** we say - From our viewpoint, as something that G-d commands us to do.
For Maimonides, the word ha-mada‘ refers to the
principle knowledge which one should know about the
Jewish religion before all else. (See his Preface to the
Code, "Sefer Rishon.")
At the same time, this word ha-mada‘ refers to wisdom – the highest human achievement.
(The root letters for knowing are yod dalet ‘ayin
in Hebrew. Within the family of Hebrew words that emerge
from this root, some lose the "weak" letter yod.
We see, though, the commonality of words in this family
in the two letters dalet and ‘ayin —
-de‘a,-du‘a,-da‘,
and -di‘a. Besides having a
preceding syllable, though, the vowels also change.)
^Abraham - The Patriarch Abraham is the author of the first recension of the Book of Formation. Much later, Rabbi Akiba assembled the correct reading of Abraham's composition. Possibly, it is also he who authored a lesson which speaks about Abraham: "And with the advent of the Patriarch Abraham (of blessed memory), who looked, saw, investigated, understood. . . ." Perhaps, Rabbi Akiba then inserted this lesson into the last chapter of the Book of Formation for the recension that he taught his students, who then taught their students, and so on until today.
^Eishel - Literally, an orchard. Also as an abbreviation for:
Alef for achila (ah khih LAH) - eating
Shin for shtiya (sh' tih AH) - drinking
Lamed for lina (lih NAH) - sleeping overnight or hosting for a duration
Also:
Alef for achila (ah khih LAH) - eating (and drinking)
Shin for sheina (shay NAH) - sleeping
Lamed for l'viya (l' vih AH) - escorting a guest on to his/her way
^Eishel - Abraham and Sarah's students came to them to continue to learn about the One G-d, Creator of Heaven and Earth. Abraham and Sarah provided food and board for them – perhaps in tent-style dormitories. Passing travelers also took advantage of Abraham and Sarah's hospitality. Abraham and Sarah ran an inn – an eishel. Some guests stayed to learn what Abraham and Sarah were teaching. Some students and guests became disciples spreading the lessons about the One G-d. Some who heard these lessons traveled themselves to learn directly from Abraham and Sarah.
It would not be surprising if Abimelech underwrote some of these efforts since the Well of Seven Oaths – Be'er Sheva (Beersheba) – was in his domain.
^ ◦ These three verses from Scripture - "will give" hints at my name; "ask" hints at the name of our second son, Shimon Aryeh Leib; "planted" hints at the second name of my great-grandfather Nathan Nateh Segal (after whom I am named); "[Abraham] gave" again hints at my name; "everything of his to [his son]" hints at the reader of this page, besides my children and their children.
• Olam (location) - Europe; Chicago, U.S.A.; Kansas, U.S.A.
• Shanah (arrow of time / history) - my great-grandparents' emigration from Botoşani, Romania (to Paris and then to Chicago); my schooling in Chicagoland, downstate Illinois, the Land of Israel, and Brooklyn; livelihood and family life in Chicago; relocating to Kansas.
• Nefesh (consciousness) - six generations in memory and recollection.
"will give" hints at my name - In Hebrew, 'Nathaniel' means 'G-d gave' or 'given by G-d'. Shimon Aryeh Leib - In Hebrew, the first letter of each of these three names together means 'ask'. "planted" hints at the second name of my great-grandfather - Although 'Nateh' is a Yiddish name, it is spelled in Hebrew the same as the word 'planted'. His first name also means 'gave'. Potential - ancestors Actualizing - birth, education, and family life Outcomes - spreading the knowledge of the Seven Noahide Commandments and the knowledge of Torah study (among other results).
