יח גַּל-עֵינַי
וְאַבִּיטָה-- נִפְלָאוֹת, מִתּוֹרָתֶךָ.
Ps 119:18 -Open my eyes, that I might see Wonders from Your
Torah.
Rashi quotes the Midrash Tanchuma that says the Torah was transmitted as
black fire on white fire – black letters written on white parchment. The idea
is that the white spaces in between the letters also reveal significant
revelation and instruction of Torah. In other words the Torah has a lot more to
say than that which is actually written. To understand Torah we also need to
“read between the lines.”
The idea comes from the words of Moshe (Dev/Deut
33:2) who tells of how YHVH is coming to Sinai accompanied with tens of
thousands of a heavenly host to bring the Torah. Moshe describes the Torah as
an “esh dat” or a “fiery decree or law.”
The Torah was written on treated hides of the animals given as offerings
in the Temple.
Paul shares a
similar intent when he says we are living letters.
2Co 3:1 Are we to begin to recommend ourselves again?
Or do we need, as some, letters of recommendation to you, or from you?
2Co 3:2 You are our letter, having been written in
our hearts, known and read by all men,
2Co 3:3 making it obvious that you are a letter of
Messiah, served by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living
Elohim, not on tablets of stone but on fleshly tablets of the heart.
The Torah’s black letters have a
message to declare that can only be properly understood when expressed through
the lives and words of dedicated and set apart, Torah honouring clay vessels.
This Torah portion “Pinchas” is referred to as the “zot
chukat ha torah” (19:2) – this is the “chok” of the Torah, in other words this
Torah portion sheds light and perspective on the meaning and purpose of the
whole Torah.
The portion goes on to include instructions regarding the
“korbonot” or offerings.
Paul reminds us in Romans 10:4 that the whole purpose of
the Torah is to teach us about Messiah.
Summary of last three aliyot of parashat Pinchas.
Aliyah Chamishi 28:1-15
From this point until the end of this week's
reading, the Torah details the various communal offerings which were offered in
the Tabernacle and Temple at designated times. This section discusses the
twice-daily "Tamid" offering, as well as the additional
offerings offered on Shabbat and on Rosh Chodesh (the first day of the New Hebrew
month).
These feasts or appointments afford the true
seeker and lover of YHVH the opportunity to enjoy special times of intimacy with
Him. The Hebrew word for offering is “korban” and comes from the verb “karav”
which means to draw near.
It is not by accident that these appointments
have been repeated again here in sefer Bemidbar (book of Numbers) as the tragic
incident of defilement in the tabernacle of YHVH with the Midianite woman
occurred on one of the pagan festivals of the time. Commentators believe that
these events took place during the harvest festival around Pesach/Passover at
the same time the pagan feast of Easter would have been celebrated by these
Midianites.
“A festival to Baal
was a degrading, gluttonous orgy. Sacrificial meat, Wine, riotous music, and of
course, gross fornication of all kinds was involved.”
Balaam taught the King
of the Moabites to set up Altars to Baal at a place named "Baal Peor"
(Master of the Opening). As the smell of freshly cooked meat, and the sound of
the Music drifted into the camp of Israel, many of the men of Israel turned
aside to see what was happening. Then the women of Moab were presented to them,
and the unspeakably sensuous orgy commenced. But we are not merely told by YHVH
that the children of Israel committed fornication, or drank and ate to excess,
but rather “Bem/Num 25:1 And Yisra’ĕl dwelt in Shittim, and the people
began to whore with the daughters of Mo’aḇ, Num 25:2
and they invited the people to the slaughterings of their mighty ones,
and the people ate and bowed down to their mighty ones. Num 25:3 Thus Yisra’ĕl was joined to Ba’al Pe’or, and
the displeasure of יהוה burned against
Yisra’ĕl.
Aliyah Shishi 28:16-29:11
This section discusses the offerings offered on
Pesach/Passover-week, Shavuot/Feast of weeks, Yom Teruah/Day of the great
awakening blast, and Yom Kippur/Day of Atonement. The Torah also discusses some
of the laws related to these appointments.
Aliyah Sheviee 29:12-30:1
This section discusses the offerings offered during
the appointments of Sukkot (Sukkot is seven days) and Shemini Atzeret (the
Eighth day assembly – the last Appointment of the Torah commanded annual
Appointments that falls on the eighth day at the end of the seven days of
Sukkot).
Torah Portion:
Num 28:1 And יהוה spoke to
Mosheh, saying,
Num 28:2 “Command
the children of Yisra’ĕl, and you shall say to them, ‘Take heed to bring My
offering, My food for My offerings made by fire as a sweet fragrance to Me, at
their appointed time.’
א וַיְדַבֵּר יְהוָה, אֶל-מֹשֶׁה
לֵּאמֹר.
ב צַו אֶת-בְּנֵי
יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְאָמַרְתָּ אֲלֵהֶם: אֶת-קָרְבָּנִי
לַחְמִי לְאִשַּׁי, רֵיחַ נִיחֹחִי, תִּשְׁמְרוּ, לְהַקְרִיב לִי
בְּמוֹעֲדוֹ.
“Command the sons of Yisrael and say to them – My
offerings (that which causes you to draw near to Me) My bread – My fire – a
fragrance of tranquility – You are to guard these offerings of Mine at their
appointed time.”
Nowhere in the scripture does it say YHVH “eats food.” In
fact the only thing we can give Him is what He has already given us.
Psa 50:12 “If I were hungry, I would not speak to you;
For the world is Mine, and all that fills it.
Psa 50:13 “Do I eat the flesh of bulls, Or drink the
blood of goats?
The very idea of YHVH needing anything from us reduces
Him to Someone we can control. The Torah and the sacrificial system is YHVH’s
provision (bread) for us to become established in our understanding and identification
with YHVH’s greatest Gift to the world – His only brought forth son - Yahshua.
Neglecting this provision is certain death and separation
from His Presence.
Heb 10:28 Anyone who has disregarded the Torah of
Mosheh dies without compassion on the witness of two or three witnesses.
Heb 10:29 How much worse punishment do you think shall
he deserve who has trampled the Son of Elohim underfoot, counted the blood of
the covenant by which he was set apart as
common, and insulted the Spirit of favour?
Heb 10:30 For we know Him who has said, “Vengeance is
Mine, I shall repay, says יהוה.” And again, “יהוה shall judge His people.”
Heb 10:31 It is
fearsome to fall into the hands of the living Elohim.
Now follows a list of these offerings:
Tamid.
Num 28:3 “And you
shall say to them, ‘This is the offering made by fire which you bring to יהוה: two male lambs a year old, perfect ones,
daily, a continual burnt offering (olah
tamid).
The Torah does not say at what exact time these offering
were made. The Mishnah and other sources indicate that one lamb was offered in
the morning around 9am and the other one around 3pm in the afternoon.
We see that these offerings were given at about the same
time that Yahshua was impaled and eventually died on the execution stake on the
14th of Aviv.
Mar 15:25 And it was the third hour,(around 9am our
time) and they impaled Him.
Mar 15:33
And when the sixth hour (noon)
our timecame, darkness came over all the land until the ninth hour.
Mar 15:34
And at the ninth hour(around 3pm) יהושע cried
out with a loud voice, saying, “Ěli, Ěli, lamah sheḇaqtani?”1 which
is translated, “My Ěl, My Ěl, why have You forsaken Me?” Footnote: 1In
Hebrew - “Eli, Eli lamah azaḇtani” - as per Ps. 22:1.
Num 28:4 ‘The one
lamb you prepare in the morning, and the other lamb you prepare between the
evenings,
Num 28:5 with
one-tenth of an ĕphah of fine flour as a grain offering mixed with one-fourth of a hin of pressed oil,
Ephah - An ancient Hebrew unit
of dry volume measure, equal to a “bath” or to one-tenth of a homer. It is
approximately equal to 22 litres.
Exo 16:36 And an omer is one-tenth of an ĕphah.
Exo 16:16 “This is the word which יהוה has commanded:
‘Let every man gather it according to each one’s need, an omer for each
being,(manna) according to the number of beings. Let every man take for those
who are in his tent.’ ”
Exo 16:22 And it came to be, on the sixth day, that
they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for each one…..
Hin - A unit of liquid measure used by the
ancient Hebrews equal
to about four liters.
We also need to realize that the responsibility of these
offering was upon the Priests – Kohanim.
Num 28:6 a
continual burnt offering which was offered at Mount Sinai for a sweet
fragrance, an offering made by fire to יהוה,
Num 28:7 and its
drink offering, one-fourth of a hin for each lamb. Pour out the drink to יהוה as an offering in the set-apart place.
Num 28:8 ‘And the
other lamb you prepare between the evenings. As the morning grain offering and
its drink offering, you prepare it as an offering made by fire, a sweet
fragrance to יהוה.
Sabbaths – First of the Musaf Offerings.
Num 28:9 ‘And on
the Sabbath day two lambs a year old, perfect ones, and two-tenths of an
ĕphah of fine flour as a grain offering, mixed with oil, with its drink
offering,
Num 28:10 the
burnt offering for every Sabbath, besides the continual burnt offering with its
drink offering.
This section of the Torah portion discusses the
additional offerings that were added onto the daily tamid offering. The Jews
call these the “musaf” or “additional offerings”.
"Additional offerings" Musaf
in Jewish liturgy, called the
"additional service"
is recited on
the Sabbath
(Shabbat) and on festivals in commemoration of the additional offerings
that were formerly offered in the Temple of Jerusalem (Numbers 28, 29). The musaf, which usually follows the recital of the morning prayers (shaharit) and the reading of the Torah, is an added 'amidah’ (a type of blessing, recited standing), first recited privately by each worshipper, then repeated aloud by the official reader. Elements of the musaf vary, depending on the festival that is being celebrated and on the rite that is followed by the congregation. The
additional prayers
added to the morning service were on Sabbaths, festivals,
and Rosh Chodesh”
Rosh
Chodesh.
Num 28:11 ‘And on
the beginnings of your months you bring near a burnt offering to יהוה: two young bulls and one ram, and seven
lambs a year old, perfect ones;
Num 28:12
three-tenths of an ĕphah of fine flour as a grain offering, mixed
with oil, for each bull; two-tenths of an ĕphah of fine flour as a grain
offering, mixed with oil, for the one ram;
Num 28:13 and
one-tenth of an ĕphah of fine flour, mixed with oil, as a grain offering
for each lamb, as a burnt offering of sweet fragrance, an offering made by fire
to יהוה.
Num 28:14 ‘And
their drink offering is half a hin of wine for a bull, and one-third of a hin
for a ram, and one-fourth of a hin for a lamb. This is the burnt offering for
each month throughout the months of the year,
Num 28:15 and one
male goat as a sin offering to יהוה is prepared,
besides the continual burnt offering and its drink offering.
Pesach – week (Pesach, the day that the pesach is offered
+ the 7 days of Unleavened Bread).
Num 28:16 ‘And in
the first month, on the fourteenth day, is the Passover of יהוה,
Num 28:17 and on
the fifteenth day of this month is a festival. For seven days unleavened bread is eaten.
Num 28:18 ‘On the first day is a set-apart gathering,
you do no servile work.
Num 28:19 ‘And you
shall bring near an offering made by fire as a burnt offering to יהוה: two young bulls and one ram, and seven
lambs a year old, perfect ones they are for you,
Num 28:20 and
their grain offering, fine flour mixed with oil. Prepare three-tenths of an
ĕphah for a bull, and two-tenths for a ram.
Num 28:21 ‘Prepare
one-tenth of an ĕphah for each of the seven lambs,
Num 28:22 and one
goat as a sin offering, to make atonement for you.
Num 28:23 ‘Prepare
these besides the burnt offering of the
morning, which is for a continual burnt offering.
Num 28:24
‘According to these you are to prepare the food of the offering made by
fire daily for seven days, as a sweet fragrance to יהוה. It is prepared besides the continual
burnt offering and its drink offering.
Num 28:25 ‘And on
the seventh day you have a set-apart gathering, you do no servile work.
Shavuot
Num 28:26 ‘And on
the day of the first-fruits, when you bring a new grain offering to יהוה at your
Festival of Weeks (chag Shavuot), you have a set-apart gathering, you do no
servile work.
Num 28:27 ‘And you
shall bring near a burnt offering as a sweet fragrance to יהוה: two young bulls, one ram, and seven lambs
a year old,
Num 28:28 with
their grain offering of fine flour mixed with oil: three-tenths of an ĕphah
for each bull, two-tenths for the one ram,
Num 28:29
one-tenth for each of the seven lambs,
Num 28:30 one male
goat to make atonement for you,
Num 28:31 perfect
ones they are for you. Prepare them with their drink offerings, besides the
continual burnt offering with its grain offering.
Yom Teruah.
Num 29:1 ‘And in the seventh month, on the first day
of the month, you have a set-apart gathering, you do no servile work, it is a
day of blowing the trumpets for you.
Num 29:2 ‘And you shall prepare a burnt offering as a
sweet fragrance to יהוה: one young
bull, one ram, seven lambs a year old, perfect ones,
Num 29:3 and their
grain offering: fine flour mixed with oil, three-tenths of an ĕphah for
the bull, two-tenths for the ram,
Num 29:4 and
one-tenth for each of the seven lambs,
Num 29:5 and one
male goat as a sin offering, to make atonement for you,
Num 29:6 besides
the burnt offering with its grain offering for the New Moon, the continual
burnt offering with its grain offering, and their drink offerings, according to
their right-ruling, as a sweet fragrance, an offering made by fire to יהוה.
Yom Kippur.
Num 29:7 ‘And on
the tenth day of this seventh month you have a set-apart gathering, and you
shall afflict your beings, you do no work.
Num 29:8 ‘And you
shall bring near a burnt offering to יהוה, a sweet
fragrance: one young bull, one ram, seven lambs a year old, perfect ones they
are for you,
Num 29:9 and their
grain offering: fine flour mixed with oil, three-tenths of an ĕphah for
the bull, two-tenths for the one ram,
Num 29:10
one-tenth for each of the seven lambs,
Num 29:11 one male
goat as a sin offering, besides the sin offering for atonement, the continual
burnt offering with its grain offering, and their drink offerings.
Sukkot.
Num 29:12 ‘And on
the fifteenth day of the seventh month you have a set-apart gathering, you do
no servile work. And you shall observe a festival to יהוה seven days,