- Bereshit / Genesis 21:1-34
- BaMidbar / Numberes 29:1-6
- Sh’muel Alef / 1st Samuel 1:1-2:10
- Tesolonikim Alef / 1st Thessalonians 4:13-18
Yom Teruah, the Day of the blowing of the Shofar, falls on a Shabbat this year. Therefore, there is a special Torah reading for this Shabbat, which does not correspond to the regular Torah cycle.
Rabbis associate Yom Teruah with the birth of planet earth. It is for this reason that they use the more common name of Rosh Hashanah for this Feast day, which literally translated means “Head of the Year” or New Year. For this reason you will hear Jewish people greeting each other with “Happy New Year” during this season. Also, because the rabbis believe that the earth was born on Yom Teruah, the calendar year changes on this Feast. This year is 5770. Yes, according to the Rabbi’s the earth is now five thousand seven hundred and seventy years old. This, of course, may or may not be correct.
So why, then, is Bereshit chapter 21 read during Yom Teruah, the Feast of Trumpets? Like I said, Yom Teruah, according to the Rabbis, is the birthday of planet earth; Bereshit chapter 21 talks about the birth of Yitzchak, to Judaism this is the birthday of Am Yisrael (the people of Israel).
Bereshit {21:33} Avraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beer-Sheva, and called there on the name of HaShem, the everlasting G-D. {21:34} Avraham (Abraham) sojourned in the land of the Philistines many days.
This passage of Scripture from our Parasha is quite intriguing. Why in the world would HaShem want us to know that Avraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beer-Sheva? What spiritual significance could this possible have? There is really nothing special about a tamarisk tree that would merit it this special mention, other than the fact that it is a tree well suited to grow in this area of the country.
Every year in the month leading up to Tu Beshvat (Israel’s Arbour Day), which is usually in February, I encourage our congregation to buy a tree to plant in Yisrael. A slogan I have developed over the years to promote the purchasing of trees is, “have roots in Yisrael.” We have planted a countless number of trees in Yisrael over the years, and hundreds, I am sure, have grown quite large by now, which means our roots run deep in the Land.
I believe that this is similar to what HaShem is telling us here in this passage. I think what HaShem is telling us in this passage of Scripture is that Avraham set down roots in Eretz Yisrael (the land of Israel), which is symbolized by the planting of a tree; he planted himself as we are told in verse 34:
Bereshit {21:34} Avraham sojourned in the land of the Philistines many days.
Avraham found his place. He now had an undisputed well, and it was here that he was going to make his home and it was from here that he would worship the L-rd, the everlasting G-d. I am sure Avraham’s tamarisk tree grew to become quite large and its roots must have gone deep into the Israeli soil.
Avraham’s well is still part of the city of Beersheva’s points of interest. Who knows if one of the many tamarisk trees that surround that well today is not the one that Avraham planted or at least a descendant of that original tree.
Something was born in Yisrael in Bereshit chapter 21 and it was not just Yitzchak. In Yitzchak was the birth of the fulfillment of the promise of G-d.
Bereshit {12:1} Now HaShem said to Avram, “Get out of your country, and from your relatives, and from your father’s house, to the land that I will show you. {12:2} I will make of you a great nation. I will bless you, and make your name great. You will be a blessing.
HaShem has made us a promise as well. One that can be birthed in you today if you will stop, like Avraham, and plant yourself as part of the Kingdom of G-d:
Mizmor (Psalm) {1:1} How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers! {1:2} But his delight is in the Torah of HaShem, and in His Torah he meditates day and night. {1:3} And he will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither; and in whatever he does, he prospers.
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