Parsha Page

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Rick Wills - Messianic Elder,  Mishareth@TorahWellsprings.org

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Sidra Overview

The Ancient Triennial Sedarim
Sidra 3 Wayomer, Explanation
 

Torah, Genesis 3:22 - 4:26

    And the Lord God said, “ Now that the man has become like one of us, knowing good and bad, what if he should stretch out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever!”

    The story of Adom and Eve in Gan Eden ends, with Adonai casting them out to till the soil, and posting the cheruvim and fiery sword at the entrance to prevent them from coming back in. 

    Chapter 4 relates the story of how the first child born to Eve, Cain, became a murderer. Rashi teaches that Cain and Abel were born before Adom was banished from Gan Eden, and that they had sisters. Cain had become a farmer, while his brother Abel tended the flocks. They both brought offerings to Adonoi, Cain’s from the produce of the field, and Abel’s was from the choicest of his flock. For an unstated reason, Adonai looked favorably upon Abel’s offering, but not upon Cain’s. Rashi’s interpretation is that Cain brought whatever was at hand, indicating carelessness in his dealings with Adonoi.

    When Adonai did not approve of his offering, Cain was depressed. He called Abel into the field and started a quarrel, presumably to find a reason to kill him. After Cain killed Abel, Adonai gave him a chance to confess and repent, by asking, “Where is your brother”. Instead, Cain acted as if he could deceive the Lord, saying he did not know. As Adonai cursed Cain, stating that the land would no longer give him strength, and exiling him to the east, he also helped assuage Cain’s fear that someone would kill him by placing a mark upon Cain’s forehead, and declaring that no one should kill him. Cain settled in the East in the land of Nod, and had children and grandchildren. It is said that Lemech, the seventh generation descendant of Cain, killed Cain, and that is the meaning of the poem in verses 23 and 24.

    Adom and Hevel had another child, named Seth, who had a son Enosh; it was during his time that men began to invoke the Name of the Lord. This implies that mankind became idolatrous, naming idols to be deities.

Qeriath, Ezekiel 28:13-25

    Ezekiel has just finished pronouncing judgment on the prince of Tyre – now he condemns the king of Tyre. The early sages, like Rashi, interpret this to be an earthly king that Adonai had blessed with great wealth and glory, who lived in such comfort that it was like living in Gan Eden. He became haughty, to the point where he declared himself to be a god, and Adonai brought destruction upon him. Many Christian commentators consider this king of Tyre to be a description of Satan before his fall, with the kingship indicating that he was a spiritual ruler. He was cast down from the holy mountain of God. While either interpretation has significant spiritual learning, we must be careful to be discerning in reading this sort of passage. One basic message is that anyone who trusts in his own power, wealth, beauty or other attributes, and sets himself up as equal to God, will be judged and punished by Adonoi.

    An oracle condemning Sidon, a city about 25 miles from Tyre, follows this. Adonai will destroy that city as well, Israel will no longer be persecuted, and will be allowed to return to their land. This will demonstrate to the nations that Adonai is the Lord, and He is the God of Israel.

Da'ath, James 3:13 - 4:10

    In this book Ya’akov (James), the brother of Yeshua, encourages the people to demonstrate their wisdom by good actions, to be humble rather than boastful. The wisdom we are to heed comes from Adonoi. We are to reject the worldly wisdom that is unspiritual and demonic. Ya’akov continues, telling us that the reason we are not satisfied is that we desire things with the wrong motive. Or we fail to pray with proper motives, instead wanting to satisfy worldly desires. There is a spirit within us, (which is called the yetzer hara’, or evil inclination) which creates this worldly lust.

    He quotes Psalms 3:34, telling us that God opposes the arrogant but gives peace to the humble. By submitting to God, opposing the Adversary who is Satan, and humbling ourselves, God will lift us up. The implication here is that part of this “lifting up” means to rise above the yetzer hara’, changing our motives to be more aligned with the motives of Adonoi.

Igarath, Hebrews 2:10-18

    The author of this letter to the Messianic Jews continues his description of what Yeshua has done for His followers. It was necessary for Yeshua to come to us as a man, and suffer as flesh and blood, so He could totally identify with us. This makes Him a merciful and faithful cohen gadol (high priest), and He makes atonement for our sins. Thus, He sets free those who had been in bondage to sin all their lives.

Conclusion

    In Torah Cain opposed Adonoi, and was exiled from the presence of God. Qeriath shows the destruction of the king of Tyre for setting himself up as a god. Da'ath tells us that Adonai opposes the proud, but lifts up those who humble themselves to Him. Igarath makes it clear that Yeshua came to earth as a man, so that He could set us free from the effects of our own sins. Thus, He is the way for us to approach God in humility; in turn God will lift us up out of our slavery to sin.

 

Barukh HaShem,
George Robinson