Parashah 13: Sh’mot (Names) 1:1–6:1

1 These are the names of the sons of Isra’el who came into Egypt with Ya‘akov; each man came with his household: ² Re’uven, Shim‘on, Levi, Y’hudah, ³ Yissakhar, Z’vulun, Binyamin, ⁴ Dan, Naftali, Gad and Asher. ⁵ All told, there were seventy descendants of Ya‘akov; Yosef was already in Egypt.

⁶ Yosef died, as did all his brothers and all that generation.

ע (‘Ayin)

פ (Peh)

צ (Tzadeh)

ק (Kuf)

²³ That same day, some Tz’dukim came to him. They are the ones who say there is no such thing as resurrection, so they put to him a sh’eilah: ²⁴ “Rabbi, Moshe said, ‘If a man dies childless, his brother must marry his widow and have children to preserve the man’s family line.’^{[a] 25} There were seven brothers. The first one married and then died; and since he had no children, he left his widow to his brother. ²⁶ The same thing happened to the second brother, and the third, and finally to all seven. ²⁷ After them all, the woman died. ²⁸ Now in the Resurrection — of the seven, whose wife will she be? For they all married her.”

²⁹ Yeshua answered them, “The reason you go astray is that you are ignorant both of the Tanakh and of the power of God. ³⁰ For in the Resurrection, neither men nor women will marry; rather, they will be like angels in heaven. ³¹ And as for whether the dead are resurrected, haven’t you read what God said to you, ³² ‘I am the God of Avraham, the God of Yitz’chak and the God of Ya‘akov’?^[b] He is God not of the dead but of the living!”

³³ When the crowds heard how he taught, they were astounded;

⁴¹ Then, turning to the assembled P’rushim, Yeshua put a sh’eilah to them: ⁴² “Tell me your view concerning the Messiah: whose son is he?” They said to him, “David’s.” ⁴³ “Then how is it,” he asked them, “that David, inspired by the Spirit, calls him ‘Lord,’ when he says,

⁴⁵ If David thus calls him ‘Lord,’ how is he his son?” ⁴⁶ No one could think of anything to say in reply; and from that day on, no one dared put to him another sh’eilah.

¹² Seeing this, Kefa addressed the people: “Men of Isra’el! Why are you amazed at this? Or why do you stare at us as if we had made this man walk through some power or godliness of our own? ¹³ The God of Avraham, Yitz’chak and Ya‘akov, the God of our fathers,^[a] has glorified his servant Yeshua — the same Yeshua you handed over and disowned before Pilate, even after he had decided to release him. ¹⁴ You denied the holy and innocent one, and instead asked for the reprieve of a murderer! ¹⁵ You killed the author of life!

“But God has raised him from the dead! Of this we are witnesses.

²⁷ They conducted them to the Sanhedrin, where the cohen hagadol demanded of them, ²⁸ “We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name! Look here! you have filled Yerushalayim with your teaching; moreover, you are determined to make us responsible for this man’s death!”

²⁹ Kefa and the other emissaries answered, “We must obey God, not men. ³⁰ The God of our fathers^[a] raised up Yeshua, whereas you men killed him by having him hanged on a stake.^{[b] 31} God has exalted this man at his right hand^[c] as Ruler and Savior, in order to enable Isra’el to do t’shuvah and have her sins forgiven. ³² We are witnesses to these things; so is the Ruach HaKodesh, whom God has given to those who obey him.”

¹² “A man named Hananyah, an observant follower of the Torah who was highly regarded by the entire Jewish community there, ¹³ came to me, stood by me and said, ‘Brother Sha’ul, see again!’ And at that very moment, I recovered my sight and saw him. ¹⁴ He said, ‘The God of our fathers^[a] determined in advance that you should know his will, see the Tzaddik and hear his voice; ¹⁵ because you will be a witness for him to everyone of what you have seen and heard. ¹⁶ So now, what are you waiting for? Get up, immerse yourself and have your sins washed away as you call on his name.’