Genesis 21: 11-13
Don’t be distressed because of the boy and your slave-girl. Listen to everything Sarah says to you, because it is your descendants through Yitz’chak who will be counted. But I will also make a nation from the son of the slave-girl, since he is descended from you.
Avraham became very distressed over the matter of his son Ishmael . A little earlier, Sarah, Avraham’s wife, told him to throw the slave-girl Hagar and Hagar’s son Ishmael out of their camp. Avraham has to make a tough decision. He wants to please YHVH and he wants to keep peace in the family. YHVH previously made a covenant with Avraham; that Avraham would have as many descendants as the stars in the sky. Ishmael is a descendant of Avraham. How can Avraham discard that which YHVH has given him; even though it is apparent that Avraham took it upon himself to fulfill the promise of the Father to have a child. Thus, Sarah introduced him to Hagar. Oh what a tangled web they weave!
Coming up in ten days from this writing, we will be reading/studying D’Varim 33: (Parashah 54) V’Zot HaBrachah (This is the blessing). Back in Genesis, our life as we know it today was mapped out for us by YHVH. Because of the compassion YHVH has for His people and His Word, the world as we know it today was also mapped out. YHVH’s covenant with Avraham did not overlook his descendant Ishmael. In the last portion of Torah (Parashah 54) Moshe is in the process to go rest with his ancestors. Before doing so, he speaks blessings over all the people of Israel except the tribe of Shimon. Shimon was very rebellious and constantly doing things as he saw fit, not as YHVH would approve.
This Torah portion puts all the previous portions together. This is where we can take a close look. What tribe are we from? Who leads us? Are we worthy to be called ‘Righteous’? With Yom Kippur only days away, we find ourselves soul searching for just who we are and where we are in this world that was mapped out for us so very long ago. There is even an avenue for Ishmaelites.
This is now. Torah is now. Are we so strong in belief and faith that we can be called of the tribe of Levi, who said of his father and mother “I don’t know them”. In observing the Word of YHVH, Levi didn’t acknowledge his brothers or children. He only observed and preserved the word of YHVH and the covenant. Levi placed YHVH and the covenant above all else; even family.
On the other extreme there is Reuven. His blessing from Moshe came in the form of a prayer statement; “Let Reuven live and not die out, even though his numbers grow few” (Deut 33:6) Could it be that should Reuven live long enough, he will eventually fall in step with Torah?
Please read all the blessings for yourself. When you do read this portion, go ahead and do some self-diagnosis. See which blessing fits best. Is there one tribe in particular that your behavior and your heart are drawn to? Maybe there is a combination of two or more? Have you experienced a division in your family because of your love for YHVH as Levi did? Or do you have one foot in and one foot out as seemingly does Reuven? Do none of them strike a cord? Is there some Shimon in your motivation? Or even still, what about Ishmael?
The intent of this writing is not to find fault, make judgment or tell anyone how to live. That is what Torah is for. We are about to call upon our Father to hear our pleas and forgive our transgressions. I believe that unless we can identify who we are and what we stand for, then we are not able to honestly present ourselves to him for any reason.
Shalom, Shalom
Pinchas a/k/a Frankly Speaking all the time
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