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Tevet 7, 5762 /
Dec 22, 2001
Tevet 6, 5765 /
Dec 18, 2004
Tevet 6, 5768 /
Dec 15, 2007
Tevet 6, 5771 /
Dec 11, 2010
Tevet 4, 5774 /
Dec
7, 2013
Tevet 9, 5777 /
Jan 7, 2017
Tevet 7, 5780 /
Jan 4, 2020
Tevet 7, 5783 / Dec 31, 2022
Hanimtza /
Can We Find?
SCRIPTURES should be read first
(V.38)
Then Pharaoh said to his servants, "Can we find a man like this, in whom is
a divine spirit?" So Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Since God has informed
you of all this, there is no one so discerning and wise as you are.
Is
this not what Joseph’s father Jacob, saw in him?
Still,
Joseph prefigures Yeshua: Isaiah (11:2,9) prophesied concerning Yeshua, “And
the Spirit of Yahweh will rest on Him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding,
the spirit of counsel and strength, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of
Yahweh. . . . the earth will be full of the knowledge of Yahweh as the waters
cover the sea.”
Egyptian
law forbade elevating a slave to a position of aristocracy. The Talmud states (Sotah
36b) that when Pharaoh proposed elevating Joseph to this high position, the
royal astrologers exclaimed, “Will you set over us a slave whom his master
bought for twenty pieces of silver?”
“So
they weighed for my price thirty silver shekels. Then said the Lord to them,
‘Cast them to the potter, that “magnificent” price that I was valued by
them.’ – Zechariah 11:12.
Matt
27:3-9 –
"Then when Judas, who had betrayed Him, saw that He had been condemned, he felt
remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and
elders, saying, "I have sinned by betraying innocent blood." But they
said, "What is that to us? See to that yourself!" And he threw the
pieces of silver into the sanctuary and departed; and he went away and hanged
himself. And the chief priests took the pieces of silver and said, "It is
not lawful to put them into the temple treasury, since it is the price of
blood.7 And they counseled together and with the money bought the Potter's Field
as a burial place for strangers. For this reason that field has been called the
Field of Blood to this day. Then that which was spoken through Jeremiah the
prophet was fulfilled, saying, "And they took the thirty pieces of silver,
the price of the one whose price had been set by the sons of Israel"
Even
the Pharaoh, who considered himself a god, acknowledged that Joseph had the
Spirit of God of supreme King of Kings. By referring to Joseph’s wisdom as a
power outside of Joseph, the Pharaoh avoided affronting the “wise men” of
Egypt. No one’s discernment of the future compared to that shown by Joseph,
and no one’s wisdom in planning for the future compared to that displayed by
Joseph.
(V.40)
As did Potiphar in the prison, so now the Pharaoh sets Joseph as second highest
in the palace – controlling everything, notably agriculture and commerce.
Again Joseph symbolizes Yeshua, reigning over everything, notably over our
sustenance for which we offer blessing several times a day.
(V.42)
Joseph is given the ring of authority, and a special garment of fine linen.
Rev 1:13 – and in the middle
of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed in a robe reaching to the feet,
Rev
4:12-13 – "Worthy is the
Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor
and glory and blessing." And every creature in heaven and on the earth and
under the earth and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard saying, "To
Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and
dominion forever and ever."
(V.43)
They proclaimed before him, “Avrech!” This means “Father (Counselor) to
the King”, as Joseph affirms in v.45:8. Joseph had rejected praise for
himself, ascribing greatness to God; now God exalted Joseph.
(V.45)
Then the Pharaoh named Joseph Zaphenath-paneah (Tzaph-nath' Pa-ne'-ach)
– He who explains what is hidden; and he gave him Asenath (As-nath'),
the daughter of Potiphera (see v.39:1) priest of On, as his wife.
A
name change was normal for one promoted to a high position (as with Hosea/Joshua
and Daniel/Belteshazzar). In this case, it helped conceal Joseph’s identity
from his brothers.
It
was customary for retired Egyptian nobles to devote themselves to service of
their gods. Hence, Potiphar (Poti Phera – emasculated), who had been
responsible for Pharaoh’s prison, became a priest of one of the gods.
One
suspected of illicit relationship with a woman is was not allowed to marry her
daughter; by giving Potiphar’s daughter to Joseph, Pharaoh was showing that
the accusation was not to be believed, and allowed Joseph to hold high office.
In similar manner, God will show all accusations against Yeshua to be false: He
will ultimately be given a “daughter of Egypt”, a bride redeemed from
idolatry.
Isa 19:21 – Yahweh
will make Himself known to Egypt, and the Egyptians will know Yahweh in that
day. They will even worship with sacrifice and offering, and will make a vow to
Yahweh and perform it.
(V.46)
Joseph went throughout the land of Egypt, learning about it, attending to its
affairs, and leading the people to prepare for the coming famine. Yeshua
traveled about Eretz Israel, learning, attending to its people, and leading
those who were to prepare for eternal life. We should likewise be learning
God’s Word, attending to His people, and preparing for our future inheritance.
(V.50)
Aseneth bore two sons to Joseph before the famine. The wording indicates that
Joseph, the exalted slave, prevailed over Aseneth, the aristocrats daughter.
Being the only Hebrew in Egypt, and married to the daughter of an idolatrous
priest, Joseph raised a family to fear God. So, in the Erev Shabbat home
service, we wish for our sons to emulate “Ephraim and Manassah”.
(V.51)
Manassah – He who causes to forget: the implication is that one thought pushes
to the forefront, past other thoughts. Thoughts of this son displaced thoughts
about prime years in prison, and the previous troubles with his brothers, and
perhaps continuous feelings of missing his father.
(V.52)
Ephraim – Fruitful: God had made Joseph fruitful after all, with honor,
wealth, and now children. “In the land of my suffering” relates to one who
is privileged to eat from the King’s table, on the condition that he eat
outside (not in Eretz Israel).
(V.53)
The seven years of abundance was only in Egypt, but the following famine was in
the entire world: so Egypt provided for the world. As Joseph walked with God to
provide for the world, so Yeshua walked with His Father to provide salvation for
the world.
(V.56)
The famine spread over “the faces of the earth”, meaning that it struck the
wealthy first, or particularly hard.
Chapter
42
(V.17)
Joseph put his ten older brothers in prison for three days. Perhaps Manassah
didn’t cause complete forgetting! According to the Zohar, the three days
correspond to the three days that Shechemites were in pain because of the
brothers’ scheme (v.34:25).
Today’s
Psalm speaks to Joseph’s situation, as well as to Yeshua’s (v.26-28), “Let
those be ashamed and humiliated altogether who rejoice at my distress; let those
be clothed with shame and dishonor who magnify themselves over me. Let them
shout for joy and rejoice, who favor my vindication; and let them say
continually, ‘Yahweh be magnified, Who delights in the prosperity of His
servant.’ And my tongue shall declare Thy righteousness and Thy praise all day
long.”
The first word
of this Psalm is “(L’David – To David.” It was written for David. Then we
read, “Fight, Yahweh, my adversaries, battle my atackers . . .” Moses made
reference to the same subject in Numbers 21:14 – “The Book of Yahweh’s Wars”. If
we are immersed in learning and walking with God, then He will fight our wars.
The essence of
praising God is to learn of God’s desires and to walk accordingly. We often hear
of “Praise teams” – groups within a congregation that “lead the worship.” We
sometimes hear of dance being referred to as the worship of God. But worshipping
God is the whole of learning God’s Word and obeying it.
For us today:
God has
instructed us to set aside the Sabbath Day for worship. As part of that, a
“solemn assembly” is required (Leviticus 23:3). This public worship service was
designed be God Himself for the Holy Temple in Jerusalem, and is the pattern for
synagogues/churches.
The Sabbath
service is to be prayerful throughout; each activity is to be accompanied by
blessings. While we do not teach that specific wording is required, some object
to “written” prayers; yet most of these people use the same prayer format from
day to day, though it is not written. Yeshua gave us a pattern for daily prayers
(Matthew 5:9) that compares to the Shemoneh Esrei – the Eighteen Benedictions
that were understood as a pattern.
God’s Holy
Word is to be heard and expounded. This is not primarily an evangelistic tool,
but is basic to the believer’s learning how to walk with God during the week (It
is each individual’s responsibility to evangelize outside in the world). God’s
Word should be heard reverently – this is a high form of worship, and
distractions should be minimized.
God gave us
inspired songs to be used for the worship services – many of them for specific
stated times. The Songs of Ascent (Psalms 120-134) are to be sung when going up
to worship. Psalm 91 is specifically for the Sabbath. Hallel (Psalms 113-118)
are to be sung at each of the three Feasts. Most fundamentalists would not
believe that any of our sermons were perfect – that is inspired, in the sense
that the Bible is; yet, many take songs composed by today’s popular artists as
inspired, and use them in place of the Psalms that God gave us for the worship
services! We can get so caught up in the songs that we like, that we reject what
God instructed – and then call that worshipping Him: think about that.
As for the
remainder of the Sabbath Day, we are instructed to “rest” from our mundane work
in order to spend the day in worship. That means that we should minimize other
work: it is proper to care for children and the needy, and perform basic meal
preparations and health requirements – those things which are necessary. Things
that can be performed on other days instead should not detract from worship
time. We should take care to be rested and prepared for Sabbath, as an honor to
our Savior. This is also a picture of our needed preparation for the Great
Sabbath.
We are also
instructed to mark-out the beginning and ending of the Sabbath Day. This is the
only way that we are likely to consistently observe the day. It is customarily
done with the lighting of Erev-Shabbat candles and Havdallah candles, this being
also prophetic (See Millennial Sabbath).
“Sanctify
My Sabbaths, and they shall be a sign between Me and You, that you may know that
I am Yahweh your God” – Ezekiel 20:20.
“Also the
gentiles who join themselves to Yahweh, to minister to Him, and to love the name
Yahweh, to be His servants, every one who keeps from profaning the Sabbath and
holds fast My covenant; even those I will bring to My holy mountain and make
them joyful in My house of prayer. Their elevation offerings and their
sacrifices will be acceptable on My altar; for My house will be called a house
of prayer for all peoples” – Isaiah 56:6-7.
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. 1
(Hanimtza
kazah ish asher ruach Elohim ki /
Can we find like this - a man in whom spirit of Elohim is?)
38 Then Pharaoh said to his
servants, "Can we find a man like this, in whom is a divine spirit?" 39
So Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Since God has informed you of all this, there is no
one so discerning and wise as you are. 40 "You shall be over my
house, and according to your command all my people shall do homage; only in the
throne I will be greater than you." 41 Pharaoh said to Joseph, "See,
I have set you over all the land of Egypt." 42 Then Pharaoh took off
his signet ring from his hand and put it on Joseph's hand, and clothed him in
garments of fine linen and put the gold necklace around his neck. 43
He had him ride in his second chariot; and they proclaimed before him, "Bow the
knee!" And he set him over all the land of Egypt.
Reader 2* Amen. 44
Moreover, Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Though I am Pharaoh, yet without your
permission no one shall raise his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt."
45 Then Pharaoh named Joseph Zaphenath-paneah; and he gave him Asenath,
the daughter of Potiphera priest of On, as his wife. And Joseph went forth over
the land of Egypt. 46 Now Joseph was thirty years old when he stood
before Pharaoh, king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh
and went through all the land of Egypt. 47 During the seven years of
plenty the land brought forth abundantly. 48 So he gathered all the
food of these seven years which occurred in the land of Egypt and placed the
food in the cities; he placed in every city the food from its own surrounding
fields. 49 Thus Joseph stored up grain in great abundance like the
sand of the sea, until he stopped measuring it, for it was beyond measure.
Reader 3* Amen. 50
Now before the year of famine came, two sons were born to Joseph, whom Asenath,
the daughter of Potiphera priest of On, bore to him. 51 Joseph named
the firstborn Manasseh, "For," he said, "God has made me forget all my trouble
and all my father's household." 52 He named the second Ephraim,
"For," he said, "God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction."
Reader 4* Amen. 53
When the seven years of plenty which had been in the land of Egypt came to an
end, 54 and the seven years of famine began to come, just as Joseph
had said, then there was famine in all the lands, but in all the land of Egypt
there was bread. 55 So when all the land of Egypt was famished, the
people cried out to Pharaoh for bread; and Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians,
"Go to Joseph; whatever he says to you, you shall do." 56 When the
famine was spread over all the face of the earth, then Joseph opened all the
storehouses, and sold to the Egyptians; and the famine was severe in the land of
Egypt. 57 The people of all the earth came to Egypt to buy grain from
Joseph, because the famine was severe in all the earth.
Reader 5* Amen. 42:1
Now Jacob saw that there was grain in Egypt, and Jacob said to his sons, "Why
are you staring at one another?" 2 He said, "Behold, I have heard
that there is grain in Egypt; go down there and buy some for us from that place,
so that we may live and not die." 3 Then ten brothers of Joseph went
down to buy grain from Egypt. 4 But Jacob did not send Joseph's
brother Benjamin with his brothers, for he said, "I am afraid that harm may
befall him." 5 So the sons of Israel came to buy grain among those
who were coming, for the famine was in the land of Canaan also. 6 Now
Joseph was the ruler over the land; he was the one who sold to all the people of
the land. And Joseph's brothers came and bowed down to him with their faces to
the ground.
Reader 6* Amen. 7
When Joseph saw his brothers he recognized them, but he disguised himself to
them and spoke to them harshly. And he said to them, "Where have you come from?"
And they said, "From the land of Canaan, to buy food." 8 But Joseph
had recognized his brothers, although they did not recognize him. 9
Joseph remembered the dreams which he had about them, and said to them, "You are
spies; you have come to look at the undefended parts of our land." 10
Then they said to him, "No, my lord, but your servants have come to buy food.
11 "We are all sons of one man; we are honest men, your servants are
not spies."
Reader 7* Amen. 12
Yet he said to them, "No, but you have come to look at the undefended parts of
our land!" 13 But they said, "Your servants are twelve brothers in
all, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; and behold, the youngest is with
our father today, and one is no longer alive." 14 Joseph said to
them, "It is as I said to you, you are spies; 15 by this you will be
tested: by the life of Pharaoh, you shall not go from this place unless your
youngest brother comes here! 16 "Send one of you that he may get your
brother, while you remain confined, that your words may be tested, whether there
is truth in you. But if not, by the life of Pharaoh, surely you are spies."
17 So he put them all together in prison for three days.
"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."
Isaiah 11:1-9
1 Then a shoot will spring from
the stem of Jesse, and a branch from his roots will bear fruit. 2 The
Spirit of Yahweh will rest on Him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the
spirit of counsel and strength, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of Yahweh.
3 And He will delight in the fear of Yahweh, and He will not judge by
what His eyes see, nor make a decision by what His ears hear; 4 but
with righteousness He will judge the poor, and decide with fairness for the
afflicted of the earth; and He will strike the earth with the rod of His mouth,
and with the breath of His lips He will slay the wicked. 5 Also
righteousness will be the belt about His loins, and faithfulness the belt about
His waist. 6 And the wolf will dwell with the lamb, and the leopard
will lie down with the young goat, and the calf and the young lion and the
fatling together; and a little boy will lead them. 7 Also the cow and
the bear will graze, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat
straw like the ox. 8 The nursing child will play by the hole of the
cobra, and the weaned child will put his hand on the viper's den. 9
They will not hurt or destroy in all My holy mountain, for the earth will be
full of the knowledge of Yahweh as the waters cover the sea.
Psalm 35
(To be sung.)
A Psalm of David.
1 Contend, O Yahweh, with those
who contend with me; fight against those who fight against me. 2 Take
hold of buckler and shield and rise up for my help. 3 Draw also the
spear and the battle-axe to meet those who pursue me; say to my soul, "I am your
salvation." 4 Let those be ashamed and dishonored who seek my life;
let those be turned back and humiliated who devise evil against me. 5
Let them be like chaff before the wind, with the angel of Yahweh driving them
on. 6 Let their way be dark and slippery, with the angel of Yahweh
pursuing them. 7 For without cause they hid their net for me; without
cause they dug a pit for my soul. 8 Let destruction come upon him
unawares, and let the net which he hid catch himself; into that very destruction
let him fall. 9 And my soul shall rejoice in Yahweh; it shall exult
in His salvation. 10 All my bones will say, " Yahweh, who is like
You, Who delivers the afflicted from him who is too strong for him, and the
afflicted and the needy from him who robs him?" 11 Malicious
witnesses rise up; they ask me of things that I do not know. 12 They
repay me evil for good, to the bereavement of my soul. 13 But as for
me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth; I humbled my soul with
fasting, and my prayer kept returning to my bosom. 14 I went about as
though it were my friend or brother; I bowed down mourning, as one who sorrows
for a mother. 15 But at my stumbling they rejoiced and gathered
themselves together; the smiters whom I did not know gathered together against
me, they slandered me without ceasing. 16 Like godless jesters at a
feast, they gnashed at me with their teeth. 17 Lord, how long will
You look on? Rescue my soul from their ravages, my only life from the lions.
18 I will give You thanks in the great congregation; I will praise
You among a mighty throng. 19 Do not let those who are wrongfully my
enemies rejoice over me; nor let those who hate me without cause wink
maliciously. 20 For they do not speak peace, but they devise
deceitful words against those who are quiet in the land. 21 They
opened their mouth wide against me; they said, "Aha, aha, our eyes have seen
it!" 22 You have seen it, O Yahweh, do not keep silent; O Lord, do
not be far from me. 23 Stir up Yourself, and awake to my right and to
my cause, my God and my Lord. 24 Judge me, O Yahweh my God, according
to Your righteousness, and do not let them rejoice over me. 25 Do not
let them say in their heart, "Aha, our desire!" Do not let them say, "We have
swallowed him up!" 26 Let those be ashamed and humiliated altogether
who rejoice at my distress; let those be clothed with shame and dishonor who
magnify themselves over me. 27 Let them shout for joy and rejoice,
who favor my vindication; and let them say continually, " Yahweh be magnified,
Who delights in the prosperity of His servant." 28 And my tongue
shall declare Your righteousness and Your praise all day long.
Acts 7:1-19
1 The high priest said, "Are
these things so?" 2 And he said, "Hear me, brethren and fathers! The
God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before
he lived in Haran, 3 and said to him, 'Leave your country and your
relatives, and come into the land that I will show you.' 4 "Then he
left the land of the Chaldeans and settled in Haran. From there, after his
father died, God had him move to this country in which you are now living.
5 "But He gave him no inheritance in it, not even a foot of ground, and
yet, even when he had no child, He promised that He would give it to him as a
possession, and to his descendants after him. 6 "But God spoke to
this effect, that his descendants would be aliens in a foreign land, and that
they would be enslaved and mistreated for four-hundred years. 7 "'And
whatever nation to which they will be in bondage I Myself will judge,' said God,
'And after that they will come out and serve Me in this place.' 8
"And He gave him the covenant of circumcision; and so Abraham became the father
of Isaac, and circumcised him on the eighth day; and Isaac became the father of
Jacob, and Jacob of the twelve patriarchs. 9 "The patriarchs became
jealous of Joseph and sold him into Egypt. Yet God was with him, 10
and rescued him from all his afflictions, and granted him favor and wisdom in
the sight of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and he made him governor over Egypt and all
his household. 11 "Now a famine came over all Egypt and Canaan, and
great affliction with it, and our fathers could find no food. 12 "But
when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent our fathers there the
first time. 13 "On the second visit Joseph made himself known to his
brothers, and Joseph's family was disclosed to Pharaoh. 14 "Then
Joseph sent word and invited Jacob his father and all his relatives to come to
him, seventy-five persons in all. 15 "And Jacob went down to Egypt
and there he and our fathers died. 16 "From there they were removed
to Shechem and laid in the tomb which Abraham had purchased for a sum of money
from the sons of Hamor in Shechem. 17 "But as the time of the promise
was approaching which God had assured to Abraham, the people increased and
multiplied in Egypt, 18 until there arose another king over Egypt who
knew nothing about Joseph. 19 "It was he who took shrewd advantage of
our race and mistreated our fathers so that they would expose their infants and
they would not survive.
"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."
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