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Parsha Page
Torah, Genesis 33:18 - 34:31
Jacob arrived safe in the city of Shechem which
is in the land of Canaan - having come thus from Paddan-aram - and he encamped
before the city.
Ya'akov obviously planned to stay at Shechem, as
he purchased the land upon which he camped, and built an altar to Adonoi. As
Dinah, his daughter was visiting the local women, the son of the chief took her
by force, but then he fell in love with her. He asked his father to get Dinah
for him in marriage. As they approached Ya'akov, his sons claimed that if all of
the men of Shechem would be circumcised they would intermarry. The townspeople
agreed, and as they were in pain Simeon and Levi fell upon them and killed all
the men. The brothers then plundered the town.
Ya'akov was angered, since the surrounding people
would attack them, and destroy them because of the violence.
Qeriath, Nahum
1:2-12
Nahum is describing a vision from Adonai
concerning Nineveh. He tells us that Adonai takes vengeance on those who are
guilty, but He is slow to anger. He has total power over the earth and all its
inhabitants, but to those who trust Him, He is a refuge from trouble.
Da'ath, James
4:1-10
Ya'akov, the brother of Yeshua, continues his
letter of exhortation to the believers in the Diaspora. Now he tells 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.
Ya'akov tells us that 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 12:12-17
The author is encouraging
the Messianic Jews to strengthen themselves, to perform the good works of which
they are able, in order to demonstrate their repentance. They are to pursue
shalom with everyone, and avoid immorality and godlessness. Esau is shown as an
example of one that could not truly turn to God in repentance, and thus was
rejected.
Conclusion
In Torah the sons of Ya'akov
took matters into their own hands, getting vengeance after Dinah was defiled. In
Qeriath Nahum tells us that Adonai will punish the guilty Himself. Da'ath tells
us that believers are to live humbly and in peace with their neighbors. Igarath completes the theme, telling us
to seek shalom with everyone.
Barukh HaShem,
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Shalom