Life Changing Debate in Jerusalem

Not long ago, I befriended Mark, a young Jewish college student who was influenced by his roommate to convert to Christianity.

Mark and I examined the context and original Hebrew of the passages he thought referred to Jesus. Eventually, he realized that he had made an uninformed decision.

Furthermore, the experience had ignited a desire in Mark to reconnect to his Jewish heritage, learn Torah, and seek a meaningful relationship with God.

Mark traveled to Jerusalem to study in a yeshivah.

A few months later, I received a frantic call from Mark, who described how he started each day with a fresh coffee at a small Jerusalem cafe owned by a fifth-generation Israeli who had accepted Christianity and considered himself a “messianic Jew.”

Many cups of coffee later, Mark was confused by the Israeli’s passionate arguments and fluency in Hebrew.

Because of the urgency of the situation, I joined Mark at the coffeehouse and listened attentively as the Israeli presented his arguments.

I patiently provided responses, and the discussion lasted for many hours. However, no matter what I said, the Israeli provided a rationalization for his point of view.

I decided to take a different approach.

I told the Israeli that I wanted to go to the city of Shechem to visit the grave of our forefather Jacob.

He immediately corrected me and pointed out that not only was Shechem a dangerous place to visit, but that Jacob’s resting place is in the city of Hebron, almost 50 miles south of Shechem.

I already knew this, but as you will see, I was making a point.

In this week’s Torah portion, Vayishlach (Genesis 32 through 36), we learn in Genesis 33:19 that Jacob “purchased a field in Shechem from the sons of Chamor.”

However, after Jacob died, he was buried in Hebron, as it says in Genesis chapter 49 verse 30 “in the cave in the field of Machpelah” [that is in Hebron].

As we reviewed these passages, the Israeli was thrilled that he had apparently caught me in a mistake since the bible clearly says Jacob was buried in Hebron and not in Shechem.

Then I made my point. I asked the Israeli to open his Hebrew New Testament to Acts chapter 7, verses 15 and 16. His mouth dropped in disbelief when he read that Jacob was buried in Shechem.

This New Testament contradiction left him speechless and convinced Mark to continue in his path of Torah study and commitment to God and Judaism.

May the knowledge of Torah empower us to serve God in truth and follow the life-giving path of Torah and mitzvot.

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Bentzion Kravitz

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