每週一妥拉 2012/12/23-12/29
從古時起，世界各地的猶太會堂會一週一次在安息日讀經，從摩西五經（妥拉）到先知的書（先知書）。每週的讀經內容都有一個希伯來名稱，其出自經文內容起頭的字。每週慣例讀經的實例剛好記載在路加福音四章16節，耶穌來到拿撒勒的會堂，讀了一段先知書（以賽亞書61章）。我們發現每週一次閱讀這些內容，不僅提供我們機會，與世界成千上萬的猶太人來確認神話語的內容，在我們為以色列與猶太人的代禱上，聖靈更時常貼切的啟發具體的內容禱告。

這週的閱讀（12/23-12/29）稱為『住在』（VaYechi）『雅各住在埃及地』，讀經進度為：
妥拉：創世記47:28-50:26
先知書：列王記上2:1-12

這週的妥拉閱讀將帶領我們進入創世記的末了，內容是關於約瑟在埃及最後十七年的生活，他對以法蓮與瑪拿西的祝福、他對十二個兒子最後的預言、他的死亡、他的骸骨帶回希伯崙埋葬，以及約瑟在埃及活到一百一十歲的種種。在第四十九章繼續對以色列兒子所發的預言，我們相信這關乎今日以色列召聚與回歸的身份，以及他們的祖先四百年後返回與佔據的土地─那也是他們子孫數千年後神蹟般返回之所。

*創世記48:5. 『我未到埃及見你之先，你在埃及地所生的以法蓮和瑪拿西這兩個兒子是我的，正如流便和西緬是我的一樣。 』事實上，因著流便的罪，他長子的名分透過以法蓮與瑪拿西這兩個兒子，歸到拉結的長子約瑟身上（參考歷代志上5:1-2）。『猶大勝過一切弟兄，君王也是從他而出；長子的名分卻歸約瑟。』

*創世記48:20. 『當日就給他們祝福說：以色列人要指著你們祝福說：願神使你如以法蓮、瑪拿西一樣。於是立以法蓮在瑪拿西以上。 』在許多希伯來的家庭裡，今日父親仍在星期五晚上用這段話為兒子祝福。

*創世記49:5-7.『西緬和利未是弟兄；他們的刀劍是殘忍（希伯來文:哈瑪斯）的器具。我的靈啊，不要與他們同謀；我的心哪，不要與他們聯絡；因為他們趁怒殺害人命，任意砍斷牛腿大筋。他們的怒氣暴烈可咒；他們的忿恨殘忍可詛。』 

人的怒氣並不能成就神的義（雅各書1:20）。在過去一年與最近幾個月，以色列猶太人在示劍附近（這裡是西緬和利未發生暴力攻擊之處），以及伯特利和示羅/細羅附近都有用暴力對抗阿拉伯鄰居的事證。許多行動並不是出於自我防衛或還擊對方，而是他們把對政府的怒氣訴諸於阿拉伯人身上。一些清真寺遭到蓄意破壞與焚燒，牆上出現『價格標籤』（Price Tag）的標語。當政府摧毀屯墾區附近的違章建築，其『代價』（Price）就是屯墾區定居者用暴力對抗阿拉伯鄰居。在阿拉伯區的橄欖樹林也不斷遭到蓄意破壞，並時而毆打阿拉伯人，塗鴉一些種族方面的威脅字眼（如阿拉伯人去死等）。如此的行為雖然不是所有猶太定居者在爭取領土時的寫照，卻也屢次不斷浮上台面。

請禱告：抵擋用來描繪西緬與利未的暴怒的靈─特別是那些勇敢尋求解決他們在猶大與撒瑪利亞的產業問題。惡者不要神的話在此區域得著應驗（參考上週的先知書：以西結書37:21-23）。許多對這些定居者不實的謊言，無論是透過憎恨與錯誤，或是放大他們思想裡在性格與罪性方面的軟弱，仇敵會盡其可能來破壞他們的名譽與信用。禱告神對定居者關乎彌賽亞的啟示，這會帶來潔淨與公義，還有神聖的方向─一個永久住在這地、得著城邑的能力（以西結書36: 27-28; 33-35）。

*創世記49:10-11. 『圭必不離猶大，杖必不離他兩腳之間，直等細羅【就是賜平安者】來到，萬民都必歸順。猶大把小驢拴在葡萄樹上，把驢駒拴在美好的葡萄樹上。他在葡萄酒中洗了衣服，在葡萄汁中洗了袍褂。』

這段經文在歷史上充滿極大的奧秘，其中一部份與『示羅/細羅』（Shiloh）這個字所代表的希伯來文翻譯有關。然而，經文清楚說到他們會來到『杖』真實歸屬的那位，祂配得『萬民歸順』。在新約裡似乎有更進一步的線索：馬太福音21:2-7提到當耶穌進到耶路撒冷，會有一隻驢駒拴在那邊；啟示錄7:14則提到那些『用羔羊的血把衣裳洗白淨的』，而啟示錄19:13說那『稱為誠信真實（11節），祂穿著濺了血的衣服；祂的名稱為神之道。』

請禱告：神對以色列啟示『猶大支派中的獅子，大衛的根』已經來到，祂還要再來成為『萬王之王，萬主之主！』（啟示錄5:5; 19:16）。

*創世記49:29-31. 『他（雅各）又囑咐他們說：我將要歸到我列祖【原文作本民】那裡，你們要將我葬在赫人以弗崙田間的洞裡，與我祖我父在一處，就是在迦南地幔利前、麥比拉田間的洞；那洞和田是亞伯拉罕向赫人以弗崙買來為業，作墳地的。他們在那裡葬了亞伯拉罕和他妻撒拉，又在那裡葬了以撒和他的妻子利百加；我也在那裡葬了利亞。』 

利亞在這裡被提到的方式，有人認為這代表她生命的最終，在許多年過後，她本來是失寵（原文是被恨：創世記29:31），逐漸得著雅各的好感，事實上得著了他的愛。

*創世記50:20. 『從前你們的意思是要害我，但神的意思原是好的，要保全許多人的性命，成就今日的光景。』『我們曉得萬事都互相效力，叫愛神的人得益處，就是按祂旨意被召的人。』（羅馬書 8:28）

下週的閱讀進度（12/30-1/5）被稱為『名字』（Sh'mot），妥拉─出埃及記1:1-6:1；先知書─以賽亞書27:6-28:13; 29:22-23。

馬汀和娜瑪‧賽維士（Martin & Norma Sarvis） 
於耶路撒冷



THIS WEEK'S TORAH PORTION:
From ancient times there has been a weekly portion (Parasha) from the first five books of Moses (The Torah) and an ending (Haftarah) from the Prophets read on the Sabbath in synagogues around the world. This portion is given a Hebrew name drawn from the opening words of the Torah passage. An illustration of this practice appears to have been recorded in Luke 4:16 where Yeshua (Jesus) arrived in the synagogue in Nazareth and was asked to read the portion (Isaiah 61) from the Prophets. We have found that in perusing these weekly readings, not only are we provided opportunity to identify in the context of God's Word with millions of Jewish people around the world, but very often the Holy Spirit will illumine specific passages pertinent that week in our intercession for the Land and people of Israel. All texts are those of English translations of the Scriptures.

The readings for December 27, 2009-January 2, 2010 are called VaYechi-"And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years":
TORAH: Genesis 47:28-50:26
HAFTARAH: I Kings 2:1-12

This week's readings bring us to the end of the Book of Genesis. They encompass the last seventeen years of Jacob's life in Egypt, his blessing of Ephraim and Manasseh, his final prophetic Word over his twelve sons, his death, return of his body to Hebron for burial, and the life and death of Joseph in Egypt at the age of 110. The poetic prophecy over Israel's sons in Chapter 49 continues we believe to have bearing on the identity of gathered and returned Israel today.as well as on the land to which their forefathers returned and took possession 400 years later-and to which they as their descendants have miraculously returned thousands of years later still.

*Genesis 48:5. "And now your two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, who were born to you in the land of Egypt before I came to you in Egypt, are mine; as Reuben and Simeon, they shall be mine." In fact, because of Reuben's sin, his birthright was transferred to Joseph, the first-born of Rachel, through these two sons (see I Chronicles 5:1-2). Yet ruler-ship would come through Judah.

*Genesis 48:20. "By you Israel will bless, saying, 'May God make you as Ephraim and as Manasseh!'" In many Hebrew households, this blessing is still used on Friday evenings by a father over his sons.

*Genesis 49:5. "Simeon and Levi are brothers; instruments of cruel violence (Hebrew: hamas) their trade. Let my soul not enter into their secret council, their assembly my presence shun. For in their fury they slaughtered men, at their pleasure they tore down ramparts. Cursed be their fury so fierce, and their wrath so remorseless!" The wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God (James 1:20); in the case of these two brothers, it produced senseless slaughter of many innocent men. It would also result in loss or dispersion of much of their future inheritance. This year there have been a number of incidents where extreme elements among Israeli Jewish settlers in the vicinity of Shechem (where the violent attack of Simeon and Levi took place) and other areas of Judea and Samaria, in reaction to governmental rulings with which they disagree, have made raids on neighboring Palestinian villages carrying out "Price Tag" vandalism against innocent villagers. There have also been repeated outbreaks of vandalism on Arab olive groves, and occasional beatings of Arabs and scrawling of racist threats ("Death to Arabs", etc.). While actions such as these do not epitomize the conduct of all Jewish settlers in the contested territories, they do tend to surface disturbingly often. 

PLEASE PRAY: against the spirit of wrath which characterized Simeon and Levi - especially in those Jews who are heroically seeking to work the land of their inheritance in Judea and Samaria. The Evil One does not want the Word over this region to be fulfilled (see last week's Haftarah: Ezekiel 37:21-23). Many lies are spread about these settlers; whether through hatred and falsehoods, or though capitalization upon weaknesses of character and sinfulness within their midst, he will do what he can to blight their reputation and credibility. Pray for revelation of God and of His Messiah to the settlers which will bring cleansing and righteousness and godly direction-and with it, a capacity to live permanently in the land and to inhabit its cities (Ezekiel 36: 27-28; 33-35).

*Genesis 49:10-11. "The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh comes; and to Him shall be the obedience of the people. Binding his donkey to the vine, and his donkey's colt to the choice vine, He washed his garments in wine, and his clothes in the blood of grapes." There had historically been great mystery surrounding this passage, part of it related to what exactly is meant by the Hebrew word translated "Shiloh". It appears clear, nevertheless, that it is speaking of One who is to come to whom the "scepter" truly belongs, and who will be worthy of "the obedience of the people." And there seem to be further hints in the New Testament: Matthew 21:2-7 refers to a donkey tied with its colt upon which Yeshua would enter Jerusalem; Revelation 7:14 speaks of those whose garments will have been "washed and made white in the blood of the Lamb"; and in Revelation 19:13 One called "Faithful and True" clothed with a vesture dipped in blood, and His name is also called "The Word of God." 

PLEASE PRAY: for revelation in Israel that the "Lion of the Tribe of Judah, the Root of David" has come-and is coming again as King of Kings and Lord of Lords! (Revelation 5:5; 19:16).

*Genesis 49:29-31. "Then [Jacob] charged them and said to them: I am to be gathered to my people; bury me with my fathers in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite.There they buried Abraham and Sarah his wife, there they buried Isaac and Rebekah his wife, and there I buried Leah." Something in the way she is mentioned in this passage suggests that by the end of her life-and the many years afterwards, Leah who had been hated (Genesis 29:31), had grown in Abraham's affections, and indeed his love.

*Genesis 50:20. "But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, so save many people alive."-"For we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose" (Romans 8:28). 
Martin & Norma Sarvis 
Jerusalem

[The Torah and Haftarah portions for the week of 30 December 2012-5 January 2013 Shmot "Names") will be: Exodus 1:1-6:1; Isaiah 27:6-28:13; 29:22-23]