This week’s weekly Torah reading is called “Chayei Sarah,” for the “life of Sarah,” but it also completes the story of the life of Abraham. And, in the process, gives us two of the most important precedents, in the form of stories, in all of what later became known as the “Common Law.”
Join Mark Call of Shabbat Shalom Mesa fellowship, first for the reading itself, Genesis chapters 23 through 25:18, and the background on WHY all of this is so fundamental:
It is fitting that this parsha is at the heart of what was once the basis for all law in Western Civilization – the concept of ‘contract,’ and what it means, and the very related institution of marriage, since this week we also see the first complete description of the process in Scripture. And, as is so often the case, that is fitting, given that this was certainly a ‘tumultuous’ week, now that we have past that “date certain.”
So the Sabbath day midrash begins with an observation about the ‘times of Abraham,’ in this case – the setting for how YHVH shows us what “contract” looks like. It was in a place where Abraham was a “stranger in a strange land,” and dealing directly with the ‘sons of Heth,’ or Hittites – a people group that are among seven of those He intended to be “vomited out” of the land — the Canaanites.
There HAS to be lesson in the parallels there!
“Chayei Sarah: When Lawlessness Abounds: Hittites – then and now”
Service information:
Shabbat Shalom Mesa fellowship worship services and teachings are broadcast live every Sabbath, via Paltalk. (www.paltalk.com has both the link, and the app.) The “room name” is “Walking Torah with Shabbat Shalom Mesa,” and can be found via the paltalk search, then bookmarked.
Erev Shabbat services begin at 7:00 PM Mountain Time Friday evenings (9 PM Eastern, 8 PM Central)
Live Sabbath teachings begin shortly after 11 AM Mountain time on Sabbath day (Saturday).
email: mark@markniwot.com
The combined two-part reading and Sabbath midrash:
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