I have to go back and read your post in more depth, but I just wanted to say that not 10 minutes before seeing your thread, I was reading and reviewing the same verses. Happens often.
I Am that I Am (אֶהְיֶה אֲשֶׁר אֶהְיֶה, ʾehyeh ʾašer ʾehyeh) is a common English translation of the response God used in the Hebrew Bible when Moses asked for his name (Exodus 3:14). It is one of the most famous verses in the Torah. Hayah means "existed" or "was" in Hebrew; "ehyeh" is the first person singular imperfect form and is usually translated in English Bibles as "I will be" (or "I shall be"), for example, at Exodus 3:12. Ehyeh asher ehyeh literally translates as "I Will Be What I Will Be", with attendant theological and mystical implications in Jewish tradition. However, in most English Bibles, this phrase is rendered as I am that I am."
I love how you introduced the thread with a graphic translating this name as "I Am WHO I Am", because that's exactly what it says. The relative pronoun asher can be rendered as who, which, or that, depending on the subject matter. And when is God ever a "that"? He's a personal albeit wholly spiritual being. He's not an inanimate object. What's this "that" business? He's a "who".
I get a little worked up over this one because when He says "I Am WHO I Am", there's no mystery there. It's the simple meaning. That's the point. He is who He is: what you see is exactly what you get. A God who is sincere, open-hearted, genuine, and frank. No guile, no sneaky ulterior motives, no Gotcha! games. He's so open about who He is and what He expects that the simple meaning of this particular name sails right past folks. He is WHO He is. Tam, meaning whole, complete, perfect.
His own are those who are just like Him, Just simple, open, honest, loving people: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The three Patriarchs. That's why they are the Patriarchs. The Avot, the Founding Fathers as it were.
Funny though, because of Jacob's clever character in obtaining the birthright and then also the blessing, but he's still the same Jacob. Esav hated Jacob like the Establishment hates President Trump. He simply trumps them through a superior methodology, one against which they have no weapons.
Genesis 25:27 And the boys grew: and Esau was a cunning hunter, a man of the field; and Jacob was a plain [tam] man, dwelling in tents.
Esav IS the Establishment. The man of the world (field). ACME this and ACME that, but it's all blowing up in his face because his building (established business practice) is based upon guile, deceit, and hate. President Trump, OTOH, is the Jacob type of wily. He can just stand there like the Roadrunner, and unfortunate things... happen.
Best election ever. Purim x 10,000.
Speaking of Donald Trump, remember the verses from yesterday that are marked out by the inverted nuns, the 85 letters being the book that was "never written?"
That was the Torah reading on the day Donald Trump was born. It starts right out with it.
Flag Day, June 14, 1946
It's the little things.
