Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Yeshua.
[00:00:02] We know him as the Messiah of Israel, the Savior of the world, and rightly so.
[00:00:10] But he's also the means by which we can connect to God.
[00:00:15] How so?
[00:00:17] I think there's a special insight about Yeshua's power of connection in this week's Five Minute Torah Shalom. And welcome back to another exciting episode of Five Minute Torah. I'm Darren, and before I even say anything about the weekly Torah portion, I want to encourage you to stick around until the end of this video to learn how you can have a chance to win a copy of my Hanukkah book eight Lights. Right now, however, let's cover a few quick facts about this week's Torah portion. This week we're studying the portion of Vayeze Genesis 28, 10323 and here are the three things that you need to know about it. Sulam Sheliakov Jacob's Ladder While traveling, Jacob rests for the night and has a famous dream at the place he later names Bethel. In this dream, he sees a ladder extending from earth to heaven, with angels ascending and descending upon it. God stood above the ladder and reaffirmed the covenant with Jacob's ancestors, promising him the land and numerous descendants. This divine vision reassures Jacob of God's presence, protection and guidance, conveying the connection between the earthly realm and the Divine. Number two Jacob and Love at first sight Jacob met Rachel at a well in Haran when he arrived seeking his relatives. Rachel, Laban's daughter, was a shepherdess and Jacob, moved by her beauty and kindness, felt an immediate connection. In an act of chivalry, Jacob assisted Rachel by single handedly rolling away the heavy stone from the well, enabling her to water her flock. Overwhelmed with emotion at meeting his kin, Jacob openly wept and kissed Rachel, revealing his identity as as both her cousin and Rebekah's son. He falls in love with her and agrees to work for Laban, her father, for seven years, to marry her. Number three Midah Kinneged Midah Jacob and Laban Jacob's relationship with his father in law, Laban illustrates the Jewish principle of Midah Keneged Midah, or measure for measure. Having deceived his brother Esau and his father Isaac to gain blessings and birthright, the cards are turned on Jacob in this week's Torah reading as he experiences a form of deception from his father in law, Laban. Similar to how Jacob's deception caused strife within his family, Jacob's deceitfulness in giving Jacob Leah instead of Rachel after promising Rachel's hand in marriage creates tension within the family as well. And although Jacob experiences a little taste of his own medicine, he gladly bears the burden in order to receive his beloved bride. Hey, Hanukkah is right around the corner. If you want to have a great family experience for Hanukkah, be sure to pick up your copy of Eight Lights, my Hanukkah how to and devotional that will make each night of Hanukkah a night to remember. It has nearly 150 five star reviews on Amazon and has consistently been in the top 10 bestsellers for the Messianic Judaism category in the weeks leading up to Hanukkah. And now it's available on Barnes and Noble as well. So if you want to have fun and learn to be a better disciple of our Master Yeshua, then check out my book 8 lights using the link below. This week's Torah commentary is called Stairway to Heaven and comes from my book 5 Minute Torah, Volume 3. This week's Torah portion begins with one of the most mysterious and little understood events recorded in the Torah. When Jacob spent the night in what he later calls Beth El or Beth El, he had a curious dream charged with spiritual import. He came to a certain place and stayed there that night because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones of the place, he put it under his head and laid down in that place to sleep. And he dreamed. And behold, there was a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven, and behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. Genesis 28:11 12 in Jacob's dream he saw a ladder stretching from heaven down to earth, and angels were both ascending and descending on it. Although he was puzzled by this imagery, Jacob realized that it held spiritual significance and determined that he had come to a place of holiness. As we read then, Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it. And he was afraid and said, how awesome is this place. This is none other than the House of God, and this is the gate of heaven. Genesis 28:16 17 because of what he had seen in his dream, Jacob called the place Bet El, or the House of God. He declared that it was not only the House of God, but also some sort of portal between heaven and earth where angels could come and go from one realm to the other. From this we can see the importance of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. While it stood, the House of God functioned as the gate of heaven, connecting heaven and earth. When Yeshua was calling Nathanael to follow him as one of his Disciples Yeshua told him, truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man. This is from John 1:51. Where did Yeshua get this imagery of the heavens opening and the angels of God ascending and descending? None other than our current Torah portion. But how is he able to make this bold claim that angels will ascend and descend upon him? Although the connection is difficult to make in English, it's more apparent when we read it in Hebrew. It seems obvious in the English what the angels are moving upon. It says the angels were ascending and descending on it, meaning the latter in the original Hebrew. However, non gender pronouns such as it don't exist. Like Spanish and most other languages, everything has a gender. So when the Torah says the angels went up and down on it, we can just as easily read it as on him. It is the same pronoun bo in Hebrew. Were the angels ascending and descending on him or it? A Jewish answer to that question is yes. This is why Yeshua was able to allude back to this Torah portion to refer to himself as the one on whom the angels will ascend and descend. He is the stairway or the gateway between heaven and earth, man. The midrash relates a teaching by Rabbi Aha in which he expounds on this passage, saying that God told Jacob, this gate will be open for many righteous men like yourself. This is from Bereshita Rabba 69, 7. He predicted a time that would come in which many would pass through the gate and make the spiritual journey from earth to heaven. Yeshua taught, I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find Pastor. John 10:9. Through Yeshua, the gate to God has been opened to the masses. A stairway to heaven has been opened to all who heed his call. Yeshua also takes our prayers straight to the Father and intercedes on our behalf. See Romans 8:34. Through our attachment to him, we can ascend with the angels to the presence of the Almighty and descend back down to earth, bringing with us a portion of the Divine in order to illuminate this dark world. When Yeshua walked this earth, his disciples were able to see this angelic exchange. May we catch a glimpse of the angels ascending and descending in our day as well as we cling to our Rabbi. Don't forget, if you live in the US and would like a chance to win a personalized copy of Eight Lights, my messianic Hanukkah devotional, all you have to do is Post the words 8lights as a comment below. And if you're not currently a subscriber to the Shalomakin YouTube channel, you can double your chances of winning by subscribing and posting. I subscribed in the comments as well. I'll be picking a winner at random and announcing the winner next week. That's Dec.13th, so get your entries in quickly. If you'd like a chance to pick up a free copy of my book Eight Lights. And don't forget to keep up with our series Repaving the Romans Road, you can check it out right here. Blessings from Shalom Macon, the place where disciples of Yeshua learn, connect and grow.
