We can see Jewish history on every page of the Chumash Mikra’os Gedolos, the Hebrew text of the Torah with its classical commentaries. The Torah was written down by Moshe Rabbeinu in the Sinai wilderness. The Targum was compiled by Onkelos in Eretz Yisrael shortly after the destruction of the Second Temple. In the Middle Ages, Rashi and Rashbam wrote Torah commentaries in France, while Ibn Ezra, Ramban, and the Ba’al HaTurim wrote in Spain. Later, the Sforno wrote in Italy, the Kli Yakar in Prague, and the Ohr HaChaim in Morocco and Yerushalayim.
What is the purpose of the blank margin around the text? That is for later generations to fill in – to add their own insights based on the foundation provided by Chazal and the Commentaries. Patterns in Genesis and Beyond, recently written and published by Baltimore native Rabbi David Sykes makes a significant contribution towards filling in those margins.
Rabbi Sykes had the privilege of being taught to read the Torah by the late Reb Meir Steinharter, z”l, with whom he had a very close relationship. Since that time, Rabbi Sykes has been a synagogue Torah reader, which means that he has spent thousands of hours leining and thousands more preparing. One never knows what he will find if he pays attention. Over time, Rabbi Sykes noticed many verbal and thematic linkages throughout the Chumash. Slowly, a network of patterns began to emerge, and Patterns in Genesis and Beyond began to take shape.
After 40-plus years of exploring and developing these patterns, he has produced a breathtakingly brilliant 600-page masterwork. The Hebrew title of this book is Toras Hashem Temimah, which means that the Torah of Hashem is a complete and perfect whole. Rabbi Sykes shows that the patterns he has discovered permeate the entire Torah narrative and flow over into the books of the Prophets as well. This easy-to-read book has been written for the widest possible audience, from the student in the synagogue adult education class to the senior scholar. Rabbi Sykes brings to the table an expert understanding of the Hebrew language, its nouns, verb forms, and style, as well as a passionate love for Hashem and His Torah.
In the 41 chapters of this book, which begins with the Creation and ends with Bilaam’s prophecies about the Ultimate Redemption, Rabbi Sykes first clearly lays out the approaches of the commentaries to the subject at hand. Building on that foundation, he wows the reader with the fascinating patterns he has discovered. These patterns not only enhance our understanding of the Torah, they also teach us life lessons that we can apply today. I am sure everyone can learn much from these insights. Let me provide an example to convince you that this new book will generously repay your study.
What is the secret of a successful shidduch? There are two accounts in Bereishis about meeting a future wife at a well, and a third in Shemos. Eliezer (on Yitzchak’s behalf) and Rivka, Yaakov and Rochel, and Moshe and Tzipporah all met at wells. Rabbi Sykes compares and contrasts these three meetings. He observes that, in each case, there was an act of chesed that took place at the well: the provision of water. Further, in all three cases, the act of chesed was an extraordinary one. When Rivka drew water for Eliezer and his ten camels, she demonstrated great persistence and patience, since camels require tremendous amounts of water. Yaakov’s act of chesed was extraordinary as well, since there was a massive stone covering the well, yet he was not deterred by this huge physical obstacle. Moshe overcame human obstacles when he saved Yisro’s daughters from the shepherds who were harassing them. Having established these parallels, Rabbi Sykes turns to the interpretation of their message. He suggests that the Torah is teaching us that the key to a successful shidduch is going the extra mile and performing even extraordinary acts of chesed for one’s mate. That is what opens the wellsprings of blessing in a marriage.
While every shidduch needs chesed as its foundation, every match is special and unique. Eliezer was looking for someone who would prove that she was fit to marry into the family of Avraham, and Rivka met the challenge. Like Avraham, Rivka did chesed on a grand scale and with enthusiasm. The Torah hints to this commonality through a pattern of verbal linkages. When Avraham took care of his guests, the Torah tells us that he ran (vayaratz) and hurried (vayemaher) to carry out his chesed. Similarly, Rivka ran (vataratz) and hurried (vatemaher) until she completed her enormous task.
In the case of Yaakov’s chesed, the removal of the large stone can be seen as a step towards his overall transformation from “Yaakov” to the powerful “Yisrael.” The Torah hints to this as well. Whereas the shepherds said they were “not able” (lo nuchal) to remove the stone, Yaakov stepped forth and accomplished this feat. Later, when the angel told Yaakov that his name would become Yisrael, he explained: “… for you have wrestled with angels and men and you have prevailed (vatuchal).” As Rabbi Sykes explains in detail, the suffering that Yaakov would endure as Lavan’s son-in-law was also integral to this process of transformation.
In the case of Moshe’s chesed, this was not the first time he intervened to save the oppressed from the oppressor. Earlier, he had killed the Egyptian who was hitting a Jew, and also tried to break up a fight between two Jews. Now, even though, as a fugitive, it would have been to his advantage to keep a low profile, and even though he had no connection to the people being victimized, Moshe once again stepped in to help. According to the Alter from Kelm, zt”l, it was because of “Moshe’s fiery heart to save the oppressed from the oppressor” that he was chosen by Hashem to take the Jews out of Egypt. Yisro, like Moshe, was passionate about rescue. When his daughters told him, “An Egyptian man has saved us from the hand (hitzilanu miyad) of the shepherds,” he was very excited, and he eventually took Moshe as his son-in-law. Later, after Yetzias Mitzrayim, Moshe described to Yisro all the travail the Jews had experienced, and how Hashem had saved them (vayatzilem). Yisro responded by repeatedly praising Hashem for saving the Jews from the hand (hitzil miyad) of their Egyptian oppressors, and it was his appreciation of this salvation that led him to believe in Hashem.
If you find spiritual enrichment through the study of Chumash, you must get a copy of Rabbi David Sykes’ Patterns in Genesis and Beyond. In the secular marketplace, when movies are re-shown, the actors receive payments called “residuals.” Similarly, ovdei Hashem receive “spiritual residuals” from Hakadosh Baruch Hu when their efforts generate increased Torah study and mitzva performance. Reb Meir Steinharter is surely receiving tremendous nachas and merit in Shamayim (Heaven) for the Torah accomplishments of his many students, especially the diamond, Rabbi David Sykes. Get his new book and find out why.
Patterns in Genesis and Beyond is available at both Pern’s Bookstore and Shabsi’s Judaica, as well as online at Amazon.com.
