Mishpatim (Judgements) Exodus/Sh’mot 21:1-24:18
Know G-d’s Word as well as you know your name Mishpatim (Judgements) Exodus/Sh’mot 21:1-24:18 Most of us reading this Torah portion today may feel these laws set out here were for a different time and have little to teach us in our modern world. Some may even consider these verses as only applying to […]
Sh’mot (Names) Exodus/Sh’mot 1:1-6:1
Sh’mot(Names)Exodus/Sh’mot 1:1-6:1
Today I want us to look at some interesting things about the man called Moshe. I want each of us, as we look at his life, to also use this time to contemplate my question for this week, “Who am I?” I believe we often sell ourselves short with words like, “I’m not anybody special,” or “I’m just an ordinary person.” I pray when we get to the end of this study together your picture of who you are will be changed. We will look at Moshe’s life to give us a picture of how G-d sees us.
B’Har (On Mount) B’chukkotai (By My Regulations) Lev 25-27
Torah Portion: B’Har (On Mount) B’chukkotai (By My Regulations) Leviticus 25-27
HafTorah: Jeremiah 32:6-27
Tonight we finish Vayikra (Leviticus) by looking at these last two Torah portions. In our first portion we read, “And the L-rd spoke to Moshe on Mt Sinai.” In these few words are conveyed a foundational difference between Hebrew and Greek thought. As Western people we have been shaped by Greek logic and thought. When we look at scripture, especially in the Torah, we often come across the underlying Hebrew logic and thought. How do we see this Hebrew thought process here in these first few words? Chronologically where are we in the story of Israel’s exodus from Egypt? The Temple or Mishkan has been constructed, priests have been installed, and time has passed. Yet, here our opening words are B’Har or On Mount Sinai. Moshe was on the mountain back in Sh’mot (Exodus). So why here at the end of this third book of Torah do we read the words B’Har? I think from G-d’s perspective time is not the point. Chronological order is never the issue with G-d. To the Father time or its passage is somewhat irrelevant. What really matters is the point G-d is making. We almost exclusively think of order of time. A+B=C. Yet, to the Hebrew mind maybe it does and maybe it doesn’t. What is important is that we grasp the spiritual idea G-d is getting across.