During last week’s Torah Portion, Tommy and Dorothy Wilson, while leading the Shabbat discussion at the Second B’ney Yosef Congress, made a statement that I found very interesting and insightful. Of course, the Portion was Bresheit and their focus was on the creation and fall of Adam and Chava.
As we read the Portion, we noted the dividing and bringing together of light and dark into one day, the dividing of waters below waters and the sky, then the dividing of waters and land, etc, etc. In each case, the dividing revealed something and the bringing together revealed something else in how each relates to the other and how together he parts reveal aspects of the Creator.
This process culminates in the dividing out of Chava from Adam. He was perfect, yet, Abba chose to divide him, taking Chava out of him and then immediately bringing the two back together. We know, quite well, that men and women are different and that each reveals different aspects of the Father. Man and woman started as one, were divided. Fell in rebellion and are in the process of being restored.
All of this we know.
Somewhere in this discussion, Tommy or Dorothy commented on the fact that this is a similar process the Father is using on Israel. Paraphrasing,
The Houses began as one, were divided by the will of the Father (I Kings 12:24), are revealing different aspects of His character and He is in the process of bringing them back together.
Insightful!
We did not have time to stop and ponder this more deeply, because it was not within the scope of where the Spirit led us last Shabbat, but it is a serious thought worth exploring more deeply. Joseph’s words, ‘you meant it for evil, but God meant it for good,’ come to mind.
What is His purpose in this? How is His character revealed through Judah? Through Ephraim? How is He glorified when Judah protects the Torah for 2000 years? When the Shepherd seeks the lost sheep? When Ephraim carries the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob to the ends of the earth? Etc…
Ponder.
I will ponder this more. Would like the rest of the teaching, please.
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