Parashat 34- Bemidbar – “in the wilderness.”

Bemidbar (translated as Numbers) 1:1 – 4:20 

The title of this portion “Bemidbar”- wilderness, is also associated with two other Hebrew words “devar” to speak and “davar” a word. This then can also be understood to mean “a word in the wilderness” This meaning is poignantly revealed as YHVH ushers His bride into the wilderness. The following words are taken from the haftarah: (the reading of the prophets that accompanies each Torah portion).

“The Message” Version – this version is a paraphrased version which we normally don’t make use of, but I felt to make use of it for these specific verses:

Hos 2:14  "And now, here's what I'm going to do: I'm going to start all over again. I'm taking her back out into the wilderness where we had our first date, and I'll court her.
Hos 2:15  I'll give her bouquets of roses. I'll turn Heartbreak Valley into Acres of Hope. She'll respond like she did as a young girl, those days when she was fresh out of Egypt.
Hos 2:16  "At that time"--this is the LORD's (YHVH’s) Message still-- "you'll address me, 'Dear husband!' Never again will you address me, 'My slave-master!'
Hos 2:17  I'll wash your mouth out with soap, get rid of all the dirty false-god names, not so much as a whisper of those names again. (Like the days of the week named after false mighty ones and some of the month names that are named after false mighty ones)
Hos 2:18  At the same time I'll make a peace treaty between you and wild animals and birds and reptiles, And get rid of all weapons of war. Think of it! Safe from beasts and bullies!
Hos 2:19  And then I'll marry you for good--forever! I'll marry you true and proper, in love and tenderness.
Hos 2:20  Yes, I'll marry you and neither leave you nor let you go. You'll know me, YHVH, for who I really am.

A Good Shepherd always counts His sheep, hear again the words of our Messiah in Yochanan/John:

Joh 10:4  “And when he has brought out his own sheep, he goes before them. And the sheep follow him, because they know his voice.
Joh 10:11  “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.
Joh 10:16  “And other sheep I have which are not of this fold – I have to bring them as well, and they shall hear My voice, and there shall be one flock, one shepherd.1 Footnote: 1Ezek. 34:23, Ezek. 37:24.
Joh 10:27  “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.1 Footnote: 1Rev. 14:4-5.
Joh 10:28  “And I give them everlasting life, and they shall by no means ever perish, and no one shall snatch them out of My hand.
Joh 10:29  “My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all. And no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand.

The book of Bemidbar/Numbers deals in great measure with the laws and history of the Tabernacle during Yisrael’s years in the wilderness (midbar). This serves to show us how these wilderness wanderings were the shadow of YHVH’s Torah of Messiah. Our very existence is defined by our closeness to His Torah, to His Messiah.
Yochanan/Joh 10:11  “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.
Joh 10:12  “But the hireling, and not being a shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees. And the wolf snatches the sheep and scatters them.

The Good Shepherd teaches the True Torah, the hireling does not, because he has a different agenda to that of our Messiah. This is how we recognize the true Messiah’s voice and follow him.

Quote: “It is customary that on the Shabbat before a wedding, the bridegroom is called to the Torah. Shavuot, the festival which coincides with the anniversary of the Giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai, represents the marriage of YHVH and Israel; this is why the Torah portion of Bamidbar ("in the desert") is usually read on the Shabbat before Shavuot.” (Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak of Lubavitch)

Rev 19:9  And he said to me, “Write, ‘Blessed are those who have been called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!’ ” And he said to me, “These are the true words of Elohim.”  ( Jer 33:13)

“The Torah was given to the people of Israel in the ownerless desert. For if it were given in the Land of Israel, the residents of the Land of Israel would say, "It is ours"; and if it were given in some other place, the residents of that place would say, "It is ours." Therefore it was given in the wilderness, so that anyone who wishes to acquire it may acquire it”. (Mechilta D'Rashbi)

Blessing for the Torah:

Baruch atah YHVH, Eloheynu, Melech ha-O’lam, asher bachar banu m’kol ha-amim,
v’natan lanu eht Torah-to. Baruch atah YHVH, noteyn ha-Torah. Ameyn.”

(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.
Blessed are you, YHVH, giver of the Torah. Ameyn.)

Torah Readings: 
1. 1:1-19
2. 1:20-54
3. 2:1-34
4. 3:1-13
5. 3:14-39
6. 3:40-51
7. 4:1-16
8. Maftir: 4:17-20
 
Haftarah: Hoshea 1:10 – 2:20 (2:1-22 Hebrew version)


Aliyah Rishon 1:1-19
Bemidbar/Num 1:1  And יהוה spoke to Mosheh in the Wilderness of Sinai, in the Tent of Meeting, on the first day of the second month, in the second year after they had come out of the land of Mitsrayim, saying,
Num 1:2  “Take a census of all the congregation of the children of Yisra’ĕl, by their clans, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of names, every male, head by head,
Num 1:3  from twenty years old and above, everyone going out to the army in Yisra’ĕl. Number them by their divisions, you and Aharon.

This book of the Torah – Bamidbar is about YHVH calling and counting His bride to be. This counting or taking of census is expressed in a rather strange Hebrew idiom viz “to count the skulls” see Num 1:2  “Take a census of all the congregation of the children of Yisra’ĕl, by their clans, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of names, every male, head by head (gulguletam)
The Hebrew word for head here is “skulls” or “gulgoleth” Strongs 1538. This is where we get the word “Golgotha”

The message is unchanging forever “only in Messiah can we be counted”

Yoch/Joh 19:17  And bearing His stake, He went out to the so-called Place of a Skull, which is called in Heḇrew, Golgotha,
Joh 19:18  where they impaled Him, and two others with Him.


Num 1:4  “And a man from every tribe should be with you, each one the head of his father’s house.
Num 1:5  “And these are the names of the men who stand with you. From Re’uḇĕn: Elitsur, son of Sheḏĕy’ur.
Num 1:6  “From Shim’on: Shelumi’ĕl, son of Tsurishaddai.
Num 1:7  “From Yehuḏah: Naḥshon, son of Amminaḏaḇ.
Num 1:8  “From Yissasḵar: Nethanĕ’l, son of Tsu’ar.
Num 1:9  “From Zeḇulun: Eliyaḇ, son of Ḥĕlon.
Num 1:10  “From the sons of Yosĕph: From Ephrayim: Elishama, son of Ammihuḏ. From Menashsheh: Gamli’ĕl, son of Peḏahtsur.
Num 1:11  “From Binyamin: Aḇiḏan, son of Giḏ’oni.
Num 1:12  “From Dan: Aḥi’ezer, son of Ammishaddai.
Num 1:13  “From Ashĕr: Paḡ’i’ĕl, son of Oḵran.
Num 1:14  “From Gaḏ: Elyasaph, son of Deu’ĕl.
Num 1:15  “From Naphtali: Aḥira, son of Ěnan.”
Num 1:16  These are the ones called from the congregation, leaders of their fathers’ tribes, heads of the thousands of Yisra’ĕl.
Num 1:17  And Mosheh and Aharon took these men who were called by name,
Num 1:18  and they assembled all the congregation together on the first day of the second month. And they declared their ancestry by clans, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and above, each one head by head.
Num 1:19  As יהוה commanded Mosheh, so he registered them in the Wilderness of Sinai.


Aliyah Sheni 1:20-54
And now the census results- After giving us the numbers for each tribe, the Torah gives us the grand total: 603,550. This number, however, does not include the Levites. Moshe was commanded by YHVH not to include the Levites in the general census. Instead, the Levites are assigned the following set apart tasks: dismantling, carrying, and re-erecting the Tabernacle whenever Yisrael travelled, and camping around the Set part place, keeping guard over it and its vessels.
Num 1:46  all those that were registered were six hundred and three thousand five hundred and fifty.

Num 1:52  “And the children of Yisra’ĕl shall pitch their tents, everyone by his own camp, everyone by his own banner, according to their divisions,
Num 1:53  but let the Lĕwites camp around the Dwelling Place of the Witness, so that there be no wrath on the congregation of the children of Yisra’ĕl. And the Lĕwites shall guard the duty of the Dwelling Place of the Witness.”
Num 1:54  And the children of Yisra’ĕl did according to all that יהוה commanded Mosheh, so they did.

Note that now the mixed multitude who had left Mitsrayim/Egypt with them have now been counted in with the tribes of Yisrael.

Note the profound prophecy of Ezekiel concerning those of us who are grafted into Yisrael.

Eze 47:21  “And you shall divide this land among yourselves according to the tribes of Yisra’ĕl.
Eze 47:22  “And it shall be that you divide it by lot as an inheritance for yourselves, and for the strangers who sojourn in your midst and who bear children among you. And they shall be to you as native-born among the children of Yisra’ĕl – with you they have an inheritance in the midst of the tribes of Yisra’ĕl1. Footnote: 1Isa. 14:1, Isa. 56:6-8, Rom. 11:17-26, Eph. 2:19, Eph. 3:6, Rev. 21:12.
Eze 47:23  “And it shall be that in whatever tribe the stranger sojourns, there you give him his inheritance,” declares the Master יהוה.


Aliyah Shlishi 2:1-34
Yisrael is instructed regarding their camping formation. The Tabernacle was at the centre of the encampment, surrounded by the "Flag of Yehudah/Judah" -- which included the Tribes of Yehudah/Judah, Yissachar and Zebulun -- to the east; the "Flag of Reuben" -- Reuven, Shimon, Gad -- to the south; the "Flag of Ephraim" -- Ephrayim, Menashsheh , Benyamin -- to the west; and the "Flag of Dan" -- Dan, Asher, Naftali -- to the north.

Num 2:1  And יהוה spoke to Mosheh and to Aharon, saying,
Num 2:2  “The children of Yisra’ĕl are to camp, each one by his own banner, beside the sign of his father’s house. Let them camp around the Tent of Meeting at a distance.”

Each tribe had its own prince and its flag whose colour corresponded to the colour of its stone [in Aaron's breastplate--see Exodus 28:15-21]. It was from the tribes of Yisrael that kingdoms learned to provide themselves with flags of various colours.


Artistic impression of the 12 banners by Jenny Bredenkamp

Out of Midrash Rabbah- (italics added) we see that their opinion of what the banners looked like was like this (different opinions on what it looked like, like we can see in the picture above):

Reuben's stone was a ruby; the colour of his flag was red and embroidered thereon were mandrakes [cf. Genesis 30:14].”

“Reuven” means “see a son”  - [we see from his life he was not recognized as the first born son as we see too in the life of Messiah that he was not recognized by many as YHVH’s first born.]

Simeon's stone was a topaz; his flag was of a green colour, and the town of Shechem was embroidered thereon [cf. Genesis 34:25].

“Shimeon” comes from the Hebrew word “shema” to hear. We know that our Messiah heard and obeyed every word that came from his Father.

Levi's stone was a smaragd; the colour of his flag was one-third white, one third black, and one third red, and embroidered thereon was [Aaron's breastplate with] the Urim and Tummim.
“Levi” in Hebrew means “my heart.” The urim and tummim were in Aaron’s breastplate close to his heart. Those who live close to the heart of the Father are able to “join” others who also desire to draw closer to the Fathers heart. Yahshua was the supreme example of a Levite who reconciled man to his Maker.

Yehudah’s/Judah's stone was a carbuncle; the colour of his flag was like the colour of the heavens and embroidered on it was a lion [cf. Genesis 49:9].

Like Yahudah our Messiah has a kingly role of rulership in the kingdom of YHVH.

Issachar's stone was a sapphire; the colour of his flag was black like stibnite, and embroidered thereon was the sun and moon, in allusion to the verse, "And of the children of Issachar, men that had understanding of the times" (I Chronicles 12:33).

Zebulun's stone was an emerald; the colour of his flag was white, with a ship embroidered thereon, in allusion to the verse, "Zebulun shall dwell at the shore of the sea" (Gen. 49:13).

Dan's stone was a jacinth; the colour of his flag was similar to sapphire, and embroidered on it was a serpent, in allusion to the verse, "Dan shall be a serpent in the way" (ibid. v. 17).

Gad's stone was an agate; the colour of his flag was neither white nor black but a blend of black and white, and on it was embroidered a military camp, in allusion to the verse, "Gad, a troop shall troop upon him" (ibid. v. 19).

Naphtali's stone was an amethyst; the colour of his flag was like clarified wine of a light red, and on it was embroidered a deer, in allusion to the verse, "Naphtali is a deer let loose" (ibid. v. 21).

Asher's stone was a beryl; the colour of his flag was like the precious stone with which women adorn themselves, and embroidered thereon was an olive-tree, in allusion to the verse, "As for Asher, his bread shall be fat with oil" (ibid. v. 20).

Yoseph's stone was an onyx and the colour of his flags were jet black; the embroidered design thereon for the two tribes descending from Yoseph, Ephrayim and Menashsheh, was Mitsrayim/Egypt, because they were born in Mitsrayim/Egypt. On the flag of Ephrayim was embroidered a bullock, in allusion to the verse, "His firstling bullock" (Deuteronomy 33:17), which refers to Yehoshua who came from the tribe of Ephrayim. On the flag of the tribe of Menashsheh was embroidered a unicorn, in allusion to the verse, "And his horns are the horns of the re'em" (ibid.), which alludes to Gideon son of Yoash who came from the tribe of Menashsheh.

Parshat 32/ Parashat 33 - Behar – Bechukotai

Parashat 32 -  Behar – “on  the mountain” Vayikra/Lev 25:1 – 26:2.

One of the single most significant events of all time was the giving of the Torah.

The coming of the “Moshiach” was the confirmation of this event.

Ivrim/Heb 10:7  “Then I said, ‘See, I come – in the roll of the book (Torah) it has been written concerning Me – to do Your desire, O Elohim.’ ”

 

       The message of the Moshiach and the message of Moshe is One and the same message.

      In fact when Messiah returns, he will teach the Torah from Mount Tzion in Yerushalayim to all nations.

        Yeshayahu/Isa 2:2  And it shall be in the latter days that the mountain of the House of יהוה is established on the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills. And all nations shall flow to it.

       Isa 2:3  And many peoples shall come and say, “Come, and let us go up to the mountain of יהוה, to the House of the Elohim of Ya’aqov, and let Him teach¹ us His ways¹, and let us walk in His paths¹, for out of Tsiyon comes forth the Torah¹, and the Word¹ of יהוה from Yerushalayim.” Footnote: ¹His ways, His paths, the teaching and the Word of יהוה are used synonymously.

The sages note that Moshe has returned to Mount Sinai to receive this very important instruction about the “shmittah’ and the ‘yovel” years. YHVH did not speak to Moshe from the Tabernacle but from Mount Sinai regarding these instructions. It was like YHVH had something very important to say and He wanted Moshe to hear it on Mount Sinai. The importance of the words of these instructions is repeated in the last verse in the book of Vayikra:

 Vayiqra/Lev 27:34  These are the commands which יהוה commanded Mosheh for the children of Yisra’ĕl on Mount Sinai.

Mount Tzion and Mount Sinai will always remain the two pivotal centers for the proclamation of YHVH’s Truth to all nations and the messages will never change or contradict each other. The Word and the Spirit will always go together.

The message of this Torah portion clearly implies that YHVH is the owner and creator of all things and we are merely the tenants who are called to exercise faithful stewardship over His land and His people, and when we obey these instructions we will truly begin to live in freedom.

Just as at Mt. Sinai the trumpet blast called the redeemed community to receive the Torah (on the first Shavuot), so the trumpet blast of the Jubilee Year also calls us back to our roots of freedom. During this time of the counting of the Omer we are one again counting the 49 +1 days ( 50 days) to the receiving of our freedom, the giving of the Torah as well as the receiving of Ruach Ha Kodesh at Shavuot (Pentecost).

Ya’akov/James 1:25  But he that looked into the perfect Torah, that of freedom,¹ and continues in it, not becoming a hearer that forgets, but a doer of work, this one shall be blessed in his doing of the Torah. Footnote: ¹See 2:12.

Yes/Isa 56:6  “Also the sons of the foreigner who join themselves to יהוה, to serve Him, and to love the Name of יהוה, to be His servants, all who guard the Sabbath, and not profane it, and hold fast to My covenant –

Isa 56:7  them I shall bring to My set-apart mountain, and let them rejoice in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their slaughterings are accepted on My altar, for My house is called a house of prayer for all the peoples.”

Isa 56:8  The Master יהוה, who gathers the outcasts of Yisra’ĕl, declares, “I gather still others to him besides those who are gathered to him.”

Blessing for the Torah:

Baruch atah YHVH, Eloheynu, Melech ha-O’lam, asher bachar banu m’kol ha-amim,

v’natan lanu eht Torah-to. Baruch atah YHVH, noteyn ha-Torah. Ameyn.”

(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.

Blessed are you, YHVH, giver of the Torah. Ameyn.)

Torah Readings

 

1.      25:1-13

2.      25:14-18

3.      25:19-24

4.      25:25-28

5.      25:29-38

6.      25:39-46

7.      25:47-54

8.      Maftir: 25:55 – 26:2

Haftarah: Jeremiah 32:6-27

Aliyah Rishon 25:1-13

Lev 25:1  And יהוה spoke to Mosheh on Mount Sinai, saying,

Lev 25:2  “Speak to the children of Yisra’ĕl, and say to them, ‘When you come into the land which I give you, then the land shall observe a Sabbath to יהוה.

These opening verses seem to imply that the first thing that happens when Yisrael returns to the land, they enjoy a one year sabbatical rest.

This seems to be the Hebraic way of doing things – first we rest then we work -  We normally switch the order around. The sages teach us in this regard that our hearts first rest before they beat. This shows us the importance of reflecting and meditating before we start acting and doing.

It is in these times of rest that we learn the importance of obedience and how to please YHVH in all our actions.

It is in these times we learn one of the most important lessons in life – when to do and when not to do –

The concept of “Shemittah” (resting the land every seventh year) implies that we withdraw from the land.

The sages also believe that YHVH began His creation of existence--including the creation of time—on a Yom Rishon (Sunday), which is called the "First Day." The sages believe that there was a primordial Shabbat which preceded creation--a Shabbat existing not in time but in the mind of YHVH as a vision of a completed and perfected world.

Lev 25:3  ‘Six years you sow your field, and six years you prune your vineyard, and gather in its fruit,

Lev 25:4  but in the seventh year the land is to have a Sabbath of rest, a Sabbath to יהוה. Do not sow your field and do not prune your vineyard.

Lev 25:5  ‘Do not reap what grows of its own of your harvest, and do not gather the grapes of your unpruned vine, for it is a year of rest for the land.

“In verse 3 we read: "You shall sow your field six years, and you shall prune your vineyard six years, and shall gather its produce." "Produce", or "fruit" is "t'vua", of the root “bo” (vet/bet, vav, alef), meaning to "come, come in or go in"; but also, in another conjugation, to "bring". Thus, the term "produce" does not convey the idea of something, which results naturally from man's own productivity or effort, but rather it is that which "comes" or is "brought" to him from an outside source. (In other words we don’t cause fruit to grow)
Some of the types of un-gathered harvest mentioned here include "unpruned vine” (v. 5, 11), called here "ee'nvey ("grapes of") nezire'cha". The latter term is rooted in the word "nazir" which is the Nazarite, whose restrictive vows included abstention from wine drinking or eating grapes. Why, then, are these grapes qualified by the term "nazir"? The connection is thought to be the Nazarite's hair, which was to be left uncut and unkempt, much like these grapes. This is reinforced by the first part of the verse, which speaks of "that which grows of itself". These two prohibitions (namely, "to reap that which grows of itself" and to "not gather the grapes of your unkempt vine") no doubt refer to harvesting for profit making”.
Perhaps one the most important reasons one took a Nazarite vow was because such a one did everything they could to follow and walk in the Torah but realized that in many areas of this walk they were of themselves unable to so. In desperation they “withdrew” from all forms of “self -effort” and cast themselves on the mercy of YHVH to do for them what they could not do for themselves. Somehow they wanted to rest in YHVH’s Ruach and allow Him to do for them what they could not do for themselves. They wanted the Word to have its full impact upon their lives without their interference.
The Hebrew words “Natzareth, netser and nazir” are significantly connected with our Messiah. He came from “Natzareth” which can mean “guarded,” he was also described as from the root (netzer) of David and he was a “nazir” he was like one who was separated.
Yochanan/Joh 5:19  Therefore יהושע responded and said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son is able to do none at all by Himself, but only that which He sees the Father doing, because whatever He does, the Son also likewise does.

Lev 25:6  ‘And the Sabbath of the land shall be to you for food, for you and your servant, and for your female servant and your hired servant, and for the stranger who sojourns with you,

Lev 25:7  and for your livestock and the beasts that are in your land. All its crops are for food.

Lev 25:8  ‘And you shall count seven Sabbaths of years for yourself, seven times seven years. And the time of the seven Sabbaths of years shall be to you forty-nine years.

Lev 25:9  ‘You shall then sound a ram’s horn to pass through on the tenth day of the seventh month, on the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) cause a ram’s horn to pass through all your land.

Lev 25:10  ‘And you shall set the fiftieth year apart, and proclaim release throughout all the land to all its inhabitants, it is a Jubilee for you. And each of you shall return to his possession, and each of you return to his clan.

Lev 25:11  ‘The fiftieth year is a Jubilee to you. Do not sow, nor reap what grows of its own, nor gather from its unpruned vine.

Lev 25:12  ‘It is a Jubilee, it is set-apart to you. Eat from the field its crops.

Lev 25:13  ‘In the Year of this Jubilee let each one of you return to his possession.

We need to consider the agricultural impact of leaving the lands fallow for one year as was the case with the “shmittah” and two years as was the case with the “yovel” or year of jubilee. (Why two years by the Yovel year? The 49^th year will also be the Shmittah year of the  7^th year of the 49year cycle and thus the 49^th year will be a Shabbat year and then the 50^th year will be the “yovel” year of rest). In both cases one would only be able to harvest a crop after two years (Shmitta) and three years (Yovel) respectively. It served as a reminder that only YHVH could sustain these “missing harvests” due to the absence of sowing the lands (see vs 21) .

This serves as one of the greatest lessons to teach us that there are certain things in this life that we will never be able to accomplish without His help and intercession.

Some of the modern Jewish scholars believe that the year 5768 was a “shmittah” year. That would imply that the 2014 would be the following “shmittah”. According to forecasts given by “nasa” some interesting lunar activity will occur in the year 2014.

It is said that four lunar eclipses will occur on:

Pesach/Passover, April 15, 2014
Sukkot/The Feast of Tabernacles, October 8, 2014
Pesach/Passover, April 4, 2015 and
Sukkot/The Feast of Tabernacles, September 28, 2015

Aliyah Sheni 25:14-18

Lev 25:14  ‘And when you sell whatever to your neighbour or buy from the hand of your neighbour, do not exploit one another.

Lev 25:15  ‘According to the number of years after the Jubilee you buy from your neighbour, and according to the number of years of crops he sells to you.

Lev 25:16  ‘According to the greater number of years you increase its price, and according to the fewer number of years you diminish its price, because he sells to you according to the number of the years of the crops.

Lev 25:17  ‘And do not oppress one another, but you shall fear your Elohim. For I am יהוה your Elohim.

Lev 25:18  ‘And you shall do My laws and guard My right-rulings, and shall do them. And you shall dwell in the land in safety,

Every 48^th year (48 is the gematria of “yovel” or jubilee) you have two years vacation and now not only are your debts written off but your lost inheritance and ancestral property is returned to you if you had lost it through some failed commercial venture and misfortune.

Yahshua came to proclaim the year of Jubilee.

Isa 61:1  The Spirit of the Master יהוה is upon Me, because יהוה has anointed Me to bring good news to the meek. He has sent Me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim release to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound,

Isa 61:2  to proclaim the acceptable year of יהוה

Many believe Messiah will return during a year of Jubilee on the day of Yom Kippur.

Aliyah Shlishi 25:19-24

Lev 25:19  ‘and the land shall yield its fruit, and you shall eat to satisfaction, and shall dwell there in safety.

Lev 25:20  ‘And since you might say, “What do we eat in the seventh year, since we do not sow nor gather in our crops?”

Lev 25:21  ‘Therefore I have commanded My blessing on you in the sixth year, and it shall bring forth the crop for three years.

Lev 25:22  ‘And you shall sow in the eighth year, and eat of the old crop until the ninth year. Eat of the old until its crop comes in.

Lev 25:23  ‘And the land is not to be sold beyond reclaim, for the land is Mine, for you are sojourners and settlers with Me.

Lev 25:24  ‘And provide for a redemption for the land, in all the land of your possession.

Aliyah Reviee 25:25-28

Lev 25:25  ‘When your brother becomes poor, and has sold some of his possession, and his redeemer, a close relative comes to redeem it, then he shall redeem what his brother sold.

The Hebrew implies that the brother himself may have been sold. This once again reminds us that there were consequences to our actions. Debt was only written off during a Jubilee, until such a time YOU REMAINED ACCOUNTABLE FOR MAKING BAD DECISIONS, and could be redeemed by some kind relative, otherwise you had to pay back your debt even if it meant selling yourself to your creditors. Today we simply declare ourselves insolvent and start again.

Every person would experience at least one Jubilee in their lives. So each person would have at least one chance to start all over again.

Lev 25:26  ‘And when the man has no one to redeem it, but he himself becomes able to redeem it,

Lev 25:27  then let him count the years since its sale, and return the remainder to the man to whom he sold it, that he shall return to his possession.

Lev 25:28  ‘And if his hand has not found enough to give back to him, then what was sold shall remain in the hand of him who bought it until the Year of Jubilee. And it shall be released in the Jubilee, and he shall return to his possession.

Aliyah Chamishi 25:29-38

Lev 25:29  ‘And when a man sells a house in a walled city, then his right of redemption shall be at the end of the year after it is sold. His right of redemption lasts a year.

Lev 25:30  ‘But if it is not redeemed within a complete year, then the house in the walled city shall be established beyond reclaim to the buyer of it, throughout his generations. It is not released in the Jubilee.

Lev 25:31  ‘The houses of villages, however, which have no wall around them are reckoned as the field of the country. A right of redemption belongs to it, and they are released in the Jubilee.

Lev 25:32  ‘As for the cities of the Lĕwites, and the houses in the cities of their possession, the Lĕwites have a right of redemption forever.

Lev 25:33  ‘And that which is redeemed from the Lĕwites, both the sale of a house and the city of his possession shall be released in the Year of Jubilee, because the houses in the cities of the Lĕwites are their possession in the midst of the children of Yisra’ĕl.

Lev 25:34  ‘But the field of the open land of their cities is not sold, for it is their everlasting possession.

Lev 25:35  ‘And when your brother becomes poor, and his hand has failed with you, then you shall sustain him, and he shall live with you, like a stranger or a sojourner.

Lev 25:36  ‘Take no interest from him, or profit, but you shall fear your Elohim, and your brother shall live with you.

Lev 25:37  ‘Do not lend him your silver on interest, and do not lend him your food for profit.

Lev 25:38  ‘I am יהוה your Elohim, who brought you out of the land of Mitsrayim, to give you the land of Kenaʽan, to be your Elohim.

Aliyah Shishi 25:39-46

Lev 25:39  ‘And when your brother who dwells by you becomes poor, and sells himself to you, do not make him serve as a slave.

Lev 25:40  ‘But as a hired servant, as a settler he is with you, and serves you until the Year of Jubilee.

Lev 25:41  ‘And then he shall leave you, he and his children with him, and shall return to his own clan, even return to the possession of his fathers.

Lev 25:42  ‘For they are My servants, whom I brought out of the land of Mitsrayim, they are not sold as slaves.

Lev 25:43  ‘Do not rule over him with harshness, but you shall fear your Elohim.

Lev 25:44  ‘And your male and female slaves whom you have from the nations that are around you, from them you buy male and female slaves,

Lev 25:45  and also from the sons of the strangers sojourning among you, from them you buy, and from their clans who are with you, which they shall bring forth in your land, and they shall be your property.

Lev 25:46  ‘And you shall take them as an inheritance for your children after you, to inherit them as a possession, they are your slaves for all time. But over your brothers, the children of Yisra’ĕl, you do not rule with harshness, one over another.

Aliyah Sheviee 25:47-26:2

Lev 25:47  ‘Now when a sojourner or a settler with you becomes rich, and your brother with him becomes poor, and sells himself to the settler or sojourner with you, or to a member of the sojourner’s clan,

Lev 25:48  after he has been sold, there is a right of redemption to him – one of his brothers does redeem him,

Lev 25:49  or his uncle or his uncle’s son does redeem him, or anyone who is a close relative to him in his clan does redeem him, or if he is able, then he shall redeem himself.

Lev 25:50  ‘And he shall reckon with him who bought him: The price of his release shall be according to the number of years, from the year that he was sold to him until the Year of Jubilee; as the days of a hired servant it is with him.

Lev 25:51  ‘If there are yet many years, according to them he repays the price of his redemption, from the silver of his purchase.

Lev 25:52  ‘And if few years are left until the Year of Jubilee, then he shall reckon with him, and according to his years he repays him the price of his redemption.

Parashat 31 - Emor -“say”

Vayikra (Leviticus) 21:1-24:23

This Torah portion once again sets out for us how a Set apart priesthood brings creation into harmony with its Creator. This is accomplished by a dedicated priesthood who prepare YHVH’s people for His “moedim/moadim” Appointments- “moed” - Appointment (what is also called at other times “chaggim”-feasts. “Chag” – feast except Yom haKippurim which is not a time of feast but of fasting and praying).

Yahshua our High Priest who is sitting at the right hand of YHVH will soon return to establish a righteous set apart priesthood and a Temple in Yerushalayim according to the instructions of the Torah so that he can lead a righteous set apart people into the presence of YHVH.

Blessing for the Torah:

Baruch atah YHVH, Eloheynu, Melech ha-O’lam, asher bachar banu m’kol ha-amim,

v’natan lanu eht Torah-to. Baruch atah YHVH, noteyn ha-Torah. Ameyn.”

(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.

Blessed are you, YHVH, giver of the Torah. Ameyn.)

Torah Readings:

 

1.            21:1-15

2.            21:16 – 22:16

3.            22:17-33

4.            23:1-22

5.            23:23-32

6.            23:33-44

7.            24:1-20

8.            Maftir: 24:21-23

 

Haftarah: Ezekiel 44:15-31- describes the on -going ministry of the Levitical priests (Kohanim) during the millennium.

Eze 44:15  “But the priests, the Lĕwites, the sons of Tsaḏoq, who guarded the duty of My set-apart place when the children of Yisra’ĕl went astray from Me, they shall draw near to Me to serve Me, and shall stand before Me to bring to Me the fat and the blood,” declares the Master יהוה.

Eze 44:16  “They shall enter My set-apart place, and they shall draw near to My table to serve Me, and they shall guard My charge. (These priests would prepare the offerings for all the feasts of YHVH’s appointed times (Vayikra 23).

In verses 10-14 Ezekiel tells us that certain priest will not allowed to minister to YHVH during this time (millennium) because they went astray and led others astray.

Eze 44:12  “Because they attended to them before their idols and became a stumbling-block of crookedness to the house of Yisra’ĕl, therefore I have lifted My hand in an oath (Heb –declare an oracle, from root word to whisper) against them,” declares the Master יהוה, “that they shall bear their crookedness,

Then some further instructions from verse 20:

Eze 44:20  “And their heads they shall not shave, nor shall they let their hair grow long – they shall keep their hair well trimmed.

Eze 44:21  “And no priest is to drink wine when he comes into the inner court.

Eze 44:22  “And they do not take as wife a widow or a divorced woman, but take maidens of the seed of the house of Yisra’ĕl, or widows of priests.

Eze 44:23  “And they are to teach My people the difference between the set-apart and the profane, and make them know what is unclean and clean.

Eze 44:24  “And they are to stand as judges in a dispute, and judge it according to My right-rulings. And they are to guard My Torot and My laws in all My appointed festivals, and set apart My Sabbaths.

Eze 44:25  “And they are not to defile themselves by coming near a dead man. Only for a father or mother, for a son or daughter, for a brother or unmarried sister they defile themselves.

Eze 44:26  “And after his cleansing, they count seven days for him,

Eze 44:27  and on the day that he comes into the inner court of the set-apart place to attend in the set-apart place, he brings his sin offering,” declares the Master יהוה.

Eze 44:28  “And it shall be to them for an inheritance, I am their inheritance. And you give them no possession in Yisra’ĕl – I am their possession.

Eze 44:29  “The grain offering, and the sin offering, and the guilt offering they are to eat, and all that is dedicated in Yisra’ĕl is theirs.

Aliyah Rishon 21:1-15

Lev 21:1  And יהוה said to Mosheh, “Speak to the priests, the sons of Aharon, and say to them: ‘No one is to be defiled for the dead among his people,

Lev 21:2  except for his relatives who are nearest to him: for his mother, and for his father, and for his son, and for his daughter, and for his brother;

Lev 21:3  and for his maiden sister who is near to him, who has had no husband – for her he is defiled.

Lev 21:4  ‘A leader does not defile himself among his people, to profane himself;

Lev 21:5  they do not make any bald place on their heads, and they do not shave the corner of their beard, and they do not make a cutting in their flesh.

The pagan priests especially the sun worshippers who worshipped the sun god “ra” had  round bald patches on their heads (much like some of the monks of the RCC) During the Greek and Roman times men would often shave off all their body hair as this was done among many practicing homosexuals of the time. 

Lev 21:6  ‘They are set-apart to their Elohim and do not profane the Name of their Elohim, for they bring the offerings of יהוה made by fire, and the bread of their Elohim, and shall be set-apart.

The use of the word “emor” (say) instead of “diber” or “speak” possibly refers to the nature of YHVH’s relationship with the priests. These were a very special group of people who represented YHVH to the nation of Yisrael and enjoyed a special intimacy with Him.

YHVH warns the priesthood not to be caught up with a culture of death but to embrace life. Religious people are often in danger of becoming too engrossed in matters relating to death – “what is going to happen to you when you die?” should rather be “what is going to happen to you when you live?” Death is just a transition to the “olam ha ba” the coming age. This Torah portion speaks of the preparation we need in order to be worthy of the coming age.

Stones Chumash comments on vs 1 “among his people” (beamaiv) to mean that other Hebrews were to assume responsibility for the burial of dead people so that it would not be necessary for the priests to do so. However when the corpse is isolated with no one to care for it (met mitzeva) then even the High priest was to stop everything in order to bury such a deceased one.

Yahshua establishes this principle when he says: 

Mat 8:21  And another of His taught ones said to Him, “Master, first let me go and bury my father.”

Mat 8:22  But יהושע said to him, “Follow Me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead.”

It is possible that we have become deeply affected by a culture of death. Today many seem infatuated by demonology and a theology of death. It seems that the Ruach of YHVH still “whispers” to a remnant  priesthood, “let the dead bury the dead.”

This of course does not mean that we in any way disrespect our parents and not attend their funerals, it refers to a larger issue that is associated with death.

Lev 21:7  ‘They do not take a woman who is a whore or a defiled woman, and they do not take a woman put away from her husband, for he is set-apart to his Elohim.

Lev 21:8  ‘And you shall set him apart, for he brings the bread of your Elohim, he is set-apart to you. For I, יהוה, setting you apart, am set-apart.

Lev 21:9  ‘And when the daughter of any priest profanes herself by whoring, she profanes her father. She is burned with fire.

Lev 21:10  ‘And the high priest among his brothers, on whose head the anointing oil was poured and who is ordained to wear the garments, does not unbind his head nor tear his garments,

Lev 21:11  nor come near any dead body, nor defile himself for his father or his mother,

Lev 21:12  nor go out of the set-apart place, nor profane the set-apart place of his Elohim, for the sign of dedication of the anointing oil of his Elohim is upon him. I am יהוה.

Leviticus 21:10, the first use of the phrase, where it is found written: “the high priest, the one among his brothers who has the anointing oil poured on his head…” The Hebrew word for anointing is where we get the word “Moshiach”
What does Moshiach mean? ‘Anointed one’. This verse clearly is linked to the King of Israel of who the Torah also shares the phrase “among…brothers” in describing him.
Why does the High Priest not attend to the dead (exception of met mitzeva)? I believe it is because the Messiah is about the Father’s business and the Father’s business is about LIFE and not death. In the case of the “met mitzeva” it may be about cleansing the land from innocent blood.

Lev 21:13  ‘And let him take a wife in her maidenhood.

Lev 21:14  ‘A widow or one put away or a defiled woman or a whore – these he does not take. But a maiden of his own people he does take as a wife.

Lev 21:15  ‘And he does not profane his offspring among his people, for I am יהוה, who sets him apart.’ ”

YHVH will appoint additional priests from the gentiles to join these Levitical priests during the millennium.

Yeshayahu/Isa 66:21  “And from them (gentiles -see vs 20) too I shall take for priests – for Lĕwites,” declares יהוה.

Isa 66:22  “For as the new heavens and the new earth that I make stand before Me,” declares יהוה, “so your seed and your name shall stand.

Isa 66:23  “And it shall be that from New Moon to New Moon, and from Sabbath to Sabbath, all flesh shall come to worship before Me,” declares יהוה.

Isa 66:24  “And they shall go forth and look upon the corpses of the men who have transgressed against Me¹. For their worm shall not die, and their fire not be quenched. And they shall be repulsive to all flesh!” Footnote: ¹See 24:6, 34:2-3, Ps. 110:6, Jer. 25:33.

The Second Writings (what we called New Testament) also speak of this future priesthood:

Rev 20:6  Blessed and set-apart is the one having part in the first resurrection. The second death possesses no authority over these, but they shall be priests of Elohim and of Messiah, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.

We get a small glimpse into the life during the millennium from the prophet Yeshayahu/Is:

Isa 65:20  “No more is an infant from there going to live but a few days, nor an old man who does not complete his days, for the youth dies one hundred years old, but the sinner being one hundred years old shall be lightly esteemed.

Aliyah Sheni 21:16-22:16

Lev 21:16  And יהוה spoke to Mosheh, saying,

Lev 21:17  “Speak to Aharon, saying, ‘No man of your offspring throughout their generations, who has any defect, is to draw near to bring the bread of his Elohim.

Lev 21:18  ‘For any man who has a defect is not to draw near: a man blind or one lame or disfigured or deformed,

Lev 21:19  a man who has a broken foot or broken hand,

Lev 21:20  or is a hunchback or a dwarf, or a man who has a defect in his eye, or eczema or scab, or is a eunuch.

Lev 21:21  ‘No man among the offspring of Aharon the priest, who has a defect, is to come near to bring the offerings made by fire to יהוה – he has a defect, he does not come near to bring the bread of his Elohim.

Heb word for “defect” is “moom” and implies having any moral stain. Note these are the instructions regarding the High priest which is a shadow and type of our High Priest, who ever lives to make intercession for us.

Ivrim/Heb 7:25  Therefore He is also able to save completely those who draw near to Elohim through Him, ever living to make intercession for them.

Heb 7:26  For it was fitting that we should have such a High Priest – kind, innocent, undefiled, having been separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens,

Heb 7:27  who does not need, as those high priests, to offer up slaughter offerings day by day, first for His own sins and then for those of the people, for this He did once for all when He offered up Himself.

Heb 7:28  For the Torah appoints as high priests men who have weakness, but the word of the oath which came after the Torah, appoints the Son having been perfected forever.

Lev 21:22  ‘He does eat the bread of his Elohim, both the most set-apart and the set-apart,

Lev 21:23  only, he does not go near the veil or approach the altar, because he has a defect, lest he profanes My set-apart places. For I am יהוה, who sets them apart.’ ”

Lev 21:24  Thus Mosheh spoke to Aharon and his sons, and to all the children of Yisra’ĕl.

Lev 22:1  And יהוה spoke to Mosheh, saying,

Lev 22:2  “Speak to Aharon and his sons, that they separate themselves from the set-apart offerings of the children of Yisra’ĕl, and that they do not profane My set-apart Name in what they set apart to Me. I am יהוה.

Lev 22:3  “Say to them, ‘Any man of all your offspring throughout your generations who draws near the set-apart offerings which the children of Yisra’ĕl set apart to יהוה, while he has uncleanness upon him, that being shall be cut off from before Me. I am יהוה.

Lev 22:4  ‘Any man of the offspring of Aharon, who is a leper or has a discharge, does not eat the set-apart offerings until he is clean. And whoever touches what is rendered unclean by a corpse, or a man who has had an emission of semen,

Lev 22:5  or a man who touches any creeping creature by which he would be made unclean, or any being by whom he would become unclean, even any of his uncleanness;

Lev 22:6  the being who has touched it shall be unclean until evening, and does not eat the set-apart offerings, but shall bathe his body in water.

Lev 22:7  ‘And when the sun goes down he shall be clean, and afterward eat the set-apart offerings, because it is his food.

Lev 22:8  ‘He does not eat that which dies or is torn by beasts, becoming unclean by it. I am יהוה.

Lev 22:9  ‘And they shall guard My Charge, lest they bear sin for it and die thereby, when they profane it. I יהוה set them apart.

Lev 22:10  ‘And no stranger eats the set-apart offering. A sojourner with the priest, or a hired servant, does not eat the set-apart offering.

Lev 22:11  ‘But when the priest buys a being with his money, he does eat of it. And one who is born in his house does eat his food.

Lev 22:12  ‘And when a priest’s daughter is married to a stranger, she does not eat of the set-apart offerings.

Lev 22:13  ‘But when a priest’s daughter is a widow or put away, and has no child, and has returned to her father’s house as in her youth, she does eat her father’s food, but no stranger eats of it.

Lev 22:14  ‘And when a man eats the set-apart offering by mistake, then he shall give a set-apart offering to the priest, and add one-fifth to it.

Lev 22:15  ‘And let the priests not profane the set-apart offerings of the children of Yisra’ĕl, which they lift up to יהוה,

Lev 22:16  or allow them to bear the crookedness of trespass when they eat their set-apart offerings. For I am יהוה, who sets them apart.’ ”

Aliyah Shlishi 22:17-33

Lev 22:17  And יהוה spoke to Mosheh, saying,

Lev 22:18  “Speak to Aharon and his sons, and to all the children of Yisra’ĕl, and say to them, ‘Any man of the house of Yisra’ĕl, or of the strangers in Yisra’ĕl, who brings his offering for any of his vows or for any of his voluntary offerings, which they bring to יהוה as a burnt offering,

Lev 22:19  for your acceptance, is a male, a perfect one from the cattle, from the sheep, or from the goats.

Lev 22:20  ‘Whatever has a defect, you do not bring, for it is not acceptable for you.

Lev 22:21  ‘And when a man brings a peace offering to יהוה, to complete a vow, or a voluntary offering from the cattle or the sheep, it is to be perfect to be accepted, let there be no defect in it.

Lev 22:22  ‘Those blind or broken or having a cut, or have an ulcer or eczema or scabs, you do not bring to יהוה, nor make an offering by fire of them on the altar to יהוה.

Lev 22:23  ‘As for a bull or a lamb that has any limb deformed or dwarfed you do prepare as a voluntary offering, but for a vow it is not accepted.

Lev 22:24  ‘Do not bring to יהוה what is bruised or crushed, or torn or cut, nor do it in your land.

Lev 22:25  ‘And from a son of a stranger’s hand you do not bring any of these as the bread of your Elohim, for their corruption is in them, and defects are in them, they are not acceptable for you.’ ”

Lev 22:26  And יהוה spoke to Mosheh, saying,

Lev 22:27  “When a bull or a sheep or a goat is born, it shall be seven days with its mother. And from the eighth day and thereafter it is acceptable as an offering made by fire to יהוה.

Lev 22:28  “But do not slaughter a cow or a sheep and its young on the same day.

Lev 22:29  “And when you bring a slaughtering of thanksgiving to יהוה, bring it for your acceptance.