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© 2009 John D. Brey

Genesis 22:8 narrates Abraham answering his son Isaac as to why they're going off to make a burnt offering without the requisite lamb? A translation of the Hebrew goes something like this:

And he Abraham answered, "God He will provide Himself the lamb for burnt offering, my son," and they went on two of them together.

In his Torah Commentary, Richard Elliott Friedman gets us started on how this verse can render unanticipated gems:

To appreciate the artistry of the wording of Abraham's answer, we must keep in mind that the Hebrew has no punctuation. The text says: "God will see to the sheep for the burnt offering my son" ---- which can be understood in two ways. The last two words can be read as a touching epithet: "God will see to the sheep for the burnt offering, my son." But they can also be read as a fearful irony: "God will see to the sheep for the burnt offering: My son." ---- subtly conveying the truth that Isaac himself is to be the sheep for the sacrifice.

A Christian wants to go still further beneath the surface. ---- "God He will provide Himself the lamb for the burnt offering." ---- God will provide the lamb: Himself. God will provide Himself the lamb.

To justify going this deep into a Christ vein we'd remember that the Akedah (the binding of Isaac) is the fulfillment, or reality, of its precursor . . . the ritual circumcision of Abraham. ------- In the Zohar, Rabbi Abba says, "But so it has been taught in the mystery of our Mishnah: Happy are Israel who bring a favorable offering to the blessed Holy One, offering up their sons on the eighth day."

If we link the Akedah, with the circumcision of Abraham, as the Zoharic Sages do throughout the Zohar, we're led to wonder about the unique revelation that Abraham receives from God when he makes the offering that's being spoken of as occurring on the eighth day. He is said to "see" God in a new and revelatory light . . . in light of which, for the first time in the holy writ, God is called "Shaddai."

Now a true believer in this Zoharic hermeneutic wants to connect the dots and therein wonders if "Shaddai" (the God revealed at the circumcision of Abraham) can be directly linked to the "lamb of God" (revealed at the Akedah) . . . in which case weight is lent to the Christian pretext for going so far beneath the text?

The Hebrew word for "lamb" is shin-heh ש ה. ------ While the Hebrew word for "Shaddai" is shin-dalet-yod ש ד י . . . . Which doesn't seem particularly remarkable until we realize that the Hebrew letter heh in "lamb" is actually constructed of a yod י and a dalet ד. ------- The only thing necessary in order to see the word "Shaddai" devolve etymologically back into the word "lamb," is to see the yod slip quietly back under the dalet:

ש ה = ש ד י

This conceptual vein gets interesting when we realize that every important scholar concerning the mystical nature of the Hebrew alphabet (men like Wolfson, Matt, Munk, Ginsburgh, et al.) tell us that in the tradition of the Zoharic Sages, the mark of circumcision is the Hebrew letter yod י . ----- It's stated throughout Jewish midrashim that when the veil of the flesh is removed, then the mark of circumcision is revealed.

. . . Again, this might not seem too important until we realize that these same scholars of Hebrew letter symbolism tell us that the Hebrew letter dalet ד represents a door, a veil, or a curtain. ----- Which is to say that the Hebrew word "lamb" represents the Hebrew word "Shaddai" before the veil has been removed from over the mark of circumcision (the yod י ). ----- If we but remove the veil (dalet ד ) from over the mark of circumcision (the yod י ) we transform the one letter heh in "lamb" into two separate letters, a yod, preceded by a dalet.

ד י

The "Lamb" ( שה) is transformed into "Shaddai" ( שדי) simply by removing the veil ד from over the mark י of circumcision. ----- The sacrificial lamb is only treated as a literal lamb so long as the heart of the Torah, the letters themselves, are treated in an uncircumcised manner. When we go deeper into the spirit of the letters, we see that circumcision itself is designed to say that the lamb is a lamb only until the veil of secrecy is removed . . . i.e. the dalet is taken away . . . as a covering of the yod, at which time the lamb is transformed into "Shaddai."

The great Jewish Sages of the Zohar excoriate the surface meaning when it's thought to be the soul of the Torah of God. They pronounce multifarious "woe's" on those who settle for the general narrative, looking no deeper than that for the mystery of God.

God reveals Himself sequentially throughout the Torah. He reveals Himself as "Shaddai" at Abraham's circumcision, and He reveals that "Shaddai" is the "Lamb of God” at the Akedah (the offering of Abraham’s firstborn).

Since the Zoharic Sages equate circumcision with the offering of the firstborn, it's fitting that God reveals himself as "Shaddai" at the liturgical precursor to the offering of Isaac (brit milah), and as the "Lamb of God” at the actual offering of the firstborn (the Akedah).

* * *

Without revealing to themselves the remarkable connection between the word "Shaddai" and "Lamb" in the Hebrew letters, the great Jewish Sages set the stage for such a revelation when they taught that the Hebrew letter yod is in fact the "mark" of the covenant, revealed at every bris milah ceremony. They continued down that road of revelation when they taught that the Hebrew letter dalet represents a "door" or "veil" an obstruction to what lies beyond or below. ---- In letter symbolism bris milah is thus the removal of the dalet (veil) covering the yod (the "mark" of circumcision) revealing that "Shaddai" is the circumcised "Lamb" of God.

One is said to see the Holy One from the sign of the covenant inscribed in one's flesh, the letter yod. As we have seen, in the case of the Zohar the letter yod is not understood simply as a sign of the covenant between God and Israel but is the very sign of the Holy One himself. . . Here we meet a convergence of anthropomorphic and letter symbolism: the physical organ in its essential character is interchangeable with the letter, and the letter with the physical organ.

Elliot R. Wolfson, Vision of God, and Textual Interpretation: From Midrashic Trope to Mystical Symbol.

If, following Professor Wolfson's suggestion, we observe the convergence of anthropomorphic symbolism with letter symbolism, then when Abraham removes the veil (dalet) over the organ of the covenant, he sees the yod (which Professor Wolfson equates with the corona of the phallus) for the first time.

Similarly, if we remove the veil (dalet) over the yod (mark of circumcision) in the word used for the "lamb" (seh) which God Himself will provide, we find ourselves face-to-face with the theophany the scripture presents as the name "Shaddai."

The first time the word "Shaddai" is used as a name for God is at Abraham's circumcision (when the dalet is first removed from the yod), and the first time the Hebrew word seh -- "lamb" --- is used in relationship to God is at the offering of Isaac, which the Zoharic sages suggest is presaged at Abraham's circumcision.

God reveals that he is "Shaddai" when Abraham symbolically offers up his firstborn (circumcision as a ritual offering of the firstborn is taught throughout the Zohar) . . . and then when Abraham is willing to go even further than the symbolic offering of the firstborn, God reveals to him that "Shaddai" is the "Lamb of God,” the lamb God Himself will provide:

And Abraham answered [Isaac], "God He will provide Himself the lamb for the burnt offering: `My son'," and they went on two of them together. (Genesis 22:8).

Genesis 22:8 links itself directly to Genesis chapter 17 (the circumcision of Abraham) in that it implies God will provide Himself the Lamb of God, therein revealing for the first time in Scripture the meaning of the word "Shaddai" as the circumcision of the word "lamb." ---- God first reveals Himself as "Shaddai" . . . a great revelation in itself . . . but then when Abraham proves himself worthy of the key to unlocking the meaning of the name "Shaddai" (when he offers Isaac) God first introduces the Hebrew word for "lamb" (shin-heh) which is the name "Shaddai" not yet circumcised (the veil of the dalet still covers the yod of the name of God).

In this undeniable formula God reveals to Abraham that he will reveal His true Name (and Judaism recognizes that a "Name" is the essence of the Person) . . . God will reveal His true essence, when Abraham is willing to offer up Isaac as the true meaning of his earlier circumcision. ------ God's true essence is to become the Lamb of God, the Son of God, who will be offered up as the sacrifice that God spared Abraham. God spares Abraham the offering of Isaac precisely because He intends to provide Himself the replacement for the sacrifice of Isaac.

* * *

The suggestion that one get's to spy “Shaddai” simply by pulling the wool off the Hebrew word “lamb,” establishes a number of interesting links which clearly exist in the text and the narrative. One of these links not yet pursued is the implied relationship between the “sacrificial lamb” and the practice of circumcision. Why the sudden inference that the cutting of the sacrificial lamb had always been a precursor to the cutting of the flesh of the male organ?

If we take one step backward into the etymology of the words “Shaddai” and “lamb,” we note that the word for “demon” (and the zoharic sages consider the uncircumcised limb “demonic”) is the word “shed” made up of a shin ש and a dalet ד . This word “demon,” Hebrew “shed,” is a picture of a lamb “seh” without the appearance of the mark of the covenant – yod -- underneath the veil of the flesh -- the dalet.

"Lamb" = ש ה while “demon” = ש ד.

In the picture of the “lamb of God” we can see that the mark of God, the yod, though covered up by the veil, is nevertheless present beneath the veil. ----- On the other hand we see that in the word “demon” the mark of God has been completely obscured by the dalet.

ש ד = “demon” obscuring the yod י (mark of God)---- ש ה = “lamb” evidencing the mark of God beneath the woolen veil ----ש ד י = “Shaddai” revealing that the mark of God will be uncovered when the lamb of God is shorn.[1]

* * *

The Hebrew word shed is generally thought to be connected with the Babylonian word shedu, which was used to speak of a “demon.” In Mesopotamian thought, shedu was specifically associated with supernatural protection of ones sexual potency, vitality, virility, and offspring.

We hardly need to note that the covenant established with Abraham centered on his vitality, virility and offspring . . . and more specifically, with his dead vitality, virility, and opportunity for offspring.

God promised Abraham that his dead limb, now revealed as the covenantal lamb, would be resurrected, after the fleshly veil had been removed, revealing the mark of God beneath the flesh.

The point of Abraham’s circumcision was the unveiling of the corona of the phallus (represented by the Hebrew letter yod). Prior to Abraham's circumcision, the demonic world had so effectively obscured the holy corona, that no one would have thought to look there for its Presence. ----- In other words, prior to Abraham’s “cutting” of the covenant, no man knew that by simply pulling back the demonic shell, revealing the yod of God, you could produce the theophany that is the Name "Shaddai."

Before his circumcision Abraham could not fully apprehend God because his body was still encased in the demonic shell, the foreskin covering the phallus.

Elliot R. Wolfson, Ibid.

Abraham could not fully apprehend that the letter most potent in the revelation of God is the Hebrew letter yod י. ---- His blindness to this truth resulted from the fact that the yod י was utterly invisible. It was completely covered up by the demonic shell ש ד . ---- When Abraham pulls back the demonic shell and spies the yod of God he receives a theophany: he sees God with his own eyes. The yod י is pulled out from under the demonic shell shed ש ד (shin dalet) so that for the first time his eyes spy ש ד י “Shaddai.” ---- For the first time since the fall of man, the divine is seen emerging from the veil of the demonic.

* * *

The Lamb of God (“Shaddai”) is further linked with the circumcised limb when the mezuzah is placed on the doorpost of the Jewish home. ---- It’s no secret that the mezuzah is a type, representing the seminal event, which is the freeing and establishing of the Jewish nation. A lamb was cut, and the lamb’s blood was placed on the lintel and doorpost of the Jewish home forcing the death angel to “Passover” any home protected by this prototypical mezuzah. [2]

. . . More secretive is the fact that “two bloods” were actually placed on the doorpost and lintel of the Jewish home.

Parroting statements from the Zohar (Bo 2:36a), and Midrash Rabbah (Exodus, p. 213), the author of Pirke De Rabbi Eliezer remarks:

The Israelites took the blood of the covenant of circumcision, and they put it upon the lintel of their houses, and when the Holy One, blessed be He, passed over to plague the Egyptians, He saw the blood of the covenant of circumcision upon the lintel of their houses and the blood of the Paschal lamb, He was filled with compassion on Israel, as it said, “And when I passed by thee, and saw thee weltering in thy (twofold) blood, I said unto thee, In thy (twofold) blood, live (Ezek. xvi. 6). “In thy blood” is not written here, but in “thy (twofold) blood,” with twofold blood, the blood of the covenant of circumcision and the blood of the Paschal lamb. . ..

Once again we see a symbiotic relationship between unveiling the Name at circumcision, and uncovering the Name when the Lamb of God is sacrificed. ----- More remarkable is the fact that in passages like these, where the “two bloods” are associated with the Passover, we’re given an unambiguous clue to the truth that “Shaddai” is in fact the “Lamb of God.”

Since the blood of the sacrificial lamb, and the blood of the divine limb, are both placed on the doorpost at Passover (pointing out the undeniable relationship between the two) all the foregoing becomes nearly a forgone conclusion when we observe that the name "Shaddai" (shin-dalet-yod) is placed on the mezuzah designed as a everlasting monument to the saving bloods of the Passover. --- We can know with no small assurance that the blood of the Lamb placed on the doorpost at Passover signifies a specific lamb, the Lamb of God, “Shaddai.”

NOTES:

1. See, The Zohar, Lekh lekha, 1:95b.

2. It's notable that Moses has Israel use a "hyssop" branch to smear the blood on the doorpost. The hyssop has no "sponge-like" properties to warrent the specificity of this particular branch. On the other hand, the only time the word "hyssop" is used in an original sense in the New Testament, a sponge is attached, and it surely absorbs Jesus' blood as he hangs on the cross as the Lamb of God (Shaddai). In a symmetrical, rather than asymmetrical, appreciation of time, hyssop acquires its purifying properties at Golgotha.