SPEAK TO THE ROCK

In this blog post I am exploring scriptures to answer a question:

Why did Hashem "punish" Moses so severely for not speaking to the Rock? 

The 4th Book of the Torah is called Bamidbar בְּמִדְבַּר. The Hebrew means "in the desert" or "in the wilderness." Bamidbar is the culmination of the story of Israel's exodus from oppression in Egypt and their journey to take possession of the land God promised their fathers. 

Bamidbar begins by stating a key fact in the first verse.  (I am using the Chassidic translation from Chabad.)

וַיְדַבֵּ֨ר יְהוָֹ֧ה אֶל־משֶׁ֛ה בְּמִדְבַּ֥ר

Bamidbar 1.1 (Chabad) 1 The Lord spoke to Moshe in the desert, 

וַיְדַבֵּ֨ר - And He spoke

יְהוָֹ֧ה ' - YHVH

אֶל־משֶׁ֛ה - To Moshe (Moses)

בְּמִדְבַּ֥ר - Bamidbar (In the Desert)

Write from the very first word in the Word, we get a strong hint regarding the answer to the question. Hashem has something to say!

If we break down the first word וַיְדַבֵּ֨ר we get:

וַ - Vav (6) - And/Nail

יְ - Yod (10) - Hand/Arm 

דַ - Dalet (4) - Door

בֵּ֨ - Beyt (2) - In the House

ר - Resh (200) - Head/Authority 

6+10+4+2+200=222 (That's a number that  follows me. The link explains.)

That is who is speaking to Moses in the desert! Do you see the Passover revealed? 

Exodus 1.1 continues to give us a specific location and date: 

... , in the Tent of Meeting on the first day of the second month, in the second year after the exodus from the land of Egypt, saying.

2 Take the sum of all the congregation of the children of Israel, by families following their fathers' houses; a head count of every male according to the number of their names.

Notice all the numeric/mathmatical references in this short piece of scripture. We see: 

• 1st
• 2nd (twice)
• Sum
• Count
• Number

See all the references to Numbers in the very first verses of the Book of Numbers. The Torah is a code book that all points to Him. 

The Hebrew name of the 4th book is revealed in the 5th word of the book, בְּמִדְבַּ֥ר - Bamidbar (In the Desert). (4 is Dalet/Door. 5 is Hey/Reveal Behold). 

Most people know Sefer (Book) Bamidbar (in the desert) by it's more common English title, Numbers. Which makes senses to me because numbers are a door (4) to revelation. This morning is such a case.

For years I have been seeking a deeper understanding of Numbers 20:7-12 (Chabad) 

7 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying:

8 "Take the staff and assemble the congregation, you and your brother Aaron, and speak to the rock in their presence so that it will give forth its water. You shall bring forth water for them from the rock and give the congregation and their livestock to drink."

9 Moses took the staff from before the Lord as He had commanded him.

10 Moses and Aaron assembled the congregation in front of the rock, and he said to them, "Now listen, you rebels, can we draw water for you from this rock?"

11 Moses raised his hand and struck the rock with his staff twice, when an abundance of water gushed forth, and the congregation and their livestock drank.

12 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, "Since you did not have faith in Me to sanctify Me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly to the Land which I have given them

Moses has led the congregation for 40 years faithfully through the desert. But God will not allow Moses to enter the Land He Promised because he failed to:

"sanctify Me in the eyes of the children of Israel,"

Here is the Oxford dictionary definition of Sanctify:

Set apart as or declare holy;

Similar word's: consecrate, make holy, make sacred, bless, hallow, set apart, dedicate to God, anoint, ordain, canonize, beatify. 

Examples: 

- make legitimate or binding by religious sanction as in "they see their love sanctified by the sacrament of marriage."

- free from sin; purify. as in "may God sanctify his soul"

Again, here is what Adonai commanded Moses to do: "Take the staff and assemble the congregation, you and your brother Aaron, and speak to the rock in their presence so that it will give forth its water.

Notice that Hashem instructs Moses to "take the staff" even before he has him gather the congregation or Aaron.

How was speaking to Rock going "sanctify" God? 

I have believed I knew the answer to that question for several years. My belief is that God was going to the congregation before bringing forth Living Water from the Rock, He was going to respond to Moses. God was going to put his Word in the "mouth" of the Rock.  I blogged about my thoughts last Summer when I looked at the Hebrew letter/number Hey (5). 

This morning I believe I confirmed this in the scripture. More specifically in the Sefer Shemot (Book of Names), which we all know of as Exodus. The affirmation I have sought started to come into view yesterday morning. 

The Spirit led me to the verses by other verses from Exodus 4 (Chabad):

1 Moses answered and said, "Behold they will not believe me, and they will not heed my voice, but they will say, 'The Lord has not appeared to you."

2 And the Lord said to him, "What is this in your hand?" And he said, "A staff."

3 And He said, "Cast it to the ground," and he cast it to the ground, and it became a serpent, and Moses fled from before it.

4 And the Lord said to Moses, "Stretch forth your hand and take hold of its tail." So Moses stretched forth his hand and grasped it, and it became a staff in his hand.

5 "In order that they believe that the Lord, the God of their forefathers, has appeared to you, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob."

6 And the Lord said further to him, "Now put your hand into your bosom," and he put his hand into his bosom, and he took it out, and behold, his hand was leprous like snow.

7 And He said, "Put your hand back into your bosom," and he put his hand back into his bosom, and [when] he took it out of his bosom, it had become again like [the rest of] his flesh.

8 "And it will come to pass, that if they do not believe you, and they do not heed the voice of the first sign, they will believe the voice of the last sign.

9 And it will come to pass, if they do not believe either of these two signs, and they do not heed your voice, you shall take of the water of the Nile and spill it upon the dry land, and the water that you take from the Nile will become blood on the dry land."

10 Moses said to the Lord, "I beseech You, O Lord. I am not a man of words, neither from yesterday nor from the day before yesterday, nor from the time You have spoken to Your servant, for I am heavy of mouth and heavy of tongue."

11 But the Lord said to him, "Who gave man a mouth, or who makes [one] dumb or deaf or seeing or blind? Is it not I, the Lord?

12 So now, go! I will be with your mouth, and I will instruct you what you shall speak. "

13 But he said, "I beseech You, O Lord, send now [Your message] with whom You would send."

14 And the Lord's wrath was kindled against Moses, and He said, "Is there not Aaron your brother, the Levite? I know that he will surely speak, and behold, he is coming forth toward you, and when he sees you, he will rejoice in his heart.

15 You shall speak to him, and you shall put the words into his mouth, and I will be with your mouth and with his mouth, and I will instruct you [both] what you shall do.

16 And he will speak for you to the people, and it will be that he will be your speaker, and you will be his leader.

17 And you shall take this staff in your hand, with which you shall perform the signs."

Moses should have known better not to strike the Rock!  God gave Moses signs to build the faith of the Israelites and others in Egypt. Moses knew what they needed to see to build their faith.

But Moses lost his faith and a result, the entire Congregation missed the opportunity to hear God speaking to them through the Rock that was providing them Living Water! 

This leads me to back to the chapter just before -- Exodus 3.  It took me back to when Moses first encounters God at the Burning Bush, where God speaks to Moses through a bush. 

The first clue comes to us in the very first verse of chapter 3 of Sefer Shemot, the Book of Names. Exodus Verse 1 begins "Moses was pasturing the flocks of Jethro..." Who does this remind you of? 

How about Joseph and his brothers. If it didn't remind you of Jacob and Joseph, God will make that clear in the 6th verse of the same chapter.

Exodus 3.6 -- And He said, "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." And Moses hid his face because he was afraid to look toward God.

The moment when God spoke to Moses in chapter 3:

Exodus 3:2-5 -- An angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire from within the thorn bush, and behold, the thorn bush was burning with fire, but the thorn bush was not being consumed. So Moses said, "Let me turn now and see this great spectacle why does the thorn bush not burn up?"The Lord saw that he had turned to see, and God called to him from within the thorn bush, and He said, "Moses, Moses!" And he said, "Here I am!" And He said, "Do not draw near here. Take your shoes off your feet, because the place upon which you stand is holy soil."

Does this scene remind you of another scene in the Torah when God speaks out from a thorn bush? How about the binding of Isaac in Genesis when a ram caught in thorns by it's horn, provides a substitute for the Lamb and Isaac is spared. By the way, a Ram's Horn, which is used to make a Shofar, will be calling out to the people throughout the Torah. 

Back to the point of this blog post where I am seeking to prove why it was so important for Moses to speak to the Rock. Surely, God did not want Moses to not strike the Bush!!  He didn't even want Moses to get close enough to strike the Rock!  

I believe God had a Word for Moses that He wanted the whole congregation to hear. Moses was commanded to speak to the Rock. Had he, I believe the Rock would have spoken back to Moses and the entire Congregation. 

In Exodus 3 there is also foreshadowing for Moses that he will not be able to go into the Land and that "smiting" (Striking) was for God to do, not Moses.  

Exodus 3:19-20 -- However, I know that the king of Egypt will not permit you to go, except through a mighty hand.  And I will stretch forth My hand and smite the Egyptians with all My miracles that I will wreak in their midst, and afterwards he will send you out.

Like the Egyptians, God wanted the Congregation to see the Rock speak! 

Exodus 3.31 -- And I will put this people's favor in the eyes of the Egyptians, and it will come to pass that when you go, you will not go empty handed.

What sign did Pharaoh and the Egyptians finally see to believe and give the Israelites their freedom from slavery? The death of their first born sons. 

The entire bible points to God. 

In Genesis, when Adam & Eve disobey God and find themselves naked, God calls out Eicha, where are you? At the end, in Revelation 22.22, God calls out six times, Bo, Come! 

God created this world and each of us to have a relationship. God never gives up on us. We give up on him. 

Psalm 42.10 -- I say to God my Rock,
    “Why have you forgotten me?
Why must I go about mourning,
    oppressed by the enemy?” My bones suffer mortal agony
    as my foes taunt me,
saying to me all day long,
    “Where is your God?”

But a day is coming ... 

Joel (Joel) 2:1-2 -- Sound a shophar in Zion and sound an alarm in My holy mountain; all the inhabitants of the land shall quake, for the day of the Lord has come, for it is near.

A day of darkness and gloom, a day of cloud and thick darkness, like the dawn spread over the mountains; a numerous and mighty people, the like of which has never been, and after it there shall be no more until the years of the generations.

THE YEAR OF 5 (HEY)

Ancient Letter Hey (5)

This Hebrew year, 5785, is the year of 5 (Hey). 5+7+8+5=25 > Five 5's. 

Hey (5) >> is the Hebrew letter that symbolizes "Behold/Reveal" The is a year that much will be revealed -- much to behold. 

The Hebrew year began just before the election of Donald Trump. This revealed what the American people believed about the truth. His inauguration speech, less than 3 weeks ago, was something to behold. Much is being revealed about corruption. 

We know that prophecy and the Bible focus on Israel and point to Messiah. Current events couldn't be more so.  Much is being revealed about Israel and Gaza!

Gaza Prophecy 

The Hebrew prophet Jeremiah delivered a prophecy concerning Gaza. 

Jeremiah 47:1-2 -- This is the message from the Lord that came to Jeremiah the prophet concerning the Philistines, before Pharaoh conquered Gaza. 2 This is what the Lord says:

...the city and those that live in it. People will cry out, and all those living in the land will wail.

Jeremiah 47:3-5 At the sound of the galloping hooves of his horses, at the rumbling of his chariots, the clatter of his wheels, fathers won’t turn back for their children because their hands are weak, for the day is coming to destroy all the Philistines, the remnant of the coastlands of Caphtor. Baldness is coming to Gaza, Ashkelon is silenced. Remnant of their valley, how long will you gash yourself?

The Hebrew Prophet Amos delivered prophecy concerning Gaza too. 

Amos 1:6-8 -- This is what the Lord says: “For three sins of Gaza, even for four, I will not relent.

Because she took captive whole communities and sold them to Edom, I will send fire on the walls of Gaza that will consume her fortresses. I will destroy the king[a] of Ashdod and the one who holds the scepter in Ashkelon. I will turn my hand against Ekron, till the last of the Philistines are dead,” says the Sovereign Lord.

Gaza (Heb. עַזָּה,, Azzah) is where Samson, who was captive, pulls the walls down on himself. 

Amos and Jeremiah's prophecy may apply to the Philistines and Gaza being overrun by the Egyptians in 609 BC, under Necho II. In 604/603 BC, following a Philistine revolt, Nebuchadnezzar II, the king of Babylon, took over and destroyed Askhelon, Gaza, Aphek, and Ekron. This is proven by archaeological evidence and contemporary sources.  So is history repeating itself like the Passover story?

Isreal Sent A Message to the Palestinians 

The Palestinian prisoners released in the third and fourth rounds of the hostage deal’s first phase received bracelets from the Israel Prison Service (IPS) with an inscription (in Arabic so they could read it. It was from Psalm 18:37 -- "I pursued my enemies and overtook them; I did not turn back till they were destroyed."

Stand and Watch

Prophecy is being fulfilled in 5785, the year of 5. Behold what is revealed.  There was Revelation at the parting of the Sea in Exodus. Adonia told us to "stand firm and watch."

Exodus 14:13 -- Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. 

Revelation can be be frighting, so the Lord reasures us.

Exodus 14:14 -- The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.”

Is Something Greater to Be Revealed?

Is God revealing things in order to warn us?  Are current events foreshadowing that the serpent's head will soon be crushed? 

Hamas has become completely wicked!!

Daniel 8:23 -- “In the latter part of their reign, when rebels have become completely wicked, a fierce-looking king, a master of intrigue, will arise. 24 He will become very strong, but not by his own power. He will cause astounding devastation and will succeed in whatever he does. He will destroy those who are mighty, the holy people. 25 He will cause deceit to prosper, and he will consider himself superior. When they feel secure, he will destroy many and take his stand against the Prince of princes. Yet he will be destroyed, but not by human power.

Cool coincidence...

This weeks Torah portion is called, "Beshalach," means "When he sent" and it is found in Exodus 13:17. It covers Exodus 13:17–17:16

This weeks Torah Portion includes the verses that the image for Hey is derived. 

Exodus 17: 11 -- As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning. 12 When Moses’ hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up—one on one side, one on the other—so that his hands remained steady till sunset. 13 So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword.

Playing the Numbers

There are 6,423 letters in the portion: 6+4+2+3=15. 15 >> 3 fives.  There are 3 fives (15) in the middle of the year. 

Year : 5 (78) 5 > 5 (15) 5

I realized this is all very contrived! I enjoy finding the coincidences. Gematria, be it with letters, words, dates, names, etc. Is a source of clues. 

For me it is like finding puzzle peaces. Sometimes the pieces fit and the picture emerges. Sometimes, I know I'm forcing a fit. Sometimes there is no fit at all. Sometimes I don't find the pieces I hoped for. There are also times it all comes together. Either way.  I am always rewarded for seeking! 

The Book of Matthew was written for the Jew -- a Jew like Jonah: 

Matthew 7:7-8 -- Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

THE ABRAHAM ACCORDS' CROWNING ACHIEVEMENT

It's NOT hard to imagine a "Riviera" rising from the ashes and rubble of Gaza, and Trump is not the first to do so. The problem is that no body has figured out how to make it happen.

My sense is that Trump believes he was born to "make America great again" and that being a "blessing to Israel" is one way. Trump seems to have supernatural power. He never sweats it!

Whether destiny and providence have anything to do with what is happening, one thing is for sure. There is NO future in the past for Gaza. The time has come for a radical new approach.

Trump and Bibi were just getting started on the Abraham Accords before Covid hit and the 2020 Election removed Trump from the office of the Presidency. Tremendous progress was made up to that point; enough so that the Abraham Accords had gained considerable credibility and established an alternative paradigm.

"October 7th" put Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations on hold. Israel had a war to execute and all the focus was on that. October 7th also "put an end to the Two-State fantasy." October 7th also validated the vision and strategy of the Abraham Accords.

The Abraham Accords are described as: "a game changer in the Middle East, providing new opportunities for direct flights, people-to-people exchanges, business partnerships, and government agreements that have all led to investment and growth in the area."

All that was needed to take the economic strategy Trump started to the next level was for Trump to win back the Presidency. Having done so in a big way, it was predictable that new deals and big new ideas were bound to come. But even "high expectations" couldn't have predicted the giant announcement that Trump & Bibi made at a press conference on 2/4/25.

Not many details about Trump's idea of the "USA taking over Gaza" have been disclosed thus far, but I've heard enough to let my imagination go to work. I've run with the idea in a brainstorm. Here is my riff on it including "rollout dates."

MY BRAINSTORM ON GAZA:

The Name -- What's Gaza going to be called? Trump is famous for "branding" with his name, so he must have illusions of naming it "Trump World." Fortunately, the assassination attempts on his life have humbled him enough to know that putting the "Trump name" on the "new Gaza" would be the worst thing he could do.

My guess is that whatever name is given to this "new Gaza" scheme will be something out of Genesis and acceptable to Christians, Jews and Muslims, like the name "Abraham Accords." Hopefully the selection doesn't smack of "One World Religion" - that would be bad!!

Project Stages: 

1. Demolition and Design (Starting 2026) - Demolish and clear debris, environmental assessment and testing, Hamas tunnel closures, detailed surveying, planning, engineering & design and approvals.

2. Site Pre-sales to Primary Stakeholders and Bid Phase (2026-2027) - lining up contractors for the Infrastructure stage. Making agreements with major stakeholders for the flagship development sites in the overall plan.

3. Infrastructure Construction (2028-2029) - develop roads, sewer/water, gas, electricity in cooperation with Israel. A sophisticated security and surveillance system would be installed and monitored by Israel. Revenue from the leasing of sites and other operating licenses would be cash positive for the USA!

4. Private Development Sites (Available 2028-2032) - Development sites will be available to countries, major corporations, construction firms, etc. A site could be used for a corporate park, a hotel/convention center, a hi-rise housing complex, a shopping center, multiple marinas, a port, etc. Picture the concept as a giant "planned community" on steroids'. Expect to see the "new Gaza" incorporate revolutionary examples of communal farming, water and sewer, conservation/sustainability and transportation.

There will be lots of housing in the "new Gaza." I suspect we will see magnificent high-rise buildings with incredible ocean views and gorgeous beaches. (Hotels too.) Palestinians will be allowed to move back to the new Gaza, but only after careful vetting to make sure the radicals and anti-Zionists are kept out. Palestinians will not be the only residents!

Integrated schools in the new Gaza will teach brotherly love starting at nursery school. Truly the crowning achievement of the Abraham Accords.

Will there be a House(s) of Worship?

Could it be the "Temple of God" spoken of in

2 Thessalonians 2:4? OY! I need more time on this question.

5. Individual Tourism, Corporate Park and Commercial Openings (Beginning 2030) - Entities from around the Middle East and elsewhere would have a presence. The "new Gaza" could become the most international location on earth! Picture Epcot x ~300! (Disney Epcot is 1/2 square mile. Gaza is 139 square miles.)

6. World Premier Opening (~2030) - a major marketing event to attract commercial customers and developers. The intended audience is not the general public.

7. World Grand Opening (~2035) - the greatest "world fair" ever! International events, festivals and celebrations in the "new Gaza" are going to blow people's minds! Instead of rockets and bombs lighting up the sky, expect brilliant "drone and laser shows."

Governance:

Gaza IS part of Israel and it will stay part of Israel. The "new Gaza" would not be a country. For a time it would be a Territorial Mandate under the control of the USA. The mandate will have an expiration date. The designated time period would perhaps be 50 Years - Jubilee! (Or maybe it should be for how long the Jews wandered in the desert, 40 years; until the generations die off.)

Residents living in this territory would remain citizens of their country of origin. Governance and laws would be handled by a body established by the USA in cooperation with parties to be determined. Classic methods for oversight and decision making are a given requirement. While there will be a level of respect for religious laws, the new Gaza will not be a theocracy by any definition.

The Wish

This is way more than a second "Riviera!" Gaza could go from a hell hole to the most incredible international destination on the planet. A model of cooperation and peaceful coexistence. It is a place where Palestinians live with Saudias and Egyptians, Jordanians, Israelis, Iranians and others. The new Gaza is an international community!

Nobel Prize Worthy:

The New Gaza project is too good the "Nobel Peace Prize" --- screw it. If I were Trump and they offered it to me, I'd tell them to shove it. Besides, the Nobel Prize is so cheapened since Obama received it, that it doesn't even mean what it used to. What there will be is a statue of Trump and Bibi at the main entrance to the new Gaza recognizing their vision and accomplishment!

Epilogue:

Quoting Israel's Prime Minister after the famous press conference.

“This is the first good idea I’ve heard. It’s a remarkable idea and I think that it should be really pursued, examined, pursued and done, because I think it will create a different future for everyone,” he continued.

"The actual idea of allowing for Gazans who want to leave to leave, I mean, what’s wrong with that? They can leave, they can come back. They can relocate and come back. But you have to rebuild Gaza,” the prime minister stated.

Epilogue:

I have a twist: When relocating the residents of Gaza, I say let Hamas stay. Yup, if a Palestinian is a member of Hamas and they want to stay in Gaza and hide out in order to avoid being removed, it is perfectly fine. If they want to stay in Gaza, great.

THEN, Israel can truly FINISH THE WAR!!!

The Gazans who want to live in peace will leave! Even more so if they know Hamas is staying.

I have this to those exclaiming outrage at Israel over the notion that Palestinians in Gaza would have to relocate: Get real!

1. Jews have been kicked out of practically every Muslim county, plus England (1290), France (1394), Spain (1492), Portugal (1497), Austria (1421), and various other European nations, with the most notable expulsion being from Spain in 1492.

2. Muslim Palestinians would be relocating from a Jewish country to another Muslim country. It just makes sense.

3. Gaza is a war zone that is decimated and has to be demolished. It is not place for people to live, especially children.

4. There is precedent for relocation. Link to Historical cases of relocation

THE MAN IN NON-STOP

Hamilton Broadway Musical

 

That is not a Nazi Salute either.  It's the official graphic/logo for the huge smash hit musical "Hamilton." It's been performed on international stages to near-universal acclaim.

Mary and I have seen the show four times, including in London.  We loved it so much that we got tickets for our adult children to go see it themselves. That adds up to 12 tickets!  

It wasn't just the show that I loved. It was the way it told story of the life of the real Alexander Hamilton.  Like the show's creator, Lin-Manuel Miranda, I read the book he based it on:  The 2004 biography of Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow. 

Lin-Manuel and I were both in awe of the main character. Lin channeled his fascination into an amazing work of cultural entertainment.  I channeled mine into seeing his show, starting in the year it appeared on Broadway, 2015. 

 

The musical covers the life of American Founding Father Alexander Hamilton and his involvement in the American Revolution and the political history of the early United States.

Hamilton changed the world. The show captured the world's attention. The elite loved it.  You could say the elite launched it because the concept for the show was introduced in 2009 at a "Spoken Word" poetry jam in the Obama White House to a room filled with celebrities.

Here's is Lin-Manuel performing the rap-song "Hamilton" for an adoring President Obama. 

I wonder if Obama personally related to the story.  I too see Obama in a character of the show. Ironically, it's not the character for whom the song is about, Alexander Hamilton. I see him as the character singing the song. Aaron Burr, the "damn fool who shot him." 

As a matter of fact, I think the play is in some supernatural way foreshadowing future events, from the time it was previewed in 2009 at Obama's White House, the lives of Obama and Donald Trump and what would become the history of America. I know that's a crazy thing to think or say, "But just you wait, just you."

Donald Trump would come down his famous golden Trump Tower escalator just 50 days after the Hamilton musical debuted on Broadway.  

Since Trump came down the escalator he has been non-stop!  Here's the song "Non-Stop" from the musical:

The stories and lives of these four men, Burr, Hamilton, Obama And Trump, are clearly different.  I am not saying that Lin-Manuel is a prophet!  And, their is nothing biblical about the "Spoken Word," from wence this musical was created. That being said, there are so many very curious parallels that I have noticed for the whole thing to be coincidence.

Here is the full soundtrack of Hamilton:

Some lyrics from the track song:

Alexander Hamilton

We are waiting in the weeds for you

You could never back down

You never learned to take your time

Alexander Hamilton

America Sings for you

Do they know what you overcame

Do they know you control your name

The world will never be the same,

There are dozens of details in the story of Hamilton's life as told through the lyrics of Lin-Manuel that I could use to illustrate my point. If I did, you'd be able to appreciate why I believe their is a bizarre profound connection between the lives of Hamilton and Trump and why I believe, as crazy as it sounds, there is some supernatural reason the play Hamilton came to be. 

If nothing else, it is a great show about one of America's greatest founding fathers -- The man on our TEN dollar bill.

One of the favorite characters in the Hamilton show is "The King." In this scene the King has just heard that Adam's is going to be the next President after G.W. 

The parallel to today is Trump's second term. Trump isn't a new President but he is a new man from his experiences since he ran against Hillary in 2016. The Democrats thought they could eat Trump alive.  The "Haters" and corrupt Deep State were so excited when their bogus prosecutor and judge convicted him of 34 felonies. Once everything they tried, failed, there were multiple assassination attempts, but all the rounds of bullets missed his head. 

Conclusion:

"History never repeats itself, but it does often rhyme.” Mark Twain 

EXODUS 20.2 - I AM

Exodus 20 is where we find the Ten Commandments.  The first commandment reads: 

Exodus 20:3 (Chabad) -- "You shall not have the gods of others in My presence." 

There are two verses before we get to the first commandment. Those are what I am wrestling with in this blog post.

In the preceding verse, Exodus 20.2, God identifies Himself, but God does more than identify Himself, He qualifies himself:  "I am the Lord, your God, Who took you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage." 

Additionally, God seems to imply that He belongs to these people! He tells them He is "your God."

Considering that God created the Universe, doesn't "Taking you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage," seem trivial?  In the grand scheme of EVERYTHING, breaking the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt is minor compared to creating the solar system or the oceans.  

It seems to me that the point God is making has to do with trust. God is identifying himself as a Force to be trusted. God is giving the Israelites a reason why they can have trust in Him. With the words "your God"... God is emphasizing that He is the One guiding their journey.  There are 42 "Journey's" in Exodus. That fact and the number 42 is not lost on Jewish sages.  

In Exodus 20, God is about to tell the people to follow His ways -- the Ten Commandments. It seems like God is saying "I got you this far, so keep your trust in Me." 

In this weeks Parshah, Parashat Bo, (Exodus 10:1-13:16) is the story of the Jews hurried departure from Egypt, carrying their unleavened dough before it could even rise into bread. God commanded the Israelites, “This is the law of the Passover offering. You must remember this day as a covenant between Me and My people. Remember, this day you were freed from Egypt by God to go to the land of milk and honey. Remember, this day, for all generations and honor Me by not eating any leavened bread.”

In this section of the Torah, we read about the Plagues that God brought. Each of the Plagues has a meaning!  As everyone knows, there are 10 Plagues. (10 Commandments too.) The Ten Plagues also add up in Gematria to ONE (Aleph) God. 

Each of the plagues themselves has a meaning. Together they point to God. They all lead to Revelation at Sinai and the Ten Commandments. 

10 Plagues Pointing to 1 God, Aleph, the First: 

1+2+3+4+5+6+7+8+9+10=55

If we reduce 55: 5+5=10 (The Ten Commandments.)

If we reduce the Ten: 1+0=1

1=Aleph (First Letter in Hebrew) 

“Remember also,” Moses said, “to redeem every first-born, whether animal or child, so that your children will ask, ‘what does this mean?’ Then you can answer to them, ‘It was with a mighty hand that the Lord brought us out from Egypt, out of the house of bondage.'” To this day, Jew's still perform the mitzvah of Pidyon HeBen in which they redeem the firstborn son through giving of five* silver coins to the temple Kohen in the boy’s stead. Understanding the five levels of Piydon HeBen. 

*Five is a notable number. It corresponds to the Hebrew letter Hey. That is a significant detail.

In Exodus 10:1-2 of Parshat Bo, I found insight into Exodus 20 and receiving the Word at Sinai, 50 days after the Passover. 

1 The Lord said to Moses: "Come (Bo) to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart and the heart of his servants, in order that I may place these signs of Mine in his midst,

2 and in order that you tell into the ears of your son and your son's son how I made a mockery of the Egyptians, and [that you tell of] My signs that I placed in them, and you will know that I am the Lord."

There it is: You will know that I am the Lord.

These verses are pointing to the future, "your son's son" suggests some far-off time.  This begs the question of when?  Presumably a time when future generations will need to recognize God in their midst. A God who will come (Bo) to take us out of a land and out of a house of bondage.  God also specifically said "you tell of My signs that I placed in them, and you will know that I am the Lord."

For over 3400 years, every year since that command was given when the Jews went out of Egypt, we have told the Passover story. We reenact it at the Passover Seder when we list every sign in "order." 

The Exodus from Egypt is a pivotal event in Jewish collective memory, symbolizing redemption and the establishment of a covenant with God. Egypt also serves as a symbol of oppression from which God redeems His people, underscoring themes of deliverance and divine intervention.

Egypt is seen as a backdrop for highlighting Judaism's monotheism against Egyptian polytheism and its rejection of idolatry and bodily mutilation practices common in ancient Egypt. 

Furthermore, from this story we form the anticipation of a future Devine Redeemer who will show signs and lead the people from bondage and a world filled with idolatry. Does this sound like anyone we should recognize from the history of the Jewish people?  Is there another profit who tells "His chosen people," I AM?  Is their a Devine Redeemer who pours out water from a Rock?

Matthew 16:13 -- When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” 14 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” 16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”17 Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. 18 And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” 20 Then he ordered his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.

The miracles of Moses and Jesus share several parallels, highlighting their roles as divine agents:

• Demonstration of Power: Moses performed miracles like turning his rod into a snake and water into blood, while Jesus turned water into wine and fed thousands with a few loaves of bread.
• Healing and Salvation: Moses lifted a bronze serpent to heal snakebites, and Jesus was lifted on the cross to save humanity from sin.
• Provision and Redemption: Moses provided bread in the wilderness, and Jesus multiplied loaves to feed the hungry, symbolizing spiritual nourishment.
• Authority and Covenant: In their roles as intermediaries between God and humanity, both figures mediated covenants.

Exodus 20.1 reads, "God spoke all these words, to respond:"

What is God responding to? Since this is the first verse in chapter 20, I looked back to the prior chapter, Exodus 19 for that answer.  This is an amazing chapter! Read it for yourself. 

Exodus 19.9 (KJV)-- And the Lord said unto Moses, Lo, I come unto thee in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with thee, and believe thee for ever. And Moses told the words of the people unto the Lord.

Exodus 19.9 (KJV) -- And when the voice of the trumpet sounded long, and waxed louder and louder, Moses spake, and God answered him by a voice.

This leads us to Exodus 20.1 -- God spoke all these words, to respond:

Like Genesis which has so much meaning in the first word, Bereshit בְּרֵאשִׁ֖ית, the first word of Exodus 20.2 in the "Ten Commandments" also possesses tremendous meaning. Exodus 20.2, begins with the Hebrew word  אָֽנֹכִ֨י (Anochi) which translates to "I am."  It is followed by the YHVH, which is considered to be the unspeakable name of God and is usually translated as "I Am Who (or that) I Am." In effect, you could read that beginning of Exodus 20.2 as "I am, I Am Who I Am."

God said "you tell of My signs that I placed in them, and you will know that I am the Lord."

Speak to the Rock

In the wilderness, Moses is told to "speak to the Rock," rather than striking it.  God told Moses in Numbers 20:8 (NIV) -- "Take the staff, and you and your brother Aaron gather the assembly together. Speak to that rock before their eyes and it will pour out its water. You will bring water out of the rock for the community so they and their livestock can drink."

I believe God was about to reveal Himself if Moses spoke to the Rock. If Moses spoke to the Rock, I believe the Rock would have responded with a Voice that the people heard, and they would have believed forever. 

Instead, Moses struck the Rock. By doing so, Moses deprived the people. Because Moses didn't trust God, He was not allowed to enter the Promise Land. God was done with Moses. 

The Jewish people would not have another prophet like Moses. We would have to wait for Messiah. once again, like in Exodus, the issue was whether we would recognize Him the next time. We were told how to recognize Him, but would we? Or have our hearts been hardened like Pharaoh's?

All through the Tanakh and the Gospels, God wants believers to know him. God is seeking a personal relationship, but it takes time to build a personal relationship. It takes time to build trust. It takes Supernatural signs to reveal a Supernatural God. It takes humility on our part.  As we saw with Pharaoh, even great signs are not enough for stubborn people. 

God speaks to us, if we have ears to hear.  If we speak to the Rock and listen, we will hear His voice.

Matthew 7:24-27 -- 24 Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

One can search for Truth. Or one can wait and hope for it to be revealed. Either way, one needs ears to hear and eyes to see.  

Epilogue:

Here's is a traditional Jewish teaching on Parashat Bo from a reliable source; My Jewish Learning.

Egypt is the template for all Jewish Exiles. Rabbi Hajioff does a very good teaching on this.

Vav - 6

 

Vav is designed like a peg or hook or nail. It connects. It is a chute which connects the higher level to the lower level.  That concept applies to the design of the letter Aleph. There is actually a Vav in the letter Aleph.  

Grammatically the Vav is used like "and" in English. 

Vav in front of a word it transforms past into future and future into past. By merely attaching the vav, the past is transformed into the future. In reverse, consider the word yehi, which means “it shall be,” as in “Yehi ohr—[And G‑d said,] “Let there be light.” Place a vav in front—vayehi—and the meaning becomes, “There was light,” in the past tense.

Vav is the 6th letter in the Hebrew Alpha-beyt with an integer and gematria value of 6.

The Prophet Ezekiel had six visions which connected to the higher level:

1. Vision of the Cherubim: Ezekiel sees four creatures with the faces of a human, lion, ox, and eagle. Each creature has four wings, and they are connected by their outstretched wings.
2. Vision of the Scroll: Ezekiel sees a scroll.
3. Vision of the Plain: Ezekiel sees a plain.
4. Visions of Jerusalem: Ezekiel sees the abominations in the Temple, the inhabitants of the city slain, the city destroyed by fire, and the departure of God's glory.
5. Vision of Dry Bones: Ezekiel sees the dead of the house of Israel rise again.
6. Vision of the New Temple: Ezekiel sees the New Temple and associated scenes.

Isaiah 6:  In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple. 2 Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. 3 And they were calling to one another:

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty;
    the whole earth is full of his glory.”

• The first word in the Torah is 6 Hebrew letters בְּרֵאשִׁית‎ (Bereshit).
• The world was created in 6 days.
• Passover is in Nisan the 1st month of the ecclesiastical year but it is the 6th month from Tishrei, the first month of the calender year with begins the New Year.
• The Seder plate has six symbolic foods,
• 600,000 men (20-60 years old) left Egypt.  Exodus 12:37  -- The children of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand on foot, the men, besides the young children.
• The word Israel is an acronym for "יlllש ששים רבוא אותיות לתורה", which means "There are six hundred thousand letters of the Torah.
• Man was created on the 6th day.
• The sun is highest in the sky at the 6th hour of the day. 
• Revelation at Sinai:  Shavuot (the holiday of receiving the Word at Sinai) is celebrated on the 6th day of the Hebrew month of Sivan (6th month from Tishrei New Year month. The Hebrew word Sivan (סִיוָן) means "season" or "time". 
• The magan David has 6 points. The Star of David looked at through the wisdom of Kabbalah. 
• In YHVH, the unspoken name of Adonai, Vav is the 3rd letter. 

Christian context for Vav:

John 19:14 It was the day of Preparation of the Passover; it was about noon. (Noon is the 6th hour.) “Here is your king,” Pilate said to the Jews.

Yeshua was crucified on the 6th day of the 6th month, Elul. (The sixth month and the last month of the Jewish yearly cycle.) 6 in Hebrew is the letter Vav (A nail). 

It is said that "love" held Jesus to the cross.  

• Yeshua was nailed to the cross. When the letter vav (ו) is spelled out in full as "ואו" (vav-aleph-vav), its gematria is calculated as follows: vav = 6, aleph = 1, vav = 6. Adding these values together: 6+1+6=13
• The gematria of the Hebrew word אהבה (ahavah, meaning "love") is 13, calculated as follows: Aleph = 1, Hei = 5, Bet = 2, ה Hei = 5. Adding these values: 1+5+2+5=13
• This value connects ahavah to אחד (echad). In the Hebrew prayer the Shema, it states Sh'ma Yisra'eil Adonai Eloheinu Adonai Echad. (Hear, Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is One.) The gematria of the Hebrew word "אֶחָד" (echad, meaning "one") is 13, calculated as follows: Aleph = 1, Chet = 8, Dalet) = 4. Adding these values: 1+8+4=13
• True love (ahavah-13) connects (vav-13) and reflects the oneness (echad-13) of Adonai. 
• Yeshua Hamashiach gave us the command to Love (13) God + Love (13) your fellow = 26. YHVH = 26. 6, Vav, is also the day during Creation that God made man. So from the time of Creation, God had a plan for man and Yeshua that was all for Love.

Epilogue:

There is a deep connection between the Vav (6) and the Samech (60).

Samekh - 60

Samekh (Samech) is the 15th letter in the Hebrew aleph-beyt.  It's gematria value is 60, which reduces 6, the letter Vav. 

I love to look for the alphanumeric connections for better understanding and deeper meaning. Names and dates can be extremely enlightening as well, if applicable. 

In Hebrew numerology, the number 15, represents three "three fives." The Hebrew letter "Hey" (ה) represents the number 5 and is often linked to "behold" and "reveal" and concepts like grace, favor, and redemption. Repeating a number in Hebrew numerology can emphasize its meaning, so "three fives" signifies a stronger emphasis on the concept associated with the number 5. 

Repeating 5 three times amplifies the concepts associated with 5, potentially representing a heightened level of divine blessing or intervention. 

There is a fascinating connection between 15 and 60 in the Priestly Benediction. In the Priestly Blessing there are fifteen words and sixty letters. When the Kohen blesses the people, he must put his hands together. According to the Mishnah , there are thirty bones in each hand, sixty when the hands are joined.

BY DESIGN

The design of the samech is a closed circle. The letter Samech is one of the only two fully closed letters of the Hebrew alphabet, the other being the letter mem sofit (in final form).

A circle represents infinity, because it has no beginning or end. In Kabbalah, the samech represents the infinite power of the Ein Sof, G‑d’s infinite light. 

The samech also resembles a wedding band. The Giving of the Torah at Sinai “was the betrothal ceremony” when G‑d gave us the ring, our wedding band, the Torah. 

The root word of the letter Samekh means “to uphold, support, or lean on.” Samech stands for soolam (סוּלָם), meaning ‘ladder’, a key symbol in Jewish mysticism (Kabbalah), referring to one’s inner journey. The letter SAMECH is a symbol of support and protection. 

The word samech סמך is an acronym for: salach סלח,to forgive; mechal מחל,to pardon; and kaper כפר, to atone. "When one takes strides to forgive, pardon and atone, one achieves a great spiritual heal­ing.

A Chassidic Rabbi's Teaching on the letter Samech

It is always helpful to refer to Psalm 119 for a deeper understanding of a Hebrew letter. Pastor David Guzik does a very good Judeo-Christian teaching on Samech in Psalm 119.

https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/137087/jewish/Samech.htm