Beha’alotcha (To raise up) Num 8-12
Torah Portion: Beha’alotcha (To Raise Up) B’midbar (Numbers) 8:1-12:16
HafTorah: Zechariah 2:14-4:7
Tonight we talk about Beha’alotcha or “raise up.” This Torah portion covers many subjects from the dedication of the Levis to the sin of Aaron and Miriam, when they spoke against Moses. Fire also seems to play a large part in this Torah section. We see it at the beginning and also as a guide of the people later on.
Tonight I want to take this symbol of fire and see what we can glean from G-d’s word. In fact the very name of the section Beha’alotcha is usually translated as kindle, as here where the Torah speaks of the duty to light the Menorah in the Mishkan and later in the Temple. To help us in our quest for the spiritual lesson let us look at a couple of things. First, the word itself means kindle as it is usually translated, but another meaning is to, “raise up.” In this meaning it would speak to the priest to raise up the flame of the Menorah.
Vayikra Leviticus 1-5
Torah Portion: Vayikra Leviticus 1:1-5:26
HafTorah: Isaiah 43:21-44:23
Here we begin the third book of Torah known in English as Leviticus or pertaining to the priests. It is a hand book for the priests who served G-d and the people, in the Mishkan and later in the Temple. So why take the time to study a book concerned with instructions about a system that no longer exists? I pray that as a nation of priests (I Peter 2:9) we will be able to grasp what these verses say to us as believers today.
Tazria Lev. 12-13
Torah Portion: Tazria Vayikra Lev. 12-13
HafTorah: II Kings 4:42-5:19
NT Matt 8:1-4, 11:2-6
This week we continue on with the laws of clean and unclean which began in chapter 11 with clean and unclean animals. I want us to begin our time with what it means to be clean or unclean. The word in Hebrew, tahor, can also be found in Psalms 51:10 where David prays to G-d to, “create in me a pure/clean heart.” So clean denotes something pure and unblemished. Tami, in Hebrew would be the opposite. If you will notice this is the same word used for the sacrifices. They had to be tahor, no blemish or spot could be found. In Torah this term is used to denote if a person would be able to take part in the Sanctuary worship or to come in contact with any holy object. It had nothing to do with sin but rather was a physical issue. It was usually dealt with by the passage of time (usually until evening) and passing through the waters of mikvah. It in effect excluded a person from experiencing the presence of G-d in the Mishkan or Temple. So these laws pertained to the things of the Sanctuary. which is here being used for the first time. These laws had nothing to do with the person’s heart condition, yet they are used in both Hebrew scripture and the New Testament to symbolically refer to issues of morality. So we hear David speak of a Tahor heart. In the New Testament, Yeshua does the same in Matt. 5:8. So as we go on I want us to keep these things in mind as we explore clean and unclean.
T’rumah (Tithe) Ex 25-27
Torah Portion: T’rumah (Contribution) Sh’mot (Exodus) 25-27
HafTorah: I Kings 5:26-6:13
New Testament: Hebrews 8:1-6
This week we read of the details of the Miskan (tabernacle). The materials are donated from the people as a free will offering. The offering had to be given with a willing heart. It was not a tithe but an offering. Why did G-d command the building of a Mishkan? In Exodus 25:8 we read so that He could dwell in them. In I Cor. 3:16 we read where we are the Temple of G-d, the Temple being patterned after the Miskan.
Entering, Possessing, Dwelling – Ki Tavo (When You Come) Deut 26
Torah Portion: Ki Tavo (When You Come) Deut. 26:1-29:8
HafTorah: Isaiah 60:1-22
In the days of the Temple farmers were to set aside the first of the seven things mentioned in Torah in Deut. 8:8. How did they do this? The farmer went out into the fields at the first sign of blossoms or heads of grain and marked them with a ribbon on the stems. When they reached maturity he would harvest them and take them to the Temple in Jerusalem during Shavuot. He would give them to the priest and recite the words of Deut 26:5-11. What was the purpose of this ritual to the farmer? It kept it in his mind and spirit that all things come from the Father, and gave him an opportunity to show his gratitude for G-d’s provisions.
Re’eh (Behold) Deut. 11
Torah Portion: Re’eh (Behold) Deut. 11:26-16:17
HafTorah: Isaiah 54:11-55:5
John 7:37-52; I John 4:1-6
Tonight I want us to start by looking at the first question I sent out this week. In Deut. 11:29 we read where Moses tells the people, when they enter the land half of the people are to go to Mt. Gerizim and recite the blessings of G-d. The other half would go to Mt. Ebal and recite the curses found in the Torah for obedience to G-d. Later in history Mt. Gerizim was looked at by the Samaritan sect as G-d’s holy mountain and their temple there as the place to worship. In the time of Yeshua their temple was in ruins but sacrifices were still brought there. The Jewish people held them to be heretics and made a point of not having any contact with them. Which brings us to my question. Where do we see this physical setting in the New Testament and whom did Yeshua meet there? Of course we all know her as the Samaritan woman at the well. She, perceiving that Yeshua was a Jewish prophet, presented Him with a question about the main point of conflict between Jews and Samaritans on where they should worship. (John 4:20) In His answer Yeshua firmly comes down on the side of Israel (John 4:22) but goes on to say the time is coming when people will also not be able to pray in Jerusalem. John 4:21 and John 4:23.
Chukat Numbers 19
Torah Portion: Chukat Numbers 19:1-22:1
HafTorah: Judges 11:1-33
Tonight I would like to look at a couple of issues that I think will help us to move forward in our understanding of G-d’s word and in our own personal spiritual growth. We will start with my question of the week. Why did Moses say in Numbers 19:1 that this is the statute of the Torah? What about this would embody the entire Torah? What can this teach us?
Devarim (Words) Deut. 1
Weekly Torah Section: Devarim Deut. 1:1-3:22, HafTorah Isaiah 1:1-27
This is the last Sabbath before Tish B’Av. It is known as the Sabbath of vision. This comes from the first verse of Isaiah, “the vision of Isaiah, son of Amos.” Isaiah began his ministry in 740, the year King Ussiah died. He prophesied during the reign of four different kings of Israel.
What is Tisha B’Av? It is the day when both the first and second temples were destroyed, first in the year 586 by Nebuchadnezzar and second in the year 70 by Titus. On this day the book of Lamentations is read. This book begins with the same word that we find in Isaiah 1:21. This is one of the reasons that Isaiah is the reading before Tisha B’Av.
Vayakhel (To Assemble) & Pekudei (Take Account)
Weekly Torah Section: Vayakhel (To assemble) Exodus 35:1-38:20 and Pekudei (To Take Account) Exodus 38:21-40:38, Haftorah: I Kings 7:40-8:21
As you can see we cover two Torah sections and two Haftorah sections this week. Rather than try to cover both I would like to talk about one from each. I want to start with the Haftorah from Pekudei. In I Kings 7:51-8:21 we read about the dedication of the Temple by King Solomon. There are many connections between this scripture and the Torah readings. One of the most striking is the cloud of G-d’s glory that filled both the first temple and the tabernacle. I want us to look at this in some depth. Before that, there are a couple of things we need to go over. Solomon, as confirmed in Acts 7:46-47, completed the temple of G-d in seven years and brought all the treasurers of his father David, into the temple.
Terumah (Donate)
Weekly Torah Section: Terumah (Donation) Exodus 25:1-27:19, Haftorah: I Kings 5:12-6:13
Let us start with the Torah Portion which covers the materials used in the construction of the Mishkan (tabernacle). The title of this portion is Terumah. In this word is carried both the thought of an offering but more than that, an offering that is lifted up before G-d. It is totally set apart for Him.