Blessing
for the Torah Reading:
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, you have selected us from among all the peoples, and have given us your Torah.
Blessed are you, YHVH, giver of the Torah. Ameyn.)
Why is silver associated with
redemption? Perhaps it has something to do with how silver can reflect an image
perfectly. It is a known fact that a silversmith knows when molten silver is
ready to be moulded when he looks into the molten silver and can see a perfect
reflection of his image.
So we too know that our
redemption will have been completed when Yahshua’s image is perfectly reflected
in us.
Rom 8:29 Because those whom He knew beforehand, He
also ordained beforehand to be conformed to the likeness of His Son, for Him to
be the first-born among many brothers.
Why did each male over 20 need to
pay a redemption fee? Because they needed to be redeemed.
We too need to be redeemed.
Jer 31:10 “Hear the word of יהוה, O gentiles,
and declare it in the isles afar off, and say, ‘He who scattered Yisra’ĕl
gathers him, and shall guard him as a shepherd his flock.’
Jer 31:11 “For יהוה shall ransom Yaʽaqoḇ, and
redeem him from the hand of one stronger than he.
Php 2:12 So that, my beloved, as you always obeyed –
not only in my presence, but now much rather in my absence – work out your own
deliverance with fear and trembling,
Php 2:13 for it is Elohim who is working in you both
to desire and to work for His good pleasure.
We who call ourselves
believers and seekers after the truth often don’t realize how deep our need of
redemption is. We have been raised in a culture that somehow convinces us that
we are ok and just need a little help here and there. In actual fact we are
powerless to affect needed and lasting change in our lives and in the world
around us.
Mat 5:3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, because
theirs is the reign of the heavens.
Quote from a sermon given by Charles Spurgeon:
“Whenever
we attempt to number the people of Elohim,
it is absolutely necessary that we count only those who at least profess to have
brought the Redemption price in their hands and so have taken part in the
Atonement of Yahshua Ha Mashiach.
David,
when he numbered the people, did not gather from them the Redemption money and,
therefore, a plague broke out among them. He had failed in obedience to the
Masters’s ordinance and counted his subjects, not as redeemed people, but
merely as so many heads. Let us always beware of estimating the number of
Christians by the number of the population of the countries called Christian,
for the only true Christians in the world are those who are redeemed from
iniquity by the blood of the Lamb and have personally accepted the ransom which Yahveh has provided. (The way the
Father wants to be accepted though his Son when we accept Yahshua the Mediator
as our Master is, not just through a sinner’s prayer but a grateful response to
the fact that He has chosen us, and grafted us into the tree of Yisrael, and we
respond to Him by accepting and obeying all the instructions for this redeemed
relationship found in the teachings of His word - Torah– added by author of
blog)
We must not count persons who are called
Christians by courtesy, but souls that are Christly in very fact because they
have accepted the atoning Sacrifice and live before God as “redeemed from among
men.”
Rev 14:4 …They
are those following the Lamb wherever He leads them on. They were
redeemed from among men, being first-fruits to Elohim and to the Lamb.
Observe
that this Redemption, without which no man might rightly be numbered among the
children of Israel, lest a plague should break out among them, must be personal
and individual. There was not a lump sum to be paid for the nation, or 12
amounts for the 12 tribes—each man must bring his own half shekel for himself.
So
there is no Redemption that will be of any use to any of you unless it is personally accepted
and brought before YHVH by faith.
And
it must be a Redemption that meets the Divine demand because, you see, the
Master not only says that they must each bring half a shekel, no more, no less,
but it must be, “the shekel of the sanctuary”—not the shekel of commerce, which
might be debased in quality or diminished by wear and tear, but the coin must
be according to the standard shekel laid up in the Set Apart Place. To make
sure of it, Moses defines exactly how much a shekel was worth and what its
weight was—“A shekel is twenty gerahs.” So you must bring to Yahveh the
Redemption which He has appointed—the blood and
righteousness of Messiah.
Now
we turn to the second of our texts, and there we learn a very remarkable fact.
In the 38th chapter, verse 25, we find that this mass of silver which was paid,
whereby 603,050 men were redeemed, each one paying his half shekel, came to a
great weight of silver. It must have weighed something over four tons and this
was dedicated to the use of the Tabernacle— the special application of the
precious metal was to make sockets into which the boards which made the walls
of the Tabernacle should be placed. The mass of silver made up 100 sockets and
these held up the 50 boards of the set apart place. They were in a wilderness,
constantly moving and continually shifting the Tabernacle. Now, they might have
dug out a foundation in the sand, or, on coming to a piece of rock where they
could not dig, they might have cut out foundations with great toil. But the
Master appointed that they should carry
the foundation of the Tabernacle with them!
A
talent of silver, weighing, I suppose, close upon 100 pounds, was either formed
into the shape of a wedge, so as to be driven into the soil, or else made into
a solid square plate to lie upon it.
The
foundation of the worship of Israel was Redemption! The dwelling place of Yahveh
their Elohim was founded on Atonement! All the boards of incorruptible wood and
precious gold stood upon the Redemption price! The curtains of fine linen, the
veil of matchless workmanship and the whole structure rested on nothing else
but the solid mass of silver which had been paid as the Redemption money of the
people! End quote.
2Sa 7:23 “And who is like Your people, like Yisra’ĕl,
the one nation on the earth whom Elohim went to redeem for Himself as a people,
to make for Himself a Name, and to do for You greatness, and awesome deeds for
Your land before Your people, whom You redeemed for Yourself from Mitsrayim,
from the nations and their mighty ones?
2Sa 7:24 “And You have established for Yourself Your
people Yisra’ĕl as Your own people forever, and You, יהוה, have become
their Elohim.
The mishnah states:1
“On the first of Adar (The scriptural 12TH MONTH), public
announcements are made concerning the shekalim.” Half a shekel
was given annually in the times of the Beis HaMikdosh by every Jewish
male over the age of twenty.
After the destruction of the Beis HaMikdosh, when it is no
longer possible to fulfill the mitzvah of giving the shekel, the
reading of the parshah in the Torah about the half-shekel
substitutes for the actual giving. As our Sages have said: “Whoever engages in
[the study of] the Torah of the sacrifices, it is counted as if he actually offered
the sacrifices.” This section is always read on the Shabbos before Rosh
Chodesh Adar (the first day of Adar).
Our Torah portion begins:
Exo 30:11 And יהוה spoke to
Mosheh, saying,
Exo 30:12 “When
you take the census of the children of Yisra’ĕl, to register them, then each
one shall give an atonement for his life to יהוה, when you
register them, so that there is no plague among them when you register them.
יב כִּי תִשָּׂא אֶת-רֹאשׁ
בְּנֵי-יִשְׂרָאֵל, לִפְקֻדֵיהֶם, וְנָתְנוּ אִישׁ כֹּפֶר נַפְשׁוֹ לַיהוָה,
בִּפְקֹד אֹתָם; וְלֹא-יִהְיֶה בָהֶם נֶגֶף, בִּפְקֹד אֹתָם
If we directly translate the Hebrew of these verses it
sounds completely different.
“ki tisa et
rosh benei Yisrael” or “when you will lift up the head of the sons of Israel…”
This has
been translated “when you take a census of the children of Israel”
“Lifkudei”
is s a pual verb meaning to “call to account.”
“Ish koper”
means “a sheltering ransom of a man”
Negef – a
blow or a fatal plague
Kipod – pakad
is pa al verb form meaning to pay attention the piel verb form is used and has
a stronger sense of demanding someone’s attention like calling someone to
account.
Note the
use of the word “rosh” or “head” it is written in the singular. Note also the
use of the words “ki tisa” can also be translated “because you will lift up..”
(future tense)
The
translators most probably experienced difficulty in trying to understand what
the text was saying. It is possible that this scripture is trying to tell us
the following:
“Because a time is coming when you will lift up
the son of man who is the head of Israel” in him all those who are redeemed(ransomed)
will be counted”
It is
rather conspicuous that the word “rashim” (plural for rosh) is not used. The
use of “rosh” (singular) can mean one person who represents Israel. Yahshua Ha
Mashiach.
This should
cause us concern because regardless what we have been taught or accept about our
right standing before YHVH it would serve us well to make sure that it is
according to His righteous understanding and not that of an organization or
individual.
Exo 30:13
“Everyone among those who are registered is to give this: half a sheqel
according to the sheqel of the set-apart place, twenty gĕrahs being a sheqel.
The half-sheqel is the contribution to יהוה.
When we bring our half shekel we are in fact stating that
what we bring is incomplete and can only be completed by Yahshua himself. In a
sense a half a shekel has no real value until it has been “completed” by the
other half.
The Hebrew word “bekah” or half shekel (Shemot 38:26)
actually means “to cleave or to rend to break open” all terms we associate with
the execution of Messiah.
Exo 38:26 a beqa, half a sheqel for a head,(skull)
according to the sheqel of the set-apart place, for everyone passing over to
those counted, from twenty years old and above, for six hundred and three
thousand, five hundred and fifty men.
כו בֶּקַע, לַגֻּלְגֹּלֶת,
מַחֲצִית הַשֶּׁקֶל, בְּשֶׁקֶל הַקֹּדֶשׁ
“beka gulgolet” used for the counting of Yisrael implies the one “who is broken at Golgotha !”
It may be
possible that many who claim to be saved are in actual fact not saved according
to the teaching of ALL of scripture. These may have to go through the great
tribulation – plague.
The gematria of “beka” is 172. We know that there are 172
words in the 10 sayings (incorrectly called the 10 commandments)
We are saved and redeemed not because we keep the Torah
but we keep the Torah as an evidence of a genuine salvation and redemption. In
fact it is the Torah that keeps and guards the redeemed.
Exo 30:14
“Everyone passing over to be registered, from twenty years old and
above, gives a contribution to יהוה.
Exo 30:15 “The
rich does not give more and the poor does not give less than half a sheqel,
when you give a contribution to יהוה, to make
atonement for yourselves.
Exo 30:16 “And you
shall take the silver for the atonement from the children of Yisra’ĕl, and give
it for the service of the Tent of Meeting. And it shall be to the children of
Yisra’ĕl for a remembrance before יהוה, to make
atonement for yourselves.”
Exo 30:17 And יהוה spoke to Mosheh, saying,
Exo 30:18 “And you
shall make a basin of bronze,
with its stand also of bronze, for washing. And
you shall
put it between the Tent of Meeting and the altar, and shall put water
in it.
Exo 30:19 “And
Aharon and his sons shall wash from it their hands and their feet.
Exo 30:20 “When
they go into the Tent of Meeting, or when they come near the altar to attend,
to burn an offering made by fire to יהוה, they wash
with water, lest they die.
Exo 30:21 “And
they shall wash their hands and their feet, lest they die. And it shall be a law forever to them, to him and his seed throughout
their generations.”
This basin was not meant to make them ritually clean. The
priests would not be allowed to enter the tabernacle area if they were ritually
unclean.
This washing of feet and hands by water may indicate that
the priests were to be examples of how the nation of Yisrael was to walk – feet
– and to do – hands. They were to instruct the people in the right ways or
halachah.
Maybe it was also a reminder that the whole Aaronic
priesthood was limited by the cleaning of the washing of water. Only the blood
of Messiah can cleanse and remove the stain of sin and iniquity.
Maybe it was like going on a date with YHVH – you made
sure your feet and hands were clean and then you anointed yourself so you could
smell good in His presence. You were going out to have a meal with your Creator.
Exo 30:22 And יהוה spoke to Mosheh, saying,
Exo 30:23 “And
take for yourself choice spices, five hundred sheqels of liquid myrrh,
and half as much – two hundred and fifty – of sweet-smelling cinnamon, and two
hundred and fifty of sweet-smelling cane,
Exo 30:24 and five
hundred of cassia, according to the sheqel of the set-apart place, and a hin of
olive oil.
Exo 30:25 “And you
shall make from these a set-apart anointing oil, a compound, blended, the work
of a perfumer. It is a set-apart anointing oil.
Exo 30:26 “And
with it you shall anoint the Tent of Meeting and the ark of the Witness,
Exo 30:27 and the
table and all its utensils, and the lampstand and its utensils, and the altar
of incense,
Exo 30:28 and the
altar of burnt offering with all its utensils, and the basin and its stand.
Exo 30:29 “And you
shall set them apart, and they shall be most set-apart. Whatever touches them
is to be set-apart.
Exo 30:30 “And you
shall anoint Aharon and his sons, and set them apart, to serve as priests to
Me.
Exo 30:31 “And
speak to the children of Yisra’ĕl, saying, ‘This is a set-apart anointing oil
to Me throughout your generations.
Exo 30:32 ‘It
shall not be poured on the flesh of a man, and make no other like it, according
to its composition. It is set-apart, it is set-apart to you.
Exo 30:33 ‘Whoever
compounds any like it, or whoever puts any of it on a stranger, shall be
cut off from his people.’ ”
Exo 30:34 And יהוה said to Mosheh, “Take sweet spices,
fragrant gum and cinnamon and galbanam, and clear frankincense with these sweet
spices, all in equal amounts.
Exo 30:35 “Then
you shall make of these an incense, a compound, work of a perfumer, salted,
clean, set-apart.
Exo 30:36 “And you
shall beat some of it very fine, and put some of it before the Witness in the
Tent of Meeting where I meet with you, it is most set-apart to you.
Exo 30:37 “And the
incense which you make, do not make any for yourselves, according to its
composition, it is set-apart to you for יהוה.
Exo 30:38 “Whoever
makes any like it, to smell it, he shall be cut off from his people.”
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 Yahweh, 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, Yahweh 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.