Parshat Lech L'cha

U'S'FUNEI T'MUNEI CHOL

Beachcombing the G'matriya Beach with the help of "Otzrot Yisrael", one of the CDs of the "Responsa Project" of Bar Ilan University.

Several times in my computer searching, I have found
G'matriya-Matches between one of G-d's promises on the  one hand, and our failure to benefit from the promises because we didn't live up to our side of the commitment. Each time, the GM serves as a reminder that in many cases, G-d's promises are linked to our behavior.3 different p'sukim in Lech L'cha produced such GMs. B'reishit 15:18 says that "On that day, G-d entered into a covenant with Avra(ha)m saying: to your offspring I have given the Land from the Egyptian river until the P'rat river. Sho'f'tim 3:8 states that "G-d was angry with Israel (because they abandoned G-d and worshiped Baal and Asheirot) and He sold them into the hands of Kushan-Rish'atayim, king of Aram-Naharayim, and the Children of Israel served Kushan-Rish'atayim for eight years." Both p'sukim have the same G'matriya, 6351.

Similarly, 17:7 - "And I will My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you for generations, an eternal covenant, to be your G-d and your offspring's after you." But we slip occasionally.

D'varim 32:15 states - "Yeshurun got fat and kicked...  and forsook G-d and mistreated the Rock of his Salvation." Both p'sukim share 4999 as their G'matriya.And again with 17:19 - "And G-d said, Sara your wife shall bear you a son, and you shall call him Yitzchak, and I will establish My covenant with him..."

Yechezkeil 5:7 - Therefore, thus said G-d... you have not followed My statutes..." GM=7127. In each case, the promises of the first pasuk are matched by our messing things up. In each case, the result should have been very different. IY"H, we'll yet get our act together and be worthy of all G-d's promises.

On the other hand... B'reishit 17:24 states that "Avraham was 99 years old when he circumcised himself." This particular action on Avraham's part is a model for his descendants' commitment to observe G-d's commands. Avraham and his offspring follow G-d's Torah and Mitzvot. That is Avraham and that is the People of Israel.Sh'mot 12:50 - "And all of Bnei Yisrael did as G-d commanded Moshe and Aharon, so they did." The p'sukim G-Match at 3548. That's more like it. It's the real us.

No matter how improperly we behave sometimes, we will
straighten out.

A word of caution about G'matriya, specifically the homemade variety that appear in this Treasures in the Sand column. Don't read too much into them. They are not meant to say something new. They are meant to be a nice "numerical confirmation" of existing ideas. They point to ideas to be explored. Try any of them without the G'matriya. They still "work".

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