Question 53: How many of the children of Israel entered Canaan?
Answer:
The number of adults over twenty years of age who left Egypt is stated in Exodus 12:37, at about six hundred thousand. Allowing the normal proportion of children to such a host we may infer that the total number was probably between one and two million. Three or four months later, when they were at Sinai, a more careful count was made and the number of adults is then given (Exodus 38:26) at 603,550. Two years later another census was taken and the number is stated (Numbers 2:32) at exactly the same figure, but as the Levites were not included and there were 22,000 of them, we may assume that by that time the adults numbered about 625,000. Thirty-eight years later, immediately after a pestilence had swept away large numbers and just before entering Canaan, another census was taken. The figures are given (Numbers 26:21) at 601,730, which shows a slight decrease. Of these only two -- Joshua and Caleb -- were left of the adults who crossed the Red Sea. With these exceptions, the entire adult generation died in the wilderness.
Question 52: What are the essential facts about Cain?
Answer:
The Genesis narrative tells us that Elohiym had no respect for Cain's offering, as he had that of Abel, his brother's. The reason for this must have been a wrong spirit in Cain (Genesis 4:3-7). Verse 7 states: "If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? And if thou doest not well sin lieth at the door." There have been many interpretations suggested for the last part of this verse; but whatever translation may be given the specific words, the whole narrative implies that the trouble with Cain was with his motive. He did not come humbly, worshipfully, as Abel did and probably his offering was less costly, less of a real sacrifice. Again, it has been thought that in the acceptance of the animal sacrifice and the rejection of the fruit sacrifice there was a suggestion of the fact that sin requires death for atonement. Abel's was the first of the long line of offerings for sin in which blood was shed, culminating in the sacrifice of Moshiach's body on the cross. The mark upon Cain has been a fertile subject of conjecture among Biblical scholars. Some hold that it was probably a sign given to Cain as assurance that no man should kill him, but the nature of the sign and whether it was something perceptible to others, are left in uncertainty. One commentator suggests that it may have been an aspect of such ferocity that he became an object of horror and avoidance. Lastly, the question is asked about the land of Nod, to which Cain was banished after the murder of Abel and where he found his wife. The land of Nod means simply "land of exile." We may gather from Genesis 4:14-15 that at the time referred to, the human family had multiplied considerably. Cain's wife was doubtless some blood relative, probably a sister. An ancient Arab tradition states that her name was Azura. From the account in Genesis, we may conjecture that although only four persons are mentioned in the sacred narrative up to this point, the human race had increased rapidly (Josephus says that the Jews held a tradition that Adam had thirty-three sons and twenty-three daughters). Cain's fear of punishment may therefore have been directed toward his own relatives.
Frequently asked questions and answers:
Question 51: In what language was the message on the wall written to Belshazzar written?
Answer:
The words, as they are found in Daniel, are pure Chaldee and if they appeared in the Chaldean characters on the wall, might have been read by any person present who understood the alphabet of the Babylonian language. Authorities differ as to the language in which the famous Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin appeared. Dr Hales suggests that it may have been in primitive Hebrew; Josephus implies that it was in Greek. Another explanation is that while the observers may have been familiar with the language, its meaning or signification may have been hidden from them, until explained by the prophet.
Being kind and a neighbor to those around us is more than just preaching Torah to them. The Torah community struggles with this. They silo themselves and think their only purpose in life is telling their traditional Christian friends to stop eating pork.
But have you been a blessing to your friends in other ways? Were you there for them when they needed a hand? Have you spoken with them in casual conversaion about everyday life things just for the sake of having a happy conversation?
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When someone asks about your faith, how do you answer or how should you answer? Peter writes in his first letter we should be prepared to answer why we trust the Creator and Solomon writes in Proverbs 15:28, “The heart of the righteous ponders how to answer, but the mouth of the wicked blurts out evil.” There is no one size fits all answer and depending on who may ask it may be a specific or a general inquiry, but our answer might be what someone needs to hear to begin trusting the Creator.
Thought for Today: Shabbat January 11
One of the most wonderful things about knowing YHVH Elohiym is that there is always so much more to know, so much more to discover. Just when we least expect it, He intrudes into our neat and tidy notions about Who He is and how He works.
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