Have you ever been curious how relatable the Torah really is? A group of staff from the Kutz365 Alumni Network decided to spend an entire year rapping the weekly Torah portion, or parasha, from the Torah. Shabbat Sha'Raps started at camp in the summer of 2016, and then grew through Zoom over the course of an entire year. Filmed from Zoom boxes around the globe, this creative interpretation of Torah is a fun and easy way to understand the weekly Torah portion. Join Evan, Matt, Melissa, and lots of special guests on this joyful journey of discovering Torah!
In this parasha, Jacob and Esau are going to meet, possibly to fight, but first Jacob meets someone who tells him of his great future. Jacob is renamed Israel (which means “one who wrestles with God”) and goes to meet Esau, and they have a joyous reunion. Isaac then dies, and sadly, so does Rachel as she gives birth to her last child. Listen to learn more about the family.
Transcript
Saturday morning and the peeps are here
It’s time for Shabbat – let me get a cheer
We’ll talk about creation, the garden, the great flood, too,
Ayyoo Matt, you know what to do
We go back to last week, oh what a story
Jacob dreams and he aims for God’s glory
Rachel and Leah become his two wives
Let’s learn some more about their crazy lives
Well Jacob and Esau prepare to meet
A family reunion that can’t be beat
Even though they had some hostilities
Love was there beyond possibilities
There they learned their capabilities
Their utilities, responsibilities
Now before all this, Jacob meets a man
Who wants to wrestle, is that part of the plan?
They fight til dawn and Jacob gets some praise
His name is now Israel for all his days
He’s back to Beth El because God said
The place where he dreamed and laid his head
He’s given the land of the Israelite fam
Taking the lead from Isaac and Abraham
Also in this portion, we get some death
Both Jacob and Rachel take their very last breath
But we meet Benjamin, Jacob’s 12th son
Can’t wait for next week to continue the fun
Thanks for listening to our twenty-ninth rap
Stay tuned for more, we’re putting ourselves on the map
This has been your - SHABBAT SHA’RAP!!!
