Vayishlach 5782 and the letter Dalet Part 2

Today I was reminded of this awkward translation in Exodus 22:28 [29]  that Grant Luton spoke about in one of his teachings.

When we read from the English translations is reads: “You are not to delay offering from your harvest of grain, olive oil or wine.”

However, the direct Hebrew to English translation reads, “Your fullness and your weeping of tears do not delay to bring to me.”

This is quite a different translation and perhaps that is why the translators tried to make more sense of this and linked it back to wheat.

So, what does this have to do with the letter dalet?

The word for tears is dama: dalet-mem-ayin. When we look at the picture meanings of each of these letters it says the door of the eye produces tears.

Why would father want us to bring the fullness and the weeping of our tears to him? What does this mean?

This is about being humble in spirit – not hesitating to surrender your all to your Father in Heaven. This is about going to HaShem straight away, pouring out your heart in praise to Him and if you are sad or upset about something bringing it to Him straight away. This is the picture of the dalet – the poor man, who is in constant need of His Saviour and King’s strength.

Why is the gimmel facing the dalet?

It is to teach us that the one who provides kindness should be seeking out the poor or those in need. This is the heart of the Father that we read of in the Parable of the Prodigal Son.

The son had lost everything through his reckless behaviour. Walking up the path to his father’s house, he was prepared to do anything, to enter in at the lowest ranks. When his father saw him, he ran out to meet him. This is the picture of the gimmel – the father of the prodigal son running towards his son, to meet him in his time of need, to embrace him. This is like our Father in heaven facing us – desiring for us to bring Him the fullness of our weeping and our tears – the fullness of our greatest joy and our deepest angst and pain. This is our King, who is the great “I AM” that in the month of Elul enters the fields, dropping all throne room protocol to meet be available with us!

The dalet doesn’t face the gimmel – he doesn’t always know who is blessing him, instead he faces the hey (the 5^th letter) – which represents the window – the revelation of our Creator – YeHoVaH!

What a beautiful picture of how to give - with quiet discretion and tact to preserve the esteem of the recipient.

The Torah places equal importance on both the recipient and the donor. The dalet faces YeHoVaH as he acknowledges that it is really Father that is giving not the giver.

The dalet is the 4^th letter and Yahuda was the fourth born son.

Yahuda (Judah) has the letters of YHVH in it

This is the only name in the Bible that has the full name of YHVH in it.

The dalet is the fourth letter.

The dalet is the door that gives us access to the YHVH!

It is through the lion of the tribe of Judah!

YESHUA

And it was Ya’akov (Jacob) who was the Father of Yahuda (Judah).

Have you ever considered what would have happened, had Ya’akov not wrestled with the angel that night? Imagine if he has not fought for his blessing that night – if he had not held on? Ya'akov knew intrinsically that he needed to hold on. In this moment, we see the picture of the dalet, the poor man, looking towards the Father – the hey (the 5^th letter) for the blessing.

If we look at Ya’akovs life – from the moment he sold the bowl of stew to his brother Esau, to his journey with Laban to the moment he wrestled, he knew the weight of the covenant promise given to his grandfather. He knew the weight of it rested on him and so he fought for the blessing, with Esau, with Laban and now with “The One who Promised the Blessing”.

Ya’akov would no longer be the same man. He would be changed forever. From Ya'akov, the “holder of the heel" or "supplanter” to Israel “Contender with Elohim”.

“So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, “It is because I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared.”  The sun rose above him as he passed Peniel, and he was limping because of his hip.”

Exodus 32:30 -31

The sun rising above Ya’akov’s head links this to the 4^th day of Creation – the day when the sun, moon and stars were placed in the heavens to mark the appointed times. The 4^th day is also links to authority, the spirit of Elohim and Messiah – the door. Our dalet – the door to the hey – YHVH. The door which Ya’akov chose to press through so that he could see His Heavenly Father, face to face – peniel – and walk in covenant with Him.

This is the heart of the Father for us – that we would choose Him. That we would press through the door, receive the authority given to us through the sacrificial love of Yeshua and walk in a revelational, transformational covenantal relationship with Him.

May we seek HaShem’s heart and not His hand this week. I encourage you to surrender your needs and burdens, trust Him to cover you and that as you seek His face that you would truly know him this day.

Baruch HaShem,

Michelle

References: Mark Biltz - Hebrew Letters teachings; EL Shaddai Ministries; Grant Luton - Torah Study Mishpatim 5772