RECOGNITION

2. RECOGNITION THE MESSIANIC PROPHECY BIBLE PROJECT http://www.messianicbible.com HEAR O ISRAEL www.hearoisrael.org SHEEPFOLD GLEANINGS WRITTEN BY JULIE PARKER www.sheepfoldgleanings.com MESSIANIC ISRAEL ALLIANCE http://www.messianicisrael.com AZAMRA TORAH FOR OUR TIME – RABBI AVRAHAM GREENBAUM http://www.azamra.org

3. VAYISHLACH “And he Sent” TORAH: Genesis: 32:3-36:43 HAFTORAH:  Hosea 11:7-12:12 B’RIT CHADASHAH: 1 Corinthians 5:1-13, Revelation 7:1-12 All references: The Scripture 1998+ unless otherwise noted

4. I AM WITH YOU In Jacob’s life, we encounter both tragedies and triumphs. Both are necessary for him to be able to take 12 sons with distinct personalities and separate goals and mould them into the fledgling nation of Israel. To do this there is never a let-up in the challenges and dangers that face us. All of our experiences will teach us the importance of constantly clinging to the promise that He will never leave us nor forsake us. “And see, I am with you and shall guard you wherever you go, and shall bring you back to this land. For I am not going to leave you until I have done what I have spoken to you.” (Genesis 28:15) “And it is יהוה who is going before you, He Himself is with you. He does not fail you nor forsake you. Do not fear nor be discouraged.” (Deuteronomy 31:8) teaching them to guard all that I have commanded you. And see, I am with you always, until the end of the age.” Amĕn. (Matthew 28:20)

5. JACOB’S TROUBLE The events of the life of Jacob stare us in the face as if we are looking in a mirror. Why? Because they chart our own course in life as well. We also must have faith and the will to persevere while we are being restored to a proper relationship with the Father. Jeremiah equates this future time of “Jacob’s Trouble” with the restoration of Israel: The word that came to Yirmeyahu from יהוה, saying, “Thus spoke יהוה Elohim of Yisra’ĕl, saying, ‘Write in a book for yourself all the words that I have spoken to you. ‘For look, the days are coming,’ declares יהוה, ‘when I shall turn back the captivity of My people Yisra’ĕl and Yehuḏah,’ declares יהוה, ‘and I shall bring them back to the land that I gave to their fathers, and let them possess it.’ ” And these are the words יהוה spoke concerning Yisra’ĕl and Yehuḏah. “For this is what יהוה said, ‘We have heard a voice of trembling, of fear, and not of peace. ‘Ask now, and see if a man is giving birth. Why do I see every man with his hands on his loins like a woman in labour, and all faces turned pale? ‘Oh! For great is that day, there is none like it. And it is the time of Yaʽaqoḇ’s distress, but he shall be saved out of it. (Jeremiah 30:1-7)

6. BACKGROUND This weeks Parsha starts after Laban and his family left Jacob, and made a covenant with him, on Har Gilead (Mountain of Witness). Laban (meaning white or pure), embraced Jacob and brought him into the family only to use him. Laban really represented the “false chesed” or a spirit of false loving-kindness (the antithesis of Abraham’s attribute of loving-kindness) toward Jacob. He was the white-washed sepulchres that יהושעcompared the hypocritical leaders of His day to. Laban represented the evil spiritual manifestations of this world toward יהוה’s chosen, Jacob. As Rabbi AvrahamGreenbaum reminds us; “At Mount Gil'ad, Jacob made a ‘treaty’ with Laban demarcating the boundaries which they and their descendants were to observe: these are the boundaries that neither good nor evil may overstep in the unfolding drama of human history. In prevailing over Laban, Jacob demonstrated that he had made a complete acquisition of Abraham's quality of Chesed. It was Abraham who went to the Mountain, and thus Jacob's ‘treaty’ with Laban was struck at Mount Gil'ad.”

7. TWO CAMPS And when Yaʽaqoḇ saw them, he said, “This is the camp of Elohim.” And he called the name of that place Maḥanayim. (Genesis 32:2) Machanayimmeans “two camps” and is the plural of the root word machanah(Strong’s H4264) meaning “encampment, camp, camp of armed host, army camp, company, body of people.”  We read of two camps again in Songs of Solomons: Return, return, O Shulammith; Return, return, and let us look upon you! Why should you look upon the Shulammith, As it were the dance of two armies? (Song of Solomon 6:13) The Hebrew word m’kolah (Strong’s H4246) means “dance.” Dancing for two armies (“mahanah.“) There is a correlation between Song 6:13 and Genesis 32:2 since Mehanaim in Genesis and “Machneh” or “two armies” in the Song of Solomon are the same word; the former is the plural and the latter is the root.

8. MINISTERING SPIRITS Are they not all serving spirits sent out to attend those who are about to inherit deliverance? (Hebrews 1:14) Mahanaim is on the Jabbok River, a tributary leading to the Jordan River in the Transjordan region. There was a double meaning in the name Mahanaim as his two wives and their children were also two camps. This was prophetic of the actual two camps or Houses that would come from Leah and Rachel called the House of Israel and the House of Judah. There was something still lacking in Jacob and he needed to deal with it before he could cross over to meet his brother Esau and more importantly before he could enter the land. Thus the angels served a duel purpose: First, preparing Jacob to meet his adversary and secondly, ministering to him the necessity of dealing with his heart before יהוה. saying, “Father, if it be Your counsel, remove this cup from Me. Yet not My desire, but let Yours be done.” And there appeared a messenger from heaven to Him, strengthening Him. And being in agony, He was praying more earnestly. And His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground. (Luke 22:42-44)

9. A WORD PICTURE - FISH ... and passed over the ford of Yabboq. (Genesis 32:22) Jacob’s time at the Jabbok River was a living parable and prophetic of how we are to give our lives over to יהוהfollowing our deliverance/salvation. A word picture of this is that of catching a fish. Is a fish already gutted and cleaned when caught, or is the fish first hooked, reeled in, brought on board and then gutted and cleaned? Many people expect new believers to be squeaky clean when they come to יהוה because יהושע’s blood covers them, making them automatically clean at that point. Many of us are in the boat but have not been gutted and cleaned yet. The Messiah died for us while we were still sinful (walking in unrighteous ways). Abraham was uncircumcised when he received the Covenant. So were we. We are not circumcised when we come to our Savior. Rather our hearts are circumcised AFTER we come to Him. By the process by progressive revelation and a walk of redemption in יהושע, this leads to a circumcised heart, a heart that is no longer after self or blocked but totally surrendered to service in יהושע.

10. SENT MESSENGERS And Yaʽaqoḇ sent messengers before him to Ěsaw his brother in the land of Sĕʽir, the field of Eḏom(Genesis 32:3) The first verse of our Torah reading gives us clues that we are returning to the subject of the selling of the birthright: Seir –means “shaggy” or “hairy” and refers back to Esau’s appearance upon birth (Genesis 25:25) Field – Esau was described as a “man of the field” (Genesis 25:27) and Isaac sent Esau out to the “field” to get venison (Genesis 27:3) Edom –means “red” and brings to mind the “red, red” stew that Jacob used to purchase the birthright (Genesis 25:30-32). Jacob is fearful of a confrontation with his brother and confesses that fear to the Almighty in a plea for deliverance: “Deliver me, I pray, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Ěsaw, for I fear him, lest he come and shall smite me and the mother with the children. (Genesis 32:11)

11. WORD SENT and he commanded them, saying, “Say this to my master Ěsaw, ‘Your servant Yaʽaqoḇ said this, “I have sojourned with Laḇan and stayed there until now. “And I have bulls, and donkeys, flocks, and male and female servants. And I have sent to inform my master, to find favour in your eyes.” ’ ” (Genesis 32:4-5) Legends of the Jews: Jacob also sent word to Esau, saying: "Though I dwelt with that heathen of the heathen, Laban, yet have I not forgotten my God, but I fulfil the six hundred and thirteen commandments of the Torah. If thy mind be set upon peace, thou wilt find me ready for peace. But if thy desire be war, thou wilt find me ready for war. I have with me men of valour and strength, they have but to utter a word, and God fulfils it. I tarried with Laban until Joseph should be born, he who is destined to subdue thee. And though my descendants be held in bondage in this world, yet a day will come when they will rule over their rulers."

12. 400 So the messengers returned to Yaʽaqoḇ, saying, “We came to your brother Ěsaw, and he also is coming to meet you, and four hundred men with him.” And Yaʽaqoḇ was greatly afraid and distressed. So he divided the people that were with him, and the flocks and herds and camels, into two groups, and he said, “If Ěsaw comes to the one group and attacks it, then the other group which is left shall escape.” (Genesis 32:6-8) Esau goes out to meet him, with 400 men. 400 is the numeric value of the letter “tav”, which is the “mark” or “sign” of the covenant and signifies the “end”. Just as “aleph” is the “beginning”, “tav” is the “end”. Rabbi Greenbaum calls these “the legions of death”. He points out that 400 signifies a complete array of numbers, 10 x 10 on all four sides. Esau came against Jacob with the same envy and enmity of the serpent towards Adam. 400 also equals the phrase “la’mishle” or “for a proverb” or “parable”; which is a story for us to pay attention to. 400 also equals “mishna’i” or “for both” and “la’shalom” or “for peace”. יהוה orchestrated this event in Jacob’s life as a parable, a story for us to understand and heed. Also, “it’s for both” houses and it’s “for peace”.

13. FEAR AND TORMENT Fear is rooted in unforgiveness, bitterness and resentment. Jacob had not surrounded his life and all that he had to יהוהyet. This report about his brother caused Jacob great fear and torment. Taking matters into his own hands, Jacob divided his people and animals with him into two groups, saying, “If Esau comes and attacks one group, the group that is left may escape.” Only after doing this did Jacob seek יהוה. And Yaʽaqoḇ said, “O Elohim of my father Aḇraham and Elohim of my father Yitsḥaq, יהוה who said to me, ‘Return to your land and to your relatives, and I do good to you,’ “I do not deserve the least of all the kind acts and all the truth which You have shown Your servant, for I passed over this Yardĕn with my staff, and now I have become two groups. “Deliver me, I pray, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Ěsaw, for I fear him, lest he come and shall smite me and the mother with the children. “For You said, ‘I shall certainly do good to you, and shall make your seed as the sand of the sea, which are too numerous to count.’ ” (Genesis 32:9-12)

14. THE STRATEGY And he spent the night there, and took what came to his hand as a present for Ěsaw his brother – two hundred female goats and twenty male goats, two hundred ewes and twenty rams, thirty milk camels with their colts, forty cows and ten bulls, twenty female donkeys and ten foals. And he gave into the hand of his servants, every drove by itself, and said to his servants, “Pass over before me, and put some distance between drove and drove.” And he commanded the first one, saying, “When Ěsaw my brother meets you and asks you, saying, ‘To whom do you belong, and where are you going? And whose are these in front of you?’ then you shall say, ‘They are your servant Yaʽaqoḇ’s. It is a present sent to my master Ěsaw. And see, he also is behind us.’ ” So he commanded the second, and the third, and all who followed the droves, saying, “Speak to Ěsaw this same word when you find him, and you shall say, ‘Also look, your servant Yaʽaqoḇ is behind us.’ ” For he said, “Let me appease him with the present that goes before me, and after that see his face. He might accept me.” (Genesis 32:13-20)

15. GIFTS Jacob, in dealing with the evil material manifestation of this world, speaks to the materialism in Esau by offering him a very large gift, bribe. The first gift that Jacob sends out in a drove (herd or group) is 200 female goats and 20 males. 200 is the numeric value of the letter “reish” which is the “beginning” and 20 is numeric value of “kaf” which is “palm of the hand” or “covering”. Jacob to convey to Esau that this is only the first gift for covering his offense. He repeats these numbers again with ewes and rams. 200 is also the numeric value of the word “va‟ tzadik” which means “and is righteous” or “just”. 20 is also the numeric value of the word “haya” which means “has become”. In this second gift we see Jacob also saying that “he has become righteous”.

16. GIFTS CON’T 30 milk camels with their colts (30, as one each, is typical). 30 is the numeric value of the letter “lamed” or the “shepherd‟s staff” which signifies “learning”. 30 also equals the words “b‟chai” or “in life” and “va‟cheetah” or “and is purified”. Here, he has not separated the nursing from their mothers. We see two 30’s, saying that he’s “learned the lessons of life”and his intentions are pure. He follows this gift with another of 40 cows and 10 bulls. 40 is the number of “learning” or “testing” and 10 is the number of the “fullness of something”, as in the “fullness of time”.40 is also the numeric value of the letter “mem” which is “water” or “washing” and 10 is the numeric value of the letter “yud” or “the hand”; perhaps to say that “his hands are now clean”. 40 is also the numeric value of “b‟levo” or “from the heart” and 10 equals “va‟avo” or “I come”. Together, we see the theme of “completing the time of learning and testing” and “from the heart I come”.

17. GIFTS CON’T Jacob sends 20 female donkeys and 10 foals. 20 represents the “palms” and 10 the “hands”. When you come showing the palms of your hands, what are you saying? I surrender. I submit to you. Jacob was coming not only in fear, but in true humility and showing respect to his elder brother. The groupings of each of these droves, were male and female or mother and child; the continuation of life. These animals would, reproduce and build wealth, they were truly the “gift that keeps on giving”. There were five droves, or divisions, of these animals. Five is the number of “chen”, which is Hebrew for “favor” or “grace”. It also represents the Torah in Hebrew thought is all about “favor” and “grace”. The fifth Book of Torah, Deuteronomy, is all about יהוה’s “favor” and “grace” toward Israel, even in their failures, as it speaks of their turning away and exile and ultimately their teshuva, redemption and return to Elohim and to the Land of their inheritance.

18. EMPTY OUT And he rose up that night and took his two wives, and his two female servants, and his eleven sons, and passed over the ford of Yabboq. And he took them and sent them over the stream, and sent over what he had. (Genesis 32:22-23) He passed over the River “Yabboq” (Yud-bet-kuf). “Yabboq” means to “empty out” or to “be poured out”. Jacob was indeed “poured out” and at the “end of himself”. Having come through all that he had, being what amounted to an indentured servant for over 20 years; Torah says that now he stood alone about to face his past and his future. Legends of the Jews: The servants of Jacob went before him with the present for Esau, and he followed with his wives and his children. As he was about to pass over the ford of Jabbok, he observed a shepherd, who likewise had sheep and camels. The stranger approached Jacob and proposed that they should ford the stream together, and help each other move their cattle over, and Jacob assented, on the condition that his possessions should be put across first. In the twinkling of an eye Jacob's sheep were transferred to the other side of the stream by the shepherd.

19. POURED OUT And Yaʽaqoḇ was left alone. And a Man wrestled with him until the breaking of day. (Genesis 32:24) Here we have a most interesting use of Hebrew to describe what went on between Jacob and this “man” that he wrestled with. The common Hebrew words used for “wrestled” in Scripture are “pathal” and “naftul”. When Rachel says in Genesis 30:8 that she wrestled Leah with great wrestling's, she uses both of these terms. And, you’ll find both of these elsewhere in Scripture. However, a different word is used in both verses 24 & 25 and it only appears here. According to Strong’s Concordance, the word is “abaq”, word #079. meaning to “wrestle” or “grapple with” from the context of “kicking up dust” or “getting dusty”. Gesenius’ Lexicon states the meaning as “to pound” or “make small”, as used to describe a fist fight. In verse 24 “and wrestled”, the word is rendered “va’yaboq”. It is a variation of, and has the same pronunciation as the river “Yabboq”, which means “poured out”. From our context, it is obviously talking about a great struggle, as in an intense wrestling match that exhausts both parties. So, they are both “poured out” or “emptied”.

20. FACING EL And when He saw that He did not overcome him, He touched the socket of his hip. And the socket of Yaʽaqoḇ’s hip was dislocated as He wrestled with him. And He said, “Let Me go, for the day breaks.” But he said, “I am not letting You go until You have blessed me!” So He asked him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Yaʽaqoḇ.” And He said, “Your name is no longer called Yaʽaqoḇ, but Yisra’ĕl1, because you have striven with Elohim and with men, and have overcome.” Footnote: 1Yisra’ĕl means “to strive with Ěl, to overcome with Ěl, (then) to rule with Ěl” And Yaʽaqoḇ asked Him, saying, “Please let me know Your Name.” And He said, “Why do you ask about My Name?” And He blessed him there. And Yaʽaqoḇ called the name of the place Peni’ĕl, “For I have seen Elohim face to face, and my life is preserved.” (Genesis 32:25-30) Having struggled with both man (Esau and Laban) and Elohim (יהושע), Jacob is given a new name, Yisra’el; because he has “overcome” or “prevailed with El”. And, he names that place “Peni’el” which literally means “facing El”; because he has seen Elohim and lived.

21. PENI’EL And the sun rose on him as he passed over Penu’ĕl, and he limped on his hip. (Genesis 32:31) The Torah states that “the sun rose on him as he passed over Penu‟el”. The Hebrew word in Scripture for “dawn” or “sunrise” is “shachar”. But here, we have the phrase “Va‟eetzerachli ha shemesh” as he passed over Peni’el. The implication is that the sun (shemesh) rose because of him. It’s a word-play, or Hebrewism, denoting that he “walked in the light” as in the light of the sun. Today, Jacob (Israel) still struggles with this Divine Man who is יהושע. The Messiah was “In the Beginning,” according to John 1:1. The Jewish people (Israel) do not believe that the Messiah is part of the Oneness of God, and therefore they struggle with the belief that God could appear as the Messiah. Trust in יהוה with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; (Proverbs 3:5)

22. JOB - WRESTLING Scripture tells us that our wrestling matches are not with flesh and blood but with principalities and powers of darkness. Because we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against authorities, against the world-rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual matters of wickedness in the heavenlies. (Ephesians 6:12) One reason why our struggling can become so painful: we are sometimes not quite sure what (or whom) we are wrestling with! This was Job’s dilemma, Satan was causing his trouble, but did so with God’s permission, and his pain was compounded by the insistence of his friends that he must have sinned for God to be punishing him so terribly and telling him that if he would only confess his hidden sin, everything would be okay. Although Job was a righteous and blameless man, even in God’s sight, Job wrestled on several fronts – with God, man, and with Satan – and even his wife! And his wife said to him, “Do you still hold fast to your integrity? Curse Elohim and die!” ... For I know that my Redeemer lives, and as the Last shall rise over the dust; and after my skin has been struck off, then in my flesh I shall see Eloah, whom I myself shall see on my side, and not a stranger. My kidneys have failed within me! (Job 2:9 --19:25-27)

23. GETTING BACK ON OUR FEET For the enemy has pursued my being; He has crushed my life to the ground; He has made me dwell in dark places, Like the dead of old. (Psalms 143:3) A wrestling match is lost when one of the wrestlers is pinned to the ground and cannot get up again. Likewise, we have not lost if we become weary or discouraged, or even feel like giving up, but only if we fail to rise up again. We are not faulted for struggling with God, man, or Satan, or for even falling down to the ground time and again.  It doesn’t matter that we have fallen. We have not lost until we simply refuse to get up again. For seven times a righteous man falls and rises, But the wrong one stumbles into evil. (Proverbs 24:16) It’s God who will raise us up, dust us off, and set our feet back on solid rock. יהוה is supporting all who are falling, And raising up all who are bowed down. (Psalms 145:14)

24. CORRELATION Genesis 32 is a prophetic shadow-picture of how Jacob’s descendants will come back into the land of their inheritance prior to יהושע’s return. They will be divided into two camps and will have to confront Esau, Edom (modern Palestinian-Arabs who will be blocking the way. Both camps (Judah and Ephraim, currently represented by the Jewish and Christian peoples) are returning out of spiritual Babylon (as per Rev 18:4) where they have been in servitude to the Babylonish world system even as Jacob was a servant to Laban (who lived in the area of ancient Babylon). They will not defeat Esau through appeasement (Gen 32:20) as Jacob tried to do with Esau and the modern state of Israel is dealing with the Palestinians by giving land for peace. Messianic Israel/Ephraim will also go through the same process. Jacob will get transformed into Israel. The two houses of Israel will learn to dance with each other so that they can dance on their wedding day with King Solomon (derived from the Hebrew word shalom) / יהושעSar Shalom (Prince of Peace)—their Bridegroom.

25. OUR DESTINY As Jacob did, so we too will have to wrestle with man and El (Gen 32:28) to return to the Promised Land. We must prevail with יהוהand demonstrate to him that we are serious about wanting to possess our promised inheritance. When we die to self as a people-group (both Judah and Ephraim), this will please the Father and he will make even our enemies (i.e., modern Esau) to be at peace with us (Proverbs 16:7). As with Jacob, we as collective Israel need to spend a dark night of the soul wrestling with יהוה, get a good look at his face to see who he really is, which will in turn help us to understand who we really are. Then we will be humbled, will learn to place our trust in the promises and protection of יהוהresulting in our being transformed from being a Jacob (meaning “heel catcher, supplanter, a deceptive sneak thief”) into an Israel (“a prince of El or prevailer with El”) with a new name and identity.

26. THREE SECTIONS And Yaʽaqoḇ lifted his eyes and looked and saw Ěsaw coming, and with him four hundred men. And he divided the children among Lĕ’ah, and Raḥĕl, and the two female servants. And he put the female servants and their children in front, and Lĕ’ah and her children behind, and Raḥĕl and Yosĕph last. And he himself passed over before them .... (Genesis 33:1-3) Instead of two camps Jacob divides his family into three camps. The first camp sees him setting out of the maids first in a prophetic message. The two sons of Bilhah are namely Dan (Judge, vindicated) and Naptali (Prevailed) and the sons of Zilpa, Gad (Fortunate) and Asher (Happy). That the servant is fortunate and happy because he had prevailed. He was judged for his actions and was vindicated. Following them we get the two camps Judah and Ephraim with Josef the only son mentioned last.

27. BOWED 7 TIMES And he ... bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother. (Genesis 33:3) Jacob bows seven times, fully prostrating himself to the ground, and this is followed by his wives and their children also bowing before Esau. Next we are told that four times, Jacob will call Esau, “my adonai” (33:8,13,14,15). Twice he will call himself “Esau’s servant” (33:5,14). What’s up with this apparent reversal of Jacob’s blessing (Genesis 27:29 – be master over your brothers and may your mother’s sons bow down to you), and can we connect these details with the wrestling match of the night before? A logical conclusion after the wrestling match would be that Jacob was now in a position to overcome whatever situation he may be in with his brother, Esau. Why then, do we not see him asserting the authority he was given over his brother? Are we disappointed that we are not seeing a “new and confident” Jacob?

28. FACE OF ELOHIM And Yaʽaqoḇ said, ... receive my present from my hand, because I have seen your face like seeing the face of Elohim, and you were pleased with me. “Please, take my blessing that is brought to you, ... (Genesis 33:10-11) Why would Jacob say it is as if he is seeing the Face of Elohim? The clue to the face drama is the blessing been presented, namely the “bracha” blessing he stole: And Elohim give you of the dew of the heavens, of the fatness of the earth, and plenty of grain and wine. Let peoples serve you, and nations bow down to you. Be master over your brothers, and let your mother’s sons bow down to you. ...(Genesis 27:28-29) This blessing is about wealth and power and not the birthright or “bechira” blessing of personal destiny received in: Bereshith28:3-4 " “And Ěl Shaddai bless you, and make you bear fruit and increase you, and you shall become an assembly of peoples, and give you the blessing of Aḇraham, to you and your seed with you, so that you inherit the land of your sojournings, which Elohim gave to Aḇraham.”

29. RABBI SACKS We know that at the time of the blessings, Isaac was blind. This is the only reason why Jacob was able to pull off the impersonation. Because he could not see, Isaac was forced to trust his others senses: he “tasted” the food, he “touched” Jacob’s hands, he “smelled” his clothes. He also “heard” his voice which he said “sounds like the voice of Jacob”, and then replied that the hands “are the hands of Esau.” Therefore, after some doubt, Isaac trusted his other senses over that of what he “heard” and gives Jacob the blessing (bracha). Now remember all of this has happened because “he cannot see Jacob’s face”. The sages teach that each of the patriarchs were role models for us to learn how to handle challenges. From Abraham we learn the strength of conviction and how to stand apart in an ungodly culture. Isaac was the picture of sacrifice and as believers, we also must identify with the sacrifice of our Messiah. And now Jacob becomes our role model of learning our identity.

30. JACOB A MAN OF TRUTH You give truth to Yaʽaqoḇ, .. (Micah 7:20) “Truth” is what Jacob wrestled for. It was a “truth” about identity. Jacob needed to come “face to face” with that reality. He needed to look in a mirror. James says the “mirror” is the Torah, the “perfect law of liberty”. יהושעis the “Word made flesh” and thus by reading יהוה’s Torah (instructions), we can see “His face”, and we can see ourselves in the mirror as well: And become doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. Because if anyone is a hearer of the Word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror, for he looks at himself, and goes away, and immediately forgets what he was like. But he that looked into the perfect Torah, that of freedom, and continues in it, not becoming a hearer that forgets, but a doer of work, this one shall be blessed in his doing of the Torah. (James 1:22-25) In his wrestling, Jacob came “face to face” (like looking in a mirror) with this Torah of liberty, whom we know as יהושעthe Messiah. He came away from it with a new identity reflected in his new name. He also received a blessing of destiny.

31. SUMMARY Jacob was attempting to give back the blessing (bracha) he had stolen from Esau 20 years prior. Not the birthright blessing (bechira) which was rightfully his. The herds and flocks he set apart for Esau represented wealth (dew of heaven and the richness of the earth). The 7-fold bowing, calling Esau “my adonai”, and himself “your servant” represented the hand-over of power (be master over your brethren and let your mother’s sons bow down to you). Jacob understood that the sustenance of the Almighty was sufficient and wanted to make things right with Esau. He expresses his newly found truth in these words to his brother: “Please, take my blessing that is brought to you, because Elohim has favoured me, and because I have all I need.” (Genesis 33:11) Jacob understands that he is complete in all he has. He wants Esau to take not only the gift of his animals, but the blessing that was never meant for him. In order to “have it all”, he must “give away”. These are the “truths” that Jacob learned in the wrestling match.

32. OVERCOMER The wrestling match was the birth of “Israel”. Jacob learned that his “wealth” and “power” came not from the earth, but from the One who transcends this earth. Jacob struggled and prevailed to gain this “truth”; and in the same way, we also must strive to be “overcomers”. Like Jacob, we must learn that no matter what the odds are, no matter how much it hurts, we cannot let go of the “man” that has so much power in our lives. יהושע “overcame” the world, and through faith, we can follow in His footsteps: John 16:33 "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." 1 John 5:4 For everyone born of Adonai overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world -- our faith. There is a special position promised to those who “overcome”: Revelation 3:12 "He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My Adonai…"To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.

33. THE WELCOME EMBRACE And Ěsaw ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept. (Genesis 33:4) Legends of the Jews: In the vehemence of his rage against Jacob, Esau vowed that he would not slay him with bow and arrow, but would bite him dead with his mouth, and suck his blood. But he was doomed to bitter disappointment, for Jacob's neck turned as hard as ivory, and in his helpless fury Esau could but gnash his teeth. The two brothers were like the ram and the wolf. A wolf wanted to tear a ram in pieces, and the ram defended himself with his horns, striking them deep into the flesh of the wolf. Both began to howl, the wolf because he could not secure his prey, and the ram from fear that the wolf renew his attacks. Esau bawled because his teeth were hurt by the ivory-like flesh of Jacob's neck, and Jacob feared that his brother would make a second attempt to bite him.

34. SE’IR ` And he (Esua) said, “Let us depart and go, and let me go before you.” But he (Jacob) said to him, ... let me lead on slowly according to the pace of the livestock that go before me, and according to the pace of the children, until I come to my master in Sĕʽir.” .. And Ěsaw returned that day on his way to Sĕʽir. And Yaʽaqoḇ set out to Sukkoth, and built himself a house, and made booths for his livestock. That is why the name of the place is called Sukkoth. (Genesis 33:12-17) Many teachers say that Jacob went in the opposite direction to deceive his brother again. This “Se’ir” is not Mt. Se’ir, the area of Edom. We read later that Esau moves to Edom and Mt. Se’ir after the death of Isaac. At this time, Esau was still living in Canaan. There is a Mt. Se’ir in Israel and it is located in Northern Judea (Yehudah), northwest of Jerusalem, not far from Beit El. It lies just south and west of Beit El. Jacob did not misdirect Esau into going to Jordan and then take off in another direction. He was heading toward the area of his brother’s home and then on to his father’s. It was Esau who named Mt. Se’ir in Edom as “Se’ir” means “hairy goat” in Hebrew and is represented by the two goats of Yom Kippur, Day of Atonement.

35. PROPHET OBADIAH Eventually “Jacob will come to Seir.” The prophet Obadiah was from the tribe of Judah, and pronounced יהוה’s judgment against Edom, the descendants of Esau. The ultimate destruction would come from the House of Jacob, repaying the years of destruction exacted by the Edomites ruling the world. “And the house of Yaʽaqoḇ shall be a fire, and the house of Yosĕph a flame, but the house of Ěsaw for stubble. And they shall burn among them and they shall consume them, so that no survivor is left of the house of Ěsaw.” For יהוה has spoken. And they shall possess the South with the mountains of Ěsaw, and low country with the Philistines. And they shall possess the fields of Ephrayim and the fields of Shomeron, and Binyamin with Gilʽaḏ, and the exiles of this host of the children of Yisra’ĕl possess that of the Kenaʽanites as far as Tsarephath, and the exiles of Yerushalayim who are in Sepharaḏ possess the cities of the South. And saviours shall come to Mount Tsiyon to judge the mountains of Ěsaw. And the reign shall belong to יהוה. (Obadiah 1:18-21)

36. WHOLE OR COMPLETE And Yaʽaqoḇ came safely to the city of Sheḵem, which is in the land of Kenaʽan, when he came from Paddan Aram. And he pitched his tent before the city. And he bought the portion of the field where he had pitched his tent, from the children of Ḥamor, Sheḵem’s father, for one hundred qesitah. And he set up an altar there and called it Ěl ElohĕYisra’ĕl. (Genesis 33:18-20) Now, here is something that you just don’t see in our English translations. Verse 18, reads, from the ISR Scriptures; And Ya‟aqob came safely to the city of Shekem, which is in the land of Kena‟an, when he came from Paddan Aram. And he pitched his tent before the city. Now, from the King James Version it reads a little differently; And Jacob came to Shalem, a city of Shechem, which [is] in the land of Canaan, when he came from Padanaram; and pitched his tent before the city. In the Hebrew, it reads; Va‟aboYa‟aqobshaleme‟yrShekemasherb‟eretzKena‟anb‟voPaddan Aram va‟eechan et paneyha‟eyr and translates as; And came Ya‟aqob whole or complete to the city of Shekem that is in the land of Kena‟an and having come from Paddan Aram and encamped before the city.

37. SHALEM Jacob did not arrive in Shekem “safely”; nor did he come to the city of “Shalem”. Shalem is not a city of Shekem. The city of “Shalem” was the city/kingdom where the MelekTzadik, Shem, was the King. Contrary to Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance and Dictionary, it does not mean “peace”. It does not mean the same thing as “shalom”. “Shalem”, although spelled the same as “shalom” (“shin-lamed-mem” - except for the vowel markings), is a variation of the root word that means “whole”, “complete”, “unified”, “finished” and “restored”, according to Gesenius’ Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon, Klein’s Etymological Dictionary of the Hebrew Language and Brown, Driver, Briggs. Now, there are no vowel markings in the Hebrew Scriptures. How do we know that יהוהdid not intend to use the word “shalom” to say that Jacob arrived in “peace”? Had the intent been to say “And came Jacobin peace to the city of Shekem….”, it would read in the Hebrew “b‟shalom” (in peace). There is no letter “bet” as a prefix. So, “shalem” would be the proper word to use here. The MelekTzadik might be the “Prince of Shalom” (Peace); but also, He is the “King of Shalem” (“Wholeness” or “Completeness”).

38. PADDAN ARAM Jacob was returning home from “Paddan Aram”. This is a very special place. It was the birthplace of his wives and his mother, Rivka, and where Abraham lived just prior to his call to leave Babylon and sojourn in the Land. “Paddan” (pey-dalet-nun) in Strong’s Concordance, means “field” or “plain”. Gesenius’ Lexicon and Klein’s Dictionary, indicates that “paddah” (pey-dalet-hey) which means to “ransom”, “deliver” or “redeem”. In Hebrew thought, a “field” or “plain” coincides with a “plane of existence” or a “dimension” that is outside of us. It is a “plane of existence” or a “dimension” where “redemption” takes place. “Aram” (aleph-reish-mem) is that area of Mesopotamia where the Arameans came from, “Aram” means “exalted” or “lifted up”. “Paddan Aram” (Pey-dalet-nun and Aleph-reish-mem) equal the number 375, which equals the word “shalemah” (Deut. 25:15) meaning “perfect”. This place, this “exalted field of redemption” was the place of Jacob’s “perfecting”.

39. SHEKEM When Jacob crosses the Yarden, after he leaves Sukkoth, he arrives “restored” and “whole” at Shekem. “Shekem” means “shoulder” or the “upper back”; where the load carried or the “burden is shouldered”. The Kohen ha Gadol (the High Priest) would later wear onyx stones engraved with the names of the twelve tribes “upon his shoulders” to bear the physical burden of Israel. He bore the stones of each tribe in the breastplate to bear the spiritual burden of Israel. And, the prophet speaks of Mashiach in For a Child shall be born unto us, a Son shall be given unto us, and the rule is on His shoulder. And His Name is called Wonder, Counsellor, Strong Ěl, Father of Continuity, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His rule and peace there is no end, upon the throne of Dawiḏ and over His reign, to establish it and sustain it with right-ruling and with righteousness from now on, even forever. The ardour of יהוה of hosts does this. (Isaiah 9:6-7) Shekem is the city that lies between Mt Gerizim and Mt. Eybal. It was here that Joshua and the Children of Israel would later come to declare the “blessings” and the “curses”.

40. RAPE OF DINAH .. Dinah, the daughter of Lĕ’ah, ... Sheḵem, son of Ḥamor the Ḥiwwite, .. saw her .. and lay with her, and humbled her ... his being clung to Dinah .. and he loved the girl. Sheḵem spoke to his father Ḥamor, saying, “Take this girl for me for a wife.” Yaʽaqoḇ heard that he had defiled Dinah his daughter. Now his sons were with his livestock in the field, so Yaʽaqoḇ kept silent until they came. .. when they heard it.. the men were grieved and very wroth. Ḥamorspoke with them .. Please give her to him (Shekem) for a wife. .. “Only on this condition would we agree to you: If .. have every male of you circumcised, then we shall give our daughters to you, and take your daughters to us. And we shall dwell with you, and shall become one people. .. And Ḥamor and Sheḵem his son came to the gate of their city, and spoke with the men of their city, “These men are at peace with us, so let them dwell in the land and move about in it. And see, the land is large enough for them. Let us take their daughters for us for wives, and let us give them our daughters. ..And it came to be on the third day, when they were in pain, that two of the sons of Yaʽaqoḇ, Shimʽon and Lĕwi, .. killed all the males. And they killed Ḥamor and Sheḵem his son .. and took Dinah from Sheḵem’shouse. .. and plundered the city, because they had defiled their sister. .. And all their little ones and their wives they took captive, and they plundered all that was in the houses. ..(Genesis 34:1-31)

41. THE CITY COMMANDED TO BE DESTROYED IN DEUTERONOMY “When you hear someone in one of your cities, which יהוה your Elohim gives you to dwell in, saying, ‘Some men, sons of Beliyaʽal, have gone out of you midst and led the inhabitants of their city astray, saying, “Let us go and serve other mighty ones” ’ – mighty ones whom you have not known – then you shall inquire, search out, and ask diligently. And see if the matter is true and established that this abomination was done in your midst, you shall certainly smite the inhabitants of that city with the edge of the sword, putting it under the ban, and all that is in it and its livestock, with the edge of the sword. “And gather all its plunder into the middle of the street, and completely burn with fire the city and all its plunder, before יהוה your Elohim. And it shall be a heap forever, never to be built again. “And none of that which is put under the ban is to cling to your hand, so that יהוה turns from the fierceness of His displeasure and shall show you compassion, love you and increase you, as He swore to your fathers, when you obey the voice of יהוה your Elohim, to guard all His commands which I command you today, to do what is right in the eyes of יהוה your Elohim. (Deuteronomy 13:12-18)

42. PARALLELS BETWEEN THE TWO CITIES Both concern someone who set out to convince the people of their city… Ḥamor and Sheḵem his son came to the gate of their city, and spoke with the men of their city, (Genesis 34:20) ‘Some men, sons of Beliyaʽal, have gone out of you midst and led the inhabitants of their city astray, (Deuteronomy 13:13) Both describe a serious act that takes place in the city And the sons of Yaʽaqoḇ came in from the field when they heard it. And the men were grieved and very wroth, because he had done a senseless deed in Yisra’ĕl by lying with Yaʽaqoḇ’s daughter, which should not be done. (Genesis 34:7) then you shall inquire, search out, and ask diligently. And see if the matter is true and established that this abomination was done in your midst, (Deuteronomy 13:14)

43. PARALLELS BETWEEN THE TWO CITIES In both cases, the people of the city are put to death by the sword for their abominations: And it came to be on the third day, when they were in pain, that two of the sons of Yaʽaqoḇ, Shimʽon and Lĕwi, Dinah’s brothers, each took his sword and came boldly upon the city and killed all the males. (Genesis 34:25) you shall certainly smite the inhabitants of that city with the edge of the sword, putting it under the ban, and all that is in it and its livestock, with the edge of the sword. (Deuteronomy 13:15) RavBazak points out one obvious difference between the stories concerning the spoils. The sons of Yaʽaqoḇ .. plundered the city ...(Genesis 34:27) you shall certainly smite .. all that is in it and its livestock, with the edge of the sword. “And gather all its plunder into the middle of the street, and completely burn with fire the city and all its plunder, before יהוה your Elohim. ..“And none of that which is put under the ban is to cling to your hand, ..(Deuteronomy 13:15-17)

44. PARALLELS BETWEEN THE TWO CITIES Putting to death all the inhabitants of a city was a very difficult mission. It has been observed that this sort of an act dulls the senses of a person’s moral sensibilities. Hence the reason for יהוה’s promise in the Torah…that “He will turn from the fierceness of His anger and show mercy, and have compassion” on the hearts of those who were asked to carry out this destruction. He will wipe away the moral damage caused by their acts of killing. The heart is the key here. The destruction in Deuteronomy is to be performed purely as an act of obedience to “יהוהyour Elohim”. THERE IS TO BE NO PERSONAL GAIN in the mission. Now we are able to see the act of Jacob’s sons in a new light. If, in יהוה’s eyes, the killing of the residents of Shechem was justified, the plundering of the city was certainly NOT justified. Now it would be seen as outright murder done out of anger, along with satisfying their own personal interests. There is no promise of mercy for those who killed out of anger and greed.

45. BAAL HERMON We read that they plundered the city of all its wealth and took, as captives, the women and children of the Hiwwites of Shekem. “Why are we told this here?” “Shekem” we know is “shoulder”. “Hamor” has two meanings; the first being “ass” or “male donkey” and the second is “heap” a “memorial”. People of that day would pile stones or rocks into a “heap” as a remembrance or memorial to treaties, covenants, graves or whatever they wanted generations to come to see and remember. That is exactly what Elohim is doing with this story, this “parable”, this “mishle”. He wants us to take note of it and remember it. Now, the men of this city were “Hiwwites” Strong’s #2340, meaning “dwellers of the high place”, whose capital was on Mt. Ba’alHermon (#1179, meaning “lord of destruction”). So, we have a city of pagans, who worship the “lord of destruction”, whose leader represents a memorial or historic event and his son Shekem.

46. DESTRUCTION OF THE LORD Prophetic picture: יהושע, the Son having the “reign of the Kingdom” on His shoulders. Shekem, as Hamor’s son, is a picture of “anti-messiah” who has the reign of his father on his shoulders. He kidnaps and defiles “Dinah”, whose name means “Judgment” or “Justice”. Again, in our time, we will see the Land invaded by the forces of the “lord of destruction” (anti-messiah) and we’re already seeing the raping of “Dinah”, “Justice”. Only this next time, יהוהwill fight for Jacob and defeat the “lord of destruction” and his armies and cleanse the Land. And, a “shalem” Jacob, a “whole”, “unified” and “restored” Israel will bury the dead of that war, as “And it shall be on that day that I give Goḡ a burial site there in Yisra’ĕl, the valley of those passing by east of the sea, and stopping those passing by, because there they shall bury Goḡ and all his crowd, and shall call it the Valley of Hamon Goḡ. “And the house of Yisra’ĕl shall bury them for seven months, in order to cleanse the land. “And all the people of the land shall bury them, and it shall be for a name to them on the day that I am esteemed,” declares the Master יהוה. (Ezekiel 39:11-13)

47. MEMORIAL HEAP And Elohim said to Yaʽaqoḇ, “Arise, go up to Bĕyth Ěl and dwell there. And make an altar there to Ěl who appeared to you when you fled from the face of Ěsaw your brother.” And Yaʽaqoḇ said to his household and to all who were with him, “Put away the foreign mighty ones that are among you, and cleanse yourselves, and change your garments. “And let us arise and go up to Bĕyth Ěl, and let me make there an altar to Ěl, who answered me in the day of my distress, and has been with me in the way which I have gone.” .. And he built there an altar and called the place El Bĕyth Ěl, because there Elohim appeared to him when he fled from the face of his brother. (Genesis 35:1-7) יהוהcalls Jacob back to “Beit El” (the House of Elohim) to where He visited him, back to the “roots of his faith”, in order to give praise to the El of his deliverance.

48. BREAD OF LIFE And Elohim said to him, “Your name is Yaʽaqoḇ, your name is no longer called Yaʽaqoḇ, but Yisra’ĕl is your name.” So He called his name Yisra’ĕl. And Elohim said to him, “I am Ěl Shaddai. Bear fruit and increase, a nation and a company of nations shall be from you, and sovereigns come from your body. “And the land which I gave Aḇraham and Yitsḥaq I give to you. And to your seed after you I give this land.” .. And Yaʽaqoḇ set up a standing column in the place where He had spoken with him, a monument of stone. And he poured a drink offering on it, and he poured oil on it. (Genesis 35:10-14) The Covenant יהוה set up with Abraham and Isaac was now passed on to the next generation. In response to יהוה, Jacob set up a stone pillar and poured out the drink offering and oil on it. The offerings were not separated, so when we see a drink offering in scripture we look for the grain offering called minchah in Hebrew. Stone (as in the stone pillar) is a reference to the Messiah; יהושע is the “Bread of Life,” He is the bread offering! That is why Jacob poured out the drink offering and oil on the Rock, יהושע, the Bread of Life.

49. DEATH OF RACHEL ... that Raḥĕl began to give birth, and had great difficulty giving birth. And it came to be, as she was having great difficulty giving birth, that the midwife said to her, “Do not fear, for it is another son for you.” And it came to be, as her life was going out – for she died – that she called his name Ben-Oni. But his father called him Binyamin. So Raḥĕl died and was buried on the way to Ephrath, that is BĕythLeḥem. And Yaʽaqoḇ set a standing column on her grave, which is the monument of Raḥĕl’s grave to this day. (Genesis 35:16-20) The truth was Rachel “died” when she stole, hid and lied about her father’s idols (Genesis 31:32-35). Her early death was set in motion when Jacob pronounced a death sentence over her by saying to Laban, “If you find anyone, who has your gods, he shall not live.” This is a story about taking every thought captive and being very careful with the words we speak. Our words can literally lead to death–spiritually and eventually physically–in ourselves, plus effect a lot of other people, as we have seen in this story.

50. DEATH OF ISAAC And the days of Yitsḥaq were one hundred and eighty years. So Yitsḥaq breathed his last and died, and was gathered to his people, aged and satisfied of days. And his sons Ěsaw and Yaʽaqoḇ buried him. (Genesis 35:28-29) And then, we see at the death of Isaac, things change. All things written in Torah are significant at Isaac’s age of 180 at his death, we see a deeper meaning. 100 represents the letter “kuf” which means to “surround” or “touch” and 80 is the letter “pey”, which is the “mouth”, which is part of the “face”. So, it reflects “touching the mouth” or “speech”. “Face” in Hebrew is “paniym” and also has the numeric value of 180. There are several instances referring to “the face”, as well as “nasah” or “to go out” or “to journey” which also equals 180. These were all connected to “going out” or “journeying before” (in the face of) Elohim; being sent out to hear His speech, His words and to understand one’s destiny and calling. Isaac’s life journey was constantly “before” (paniym) יהוה, as His purpose and plan were being brought to fruition. The same is certainly true of Jacob, Yah’s circumventer, who was in the palm of His hand always.