The fruit, the woman, and us

Shalom to all, here is our study for Beresheit chapters 3 and 4. 

You may eat fruit from all of the other trees in the garden, just not this one.

“Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which Yehovah Elohim had made. And he said to the woman, has Elohim said, Do not eat of every tree of the garden?” (Gen 3:1)

 Tactics of the adversary

 The adversary then, and now, comes to us and often exaggerates what Elohim has instructed us to do and not do. He also makes it sound oppressive. The serpent didn’t say, “Did Elohim say you could eat of all of the trees, except one?” He didn’t put his question in terms of the bounty Chava was allowed to partake of. No, he made it sound as though being prohibited from eating from that one tree, out of all the other trees, was such a burden.

 He still uses the same tactic today.

 Consider the Shabbat. He instructs us to work for six days and do all our labors, and then the seventh we are to rest from our labors and work, and not cause others to work. What does the adversary say? “What a burden it is to not be able to work on Saturdays! How can Elohim expect you to not work, go shopping, or cause others to work one whole day of the week? There is no way anybody could do that.”

 Or consider the clean food instructions. Father says we can eat meat from any clean animal, and all fruits and vegetables. But how does the adversary present the issue to us? “How can Elohim put such a burden on you that you can’t eat pork, or shellfish, or snakes, rats, and bats? You are so deprived! Why should Elohim have the nerve to tell you not to eat such delicacies?”

 Elohim can make the rules

 When we think about it simply, Elohim created all things, He has the right and responsibility to instruct us how we should live, He loves us, and wants what is best for us. If we love Him, we accept His instructions and do our best to live by them from our hearts out of love for Him and love for our neighbor, with all our heart, all our soul, and all our strength.

 The adversary doesn’t stop once he has our attention and has lied to us.

 His next step is to get us to see his temptation, really see it in a manner that entices us.

 “And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, (sakal - prudent, circumspect, insight, comprehend, notice wisdom is not among the meanings of this Hebrew word) she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat; and she gave also unto her husband with her, and he did eat.” (Gen 3:6)

   “Seeing” the adversary’s way

 Chava had probably seen the fruit on the tree many times, but Elohim said don’t eat it, and she saw it as you or I might see a tree at the side of the road as we drive by. After we have driven by the same tree a few times, we no longer even consciously notice it. But the adversary put a big orange sign on the tree. He made Chava see it as food, even though it was not, he made her see it as delightful instead of just like all the other trees, and he made her see it as desirable rather than detestable.

 To guard and cherish

How many things today have taken on the façade of good, delightful, and desirable? Not to you perhaps, but to the indoctrinated masses who flock into the streets leaving destruction in their wake out of a sense of “good” or “justice"? Part of Adam’s charge was to guard the garden. Our charge is to guard the words of Yehovah. Another sense of guard is to cherish because of their value and because it is our Father in Heaven who has given them to us. It goes back to love. Do we love our Father enough to cherish and obey His instructions?

 May we always love Elohim enough to keep His commandments, not out of duty, but out of returning His love that was so great He sent His only begotten Son. Shalom and blessings.

 October 31 we will study Beresheit Ch. 5-6, Jeremiah Ch. 2,  Matthew 5-7 I pray you will join us.

Portion Ki Tavo, Deuteronomy 26:1-29:9

 Who wouldn’t want that?

 

“And it will be, if you shall listen carefully to the voice of Yehovah your El, to guard and to do all His commandments which I command you today, Yehovah your El will set you on high above all nations of the earth.” (Deu 28:1)

 

It’s a simple instruction; listen to what Elohim instructs us to do, guard His instructions, and actually do what He tells us to do, and an entire list of blessings will follow.

 

“You shall be blessed in the city, and be blessed in the field. The fruit of your body shall be blessed, and the fruit of your ground, and the fruit of your cattle, the increase of your cows, and the flocks of your sheep. Your basket and your store shall be blessed. You shall be blessed when you come in, and blessed when you go out. Yehovah shall cause your enemies that rise up against you to be stricken before your face. They shall come out against you one way, and flee before you seven ways. Yehovah shall command the blessing on you in your storehouses, and all that you set your hand to. And He shall bless you in the land which Yehovah your El gives you. Yehovah shall establish you a holy people to Himself, as He has sworn to you, if you shall keep the commandments of Yehovah your El and walk in His ways. And all the peoples of the earth shall see that you are called by the name of Yehovah, and they shall be afraid of you. And Yehovah shall prosper you in goods, in the fruit of your body, and in the fruit of your cattle, and in the fruit of your ground, in the land which Yehovah swore to your fathers to give you. Yehovah shall open to you His good treasure, the heaven to give the rain to your land in its season, and to bless all the work of your hand. And you shall loan to many nations, and you shall not borrow.” (Deu 28:3-12)

 

Who wouldn’t want those blessings?

 

The first criteria is listen carefully, shema, to what Elohim says. This isn’t the, in one ear and out the other, kind of listening. It’s the kind where dad sits you down and says “LISTEN to me!” It’s the kind where if you “listen” and then don’t do what he tells you to do, you didn’t really listen in the first place, you might have heard, but you didn’t listen.

 

The second criteria is to guard, shomer, the instructions. Notice the root of both shema and shomer are a shin and a mem. In Hebrew, when words have common roots, they have common meanings. To guard the instructions means to keep them from being changed by adding to them or subtracting from them, and from changing their original intent. One example is changing “You shall not incline after the majority to do evil,” to “You shall incline after the majority,” which the rabbis did change.

 

The third criteria is to do, asah, His instructions. This means to actually do what we are told to do. If Elohim says “Keep the Sabbath Day holy,” that’s what he wants us to do. He doesn’t expect us to make up loopholes so we can do what we want on the day He has set apart. We learn in the Torah and the Prophets some of what not to do, buy and sell, work, engage in commerce.

 

Unfortunately, looking at history, too many people who claim to follow the God of the Bible ignore many of His instructions so they can live their lives the way they want to live them. As committed followers of the LORD of Hosts, the God of the Bible, the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Yeshua, our calling is to love Him with all our heart, all our soul, and all our strength, and that includes doing what He says, the way He says to do it, and finding joy in doing so. 

Torah portion Tzav

Torah portion Tzav

Why did Elohim give us these portions on sacrifice considering that for two thousand years we have had no temple, and therefore no sacrifices have been performed?

Why take up valuable space in the Torah to explain them in such detail?

One reason is that we are living in the times of the end. We haven’t needed these instructions on offerings for two thousand years, but when they were given, there were still almost fifteen hundred years during which the sacrifices would be performed, and the people needed to know how they were performed.

But why are we reading about them this week in 2020?

All things come with a price.

The reason is difficult to see in English, but in Hebrew is clearer.

What we read as sin offering is simply sin chatat in Hebrew. Same with guilt, or trespass, offering. In Hebrew, it is guilt, asham. In a clear sense, we bring our guilt and our sin and the priest burns them in the fire on the altar.

While we don’t bring animal offerings, we still have the opportunity and responsibility to bring our sin and guilt to the heavenly altar.

Complete dedication

When a non-priest sins, the priest who offers the person’s sacrifice gets to eat a portion as payment for his service. But when a priest sins, his offering is completely consumed. No part of the offering is eaten.

Yeshua told us we are to be a nation of priests, and as such, we are told to offer ourselves as a living sacrifice, completely, just as the priest’s offering in our Torah portion this week.

No part of us is to be held back.

Separation/set apart/holy

Our Torah portion makes a clear separation between priests and everyone else. Priests are consecrated and anointed. They are holy, set apart, to the work of the tabernacle and to the service of Elohim. The work they do is no less physical, precise, or demanding than anyone else, but it is all in service to Elohim.

Even when they return to their homes after their assignment at the tabernacle is completed for that season, they are still the teachers of the Torah to their community.

Do all to Yehovah

So to, we should recognize that regardless of the work we do, our careers, our service, even in our families, even as we are counseled in the Apostolic writings, “And whatever you may do, work from the soul as to the Lord and not to men,” (Col 3:23).

By doing so, we are witnesses to His glory, and as we do, we will “Let our light so shine before men, that they may see our good works, and glorify our Father which is in heaven.” (Mat 5:16).

Torah portion Vayikra 2020

Torah portion Vayikra, and he called, Leviticus 1:1 – 6:7

Be aware of our actions

It could also be said, beware of our actions. We can at times be engaged in actions that seem to be right, but if we are to stop and consider what we are doing, we could well recognize that they are not in accordance with Father’s will or His plans for us.

We see an example of this recognition in our portion this week.

If all the assembly (aydot) of Israel shall err, and the thing has been hidden from the eyes of the assembly, and they do that which is not to be done to any of all the commands of Yehovah, and are guilty; when the sin shall be known, that which they have sinned against it, then the congregation (kahal) shall bring near a bull, a son of the herd, for a sin offering. And they shall bring it in front of the tabernacle of the congregation. And the elders of the congregation (aydot) shall lay their hands on the head of the bull before the face of Yehovah. And they shall slaughter the bull before the face of Yehovah. (Lev 4:13-15)

If All the assembly shall err

“If all the assembly (aydot),” basically all the people, or at least the majority, “shall err,” in other words, they have been doing something wrong in Elohim’s eyes, but they were unaware. When they become aware of their sin, transgression, or iniquity, they are to stop doing it, turn from their violation, and offer sacrifice.

We learn that it is both conceivable and prophesied in this that the entire assembly, each person, could be in violation. When it becomes known, it is the responsibility of the congregation, kahal, translated into the Greek in the Apostolic Writings as church to bring the sacrifice, and the elders, the representatives, of the people, aydot are to sacrifice the bull.

How could all the assembly err?

Why were the people allowed to get into the situation where they as a whole were engaged in a violation of the instructions?

One possible answer is they thought they were doing it right and nobody bothered to check back with the written instructions. Another answer may be that they were led astray, either by one of their own group, or by strangers who came into Israel with a “better” idea. The reason we are shown in the Apostolic Writings is that the leadership was afraid Rome would come and take their places and the nation; they were afraid of the government.

Return to the TaNaKh

Regardless of the reason, our responsibility is to return to the Torah and TaNaKh and find out what Elohim says we are to do, and not do, and change what we are doing to comply with His instructions. In Yeshua’s day, we see a fulfillment of this prophetic instruction given in our portion. Caiaphas the high priest recently said,

‘“You know nothing at all, Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not.’ And this spoke he not of himself: but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Yeshua should die for that nation;” (Joh 11:49-51)

Then, in violation of the Torah, Caiaphas tears his garment, and the elders proceed prophetically to carry out the Torah instructions for a sin sacrifice for the people.

Then the high priest tore his garments, saying, He blasphemed! Why do we have any more need of witnesses? Behold, now you have heard His blasphemy. What does it seem to you? And answering, they said, He is liable to death. Then they spat in His face, and beat Him with the fist, and some slapped Him, saying, Prophesy to us, Christ. Who is the one striking You? (Mat 26:65-68)

Insurance against error

If even the elders in Yeshua’s day and in the congregation in the wilderness can go astray and lead the people astray, even so it can happen in our day.

We should be mindful to return often to the Scriptures and reflect on our actions and philosophies to see they align with Father’s instructions. In this way, in our day and culture we may be blessed to be, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of Yahweh, make his paths straight.” (Mat 3:3)

Draw near

That is why we study the Torah portion every week, to become conversant with Father’s actual instructions and to draw near to Him. As recorded in James, “Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. (Jas 4:8)

Have a blessed and healthy week. Shalom.

Torah Portion Vayak'hel 2020

A short side note to begin

Even as our nation, and the world is in the throes of this Coronavirus scare, we do ourselves an injustice by not recognizing Elohim.

There is much talk about what businesses, governments, and healthcare systems can do to stem the pandemic. But what about turning to Elohim? True we had a national day of prayer, but what about a national month of prayer?

Is it so far fetched that we should take more than a single day to appeal to the only one who truly has an answer to the dilemma and panic? May we continue to lift up our world, our nation, our families, and ourselves to our Father, plead for forgiveness for excluding Him from our nation, that this will pass soon, and we will be able to resume normal life with a renewed sense of Yehovah’s hand in the world.

This, as all science and tribulation should cause us to turn to Elohim. May this do so.

Torah portion Vayak’hel

Our portion deals with a time when Israel is in the wilderness. They have no means of increase since they move at a moment’s notice and never know how long they will dwell in any one place. I will deal with one aspect of the building of the tabernacle.

Moshe has come down from the mountain for the second time. His face shines with the close personal encounter he had with Yehovah. His first order of business was to share with the people the commandments he was given in the mount. The second is building the tabernacle. He tells the people,

“Take from among you an offering unto Yehovah: whosoever is of a willing heart, let him bring it, an offering of Yehovah; gold, and silver, and brass,” (Exo 35:5)

What did the Children of Israel take from Mitzrayim? All the things that would later be needed to build the tabernacle. Gold, silver, and brass, scarlet, purple, and blue cloth. It’s almost as if Elohim had this in mind when he told the people to ask of their neighbors certain items.

A willing heart

Just as Elohim commanded Moshe, he took offerings from all those with a willing heart, any other offering, either by constraint or persuasion would be unacceptable. Even as it is unacceptable today for someone to come to Elohim because they are forced, or feel they need to to please someone else. It is only the willing who come to Him for no other reason than that they want to come to Him. Often that desire is preceded by an external event, such as addiction, introspection, or need, but the decision still needs to be the result of the person being willing to come to Elohim. As David phrased it,

“O Adonai, open my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth your praise. For you don’t desire sacrifice; else would I give it: you delight not in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.” (Psa 51:15-17)

Forced conversion isn’t really conversion

That is one reason the idea of forced conversion is anathema to biblical teaching. It was practiced during times past, and is still practiced today to some extent. Forced conversion is a major tenet of Mohammedan theology, “convert or die.” It is one more evidence that their theology is deeply flawed. Far from a God of love, their god is one of force and violence at the core.

Father’s key to calm

Be alert to the blessings and instruction Elohim is sharing with us, and to the deceptions rampant in the world. Stay close to His word in the Bible and close to Him in prayer, obedience, and meditations. In this way we will divide truth from error and be able to follow Him through whatever awaits us.

“If you love me, keep my commandments.” (Jn 14:15)

“There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear: because fear has torment.” (1Jn 4:18)

Torah portion Ki Tisa

Messiah Yeshua and the brass laver

This week’s Torah portion includes the instructions for the brass laver for the priests to wash in prior to serving in the tent of meeting, or offering sacrifices. It is instructive where this is placed in the list of instructions as well as when and what the priests were to wash.

“And Yehovah spoke to Moses, saying, ‘And you shall make a bronze laver for washing, and its base bronze. And you shall put it between the tabernacle of the congregation and the altar; and you shall put water there. And Aaron and his sons (the kohanim) shall wash from it, their hands and their feet; as they go into the tabernacle of the congregation they shall wash with water, and shall not die; or as they draw near to the altar to minister, to burn a fire offering to Yehovah. And they shall wash their hands and their feet, and shall not die. And it shall be a never ending statute to them, to him and to his seed for their generations.’” (Exo 30:17-21)

When Yeshua’s final hours approached, he sat with the disciples at the Passover. Notice that it says “Before the feast of the Passover.” If they are eating the Passover, why does it say “before”?

Feast of Passover/Feast of Unleavened Bread

In Yeshua’s day, as it continues even today, the terms Feast of Unleavened Bread and Feast of Passover are at times used interchangeably. It is likely the writer is actually recording that this meal, the Passover is before the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which begins the next day, the 15^th of Aviv. That aside, look what happens.

“Now before the feast of the Passover, when Yeshua knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end… He rose from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself. After he poured water into a basin, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded. Then he came to Simon Peter: and Peter said unto him, ‘Lord, do you wash my feet?’ Yeshua answered and said, ‘What I do you know not now; but you shall know hereafter.’ Peter said to him, ‘You shalt never wash my feet.’ Yeshua answered him, If I don’t wash you, you have no part with me.’ Simon Peter said to him, ‘Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head.’ Yeshua said to him, ‘He that is washed only needs to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and you are clean, but not all.’… So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said to them, ‘Do you know what I have done to you? You call me Master and Lord: and you say well; for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.’” (Joh 13:1-17)

He that is washed

Note that Yeshua says, “He that is washed…” The disciples would have washed their hands in preparation for the meal as required by both sanitation and tradition. Now Yeshua washes their feet. Both washings are required of the priests before a sacrifice or entering the Tabernacle.

Yeshua has named them a kingdom of priests. He is about to go to His own sacrifice, and the curtain of the temple will be rent showing that the way is open into the Holy Place for all  priests, not just the descendants of Aharon.

They didn’t understand yet, but we do

That is why Yeshua said to them, “What I do you know not now; but you shall know hereafter.” They didn’t yet understand that through His death, Yeshua would open the way into the Holy Place for all who covenant with Father so they may “Come boldly before the throne of grace.”

We are blessed to live in a time that we do understand. May we often take the opportunity to come before our Father, and never take the privilege for granted.

Torah portion Tetzaveh Exodus 27:20-30:10

The order of things matters!

Have you ever become so familiar with something that you forget its order? For so long the picture of the completed Tabernacle has been in my mind that I forgot the order in which it takes place. This year it hit me, the order of the building of the Tabernacle is significant. It was this week’s portion Tetzaveh that illuminated the thought.

The ordering of building the Tabernacle

Here are the steps up to this week’s portion in order. I have not included all of the details for brevity sake.

1.      The ark of the covenant/testimony

2.      The table of the bread of the presence

3.      The menorah

4.      The mishkan/tabernacle

5.      The bronze altar of sacrifice

6.      The court of the Tabernacle/the fence around it

7.      Oil for the menorah

8.      The priest’s garments

a.       Aharon’s and the future High Priest’s

b.      His sons and descendants

9.      Consecration of the priests

10.  The altar of incense

Burning incense is a form of worship

I find it curious how far down the list the altar of incense is. Many times Israel is chastised because they burnt incense to other gods, the hosts of heaven, and the queen of heaven. In the Book of Revelation we read:

“And when He opened the seventh seal, a silence occurred in Heaven, about a half hour. And I saw the seven angels who stood before God, and seven trumpets were given to them. And another angel came and stood on the altar, having a golden censer. And many incenses were given to him, that he should give them with the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar before the throne. And the smoke of the incenses went up with the prayers of the saints out of the hand of the angel before God. And the angel has taken the censer, and has filled it from the fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth; and sounds and thunders and lightnings and earthquakes occurred.” (Rev 8:1-5)

Incense seems to be an important part of our communion with our Father in Heaven and is mentioned as going up with the prayers of the saints. So why is the construction of the altar of incense listed as the last part of the Tabernacle?

Prerequisites to prayer

Perhaps it is because prayers, and the incense that accompanies them, require more preparation and are more weighty than we often give them credit for. Consider this, the ark, the showbread, the menorah, and the mishkan all represent Elohim.

The altar of sacrifice represents us, and the earthly mission of Yeshua.

Then we have the court of the mishkan, the fence around it, and it represents the separation of the holy from the general population and strangers.

Next is the oil for the menorah, the Ruach ha Kodesh given to us to lead us into all truth and be a comforter.

Then comes the garments and consecrations of the Kohen ha Gadol, the High Priest and the priests. We know from the apostolic writings that Yeshua is our High Priest, our Mediator with the Father as was Aharon.

Finally comes the altar of incense. The shadow shows me that in order for our prayers to reach our Father in Heaven, the whole system had to be put into place. We needed a mediator, sacrifice, the light to see Him, His presence, and a kadosh/holy/separated place to meet with Him.

Prayer time is separate time

I have seen a plaque that says “Time spent fishing is not deducted from a man’s life.” Maybe, but prayer time might better qualify for the exemption. With the construction of the Tabernacle in this order we see that prayer time is separate from the world, it comes after all the construction and furnishing. What follows in next week’s portion is the “tax” but literally the kopher neshama l’Yehovah, covering of soul to Yehovah.

The incense from the golden altar appears to do for Israel what the High Priest’s censer does for him when he enters the Holy of Holies. It covers our souls so we don’t perish.

May we ever be consistent in offering up our prayers before our Father that they may be a pleasing aroma to Him and remind Him that we are here and we are faithful.

Shavuah Tov

Torah portion Terumah 2020

Shalom and blessings in Yeshua’s name. Our portion this week is Terumah, offering.

Last week the people tell Moshe that they don’t want Elohim to talk to them anymore because they are afraid. They tell him to go talk with Elohim and then come back and share what He says. So Moshe did, and the people replied “na’asay v’nishma” “we will do and we will hear and understand.”

Moshe, Aharon, Nadab, Abihu, and seventy elders climbed up onto the mountain, saw El, lunched, and then Moshe left the group behind and climbed higher into the cloud where he waited seven days. It is on the seventh day that this week’s portion begins.

Waiting on Yehovah

After six days of waiting on the top of the mountain, Elohim speaks to Moshe, and over the next several chapters instructs him on how to build the tabernacle and the objects that will be housed there. It starts with:

“And Yehovah spoke to Moses, saying, ‘Speak to the children of Israel, that they bring me an offering (terumah): of every man that gives it willingly with his heart you shall take my offering.’” (Exo 25:1-2)

All that follows is grounded in this first statement, “of every man that gives it willingly with his heart…”

When Israel left Egypt, they plundered the country. When we hear the amount of silver and gold, gems and precious stones and dyed animal skins that will be required, we get a sense of the amount of riches they possess. The key is giving it willingly for the work of the tabernacle.

Tough decision?

From one perspective, it shouldn’t be a difficult decision. To give all the precious items to honor the Elohim who freed the nation from slavery, who split the sea for safe passage and destroyed the army that pursued them, who did miracles in providing water, manna, and quail, and who just gave them the ten words out of the thunder and lightning atop Mount Sinai.

From another perspective, gold and silver are shiny and worth money. The Israelites hold in their possession more wealth than these former slaves had ever had or likely ever imagined they could have. Besides, look at all that Elohim has done for them for no price. Wouldn’t He continue to take care of them even if they didn’t give all their new found treasure?

Human nature

Of course, I am supposing what they are thinking. But it is based on the observation that human nature has not changed in the intervening years, and people today have similar thoughts.

The instruction given here is echoed in the Apostolic Writings

“But this I say, He which sows sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which sows bountifully shall reap also bountifully. Every man according as he purposes in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loves a cheerful giver.” (2Co 9:6-7)

I suspect that Elohim could get by just fine without out gifts, even without a tabernacle on earth. The question is, could we?

We discussed last Shabbat that all the instructions given are for life, for our good. It doesn’t do us any good if we give grudgingly. It doesn’t bring us closer to Elohim, and it doesn’t build us spiritually. But if we give cheerfully, it is usually because we want to bless our Father in heaven through our obedience, and we recognize that it is true what Yeshua said, “Seek first the kingdom of Elohim and His righteousness…”

Where is our real treasure?

We look at our gold and jewels, then we look toward heaven, and we determine that we would rather

“Lay up for (ourselves) treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust does corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal” (Mat 6:20)

Although the Israelites get sidetracked while Moshe is on the mount, later on they will contribute so much that Moshe tells them to stop giving.

There is always hope

I find the account encouraging that even though we might lose our way at times, our Father is gracious to forgive when we find our way back, repent, and walk in His path again. May you have a blessed week filled with the joy of our Elohim and His Messiah.

Portion Mishpatim, Judgments

Justice from Judgment

If men strive and strike a pregnant woman, so that her child comes out, and there is no injury, he shall surely be punished, according as the woman's husband will lay upon him. And he shall pay as the judges say And if any injury occurs, then you shall give life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe. (Exo 21:22-25)

What about the eye for and eye thing in this week's portion ?

Equality under the Torah

Take two people. Bob is an employee, Jack is a billionaire.

Bob has a good steady job, works forty hours a week plus some overtime, and is able to pay bills on time and provide food for the family. He has two strong hands, a strong back, and two good eyes. All helpful in his work.

Jack owns an investment company and works eighty hours a week, his health is good because he works out at his gym regularly. He too has two strong hands, a strong back, and two good eyes.

The Torah says Bob's eye and Jack's eye have the same value. They are of equal worth.

Traditional Rabbinic understanding

An eye for and eye, tooth for a tooth, etc was never meant to be understood literally, but rather that a monetary value should be placed on say, an eye. If someone lost an eye, they could essentially sue for the value placed on an eye, but no more. If Jack lost his eye due to Bob's assault, he could sue Bob for the value of an eye, say one million dollars. Vice versa, if Bob lost an eye due to Jack's assault, Bob could sue Jack for the million.

This Torah judgment set a value on loss. It also limited the value of loss. So, Jack couldn't say that because he makes substantially more money than Bob, he should be entitled to substantially more of a settlement for the loss of his eye than Bob would be. An eye is worth a million, regardless of whose eye.

On the other hand, Bob could not claim that because Jack has substantially more money than he does, Jack should be required to pay substantially more should Bob lose his eye.

Considering the argument

On one side of the equation, the payment of an equal monetary equivalent is sound. Any injured party can expect to receive just compensation for the loss of an eye, and the injured party is not allowed to seek exorbitant compensation above the set value of loss. That makes the wealthy and the worker equal.

But, let's look at the other side of the equation.

If Jack loses an eye at Bob's hand, in order for Bob to pay out the million dollars to Jack, he has to sell his house, borrow all the money he can, go into debt for the next thirty years, and eat beans and rice for every meal. He will be ruined financially and left homeless. He would be extremely careful never to cause another person to lose an eye. (I know, that's why we have insurance, but insurance wasn't around when Moses led the Children of Israel out of Egypt)

On the other hand, if Bob loses an eye at Jack's hand, Jack pays out the million from his checking account, chalks it up to the cost of doing business, and goes merrily about his lifestyle with nothing but a slight tic on his balance sheet. When the next Bob comes along, Jack has no more concern over whether he puts the new Bob in the same situation that caused our Bob to lose his eye. Why should Jack care? He could pay out a million per eye for years before he felt any real impact or had cause for changing his eye damaging practices. 

Real equality

Now imagine if the Torah judgment was literal.

Knowing that should he cause an employees to lose an eye, Jack, regardless of his wealth, would face the penalty of losing one of his own eyes, he would be extremely careful about working conditions that might cause the loss of eyes.

On the other hand, Bob would not be ruined financially, but would lose an eye.

Punishment works, if we work it

In Fiddler on the Roof, Tevye says, "very good, that way the whole world would be blind and toothless." I disagree. If each person knew that if they caused the loss of and eye, they would actually lose one of their own eyes, I think we would all be more careful about how we treated each other. Punishment is a deterrent, but only if it is meted out quickly and consistently.

The reason "punishment" is not a very good deterrent today is that we don't apply it consistently or quickly, and what we sentence criminals to isn't really any kind of punishment. Our society has learned that crime does pay, and criminals don't have to pay for committing it.

We need to return to a system where any person who commits a crime, whether causing the loss of an eye as in this judgment, or any of the other Torah instructions, will face quick, balanced, and consistent punishment.

What's up with portion Yitro

Shouldn't this portion be called Esharot ha'devarim?

Going through the portion it's obvious that the highlight is Elohim descending on Mount Sinai and delivering the Ten Words known as the Ten Commandments.

So, what's up with naming the portion after Moses' father-in-law Yitro, Jethro?

Portion naming convention

The standard convention for naming the Torah portion is that the name is found in the first few lines of the portion.

But if the Torah is Elohim's word, why wouldn't He name it something better? The words are from Elohim, the chapters, verses, name of the portion are all done by people. The hope is that those people were inspired who made these insertions into the Scripture, but they are still insertions.

Yitro's Clues

We learn three important aspects about Yitro from the text.

1. And Yitro the priest of Midian, the father-in-law of Moshe, heard all that which Elohim had done for Moshe and for His people Israel, that Yehovah had caused Israel to go out from Egypt. (Exo 18:1)
2. And Jethro rejoiced regarding all the good which Yehovah had done to Israel whom He had delivered from the hand of Egypt. And Yitro said, Blessed be Yehovah who has delivered you from the hand of Egypt, and from the hand of Pharaoh; He who delivered the people from under the hand of Egypt. (Exo 18:9-10)
3. Now I know that Yehovah is greater than all the gods; truly, in the way in which He acted proudly against them. (Exo 18:11)

 1) Yitro was a priest of and in Midian and we know that when El first appeared to Moshe He said,

"When you bring out the people from Egypt: You shall serve God on this mountain." (Exo 3:12)

That mountain was in Midian where Yitro's sheep were kept. Israel was camping in Yitro's backyard. Unlike many other tribal leaders, Yitro allowed them to do so. He showed hospitality to the millions of Israelites.

2) In contrast to other leaders, "Yitro rejoiced regarding all the good Yehovah had done..." Other leaders saw the hordes of Israelites as a threat, and were afraid they would eat up all the food and drink all the water.

Yitro heard what happened, and rejoiced. He greeted his son-in-law, the leader of the Israelites and brought Moshe's wife and children to the camp. Yitro even offers sage advice to Moshe on how to deal with the massive numbers of people seeking rulings to help out.

3) Yitro acknowledges, "Now I know that Yehovah is greater than all the gods." This statement reveals that Yitro knew enough about other gods that recognizing what Yehovah had performed in Egypt and beyond Yitro was convinced Yehovah was greater.

Who is greater?

There has been an ongoing contest for millenia over who is greater. We see it in the plagues in Egypt. Yehovah showed that He was mightier than all of the gods of Egypt one by one. That contest continues today.

There is no question in the minds of followers of Messiah that Yehovah who created all things, and by whom all things continue to exist is Supreme. (see Col 1:16) Not everyone believes that though.

The Creator can make the Rules

If Elohim created all things, and all things are His, then He has every right and the responsibility to set down rules. Just as an earthly father sets house rules, so does our Heavenly Father.

Did you ever hear your father or mother say something like, "As long as you live in my house, you will obey my rules!"? I heard it. A parent has the authority to set rules and expect them to be obeyed.  Our Father sets rules and says the same thing. As long as we are in His household, we need to obey His rules.

What's the alternative?

"If you are unwilling to obey my rules, you need to get out of my house." That's not a bad thing when you turn eighteen or twenty, and it's time to leave the nest, but when it is Father Elohim, and He tells you to get out, you're in trouble.

Not everyone who says to Me, Lord! Lord! shall enter the kingdom of Heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in Heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, Lord! Lord! Did we not prophesy in Your name, and through Your name throw out demons, and through Your name do many wonderful works? And then I will say to them I never knew you! Depart from Me, you workers of lawlessness! (Mat 7:21-23)

When Paul wrote, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." (Php 4:13) those all things includes keeping the commandments, instructions, and feast days of Elohim.

Portion Beshalach (sent away) January 19, 2019

Moses leads the children of Israel out of Egypt, bondage, and servitude. They leave rejoicing. They are escaping from under the lash of their Egyptian taskmasters.

Let My People Go

Sometimes we forget there was more to God's instructions to Pharaoh. It wasn't just "Let my people go," but "Let my people go that they may serve me."

In the Apostolic Writings Paul tells the Corinthians,

"You are bought with a price; don't be the servants of men." (1Co 7:23)

Israel was not freed from slavery, they were bought with a price, and that price was the death of all the firstborn of Egypt, Pharaoh, and all his army and chariots. It was a high price.

The price paid by Egypt had to be high, because it foreshadowed the price that would be paid by Yeshua, a price nobody else could pay.

Sweetened Water

The bitter waters of Marah. It's a redundancy. Marah is Hebrew for bitter. The waters were bitter. What made the waters bitter? It could have been a high salt content, a high mineral content, or the water could have contained a concentration of poison such as the metalloid arsenic.

"And he cried to Yehovah, and Yehovah showed him a tree. And he threw it into the water, and the water became sweet. He made a statute and an ordinance for them there, and He tested them there. And He said, 'If you carefully listen to the voice of Yehovah your God, and do what is right in His eyes, and you give ear to His commandments, and keep all His statutes, I will not put on you all the diseases which I have put on Egypt; for I am Yehovah your Healer.'" (Exo 15:25-26)

Drinking bitter water leads to death. That's why sailors can't drink salt water, the salt accumulates in the body and without fresh water to flush it, it becomes toxic. The tree Moses is shown is symbolic of the tree Yeshua was crucified on. That tree took the bitterness of death away from us.

"But now having been set free from sin, and having been enslaved to God, you have your fruit unto sanctification, and the end everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is everlasting life in Messiah Yeshua our Lord." (Rom 6:22-23)

Hear and Do

Did you notice what Moses told the people?

"If you carefully listen to the voice of Yehovah your God, and do what is right in His eyes, and you give ear to His commandments, and keep all His statutes..."

They weren't told, "Hey Pharaoh's dead, now you can do whatever you want and live however you want." But that is the message that I hear a lot today. "I don't have to keep those commandments, I'm under grace, not under the law."

That's a deception!

I find it fascinating that the same people who tell me "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me," turn around and say "Nobody can keep the law." So, you can do all things, except do what Father tells you to do, through Christ who strengthens you? That doesn't seem right, does it?

It seems to me that if Christ was going to strengthen you to do anything, it would be to do what God our Father tells us to do. After all it was Yeshua who said, "If you love me, keep my commandments," and John,

"By this we know that we love the children of God: when we love God and keep His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not heavy." (1Jn 5:2-3)

I encourage you to learn what Father's house rules are as found in the Torah, and keep them. They are not difficult to keep, and He promises blessings for obedience. Just like our earthly dad's often say, "If you live in my house, you obey my rules."