Introduction to Parashat
42:
“Vows and oaths – The Torah introduces a chapter which
upon reflection, gives a person the right to do something heretofore could only
be done by YHVH: to create a new halachic status. By pronouncing a sort of vow
or oath set forth in the passage, a person is given the power to invoke a
“neder” a vow or oath, thereby placing upon himself or others, or upon objects
of his choice, a status equivalent to that of a commandment of the Torah. It
must be understood that there is no English equivalent for the word “neder”;
for lack of anything closer, it is translated a
“vow” –Stones Chumash.
The title of this parasha “mattot” implies that YHVH
has given us in the Messiah an opportunity to be part of a greater family –
“Restored Yisrael”- a new halachic status. The members of this family come from
both houses of Yisrael, Yahudah and Ephraim as well as gentiles from the
nations. YHVH is NO respecter of persons and in Messiah Yahshua those who are
“called out” of the nations and respond in obedience to the calling of the
Ruach Ha Kodesh and walk in a manner pleasing to the Master in obedience to His
Torah may be included in this restored house of Yisrael. In other words only through our faith in
the shed blood of Messiah as an atoning offering for our sins and His
intercessory ministry towards us, to include us into the restored Yisrael, are
we able to enter into His kingdom. This restored house of Yisrael will
serve as a “halachic guide” to all nations. It will serve as a guiding light to
the gentiles. (“Mattot” is also the Hebrew word for a branch of a vine or a rod
or staff)
The number 42 is
very important number throughout the Scripture. It’s connected to our
deliverance from bondage from slavery, iniquity and sin. It’s connected to
being able to come into His Presence through The Cohen Ha Gadol (Yahshua). At
the end of the age there will be witnesses that rise up (Revelation 11) and
testify for 42 months.
·
Forty-two journeys
through the wilderness (Parashat Massei)
·
Forty-two generations
between Adahm and Yahshua
·
Forty-two = the
gates of the Most Set Apart place – 6 by seven cubits
·
Forty-two letters
engraved on Moshe Rabainu’s staff*
·
Baalam made
forty-two offerings to Balak
·
Two segments of
forty-two at the end of time. Called the seven years, the time of distress, the
time of Yakov’s/Jacob’s trouble – final Shmita year-the year of our release
·
Forty-two months of
the tribulation
·
The two witnesses
testify for 1260 days. Using a 30 day month = forty-two months
All the vowels
therefore point to the fact that they are “in YHVH’s Hand” (Be Yad YHVH, hwhy dyb = 42). This is alluded to in the verse, “Let us fall in YHVH’s Hand,
for His mercies are great, but let me not fall in the hand of man.” (2 Samuel
24:14).
Their mystery is:
Eloha hwla = 42
My only One ydyxy = 42
In the ((Beit and memsofit) = 42
My heart ybl = 42
Will be worthy. hkzy = 42
And this mystery is
Enough! Enough! Enough! yd yd yd = 42
Eloha hwla = 42
My only One ydyxy = 42
In the ((Beit and memsofit) = 42
My heart ybl = 42
Will be worthy. hkzy = 42
And this mystery is
Enough! Enough! Enough! yd yd yd = 42
Introduction to Parashat
43:
“Massei” means an “exodus, journey, a march, point of
reference, station, a pulling up of stakes, breaking camp, a journey repeated
again and again.” The term refers both
to the places where the children of Yisrael camped and to the journeys between
those places.
“Massei”
is the plural possessive of “massah”, and implies that we who are believers in
Yahshua will be known by our ownership of these journeys.
“Massei” prophetically describes our journey and the kind of life we
will live here on earth, if we love YHVH and walk according to His Torah. This
kind of lifestyle appears contrary to the kind of messages proclaimed by the motivational
sermons we hear from many pulpits today.
There may be a profound
connection to between these two Torah portions. “Mattot” reminds us of oaths
and promises that we or our forefathers have made that have brought us into
bondage. Generational sins can bring all kinds of demonic strongholds over our
lives. We see this in a general sense in that most of our forefathers made a
determined decision to disobey the Torah of YHVH, they made covenants and
promises to teachings and teachers who did not consider Torah observance
important.
Now we must go through 42
stages in the wilderness of this life to free ourselves of the bondages that
have come upon us generationally (Parashat Massei). There are NO SHORT CUTS.
These destructive vows (generational sins) which bind us will be dealt with
during our “42 stages” of pilgrimage while here on earth. We see that when Yashua was filled with the Ruach
(Spirit), he was immediately led into the wilderness for 40 days. The Ruach of YHVH will also lead us into the
wilderness where He will seek intimacy with us and cleanse and free us from all
obstacles that hinder our fellowship with Him. When we become aware of these
obstacles and bondages we should humble ourselves and repent and trust Him to
break and deliver us from all such bondages and demonic strongholds.
The Hebrew letters of
“neder” or “oath” is spelled in the Hebrew with the letters “ nun, daleth and
reish.” “Nun can mean fish action or seed, “daleth” can man door or follow
through. “Reish” can mean the head of
man.
Together we could say “
Actions will follow through the door to the seed of your generations and land
upon men’s heads.”
Blessing for the Torah:
Baruch atah YHVH, Eloheynu, Melech ha-O’lam,
asher bachar banu m’kol ha-amim,
v’natan lanu eht Torah-to. Baruch atah YHVH,
noteyn ha-Torah. Ameyn.”
(Blessed are you, YHVH, our Elohim , King of the Universe,
(Blessed are you, YHVH, our Elohim , King of the Universe,
you have selected us from among all the
peoples, and have given us your Torah.
Blessed are you, YHVH, giver of the Torah.
Ameyn.)
Torah Readings (when Mattot and Massei are
read together):
1. 30:2 – 31:12
2. 31:13-54
3. 32:1 –
32:19
4. 32:20 –
33:49
5. 33:50 –
34:15
6. 34:16 –
35:8
7. 35:9 –
36:9
8. Maftir:
36:10-13
Haftarah
(when Mattot and Massei are read together): Jeremiah 2:4 – 2:28; 3:4
Aliyah
Rishon 30:2-31:12
Amongst other things, this portion of scripture
teaches us the principle of authority and submission:
A man is under the authority of YHVH (also accountable to leaders) 30:1-2.
A man is under the authority of YHVH (also accountable to leaders) 30:1-2.
An unmarried woman in the house of her father is under
the authority of her father, 30:3-5
A married woman is under the authority of her husband,
30:6-8
Num 30:1 And
Mosheh spoke to the heads of the tribes concerning the children of Yisra’ĕl,
saying, “This is the word which יהוה has commanded:
Num 30:2 “When
a man vows a vow to יהוה, or swears an oath to bind himself
by some agreement, he does not break his word, he does according to all that
comes out of his mouth.
Num
30:3 “Or if a woman vows a vow to יהוה, and
binds herself by some agreement while in her father’s house in her youth,
Denying
of self leads to purity, purity leads to set apartness, set apartness leads to
humility, humility leads to fear of sin, fear of sin leads to righteous living,
righteous living leads to the [possession of] the Ruach Ha Kodesh, and the
Ruach Ha Kodesh leads to eternal life.(Talmud, Avodah Zarah 20b)”
Rom 8:11 And if the Spirit of Him who raised יהושע (Y’shua) from the dead dwells in you, He who raised
Messiah from the dead shall also give life to your mortal bodies through His
Spirit dwelling in you.
Rom 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of
Elohim, these are sons of Elohim.
Rom 8:15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage
again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out,
“Abba, Father.”
Like with Yahshua the
Ruach will always lead us into the wilderness and the Ruach of YHVH will guide
us and bring us into the true family of Yisrael.
The
Torah does not teach us to abstain from vows. Yahshua warned about vows because
people were taking them so lightly. (Mat 5:33-37)
Some
have such a desire to be more committed to YHVH and His Torah that they may
feel a need to make special promises or abstain from certain pleasures for a
season so that they may draw closer to Him.
Num 30:4 and her
father hears her vow and the agreement by which she has bound herself, and her
father has kept silent towards her, then all her vows shall stand, and every
agreement with which she has bound herself stands.
Num 30:5 “But if
her father forbids her on the day that he hears, then none of her vows nor her
agreements by which she has bound herself stand. And יהוה pardons her, because her father has
forbidden her. (Kelly this is what your parents did for you)
Num 30:6 “But if
she at all belongs to a husband, while bound by her vows or by a rash utterance
from her lips by which she bound herself,
Num 30:7 and her
husband hears it, and he has kept silent towards her on the day that he hears,
then her vows shall stand, and her agreements by which she bound herself do
stand.
Num 30:8 “But if
her husband forbids her on the day that he hears it, then he has nullified her
vow which she vowed, and the rash utterance of her lips by which she bound
herself, and יהוה pardons
her.
Num 30:9 “But any
vow of a widow or a divorced woman, by which she has bound herself, stands
against her.
Num 30:10 “And if
she vowed in her husband’s house, or bound herself by an agreement with an
oath,
Num 30:11 and her
husband heard it, and has kept silent towards her and did not forbid her, then
all her vows shall stand, and every agreement by which she bound herself
stands.
Num 30:12 “But if
her husband clearly nullified them on the day he heard them, then whatever came
from her lips concerning her vows or concerning the agreement binding her, it
does not stand – her husband has nullified them, and יהוה pardons her.
Num 30:13 “Every
vow and every binding oath to afflict her being, let her husband confirm it, or
let her husband nullify it.
Num 30:14 “But if
her husband is altogether silent at her from day to day, then he confirms all
her vows or all the agreements that bind her – he confirms them, because he
kept silent towards her on the day that he heard.
Num 30:15 “But if
he nullifies them after he has heard, then he shall bear her crookedness.”
Num 30:16 These
are the laws which יהוה commanded
Mosheh, between a man and his wife, and between a father and his daughter in
her youth in her father’s house.
Allegorically speaking we can assume that YHVH has
cancelled many of the covenants we have entered into in ignorance. We assume
this because we have not fully reaped the defilement and destruction that many
of our wrong choices which we have made.
YHVH’s “Silence” could possibly be one of the greatest
acts of judgment that can come upon man. YHVH knows the end from the beginning
and probably hands many over to do what is improper because He knows that they
have little desire to repent from wrong or do what is right. Maybe YHVH also
allows certain forbidden unions to take place so that we may come to our senses
as did the prodigal son, and we will return home with weeping and repenting.
Isa 28:16 Therefore thus said the Master יהוה, “See, I am laying in Tsiyon a
stone for a foundation, a tried stone, a precious corner-stone, a settled
foundation. He who trusts shall not hasten away.
Isa 28:17 And I
shall make right-ruling the measuring line, and righteousness the plummet. And the
hail shall sweep away the refuge of lying, and the waters overflow the hiding
place.
Isa 28:18 And your
covenant with death shall be annulled, and your vision with the grave not
stand. When an overflowing scourge passes through, then you shall be trampled
down by it.
Num 31:1 And יהוה spoke to
Mosheh, saying,
Num 31:2 “Take
vengeance for the children of Yisra’ĕl on the Miḏyanites. After that you are
to be gathered to your people.”
Num 31:3 And
Mosheh spoke to the people, saying, “Arm some of yourselves for the campaign,
and let them go against the Miḏyanites to take vengeance for יהוה on Miḏyan.
Num 31:4 “Send a
thousand from each tribe of all the tribes of Yisra’ĕl for the campaign.”
Num 31:5 So there
were supplied from the tribes of Yisra’ĕl one thousand from each tribe, twelve
thousand armed ones for the campaign.
Num 31:6 And
Mosheh sent them on the campaign, one thousand from each tribe, them and
Pineḥas son of El’azar the priest on the campaign, with the set-apart utensils
and the trumpets for sounding in his hand.
Num 31:7 And they
fought against the Miḏyanites, as יהוה commanded Mosheh, and slew all the
males.
Num 31:8 And they
slew the sovereigns of Miḏyan with the rest of those who were pierced: Ewi,
and Reqem, and Tsur, and Ḥur, and Reḇa, the five sovereigns of Miḏyan. And they slew Bil’am son of Be’or with
the sword.
Num 31:9 And the
sons of Yisra’ĕl took all the women of Miḏyan captive, with their little ones,
and took as spoil all their livestock, and all their possessions.
Num 31:10 And they
burned with fire all the cities where they dwelt, and all their settlements.
Num 31:11 And they
took all the spoil and all the booty, both of man and beast.
Num 31:12 And they
brought the captives, and the booty, and the spoil to Mosheh, and to El’azar the
priest, and to the congregation of the children of Yisra’ĕl, to the camp in the
desert plains of Mo’aḇ by the Yardĕn of Yeriḥo.
This was the last commandment YHVH gave to Moshe. Perhaps
the destruction of all those who cause strife will be the last event that
happens before Messiah returns.
Note how Yisrael had to be absolutely ruthless in dealing with this
problem. Everything had to be destroyed that could lead them astray again. (See
next aliyah)
Aliyah
Sheni 31:13-54
Num 31:13 And Mosheh, and El’azar the priest, and
all the leaders of the congregation, went to meet them outside the camp.
Num 31:14
But Mosheh was wroth with the officers of the army, with the commanders
of thousands and commanders of hundreds, who had come from the campaign.
Num 31:15
And Mosheh said to them, “Have
you kept all the women alive?
Num 31:16
“Look, they are the ones who caused the children of Yisra’ĕl, through
the word of Bil’am, to trespass against יהוה in the
matter of Pe’or, and there was a plague among the congregation of יהוה.
Num 31:17 “And
now, slay every male among the little ones. And every woman who has known a man
by lying with a man you shall slay.
Num 31:18 “But
keep alive for yourselves all the female children who have not known a man by
lying with a man.
Num 31:19 “And you, camp outside the camp seven
days. Whoever
has slain any being, and whoever has touched any slain, cleanse yourselves and
your captives on the third day and on the seventh day.
This also points us to the ashes of the red heifer and
the cleansing that comes from the word – Torah, given on the Third
day (third millennium) and the final cleansing that comes when the
Living Torah – Messiah comes to cleanse us on the Seventh
day (seventh millennium)
Num 31:20 “And
cleanse every garment, and every object of leather and all the work of goats’ hair,
and every object of wood.”
Num 31:21 And El’azar the priest said to the
men of the campaign who went to the battle, “This is the law of the Torah which יהוה commanded Mosheh:
Somehow this sums up all of Torah. How? One of the
central issues of Torah is to separate ourselves from all that can defile us
and be wholly set apart unto YHVH. (Term used only twice in Torah)
The “chukat” or
“statutes” only begin to make sense when seen in the light of our Messiah
Yahshua. These “chukat” unravel some of the deep mysteries of our Messiah’s
deep love and desire to be united with his bride in absolute purity. Our love
and desire to be with our Messiah king is measured by our response to these “chukat.”
The meaning of the word
“chukat” comes from the Hebrew verb “chukak” and means to cut upon, engrave or
inscribe. (The Hebrew word for “tattoo” is “kaka” (Lev 19:28) meaning no
graffiti on YHVH’s property -defilement of our temples)
Ti 2:20 But in a large house
there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some
unto value and some unto no value.
2Ti
2:21 If, then, anyone cleanses himself
from these matters, he shall be a vessel unto value, having been set
apart, of good use to the Master, having been prepared for every good work.
Num 31:22 “Only
the gold, and the silver, the bronze, the iron, the tin, and the lead,
Num 31:23 every
object that passes through fire, you put through the fire, and it shall be
clean; only, let it be cleansed with the water for uncleanness. And whatever
does not pass through fire you pass through water.
Num 31:24 “And you
shall wash your garments on the seventh day and be clean, and afterwards come
into the camp.”
Num 31:25 And יהוה spoke to
Mosheh, saying,
Num 31:26 “Count
up the plunder that was taken, of man and of beast, you and El’azar the priest
and the heads of the fathers of the congregation.
Num 31:27 “And you
shall divide the plunder into two parts, between those who took part in the
battle, who went out on the campaign, and all the congregation.
Num 31:28 “And set
aside a levy for יהוה on the
men of battle who went out on the campaign: one out of every five hundred, of
man, and of the cattle, and of the donkeys, and of the sheep.
Num 31:29 “Take it
from their half, and give it to El’azar the priest as a contribution to יהוה.
Num 31:30 “And
from the children of Yisra’ĕl’s half you shall take one of every fifty, of man,
of the cattle, of the donkeys, and of the sheep, of all the livestock, and give
them to the Lĕwites guarding the duty of the Dwelling Place of יהוה.”
Num 31:31 And
Mosheh and El’azar the priest did as יהוה commanded Mosheh.
Num 31:32 And the
booty remaining from the plunder, which the people of the campaign had taken,
was six hundred and seventy-five thousand sheep,
Num 31:33 and
seventy-two thousand cattle,
Num 31:34 and
sixty-one thousand donkeys,
Num 31:35 and
thirty-two thousand human beings in all, of women who had not known a man by lying
with a man.
Num 31:36 And the
half, the portion for those who went out on the campaign, was in number three
hundred and thirty-seven thousand five hundred sheep,
Num 31:37 and the
levy unto יהוה of the
sheep was six hundred and seventy-five.
Num 31:38 And the
cattle were thirty-six thousand, of which the levy unto יהוה was seventy-two.
Num 31:39 And the
donkeys were thirty thousand five hundred, of which the levy unto יהוה was sixty-one.
Num 31:40 And the
human beings were sixteen thousand, of which the levy unto יהוה was thirty-two beings.
Num 31:41 So
Mosheh gave the levy which was the contribution unto יהוה to El’azar the priest, as יהוה commanded Mosheh.
Num 31:42 And from the children of Yisra’ĕl’s half,
which Mosheh divided from the men who campaigned:
Num 31:43 now the half belonging to the congregation
was three hundred and thirty-seven thousand five hundred sheep,
Num 31:44 and thirty-six thousand cattle,
Num 31:45 and thirty thousand five hundred donkeys,
Num 31:46 and sixteen thousand human beings.
Num 31:47 Then Mosheh took from the children of
Yisra’ĕl’s half: one out of every fifty, drawn from man and beast, and gave
them to the Lĕwites, who guarded the duty of the Dwelling Place of יהוה, as יהוה commanded Mosheh.
Num 31:48 And the
officers who were over thousands of the campaign, the commanders of thousands
and commanders of hundreds, came near to Mosheh,
Num 31:49 and they
said to Mosheh, “Your servants have taken a count of the fighting men under our
command, and not a man of us is missing.
In the natural this seems impossible, therefore it is
could also possibly be an allegorical description of life in the millennium
where the bride of Messiah will not only be immortal but will accumulate great
wealth from the nations.
Isa 60:11 “And your gates shall
be open continually, they are not shut day or night, to bring to you the wealth
of the gentiles, and their sovereigns in procession.
Isa 60:12 “For the nation and the
reign that do not serve you shall perish, and those gentiles shall be utterly
laid waste.
Num 31:50 “So we
have brought an offering for יהוה, what
every man found of ornaments of gold: armlets and bracelets and signet rings
and earrings and necklaces, to make atonement for ourselves before יהוה.”
Num 31:51 And
Mosheh and El’azar the priest received the gold from them, all the fashioned
ornaments.
Num 31:52 And all
the gold of the offering that they presented to יהוה, from the commanders of thousands
and commanders of hundreds, was sixteen thousand seven hundred and fifty
sheqels.
Num 31:53 The men
of the campaign had taken spoil, every man for himself.
Num 31:54 And
Mosheh and El’azar the priest received the gold from the commanders of
thousands and of hundreds, and brought it into the Tent of Meeting as a
remembrance for the children of Yisra’ĕl before יהוה.
Aliyah
Shlishi 32:1- 32:19
Num 32:1 And the children of Re’uḇĕn and the children
of Gaḏ had much livestock, a large number. And they saw the land of Ya’zĕr and
the land of Gil’aḏ and saw that the place was a place for livestock.
Num 32:2 So
the children of Gaḏ and the children of Re’uḇĕn came and spoke to Mosheh, and
to Elʽazar the priest, and to the leaders of the congregation, saying,
Num 32:3
“Ataroth, and Diḇon, and Yaʽzĕr, and Nimrah, and Ḥeshbon, and El’alĕh,
and Seḇam, and Neḇo, and Be’on,
Num 32:4 the
land which יהוה had smitten before the congregation
of Yisra’ĕl, is a land for livestock, and your servants have livestock.”
Num 32:5 And they
said, “If we have found favour in your eyes, let this land be given to your
servants as a possession, and do not let us pass over the Yardĕn.”
Num 32:6 And
Mosheh said to the children of Gaḏ and to the children of Re’uḇĕn, “Are your
brothers to go into the battle while you yourselves sit here?
Num 32:7 “Now why
do you discourage the heart of the children of Yisra’ĕl from passing over into
the land which יהוה has
given them?
Num 32:8 “Thus
your fathers did when I sent them away from Qaḏĕsh Barnĕa to see the land.
Num 32:9 “For when
they went up to the wadi Eshkol and saw the land, they discouraged the heart of
the children of Yisra’ĕl, so that they did not go into the land which יהוה had given them.
Num 32:10 “Then
the displeasure of יהוה burned
on that day, and He swore an oath, saying,
Num 32:11 ‘Not one
of the men who came up from Mitsrayim, from twenty years old and above, is to
see the land of which I swore to Aḇraham, Yitsḥaq, and Ya’aqov, because they
did not follow Me completely,
Num 32:12 except
Kalĕḇ son of Yephunneh, the Qenizzite, and Yehoshua son of Nun, for they have
followed יהוה completely.’
Num 32:13 “So the
displeasure of יהוה burned
against Yisra’ĕl, and He made them wander in the wilderness forty years, until
all the generation that had done evil in the eyes of יהוה was destroyed.
Num 32:14 “And
see, you have risen in your father’s place, an increase of men, sinners, to add
still more the burning displeasure of יהוה against Yisra’ĕl.
Num 32:15 “For if
you turn away from following Him, He shall once again leave them in the
wilderness, and you shall destroy all these people.”
Num 32:16 Then
they came near to him and said, “Let us build sheep-enclosures here for our
livestock, and cities for our little ones,
Num 32:17 but let
us ourselves be armed, hastening before the children of Yisra’ĕl until we have
brought them to their place. And our little ones shall dwell in the walled
cities because of the inhabitants of the land.
Num 32:18 “We
shall not return to our homes until every one of the children of Yisra’ĕl has
received his inheritance.
Num 32:19 “For we
shall not inherit with them on the other side of the Yardĕn and beyond, because
our inheritance has fallen to us on this eastern side of the Yardĕn.”
This was
possibly a reminder that the borders of Yisrael would be much larger than what
they were then and what they are now.
Aliyah
Reviee 32:20 – 33:49
Num 32:20 And Mosheh said to them, “If you make this
promise: if you arm yourselves before יהוה for
battle,
Num 32:21 and all
your armed ones pass over the Yardĕn before יהוה until He has driven out His enemies
from before Him,
Num 32:22 and the
land has been subdued before יהוה, then
afterward you shall return, and be guiltless before יהוה and before Yisra’ĕl. And this land
shall be your possession before יהוה.
Num 32:23 “But if
you do not do so, then see, you shall sin against יהוה, and know: your sin is going to
find you out.
Num 32:24 “Build
cities for your little ones and enclosures for your sheep, and do what you have
promised.” (Notice how Moshe changes the order around from vs 16)
Num 32:25 And the
children of Gaḏ and the children of Re’uḇĕn spoke to Mosheh, saying, “Your
servants are going to do as my master commands.
Num 32:26 “Our
little ones, our wives, our flocks, and all our livestock are going to be there
in the cities of Gilʽaḏ,
Num 32:27 but your
servants are passing over, every armed one of the army, before יהוה, to battle, as my master says.”
Num 32:28 And
Mosheh gave command concerning them to El’azar the priest, to Yehoshua son of
Nun, and to the heads of the fathers of the tribes of the children of Yisra’ĕl.
Num 32:29 And
Mosheh said to them, “If the children of Gaḏ and the children of Re’uḇĕn pass
over the Yardĕn with you, every man armed for battle before יהוה, and the land has been subdued
before you, then you shall give them the land of Gil’aḏ as a possession.
Num 32:30 “But if
they do not pass over armed with you, they shall have possessions among you in
the land of Kena’an.”
Num 32:31 Then the
children of Gaḏ and the children of Re’uḇĕn answered, saying, “As יהוה has said to your servants, so we
do.
Num 32:32 “We
ourselves are passing over armed before יהוה into the land of Kena’an, but the
possession of our inheritance remains with us beyond the Yardĕn.”
Num 32:33 So
Mosheh gave to the children of Gaḏ, to the children of Re’uḇĕn, and to half
the tribe of Menashsheh, son of Yosĕph, the reign of Siḥon sovereign of the Amorites and the
reign of Oḡ sovereign of Bashan, the land with its cities within the borders,
the cities of the land round about.
Moshe was initially not pleased with the request from Reuven and Gad, but
later granted them their request because of their commitment to make sure that
tribes would be established in the land of Yisrael. In hind sight it would seem
that Moshe made sure half the tribe of Menasheh would stay with Reuven and Gad
because Moshe knew how much Menasheh loved eretz Yisrael. (We see this love
portrayed by the daughters of Tzelophad who came from the Menasheh) Moshe wanted to make sure that one day all 12
tribes would return and live in the land.
Allegorically, Menasheh reminds us of a people like ourselves (Messianics)
who deep in our hearts never ever want to be outside of the land of Yisrael. We
have had to endure temporary dispersion amongst the nations and when Messiah
returns and we are joined with him, we like Menasheh will say “never again do
we want to be outside the land” We know where we belong and we will endure only
for a while with the dispersed of Yisrael until we return. May Moshiach come
soon in our day that we may live forever in our land Yisrael – Amein.
Num
32:34 And the children of Gaḏ built
Diḇon and Ataroth and Ar’ĕr,
Num
32:35 and Atroth, Shophan and Ya’zĕr and
Yoḡbehah,
Num
32:36 and Bĕyth Nimrah and Bĕyth Haran,
walled cities, and enclosures for sheep.
Num
32:37 And the children of Re’uḇĕn built
Ḥeshbon and El’alĕh and Qiryathayim,
Num
32:38 Neḇo and Ba’al Me’on – the names
being changed – and Shiḇmah. And they gave other names to the cities which
they built.
Num
32:39 And the sons of Maḵir son of
Menashsheh went to Gil’aḏ and took it, and dispossessed the Amorites who were
in it.
Num
32:40 So Mosheh gave Gil’aḏ to Maḵir,
son of Menashsheh, and he dwelt in it.
Num
32:41 And Ya’ir son of Menashsheh went
and took its small towns, and called them Ḥawoth Ya’ir.
Num
32:42 And Noḇaḥ went and took Qenath
and its villages, and he called it Noḇaḥ, after his own name.
Num 33:1 These are
the departures of the children of Yisra’ĕl, who went out of the land of
Mitsrayim by their divisions under the hand of Mosheh and Aharon.
Num 33:2
And Mosheh wrote down the starting points of their departures at the
command of יהוה, and these
are their departures according to their starting points:
The
forty two stages are mentioned by name, each name is significant (see my notes
on the 42 stages and their meanings).
Aliyah
Chamishi 33:50-34:15
Num
33:50 And יהוה spoke to Mosheh in the desert plains of Mo’aḇ by the Yardĕn of
Yeriḥo, saying,
Num
33:51 “Speak to the children of
Yisra’ĕl, and say to them, ‘When you have passed over the Yardĕn into the land
of Kena’an,
Num
33:52 then you shall drive out all the
inhabitants of the land from before you, and shall destroy all their engraved
stones, and shall destroy all their moulded images, and lay waste all their
high places,
Num
33:53 and you shall possess the land and
dwell in it, for I have given you the land to possess.
Num
33:54 ‘And you shall divide the land by
lot as an inheritance among your clans. To the larger you give a larger
inheritance, and to the smaller you give a smaller inheritance. Wherever the
lot falls to anyone, that is his. You inherit according to the tribes of your
fathers.
Num
33:55 ‘And if you do not drive out the
inhabitants of the land from before you, then it shall be that those whom you
let remain shall be pricks in your eyes and thorns in your sides, and they
shall trouble you in the land where you dwell.
Num
33:56 ‘And it shall be that I do to you
as I thought to do to them.’ ”
Num 34:1 And יהוה spoke to Mosheh, saying,
Num
34:2 “Command the children of Yisra’ĕl,
and say to them, ‘When you come into the land of Kena’an, this is the land
which falls to you as an inheritance, the land of Kena’an to its boundaries:
Num
34:3 ‘Then your southern border shall be
from the Wilderness of Tsin along the border of Eḏom, and your southern border
shall be eastward from the end of the Salt Sea.
Num
34:4 ‘Then your border shall turn from
the southern side of the Ascent of Aqrabbim, continue to Tsin, and be on the
south of Qaḏĕsh Barnĕa, and it shall go on to Ḥatsar Addar, and continue to
Atsmon.
Num
34:5 ‘And the border shall turn from
Atsmon to the wadi of Mitsrayim, and it shall end at the Sea.
Num
34:6 ‘As for the western border, you
shall have the Great Sea for a border, this is your western border.
Num
34:7 ‘And this is your northern border:
From the Great Sea you mark out your borderline to Mount Hor,
Num
34:8 from Mount Hor you mark out your
border to the entrance of Ḥamath, and the edge of the border shall be toward
Tseḏaḏ,
Num
34:9 and the border shall proceed to
Ziphron, and it shall end at Ḥatsar Ěnan. This is your northern border.
Num
34:10 ‘And you shall mark out your
eastern border from Ḥatsar Ěnan to Shepham,
Num
34:11 and the border shall go down from
Shepham to Riḇlah on the east side of Ayin, and the border shall go down and
reach to the eastern side of the Sea of Kinnereth.
Num
34:12 ‘And the border shall go down
along the Yardĕn, and it shall end at the Salt Sea. This is your land with its
surrounding boundaries.’ ”
Num 34:13 And Mosheh commanded the children of
Yisra’ĕl, saying, “This is the land which you inherit by lot, which יהוה has commanded to give to the nine tribes and to the half-tribe.
Num
34:14 “For the tribe of the children of
Re’uḇĕn according to the house of their fathers, and the tribe of the children
of Gaḏ according to the house of their fathers, have received their
inheritance. And the half-tribe of Menashsheh has received its inheritance.
Num
34:15 “The two tribes and the half-tribe
have received their inheritance beyond the Yardĕn of Yeriḥo eastward, toward
the sunrise.”
Aliyah
Shishi 34:16- 35:8
Num 34:16
And יהוה spoke to
Mosheh, saying,
Num
34:17 “These are the names of the men
who divide the land among you as an inheritance: Elʽazar the priest, and
Yehoshua son of Nun.
Num
34:18 “And take one leader of every
tribe to divide the land for the inheritance.
Num
34:19 “And these are the names of the
men. From the tribe of Yehuḏah: Kalĕḇ son of Yephunneh.
Num
34:20 “And from the tribe of the
children of Shimʽon: Shemu’ĕl son of Ammihuḏ.
Num
34:21 “From the tribe of Binyamin:
Eliḏaḏ son of Kislon.
Num
34:22 “And a leader from the tribe of
the children of Dan: Buqqi son of Yoḡli.
Num
34:23 “From the sons of Yosĕph: a leader
from the tribe of the children of Menashsheh, Ḥanni’ĕl son of Ěphoḏ.
Num
34:24 “And a leader from the tribe of
the children of Ephrayim: Qemu’ĕl son of Shiphtan.
Num
34:25 “And a leader from the tribe of
the children of Zeḇulun: Elitsaphan son of Parnaḵ.
Num
34:26 “And a leader from the tribe of
the children of Yissasḵar: Palti’ĕl son of Azzan.
Num
34:27 “And a leader from the tribe of
the children of Ashĕr: Aḥihuḏ son of Shelomi.
Num
34:28 “And a leader from the tribe of
the children of Naphtali: Peḏah’ĕl son of Ammihuḏ.”
Num
34:29 These are the ones יהוה commanded to divide the inheritance among the children of
Yisra’ĕl in the land of Kena’an.
Num 35:1 And יהוה spoke to Mosheh in the desert
plains of Mo’aḇ by the Yardĕn of Yeriḥo, saying,
Num
35:2 “Command the children of Yisra’ĕl
that they shall give the Lĕwites cities to dwell in from the inheritance of
their possession. Also give the Lĕwites open land around the cities.
Num
35:3 “And they shall have the cities to
dwell in, and their open land for their cattle, and for their herds, and for
all their livestock.
Num
35:4 “And the open land of the cities
which you give the Lĕwites are from the wall of the city outward a thousand
cubits all around.
Num
35:5 “And you shall measure outside the
city on the east side two thousand cubits, and on the south side two thousand
cubits, and on the west side two thousand cubits, and on the north side two
thousand cubits. And the city is in the middle. This is to them the open land
for the cities.
Num
35:6 “And the cities which you give to
the Lĕwites are the six cities of refuge, which you give to him who killed
someone to flee to, and to these you add forty-two cities.
Num
35:7 “All the cities which you give to
the Lĕwites are forty-eight, these with their open land.
Num
35:8 “And the cities which you give are
from the possession of the children of Yisra’ĕl. From the larger tribe
you give many, from the smaller you give few, each one gives some of its cities
to the Lĕwites, in proportion to the inheritance that each inherits.”
Aliyah
Sheviee 35:9- 36:13
Num 35:9
And יהוה spoke to
Mosheh, saying,
Num
35:10 “Speak to the children of
Yisra’ĕl, and say to them, ‘When you pass over the Yardĕn into the land of
Kena’an,
Num
35:11 then you shall choose cities to be
cities of refuge for you, that the one who accidentally killed someone shall
flee there.
Num
35:12 ‘And they shall be cities of
refuge for you from the revenger, and the one who killed someone is not to die
until he stands before the congregation in right-ruling.
Num
35:13 ‘And of the cities which you give,
six are to be cities of refuge.
Num
35:14 ‘Give three cities beyond the
Yardĕn, and give three cities in the land of Kena’an, as cities of refuge.
Num
35:15 ‘These six cities are for refuge
for the children of Yisra’ĕl, and for the sojourner, and for the settler in
their midst, for anyone who accidentally kills someone to flee there.
Num
35:16 ‘But if he has smitten him with an
instrument of iron, so that he dies, he is a murderer. The murderer shall
certainly be put to death.
Num
35:17 ‘And if he has smitten him with a
stone in the hand, by which one could die, and he does die, he is a murderer.
The murderer shall certainly be put to death.
Num
35:18 ‘Or if he has smitten him with a
wooden instrument that could kill, and he does die, he is a murderer. The
murderer shall certainly be put to death.
Num
35:19 ‘The revenger of blood himself
puts the murderer to death. When he meets him, he puts him to death.
Num
35:20 ‘And if he thrusts him through in
hatred, or throws an object at him while lying in wait, so that he dies,
Num
35:21 or in enmity he smites him with
his hand so that he dies, the one who smote him shall certainly be put to
death, for he is a murderer. The revenger of blood puts the murderer to death
when he meets him.
Num
35:22 ‘But if he pushes him suddenly
without enmity, or throws an object at him without lying in wait,
Num
35:23 or uses a stone, by which a man
could die, throwing it at him without seeing him, so that he dies, while he was
not his enemy or seeking his harm,
Num
35:24 then the congregation shall judge
between him who killed someone and the revenger of blood, according to these
right-rulings.
Num
35:25 ‘And the congregation shall rescue
the one who killed someone from the hand of the revenger of blood, and the
congregation shall return him to the city of refuge where he had fled, and he
shall remain there until the death of the high priest who was anointed with the
set-apart oil.
Num
35:26 ‘But if the one who killed someone
at any time goes outside the limits of the city of refuge where he fled,
Num
35:27 and the revenger of blood finds
him outside the limits of his city of refuge, and the revenger of blood kills
him who killed someone, he is not guilty of blood,
Num
35:28 because he should have remained in
his city of refuge until the death of the high priest. But after the death of
the high priest he who killed someone is to return to the land of his
possession.
Num
35:29 ‘And these shall be for a law of
right-ruling to you throughout your generations in all your dwellings.
Num
35:30 ‘Whoever kills someone has to be
put to death as a murderer by the mouth of witnesses, but only one
witness does not bear witness against someone to die.
Num
35:31 ‘And take no ransom for the life
of a murderer who is guilty of death, but he shall certainly be put to death.
Num
35:32 ‘And take no ransom for him who
has fled to his city of refuge to return to dwell in the land before the death
of the priest.
Num
35:33 ‘And do not profane the land where
you are, for blood profanes the land, and the land is not pardoned for the
blood that is shed on it, except by the blood of him who shed it.
Num
35:34 ‘And do not defile the land which
you inhabit, in the midst of which I dwell, for I, יהוה, am dwelling in the midst of the
children of Yisra’ĕl.’ ”
Num 36:1 And the
heads of the fathers of the clans of the children of Gil’aḏ, son of Maḵir, son of Menashsheh, of the
clans of the sons of Yosĕph, came near and spoke before Mosheh and before the
leaders, the heads of the fathers of the children of Yisra’ĕl,
Num
36:2 and said, “יהוה commanded my master to give the land as an inheritance by lot
to the children of Yisra’ĕl, and my master was commanded by יהוה to give the inheritance of our brother Tselophḥaḏ to his
daughters.
Num
36:3 “Now if they are married to any of
the sons of the other tribes of the children of Yisra’ĕl, then their
inheritance shall be taken from the inheritance of our fathers, and shall be
added to the inheritance of the tribe into which they marry, and taken from the
lot of our inheritance.
Num
36:4 “And if the Jubilee of the children
of Yisra’ĕl takes place, then their inheritance shall be added to the
inheritance of the tribe into which they marry, and their inheritance taken
away from the inheritance of the tribe of our fathers.”
Num
36:5 And Mosheh commanded the children
of Yisra’ĕl according to the word of יהוה, saying, “What the tribe of the
sons of Yosĕph speaks is right.
Num
36:6 “This is the word which יהוה has commanded, for the daughters of Tselophḥaḏ, saying, ‘Let
them marry who is good in their eyes, but let them marry only within the clan
of their father’s tribe.’
Num
36:7 “And the inheritance of the
children of Yisra’ĕl is not to change hands from tribe to tribe, for every one
of the children of Yisra’ĕl is to cling to the inheritance of the tribe of his
fathers.
Num
36:8 “And every daughter possessing an
inheritance in any tribe of the children of Yisra’ĕl is to be the wife of one
of the clan of her father’s tribe, so that the children of Yisra’ĕl possess
each the inheritance of his fathers.
Num
36:9 “Thus the inheritance is not to
change hands from one tribe to another, but every tribe of the children of
Yisra’ĕl is to cling to its own inheritance.”
Num
36:10 As יהוה commanded Mosheh, so did the
daughters of Tselophḥaḏ.
Num
36:11 For Maḥlah, Tirtsah, and
Ḥoḡlah, and Milkah, and Noʽah, the daughters of Tselophḥaḏ, were married to
the sons of their father’s brothers.
Num
36:12 And they were married into the
clans of the children of Menashsheh, the son of Yosĕph, and their inheritance
remained in the tribe of their father’s clan.
Num
36:13 These are the commands and the
right-rulings which יהוה commanded the children of Yisra’ĕl by the hand of Mosheh in the
desert plains of Mo’aḇ by the Yardĕn of Yeriḥo.
Eze 47:21 “And you shall divide
this land among yourselves according to the tribes of Yisra’ĕl.
Eze 47:22 “And it shall be that
you divide it by lot as an inheritance for yourselves, and for the strangers
who sojourn in your midst and who bear children among you. And they shall be to
you as native-born among the children of Yisra’ĕl – with you they have an
inheritance in the midst of the tribes of Yisra’ĕl1. Footnote: 1Isa.
14:1, Isa. 56:6-8, Rom. 11:17-26, Eph. 2:19, Eph. 3:6, Rev. 21:12.
Eze 47:23 “And it shall be that
in whatever tribe the stranger sojourns, there you give him his inheritance,”
declares the Master יהוה.
CHAZAK! CHAZAK!
VENITCHAZEIK! - BE STRONG! BE
STRONG! AND MAY WE STRENGTHEN OURSELVES.
Baruch
atah YHVH, Eloheynu, Melech ha-‘Olam, asher natan lanu Toraht-emet,
v’chay-yeh
o’lam nata-b’tochenu. Baruch atah YHVH, noteyn ha-Torah. Ameyn.”
(Blessed
are you YHVH, our Elohim, King of the Universe, you have given us your Torah of
truth,
and
have planted everlasting life within our midst.
Blessed
are you, YHVH giver of the Torah. Ameyn.)
Please note these notes are under construction and are subject to
correction and are in no way a final authority on any subject.