Rabbi’s Reflections – Saturday, May 4, 2024
Shabbat Shalom *|FNAME|*,
Day 7 of counting the Omer
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָֽׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו, וְצִוָּֽנוּ עַל סְפִירַת הָעֹֽמֶר
Baruch Atah Adonai Elohenu Melech Ha-Olam, Asher Kid’shanu B’mitzvotav, Vitzivanu Al Sefirat Ha-Omer.
Blessed are You O Lord our God, King of the universe, who has sanctified us by his commandments and commanded us about the counting of the Omer. Today is one week and no days of the counting of the Omer.
Follow up that prayer by remembering a blessing from the Lord and give Him thanks. Colossians 3:15 Let the shalom of Messiah rule in your hearts—to this shalom you were surely called in one body. Also be thankful.
___
Chesed 3
By David Harwood
Let’s look at the two remaining times chesed-חֶסֶד is mentioned in Abraham’s story.
Here’s some background: Abraham feared that Abimelech might kill him and take Sarah into his harem. Abraham and Sarah determined to deceive this king to protect Abraham. Sarah entered his harem. After a while, God visited Abimelech in a dream, threatened his life, and revealed the truth of the situation.
Abimelech gave his side of the story, and God confirmed Abimelech’s innocence in the matter. Then the king called Abraham to give an account of his duplicity. Abraham came clean, and the following was Abimelech’s surprising response:
Then Abimelech took sheep, cattle, male slaves and female slaves and gave them to Abraham, and returned his wife Sarah to him. Then Abimelech said, “Look, my land is before you. Dwell wherever it pleases you.”
At the same time he said to Sarah, “Look, I’ve given a thousand shekels to your brother. Look, it is compensation for everything that happened—so to everyone with you, you are vindicated.” (Genesis 20:14–18)
That is the context for the next use of chesed-חֶסֶד.
In the next chapter we find that Isaac was born, Hagar and Ishmael were banished, and Abraham prospered. As a result, Abimelech and his commander-in-chief sought out Abraham and said:
So now, make a pledge to me here, by God, that you will not violate your word with me or with my descendants or with my offspring. As I have shown chesed-חֶסֶד to you, show the same to me, and to the land in which you have lived as an outsider.” (Genesis 21:23)
Look at these words, “As I have shown chesed-חֶסֶד to you, show the same to me”. How was chesed-חֶסֶד done to Abraham by Abimelech? Look at the record. Not only were Abraham and Sarah’s lives spared, but Sarah was vindicated, and the king loaded them down with wealth, livestock, laborers, and the liberty to live free from fear within Abimelech’s domain.
Abraham responded. He pledged to give (do) the same chesed-חֶסֶד to Abimelech’s progeny. I want to stress this: Their covenant was the result of chesed-חֶסֶד. Chesed -חֶסֶד was not the result of their covenant.
About forty years later Abraham sought to provide a wife for Isaac. It is within that context that we read of chesed-חֶסֶד.
Abraham sent a servant to his relatives to find a wife for his son. The servant prayed that God would show chesed-חֶסֶד to Abraham. Allow me to remind you that when we read “show lovingkindness/loyalty” it is translating “do chesed-חֶסֶד”. Chesed is something that is done.
“Adonai, the God of Abraham my master,” he said, “please make something happen before me today, and show (do) chesed-חֶסֶד to Abraham my master. (Genesis 24:12)
Now let it be that the young woman to whom I say, ‘Please tip your jar so that I may drink,’ and she will say, ‘Drink—and I’ll also water your camels’—let her be the one You have appointed for your servant Isaac. So by this I’ll know that You have shown (done) chesed-חֶסֶד to my master.” (Genesis 24:14)
Amazingly, this happened. Chesed-חֶסֶד was done/shown by God when he directed the servant to Rebekah, this was supernatural guidance. It was chesed-חֶסֶד. God’s helpful intervention was a cause of praise.
and he said, “Blessed be Adonai, the God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken His chesed-חֶסֶד and His truth toward my master. As for me, Adonai has guided me in the way to the house of my master’s brothers.” (Genesis 24:27)
Abraham’s servant asked the family to make a decision. Would they release Rebekah to return with him, or not?
So now, if you’re really going to show chesed-חֶסֶד and truth to my master, tell me. But if not, tell me and I’ll turn to the right or to the left.” (Genesis 24:49)
In Genesis 24 we find that chesed-חֶסֶד was done/shown by God to Abraham in guiding the servant to Abraham’s relatives, and was shown/done by Rebekah’s relatives to Abraham when they allowed Rebekah to return to be with Isaac.
Chesed-חֶסֶד is pretty amazing.
Daily Bread, reading plan by Lars Enarson (https://www.thewatchman.org/)
26 Nissan Shabbat 4-May-24 Parashat Acharei Mot 7th day of the Omer
Leviticus 17:1-18:30 Ezekiel 22:1-19