Balak (Bamidbar) Numbers 22-25
Torah Portion: Balak (Bamidbar) Numbers 22-25
HafTorah: Micah 5:6-6:8
NT II Peter 2:1-22, Jude 11, Rev. 2:14-15
This week we look at a very interesting story. It concerns Balak, King of Moab and a Gentile prophet named Balaam. We read of the fear of Balak when he becomes aware of the approaching Israelites. Should he have been afraid? No. Why? The Moabites were descendants of Lot. In D’Varim (Deut) 2:9 G-d tells Israel they are not to disturb Moab because they are cousins and G-d has given them their own land. So actually Balak had nothing to fear. He just didn’t know it. How often we fear what has no real threat because we do not know who we are as G-d’s children. Balak’s response to Israel, in Numbers 22:3, is much like Pharaoh’s reaction in Exodus 1:9. Another parallel we see here is when Balak calls to Balaam in Numbers 22:6 he echoes G-d’s word to Abraham in Genesis 12:3. What is odd is that with Abraham, it is G-d who blessed. Here Balak thought this power rested with Balaam. In fact Balak seals his own fate by trying to curse Israel.
Tol’dot (History) Gen 25:19-28:9
Torah Portion: Tol’dot (History) B’Resheet (Gen.) 25:19-28:9
HafTorah: Malachi 1:1-2:7
Today as Israel stands on the brink of a ground war in Gaza, the head Rabbi blessed the troops with part of this verse Zech 12:10, “I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication…”. We surely pray with him for G-d’s grace and supplications for each one of Israel’s soldiers as well as each citizen. I would like us to read the entire verse and pray the last half of the verse also. I would pray that they will look on the One they have rejected and will mourn for Him as one mourns for His only son. We must stand in the gap now for G-d’s people and pray for an opening of their eyes that their hearts would melt and this will draw them to G-d through Yeshua. Please intercede everyday for them that during this war G-d will be merciful toward them and bring them to Him.
Hayei Sarah (Sarah’s Life) Gen 23:1-25:18
Torah Portion: Hayei Sarah (Sarah’s life) B’Resheet (Gen.) 23:1-25:18
HafTorah: I Kings 1:1-31
Today, in this Torah section we read of the death of both Avraham and Sarah. Yet the name of the portion is, “Life of Sarah.” What do we learn from this? Death comes to us all but it is only a door to the world to come. What is really of importance is how we live – what defines our lives? How are our days spent? In this section of Torah we get a hint of how both of these people lived. Of Sarah we read these were the years of Sarah’s life in verse one. Back in Genesis 18:11 we read of both Sarah and Avraham, “entered their days.” This phrase is translated in English as advanced in years. Think of it as entering your home. A better translation would be, they connected with each moment and held it close. As we would ay today they were totally “there.” Wherever and with whom ever, they were in the moment. They had many hardships in their life but they, in the midst of it all held on to G-d and His promises. They were not “under the circumstances,” but were able to rise above everything life brought to them. They fully entered each day.
Shemot Exodus 1
Torah Portion: Shemot Exodus 1:1-6:1
HafTorah: Isaiah 27:6-28:13; 29:22-23
Acts 7:17-35; I Cor. 14:18-25
I would like us to begin by looking at Moses’ name. His name appears 740 times in the five books of Torah and yet it is an Egyptian name rather than a Hebrew name. It does have some similarities with Hebrew but here we read that Pharaoh’s daughter gave him this name. So why didn’t his Hebrew name get into the text? Surely he had one – every Hebrew boy was given a name at his Brit Milah.