Join Mark Call for a look at parsha, “Vayetze,” Genesis 28:10 through 32:3, which beings the story of Yakov’s (Jacob) journey (“and he went out”) via his famous vision, his wives, his sons, and his strengthening faith, in truth.
During the Erev Shabbat teaching, we hear the story in sequence, and Mark takes a look at aspects that are not only too often ‘overlooked’ by much of the ‘mainstream’, but even some things that just don’t translate well from the original Hebrew:
The Sabbath Day teaching is more about “Yakov’s journey,” but in a way that is intended to show just how important the lessons he learned, and is teaching us, are in a world where our threats may seem much greater, but the solution remains the same.
Join Mark Call for a look at parsha, “Toldot,” Genesis 25:19 through 28:9, which is most of the rest of the story of Yitzak (or Isaac) and introduces his two sons, and perhaps a problematic twist to the story of the “sons of promise”.
During the Erev Shabbat teaching, Mark Call again looks at the entire parsha, and what it is about Isaac that sets up ‘the rest of the story’.
It also sets up that much-contested deception that results in the “swap” of the birthright between the elder, and the younger of the two twins from Raquel’s womb, Esau and Yakov (or Jacob).
Did Yakov “steal” the birthright, and then the blessing, from his older brother? Or did Esau simply “despise” his birthright, and not consider it worth bothering about?
(And yes, as you might suspect by now, Mark is about to suggest that people who despise their birthright, and all the responsibility that might go along with it, are hardly unique to that “olde” testament. In fact, whether they’re called “snowflakes,” or “progressives,” or just haters-of-Yah, this is a story that still very much OUGHT to resonate today with those who have “eyes to see!!!”)
The Sabbath Day teaching, is thus all about that enduring question, WHY was Yakov the son of promise, and not Esau? (And, likewise, Isaac before him, as opposed to Ishmael?)
Join Mark Call for a look at parsha, “Chayei Sarah,” Genesis 23:1 through 25:18, which he describes as including THE pre-eminent “common law textbook” stories in the entire Torah.
During the Erev Shabbat teaching, Mark Call again looks at the entire parsha, from the “life of Sarah,” and then her death and burial, through those stories that formed the basis for the common law concepts of “contract law,” and then marriage, and finally the idea of “agency,” power of attorney, or what the Bible means by a good and faithful servant who “comes in the name of,” his master.
During the Sabbath Day teaching, Mark looks initially and a bit more deeply into the elements of the story of Abraham’s purchase of the Cave of Machpelah and the first recorded land transfer deed in history, and the elements of what we see a “good and faithful servant,” who goes to do his master’s will, in his name, should look like.
And, now, just how far those twin pillars of a just society — Trust, and the Rule of Law –have been undermined.
How better to destroy that society? And how can we begin to rebuild those elements?
The combined part 1 and 2 files for both sections are up here via the permalink on Hebrew Nation Radio. (This week there were a lot of additional questions following the teaching, related to peripheral topics — from bicoins to solar systems and EMP — so that extended Q&A is also at the end of this recording)
The story of the life of the First Patriarch, Abraham, continues with what might be one of the most problematic, certainly contested, and perhaps even confusing portions in the Torah, “Vayeira,” Genesis chapters 18 through 22.
During the Erev Shabbat teaching, Mark Call again looks at the entire parsha, from the arrival of the three ‘men’ who come to Abraham’s tent in the heat of day, and the discussion that follows, through the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, and then the “akeida,” or binding of Isaac:
Link via Hebrew Nation Radio:
During the Sabbath Day teaching, Mark looks into those themes that both unite, and divide the “two houses,” that each see some, but only some, of the patterns that tie the plan of YHVH, literally “from the Beginning,” to what happened, more than once, on a mountain in what was then called Moriah.
It involved a walk of faith, ‘chesed,’ sometimes translated from Hebrew as “kindness,” and the continued concept of choice, or free will. It even has a lot to do with laughter.
Vayeira: When the choice seems to hurt, do we laugh or cry?”
Link via Hebrew Nation Radio:
The combined part 1 and 2 files for both sections are available here for download.
Join Mark Call for the first parsha in the lives of the patriarchs, “Lech Lecha,” (Genesis chapters 12 through 17) in which Abram is told to “go forth” out of his home, away from all that he has known, “by faith”…only later to be worthy of being renamed “Abraham”.
During the Sabbath Day teaching, Mark takes a deeper look at why “go forth,” (or “come out!”) should still resonate so profoundly with each of us today, still faced with remarkably similar challenges:
Join Mark Call for part two of an examination of “as it was in the days of Noach,” in Bereshiet, the first Book, continuing in parsha “Noach” (Genesis 6:8 through all of chapter 11) — and it’s far more than even one of the most memorable stories in the Bible, of “Noah’s Flood”.
Yes, it starts out that way, along with the following story of Nimrod and the Tower of Babel.
First, the overview story from Erev Shabbat, to set the stage.
During the Sabbath Day teaching, Mark picks up on the second part of the theme, “as it was in the days of Noah,” and suggests that there may be more to what constitutes the ‘days of Noach’ than just pre-Flood wickedness.
This week, Mark Call takes a look at Bereshiet, “In the Beginning,” FROM the Beginning (Genesis 1:1 through 6:8) in what is probably a different way than you’ve ever heard before.
Yes, this is one of the “meatiest” and most truly information-packed portions in the whole of Scripture, and more than enough to occupy (and it has!) literally volumes of study.
But have you considered that the act of Creation, and the creation of mankind, “HaAdam,” in the image of YHVH Himself, has elements that are still in process?
First, the overview from Erev Shabbat, and a look at the many elements that make up the story, from the “Time Domain;” what happened first, and then next. Or is it?
During the ‘meat-filled’ Sabbath Day teaching, Mark-the-Engineer again “waxes nerdy,” and hopefully manages to make what “as it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be…” (and how we’ll be able to tell) take on a whole new aspect. Don’t let the title scare you off, and don’t miss this one:
Join Mark Call of Shabbat Shalom Mesa fellowship in the southern Colorado Rockies for a look at the final parsha in the Torah, and some commentary on the times and seasons of the final days of the Fall Feasts as well: “V’zot HaBerakah,” from Deuteronomy chapters 33 and 34.
The Erev Shabbat overview teaching of the entire parsha, and the cycle begins, is here:
and then the Sabbath Day look at how certain aspects of that ancient warning are not only important, but now closer than ever.
“V’zot HaBerakah: THIS is the blessing, and it didn’t end with Moses”:
Join Mark Call of Shabbat Shalom Mesa fellowship for the message in the Torah portion for this week (“Ha’azinu”, Deuteronomy chapter 32) as well as a look at some of the special readings associated with the most set-apart day of Yom Kippur.
Deuteronomy 32 is an elegant, and concise, summary of what Moshe sang to those who were about to enter the Promised Land. It’s also an elegant, concise warning that is every bit as vital to understand today, in such as time as this, as it was thousands of years ago.
The Erev Shabbat overview teaching of the entire parsha includes not only the second, and final “Song of Moses,” but also a look at Isaiah 57:14 – 58:14, and the final few verses of the Book of the prophet Micah.
This final “Song of Moses” has been correctly described as a concise capsule summary of the consistent theme of the entire Scripture. Perhaps more so, suggests Mark, it’s a mini ‘guided tour’ of Amerika 2018, if not the whole fallen world.
But it’s also apropos in this season to take another look at the story of Jonah. There’s more to it than just a whale, and perhaps it’s the contrast with Ninevah then and the DC Swamp NOW that will really clarify what Moses was warning about!
The message in the Torah portion for this week (Vayelek, Deuteronomy chapter 31) is an elegant, and concise, summary of what Moshe told those who were about to enter the Promised Land. It’s also an elegant, concise warning that is every bit as vital to understand today, in such as time as this, as it was thousands of years ago.