Mattot (Tribes) Masa’ei (Stages) B’midbar/Numbers 30:2-36:13

Torah Portion: Mattot (Tribes)Masa’ei (Stages) B’midbar/Numbers 30:2-36:13
Haftorah Reading: Jeremiah 1:1-2:28; 4:1-2
 

Today we finish the book of Numbers or B’Midbar by reading two portions of scripture. In these readings we will see many things that still speak to us today. In Masa’ei we read about the setting of boundaries for each tribe. G-d laid out exactly where each tribe would settle and told them they were responsible to cleanse to the land of its former inhabitants. They were told to destroy the idols and high places of the former inhabitants.

Vayikra (And He called) Vayikra/Leviticus 1:1-5:26

Vayikra(And He called)Vayikra/Leviticus 1:1-5:26

Haftorah Reading: Isaiah 43:21-44:23

Today we will talk about a Torah portion that on its face seems to have little to say to us in our modern world, but that is not correct. It begins with the duties of the priests in the offering of animal sacrifices for a variety of issues. In Leviticus 2:13 we read, “and all your offerings you shall offer salt.” Why did G-d make this stipulation? The Torah went so far as to require this rule concerning every offering. Salt and sometimes the absence of leaven were used to avoid corruption and to keep the holy things in an imperishable state. We could say these two requirements represented a never ending covenant relationship.