Olam-Forever

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Colour coded details of the - TaNaKh: 1. Torah = History & Law, 2. Nevi’im = The Prophets. 3. *Ketuvim = all other Writings).

*The Ketuvim - includes, Poetical books - Psalms, Proverbs, Job, the Megillot, or Scrolls - Song of Solomon, Ruth, Lamentations of Jeremiah, Ecclesiastes, and Esther, prophecy of Daniel, and history of Ezra, Nehemiah, and Chronicles I & II.

Some minor alterations have been made relating to Names and Attributes having been corrected.

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Le’Olam - לְעוֹלָם and Olam - עוֹלָם

Means “Forever” and “Eternal”

With Rabbi, Dr. Reuven Ben Avraham-Goossens, PhD.

There is no doubt that our beloved Torah, and all of the Tanakh provides us with so many blessings, as well at times questions. Yet the beauty can be best understood, by those who are faithful Hebrews, who live a life as close as possible to the correct teachings which are 100% Torah based.

Let us commence and read - Shemot - Exodus 3:15. (JPS) in Ivrit - Hebrew, followed by a Transliteration and then in English.

וַיֹּאמֶר עוֹד אֱלֹהִים אֶל-מֹשֶׁה, כֹּה-תֹאמַר אֶל-בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵי אֲבֹתֵיכֶם אֱלֹהֵי אַבְרָהָם אֱלֹהֵי יִצְחָק וֵאלֹהֵי יַעֲקֹב, שְׁלָחַנִי אֲלֵיכֶם; זֶה-שְּׁמִי לְעֹלָם, וְזֶה זִכְרִי לְדֹר דֹּר

“Vayomer od Elohim el-Moshe, koh tomar el-benei Yisra’el: Yah’vah Elohei avoteichem, Elohei Avraham, Elohei Yitzchak, ve’Elohei Ya’akov, shelachani aleichem; zeh-shemi Le’Olam, vezeh zichri ledor dor.

“And אֱלֹהִים (God) said moreover unto Moshe: ‘Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel: אֱלֹהֵי- יְהוָה (The LORD, the God) of your fathers, the אֱלֹהֵי (God) of Avraham - Abraham, אֱלֹהֵי- יְהוָה (the LORD God) of Yitzchak - Isaac, and the אֱלֹהֵי of Ya’aqov - Jacob, hath sent me unto you; this is My Name FOREVER, and this is My Memorial unto all Generations”. Shemot - Exodus 3:15.

Let us now read Tehillim - Psalms 105:8. (JPS).

זָכַר לְעוֹלָם בְּרִיתוֹ; דָּבָר צִוָּה, לְאֶלֶף דּוֹר

“Zachar Le’Olam Be’rito, Davar Tzivah Le’elef Dor”.

“He hath remembered His covenant Forever, the word which He commanded to a thousand generations”.

By now it must have become obvious that the main word in these verses is “Le’Olam” being “Forever”. Mind you, in both cases the fact that it really is forever is expanded on, with either; “My memorial unto ALL Generations”, or “Commanded to a Thousand Generations”. However believe it or not, rabbis continue to argue that this is not quite correct, well let us see if it is or not?

Does לְעוֹלָם - Le’Olam really mean “Forever”?

In everyday Hebrew Le’olam functions as our go-to word for “forever” even “eternal,” and the greatest minds of our beloved Tanakh’s Ivrit - Hebrew, who having been its translator’s and they all render it as “Forever” or “Eternal” without any hesitation. Within the Tanakh it appears in covenantal formulas such as “forever” statutes and promises, underscoring unbroken continuity across generations. Sadly those who are called ‘mainstream commentators’ who prefer a more modern Tanakh, will take “Le’olam” very much at certain rabbinic ideologies, which is more related to that evil ‘Zohar’ and ‘Kabbalistic’ occultist rubbish!.

The Talmud is Synonyms: Emphasizing Eternity:

The Talmud (Eruvin 54a) groups four words; ‘Olam’, ‘Netzach’, ‘Selah’ and ‘Va-ed’ together, asserting they all mean “forever.” However, whenever the Torah pairs ‘Olam’ with one of the following terms, thus doubling the idea of absolute time with an unending perpetuity. Grammarians like Rabbi Menachem ibn Saruk and Rabbi Yosef Kimchi quotes this passage to affirm that “Olam” by itself already carries the sense of “forever and ever!”

A Contextual Verdict:

Whether “Le’Olam” strictly means forever depends on how the term functions in each verse: When it stands alone in covenant or ritual contexts (“statute forever”), the overwhelming consensus sees it as eternal.

When you see ‘Olam paired with synonyms (e.g., “le’olam”), it must be read as true perpetuity. Thus yes Le’Olam means “forever,” especially in theological pledges, but attentive study reveals that some rabbis, most notably the Maharsha, reserve the possibility of a bounded “long-term” reading based on context.

Let us see some further examples where Le’Olam appears?.

Bereshit - Genesis 17:7.

Please note: from here on I will just show the Ivrit - Hebrew and English.

וַהֲקִמֹתִי אֶת-בְּרִיתִי בֵּינִי וּבֵינֶךָ, וּבֵין זַרְעֲךָ אַחֲרֶיךָ לְדֹרֹתָם-לִבְרִית עוֹלָם: לִהְיוֹת לְךָ לֵאלֹהִים, וּלְזַרְעֲךָ אַחֲרֶיךָ

“And I will establish My covenant between Me and thee and thy seed after thee throughout their generations for an עוֹלָם - ‘Olam’ - everlasting covenant, to be a אֱלֹהִים - God unto thee and to thy seed after thee”.

As we can clearly see “Olam” here is a classic covenant formula, and thus it is clearly eternal!

Shemot - Exodus 12:14.

וְהָיָה הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה לָכֶם לְזִכָּרוֹן, וְחַגֹּתֶם אֹתוֹ חַג לַיהוָה: לְדֹרֹתֵיכֶם, חֻקַּת עוֹלָם תְּחָגֻּהוּ

“And this day shall be unto you for a memorial, and ye shall keep it a feast to יְהוָה (the LORD); throughout your generations ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance forever (Olam)”.

This is all about a festal statute which is marked as being perpetual.

Vayikra - Leviticus 3:17.

חֻקַּת עוֹלָם לְדֹרֹתֵיכֶם, בְּכֹל מוֹשְׁבֹתֵיכֶם-כָּל-חֵלֶב וְכָל-דָּם, לֹא תֹאכֵלוּ

“It shall be a perpetual (Olam) statute throughout your generations in all your dwellings, that ye shall eat neither fat nor blood”.

As we can see that “Le’Olam” in parallel with “Olam” clerly proves an unbroken command.

Tehillim - Psalm 136:1.

לְעֹשֵׂה הַשָּׁמַיִם, בִּתְבוּנָה: כִּי לְעוֹלָם חַסְדּוֹ

“To Him that by understanding made the heavens, for His mercy endureth (Ollam) forever”.

Yirmyahu - Jeremiah 32:40:

וְכָרַתִּי לָהֶם, בְּרִית עוֹלָם, אֲשֶׁר לֹא-אָשׁוּב מֵאַחֲרֵיהֶם

“I will make an (Brit Olam) everlasting covenant with them that I will not turn away from them”.

The words “Brit Olam” conveys that the covenant can never be broken.

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What have we learned all the above? Each occurrence of לְעוֹלָם or עוֹלָם (Le’Olam or Olam) has shown us the context of “Forever”, unless it contains a special reason for it to be for a certain time.

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In Conclusion, a Question to Deepen the Conversation:

Which part of this study or a line has touched you the most? And how do you feel, are you doing as a well being a faithful Jew upholding as many of our Mitzvoth’s? I am well aware that the modern world sadly contains far too many problems as well as enticements, which usually tends to throw many off track. Thus, the various struggles that may be taking place in your life in today, can so often have sad and cruel effects upon your life?

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“Hebraic Studies” motto is as follows;

“The More Torah, the More Life”,

For our Elohim is the One who gave us our ... Life!

May the Shalom (Peace) of יָהוָה צְבָאוֹת - (the LORD of hosts) be with you, and please always continue to uphold our שַׁבָּת - Shabbat, as well as the ‘מוֹעֲדִים - Mo’a’dim - Feasts, and continue saying your daily תפילה - Te’fee’lah (Prayers) and regular בְּרָכָ - Be’ra’chah (blessings) before food and drinks, etc!

Rabbi, Dr. Reuven Ben Avraham-Goossens, PhD.

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