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Dear Brother Moshe, Question:

I read in your book, The Truth About All Israel, where Mrs Wootten said that the word "blessed" in Gen 12:3 means mixed and was from the Hebrew word Ve'nivrechu. I look it up in Strong's Concordance and it turned up the word Barak which means to bless. How did she arrive at this word Ve'nivrechu and why the descripancy?
-Lawrence Davis


Nivrechu

Regarding your question about the use of the word "nivrechu" to mean more than just "blessing" but rather as "mixed" or "grafted":

In Hebrew, Beresheit/Genesis 12:3 literally reads: "Ve'nivrechu bekah kol mishpachot ha-adamah." "I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you and in you all the nations of the earth shall be mixed! The Hebrew word translated in most translations as "blessed", is the Hebrew word "ve'nivrechu." "ve-Nivrechu" appears only three times in the Tanak at Beresheit 12:3, 18:18 and 28:14 and all three times it speaks of how Avraham will affect the nations of the earth. This word can also mean "mixed" or "grafted" as much as it connotes blessing. This is important when one understands the greater plan of Yahweh to fulfill His promise to Avraham and his descendants to, yes, certainly "bless" the nations but also in "how" He would do that blessing: via "grafting" or "mixing" of his seed into all the nations.

Of all the times "blessing" is intended the word generally used is "barak", "yivrechu" "yevarech" or some other variant of "barak." Interestingly, after Yahweh uses the other forms of the word for "blessing" such as "Va'avarechah" (and I will bless) and "mevarachecha (ones blessing you) He suddenly within the same verse gets very specific by using "nivrechu" when directly alluding to the manner by which He closes that verse describing how He will "bless" Avraham. So yes, on the one hand it certainly can be seen as an additional form of blessing from the root word bet-resh-kaf or "barawk" used most often to mean "blessing." But again we believe that there is more than just what lies on the surface particularly when one considers the promise of physical multiplicity made by Yahweh to Avraham and his descendants, a promise that is so overwhelmingly important that it is Avraham's belief in that physcial multiplicity promise that then is credited by Yahweh to Avraham as righteousness resulting in the Avrahamic covenant between Yahweh, Avraham and Avraham's descendants (through Yitzchaak and Yaacov of course) [Beresheit/Gen. 15:6] For Avraham knew and trusted Yahweh to be faithful to fulfill and keep His promise to him of physical multiplicy irrespective of the seemingly contradictory request by Yahweh that Avraham sacrifice his son Yitzchaak.

We thus believe the use of "nivrechu" at Beresheit 12:3 is an important nuanced reference by Yahweh to Avraham of the manner by which all this blessing will occur. (i.e., Avraham by then gets the point that he will be blessed, now Yahweh is telling him specifically how. This is why then later at Bereshet 15:4 Avraham is told by Yahweh that one from his own loins/bowels shall be his heir and not Eleazar. Thus Avaraham confidently and faithfully follows Yahweh's instructions regarding Yitzchaak and can even make the bold statment that "we will return" (meaning both he and Yitzchaak.) Also, note that at beresheit 18:

In five places in the Talmud and other rabbinic literature nivrechu is translated as "grafted" or "intermingled." In the orthodox Jewish Art Scroll Tanach Series, Volume 1 p. 432 it is written: "There is an opinion shared by Rashbam, Chizkuni, Da’as Zekeinum and quoted by Tur, that the verb "ve-nivrechu" in Genesis 12:3 is related to the root "barak" (bet-resh-kaf) as in the Mishnaic term "mavreek" meaning to "intermingle" or "graft."" Hebrew word "nivrechu" is the niphal conjugation of the root word "barak." Literally it can read: "and in you all nations will be born through mixing." The Art Scroll series agrees. In five places, this word is translated "mixed" or "grafted" by the rabbis (Keliam 7:1, Sotah 43A). The Hebrew for "blessed" is predominantly "yivrechu" not "nivrechu" using the first letter "yud" rather than the "nun". Paul had this understanding and confirms this in Galatians 3:29 and Romans 11:13 17, where he calls non-Jewish believers the grafted-in physical seed of Abraham, in direct fulfillment of the "ve-nivrechu" blessing of multiplicity in Genesis 12:3!

The Seed, or the Messiah Yahshua, blesses all the nations (the mixed seed of Abraham), and since Jews and Israelites from Ephraim are in all the nations, you have two marvelous concurrent truths floating from Calvary. You have the Seed (Messiah) going into all the nations, with His Word (Mark 4:14), to gather into one Abraham, Isaac and Israel’s scattered physical seed.

Rav Shaul (Rabbi Paul) is stating what all of us already should know in Galatians 3:19; that salvation and the promise of salvation was brought by the One and Only Seed (Messiah Yahshua), who would, in turn, bless all the nations taking the good news to all of Abraham’s sperm globally (Genesis 12:3). And of course, to whosoever else will join with Yisrael ...those who were never of the physical seed of Avraham but become that seed through the Seed Mashiach Yahshua.

 

Dear Rabbi Koniuchowsky:

Thank you so much for your study, The Truth About all Israel: Point by Point Refutation of The MJAA "Ephraimite Error." I believe every bit of it. Though I have been a believer for many years now, I never felt I belonged anywhere until I read all of your study. I am not a Jew, though many times I wanted to convert. What held me back was they do not accept Yahshua. I left my church along time ago, because I knew something was missing though I didn't know exactly what. One day I called on God to please make sense of this life, He was there. Oh, not in person, but in Presence. This started my search for truth. I have read the Bible, lots of articles and books, prayed a lot, and even the, Complete Jewish Bible, Translation by David H. Stern. I realized with reading (and also in my dreams) that it was always centered on the chosen ones, the lost lambs of Israel. If it weren't for the godly Jews there would be no Written Word. This is the reason why I never felt as though I belonged. But, thanks to you, Rabbi Koniuchowsky, that has all changed! I now have a place in God's plan. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

I have but one question. I am now married to a Jewish man and I am saddened that he does not know the importance of his Jewishness. Is there any way that I can rekindle his heart? Just like a woman I now have a second question. Is there a Synagogue with the Two House Teachings in New Jersey? I live in Monmouth Junction, very close to Princeton and New Brunswick.

Sincerely,
Peggy Lehner

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Shalom Sister Peggy,

Well you made my week. And welcome back to the nation of Israel as a returning member of the exiled House of Ephraim/Israel, being yourself from one of the 10 tribes. May I suggest for you to study all 28 parts on Israel's restoration at our site at www.yourarmstoisrael.org so as to know deep down for a certainty that you are both PHYSICAL and SPIRITUAL ISRAEL as much as the Jews are, but that you are from the other house of Israel promised by Yahweh to enter the New Covenant according to Jeremiah 31:31.

All this time Yahweh our Father has been leading you to this greatest revelation of the end days. The re-gathering and restoration of both houses of Yisrael. As for your husband, there is a lot you can do. Start keeping the Shabbat and the feasts of Yahweh, (not Jewish feasts according to Lev 23) and fully submit yourself to Torah in the freedom of observance. Walk in the world even as Yahshua walked, in full Torah obedience and proclamation. As for good referrals in NJ, I can't think of any offhand at this time that really teach the 2 house truth, but I'll post this to my list and see if anyone can refer you to one. Also check www.2house.org and see which ones may be near you. Shabbat Shalom and welcome home my Ephraimite sister.

Brother Moshe Yoseph Koniuchowsky