Torah 101-Behalotecha Portion

I.

ANSWERS TO LAST WEEKS STUDY QUESTIONS (from Naso)

Please NOTE:
For clarity and time constraints, if I elect to not read the whole parsha (which
is the case this week) I may still ask questions relating to the portions I did not
read!

1) Question for Numbers 5:

How is the man who brings a false charge of adultery against his wife
punished (in a sense) when she drinks the cursed water but is vindicated?
Because it will now be a matter of public record that the husband is a
false accuser who has been proven wrong about his wife through a
YHWH-ordained process. Though that process is clearly very tough on
women, the price for the husband being wrong about her cheating on him
is a total lack of credibility on him that will no doubt shadow his
reputation for years to come. Better not accuse the wife unless you are
100% sure the process will prove you correct, because it is perfect and
you are not.
2) Question for Numbers 6:
The oldest known fragment of any quote from the Scripture is in this chapter.
Where is it?
Its the Birkat Kohenim, the priestly blessing, Numbers 6:23-27. Scrolls
and amulets containing this text have been found and dated to 600 BCE.
3) Question for Numbers 7:
What is significant about the timing of when Manasseh offers his offering for
the Tabernacle?
Manasseh means causing to forget and when Manasseh does that
offering, Nadav and Abihu die because they have forgotten how to offer
their fire appropriately unto YHWH.
4) Haftorah Question of the Week: Judges 13:2-25
Who is the Man of Elohim that talks with Manoah? Where does the
Scripture confirm his identity?
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Its Yshua ha Mashiyach of course, in pre-incarnate form.

17
Manoah then said to the Angel of Yahweh, 'What is your name, so that
we may honour you when your words come true?' 18 The Angel of
Yahweh replied, 'Why ask my name? It is a name of wonder.' (Judges
13:17-18 NJB)
When Yshua says My name is a name of wonder, is in effect quoting
from the prophet Yeshayahu who wont be born for another 600 years at
least! Yeshayahu will call Yshua prophetically WONDERFUL,
Counselor, and so on, in his 9th chapter.

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II.

QUESTIONS FOR THIS TORAH PORTION (Behalotecha)

Please NOTE:
For clarity and time constraints, if I elect to not read the whole parsha (which
is the case this week) I may still ask questions relating to the portions I did not
read!

5) Question for Numbers 8:

What one act in this Torah portion that is used as a sign of elevation is elsewhere
used as a sign of humiliation?
6) Question for Numbers 9:
What Does the Second Pesach teach us about YHWH and how He reveals His
Word?
7) Question for Numbers 10:
Exactly how long were the Israelites camped at Sinai, in both Hebrew and solar
terms?
8) Question for Numbers 11:
Where in this chapter is a clue about astronomy at the time of the Exodus?
9) Question for Numbers 12:
Miriams confinement with leprosy seems to roughly coincide with what
important date on the Hebrew calendar?
10) Haftorah Question of the Week: Zechariah 2:14-4:7
The book of Zechariah, including a part of this portion, has major influence over
two books of the NT, and those books are (usually) arranged to be next to each
other. What are those books and how do they manifest in the NT?
11) Renewed Covenant Commentary: Hebrews 4:1-16

Hebrews 4:2
27) The announcement being the Good News (Gospel); see Appendix Good
News.
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Hebrews 4:8
28) The name Joshua is derived from the Hebrew Yehoshua; the shortened form
first appears in Neh_8:17 as "Yeshua". Yehoshua did not usher in the Olam Haba
"rest"; Yehoshua ben Nun is a "type" of Mashiyach ben David.
Hebrews 4:9
29) Lamsa also targums this more properly in terms of direct intention/meaning.
It is therefore the duty of the people of Elohim to keep the Sabbath! The fact is,
though, neither Aramaic nor Greek has Shabbat rest; the word rest was added
by replacement theologians in a bid to twist the Seventh Day Shabbat into a
futuristic fulfillment. Paul teaches that the Kedoshim (Set Apart people) who
enter into Shabbat here and now, are entering into the work of the Ruach
haKodesh, but also towards the eternal Shabbat of the Olam Haba (World/Age to
Come). Paul is writing to a Jewish audience; he need not explain the joy of
Shabbat, but he magnifies haMishchah (the anointing) received on Shabbat that is
a taste of the Olam Haba. The Ruach haKodesh (Shabbat Bride) in the Spirit of
Mashiyach makes Shabbat a very special time. Because a person goes to church
on Saturday does not necessarily indicate that they automatically enter into
Shabbat. For some, Sabbath is a denominational or doctrinal theology, rather
than weekly Set Apart time to wait on YHWH and His Mashiyach. The Fourth
Commandment, to remember the Shabbat, is from YHWH; the theology to not
observe Shabbat originates with early Christo-Pagans who integrated Christian
values into calendars that were based on sun worship.
Theological attempts to use this verse to abolish Shabbat are founded on both
pagan and anti-Semitic rhetoric. Notice that in Greek Bibles the term
sabbatismos is sandwiched between the katapauo (Heb_4:8) and katapausis
(Heb_4:10) which is a common Greek term for rest. In reality Greek speakers
have clarified the meaning of sabbatismos as the observance of Shabbat. See
Justin, Dialogue with Trypho 23:3; Epiphanius, Adversus Haereses 30:2:2;
Martyrium Petri et Pauli 1; Apostolic Constitutions 2:36:2.
However, in an interesting response to these assertions, some have suggested that
the Aramaic equivalent word in question, lmashbato, is in infinitive form as a
verb. To their mind, that suggests a meaning closer to rest as opposed to the
Shabbat as a formal time of the week, i.e., as a proper noun. However, even if
this is granted, the root for the rest is still shbt, which brings us back to Shabbat
as a seventh (also shbt) interval or (possibly) in the sense of an annual occasion
that counts as Shabbat irrespective of the day of the week it falls on. Either
way, though, we are still talking about continual moedim (sacred occasion)
patterns derived from Tanakh and mentioned in a letter written to the Hebrew
people! So, if it is keep Shabbat as in keep the rest it still brings us to that
seventh/sacred interval and the sense of keep (counting) the sevens (to) rest.
The proof of this matter, however, resides in the fact that another verb for rest is
used all over this passage. The word anikh/atnikh, which is derived from the root
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nkh, and clearly connotes a generic rest, appears in Heb_4:1; Heb_4:3-5;

Heb_4:8; Heb_4:10-11. It is only with the connection of the phrase the people
of Elohim that Rav Shaul then deliberately brings in the root of seven, shbt, so
either by pshat or more esoteric reckoning the seventh day is certainly intended.
In fact, such a tactic can even be shown to be part of his writing style. Why else
would he in Heb_4:4 use the words Shabbat, seventh and rest in one
sentence, knowing these were derived from the exact same root?
Finally, it is worth noting how both Murdock and Etheridge have basically
transposed the infinitive phrase so that it has the effect of a noun in a practical
sense in English. Etheridge writes in his notes: Lemashbothu. Inf. Aphel of
shabath, Quievit; celebravit diem sabbathi. He has translated it somewhat
ambiguously, though not in a contradictory manner as, Therefore, yet to enjoy a
shabathism is confirmed to the people of Aloha (Eloah/Elohim), even though the
Latin he provides clearly reads as, celebrate the Sabbath day. Please also note
that he admits the word is in inf. Aphel (infinitive) form which again speaks to
continuous/eternal celebration of the Shabbat. Etheridge also includes the rest
meaning for completeness, but as a noun in English, even though he lists it as an
Aphel verbal form which is technically correct from the Aramaic. This idea
seems confirmed lastly with Murdock, who then has the interesting reading of,
Therefore it is established, that the people of Elohim are to have a sabbath.
Clearly Murdock then also thought that the infinitive form of lmashbato should be
rendered in English as the noun a Sabbath and not as a generic verb meaning
to rest; the former approach employed by Lamsa is also retained here.
Hebrews 4:10
30) While "rest" certainly has metaphoric attributes, it is clearly meant here as the
very literal Seventh Day Shabbat. Paul says Shabbat was established from that
Seventh Day of Creation when YHWH Himself rested (Gen_2:2). Shabbat is
extremely relevant to Netzari (Nazarenes) and "Elohim fearing Gentiles"; it could
not possibly have changed during this period or any other period, as Christian
theologians posture. It was not the followers of Y'shua who changed the day of
rest from Shabbat to Sun-day, but Pagan philosophers skilled in syncretism who
melded sun worship with early Roman based religio-political "Christianity."
Jewish and Gentile followers of Y'shua are well acquainted with Isa_56:1-8;
(Isa_56:3-5 relates to Gentiles); Isa_59:8-21; Isa_66:22-24; Eze_46:1-4; Isa_42:14. Shabbat is a rehearsal of the 7th millennium; it is a sign between YHWH and
all His people, both Jew and Gentile. Shabbat is a day which is commanded by
YHWH that we cease from the mundane and enter into His rest in preparation for
the Olam Haba. This letter from Rav Shaul was written for the benefit of Jewish
followers of Mashiyach who were being enticed back into Rabbinical Judaism.
Paul would most certainly not attempt to diminish the Seventh Day Shabbat to
Jews who have Torah Consciousness. The Seventh Day Shabbat is the fourth of
the Aseret HaDibrot, "the Ten Commandments" written by the finger of YHWH
upon stone and transferred in Mashiyach to the hearts of His People! See Shabbat
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in Appendix.
Hebrews 4:11
31) Strive to enter into that rest, rather than Shabbat being done away with,
Paul is saying Shabbat is an honor that is given in Mashiyach according to all
righteousness. After laboring during the other six days of the week we enter into
Mashiyachs rest. In other words, we get to do Shabbat as part of our inheritance
in the Kingdom of Heaven. This is a very clear and eternal element of Torah for
all humanityresting as and when Master YHWH rested. We must strive to
come out of the worlds religions and the worlds ideas about the Kingdom of
Heaven and enter into true Messianic rest.
32) After the manner of them who did not believe. According to Paul, there is
no difference between those unbelievers who are spoken of in Psa_95:7-11 and
those who claim to be of Mashiyach, but dont strive to enter His rest. In other
words dont be anti-Torah like unbelievers, and dont follow dispensationalist
or replacement theology like the unbelievers. But believe and enter into
Mashiyach through obedience. Yshua is Master of Shabbat therefore observe his
Shabbat as he himself observed Shabbat along with his disciples. Yshua and his
Shlichim demonstrated the joy and elegance and delight of Shabbat without
religious or cultural discrimination. Shabbat in Mashiyach is not a religious thing,
or a Jewish identity thing, it is beautiful Kingdom of Heaven spirituality that is
given in Mashiyach.

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