From: Bill.Carlson@p0.f18.n104.z1.FIDONET.ORG (Bill Carlson)
Newsgroups: alt.messianic
Subject: Idolatry Is Equal To Atheism
Date: 16 Nov 92 18:30:09 GMT
Organization: FidoNet node 1:104/18.0 - Midrash, Denver CO

To: strom@Watson.Ibm.Com

 RS> Date: 11 Nov 92 04:00:42 GMT
 
 RS> (Do Messianics have the same Torah portions we do?)

     Of course, we have the same haftorah portions too.

 RS> How do Messianics interpret Vayera?
 
     Funny you should ask :-) I just happen to have that on disk from a
     Messianic perspective. Now, I will try to get it into a couple of
     posts, let me know if you do not get the second post...

In the Soncino Chumash on portion Wayyera Beresheet Chapter 18, we find
some very interesting commentary...

V.1   And  HaShem  appeared  unto  him...  HaShem  here means the three
angels  (verse 2) (Sh).   {Rashbam,  in  the commentary on verse 1 does
comment that the usage of HaShem is connected to the rest of the story,
relating to the three angels in verse 2, now while this is not the only
Rabbinic thought,  others thinking that it is a seperate occurance,  at
least  one Rabbinic  thought is that it is connected and not a seperate
appearance}.

V.2  three men...One  to bring the tidings that  Sarah would give birth
to a son, the second to overthrow Sodom, and the third to heal Avraham;
the last also went on from there to save Lot (R, E).   {This commentary
by Abraham Ibn Ezra & Rashi,  will come into play later,  as we see the
identity of the angel according to the Text later}.

V.3  my L-rd*. {first we have the one of the traditional understandings
that Avraham addressed the chief angel,(so some say he's not signifying
G-d),[another one puts it, a word* in Torah is profain], HOWEVER, if we
look  at  another  commentary  from  the  Chamush  we  see...}, Another
interpretation:   He  spoke to  G-d, praying  Him to wait  until he had
attended to his quests (R).  {Again  by Rashi, we see that according to
him,the usage of Ad*nai here is not profain, but rather is then Avraham  
talking to G-d!  [although he  does'nt  mean it as in person toward the
angels,  but in a vision if you will,  HOWEVER...], the next commentary
states...He recognized that they were angels, and therefore called them
by their Master's Name, L-rd (N). {Here Nachmanides throws the hat back
in the ring, stating that Avraham did address the angels,  and intended
to use  Ad*nai  when speaking to them!   Now of course,  the  Messianic
interpetation  would  be  that  all  three  are  correct!  That Avraham
addressed the Chief Angel,  that He spoke to G-d, [or more specific, to
HaMemrah shel Elohim/the Metatron/HaTzimtzim/The Angel of the Covenant]
and that in fact he wanted to address Him, [not with a profane  scribal
error*], but with the word Ad*nai!

V.10  and He said:  I will certainly return unto thee.   According to R
the  subject  of said is the angel who spoke as G-d's messanger;  hence
the I refers to G-d.  N observes that R construes I as G-d,  because we
do not find that the angel returned the following year.  The fulfilment
of  the promise can  only be lie in the statement,  The L-rd remembered
Sarah as He said (xxxi. I).   {Now it gets even more interesting, let's
look at the speach of this Angel starting in verse 13....}  [side note:
of course no conflict here if the Angel is HaMemrah,  as then the visit
would  have been  b'Ruach  shel Elohim,  and would have been the Angel,
HaTzimtzim being a Ruach being, not a mere angel either.

... 012 Sh'ma Yisrael: HaShem - El*hienu - HaShem ECHAD! ... 210    

--  
Bill Carlson - via ParaNet node 1:104/422
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