Blessing of Torah.
Bar’chu
et YHVH ha-m’vorach, Baruch YHVH ha-m’vorach l’O’lam va-ed!
Baruch
ata YHVHEloheinu melech ha-olam asher bachar banu m’kol ha-amim, v’na-tan lanu
eht Torah-to. Baruch atah YHVH, noteyn ha-Torah. Ameyn.”
(Bless YHVH the blessed One; Blessed is YHVH, the
blessed One for all eternity. 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.)
Parashat Naso seems to have a common theme of
“lifting up” a set apart priesthood. This priesthood includes the other Levites
who were not commissioned to take care of the most set apart matters;
individual men and woman who undergo the Nazarite vow and even the nation of
Yisrael, who bring set apart offerings for the functioning of the priesthood –
see beginning of this parasha – Num 4:21.
The apostolic scriptures confirm this priesthood. 1Pe
2:9 But you are a chosen race, a royal
priesthood, a set-apart nation, a people for a possession, that you should
proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvellous
light,
1Pe 2:10 who once were not a people, but now the
people of Elohim; who had not obtained compassion, but now obtained compassion.
Yahshua stated that
only a few would be faithful to this calling.
Luk 13:23 and someone said to Him, “Master, are there
few who are being saved?” And He said to them,
Luk 13:24 “Strive to enter through the narrow gate,
because many, I say to you, shall seek to enter in and shall not be able.
Luk 13:25 “When once the Master of the house has risen
up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock at the door,
saying, ‘Master, Master, open for us,’ and He shall answer and say to you, ‘I
do not know you, where you are from,’
Luk 13:26 then you shall begin to say, ‘We ate and
drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets.’
Luk 13:27 “But He shall say, ‘I say to you I do not
know you, where you are from. Depart from Me, all you workers of
unrighteousness.’ (teaching disobedience to Torah is unrighteous)
Luk 13:28 “There shall be weeping and gnashing of
teeth, when you see Aḇraham and Yitsḥaq and Yaʽaqoḇ and all the prophets
in the reign of Elohim, and yourselves thrown outside.
Mat 7:13 “Enter in through the narrow gate! Because
the gate is wide – and the way is broad – that leads to destruction, and there
are many who enter in through it.
Mat 7:14 “Because the gate is narrow and the way is
hard pressed1 which leads to life, and there are few who find it.
Footnote: 1Or the way is afflicted.
Mat 7:15 “But beware of the false prophets,1
who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are savage wolves.
Footnote: 1See v. 23
Believers have been
robbed and plundered of being included in this set apart priesthood.
Isa 42:19 “Who is blind but My servant, or deaf as My
messenger whom I send? Who is blind as he who is at peace, and blind as servant
of יהוה?
Isa 42:20 “You see
much, but do not observe; ears are open, but do not hear.”
Isa 42:21 It has
delighted יהוה, for the sake of His righteousness, to
make the Torah great and esteemed.
Isa 42:22 But this
is a people robbed and plundered, all of them are snared in holes, and they are
hidden in prison houses. They have become a prey, with no one to deliver – for
plunder, and no one to say, “Restore!”
(“ha shav” or return)
Isa 42:23 Who
among you gives ear to this, pays attention and hears for the time to come?
Isa 42:24 Who gave
Yaʽaqoḇ for
plunder, and Yisra’ĕl to the robbers? Was it not יהוה, He against
whom we sinned? For they would not walk
in His ways, and they did not obey His Torah!
Isa 42:25 So He
has poured on him His burning displeasure and the strength of battle, and it
set him on fire all around, yet he did not understand. And it burned against
him, yet he did not take it to heart!
We need YHVH to bless us, to really bless us in such a
way as to cause us not only to return but to remain in His Ways - the ancient
paths of our fathers – Avraham, Yitzchak and Yakov. To bring us to the eighth
day – shemeni atzaret, when the “lights are switched on” and we understand all
truth.
This week’s Torah portion teaches us about such a
blessing.
Num 6:22 And יהוה spoke to
Mosheh, saying,
Num 6:23 “Speak to
Aharon and his sons, saying, ‘This is how you bless the children of Yisra’ĕl.
Say to them:
The Hebrew word for “bless” comes from the Hebrew verb
“barach.” This verb means to kneel. The image is created of YHVH “kneeling”
down to reach mankind on their level of need. This reminds us of a parent
kneeling down to the level of their child to connect with them in their need.
The Aaronic blessing consists of three sections:
1.The first section is in vs 24.
Num 6:24 “יהוה bless you and guard you;
It is possible to blessed by YHVH and then to lose that
blessing.
Deu 28:1 “And it shall be, if you diligently obey the
voice of יהוה your Elohim,
to guard to do all His commands which I command you today, that יהוה your Elohim shall set you high above all
nations of the earth.
Deu 28:2 “And all
these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, if you obey the voice of יהוה your Elohim:
Deu 30:9 “And יהוה your Elohim
shall make you have excess in all the work of your hand, in the fruit of your
body, and in the fruit of your livestock, and in the fruit of your ground for
good. For יהוה turns back to
rejoice over you for good as He rejoiced over your fathers,
Deu 30:10 if you
obey the voice of יהוה your Elohim,
to guard His commands and His laws which are written in this Book of the Torah,
if you turn back to יהוה your Elohim
with all your heart and with all your being.
Deu 30:11 “For
this command which I am commanding you today, it is not too hard for you, nor
is it far off.
2. The second section of the blessing is in vs 25.
Num 6:25 יהוה make His face shine upon you, and show
favour to you;
When YHVH’s face shines upon us we become deeply aware of an increasing
and wonderful knowledge and understanding of YHVH and His Ways. We also see
areas of darkness in our lives that YHVH wants to reveal and heal.
Pro 6:23 For the command is a
lamp, And the Torah a light.
Psa 119:130 The opening up of Your words gives light,
Giving understanding to the simple.
Something wonderful is happening in your life and you know it comes from
your Heavenly Father. This causes “vichuneka” “and to be gracious to you.” Now the favour of YHVH is revealed and given
to us.
You begin to recognize increasing undeserved favour on
your life.
3. The third section of blessing is in vs 26.
Num 6:26 יהוה lift up His face upon(to) you, and give
you shalom (peace).” ’ Footnote: Verses 24 to 26 is the Priestly Blessing.
Shalom (Peace) describes where we are in our relationship
with YHVH and others – even if there is pain and stress in our lives. For the “chosen” all pain is birth pain.
First mention of pain in scripture of pain is birth pain.
When YHVH lifts up His Face towards you – it gives a
sense that YHVH is staring at you.
This is when His blessings start becoming very personal.
YHVH’s intense gaze upon you establishes wholeness (shalom) into your
life. This is taking His blessing to
whole new level. You are being transformed into the image of His Son.
When YHVH lifts up His Face towards you (singular) it is
like the blessings were especially created for your own individual needs. This
brings the deepest kind of contentment that we can know. YHVH focuses His gaze
upon you for good and not for harm.
Num 6:27 “Thus
they shall put My Name on the children of Yisra’ĕl, and I Myself shall bless
them.”
כז וְשָׂמוּ אֶת-שְׁמִי, עַל-בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל; וַאֲנִי,
אֲבָרְכֵם.
When YHVH’s Name is put on someone, He is declaring that
this person and people BELONG TO HIM. They are His exclusive property. We can be
assured YHVH takes very good care of His property.
Let’s look at the Hebrew of this prayer and the number of
letters and the gematria of those letters.
כד יְבָרֶכְךָ
יְהוָה, וְיִשְׁמְרֶךָ. {ס}
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24 YHVH bless thee, and keep thee; {S}
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25 YHVH make His face to shine upon thee, and
be gracious unto thee; {S}
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26 YHVH lift up His countenance upon thee,
and give thee peace. {S}
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First line contains three words; the second line contains
5 words and the third line contains 7 words.
Vs 24- 15 letters
= Yud Heh = 15 = Yah or YHVH – yud = 10 and hey = 5. “Hey” symbolizes
revelation.
Vs 25 - 20 letters =
Heh yud hey = haya or “to be”
Vs 26 - 25 letters =
yud hey yud = Yihi or “will be”
60 letters – gematria of “samech” symbolizing support and
strength.
This blessing only uses 13 of the 22 letters of the
alphabet- gematria of love and one – (ahahva and echad) YHVH is love. Gematria
of YHVH = 26 = 2x13.
The letter yud used most in this blessing – 13 times –
the smallest letter in the Hebrew alphabet. The secret of spiritual power is
smallness and anonymity.
“One of the questions often asked about this blessing is
whether or not it contains six actions or three. The answer depends on how one
understands the use of the word “and” or “vav” in Hebrew. This simple Hebrew
letter often indicates the simple conjunction “and” but it can also be
understood in a continuative sense, meaning “that is” making the second clause
of a two clause line function as further explanation or amplification of the
initial clause” - (Introduction to
Biblical Hebrew Syntax – Eisenbrauns)
“May YHVH bless you – that is – forever guard and keep
you.”
“May YHVH make His Face shine upon you – that is – may He
always be gracious to you.”
“May YHVH lift up His Face upon you – that is – may He
establish perfect shalom (peace) upon your life”
We may also understand these blessing in the light of
“Shemini Atzaret” –(atzar meaning to store) That these, His, blessings will be
held in store in our lives until that wonderful day when the “lights are
switched on”
Combined means YHVH is and will be.
The Aaronic prayer wants us to focus on the present and
future reality of YHVH. Some commentators suggest that this reminds us that we
are living in two realms, now and the age to come. Both of these ages are
connected for us. How? The way we live in the present age depends how we live
in the age to come.
The gifts of the tribal leaders:
On the day when the Tabernacle was inaugurated, the
tribal leaders wished to bring inauguration gifts. Collectively they brought
six covered wagons and twelve oxen to assist in transporting the Tabernacle
when the Jews travelled. In addition, as representative of their respective
tribes, they wished to offer individual gifts and offering. YHVH instructed
Mosheh to accept these gifts, and that on each the following twelve days one of
the leaders should bring his individual gifts. Although each leader brought
identical gifts, the Torah describes each one individually.
Num 7:1 And it came to be, when Mosheh finished
setting up the Dwelling Place, that he anointed it and set it apart and all its
furnishings, as well as the altar and all its utensils. Thus he anointed them
and set them apart.
Num 7:2 And the leaders of Yisra’ĕl, heads of their
fathers’ houses who were the leaders of the tribes and over the ones
registered, drew near,
Num 7:3 and they brought their offering before יהוה: six covered
wagons and twelve cattle, a wagon for every two of the leaders, and for each one
a bull. And they brought them near before the Dwelling Place.
Num 7:4 And יהוה spoke to Mosheh, saying,
Num 7:5 “Accept these
from them, and they shall be used in doing the service of the Tent of Meeting.
And you shall give them to the Lĕwites, each one according to his service.”
Num 7:6 And Mosheh
took the wagons and the cattle, and gave them to the Lĕwites.
Num 7:7 He gave
two wagons and four cattle to the sons of Gĕreshon, according to their service.
Num 7:8 And he
gave four wagons and eight cattle to the sons of Merari, according to their
service, under the hand of Ithamar, son of Aharon the priest.
Num 7:9 But to the
sons of Qehath he gave none, because theirs was the service of the set-apart objects,
which they bore on their shoulders….. vs 88
These are repeated again for all the twelve tribes of
Yisral. Why? There is required of a priesthood repetitive and faithful well
pleasing actions to YHVH for all the days of their lives.
We are encouraged to be faithful in our
service towards YHVH. We have the following patterns in the Torah to consider
and follow: The daily tamid offerings should encourage us to pray at different
times during the day; keeping of Sabbaths; keeping the Appointments (Moadim),
teaching our children to commit to memory portions of the Torah.
Miracles and blessings will somehow find
their way into our lives when we are faithfully doing what YHVH expects us to
do. Sadly today many who call themselves believers obsess themselves with
seeking blessings and prophecies.
Num 7:89 And when
Mosheh went into the Tent of Meeting to speak with Him, he heard the voice of
One speaking to him from above the lid of atonement that was on the ark of the
Witness, from between the two keruḇim. Thus He spoke to him.
The secret of true obedience is being aware of the voice of YHVH,
recognizing His Hand in the daily routine of our lives. It is the awareness of
who our Heavenly Father is as revealed to us through Yahshua Moshiach, that
keeps us from disobeying Him.
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).