(This article, which in it's entirety is a commentary upon the seventh reading of parashat Bo, Shemot 13:1-16, examines a subject that many people consider to be unquestionable. This theme will presently be addressed, but in the meantime, sit back and enjoy the foundations being laid herein which will afterwards prepare us to discuss: Simon Peter: 'Small Stone' or Rock of Offense?)
Tehillah 51:15 Adonai s'fatai tiftach u'phi yagid tehillatekhah.
O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise.
The Hebrew letter Peh is also the Hebrew word for mouth, the largest opening in your face (I hope that is the case with the reader, and if it is not, I offer my sincerest apology; no offense intended).
The English word Father is derived from the Hebrew because as the source of all things, the Father in heaven opens up the heavens and gives to us His Son, rain, and satisfying answers in time of need or in response to our earnest inquiry. The Hebrew word for son is ben which is closely related to the word for stone, eben.
Yochanan haMatbil (John the Baptist) upbraided the religous hypocrites of his day with the following denunciation:
Matityahu 3:9 "And think not to say within yourselves, "We have Avraham to our father," for I say unto you, that Elohim is able of these stones (Heb. min-haavanim) to raise up sons (Heb. banim) unto Avraham."
Yochanan's choice of the word Elohim here emphasizes the feminine aspect of YHWH, which is consistent with Jewish thought on the subject. Wherever Elohim is used in the Hebrew scriptures, it stresses the judicial aspects of a mother training up her sons in righteousness, and beseeching or imploring the father to discipline her sons when needed; correction tempered with mercy and compassion, always for edification and not for their destruction, to be sure.
A cursory survey of the Torah (the Instruction in Righteousness; the five scrolls of Mosheh) reveals some interesting things about this subject. The notes of the Artscroll Stone Edition of the Chumash (the five books) are most insightful with regard to the passage that follows. We are not able here to quote them because of copyright infringement laws, but recommend them to anyone who has them at their availability.
They claim that the subjects of the Exodus from Egypt, the firstborn (Heb. bechor), and phylacteries (Heb. tefillin) are closely related. Each generation must be taught by their fathers the story of the redemption from Egypt. The responsibility of the firstborn sons recounts how Israel, as YHWH's son, was brought forth from Egypt through the birth canal of the Sea of Edom (the Red Sea) when the waters parted and they were delivered from the hands of Pharaoh. The salvation of the firstborn males of Israel from the plague which struck down the firstborn sons of Egypt is what separated them to Elohim. YHWH, by extending his skirt over them, so to speak, his covering of fatherly protection, acquired them as his own, set-apart children. We are reminded that up to that time, spiritual responsibility devolved upon the eldest son of each family and the double portion blessing was given him to provide for parents in their old age and the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow.
Exodus 4:22 And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, "Thus saith YHWH, Israel is My son, even My firstborn."
The whole nation was set apart to YHWH as a bride by the deliverance from Egypt, and the firstborn sons of Israel were further set-apart unto spiritual service to YHWH by the tenth plague which destroyed the firstborn of the Egyptians. Rabbi Bachya referring to the redemption of the firstborn sons of women (see Shemot 13:2) claimed this represents the great love Elohim had for Israel like that of a mother for her firstborn son, her only child; love which is much greater than a father's love for an infant.
Shemot (Exodus) 13:1-16 And YHWH spake unto Moses, saying, " Set apart unto me all the firstborn, whatsoever openeth the womb ( pehter kal-rechem ) among the sons of Israel, both of man and of beast: it is mine."
And Mosheh said unto the people, "Remember this day, in which ye came out from Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand YHWH brought you out from this place: there shall no leavened bread be eaten. This day (the 15th; the day of the full moon) came ye out in the month Aviv.
And it shall be when YHWH shall bring thee into the land of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Hivites, and the Yevusites, which He sware unto thy fathers to give thee, a land flowing with milk and honey, that thou shalt keep this service in this month. Seven days thou shalt eat unleavened bread, and in the seventh day shall be a feast to YHWH. Unleavened bread shall be eaten seven days; and there shall no leavened bread be seen with thee, neither shall there be leaven seen with thee in all thy quarters.
And thou shalt shew
"By strength of hand YHWH brought us out from Egypt, from the house of bondage: And it came to pass, when Pharaoh would hardly let us go, that YHWH slew all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man, and the firstborn of beast: therefore I sacrifice to YHWH all that openeth the matrix (pehter kal-rechem), being males, but all the firstborn of my sons I redeem."
And it shall be for a token upon thine hand, and for frontlets between thine eyes: for by strength of hand YHWH brought us forth out of Egypt."
Tefillin become a visible reminder to successive generations of this great redemption (Heb. geullah). The priesthood of Israel was originally given to the firstborn sons of all the families, of all the tribes of Israel. After the golden calf incident it was given to the sons of Kohath, of the tribe of Levi.
Bamidbar (Numbers) 3:11-13 And YHWH spake unto Moshe, saying, "And I, behold, I have taken the Levites from among the sons of Israel instead of all the firstborn that openeth the matrix (pehter kal-rechem) among the sons of Israel: therefore the Levites shall be mine because all the firstborn are mine; for on the day that I smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I hallowed unto me all the firstborn in Israel, both man and beast: mine shall they be: I am YHWH."
The duties of the Kohanim, the sons of Kohath that kept the service of YHWH, included that they would continually bear the names of the sons of Isreal before Him. This was to be a ministry of reconcilation and intercession and was centered on the service of the Mishkan, the Tabernacle.
Shemot (Exodus) 28:9 "And thou shalt take two onyx stones, and grave on them the names of the sons of Israel."
Shemot 28:11 "With the work of an engraver in stone, like the engravings of a signet, shalt thou engrave the two stones with the names of the sons of Israel: thou shalt make them to be set in ouches of gold."
Shemot 28:12 "And thou shalt put the two stones upon the shoulders of the ephod for stones of memorial unto the sons of Israel: and Aaron shall bear their names before YHWH upon his two shoulders for a memorial
."
Shemot 28:21 "And the stones shall be with the names of the sons of Israel, twelve, according to their names, like the engravings of a signet; every one with his name shall they be according to the twelve tribes."
Shemot 39:6 And they wrought onyx stones inclosed in ouches of gold, graven, as signets are graven, with the names of the sons of Israel.
Shemot 39:7 And he put them on the shoulders of the ephod, that they should be stones for a memorial to the sons of Israel; as YHWH commanded Mosheh.
Shemot 39:14 And the stones were according to the names of the sons of Israel, twelve, according to their names, like the engravings of a signet, every one with his name, according to the twelve tribes.
The placing of the names of the sons of Israel on stones is a theme often repeated in scripture. This is because stone represents things that are never-changing and eternal in nature, therefore they transcend the natural and are suggesstive of the spiritual. Consider the following with this in mind.
Shemot (Exodus) 24:12 And YHWH said unto Mosheh, "Come up to me into the mount, and be there: and I will give thee tables of stone (luchot haeven), and the Torah, and commandments which I have written; that thou mayest teach them."
Shemot 31:12-18 And spake YHWH unto Mosheh, saying, " Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying," Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am YHWH that doth sanctify you. Ye shall keep the sabbath therefore; for it is holy unto you: every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death: for whosoever doeth any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people. Six days may work be done; but in the seventh is the sabbath of rest, separated to YHWH: whosoever doeth any work in the sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death. Wherefore the sons of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant. It is a sign between me and the sons of Israel for ever: for in six days YHWH made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day He rested, and was refreshed." And He gave unto Mosheh, when He had made an end of speaking with him upon mount Sinai, two tables of testimony (shenei luchot haedut), tables of stone (luchot even), written with the finger of Elohim.
Shemot 32:15-16 And Mosheh turned, and went down from the mount, and the two tables of the testimony were in his hand: the tables were written on both their sides; on the one side and on the other were they written. And the tables were the work of Elohim, and the writing was the writing of Elohim, graven upon the tables.
This work that is done, work of an eternal nature that is done in the lives of His spiritual children, can only be done by YHWH Elohim Himself. No work that is done by man will endure into eternity, but is corrupt and subject to the law of entropy, that is, it will decay with time. Not so with the work of YHWH.
Yishayahu (Isaiah) 54:11-13 O thou afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted, behold, I will lay thy stones (avanayik) with fair colours, and lay thy foundations (l'avnei) with sapphires. And I will make thy windows of agates, and thy gates of carbuncles, and all thy borders of pleasant stones (l'avenei-chefetz).
And all thy sons (banayik) shall be taught of YHWH; and great shall be the peace of thy children (banayik).
Daniel 2:31-45 "Thou, O king, sawest, and behold a great image. This great image, whose brightness was excellent, stood before thee; and the form thereof was terrible. This image's head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass, his legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay.
Thou sawest till that a stone (even) was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces. Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone (even) that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.
This is the dream; and we will tell the interpretation thereof before the king. Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the Elohim of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory. And wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven hath he given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all. Thou art this head of gold. And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee, and another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth. And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things: and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise. And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters' clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay. And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken. And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay.
And in the days of these kings shall the Elohim of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.
Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great Elohim hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure."
Devarim (Deuteronomy) 11:29 And it shall come to pass, when YHWH thy Elohim hath brought thee in unto the land whither thou goest to possess it, that thou shalt put the blessing upon mount Gerizim, and the curse upon mount Ebal.
Devarim 27:1-13 And Mosheh with the elders of Israel commanded the people, saying, "Keep all the commandments which I command you this day. And it shall be on the day when ye shall pass over Jordan unto the land which YHWH thy Elohim giveth thee, that thou shalt set thee up great stones, and plaster them with plaster, And thou shalt write upon them all the words of this Torah, when thou art passed over, that thou mayest go in unto the land which YHWH thy Elohim giveth thee, a land that floweth with milk and honey; as YHWH Elohim of thy fathers hath promised thee. Therefore it shall be when ye be gone over Jordan, that ye shall set up these stones, which I command you this day, in mount Ebal, and thou shalt plaster them with plaster. And there shalt thou build an altar unto YHWH thy Elohim, an altar of stones: thou shalt not lift up any iron tool upon them. Thou shalt build the altar of YHWH thy Elohim of whole stones, and thou shalt offer burnt offerings thereon unto YHWH thy Elohim: and thou shalt offer peace offerings, and shalt eat there, and rejoice before YHWH thy Elohim. And thou shalt write upon the stones all the words of this Torah very plainly."
And Mosheh and the Kohanim the Levites spake unto all Israel, saying, "Take heed, and hearken, O Israel; this day thou art become the people of YHWH thy Elohim. Thou shalt therefore obey the voice of YHWH thy Elohim, and do his commandments and his statutes, which I command thee this day."
And Mosheh charged the people the same day, saying, " These shall stand upon mount Gerizim to bless the people, when ye are come over Jordan; Shimon, and Levi, and Yehudah, and Yissaschar, and Yoseph, and BenYamin. And these shall stand upon mount Ebal to curse; Reuven, Gahd, and Ahsher, and Zevulun, Dahn, and Naphtali."
These two lists of the names of the sons make two very different sentences. "Blessings upon the one who hears (Shimon) and is joined to YHWH from the heart (Levi); he will praise YHWH and become one with Him (Yehudah, receiving the wages of righteousness (Yissaschar) and be gathered together (Yoseph) with all who are one in the Son of the Right Hand (BenYamin)." And, "Cursing on those, who, upon seeing a son (Reuven) and having plenty (Gahd) enjoy pleasure (Ahsher) in their dwellings here (Zevulon); they will experience judgment (Dahn) and suffer unnecessary trials (Naphtali)." It is worth noting that there is an east-west orientation in the first list and a south-north orientation in the second. Also contained in the first list are the sons which exercised moral authority on behalf of the nation at critical times in the growth and development of Israel into an independent nation. The first list has four sons of Leah, and the two sons of Raquel: while the second list has two sons of Leah, the first and last, and the four sons of the two handmaids, Zilpah and Bilhah. Shimon and Levi, Yehudah and Yoseph all played strategic roles at critical times in the history of the nation. Reuven and Dan are chiefly remembered for their rebellion and idolatry respectively, and their negative influence on the people at critical junctures in the national history. Yehoshua fulfilled these commands as is recorded in the next passage.
Shemot 20:25 "And if thou wilt make Me an altar of stone (mizbeach avanim), thou shalt not build (lo-tivneh) it of hewn-work: for if thou lift up thy tool upon it, thou hast polluted it."
Yehoshua 8:30-35 Then Yehoshua built (yivneh) an altar unto YHWH Elohim of Israel in mount Ebal, as Mosheh the servant of YHWH commanded the sons (benei) of Israel, as it is written in the scroll of the Torah of Mosheh, an altar of whole stones (avanim shelomit), over which no man hath lift up any iron: and they offered thereon burnt offerings unto YHWH, and sacrificed peace offerings. And he wrote there upon the stones a copy of the Torah of Mosheh, which he wrote in the presence of the sons of Israel.
And all Israel, and their elders, and officers, and their judges, stood on this side the Ark and on that side before the Kohanim the Levites, which bare the Ark of the Covenant of YHWH, as well the stranger, as he that was born among them; half of them over against mount Gerizim, and half of them over against mount Ebal; as Mosheh the servant of YHWH had commanded before, that they should bless the people of Israel.
And afterward he read all the words of the Torah, the blessings and cursings, according to all that is written in the scroll of the Torah. There was not a word of all that Mosheh commanded, which Yehoshua read not before all the congregation of Israel, with the women, and the little ones, and the strangers that were among them.
When the nation of Israel came out of their forty years of wandering in the desert, the first thing they did was to set up a memorial of twelve stones in the Jordan river to remind themselves that they were twelve tribes which made up one nation.
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