B’midbar (In the Desert) Numbers 1:1-4:20
Torah Portion: B’midbar (In the Desert) Numbers 1:1-4:20
Haftorah Readings: Hosea 1:10-2:20
Tonight, we begin the fourth book of the Torah. This book covers almost the entire time Israel spent in the wilderness. It has the fewest number of commandments of any book up until now. It is mainly a narrative that covers the coming of age of the Children of Israel before they enter the Promised Land.
B’Midbar In the Desert Numbers 1-4
Torah Portion: B’midbar (Numbers) In The Desert 1:1-4:20
HafTorah: Hosea 2:1-22
This week we start the fourth book of Torah, B’Midbar or ‘In the Desert.” Usually this Torah section is read on the Sabbath right before Shavuot but not this year. It is never read after Shavuot. On our June 3rd celebration of Shavuot we will talk more about the appointed time of Shavuot.
Pinehas Numbers 25
Weekly Torah Section: Pinchas Numbers 25:10-30:1, HafTorah I Kings 18:46-19:21
This week we pick back up with the saga of Elijah after the conflict on Mt. Carmel with the prophets of Ba’al, his pinnacle of success as a prophet to the northern kingdom. G-d has answered him in a wonderful way. Rain comes, Elijah tells Ahab to hurry home before the rains make it impossible. In verse 46 it says the Hand of G-d was on him and he ran before Ahab. The idea here is that after his victory Elijah was considered part of the king’s entourage now. Ahab included him in the company going before him. So why does he run as soon as Jezebel threatens him two verses later? Maybe his new position gave him a false sense of security, maybe he trusted Ahab to protect him. Is it easy to take our eyes off of G-d as our protector and shield? So Elijah takes his servant and runs to the wilderness – to Beersheva. The wilderness is often used as a place of refuge. Israel, David, Yeshua, all had experiences in the wilderness. It is also a place of revelation. Think what we have said about the word for desert. In Hebrew the word for desert is midbar. To speak is ledaber. The root word is the same in both words. People went to the desert to hear from G-d.