So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe, the robe of many colors that he wore. And they took him and threw him into a pit. The pit was empty; there was no water in it.
Genesis 37:23-24

Bad things happen to innocent people, mostly because of the actions of bad people. It's natural--and good--to ask why an omnipotent, loving God doesn't intervene. I'll try to answer this question the best I can...

https://www.americantorah.com/....2022/11/22/why-does-

This week's #torah portion is called #vayeshev and consists of #genesis 37-40. Vayeshev means "and he lived". It's prophetic of Israel's restoration and Yeshua's resurrection.

Here's a list of related New Testament passages, commentary, and videos...

https://www.americantorah.com/....2021/10/17/parsha-va

SERIES B --- A CHOSEN PEOPLE --- LESSON 4

TROUBLED HOME

JACOB’S CHILDREN

From Genesis 30

Give me children or I will die! Rachel complained to Jacob. Rachel had become very jealous of her sister Leah because Leah had children but Rachel did not. But Jacob’s anger flared. Do you think I’m YHVH? he shouted. He has kept you from having children, not I! Then take my maid Bilhah, Rachel demanded. Let me have children through her. Rachel gave Bilhah to Jacob as a wife and Bilhah had a son. YHVH has done what is right for me, said Rachel. He has heard my prayers and has given me a son. Rachel named her new son Dan, which meant -- To Judge or -- To Give Justice. Bilhah then had another son, whom Rachel named Naphtali, which meant -- Wrestle, for, as Rachel said, I have wrestled mightily with my sister and have won. When Leah saw that she was no longer having children she gave her maid Zilpah to Jacob as a wife. As time passed Zilpah had a son whom Leah named Gad, which meant -- Good Fortune, for she said, my good fortune has returned. Later, Zilpah had another son whom Leah named Asher, which meant -- Happy, for Leah said, Now I am happy and that is what other women will say about me. During the time of wheat harvest, Reuben found some mandrakes in a field and brought them to his mother Leah. Many women thought that mandrakes would help them have a baby. When Rachel heard about the mandrakes, she wanted to share them. Give me some of your son’s mandrakes, she said to Leah. You’ve already stolen my husband. Do you also want to steal my son’s mandrakes? Leah answered angrily. Then Rachel had another idea. If you give me some of the mandrakes, Jacob may stay with you tonight instead of with me. When Jacob came from the fields that evening, Leah went out to meet him. Tonight, you are staying with me instead of Rachel, for I have hired you with some of my son’s mandrakes. Thus, YHVH heard Leah’s prayers for another child and gave her a fifth son. YHVH has rewarded me for giving Zilpah as a wife to Jacob, said Leah, and she named her son Issachar, a name which suggested the idea of hiring or wages. Later, Leah had a sixth son and named him Zebulun, which meant -- Gifts. She explained the name this way, YHVH has given me a good dowry of six sons, so my husband should certainly honour me now. After that, Leah had one more child, a daughter named Dinah. Then YHVH remembered Rachel. He listened to her prayers and gave her a son. YHVH has taken away the shame of having no children, said Rachel. She named her son Joseph, which meant -- To Add, for she said, May Adonai give me still another son. About this time, Jacob had a talk with Laban. Let me go home to my own country with my wives and children, for I have earned them by serving you. You know how hard I have worked to get them! But Laban didn’t want to lose Jacob. Let me tell you something, Laban explained. Through divination, I have learned that all of the blessings Adonai has sent me have been because of you. Tell me how much your wages should be and I’ll pay you. I’m sure you realize how I have served you all these years, Jacob answered, and how much your flocks and herds have increased. Before I came, you didn’t have much, but since then your wealth has kept growing. Everything I have done has brought YHVH’s blessing upon you. But now it’s time I provided for my own family! How much should I give you? Laban asked. You must not give me anything, said Jacob. However, I will take care of your flock again if you let me take all of the black sheep, and all of the sheep and goats that are speckled or spotted. Later, if you find white sheep or goats with my flock, you will know that I have stolen them from you. That is a good plan, said Laban. I accept. Laban went out that same day and collected a flock for Jacob, separating the male goats that were striped and spotted, and the she goats that were speckled and spotted, or had white patches on them, and every black lamb. Laban set Jacob’s sons in charge of this flock and separated it by a three days’ journey from his own flock, which he placed in Jacob’s care. But Jacob had a plan to increase his own flock. He carved white streaks in some fresh shoots from the poplar, almond, and plane trees and placed them at the watering troughs, Where the animals mated. This produced young animals that were streaked or spotted, which Jacob put in his own flock. Only the stronger animals were permitted to mate in this way. The weaker animals mated so that they produced young for Laban’s flock. Thus, Jacob’s animals became stronger while Laban’s became weaker. Jacob also separated the female sheep in Laban’s flock and mated them with his own black rams. In this way, Jacob’s flocks increased while Laban’s decreased. Jacob became a wealthy man, with large flocks, and many servants, camels, and donkeys. Jacob and Laban agreed on a plan to divide the flocks. All of the solid-coloured sheep remained in Laban’s herds while the speckled sheep belonged to Jacob. Laban was pleased with this arrangement because men in ancient times saw evil omens in the strange markings of the spotted sheep.

COMMENTARY

JACOB’S FAMILY

The Bible is a faithful record of what has happened. It neither hides nor approves human flaws. Thus, these chapters of Genesis portray honestly the jealousy and competition that existed between the four wives Jacob took in Haran. Certainly, Jacob’s family is not a model of what a home should be. Jacob’s family life was plagued by dissension and disagreement. Childlessness was a disgrace in the Near East, and Rachel envied her sister Leah’s seven children. But since Rachel was beautiful and Jacob’s favourite, Leah was hurt and envious. Bilhah and Zilpah, Rachel and Leah’s servants, were given to Jacob as his substitute wives. They gave birth to four sons by him, which; according to ancient custom; belonged to Rachel or Leah. However, they did not have the same status as the sons of his freeborn wives, and Leah’s children looked down on the servants’ sons. But when Rachel finally gave birth to Joseph, the sons of all three other mothers were united in their dislike of him. The older brothers greatly resented Jacob’s obvious preference for the son of his old age by his favourite wife. He protected Joseph, gave him an elaborate cloak, and planned to make him his principal heir. Jealous and angry, the brothers sold Joseph into slavery. Then they deceived Jacob, using Joseph’s bloodstained cloak to suggest that he had been killed. Thus, Jacob’s family was filled with jealousy and deceit. It existed between Jacob and his brother Esau, Jacob and his father Isaac, between Jacob’s mother Rebekah and his father Isaac, between Jacob and his uncle, between Jacob’s wives, and at last between his children. But despite all of these petty problems, Jacob’s family was the family of promise, through which YHVH caused His covenant to be given. It was the family through which much of our Bible was given, and through which the Messiah came to redeem those who accept Him.

#woman #women #homemaker #patriarchy

THE TRUMPET by BILL BURNS
Remember Me. Keep yourself in Me! If you do this, I will be with you to lead and guide and bless you. I am going to reveal Myself to those who love Me in more profound ways and in vivid expression in the days ahead. Position yourself in faith so that you can see and hear Me, says the Lord.

SMALL STRAWS by MARSHA BURNS
You have achieved a level of overcoming in some areas. Now, you must find a way to maintain by refusing to succumb to temptations and revert back to your old ways. See yourself in the light of what you have accomplished, and make that your new normal. You have gained ground. Stake your claim and hold on to it. “For we are not struggling against human beings, but against the rulers, authorities and cosmic powers governing this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realm.”
‭‭Ephesians (Eph)‬ ‭6‬:‭12‬ ‭CJB‬‬
https://bible.com/bible/1275/eph.6.12.CJB

This time of year many people like to review the last 12 months to see all of the events that have changed our world. Some events have helped to improve mankind and some have caused major conflict. Isaiah 43;19, “Behold, I am about to do something new; even now it is coming. Do you not see it? Indeed, I will make a way in the wilderness and streams in the desert.” This world was not created to be static and boring, it is designed to be dynamic and exciting. Believers should influence change for the Creator’s purpose and use good to overcome evil.

SERIES B --- A CHOSEN PEOPLE -- LESSON 3 --- PART 2

COMMENTARY

LABAN’S FAMILY

Jacob fled to the homeland of his mother. There the first relative he met was Rachel, a young shepherdess who would become his wife. Laban’s family was related to the descendants of Abraham through Terah, their common ancestor. This bond was made even stronger by marriage between family members. Two successive generations of Laban’s family married into the line of Abraham. Rebekah, Laban’s sister, married Isaac; his daughters, Rachel and Leah, married Jacob. Through their children Laban became a member of Israel’s family tree.

GRANDFATHER: NAHOR

Nahor was the second of Terah’s three sons. Like his brothers, Abraham and Haran, he was born in the Mesopotamian city of Ur. Following the custom of the ancient Near East, Nahor married his niece, Milcah. She bore him eight children. The youngest of the eight, Bethuel, became the father of Laban.

GRANDMOTHER: MILCAH

Milcah, Nahor’s wife, was the daughter of Haran. Her name comes from the Semitic word for queen. Although the Bible says very little about Laban’s grandmother, it is known that she held a position of respect in the ancient world. The mother of eight sons, she would be greatly honoured by all who knew her.

FATHER: BETHUEL

Bethuel, Nahor’s youngest son, was the father of Laban and Rebekah. He was living in Padan-aram with his son and daughter when Eliezer arrived in search of a bride for his master’s son. Since Abraham’s command was carried out so easily, the union seemed especially blessed, and Bethuel willingly consented to Rebekah’s marriage to Isaac.

SISTER: REBEKAH

Rebekah, Laban’s younger sister, grew up in Padan-aram, but she spent most of her life in Canaan following her marriage to Isaac. Although Rebekah was a beautiful young woman and admired by kings, she remained childless for a very long time. But after twenty years of waiting, she gave birth to her twin sons Jacob and Esau.

BROTHER-IN-LAW: ISAAC

Isaac was Laban’s brother-in-law, but the Bible never mentions a meeting between the two. Isaac’s marriage to Laban’s sister was arranged for him by Eliezer, his father’s trusted servant.

DAUGHTER: LEAH

Leah was the oldest of Laban’s daughters, but she was not as pretty as Rachel, her younger sister. Laban tricked Jacob into marrying Leah instead of Rachel. Although she bore him one daughter and six sons, Leah always took second place to Rachel in Jacob’s feelings.

DAUGHTER: RACHEL

Jacob fell in love with Rachel at first sight. For seven years he worked to earn the privilege of marrying her. But on Rachel’s wedding day Laban substituted Leah, her older sister. Rachel did not trust her father’s promises after that deception. When she left Padan-aram she stole her father’s household YHVHs. As long as they remained in her possession, Laban could not withhold her rightful inheritance.

NEPHEW: JACOB

Although Jacob served his uncle for twenty years, the two men mistrusted one another. Laban accused his nephew of stealing his household YHVHs while Jacob charged the older man with deception and dishonesty as an employer. They established a wary peace at Mizpah and set up a marker as a witness to their truce.

NEPHEW: ESAU

Unlike his brother Jacob, Esau did not marry a woman from his own family. He settled in Edom with his Canaanite wives, far from his uncle Laban in Padan-aram. To our knowledge, Esau never met Laban.

GRANDCHILDREN

Eleven of Jacob’s twelve sons were born during the years he spent in Padan-aram. Benjamin, Rachel’s youngest son, was the only child who never knew his maternal grandfather. The older children said good-bye to Laban at Mizpah before continuing their journey to Canaan.

SERIES B --- A CHOSEN PEOPLE -- LESSON 3 --- PART 1

RACHEL

AT THE WELL OF HARAN

From Genesis 29

From Bethel, Jacob continued his journey to the Land of the East, the land of Padan-aram. Beside a well in an open field, he saw three flocks of sheep waiting to be watered. It was the custom of the shepherds of that land to wait until all of them had gathered at the well with their flocks before rolling away the large stone and drawing water for the sheep. When the flocks were watered, the stone was rolled back to its place over the well. Hello! Jacob called to the shepherds who were waiting by the well. Where do you live? At Haran, they answered. Then you must know Laban, the son of Nahor. Of course. We know him well. Is everything well with him? Things are very well with him. By the way, here comes his daughter Rachel with their sheep. But why are you waiting here in the middle of the day? Why don’t you water your sheep so they can graze again? We don’t do it that way, the shepherds answered. We wait until all the shepherds have come with their sheep so they can help us roll the stone from the mouth of the well. Then we water our sheep. While Jacob was talking with the shepherds, Rachel came up with her father’s sheep, for she was a shepherdess. When Jacob saw his cousin Rachel and his uncle Laban’s sheep, he rolled the stone from the well and watered Laban’s flocks. With tears in his eyes, Jacob kissed his cousin Rachel and told her how they were related, that his mother, Rebekah, was her aunt. Rachel ran immediately and told her father the news. When Laban heard about Jacob, he ran out to meet him, threw his arms around Jacob, and gave him a kiss. Laban invited Jacob back to his home, where Jacob told his uncle all about his trip. Well, here you are, said Laban, my own bone and flesh! Jacob stayed with Laban about a month. One day Laban approached Jacob about his work. Just because we are related, you shouldn’t work for me for nothing, he said. What kind of wages would you like? Your daughter Rachel, Jacob answered. I’ll work for you seven years if I can marry her. Now there were two daughters in Laban’s family. The older was Leah. She had beautiful eyes but little more than that. Her younger sister, Rachel, was beautiful in every way. Rachel was the one Jacob loved, so he offered to work for the right to marry her. I’d rather have her marry you than a stranger, said Laban. I accept your offer. For the next seven years Jacob served Laban so that he could marry Rachel. The time passed so quickly that the seven years seemed but a few days. I’ve completed my part of our bargain, Jacob told Laban one day. Let me marry Rachel now so that we may live together. Laban had a big feast and invited all of the men in that place to celebrate. Later that night, he presented the new bride to Jacob. She was veiled so Jacob could not recognize her. With the new bride, Laban also gave his maid Zilpah to be her maid. But when morning came, Jacob discovered that his new bride was not Rachel, but Leah. Immediately he went to find Laban. What have you done to me? Jacob demanded. Didn’t I work seven years for you to get Rachel? Why have you tricked me in this way? We have a custom here that the oldest sister must marry first, said Laban. Now finish your bridal week with Leah and then you can marry Rachel right away. However, you must promise to work for me another seven years. Jacob spent the rest of the week with Leah. Then he married Rachel. Laban gave Rachel his maid Bilhah to be her maid. Trees are scarce and lumber precious in the area near Haran. Most villagers build their homes out of sun-dried mud bricks just as their ancestors did before them. Sheep and goats graze together in the fields of Haran. Although the vegetation is sparse, the herds are free to wander over many miles of unbroken plain. While Jacob served Laban for another seven years, he lived with both Rachel and Leah, hut he loved Rachel more than Leah. YHVH felt sorry for Leah because Jacob did not love her and gave her a child, but Rachel had none. Leah named her new son Reuben, which meant Look! A Son! Since YHVH has looked upon my trouble, perhaps Jacob will love me more, she said. Later, Leah had another son and named him Simeon, which meant -- Heard. YHVH has heard how I am unloved, she said, so He has given me another son. Once more, Leah had a son. Surely Jacob will love me now, she said, For I have given him three sons. So, she named this boy Levi. Later, a fourth son was born to Leah. I will give praise to Adonai, she said, and she named the boy Judah, which meant Praise. Then, for a while, Leah had no more children.

Thought for Today: Sunday December 11:

You are a priceless vessel of the Love YHVH wants the world to see – may you take very opportunity He gives you to express it. May the blessings of Adonai be upon you, dwell in you and flow through you today.