First Things First

The narrative of Abraham and his line is told from a patriarchal perspective, yet it bestows great honor upon a matriarch, Sarah. Her death is the first one recorded among the chosen household and she becomes the first of Abraham’s line to be buried in the land promised to him.

With all the drama that unfolds in this parasha there is a common theme throughout: the Lord is interacting on a very personal level, mostly with Abraham, but even with Hagar and Ishmael.

Like Abraham, we do not have a roadmap of where we are in life. We never know where God will lead us or when, but it will always be in his perfect timing. Also, like Abraham we must continue to share the good news and fight for it.

Do we give God the remainder after everything else has received its share? Do we offer him the time that happens to be left over? Do we give him our attention only after every other demand in life has been satisfied? Or, do we treat worship as Noah did—as an essential matter, to be conducted with the best of who we are and what we have?

As we approach the fourth chapter of Genesis, we encounter some perplexing questions. Why does the Lord accept Abel’s offering but not Cain’s? Does Cain ever regret the killing of his brother? And does he ever experience the forgiveness and peace of Hashem? These questions invite us to respond personally to what is, in many ways, our own story.

Right when you might think the holiday season is over, the Torah tells us to celebrate one final day called Shemini Atzeret. We are not told much about why this day is so important, but some insight can be gleaned from the very name of the feast, “the eighth day of assembly,” or more literally, of “waiting, tarrying or abiding.”

As we dwell in our sukkahs, let’s remember how the Lord dwells with us in Yeshua. And as we see Sukkot as the final fulfillment holiday in our annual cycle, let’s remember how Sukkot points us to our final and complete redemption found in Yeshua our Messiah.

The story of Jonah is left without a conclusion, but with an open question: God says, “Shouldn’t I be concerned about the 120,000 human souls in Nineveh?” The question invites Jonah to share in God’s concern and compassion, and it expands into a question for us.

The Akedah, the narrative of the binding of Isaac found in Genesis 22, forms one of the major themes of the traditional Rosh Hashanah liturgy. The well-known, if unsettling, account follows Abraham as he attempts to obey a divine call to sacrifice his son on the altar.

Our hope is not based on Israel’s ability to hold onto God, but on God’s faithfulness to hold onto Israel. And because he remains faithful, he continues to call us to teshuvah. He calls us to choose life, love Adonai, listen to his voice, and cling to him.