The Kiss
- Posted on DecamMon, 19 Dec 2016 08:29:46 -06002016-12-19T08:29:46-06:0008 17, 2016
- in Bible, God, Hebrew, Messiah, Study, Torah, Vayishlach, Yeshua
- by Hallelujah Girl
“Neshika” is the Hebrew word for kiss. Israelis are an extremely affectionate and warm people and tend to give each other abundant hugs and kisses, even if they have just met.
According to the Torah, a kiss is more than just a greeting; it represents loyalty. In the book of Exodus, G’d instructs Aaron to work with Moses to free the Israelites. Aaron greets Moses with a kiss. The kiss signifies their loyalty to each other, G’d and their faith. By working together, Aaron and Moses were able to free the Israelites.
Many times throughout scripture we find evidence of the kiss. The Torah notes these famous kisses: The aging Isaac kissed Jacob, thinking it was his oldest son Esau, and gave him the birthright blessing (Genesis 27:24-27). Jacob kissed his cousin and future wife Rachel the first time he met her (Genesis 29:11). Joseph greeted his brothers, who had sold him as a slave because they envied him, with this sign of forgiveness (Genesis 45:14-15). Israel kisses his grandsons (through Joseph) before placing the family name upon them (Genesis 48:8-10). When death came to Israel Joseph gave him this sign of love (Genesis 49:33-50:1). The Brit Hadashah (New Testament) tells of the famous kiss of betrayal (Luke 22:47-48). With that with that one kiss, Judah betrayed the Son of Man.
This week, as we study the Parashah Vayishlach (meaning ‘and he sent’), we discover another famous “kiss”. This happens in Genesis 33:4. Jacob is returning from Laban’s house back to the Land of Israel. He has sent the messengers ahead to his brother Esau to tell him of his arrival and how he wishes to live in peace with him. Jacob prepares himself with prayer, gifts of tribute for Esau, and has geared himself for possible warfare. Chapter 33 of Genesis begins, “And Jacob lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, Esau came, and with Him four hundred men.” So Jacob prepares and divide up his wives, maidservants, and children. Jacob moves ahead of all of them and as he approaches Esau he bows seven times. What happens next?
“And Esau ran to meet him, and he embraced him, and fell on his neck, and kissed him; and they wept.” ~Genesis 33:4
The phrase “and kissed him” is the Hebrew word “vaiyishshakehu”. In the original text is printed with a dot over every letter.
These dots do present some difference of opinion among the Sages and teachers. It is taught that the dots over each letter is an illuminative device that calls attention to hidden allusions. Some of the Sages hold fast to the notion that Esau’s kiss was insincere, that the kiss was only to see if Jacob might have been hiding jewels, or weapons, etc. However, Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai says, “although it is an immutable rule that Esau hates Jacob, at that moment his mercy was aroused and he kissed Jacob with all his heart.”
The Ancient Book of Jasher (referenced in Joshua 10:13, 2 Samuel 1:18, and 2 Timothy 3:8) tells some “behind the scenes” details. Jasher tells that three angels appeared to Esau the night before he was to meet Jacob and these three angels appeared as two thousand men! These men appeared to Esau armed for war, divided into four camps. Each camp appeared to Esau at different times during the night. Twice the text notes that Esau was frightened enough to fall off his horse.
“And when Esau beheld the evil which the four angels had done to him and to his men, he became greatly afraid of his brother Jacob, and he went to meet him in peace. And Esau concealed his hatred against Jacob because he was afraid of his life on account of his brother Jacob, and because he imagined that the four camps that he had lighted upon were Jacob’s servants.” ~Jasher 32:39-40
The Midrash Says, a narrative of the weekly Torah portion in the perspective of our Sages, tells the story of this “kiss” a different way:
“Esau’s heart was full of malice. ‘Rather than shooting Jacob with my bow’, he thought, ‘I shall let him come close, bite him, and suck the blood out of his body!’ They met and embraced.
Esau sank his teeth into Jacob’s neck to bite him, but Jacob’s neck became miraculously like marble, while Esau’s teeth became as soft as wax. Both wept–Jacob, because of his stiff neck was painful, and Esau because of his teeth.
This episode was to be a sign for the future. Just as Esau’s attempt to kill Jacob had failed, so would Hashem protect his children from the onslaught of the nations.”
Psalms 2:12 in our English Bibles reads, “Kiss the Son”(Nashku-bar), lest He become angry, and you perish along your way–since His wrath may flare up suddenly. Happy is everyone taking refuge in Him!” The Sages translate “Kiss the Son” as “Yearn for Purity“. The Hebrew here is Nashku-bar. The primitive root of the word nashku (kiss) is nashak, meaning “burn or kindle”. The Hebrew word bar means “son”. David offers a final word of advice here to the nations on how to accustom themselves to loving that which is good. Possibly “accept correction”, for a yearning or burning for the Messiah, means to quickly arouse yourself to purity.
Whatever kind of “kiss” Esau offered to Jacob the day they reunited we know from history that Esau had only evil intentions towards his brother. He obviously didn’t stick around to develop his relationship further with Jacob. He went his own way, only returning to help bury his father Isaac. As for the dots or pricks over the Hebrew text “and kissed him” in Genesis 33:4, maybe it was so people like you and me would wonder and seek out answers. One day the Great Rabbi Yeshua will make everything clear.
Happy Day,
Hallelujah Girl
Tags: #ReadYourBible #ItsAllAboutYeshua #TorahIsTruth, Hebrew, kiss