[M] Good morning Gabe. Are you well rested?
[G] Yes, thank you. Rivka and Aaron have been most gracious and accommodating over the course of my stay. I did express appreciation and told of my leaving.
[M] It is then time for you to take leave. There are other stories. Must you soon depart?
[G] Oh no. This has been such a rewarding experience that I would favor lingering on as long as you are comfortable.
[M] Thank you. Shall we take then to the garden? Earlier, we had spoken of some things learned of the teaching of Yeshua, but now may I tell of more?
He had shared his wisdom with crowds in Caesarea Philippi and distant Tyre, as well as villages all around Lake of Gennesaret, and well into the district named Beyond the Jordan. Andrew, Simon and Levi, dearest Miryam of Magdala, the other women and more were in his company. On each day was brought to them by my dear son a more full understanding of the love of Adonai for all of his children.
Yeshua would minister to people in synagogue, at seashore, on the grassy plains, wherever and whenever they appeared in need for hope and comfort. And too, there were many most marvelous works that Yeshua carried out in the name of HA-SHEM.
We Jews, it seemed, were always in discussion and even in argument over our religious heritage. It was almost understandable that the various tribes would find disfavor in the traditions of one another. But even as a child, I would hear one man sometimes in heated exchange with another over our faith and its direction for our lives. These thoughts were at times confusing, and so often, I was not comfortable.
But what I learned from my parents and through the love and wisdom given me by my beloved Yosef, I was prepared well for the new revelations of my son the rabbi, Yeshua.
There is still another recollection. Before he had taken leave of our village to live at Kefar Nahum, Yeshua seemed driven by angels of the Most Holy One. He was eager to be about teaching. Yet he was always so deeply concerned of my well being, especially that since my beloved Yosef had been dead just two years and my dear mother Anne for a little over one year.
It was some time later that I found out how he had sought assurances from Josus and Jacob and how much so they had encouraged him. They always knew in their hearts, and Gabe, as I did in mine, that this was the destiny of Yeshua. It was of such comfort for him to be so assured by them, so relieved.
I must also mention that in the course of those three following years, Yeshua came home I believe, more often than when he was younger. Back then his work with Yosef had taken him often to distant places. But now how exciting it was for Lydda and me to listen to him. Such great emotion in his voice and eyes.
Gabe, if you ever have reason to speak of this or to cause it to be written, please let everyone know just how joy filled was my Yeshua. Most serious yes, for he was about important matters, spreading the good news of HA-SHEM. And in what a most pleasant manner did he so do this work. People seemed not only to listen with great attention and understanding, but to truly have deep love for his kindness. How proud is this mother, indeed.
It was made known to me that some of the learned ones including Sadducees, Pharisees and Scribes engaged Yeshua with deceptive questions, trying so to humiliate him. It was probably mostly the Pharisees, as they hold claim to knowledge of each and every one of our sacred laws and observances.
Yet all of these people preach respect and concern for their fellow Jews, and then turn on them like the dreaded viper. My Yosef would have described their love and hate as but horns of the same goat.
And there were other difficulties in those times. John had been imprisoned by that Herod Antipatros at a place called Machaerus. You may be familiar. It is to the east of Bahrlut. Yeshua and his friends might have been in the district of Judaea. On hearing they were troubled, but this practice was not uncommon by that hot head. This would be the way those of his kind deal with anyone who might be troublesome. Just for attracting crowds, even if they are only assembled to hear good news of the Most Holy One, it is sufficient to label that person Zealot.
It was common practice that after a beating or two or three the person would be cautioned and released. And so how shocking it was to learn of the murder of John, and after preaching for just a few years. He was but 32 years of age, and there was no one present to sit Shivah. I thought praise be to Adonai that dear Elizabeth and Zechariah had been dead, saved from the struggle over enduring such grief.
I believe that it was Miryam who told me of the reaction of Yeshua upon learning of that tragedy. He spoke openly of his fury at Herod for this unjust taking of life. This ordeal most certainly must have renewed his call for justice to our people and freedom from anxiety.
Gabe, we must go on to some more pleasant things.
There is a special story when Yeshua and his friends would come to my home. On several such occasions my dear son would bring me fresh – yes fresh – fish. They were kept alive in the waters of Lake of Gennesaret, as then he had taken residence at the village called Kefar Nahum. Yeshua would actually carry them in a skin bag over his shoulder. What a generous person my son, always thinking of his mother. I still remember the meals we enjoyed all together, speaking to the wonders of his joy filled labors, spreading words of love and understanding.
By the way, Gabe, do you take notice that so many of my tales mention food?
Oh, allow me to share still another experience. One day Lydda and Jacob took me to a new area near the Lake of Gennesaret. In the past, on some trips to Yerushalayim, Yosef had chosen to avoid the lands of the Samaritans, departing and returning through the lands east of the River Jordan. But then we were always at the very southern part of the lake, so this was a different location.
We stayed with dear Miryam at her village, Magdala. I was able to view the sea and fine fishing boats in so many numbers. Miryam hastened to escort us to a great grassy plain not too far distant. There were men and women and children in vast numbers, all assembled to hear the guiding words of my Yeshua.
I noticed also some others, priests by their attire. They did not have at all the same eagerness as shown on the faces of the more humble people assembled. Gabe, I even thought to myself, are they present to hear of the glories of The Master of the Universe and messages of hope and love, or to make judgment on the worthiness of my son?
Yeshua, he spoke to all in story form of humility, the kingdom of the HA-SHEM, and of mercy and justice. I had never seen such numbers – and so completely bound up by his words.
You know, this is simply not our way. If ever even ten of us are gathered one would expect at least three different, and most often, thunderous discussions. Yet this multitude was quietly absorbed by his lessons. I learned later that one of his friends, it might have been the cautious Simon bar Jonah, concerned by the lateness of the day, asked if the crowd should be dismissed to seek shelter and food. Well, in response and with his typical caring, Yeshua prayed and then provided breads and fish sufficient for all assembled to eat fully.
Gabe, this took place as Lydda, Miryam and I were close at hand. I shall never know how, yet those provisions were simply not there prior to the inquiry. But as I reclined to partake, thoughts drifted back to that wedding when Yeshua provided the new wine which so comforted Ahwid, the kin of my husband.
I had mentioned that on the sojourn to Bayt Lahm for the census and the birth of Yeshua that Yosef and I had chance to stop for water in the at times hostile Samaria, at a village called Sychar. Well now I must tell of the rest.
It seems that in his travels Yeshua chanced upon people in that very same place. How many years later, but this time his mission was to tell of the love of the Most Holy One. Think dear Gabe, my son was addressing the Samaritans, those long enduring enemies in the lands we knew for so long as to be dangerous. I recall that on one of his visits, I told Yeshua that Yosef and I had stopped to drink at the village well. Oh what a laugh my son and I shared with that story. Such a coincidence, the very same well.
Miryam told me that just a few months before his murder, I believe that it was in the month of Shevat, that Yeshua had angered the priests and scribes at Temple. She and his friends were witnesses as he raged against the money changers and the merchants who were selling sacrifice animals on the grounds, called the Precincts. When hearing of this, I was reminded of our visits in years past. Yosef, as well as the then young Yeshua, had been dismayed by the lack of respect given to Temple, that most holy place. Could this business not have been conducted as easily at some more reverent distance?
Gabe, I was troubled by the measure of the fury of my Yeshua. This was not in keeping with his usually serene mannerism. He was never that way. I sensed that something even more disturbing was taking place. Miryam informed me that once they had taken leave of Temple, Yeshua most rapidly took on his customary calmness and resolve.
It seems that a few scribes and other religious leaders took worry of this carpenter turned rabbi. They criticized him, claiming that he was disloyal to the laws of Moshe. I was told that this had never been the situation, nor had I ever experienced such talk. In reality, he brought forgiveness to all of the tribes for the years of their disrespecting the Covenant of Adonai with Yisroel.
Yeshua spoke always in honor of the Most Holy One and with love for all people. Maybe he did not give attention enough to our old laws, but he always valued them as well as our traditions. This was his message to the ever expanding band of followers.
His friends knew, and were most fearful that opposition to Yeshua, especially in Judaea, was rapidly growing.
Gabe, now to my prayers, and then we must continue.