בס”ד

Parashat B’chukotai (in My statutes) Leviticus 26:3-27:34

Haftarah: Jeremiah 16:19-17:14

Shabbat Chazak

In this week’s Torah portion HaShem is calling His people to obedience and promising that there will be great blessing if we walk in that obedience. The greatest blessing is that we can have intimacy with Him,

“I will set My Tabernacle in your midst and My Soul will not reject you.” Leviticus 26:11

The word that most Bibles translate as “reject” is the Hebrew word תגעל. The first time I heard this word being used in Modern Hebrew was from my children when they would say something was “gross”. Today, the word מגעיל is frequently used by children to describe something that they do not want any part of. I checked in a dictionary at home and found another meaning for the word was “disgusting”. It occurred to me that although Yeshua loves us, He still can be disgusted by us when we do not live by His word. I remember hearing a rabbi talking about how one can disappoint HaShem and I thought to myself, “Yes, I am sure there are times that G-d is disappointed by me”. But to think that His Soul would be disgusted by me, well that is something very different, but is actually much closer to the truth.

Is it possible that my actions could really disgust my Savior? Yes indeed, when we reject the lifestyle revealed in the word of G-d. Understand in this brief article the subject is not salvation. It is very puzzling to me why believers continue to want to connect everything to salvation and fail to emphasize the sanctification that salvation is called to bring. If the subject is salvation, then it is the Gospel that is the issue.  But, here we are not talking about whether one is saved or not. Let us for the sake of argument assume that the one we are talking about is indeed saved, that is he has accepted the Gospel message of grace by faith, trusting in Messiah’s work on the tree and not the deeds of man. Does such a one automatically obey G-d? Does not a believer need to be trained in the faith and grow in it and mature? Obviously this is the experience that every believer needs to go through.

Therefore where are we in this process? Without the proper training in the truth of Scriptures, a believer will not mature and will grieve and quench the work of the Holy Spirit and thereby behave in a way which is contrary to the lifestyle to which each believer is called. In other words, left to oneself, without the proper training in the word of G-d, a believer will find himself or herself in a lifestyle that is in conflict with the framework of HaShem for His people and the end result is that we will be disgusting to Him.

I was thinking of these things not only because of what we read in this week’s parashah, but also because of a conversation I had with a friend recently. He is a believer but not living the proper lifestyle. It is not because he does not know it, he feels in bondage to certain behaviors. What is he to do?

Please notice that the next thing that the text in Leviticus deals with is the Exodus from Egypt.

“I am HaShem your G-d, Who brought you out from the land of Egypt from being their slaves and I broke the staves of your yoke and led you uprightly.” Leviticus 26:13

Through the Exodus from Egypt (a physical redemption) the people were set free from a life of bondage to sin, but they needed to accept their new reality / condition. Likewise, through the eternal redemption of Messiah Yeshua we have also had the staves of the yoke of sin broken so that we can live in a very different way. Instead of remaining in the lifestyle that disgusts our Savior Yeshua, let us utilize the truth of Scripture and the Anointing of the Spirit so that we will become a praise unto Him.

Shabbat Shalom  

I Am Counting On You!

I lead a small discipleship group, in which I have been encouraging the members to pray for one another.  I strongly believe that prayer is a simple, yet powerful tool to affect change in each other’s lives.  So I asked each person to commit to pray for one another during the coming week.  Each one committed to do so.

During our meeting the following week, I asked if any of them had followed through with their commitment to pray for each other.  I was met with a sea of blank stares.  Sadly, not only had all but one forgotten entirely about the prayer commitment, but no one had actually prayed.  A few weeks passed, and every week when asked if anyone had prayed, maybe one person had actually remembered and taken the time to pray for the others.

One of the young men in the group served in the IDF in a combat unit.  I asked him, if during battle, he could trust the men in his unit to do their job; he said, “Yes, of course!”  I then asked him if they could also trust him, to which he said, “Yes.”  I asked, “So why is it that we as believers come to our weekly meetings just to find out that the other men on our team did not do their job?  How can we trust one another in the battle?”

The truth is, we followers of the Messiah are in the midst of a war – a Spiritual war.  It is not a war against flesh and blood but against the dark powers of the world (Ephesians 6:12). We cannot live victoriously by ourselves; we need help!  God has given us one another to pray for, so that we may stand in the midst of the daily battle and not fall. It is a great privilege to pray for and encourage our brothers and sisters so that they can continue to run the race set before them, and not fall prey to the weariness of battle.  I believe that if we want to see change in each other’s lives, if we want to see victories, then we must first start to pray for one another.

Will you join me in praying for each other?  I am counting on you!

בס”ד

Parashat Behar (On the Mountain) Leviticus 25:1-26:2

Haftarah: Jeremiah 32:6-27

Usually in years that are not Jewish leap years, Parashat Behar is always read with the following parashah, Bechukotai. This year is an exception. Many have told me that I am a week ahead of the normal schedule. This is not the case. There is simply a difference in the schedule between whether one lives in Israel or in the Diaspora. The reason for the difference had to do with the last day of Unleavened Bread. This day, according to the Torah, is a High Shabbat and this year it fell on a Friday. If one dwells in Israel, then the Passover season ended on sundown Friday and the Shabbat that followed was an ordinary Shabbat with the regular weekly Parashah. However, if one lives outside of Israel, then there is an additional day attached to the last day of Unleavened Bread, as most Holy Convocations have an extra day attached to them for those in the Diaspora (according to rabbinical law). Hence, the Shabbat which followed is called the “Eighth Day of Passover” and has its own Torah Reading. Next week, those in Israel will read only Bechukotai, while those in the Diaspora will read both Behar and Bechukotai and once again the schedule of Torah Readings for those in Israel as well as those outside of Israel will be the same. Now I will speak in regard to this week’s Parashah.

It is safe to say that the primary subject of Parashat Behar is the Land of Israel. Several commandments are spoken of concerning the Land. A simple conclusion that can be reached from this week’s Torah reading is that the Land is important to HaShem. When Israel dwells in the Land and recognizes how G-d wants us to treat and utilize this Land, He will bless Israel with many wonderful results. One such result is that the Jewish people will dwell in Israel securely (See Leviticus 25:18).

What are the implications of this? Instead of Israel engaging in political discussions about giving land away to those who want to destroy them and the modern State of Israel, Israeli leaders should focus on the Biblical commandments concerning the Land and rely on HaShem to deal with their enemies. By the way, if any of you are under the misguided impression that the Palestinians are interested in peace, then you should look closely to how many official Palestinian organizations depict a Palestinian state (on their logos, maps and flags), which claims all of Israel as its borders and not the pre-1967 allotment of land west of the Jordan River (that Jordan controlled) and the Gaza Strip. In other words, the goal and intent of the Palestinians is not a portion of the Land, but all of it; thereby eradicating the State of Israel all together.

Shabbat Shalom

בס”ד

Parashat Emor (Say) Leviticus 21:1-24:23

Haftarah: Ezekiel 44:15-31

At the end of this week’s Torah portion one reads about the administration of the death penalty according to Torah Law. Most know that the Torah demanded that the death penalty be administered by stoning. It was the Romans who utilized crucifixion for the worst offenders as a way to strongly discourage people from going against the Roman Empire. The Jewish leadership, i.e. government was called the Sanhedrin. They were the ones who arrested Yeshua and condemned Him to death. What was Yeshua guilty of? The answer blasphemy— He said He was the Son of G-d. Of course Yeshua is the Son of G-d, fully Divine and without sin. Nevertheless, the Sanhedrin ruled that it was blasphemy for Him to proclaim to be the Messiah (See Mk. 14:61-64).

A puzzling question is why did not the Sanhedrin carry out the death penalty themselves, rather than turning Yeshua over to the Romans? Many would answer that HaShem used this to show that both Jew and Gentile are guilty of Messiah’s death, for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of G-d (See Romans 3:23). Others would answer and say that the Torah law calling for stoning could result not only in Yeshua’s death, but would also likely cause broken bones which would be a violation of Prophecy (See Psalm 34:21 {verse 20 in English}, Exodus 12:46, and Numbers 9:12). Those who assert that the Sanhedrin could not carry out a death sentence without Rome’s approval are simply incorrect (See Acts 7 and the death of Stephen). Most would refer to Galatians 3:13, which states that Messiah was crucified because He redeemed the believer from the curse of the Law, for Deuteronomy 21:23 states that “Accursed is the one hung on the tree”. This is true, but what one needs to know is that although Torah law forbids crucifixion; it needs to be pointed out that after stoning one to death, the body was indeed hung on the tree to shame the one for his sin.

In studying this week’s Parashah I read at the end of the Torah portion,

“And Moses spoke to the Children of Israel, and when they bring the one who cursed outside the camp they shall stone him (with) a stone and the Children of Israel did just as HaShem commanded Moses.” Leviticus 24:23

I read this verse and saw that Rashi noted that one needed to also read Deuteronomy 21:22-23 to understand how the death sentence was fully carried out.

“And for it shall be with a sinful man a death sentence and you shall kill and hang him upon the tree.  And you shall not allow his corpse to hang upon the tree for you shall surely bury on that day; for cursed of G-d is the hung one (on the tree) and you shall not contaminate your land which the L-rd your G-d is giving unto you (as) an inheritance.”   Deuteronomy 21:22-23

This means that after one is stoned to death according to the Torah, his dead body is hung on a tree until sundown. This is what Galatians 3:13 cites. So why was Yeshua crucified? Although the crucifixion has much theological significance, one additional aspect for the crucifixion that relates to why the Sanhedrin wanted Yeshua to die by crucifixion, which was forbidden by Jewish law to be administered to a fellow Jew, was to make a strong statement to other Jewish individuals that they should not cross the rulings and teachings of the Sanhedrin or else a torturous death is what such a person could expect. In other words, because Yeshua pointed out the corruption and how the leadership’s teaching was not Biblically sound, they had Him crucified to serve as a deterrent to anyone else who was thinking of disagreeing with their rule.

Shabbat Shalom

“Who has ever heard of such a thing? Who has ever seen such things? Can a country be born in a day or a nation be brought forth in a moment? Yet no sooner is Zion in labor than she gives birth to her children.” Isaiah 66:8

May 14, 1948 was a day that marked a major change in the history of the world. It was a day that a country was indeed born, and a nation was brought forth in a moment.  It was an historic moment – a miracle.  It was a miracle that, once again, proved God’s faithfulness to keep His promises, which He gave through His prophets.

Yet, as miraculous as that day was, the reality is that Israel is still fighting for its survival.  And as much as we long for the day when Israel will live securely in her borders, Israel will never know physical peace until she knows her Prince of Peace, Yeshua.

This season here in Israel is a very unique one.  Sorrow is mixed with much joy as we solemnly remember those who gave their lives in defense of our country and then less than 24 hours later, we celebrate Israel’s Independence.

This year, as every year, I went to visit and encourage some of the families that have lost their dear ones due to the reality of war here in Israel. In Israel, Memorial Day is a very special day – most of the restaurants, stores, and malls are closed, and the TV and radio have programming that commemorates the fallen.

This is truly a time of reflection about the special gift of life. My son, Oriah, is now six and a half years old, and is starting to understand things. He also asks many questions. As I tell him stories about my friends who died defending Israel, I find myself needing to explain the reality of war, yet trying to be careful to not plant seeds of hatred in his heart towards Israel’s enemies.

I am now starting to think about the cycle of life here in Israel in a deeper way.  I finished my military service about 16 years ago, and in 12 years or so, I am going to be sending my son to his compulsory army service. While defending one’s country holds a great sense of pride, for parents in Israel, we are essentially sending our children to war.  It’s not a natural thing for any parent to knowingly put his child in danger.  Yet here in Israel, it is our reality since we are surrounded by an enemy that eagerly seeks to destroy us.

The future here in Israel is not so promising…everyone knows that the next war will start sooner or later; it’s inevitable.  This is not pessimism – it’s the truth.  For me, all I can do is keep my eyes on God and look forward to the day that He has promised us:

“I will rejoice over Jerusalem and take delight in my people; the sound of weeping and of crying will be heard in it no more.” Isaiah 65:19

May we live to see this day in our lifetime.

בס”ד

Parashiot Acharei Mot and Kedoshim (After death and Holy ones)

Leviticus 16:1-18:30, 19:1-20:27

Haftarah: Amos 9:7-15

This week’s lesson will come from the second of the two Torah portions which are read on this Shabbat. In Parashat Kedoshim HaShem commands Israel to be Holy. One of the primary purposes for this is for Israel to have an influence upon the Gentiles that they too might submit to the same teachings and find the same blessings. In chapter 20 one reads these words,

“And HaShem spoke to Moses saying, ‘and to the Children of Israel you shall say, any man from the Children of Israel and from the dweller who dwells in Israel who gives his seed (child) to Molech shall surely die; the people of the Land (Israel) shall stone him with stone‘” Leviticus 20:1-2

Although most rabbis understand “the dweller who dwells in Israel” as a proselyte, such an interpretation is without foundation. There is no difference in Jewish Law between a convert and one who was born Jewish; hence there would be no reason for stating that this law also applies to a proselyte. Rather this is an example of where Israel must enforce the Torah not only upon fellow Jews, but equally upon a Gentile. Why is this? The answer to this question is that the Gentile who is sinning in Israel is not only acting in a way that injures himself spiritually, but is taking a life of another, namely his child. Therefore, HaShem demands that Israel steps in to save the life of the child.

If the man was not stopped and takes the life of the child, not only is he to be stoned with a stone. Please notice that the word “stone” is in the singular. This is to instruct that those who take part in the stoning are only those who have the capability to throw a stone as hard as necessary to kill a man with one blow and that each participant should throw his stone in such a manner. Why was this? The answer is that the guilty one would die quickly and his suffering should not be prolonged by man. In other words, Israel is only to carry out the death penalty and any suffering is to be administered by HaShem and not man.

Please note that the next three verses speak about the man being cut off from his people. In this context the phrase has to do with an eternal punishment administered by HaShem.

Shabbat Shalom

בס”ד

Parashiot Tazria and Metzora (She will conceive and a Leper)

Leviticus 12:1- 15:33

Shabbat Erev Rosh Chodesh, Haftarah: I Samuel 20:18-42

This week there are two Torah portions which are read. This Shabbat is also the day before the new month of Iyar (Erev Rosh Chodesh); therefore a special prophetic reading is read. The term “Metzora” refers to one who has leprosy. This parashah reveals that even when the leprosy disappears, the leper is not immediately welcomed back into the community, but there is a very involved process that he must go through which is overseen by a Kohan (priest) (See Leviticus 14:1-32). Although there are many aspects of this process, I would like to focus upon just one of these in this short article— the fact that this ritual takes place at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting (See Leviticus 14:11). This is to emphasize that during the period of leprosy, the leper was not only separated from his family and the entire community (lepers had to live alone or in communities with other lepers), but also from HaShem.

Leprosy was a disease and like all other diseases an outcome of sin. Does this mean that everyone who is sick is in that condition because of some sin that he or she committed? Not necessarily, because sin entered into the world due to the original sin in the Garden of Eden. Therefore, because sin is in the world, sickness is one of the outcomes of this condition. Judaism understands leprosy as uniquely related to pride and speaking in a derogatory manner about another (there is Biblical evidence for this view). Behaviors such as these damage relationships with others and the punishment for this behavior was that one was struck with leprosy, like Miriam for example (See Numbers 12). Because the laws of leprosy were so severe, they emphasized to the leper how serious his sin was, ultimately causing him to have no access to G-d. Now, however, during the purification process from leprosy, the leper performs this ritual standing at the door of the Tent of Meeting.  This fact reveals the outcome of healing is not just an end of the disease and the physical and social benefits being restored to him, but first and foremost the restoration of one’s relationship with HaShem.

In speaking about the work of Messiah, healing leprosy is one of the traditional signs that would identify one as the Messiah; hence, not only did Yeshua perform this miracle to reveal His identity as the Messiah, but the healing of leprosy, being associated with the work of Messiah, teaches one what the primary work of Messiah is— to restore man back to the condition he had in the Garden of Eden, when Adam had access to HaShem.

Shabbat Shalom

בס”ד

Parashat Shemini (Eight) Leviticus 9:1-11:47

Haftarah: II Samuel 6:1-7:17

In this week’s Torah portion one learns a very basic principle for spiritual growth. It is not that this principle is so profound, but it is often times ignored. Before stating this principle let us remember that one of man’s primary tasks is to behave in a manner that manifests the glory of HaShem. There is only one way to do this, it is through obedience. In the opening section of this week’s parashah Moses is speaking to Aaron concerning the work of the Kohanim. Moses states,

“This is the thing which HaShem commanded that you (all the Kohanim) shall do and the glory of HaShem will appear unto you.” Leviticus 9:6

Not only does this verse reveal that through obedience to what G-d commands is the glory of G-d manifested, but the verse literally states that the glory will be manifested unto the one who performs what HaShem commanded. In other words, through obedience the believer will grow in his understanding of HaShem. Why is this? The answer is because the glory of G-d is inherently related to His attributes. This is clearly taught in Exodus chapters 33 and 34. In this section Moses beseeches HaShem to show him His glory (Exodus 33:18). In response to this, G-d allowed Moses to see His back. When this occurred, Moses was carving out the second set of tablets and when HaShem descended in a cloud and stood there with Moses, HaShem proclaimed His 13 attributes (Exodus 34:5-7).

By the way, this section from Exodus is what is read on the Shabbat that occurs during the Feast of Unleavened Bread. This year, because the first day of Unleavened Bread began on Shabbat, there is no Shabbat Chol HaMoed. Outside of Israel, because an additional day is observed, there are different readings this Shabbat. There are:

Torah Reading: Deuteronomy 14:22-16:17

Maftir: Numbers 28:19-25

Haftarah: Isaiah 10:32-12:6

Shabbat Shalom

For Such a Time as This … Part 3

Do you know your God?  Do you know His Voice?

I believe that these are two of the most important questions that one needs to ask him/herself.  There is urgency in our days to truly know God, and to be able to distinguish His voice in the midst of so many other voices.  Considering the times in which we live, discerning His voice is key to understanding His will.

I think the story of Samuel as a young boy is a great example of knowing God’s voice:

”The boy Samuel ministered before the LORD under Eli. In those days the word of the LORD was rare; there were not many visions.  One night Eli, whose eyes were becoming so weak that he could barely see, was lying down in his usual place. The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the LORD, where the ark of God was. Then the LORD called Samuel.  Samuel answered, “Here I am.” And he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.” But Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.” So he went and lay down.  Again the LORD called, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.” “My son,” Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.”Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD (emphasis mine): The word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him. The LORD called Samuel a third time, and Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.” Then Eli realized that the LORD was calling the boy. So Eli told Samuel, “Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, ‘Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place. The LORD came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening. (emphasis mine)” 1 Sam 3:1-10

Because Samuel did not personally know His Lord, he thought that Eli was speaking to him. In order for one to be able to hear God, one must first know God, i.e. have a personal relationship with Him, and know His Word (Scripture). Nowadays, many people know how to say the right things, how to behave in the right way, sing the words of great worship songs, and even know how to pray in the right way. However, many of these have never had a personal revelation of God; they appear to know Him from the outside, but would not be able to distinguish Him from any other god.

There are many temptations around us; there are many gods that man has made for himself; there are many voices out there, and let’s be honest, quite often we choose to heed the one that “tickles our ears”. It’s the voice that makes us feel good versus the one from God that often asks us to do things that challenge us and make us uncomfortable.

So what are we to do?  Let me offer my conviction that the Body of Messiah needs to wake up and realize that if we say what we believe, if we say that we know the One and Only True God, if we truly hear His Voice, then we can turn this into obedience to His call for such a time as this.

So again I ask: Do you know your God? What voice are you paying attention to?

Shabbat Shalom,

Moran

בס”ד

The First Day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread

Torah Reading: Exodus 12:21-51

Maftir: Numbers 28:16-25

Haftarah: Joshua 3:5-7, 5:2-6:1, 6:27

This Shabbat is not only a regular seventh day Shabbat, but it is also a High Shabbat, that is a Festival Day which forbids work from being done. This was not the case during the Passover when Yeshua laid down His life; for in the Gospel according to John one reads,

“Therefore the Jewish leaders, because it was the preparation day (the 14^th day of Nissan), that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on Shabbat, for this Shabbat was a high day, Pilate ordered the legs should be broken so they might be taken down.” John 19:31

John makes it clear that it was not a day before the regular Shabbat, i.e. Friday; rather the text states it was the preparation day. This fact informs the reader that it was the day that Israel killed the lambs in order to observe the Torah commandment of partaking of the Passover lamb in the evening. One must remember that the 14^th day of Nissan is called Passover because it was on this day that the lamb was killed and prepared to be eaten on the eve of the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread. Why could not Yeshua’s Passover be like this year’s (5772) when the preparation day is on Friday and Shabbat is both a regular seventh day Shabbat and the First day of Unleavened Bread?

The answer is because the women bought the spices to anoint the body of Yeshua after Shabbat (this Shabbat was a holiday, i.e., the 15^th day of Nissan—See Mark 16:1) and prepared the spices and ointments prior to the seventh day Shabbat (See Luke 23:56). Hence the preparation day (Passover) had to be on a Wednesday and the 15^th day of Nissan (the Holiday Shabbat) was a Thursday. This means that the women bought the spices after the Holiday Shabbat (Mark 16:1), on Friday and prepared them along with the ointment on the same day (Friday) (Luke 23:56) and then rested on Shabbat. The fact that we are told that Yeshua was in the tomb for three days and nights, having been put in the tomb at sundown Wednesday, means that He rose immediately after the Shabbat, on the first day of the week as the Scripture declares. Please remember that according to the Biblical reckoning; Saturday night is the first day of the week as the day ends at sundown.

Passover Semeach v’Kasher and Shabbat Shalom