Thoughts on Torah for Last Week:
 
Additions to our page on Spiritual Coaching:
   Three part video teaching on Shabbat
 
Genesis 32-36
This portion includes two verses where God changes Jacob’s name from Jacob to Israel – 32:28, 35:10.  The name Jacob means “seizing by the heel” as he followed Esau during birth. Later we will see God change his name to Israel meaning “struggling/striving with God”.  This incident between God and Jacob would seem to indicate that God put Jacob through some kind of a test of loyalty or a trial of faith, which Jacob passed or prevailed and for which was the basis for Jacob’s name change – an indication of a change of status for Jacob with God.

Thoughts on Torah for Last Week:

Before I get into the Torah portion, I am adding a Spiritual Coaching page for those who desire to become a Holy or Set Apart Believer.  This page includes specific instructions to do just that.  GO HERE
 
Genesis 28-32
This portion includes Jacob’s dream of a ladder to heaven.  Jacob dreamed of a ladder to heaven where angels were ascending and descending along the ladder. One interpretation of Jacob’s dream is that each rung on the ladder represents a spiritual category of humanity to or away from God.  Moreover the angels that are ascending and descending this ladder are ministering to the righteous or calling the wicked to repentance to the various persons on the ladder

Thoughts on Torah for Last Week:

Genesis 25-28
​[As God reveals an expanding view of His work, old paradigms fall away and new ones emerge.]
 
One of the repeating concepts that we see in Genesis is the birthright son. The birthright son had the responsibility to be a provider and protector of the family if the father was unable.  This role as a type of “backup” father assumed also, and as we see with Isaac, obligations or responsibilities that the father had made with his god.  And as a continuing practice in Genesis, this birthright with its responsibilities and benefits past to Jacob then to Joseph/Ephraim.

​Thoughts on Torah for Last Week:
 
Before I get into the Torah portion, I would like to take a moment and praise God since I came to Torah.  Since I left my old non-Torah belief system and embraced Torah as God’s Way, I have seen the power of God come into my life in tangible ways –