Who Wrote The Torah?

Introduction: A No Ordinary Book

Imagine a book so meticulously crafted. Its stories interlock like the threads of a vast tapestry. Every word, every repetition, and every clear interruption serves a profound purpose. This is no ordinary book. It is the Torah. The Torah is the foundational text of Judaism, often attributed to divine authorship, revealing deep truths. Modern scholars often dismiss it as a patchwork of disparate sources compiled by multiple authors over centuries. Yet, as Rabbi David Fohrman compellingly argues in his teachings, the Torah’s literary genius defies such fragmentation. It reveals a singular Author. This Author’s handiwork transcends human ability. The narratives are woven with chiastic precision, verbal echoes, and thematic symmetries. These elements illuminate divine truths about justice, redemption, and human frailty.

It reveals a singular Author.

In this essay, we focus on a microcosm of this brilliance. It holds the interwoven tales of Genesis 37. This chapter describes the sale of Joseph into slavery. Genesis 38 tells the story of Judah and Tamar. These chapters are often read as a jarring interruption. Judah’s domestic scandal suddenly sidelines Joseph’s dramatic descent into the pit and Egyptian servitude. Yet, they are a deliberate literary diptych. Rabbi Fohrman compares their connection to “sewing seventy layers of muscle together.” This metaphor describes a surgical fusion. One story can’t be fully understood without the other. By analyzing Hebrew word matches, we uncover not just artistry, but also deeper meaning. Examining numerical repetitions, chiastic structures, and thematic resolutions provides evidence of unified authorship. No human editor, piecing together oral traditions or rival documents, will orchestrate such depth. This is the fingerprint of the Divine.

The result? A presentation that proves the Torah

We draw on Fohrman’s insights, as explored in his Aleph Beta teachings and writings, like Genesis: A Parsha Companion. We will dissect these chapters and highlight their interconnections. The analysis will be extended with extra chiastic links. Although Fohrman hints at them, he does not fully chart these links. For readers, this essay provides a textual roadmap. For YouTube viewers and podcast listeners, it suggests visual aids like animated overlays of parallel verses. It includes timelines of “lost sons” and features voice-over echoes of key Hebrew terms. The result? A presentation that proves the Torah is literature of unparalleled sophistication—proving its Author.

The Template: Joseph’s Story as Groundwork for Judah’s

Did The Brother’s sale Joseph? Did You Follow Your Tradition Again?

Genesis 37 sets the stage: Joseph, Jacob’s favored son, dreams of his brothers bowing to him, igniting jealousy. His brothers strip his special ketonet passim.(multicolored coat), Cast him into a bor (pit), and lose him to Ishmaelite traders. Judah, ever the pragmatist, proposes the sale: “What profit is it if we slay our brother?” (37:26). Jacob, deceived by the bloodied coat, mourns Joseph as dead.

This narrative lays a “template” of deception, loss, and fractured legacy. But why interrupt here with Genesis 38? Fohrman explains: the interruption is the point. Judah “went down” (va-yered, 38:1) from his brothers, mirroring Joseph’s descent into the pit—a verbal hinge that binds the chapters. Without Joseph’s story, Judah’s tale reads as a salacious aside. Judah marries a Canaanite and fathers three sons: Er, Onan, and Shelah. He loses the first two to divine judgment. Judah fails his levirate duty by withholding Shelah from Tamar, his widowed daughter-in-law. Tamar, disguised as a harlot, seduces Judah, who leaves his chotam v-petil (seal and cord) and staff as eravon (pledge). When exposed, Judah confesses, “She is more righteous than I” (38:26).

Genesis 38 feels disjointed.

Read sequentially, Genesis 38 feels disjointed. But as Fohrman demonstrates, it is a mirror. Joseph’s “death” in the pit (quasi-death, as he survives) parallels Er’s actual death. The brothers’ failure to rescue Joseph echoes Onan’s refusal to continue Er’s line. Judah’s pledge redeems Tamar’s claim, just as his later actions will redeem Benjamin (Jacob’s remaining Rachel-son). The stories are interdependent. Joseph’s template of loss solves Judah’s personal crises. Judah’s redemption arc foreshadows Joseph’s rise and family reconciliation.

For presentation: In print, use side-by-side columns of verses (e.g., 37:23-33 vs. 38:25-26). On video, animate a split-screen: Joseph’s coat “morphing” into Judah’s seal, with Hebrew text fading in/out. In podcast, pause for listener reflection: “Hear the echo? Both men lose a garment that becomes evidence—one false, one true.”

Hebrew Word Matches: Echoes That Bind

The Torah’s Author is a master wordsmith, deploying rare terms as connective tissue. Fohrman highlights several “set repetitions”—words used sparingly, only in these chapters, forging unbreakable links.

• Haker-na (Recognize, please): Appears only twice in the entire Torah. In 37:32, the brothers urge Jacob: “Haker-na (Recognize, please) if it is your son’s coat.” In 38:25, Tamar counters Judah’s judgment: “By the man to whom these belong… haker-na (recognize, please).” The rarity (no other occurrences in Pentateuch) screams intentionality. Deception in Joseph’s story involves a false recognition of death. This flips to truth in Judah’s story, which involves a forced recognition of sin. This match exposes Judah’s hypocrisy—he deceives his father about Joseph, only to be undeceived by Tamar.
• Yared (Went down): Used three times in quick succession. Joseph is “brought down” to Egypt (39:1, post-38); Judah “went down” from his brothers (38:1). This descent motif ties separation and suffering, resolving in ascent (Joseph’s rise, Judah’s moral climb).
• Eravon (Pledge/Collateral): Rare (only here and Deuteronomy 24:17, but contextually unique). Judah leaves his staff as eravon for Tamar (38:17-20). Fohrman connects this to Joseph’s pit. The brothers’ “pledge” to Jacob is the coat. Yet, Judah’s literal pledge redeems his figurative debt. Selling Joseph created a “hole” (pit/bor) in the family, which his redemption fills.
• Numerical Precision: “Coat” (ketonet) appears seven times across Genesis 37-39, framing the triad of stories. “Pit” (bor) echoes in themes of barrenness (Tamar’s widowhood as a “dry pit”). Brothers’ names tie back: Reuben (behold-a-son, 37:21-22, tries to save Joseph but fails) parallels Onan (strength? but fails levirate); Judah (praise, 38:26, self-praise in confession) redeems the line.

15 Such Strands

Fohrman notes over 15 such strands, impossible for redactors. An extra connection I notice: Chotam (seal) in 38:18 evokes God’s “seal” of approval on creation (Genesis 1). This is inverted. Judah’s personal seal exposes his unseal-ed sin, contrasting Joseph’s sealed dreams (prophetic seal).

Hazan Gavriel ben David

The Hebrew Word For Scarlet Thread or Rope. “HOPE”

In modern Hebrew, the word for hope is תִּקְוָה (pronounced teek-VAH). It’s a beautiful word. It’s powerful. It’s even the title of Israel’s national anthem, HaTikvah (“The Hope”). This symbolizes the enduring longing for freedom and return to the land.

But what makes tikvah so special in biblical Hebrew is how concrete it is. Unlike English, “hope” is an abstract feeling. It is a vague wish or optimism. Hebrew often roots deep ideas in tangible, physical things you can see, touch, or hold. This concreteness helps us grasp abstract concepts more vividly.

The Root: From Twisting to Waiting

tikvah comes from the verb root קָוָה (qavah). It means “to twist or bind together,” like making a strong rope by twisting strands. It also means “to wait expectantly” or “to gather.”

A rope is formed by collecting and twisting loose fibers into something sturdy and unbreakable. This physical act becomes a picture for patient, confident waiting – hope isn’t fleeting; it’s tightly bound and reliable.

The Story of Rahab: Hope as a Real Cord

The very first time tikvah appears in the Bible isn’t translated as “hope” – it’s a literal cord or rope!

In Joshua 2, Rahab (a woman in Jericho) hides Israelite spies. To escape, she lowers them from her window with a rope (called chevel in verse 15). The spies then instruct her: Tie this scarlet cord (tikvat chut ha-shani) in the window as a sign. This will guarantee your family is saved when Israel conquers the city (Joshua 2:18).

She does, and it’s her lifeline – a tangible promise of deliverance.

(Look for Link for more Hebrew Lessons) COMING SOON.

Chiastic Connections: Mirrors of Meaning

Chiasmus—a mirrored structure (A-B-C-B-A)—is the Torah’s architectural hallmark, centering themes like redemption. Fohrman charts a macro-chiasm across Genesis 37-50 (Joseph novella), with 38 as the pivot. But zooming in:

• Micro-Chiasm in Losses:
  • A: Joseph “dies” (pit, 37:24) → Jacob loses favorite Rachel-son.
  • B: Simeon imprisoned (42:24) → Second loss, loyalty failure.
  • C: Judah’s confession (38:26) → Center: Recognition/redemption.
  • B’: Er/Onan die (38:7-10) → Judah loses two sons, loyalty failure (withholds Shelah).
  • A’: Benjamin at risk (42:36) → Threat to remaining Rachel-son, resolved by Judah’s pledge (43:8-9).

This chiasm centers Judah’s Tamar encounter, where he redeems his pledge, solving Jacob’s “pit” of grief. Joseph’s story “analyzes” Judah’s: the pit as quasi-levirate (Joseph “dead,” brothers fail to raise him up). Judah’s story answers Joseph’s: Tamar’s twins (Perez/Zerah) continue the line, foreshadowing Perez’s Messianic line (Ruth 4:18-22), redeeming Joseph’s exile.

• Thematic Chiasm: Deception to Truth:
  • A: Coat as false evidence (37:31-33).
  • B: Judah’s sale (37:26-27).
  • C: Tamar’s disguise (38:14-15).
  • B’: Judah’s confession (38:25-26).
  • A’: Seal/staff as true evidence (38:25).

Fohrman hints at broader Genesis ties: Brothers’ names connect to the pit via Genesis 29-30 birth narratives. Reuben (“see, a son”) sees the pit but doesn’t act. Simeon and Levi (violence, from Dinah story) allow the sale. Judah (“praise”) leads but praises wrongly until Tamar. The pit’s “no water” (37:24) aligns with Tamar’s barren wait (38:14). Both “dry” descents eventually lead to life, with Joseph’s rise and Perez’s lineage.

Solving Problems Across Stories: A Unified Resolution

Each narrative resolves the other’s enigmas. Joseph’s unanswered question—”Why me?” (dreams vs. suffering)—finds answer in Judah’s arc: Sin has consequences, but confession redeems (38:26 prefigures Joseph’s forgiveness, 45:5). Judah’s puzzle—”Why withhold Shelah?” (fear of loss)—mirrors Jacob’s refusal of Benjamin (42:38), solved by Joseph’s template: Send the son, trust redemption.

The brothers’ names amplify. Born amid Rachel’s rivalry (Genesis 30), they embody fractured praise (Judah). Reuben symbolizes beholden failure. This culminates in the pit as collective judgment. Genesis 17’s covenant (circumcision, promise of sons) undergirds: Joseph’s pit tests the “fruitful” promise (17:6); Judah’s levirate upholds it.

Fohrman emphasizes: These solves prove dependency—no isolated Judah story births Perez without Joseph’s exile context.

No Human Hand: Proving Divine Authorship

Critics like the Anchor Bible’s authors see Genesis 38 as an “intrusion,” evidence of J/E/P sources. Fohrman counters: Such layering—15+ verbal ties, chiastic spines, thematic inversions—demands a singular vision. Humans weave tales. This Author sews souls. It reveals God’s justice. Judah, the architect of Joseph’s pit, digs his own. Then he climbs out, modeling teshuvah (repentance).

An extension: Fohrman’s “half the Torah is a chiasm” hints at Torah-wide structures (e.g., Leviticus mirroring Genesis). I add: Genesis 37-38 chiasms with Eden (loss of garment in 3:7 vs. Joseph’s coat; barren ground in 2:5 vs. Tamar’s wait), proving cosmic unity.

Conclusion: Presenting the Proof

This is the Torah: No ordinary book, but a divine symphony. Its Author? The One who layers stories to layer souls, proving existence through elegance. As Fohrman says, “The Bible is literature”—and its genius shouts: Unified, eternal, true.

Who Wrote The Torah?

Introduction: A No Ordinary Book

Imagine a book so meticulously crafted. Its stories interlock like the threads of a vast tapestry. Every word, every repetition, and every clear interruption serves a profound purpose. This is no ordinary book. It is the Torah. The Torah is the foundational text of Judaism. Modern scholars often dismiss it as a patchwork of disparate sources compiled by multiple authors over centuries. Yet, as Rabbi David Fohrman compellingly argues in his teachings, the Torah’s literary genius defies such fragmentation. It reveals a singular Author. This Author’s handiwork transcends human ability. The narratives are woven with chiastic precision, verbal echoes, and thematic symmetries. These elements illuminate divine truths about justice, redemption, and human frailty.

It reveals a singular Author.

In this essay, we focus on a microcosm of this brilliance. It holds the interwoven tales of Genesis 37. This chapter describes the sale of Joseph into slavery. Genesis 38 tells the story of Judah and Tamar. These chapters are often read as a jarring interruption. Judah’s domestic scandal suddenly sidelines Joseph’s dramatic descent into the pit and Egyptian servitude. Yet, they are a deliberate literary diptych. Rabbi Fohrman compares their connection to “sewing seventy layers of muscle together.” This metaphor describes a surgical fusion. One story can’t be fully understood without the other. By analyzing Hebrew word matches, we uncover not just artistry, but also deeper meaning. Examining numerical repetitions, chiastic structures, and thematic resolutions provides evidence of unified authorship. No human editor, piecing together oral traditions or rival documents, will orchestrate such depth. This is the fingerprint of the Divine.

The result? A presentation that proves the Torah

We draw on Fohrman’s insights, as explored in his Aleph Beta teachings and writings, like Genesis: A Parsha Companion. We will dissect these chapters and highlight their interconnections. The analysis will be extended with extra chiastic links. Although Fohrman hints at them, he does not fully chart these links. For readers, this essay provides a textual roadmap. For YouTube viewers and podcast listeners, it suggests visual aids like animated overlays of parallel verses. It includes timelines of “lost sons” and features voice-over echoes of key Hebrew terms. The result? A presentation that proves the Torah is literature of unparalleled sophistication—proving its Author.

The Template: Joseph’s Story as Groundwork for Judah’s

Did TheBrother’s sale Joseph? Did You Follow Your Tradition Again?

Genesis 37 sets the stage: Joseph, Jacob’s favored son, dreams of his brothers bowing to him, igniting jealousy. His brothers strip his special ketonet passim (multicolored coat), cast him into a bor (pit), and sell him to Ishmaelite traders. Judah, ever the pragmatist, proposes the sale: “What profit is it if we slay our brother?” (37:26). Jacob, deceived by the bloodied coat, mourns Joseph as dead.

This narrative lays a “template” of deception, loss, and fractured legacy. But why interrupt here with Genesis 38? Fohrman explains: the interruption is the point. Judah “went down” (va-yered, 38:1) from his brothers, mirroring Joseph’s descent into the pit—a verbal hinge that binds the chapters. Without Joseph’s story, Judah’s tale reads as a salacious aside. Judah marries a Canaanite and fathers three sons: Er, Onan, and Shelah. He loses the first two to divine judgment. Judah fails his levirate duty by withholding Shelah from Tamar, his widowed daughter-in-law. Tamar, disguised as a prostitute, seduces Judah, who leaves his chotam v-petil (seal and cord) and staff as eravon (pledge). When exposed, Judah confesses, “She is more righteous than I” (38:26).

Genesis 38 feels disjointed.

Read sequentially, Genesis 38 feels disjointed. But as Fohrman demonstrates, it is a mirror. Joseph’s “death” in the pit (quasi-death, as he survives) parallels Er’s actual death. The brothers’ failure to rescue Joseph echoes Onan’s refusal to continue Er’s line. Judah’s pledge redeems Tamar’s claim, just as his later actions will redeem Benjamin (Jacob’s remaining Rachel-son). The stories are interdependent. Joseph’s template of loss solves Judah’s personal crises. Judah’s redemption arc foreshadows Joseph’s rise and family reconciliation.

For presentation: In print, use side-by-side columns of verses (e.g., 37:23-33 vs. 38:25-26). On video, animate a split-screen: Joseph’s coat “morphing” into Judah’s seal, with Hebrew text fading in/out. In podcast, pause for listener reflection: “Hear the echo? Both men lose a garment that becomes evidence—one false, one true.”

Hebrew Word Matches: Echoes That Bind

The Torah’s Author is a master wordsmith, deploying rare terms as connective tissue. Fohrman highlights several “set repetitions”—words used sparingly, only in these chapters, forging unbreakable links.

• Haker-na (Recognize, please): Appears only twice in the entire Torah. In 37:32, the brothers urge Jacob: “Haker-na (Recognize, please) if it is your son’s coat.” In 38:25, Tamar counters Judah’s judgment: “By the man to whom these belong… haker-na (recognize, please).” The rarity (no other occurrences in Pentateuch) screams intentionality. Deception in Joseph’s story involves a false recognition of death. This flips to truth in Judah’s story, which involves a forced recognition of sin. This match exposes Judah’s hypocrisy—he deceives his father about Joseph, only to be undeceived by Tamar.
• Yared (Went down): Used three times in quick succession. Joseph is “brought down” to Egypt (39:1, post-38); Judah “went down” from his brothers (38:1). This descent motif ties separation and suffering, resolving in ascent (Joseph’s rise, Judah’s moral climb).
• Eravon (Pledge/Collateral): Rare (only here and Deuteronomy 24:17, but contextually unique). Judah leaves his staff as eravon for Tamar (38:17-20). Fohrman connects this to Joseph’s pit. The brothers’ “pledge” to Jacob is the coat. However, Judah’s literal pledge redeems his figurative debt. Selling Joseph created a “hole” (pit/bor) in the family, which his redemption fills.
• Numerical Precision: “Coat” (ketonet) appears seven times across Genesis 37-39, framing the triad of stories. “Pit” (bor) echoes in themes of barrenness (Tamar’s widowhood as a “dry pit”). Brothers’ names tie back: Reuben (behold-a-son, 37:21-22, tries to save Joseph but fails) parallels Onan (strength? but fails levirate); Judah (praise, 38:26, self-praise in confession) redeems the line.

15 Such Strands

Fohrman notes over 15 such strands, impossible for redactors. An additional connection I observe: Chotam (seal) in 38:18 evokes God’s “seal” of approval on creation (Genesis 1). This is inverted. Judah’s personal seal exposes his unseal-ed sin, contrasting Joseph’s sealed dreams (prophetic seal).

For audience: Print tables tally word frequencies (e.g., | Word | Gen 37 | Gen 38 | Torah Total |). Video: Word clouds pulsing in sync. Podcast: Recite verses in Hebrew/English, layering audio echoes.

The Hebrew Word For Scarlet Thread or Rope. “HOPE”

Confession of an Ex-Messianic Jew: True Meaning of Chanukah & Greek Influence on Judaism

My Journey from Messianic Judaism to Discovering the True Meaning of Chanukah

In 2001, at age thirty-five, I discovered I was Jewish. I learned I was descended from Sephardic families (Dias, Lucero, Trujillo, Almanzar, Ramirez). These families had hidden their identity for centuries after the Spanish Expulsion. That same year, I entered the Messianic Jewish world, convinced I had found the “completed” Judaism. For the next seventeen years, I lived there. I viewed the Torah through a lens that superimposed Jesus onto every festival. It also overlaid Jesus onto every typology and every verse.

In that community, we were taught that the ancient Greeks were the eternal enemies of the Jewish people. Greek philosophy was poison. The Greek language was profane. We fasted on the anniversary of the Septuagint translation. We were even forbidden to read the Books of Maccabees. For us, the true meaning of Chanukah was a simple story of victory. Pious Jews defeated wicked Hellenists. They forced paganism upon us. Light overcame darkness. No nuance. No deeper insight.

Understanding The Whole Story Is How We Were Taught.

In 2014, I started my formal Orthodox conversion process under a non-recognized beit din. I completed it several years ago, in 2018. The fundamental shift began earlier through the profound lectures of Rabbi Dr. Akiva Tatz. He explained that true freedom comes only from being bound to truth. “Be like the tzitzit,” he taught. “Tied in knots that spell the Name of God and the 613 commandments. Only a slave to truth is truly free.”

This idea guided me. I asked questions relentlessly and sought elders with an unbroken chain back to Sinai.

Rabbi Efraim Palvanov’s Lecture That Revealed the True Meaning of Chanukah

Chanukah 5786 Palvanov’s lecture “Chanukah & the Final Redemption” changed everything.

Recently, during the buildup to Chanukah 5786 (2025), Rabbi Efraim Palvanov’s lecture “Chanukah & the Final Redemption” changed everything.

Rabbi Palvanov explains that the true meaning of Chanukah is not rejection of the Greeks, but redemption and integration. The miracle of the oil lasted eight days. This allowed time for Jewish light to absorb and elevate the best of Greek influence on Judaism without extinguishing it.

He cites rabbinic sources showing how deeply the Sages embraced Greek wisdom:

• Talmud Megillah 9b: A Torah scroll is written only in Hebrew or in Greek. These are the only two languages declared kosher for a Sefer Torah.
• Bereshit Rabbah 36:8: “Yaft Elokim le-Yefet—God shall grant beauty to Japheth (ancestor of Yavan/Greece). However, he shall dwell in the tents of Shem.” Greek beauty finds purpose inside Torah tents. This is fusion.

“Chanukah & the Final Redemption”

• Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel (Bava Kamma 83a): He raised five hundred students in Torah. He also raised five hundred students in Greek wisdom (chokhmat Yevanit).
• Rambam: He praised Aristotle as the greatest mind after the prophets.
• Yehuda Halevi was the author of the Kuzari. My family descends from his Sephardic lineage. Greek is the most precise language after Hebrew. It is worthy of translation into the Torah.

Palvanov highlights Greek loanwords in Hebrew: Sanhedrin, apikoros, afikoman, prosbol, gematria (from geometry), androgynos, Metatron (meta + thronos), and more. The Talmud embraces these. Tradition refines, not rejects.

Hidden Light of Chanukah: Gematria and Redemption

The gematria is profound. Chanukah’s 36 candles match the 36 hours of primordial light from Creation’s first three days (Genesis 1). This hidden light Chanukah reveals itself to the righteous each year.

This year, Parashat Miketz has exactly 2,025 words—hinting at redemption in our era.

The key: Yosef = 156. Tzion = 156. Joseph, exiled yet rising as “Melech Yavan” (king of Greece), embodies the fusion—foreign wisdom, yet faithful to Yaakov.

Tzion (ציון): Tzadi (tzadik, Jewish soul) + Yud-Vav-Nun (rearranges to Yavan). Same letters. Tzion completes only through Greek influence on Judaism.

I was stunned. What I was taught to hate, the Sages cherished. Greek wisdom was incomplete light, waiting for Torah’s tents.

A Question for Christian Friends

The Deeper Lesson: Integration for Redemption

The true meaning of Chanukah is adding light nightly, following Beit Hillel. We increase. Science, logic, philosophy—these are raw oil for Torah’s flame.

The Third Temple rises when Tzadi embraces Yavan—Jewish righteousness marries Greek clarity under primordial light.

This is my confession as an ex-Messianic Jew: I hated what I misunderstood. I saw Greek wisdom as evil, missing its threads in the Talmud. No more.

Tonight, I light all eight candles—in partnership with every truth spark. The menorah is a bridge.

Cross it. Tzion awaits.

Chazan Gavriel Ben David Chanukah 5786 / December 2025

Additional Outbound Links for Authority

• Learn more about Rabbi Akiva Tatz’s teachings on truth and freedom: akivatatz.com
• Rabbi Efraim Palvanov’s blog for deeper Chanukah insights: mayimachronim.com
• Sefaria.org for primary sources like Kuzari: sefaria.org

Miketz and the Echo of 2025

Why You Can’t Fully Understand the Bible in English

You open an English Bible to Genesis 41. You read the dramatic story of Joseph interpreting Pharaoh’s dreams. Joseph rises to power and eventually reveals himself to his brothers. It’s a powerful tale of forgiveness, providence, and redemption. But something profound is missing—something that only the original Hebrew Torah scroll reveals.

In a traditional Hebrew Chumash or Torah scroll, at the end of Parashat Miketz, there’s a Masoretic note. It states not only the number of verses (pesukim) but also the number of words: 2025. This is unique—Miketz is the only parsha where the word count is prominently noted this way in standard editions. And today, as we sit in the secular year 2025, that number leaps off the page.

God proclaims in Isaiah 46:10: “מַגִּיד מֵרֵאשִׁית אַחֲרִית” – “I declare the end from the beginning.”

God proclaims in Isaiah 46:10: “מַגִּיד מֵרֵאשִׁית אַחֲרִית” – “I declare the end from the beginning.” Jewish tradition has long understood this as a promise. It suggests that the seeds of ultimate redemption are embedded right in the opening chapters of Genesis (Bereshit).

English translations capture the words. However, they strip away the numerical layers. These include the gematria, the counts of letters, words, and verses. These layers form the Torah’s deeper prophetic structure.

Isaiah 46:10 – Declaring the End from the Beginning

The 146 Verses: The Unique Bond Between Miketz and Bereshit

The 146 Verses: The Unique Bond Between Miketz and Bereshit

Count the pesukim in Parashat Bereshit (Genesis 1:1–6:8): exactly 146.

Now count Parashat Miketz (Genesis 41:1–44:17): exactly 146 again.

No other two parshiyot in the entire Torah share the same number of verses like this. Bereshit opens the story of creation, humanity’s fall, and the first exile from Eden. Miketz brings the turning point: Joseph’s revelation to his brothers (“I am Joseph!”), The preservation of the family of Israel in Egypt, and the beginning of the path that leads to redemption.

The rabbis who fixed the verse divisions saw this echo as a deliberate divine design. They believed it was the blueprint for geulah (redemption) hidden in the text’s very structure from the start.

The 2025 Words: A Hint to Light in Darkness

Traditional Masoretic notes record that Parashat Miketz contains 2025 words.

(Some counts vary slightly to 2022 or 2026 due to scribal variants or how certain phrases are divided, but the received tradition in most Chumashim highlights 2025.)

Miketz means “at the end of”—and it almost always falls during Chanukah, the festival of light overcoming darkness. Classic sources like the Vilna Gaon connect the 2025 directly to Chanukah. There are 8 days of lighting candles (8 × 250 = 2000, where “ner/candle” = 250 in gematria). Additionally, the 25th of Kislev marks the beginning of the miracle.

In the year 2025, it takes on added urgency. It acts as a reminder tucked in the margins. We’re living in a time that the Torah itself seems to mark.

From Adam to Joseph to David: The Redemption Thread

Trace the pattern:

• Bereshit: Creation, the fall into exile, 146 verses laying the foundation.
• Miketz: The family descends to Egypt, but Joseph reveals himself—salvation begins amid famine and darkness, 146 verses + 2025 words.
• The line continues through the prophets to David, the shepherd-king, ancestor of Mashiach, whose story embodies the heart of redemption.

In astonishing timing, the major new animated biblical epic David, from Angel Studios, was released in theaters yesterday. It premiered on December 19, 2025. This vibrant retelling of the young shepherd’s rise is intriguing. It highlights his faith against Goliath and his anointing as king. This story completes the circle: from the fall in Genesis, through Joseph’s revelation in Miketz, to the throne of David.

Watch the official trailer here: David (2025) Official Trailer

For more on the film: Angel Studios – David | IMDb Page

Why English Translations Fall Short

English Bibles excel at narrative clarity, but they erase:

• The precise verse counts in the margins.
• The word and letter tallies passed down by scribes.
• The subtle hints in the Hebrew lettering itself.

When you read only in translation, the Torah’s “hidden clock”—its numerical prophecies and interconnections—remains silent. The margins of a real Torah scroll whisper clues that English footnotes rarely capture.

A Call to the Original Text

As we mark 2025, the year encoded in Miketz’s words, it’s a wake-up call. This is the year a major film brings David’s story to the world anew. The end was declared from the beginning, and the Hebrew text still holds the keys.

Don’t settle for a flattened version. Open a Hebrew-English Chumash. Count the pesukim yourself. Listen to the original voice of Torah.

The light is increasing. The redemption pattern is unfolding. And it was written there all along.

Hazan Gavriel ben David

beithashoavah.org

The Torah’s Hidden Clock – Beit HaShoavah

The Burning Bush Renewed: God’s Eternal Covenant and the Proof Amid Global Trials

In the Book of Exodus, the burning bush is a profound symbol. It represents divine revelation and an unbreakable promise. On the slopes of Horeb, Moses encountered a bush that burned without being consumed. This was a miracle. It signified God’s eternal presence and fidelity. God said, “I am the God of your father.” He is also “the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob” (Exodus 3:6). Hashem revealed His name, I Will Be What IWill Be (Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh). He promised to deliver the Israelites from Egypt. He would also establish an eternal covenant with His people.¹ This covenant is deeply rooted in Abraham’s seed and the land of Israel. It is also based on the unique role of the Jewish people. Despite being challenged throughout history, it endures as a flame that refuses to be extinguished.

(Exodus 3:6). Hashem revealed His name, I Will Be What I Will Be (Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh)

Today, in an era of unprecedented global hostility toward Jews, we witness Hashem once again proving Himself to the world. The burning bush defied natural laws to affirm God’s commitment. Similarly, the survival, resilience, and sovereignty of the Jewish people in their ancestral homeland defy the forces arrayed against them. This is not mere coincidence; it is divine testimony.

A powerful exposition comes from Dr. Mordechai Kedar, an expert with over three decades studying Hamas and radical Islamic ideologies.² In a recent interview, Kedar explains the conflict is fundamentally religious, not territorial. Hamas adheres to a theology declaring Islam has “canceled” Judaism (din batel—an invalidated religion). Jews have no legitimate claim to nationhood, covenant, or land. A Jewish state is an intolerable “resurrection” of a superseded faith. This ideology unites extremists, fueling Iran’s proxies and global jihad. Israel’s existence challenges this, making it the “Small Satan.”

The Satan

This Islamic supersessionism echoes historical Christian replacement theologies, where some claimed the Church supersedes Israel, rendering Jews covenantally obsolete.³ Many modern denominations have rejected this post-Holocaust, yet remnants contribute to delegitimization.

Remarkably, in the modern West, political right and left converge in denials. Far-right revives tropes of disloyalty; far-left anti-Zionism morphs into antisemitism, portraying Jews as oppressors despite historical ties.⁴ Reports document surging incidents, with attacks on synagogues and communities worldwide.⁵

Hashem promised: “For a brief moment I forsook you, but with great compassion I will gather you” (Isaiah 54:7). “I will make a new covenant… on their hearts” (Jeremiah 31:31-33). The covenant is irrevocable (Romans 11:29). Global onslaught highlights this truth. As Pharaoh’s heart led to proofs of power, today’s rejection amplifies Hashem’s faithfulness.

The burning bush burns still. In Israel’s survival and Jewish spirit, Hashem proves Himself—not just to His people, but the world. This is vindication: a promise kept, God’s eternal covenant, a light no darkness overcomes.

Outbound Links (High-Traffic Pro-Israel Sites):

• Christians United for Israel (CUFI): https://cufi.org/
• AIPAC: https://www.aipac.org/
• StandWithUs: https://standwithus.com/
• Jerusalem Post (pro-Israel news): https://www.jpost.com/
• Israel Hayom: https://www.israelhayom.com/

Footnotes:

1. Biblical text from Exodus; explore more at Chabad.org (pro-Israel Jewish resource).
2. Dr. Mordechai Kedar profile: https://www.mordechaikedar.net/
3. See CUFI’s resources on Christian support for Israel: https://cufi.org/
4. AIPAC on strengthening U.S.-Israel ties: https://www.aipac.org/
5. StandWithUs on fighting antisemitism: https://standwithus.com/fighting-antisemitism/
6. Israel’s innovation highlighted by organizations like StandWithUs: https://standwithus.com/

I Will Be With You: The Burning Bush in Torah and Israel’s Endurance Today

I Will Be With You: The Burning Bush in Torah, Israel’s Endurance, and Divine Mirrors

The most commonly misquoted verse in the entire Bible is Exodus 3:14. God reveals His name to Moses at the burning bush in Torah. He says, “I Am That I Am” (Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh). As Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks of blessed memory emphasized, this translation misses the depth. In Hebrew, it means “I Will Be What I Will Be”—a relational promise of divine presence.

Moreover, Rabbi Sacks taught that Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh assures: “I will be with you” through trials. The bush burns yet remains unconsumed, just like that.

This name, YHVH, introduces a new era. The patriarchs knew God as El Shaddai. Still, they did not know Him in this redemptive way (Exodus 6:3). For the first time, Hashem shows Himself as the One who walks with His people in suffering. He even transcends natural laws.

The Burning Bush in Torah: Symbol of Israel

Rabbi David Fohrman offers profound insights in his Aleph Beta teachings. In the series The Origins of God’s Firstborn Nation, he explores the three signs at the burning bush in Torah.

A humble thornbush aflame yet unconsumed perfectly mirrors Israel. The Jewish people have endured fiery persecution for over 3,300 years since the Exodus. Yet, they stay indestructible.

Fohrman reveals textual “mirrors.” These include chiastic structure in the Torah, repetition of words, thematic pairs, and echoes. Such patterns show the Torah as its own best commentary.

Furthermore, vast chiasms span Exodus and connect to Genesis. These improbable designs prove Hashem’s authorship of both the text and history.

Links to Eden: Trees and Human Hubris

These mirrors connect directly to Eden. In the podcast A Book Like No Other, Fohrman views the Trees of Life and Knowledge as interconnected.

Accessing Knowledge without Life’s humility leads to hubris. People illusion themselves as divine. They seize control, fearing no higher authority.

Thus, this perspective drives assaults on the Jewish people. They carry Hashem’s eternal covenant.

The burning bush in Torah echoes Eden’s fiery Tree of Life. It reintroduces compassion amid exile.

Prophecy and Today’s Relevance

Yet, the Torah declares the end from the beginning (Isaiah 46:10). Its structures foretell Israel’s role as the Suffering Servant (Isaiah 52–53). Despised yet redemptive, Israel astonishes nations.

In our time, flames rage again. However, the pattern endures: the bush lives on.

The war against the Jewish people is truly a war against the God. This God promised Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh—”I will be with you.”

Hashem’s mirrors—from Eden to Exodus, prophecy to now—guarantee survival, exaltation, and recognition of the One True God.

This is the burning bush in Torah‘s message today. It weaves through Rabbi Fohrman’s chiastic designs, Eden’s trees, and Israel’s witness.

For deeper study:

• Rabbi Sacks on Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh: Faith in the Future
• Aleph Beta main site: alephbeta.org

(Suggested internal links: Link to your related posts on Exodus, Isaiah’s Servant, or Rabbi Fohrman reviews. For backlinks: Share this on social media, submit to Jewish/Torah directories, or guest post on sites like Aish.com.)

“You Shall Not Commit Adultery” – Esau’s Wives, Samson’s Women, and the Battle for Covenant Seed

You think the Seventh Commandment is about sex.

It’s not.

It’s about whose seed will carry the covenant.

And the Torah plants it centuries before Sinai. It seems to be in two tents. There are two betrayals. Two women almost destroyed Abraham’s promise.

Genesis 26:34-35: “When Esau was forty years old, he took as wives Judith, daughter of Beeri the Hittite. He also married Basemath, daughter of Elon the Hittite. And they were a bitterness of spirit to Isaac and Rebecca.”

Judges 14:1–3: “Samson went down to Timnah. He saw a woman there, a daughter of the Philistines. His father and mother said to him, ‘Is there no woman among your brothers’ daughters? Why do you go to take a wife from the uncircumcised Philistines?’”

Two men. Two foreign women. Two grieving parents. One commandment screaming beneath the surface: Do not commit adultery with the covenant.

Rabbi David Fohrman discusses this concept in the Aleph Beta series on Samson and Toldot. He calls it the mirror of betrayal. Esau’s Hittite wives are akin to Samson’s Philistine women. Both threaten the seed of Abraham. Both turn the bedroom into a battlefield for Israel’s future.

The Chiastic Mirror – Wives, Women, and Covenant Seed

Level	Toldot (Genesis 26–28)	Covenant Seed Threat	Samson (Judges 14–16)	Covenant Seed Threat
A – Foreign Wives	Esau marries two Hittite women (26:34–35) – “bitterness of spirit” to Isaac & Rebecca	Covenant seed polluted	Samson demands a Philistine wife from Timnah (14:1–3) – parents grieve	Covenant seed polluted
B – Parental Grief	Rebecca: “I loathe my life because of the Hittite women” (27:46)	Mother fears loss of Jacob’s line	Manoah & wife beg Samson not to take Philistine (14:3)	Parents fear loss of Nazirite line
C – Deception & Betrayal	Rebecca orchestrates Jacob’s deception to save the blessing (27)	Esau’s wives = indirect betrayal	Delilah betrays Samson for silver (16:5–18)	Philistine woman = direct betrayal
D – Loss of Strength	Esau loses blessing → vows to kill Jacob (27:41)	Covenant power stolen	Samson loses hair/strength → captured (16:19–21)	Nazirite power stolen
C’ – Redemption Path	Jacob sent to Laban to find proper wife (28:1–2)	Covenant seed protected	Samson’s hair regrows → final victory (16:22–30)	Nazirite power restored
B’ – Parental Legacy	Isaac blesses Jacob to become nations (28:3–4)	Parents secure the line	Samson’s death delivers Israel (16:30)	Parents’ vow fulfilled
A’ – Foreign Threat Ended	Esau’s line becomes Edom – perpetual enemy	Covenant seed preserved	Philistines crushed (16:30)	Covenant seed preserved

The Chiastic Mirror

The Chiastic Mirror – Wives, Women, and Covenant Seed

Level	Toldot (Genesis 26–28)	Covenant Seed Threat	Samson (Judges 14–16)	Covenant Seed Threat
A – Foreign Wives	Esau marries two Hittite women (26:34–35) – “bitterness of spirit” to Isaac & Rebecca	Covenant seed polluted	Samson demands a Philistine wife from Timnah (14:1–3) – parents grieve	Covenant seed polluted
B – Parental Grief	Rebecca: “I loathe my life because of the Hittite women” (27:46)	Mother fears loss of Jacob’s line	Manoah & wife beg Samson not to take Philistine (14:3)	Parents fear loss of Nazirite line
C – Deception & Betrayal	Rebecca orchestrates Jacob’s deception to save the blessing (27)	Esau’s wives = indirect betrayal	Delilah betrays Samson for silver (16:5–18)	Philistine woman = direct betrayal
D – Loss of Strength	Esau loses blessing → vows to kill Jacob (27:41)	Covenant power stolen	Samson loses hair/strength → captured (16:19–21)	Nazirite power stolen
C’ – Redemption Path	Jacob sent to Laban to find proper wife (28:1–2)	Covenant seed protected	Samson’s hair regrows → final victory (16:22–30)	Nazirite power restored
B’ – Parental Legacy	Isaac blesses Jacob to become nations (28:3–4)	Parents secure the line	Samson’s death delivers Israel (16:30)	Parents’ vow fulfilled
A’ – Foreign Threat Ended	Esau’s line becomes Edom – perpetual enemy	Covenant seed preserved	Philistines crushed (16:30)	Covenant seed preserved

What Adultery Really Means

The Seventh Commandment is not about desire. It is about whose children will inherit the promise.

Esau’s Hittite wives threaten to dilute Abraham’s seed with Canaanite blood. Samson’s Philistine women threaten to hand Abraham’s promise to uncircumcised enemies.

Both are adultery against the covenant — sleeping with the wrong future.

Rebecca doesn’t complain about sex. She complains about the bitterness of spirit — the spiritual death of her grandchildren.

Delilah doesn’t just betray Samson’s body. She betrays his seed — the Nazirite calling meant to birth Israel’s deliverance.

The Torah’s message is brutal: Adultery is not private. It is treason against the next generation.

Why This Matters for Jewish Chosenness

Why This Matters for Jewish Chosenness

Every time a religion claims the Torah’s commandments while rejecting the Jewish people, they commit the Seventh Commandment in Toldot.

They spiritually sleep with foreign gods and birth a covenant that belongs to someone else.

But the Torah says the seed belongs to the children of the promise. It belongs to the family that grieved over Hittite wives in a tent in Beersheba.

As Rabbi Dr. Akiva Tatz teaches: “The Jewish people survive because we guard the purity of the seed — not racial, but covenantal.”

Internal Links – Continue the Series

• Essay 1: The Ten Commandments in Toldot – They Began with Rivkah, Not Sinai
• Essay 2: The Second Commandment in Toldot – Esau’s Rage and “No Other Gods”
• Essay 3: The Third Commandment in Toldot – “Why Should I Lose Both of You in One Day?”
• Essay 4: The Fourth Commandment in Toldot – The First Shabbat in Exile
• Essay 5: Shabbat for All Humanity– The Rainbow Sign
• Essay 6: The Sixth Commandment in Toldot – Hair That Binds Esau & Samson

Next in this 10-part series: Essay 8 – The Eighth Commandment in Toldot: “You Shall Not Steal” – The Blessing That Was Never Esau’s

His mothers never stopped guarding the seed. [Your Name] Beit HaShoavah – Return, Repent, Rejoice https://beithashoavah.org

Shalom from Hazan Gavriel ben David.

Honoring the Shabbat as a Timeless Gift

By Hazan Gavriel Ben David

Dear Friends,

Charlie Kirk was right in his powerful new book. The book is titled Stop, in the Name of God: Why Honoring the Sabbath Will Transform Your Life. Keeping Shabbat isn’t just tradition. It’s wisdom we desperately need in our chaotic world to understand why Charlie Kirk was right about honoring it.

When we glance at the Sabbath, we often forget we’re all intertwined. We are connected through generations back to Ham, Shem, and Japheth. These three sons of Noah introduced humanity to a new world after the flood. Nothing remained—just eight souls, the animals, and a rainbow as the eternal sign of God’s covenant. We still admire its beauty today, especially the rare double arcs that remind us of divine promise.

Kirk’s book dives deep into the majesty of biblical principles, echoing how Jewish scholars have cherished these truths for millennia. The language of Torah is precise and powerful—like chemistry in its perfect balance. Even the Hebrew word “Hamas” serves as a prophetic hint. It signifies the violence we’d face across history, right from the beginning.

Shabbat pulls us back to peace.

Shabbat pulls us back to peace.

Consider creation’s rhythm, mirrored perfectly in Noah’s story:

• Day one: Earth formless and void, waters everywhere, God’s Spirit hovering—just as Noah’s Ark floated, held only by His word.
• Day two: Waters separated, dry land appears—the Ark rests on Ararat.
• Day three: Vegetation blooms, mirrored by the dove’s olive branch.
• Day four: Sun, moon, stars for signs and seasons—unchanged.
• Day five: Fish and fowl sent forth with divine patterns.
• Day six: Beasts and man created.

Today, we stand at that sixth-day crossroads: Will we act like animals, destroying with violence, envy, and words? Or will we build a world of peace, love, and hope—that unbreakable rope binding us through history?

On the seventh day, God gave the rainbow—the covenant sign.

On the seventh day, God gave the rainbow—the covenant sign. Kirk nailed it on why the Shabbat relates directly to his views.

It’s not laziness; it’s recharging the soul. In our burnout culture of endless scrolling, hustling, and dopamine chasing, science confirms downtime reduces stress and boosts focus. Shabbat is the ultimate reset—no emails, no noise, just presence with family, faith, and God.

Like Noah adrift on stormy waters, we’re navigating chaos now. The Ark isn’t wood anymore—it’s Shabbat. Step inside, shut out the storm, let the dove fly. Maybe you’ll return with your own olive leaves of peace.

Try it—one quiet evening. Your mind, family, and faith will thank you for embracing Charlie Kirk’s views on the power of the Shabbat.

To learn more about this transformative practice, I highly recommend Charlie Kirk’s insightful book. The title is Stop, in the Name of God: Why Honoring the Sabbath Will Transform Your Life. It’s a timely call to reclaim what truly matters.

Shalom,

Hazan Gavriel Ben David
Amarillo, Texas
December 13, 2025

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Related reading on this site:

• The Role of the Hazan in Early American Judaism
• Noah’s Ark and the Patterns of Creation

Keywords: Shabbat, Sabbath observance, Charlie Kirk book, biblical rest, Torah wisdom, Noah covenant, rainbow sign