Blessed are You, YHVH our Elohim, King of the universe, who has made us set apart through His commandments and commanded us to actively study Torah. Please YHVH, our Elohim, sweeten the words of Your Torah in our mouths and in the mouths of all Your people Israel. May we and our offspring, and the offspring of Your people, the House of Israel, may we all, together, know Your Name and study Your Torah for the sake of fulfilling Your desire. Blessed are You, YHVH, Who teaches Torah to His people Israel. Blessed are You, YHVH our Elohim, King of the universe, Who chose us from all the nations and gave us the Torah. Blessed are You, YHVH, Giver of the Torah.
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
A vow or “neder” can mean a promise or a commitment to YHVH or someone
else.
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 the number of completion – so after the vow man makes a ‘’seven’’ his intention is do everything in his or her power relying on YHVH’s help to make his or her word come to pass.
The words of an old spiritual song capture some of the essence of
what is been stated in these verses:
You’re the High Priest of my life and the Word of my confession.
And every word I speak, You present to the Father
And if I abide in You and Your Word abides me
You create the fruit of my lips
And every word becomes a seed, and they create life and peace
'cause You are the High Priest of the words that I speak.
We were meant to live by every Word that proceeds out of the mouth of YHVH.
Deu 8:1 “Guard to do every command which I command you today, that you might live, and shall increase, and go in, and shall possess the land of which יהוה swore to your fathers.
Deu 8:2 “And you shall remember that יהוה your Elohim led you all the way these forty years in the
wilderness, to humble you, prove you, to know what is in your heart, whether
you guard His commands or not.
Deu 8:3 “And He humbled you, and let you suffer hunger, and fed you with
manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know, to make you know that
man does not live by bread alone, but by every Word that comes from the
mouth of יהוה.a Footnote: aSee also Mat_4:4 and in Luk_4:4.
Deu 8:4 “Your garments did not wear out on you, nor did your foot
swell these forty years.
Deu 8:5 “Thus you shall know in your heart that as a man
disciplines his son, so יהוה your Elohim disciplines
you,
Deu 8:6 therefore you shall guard the commands of יהוה your Elohim, to walk in His ways and to fear Him.
Now sadly not all our words create life and peace. You may claim to be speaking the truth, but you are ministering death by your words. Every word that comes from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil will create death. Every word that come from the Tree of Life will create life and peace, even if that word is a rebuke or a warning – or every word that comes from your being that is not submitted to YHVH’s Spirit will eventually bring death.
For this reason, we should be incredibly careful what we say because all
of us have a tragic and poisonous relationship with the Tree of the knowledge
of good and evil.
We think we know, but we do not know as we ought to know.
Pro 14:12 There is a way which seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death[a] Footnote: a Pro_16:25.
Proverbs chapter three teaches us that it is the Torah that is the Tree of Life.
Pro 3:1 My son, do not forget my Torah, And let your heart watch over my commands;
Pro 3:2 For length of days and long life And peace they add to you.
Pro 3:3 Let not loving-commitment and truth forsake you – Bind
them around your neck, Write them on the tablet of your heart,
Pro 3:4 Thus finding favour and good insight In the eyes of
Elohim and man.
Pro 3:5 Trust in יהוה with all
your heart, And lean not on your own understanding;
Pro 3:6 Know Him in all your ways, And He makes all your paths
straight.
Pro 3:7 Do not be wise in your own eyes;a Fear יהוה and turn away from evil.b Footnotes: a Isa_5:21. b Job_28:28.
Pro 3:8 It is healing to your navel, And moistening to your
bones.
Pro 3:18 She (Torah) is a tree of life to those taking hold of
her, And blessed are all who retain her.
Pro 3:19 יהוה founded the earth by wisdom;
He established the heavens by understanding;
Pro 3:20 By His knowledge the depths were broken up, And clouds
drop down dew.
Pro 3:21 My son, let them not depart from your eyes; Watch over
sound wisdom and discretion;
Pro 3:22 Then they become life to your being And an adorning to your neck.
‘’I have frequently spoken
on the spiritual meanings of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and the
tree of life. The meaning of' the tree of the knowledge of good and evil is
independence, the taking of independent action. The tree of life, though,
signifies dependence or reliance on YHVH. The significance of this tree further
tells us that Adam's original life is but a human life, and that therefore he
needs to depend on YHVH and receive YHVH's life in order to live. But the tree
of the knowledge of good and evil discloses that man does not need to depend on
YHVH but he can work and live and bear fruit all by himself. Why do I bring up
these matters? Simply to show you the cause of Adam and Eve's fall.’’ Watchman
Nee.
It is in our clinging to YHVH’s Messiah and His Word – The Torah – that we are transformed into the image of His Son Messiah.
The Scripture is a commentary on the Torah – The Torah was never meant
to be isolated from the scripture or from our lives.
With Words YHVH create the heavens and the earth.
Heb 11:3 By belief, we understand that the ages (Gk – ‘’worlds’’) were prepared by
the word of Elohim, so that what is seen was not made of what is visible (not just this world but the world to come)
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).” (see also Hierosolyma est Perdita)
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 Beloved ones, do not believe every spirit,
but prove the spirits, whether they are of Elohim, because many false prophets
have gone out into the world.
In this regard
Watchman Nee wrote a book called the ‘’Latent power of the soul’’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fy5ne13zqlU
Hos 4:6 “My people have perished for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I reject you from being priest for Me. Since you have forgotten the Torah of your Elohim, I also forget your children.
Mat 5:33
“Again, you heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear
falsely, but shall perform your oaths to יהוה.’
Mat 5:34 “But I say to you, do not swear at all,
neither by the heaven, because it is Elohim’s throne;
Mat 5:35 nor by the earth, for it is His footstool;
nor by Yerushalayim, for it is the city of the great Sovereign;
Mat 5:36 nor swear by your head, because you are not
able to make one hair white or black.
Mat 5:37 “But let your word ‘Yea’ be ‘Yea,’ and your
‘No’ be ‘No.’ And what goes beyond these is from the wicked one.
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,
We need to consider however a deeper implication to the
above verse and possibly the key to understanding YHVH’s purpose for vows in
this parashah.
Lets first look into the
matter of covenant – “brit” in Hebrew:
Covenant = an elected, as opposed to natural, relationship of obligation under oath.
A covenant is elected because it is always entered into by choice rather than necessity. Hence “בְּרִית is nowhere employed of naturally occurring relationships and the ordinary obligations which attend them, such as those which exist between parents and a child”.[18] A covenant is relational because it always involves two parties.[19] This explains the common use of familial terminology to describe a covenant, even though the parties previously had no kinship bond. But a covenant is not just any type of relationship; it is specifically a relationship of obligation, because it always binds one or both of the parties to certain specified duties. Finally, a covenant is always solemnified by an oath or oath-sign (e.g. a solemn rite).[In fact, בְּרִית may be used as a shorthand for אוֹת בְּרִית, “covenantal sign” (e.g. circumcision, Gen 17:9–14).[23]
http://www.lionelwindsor.net/2010/01/26/whats-the-precise-meaning-of-the-word-covenant-in-the-old-testament/.
Herein lies the problem – man was never able to keep his side of the covenant with YHVH – his Maker. So YHVH chose His Son Messiah to enter into a covenant with Himself on our behalf – see Gen/Ber 15 –
YHVH
put Avraham to sleep when He was about to make a covenant with him and symbolically
made a covenant with the future coming Messiah (burning oven – vs 17) that He
knew would be able to keep the terms and conditions of that covenant and so
secure an eternal relationship between Himself and His Creation.
The
church and any other person who calls themselves a believer is NOT in a
covenant with YHVH if they reject the terms and conditions of YHVH’s covenant –
His Torah.
Israelites
who enter into marriage or other covenants with each other are also bound by
the terms and conditions of YHVH’s covenant – His Torah – the very theme of
this week’s parashah.
Some
Christians may object and claim that their faith in ‘’Jesus’’ enables them to
be in a covenant with YHVH.
John
1 clearly teaches that Yahshua is the Word – The Torah- of YHVH in the flesh.
You cannot separate Yahshua from the Torah.
Heb
10:7 “Then I said, ‘See, I come – in the roll of the book (scroll) it has been written concerning Me – to do Your
desire, O Elohim.’ ” Psa_40:6-8. (Torah scrolls were rolled up-
the word ‘’book’’ does not appear in the Hebrew text - אָז אָמַרְתִּי, הִנֵּה-בָאתִי:
בִּמְגִלַּת-סֵפֶר, כָּתוּב עָלָי.
The
Torah scroll was written about Yahshua.
Could
the Bride of Messiah also be the “woman” spoken of in vs 3 of this parashah?
However in Messiah we are now more able than ever to keep the covenant. However
there are time when we still break covenant with YHVH and with men. Even in our
covenant unfaithfulness YHVH continues to cover this transgression.
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.
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. (An end time prophecy?)
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.
Eph 5:22 Wives, subject
yourselves to your own husbands, as to the Master.
Eph 5:23 Because the
husband is head of the wife, as also the Messiah is head of the assembly, and
He is Saviour of the body.
Eph 5:24 But as the
assembly is subject to Messiah, so also let the wives be to their own husbands
in every respect.
Eph 5:25 Husbands, love
your wives, as Messiah also did love the assembly and gave Himself for
it,
Eph 5:26 in order to set
it apart and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word,f Footnote: f Rev_19:8-9.
Eph 5:27 in order to
present it to Himself a splendid assembly, not having spot or wrinkle or any of
this sort, but that it might be set-apart and blameless.
Eph 5:28 In this way
husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his
wife loves himself.
Eph 5:29 For no one ever
hated his own flesh, but feeds and cherishes it, as also the Master does the
assembly.
Eph 5:30 Because we are
members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones.
Eph 5:31 “For this
cause a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and
the two shall become one flesh.” Gen_2:24.
Eph 5:32 This secret is
great, but I speak concerning Messiah and the assembly.
Eph 5:33 However, you
too, everyone, let each one love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see
that she fears her husband.
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.
YHVH’s “Silence” could
possibly be one the greatest acts of judgment that can come upon His people.
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, with the
hope that we will return home with weeping and repenting.
Jer 3:8
“And I saw that for all the causes for which backsliding Yisra’ĕl had
committed adultery, I had put her away and given her a certificate of divorce;
yet her treacherous sister Yehuḏah
did not fear, but went and committed whoring too.
If YHVH “divorces” you because
of covenantal unfaithfulness and you then you can go ahead and get “married” to
your false doctrines and ideas – the danger is that most who follow this path
pay a very high price. Everyone one of has some experience of this turning
away.
Deu 24:1 “When a man takes a wife and shall marry her,
then it shall be, if she finds no favour in his eyes because he has found a
matter of uncoveredness (acting outside of covenantal obligations) in her, and
he shall write her a certificate of divorce, and put it in her hand, and send
her out of his house,
Deu 24:2
and if she left his house and went and became another man’s wife,
Deu 24:3
and the latter husband shall hate her and write her a certificate of
divorce, and put it in her hand, and send her out of his house, or when the
latter husband dies who took her to be his wife,
Deu 24:4
then her former husband who sent her away is not allowed to take her
back to be his wife after she has been defiled, for that would be an
abomination before יהוה. And do not
bring sin on the land which יהוה your Elohim is
giving you as an inheritance.
This is the great mystery and
blessing of the Good news – In Yahshua our bridegroom we have all ‘’died’’to
our ‘’first husband’’ our failed relationship with the Torah. Now we are free
to marry our husband again- the Living Torah – our Messiah.
Rom
7:1 Or do you not know,
brothers – for I speak to those knowing the Torah – that the Torah rules over a
man as long as he lives?
Rom 7:2 For the married
woman has been bound by Torah to the living husband, but if the husband dies,
she is released from the Torah concerning her husband.
Rom 7:3 So then, while
her husband lives, she shall be called an adulteress if she becomes another
man’s. But if her husband dies, she is free from that part of the Torah,
so that she is not an adulteress, having become another man’s.
Rom 7:4 So my brothers, you also were put to death to the Torah through the body of Messiah, for you to become another’s, the One who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to Elohim.