May 2024
TORAH REFLECTION
Torah Reflection 32
Beha’alotcha (When you light)
After TWELVE consecutive days, on which representatives of each of the tribes of Israel had brought identical offerings for the dedication of the altar. Silver platters filled with fine grain mixed with oil as a grain offering. Gold pans filled with incense, one young bull, one ram, one male lamb in its first year, as a burnt offering. One kid of the goats as a sin offering. And as the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs in their first year. Complete equanimity among the tribes.
Then Moses went into the tabernacle of meeting to speak with the LORD. And the voice of the LORD came to him from above the Mercy Seat which was on top of the Ark. I am continually reminded as I ‘reflect’ on these Scriptures of the meticulous detail of the LORD’S instructions in His communication with Moses. The artisans who had made the lampstand which now stood on the south side of the Holy Place had followed the instructions to the letter. But it seems that the LORD was not satisfied with the way the light was projected towards the Altar of Incence and the Table of Showbread on the north side. It needed to be turned 90 deg to be parallel with the side of the chamber! And this provides another lesson for us, if we needed it, to indicate precision in God’s instructions. Nothing sloppy, ambiguous or optional about God’s commands and statutes.
Two weeks ago, we ‘reflected’ on the fact that God had determined, following the last plague which was visited on the Egyptians, that the firstborn males of the Israelites were “consecrated to Himself “(Exodus 13), and that there was a 273 discrepancy in numbers between the firstborn males of the whole camp of Israel (22,273) and the number of Levites (22,000) who were 1 month old and above. In our text today, when the altar was dedicated for purpose, we have the account of the manner in which those Levites, (whom God had accepted in substitution for the firstborn males), were consecrated and prepared for the task of service in their tabernacle duties. They were first “ceremonially cleansed”. They were ‘sprinkled’ with water of purification. They were bodily shaved. They presented a ‘sin offering’ to the LORD, and had the whole congregation lay hands on them, before the High Priest made a ‘wave offering’ of them to the LORD. Finally, another ‘sin offering’, a ‘burnt offering’ and a ‘wave offering’. Only then did the LORD declare to the whole congregation that “They are wholly given to Me from among the children of Israel.” And He declared to the whole assembly “I have given the Levites as a gift to Aaron and his sons from among the children of Israel, to do the work for the children of Israel in the tabernacle of meeting, and to make atonement for the children of Israel, that there be no plague among the children of Israel when the children of Israel come near the sanctuary.” FIVE times He mentioned the whole congregation of people in that declaration. But the LORD had one more stipulation. They began their tabernacle duties at 25 years of age and retired from them at 50 years of age. No exceptions.
Exactly one year after the Israelites had left Egypt, in the Wilderness of Sinai, the Tabernacle was set up and functioning. (please note here that the events of Leviticus 9 could not have occurred before the tabernacle was functioning, indicating further that Leviticus is not a “journey” book and cannot be chronologically earlier than Numbers) The LORD instructed Moses that it was time to remember the Passover event in Egypt. It has been an annual remembrance ever since, but provision is made here for anyone who is not able to keep that remembrance on the appointed day, it is permissible not remember it one month later.
Instruction is also given about the function of the cloud that appeared over the Tabernacle when it was first set up. It would be their guide about when to move. By night that cloud had the appearance of fire. “Whether it was two days, a month, or a year that the cloud remained above the Tabernacle, the children of Israel would remain encamped and not journey; but when it was taken up they would journey.” Two silver trumpets were made in order to warn the assembly about meetings at the Tabernacle, and to announce the setting off times of the tribes encamped on each side of the Tabernacle when the cloud moved. Just over one month after that first Passover remembrance, the cloud was taken up, and the long journey commenced, six tribes ahead of the Tabernacle and six tribes behind it. Everything in order.
Moses’ brother in law, Hobab, who evidently had been with the Israelites in Egypt, and was still with them. was invited to journey with them to the place God had promised them. A most interesting ‘side issue’ that has remained in the record of these times for our enlightenment. This one “alien” family in with a couple of million Israelites. So what? I hear. It speaks to me about the inclusiveness that God extends to those who willingly join in acceptance of, and fellowship with, God’s chosen. Moses was able to give Hobab assurance that “Whatever good the LORD will do to us, we will do to you.” Additionally to solicit from Hobab the benefits of his desert experience. Another provision of God’s grace to His chosen people. I sincerely believe that even, or perhaps especially, today, God is calling gentile believers to join with His chosen, in faith, to benefit from, and contribute to, the welfare, experience, and knowledge of Himself. It is part of His unconditional promise to Abram. “I will bless those that bless you.” There were complaints and grievances on that long journey. Moses bore the burdens and concerns of the people and interceded on their behalf. A mighty and effective leader. And God promised later, that He would raise up another such leader for the people. And He did.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
TORAH REFLECTION
Torah Reflection 31
Naso (Take a Census)
The sons of Levi were Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. Their descendants were assigned the important duties of transportation of the Tabernacle and its furnishings. Last week’s ‘reflection’ ended with the 2,750 members of the Kohathite family assigned the task of carrying the contents of the Most Holy Place. They were not allowed inside the Most Holy Place whilst Aaron and his sons were carefully wrapping those items, and even then those items were not to be touched by the carriers, but were borne on the special poles designed for that purpose. They had been given special dispensation from Almighty God Himself to carry out that task, which in normal circumstances would result in their being “cut off”, a death sentence, for approaching those holy things. Look at the detail given to Aaron and his sons in just preparing the items to be transported. Aaron’s son Eleazar was tasked with supervision of that most important work of the Kohathites with regard to the Most Holy Place.
Our reading this week continues with the additional census of the families of Gershon and Merari, which together numbered a further 5,830 men between the ages of 30 and 50. People who could be expected to be reliable and experienced. The total number of men assigned to transport the Tabernacle and its furnishings was 8,580 men. Aaron’s son Ithamar was given the task of supervising the work of the Gershonites, and Merariites. An extremely good lesson in delegated authority.
Moses was then entrusted with the task of instructing the people regarding a number of other issues with which God knew they would be be confronted on their long journey to the land, and certainly after they arrived there to dwell. These instructions have never been revoked, but many of them are no longer observed in society today. However, everyone who experienced the Covid-19 plague, which China introduced to the world in 2020, would be quite familiar with the first instruction mentioned in our text. “Social distancing”. But of the extreme kind. Contagious and infectious conditions were to be removed to a place outside the camp to minimise the spread of those infections. It seems to have been most effective because we have no account of any such epidemic within the ranks of the Israelites during their long journey. We know from our earlier ‘reflections’ in Leviticus that there were means by which those who recovered were able to rejoin the camp on the evidence presented to their priest. It is similar, but different, to the clinical systems which operate today.
Then came a string of misdemeanours and their remedy! I note the wording at the commencement of this part of our text “When a man or a woman commits any sin …”. There seems to be no ambiguity does there? Otherwise the word “WHEN” would have been replaced with the word “IF”. God knows the ways of men (and women). “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked:” said Jeremiah. “I, the LORD, search the heart, I test the mind, even to give every man according to his ways. According to the fruit of his doings.” That alone is well worth our pondering. But God is also gracious and loving, and in His instruction to Moses He included the path to forgiveness. And it was NOT “a once for all time” solution. In paraphrase here He said “The person who is the guilty party shall first confess the sin which he has committed. Then make restitution in full plus 20%. Then come to Me with the appropriate offering of sacrifice.” As I note the wording I perceive three important steps to getting right with God here. First to put things right with the one wronged. Second to make appropriate restitution. Third present yourself before a holy God for His forgiveness. EVERY TIME.
This Torah portion is well known for ONE important, oft quoted, section. We know it more commonly as “The Aaronic Blessing”. And a blessing it was, and is still today. In our churches now, it is very often used as a benediction or prayer. Each line being accompanied by the injunction and expectation that the Lord “MAY” do these things. But it is neither a benediction nor a prayer in the original. It is infinitely MORE than that. We remind ourselves of the circumstances in which these words were spoken. Firsly, they were spoken by their revered High Priest. A man they recognised as God’s representative in their midst. A man to whom they took their offerings of penitence. Trusted. At the same time, on a personal level, none of them knew where they were, other than it was a desert place. They did not know where they were going, except that it was a land promised to them by God hundreds of years earlier. And finally, they had no idea when they might arrive at their destination, wherever that might be!
And when Aaron was given these words to speak, he was also given the reason for speaking them. “So they shall put My name on the children of Israel, and I WILL bless them.” The words were positive words of PROMISE. “I WILL bless them.” So that was the spirit in which they were spoken. As they made that long journey to the land of God’s promise, these words went before them.
The LORD will bless you and keep you:
The LORD will make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you:
The LORD will lift up His countenance upon you,
And give you His Shalom.
Consider those words carefully. Ask God what He requires of you that you too may count on them as His promise to you on your journey of faith, as they were to those Israelites on their journey to their land of God’s promise.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
TORAH REFLECTION
Torah Reflection 30
Bamidar (In the Wilderness)
A brief word of explanation here. The history of the children of Israel, from God’s promise to Abram in Genesis 12, to their journey to and from Egypt, and the occupation of the land of God’s promise, is contained in just eleven Books in our Bible. Whilst the other 28 Books are instructional, and are written to the Israelites, they do not form part of their ‘journey’ to and in the land. Leviticus and Deuteronomy are not ‘journey’ Books, so the Book of Numbers takes up the story of their ‘journey’ where Exodus leaves off.
God instructed Moses to take a census of all the men from each tribe who were 20 years old and above. The census was obtained by each tribal head reciting the names of those in their extended families who were in that category. These were all men who were judged by God to be capable of “going to war” in defence of the whole gathering. The total number, from which the tribe of Levi was excused, was six hundred and three thousand, five hundred and fifty. Quite an army eh! But it also indicates that whilst the land was a “promise” of God to them, there would be struggles and hard work, even battles to be won, to get there. Is there a lesson here? Our journey of faith today carries with it God’s promise of eternal life. (the proverbial promised land) Yeshua told us in Matthew 10 and 24 and in Mark 13 that “He who endures to the end shall be saved.” There are many trials, temptations, and struggles before us as we journey along salvation’s road. And certainly that was true for the Israelites on their journey.
Then each of the tribes were instructed to set up their camp, under their own banner, some distance from the Tent of Meeting. Each tribe in its allotted place. Three tribes on each side so that the Tent of Meeting was right in the centre. Close by were the tribe of Levi, who were charged with responsibility of caring for, dismantling, carrying, and remounting the Tabernacle and its furniture. Instructions were given for the order in which the tribes would set off when the pillar of cloud moved to a new place. Six tribes in front, Levites carrying the Tabernacle in the centre, and six tribes to the rear. Very orderly. It is noted that the census did not include women, people under 20, or the Levites. It is reasonable therefore to conclude that the body of people involved must have been close to 2 million!!
Moses then instructed Aaron and his two remaining sons regarding their duties as priests before the LORD, and appointed the whole tribe of Levi as servants of Aaron and his sons to do the work of attending to the Tent of Meeting and its furniture. But it was made clear to Moses that God had made the tribe of Levi His own. They were effectively a ransom to God for all the firstborn of the Israelites who survived the Passover plague, the death of the firstborn, on the night the Israelites left Egypt. And now it was time to take a census of the Levites. God was keeping account. But this census included all males one month old and above. And as the census proceeded, each family of the Levites were allotted a camping place near the Tabernacle, and given instructions about their particular responsibilities for movement of specific parts of the tabernacle and its furnishings. Very detailed and orderly.
The census of Levites ordered by God, showed that 22,000 males above 1 month old were counted. These were accepted by God in part substitution for the firstborn males who were saved during the Passover plague in Egypt. They were consecrated to the LORD as a result, (Exodus 13:1,2) Then God told Moses to count the number of the whole assembly of Israelites who were firstborn males. There were 22,273 such, now consecrated to the LORD, who had not perished in the Passover plague in Egypt, Moses was commanded that a monetary amount of five shekels per person was to be given to Aaron as redemption money to make up for that 273 shortfall as compensation for not having the full number of consecrated persons to serve him in the work of the Tabernacle. The total sum (5 x 273) of 1,365 shekels was collected from the firstborn of the tribes and given to Aaron. There is a lesson here too. God gave what was His, all those consecrated to Himself, for the work in the Tabernacle. Many of us would have said “Oh! 22,000, that’s close enough.” Wouldn’t we? But God gives full measure every time. And it is quite reasonable to assume that that is what He expects of us too.
It is interesting that within Judaism still, as baby boys are circumcised on the eighth day according to God’s commandment, parents consider that these baby boys are rightfully God’s own. So they ceremonially give a five shekel coin to the Rabbi in order to ‘redeem’ that child back from God. And they are treasured as a result!
Now our reading this week concludes with another example of the meticulous way in which the Israelites were commanded to carry out their duties. The Kohath families, were assigned an important task. They were to carry the contents of the Most Holy Place as they moved from location to location following the pillar of cloud. Firstly, they were told to select only those between the ages of 30 and 50. People who could be expected to be reliable and experienced. Look at the detail given to Aaron and his sons in just preparing the items to be transported. Those assigned to this part of the transportation totalled 2,750 men. They were not allowed inside the Most Holy Place whilst Aaron and his sons were packing those items, and even then those items were not to be touched by them, but were carried on poles.
When we observe the care God takes with such instructions, we know that He wants us to take care too.
Shabbat Shalom
RS