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Nisan 28, 5761 / April 21, 2001
Nisan 26, 5764 / April 17, 2004
Nisan 26, 5767 / April 14, 2007
Nisan 26, 5770 / April 10, 2010
Nisan 26, 5773 / April 6, 2013
Nisan 22, 5776 / April 30, 2016
Nisan 22, 5779 / April 27, 2019
Zeh Sefer Toldot / This is the Book of Generations
SCRIPTURES (should be read first)
On
this Sabbath (in 2016) we say:
“Blessed
are You, Yahweh our God, King of the Universe,
Who has sanctified us by His Word, and instructed us to count the Omer.
Today is seven days of the Omer; it is one week of the Omer.”
"This
is the Book of Generations" (v.5:1). It
is important, for understanding Scripture, that one has a concept of the
Biblical timeline.
Note: We suspect the current year to be actually
a couple-hundred years later than rabbinic count of AM 5761.
Adam
and Noah, in total time, lived about one-third of the world’s history!
Methuselah, the longest living man at 969 years, died just before (the sages say
the day before) the great flood. Adam and Methuselah's lives spanned the entire
time from creation to the flood.
Genesis 5:1 – 6:8 was
originally the fourth chapter of Genesis, entitled Sefer Toldot – the
Book of Generations. It is showing the priestly line from creation until the
great flood, from Adam until Methuselah: that is the basic subject.
In the Gospel portion (Matt 23) we read, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees,
hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the monuments of
the righteous, and say, ‘If we had been living in the days of our fathers, we
would not have been partners with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’
Consequently you bear witness against yourselves, that you are sons of those who
murdered the prophets. Fill up then the measure of the guilt of your fathers.
You serpents, you brood of vipers, how shall you escape the sentence of hell?”
(v.29-33).
Yeshua
said, “Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘Whoever swears by the Temple,
that is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the Temple, he is
obligated.’ You fools and blind men; which is more important, the gold, or the
Temple that sanctified the gold?” (v.16-17). If the gold were placed in the
hands of a merchant for the purchase of goods, it would not be sanctified (set
apart for God). Only because of the sanctity of the House of God is the gold
offered there set apart for God. The earthly Temple was a picture of the
heavenly, from Eden; when the priests corrupted the picture, the Temple was
removed from them. We see it again in Eden in The Unveiling of Yeshua the
Messiah / The Revelation of Jesus Christ (Rev 21).
Herein
is a common sin of leaders today. “But they do all their deeds to be noticed
by men; for they broaden their phylacteries, and lengthen the tzitzit
(tassels) on their
garments. And they love the place of honor at banquets, and the chief seats in
the synagogues, and respectful greetings in the market places, and being called
by men, Rabbi. But do not be called Rabbi; for One is your Teacher, and you are
all brothers. And do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your
Father, He who is in heaven. And do not be called leaders; for One is your
Leader, that is, Christ. But the greatest among you shall be your servant. And
whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be
exalted” (v.5-12). The problem here is pride, a special problem for men who
lead or teach. This has nothing to do with calling your natural father
“Father”; it has nothing to do with using earned worldly job titles such as
“Doctor” or “Officer”. It is about seeking special honor in supposed
service of God, as by using a title like “Father”, “Rabbi”, or
“Pastor”, or wearing special garments to so distinguish oneself.
“The
scribes and the Pharisees have seated themselves in the chair of Moses”
(v.1). The Biblical synagogue was not to have self-appointed officers (see
Synagogue Structure). It was not to have salaried officers, and this is not
contrary to 1 Timothy 5:17-18. [See
SYNAGOGUE]
Readings:
Reader 1* Amen
1
This is the Book of the Generations of Adam. In the day when God created man, He
made him in the likeness of God. 2 He created them male and female,
and He blessed them and named them Man in the day when they were created. 3
When Adam had lived one hundred and thirty years, he became the father of a son
in his own likeness, according to his image, and named him Seth. 4
Then the days of Adam after he became the father of Seth were eight hundred
years, and he had other sons and daughters. 5 So all the days that
Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years, and he died.
Reader 2* Amen
6
Seth lived one hundred and five years, and became the father of Enosh. 7
Then Seth lived eight hundred and seven years after he became the father of
Enosh, and he had other sons and daughters. 8 So all the days of Seth
were nine hundred and twelve years, and he died. 9 Enosh lived ninety
years, and became the father of Kenan. 10 Then Enosh lived eight
hundred and fifteen years after he became the father of Kenan, and he had other
sons and daughters. 11 So all the days of Enosh were nine hundred and
five years, and he died.
Reader 3* Amen
12
Kenan lived seventy years, and became the father of Mahalalel. 13
Then Kenan lived eight hundred and forty years after he became the father of
Mahalalel, and he had other sons and daughters. 14 So all the days of
Kenan were nine hundred and ten years, and he died. 15 Mahalalel
lived sixty-five years, and became the father of Jared. 16 Then
Mahalalel lived eight hundred and thirty years after he became the father of
Jared, and he had other sons and daughters. 17 So all the days of
Mahalalel were eight hundred and ninety-five years, and he died.
Reader 4* Amen
18
Jared lived one hundred and sixty-two years, and became the father of Enoch.
19 Then Jared lived eight hundred years after he became the father of
Enoch, and he had other sons and daughters. 20 So all the days of
Jared were nine hundred and sixty-two years, and he died. 21 Enoch
lived sixty-five years, and became the father of Methuselah. 22 Then
Enoch walked with God three hundred years after he became the father of
Methuselah, and he had other sons and daughters. 23 So all the days
of Enoch were three hundred and sixty-five years. 24 Enoch walked
with God; and he was not, for God took him.
Reader 5* Amen
25
Methuselah lived one hundred and eighty-seven years, and became the father of
Lamech. 26 Then Methuselah lived seven hundred and eighty-two years
after he became the father of Lamech, and he had other sons and daughters.
27 So all the days of Methuselah were nine hundred and sixty-nine years,
and he died. 28 Lamech lived one hundred and eighty-two years, and
became the father of a son. 29 Now he called his name Noah, saying,
"This one will give us rest from our work and from the toil of our hands arising
from the ground which Yahweh has cursed." 30 Then Lamech lived five
hundred and ninety-five years after he became the father of Noah, and he had
other sons and daughters. 31 So all the days of Lamech were seven
hundred and seventy-seven years, and he died.
Psalm 4
(to be sung)
For the choir
director; on stringed instruments. A Psalm of David.
1
Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness! You have relieved me in my
distress; be gracious to me and hear my prayer. 2 O sons of men, how
long will my honor become a reproach? How long will you love what is worthless
and aim at deception? Selah. 3 But know that Yahweh has set apart the
godly man for Himself; Yahweh hears when I call to Him. 4 Tremble,
and do not sin; meditate in your heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah.
5 Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and trust in Yahweh. 6
Many are saying, "Who will show us any good?" Lift up the light of Your
countenance upon us, O Yahweh! 7 You have put gladness in my heart,
more than when their grain and new wine abound. 8 In peace I will
both lie down and sleep, for You alone, O Yahweh, make me to dwell in safety.
Matthew 23:1-39
Reader 10* Amen
1
Then Yeshua spoke to the crowds and to His disciples, 2 saying: “The
scribes and the Pharisees have seated themselves in the chair of Moses; 3
therefore all that they tell you, do and observe, but do not do according to
their deeds; for they say things and do not do them. 4 They tie up
heavy burdens and lay them on men's shoulders, but they themselves are unwilling
to move them with so much as a finger.
Reader 11* Amen
5
But they do all their deeds to be noticed by men; for they broaden their
phylacteries and lengthen the tassels of their garments. 6 They love
the place of honor at banquets and the chief seats in the synagogues, 7
and respectful greetings in the market places, and being called Rabbi by men.
8 But do not be called Rabbi; for One is your Teacher, and you are
all brothers. 9 Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is
your Father, He who is in heaven. 10 Do not be called leaders; for
One is your Leader, that is, Messiah. 11 But the greatest among you
shall be your servant. 12 Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled;
and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted.
Reader 12* Amen
13
But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you shut off the
kingdom of heaven from people; for you do not enter in yourselves, nor do you
allow those who are entering to go in. 14 Woe to you, scribes and
Pharisees, hypocrites, because you devour widows' houses, and for a pretense you
make long prayers; therefore you will receive greater condemnation. 15
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you travel around on sea
and land to make one proselyte; and when he becomes one, you make him twice as
much a son of hell as yourselves.
Reader 13* Amen
16
Woe to you, blind guides, who say, 'Whoever swears by the temple, that is
nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the temple is obligated.' 17
You fools and blind men! Which is more important, the gold or the temple that
sanctified the gold? 18 And, 'Whoever swears by the altar, that is
nothing, but whoever swears by the offering on it, he is obligated.' 19
You blind men, which is more important, the offering, or the altar that
sanctifies the offering? 20 Therefore, whoever swears by the altar,
swears both by the altar and by everything on it. 21 And whoever
swears by the temple, swears both by the temple and by Him who dwells within it.
22 And whoever swears by heaven, swears both by the throne of God and
by Him who sits upon it.
Reader 14* Amen
23
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and
cummin, and have neglected the weightier provisions of the law: justice and
mercy and faithfulness; but these are the things you should have done without
neglecting the others. 24 You blind guides, who strain out a gnat and
swallow a camel! 25 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!
For you clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside they are full
of robbery and self-indulgence. 26 You blind Pharisee, first clean
the inside of the cup and of the dish, so that the outside of it may become
clean also. 27 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you
are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside
they are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness. 28 So you,
too, outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy
and lawlessness.
Reader 15* Amen
29
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the
prophets and adorn the monuments of the righteous, 30 and say, 'If we
had been living in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partners with
them in shedding the blood of the prophets.' 31 So you testify
against yourselves, that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets.
32 Fill up, then, the measure of the guilt of your fathers. 33
You serpents, you brood of vipers, how will you escape the sentence of hell?
Reader 16* Amen
34
Therefore, behold, I am sending you prophets and wise men and scribes; some of
them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will scourge in your
synagogues, and persecute from city to city, 35 so that upon you may
fall the guilt of all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of
righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, whom you
murdered between the temple and the altar. 36 Truly I say to you, all
these things will come upon this generation. 37 "Jerusalem,
Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How
often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her
chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling. 38 Behold, your house
is being left to you desolate! 39"For I say to you, from now on you
will not see Me until you say, ‘BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF YAHWEH!’
”
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