Torah Noach: Genesis 8:6 - 9:7 Haftarah: Isaiah 54:15-17 B’Rit Chadasha: I Peter 3:21
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Shiur L’Yom Chamishi1 [Thursday’s Study] READINGS: Torah Noach: Genesis 8:6 - 9:7 Haftarah: Isaiah 54:15-17 B’rit Chadasha: I Peter 3:21 Bear fruit and expand in every direction and level of influence . [Genesis 9:7a] ___________________________________________________ Today’s Meditation is Ecclesiastes 9:1-10; This Week’s Amidah Prayer Focus is the Gevurot, the Prayer of His Powers. Veyehi miketz arba'im yom – And it came to pass after 40 days . vayiftach Noach et- chalon ha-teivah asher asah - Noach opened up the shutters of the ark he had built. Genesis 8:6. Sudden calm. Eerie silence. What is going on? Why has the ark quit tossing and turning, pitching and yawing? What happened to the lightning, the thunder, and the wind? Why has it been so long since we heard the sound of torrential rain beating on the deck of our monstrous floating zoo? Why is everything suddenly so . quiet, so peaceful, so surreal? Is this what it feels like in the eye of the storm – or are we just dreaming again? Is that . could that really be . a shaft of sunlight I see appearing through the cracks of the hull? Is Navy Seal training finally over? Did we – did all the animals - really survive? Is there . dare I say it . is there life after ark? This curiosity is driving me crazier than my post-traumatic stress disorder. Please, somebody open the shutters! Who will be the first brave soul to venture forth from our safe room and take a look at what is left of our what used to be our world? And I Wonder, Still I Wonder, Who’ll Stop the Rain? Sometime on the 27th day of Kislev – almost two full days into the eight-day season of renewal that we have come to know as Chanukah – an amazing thing happened. The most intense season of rain the earth has ever seen came to an abrupt halt. For the inhabitants of the ark the resulting silence must have been immediately noticeable. After forty long days and nights of auditory waterboarding – with the ultimate ‘hard rain’ absolutely pounding on and beating against the wooden hull of the ark – was that really the beautiful sound of . perfect peace? 1 All rights with respect to this publication are reserved to the author, William G. Bullock, Sr., also known as ‘the Rabbi’s son’. Reproduction of material from any Rabbi’s son lesson without written permission from the author is prohibited. Copyright © 2019, William G. Bullock, Sr. 1 They looked at each other. They tensed, and braced, and waited for the other shoe to drop. And they waited. And they waited some more. But the ‘other shoe’ never dropped. The ‘dropping’ was done. There was just quiet - sweet, delicious, oh, so welcome quiet. Then came the smiles. Then came the laughter. Then came the embraces; and finally, the sweet moments of holding each other close – and dancing in the dark. Behold How Good and How Pleasant It Is . Finally – it was over! Finally they could start to think about and focus on the future again, instead of just hunkering down, covering up, and waiting for yet another watery bomb to drop on them. Today’s aliyah therefore begins. Veyehi miketz arba'im yom vayiftach Noach et-chalon – i.e. And it came to pass after 40 days that Noach opened a window. Genesis 8:6a. Window time! Yehi ohr! They had to shield their eyes, and take it in slowly, because after 40 days in complete darkness, their eyes were not accustomed to or able to process sunlight. But slowly but surely, their pupils constricted – and there was light! And perspective! And vision! And the pulsing energy of the sun! And with it, there was an explosion of hope! Finally, after almost six weeks of continuous torrential downpours, the clouds were gone, and the darkness was retreating. The long season of cataclysmic monsoon had been absolutely relentless – because it had to be. And yet, they represented the absolute minimum force necessary to accomplish the strategic objective of cleansing – and renewing - the earth. Soon everything will be made fresh and new. Soon earth’s ‘be fruitful’ empowerment will again be in operation, and the perpetual motion machine of life will be bombarding our senses. Soon the Master’s palette will be bursting with a kaleidoscope of spring colors, fragrances, and sounds. Soon a new chapter for both mankind and Creation will begin. Soon it will be time to celebrate life, thank God for His mercy . and start to rebuild. A Window of Hope For the World Was it curiosity – or the desire for some much-needed fresh air – that caused Noach to tear open the window of the ark? Whatever the reason, the window of hope – mankind’s window to the future - is open at last. Light – and revelation - as well as fresh air – and inspiration – are rushing in. One quick glance out his newly opened ‘window’ [Hebrew, chalon], however, reminded Noach and his little band of survivors that though the rain was gone, the Flood was far from over. The water levels all across the earth had risen to the point that even the tallest mountains had disappeared under the swelling tides. There was no point in trying to get out of the ark now – there was simply no dry land upon which to disembark. Now comes the long season of watching and waiting. 2 Let’s take stock. We have refuge. We have remediation. We have provision. But when will we have renewal? When will we be able to start over? The Redeemer’s Vision; the Overcomer’s Dream Though deep, billowing waters are presently all Noach’s natural eye can see from ‘the window’, firmly implanted in Noach’s spirit is a redeemer’s vision – and an overcomer’s dream. Some would see only devastation; he sees restoration. He needs to expand his search parameters. He needs a better perspective, and a better pair of eyes. He will not be satisfied until he receives ‘proof of life’. By now Noach knows the instincts and tendencies of every creature that accompanied him and his family on this odyssey. He goes to the nesting areas of the aviary. He picks up one of the two ravens [in Hebrew, orev]. Then he picks up one of the two mate-for-life doves [in Hebrew, yonah]. Want to spread those wings again, little ones? I need you to do a little surveillance! Just don’t forget, your mate is staying here with me, so come back soon, and bring a little something for your mate – or maybe your next nest on land! Today, if we had access to one, we would probably have sent out a drone. But Noach’s surveillance operation was extremely low-tech. All he had to do his remote spying for him was a couple of birds. So soon the air around the ark was filled with flapping wings. First the raven; then the dove. The former, Noach knows, will instinctively look for signs of death. The latter, Noach knows, will instinctively seek out any signs of life. Raven - or dove? Which of these two have you been more like lately, Dear Reader? Have you been going through the spheres of influence that the Holy One has given you looking for signs of death – some putrid pile of decaying flesh you can crow about, dissect, and go into a lustful feeding frenzy over? This is the modus operandi of politics, media, ideology, philosophy, science, and institutionalized religion. But it is by no means the best way. It is by no means a healthy way. It is not the way of sh’ma-people. It is not the way of a Covenant-Keeper. It is not the way of the Kingdom of Heaven. No person who knows, loves, and walks in Covenant with the Glorious and Kind Creator of the Universe should ever embrace the worldview or the lifestyle of the raven. That whole mindset should be completely foreign to us. We are not designed to sniff out death, much less feed on it. We were not made to feed on carrion. We are not designed to look for, expose, or expose the wounded or diseased parts of the flesh of others. The Holy One has designed for us a more excellent way – the peaceful, joyful, gentle, and nurturing way of the dove. Let your single eye look at everything and everyone it sees through dove’s eyes. Always look past the ugly, putrid flesh of others – to the God- 3 given potential our Creator designed into them. Always look for signs of life hidden beneath all the carnage. Look for beauty under the ashes. Just remember this, Dear One: Whatever you spend your time and energy looking for, that is most likely what you will find. Proof of Life Ultimately it will be the dove that prevails. Ultimately, it will be he [or she] who brings back evidence of the renewal of life on earth. While the raven is gorging itself selfishly on carrion, the dove will find an olive seed that has sprouted in the sun. Plucking a tender sprig from what will become the patriarchal anchor of a new olive orchard, the dove will return to its mate aboard the ark – with the precious gift of proof of new life. The discovery is inevitable. The renewal is unstoppable. It was never the Holy One’s plan to destroy the world – simply to renew it. The earth has been eternally blessed by the Creator with abundant fruitfulness.