Blessing for the Torah:
Bar’chu
et YHVH ha-m’vorach, Baruch YHVH ha-m’vorach l’O’lam va-ed!
Baruch
ata YHVH Eloheinu 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
Chukat.
The sages say that the
commandment of the Red Heifer (para aduma) is “beyond human understanding”
The “chukat” or “statutes” of this portion can only begin to make sense
when we view them in the light of Messianic redemption. These “chukat” unravel
some of the deepest mysteries of our Messiah’s deep love and desire to be
united with his bride, so that we can all one day be united to the Father. The
meaning of the word “chukat” comes from the Hebrew verb “chukak” and means to
cut upon, engrave or inscribe.
Some believe that Yahshua will always bear the scars of
his nail pierced hands, evidence that will remind us forever of the Father's
love for us.
Isa 49:16 “See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My
hands; your walls are always before Me.
הֵן עַל-כַּפַּיִם,
חַקֹּתִיךְ; חוֹמֹתַיִךְ נֶגְדִּי, תָּמִיד
In modern Hebrew a
“chukah” is a constitution. “The phrase in B’Midbar 19:2 “zot chuckat ha torah”
this is the chukat of the Torah” appears only twice in the Torah (see also
31:21) This could be interpreted to mean “ this is the whole essence of the Torah” or “this is the constitution
found in the Word of YHVH.”
Aliyah
Rishon 19:1-17
Bemidbar/Num 19:1 And
יהוה spoke to
Mosheh and to Aharon, saying,
Num 19:2 “This is a law of the Torah(zot chukat ha
Torah) which יהוה has commanded, saying, ‘Speak to the children of Yisra’ĕl, that
they bring you a red heifer, a perfect one, in which there is no blemish and on
which a yoke has never come.
It is believed that there have been nine perfect red
heifers offered for the service of the Temple so far in history of the two
temples that have stood in Yerushalyim.
Rabban
Maimonides, who codified the Torah, prophesied that the Messiah would sacrifice
the tenth Parah Adumah in human history [at his coming].
There
are conflicting reports as to the present day existence of a Red Hefer (female
cow). She is to have no blemish- if two hairs on her body are not red then she
is considered to have a blemish.
There
are claims that a red heifer was accidentally discovered in February 2017 in
Mexico.
https://www.breakingisraelnews.com/82957/rare-red-heifer-eligible-third-temple-offering-discovered-mexico/#/
“No yoke” could imply that there was no
burden on this animal which implies our messianic redemption did not come as a
result of the effort of a man but as the result of the perfect obedience of one
sinless man – Yahshua, by the will and
initiative of YHVH our Father.
Isa 53:7 He was oppressed and He was afflicted, but He
did not open His mouth. He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep
before its shearers is silent, but He did not open His mouth.
Num 19:3 ‘And you
shall give it to El’azar the priest, and he shall bring it outside the camp,
and shall slaughter it before him – see Heb 13:10-15
The Red Heifer or “para aduma” reminds us of the Messiah
who was slain outside the camp on the Mount of Olives. (There is growing
consensus that Yahshua was executed on the Mount of Olives – see Heb 13:9-15)
Everything about this red heifer was red – red reminds us
of blood. This points us to the fact that only by blood can death be overcome.
This is at the very heart of the mystery of the chukat of the red heifer –
death will be overturned by death.
The
purpose of YHVH is to conform us into the image of Messiah. The Hebrew word for
“image” is “damut” “dam” is the Hebrew word which means blood.
Num 19:4 ‘And
El’azar the priest shall take some of its blood with his finger, and sprinkle
some of its blood seven times toward the front of the Tent of Meeting.
Seven times could be pointing to the 7000 years YHVH extends His atonement to
mankind in order to bring him to perfection to enter into the Eighth day or
eternity. This causes us to face the fact that for a period of seven thousand
years we will be confronted with the contamination of death.
Num 19:5 ‘And the
heifer shall be burned before his eyes – he burns its hide, and its flesh, and
its blood, and its dung.
Num 19:6 ‘And the
priest shall take cedar wood and hyssop and scarlet, and throw them into the
midst of the fire burning the heifer.
“The hyssop was used in connection with the Messiah’s death, which
connects him with the deliverance from Mitzrayim, when hyssop was used to
sprinkle the blood on the doorposts.
Hyssop was also used in the cleansing process from “tzaraat”
(“leprosy”Lev 14) which symbolizes sin. In this parasha hyssop was used in the
cleansing from ritual uncleanness caused by contact with death.
Psa 51:7 Cleanse me with hyssop, and I am clean; Wash
me, and I am whiter than snow.
The scarlet red wool yarn reminds us of how we too are bound to
Messiah in his death. In the commentary on Leviticus 14:4 in Parashah 28,
Metzorah, there are several details about the significance of the three
elements used in this cleansing.”
The cedar reminds us of the execution stake upon which our Messiah was
executed.
Num 19:7 ‘The
priest shall then wash his garments, and shall bathe his body in water, and
afterward come into the camp, but the priest is unclean until evening.
Num 19:8 ‘And he
who is burning it washes his garments in water, and shall bathe his body in
water, and is unclean until evening.
Num 19:9 ‘And a
clean man shall gather up the ashes of the heifer, and shall place them outside
the camp in a clean place. And they shall be kept for the congregation of the
children of Yisra’ĕl for the water for
uncleanness, it is for cleansing
from sin.
“Water of uncleanness” in Hebrew “mei nidah”
The verb “nidah” is a piel verb which means to exclude or
expel.
The noun “nidah” refers to a woman having her monthly
cycle.
When we desire to obey these instructions, we
declare our faith in YHVH to completely separate us from destruction –
Lev 15:19 ‘And when a woman has a discharge, and the
discharge from her flesh is blood, she has to be in her separation for seven
days. And whoever touches her is unclean until evening.
Some describe a woman’s monthly period as a time when her
womb “weeps” because it has not produced life.
This in some mysterious way can be compared to the seven
thousand years man experiences a kind of mourning or weeping because he or she
is not able to create or produce a righteous life.
We cannot make ourselves righteous. The only righteousness
we will have in this life is the righteousness of YHVH in Messiah –
Isa 64:6 And all of us have become as one unclean, and
all our righteousnesses are as soiled rags(woman’s menstrual cloth- Strongs
5708) And all of us fade like a leaf, and our crookednesses, like the wind,
have taken us away.
We don’t have intercourse with our wives during nidah
because they are dirty, but because this a “chok” or instruction we are to
strictly observe. We need to remind ourselves that for “seven day” (figurative
of 7000 years) are unable to produce the kind of life that we will be able to
produce on the “Eighth day.”
This brings us to one of the most important spiritual
lessons we can ever learn in these 7000 years – our knowledge of Messiah is
initially very impartial but grows as we seek YHVH with all our hearts to love
and obey Him in all things as did Yahshua His only brought forth son.
Every time this law of the red heifer was applied – it
was a reminder that we too need to continually be sprinkled with the knowledge
of how Messiah is the only one who can cleanse and present us perfect to the
Father.
Let us remind ourselves that this “chok” of the red
heifer will be reinstated when Messiah returns – Mat 5:17-19.
Why? Because this obedience will lead to a deeper
understanding and love for Messiah – BECAUSE THEN AND NOW OUR KNOWLEDGE OF
MESSIAH IS STILL VERY SUPERFICIAL – THERE IS MUCH, MUCH MORE WE STILL NEED TO
LEARN AND UNDERSTAND ABOUT YAHSHUA.
Num 19:10 ‘And he
who gathers the ashes of the heifer shall wash his garments, and is unclean until evening. And it shall be a law forever to the
children of Yisra’ĕl and to the stranger who sojourns in their midst.
Num 19:11 ‘He who
touches the dead of any human being is unclean for seven days.
Dealing with death is at the very heart of YHVH’s
redemptive mission. His ultimate purpose is to overcome death by death and in
so doing give life.
Num 19:12 ‘He is
to cleanse himself with the water on the third day, and on the seventh day he
is clean. But if he does not cleanse himself on the third day, then on the
seventh day he is not clean.
It is possible that is also a hidden reference to Yahshua
coming into the world on the “third day” or his birth being around the end of three
thousand years after the creation of the first Adam. We are possibly coming to
the end of the sixth day – during the “seventh day” Messiah will return.
Num 19:13 ‘Anyone
who touches the dead of a human being, and does not cleanse himself, defiles
the Dwelling Place of יהוה. And that
being shall be cut off from Yisra’ĕl. He is unclean, for the water for
uncleanness was not sprinkled on him, his uncleanness is still upon him. (law
forever)
Num 19:14 ‘This is
the Torah when a man dies in a tent: All who come into the tent and all who are in the tent
are unclean for seven days,
Num 19:15 and
every open vessel which has no cover fastened on it, is unclean.
Num 19:16 ‘Anyone
in the open field who touches someone slain by a sword or who has died, or a
bone of a man, or a grave, is unclean for seven days.
Num 19:17 ‘And for
the unclean being they shall take some of the ashes of the heifer burnt for
cleansing from sin, and running water shall be put on them in a vessel.
“In Yezekel/Ezekiel 36:24-30, it is written,
“For I will
take you from among the nations, and gather you out of all the countries, and
will bring you into your own land. I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you
shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I
cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within
you; and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give
you a heart of flesh. I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in
my statutes, and you shall keep my ordinances, and do them. You shall dwell in
the land that I gave to your fathers; and you shall be my people, and I will be
your Eloha. I will save you from all your uncleanness: and I will call for the
grain, and will multiply it, and lay no famine on you. I will multiply the
fruit of the tree, and the increase of the field, that you may receive no more
the reproach of famine among the nations.”
Aliyah
Sheni 19:18-20:6
Num 19:18 ‘And a clean man shall take hyssop and dip it
in the water, and shall sprinkle it on the tent, and on all the vessels, and on
the beings who were there, or on the one who touched a bone, or the slain, or
the dead, or a grave.
Num 19:19 ‘And the clean one shall sprinkle the unclean
on the third day and on the seventh day. And on the seventh day he shall
cleanse himself, and shall wash his garments and bathe in water, and shall be
clean in the evening.
Num 19:20 ‘But the man who is
unclean and does not cleanse himself, that being shall be cut off from among
the assembly, because he has defiled the set-apart place of יהוה – water for uncleanness has not been
sprinkled on him, he is unclean.
Num 19:21 ‘And it
shall be a law for them forever. And the one who sprinkles the water for uncleanness washes his garments.
And the one who touches the water for uncleanness is unclean until evening.
Num 19:22 ‘And
whatever the unclean being touches is unclean. And the being who touches it is
unclean until evening.’ ”
Num 20:1 And the children of Yisra’ĕl, all the
congregation, came into the Wilderness of Tsin in the first month, and the
people stayed in Qaḏĕsh.
And Miryam died there and was buried
there.
Num 20:2 Now
there was no water for the congregation and they assembled against Mosheh and
against Aharon.
Num 20:3 And
the people contended with Mosheh and spoke, saying, “If only we had died when
our brothers died before יהוה!
Num 20:4 “Why have
you brought up the assembly of יהוה into this wilderness, that we and our livestock should die
here?
Num 20:5 “And why
have you brought us up out of Mitsrayim, to bring us to this evil place? – not
a place of grain or figs or vines or pomegranates, and there is no water to
drink.”
Num 20:6 Then
Mosheh and Aharon went from the presence of the assembly to the door of the
Tent of Meeting, and they fell on their faces. And the esteem of יהוה appeared to
them.\
Messianic Midrash – the death of Miryam Aharon
and Moshe before they entered into the promised- land should serve to remind us
that one day in the future only the Messiah is able to lead us into our
inheritance.
Aliyah
Shlishi 20:7-13
Num 20:7 And יהוה spoke to Mosheh, saying,
Num 20:8 “Take the
rod and assemble the congregation, you and your brother Aharon. And you shall speak to the rock before
their eyes, and it shall give its water. And you shall bring water for them
out of the rock and give drink to the congregation and their livestock.”
Num 20:9 And
Mosheh took the rod from before יהוה as He commanded him.
Num 20:10 And
Mosheh and Aharon assembled the assembly before the rock. And he said to them,
“Hear now, you rebels, shall we bring water for you out of this rock?”
Num 20:11 Then
Mosheh lifted his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod. And much water
came out, and the congregation and their livestock drank.
The Messiah was only struck once (execution 2000 years
ago) Now there is no more “striking” only talking with great respect and
honour.
Num 20:12 But יהוה spoke to
Mosheh and to Aharon, “Because you did not believe Me, to set Me apart in the
eyes of the children of Yisra’ĕl, therefore you do not bring this assembly into
the land which I have given them.”
Num 20:13 These
were the waters of Meriḇah, because the children of Yisra’ĕl contended with יהוה, and He was
set apart among them.
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, YHVH giver of the Torah – Ameyn