Efrayimbenshalom

Jacob spent his last 17 years in Egypt. As he approached his death, he made Joseph promise to bury him in the Holy Land. Before passed away, he blessed Joseph's two sons, Menashe and Ephraim, treating them as his children and making them ancestors of tribes in Israel. Although he wanted to reveal the future to his sons, God prevented him from doing so.

Jacob assigns each of his sons a role as a tribe. For instance, Judah will produce leaders and kings, while Kohanim will come from Levi, and sages from Issachar. Jacob also gives blessings and warnings to his sons, pointing out the strengths and weaknesses of each. He blesses Joseph with beauty and fertility and Naftali with the speed of a deer. Meanwhile, Reuben is warned for his wrongful actions towards his father's marriage, and Shimon and Levi receive a warning for their involvement in the massacre of Shechem and the plot against Joseph.

Later on, a large funeral procession takes place for Jacob, consisting of his descendants, Pharaoh's ministers, Egypt's most illustrious citizens, and the Egyptian cavalry. Jacob is buried in the Cave of Machpelah in Jevron. Joseph also passed away in Egypt at the age of 110, he left the Children of Israel with a testament of hope and faith, assuring them that Elohim will remember them and bring them out of Egypt to the land that He promised to Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaaqov. Joseph also orders that his bones be taken from Egypt to the Holy Land, but this would only happen years later, during the exodus of the Israelites.

Torah: Bereshit 28:1032:3 Haftarah: Hosea12:1314:10 Brit Hadashah: John 1:19-51.

Parashat Vayetse. Makom (Str#4725)

location: Bereshit 22:4; 32:1-2; Shemot 23:20; 33:21

The term "Makom" is a synonym for "HaKadosh Baruch Hu" due to the interpretation of the passage Shemot 33:21. It is important to note that in Hebrew, we do not find the word together but it says: a place in me. There is a traditional Hebrew phrase used to comfort those who have lost a loved one: "HaMakom yenajem etjem betoj shaar avaley Tziyon ViYerushalayim," which means "May the Eternal comfort you among the afflicted of Tsion and Jerusalem."

We can see that the ladder that Jacob saw in his dream represents the Messiah. Through him, we have access to the Father, and through him, our prayers reach heaven, in John 16:25-28. Jacob calls the place Beth-El, which means House of God. He promises to give a tithe (maazer) he has set as a steel in the House of Elohim. The sages believe that the place where all this happened is none other than Mount Moriah, where HaKadosh Baruch Hu asked Avraham to sacrifice his son and where the Beit Hamikdash was built. The Temple is a representation of the redemptive work of the Messiah and his body, as stated in John 2:13-22.

In Bereshit 28:18- Early the next morning, Jacob took the stone he had put under his head. He set it up as a marker and poured olive oil on top of it. He anointed Mashiach!

Jacob, the father of the Twelve Tribes, left Israel and Beer Sheva to escape his brother Esau. His father instructed him to find a wife. Beer Sheva was a representation of peace, security, prayer, and Torah study. However, Jacob had to leave it to face the world of temptations (Olam: whose root is helem, concealment - where Elohim is hidden-) and overcome them to become the father of the house of Israel. Elohim wants the children of Israel to live a spiritual life in an earthly world.

Before going to Haran, Jacob studied for fourteen years in the Yeshiva of Eber. He dedicated himself to studying the culture and language of the place where he went. He mainly focused on praying, which shows that before forming a Jewish home, the priority is not to lose one's identity. When arriving in a new society, it is not enough to imitate the customs of others to integrate. Before reaching Haran, Jacob stopped at Mount Moriah, where Avraham built the altar for Isaac's sacrifice and where the Bet HaMikdash (Temple) was later built. In Mount Morya, he had the famous dream of the ladder and received the promise from Elohim that the land would belong to his descendants, who would be as numerous as the sands of the seas. In Jacob's dream, the ladder rested on the earth but reached heaven, and there were malachim going up and down.

Además, el Cohen Gadol (El gran Ministro) vestía: 5) efod – una especie de delantal hecho de lana teñida de colores azul, púrpura y rojo, lino e hilo de oro; 6) joshen – una placa que iba pegada al pecho, donde había incrustadas doce piedras preciosas grabadas con los nombres de las doce tribus de Israel; 7) meil – una túnica de lana azul con campanas y granadas de oro en su borde inferior; 8) tzitz – una placa de oro que se colocaba en la frente, con la inscripción “Apartado para Elohim”.

Esta sección también incluye las instrucciones detalladas de Elohim para los siete días de iniciación de Aarón y sus cuatro hijos – Nadav, Avihú, Elazar e Itamar – en el Ministerio, y para la confección del Altar de Oro donde el ketoret (incienso) era quemado.

Elohim dice a Moshe que reciba de los Hijos de Israel aceite de oliva puro para la “llama eterna” de la Menorá que Aarón deberá encender todos los días, “desde la tarde hasta la mañana”.

Son descriptas las ropas sacerdotales que deberán ser vestidas por los Cohaním (Ministros) mientras realizan su servicio en el Santuario. Todos los Cohaním vestían: 1) ketonet – una túnica larga de lino; 2) mijnasaim – pantalones de lino; 3) mitznefet o migbaat – un turbante de lino; 4) avnet – un cinturón largo alrededor de las caderas.

En la cima del Monte Sinai, Moshe recibe las instrucciones detalladas sobre cómo construir esta morada para Elohim, de manera de que pueda ser fácilmente desmantelada, transportada y rearmada durante los diferentes viajes del pueblo por el desierto.

En el cuarto más interno del Santuario, tras una cortina bordada artísticamente, estaba el Arca conteniendo las Tablas del Testimonio grabadas con los Diez enunciados; en la tapa del Arca había dos querubím (ángeles) tallados en oro puro. En el cuarto exterior se encontraba la Menorá de siete velas y la Mesa sobre la cual se acomodaba el “lejem de rostros”.

Las tres paredes del Santuario estaban formadas por 48 planchas de madera paradas, cada una de las cuales estaba recubierta en oro y sostenida por un par de bloques de plata. El techo estaba formado por tres capas de coberturas: (a) tapetes de lana y lino multicolores; (b) una cobertura hecha de pelo de cabra; (c) una cobertura de pieles de carnero y tajash. En el frente del Santuario había una cortina bordada sostenida por cinco postes.

Una serie de cortinas de lino soportadas por 60 postes de madera con ganchos de plata rodeaban el Santuario y el Altar de cobre que se encontraba a su frente. Las cortinas estaban reforzadas por estacas de cobre.

El pueblo de Israel es llamado a contribuir con quince materiales - oro, plata y cobre; lana teñida de color azul, púrpura y rojo; lino, pelo de cabra, pieles de animales, madera, aceite de oliva, especias y piedras preciosas – con los cuales, Elohim le dice a Moshe:” Harán para Mí un santuario, y Yo voy a morar entre ellos”.

Pharaoh pursues them to force them to return, and the Israelites find themselves trapped between Pharaoh's army and the sea. However, Elohim instructs Moshe to raise his staff above the water, causing the sea to miraculously open up, allowing the Jewish People to pass through safely before closing over the Egyptians. Moshe and the Israelites sing a song of praise and thanksgiving to Elohim. In the desert, the people face thirst and hunger, leading them to repeatedly complain to Moshe and Aaron. Elohim performs miracles by sweetening bitter waters and providing water from a rock. He also sends manna from heaven as food, but instructs the people to collect a double portion on Fridays since it will not descend on the day of rest, Shabbat. Those who disobey and gather manna on the seventh day find none. Finally, the Israelites are attacked by the Amalekim, but with Moshe's prayers and an army led by Joshua, they are able to defeat them.

The last three plagues are inflicted upon Egypt, including locusts devouring crops, a tangible darkness enveloping the land, and the annihilation of all firstborn Egyptians at midnight. Following these plagues, the Israelites are given the first Mitzvah to establish a lunar-based calendar. They are also instructed to perform a "Passover Sacrifice," where a lamb or a kid is sacrificed and its blood is sprinkled on the door jambs of each Israelite house. This action is meant for Elohim to pass over their homes and spare them from the death of the firstborn. The roasted meat of the offering is to be consumed with matzah and bitter herbs. The death of the firstborn finally compels Pharaoh to release the Children of Israel from slavery. Due to their hasty departure, they are only able to carry unleavened bread. Before leaving, they request gold, silver, and clothing from their Egyptian neighbors. The Israelites are commanded to consecrate their firstborn and to celebrate the annual anniversary of the Exodus by avoiding leavened food for seven days, eating matzah, and recounting the story to their children. They are also instructed to wear tefillin on their arm and head as a reminder of the Exodus and their commitment to Elohim.

Elohim promete traer al Pueblo de Israel a la Tierra Santa y los advierte para que no tomen los caminos paganos de los habitantes actuales de la misma.

El Pueblo Judío proclama: "Haremos y escucharemos" todo lo que Elohim nos manda. Dejando a Aarón y Jur a cargo del campamento Israelita, Moshe asciende al Monte Sinaí y permanece allí por cuarenta días y cuarenta noches para recibir la Torá de Elohim.

Luego de la revelación en el Monte Sinaí, Elohim dicta una serie de leyes al Pueblo de Israel. Estas incluyen las leyes de sirvientes; las penas por asesinato, secuestro, asalto y robo; penas civiles por daños, las leyes sobre préstamos, las responsabilidades de los "Cuatro guardianes"; y las reglas que gobiernan la conducta de la justicia en las cortes.