Greetings in the name of His & Her Imperial Majesties Qedamawi Haile Sellassie I & Itege Menen Asfaw,

I welcome you all to a new regenartion of cycle Torah readings!  This is another one of the many interpretations of the Scriptures from the light of Ras Tafari by, I, Lidj Yefdi (pronounced Lij, Yef-dee).

I assure you that if you are patient with me, come with a willing mind and heart(ready to learn), you will receive more than what you might have asked for, in seeking the perspective of a Ras Tafarian’s I-sight (eyesight) into the study of the Scriptures.

So,with this Hebrew Shabbot(or Sabbath day) if those who actually open up their Bibles to read in a Jewish/Hebrew cycle of readings, & thoroughly discern, have come to the opening of  the Torah portions with W(V)aYishlach- וַיִּשְׁלַח.  On the Jewish or Hebraic Calendar in this year 5776, this Sabbath day would probably fall on the 15th – טו, & the 16th – טז, of the month of Kislew(v) – כִּסְלֵו, for this week, in this mode of study; for those out in the diaspora or outside of Jerusalem/Israel.  (The Hebrew Calendar corresponds to a Lunar cycle of the Moon) &, from an Ethiopic-Christian perspective, in what may be known as the year 2008/2028/7508, on the Ethiopic calendar.  This calculation, with its readings from the Scriptures, would align to the 17th – ፲፯, & the 18th – ፲፰,  of the (ወርኀ)month of Ch’ədár – ኅዳር.  In the Scriptures, this portion of study would also be known as Lake’ – ላከ.  The Ethiopic calendar is solar (with its correspondence to the Sun) aligns to this Sabbath (or Senbet-ሰንበት) in the Ethiopian language of Amharic, which is currently one of the languages of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church (the other language being Ge’ez-(ግእዝ).

Readings:

Genesis 32: 4- 36:43

Obadiah 1: 1-21

Hebrews 11: 11-20

Matthew 26: 36-46

In this portion of the study of the Scriptures, we begin with Jacob making his return to the land of Canaan, with his family after a twenty year tenure in Haran. (Aram)

[Gen. 32: 4-6]

Jacob set out to meet his brother, Esau, sought to do the same, upon hearing of Jacob‘s arrival in Hebron.  Jacob, weary of the past events that took place with his brother, (…also his uncle/father-in-law…Laban) sent word ahead with gifts, to appease Esau.

[Gen. 32: 7-8]

Jacob, praying to God, to see him through the possibly unfavorable encounter with his brother, Esau; feared that an attempt on his life at the hands of brother Esau, would be inevitable.  But, Jacob harkened to the call God made to him, of his father Isaac, and Abraham.

[Gen. 32: 9-32]

Though, Esau came with many, Jacob was humble with only his family & those with them.  Also, though between them (Esau & Jacob) it was seemingly “bad blood” with their recent history, they were both able to reconcile with one another.

[Gen. 33: 1-7]

Esau, then even invited Jacob to live in Seir(Edom), but Jacob chose to settle in Sukkot, near Shalem*.  Nearby, Jacob erected an altar, to the name of the God that blessed him, continuously.

[Gen. 33: 8-20]

Dinah, the only daughter of Jacob, by Leah, then went out among the people of the land, & there was a Hivite, named Shechem, the son of Hamor, a prince of the country, took her in no formal way of courtship, but later spoke to the ideals of love for her, in which Dinah never objected too.  Shechem spoke to his father to make arrangements to marry Dinah, but Jacob had heard of his daughter’s encounter with the Hivite prince, along with all of Jacob‘s sons.  Hamor, sought to make peace between the Hivites and the Jacobites (Israelites), with marriages between the people, with the initiate being the union of Shechem & Dinah.  But, Jacob‘s sons saw the actions of the Hivite prince to be morally a crime, against them.

[Gen. 34: 1-12]

The sons of Jacob, answered deceitfully, with the intent to punish the Hivites for morally wicked actions done to their sister.  The sons of Jacob, made prerequisites pending the negotiations that the Jacobites would marry into the families of the Hivites.  Shechem, and Hamor made haste that they and all the males of them should comply with the requests of the sons of Jacob, to gain not only the peaceable marriage to their daughters, but giving the daughters of the Hivites to the sons of Jacob to marry.  Thus, gaining their consent to dwell together with them.  For Jacob, blessed of God, was wealthy in flocks and substance.  But, Simeon & Levi, foiled their plans and instead sacked Shechem.  Jacob was inagered with his sons for the deeds, but Simeon & Levi saw it, as if their sister had been taken to be a harlot.

[Gen. 34: 13-31]

Jacob, then made it so that all of his household, were to know the God that preserved him throughout his years.  So, he made sure that they put away strange things from among them, before going to Bethel once more.  Deborah, who came with Jacob‘s mother Rebekah to the land of Canaan with Isaac, dies just before God appears to Jacob again.  Rachel, Jacob‘s wife, then bear labor pains for the second time, & bear a second son, which she named “Benoni“(son of my sorrow), but Jacob named him, “Benjamin“(son of my right hand).  But, Rachel passed at Ephrath, in Bethleham.  Jacob set a memorial stone on the grave of his wife, Rachel. 

[Gen. 35: 1-21]

Jacob & Leah, went to see Isaac, but while they were away Reuben, lusted after Bilhah & lay with her unknowingly to her before it was too late for her to notice that she was not with her husband; but Reuben loved her, as if she were to be his wife.  “Jacob was exceedingly wroth with Reuben because he had lain with Bilhah.” (Apocrapha: Gen. 35)  For this, Reuben defiled his birthright, as the firstborn of Israel.  

Before his death, Isaac, saw & blessed his younger son Jacob, and his family.

[Gen. 35: 22-43]