Friday, November 13, 2015

Torah Portion Vayera - Guardian Angel Teaching #14 - Where - October 31

31 October 2015  ~  18 Cheshvan 5776
Torah Parashah - Vayera ~ (He appeared)
B’re’shiyt 18:1- 22:24  RSTNE p 19
Guardian Angel by Skip Moen 

We must object to any serpents that suggest our own feelings are the final arbiter of moral behavior. - Harbour Light Ministries


Torah - Vayera (He appeared)
-prophecy of Yitzchak  and his birth
-  destruction of Sedom and Amorah
-  Avraham’s mediation to save righteous in the cities
-  Lot’s families escape
-the Akediah  of Avraham
-  Hagar and Ishmael sent away

**
Avraham’s Akedah =

B’re’shiyt 22:16
“And said, ‘By Myself have I sworn, says YHWH, because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son.”

This is the verse the KEY verse.

Here we have to go back to Hebrew... (of course! :) )

= The English “you have done”

In ... “because you have done this thing and have not withheld your son, your only son.”

In Hebrew “you have done” is  “ASAH”

ASAH is an ayin, a shin, and a hey.

This word means  =
to make or create...
 it is A DEED FULLY DONE  and is in past tense.  !!!

With that understanding...
What B’re’shiyt 22:16 - better translated would say something close to....

“because you did this completely - giving your only son”.


What’s the big deal about this anyway?? - “If this were true....”

Why wouldn’t the Masoretic text say this?...
Because this is LIKE Y’shua!!

**************************
Let’s go to our word study from Skip Moen’s Guardian Angel -

Today we are going to start by looking at the word - “where”.

Let’s start this by reading
B’re’shiyt 3: 1-13 RSTNE p 10

Let’s look at YHWH’s opening question to Ahdahm after the sin...


B’re’shiyt 3:9 RSTNE p 10
“And YHWH Elohiym called to Ahdahm, and said to him, ‘Where are you?’”

Rabbi David Fohrman points out that there are 2 words in Hebrew for “where”.

“eypoh”  and “ayyeh”  (it’s ai’ke in Interlinear)

“Hebrew is a language with “a rather sparse vocabulary, so when it includes more than one word for the same idea, there is usually a very good reason. The reason is usually because there is some important difference between the 2 words.  -- Something so important that the separate ideas cannot be covered by a single word.”

Love is like this.
In Hebrew it is  -- ahava, dodh, and rayah.

And if we just read B’re’shiyt 3:9 in English and it says “where”... we miss a ton of stuff!

What stuff?
Let’s go to ...

EYPOH =
         B’re’shiyt 37:16
         = covers the general idea of “where” when it comes to geography.  This the “where” of location.

AYYEH =
         B’re’shiyt 22:7 - Yitzchak is not asking about the LOCATION of the sheep for the sacrifice. 

         -He is asking , in surprise, why the sheep is not WITH THEM. His use of AYYEH indicates that he expects the offering to be with them, but for some reason it is not.

Once you see the difference between these 2 words, the verse comes to life. 

YHWH is NOT asking about the location of Ahdahm - His question is a surprised concern about the unusual circumstances ...

This question in B’re’shiyt 3:9 is the first question in Torah.

 (Because the serpent did not ask a question - he had only made statements!  - despite English translation!)

-  The serpent states a fact with an implied suggestion.  The serpent actually says “YHWH said” and then implies “so what”. 


YHWH asks the first question  in B’re’shiyt 3:9 - “Where are you?” 

He’s not asking for Ahdahm’s location!

He’s asking - why Ahdahm is not where he is supposed to be - and Ahdahm is to be WITH HIM (YHWH)!!

The difference in the meaning of “where” makes an enormous difference in our understanding of the real situation.

Ahdahm is supposed to be in the presence of YHWH.

As a reflector of YHWH’s glory.

Ahdahm should desire to be with YHWH.


NOTICE IN
B’re’shiyt 3:8 “Ahdahm and his wife hid themselves from the presence of YHWH Elohiym...”

- Ahdahm's allegiance has shifted, and Ahdahm is very aware of this shift.

His idolatry has forced him to flee YHWH’s glory.


Remember last week we talked about the Hebrew word for loin covering - hagore with the root hagar - means  “to make private by fencing the pride of a person” - (idolatry). 

So Ahdahm was putting on a covering that covered up his idolatry!


As we have looked at this whole story -

-  traditionally the woman - Chava is blamed -
-  and of course the serpent...
-  but not Ahdahm....

But what we don’t see clearly in English is that Ahdahm is involved in two sins.

These two sins are the backdrop for the tragic collapse of male-female relationships.

“His sins propel us into the world where role fulfillment and transparent relationships are a daily struggle.” - Moen says.

G.  K Beale, in “We become what we Worship” -  makes a remark that moves us toward the examination of Ahdahm’s reaction to YHWH’s punishment. 

He says.. “Ahdahm’s shift from trusting YHWH to trusting the serpent meant that he (Ahdahm) no longer reflected YHWH’s image but must have begun to mirror the serpent’s image.”

B’re’shiyt 3:10
“And he said I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.”

better translated - this reads:

“And he said, I sh’ma Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I am naked; and I hid myself.”

Sh’ma means both the :

         1.  Sh’ma prayer - Hear O Yisra’el ... which Sh’ma means....listen and obey!

         2. But here in B’re’shiyt 3:10 - the first time Sh’ma is used in Torah is about FEAR.

When Ahdahm says “I heard your voice” he isn’t declaring the sovereignty of YHWH nor is he declaring his loyalty to YHWH’s instructions... He is running scared.

Scripture describes the dual nature of our reality....we can turn nearly any action into a declaration of YHWH’s goodness or a statement of our depravity. 

Sin always results in a shift away from YHWH’s order toward DISORDER.

Ahdahm heard YHWH’s command  --
         = He listened but he did not obey.

As Zachar - he was created to remember. 

His single obligation was to remember what YHWH said and live accordingly!!! 

Zachar /Zakar - “To hear/ remember what YHWH says and do it.”

YHWH told Ahdahm every thing he needed to know in order to maintain a perfect relationship with YHWH.

   -  But Ahdahm listened to the naked snake.

Ahdahm became the first idolater.
         He knew what he was supposed to do - but he picked his idea over YHWH’s instruction... this he placed himself higher than YHWH.

The text makes it very clear that Ahdahm was right there while the conversation between the serpent and Chava occurred. 

B’re’shiyt 3:6 “her husband with her”

The Hebrew word translated “with her” is “immah”

It doesn’t mean he was just standing there.

 It means he was agreeing with everything as it happened.

The preposition “‘im” carries the meaning of something done together or in common. 

This is NOT the exclusive sin of the ezer. 

This is mutual culpability.

It is not surprising that Ahdahm and Chava were together...

What is surprising is that Ahdahm DOESN’T SAY A WORD!!

Isn’t he the Zachar - the one whose job it is - to remember what YHWH says and do it??!!!

Yes, of course he is the one called to remember....

but wait - there’s more...

YHWH asks him in B’re’shiyt 3:11 and then in 3:12 the man says.....
“And the man said, The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me of the eytz, and I did eat.”

or basically - and probably sarcastically......

“I just did what the woman you gave me, told me...  she is the one who is supposed to guide me - You said ....”

Which first places blame on the woman Chava - but ultimately places the blame on YHWH!!

But Ahdahm is right... in that she is supposed to guard him. Ahdahm did what Chava said because he trusted Chava.

Chavah failed to maintain the boundaries. 
She failed as neqevah - as the boundary setter, the counselor and the priest - the EZER. 

She failed to recognize the difference between how she is made and how she might be made.

As the boundary keeper, she fails to recognize her own boundaries.
She steps over the line because she does not see the difference between being equipped by YHWH and being self-sufficient.

And Ahdahm follows.

He forgets that YHWH told him something else.

Both the man and the woman violate their essential YHWH - created character.

But that is what sin does - it violates who we really are.  That is why sin is a form of insanity.

So we should ask -
Did Ahdahm make a mistake to trust Chavah?

NO.

Mishle (Proverbs)  31:11 p 565
         “The lev of her husband does safely  trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.”

         “trust” = batach.

This is the only place this is used between humans.

In every other case of the use of the word “batach” - it is a positive declaration of trust between a man/person and YHWH. 

Ahdahm was not wrong to trust her.  Spouses are supposed to trust each other like they trust YHWH.

Ahdahm’s problem is not trust - His problem is not remembering!

When Ahdahm failed to be who he was - the one who remembers - then there are no standards for trust.

Remembering implies upholding YHWH’s instructions.

“Remembering means measuring TRUST against TRUTH.”

Trust without truth lead to sin.

Sha’ul was dead-on when he said... “As by one man, sin entered the world.”

Ahdahm was right there, forgetting how YHWH made him and what he was supposed to be. 

The woman was deceived but Ahdahm wasn’t. 

He made a deliberate choice.

We trust YHWH because HE is unwavering, true and reliable.

That is the divine standard of the ezer - reliability based on unwavering truthfulness.

But it is not reliability based on MY unwavering faithfulness. 

-The ezer must demonstrate reliability based on YHWH’s unwavering faithfulness.

In other words - she is the guardian of the borders.  She is responsible to hold the boundaries in place AS YHWH HAS PRESCRIBED THEM. 

We can see here - it is not about what WE think.  We need YHWH to guide us!!
As Moen says “We need a compass that is not influenced by OUR idea of True North.”

Ahdahm forgot the truth - and his disregard killed him.

Chavah ignored the boundaries - and overstepping them killed her.

Standing next to his ezer, Ahdahm participated in the rebellion.
His silence brought about the Fall just as much as Chavah’s conversation did. 

Ahdahm is the first example of the principle that ‘the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.’

This is not the only time that Ahdahm’s silence causes generational disaster. 

Silence is not “golden”.  “Sometimes it is godless.”

“When we are faced with the temptation to not remember who YHWH is, who we are and the difference between the two, we must speak up!”
We must listen and obey  = hear and do = Sh’ma!

“We must object to any serpents that suggest our own feelings are the final arbiter of moral behavior -- we must respond as the Second Ahdahm responded... “It is written....””

Afraid

B’re’shiyt 3:10
         “And he said, I heard (Sh’ma) Your voice in the garden, and i was afraid, because I am naked; and i hid myself.”

“yare” = “to fear, to respect, to reverence and to be afraid.”

At the time of the b’re’shiyt (the beginning) yare was ONLY about fearing YHWH.  But after sin - everything is twisted...

and Yare is about fearing other things....

When we read this - I think we think - well Ahdahm just messed up and he is afraid... perhaps like we were when we were in trouble as a little kid - not wanting to be found because we knew we’d be in trouble. 

BUT Ahdahm doesn’t say he is afraid of YHWH ....

Ahdahm says he was afraid  - “because I am naked” !!

Why would he be afraid because he is naked?

He was naked before... He’s never had clothes!
in fact - naked was normal for him!

Why is he now afraid of what was normal just minutes before??!!??

It doesn’t make any sense - unless we read it in Hebrew. :)

“ki eirom anochi”= literally means “because naked I.”

In Hebrew, present tense equivalents are implied.
So the Hebrew text tells us that Ahdahm said, “I am naked” - not “I was naked”

{“Hebrew does not see a difference between the subject and the conditions that describe that subject.  The conditions are the subject.  In this instance, Ahdahm is not simply described as naked.  Ahdahm’s very essence is nakedness.  It is not possible to conceive of Ahdahm apart from this state of being.  Ahdahm has become what he manifests - nakedness - the manifestation of chaos.  In other words, he is becoming like the serpent, the projection of an image opposed to the truth.”}

Ahdahm is not describing a past condition that has not been corrected.  Yes, he attempted to cover himself with fig leaves, but his effort made no difference to his real concern. 

He is still naked in spite of the fact that he wears a man-made covering!!

His nakedness is not an external condition!

Ahdahm is naked on the inside.

Naked on the inside?  - What does that mean?

It means - Ahdahm realizes he is now like the naked snake.

In B’re’shiyt 2:25 (“They were both naked, the ish and his ishsha and were not ashamed.”)

“Naked” = arumim. 

There is a direct link between the nakedness before disobedience and being unashamed. 

In order to see why Ahdahm is suddenly afraid of being naked, we need to know what this connection really means.

The verb is “bosh” with an attached particle “hoo”  The particle adds emphasis and clarity tot he meaning.  It suggests specificity.  It’s like underscoring the subject.  Specifically, these two were naked and NOT ashamed.  What the text says is shocking.  We don’t expect this.  We expect nakedness to bring shame.  That is the overwhelming association in the rest of the biblical writings... but not here - WHY?

let’s look at “bosh”

Bosh is not something to do with sex. 
This statement doesn’t imply that they were sexually naked but not embarrassed. 
Any translation that suggests embarrassment in this phrases misses the point.  The word bosh is used in the prophets and Psalms to describe DISGRACE  that comes from undertaking something that fails.  It is used to describe humiliation, loss of status and exposure as fools.

In many occurrences, “bosh” is tied to the catastrophe that befalls Yisra’el when they forget YHWH.

Tzephanyah (Zephaniah) 3:11 p 351
         “In that yom (day) you shall not be ashamed of all your doings, in what you have transgressed against me; for then I will take away out of the midst of you those that gilah (rejoice) in your pride, and you shall no more be haughty because of My kadosh (holy)  har.(mountain)”

the parallels of this word shame/ashamed - are “proud” and “haughty”.

Yisra’el’s false pride brings shame upon them.

What is shame?

Shame is being discovered without a relationship with YHWH.

Why is that shameful?

-  From YHWH’s perspective, shame leads directly to a false view of life, to alienation and to destruction.  It is ultimate foolishness.

-  It is public humiliation - being found lacking.

-  Shame is really life without YHWH.

So why were Ahdahm and Chavah originally naked and NOT ashamed?

Because the only “covering” they needed was their intimacy with YHWH who walked with them int he cool of the evening.

They were utterly transparent  - no false pride....

Then they met the snake - who was not transparent - they were invited to become aware of the possibility of “hidden agenda”

The serpent suggest that even YHWH may have hidden agenda.

The serpent invited them to wear a covering, not of clothes, but of concealed desire.

In other words - they were invited to become like the snake who appears as one thing on the outside but is really something else on the inside. 

The snake uses his appearance of nakedness to seduce Chavah. (she thought she could trust him.)

The snake is twisted nakedness.

In this sin - Ahdahm and Chavah discover - that one can appear one way - but really the true identity / agenda can be totally hidden.

Nakedness is turned upside down - and becomes the vehicle for concealment rather than transparency.

What is shame?  - It is to be found out!  Shame is being exposed as two-faced, being reveals so others see my hidden persona.

Why is Ahdahm afraid of being naked?

Because now Ahdahm knows the difference between transparency and hypocrisy and, for the first time, he sees himself as two different people - one who is expected to be with YHWH walking in the Garden and the other who knows that he has failed and cannot openly walk with YHWH. 

Ahdahm is not afraid of YHWH’s punishment.
He is afraid of himself for now he knows that he is alienated from himself, a dual personality. He knows that he is capable of rejecting YHWH. 

Just as he intuitively understood the truth of perfect culpability of the ezer, now he knows in his bones that he is broken.

There is no going back.

He has discovered the yetzer ha’ra (evil impulse) within and allowed it to shape his being in the world. 

Now he knows that something in the world is terribly wrong - and he made it that way.

Now he is in a twisted world he can no longer trust because he has discovered that he cannot trust himself.

That is real shame.

The experience spills over into his relationships. He no longer trusts his wife and he no longer trusts YHWH.  That is why he can blame YHWH for this fiasco.


AMEIN

No comments:

Post a Comment