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/Tza•diq•ūtꞋ)B.C.E. 1st century — RabꞋi Hi•leilꞋ, when asked by a gentile to be converted while the RabꞋi stood on one foot, replied: "That which you eschew, don’t inflict on your fellow! That's the entirety of Tōr•âhꞋ. What remains is pei•rush•âhꞋ. Now, go-weave
South From Rᵊphid•imꞋ To Har Sin•aiꞋ
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 Lapis lazuli – night sky in miniature? |
Later, Mōsh•ëhꞋ, A•ha•ronꞋ, Nâ•dâvꞋ, Av•iꞋhu, and the ùÑÄáÀòÄéí of the Elders of Yi•sᵊr•â•eilꞋ ascended, and they perceived ël•ōh•eiꞋ Yi•sᵊr•â•eilꞋ.
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 Night sky – like looking up at a giant lapis lazuli? |
Beneath His Legs and Feet, was like the ma•a•sëhꞋ of the lapis lazuli gem, and like the essence of the universe in purity. But He didn't send His Arm to Bᵊn•eiꞋ-Yi•sᵊrâ•eilꞋ. Rather, they envisioned ha-ël•oh•imꞋ.
Then they celebrated with a banquet, eating and drinking.
That's when Mōsh•ëhꞋ perceived that é‑‑ä was telling him,
“Ascend up the Har to Me and be there so I may give you the stone lūkh•ōtꞋ — the Tōr•âhꞋ and the Mi•tzᵊw•otꞋ that I wrote for instructing them.”
So Mōsh•ëhꞋ got up, along with his attendant, Yᵊho•shuꞋa, to ascend Har hâ-ël•oh•imꞋ. And Mōsh•ëhꞋ told the Elders, "Sit here until we come back. Look, A•ha•ronꞋ and Khūr are with you. Anyone who brings a court issue in the interim, present it to them."
Then Mōsh•ëhꞋ ascended hâ-Har; and the cloud enshrouded hâ-Har. Then the Kâ•vōdꞋ é‑‑ä neighbored over Har Sin•aiꞋ.
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| Har Karkom, summit cave (photo: www.harkarkom.com) |
The cloud enshrouded the summit for six days, and on Seventhday (Sha•bâtꞋ), Mōsh•ëhꞋ perceived Him call from within the cloud. To the eyes of Bᵊn•eiꞋ-Yi•sᵊrâ•eilꞋ, the appearance of the Kâ•vōdꞋ é‑‑ä was like a consuming fire on the rōsh hâ-Har.
So Mōsh•ëhꞋ came inside the cloud and ascended hâ-Har, and Mōsh•ëhꞋ was in the Har 40 days and 40 nights.
Optional parental preparation:
24.10, Feet – The Biblical prohibition against anthropomorphism ensures that this description, as well as the related Scriptures Na•khumꞋ 1.3 (c BCE 613) and Yᵊsha•yâhꞋu 66.1 (c BCE 720), are metaphoric.
In modern times, one must travel into the wilderness, far from any populated area, to see the exquisiteness of the night sky that the ancients knew.
In ancient times, before night skies were hazed by the glow of city lights, the evening skies, as they turned dark blue before black, highlighted the planets, stars and constellations, resembling a lapis lazuli gemstone. The constellations were viewed as manifestations of ël•ōh•imꞋ. Perhaps one such constellation was viewed as standing atop an array, as if it were resting on a pedestal of lapis lazuli.
Most likely, the reference to an "Arm" and "Leg" referred to a constellation of stars that they likened to a Figure having "Arms" and "Legs". (The Hebrew term for "leg" includes, and is also the most popular term for, "foot", just as the Hebrew term for "arm" includes, and is also the most popular term for, "hand".)
Questions you might anticipate that your child might raise and be prepared to discuss:
What does "envision" mean?
What is a banquet?
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