The Book of Jubilees, a text not included in the standard Hebrew Bible but considered sacred by some, gives us a peek into how this concept was understood long ago.
It states, quite plainly: "With the instrument with which a man killeth his neighbour with the same shall he be killed; after the manner that he wounded him, in like manner shall they deal with him." Heavy stuff, right? This isn't just about earthly courts and punishments; it’s presented as an ordinance decreed on the "heavenly tables." A cosmic law, etched in the very fabric of existence. It’s a powerful assertion of midah k’neged midah (מדה כנגד מדה), measure for measure. What you dish out, you get back. This principle echoes throughout Jewish thought.
But the Book of Jubilees isn't all fire and brimstone. It also delves into the everyday lives of our ancestors.
The text transitions from cosmic law to family matters, specifically the family of Noah. Remember Noah? The guy with the Ark?
We learn that in the twenty-fifth jubilee – a jubilee being a period of 49 years – Noah took a wife. Her name was ’Ĕmzârâ, and she was the daughter of Râkê’êl, who was, interestingly, Noah's father's brother. So, a cousin. Marrying cousins wasn't uncommon in ancient times, but it does make you pause, doesn't it?
The text gets even more specific. This happened in the first year of the fifth week of that jubilee. Talk about pinpoint accuracy! And in the third year of that week, ’Ĕmzârâ bore him Shem. Two years later, came Ham. And then, in the first year of the sixth week, they had Japheth.
Three sons, each destined to become the patriarch of a major branch of humanity. The Book of Jubilees, in its matter-of-fact way, lays out the timeline. It connects the grand sweep of cosmic justice to the intimate details of family life. It shows us that even in the midst of divine decrees and world-altering events, life – and family – goes on.
It's a reminder that history isn't just about big events. It's about the everyday moments, the births and marriages, the relationships that shape who we are. And perhaps, just perhaps, the choices we make in those everyday moments have a way of echoing out into the cosmos, influencing that very same "heavenly table."