving defense to His
anointed. 9 Save Your people and bless Your
inheritance; be their shepherd also, and carry them forever.
Revelation 22:8-21
Reader 10*
Amen. 8 I, John, am the one who heard and saw
these things. And when I heard and saw, I fell down to
worship at the feet of the angel who showed me these things.
9 But he said to me, "Do not do that. I am a
fellow servant of yours and of your brethren the prophets
and of those who heed the words of this book. Worship God."
10 And he said to me, "Do not seal up the words
of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near. 11
"Let the one who does wrong, still do wrong; and the one who
is filthy, still be filthy; and let the one who is
righteous, still practice righteousness; and the one who is
holy, still keep himself holy." 12 "Behold, I am
coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every
man according to what he has done. 13 "I am the
Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning
and the end." 14 Blessed are those who wash their
robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life,
and may enter by the gates into the city. 15
Outside are the dogs and the sorcerers and the immoral
persons and the murderers and the idolaters, and everyone
who loves and practices lying.
Reader 11*
Amen. 16 "I, Yeshua, have sent My angel to
testify to you these things for the churches. I am the root
and the descendant of David, the bright morning star."
17 The Spirit and the bride say, "Come." And let the
one who hears say, "Come." And let the one who is thirsty
come; let the one who wishes take the water of life without
cost. 18 I testify to everyone who hears the
words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them,
God will add to him the plagues which are written in this
book; 19 and if anyone takes away from the words
of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his part
from the tree of life and from the holy city, which are
written in this book. 20 He who testifies to
these things says, "Yes, I am coming quickly." Amen. Come,
Lord Yeshua. 21 The grace of the Lord Yeshua be
with all. Amen.
"Blessed are You, Yahweh
our God, King of the Universe,
Rock of Ages, righteous
throughout all generations.
You are the faithful God,
promising and then performing, speaking and then fulfilling,
for all Your words are true
and righteous.
Faithful are You, Yahweh
our God, and faithful are Your words,
for no word of Yours shall
remain unfulfilled;
You are a faithful and
merciful God and King.
Blessed are You, Yahweh our
God, Who are faithful in fulfilling all Your words." |