Behar (On the Mountain) Leviticus/Vayikra 25:1-26:2
Torah Portion: Behar (On the Mountain) Leviticus/Vayikra 25:1-26:2 Haftorah Reading Jeremiah 32:6-27 Tonight, we read a Torah portion almost completely about the Sh’mitah, or 7th year and the Yovel, that occurred every 50 years, or after the 7th Sh’mitah celebration. Before we go any further let’s look at this Torah portion in light of my question I sent […]
Ki Tisa (When You Take) Exodus(Sh’mot) 30:11-34:35
Torah Portion: Ki Tisa (When You Take) Exodus(Sh’mot) 30:11-34:35
Haftorah Reading: I Kings 18:1-39
Tonight, we study the sin of the golden calf. This is a pivotal Torah portion from which I pray we can grasp what G-d is saying to us in our own life. However, before we get to the verses about the golden calf there are a couple of other points I also see as important to us and should help us in our understanding of verses we will look at in the Messianic scriptures.
We start our portion with the taking of a census of G-d’s people. In Exodus/Sh’mot 30:11-15 we read the instructions on how this census was to be taken. We also read of the consequences that would follow if it was not done according to the guidelines set out here. Later in II Samuel 24:1-17 we read where King David took a census of the people without following G-d’s guidelines set out in our portion. As a result of that action by David 70,000 people died of a plague that is mentioned in our portion as one of the results of not following G-d’s guidelines. So, it would seem there is an important lesson for us in this directive to take a census.
Vayetze-And He Went Out B’resheet (Gen) 28-32
Torah Portion: Vayetze (And He Went Out) B’resheet (Genesis) 28-32
Haftorah Reading: Hosea 11:7-13:5
In this Torah portion we read about Ya’acov/Jacob leaving the Land for the first time in his life to begin a 22 year separation from everything he had known up to this point in his life. I would imagine he was filled with fear and anxiety. I want us to spend a bit of time talking about his journey and the experiences he had that influenced him and I think speak to us in our own lives.
Vayelekh(He Went) D’Varim/Deut. 31
Torah Portion: Vayelekh(He Went) D’Varim/Deut. 31
HafTorah: Hosea 14:1-10; Micah 7:18-20; Joel 2:15-27
Tonight we read the Torah section that always comes between Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur. This Sabbath has a special name. It is called Shabbat Shuvah. Shuvah is a Hebrew word meaning to return or to repent. We find this word used in the reading of the prophets that goes with this Torah Portion. In Hosea 14:1-10 we read in the first verse, “O Israel return to the L-rd, your G-d for you have stumbled because of your iniquity.” So here the prophet is calling the people to repent. Remember that to repent means to turn around, to stop sinning and start doing good. These days call to us to take this step. We are called to change how we live. This is really the central idea found in the Messianic scriptures. We see it in the writing such as Matt. 3:2, Luke 13:3, Acts 5:31, Acts 17:30. These are only a small part of the verses that talk to us about repentance, stop, turn around and change how we live.
Pinchas (B’Midbar) Num. 25:10-30:1
Torah Portion Pinchas (B’Midbar) Numbers 25:10-30:1
Haftorah Reading: I Kings 18:46-19:21
Tonight we read a Torah portion that covers a wide range of topics. We read of a new group of leaders who will take the people to the Promised Land. Joshua is to take the position of Moshe when Moshe dies. Pinkas is granted an everlasting priesthood of peace that in some ways carries on the heritage of his grandfather Aaron. Finally we read of the five daughters of Zelophehad who came to Moshe with a request concerning their right to an inheritance after their father’s death. He died with no sons to inherit his land.
Va’era (And I appeared) Sh’mot (Exodus) 6-9
Torah Portion Va’era (And I appeared) Sh’mot (Exodus) 6-9
Haftorah Reading Ezekiel 28:25-29:21
This week our portion begins with G-d appearing to Moshe and telling him that He had appeared to the Patriarchs as G-d Almighty, El Shaddai but not as G-d Almighty, or the infallible name of G-d. However, we read in previous scriptures that Abraham used this same name when addressing G-d (Genesis 15:2). So how are we to understand these verses? One way might be to look at this verse in light of the promises of G-d. Abraham, Isaac and Jacob had known the promises of G-d, of bringing them into the Land and making them a great people. However, they had never seen this promise fulfilled in their life times. They held on to the promise, in faith, knowing that El Shaddai was trustworthy and would, at some time in the future, bring it to pass.
Vayigash (And He Came) B’resheet (Genesis) 44-47
Torah Portion: Vayigash (And He Came) B’resheet (Genesis) 44-47
Haftorah Reading: Ezekiel 37:15-28
Tonight we read of the reunion of Joseph and his brothers after 22 years. This is also a fulfillment of G-d’s word to Avraham in Genesis 15:13-14 where He tells him that his descendents would be slaves in a strange land but He, G-d, would bring them out with great possessions. So here we see the beginning of that word from the L-rd. This time in Egypt was foretold to the patriarchs and was possibly passed down to Jacob by his father and grandfather. Evidently G-d saw these years of testing as necessary before the Jewish people could become who G-d planned them to be from the beginning.
Vayeishev (And He Dwelt) B’resheet (Genesis) 37-40
Torah Portion: Vayeishev (And He Dwelt) B’resheet (Genesis) 37-40
Haftorah Reading: Amos 2:6-3:8
Tonight we take a long look at Joseph’s life from his teen years to adulthood. Through these years we can see many things in his life that can speak to us directly. In the beginning we see a boy, the favorite of his father, who was given a beautiful coat. We see a boy who was not very perceptive about how to relate to his brothers. All this caused his brothers to hate him.
B’Har(On Mount) B’chukkotai (By My Regulations) (Lev.) Vayikra 25-27
Torah Portion: B’Har(On Mount) B’chukkotai (By My Regulations) (Lev.) Vayikra 25-27
Haftorah Reading: Jeremiah 32:6-27 and Jeremiah 16:19-17:14
This week we finish the book of Vayikra or Leviticus. The last two portions of this book contain many commandments that have in some ways a common thread. Beginning with the Shemita/Sabbatical year and continuing through the blessings and curses we see the issue of faith being at the forefront. Whether it is not planting crops for the year of Shemita or holding on during the horrible happening of the curses, one thing is evident, faith is what will get us through, not dogma, not institutions or any other thing but faith in the Father. That is our only hope. My question this week had to do with our definition of faith. I got some good answers to which I would like to add my own thoughts.
B’Shallach (He Sent) Sh’mot (Exodus) 10-13
Torah Portion: Sh’mot Exodus 10-13 B’shallach (He Sent)
HafTorah: Judges 4:4-5:31
Tonight we read about the crossing of the Reed Sea, the provision of manna and the attack of the Amalikites. I believe G-d has much to say to us about faith and how to live that faith out everyday of our lives.
Maybe it would be good to start with my second question of the week. What is the connection between manna and Sabbath, if anything? We will end with my first question, How do we glorify G-d? As we look at the connection between manna and the Sabbath, remember the people had been slaves for hundreds of years. Their lives had been lived in a strange land far from the fulfillment of G-d’s promises. So, as they left Egypt, we wonder, what did they know if anything about who they were and what connection did they have with the promises of G-d to Avraham, Yitzak and Ya’acove?