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.)
We start off with the prophecy of
Ezekiel describing the sad pattern of rebellion throughout history of those who
are called to serve and worship YHVH.
Eze 20:5 “And you shall say to them, ‘Thus said the
Master יהוה, “On the day
when I chose Yisra’ĕl and lifted My hand in an oath to the seed of the house of
Yaʽaqoḇ, and
made Myself known to them in the land of Mitsrayim, I lifted My hand in an oath
to them, saying, ‘I am יהוה your Elohim.’
Eze 20:8 “But they rebelled against Me, and would
not obey Me. All of them did not throw away the abominations which were
before their eyes, nor did they forsake the idols of Mitsrayim. So I resolved
to pour out My wrath on them to complete My displeasure against them in the
midst of the land of Mitsrayim.
Eze 20:9 “But I
acted for My Name’s sake, that it should not be profaned before the eyes of the
gentiles among whom they were – before whose eyes I had made Myself known to
them, to bring them out of the land of Mitsrayim.
Eze 20:10 “So I
took them out of the land of Mitsrayim, and I brought them into the wilderness.
Eze 20:11 “And I
gave them My laws and showed them My right-rulings, ‘which, if a man does, he
shall live by them.’
Eze 20:12 “And I
also gave them My Sabbaths, to be a sign1 between them and Me, to
know that I am יהוה who sets them
apart. Footnote: 1See Ex. 31:13-17.
Eze 20:13 “But the
house of Yisra’ĕl rebelled against Me in the wilderness. They did not walk in
My laws, and they rejected My right-rulings, which, if a man does, he shall
live by them. And they greatly profaned
My Sabbaths. Then I said I would pour out My wrath on them in the
wilderness, to consume them.
Eze 20:14 “But I
acted for My Name’s sake, not to profane it before the gentiles, before whose
eyes I had brought them out.
Eze 20:15 “And I
Myself also lifted My hand in an oath to them in the wilderness, not to bring
them into the land which I had given them, flowing with milk and honey, the
splendour of all lands,
Eze 20:16 because they rejected My right-rulings and
did not walk in My laws, and they profaned My Sabbaths. For their heart went
after their idols.
Eze 20:17 “And My eye pardoned them, from destroying
them. And I did not make an end of them in the wilderness.
Eze 20:18 “And I said to their children in the
wilderness, ‘Do not walk in the laws of your fathers, nor observe their
rulings, nor defile yourselves with their idols
.
.
Eze 20:19 ‘I am יהוה your Elohim.
Walk in My laws, and guard My right-rulings, and do them.
Eze 20:20 ‘And set
apart My Sabbaths, and they shall be a sign between Me and you, to know that I
am יהוה your Elohim.’
Eze 20:21 “But the
children rebelled against Me. They did not walk in My laws, and My
right-rulings they did not guard to do them, which, if a man does, he shall
live by them. They profaned My Sabbaths, so I resolved to pour out My wrath on
them to complete My displeasure against them in the wilderness.
Eze 20:22 “But I
held back My hand and acted for My Name’s sake, not to profane it before the
eyes of the gentiles, before whose eyes I had brought them out.
Eze 20:23 “Also, I
Myself lifted My hand in an oath to those in the wilderness, to scatter them
among the gentiles and disperse them throughout the lands,
Eze 20:24 because
they had not done My right-rulings, and they rejected My laws, and they
profaned My Sabbaths, and their eyes were on their fathers’ idols.
Eze
20:25 “And I also gave them up to laws
that were not good, and right-rulings by which they would not live1.
Eze 20:37 “And I shall make you pass under the rod, and
shall bring you into the bond of the covenant,
Eze 20:38 and purge the rebels from among you, and
those who transgress against Me. From the land where they sojourn I bring them
out, but they shall not come into the
land of Yisra’ĕl. And you shall know that I am יהוה.
One of the most chilling statements in our Torah portion
comes in verse 34…
14:34 ….. you shall know My breaking off.
וִידַעְתֶּם,
אֶת-תְּנוּאָתִי
The Hebrew word “tenuah” 8569 can mean “opposition,
alienation, enmity” which can lead to becoming completely broken off from YHVH.
Tragically the possibility that YHVH would even
consider such a thing hardly exists in the mind-set of modern religion.
Num 14:1
Then all the congregation lifted up their voices and cried, and the
people wept that night.
Num 14:2 And all the children of Yisra’ĕl grumbled
against Mosheh and against Aharon, and all the congregation said to them, “If
only we had died in the land of Mitsrayim! Or if only we had died in this
wilderness!
Num 14:3 “And why is יהוה bringing us to this land to fall by the
sword, that our wives and children should become a prey? Would it not be better
for us to turn back to Mitsrayim?”
Num 14:4 And they
said to each other, “Let us appoint a leader, and let us turn back to
Mitsrayim.”
This is the common theme of self- appointed and man-appointed
spiritual leaders – they will all lead you back to spiritual Egypt – a place of
bondage – as far away as possible from obeying the Torah of YHVH as it should
be obeyed – as far away as possible from obeying and following the true
Messiah.
Num 14:5 Then
Mosheh and Aharon fell on their faces before all the assembly of the
congregation of the children of Yisra’ĕl.
Num 14:6 And
Yehoshua son of Nun, and Kalĕv son of Yephunneh, who were among those who had
spied out the land, tore their garments,
Num 14:7 and they
spoke to all the congregation of the children of Yisra’ĕl, saying, “The land we
passed through to spy out is an exceedingly good land.
Aliyah Shlishi 14:8 – 25
Num 14:8 “If
יהוה has delighted(im
chafetz) in us, then He shall bring us into this land and give it to us, ‘a
land which is flowing with milk and honey.’
Mat 3:16 And having been immersed, יהושע went up
immediately from the water, and see, the heavens were opened, and He saw the
Spirit of Elohim descending like a dove and coming upon Him,
Mat 3:17 and see, a voice out of the heavens, saying,
“This is My Son, the Beloved, in whom I delight.”
Num 14:9 “Only, do not rebel against יהוה, nor fear the
people of the land, for they are our bread. Their defense has turned away from
them, and יהוה is with us. Do not fear them.”
Num 14:10 But all the congregation said to stone them
with stones. Then the esteem of יהוה appeared in the Tent of Meeting before all the children of
Yisra’ĕl.
Num 14:11 And יהוה said to
Mosheh, “How long shall I be scorned by these people? And how long shall I not
be trusted by them, with all the signs which I have done in their midst?
Num 14:12 “Let Me
smite them with the pestilence and disinherit them, and make of you a nation
greater and mightier than they.”
Num 14:13 And
Mosheh said to יהוה, “Then the
Mitsrites shall hear it, for by Your power You brought these people up from
their midst,
Num 14:14 and they
shall say to the inhabitants of this land they have heard that You, יהוה, are in the
midst of these people, that You, יהוה, are seen eye to eye and that Your cloud stands above them, and
You go before them in a column of cloud by day and in a column of fire by
night.
Num 14:15 “Now if
You shall kill these people as one man, then the nations which have heard of
Your report shall speak, saying,
Num 14:16 ‘Because
יהוה was not able
to bring this people to the land which He swore to give them, therefore He
killed them in the wilderness.’
Num 14:17 “And
now, I pray, let the power of יהוה be great, as You have spoken, saying,
Num 14:18 ‘יהוה is patient and
of great kindness, forgiving crookedness and transgression, but by no means
leaving unpunished1; visiting the crookedness of the fathers on the
children to the third and fourth generation.’ Footnote: 1This is
confirmed in Ex. 34:7 and in Jer. 30:11.
Num 14:19 “Please
forgive the crookedness of this people, according to the greatness of Your
kindness, as You have forgiven this people, from Mitsrayim even until now.”
Num14:20 And יהוה said, “I shall
forgive, according to your word,
Num 14:21 but truly, as I live and all the earth is
filled with the esteem of יהוה,
Num 14:22 for none
of these men who have seen My esteem and the signs which I did in Mitsrayim and
in the wilderness, and have tried Me now these ten times, and have disobeyed My
voice,
Num 14:23 shall
see the land of which I swore to their fathers, nor any of those who scorned Me
see it.
Num 14:24 “But My
servant Kalev, because he has a different spirit in him and has followed Me
completely, I shall bring into the land where he went, and his seed shall
inherit it.
“Caleb” means “dog” – maybe dogs are sometimes more
faithful than humans.
Num 14:25 “Since
the Amalĕqites and the Kenaʽanites are dwelling in the valley, turn back
tomorrow and set out into the wilderness by the Way of the Sea of Reeds.”
Its almost like YHVH was saying: “let us go back where we
started our wilderness journey and do it again.”
Aliyah Reviee 14:26- 15:7
Num 14:26 And יהוה spoke to Mosheh, and to Aharon, saying,
Num 14:27 “How
long shall this evil congregation have this grumbling against Me? I have heard
the grumblings which the children of Yisra’ĕl are grumbling against Me.
Num 14:28 “Say to
them, ‘As I live,’ declares יהוה, ‘as you have spoken in My hearing, so I do to you:
Num 14:29 ‘The
carcasses of you who have grumbled against Me are going to fall in this
wilderness, all of you who were registered, according to your entire number, from twenty years old and above.
Num 14:30 ‘None of
you except Kalĕv son of Yephunneh, and Yehoshua son of Nun, shall enter the
land which I swore I would make you dwell in.
Num 14:31 ‘But
your little ones, whom you said would become a prey, I shall bring in, and they
shall know the land which you have rejected.
Num 14:32 ‘But as
for you, your carcasses are going to fall in this wilderness.
Num 14:33 ‘And
your sons shall be wanderers in the wilderness forty years, and shall bear your
whorings, until your carcasses are consumed in the wilderness.
Num 14:34
‘According to the number of the days in which you spied out the land,
forty days – a day for a year, a day for a year – you are to bear your
crookednesses forty years, and you shall
know My breaking off.
Num 14:35 ‘I am יהוה, I have
spoken, I shall do this to all this evil congregation who are meeting against
Me: In this wilderness they are consumed, and there they die.’ ”
Num 14:36 And the
men whom Mosheh sent to spy out the land, who returned and made all the
congregation grumble against him by bringing an evil report of the land,
Num 14:37 even
those men who brought the evil report about the land, died by the plague before
יהוה.
Num 14:38 Of those
men who went to spy out the land, only Yehoshua son of Nun, and Kalĕv son of
Yephunneh remained alive.
Num 14:39 And when
Mosheh spoke these words to all the children of Yisra’ĕl, the people mourned
greatly.
Num 14:40 And they
rose up early in the morning and went up to the top of the mountain, saying,
“See, we have indeed sinned, but we shall go up to the place which יהוה had spoken
of!”
Num 14:41 But
Mosheh said, “Why do you now transgress the command of יהוה, since it does
not prosper?
Num 14:42 “Do not
go up, lest you be smitten by your enemies, for יהוה is not in your
midst.
Num 14:43 “Because
the Amalĕqites and the Kenaʽanites are there before you, and you shall fall by
the sword. Because you have turned away from יהוה, יהוה is not with
you.”
Num 14:44 But they
presumed to go up to the mountaintop, but neither the ark of the covenant of יהוה nor Mosheh
left the camp.
Num 14:45 So the
Amalĕqites and the Kenaʽanites who dwelt in that mountain came down and smote
them, and beat them down, even to Ḥormah.
Hormah means and speaks of a total destruction.
Midrash on a remnant:
Amo 5:15 Hate evil and love good, and set up
right-ruling in the gate. It might be that יהוה Elohim of
hosts shows favour to the remnant of
Yosĕph.
Jer 23:3 “Therefore I shall gather the remnant of My flock out of all the
lands where I have driven them, and shall bring them back to their fold. And
they shall bear and increase.
Mat 24:21 “For then there shall be great distress,1
such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor
ever shall be. Footnote:1Or great pressure, or great
affliction.
Mat 24:22 “And if those days were not shortened, no
flesh would be saved, but for the sake of the chosen ones those days shall be shortened.
Zec 14:1 See, a day shall come for יהוה, and your
spoil shall be divided in your midst.
Zec 14:2 And I
shall gather all the gentiles to battle against Yerushalayim1. And
the city shall be taken, the houses plundered, and the women ravished. Half of
the city shall go into exile, but the
remnant of the people shall not be cut off from the city. Footnote: 1Joel
3:2, Zeph. 3:8, Rev. 16:14.
Heb 12:25 Take heed not to refuse the One speaking. For
if those did not escape who refused the warning on earth,(Mosheh) much less we
who turn away from Him(Yahshua, the mediator of the renewed covenant- vs 24)
from heaven,
Heb 12:29 for indeed, our Elohim is a consuming fire.
See also Hebrews
chapters 3 and 4
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.)