Abraham's mission

YHWH’s promises to Abraham and the Covenant between the Pieces

This essay discusses Abraham's role as a key figure in the emergence of Judaism. It highlights the dual narratives in the Abraham story—his relationship with YHWH and Elohim—emphasizing both tribal and universal implications. Seven blessings were given to Abraham, which included two key covenants: the Covenant between the Pieces, transmitted by YHWH, and the Covenant of Circumcision transmitted by Elohim. The Covenant between the Pieces is a pivotal event in Jewish history, foretelling exile, oppression, and eventual redemption for Abraham's descendants. God promises Abraham that his progeny will inherit the land after enduring 400 years of hardship, symbolized through a ritual involving divided animals and God's passage between them. This covenant signifies both God’s guidance throughout Jewish national history and the spiritual endurance necessary for redemption, with the Jewish people bound to God through trust, even amidst centuries of suffering and exile.

Click here to read more on "YHWH's promises to Abraham and the Covenant between the Pieces"

Elohim’s Covenant of Circumcision - an eternal nation in a country eternally theirs

The Covenant of Circumcision is the second of the two covenants made with Abraham, and unlike the Covenant between the Pieces is made through the aspect of God Elohim. A new name for God, El Shaddai, is also introduced and could represent God’s aspect of fertility. The sign of this covenant and an aspect of the covenant itself is circumcision, which Abraham did on himself and the males of his family the very day he received the covenant. Circumcision is a form of branding and a sign that a Jew is under the masterhood of God. Changing someone’s name was also a feature of mastership in the ancient world and this could explain Avram’s and Sarai’s name change. The Covenant of Circumcision is contracted by Elohim, rather than YHWH, because Elohim relates to the authoritative, judicial and particularly the universal aspect of God.

Click here to read more on "Elohim’s Covenant of Circumcision - an eternal nation in a country eternally theirs"

Abraham's mission of bringing righteousness and justice to the world

This passage discusses the negotiations between YHWH and Abraham concerning the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. It is a highly significant in the Torah as it forms the foundation of Jewish ethic, which are doing righteousness (tzedakah), justice (mishpat), and loving kindness (chessed). These themes are central to Abraham's mission and his descendants' responsibilities. The text explains how these concepts are embedded throughout the Bible. The passage spans from Genesis 18 to the end of chapter 19, covering topics like God's appearance to Abraham and the eventual incest between Lot's daughters and their father. All these stories tie back to the central themes of righteousness, justice, and loving kindness. "Justice" (mishpat) can be defined at both societal and individual levels as emphasizing the need for a judicial system and the adherence to rules, such as the use of honest measures in trade. Tzedakah has been defined as social justice or the morally right thing to do and in some instances in the Torah is obligatory.

Click here to read more on "Abraham's mission of bringing righteousness and justice to the world"

The corruption of Sodom

The story of Sodom's destruction in Genesis 18 and 19 highlights the city's moral corruption, particularly its mistreatment of strangers. When two angels arrive in Sodom, Lot offers them hospitality, but the men of the city demand to sodomize the visitors. Lot pleads with the crowd, even offering them his daughters, but the mob threatens him as well. The angels had come to determine if there were at least ten righteous people in the city, but they found none. The story, later referenced by the prophet Ezekiel, emphasizes the pride, wealth, and lack of care for the poor that characterized Sodom's downfall. The fate of Sodom was bound up with the fact that the Land of Israel has an intrinsic holiness and cannot abide social injustice, sexual perversion and idolatry, whether their source be Canaanite or Israelite. Nations that perpetrate these evils on this land will eventually be ejected.

Click here to read more on "The corruption of Sodom"

The binding of Isaac — the non-event that changed the world

As with many stories in Genesis, the Binding of Isaac story (the Akeida) is multidimensional, and its nineteen sentences contain layer upon layer of profound ideas. It taught the Jewish people (and by extension the world) the extent to which a human being should extend himself in the fear of God. It demonstrated the non-permissibility of human sacrifice. It showed them the ideal of family togetherness for the sake of maintaining the covenant. It introduced them to new ideas about animal sacrifice. It showed them that God will choose His own portal to heaven and that He will support His agenda on His holy mountain. It taught them that they would need to struggle to promote their religious beliefs. The values they would espouse would be a source of inspiration to the rest of the world.

Click here to read more on "The binding of Isaac — the non-event that changed the world

A burial possession for Sarah

This article explores the story of Sarah’s death and burial, explaining that property sales were negotiated publicly, as neither Abraham nor the Canaanites were literate and contracts relied on oral agreements witnessed by the community. Also discussed is whether Abraham was overcharged for the cave and field he purchased from Ephron for Sarah's burial. Rabbinic traditions, particularly those of Rashi, suggest Ephron may have inflated the price, equating "negotiable currency" to large shekels worth significantly more than regular shekels. However, other perspectives argue that the price was a fair one for prime land close to the city, highlighting Ephron's fair dealing as consistent with Abraham's teachings of justice and morality. The detailed negotiation process emphasizes the divine fulfillment of God's covenant with Abraham, with the purchase symbolizing the first tangible "everlasting possession" in the promised land of Canaan. The repetitive details in the Torah surrounding the Cave of Machpela underscore the significance of this transaction as the foundation of the Jewish people's eternal connection to the land.