B'reisheet - Day #6

B'reisheet בְּרֵאשִׁית - In the Beginning

Torah Portion: Genesis 1:1-6:8

Day #6: Genesis 4:23–5:24

4:23 Lamech said to his wives, “Adah and Zillah, hear my voice. You wives of Lamech, listen to my speech, for I have slain a man for wounding me, a young man for bruising me. 24 If Cain will be avenged seven times, truly Lamech seventy-seven times.”

25 Adam knew his wife again. She gave birth to a son, and named him Seth, saying, “For Elohim has given me another child instead of Abel, for Cain killed him.” 26 A son was also born to Seth, and he named him Enosh. At that time, men began to call on Hashem’s name.

5 This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that Elohim created man, He made him in Elohim’s likeness. 2 He created them male and female, and blessed them. On the day they were created, He named them Adam. 3 Adam lived one hundred thirty years, and became the father of a son in his own likeness, after His image, and named him Seth. 4 The days of Adam after he became the father of Seth were eight hundred years, and he became the father of other sons and daughters. 5 All the days that Adam lived were nine hundred thirty years, then he died.

6 Seth lived one hundred five years, then became the father of Enosh. 7 Seth lived after he became the father of Enosh for eight hundred seven years, and became the father of other sons and daughters. 8 All of the days of Seth were nine hundred twelve years, then he died.

9 Enosh lived ninety years, and became the father of Kenan. 10 Enosh lived after he became the father of Kenan for eight hundred fifteen years, and became the father of other sons and daughters. 11 All of the days of Enosh were nine hundred five years, then he died.

12 Kenan lived seventy years, then became the father of Mahalalel. 13 Kenan lived after he became the father of Mahalalel eight hundred forty years, and became the father of other sons and daughters 14 and all of the days of Kenan were nine hundred ten years, then he died.

15 Mahalalel lived sixty-five years, then became the father of Jared. 16 Mahalalel lived after he became the father of Jared for eight hundred thirty years, and became the father of other sons and daughters. 17 All of the days of Mahalalel were eight hundred ninety-five years, then he died.

18 Jared lived one hundred sixty-two years, then became the father of Enoch. 19 Jared lived after he became the father of Enoch for eight hundred years, and became the father of other sons and daughters. 20 All of the days of Jared were nine hundred sixty-two years, then he died.

21 Enoch lived sixty-five years, then became the father of Methuselah. 22 After Methuselah’s birth, Enoch walked with Elohim for three hundred years, and became the father of more sons and daughters. 23 All the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty-five years. 24 Enoch walked with Elohim, and he was not found, for Elohim took him.

Today’s Meditation:

If you study the phrase “Men began to call on G-d’s name” (verse 4:26), you will be surprised, actually, to find two possible meanings. The first being that men began to give the name of Hashem to other physical forms, including themselves. In other words, they began to initiate a false deity. I suppose that since sin had entered the world, it manifested itself in various ways, including false worship.

The second meaning we would probably agree on. That man began to call upon, pray, and/or worship Hashem. Now having a sense of good and evil, they most likely found that worshiping Hashem and seeking Him brought peace and joy into their lives. It became evident that humans were beginning to distinguish between light and dark. And, just like us, they desired to be in the light.

Today’s Challenge:

Today, I challenge you to call upon Hashem’s Name. See if you can closely walk with Him today in very special ways. Look for what He is doing and try to join Him. You will find this is a very exciting way to live.

B'reisheet - Day #5

B'reisheet בְּרֵאשִׁית - In the Beginning

Torah Portion: Genesis 1:1-6:8

Day #5: Genesis 4:19–22

4:19 Lamech took two wives: the name of the first one was Adah, and the name of the second one was Zillah. 20 Adah gave birth to Jabal, who was the father of those who dwell in tents and have livestock. 21 His brother’s name was Jubal, who was the father of all who handle the harp and pipe. 22 Zillah also gave birth to Tubal Cain, the forger of every cutting instrument of bronze and iron. Tubal Cain’s sister was Naamah.

Today’s Meditation:

After Cain moves away and leaves the presence of G-d and his family, Scripture begins to list a line of his descendants. In this relatively short reading, we learn a little about Tubal Cain, “a forger of every cutting instrument of bronze and iron.” If you begin researching this, you may find that it was thought that Tubal Cain was a blacksmith who made weapons. Ironic, don’t you think? His distant great-grandfather, Cain, commits the first documented murder in the Bible. Now his great-grandson (to the 5th generation) is producing weapons. Maybe for defense, maybe not.

Hashem specifically gives us the commandment not to murder. And yet, we see how early on in the history of mankind this commandment is broken, and sin persists. Don’t you ever wonder how man so quickly and easily began to sin, even when Hashem’s presence was still evident? Something to think about. 

Today’s Challenge:

So, maybe you have a great time praying with Hashem, or you are in a church/synagogue service and really feel His presence in that place. But you leave, and five minutes later, you do something sinful? I’ve been there and done it. My challenge today is to help you become more aware of not sinning. Even if for just a day.

B'reisheet - Day #4

B'reisheet בְּרֵאשִׁית - In the Beginning

Torah Portion: Genesis 1:1-6:8

Day #4: Genesis 3:22–4:18

3:22 Hashem Elohim said, “Behold, the man has become like one of us, knowing good and evil. Now, lest he reach out his hand, and also take of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever—” 23 Therefore Hashem Elohim sent him out from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from which he was taken. 24 So he drove out the man, and He placed cherubim at the east of the garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life.

4 The man knew Eve, his wife. She conceived, and gave birth to Cain, and said, “I have gotten a man with Hashem’s help.” 2 Again she gave birth to Cain’s brother Abel. Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. 3 As time passed, Cain brought an offering to Hashem from the fruit of the ground. 4 Abel also brought some of the firstborn of his flock and of its fat. Hashem respected Abel and his offering, 5 but He didn’t respect Cain and his offering. Cain was very angry, and the expression on his face fell. 

6 Hashem said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why has the expression of your face fallen? 7 If you do well, won’t it be lifted up? If you don’t do well, sin crouches at the door. Its desire is for you, but you are to rule over it.” 

8 Cain said to Abel, his brother, “Let’s go into the field.” While they were in the field, Cain rose up against Abel, his brother, and killed him.

9 Hashem said to Cain, “Where is Abel, your brother?”

He said, “I don’t know. Am I my brother’s keeper?”

10 Hashem said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood cries to me from the ground. 11 Now you are cursed because of the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. 12 From now on, when you till the ground, it won’t yield its strength to you. You will be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth.”

13 Cain said to Hashem, “My punishment is greater than I can bear. 14 Behold, you have driven me out today from the surface of the ground. I will be hidden from your face, and I will be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth. Whoever finds me will kill me.”

15 Hashem said to him, “Therefore, whoever slays Cain, vengeance will be taken on him sevenfold.” Hashem appointed a sign for Cain, so that anyone finding him would not strike him.

16 Cain left Hashem’s presence and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden. 17 Cain knew his wife. She conceived and gave birth to Enoch. He built a city and named it after the name of his son, Enoch. 18 Irad was born to Enoch. Irad became the father of Mehujael. Mehujael became the father of Methushael. Methushael became the father of Lamech.

Today’s Meditation: 

What exactly is the sign on Cain? I always thought it was some type of mark on his forehead so everyone could see it. However, rabbinical literature views the sign as a mark of forgiveness. After Hashem confronts Cain about his evil deed of murdering his brother, Cain remarks, “My punishment is greater than I can bear.” It sounds like he is repenting. And when we repent, Hashem forgives us. 

Perhaps this is the first instance of forgiveness mentioned in the Bible. After all, we are only in chapters 3 and 4. This forgiveness is so massive that G-d puts a mark on Cain so that no one will hurt him. What a powerful sign that must have been. That is G-d’s grace for sure. Forgiveness and protection. It also reminds us that sin comes with consequences. Truly, the sadness of this all is that Cain will now be hidden from Elohim’s face.

Today’s Challenge:

Are you wearing a sign of forgiveness on your face? Or is that not possible because there is actually someone in your life you are having a hard time forgiving? I challenge you to take that person that Hashem has just put into your mind, go to them, and seek forgiveness from them. When you do this, you will see that Hashem has also forgiven you.

B'reisheet - Day #3

B'reisheet בְּרֵאשִׁית - In the Beginning

Torah Portion: Genesis 1:1-6:8

               

Day #3: Genesis 2:20–3:21

2:20 The man gave names to all livestock, and to the birds of the sky, and to every animal of the field; but for man there was not found a helper comparable to him. 21 Hashem Elohim caused the man to fall into a deep sleep. As the man slept, He took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh in its place. 22 Hashem Elohim made a woman from the rib which He had taken from the man, and brought her to the man. 

23 The man said, “This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh. She will be called ‘woman,’ because she was taken out of Man.” 24 Therefore, a man will leave his father and his mother, and will join with his wife, and they will be one flesh. 25 The man and his wife were both naked, and they were not ashamed.

3 Now the serpent was more subtle than any animal of the field which Hashem Elohim had made. He said to the woman, “Has G-d really said, ‘You shall not eat of any tree of the garden’?”

2 The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees of the garden, 3 but not the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden. G-d has said, ‘You shall not eat of it. You shall not touch it, lest you die.’”

4 The serpent said to the woman, “You won’t really die, 5 for G-d knows that in the day you eat it, your eyes will be opened, and you will be like G-d, knowing good and evil.”

6 When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took some of its fruit, and ate. Then she gave some to her husband with her, and he ate it, too. 7 Their eyes were opened, and they both knew that they were naked. They sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves. 8 They heard Hashem Elohim’s voice walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of Hashem Elohim among the trees of the garden.

9 Hashem Elohim called to the man, and said to him, “Where are you?”

10 The man said, “I heard your voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; so I hid myself.”

11 Elohim said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?”

12 The man said, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit from the tree, and I ate it.”

13 Hashem Elohim said to the woman, “What have you done?”

The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”

14 Hashem Elohim said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, you are cursed above all livestock, and above every animal of the field. You shall go on your belly and you shall eat dust all the days of your life. 15 I will put hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will bruise your head, and you will bruise his heel.”

16 To the woman, He said, “I will greatly multiply your pain in childbirth. You will bear children in pain. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you.”

17 To Adam, He said, “Because you have listened to your wife’s voice, and have eaten from the tree, about which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat of it,’ the ground is cursed for your sake. You will eat from it with much labor all the days of your life. 18 It will yield thorns and thistles to you, and you will eat the herb of the field. 19 You will eat bread by the sweat of your face until you return to the ground, for you were taken out of it. For you are dust, and you shall return to dust.”

20 The man called his wife Eve because she would be the mother of all the living. 21 Hashem Elohim made garments of animal skins for Adam and for his wife, and clothed them.

Today’s Meditation:

We are in the first chapters of Hashem’s Word, and He begins to give commands. His first is to “Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it (the earth).” Genesis 1:28  And Genesis 2:17 “but you shall not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil; for in the day that you eat of it, you will surely die.” Two simple commands.

As time goes on, He continues to give us His set of rules. He presents His Laws, the Torah. We are to obey them, and they are forever. Just as the serpent we hear, “Did Elohim really say that? Surely you will not die.” (paraphrase of verses 2:1 and 2:4). Isn’t that what we tell ourselves today? Some religions teach that we no longer have to follow the Law or His rules. That somehow, this all changed. But this is not true. His Torah is Life. His Torah is forever.

Deception works hard to keep us from the Truth. And Truth is, when Hashem tells us to do something, we do it. In love and worship of Him, we follow His Laws, His instructions. And we believe Him when He says that if we do not obey His rules, we will die. 

Today’s Challenge:

What are the times you have been taught things in the Bible and you said to yourself, “Did G-d really say that?” If that has happened, did you look up Scripture to see if He really did say it? Maybe G-d is honestly telling you something, and it’s crucial. You need to know His voice so that you can pay attention and obey.