VAYECHI - STANDING FOR UNITY (ACHDUT)
Transcript(from the video captions)
Well, Shabbat shalom everybody. Shalom. Let's pray. Shabbash Shamay. We bless your name. We sanctify it. Your name is holy. We regard it as holy. We guard the things of you. We protect your holiness. We protect the san sanctity of our people and our identity. We call on your name today for your presence to be with us today to guide us, to clarify, to teach, to give us exhortation where we need it, and just to give us a charge for the new year. We pray, we thank you, and we trust you that you would open up our hearts in Yeshua's name. Well, again, Shabbat shalom everybody. And I think this week there's maybe a couple more people than last week. So, that means that that it's at least getting better with the with the viruses. I know people are traveling, too. And that's that's okay. That's okay. It's good to see your faces today. And welcome to those that are online. So, we took the kids this past week to see the movie uh David, the cartoon movie. Has anybody seen that? A couple people have seen it. Great movie for kids. Actually, actually a really good movie for kids. There's also the House of
David series. If any has anybody seen that, anybody watching that? Oh, wow. We got a lot more hands on that one. Yeah, that that one's got a little a little more probably a little older in age, but it's the Bible, right? Yeah. So, so really good as well. And it struck me as I I was watching these and I'm a big fan of of David. I mean, it's my Hebrew name. I say David. That's the Yiddish way of saying it. So, it's just kind of comfortable to use Yiddish for that. But there's this renewed interest in in in David lately. And it's interesting, you know, David Melik Israel. It doesn't surprise me. I can understand why there would be such a a a profound interest in in watching him. As I said, David's always been one of my favorites when you think about him. He had the courage of a lion, but yet the heart of a shepherd. And he was a true guardian of the flock. And not just metaphorically, he became a great shepherd of people as well. He was a protector of the sacred covenant. He protected the boundaries of Israel fiercely. And no matter how fierce the enemy would rise up against him, he would have no fear. He would never lose
his focus on God. This is a a warrior. This is a king. But in the portrayals of David, I believe there's actually something missing in these flicks that we don't often see. It's a question that's lurking behind the story in today's Torah portion. A question that even predates David. In fact, it even predates Israel itself. And it's this question right here. Who will arise to take responsibility when everything is at stake? when everything is on the line. Now, this is not a distant question because there's going to be times and there has been times in our lives that everything is seemingly on the line. Lorador, as we are are bringing the next generation up, we we have a certain time span to be able to do that. And there's always going back and doing what we we didn't do. And then there are second chances at times. But the responsibility to arise and it's not about who's the strongest or who is the most gifted or who who actually has the straightest or the best theology. It's the one that would step in when failure is imminent. when it would mean the end of a family, possibly the end of a civilization,
possibly the end of a whole future that could arise. And that was the question that Judah, Yehuda, faced. It was the question that Yoseph faced. It was the question that David Melik faced. And ultimately it's the question behind the Messiah that he faced. It is the question of who will step forward to raise up what would else be cast down. And the question we are talking about today is eravvoot that is guarantorship. It's a question of erv guarant that we're talking about today. Eravoot is when a courageous individual or a collective steps forward to assume responsibility for another's obligation. when the original person or group is genuinely unable to perform it. That's what eravvoot is. Restoration does not begin with disunityity. It begins when someone steps up to take responsibility. The Bible prioritizes responsibility over power. It's about taking responsibility and the divine presence rests among those who are willing to stand when others cannot stand. And we see that very clearly today. The story of erv guar of taking responsibility begins in last week's para vagosh. Ysef is a high ranking official. The
brothers of Israel were fractured by jealousy 22 years earlier. They facilitated the sale of Yoseph into slavery. The destiny and survival of Ami Israel are now at stake. And so yo yoseph as a high Egyptian official unrecognized moves now into strategy. He's he wants to see what time has done to their hearts. Sometimes time enables us to see things more clearly. We grow in wisdom. We learn from our mistakes if we're wise. We learn from other people's mistakes. What a blessing that is. Although I don't want any make mistakes, but learning can be powerfully advantageous for us to learn from our trials and from our tribulations and from our successes and especially from our failures. When we are out on an adventure like we are right now, it's okay to make mistakes and then we learn from them. We get back up. But Yseph, what does he do? They come up for food. They're starving. Everything's on the line. Two years into a famine. He sends them home. He demands that they return with Binyam Benjamin. And then he frames Binyaminim by placing his own cup in his sack, the silver cup in Beyamin's
sack. And that's when the moment of truth arises. Ysef has the power to do exactly what was done to him. Go get the final son of Rael, Rachel. Go get him. Bring him back. I'm going to make him a slave. What happens to the sons of Rachel then? You don't even know I exist. Binyamin is the only one left in their minds. Ysef has the power to enslave the only remaining son of Rael. He has the power to punish. He has the power to settle the account. He has the power to let the family completely collapse. Oh, he wouldn't do that, right? But he could. he could let the whole family collapse, which would send Yakov, his father, down to the pit to Shol in grief, mourning the deaths of his sons or the enslavement or the end of Israel, God forbid. That's what was on the line here. And as that is all on the line in the midst of a potential collapse and everything and calamity that's when Yehuda Judah he rises forward the fourth son of Leia he steps forward he steps up to take responsibility he offers himself as a slave in beyamin's place not Ruvane the firstborn the beor not the brothers who ignored the cry from the pit as they
were eating their meal. Ruvane spoke he was going to do. I was going to but I didn't. This what happened. He just never quite got there and time got away from him. And it was Yehuda who rose up an eru may I myself will be his guarantor. He told his father Yakov when he went down or over to Cananan. He said I myself will guarantee his safety. Whatever it takes I will guarantee it. This was not emotion. This was not sediment. It was Yehuda saying to Yakov, "If Binyamin doesn't return, put it on me. I'll take it. I will bear the responsibility. I will stand in his place." Does that remind you of anything? I will stand in his place. And that's when everything changes. Because Yehuda, Judah, does what no one else could do at that time. He takes responsibility for the survival of a people, an entire civilization to arise in the calling that God has for him and for them and for us. And that's how we are restored. That's how God restores what is broken. That's how he raises us up in from the pit. A potential calamity, a potential disaster, a potential disunityity, a potential division. And he rises us up into oct unity.
He restores what was broken. Not only by stepping up to take responsibility but by a change of heart. Isn't it always about the heart? Where is our heart today? We have to take self responsibility, right? But we also have to look out for each other because all Israel are guarantors for each other. That's what the sages teach us and tell us. And when Yseph sees that guilt has become responsibility and fear has become love, he breaks down. He breaks down and he reveals himself with weeping. This is where the moment of revelation comes. when he sees Yehuda his guarantorship of taking responsibility for Beyamin the schism begins to heal restoration begins and that is the exact point where restoration begins not at disunityity but at responsibility that brings Octude together that is the the heartbeat of unity taking responsibility for our faith and for each other and it just naturally arises out of that place. Responsibility corrects disunityity before it becomes division because division tears apart. It destroys and the divine presence. The Shechina takes notice of this and rests among those
who are willing to stand when others cannot stand. And there could be many reasons why someone can't stand. It's not always disobedience. There are many people right now that are sick among us. Things happen. People go through things, life cycles. But where is our focus? And that's where the Torah brings us into responsibility. And that takes us to Yehuda and why exactly why he receives the scepter. Why is it that Yehuda receives that prophecy from Yakov about Davidic kingship, Davidic royalty? It's the moment in Genesis 49. Why Yehuda? Why not Yoseph? I mean, Yseph was amazing throughout this whole story. Amazing. Hadic, righteous, a righteous one. Why not Ruvane? He's the firstborn. Even though he was I I was gonna but didn't, he still had the heart to try to he tried to get to the pit and bring him out of there before the Midionites sold him to the Ishelites sold him to Egypt, right? But he was too late. It was because Yehuda was willing to stand when no one else couldn't. And that made the difference. The sages tell us in Midrash Danuma. This is where Midrash fills out the story so beautifully.
It's because Yehuda became Eravoot, a guarantor for Vinyamin, the holy one of Israel. Blessed be he, placed his presence between their tribes, between Yehuda and Binyamin. And that's why the temple mount was put exactly where it was between those two brothers, the sons of Rael. Geographically proven, well attested in rabbitical literature. Isn't that incredible? And now we start to see why it was the tribe of Judah and the tribe of Benjamin that emerged from Babylonian captivity. in the year 587ish to prepare to build the second temple where Yeshua our Messiah could stand among us. That is why the temple stood where it did on the border of Yehuda and beyamin. Incredible stuff. But we know that the divine presence will not dwell in division. It dwells where there is responsibility amongst the collective and the individuals. Where responsibility is embraced and oct is established unity. That's where the divine presence will rest. And that is why Yehuda received the scepter. Not because he ruled, no, because he stood. He stood when no one else would. The sages teach that leadership is based or rooted in self
responsibility. We can say self-giving responsibility. Does that remind you of something? one that is selfgiving for the sake of the community for the sake of the holy one of Israel. Well, it starts with ourselves. We start with ourselves and our family, but then that grows and branches out like the kingdom of God is a ra zabaz all Israel responsible for each other guaranteership. That's how we get it. And the story moves forward. Not years later, not generations later, but centuries later. And the responsibility Yehuda once embraced still shapes where God chooses to place his dwelling place still today. But in this time in history, Israel now has a king. His name Shaul Melik, King Saul, a Benjamite from the tribe of Benjamin Abin Yamin. But crisis comes to Israel. The Philistine giant Goliath stands in the valley. Sha Melik can't move. He is frozen by fear. He is unable to act. The king cannot stand for his people. And once again, the pattern repeats itself. this time through the line of Yehuda Judah. David, the son of Yishi, David Deunish in Yiddish, he arises, a shepherd boy, freshly anointed by the prophet Shimuel.
But David does not seize the throne. He does not overthrow Shaul. He doesn't claim authority. I'm taking authority over. No, he doesn't do any of that stuff. He simply does what Melo could not do for himself because he was frozen by fear. He steps into the valley of the shadow of death. He stares down the giant. He fears no evil. And that is where the divine presence shows up in that place. He stands for Shaul Melik and for his brothers that are in the army of Israel. He bears the responsibility. When Shaul Melik, King Saul cannot stand for himself, the giant falls. This is not coincidence. This is the same pattern of aravoot repeating itself. He takes responsibility. This is a king of Israel. David Melik Israel. We got the songs. Anybody want to play a song? I'm kidding.
I will have that pass. Yehuda once stood for Beyamin. Now David from Yehuda stands for Shaul Melik from Beyamin. Do you see it coming together there? Beautiful ties in scripture, structural, unified. Only God can bring that together so perfectly for us to see the crystallization of structure in scripture that we might arise in oct. And this is the light now that we come to helilum 30 psalm 30. In this light right here, this is memory in Psalm 30. This is not a metaphor. I want to credit Rabbi David Foreman who is a brilliant scholar when it comes to intertextuality that helps us with this connection. As David sings Psalm 30, he is not offering an abstract praise. By the way, Yehuda, Judah's name means praise, right? Praise. No, David is he's remembering. He's reflecting and reminiscing and saying, "Thank God I stand today." Yehuda once stood at the edge of the pit and said, "What profit is there if we kill our brother and cover up his blood? Rather, let's throw him into this pit instead, but not kill him." as David is asking the same question from the other side of history in Psalm 30. Psalm 30
says, "What prophet is there in my going down to the pit?" That's Psalm 3010. He's repeating the words of Judah. If the pit wins, there is no kingship, no reconciliation, no people of Israel. Because if God had not raised Yoseph from the pit, there would be no Israel to rule. And if Yehuda did not guarantee Binyamin, there would be no Davidic royalty. And if there was no Davidic royalty, the presence of God would never rest between Yehuda and Binyami. Do you see it? And if we had never emerged from Babylon in the year 587 as Yehoudim, as the people of Judea eventually called Jews, Judah and Benjamin, Udoi and Greek, if we had never had merged to build the second temple, then Messiah Yeshua could not have stood where he stood in the days of the second temple in the temple as he stood for us. And so David sings the melody oi. You did not let my enemies rejoice over me. They almost did if Yehuda didn't arise and take responsibility. If Yseph wouldn't have been drawn out of the pit, then my enemies would have rejoiced over me. But they didn't rejoice over me. And that's why he was able to dedicate
the temple that he didn't even build himself because God was going to build it. Mismoid a temple dedication psalm indeed it is. That's how we have temple dedication. And as we move into our new year, we are dedicating shore shalom as a collective people. This is a time of dedication to stand in responsibility for the covenant that God has entrusted to us. The temple stood where it once did because Yehuda once stood where no one else would. And that takes us now to our final pattern. The pattern continues in the now the pattern becomes unmistakable. Well, I think that was already unmistakable and clear before, but Yehuda stood for Binyamin. Not once, but twice. We emerged from Babylonian captivity. Thank God. And now another Benjamite arises. Anybody know who he is? Shaul of Tarsus. The Benjamite, the Apostle Paul before he becomes an apostle. And again once again the story is on the midst of collapse. Right on the edge of collapse and this time Yeshua himself steps in to it not to replace but to reveal. Revelation comes. He brings sha low to the ground so he can stand blinding him so that he can finally see.
Sometimes we have to be stopped, be temporarily blinded so that God can open up our eyes to the straight path ahead and what's on the horizon. Isn't that powerful? as the vision comes to him what God is doing. Zeal without revelation and knowledge can be dangerous. We have to be grounded. Yes. And the Lord says to him, I am Yeshua whom you are persecuting, but get up and stand on your feet, soldier. Right there. Stand, arise, take responsibility. A Pharisee of Pharisees. He was a parro, right? Well, well trained, a love for the Lord, misguided. Yeshua appears to him, stands and stands him upright. And that's where restoration begins. It doesn't begin at disunityity. It begins when we arise in responsibility and take a stand and that also counts towards our service. So as we move now towards our conclusion today, the Bible is not just a story of heroes. It's actually a story of responsibility that we have to take responsibility. Yehuda stood for vinyamin and Israel lived and that's why we have our para vi and he lived because we live ami Israeli the messianic community lives share shalom we are on the cutting edge and
the forefront of that we're right here in what god is doing and it's a special time today stood where Shaul Mela could not stand and the presence of God made his home in between them. And when the story stood at the edge of collapse once again in the braharesha, Yeshua stepped in not to replace but to preserve and to resurrect our movement causing Shaul of Tarsus to rise and stand as a shalak, an agent of God. And that's where he was called to stand. Take a stand. The movement was breaking apart because of heavy persecution in Jerusalem and surrounding areas. But the Lord stood and commissioned Shaul and everything started to straighten back out again. That's what God does. He restores. He revives. He is in that business and we're a part of that. We're entrusted with that. That is guarantorship. It's ervand for each other. And it tells us something even more important about us and who we are. Sometimes being Messianic Jews can feel marginalized. It can feel like we're not even on the map, like that we're not even visible. And sometimes we feel like we're just flying under the radar. Maybe for some of you that's good. But
for others it can feel like a lonely place. But I want to tell you something today and I know this for sure. We are on God's radar. God has always worked with smaller groups. 12 brothers, 12 disciples. 12 some reason a good number. We're at 10 almost. But I'm kidding. That was a joke. Maybe not. But the point is that God works with smaller groups. Our community is small but mighty. But we need to come together in Octuda as a messianic community. And it all starts with us because we're on that cutting edge. We we are a more mature congregation and we we're moving in that direction now. Hashem has always worked in places where it would seem unlikely that that group would arise. But he works in groups that take responsibility for themselves and for each other. And this is important. That responsibility also looks like restraint and self-control. Setting at times personal preferences aside for the sake of the community to protect the soul of the community to protect the boundaries of the community that God not us has entrusted to us. That's responsibility. Responsibility requires setting boundaries not to exclude but to
guard what is sacred. And for us that means protecting our sacred Jewish identity. We are a messianic Jewish congregation and protecting the identity of those that are among us precious people Gentiles that are serving alongside in oct. We need everybody to be on board. everybody and that's how it moves forward. It's all about our community in Hashem and for our people, the protection of our people to witness among Israel to be considered a serious witness, a serious force of God to be reckoned with. We know our stuff and we continue to move in that excellence and it's never too late to start. Doesn't matter how much you know. It matters how much you care. We reject every form of replacement theology. Why? Because we refuse to let others define us and who we are. Because our people from the days of old included incredible courageous people that took a stand. They said, "I will stand. I will carry this and I've got your back." That's what they said when it was all on the line. And Yeshua stood where no one else would or could. That's important. K Israel aravim z co Israel aravim z all Israel and all of us are
responsible for each other and now that responsibility rests with us let's pray shabbash shamay we bless and sanctify your name just continue to sanctify it we thank you for your word of knowledge and for everything that you show us and do. And your word is amazing. It's just it's fascinating. And I pray that this would just plant seeds that would grow as we continue to water. And I pray that you would protect our people. that you would help us to be courageous to Kazakh to arise and to protect each other and protect the sacred covenant and to protect our identity that you are making exceedingly clear now in Yeshua's name.