Sins of our Fathers
The Sins of our Fathers; a meditation.
Reading through the book of Genesis makes a few things certain and clear: Genesis the book of Beginnings is, on a whole, nearly obsessed with the theme of education, transmission of culture, heritage and name bestowed upon us by the fathers. In short, it is the accounting and retelling of the legislation, acts and sins of our fathers; of the founding patriarchs and matriarchs.
By the sixth chapter of Genesis, YHVH Elohim (Almighty God) has grown positively sick of our collective acts of evil and self-aggrandizement. Righteous son Abel was slain by the firstborn of all the earth, Cain. The line of Cain then became "mighty warriors and men of renown;" the founders of cities, the arts, the crafts; realpolitik and military power. The self-sufficient men we all admire and idolize, today more so than ever. However God took pity on Adam and bequeathed onto him another son in the stead of Abel; and gave him "a son in his likeness and in his image." Therefore Eve said, "Behold, God hath Appointed me another son," and so they called his name, Seth.
Noah ha tzadik v'tamim, (who alone was found both righteous and simple, that is, pure, in all his generation), was of the line of Seth and set apart to "comfort," hence his name, Noah, the earth by being the first of the redeemed patriarchs. For the rest of all the earth and all the descendants of Adam, and the line of Cain, had drowned and lie buried underneath the waters of the flood.
These are the generations of Noah; unto Noah were born three sons: Shem, Ham and Japheth. Japheth the firstborn became the father of the Greeks, the Romans, the Celts and all Western Europeans. Ham became the Father of the Cushites (Ethiopians), the Egyptians, the Canaanites, the Philistines and the Syrians (among whose boundaries lie Sodom and Gomorrah). Middle son Shem, (whose name literally means; Name) is the bearer of the covenant and the root of Abraham. Ham had uncovered Noah's nakedness and not only failed to cover him up, but ran out to accuse him with his brothers. For Noah had passed out in his tent from drinking of the vine he had produced by the earth. Shem and Japheth mercifully and reverently walked in backwards and covered their father with a mantle; having never uncovered his nakedness. Upon waking, Ham was cursed by his father to become, "the lowliest of slaves unto Shem," and Japheth, who was also found righteous, Noah blessed to prosper and expand his tents over Canaan, who was the son of Ham. By contrast Shem became the father of the righteous bearers of the Name, hence the term: Semites (not to say, Shem-ites).
ALL THE BOOK OF GENESIS is the narrative of the Sins and Education of our Fathers; from whom all began and of whom all is as it is, to this very day. I do not believe we as men, women and heads of families nearly appreciate the grand burden of patriarchy and matriarchy that God bestows upon us when we accept of free volition to stand underneath the chuppah, and upon the bimah of the altar; and agree to marry and beget family. Family is the root of all and the end of all. Without proper patriarchy there cannot be but anarchy; and to take this responsibility lightly is worse than to take it up not at all.
When we sin as fathers, inevitably this transgression is passed on to following generations. However when we become upright and turn, teshuva, back to God and back to our righteous origins (for we are all the descendants of Noah, the simple and the righteous; and therefore all part of one large, extended family) then does HaShem (the Name) turn back to us and bless us, and grant us favor. May the God of Heaven and Earth forgive our sins and look not on the foolishness of our youth. May He grant mercy and not due judgment; for if any one of us were to stand alone on our merits; well then... who among us shall withstand? Who among us has not transgressed the Law of our Lord, but rather willingly do so, daily? God grant us the rod of instruction; that our children may grow, prosper and lay hand upon the gates of their enemy; that they take hold and possess the promised land, that blessed inheritance overflowing with milk and honey, and sworn on oath to us from of old; forever, amen.
Men, fathers; if we ourselves do not set the example but rather shirk our responsibilities and flee from His face; then are we worthy of the name? Who then, if not us, will be fit to stand in our place? Let us disengage from the current, ephemeral and vain, even if just for the day; and make an effort to meditate on the eternal, the righteous and the divine. To transmit the traditions of finance, there are others. To teach the wonders of business, management and science, there are the gentiles.
But if WE do not transmit the sacred teachings that have been dutifully bestowed, entrusted and handed down to us lovingly and meticulously over 4,000 years, who will be left to take our place? Indeed we shall leave ourselves without heirs.
