Abe Mezrich
Real to God
Posted by Abe Mezrich | Tags: Pesach, Sefer Shmot, Shmot
i God frees the Children of Israel from Egypt by means of Plagues and Signs: in which a staff becomes a serpent, and water becomes blood, and land becomes lice. These miracles prove the fixed world to be more changeable than it would seem to be. * God frees the Children of Israel, largely,...
The Beginning of Wisdom is the Fear of the Lord
Posted by Abe Mezrich | Tags: Sefer Shmot, Shmot
i Joseph, who interprets dreams, proclaims God as the source of his understanding of dreams. Joseph says: Do not interpretations belong to God? * The Pharaoh of Joseph's day says to him: Since God has made all of this known to you, there is none so...wise as...
In God’s History Lies Forgiveness
Posted by Abe Mezrich | Tags: Vayechi, Sefer Bereshit
i Joseph’s brothers cast him down into a pit. From there he is stolen and sold into slavery in Egypt. In Egypt he is sentenced for a crime he does not commit. He lives in prison. Later, in a twist of fate, Joseph becomes ruler over all of Egypt. * As ruler over Egypt, Joseph sustains his...
Israel is Born in Egypt
Posted by Abe Mezrich | Tags: Vayigash, Sefer Bereshit
i Jacob and his sons come down to Egypt. They are fleeing from famine. This flight begins the time of the Jewish people in that land. And the verse says, And Israel dwelt in the land of Egypt, in the land of Goshen…and they took possession of it. * Note how the verse says...
Dreams, Clothes
Posted by Abe Mezrich | Tags: Miketz
i When Joseph is young, in his father's house, and he dreams and tells his brothers and father of these dreams, Joseph's father gives him a special coat. Later, Joseph is sent to interpret Pharaoh's dream. Joseph changed his garments to prepare for the dream-meeting. And after Joseph...
Kings from Empathy
Posted by Abe Mezrich | Tags: Vayeshev
i Tamar marries Yehudah's two sons in succession. In succession, both sons die. Yehudah promises to marry Tamar to his much younger son, when that son grows older. But Yehudah also fears that Tamar has caused his other sons' death (which is not what happened). And so Yehudah does not marry Tamar...
The Empathy of Israel
Posted by Abe Mezrich | Tags: Bereshit, Vayishlach, Sefer Bereshit
i Jacob wrestles an angel, at night, before meeting with his brother Esau. Jacob has not seen Esau for more than twenty years. Jacob fears that Esau may want to kill him. * The angel changes Jacob's name. The angel calls Jacob, Yisrael: Israel. For, the angel says to Jacob, of...
The Upheaval of Knowing of God is Creation
Posted by Abe Mezrich | Tags: Bereshit, Vayetze
I i Jacob has a dream of a ladder going to Heaven, and of God's angels upon the ladder, and of God speaking to him.
When Jacob awakes he says: God was in this place and I did not know.
*
He renames the place where he slept. He calls the place: Beit...
Children of Isaac
Posted by Abe Mezrich | Tags: Toldot, Sefer Bereshit
i
Jacob and Esau are Isaac’s sons.
Esau is a hunter. But Jacob is a simple man, a dweller of tents.
Jacob’s offspring—and not Esau’s offspring—will carry the mantle of Isaac.
*
Once, Esau returns...
Sodom
Posted by Abe Mezrich | Tags: Bereshit, Vayera, Sefer Bereshit
God punishes the twin cities of Sodom and Gomorrah because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous. * Angels disguised as men come to Sodom. The men of the city…both young and old, all the people from every quarter, surround the house...