Blessing of Torah.
Hebrew:
Baruch atah YHVH eloheinu melech
ha-olam, asher kideshanu b'mitzvotav, v'tzivanu la'asok b'divrei Torah.
V'ha'arev na YHVH eloheinu et divrei toratecha befinu uvfi amecha beit Yisrael.
V'niyeh anachnu v'tze'etze'einu v'tze'etza'ei amecha beit Yisrael kullanu yodei
sh'mecha v'lomdei toratecha lishmah. Baruch atah YHVH hamelamed Torah le'amo
Yisrael. Baruch atah YHVH Eloheinu melech ha-olam, asher bachar banu mikol ha'amim
venatan lanu et torato. Baruch atah YHVH, notein haTorah.
English
translation: Blessed are You, YHVH
our Elohim, King of the universe, who has made us set apart through His
commandments and commanded us to actively study Torah. Please YHVH, our Elohim,
sweeten the words of Your Torah in our mouths and in the mouths of all Your
people Israel. May we and our offspring, and the offspring of Your people, the
House of Israel, may we all, together, know Your Name and study Your Torah for
the sake of fulfilling Your desire. Blessed are You, YHVH, Who teaches Torah to
His people Israel. Blessed are You, YHVH our Elohim, King of the universe, ,
Who chose us from all the nations and gave us the Torah. Blessed are You, YHVH,
Giver of the Torah.
Num 3:14 And יהוה spoke to
Mosheh in the Wilderness of Sinai, saying,
Num 3:15 “Register
the children of Lĕwi by their fathers’ houses, by their clans. Register every
male from a month old and above.”
Num 3:16 So Mosheh
registered them according to the word of יהוה, as he had
been commanded.
Num 3:17 And these
were the sons of Lĕwi by their names: Gĕreshon, and Qehath, and Merari.
“Levi is described as having fathered three sons—Gershon,
Kohath, and Merari. A similar genealogy is given in the Book of Exodus, where
it is added that among Kohath's sons was one—Amram—who married a woman named
Jochebed, who was closely related to his father, and they were the biological
parents of Moses, Aaron, and Miriam”
Num 3:18 And these
are the names of the sons of Gĕreshon by their clans: Liḇni and
Shimʽi.
Num 3:19 And the
sons of Qehath by their clans: Amram and Yitshar, Ḥeḇron
and Uzzi’ĕl.
Num 3:20 And the
sons of Merari by their clans: Maḥli and
Mushi. These are the clans of the Lĕwites by their fathers’ houses.
Num 3:21 From
Gĕreshon came the clan of the Liḇnites and the clan of the Shimʽites.
These were the clans of the Gĕreshonites.
Num 3:22 Their
registered ones, according to the number of all the males from a month old and
above, their registered ones were seven thousand five hundred.
Num 3:23 The clans
of the Gĕreshonites were to camp westward, behind the Dwelling Place,
Num 3:24 and the
leader of the fathers’ house of the Gĕreshonites: Elyasaph, son of La’ĕl.
Num 3:25 And the
duty of the children of Gĕreshon in the Tent of Meeting was the Dwelling Place,
and the tent with its covering, and the covering of the door of the Tent of
Meeting,
Num 3:26 and the
screens of the courtyard and the covering of the door of the courtyard, which
is around the Dwelling Place and the altar, and their cords, according to all
its service.
Num 3:27 And from
Qehath came the clan of the Amramites, and the clan of the Yitsharites, and the
clan of the Ḥeḇronites, and the clan of the Uzzi’ĕlites. These were the
clans of the Qehathites.
Num 3:28 In
number, all the males, from a month old and above, were eight thousand six
hundred, guarding the duty of the set-apart place.
Num 3:29 The clans
of the children of Qehath were to camp on the south side of the Dwelling Place.
Num 3:30 And the
leader of the fathers’ house of the clans of the Qehathites was Elitsaphan, son
of Uzzi’ĕl.
Num 3:31 And their
duty was the ark, and the table, and the lampstand, and the altars, and the
utensils of the set-apart place used in the service, and the covering, and all
its service.
Num 3:32 And Elʽazar,
son of Aharon the priest, was to be chief over the leaders of the Lĕwites, with
oversight of those who guard the duty of the set-apart place.
Num 3:33 From
Merari came the clan of the Maḥlites and the clan of the Mushites. These were the clans
of Merari.
Num 3:34 And the
number of their registered ones, all the males from a month old and above, were
six thousand two hundred.
Num 3:35 And the
leader of the fathers’ house of the clans of Merari was Tsuri’ĕl, son of Aḇiḥayil.
These were to camp on the north side of the Dwelling Place.
Num 3:36 And the
appointed duty of the children of Merari was the boards of the Dwelling Place,
and its bars, and its columns, and its sockets, and its utensils, and all its
service,
Num 3:37 and the
columns of the courtyard all around, with their sockets, and their pegs, and
their cords.
Num 3:38 And those
who were to camp before the Dwelling Place on
the east, before the Tent of Meeting, were Mosheh and Aharon, and his sons,
guarding the duty of the set-apart place, and the duty of the children of
Yisra’ĕl. But the stranger who came near was to be put to death.
Hebrew for “stranger” is “zur” someone who has become or
chosen to be estranged – by implication – someone who no longer wants to walk
in obedience to the Torah – see Matt 18:15-18 or any other gentile who is not allowed to come near the set apart place.
The Torah has much to say about those who disqualify
themselves through the rebellious actions.
Deu 17:2 “When there is found in your midst, in any of
your cities which יהוה your Elohim is
giving you, a man or a woman who does what is evil in the eyes of יהוה your Elohim, in transgressing His
covenant,
Deu 17:3 and has
gone and served other mighty ones and bowed down to them, or to the sun or to
the moon or to any of the host of the heavens, which I have not commanded,
Deu 17:4 and it
has been made known to you and you have heard, and has searched diligently.
Then see, if true: the matter is confirmed that such an abomination has been
done in Yisra’ĕl,
Deu 17:5 then you
shall bring out to your gates that man or woman who has done this evil matter,
and you shall stone to death that man or woman with stones.
Deu 17:6 “At the
mouth of two or three witnesses shall he that is to die be put to death. He is
not put to death by the mouth of one witness.
This instruction is upheld in the apostolic scriptures.
Heb 10:28 He who despised Moses' Law died without mercy
on the word of two or three witnesses.
Please note that the verb “died” in the Greek manuscript
is a PRESENT TENSE VERB. See how
churchman have once again tampered with the original text.
Excommunication – “Karet” People who are not permitted to come near
tabernacle or temple.
The first
reference is Genesis 17:14, “Any uncircumcised male who is not circumcised in
the flesh of his foreskin shall be cut off from his people; he has broken my
covenant.”
Also not
offering the Passover (Num 9:13 – see below including details)). Eating leaven
during Passover (Exod 12:15, 19). Working on the Sabbath (Exod 31:14). Working
or failing to fast on Yom Kippur (Lev 23:29, 30).
Eating/drinking blood (Lev 7:27; 17:10, 14).
Eating suet (organ fat, Lev 7:25). Misuse of set apart incense (Exod 30:38).
Misuse of set apart oil (Exod 30:33). Eating meat offerings beyond the permitted
time (Lev 7:18; 19:8). Eating meat offering while impure (Lev 7:20-21). Levites
entering set apart areas (Num 18:3; cf. 4:15, 19-20). Blaspheming or sinning
with defiance (Num 15:30-31; cf. Lev 24:15).
Purification
rituals. Neglecting circumcision (Gen 17:14). Neglecting purification after
corpse contact (Num 19:13-20). Illicit worship. Molech worship (Lev 20:2-5;
Ezek 14:5). Necromancy (Lev 20:6). Slaughter/offering outside the sanctuary
(Lev 17:4, 9). Illicit sex. Incestuous marriages (Lev 18:27-29).
Num 9:13 ‘But the man who is clean and is not on a
journey, and has failed to perform the Passover, that same being shall be cut
off from among his people, because he did not bring the offering of יהוה at its
appointed time – that man bears his sin. (Not Hillel’s time)
Num 9:14 ‘And when
a stranger sojourns among you, then he shall perform the Passover of יהוה. He shall do so according to the law of
the Passover and according to its right-ruling. You have one law, both for the stranger and the native of the
land.’ ”
Consider some of the reasons the church has
excommunicates its members.
Num 3:39 All the
registered ones of the Lĕwites, whom Mosheh and Aharon registered at the
command of יהוה, by their
clans, all the males from a month old and above, were twenty-two thousand.
Num 3:40 And יהוה said to Mosheh, “Register all the
first-born males of the children of Yisra’ĕl from a month old and above, and
take the number of their names.
Num 3:41 “And you
shall take the Lĕwites for Me – I am יהוה – instead of
all the first-born among the children of Yisra’ĕl, and the livestock of the
Lĕwites instead of all the first-born among the livestock of the children of
Yisra’ĕl.”
Num 3:42 And
Mosheh registered all the first-born among the children of Yisra’ĕl as יהוה had commanded him.
Num 3:43 And all
the first-born males, by the number of names, from one month old and above of
their registered ones, were twenty-two thousand two hundred and seventy-three.
Num 3:44 And יהוה spoke to Mosheh, saying,
Num 3:45 “Take the
Lĕwites instead of all the first-born among the children of Yisra’ĕl, and the
livestock of the Lĕwites instead of their livestock. And the Lĕwites shall be
Mine, I am יהוה.
Num 3:46 “And for
the ransom of the two hundred and seventy-three of the first-born of the
children of Yisra’ĕl, who are more than the number of the Lĕwites,
Num 3:47 you shall
take five sheqels for each one, head by
head – take it by the sheqel of the set-apart place, the sheqel of twenty
gĕrahs.
Num 3:48 “And you
shall give the silver, the ransom of those who are in excess among them, to
Aharon and his sons.”
Num 3:49 And
Mosheh took the ransom silver from those who were over and above those who were
ransomed by the Lĕwites.
Num 3:50 From the
first-born of the children of Yisra’ĕl he took the silver, one thousand three
hundred and sixty-five pieces, according to the sheqel of the set-apart place.
Num 3:51 And
Mosheh gave their ransom silver to Aharon, and to his sons, according to the
word of יהוה, as יהוה had commanded
Mosheh.
Quote: “Pidyon Ha'Ben, the "redemption of the first
born son," takes place when a baby is at least 31 days old, and involves
"buying him back from a Kohen." (see Numbers 18:15)
Originally, YHVH intended for the first-born of each
Hebrew family to be a Kohen – i.e. that family's representative to the Set
Apart Temple. (Exodus 13:1-2, Exodus 24:5 with Rashi)
But then came the incident of the Golden Calf. When Moses
came down from Mount Sinai and smashed the tablets, he issued everyone an
ultimatum: "Make your choice – either YHVH or the idol" (Exodus
32:26). Only the tribe of Levi came to the side of YHVH. At that point, YHVH
decreed that each family's first-born would forfeit their "Kohen"
status – and henceforth all the Kohanim would come from the tribe of Levi.
(Numbers 3:11-12) – ” end quote Aish
YHVH is very specific as to who may come near Him.
Numbers 18:1-32
Ezekiel 44:9-24
Eze 44:9 ‘Thus said the Master יהוה, “No son of a foreigner,
uncircumcised in heart or uncircumcised in flesh, comes into My set-apart
place, even any son of a foreigner who is among the children of Yisra’ĕl.
Eze 44:10 “And the
Lĕwites who went far from Me, when Yisra’ĕl went astray, who strayed away from
Me after their idols, they shall bear their crookedness.
Eze 44:11 “And
they were attendants in My set-apart place, as gatekeepers of the house and
attendants of the house, slaughtering the burnt offering and the offering for
the people, and standing before them to attend to them.
Eze 44:12 “Because
they attended to them before their idols and became a stumbling-block of
crookedness to the house of Yisra’ĕl, therefore I have lifted My hand in an
oath against them,” declares the Master יהוה, “that they
shall bear their crookedness,
Eze 44:13 and not
come near Me to serve as My priest, nor come near any of that which is
set-apart to Me, nor into the Most Set-apart Place. And they shall bear their
shame and their abominations which they have done.
Eze 44:14 “Yet I
shall make them those who guard the duty of the House, for all its work, and
for all that has to be done in it.
Eze 44:15 “But the
priests, the Lĕwites, the sons of Tsaḏoq,
who guarded the duty of My set-apart place when the children of Yisra’ĕl went
astray from Me, they shall draw near to Me to serve Me, and shall stand before
Me to bring to Me the fat and the blood,” declares the Master יהוה.
Eze 44:16 “They
shall enter My set-apart place, and they shall draw near to My table to serve Me,
and they shall guard My charge.
Eze 44:17 “And it
shall be, when they enter the gates of the inner courtyard, that they put on
linen garments, and no wool shall come upon them while they attend within the
gates of the inner courtyard or within the house.
Eze 44:18 “They
shall have linen turbans on their heads and linen trousers on their bodies,
they shall not gird themselves with sweat.
Eze 44:19 “And
when they go out to the outer courtyard, to the outer courtyard to the people,
they shall take off their garments in which they have attended, and shall leave
them in the set-apart rooms, and shall put on other garments. And they shall
set apart the people in their set-apart garments.
Eze 44:20 “And
their heads they shall not shave, nor shall they let their hair grow long –
they shall keep their hair well trimmed.
Eze 44:21 “And no
priest is to drink wine when he comes into the inner court.
Eze 44:22 “And
they do not take as wife a widow or a divorced woman, but take maidens of the
seed of the house of Yisra’ĕl, or widows of priests.
Eze 44:23 “And
they are to teach My people the difference between the set-apart and the
profane, and make them know what is unclean and clean.
Eze 44:24 “And
they are to stand as judges in a dispute, and judge it according to My
right-rulings. And they are to guard My Torot and My laws in all My appointed
festivals, and set apart My Sabbaths.
Consider
for a moment the Hebrew meaning of the word “Levi” the Hebrew word for heart is
“lev” when you add a “yud” to Levi it can also mean “my heart” The Levitical
priesthood was meant to prepare us for the Melchizedek priesthood in showing us
THE HEART OF FATHER YHVH.
A few Gentiles may be
included in the Levitical priesthood.
“Maimonides, as it were, opens up the closed society of the Levites. He offers a vision, and note that it is a vision for all humanity, of the possibility to transcend the limits defined in this week's Torah portion. He suggests that each of us can potentially become a Levite, even if we are born to parents of other tribes.
What is, strictly speaking, an ascribed role becomes
for Maimonides a role which can be achieved by anyone. This is a drastic,
almost revolutionary, statement.
But it is one which challenges every one of us and offers each of us an opportunity. It is not only the biblical Levite who can attain closeness to YHVH and spiritual sublimity. We all can.
But to do so, we need the motivation to assume greater responsibility, to suffer solitude, to be absolutely just and righteous, to teach others who might not wish to be taught. Then we all can achieve the benefits which were the due of the ancient tribe of Levi”. End quote.
But it is one which challenges every one of us and offers each of us an opportunity. It is not only the biblical Levite who can attain closeness to YHVH and spiritual sublimity. We all can.
But to do so, we need the motivation to assume greater responsibility, to suffer solitude, to be absolutely just and righteous, to teach others who might not wish to be taught. Then we all can achieve the benefits which were the due of the ancient tribe of Levi”. End quote.
Isa 66:21 “And from them (gentiles)
too I shall take for priests – for Lĕwites,” declares יהוה.
Baruch HaShem ex Gentiles can also be Levites in the
coming millennium.
The following two
verses in the Apostolic writings also present us with an interesting situation
to consider: Acts 1:15 & John
21:11 – 120 were in the upper room, plus
the 153 fish that were caught (gematria of bnei ha Elohim) equals 273. This was the number of Yisraelites
that were to be redeemed as they did not have a Levite son to redeem them.
Num 4:1 And יהוה spoke to
Mosheh, and to Aharon, saying,
Num 4:2 “Take a
census of the sons of Qehath from among the children of Lĕwi, by their clans,
by their fathers’ house,
Num 4:3 from
thirty years old and above, even to fifty years old, all who enter the service
to do the work in the Tent of Meeting.
Num 4:4 “This is
the service of the sons of Qehath in the Tent of Meeting, the most set-apart
matters:
Num 4:5 “At the
breaking of camp, Aharon and his sons shall come, and they shall take down the
covering veil and cover the ark of the Witness with it,
Num 4:6 and shall
put on it a covering of fine leather, and spread over that an all-blue wrapper,
and shall insert its poles.
Num 4:7 “And on
the table of showbread they shall spread a blue wrapper, and shall put on it
the dishes, and the ladles, and the bowls, and the jars for pouring, and the
showbread on it.
Num 4:8 “And they
shall spread over them a scarlet wrapper, and cover the same with a covering of
fine leather, and shall insert its poles,
Num 4:9 and shall
take a blue wrapper and cover the lampstand of the light, with its lamps, and
its snuffers, and its trays, and all its oil vessels, by which they serve it.
Num 4:10 “And they
shall put it with all its utensils in a covering of fine leather, and put it on
a bar.
Num 4:11 “And over
the golden altar they shall spread a blue wrapper, and cover it with a covering
of fine leather, and shall insert its poles,
Num 4:12 and shall
take all the utensils of service with which they serve in the set-apart place,
and shall put them in a blue wrapper, cover them with a covering of fine leather,
and put them on a bar,
Num 4:13 and shall
remove the ashes from the altar, and spread a purple wrapper over it,
Num 4:14 and shall
put on it all its utensils by which they serve there: the fire holders, the
forks, and the shovels, and the basins, and all the utensils of the altar, and
shall spread on it a covering of fine leather, and insert its poles.
Num 4:15 “And when
Aharon and his sons have finished covering the set-apart objects and all
the furnishings of the Set-apart Place at the breaking of camp, then the sons
of Qehath shall come to lift them, but let them not touch that which is
set-apart, lest they die. These matters are the burden of the sons of
Qehath in the Tent of Meeting.
Note
carefully that the most set apart objects were lifted and carried on the
shoulders of the Kohathites. YHVH has not changed this ruling. He has set apart
those who will carry the burden of His Esteem in this world.
King
David ignored this instruction and transported the ark of the covenant on a
wagon. When Uzziah touched the ark he was instantly killed. (2 Sam 6:1-12, Ex
25:12-15)
Num 4:16 “And the
oversight of Elʽazar, son of Aharon the priest, is the oil for the light,
and the sweet incense, and the daily grain offering, and the anointing oil, and
the oversight of all the Dwelling Place and all that is in it, with the
set-apart place and its furnishings.”
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 Yahveh, 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.