Beha’alotcha (When You Light the Lamp) Num 8-12
Torah Portion: Beha’alotcha (When You Light the Lamps) B’midbar (Numbers) 8:1-12:16
HafTorah: Zechariah 2:13-4:7
In tonight’s Torah portion we see Moshe go from unbridled emotion at being on the journey to the Promised Land to the depths of despair when dealing with the burden of leading the people of Israel. In Numbers 10:29-32 we read where Moshe, speaking to his father-in-law, Jethro, uses the present tense verb of the journey as if it is almost over – the end is just over the next hill and he and the people will be home.
Next we read in Numbers 11:14-15 where he cries out to G-d, “Kill me, I pray you, at once if I have found favor in your sight.” In today’s slang you might say, “Just shoot me already!” What brought this man from being so excited and then one chapter later falling into depression and despair? I would like us to explore this and see what we can find that might help us in our own life when we come to such a place, and we all do at one time or another. To help us I will draw on an article that I read this week by Rabbi Jonathan Sacks.
Part of the answer begins in that we live in a society that prepares or encourages us to think about how to have a great career and how to succeed but leaves us on our own as to how to cultivate an inner life, a spiritual way to live. How do we have a successful life and hold on to our faith no matter what goes on around us? This very thing is the central theme of our Torah portion this week.
Up until now, we have seen Moshe as a strong, great man of G-d. He was the one who stood up to Pharaoh and even in Shemot 32:32 challenged G-d. This is the public Moshe. Like us, it was that external picture that the world saw everyday. However, here in our Torah we see a Moshe that is a lonely man, unsure of himself and finally breaking down. In Numbers 11:4-5 we see one complaint too many for Moshe. Then in Numbers 11:21-29 we find G-d’s answer to Moshe. He is able to see that he is not alone but he has men to help him. Even more importantly G-d is still with him and has not left him. Moshe, in Numbers 11:29, expresses his transformation.
But what happens the next time he is confronted by disappointment? Will he fall back into despair? In Numbers 12:1-3 we see the cruelest blow of all. Moshe’s own brother and sister talk about him, no, gossip about his choice of a wife. Those closest to us can hurt us the most and here we see Moshe rise above the hurt of his sibling’s gossip. In fact, in verse 12:3 we read that, “Now Moshe was very humble, more so than any other man on the face of the earth.”
Mikketz (At the End) Gen 41-44
Torah Portion: Mikketz (At The End) Genesis 41:-44:17
HafTorah: I Kings 3:15-4:1
This week we read about Joseph from his release from prison until his reunion with his brothers after many years apart. They do not recognize him. Why? What they saw was an Egyptian ruler second only to Pharaoh. What had changed with Joseph? What had not?
Shoftim (Judges) Deut 16:18-21:9
Torah Portion: Shoftim (Judges) Devarim (Deut.) 16:18-21:9
HafTorah: Isaiah 51:12-53:12
NT Matt. 5:38-42; 18:15-20; Acts 3:13-26; 7:35-53; I Cor 5:9-13; I Tim 5:17-22; Hebrews 10:28-31
Today I want us to look at Devarim 16:18 to begin our discussion. This verse says to set up judges and policemen in all your gates. First, I would like to look at this on its surface and see how this was applied in both Judaism and Christianity. In the Land in the time of Yeshua every Jewish town had a panel of at least three people considered to be knowledgeable and honest to handle the legal questions that arose in the town. They were to apply Torah principles in their decisions. On a national level there was the Sanhedrin that dealt with the most difficult questions. One rule observed by the people was to bring their cases only before a Jewish court. To take it elsewhere was seen as a great sin. Why? Other Gentile courts would not hand down rulings based on Torah but based on their own system. In I Cor. 6:1-6 we read where Paul uses the same reasoning when speaking to the church at Corinth admonishing them to not go before unbelievers to decide a matter of justice. Why, for the same reason. So early believers were urged to follow the pattern of their roots on this question of judges.