וארא

Most of us have become so immersed in religion that we simply cannot understand G-d's direct revelation to us.  We have the tendency to hold onto what man has taught us instead of seeing the truth of Scripture.  If you are student of literature, you may study the Scriptures from the point of view of what man can do.  It thus becomes man's book instead of the Book of what G-d does.  Much of our halachah began with superstition and not actually what the Torah said.  We need to be careful not to put men's writings above G-d's.  In Vaera וארא  we see the precedence established concerning the use of the “name of G-d”—Ani Adonai, Ani haShem- אני יהוה

Rabbi Benno Jacob in his excellent commentary on the book of Exodus brings us an interesting perspective about the Tetragrammaton, יהוה the Name of G-d.  He was able to clarify the ideas which had developed in his day where the usage of Name of G-d had been given power and could then be used like an icon.  This had developed during the Greek period two centuries before the Common Era, BCE when they were influenced by Artaparrus, the Egyptian Greek Jew whose writings brought to us the idea of the other religions where by pronouncing the ineffable Name of G-d, some type of power was placed in our hands.  He brought the idea of comparing the god of Egypt with the G-d of Israel, making the mistake that the G-d of Israel was better than “Rah” the god of Egypt.  They had the idea that if they pronounced the name of their god it would be like hocus-pocus endowing them with the power to do anything.  After this idea was introduced into the Jewish writings, it motivated the rabbis to make the decision that we should avoid pronouncing the name of G-d due to its possible misuse thus protecting the sanctity of G-d’s Name.  They believed that  יהוה was so holy, powerful and pure that it couldn't be pronounced and thus was removed from the mouth of humanity.  Instead of making His Name known as He told Moses, we kept it a secret.  Here is only one of the many ways that man has changed the word of G-d. There is no doubt in my mind that we need to respect our traditions, as long as we are careful that they do not invalidate Scripture.  Other religions do the same.  Several groups never accepted Jesus as G-d, but as a new Adam who would restore mankind to what it was meant to be.  Others built a new god, a new religion, which is in constant battle with Judaism.  Which of the rabbis do we need to follow?  Our only Rabbi is Yeshua; he is our Rabbi, our teacher and our leader.

We need to understand that G-d is the only One acting upon the people and not the other way around.  How many times have we read that our people cried out over and over again until G-d finally heard them and then took action?  Here is an implicit misunderstanding in which we believe that G-d will ONLY protect us if we call upon His Name. He is totally aware of all our needs and He IS NOT a mere spectator as many believe.

What is the process here? He said, I am Adonai, your forefathers did not know me by my name.  I made myself known to them as El Shaddai.  The only name that is the name of G-d is יהוה.  All the other names are descriptions of his character. El Shaddai describes him as the nurturer, the feminine aspect of G-d coming from the word, shad which means breast (our sages also describe El Shaddai as G-d Almighty).    Our forefathers knew His promises during the making of a special nation.  Now, the entire world would know him by his Name יהוה.  The prophets knew His name יהוה.  He would take the people out of Egypt for the sake of His Name.  He never changes.  We do.  We need to remember that G-d was speaking to a people who were like children.  They were under great stress.  They didn't want G-d because they loved him and desire to serve him.  They want somebody who would save them.  They had no hope, no self-esteem.  Here G-d would be manifested to two communities acting in a way that even his enemies would recognize.  Both his own people and the others would know who He is.  He would have to speak in one language that both could understand not necessarily in the same way.  The Egyptians saw a G-d who was bigger than their own gods because He had won while the Israelites saw their G-d as being the only G-d.

Egypt has made extraordinary efforts to remove the Hebrew name יהוה from their history.  In this last century, archaeologists found a very small papyrus scribing the Hebrews in which a man is complaining their gods failed them that they are suffering because Pharaoh didn't listen to the Hebrews.  They have erased Moshe from their records. The problem with humanity continues to be that we believe what we hear, not what actually happened. יהוה was about to demonstrate to the people of Israel that they couldn't be delivered without Him while the Egyptians needed to see that He was greater than any of their gods.

The Torah is living.  Today, little Israel is the power in the world.  Israel has the responsibility of being a light to the nations.  Yeshua said that if the salt has lost its flavor, what is it good for?  We don't need to worry about what the nations will do to Israel, but what G-d will do to them because of their disobedience.

I am trying to bring you away from what you learned from your fathers and to return you to Scripture.  I believe in divine revelation.  When we open the Scriptures, it becomes alive.  There is only one G-d, the G-d of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and one Messiah Yeshua.  When G-d spoke to Moshe and said, take off your sandals you are on holy ground, he speaking to us in the same way today.  Most of the men do not understand privilege it is to be able to carry the Torah.  It is the direct revelation to man from G-d.

We are beginning the process of getting out of Egypt, but it took 40 years to get Egypt, out of people.  How much Egypt is still within us and how much do we need to let go?  Let us ask ourselves what are we holding on to that keeps us from being set free?

May G-d had blessings to His Word
Ranebi