Scroll to Scroll: DOUBLE PORTION!

#42: Matot (The Tribes) and #43 Masei (the Journeys)

PART 1: THE LAST AND CURRENT TORAH PORTIONS ANSWERS TO LAST WEEKS STUDY QUESTIONS (Pinchus): 1) Something happens to Phinehas in this portion that only happens to one other person. What is it and who is the other person? LACHEN EMOR HINENI NOFEN LO ET BRITI SHALOM (25:12) = Therefore, tell him that I have given him My covenant of peace. This seems to be a very special kind of covenant, above and beyond that given the rest of Israel or even Phineas brother priests. But it does apparently extend to Phineas direct descendants (Malachi 2:1-5). The kingly tribe of Judah will also have a covenant of peace once David is enthroned (Ezekiel 34:24-25; 37:25-26). 2) What is one hidden message in Numbers 25:14-15? Based on the meanings of the names we have: ZIMRI (wild sheep), SALU (weighed), SHIMEONI (hearing), COZBI (deceit), TZUR (rock), MIDIAN (strife). Hidden message: The wild sheep were weighed/judged (and found to be) hearing deceit (at the) Rock of Strife. To weigh can mean to judgesee Daniel 5:27. 3) There is a ritual listed here that still goes on in Rabbinic Judaism today, even without a Temple or a priesthood. What is that ritual? (Do not include observance of Shabbat or the Moedim in your answer please.) VAYOMER YAHWEH EL-MOSHE KACH LECHA ET-YEHOSHUA BIN NUN ISH ASHER RUACH BO VESAMACHTA ET-YADECH ALAV (27:18) = And Yahweh said to Moshe, Take to yourself Joshua the son of Nun, a man of spirit, and lay your hands upon him. The term SMACHTA is where we get SMEKHA or ordination. This is the term used by Jews today to describe a man becoming a rabbi. 4) There is another ritual listed here that leads to one of Yshuas most important teachings. What is that ritual and what is the only time of year it could happen so that Yshua could comment on it at that time? USIR CHATAT ECHAD MILEVAD OLAT TAMID MINCHATAH USACHEYHA (29:31) = all this in addition to the regular burnt offering, its grain offering and its libations. The fact that libations or drink offerings is

plural is important. This is alluding to the water offering that is unique to Shemini Etzeret, the last day of Sukkot. It was at this moment, in Yochanan 7:37-38, that Yshua said, If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. He who believes in me, as the Scriptures have said, from his innermost being will flow rivers of living water. 5) There is a procedure from Sukkot that relates directly to a historical event that happened at another Great Feast. What is the procedure and which Great Feast does it happen at? 29:12-35: Total amount of bulls offered over Sukkot by day: 13 + 12 + 11 + 10 + 9 + 8 + 7 = 70, one for each of the nations that the Torah was given to or the total amount of nations in the world as counted by Genesis. See Sukkah 55b. It is the former definition, the Torah being given to 70 nations, that relates squarely to Shavuot, the day when the Torah was given at Sinai. AND NOW FOR THIS WEEKS PORTION 1) Meaning of this weeks Torah portion and summary of contents: Matot means the tribes, but also has very interesting secondary meanings of staff, scepter, rod, branch, all of which seem relevant here. The portion opens with a discussion on the need to fulfill valid oaths to YHWH to the letter-valid meaning that the oath is not contradictory to YHWHs laws or pronouncements. Various examples and applications of this principle follow. Then it is time to actually go to war against Midian. It is interesting that the previous portion had Israel get ready for this mentally, by totally changing their attitude and then YHWH says, Now is the time. Midian is crushed and defeated completely. Then in chapter 32 the sons of Gad and Reuben ask to take land other than Canaan for their inheritance. Both Moshe and YHWH rebuke this horrible idea, Shall your brothers go to war while you remain here? YHWH again confirms His judgment that none of those who came out of Israel 20 years and older will see the Promised Land except to Joshua and Caleb. Eventually though Moshe relents and says Gad and Reuben can have their request granted if they perform honorably and effectively in the upcoming war. The agreement is sealed and their request is granted.

Vayedaber Moshe el-rashey hamatot livney Yisra'el lemor zeh hadavar asher tsivah Yahweh. Ish ki-yidor neder l'Yahweh o-hishava shvu'ah lesor isar al-nafsho lo yachel dvaro kechol-hayotse mipiv ya'aseh.

Ve'ishah ki-tidor neder l'Yahweh ve'asrah isar beveyt aviha bin'ureyha.

2) Read Parsha (English-Numbers 30:1-32:42). This week we will read the entire portion. 3) Play by Play commentary where appropriate. 4) Point out key Hebrew words/terms. Color Commentary: VE ISHABINNEURAYA (30:3) = and the womanwhile still in her youth or still a girl. She is old enough be called technically ISHA but is not the same as a woman who has completed adolescence. According to some sources, this would put her at about 12 years old. Before this age, her father may annul any vow she makes. After this age, her father cannot and what she says stands, unless she gets married, in which case her husband can annul her vows (30:11-12). SHEMA = hears (30:5). Rabbis debate whether the vow of the woman is heard directly by her father and he doesnt countermand it, making it valid, or if the father heard of it from another party. However, other Torah regulations such as not gossiping or not bearing false witness would appear to imply the father would and should investigate the matter by asking his daughter to explain the alleged vow directly. Otherwise, for a vow heard that she doesnt admit tounless it was a very public utterance confirmed by manit would seem to create problems in due process. HEYNI (30:6) = obstructs, restrains and can also mean to break or annul her vows. Translated in the Septuagint Greek as countermands. HATARAH (courts annulment) is different from HAPARAH (father or husbands revocation of oath. (30:4-17) Stone Tanakh explains on p. 903: As mentioned in the notes to verse 2, vows and oaths can be annulled by expert acting alone or by a court of three. There is a basic difference between this process and the right of a father and husband to revoke. A court can rule that vow was made in error or ignorance, because if the vower had known all the facts or ramifications, he would not have vowed or sworn. For example, the court may ask, Had you known that the vow would have caused untold anguish and embarrassment to your parents, would you have made the vow? If the answer is no, the court may rule that the vow was made in error and therefore NEVER had validity. This annulment is retroactive, so that even if there had been a prior violation, it is as if the violation never occurred. The authority of a father or a husband is NOT retroactive. The vow DID exist, but they have the right to revoke it for the future.

MIYOM HA YOM (30:15) = Literally, from day to day but really meaning a 24 hour period from one sunset to another, the 24 hour Hebrew day. That is how long the husband has to annul the wifes vow. However, if the woman makes a vow in the late afternoon and the husband has NOT heard about it prior to sunset, this would at a minimum provoke an inquiry by the elders, and the likely outcome would probably be to give the husband a full Hebrew day from when he heard the vow, i.e. not declaring the vow valid the moment the sun went down but providing a reasonable moment of time for the matter to be decided, but of course a lot of that is dependent on the nature, severity and seriousness of the vow given by the wife. BYADO (in charge-31:6) literally means that were in his hand. UCHLEY HA KODESH (31:6) = Set-apart objects, would include the Ark of the Covenant containing the broken tablets of the Ten Commandments. Phineas also seems to have taken with him the high priests Urim and Thumim to get the benefit of its advice while in battle. (Stone Tanakh, p. 905). According to www.bibleort.org: The ark (Sifri; Sotah 43b; Rashi). See note on Numbers 10:33. Others say that it was the priestly forehead plate (tzitz) mentioned in Exodus 28:36 (Rashi; Midrash Aggadah), or the Urim and Thumim (Exodus 28:30; Targum Yonathan). Or, 'the sacred vessels which were the trumpets' (Ralbag). BALAAM (devourer) is devoured (killed) in 31:8. He is also the son of BEOR, and BEOR means destroyer. So the devourer, the son of the destroyer, is devoured/destroyed. CHAMESHET MALCHEY MIDYAN (31:8) = Five kings of Midian. These are descendants of Abraham through his wife Keturah. They had five sons, each who founded a Midianite country named after them: Epha, Epher, Chanok (Enoch, not the same guy in Genesis 5!), Abidah and Eldah. See Genesis 25:4 and Joshua 13:21. VEET BILAM BEN BEOR HARGU BECHAREV (31:8) = and Baalam the son of Beor they put to the sword. It seems that Balaam, while on his way home, detoured to Midian to collect his fee, since it is by Moshes own words in 31:1516 that Balaams counsel led to the plague that took out 24,000 Israelites. SAR HA ELEPHIM (31:14) = commanders of thousands, or a GENERAL. SAR HAMAOT (31:14 = commanders of hundreds, or CAPTAINS. BEMAY NIDDAH (31:23) = sprinkling of purifying water. This is a kind of mikveh for inanimate objects. Same sense in the phrase BAESH TAAVIRU MAYIM (you shall pass through the water), which is understood to mean you shall immerse in a mikveh by Rabbinic law as bible.ort.org explains:

(Targum Yonathan; Rashi). From here, the law is derived that metal vessels procured from a gentile must be immersed before they can be used (Avodah Zarah 75b). This is like a 'conversion' process, very much like the immersion of a proselyte (Yerushalmi, Avodah Zarah 5:15). Some say that this teaches that cooking vessels that are used with water need merely be purged, and not burnt out, and hence translate the verse, 'must be brought through [boiling] water' (Sifri; Ramban). However, it is this FENCE that Yshua railed against in Mark: And the Pharisees and scribes who came from Urishlim gathered around him. 2. And they saw some of his disciples who were eating bread while their hands were not washed, and they complained. 3. For all the Yehudeans and the Pharisees, if they do not carefully wash their hands, they do not eat, because they hold to the traditions of the elders. 4. And goods from the marketplace, unless they are washed, they would not eat. And there are many other traditions that they have received to keep washings of cups and of pots and of brass vessels and of beds. 5. The scribes and the Pharisees asked him. Why dont your disciples walk according to the traditions of the elders? But while they eat bread their hands are not washed! 6. And he said to them, Yeshayahu the prophet did well prophesy about you hypocrites! As it is written that, This people honor me with their lips. But their hearts are very distant from me. 7. And vainly they fear me while they are teaching the doctrines of the commandments of the sons of men.. For you have left the Commandment of Elohim, and you have embraced the tradition of the sons of men: the washing of cups and of pots and many others that are like these. 9. He said to them, You well rejected the Commandment of Elohim that you might establish your tradition. (Mark 7:1-9-AENT) VECHATSITA ET-MALQOACH BEYN TOSFEY HAMILCHAMAH HAYOTSIIM LATZAVA UVEYN KOL HA-EDAH (31:27) = and divide the plunder equally, giving half to the warriors who went out to battle and the other half to the community. This was the Torah precedent for a similar but later practice that divided the booty equally between the warriors who went to battle and those who had to stand guard, so that no one group would be jealous of the riches of the other and want to abandon their posts. See 1 Samuel 30:24. IM MATSANU CHEN BEEY-NEYCHA (32:5) = literally, if we have found favor in your eyes but actually means, if you will please grant us a favor. KADESH BARNEA (32:8) = Set-Apart place of desert wandering appropriate in both the previous references and this one. BARNEA is actually son of wandering literally, perhaps suggesting the first wanderer Cain and how his disobedience forced him to the lad of NOD (Wandering).

IM-YIRU HAANASHIM HAOLIM MI-MITTZRAYIM MIBEN ESRSIM SHANAH VAMALAH ET-HAADAMAH ASHER NISHBATI LEAVRAHAM ULE-YITTZKHAKH ULE-YAAKOV KI LO MILU ACHAREY YAHWEH (32:11) = None of the men over twenty years old who left Egypt will see the land that I swore to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, since they did not follow Me with all their hearts. This pronouncement is different from other ones that seemed to suggest it was Moshes fault along with possibly just the spies who gave a false report in Numbers 13 and 14. Here however, what we see is a more general and broad indictment against all of Israel for a corporate lack of faith and obedience. It seems that Abba YHWH kept a running total of all of Israels sins and backbiting and when it had reached a certain limit He brought them down low, but to suggest that just the last provocation to the punishment was the only reason for said punishment would appear to be a simplistic view. CALEBKENZITE (32:12).See Joshua 14:6,14; also note on 13:6. He was called a Kenizite because he was the stepson of Kenaz, that is, the son of Kenaz's wife (Rashi here and Sotah 11b, end). He was thus the step-brother of Othniel; cf. Joshua 15:17, Judges 1:13, 1 Chronicles 4:13. Also see Genesis 15:19, 36:11. The Septuagint translates Kenizi as 'the one set apart,' or 'the independent one.' On the basis of Semitic roots, Kenizi denotes a hunter or lone warrior. VELACHATSI SHEVET MANASHEH (32:33) = and the half tribe of Manasseh. There is an interesting debate in the Rabbinic literature about this request. Some authorities say that that although Gad and Reuben made the original request for the territory on the eastern side of the Jordan, they did not have enough population between them to properly occupy the land. As a result, they invited Manasseh to join them to combine into an appropriate number, since it was very clear to them that territory would be delegated based on tribal size. However, not all of Manasseh joined but instead elected to take territories given to them per Joshua 17:2. Others, including Josephus, believe that Manasseh was simply involved in the original request. However in this instance, I think the Rabbinic explanation is better. VEET NEVO VEET BAAL MEON MUSABOT SHEM (32:38) = and Nebo and Baal Meon, these names have been changed. The question though is who changed the names, from what were the changed and why were they changed? The Rabbis are split between the opinions that it was either Sihon who changed the names when he took the territory from Moab or if the Israelites changed the names when they took it from Sihon. I am inclined to the latter explanation as expounded on by Rashi, even if their choice of Baal Meon smacks of the residual pagan influence the Israelites obviously still had at that point. Putting the change on Sihon seems to be an effort to deflect charges of said pagan influences away from Israel, but the fact that they were just willing to lay with Midianite and Moabite women to join with their gods kind of disproves the assertion.

PART 2: THE HAFTORAH 1) Haftorah portion (English- Jeremiah 1:1-2:3) and discuss common themes with the Torah portion.

Divrey Yirmeyahu ben-Chilkiyahu min-hakohanim asher ba'Anatot be'erets Binyamin. Asher hayah dvar-Yahweh elav bimey Yoshiyahu ven-Amon melech Yehudah bishlosh-esreh shanah lemolcho.
2) Our linguistic commentary CHAMISHI (1:3) = fifth, as in the fifth month of the year. Jeremiah could have named the month AB but I believe he avoided doing so on purpose. AB of course can also mean FATHER and the FATHER manifests in good ways and bad ways through the number five, or the fifth. CHAMISHI is the fifth month in which the Temples get destroyed but it is also the FIFTH rib that Adam gives up to form Eve and of course the CHUMASH is named after the Five Book of Moses. So both good fifths and bad fifths come from AB, the Father. But in this case the FIFTH is so devastating to Jeremiah personally, that he cant bear to literally look at the ABmeaning his Father YHWHof whom the month reminds him of! AZAR (1:17) = gird or encompass, as in gird up your loins, get ready. QUM (arise1:17) and AMAR (speak-1:17), shows a three step process that Jeremiah must go through to deliver his message. First he must get ready mentally by being prepared to speak at any time. Then he has to RISE so that he can show people he is ready to speak YHWHs words. Only then can he actually speak. CHATHATH (1:17) = dismayed, but literally, shattered. Do not be BROKEN TO PIECES WITH FEAR. ULEAMIUD BARZEL (1:18) = and as a pillar of iron. Though the prophecy denotes strength, there is also a hidden warning in it. The pillar of iron may be a comforting image now, but Daniel will prophecy about other PILLAR OF IRON or LEGS, that are symbolic of the Roman Empire. So, embedded in the start of the man who will predict the destruction of the first Temple is the symbolism of the enemy who will do the same thing to the Second one. NATZAL (1:19) = to deliver in a good sense, but in a bad sense to plunder, strip away. YHWH is using the double meaning to remind Jeremiah that as afraid as he might be of his soon to be enemies, he needs to be way MORE afraid of what YHWH will do to him if he falters. CHESED (2:2) = usually translated as devotion the real meaning is actually goodness, mercy, followed by AHAVA ( love) in the same line.

3) Renewed Covenant portion: (English) Matthew 5:33-37 (all the way through with applicable footnotes.) The gist of this discussion is to look for the phrases in Matthew 5 You have heard that it was SAID ___ but I SAY to you___. These statements occur 6 times and contrast the Torah rulings with their Oral Law counterparts and conclude with Yshuas remedy for the right interpretation of the Torah! What may also be surprising is that Yshuas answer is tougher than the prescription given by the Rabbinic Oral Law, not easier or more liberal, which is the prevailing assumption given in Christianity. Yshua also railed against extensive use of the courts to resolve small disputes best dispensed by men of goodwill or family members. Please see the BONUS pdf, Charting the Halacha of Matthew 5 for more information! 4) Highlight common themes in Aramaic (terms in footnotes which I will read) 5) Apply these themes/issues to modern issues in the Netzari faith. (We need to mourn for these Temples as Israel does. The Temples of YHWH belong to the world!) 6) Relate to all or part of an Appendix portion of AENT or footnotes from a portion (Read They Repented Not p. 974-976). STUDY QUESTIONS ARE WITH THE SECOND PORTION (MASEI) Torah Thoughts for the Week: Part One: The Other Great Event During the Three Weeks This is the time of the year when the world turns upside down. Thats why the rabbis break their own rules about the relationship between the Torah and Haftorah portions. It is now more important to understand what happened at the same time of year we are breathing air in now than even to get the confirmation of our study in the Torah. Not that the lining up of consistent message between Torah and the other parts of Tanakh isnt importantit is criticalbut to remember this time of year is even more critical. The Three Weeks and Tisha BAv is a time that cannot be classified or categorized. It can only be felt deeply to the pit of our souls. It is what we call in Yiddish a MISHEGAS, an anxiety so large that it will dig a hole through your spirit if you are not careful. Thats why we must have some sense of balance to get through this period of mourning.

In Judaism, there is always a sense of not having all of one thing and none of its opposite. So, we break glasses at weddings to remember Israel, as if to say, no matter how happy we are on this day to see two lovely people bet married, part of us still yearns for what we lost. So we need a tiny bit of grief in our joy. But it also works the other way aroundwe need a tiny bit of joy in our grief as well. Otherwise, life becomes without meaning. So, how do I bring that little bit of joy into this time of grief? I think I can do this by telling all of you something you have probably never heard before but hopefully will find interesting. What I want to share with you on this occasion is a very special occurrence that I found in my work on the original Biblical calendar. Let me back track a little first, and please understand, this is a much shorter and simpler teaching on the topic than I would normally give, but hopefully my good intentions will be clear by the time I finish. Basically, what I did was find all the actual weeks that the sons of Aaron served, from the year after the Exodus (March 28th, 1446 BCE) to the destruction of the Second Temple on August 2nd, 70 CE. Both of those datesall the ones I use in factare in OUR GREGORIAN TIME as we would experience today. The previous year, that of the Exodus, was derived from 1 Kings 6:1, 480 years before Solomons 4th year (967 BCE). That first Pesach would have hit as early as possibleMarch 22ndto align the occasion with the start of spring. During that first year while Israel is on their way to Canaan, YHWH in effect acts as High Priest because the Tabernacle has not been set up yetand He will do that for a full solar year, until the next March 21st, 1446 BCE, which was a Friday. The following Friday, going into the Shabbat, is 1 Abib on the Hebrew calendar, so the solar new year literally and seamlessly hands off to the Hebrew year when the sons of Aaron take over. Now, even though the official 24 divisions of priests are not set up until Davids time in 1 Chronicles 24, that arrangement is directly stated there to come from Moshe or Aaron, meaning the system somehow understands 24 divisions even if at first there were only 4 sons of Aaron to kick things off. So, when the priestly service winds forward, it counts 1 to 24 and back to 1 even though there were not 24 courses yet. This is because the priests mimic the sun24 divisions for 24 hours in the solar day. What happens next took me many years of careful scriptural research backed up by the precision of the computer and astronomy to finally figure out. The priests of Aaron worked on a cycle of a HARD RETURN at the end of every 12 years. What that meansand again the documentation on this is too long a story to tell hereis that if course 1 starts on the Friday on or just after 1 Abib, the courses count from 1 to 24 and back to 1 in pure floating UNTIL the 12 years are up. At that point, no matter what number the last course of the last week of the Hebrew year was, the next course MUST be number 1, Yehoiarib. In other words, the last 4 courses of year 1 could be 12, 13, 14, 15 and the next week, the 1 Abib at the end of the 12th year, it must be

number 1 again. Thats a HARD RETURN, and the advantage of it is that no matter what happens in terms of crises and disruption of services, the right order can always be restored. The proof that was the case: I proved the rabbinic tradition right that course 1 was on duty on the 9th of Ab by counting one course at a time properly for 860 years. Course 1 was on duty in our calendar terms on July 11th, 586 BCE, the day the Temple burned. But when YHWH commands things stop being counted, they STOP. So when the Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem and the House of YHWH lay empty for 70 years without services, the land was catching up on all the Sabbaths it did not get. Time had in effect stood still, so we dont count ANY courses in that 70 years. Then when the Temple is rebuilt and services are back online, the course that served last picks up again. A similar, though not identical situation happened during the Maccabean Revolt. The difference was YHWH didnt order the services to stop as punishment. So, in that case the 12 year cycle that would have been normal became a 14 year cycle instead, because the sacrifices paused but YHWH didnt reset the cycles as He did in 586 BCE. So starting up again in 154 BCE, the courses counted 1 to 24 and back to 1 again with their 12 year resets until the Second Temple was destroyed on August 2nd, 70 CE. My computer model, once again, accurately showed course 1 on duty that Tisha bAb as well! I say these things though not to toot my own horn here but instead to deliver this little bit of joy I mentioned at the start of this essay. I think it a great thing that we can know the full history of priestly service, but more than that, I think it a spectacular thing to prove all things from the Word! One of those proven things has to do with the time just prior to Yshuas birth. Following the systems rules consistently, I wanted to see what I could know about Zachariya, the Immersers father, because after all he was a priest and we were told he was from the 8th course by Luke. Another thing Luke tells us is that 15 months before the birth of Yshua, Zaachariya was struck mute by Gabriel. I found this particularly useful because I had confirmed the day of Yshuas birth in researching the book and TV show version of Yshua Year by Year as Friday night (Shabbat), September 13th, 5 BCE, to align the actual Nativity with a gorgeous total lunar eclipse that also coincides with many calendar 7s across the board coming together. At any rate, knowing the actual date of his birth, and knowing this occasion of Zachariya seeing Gabriel and going mute is 15 Hebrew months before this, I thought I would check the calendar to see if his priestly course comes up at that predicted time.

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And sure enough, it does. June 30-July 6th, 6 BCE, is the service cycle for Zachriayas course of Abijah and it is 15 Hebrew months to the day before the Nativity or 442 days. More than that though is the timing of Zachariyas services in the Temple, the timing around when he was made muteHIS SERVICE PERIOD CROSSES THE 17TH OF TAMMUZ, THE START OF THE 3 WEEKS OF MOURNING! And, at that very same moment in time of the year, the prophet Jeremiah wrote the following:
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Mute, they sit on the ground, the elders of the daughter of Zion; they have put dust on their heads and wrapped themselves in sackcloth. The young girls of Jerusalem bow their heads to the ground. 11 My eyes are worn out with weeping, my inmost being is in ferment, my heart plummets at the destruction of my young people, as the children and babies grow faint in the streets of the city. (Lamenations 2:10-11 NJB) Isnt that incredible that at the exact time of the year the elders of the daughter of Zion grow mute that a priest and elder like Zachariaya would also go mute? In fact, that appearance of Gabriel could hardly make sense at any other time of the year and align with the precise timing of the Nativity as well! So thats your small bit of comfort during this time of grief. Even in our mourning for the Temple we can still remember the miracle of Gabriel and Zachariyathe latter name meaning YHWH remembersand that the seeds of our redemption through Yshua were sown on that priestly service week crossing the 17th of Tammuz! More at the end of Part 2 of Masei!

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Scroll to Scroll: Todays Parsha #43: Masei (The Journeys)

PART 1: THE LAST AND CURRENT TORAH PORTIONS Since this is DOUBLE PORTION, study questions from Matot and Masei are NOT answered until the Devarim portion next week. AND NOW FOR THIS WEEKS (OTHER) PORTION 1) Meaning of this weeks Torah portion and summary of contents: Masei means the journeys, and the entire 33rd chapter is devoted to the list of the 42 places the Israelites stopped at along the way to Canaan. The rest of the portion concerns detailed rules about what the lands borders will be, which tribe gets what and general rules on inheritance. There is a sequel at the end of the portion where the daughters of Zelophedad are told they must marry within their tribe to inherit. If they marry outside they do not get their inheritance.

Eleh mas'ey veney-Yisra'el asher yats'u me'erets Mitsrayim letsiv'otam beyad-Moshe ve'Aharon. Vayichtov Moshe et-motsa'eyhem lemas'eyhem al-pi Yahweh ve'eleh mas'eyhem lemotsa'eyhem
2) Read Parsha (English-Numbers 33:1-36:13). This week we will read the entire portion. 3) Play by Play commentary where appropriate. 4) Point out key Hebrew words/terms. Color Commentary: Note on 33:2- Rabbi Abarbanel has a very interesting comment that basically says that since these place names do not occur anywhere else in Scripture that the ultimate purpose of the names of these places is to commemorate certain events. There are surely many times (Taberah, Caves of Craving) where such is explicitly stated. DOFKA (33:12) and ALUSH (33:13) are both places that are not mentioned in Exodus although it was along that original route. Some Rabbis think that Dofka is another name for Sereabith el Kadim. Alush is believed by other Rabbis to be the exact place the manna began falling.

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CHATZEROTH (33:17) = courtyard. This is believed to be the exact place where Miriam was stricken with leprosy. Other authorities believe this is also the place of the Korah rebellion. KIRVOTH HA TAAVAH (graves of craving33:16) because the Israelites grumbled they didnt have a enough meat. YHWH stuffed them full of meat till it came out of their ears. the meat was still between their teeth when they began to diehence they died for their cravings. RITHMAH (33:18) = also known as Kadesh Barnea. Based on the general description of Deuteronomy 1:46, many Rabbis believe that the Israelites stayed here longer than any other place19 years. KEHALITHA (33:23) assembly, the probable place where the Korah rebellion began according to many authorities. MOUNT SHEPHER (33:24) = beautiful. CHARADA = great fear (33:25) MAQELOTH = place of assembly (33:26), perhaps the place where Aarons rod budded at the height of the Korah rebellion (Numbers 16 and 17). TAHATH (33:26) = under, subject as in under the Torah. The stops that we see, starting from here to the time in Kadesh, are completely unknown in terms of events given in the Torah. There are 11 stops in all, including Tahath and Kadesh. I have explained from last weeks parsha why I believe the Israelites resided in Kadesh for the last 19 years of their wandering. The way then this itinerary parses out then is 1) 2 years from Exodus to the conclusion of the Israelites time at Sinai. 2) About half a year of wandering from Sinai to Maqeloth, during which time the events of the spies, the Korah rebellion and related events/regulations happen. Last known time marker are the Israelites getting grapes from Canaan just before the rebellion, which would put them in early summer. 3) About 16 years between wandering from Tahath to Etzion Gever, prior to entering Kadesh. 4) Last 19 years at Kadesh, ending 38 years after the curse was enacted to wander 40 years but 40 years after the actual Exodus. 5) 11 more months from these events to the opening of Deuteronomy (1:3), the day of Moshes death, on 1 Shevat/January 7th, 1406 BCE. 6) 30 days of mourning for Moshe, completes the 39th year of wandering. 7) Jubilee Zero, or the 40th year of wandering, completes while Joshua consolidates power and plans the Jericho campaign for the next spring. 8) Jericho conquest, 42 years after Exodus.

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MITHQA = (33:27) sweet things CHASHMONAH (33:29) = ambassador (?), but probably also the place where the Hasmonean royal family was from. See Psalm 68:2 and Joshua 15:27. MOSEROTH (33:30) = From the word mussar, 'chastisement.' It is thus seen as a place of chastisement or rebellion (Targum Yonathan; see Targum on 1 Samuel 20:30). In Deuteronomy 10:6 we find the Israelites going from Beney Yaakan to Moserah; and according to tradition, the Israelites returned as far as Moserah after Aaron's death. This was an act of rebellion, and a large number of Israelites were killed (Yerushalmi, Yoma 2:2, 2a; see note on Numbers 26:12). Some say that Aaron was buried in Moserah (Malbim on 20:29) but this would have been 38 years after these other events at Moseroth. BEEROTH BENEY YAAKAN (33:32), 'Wells of the Sons of Yaakan' in Deuteronomy 10:6 Banaea in Septuagint. Yaakan was a Horite; see Genesis 36:27, 1 Chronicles 1:42. Others render this, 'wells of distress' (Targum Yonathan), or 'wells of the narrow pass' (Commentary on Targum Yonathan). Possibly Beeroth Oded in the Sinai. ETZYON GEVER (33:35) = 'Rooster's Crow!' K'rakh Tarngul in Aramaic (Targum Yonathan; Commentary ad loc.) or, 'Rooster City.' It is a town on the Gulf of Aqaba (cf. 1 Kings 22:49, 2 Chronicles 8:17), some 2 miles east of Elath (cf. Deuteronomy 2:8, 1 Kings 9:26). The Israelites therefore had headed south from Kadesh Barnea to the shore of the Gulf of Aqaba. Note on Numbers 33:8: Aarons death is 1 Av, or Sunday, July 13th (Gregorian), 1407 BCE. (The Rabbinic date would be one day later in the chronology I currently have.) Although the Rabbis do choose a completely different year, in large part to their Year 1 being 140 years too late from the actual creation of Adam. AKRABIM STEPS (scorpion steps-34:4). See Joshua 15:3, Judges 1:36. This denotes the mountains to the southwest of the Dead Sea. It is one of the passes that lead to the northern slope of Wadi el-Fikreh. HOR HAR (Hor Mountain34:7): This is not the same Hor Mountain as in Numbers 33:37 (Abarbanel; Paaneach Razah). This is identified with Amanah mountains (Targum Yonathan; Rashi, Gittin 8a, s.v. Eyzehu), which are usually identified with Jebel Zebedani, the range passing through Lebanon and Syria. See Song of Songs (Rashi ad loc.), 2 Kings 5:12. It may also be Mount Amanus, the modern Giaour Dagh. Other sources identify it with Banas, possibly associated with the modern Baniyas on the Syrian Coast. Some say that it is the mountain El Hori Adah, some 15 miles south of Latakia, on the Syrian Coast due west of Chamath (Kaftor VaPherach 11, 42a). It would be some 160 miles south of the present Israeli border.

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HAMATOT VACHATSI (34:13) = the half tribe, referring to Manasseh. UL-MATEY VNEY EPHRAIM NASI KMUEL BEN SHIFTAN (34:24) = from the tribe of Ephraim, Kamiel the son of Shiftan. Although Joshua is the head of Ephraim, he is also chosen to be the head over all Israel after Moshe dies. Therefore, to ensure fairness so that the other tribes do not feel disadvantaged, a second leader from Ephraim is chosen, and this is the only tribe that technically speaking has two heads. UMIGRESHEY HEARIM ASHER TITNU LA-LEVIIM MIKIR HAIR VACHUTSAH ELEPH AMAH SAVIV (35:4) = and the suburbs you shall give to the Levites shall extend outward 1000 cubits from the city wall. However, in 35:5 it will say: 5 'Outside the town, measure two thousand cubits to the east, two thousand cubits to the south, two thousand cubits to the west and two thousand cubits to the north, the town lying in the center; such will be the pasture lands of these towns. 2000 cubits is the total, and the 1000 cubits is within that total but there are different opinions as to how these were configured. Some say 1000 cubits was open land and the remaining 1000 cubits were fields and vineyards (Sotah, 72b). Others say 1000 cubits are clear land and an additional 2000 cubits are fields and vineyards (Yad, Shemittah 13:2), but there will be no real consensus on the matter anytime soon. For myself, I am inclined to the first explanation. Note on 36:6: The Rabbis say that the command against tribal intermarriage only applied to this generation, but the reality I see is that tribal intermarriage, except perhaps relating to priests, was always allowed and never prohibited. Even in this ruling the command is not against marrying from other tribes but only that inheritance may not be transferred to women whose fathers died without a direct male heir. The women in that situation have two choices: Either marry whomever they wish from their own tribe and inherit from their fathers estate or marry an Israelite man from another tribe but lose their fathers inheritance at the next Jubilee. ELEH HA MITZVOT (36:13) = These are the mitzvot (commandments). This last line from Numbers concludes the commands that began all the way back in Numbers 26:52!

Torah Question of the Week: Why was YHWH angry for sparing the women in the Midianite campaign?

END PART 1

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Torah Question of the Week: Why was YHWH angry for sparing the women in the Midianite campaign? The Midianite woman who were virgins were to be spared but the others were not because they had enticed Israel to go astray through sex to get them into idolatry. Cozbi was the first to meet this fate, but there were countless others who escaped. While the Midianite soldiers were killed, the women would remain and continue to be a snare for Israel.

PART 2: THE HAFTORAH 5) Haftorah portion (English- Jeremiah 2:4-28) and discuss common themes with the Torah portion.

Shim'u devar-Yahweh beyt Ya'akov vechol-mishpechot beyt Yisra'el. Koh amar Yahweh mah-mats'u avoteychem bi avel ki rachaku me'alay vayelchu acharey hahevel vayehbalu.
6) Our linguistic commentary HABAL (2:5) = empty or vain, also vapor or breath as in things that disappear. If the 3rd commandment for example meant vain in the sense that the rabbis mean, this word is probably a better choice than SHAVto make desolate by substitution. TZALMAVETH (2:6) = deep darkness, actually something closer to death like shadow, pallor. This type of darkness is often associated with the realm of the dead. PASHA (2:8) = to transgress, but literally, to go around the covenant. Wickedness makes us go around the covenant while teshuvah makes us turn around and get back on the right road, the narrow path that leads to life. KEDAR (2:10) = possibly black tented or possibly akin to Arabic town dwellers, indicating nomads in the process of settling down. Kedar is the same tribe from which Islams prophet arises from. Also in 2:10 KITTIM, sons of Javan, a people from the coastlands of the Mediterranean. Later applied specifically to the Romans. So it is interesting that the word is being sent to what are in essence the power centers of Islam and the Roman Empire.

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KHAREB (2:12) = desolate, wasteland. The same word describes the other name for Sinai, Mount Horeb. This time however instead of getting the Torah that brings life they get a curse that brings death. MAQOR MAYIM CHAYIM (2:13) = fountain or source of living waters. It is YHWH who makes the living waters and is the source of eternal life. It is Yshua who GIVES the living waters and lets us drink freely of them (Revelation 22). HALAKH (2:17) = literally when YHWH WALKED with you as opposed to just led you. Normally Scripture talks about US walking with YHWH, but in some rare cases, like with Adam and Eve and here, its the opposite with Him walking with us. RAAH (2:19) = evil, wickedness, but also another word spelled exactly the same way is SHEPHERD, one who feeds the flock. So there is a very fine line between feeding the flock and descending into evil. It is literally only a matter of minor accenting and inflection. Root also appears in 2:28translated as time of your TROUBLE in Stone but actually could mean time of your evil. 7) Renewed Covenant portion: (English) Yaakov 4:1-12 (all the way through with applicable footnotes.) One interesting word in this portion is TIBOTA (grace). Its root is TOB (good, goodness) but it also means kindness and favor, specifically from YHWH. Another is AVDEH DNAMUSA-doer of Torah. Specifically, a worker of Torah, in a positive sense by Yaakov. So how can works of the law be bad if Yaakov here says doer/worker of the Torah is good? 8) Highlight common themes in Aramaic (terms in footnotes which I will read) 9) Apply these themes/issues to modern issues in the Netzari faith. (Any assembly that does not follow all the commands on unity and propriety as expressed in Yaakovs 3rd and 4th chapters is risking serious spiritual harm!) 10) Relate to all or part of an Appendix portion of AENT or footnotes from a portion (Lets read NT Misconception #6 Works of the Torah, p. 800-801). STUDY QUESTIONS TO BE ANSWERED NEXT WEEK FOR THIS PORTION: 1) One of the five Midianite kings seems to be thought of as inferior to the others based on the way he is listed. Who is this king and why does he seem inferior to the others? 2) How does one regulation in this portion relate squarely to Joseph and Maryam in the NT?

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3) Gentile slaves of Israel have more rights than freed Gentiles living alongside IsraelTRUE OR FALSE? 4) How are the number of stops the Israelites made related to both the timing of the Exodus and the Nativity? 5) Due to special rulings, women who would have inherited their fathers estate per the criteria of Numbers 27 immediately forfeit that estate if they marry into another tribe, TRUE or FALSE?

Torah Thoughts of the Week Part Two: The Elders of Zion are Silent We just saw a beautiful proof of the accuracy of YHWHs calendar, as the Immersers father, Zachariah, has a vision in the Temple and goes mute right at the start of the three weeks of mourning. We also read in Lamentations 2 how the disaster of these weeks leading up to the destruction of the Temples caused the leaders of Zion to be silent. In a sense though, they should not have been silent. It is in the depths of greatest despair when we should be shouting out to our Abba YHWH, to cry out to Him in distress. However, some might well point out that if the distress is caused by YHWH punishing us, how can we turn and ask Him for comfort when we have sinned? Well YHWH does comfort us during punishment. The difference is, such as with Jonah, that He wants to see we get at least some of the problem that brought that punishment on. Jonah only had to pray with power and sincerity and agree to go to Nineveh and then he was vomited on to the land to fulfill his mission. This is a powerful example, because it shows how we can in some sense repent in sincerity and get a kind of down payment of our righteous intentions that results in immediate deliverance. The catch is however that we have to keep ourselves from repeating that bad behavior into the future in order to maintain those blessings. Forgiveness doesnt mean absolving us of our responsibilities; only deferring penalty while YHWH sees if we will keep our word to Him. The idea of the elders of Zion being mute suggests extreme shock along with their sadness. But why should they have been shocked when so many prophets came to them to warn them of the price for their wickedness? Did they really think that party at YHWHs expense would go on forever or that YHWH would forget what He said he would do? To this end, I think Yeshayahu said it best:

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I, I am Yahweh, and there is no other Savior but me. 12 I have revealed, have saved, and have proclaimed, not some foreigner among you. You are my witnesses, declares Yahweh, I am God, 13 yes, from eternity I am. No one can deliver from my hand; when I act, who can thwart me? 14 Thus says Yahweh, your redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: For your sake I have sent to Babylon, I shall knock down all the prison bars, and the Chaldaeans' shouts of joy will change to lamentations. 15 I am Yahweh, your Holy One, the Creator of Israel, your king. 16 Thus says Yahweh, who made a way through the sea, a path in the raging waters, 17 who led out chariot and horse together with an army of picked troops: they lay down never to rise again, they were snuffed out, put out like a wick. 18 No need to remember past events, no need to think about what was done before. 19 Look, I am doing something new, now it emerges; can you not see it? Yes, I am making a road in the desert and rivers in wastelands. 20 The wild animals will honor me, the jackals and the ostriches, for bestowing water in the desert and rivers on the wastelands for my people, my chosen one, to drink. 21 The people I have shaped for myself will broadcast my praises. 22 But, Jacob, you have not invoked me; no, Israel, you have grown weary of me. 23 You have not brought me lambs as your burnt offerings and have not honored me with your sacrifices. I have not subjected you to cereal offering, I have not wearied you by demanding incense. 24 You have not bought expensive reed for me or sated me with the fat of your sacrifices. Instead by your sins you have treated me like a slave, you have wearied me with your crimes, (Isaiah 43:11-24 NJB) So even when the greatest disaster comes from YHWH, He will also expect us to call on Him, as evidenced by the line But Yaakov, you have not invoked me. In fact when things are at their worst, thats when YHWH wants us to shout for Him: Shout for joy, barren one who has borne no children! Break into cries and shouts of joy, you who were never in labor! For the children of the forsaken one are more in number than the children of the wedded wife, says Yahweh. 2 Widen the space of your tent, extend the curtains of your home, do not hold back! Lengthen your ropes, make your tent-pegs firm, 3 for you will burst out to right and to left, your race will dispossess the nations and repopulate deserted towns. 4 Do not fear, you will not be put to shame again, do not worry, you will not be disgraced again; for you will forget the shame of your youth and no longer remember the dishonor of your widowhood. 5 For your Creator is your husband, Yahweh Sabaoth is his name, the Holy One of Israel is your redeemer, he is called God of the whole world. 6 Yes, Yahweh has called you back like a forsaken, griefstricken wife, like the repudiated wife of his youth, says your God. 7 I did forsake you for a brief moment, but in great compassion I shall take you back. 8 In a flood of anger, for a moment I hid my face from you. But in everlasting love I have taken pity on you, says Yahweh, your redeemer. (Isaiah 54:1-8 NJB) If you are mute then when disaster strikes then your faith has also left you. But if you know you sinned and feel the pain of punishment, never shirk from calling on YHWH

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who also stands to comfort you even in harsh correction. So when these elders fell mutewhile we can well understand how they feltit was also symptomatic of the problems in their faith walk that made them vulnerable to judgment in the first place. We need to remember that mind can also sin. Coveting is clearly a sin of the mind. Lack of faith is also in the mind first and it leads to despair because they didnt believe YHWHs Word before when He threatened destruction and they didnt believe that YHWH could comfort them and restore them in time after the destruction. This is not to say that great hardships such as losing a job, a death in the family, divorce and so on dont created understandable levels of stress. All of us feel weak sometimes. The question though is, will we let the weakness define us or will we define the weakness as temporary and call on YHWH to restore us? For if even the elders of Zion were not immune from this sin, neither can any of us be, nor will be exempt if and when judgment comes. But, in the end, we can prevent that judgment altogether simply by calling on Him, invoking Him, relying on Him, because that shows YHWH that your faith is intact even when your understanding was not. Im Andrew Gabriel Roth and thats your Torah Thoughts for the Week! Next week we will be exploring Devarim, or Deuteronomy 1:1-3:22. Our Haftorah portion will be Isaiah 1:1-27 and our Renewed Covenant portion will be Yochanan 15:111. Stay tuned!

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