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By Dr. Akiva Gamliel Belk
Director of JewishPath
Director of B'nai Noach Torah Institute
Limood
Bereisheit 29.1 -35
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Our Devri Torah Limood is in the loving memory of Mr. Arnold Student Litman, Mrs. Ethel Channah Sakash Belk and Mr. George Belk. May they rest in peace.
Gen. 29:1-8
Ël,YE¡w" wyl...-g"r" bqo™[}y" aC...àYIw"
.µd<q<êAynEb] hx;r"aæà
µv;|AhNEhiw" hd<%C;B' ra´¢b] hNEéhiw" ar"Y"»w"
µyxi¢b]ro iŸaOxAyrEd"[, hv...¶løv]
Wq™v]y" awhi+h' ra´¢B]h'Aimi yKiº h;yl,+[;
.ra´âB]h' yPiàAl[' hl...`doG" ib,a≤àh;w" µyrI-d:[}h;
µyrI%d:[}h;Alk; hM;v...¢AWps]a,n<w"
rae+B]h' yPi¢ l~['me iŸb,a,~h;Ata, Wl•l}g:w"
Wbyviáhew" iaOX-h'Ata, Wq™v]hiw"
.Hm...âqom]li ra´`B]h' yPiàAl[' ib,a≤öh;Ata,
iyIaæ¢me yjæ`a' bqo+[}y" µ~h,l; rm,aOYªw"
.Wnj]n:êa} ir:¡j;me Wr+m]aOY§w" µT≤-a'
, µT≤`[]d"y"h' µh,+l; rm,aOY§w"
.Wn[]d:êy: Wr™m]aOYw" r/j-n:AiB, ib...¢l;Ata
/l- µ/l∞v;h} µh≤`l; rm,aOYìw"
ha...`B; /T+Bi lj´¢r: h~NEhiw" µ/l+v; Wr§m]aOYw"
.iaOXêh'Aµ[i
l/d+G: µ/Y§h' d~/[ ih´à rm,aOyw"
Wqìv]h' hn<-q"Mih' πs´¢a;he t[´`AaOl
.W[êr" Wkèl]W iaOX¡h'
rv≤¶a} d[æ¢ l#k'Wn aOl∞ WÔrm]aOYw"
WŸll}g:êw" µyrI+d:[}h...¢AlK; WŸps]a...âyE
ra´-B]h' yPi¢ l[æ`me ib,a,+h;Ata,
.iaOXêh' WnyqI¡v]hiw"
These Passukim happened 3,584 years ago dating from 5769. The year was 2185 F.C. when Yaakov arrives in the land of the east, Bereisheit 29.1 The entire story scribed in these eight Passukim is quite fascinating. As I have stated in the past our Sages Teach that every Letter, Word, Phrase, Sentence of Ha Torah has 5,000 meanings.
This entire passage really interests me for many reasons. Many commentators have discussed the symbolism of the three flocks lying by the well. Some teach the flocks are symbolic of pilgrims ascending to the Bet Ha Mikdosh during the three pilgrimage festivals, Pesach, Shavuot and Succoth. Others say the three flocks represent the three rows of scholars that sat in front of the Sanhedrin. Some Scholars say the three flocks represent Moshe, Aharon and Miriam. Other say the Priests, Levites and ordinary Yisraelites. There are many opinions on this subject. Each are interesting. Rabbi Meir Zlotowitz and Rabbi Nosson Scherman, The Artscroll Tanach Series - Bereishis Vol. I(b) (Brooklyn, New York: Mesorah Publications, Ltd. 3rd Impression, 1989), p 1252 Honestly I do not know who the three flocks represent.
Several other areas in this passage caught my attention. The stone covering the well of Water was so huge and so heavy it required many shepherds to remove it yet Yaakov ben Yitzchok who was 77 years old removed it by himself. The Water in this well symbolically represents Ha Torah. The flocks are waiting to be feed Words of Ha Torah from that well but the heavy rock is covering it.
When Yaakov removes the huge rock it would appear like he was very strong. The message hear does not have to do with physical strength. One should question what Yaakov had been doing the past 14 years? Our sages Teach that Yaakov had been studying Ha Torah in the Academy of Shem ann Ever. The night before Yaakov arrives he experiences the Windows of the Heavens open with a ladder extending down with Malachim ascending and descending upon it. And now after these very powerful experiences Yaakov arrives at the Well of Ha Torah. Yaakov's Spiritual understanding of Ha Torah is so much greater than all the shepherd's Torah knowledge combined. So, Spiritually Yaakov removes the heavy encumbrance to water the sheep Words of Ha Torah. Then Yaakov charges the shepherds to return the sheep to pasture. Why would he do this? He did not know these men?
Notice the Words Yaakov said to the shepherds in Passuk Seven. And [Yaakov] said, 'Behold the length of the day is great, It is not time to gather the herd, water the sheep then go shepherd them. And [the Shepherds] said [to Yaakov], Now notice the Words the shepherds said to Yaakov in Passuk Eight. 'We cannot until all the flocks are gathered and everything from Aleph to Tav of the stone is rolled from upon the mouth of the well. Then we can water the sheep.
The Shepherds objected because all the flocks were not gathered. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT! All the flocks were not gathered! The Zohar says that the three flocks near the well represent the east, the south and the north. The Zohar Volume 1 translated by Harry Sperling and Maurice Simon (Soncino Press London New York 1984) pp 86,87
Dovid Ha Melech Wrote, [Hashem Gathered] them from the lands - from the east and from the west, from the north and from the sea, Tehillim 107.3. We Observe that this is symbolic of the ingathering of Yisroel AND of Noachides. Why do I include the Noachides? One must simply ask the meaning of the Words, µyrI+d:[}h...¢AlK; Cawl Haw Ah Daw Reem, meaning all the herd, or all the flock or all the disorderly crowd or all the mob... In other words the shepherds are still waiting until all flocks are gathered to the well of Ha Torah. Is one to say that the Noachides / Spiritualists are not a flock? I don't think so! If in fact this well represents Words of Ha Torah and our sages Say that it does then the Words of the Novie / Prophet Isaiah ring loud. 'And I will bring them to My Holy Mountain. and I Will Gladden them in My House, their elevation offerings and their feast offerings will find favor on My Altar for My House, will be called a House of Prayer for all nations, Isaiah 56.7. The point is that either the sheep at the Well of Ha Torah or the sheep yet to be gathered include Noachides / Spiritualists. I feel like the three flocks are Yisroel, the House of Aharon {both Levites and Kohanim} and those standing in Awe of Hashem, Righteous Noachides/ Spiritualists. I believe Noachides / Spiritualist have to be at the well because they could not roll away the stone without the help of the shepherds that were yet to arrive. Rachel clearly symbolizes the shepherds which were yet to arrive were shepherds of B'nai Yisroel.
I find it interesting that the Words µyrI+d:[}h...¢AlK; WŸps]a...âyE Yay Aw Seh Poo - Cawl
Haw Ah Daw Reem, meaning, 'gather all the flocks' is the Gematria 536 which is also the same Gematria for twOkl]m]mæ Mah Mih Lih Cooht meaning kingdoms.
Sing to G-d, you kingdoms of the earth; O sing praises to Hashem; Selah, Tehillim 68.32.
Pour out Your Wrath upon the heathen that have not known you, and upon the kingdoms that have not called upon Your Name, Tehillim 79.6.
But You, Hashem, Shall Endure forever; and Your Remembrance to all generations. You Shall Arise, and Have Mercy on Zion: for the time to favor her, yea, the set time, is come. For Your servants take pleasure in Her Stones, and favor the Dust thereof. So the heathen shall fear the Name of Hashem, and all the kings of the earth Your Glory. When Hashem Will Build Up Zion, He Shall Appear In His Glory. He Will Regard the prayer of the destitute, and Not Despise their prayer. This shall be written for the generation to come: and the people which Shall Be Created shall praise Hashem. For He Looks down from the height of His Sanctuary; from Heaven to earth, Hashem Viewed. To Hear the groaning of the prisoner; to loose those that are appointed to death; To Declare the Name of Hashem in Zion, and His praise in Jerusalem; When the people are gathered together, and the kingdoms, to serve Hashem... Tehillim 102.13- 23.
Hashem of Hosts, G-d of Yisroel, that Dwells Between the Cherubim's, You Are
G-d, even You Alone, Over all the kingdoms of the earth: You made heaven and earth, Isaiah 37.16.
Now therefore, Hashem our G-d, save us from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that You are Hashem, even You only, Isaiah 37.20.
What is the point? The Gematria for 'gather all the flocks' and kingdoms are the same.
µyrI+d:[}h...¢AlK; WŸps]a...âyE Yay Aw Seh Poo - Cawl Haw Ah Daw Reem, meaning, 'gather all the flocks'
536 = µ40 y10 r200 d4 [70 h5 l30 k20 w6 p80 s60 a1 y10
twOkl]m]mæ Mah Mih Lih Cooht meaning kingdoms
536 = t400 w6 k20 l30 m40 m40
Dear ones we learn from this important story that not only is B'nei Yisroel a very precious flock to Hashem our Creator but also that B'nai Noach is a precious flock to Hashem. This is supported by HaTenach and the Gematria of 536.
May Hashem Bless each who are in Awe of Him...
Blessings Health, Prosperity, Kindness and Peace,
Dr. Akiva Gamliel
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