Mark Call

Join Mark Call of Shabbat Shalom Mesa fellowship for a two-part look at the final parsha specific to the life of Abraham, parsha “Chayei Sarah” (Genesis chapter 23 through 25:`8). It’s also what Mark calls THE “Common Law” parsha, because it details some of the singularly most fundamental concepts – by means of stories – that once, at least, formed the basis for all law in English-speaking countries, from ‘contract,’ to ‘money,’ to ‘power or attorney’ (aka, what it REALLY means to “come in the name of”) to marriage. The was He specified.

The sequence again begins with the Erev Shabbat reading:

Mark suggests that this portion is a good example of why “torah” means FAR more than the typical translation to English of “law” – because HERE is ‘precedent’ that serves as the basis for far more than just “statutes, judgments, and commandments.” It’s TEACHING, by example, by stories we can understand.

But, most of the Whore Church tries to teach that “the Law has been done away with.” Funny, that’s what we see when it comes to just about everything that once mattered, too – from honest money, to integrity, to elections.

And that is the key to this week’s midrash.

“Chayei Sarah: The Common Law Parsha – and – What does it mean to “Make Sure?”