Beresheeth / Genesis 12:1 – 17:27

By Matthew Moshe Nolan

 

LECH LECHA – LAMED-KOF-LAMED-KOF means Go for yourself or Go alone!

BERESHEETH/Genesis 12:1: VAYOMER YHWH EL-AVRAM LECH LECHA ME’ARTZECHA UMIMOLADETECHA UMIBEIT AVICHA EL-HA’ARETZ ASHER AR’EKA.

YHWH said to AVRAM, “Go from your land, from your birthplace, and from your father’s house, [and go] to the land that I will show you.  ² I will make you into a great nation, I will bless you and make your name great; and you will be a blessing. ³ I will bless those who bless you, and he who curses you I will curse; and through you will be blessed all the families of the earth.”  ⁴ AVRAM went as YHWH had told him, and Lot went with him.  AVRAM was seventy-five years old when he left CHARAN.  ⁵ AVRAM took his wife SARAI; Lot, his brother’s son; all their possessions they had acquired; and the souls [people] who they had made [converted] in CHARAN, and they set out to go to the land of KENAAN; they came to the land of KENAAN.  ⁶ Avram passed [traveled] through the land until the place of SHECHEM, until the Plains of MOREH.  The KENAANIM were then in the land.  ⁷ YHWH appeared to AVRAM and said, “To your descendants I will give this land.”  There he built an altar to YHWH Who had appeared to him.  ⁸ From there he moved to the mountain that was east of BEIT-EL and set up his tent.  BEIT-EL was to the west and AI was to the east.  There he built an altar to YHWH, and he proclaimed the Name, YHWH.  ⁹ AVRAM journeyed, traveling steadily southward.

Introduction

• Leaving and going it alone with YHWH
• The ten tests of AVRAM
• The MALKI-TZADIK
• The 430-year shadow prophecy:  What happens to the fathers, happens to the descendants
• The covenant of the cutting, and passing through the cutting

• Leave the past behind!
• Don’t hold on to old customs!
• Children of Abraham – LECH LECHA!
• Our own spiritual journey is mirrored in AVRAHAM’s life

YHWH’s call to AVRAHAM is the same spiritual calling to us all.  YHWH’s voice calls to every generation to “Please leave patriotism — those nationalistic feelings — the customs and feelings of your family — and flee to the source of your higher soul, leaving the gentile religious mindset behind and entering into the Hebrew “head space” where YHWH is experienced in every moment of your life — not just at supernatural moments or catastrophic moments!

AVRAM was like you and I seeking meaning in the world. The first IVRI/Hebrew > HAVAR > to cross over!

BERESHEETH 12:1: Now YHWH had said to AVRAM, Get out of/LECH LECHA your country, and from your MISHPACHA, and from your ABBA’s BAYIT, to a land that I will show you.

In verse 2, we see the five “I wills of YHWH,” demonstrating His authority.  In Isaiah 14:13, s.a.tan tries to steal YHWH’s authority with his own five “I wills.”

1. And I will make of you a great nation,
2. and I will bless you,
3. and make your name great;
4. and you shall be a bracha. (change one vowel = a spring of water that purifies the defiled)
5. And I will bless them who bless you, and curse him who curses you; and in you shall all MISHPACHOT (ref to MOSHIACH) of the earth be blessed - mixed.

⁴ So AVRAM departed as YHWH had spoken to him, and LOT went with him; and AVRAM was seventy-five years old when he departed out of CHARAN. ⁵ And AVRAM took SARAI his wife, and LOT his brother’s son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and the beings that they had gotten in CHARAN; and they went out to go into the land of  KANAAN; and into the land of KANAAN they came.

The journey:  progressive.  Not as one would think:  father’s house , community, country.  TORAH teaches the opposite.  First the physical action then the spiritual outcome:  country, community, Father’s house.  Leave the past behind.  Don’t keep TORAH secretly — that’s still being in your country and community — you never left!  Don’t be silent around your family — that’s still being in your father’s house — take a stand!

MATITYAHU/Matthew 10:37: He who loves ABBA or EEMA more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. ³⁸ And he who takes not up his staff and walks in my ways is not worthy of Me.

Ten Tests of AVRAHAM

QORINTHYIA ALEPH/1 Corinthians 10:5: Their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.  Now these things served as our examples and they were written for our admonition upon whom the ends of the ages have come.

Reference Bam 14:22:  “You put me to the test these ten times.”  What happens to the fathers will happen to the descendants!

Look to AVRAHAM our father:

1. AVRAHAM hid underground for 13 years out of fear of King Nimrod who sought to kill him for destroying his father’s idols and proclaiming YHWH as ELOHIM
2. Famine in the land after YHWH promises AVRAHAM he will be a GOY GADOL/great nation
3. Abduction of Sarai > womb
4. YHWH reveals to AVRAHAM that his seed will suffer under the reign of four monarchs
5. War with the four kings
6. Marriage to Hagar > giving up on SARAI
7. The command of BRIT MILAH at a ripe old age with a piece of sandy flint
8. Abimilech’s abduction of SARAI
9. Driving away Ishmael and Hagar
10. AKEDAH of Isaac:  YHWH tested AVRAHAM ten times > Israel tested and was tested by YHWH ten times, and we will face ten tests in our HALACHA at the ends of the ages!  Trials and tribulation are for own refinement.

The MALKI-TZADIK

Pirke de Rabbi Eliezer/Chapters of Rabbi Eliezer – Medevil MSS and SEFER YAHSHAR/Book of Jasher bring us insight into SHEM and MALKI-TZADIK  (Joshua 10:13, 2^nd Samuel 1:18, 2^nd Timothy 3:8).

“Is not this written in the Book of YAHSHAR?” - Joshua 10:13

“Behold it is written in the Book of YAHSHAR.” – 2 Samuel 1:18

“Now as YOHANE and MAMRE opposed MOSHE …” - 2 Timothy 3:8, found in SEFER YAHSHAR 79: 27

Chapter 9 of the Book of YAHSHAR tells us that when AVRAHAM was 10 years old, he goes to Noah and Shem, remains with them for 39 years, and is taught in all the ways of YAHWEH.

9:1: And when ABRAM came out from the cave, he went to Noah and his son Shem, and he remained with them to learn the instruction of YAHWEH and his ways, and no man knew where ABRAM was, and ABRAM served Noah and Shem his son for a long time.   ² And ABRAM was in Noah’s house thirty-nine years, and ABRAM knew YAHWEH from three years old, and he went in the ways of YAHWEH until the day of his death, as Noah and his son Shem had taught him.  And all the sons of the earth in those days greatly transgressed against YAHWEH, and they rebelled against him and they served other gods, and they forgot YAHWEH who had created them in the earth.  And the inhabitants of the earth made unto themselves at that time, every man his gods; gods of wood and stone which could neither speak, hear, nor deliver; and the sons of men served them and they became their gods.

Chapter 16:

¹¹ And ADONIZEDEK, King of Jerusalem, the same was Shem, went out with his men to meet ABRAM and his people with bread and wine, and they remained together in the valley of Melech.  ADONI-TZADIK in Hebrew means “Righteous Master” who is also the same as MELECH-TZEDEK which is Hebrew for Righteous King.

Yahshar 16:11 states this is Shem (Son of Noah):

¹² And ADONI-TZADIK blessed ABRAM, and ABRAM gave him a tenth from all that he had brought from the spoil of his enemies, for ADONI-TZADIK was a priest before ELOHIM.  ABRAHAM paid tithes to Shem; Shem was not only Abraham’s Priest but also Abraham’s King and Master.

SEFER YAHSHAR, Chapter 28:18:

¹⁸ At that time Isaac sent his younger son Jacob to the house of Shem and Ever, and he learned the TORAH (instructions) of YAHWEH, and Jacob remained in the house of Shem and Ever for thirty-two years.  And Esau his brother did not go for he was not willing to go, and he remained in his father’s house in the land of Canaan.

Jacob was in the House of Shem learning TORAH under Shem for 32 years; Shem, son of Noah, as king of Jerusalem.  The king of Jerusalem was called the king of SHALAYIM (Salem).

Abraham met MELECH TZADIK, King of Salem, after a military victory:

BERESHEET/Genesis 14:18-20: And MELECH-TZADIK, MELECH of Salem, brought out LECHEM and wine; and he was the KOHEN of EL-ELYON.”  And he blessed him and said, “Blessed be ABRAM of EL-ELYON, possessor of heaven and earth …”

The king of Salem was the king of Jerusalem.

Look at the name of the Holy City, the place of the Temple, which Abraham had called “YIREH” (BERESHEET 22:14/YHWH-YIREH) and which Shem had called “Salem.”  YHWH joined both names and we get the the name “Yahru-salem — Jerusalem.”

2 Chronicles 6:6: But I have chosen YAHRUSHALAYIM (Jerusalem), that My Name might be there; and have chosen DAWID to be over my people Y’ISRAEL.

Pirke de Rabbi Eliezer:  The Trials of Abraham — AVRAHAM gave the tithe to Shem, the son of NOACH, when he came forth to meet AVRAHAM.

The first recorded MALKI-TZADIK was Shem, culminating with YAHSHUA HA MOSHIACH, and we are also placed in that lineage through faith in Messiah YAHSHUA (1 Peter 2:9 and Revelation 1:6).

YAHSHUA is the only KOHEN HAGADOL (High Priest) after the order or MELECH-TZADIK, and His servants are priests after this order who serve follow after our High Priest YAHSHUA HA MOSHIACH.  KOHENIM of righteousness means you can’t be a KOHEN who desecrates TORAH!

The 400-and-30-Year Shadow Prophecy:  What Happens to the Fathers Happens to the Decedents

Beresheeth/Genesis 15:7: And He said to him, I am YHWH Who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldees, to give you this land to inherit it. ⁸ And he said, Master YHWH, how shall I know that I shall inherit it? ⁹ And He said to him, Take a heifer three years old, and a female goat three years old, and a ram three years old, and a turtledove, and a young pigeon. ¹⁰ And he took for Him all these and divided them in the midst and laid each piece one against another, but the birds he divided not. ¹¹ And when the fowls came down upon the carcasses, AVRAM drove them away. ¹² And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon AVRAM; and see, a horror of great darkness fell upon him. ¹³ And He said to AVRAM, Know of a certainty that your ZERA shall be GERIM in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years. ¹⁴ And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge, and afterward shall they come out with great substance. ¹⁵ And you shall go to your AHVOT in SHALOM; you shall be buried at a TOV old age. ¹⁶ But in the fourth generation they shall come here again, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet  full. [DEVARIM/Deuteronomy 9:4]  It’s because of the iniquity of the inhabitants of the land that you are going to posses it, not your righteousness.

Cannan is the land of the Amorites (Ez 16:3, Am 2:9); even though the Amorites inhabited a larger region, they dominated Canaan. Their iniquity was full at the time of YAHOSHUA at YERICO — total and utter destruction.

SHEMOT/Exodus 12:40: Now the sojourning of the children of Y’ISRAEL, who dwelt in MITZRAYIM, was four hundred thirty years. ⁴¹ And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years [ didn’t BERESHEET say 400 years?], even on the very same day [of their entry -- supplied, not in text], it came to pass that all the divisions of YHWH went out from the land of MITZRAYIM.

The very same day as ____?

BERESHEET 19:1-3: And there came two heavenly MALACHIM to Sodom at evening, and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom.  And Lot, seeing them rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground. ² And he said, See now, my masters, turn in and stay here please, into your EVED’s BAYIT, and stay all night, and wash your feet, and you shall rise up early, and go on your way.  And they said, No, but we will stay in the street all night. ³ And he pressured them greatly, and they turned in to stay with him and entered into his BAYIT; and he made them a feast and did bake MATZOH, and they did eat.

YAHSHAR 75:1: At that time, in the hundred and eightieth year [400 years and 430 years discrepancy is cleared up here!!] of the Israelites’ going down into Egypt, there went forth from Egypt valiant men, thirty thousand on foot, from the children of Israel, who were all of the tribe of Joseph, of the children of Ephraim the son of Joseph.  ² For they said the period was completed which the Lord had appointed to the children of Israel in the times of old, which he had spoken to Abraham.  ³ And these men girded themselves, and they put each man his sword at his side, and every man his armor upon him, and they trusted to their strength, and they went out together from Egypt with a mighty hand.  ⁴ But they brought no provision for the road, only silver and gold, not even bread for that day did they bring in their hands, for they thought of getting their provision for pay from the Philistines, and if not they would take it by force.  ⁵ And these men were very mighty and valiant men, one man could pursue a thousand and two could rout ten thousand, so they trusted to their strength and went together as they were.  ⁶ And they directed their course toward the land of Gath, and they went down and found the shepherds of Gath feeding the cattle of the children of Gath.  ⁷ And they said to the shepherds, give us some of the sheep for pay, that we may eat, for we are hungry, for we have eaten no bread this day.  ⁸ And the shepherds said, Are they our sheep or cattle that we should give them to you even for pay?  So the children of Ephraim approached to take them by force.  ⁹ And the shepherds of Gath shouted over them that their cry was heard at a distance, so all the children of Gath went out to them.  ¹⁰ And when the children of Gath saw the evil doings of the children of Ephraim, they returned and assembled the men of Gath, and they put on  each man his armor, and came forth to the children of Ephraim for battle.  ¹¹ And they engaged with them in the valley of Gath, and the battle was severe, and they smote from each other a great many on that day.  ¹² And on the second day the children of Gath sent to all the cities of the Philistines that they should come to their help, saying, ¹³ Come up unto us and help us that we may smite the children of  Ephraim who have come forth from Egypt to take our cattle, and to fight  against us without cause.  ¹⁴ Now the souls of the children of Ephraim were exhausted with hunger and thirst, for they had eaten no bread for three days.  And forty thousand  men went forth from the cities of the Philistines to the assistance of the  men of Gath.  ¹⁵ And these men were engaged in battle with the children of Ephraim, and the Lord delivered the children of Ephraim into the hands of the  Philistines.  ¹⁶ And they smote all the children of Ephraim, all who had gone forth from Egypt, none were remaining but ten men who had run away from the engagement.  ¹⁷ For this evil was from the Lord against the children of Ephraim, for  they transgressed the word of the Lord in going forth from Egypt, before the period had arrived which the Lord in the days of old had appointed to Israel.  ¹⁸ And of the Philistines also there fell a great many, about twenty thousand men, and their brethren carried them and buried them in their  cities.  ¹⁹ And the slain of the children of Ephraim remained forsaken in the valley of Gath for many days and years, and were not brought to burial, and the valley was filled with men’s bones.  ²⁰ And the men who had escaped from the battle came to Egypt, and told all the children of Israel all that had befallen them.  ²¹ And their father Ephraim mourned over them for many days, and his  brethren came to console him.

The one hundred and eighty years plus the thirty years early equals two hundred and ten years in MITZRAYIM, which matches the genealogies of SHEMOT/Exodus 6.  It was 400 years from the BERESHEET 15 prophecy which they transgressed!  A shadow prophesy within this PARSHA of the descendants’ future.

BERESHEET/Genesis 12:10: And there was a famine in the land; and AVRAM went down into MITZRAYIM to sojourn there, for the famine was severe in the land.  ¹¹ And it came to pass, when he was come near to enter into MITZRAYIM, that he said to SARAI his wife, See now, I know that you are a beautiful woman to look upon. ¹² Therefore, it shall come to pass, when the Mitzrim shall see you, that they shall say, This is his wife, and they will kill me but they will save you alive. ¹³ Please say you are my sister that it may be well with me for your sake; and my being shall live because of you. ¹⁴ And it came to pass that, when AVRAM came into MITZRAYIM, the MITZRIM beheld the woman, that she was very beautiful. ¹⁵ The princes of Pharaoh also saw her, and commended her before Pharaoh; and the woman was taken into Pharaoh’s BAYIT. ¹⁶ And he treated AVRAM well for her sake; and he had sheep, and oxen, and male donkeys, and male AVADIM, and female AVADIM, and female donkeys, and camels. ¹⁷ And YHWH plagued Pharaoh and his BAYIT with great plagues because of SARAI, AVRAM‘s wife. ¹⁸ And Pharaoh called AVRAM and said, What is this that you have done to me?  Why did you not tell me that she was your wife? ¹⁹ Why did you say, She is my sister so I might have mistakenly taken her to me as my wife?  Now, therefore, see your wife, take her, and go your way. ²⁰ And Pharaoh commanded his men concerning him and they sent him away, and his wife, and all that he had. And AVRAM went up out of MITZRAYIM, he and his wife, and all that he had, and Lot with him, into the south. And AVRAM was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold.

Remember : What happens to the fathers, happens to the descendants.

• AVRAHAM is a picture of YHWH
• SARAI, his bride, is a picture of Israel
• They marry
• Famine in the land and they descend  into Egypt
• The bride/SARAI’s identity is veiled; Israel as YHWH’s people is veiled
• SARAI is possessed and taken captive by Pharaoh; Israel is possessed and taken captive by Pharaoh
• A plague strikes Pharaoh and he releases the bride SARAI, and later Israel
• Both accounts end with the bride plundering Egypt
• It all takes place 400 years from this very same day:  PESACH/Passover!

Pirke de Rabbi Eliezer:  The Holy One, blessed be He, brought AVRAHAM outside on the night of PESACH.”

Trieniel cycle of reading the TORAH — this PARSHA — is read at PESACH!

The Covenant of the Cutting and the Passing Through the Cutting

The plurality of the Avrahamic Covenant:  three parts — Chapters 12, 15, and 17, with Chapter 16 being an interruption of the flesh!

• Chapter 12:  Fathers/blessings
• Chapter 15:  Promised son and sacrifice
• Chapter 17:  Seal & BRIT MILAH

Cutting of the pieces . Covenant boundries. If I don’t keep this  covenant may I be flayed open.

BERESHEET/Genesis 15:1: After these things the word of YHWH came to AVRAM in a vision, saying, Fear not, AVRAM:  I am your shield and your exceeding great reward.  ² And AVRAM said, Master YHWH, what will You give me seeing I go childless? V.9: And He said to him, Take a heifer three years old, and a female goat three years old, and a ram three years old, and a turtledove, and a young pigeon.  ¹⁰ And he took for Him all these, and divided them in the midst, and laid each piece one against another, but the birds he divided not.  ¹¹ And when the fowls came down upon the carcasses, AVRAM drove them away. [TAMEI/unclean birds were trying to prevent the sacrifices.] ¹² And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon AVRAM; and see, a horror of great darkness fell upon him [Presence of YHWH].  V.17:  And it came to pass that, when the sun went down and it was dark, see a smoking furnace and a burning lamp passed between those pieces. ¹⁸ In the same day [phrase used frequently in this PARASHA -- PESACH!  And the smoking furnace is symbolic of the upcoming affliction of Israel in Egypt and the burning lamp is symbolic of Israel’s deliverance from Egypt > 400 and the 30], YHWH made a BRIT with AVRAM saying, To your ZERA have I given this land, from the river of MITZRAYIM to the great river, the River Euphrates.

Beresheeth 16:15:  And Hagar bore AVRAM a son; and AVRAM called his son’s name, which Hagar bore, YISHMA-EL. ¹⁶ And AVRAM was eighty-six years old, when Hagar bore YISHMA-EL to AVRAM.

Beresheeth 17:1: And when AVRAM was ninety-nine years old, YHWH appeared to AVRAM, and said to him, I am EL-SHADDAI; have your HALACHA before Me and be perfect. ² And I will make My BRIT between Me and you. V.10: This is My BRIT that you shall keep, between Me and you and your ZERA after you:  Every male child among you shall enter BRIT-MILAH. ¹¹ And you shall perform BRIT-MILAH on the flesh of your foreskin; [Pirke de Rabbi Eliezer:  "AVRAHAM sent and called for Shem, the son of NOACH and he circumcised the flesh of his foreskin."  Babylonian Talmud 86b.  This happened at PESACH.]  and it shall be a token of the BRIT between you and Me. ¹² And he who is eight days old shall become BRIT-MILAH among you, every male child in your generations, he who is born in the BAYIT, or bought with the money of any GER who is not of your ZERA. ¹³ He who is born in your BAYIT and he who is bought with your money must enter BRIT-MILAH.  And My BRIT shall be in your flesh for an everlasting BRIT. ¹⁴ And the  uncircumcised male child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that being shall be cut off from his people; he has broken My BRIT.

Ishmael is seed from AVRAHAM?

Ishmael is the BACHOR/firstborn?

Does he fit the criteria of BERESHEET 15:4: He shall come out of your own bowels; he shall be your heir?

But he is rejected!  Because AVRAHAM did not pass through the cut pieces!

AVRAHAM had yet to fulfill his part of the covenant, passing between the cuttings!

Ishmael didn’t pass through the cutting as seed.

The cutting of  BRIT MILAH is AVRAHAM’s side of that same covenant agreement.

KOL Y’ISRAEL, both male and female, enter the covenant by passing as seed through the cutting of the organ.  So through BRIT MILAH/circumcision, each successive generation as seed passes through the cut organ and thus inherits all the covenant blessings (ROMIYAH/Romans 9).  As seed of Israel, you become heirs to the BRIT/covenant.

How did MOSHIACH enter into this covenant?  YOSEPH’s organ?  NO!

BER. 15:17: And it came to pass that, when the sun went down and it was dark, see a smoking furnace and a burning lamp that passed between those pieces.

What if you as seed passed through an organ that wasn’t circumcised?

EPHISIYAH/Ephesians 2:11: Therefore, remember that you being in times past gentiles in the flesh, who are called The Uncircumcision by those called the BRIT-MILAH in the flesh made by hands, ¹² that at that time you were without MOSHIACH, being excluded, aliens from the Commonwealth of Y’ISRAEL, as GERIM from the covenants of promise, having no TIKVAH, and without ELOAH in the OLAM HAZEH. [Scripturally you’re done! out!  ORLAH/uncircumcised is associated with death because you’re outside the covenants!]  ¹³ But now in MOSHIACH YAHUSHUA, you who sometimes were far off are made near by the DAHM of MOSHIACH.  For He is our SHALOM, Who has made both ECHAD

Colossians 2:10: And you are complete in Him, Who is the Head of all principality and power, ¹¹ in Whom also you are circumcised with the BRIT-MILAH made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the BRIT-MILAH of the MOSHIACH; ¹² buried with Him in MICAH, by which also you are risen with Him through MYNAH in the operation of YHWH, Who has raised Him from the dead. ¹³ And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh [ORLAH/uncircumcision is death], has He made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all your trespasses.

YOCHANAN/John 8:56: [What day?] Your ABBA AVRAHAM rejoiced to see My day; and he saw it and had GILAH.

My day is PESACH:  the day shown to AVRAHAM, the day shown to Israel in Egypt, the day shown to King David, the day shown to all who enter “My BRIT.”