יח גַּל-עֵינַי
וְאַבִּיטָה-- נִפְלָאוֹת, מִתּוֹרָתֶךָ.
Gal einei ve avita niflaot
mitorahtecha.
Ps 119:18 -Open my eyes, that I might see Wonders from Your
Torah.
“Vows and oaths – The Torah introduces a chapter which
upon reflection, gives a person the right to do something heretofore could only
be done by YHVH: to create a new halachic status. By pronouncing a sort of vow
or oath set forth in the passage, a person is given the power to invoke a
“neder” a vow or oath, thereby placing upon himself or others, or upon objects
of his choice, a status equivalent to that of a commandment of the Torah. It must be understood that there is no
English equivalent for the word “neder”; for lack of anything closer, it is
translated a “vow” “–Stones Chumash.
The title of this parasha “mattot” implies that YHVH
has given us in the Messiah an opportunity to be part of a greater family –
“Restored Yisrael”- a new halachic status. The members of this family come from
both houses of Yisrael, Yahudah and Ephraim as well as gentiles from the
nations. YHVH is NO respecter of persons and in Messiah Yahshua those who are
“called out” of the nations and respond in obedience to the calling of the
Ruach Ha Kodesh and walk in a manner pleasing to the Master in obedience to His
Torah may be included in this restored house of Israel. In other words only through our accepting and entering into the one
faith through the shed blood of Messiah as an atoning offering for our sins and
His intercessory ministry towards us, to include us into the restored Yisrael,
are we able to enter into the Kingdom of Elohim. This restored house of
Yisrael will serve as a “halachic guide” to all nations. It will serve as a
guiding light to the gentiles. (“mattot” is also the Hebrew word for a branch
of a vine or a rod or staff)
Wikipedia adds an
important dimension to the meaning of the word “neder”-
“ Moshe
told the heads of the Israelite tribes YHVH’s commands about “nedarim.” The word “nedarim” is commonly translated, or perhaps
mistranslated, as "vows." Perhaps more correctly translated as
“commitments.”
Most
commentaries on this parashah emphasize the power and the consequences of our
words.
Speech and words,
whether in spoken or written form can create and they can destroy. “Death and
life are in the power of the tongue” – Prov 18:21
כא מָוֶת וְחַיִּים,
בְּיַד-לָשׁוֹן; וְאֹהֲבֶיהָ, יֹאכַל פִּרְיָהּ.
Pro 18:21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those loving it
eat its fruit.
Unknown to most the word “Abracadabra” is actually a Hebrew phrase,
which means “I create (A’bra) what (ca) I speak (dab’ra).”
This word is used
by so called magicians to deceive their audiences. Sadly many religious leaders
use the same kind of deception to deceive their audiences. When we hear words
we need to test and discern the spirit behind these words – 1 John 4:1.
Let us consider an alternative Midrash to the normal midrashim of this
parashah:
Aliyah
Rishon 30:1-31:12
Num 30:1 And Mosheh spoke to the heads of the tribes
concerning the children of Yisra’ĕl, saying, “This is the word which יהוה has commanded:
Num 30:2 “When
a man vows a vow to יהוה, or swears an
oath to bind himself by some agreement, he does not break his word, he does
according to all that comes out of his mouth.
First of all this parashah is entitled “mattot” or
tribes. Let us then not separate the instruction about our words from their connection
with the tribes (mattot).
In the light of our desire to be part of the “mattot” let
us consider alternative meanings for the words “vows and oaths.”
A vow or “neder” can mean a promise or a commitment.
An oath or “shavuah” is an oath or a determination to
make your promise or commitment come to pass. The Hebrew word for “shavuah”
comes from the word “seven” which is a number of completion and perfection.
In other words we could midrash and say that this
parashah has to do with “making good your commitments to one another for the
ultiimate benefit and blessing of the tribe you belong to.” (Ps 133)
We take this liberty because this parashah follows the
parashah which instructs us how to have a more meaningful communion with YHVH
through the musaf offerings. The next section that follows our current parashah
instructs us on how to distribute the abundant wealth amongst the tribes or
“mattot.”
In other words a people who are in a right relationship
with YHVH and one another can expect material blessings. (Ps133)
We
need to ‘read between the lines’ of the Torah and not just focus on the ‘black
letters’ here. We need to look at how a Torah community is meant to function.
It begins with men and leaders who make a serious commitment to hear guard and
do all that the Torah commands us. The relationships in families and within the
various tribes should reflect this commitment that the men and leaders of the
tribes have made. This is why the Torah says that a man is under no
circumstances allowed to draw back on his commitments. If he does draw back on
his commitment to Torah, it’s going to have a negative effect on his family and
the rest of the tribe.
Without
this kind of commitment it is impossible to reveal to the world what real Torah
life and truth is all about.
So
members of a Torah community cannot be involved in making any kind of
commitment that will jeopardize the integrity of the Torah and the unity and
purpose of been joined to the set apart Kehilah of Yahushua (Yahshua/Yeshoshua/Yeshua).
We
see clearly here in verse 2 that men are to set the example. A set apart man
will have a very strong commitment to keep the covenant – Torah- of YHVH.
He
will do everything in his power to make sure that this covenant life is
maintained and guarded in the community. These men will be accountable to the
leaders and priests residing over the community and these me will rule over
their households well.
1Ti 3:4 one who rules his own house well, having his
children in subjection with all reverence,
1Ti 3:5 for if a man does not know how to rule his
own house, how shall he look after the assembly of Elohim?
How do these
instructions apply to us today?
We are living in the
diaspora and it is very difficult and sometimes impossible to keep the Torah as
we should.
However YHVH looks at
our hearts to determine whether or not we will be part of Yisrael or part of
the nations.
There are so many different
opinions and agenda’s amongst believers today.
Pro 21:2 All a man’s ways are right in his own eyes,
But יהוה weighs the
hearts.
ב כָּל-דֶּרֶךְ-אִישׁ,
יָשָׁר בְּעֵינָיו; וְתֹכֵן לִבּוֹת יְהוָה.
“Tichen”
to measure, weighs or tests.
Sadly
the Jewish liturgy has introduced a mechanism called the Kol Nidrei to cancel
out vows that one could not keep. This practice has been frowned upon in times
past by various Jewish leaders.
“Kol
Nidrei has had an eventful history, both in itself and in its influence on the
legal status of the Jews. Introduced into the liturgy despite the opposition of
some rabbinic authorities, it was attacked in the course of time by some rabbis
and in the 19th century expunged from the prayer book by many communities of Western
Europe. The term Kol Nidrei refers not only to the actual declaration, but is
also popularly used as a name for the entire Yom Kippur evening service.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kol_Nidre
Kol Nidrei – ‘All vows’, it begins, and goes on to nullify the vows each person
will make and not keep from this Yom Kippur to the next, and by implication
those made and unkept during the past year. The vows annulled are not
those contracted with another person; in Jewish law, abrogating such oaths
requires the consent of both parties. These are the vows people make to
themselves or to YHVH, ethical obligations undertaken unwittingly or personal
promises an individual may be unable to carry out."
Num
30:3 “Or if a woman vows a vow to יהוה, and binds herself by some agreement while in her father’s
house in her youth,
Num 30:4 and her
father hears her vow and the agreement by which she has bound herself, and her
father has kept silent towards her, then all her vows shall stand, and every
agreement with which she has bound herself stands.
Num 30:5 “But if
her father forbids her on the day that he hears, then none of her vows nor her
agreements by which she has bound herself stand. And יהוה pardons her,
because her father has forbidden her
Num 30:6 “But if
she at all belongs to a husband, while bound by her vows or by a rash utterance
from her lips by which she bound herself,
Num 30:7 and her
husband hears it, and he has kept silent towards her on the day that he hears,
then her vows shall stand, and her agreements by which she bound herself do
stand.
Num 30:8 “But if
her husband forbids her on the day that he hears it, then he has nullified her
vow which she vowed, and the rash utterance of her lips by which she bound
herself, and יהוה pardons her.
Num 30:9 “But any
vow of a widow or a divorced woman, by which she has bound herself, stands
against her.
(She doesn’t have protection)
Num 30:10 “And if
she vowed in her husband’s house, or bound herself by an agreement with an
oath,
Num 30:11 and her
husband heard it, and has kept silent towards her and did not forbid her, then
all her vows shall stand, and every agreement by which she bound herself
stands.
Num 30:12 “But if
her husband clearly nullified them on the day he heard them, then whatever came
from her lips concerning her vows or concerning the agreement binding her, it
does not stand – her husband has nullified them, and יהוה pardons her.
Num 30:13 “Every
vow and every binding oath to afflict her being, let her husband confirm it, or
let her husband nullify it.
Num 30:14 “But if
her husband is altogether silent at her from day to day, then he confirms all
her vows or all the agreements that bind her – he confirms them, because he
kept silent towards her on the day that he heard.
Num 30:15 “But if
he nullifies them after he has heard, then he shall bear her crookedness.”
Num 30:16 These
are the laws which יהוה commanded Mosheh, between a man and his wife, and between a
father and his daughter in her youth in her father’s house.
Allegorically speaking we can assume that YHVH has
cancelled many of the commitments we have entered into in ignorance. We assume
this because we have not fully reaped the complete defilement and destruction
through many of these wrong choices and commitments that we have made.
YHVH’s “Silence” could possibly be one the greatest acts
of judgment that can come upon man. YHVH knows the end from the beginning and
probably hands many over to do what is improper because He knows that they have
little desire to repent from wrong or do what is right. Maybe YHVH also allows
certain forbidden commitments to take place so that we may come to our senses
as did the prodigal son, we will return home with weeping and repenting.
Isa 28:16 Therefore thus said the Master יהוה, “See, I am
laying in Tsiyon a stone for a foundation, a tried stone, a precious
corner-stone, a settled foundation. He who trusts shall not hasten away.
Isa 28:17 And I
shall make right-ruling the measuring line, and righteousness the plummet. And the
hail shall sweep away the refuge of lying, and the waters overflow the hiding
place.
Isa 28:18 And your
covenant with death shall be annulled, and your vision with the grave not
stand. When an overflowing scourge passes through, then you shall be trampled
down by it.
Num 31:1 And יהוה spoke to Mosheh, saying,
Num 31:2 “Take
vengeance for the children of Yisra’ĕl on the Miḏyanites. After that you are
to be gathered to your people.”
Num 31:3 And
Mosheh spoke to the people, saying, “Arm some of yourselves for the campaign,
and let them go against the Miḏyanites to take vengeance for יהוה on Miḏyan.
Num 31:4 “Send a
thousand from each tribe of all the tribes of Yisra’ĕl for the campaign.”
Num 31:5 So there
were supplied from the tribes of Yisra’ĕl one thousand from each tribe, twelve
thousand armed ones for the campaign.
Num 31:6 And
Mosheh sent them on the campaign, one thousand from each tribe, them and
Pineḥas son of Elʽazar the priest on the campaign, with the set-apart utensils
and the trumpets for sounding in his hand.
Num 31:7 And they
fought against the Miḏyanites, as יהוה commanded
Mosheh, and slew all the males.
Num 31:8 And they
slew the sovereigns of Miḏyan with the rest of those who were pierced: Ewi,
and Reqem, and Tsur, and Ḥur, and Reḇa, the five sovereigns of Miḏyan. And they slew Bilʽam son of Beʽor with
the sword.
Num 31:9 And the
sons of Yisra’ĕl took all the women of Miḏyan captive, with their little ones,
and took as spoil all their livestock, and all their possessions.
Num 31:10 And they
burned with fire all the cities where they dwelt, and all their settlements.
Num 31:11 And they
took all the spoil and all the booty, both of man and beast.
Num 31:12 And they
brought the captives, and the booty, and the spoil to Mosheh, and to Elʽazar the
priest, and to the congregation of the children of Yisra’ĕl, to the camp in the
desert plains of Mo’aḇ by the Yardĕn of Yeriḥo.
This was the last commandment YHVH gave to Moshe. Perhaps
the destruction of all those who cause strife will be the last event that
happens before Messiah returns.
Note how Yisrael had to be absolutely ruthless in dealing with this
problem. Everything had to be destroyed that could lead them astray again. (See
next aliyah)
Aliyah
Sheni 31:13-54
Num 31:13 And Mosheh, and Elʽazar the priest, and
all the leaders of the congregation, went to meet them outside the camp.
Num 31:14
But Mosheh was wroth with the officers of the army, with the commanders
of thousands and commanders of hundreds, who had come from the campaign.
Num 31:15
And Mosheh said to them, “Have
you kept all the women alive?
Num 31:16
“Look, they are the ones who caused the children of Yisra’ĕl, through
the word of Bilʽam, to trespass against יהוה in the matter of Peʽor, and there was a
plague among the congregation of יהוה.
Num 31:17 “And
now, slay every male among the little ones. And every woman who has known a man
by lying with a man you shall slay.
Num 31:18 “But
keep alive for yourselves all the female children who have not known a man by
lying with a man.
Num 31:19 “And
you, camp outside the camp seven days. Whoever has slain any being, and whoever
has touched any slain, cleanse yourselves and your captives on the third day
and on the seventh day.
This also points us to the ashes of the red heifer and
the cleansing that comes from word – Torah, given on the third day (third
millennium) and the final cleansing that comes when the Living Torah – Messiah
comes to cleanse us on the seventh day (seventh millennium)
Num 31:20 “And
cleanse every garment, and every object of leather and all the work of goats’ hair,
and every object of wood.”
Num 31:21 And Elʽazar the priest said to the
men of the campaign who went to the battle, “This is the law of the Torah which יהוה (Zot chukat haTorah) commanded Mosheh:
Somehow this sums up all of Torah. How? One of the
central issues of Torah is to separate ourselves from all that can defile us
and be wholly set apart unto YHVH. (Term (Zot chukatha Torah) used only twice
in Torah)
The “chukat” or
“statutes” only begin to make sense when seen in the light of our Messiah
Yahshua. These “chukat” unravel some of the deep mysteries of our Messiah’s
deep love and desire to be united with his bride in absolute purity. Our love
and desire to be with our Messiah king is measured by our response to these
“chukat.”
Ti 2:20 But in a large house
there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some
unto value and some unto no value.
2Ti
2:21 If, then, anyone cleanses himself
from these matters, he shall be a vessel unto value, having been set
apart, of good use to the Master, having been prepared for every good work.
Num 31:22 “Only
the gold, and the silver, the bronze, the iron, the tin, and the lead,
Num 31:23 every
object that passes through fire, you put through the fire, and it shall be
clean; only, let it be cleansed with the water for uncleanness. And whatever
does not pass through fire you pass through water.
Num 31:24 “And you
shall wash your garments on the seventh day and be clean, and afterwards come
into the camp.”
Num 31:25 And יהוה spoke to Mosheh, saying,
Num 31:26 “Count
up the plunder that was taken, of man and of beast, you and Elʽazar the priest
and the heads of the fathers of the congregation.
Num 31:27 “And you
shall divide the plunder into two parts, between those who took part in the
battle, who went out on the campaign, and all the congregation.
Num 31:28 “And set
aside a levy for יהוה on the men of battle who went out on the campaign: one out of
every five hundred, of man, and of the cattle, and of the donkeys, and of the
sheep.
Num 31:29 “Take it
from their half, and give it to Elʽazar the priest as a contribution to יהוה.
Num 31:30 “And
from the children of Yisra’ĕl’s half you shall take one of every fifty, of man,
of the cattle, of the donkeys, and of the sheep, of all the livestock, and give
them to the Lĕwites guarding the duty of the Dwelling Place of יהוה.”
Num 31:31 And
Mosheh and Elʽazar the priest did as יהוה commanded Mosheh.
Num 31:32 And the
booty remaining from the plunder, which the people of the campaign had taken,
was six hundred and seventy-five thousand sheep,