LDS Freedom Forum

Alaris wrote: ↑February 14th, 2019, 11:40 am Great post! I wonder if smells that trigger memories come into play. Imagine if the right aroma triggered premortal memories!

1 I, NEPHI, having been born of goodly parents, therefore I was taught somewhat in all the learning of my father; and having seen many afflictions in the course of my days, nevertheless, having been highly favored of the Lord in all my days; yea, having had a great knowledge of the goodness and the mysteries of God, therefore I make a record of my proceedings in my days.

2 Yea, I make a record in the language of my father, which consists of the learning of the Jews and the language of the Egyptians.

3 And I know that the record which I make is true; and I make it with mine own hand; and I make it according to my knowledge.

4 For it came to pass in the commencement of the afirst year of the reign of Zedekiah, king of Judah, (my father, Lehi, having dwelt at Jerusalem in all his days); and in that same year there came many prophets, prophesying unto the people that they must repent, or the great city Jerusalem must be destroyed.

5 Wherefore it came to pass that my father, Lehi, as he went forth prayed unto the Lord, yea, even with all his heart, in behalf of his people.

6 And it came to pass as he prayed unto the Lord, there came a pillar of fire and dwelt upon a rock before him; and he saw and heard much; and because of the things which he saw and heard he did quake and tremble exceedingly.
In ancient Jewish tradition the pillar of fire symbolizes the power of G-d's word to transform. It is said that Onkelos converted many into Judaism by narrating how G-d is the pillar of fire before Israel.

7 And it came to pass that he returned to his own house at Jerusalem; and he cast himself upon his bed, being overcome with the Spirit and the things which he had seen.

8 And being thus overcome with the Spirit, he was carried away in a vision, even that he saw the heavens open, and he thought he saw God sitting upon his throne, surrounded with numberless concourses of angels in the attitude of singing and praising their God.

9 And it came to pass that he saw One descending out of the midst of heaven, and he beheld that his luster was above that of the sun at noon-day.

10 And he also saw twelve others following him, and their brightness did exceed that of the stars in the firmament.

11 And they came down and went forth upon the face of the earth; and the first came and stood before my father, and gave unto him a book, and bade him that he should read.

12 And it came to pass that as he read, he was filled with the Spirit of the Lord.

13 And he read, saying: Wo, wo, unto Jerusalem, for I have seen thine abominations! Yea, and many things did my father read concerning Jerusalem—that it should be destroyed, and the inhabitants thereof; many should perish by the sword, and many should be carried away captive into Babylon.

14 And it came to pass that when my father had read and seen many great and marvelous things, he did exclaim many things unto the Lord; such as: Great and marvelous are thy works, O Lord God Almighty! Thy throne is high in the heavens, and thy power, and goodness, and mercy are over all the inhabitants of the earth; and, because thou art merciful, thou wilt not suffer those who come unto thee that they shall perish!

15 And after this manner was the language of my father in the praising of his God; for his soul did rejoice, and his whole heart was filled, because of the things which he had seen, yea, which the Lord had shown unto him.

16 And now I, Nephi, do not make a full account of the things which my father hath written, for he hath written many things which he saw in visions and in dreams; and he also hath written many things which he prophesied and spake unto his children, of which I shall not make a full account.

17 But I shall make an account of my proceedings in my days. Behold, I make an aabridgment of the record of my father, upon plates which I have made with mine own hands; wherefore, after I have abridged the record of my dfather then will I make an account of mine own life.

19 And it came to pass that the Jews did mock him because of the things which he testified of them; for he truly testified of their wickedness and their abominations; and he testified that the things which he saw and heard, and also the things which he read in the book, manifested plainly of the coming of a Messiah, and also the redemption of the world.

20 And when the Jews heard these things they were angry with him; yea, even as with the prophets of old, whom they had cast out, and stoned, and slain; and they also sought his life, that they might take it away. But behold, I, Nephi, will show unto you that the tender mercies of the Lord are over all those whom he hath chosen, because of their faith, to make them mighty even unto the power of deliverance.

The Rebbe wrote: ↑February 15th, 2019, 8:48 am Ok....ready?

Before I begin this chapter by chapter, verse by verse analysis of the Book of Mormon through Hebraic eyes, let me preface it with two things:

First, I do not know if I will be able to do this with the entire book. I am exceedingly busy with synagogue business and the spiritual/emotional needs of the congregation, so I will do my best to tackle as much as I can in whatever time I have available.

Second, I will work under the assumption that the events and characters in the Book of Mormon are real and as portrayed. I am not saying I believe this, nor am I saying that I endorse this. Still, it is far simpler to work within these parameters.

Ok! Let's start. 1 Nephi 1:1:

1 I, NEPHI, having been born of goodly parents, therefore I was taught somewhat in all the learning of my father; and having seen many afflictions in the course of my days, nevertheless, having been highly favored of the Lord in all my days; yea, having had a great knowledge of the goodness and the mysteries of God, therefore I make a record of my proceedings in my days.

Name etymology: Nefi - possible from the Hebrew נפל (Nefil) which means "tall one"?

Nephi as a scribe or keeper of Jewish histories: In ancient Israel, a scribe was an office of high prestige. Being a scribe meant that one was well instructed in the Torah-Law of Israel. Being a scribe, Nephi would have been certainly a prestigious member of his society.

In the Jerusalem Targum, Moshe and Aharon are called the scribes of Israel. Judaism mantains that Moshe began a school of prominently faithful israelites who would have the mission of transmitting the teachings of the law. Nephi would have been a member of such ancient scribal school.

Mysteries of the Almighty: There is a word-play between the word ספר (sofer - scribe) and the ספירות (sefirot) which account in Judaism for the mysterious nature of G-d. Nephi was therefore very knowledgeable in the higher truths of Judaism.

2 Yea, I make a record in the language of my father, which consists of the learning of the Jews and the language of the Egyptians.

Part of the role of a scribe was also to translate Torah into other languages so that the laymen in exile would understand it. The greatest known literature in Judaism are the Targums in Aramaic and the Samaritan Targum. This role of scribe seems to be fulfilled when Nephi writes in the Egyptian language.

3 And I know that the record which I make is true; and I make it with mine own hand; and I make it according to my knowledge.

In Judaism, hands were used in connection to oaths. (See, for example B'reshit 24:2) By emphasizing that the writing is of his own hand, Nephi is taking an oath concerning its truthfulness.

4 For it came to pass in the commencement of the afirst year of the reign of Zedekiah, king of Judah, (my father, Lehi, having dwelt at Jerusalem in all his days); and in that same year there came many prophets, prophesying unto the people that they must repent, or the great city Jerusalem must be destroyed.

[bTeshuvah or ]Repentance:[/b] The word in Hebrew for this is שוב (shuv) which quite literally means to turn or, more interestingly, to return. Nephi's warnings were that the people had strayed from Torah understanding and practice. Repenting in Judaism is more than a feeling. It is seeking the original way; the way of the Almighty, praised be He. Two schools of thought within Judaism defined such repentance: Some say repentance is to seek the state of the Sinai. Others define it as seeking the state of our primary existence as it was in the Garden of Eden.

5 Wherefore it came to pass that my father, Lehi, as he went forth prayed unto the Lord, yea, even with all his heart, in behalf of his people.

Name etymology: Lehi (לחי) means "jaw".

Prayed with all his heart:

The heart in Jewish culture meant the center of one's spirituality, whether good or bad. The Jewish Midrash in B'reshit Rabbah 67 says:

"The wicked are in the power of their heart, but the righteous have their heart in their power."

The meaning idea of Lehi praying with all his heart meant that no evil was to be found in his heart for he had overcome it.

6 And it came to pass as he prayed unto the Lord, there came a pillar of fire and dwelt upon a rock before him; and he saw and heard much; and because of the things which he saw and heard he did quake and tremble exceedingly.
In ancient Jewish tradition the pillar of fire symbolizes the power of G-d's word to transform. It is said that Onkelos converted many into Judaism by narrating how G-d is the pillar of fire before Israel.

7 And it came to pass that he returned to his own house at Jerusalem; and he cast himself upon his bed, being overcome with the Spirit and the things which he had seen.

8 And being thus overcome with the Spirit, he was carried away in a vision, even that he saw the heavens open, and he thought he saw God sitting upon his throne, surrounded with numberless concourses of angels in the attitude of singing and praising their God.

9 And it came to pass that he saw One descending out of the midst of heaven, and he beheld that his luster was above that of the sun at noon-day.

From Nephi's description of the angels seen by Lehi, we can be sure that Lehi saw כרובים (cherubim) – which in Hebrew means "the near ones". The ending "-im" in Hebrew is a masculine plural ending, but it does not always indicate the masculinity of the term.

In the ancient wisdom of Kabalah (Zohar Terumah 2:176a), the cherubim represented the closeness between G-d and Israel. When Israel was in connection with G-d, the cherubim turned unto G-d for praise. When Israel strayed away the cherubim would rebuke the Jewish people. It comes as no surprise that it is the cherubim who send the message to Lehi.

10 And he also saw twelve others following him, and their brightness did exceed that of the stars in the firmament.

Jewish tradition mantains that the stars are governed by the angels of heaven. The twelve cherubim mentioned by Lehi are also cited in the Book of Enoch:

"Its ceiling was like the path of stars and lightning, and between them were twelve fiery
cherubim, and their skies were as waters."

Like what is inferred from Enoch, Lehi's vision shows that such angels ruled above the stars of heaven. This is particularly revelant as Babylonian culture of Lehi's time would see the stars as governing the fate of mankind. In Lehi's vision G-d shows him how he is above and in control of the fate of Jerusalem.

11 And they came down and went forth upon the face of the earth; and the first came and stood before my father, and gave unto him a book, and bade him that he should read.

Another possible word-play between ספיר (sapir - brightness) and ספר (sefer - book). In Judaism, it is said that the heavens contain the records of what will become of the world. Therefore, this again indicates a revelation of the fate of Jerusalem.

12 And it came to pass that as he read, he was filled with the Spirit of the Lord.

Usually the term in Hebrew for filled in this case is מלא (maleh) which means not only to fill, but also to confirm.

There is a clear word-play here with מלא (fill) and מלאך (malach - angel). The only difference between the two words is the letter כ in its final form. This is also the first letter of the word cherub as well as the word star (כוכב - cochav). It seems therefore that the spirit-filling of Lehi comes as a second witness to the message of the angels, as demanded by Torah-Law which requires two witnesses to establish truth.

13 And he read, saying: Wo, wo, unto Jerusalem, for I have seen thine abominations! Yea, and many things did my father read concerning Jerusalem—that it should be destroyed, and the inhabitants thereof; many should perish by the sword, and many should be carried away captive into Babylon.

14 And it came to pass that when my father had read and seen many great and marvelous things, he did exclaim many things unto the Lord; such as: Great and marvelous are thy works, O Lord God Almighty! Thy throne is high in the heavens, and thy power, and goodness, and mercy are over all the inhabitants of the earth; and, because thou art merciful, thou wilt not suffer those who come unto thee that they shall perish!

It may sound odd to the reader that Lehi rejoiced over such news. However, in Judaism this is a rather common attitude. Ancient kabalah believes that when something evil befalls Israel it means that it's in fact such a highly elevated goodness that this world cannot comprehend it. This is why the prophets often rejoiced over that which would ultimately save Israel even if it meant suffering for a while.

15 And after this manner was the language of my father in the praising of his God; for his soul did rejoice, and his whole heart was filled, because of the things which he had seen, yea, which the Lord had shown unto him.

16 And now I, Nephi, do not make a full account of the things which my father hath written, for he hath written many things which he saw in visions and in dreams; and he also hath written many things which he prophesied and spake unto his children, of which I shall not make a full account.

The Talmud in tractate Avodah Zarah states that dreams are 1/60th of a prophecy. Rumba (Maimonides or Moses Ben Maimon) in Moreh Nevuchim states that, in order to achieve the level of the prophets, one must at least speak to an angel in a dream. The highest level one can achieve within prophecy without actual involvement in the prophetic events is to rebuke the people in the name of G-d. This shows how Lehi was a prominent prophet in his time.

17 But I shall make an account of my proceedings in my days. Behold, I make an aabridgment of the record of my father, upon plates which I have made with mine own hands; wherefore, after I have abridged the record of my dfather then will I make an account of mine own life.

Given that a scroll can wear out, in Judaism plates are considered to be a means in which one would only record the most sacred or precious information. To this very day Jewish prayer books are often covered by engraved plates for that very reason. An important example is the Copper Scroll from the Dead Sea Scrolls which contained the location of several treasures from the Temple of Jerusalem.

Jewish tradition maintains that the Law given by G-d to Moshe was carved onto tablets of pure sapphire, the same sapphire on the flag of Israel.

18 Therefore, I would that ye should know, that after the Lord had shown so many marvelous things unto my father, Lehi, yea, concerning the destruction of Jerusalem, behold he went forth among the people, and began to prophesy and to declare unto them concerning the things which he had both seen and heard.

19 And it came to pass that the Jews did mock him because of the things which he testified of them; for he truly testified of their wickedness and their abominations; and he testified that the things which he saw and heard, and also the things which he read in the book, manifested plainly of the coming of a Messiah, and also the redemption of the world.

There's a clear word-play between גילויה (giluyah - manifestation) and גאולה (geulah - redemption). Thus Nephi seems to indicate that the manifestation of Messiah would mean the redemption of the world.

It may almost go unnoticed to the reader that one of the reasons why the Jewish people of Lehi's time may have become upset is because at the time the idea of a global redemption was not yet unanimous in Judaism. Many thought that only Israel would be redeemd and the other nations would serve them.

20 And when the Jews heard these things they were angry with him; yea, even as with the prophets of old, whom they had cast out, and stoned, and slain; and they also sought his life, that they might take it away. But behold, I, Nephi, will show unto you that the tender mercies of the Lord are over all those whom he hath chosen, because of their faith, to make them mighty even unto the power of deliverance.

There is an ancient Jewish proverb that is likely to have been known by Nephi which says:

"Pray to God for mercy until the last shovelful of earth is cast upon thy grave."

Nephi's words seem to be an answer to such a proverb by turning it around and stating clearly that he would not take his prayers to his grave.

5tev3 wrote: ↑February 15th, 2019, 9:18 am

The Rebbe wrote: ↑February 15th, 2019, 8:48 am Ok....ready?

Before I begin this chapter by chapter, verse by verse analysis of the Book of Mormon through Hebraic eyes, let me preface it with two things:

First, I do not know if I will be able to do this with the entire book. I am exceedingly busy with synagogue business and the spiritual/emotional needs of the congregation, so I will do my best to tackle as much as I can in whatever time I have available.

Second, I will work under the assumption that the events and characters in the Book of Mormon are real and as portrayed. I am not saying I believe this, nor am I saying that I endorse this. Still, it is far simpler to work within these parameters.

Ok! Let's start. 1 Nephi 1:1:

1 I, NEPHI, having been born of goodly parents, therefore I was taught somewhat in all the learning of my father; and having seen many afflictions in the course of my days, nevertheless, having been highly favored of the Lord in all my days; yea, having had a great knowledge of the goodness and the mysteries of God, therefore I make a record of my proceedings in my days.

Name etymology: Nefi - possible from the Hebrew נפל (Nefil) which means "tall one"?

Nephi as a scribe or keeper of Jewish histories: In ancient Israel, a scribe was an office of high prestige. Being a scribe meant that one was well instructed in the Torah-Law of Israel. Being a scribe, Nephi would have been certainly a prestigious member of his society.

In the Jerusalem Targum, Moshe and Aharon are called the scribes of Israel. Judaism mantains that Moshe began a school of prominently faithful israelites who would have the mission of transmitting the teachings of the law. Nephi would have been a member of such ancient scribal school.

Mysteries of the Almighty: There is a word-play between the word ספר (sofer - scribe) and the ספירות (sefirot) which account in Judaism for the mysterious nature of G-d. Nephi was therefore very knowledgeable in the higher truths of Judaism.

2 Yea, I make a record in the language of my father, which consists of the learning of the Jews and the language of the Egyptians.

Part of the role of a scribe was also to translate Torah into other languages so that the laymen in exile would understand it. The greatest known literature in Judaism are the Targums in Aramaic and the Samaritan Targum. This role of scribe seems to be fulfilled when Nephi writes in the Egyptian language.

3 And I know that the record which I make is true; and I make it with mine own hand; and I make it according to my knowledge.

In Judaism, hands were used in connection to oaths. (See, for example B'reshit 24:2) By emphasizing that the writing is of his own hand, Nephi is taking an oath concerning its truthfulness.

4 For it came to pass in the commencement of the afirst year of the reign of Zedekiah, king of Judah, (my father, Lehi, having dwelt at Jerusalem in all his days); and in that same year there came many prophets, prophesying unto the people that they must repent, or the great city Jerusalem must be destroyed.

[bTeshuvah or ]Repentance:[/b] The word in Hebrew for this is שוב (shuv) which quite literally means to turn or, more interestingly, to return. Nephi's warnings were that the people had strayed from Torah understanding and practice. Repenting in Judaism is more than a feeling. It is seeking the original way; the way of the Almighty, praised be He. Two schools of thought within Judaism defined such repentance: Some say repentance is to seek the state of the Sinai. Others define it as seeking the state of our primary existence as it was in the Garden of Eden.

5 Wherefore it came to pass that my father, Lehi, as he went forth prayed unto the Lord, yea, even with all his heart, in behalf of his people.

Name etymology: Lehi (לחי) means "jaw".

Prayed with all his heart:

The heart in Jewish culture meant the center of one's spirituality, whether good or bad. The Jewish Midrash in B'reshit Rabbah 67 says:

"The wicked are in the power of their heart, but the righteous have their heart in their power."

The meaning idea of Lehi praying with all his heart meant that no evil was to be found in his heart for he had overcome it.

6 And it came to pass as he prayed unto the Lord, there came a pillar of fire and dwelt upon a rock before him; and he saw and heard much; and because of the things which he saw and heard he did quake and tremble exceedingly.
In ancient Jewish tradition the pillar of fire symbolizes the power of G-d's word to transform. It is said that Onkelos converted many into Judaism by narrating how G-d is the pillar of fire before Israel.

7 And it came to pass that he returned to his own house at Jerusalem; and he cast himself upon his bed, being overcome with the Spirit and the things which he had seen.

8 And being thus overcome with the Spirit, he was carried away in a vision, even that he saw the heavens open, and he thought he saw God sitting upon his throne, surrounded with numberless concourses of angels in the attitude of singing and praising their God.

9 And it came to pass that he saw One descending out of the midst of heaven, and he beheld that his luster was above that of the sun at noon-day.

From Nephi's description of the angels seen by Lehi, we can be sure that Lehi saw כרובים (cherubim) – which in Hebrew means "the near ones". The ending "-im" in Hebrew is a masculine plural ending, but it does not always indicate the masculinity of the term.

In the ancient wisdom of Kabalah (Zohar Terumah 2:176a), the cherubim represented the closeness between G-d and Israel. When Israel was in connection with G-d, the cherubim turned unto G-d for praise. When Israel strayed away the cherubim would rebuke the Jewish people. It comes as no surprise that it is the cherubim who send the message to Lehi.

10 And he also saw twelve others following him, and their brightness did exceed that of the stars in the firmament.

Jewish tradition mantains that the stars are governed by the angels of heaven. The twelve cherubim mentioned by Lehi are also cited in the Book of Enoch:

"Its ceiling was like the path of stars and lightning, and between them were twelve fiery
cherubim, and their skies were as waters."

Like what is inferred from Enoch, Lehi's vision shows that such angels ruled above the stars of heaven. This is particularly revelant as Babylonian culture of Lehi's time would see the stars as governing the fate of mankind. In Lehi's vision G-d shows him how he is above and in control of the fate of Jerusalem.

11 And they came down and went forth upon the face of the earth; and the first came and stood before my father, and gave unto him a book, and bade him that he should read.

Another possible word-play between ספיר (sapir - brightness) and ספר (sefer - book). In Judaism, it is said that the heavens contain the records of what will become of the world. Therefore, this again indicates a revelation of the fate of Jerusalem.

12 And it came to pass that as he read, he was filled with the Spirit of the Lord.

Usually the term in Hebrew for filled in this case is מלא (maleh) which means not only to fill, but also to confirm.

There is a clear word-play here with מלא (fill) and מלאך (malach - angel). The only difference between the two words is the letter כ in its final form. This is also the first letter of the word cherub as well as the word star (כוכב - cochav). It seems therefore that the spirit-filling of Lehi comes as a second witness to the message of the angels, as demanded by Torah-Law which requires two witnesses to establish truth.

13 And he read, saying: Wo, wo, unto Jerusalem, for I have seen thine abominations! Yea, and many things did my father read concerning Jerusalem—that it should be destroyed, and the inhabitants thereof; many should perish by the sword, and many should be carried away captive into Babylon.

14 And it came to pass that when my father had read and seen many great and marvelous things, he did exclaim many things unto the Lord; such as: Great and marvelous are thy works, O Lord God Almighty! Thy throne is high in the heavens, and thy power, and goodness, and mercy are over all the inhabitants of the earth; and, because thou art merciful, thou wilt not suffer those who come unto thee that they shall perish!

It may sound odd to the reader that Lehi rejoiced over such news. However, in Judaism this is a rather common attitude. Ancient kabalah believes that when something evil befalls Israel it means that it's in fact such a highly elevated goodness that this world cannot comprehend it. This is why the prophets often rejoiced over that which would ultimately save Israel even if it meant suffering for a while.

15 And after this manner was the language of my father in the praising of his God; for his soul did rejoice, and his whole heart was filled, because of the things which he had seen, yea, which the Lord had shown unto him.

16 And now I, Nephi, do not make a full account of the things which my father hath written, for he hath written many things which he saw in visions and in dreams; and he also hath written many things which he prophesied and spake unto his children, of which I shall not make a full account.

The Talmud in tractate Avodah Zarah states that dreams are 1/60th of a prophecy. Rumba (Maimonides or Moses Ben Maimon) in Moreh Nevuchim states that, in order to achieve the level of the prophets, one must at least speak to an angel in a dream. The highest level one can achieve within prophecy without actual involvement in the prophetic events is to rebuke the people in the name of G-d. This shows how Lehi was a prominent prophet in his time.

17 But I shall make an account of my proceedings in my days. Behold, I make an aabridgment of the record of my father, upon plates which I have made with mine own hands; wherefore, after I have abridged the record of my dfather then will I make an account of mine own life.

Given that a scroll can wear out, in Judaism plates are considered to be a means in which one would only record the most sacred or precious information. To this very day Jewish prayer books are often covered by engraved plates for that very reason. An important example is the Copper Scroll from the Dead Sea Scrolls which contained the location of several treasures from the Temple of Jerusalem.

Jewish tradition maintains that the Law given by G-d to Moshe was carved onto tablets of pure sapphire, the same sapphire on the flag of Israel.

18 Therefore, I would that ye should know, that after the Lord had shown so many marvelous things unto my father, Lehi, yea, concerning the destruction of Jerusalem, behold he went forth among the people, and began to prophesy and to declare unto them concerning the things which he had both seen and heard.

19 And it came to pass that the Jews did mock him because of the things which he testified of them; for he truly testified of their wickedness and their abominations; and he testified that the things which he saw and heard, and also the things which he read in the book, manifested plainly of the coming of a Messiah, and also the redemption of the world.

There's a clear word-play between גילויה (giluyah - manifestation) and גאולה (geulah - redemption). Thus Nephi seems to indicate that the manifestation of Messiah would mean the redemption of the world.

It may almost go unnoticed to the reader that one of the reasons why the Jewish people of Lehi's time may have become upset is because at the time the idea of a global redemption was not yet unanimous in Judaism. Many thought that only Israel would be redeemd and the other nations would serve them.

20 And when the Jews heard these things they were angry with him; yea, even as with the prophets of old, whom they had cast out, and stoned, and slain; and they also sought his life, that they might take it away. But behold, I, Nephi, will show unto you that the tender mercies of the Lord are over all those whom he hath chosen, because of their faith, to make them mighty even unto the power of deliverance.

There is an ancient Jewish proverb that is likely to have been known by Nephi which says:

"Pray to God for mercy until the last shovelful of earth is cast upon thy grave."

Nephi's words seem to be an answer to such a proverb by turning it around and stating clearly that he would not take his prayers to his grave.

All I can say is “Wow” this is very insightful and this kind of perspective is very welcome. I understand and I think others do that your commentary is not an endorsement of any kind.

I think it speaks volumes of the kind of person that you are that you would be willing to do this exercise within this context in order to explore and bless people in another faith tradition.

If anything, you will be using the Book of Mormon as a focal point to help us learn more about Judaism. Many LDS people would love to know more about the ways of the Jews and build relationships where we can bless one another.

Personally, I think if you are willing to do this commentary at your own pace, we may want to set up a blog that we can post this to so that a wider audience can benefit and learn. Plus I think it is always a positive thing to see people of other faith traditions uplifitng one another even if we don’t agree on many things.

We can always respectfully build on what we have in common. If you are interested in doing this is a blog format, I can help set it up and host it. If you feel more comfortable posting here I would like to transfer the content to the blog if you are ok with that.

We would include a disclaimer prominently that points out that your commentary is not an endorsement of the Book of Mormon and that your commentary is not a reflection of your beliefs but you are analyzing the text assuming that it is an actual record and providing insights where they may be applicable or whatever wording you prefer.

I love this, and I think others would as well.

The Rebbe wrote: ↑February 15th, 2019, 8:48 am . . . . . Second, I will work under the assumption that the events and characters in the Book of Mormon are real and as portrayed. I am not saying I believe this, nor am I saying that I endorse this. Still, it is far simpler to work within these parameters. . . . . .

The Rebbe wrote: ↑February 12th, 2019, 9:47 am It is no secret that my people have been disobedient on and off for the whole of our history! We have a funny relationship with G-d. He loves us, He blesses us, we are grateful, we get lazy and (eventually) disobedient, He proclaims punishments, we kvetch, we repent, He forgives, He blesses...and on and on it goes!

Dusty52 wrote: ↑February 17th, 2019, 12:27 am

The Rebbe wrote: ↑February 12th, 2019, 9:47 am It is no secret that my people have been disobedient on and off for the whole of our history! We have a funny relationship with G-d. He loves us, He blesses us, we are grateful, we get lazy and (eventually) disobedient, He proclaims punishments, we kvetch, we repent, He forgives, He blesses...and on and on it goes!

Your comment here I find interesting, this cycle of obedience and wickedness is one of the reoccurring themes throughout the Book of Mormon!

The Rebbe wrote: ↑February 18th, 2019, 7:21 pm

Dusty52 wrote: ↑February 17th, 2019, 12:27 am

The Rebbe wrote: ↑February 12th, 2019, 9:47 am It is no secret that my people have been disobedient on and off for the whole of our history! We have a funny relationship with G-d. He loves us, He blesses us, we are grateful, we get lazy and (eventually) disobedient, He proclaims punishments, we kvetch, we repent, He forgives, He blesses...and on and on it goes!

Your comment here I find interesting, this cycle of obedience and wickedness is one of the reoccurring themes throughout the Book of Mormon!

We certainly have that in common!

marc wrote: ↑February 19th, 2019, 4:29 am

The Rebbe wrote: ↑February 18th, 2019, 7:21 pm

Dusty52 wrote: ↑February 17th, 2019, 12:27 am

The Rebbe wrote: ↑February 12th, 2019, 9:47 am It is no secret that my people have been disobedient on and off for the whole of our history! We have a funny relationship with G-d. He loves us, He blesses us, we are grateful, we get lazy and (eventually) disobedient, He proclaims punishments, we kvetch, we repent, He forgives, He blesses...and on and on it goes!

Your comment here I find interesting, this cycle of obedience and wickedness is one of the reoccurring themes throughout the Book of Mormon!

We certainly have that in common!

I'm glad you're still here, Rebbe. Aside from our fellow forum member, Kingdom of Zion (I'm not entirely sure about his background) you are the third Rabbi/Jewish individual in the last ten years or so whose words and scriptural commentary (particularly of the Book of Mormon) I have had the privilege of reading. The previous one, "Mormon Rabbi," quit the forum a few years ago and started a blog called Mormon Yeshiva, which is intriguing to me, though I find it a bit difficult to relate to at times, but you might find it fascinating. In any case, you probably find our doctrine, culture and traditions unusual. Like the Jews (tribe of Judah) since the beginning, we "Mormons" (grafted [primarily] tribe of Joseph [who was sold into Egypt]) have been given through revelation our doctrine, which has resulted in our own culture and traditions. It's all very fascinating.

1 For behold, it came to pass that the Lord spake unto my father, yea, even in a dream, and said unto him: Blessed art thou Lehi, because of the things which thou hast done; and because thou hast been faithful and declared unto this people the things which I commanded thee, behold, they seek to take away thy life.

2 And it came to pass that the Lord commanded my father, even in a dream, that he should take his family and depart into the wilderness.

3 And it came to pass that he was obedient unto the word of the Lord, wherefore he did as the Lord commanded him.

4 And it came to pass that he departed into the wilderness. And he left his house, and the land of his inheritance, and his gold, and his silver, and his precious things, and took nothing with him, save it were his family, and provisions, and tents, and departed into the wilderness.

5 And he came down by the borders near the shore of the Red Sea; and he traveled in the wilderness in the borders which are nearer the Red Sea; and he did travel in the wilderness with his family, which consisted of my mother, Sariah, and my elder brothers, who were Laman, Lemuel, and Sam.

6 And it came to pass that when he had traveled three days in the wilderness, he pitched his tent in a valley by the side of a river of water.

7 And it came to pass that he built an altar of stones, and made an offering unto the Lord, and gave thanks unto the Lord our God.

8 And it came to pass that he called the name of the river, Laman, and it emptied into the Red Sea; and the valley was in the borders near the mouth thereof.

9 And when my father saw that the waters of the river emptied into the fountain of the Red Sea, he spake unto Laman, saying: O that thou mightest be like unto this river, continually running into the fountain of all righteousness!

10 And he also spake unto Lemuel: O that thou mightest be like unto this valley, afirm and steadfast, and immovable in keeping the commandments of the Lord!

11 Now this he spake because of the stiffneckedness of Laman and Lemuel; for behold they did murmur in many things against their father, because he was a visionary man, and had led them out of the land of Jerusalem, to leave the land of their inheritance, and their gold, and their silver, and their precious things, to perish in the wilderness. And this they said he had done because of the foolish imaginations of his heart.

12 And thus Laman and Lemuel, being the eldest, did murmur against their father. And they did murmur because they knew not the dealings of that God who had created them.

13 Neither did they believe that Jerusalem, that great city, could be destroyed according to the words of the prophets. And they were like unto the Jews who were at Jerusalem, who sought to take away the life of my father.

14 And it came to pass that my father did speak unto them in the valley of Lemuel, with power, being filled with the Spirit, until their frames did shake before him. And he did confound them, that they durst not utter against him; wherefore, they did as he commanded them.

15 And my father dwelt in a tent.

16 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, being exceedingly young, nevertheless being large in stature, and also having great desires to know of the mysteries of God, wherefore, I did cry unto the Lord; and behold he did visit me, and did soften my heart that I did delieve all the words which had been spoken by my father; wherefore, I did not rebel against him like unto my brothers.

17 And I spake unto Sam, making known unto him the things which the Lord had manifested unto me by his Holy Spirit. And it came to pass that he believed in my words.

18 But, behold, Laman and Lemuel would not hearken unto my words; and being grieved because of the hardness of their hearts I cried unto the Lord for them.

19 And it came to pass that the Lord spake unto me, saying: Blessed art thou, Nephi, because of thy faith, for thou hast sought me diligently, with lowliness of heart.

20 And inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments, ye shall prosper, and shall be led to a land of promise; yea, even a land which I have prepared for you; yea, a land which is choice above all other lands.

21 And inasmuch as thy brethren shall rebel against thee, they shall be cut off from the presence of the Lord.

22 And inasmuch as thou shalt keep my commandments, thou shalt be made a ruler and a teacher over thy brethren.
In Hebrew tradition, a ruler would be associated with kingship. A teacher would be associated with the priesthood. Could it be that Nephi was promised with some kind of spiritual royal-priesthood?

23 For behold, in that day that they shall rebel against me, I will curse them even with a sore curse, and they shall have no power over thy seed except they shall rebel against me also.

24 And if it so be that they rebel against me, they shall be a scourge unto thy seed, to stir them up in the ways of remembrance.

The Rebbe wrote: ↑February 24th, 2019, 9:26 pm Ready for it? 1 Nephi Chapter 2

1 For behold, it came to pass that the Lord spake unto my father, yea, even in a dream, and said unto him: Blessed art thou Lehi, because of the things which thou hast done; and because thou hast been faithful and declared unto this people the things which I commanded thee, behold, they seek to take away thy life.

2 And it came to pass that the Lord commanded my father, even in a dream, that he should take his family and depart into the wilderness.

The biblical Hebrew for wilderness is the word מדבר (midbar) which can also be understood as "medaber" which means "I speak".

The Hebrew word for...well, "word," is דבר (davar), which can also mean "thing."

I think for the sake of this usage, the wilderness, most importantly, in Jewish tradition also represents a spiritual state of emptying oneself from the values of this world so as to learn the ways of the Almighty, blessed be He. Thus, this marks the beginning of the spiritual journey of Lehi in which G-d would teach him His ways. This would have been essential for anyone claiming to "commune" with G-d in any meaningful way.

3 And it came to pass that he was obedient unto the word of the Lord, wherefore he did as the Lord commanded him.

To Hear and Obey: There is a word-play here in Hebrew. The verb "שמה" (shemah) can either mean to hear or to obey. This is why the idea is that Lehi obeyed the word.

It is interesting to note that when בני ישראל (the Children of Israel) were at the foot of Sinai, after receiving instruction from HaShem, they said, "We will do, and we will hear." In that order. Why?

Judaism is often said to be a religion of deed rather than of intention. Though overly simplistic, this description reflects the centrality of mitzvot (commandments) in Jewish life, as well as the rabbinic conclusion that, in most cases, a person who performs a mitzvah without focusing on its significance has nevertheless fulfilled his or her religious obligation.

This understanding of Judaism as a religion of action is encapsulated by the biblical verse in which the Jews standing at Mount Sinai signal their acceptance of the Torah with the words “na’aseh v’nishma“–“We will do and we will hear/understand.” In other words, the Jewish people promise first to observe the laws of the Torah, and only afterward to study these laws. In traditional Jewish culture, this statement has come to epitomize the Jewish commitment to the Torah.

Faith is about walking into the darkness, only to find the way lit before. We do not always understand why G-d asks us to do things when He asks, but through faith we do these things. After comes the understanding.

The Word of the L-rd: The account of Nephi is most certainly a targum (translation) much in the tradition of the scribes. In such translations it was often common to translate as "word of the Lord" the instances where G-d acted antropomorphically. An israelite reading Nephi's account could very well have understood it to mean that G-d appeared to Lehi as a man much like to Abraham.

4 And it came to pass that he departed into the wilderness. And he left his house, and the land of his inheritance, and his gold, and his silver, and his precious things, and took nothing with him, save it were his family, and provisions, and tents, and departed into the wilderness.

This reinforces the idea that the call into the wilderness was a fresh start proposed by G-d to Lehi.

5 And he came down by the borders near the shore of the Red Sea; and he traveled in the wilderness in the borders which are nearer the Red Sea; and he did travel in the wilderness with his family, which consisted of my mother, Sariah, and my elder brothers, who were Laman, Lemuel, and Sam.

Name Etymology: Sariah most likely is a contracted form of יה שרה (sarah Yah) which means "princess of (the Name of) God".

Laman likely comes from "לאמן" (l'aman) which means "unto the master".

Lemuel (למואל) is a Hebrew name which means dedicated to G-d.

Sam could either be סם and mean 'perfume' or שם (Sham) and mean "this place".

The Sea: The Red Sea (more accurately the Reed Sea) is called in Hebrew the סופ ים (Yam Suf). Two important pieces of information shed light into such a calling.

Firstly, in ancient Kabbalah, the sea was understood as the "concealed world" which is a term referring to the spiritual reality. Just like in the sea there is life but it is concealed so is the spirit world. An approach towards the sea would mean that now that Lehi had emptied himself from the secular cares of his society and chosen to follow the voice of G-d, he was ready to be shown a greater spiritual reality.

The Zohar says: "Just as there is a physical sea, there is a higher, spiritual sea. Ships traverse that spiritual sea, rising and descending."

The End: The word סופ (Suf) can also be read "Sof" which means "ending". This represents that the passing unto a greater spiritual reality would mean for Lehi the end of his life as he knew it and the beginning of a new life since the waters also represent the beginning of life.

In ancient Kabbalah, the "Yam Suf" also represents the limits of this physical world. Lehi was therefore beginning his journey into the heavens.

6 And it came to pass that when he had traveled three days in the wilderness, he pitched his tent in a valley by the side of a river of water.

Spiritual Maturity: The number three is no coincidence. In Judaism it is associated with the letter ג (gimel) which also means to wean or to ripen. Lehi was therefore being taken into a journey of spiritual maturity before he could reach G-d's destination.

Bearing Fruit: The number three is also associated with being fruitful, as the fruit of the earth grew on the third day of creation. It is equally not coincident that Lehi is called to bear fruit in the wilderness, a barren place. In ancient Judaism this would have been understood as a call to bear fruit in a generation where the fruits of G-d had been forgotten.

7 And it came to pass that he built an altar of stones, and made an offering unto the Lord, and gave thanks unto the Lord our God.

In Hebrew every word has a numeric value. The importance of this cannot be overstated. The expression "altar of stones" in Hebrew is אבנים מזבח (mizbach avanim) has a numeric value of 160, which is the same numeric value as the word ץע (etz) which means tree. This continues the theme of bearing fruit displayed in the verse above. Lehi recognizes that G-d is the source that will make the barren land (represented by the stones) fruitful again.

8 And it came to pass that he called the name of the river, Laman, and it emptied into the Red Sea; and the valley was in the borders near the mouth thereof.

9 And when my father saw that the waters of the river emptied into the fountain of the Red Sea, he spake unto Laman, saying: O that thou mightest be like unto this river, continually running into the fountain of all righteousness!

10 And he also spake unto Lemuel: O that thou mightest be like unto this valley, afirm and steadfast, and immovable in keeping the commandments of the Lord!

It was quite a common practice for the ancient israelite society to give blessings to their children that would be metaphors of natural phenomena. The greatest example of this is in B'reshit (Genesis) 49.

11 Now this he spake because of the stiffneckedness of Laman and Lemuel; for behold they did murmur in many things against their father, because he was a visionary man, and had led them out of the land of Jerusalem, to leave the land of their inheritance, and their gold, and their silver, and their precious things, to perish in the wilderness. And this they said he had done because of the foolish imaginations of his heart.

One may find it odd that Lehi tried to quiet down the resistence of Laman and Lemuel by blessing them, but this would have been perfectly normal in an ancient israelite society. It was believed that the words of a father would have a profound impact upon the lives of his sons. Therefore if they were afraid that they would not have prosperity now that they had fled Jerusalem, Lehi tried to assure them that the Lord would guide their ways.

12 And thus Laman and Lemuel, being the eldest, did murmur against their father. And they did murmur because they knew not the dealings of that God who had created them.

The mention of Lemuel as the eldest seems at first to be out of place in the sentence. However when one understands that in an ancient israelite society, the eldest son would have the greatest inheritance of his father this explains why Nephi was surprised. The status of the firstborn was of utmost importance for many reasons. How could Lemuel having the rights to most of his fathers possessions still find a place in his heart to murmur? Or perhaps Nephi was describing that Lemuel having the most to lose was the first to complain.

13 Neither did they believe that Jerusalem, that great city, could be destroyed according to the words of the prophets. And they were like unto the Jews who were at Jerusalem, who sought to take away the life of my father.

14 And it came to pass that my father did speak unto them in the valley of Lemuel, with power, being filled with the Spirit, until their frames did shake before him. And he did confound them, that they durst not utter against him; wherefore, they did as he commanded them.

15 And my father dwelt in a tent.

The sacrifice in the altar and Lehi dwelling in a tent suggests that he could have been celebrating Sukkot (the Feast of Tabernacles). This feast is also associated with bearing fruit - see Lv. 23:34-40. The main theme of this feast is that we give up our comfort and rely upon G-d for our sustenance. We thank Him for His provisions and for Creation. This matches the theme of the Hebrew in this chapter.

It is also important to notice that this feast happens in a period of time when it's fall in Jerusalem and is about the time when it starts to rain heavily.

The word Jerusalem is actually--anciently--comprised of two words that create a word pair. Yirah and Shalem, which together mean to be "in a state of perfect awe."

Also consider the fact that this was a feast in which there were pilgrims coming to Jerusalem. Nobody would normally flee Jerusalem at this time. By leaving Jerusalem at this time Lehi was making a very bold statement that the Shechinah-Presence of G-d was no longer dwelling in the holy city.

This shows the boldness of Lehi: Fleeing Jerusalem right before the great feast and taking his odds in a journey during the pouring of heavy rains. This explains why those who had not been touched by the Spirit of G-d would have thought him to be out of his mind.

16 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, being exceedingly young, nevertheless being large in stature, and also having great desires to know of the mysteries of God, wherefore, I did cry unto the Lord; and behold he did visit me, and did soften my heart that I did delieve all the words which had been spoken by my father; wherefore, I did not rebel against him like unto my brothers.

It is interesting to notice how Nephi's physical attributes match the etymology of his name. In Judaism it's believed that one's spiritual name has a profound impact upon their lives. Even today, when a boy or girl has a Bar or Bat Mitzvah, they generally choose a "new name," a new Hebrew name that matches their personality and looks to G-d for their walk with Him.

17 And I spake unto Sam, making known unto him the things which the Lord had manifested unto me by his Holy Spirit. And it came to pass that he believed in my words.

18 But, behold, Laman and Lemuel would not hearken unto my words; and being grieved because of the hardness of their hearts I cried unto the Lord for them.

19 And it came to pass that the Lord spake unto me, saying: Blessed art thou, Nephi, because of thy faith, for thou hast sought me diligently, with lowliness of heart.

Here we see a feature of Hebrew poetry called antithetic parallelism. Nephi was tall in stature but lowly in his heart.

20 And inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments, ye shall prosper, and shall be led to a land of promise; yea, even a land which I have prepared for you; yea, a land which is choice above all other lands.

21 And inasmuch as thy brethren shall rebel against thee, they shall be cut off from the presence of the Lord.

22 And inasmuch as thou shalt keep my commandments, thou shalt be made a ruler and a teacher over thy brethren.
In Hebrew tradition, a ruler would be associated with kingship. A teacher would be associated with the priesthood. Could it be that Nephi was promised with some kind of spiritual royal-priesthood?

23 For behold, in that day that they shall rebel against me, I will curse them even with a sore curse, and they shall have no power over thy seed except they shall rebel against me also.

24 And if it so be that they rebel against me, they shall be a scourge unto thy seed, to stir them up in the ways of remembrance.

There's a word-play here between the word seed זרע (zerah - seed) and the root זכר (zachar - to remember).

The Rebbe wrote: ↑February 24th, 2019, 9:26 pm Ready for it? 1 Nephi Chapter 2

1 For behold, it came to pass that the Lord spake unto my father, yea, even in a dream, and said unto him: Blessed art thou Lehi, because of the things which thou hast done; and because thou hast been faithful and declared unto this people the things which I commanded thee, behold, they seek to take away thy life.

2 And it came to pass that the Lord commanded my father, even in a dream, that he should take his family and depart into the wilderness.

The biblical Hebrew for wilderness is the word מדבר (midbar) which can also be understood as "medaber" which means "I speak".

The Hebrew word for...well, "word," is דבר (davar), which can also mean "thing."

I think for the sake of this usage, the wilderness, most importantly, in Jewish tradition also represents a spiritual state of emptying oneself from the values of this world so as to learn the ways of the Almighty, blessed be He. Thus, this marks the beginning of the spiritual journey of Lehi in which G-d would teach him His ways. This would have been essential for anyone claiming to "commune" with G-d in any meaningful way.

3 And it came to pass that he was obedient unto the word of the Lord, wherefore he did as the Lord commanded him.

To Hear and Obey: There is a word-play here in Hebrew. The verb "שמה" (shemah) can either mean to hear or to obey. This is why the idea is that Lehi obeyed the word.

It is interesting to note that when בני ישראל (the Children of Israel) were at the foot of Sinai, after receiving instruction from HaShem, they said, "We will do, and we will hear." In that order. Why?

Judaism is often said to be a religion of deed rather than of intention. Though overly simplistic, this description reflects the centrality of mitzvot (commandments) in Jewish life, as well as the rabbinic conclusion that, in most cases, a person who performs a mitzvah without focusing on its significance has nevertheless fulfilled his or her religious obligation.

This understanding of Judaism as a religion of action is encapsulated by the biblical verse in which the Jews standing at Mount Sinai signal their acceptance of the Torah with the words “na’aseh v’nishma“–“We will do and we will hear/understand.” In other words, the Jewish people promise first to observe the laws of the Torah, and only afterward to study these laws. In traditional Jewish culture, this statement has come to epitomize the Jewish commitment to the Torah.

Faith is about walking into the darkness, only to find the way lit before. We do not always understand why G-d asks us to do things when He asks, but through faith we do these things. After comes the understanding.

The Word of the L-rd: The account of Nephi is most certainly a targum (translation) much in the tradition of the scribes. In such translations it was often common to translate as "word of the Lord" the instances where G-d acted antropomorphically. An israelite reading Nephi's account could very well have understood it to mean that G-d appeared to Lehi as a man much like to Abraham.

4 And it came to pass that he departed into the wilderness. And he left his house, and the land of his inheritance, and his gold, and his silver, and his precious things, and took nothing with him, save it were his family, and provisions, and tents, and departed into the wilderness.

This reinforces the idea that the call into the wilderness was a fresh start proposed by G-d to Lehi.

5 And he came down by the borders near the shore of the Red Sea; and he traveled in the wilderness in the borders which are nearer the Red Sea; and he did travel in the wilderness with his family, which consisted of my mother, Sariah, and my elder brothers, who were Laman, Lemuel, and Sam.

Name Etymology: Sariah most likely is a contracted form of יה שרה (sarah Yah) which means "princess of (the Name of) God".

Laman likely comes from "לאמן" (l'aman) which means "unto the master".

Lemuel (למואל) is a Hebrew name which means dedicated to G-d.

Sam could either be סם and mean 'perfume' or שם (Sham) and mean "this place".

The Sea: The Red Sea (more accurately the Reed Sea) is called in Hebrew the סופ ים (Yam Suf). Two important pieces of information shed light into such a calling.

Firstly, in ancient Kabbalah, the sea was understood as the "concealed world" which is a term referring to the spiritual reality. Just like in the sea there is life but it is concealed so is the spirit world. An approach towards the sea would mean that now that Lehi had emptied himself from the secular cares of his society and chosen to follow the voice of G-d, he was ready to be shown a greater spiritual reality.

The Zohar says: "Just as there is a physical sea, there is a higher, spiritual sea. Ships traverse that spiritual sea, rising and descending."

The End: The word סופ (Suf) can also be read "Sof" which means "ending". This represents that the passing unto a greater spiritual reality would mean for Lehi the end of his life as he knew it and the beginning of a new life since the waters also represent the beginning of life.

In ancient Kabbalah, the "Yam Suf" also represents the limits of this physical world. Lehi was therefore beginning his journey into the heavens.

6 And it came to pass that when he had traveled three days in the wilderness, he pitched his tent in a valley by the side of a river of water.

Spiritual Maturity: The number three is no coincidence. In Judaism it is associated with the letter ג (gimel) which also means to wean or to ripen. Lehi was therefore being taken into a journey of spiritual maturity before he could reach G-d's destination.

Bearing Fruit: The number three is also associated with being fruitful, as the fruit of the earth grew on the third day of creation. It is equally not coincident that Lehi is called to bear fruit in the wilderness, a barren place. In ancient Judaism this would have been understood as a call to bear fruit in a generation where the fruits of G-d had been forgotten.

7 And it came to pass that he built an altar of stones, and made an offering unto the Lord, and gave thanks unto the Lord our God.

In Hebrew every word has a numeric value. The importance of this cannot be overstated. The expression "altar of stones" in Hebrew is אבנים מזבח (mizbach avanim) has a numeric value of 160, which is the same numeric value as the word ץע (etz) which means tree. This continues the theme of bearing fruit displayed in the verse above. Lehi recognizes that G-d is the source that will make the barren land (represented by the stones) fruitful again.

8 And it came to pass that he called the name of the river, Laman, and it emptied into the Red Sea; and the valley was in the borders near the mouth thereof.

9 And when my father saw that the waters of the river emptied into the fountain of the Red Sea, he spake unto Laman, saying: O that thou mightest be like unto this river, continually running into the fountain of all righteousness!

10 And he also spake unto Lemuel: O that thou mightest be like unto this valley, afirm and steadfast, and immovable in keeping the commandments of the Lord!

It was quite a common practice for the ancient israelite society to give blessings to their children that would be metaphors of natural phenomena. The greatest example of this is in B'reshit (Genesis) 49.

11 Now this he spake because of the stiffneckedness of Laman and Lemuel; for behold they did murmur in many things against their father, because he was a visionary man, and had led them out of the land of Jerusalem, to leave the land of their inheritance, and their gold, and their silver, and their precious things, to perish in the wilderness. And this they said he had done because of the foolish imaginations of his heart.

One may find it odd that Lehi tried to quiet down the resistence of Laman and Lemuel by blessing them, but this would have been perfectly normal in an ancient israelite society. It was believed that the words of a father would have a profound impact upon the lives of his sons. Therefore if they were afraid that they would not have prosperity now that they had fled Jerusalem, Lehi tried to assure them that the Lord would guide their ways.

12 And thus Laman and Lemuel, being the eldest, did murmur against their father. And they did murmur because they knew not the dealings of that God who had created them.

The mention of Lemuel as the eldest seems at first to be out of place in the sentence. However when one understands that in an ancient israelite society, the eldest son would have the greatest inheritance of his father this explains why Nephi was surprised. The status of the firstborn was of utmost importance for many reasons. How could Lemuel having the rights to most of his fathers possessions still find a place in his heart to murmur? Or perhaps Nephi was describing that Lemuel having the most to lose was the first to complain.

13 Neither did they believe that Jerusalem, that great city, could be destroyed according to the words of the prophets. And they were like unto the Jews who were at Jerusalem, who sought to take away the life of my father.

14 And it came to pass that my father did speak unto them in the valley of Lemuel, with power, being filled with the Spirit, until their frames did shake before him. And he did confound them, that they durst not utter against him; wherefore, they did as he commanded them.

15 And my father dwelt in a tent.

The sacrifice in the altar and Lehi dwelling in a tent suggests that he could have been celebrating Sukkot (the Feast of Tabernacles). This feast is also associated with bearing fruit - see Lv. 23:34-40. The main theme of this feast is that we give up our comfort and rely upon G-d for our sustenance. We thank Him for His provisions and for Creation. This matches the theme of the Hebrew in this chapter.

It is also important to notice that this feast happens in a period of time when it's fall in Jerusalem and is about the time when it starts to rain heavily.

The word Jerusalem is actually--anciently--comprised of two words that create a word pair. Yirah and Shalem, which together mean to be "in a state of perfect awe."

Also consider the fact that this was a feast in which there were pilgrims coming to Jerusalem. Nobody would normally flee Jerusalem at this time. By leaving Jerusalem at this time Lehi was making a very bold statement that the Shechinah-Presence of G-d was no longer dwelling in the holy city.

This shows the boldness of Lehi: Fleeing Jerusalem right before the great feast and taking his odds in a journey during the pouring of heavy rains. This explains why those who had not been touched by the Spirit of G-d would have thought him to be out of his mind.

16 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, being exceedingly young, nevertheless being large in stature, and also having great desires to know of the mysteries of God, wherefore, I did cry unto the Lord; and behold he did visit me, and did soften my heart that I did delieve all the words which had been spoken by my father; wherefore, I did not rebel against him like unto my brothers.

It is interesting to notice how Nephi's physical attributes match the etymology of his name. In Judaism it's believed that one's spiritual name has a profound impact upon their lives. Even today, when a boy or girl has a Bar or Bat Mitzvah, they generally choose a "new name," a new Hebrew name that matches their personality and looks to G-d for their walk with Him.

17 And I spake unto Sam, making known unto him the things which the Lord had manifested unto me by his Holy Spirit. And it came to pass that he believed in my words.

18 But, behold, Laman and Lemuel would not hearken unto my words; and being grieved because of the hardness of their hearts I cried unto the Lord for them.

19 And it came to pass that the Lord spake unto me, saying: Blessed art thou, Nephi, because of thy faith, for thou hast sought me diligently, with lowliness of heart.

Here we see a feature of Hebrew poetry called antithetic parallelism. Nephi was tall in stature but lowly in his heart.

20 And inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments, ye shall prosper, and shall be led to a land of promise; yea, even a land which I have prepared for you; yea, a land which is choice above all other lands.

21 And inasmuch as thy brethren shall rebel against thee, they shall be cut off from the presence of the Lord.

22 And inasmuch as thou shalt keep my commandments, thou shalt be made a ruler and a teacher over thy brethren.
In Hebrew tradition, a ruler would be associated with kingship. A teacher would be associated with the priesthood. Could it be that Nephi was promised with some kind of spiritual royal-priesthood?

23 For behold, in that day that they shall rebel against me, I will curse them even with a sore curse, and they shall have no power over thy seed except they shall rebel against me also.

24 And if it so be that they rebel against me, they shall be a scourge unto thy seed, to stir them up in the ways of remembrance.

There's a word-play here between the word seed זרע (zerah - seed) and the root זכר (zachar - to remember).

The Rebbe wrote: ↑February 24th, 2019, 8:34 pmShalom my friend,

Thank you for that. May I ask...what meaning would you say your own traditions hold for you? Do they direct the nature of your worship or doctrine?

1 Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples,

2 Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat:

3 All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.

1 Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying,

2 Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.

3 But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?

kittycat51 wrote: ↑March 16th, 2019, 5:14 pm I was hoping to hear more from Rebbe. What a great treat it had been to hear his insights. I know how busy he probably is. Maybe he got reading into the Book of Mormon so much that he is now confused...