Sermon by Cantor Keren Tarr on the topic of God seeing us.

Abraham’s Family, How Yeshua Kept from Sinning Even as a Youth

The Bible clearly tells us that Yeshua was tempted in all ways as we are, yet He did not sin.  How did He do it? Did He have something available to Him that we don’t have available to us? If that was the case than He would not have been tempted in all ways as we are, so that can’t be the answer. Yet He did what no one has done, but which all are called to do. So how did He do it? Finding the answer to that question is the vital key to living a godly life. We will discover the answer to that all important question today, from the Bible.

Tu B’shevat.

Mourning Sarah

After the death of Sarah Abraham mourned for her.  We don’t know how long they had been married, but they had been together for over 60 years since we were first introduced to them in chapter 11 of the book of Genesis.

When Abraham was about 140 years old he called one of his servants to go and seek a wife for Isaac. Abraham gave his servant specific instruction regarding where to find a wife for Isaac, even asking the servant to promise to obey the instructions. Abraham told his servant not to take a wife for Isaac from the Canaanites, among whom they dwelt, but to go to his family in Ur and find a wife there. While not mentioned, this would mean that Abraham did not want a wife to come from among the hundreds of servants dwelling among Abraham’s tents.

In Genesis chapter 20 we read about Abraham lying to Avimelech regarding Sarah. Then in chapter 21 Avimelech comes back to Abraham, this time with the commander of his army to call Abraham out for his sin and to get an assurance from Abraham that he will not do it again.  After Abraham is humbled and promises not to do it again, Abraham uses this opportunity to call out a wrong that he feels Avimelech has done to him. Then the two of them go about making peace together through a covenant ceremony.