PARSHAT VAYEIRA: Abrahamโ€™s Big Heart – Nedivut (Generosity) & the 3 Visitors

How many times have you turned away a would be visitor because you werenโ€™t prepared?  Or how many times have you begrudgingly prepared for guests or for a gathering or family, friends or co-workers?  How many times have you allowed someone else to carry the burden of food preparation or other work needed to accommodate guests, or complained about your workload?

Weโ€™ve probably all been guilty ar some point and Iโ€™ll be the first to admit it.  According to Hebraic thought, the attribute we were lacking is called โ€˜nidivoot,โ€™ or a heart that is willing to give freely and spontaneously.  Today we refer to this trait as generous or charitable.  

But in scripture, this is more than throwing a few shekels into your favorite charity cup or to a local beggar.  To be nadeev is someone who is quick to volunteer their help willingly, freely and spontaneously.  A person who is nadiv has a big and kind heart, not because they stand to gain something in return but because thatโ€™s their nature or Elohim put it in their heart to feel that way.

This attribute of nedivut is best demonstrated by father Abraham in Bereshit chapter 18:

Spontaneously willing to help

โ€œAbraham looked up and saw three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he hurried from the entrance of his tent to meet them and bowed low to the ground. 3 He said, โ€œIf I have found favor in your eyes, my master,[a] do not pass your servant by.โ€

We see here that the 3 visitors were not expected nor known, yet Abraham jumped up and hurriedly greeted them with respect.  The visitors didnโ€™t ask Abraham for assistance , but he volunteered willingly.

Kindheartedness 

4 Let a little water be brought, and then you may all wash your feet and rest under this tree. 5 Let me get you something to eat, so you can be refreshed and then go on your wayโ€”now that you have come to your servant.โ€ Gen. 18:4-5

Travelers on a long journey in the desert can easily run out of essentials and would be exhausted from being in the sun for long periods of time.  Abraham showed concern for these visitors by urging them to come and refresh themselves under his tree and get some much needed food and drink.  This could have easily been a life saving gesture, and Abraham moved with urgency.

Gave Freely

โ€œSo Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah. โ€œQuick,โ€ he said, โ€œget three seahs[b] of the finest flour and knead it and bake some bread.7 Then he ran to the herd and selected a choice, tender calf and gave it to a servant, who hurried to prepare it.โ€ Gen. 18:6-7

Abraham could have easily given these men some dried fruit and water and sent them on their way.  But he went out of his way to prepare fresh bread, cheese and the choicest of his herds for them – a feast.  This was probably made in the form of an eastern style beef stew with warm flat bread and crumbled feta and olive oil.  He went all out to roll out the red carpet for these strangers making them a true feast fit for kings and got Sarah and the youth to help him.  He certainly gave freely.

“8 He then brought some curds and milk and the calf that had been prepared, and set these before them. While they ate, he stood near them under a tree.โ€ Gen. 18:8

Finally, Abraham not only served these messengers of Elohim, but he stood nearby while they ate, showing he was โ€˜ready for anythingโ€™ as it says in Gesenius Lexicon.  If they wanted more or needed anything else, he was near and willing to give until they were satisfied.

What a jewel Abraham was!  He was certainly an ish nadeev after Elohimโ€™s heart!  Abraham served Elohim, his family and people with all his heart.  Some say he showed nidivoot even when he still recovering from circumcision, which would give even further perspective to the depth of his character.  Because he gave so abundantly, he received abundantly and visa versa.  

How can we bring more nedivut into our daily walk?

Recent studies show people who practice generosity and acts of kindness live healthier longer lives.

Thanks for reading!

Blessed week to you and yours! Queen Makedah

If youโ€™d like to support my work, listen to my music or take a Hebrew class with me, click here to visit my artist website.

Please sign up on the contact page for more blogs and music news and connect on social media. 1โค๏ธ๐Ÿ’›๐Ÿ’š

Parshat Noach: A Unified Language – the Key to Nation Building

In parahat Noach, chapter 11 we learn about the importance of having a common language.

There was a time when mankind spoke one language on the earth, many believe it was called Akkadian (from ahchad meaning unity).  They spoke this language in the area of Mesopotamia where the people built the Tower of Babel under Nimrodโ€™s direction.

The story of the Tower of Babel teaches us that Having a common Language (safah) (along with being in one common location) is the key to building a great nation.

This common language allowed the people to share ideas and develop a common goal and purpose.  

  • โ€œAnd the kol HaAretz was of one language and of devarim achadim (common purpose).โ€

Once they established a unified purpose, their language also allowed them to carry it out and actually build something.  

  • โ€œAnd they said one to another, Come, let us make brick, and bake them thoroughlโ€ฆ And they had brick for even (stone), and bitumen had they for mortar.โ€

Imagine trying to build something with workers who donโ€™t speak your language?  It would be nearly impossible without a translator to bring understanding.

Unfortunately, they decided to use their creative ability for something negative – to rival the Creator Himself.

  • โ€œAnd they said, Come, let us build us an Ir and a Migdal, whose rosh (top) may reach unto Shomayim; and let us make us a shem, otherwise we shall be scattered abroad upon the face of kol HaAretz. 

Their tower was designed to cross serious boundaries – the boundary between heaven and earth, which had been separated since the beginning of Creation.  This was a direct rebellion against the will of Elohim, Boreh ha Olam.

When Elohim saw the rebellion, He cited their common language as the key to their power.

  • โ€œAnd Hashem said, See, the Am is echad and they have all one language; and this they begin to do; and now nothing will be impossible for them, which they have proposed to do.โ€ โ€ญโ€ญBereshit 11โ€ฌ:โ€ญ6

Itโ€™s crucial to note, Yah says with unity and one language, nothing would be impossible to them – without his divine intervention, of course.

Wow! Thatโ€™s a lot to take in when we reflect on the power of a unified nation with one language, one land and one purpose.

When The Most High wished to stop the peopleโ€™s national progress, he simply took away the source of their power – their ability to communicate in one language.

From there they disintegrated into tribes grouped by similar languages and scattered to various parts of the globe in pursuit of their own separate lands and missions.

As a teacher (and student) of modern and biblical Hebrew language, the lessons of Noach 11 strongly resonates with me because I can see the wisdom and beauty of what Elohim has done today to โ€˜restore a pure languageโ€™ the language of Tanakh to the people of Israel today.

As Israel has been gathered from the galute exile after thousands of years, our language was divided.  Establishing Hebrew as a common national language has allowed us to developed amazing ideas and build the modern state as it is today, a process of fulfilling biblical prophecies of the regathering – although the bulk of lost tribes from sub saharan Africa  have yet to be gathered.

I personally have been able to develop relationships with my brothers and sisters from all over the globe who have returned to the land of promise as well as help secure a future here for my children.

Are you preparing for the regathering by learning both classical and Biblical Hebrew?

If youโ€™d like to know more about learning Hebrew, visit the Hebrew page of my website.

Thanks for reading! To keep up with my latest blog, sign up here. To support my music or works visit the donate page of my website.

One love! 1โค๏ธ๐Ÿ’›๐Ÿ’š

Makedah

โ€œPray for the peace of Jerusalem.โ€ Ps. 122.6

Ki Teitze – Protecting Women and Families

Ki Titzei and Protecting Women

In this weekโ€™s parsha Ki Titzei, there is a long list of laws concerning sexual purity, marriage and family.  In fact, some of the most taboo topics are discussed:  rape, incest, adultery, loss of virginity (pre-marital sex), prostitution (sex trafficking), kidnapping and slavery.

As you read youโ€™ll notice that most of these laws are geared towards protecting women. 

How did we get here?

When we go back to the beginning of Elohimโ€™s plan for mankind in the garden, it all started with the beauty of Adam and Hawah (Eve) being created as transcendent beings in harmony and equality both as male and female aspects of the divine:

โ€œWhen Elohim created man, he made him in the likeness of Elohim. He created them male and female and blessed them. And when they were created, he called them “Adam.โ€

Yet after Adam and Hawah chose to violate Yahโ€™s commands, their relationship descended into darkness and became one of enmity, hatred and cruelty towards one another – reaping a curse instead of blessing:

โ€œI will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will bruise your head, and you will bruise his heel.” Gen. 3:15

Adam and Hawah were no longer friends but enemies who inflicted violence upon one another – whether literal or figurative.  In this context, the difficult topics of gender based violence can better be understood.

Adamโ€™s cruelty is described here:

โ€œTo the woman he said, โ€˜I will make your pains in childbearing very severe; with painful labor you will give birth to children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you.”

At first, Adam separated from his mother and father to โ€˜cleave to his wife,โ€™ in a loving and consensual marriage bond.  But now, although she desired her mate, he would โ€˜rule over her.โ€™  Rulership suggests a relationship of cruelty, force and bondage such as with a slave master.

So, there it is, according to scripture, both the nature of Adamic men and women changed after the fall, becoming cruel and violent towards one another.  

In particular, Hawah and subsequent generations of Adamic women lost their elevated status and became secondary citizens โ€˜so to speakโ€™ in many ways, subject to domination and subjugation by men.  The writings of Genesis say that this was a punishment for leading Adam in rebellion against Elohimโ€™s laws.

Whether you agree with the explanation of gender inequality or not, we can simply look to world history both ancient and modern to confirm these realities.  Although women have gained equal rights in modern western societies, misogyny and discrimination still continues in most countries and manifests in religious, social and business platforms worldwide?

How do we get beyond gender discrimination and oppression?  Elohimโ€™s laws in Ki Titzei are a beginning.  

Severe penalties were put in place to protect women from rape and subsequent honour killings, prevalent throughout the Middle East and parts of Asia.  For instance, in certain parts of India or under extremist Islamic regimes, victims of rape – not the perpetrators – are shockingly killed in whatโ€™s called โ€™honour killings.โ€™  You heard it right, the poor victims and not the attackers are blamed for the crime and executed.

Elohimโ€™s law protects victims of rape by codifying these safeguards into law in Deuteronomy 22: 

โ€œ25 But if out in the country a man happens to meet a young woman pledged to be married and rapes her, only the man who has done this shall die. 26 Do nothing to the woman; she has committed no sin deserving death. This case is like that of someone who attacks and murders a neighbor, 27 for the man found the young woman out in the country, and though the betrothed woman screamed, there was no one to rescue her.โ€

Notice how the wording here explains at length that a rape victim is completely innocent and should never be punished for this atrocity? While the attacker, on the other hand, deserves death.

In other places, the law calls for punishment of both men and women – not just women – guilty of adultery (whether officially married or engaged); protection of widows under the levirate laws; forbidding temple prostitution – equally protections for men and women; making kidnapping a capital offense (often connected with sex trafficking); restricting divorce, forbidding incest and general protections for refugees and the poor, 

Although the content of Ki Titzei is difficult to stomach at times, if we read it in context of societies that persecute female victims of sexual assault, widows, divorcees, etc., it becomes clear that these laws were created to protect women in a fallen world.

The time and care with which these topics are addressed are an indicator of just how important protecting women and family is to our Heavenly Father and to the building of a strong nation.

May the protection of women and young girls be a principle of righteous leadership, governments, families and communities worldwide.  This is righteousness.

Blessings and peace to all! 1โค๏ธ๐Ÿ’›๐Ÿ’š

Torah Study Challenge

Last weekโ€™s parshat Shoftim was primarily  dedicated to laws concerning conducting fair and just judiciary in Israelite society.  However, this weekโ€™s parshat Ki Tetze is primarily focused on family matters – the sanctity of marriage and sexual purity, of which protecting women is a central theme.  

It makes sense that Elohim brings our attention back to family, for how can you have justice in society if thereโ€™s no justice in the most fundamental roots of our society?

Here is a list of the Laws of Family addressed, followed by a study challenge and discussion questions: 

  • Marriage
  • Fornication (vs. virginity)
  • Rape/Sexual Violence 
  • Adultery (w/a betrothed or married woman)
  • Incest
  • Prostitution
  • Wives in plural marriage 
  • Marrying an enslaved woman
  • Re-marriage to the former husband after divorce (forbidden)
  • Levirate Marriage & Halitzah
  • Assault on Male genitals
  • Divorce
  • Laws of the Entry into the Sanctuary

The time and care with which these topics are addressed are an indicator of just how important protecting women and maintaining a strong healthy family unit is to Elohim and our success.

This week, the challenge is to re-read the parsha with family (English/Hebrew) and use the following questions to spark meaningful discussion about the topics.  What are your reflections? Dig deeper: Select a topic youโ€™d like to know more about for independent study and use primary and secondary resources to study that topic. Look up key words in Hebrew. Share what youโ€™ve learned.

CLICK HERE FOR WRJ DISCUSSION  QUESTIONS

I pray you enjoy this activity and have a blessed Shabbat!

If youโ€™ve found this resource useful or have suggestions or comments, contact morahmakedah@gmail.com. 

Shabbat Shalom & May Yah Bless! Morah Makedah

p.s. Below are some other links that you may find useful.

TORAH READING & COMMENTARY QUICK LINKS: 

Traditional:

TOPICAL STUDIES WEBSITES – QUICK LINKS

WORD & TOPICAL  STUDY:

(Other) SHABBAT TABLE TALK DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

https://tanach.org/arch.htm

https://teletefila.com/parsha-questions.html

Writing the Torah – Parshat Shoftim

In last weekโ€™s parshat Shoftim, we read about the duties of a king:


โ€˜And it shall be, when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write him a copy of this law in a book, out of that which is before the priests the Levites.โ€™ V. 18

ื•ึฐื”ึธื™ึธื” ื›ึฐืฉึดืื‘ึฐืชึผื•ึน, ืขึทืœ ื›ึดึผืกึตึผื ืžึทืžึฐืœึทื›ึฐืชึผื•ึน–ื•ึฐื›ึธืชึทื‘ ืœื•ึน ืึถืช-ืžึดืฉึฐืื ึตื” ื”ึทืชึผื•ึนืจึธื” ื”ึทื–ึนึผืืช, ืขึทืœ-ืกึตืคึถืจ, ืžึดืœึดึผืคึฐื ึตื™, ื”ึทื›ึนึผื”ึฒื ึดื™ื ื”ึทืœึฐื•ึดื™ึดึผื.

Why did Elohim require the king to write the Torah?  He could have just left it at the mitzvah to read the Torah (v.19), i.e. get a copy from the priest and study it.  Instead, He instructs the king to write (catav) it for himself (under the priestโ€™s supervision) and then read (karah) it daily.

We know that every word which proceedeth out of the mouth of YHWH is with purpose and meaning. 

So, could it be that YHWH is revealing an important key to learning and memorizing Torah and learning in general? 

According to academic research, writing down information stimulates multiple learning centers in the brain and helps us to:

  • Memorize – Handwriting helps us to intentionally commit information to memory, often through repetition and deliberate effort. Memorization is similar to filling a mental library with flashcards that can be accessed when needed.1
  • Retain – Writing information by hand helps us retrieve information over time. Retention is a specific aspect of memory, which is the overall process of storing and retaining information.2
  • Understand – โ€˜Handwriting requires active engagement with incoming information, leading to better retention and understanding of the concepts.3

(See sources in footnotes below).

As a both a singer-songwriter and a teacher, I couldnโ€™t help but see this aspect of the parsha through an educational lens.

When we understand the science of learning, we can clearly see the wisdom in Elohim having the king write the Torah and then read it daily.  He is in effect giving rulers (and us) a key to committing Torah to memory – especially with the combined effort of writing and reading it daily.  

With the obvious end being, to not just know the Torah but to do it – also called the โ€˜fear ofโ€™ or โ€˜yiraht ha Shem. This is a ruler who would rule with justice and righteous judgement (tzedek and mishpat) thereby blessed and sustained by Elohim,

How can these principles guide our studies?

Although we are not kings and queens on literal thrones, we are leaders of families, organizations, communities and the world.

So, the practice given to the king of writing Torah or parts of Torah along with daily study, will help us too memorize, retain, know the chukim and edute so that we can keep and do it.

Food for thought. Iโ€™d love to hear from you.

If you are interested in Hebrew language or Torah studies with me, visit http://www.queenmakedah.com/hebrew-classes.

Shalom!

Peace and Blessings, Makedah

Giving Thanks through Hell and High Water (Backstory for the song ‘Blessed’)

I remember the words of a respected elder, when Iโ€™d ask how she was doing. ย Instead of responding with a generic โ€˜Excellent!โ€™ or ‘Great!’ like some do (when they’re really struggling).ย  Sheโ€™d sometimes say, โ€˜The horse wonโ€™t ride, the cow wonโ€™t give milk, the chickens wonโ€™t lay eggs – but HalleluYah anyhow!โ€™ Read More