Parashat Beha’alotecha

Our Torah portion this week describes further procedures for Passover and includes the implementation of Pesach Sheni, a sort of second Passover for those who were not able to observe the actual Passover for whatever reason.

It is interesting that when it comes to specific matters of redemption, G-d always makes a way for second chances.  Pesach is our great redemption/salvation from the tyranny of our spiritual and physical slavery in Egypt.  Because of the centrality of the Exodus to Jewish understanding of redemption, G-d instituted a second opportunity to observe and participate in yetziat mitzrayim, our Exodus from Egypt.

Just as HaShem gave our ancestors a second opportunity to participate in Passover, so he often does for us as individuals. There are times we really miss it … drop the ball … fall on our faces … and land on our tucheses in the deepest, darkest pits. Most of us have had moments in our lives where we have hit rock bottom.

However, throughout the Tanakh we see examples of people who were not perfect … who also fell into low places … but what makes them such exemplary figures is that they got back up. They were given second chances (and, often, third, fourth … fifth chances).

The same opportunity comes through our ultimate redemption in Mashiach.  When Yeshua first came as the suffering servant, there were many of us who did not recognize him for who he really was.  Many of our people were expecting a messiah who would liberate us from the occupation of Rome, and usher in the messianic age at that moment. However, Yeshua came not as the redeemer of Roman occupation, but as one who would overthrow spiritual oppression and set up a different kid of revolution. One in which the downtrodden and oppressed are the ones who inherit the Kingdom and become partners with HaShem in bringing about redemption. It was such a drastic and revolutionary move that many scholars and thinkers are still discussing the full ramifications of Yeshua’s work on the earth.

Like Pesach Sheni, the second Passover, there will be a second return of our beloved Mashiach. We all get a second chance, another opportunity to partner with G-d in bringing about the fullness of our ultimate redemption as individuals and as a people.  With every passing day, the second coming of Messiah draws nigh.  The question raised is are we truly ready for Mashiach to come, and are we actively preparing the word for the coming of Mashiach?  May each of us be blessed with second chances to pursue redemption, to discover our ultimate purpose, and may each of us work together to hasten the second coming of Messiah Yeshua!

Apart from Orthodoxy and more traditional forms of Judaism, Shavuot is one of the least observed holidays within the wider Jewish community. For far too many Jews today, Torah is no longer at the core of our existence. Many of us have lost our zeal – and as a result, have lost a particular hope as well.

Shavuot is a unique jewel, and within it gleams a hope of the world to come.

The giving of the Torah on Mt. Sinai was a dramatic and miraculous experience. It was filled with thunder, lightning, trembling blasts of a heavenly shofar, and HaShem descending on the mountain in a column of fire. At the base of the mountain, trembling before G-d, we took upon ourselves the mitzvot through our utterance of “na’ase v’nishma” – that everything HaShem has said, we will do and we will obey.

Yet this is not the end of the story. For within the giving of the Torah was a remez, a hint of more to come. Our sages teach us that,

“All the prophets prophesied only concerning the days of the Mashiach (b. Sanhedrin 99a).”

Our holy prophets foretold that a renewal of Torah would be brought through Mashiach, when G-d would take the Torah and inscribe it upon our hearts (Jer. 31, Ezek, 36 & 37, etc.), making it ever more personal. This must happen in order to prepare the world for the final culmination of Yemot HaMashiach – the Messianic Age.

Within Ma’aseh HaShlichim, the Book of Acts, the emissaries and followers of Mashiach were gathered together observing Shavuot when the promise of our holy prophets became a reality. In events similar to the original giving of the Torah (heavenly voices, miraculous occurrences), a mystical fire descended similar to the fire which fell on Mt. Sinai. The fire descended and divided itself, and came to rest upon each individual who was present. This experience caused the Written Torah and the Living Torah, through the Ruach, to be inscribed upon the deepest parts of our hearts, enabling a new heavenly power, and Malchut HaShamayim, the Kingdom of Heaven to be infused into the earth in a new way.

As we observe Shavuot beginning tomorrow evening (Tuesday), let us not forget that we are not only reliving the giving of the Torah, but may we also be inspired to a greater reality and a new hope. May we receive a greater impartation of the Ruach, a renewal of the Written Torah and the Living Torah inscribed within us, and may we become greater partners with HaShem in preparing the world for the coming of Mashiach.

Parashat Bamidbar

What is the purpose of the census at the beginning of the book of Numbers, and why is so much detail placed on the encampment of the tribes of Israel around the Tabernacle?

This week’s Torah portion begins the biblical book of Numbers, named after the census taken at the beginning of the parasha.  The act of counting individuals seems quite trivial and without meaning.  In addition, the census seems to appear out of nowhere.  As such, what is the purpose of the census?  The Hebrew of the text provides an answer.  The literal translation of the phrase, “take a census – se’u et rosh” is “lift up the head.”  According to Chasidic thought, the purpose of the census was to reach out to the core of the Jewish soul.  When each person is counted, everyone is equal.  Each person counts as only one count.  No one is counted twice and nobody is skipped.  The census was meant to even the playing field and show equality and value of every single individual.  One life is not worth more than another.  Each person has purpose.

This idea of holiness is emphasized in the encampment of Israel around the Tabernacle.  The 13^th Century Jewish sage, Ramban (Nachmanides), noticed clear parallels between the mitzvot surrounding the Tabernacle and the Revelation at Sinai.  As Sinai represented the place of God’s manifest presence, so too the Tabernacle represented God’s presence on earth.  And just as the people camped around the base of Mt. Sinai, so too did the tribes camp around the Tabernacle, symbolizing the centrality of God’s presence among the people of Israel.  During the giving of the Torah on Mt. Sinai, the Jewish people entered into a profound covenant with God.  The symbolism between a Jewish wedding and the giving of the Torah further solidifies this understanding.

By making the Tabernacle central to the people of Israel, geographically and conceptually, it solidified the Jewish commitment to the centrality of Torah.  The centrality of Torah underscored the emphasis for the need of the Living Torah, dwelling in, through, and among the nation of Israel.  May we too recognize that same obligation to make God’s presence central to our lives, and may each of us never lose sight of our ultimate purpose.  For no one is overlooked in the Kingdom of Yeshua.

Parashiot Behar – Bechukotai

What is the connection between these two parashiot, and what is the ultimate promise made by G-d to the Jewish people?

Behar and Bechukotai are the last two portions in the book of Vayikra, Leviticus. On non-leap years, when various portions are doubled up, the rabbis specifically chose these two portions to be read together. One does not have to look too hard to be able to see the similarities between the two portions.

Behar begins with a special connection between Mt. Sinai and the land of Israel by speaking of the holiness of shmita, of letting the ground lay fallow for an entire year every seven years. This connection is directly connected to the mitzvah of Shabbat. For six days we are to work, and on the seventh day we are to rest.

This idea follows that HaShem created the world in which we inhabit for six days, but on the seventh day G-d ceased from His creating, and brought completeness and menucha – rest. The purpose of shmita is to teach us that the ultimate force in the universe is G-d and not the law of nature. It also goes against our own instincts of fear that if we do not plant and work during that year, we will starve. Yet this is why, built even into the harvesting of the land, G-d gives us opportunities to demonstrate faith. That is the reason for the harvesting for six years, and stowing a small amount away every year of in order to have extra food for the year of shmita. By doing so, we are obligated to trust G-d that by following His mitzvot, we trust He will provide for us during these years so that we will not go hungry in the seventh. This goes against everything in us to take a Shabbat – especially for an entire year!

However, Parashat Bechukotai begins with G-d promising that if we follow His commandments, than He will give us abundance in our harvests and blessings upon us. That He will send us the rain we need, and will keep our enemies away. It is His promise that if we will trust in Him, and observe the mitzvot He just gave us in the previous parasha, that He will be faithful to meet our needs.

How often do we really trust G-d to meet our needs? Often we worry and seem to keep little areas hidden (or at least we think hidden, from G-d). Yet, that is not what HaShem wants of us. G-d wants us to trust and believe, that by following His mitzvot, He will bring blessings in our lives. Yeshua reiterates this by reassuring us not to worry about these things – of what we will eat or drink, or even about what we will wear (Mat. 6:25-34). For Yeshua promises us that He knows everything we need better than we do. Therefore Yeshua affirms the message of this week’s parashiot, to continue to seek His Kingdom and His Righteousness (i.e. His mitzvot and will for our lives), and everything else will be added to us as well.

Articles

Book Review: Boyarin, Daniel Border Lines: The Partition of Judaeo-Chrstianity (Kesher Journal, Summer 2011)

Complexity in Early Jewish Messianism (Kesher Journal, Fall/Winter 2009)

Messianic Jewish Outreach: Reaching Out or Reaching In? (Kesher Journal, Summer/Fall 2006)

Papers

The Role of Torah and Jewish Tradition In the Messianic Jewish Community (Paper presented at 2012 Borough Park Symposium, New York, NY)

Women Rabbis and Messianic Judaism (Paper submitted to the Faith and Halakhic Standards Committee of the Messianic Jewish Rabbinical Council, February 2012)

The Nature of God and the New American Jew (Paper presented at the 2010 Borough Park Symposium, New York, NY)

Parashat Emor

We are currently in the last few weeks of counting the omer. The ‘omer’ is a measure of grain, but according to the Torah, it also the measure we use to count the days between Passover and Shavuot.

According to this week’s Torah portion, from Leviticus 23:15-16:

From the “day after the first day of rest” during Passover, we are to count seven full weeks (i.e. ‘Shavuot’) … 49 days … leading up to the holiday of Shavuot. Shavuot is the only day without a described date in the Torah. Whereas other Jewish holidays, like Passover for example, are associated with a particular date on the Jewish calendar, only Shavuot must be deciphered. It is calculated by counting these days of the omer, so that we arrive at Shavuot on the 50th day. That is why Shavuot is called in Greek, and therefore in most New Testament translations, Pentecost, because it refers to the fiftieth day.

Although there are, of course, disagreements when to begin the counting, particularly over what the Torah means by the “first day of rest,” the Jewish community today understands this to mean the first day of Passover. Therefore, “the day after the first day of rest” is the evening which begins the second day of Passover.

There were two primary grain harvests, or Firstfruits, in Ancient Israel – the barley harvest, which fell during Pesach, and the wheat harvest, which is Shavuot. According to Leviticus 23:14, we are not allowed to eat any grain until an offering of the first fruits of our harvest was brought before HaShem.

On Shavuot we celebrate three distinct events:

1. The giving of the Torah to Moses on Mt. Sinai
2. The Renewal of that Covenant as described in Jeremiah 31
3. And the sealing of that renewal of the Torah through the outpouring of the Spirit (as described in the Prophets and fulfilled in Acts 2)

The giving of the Torah to Moses on Mt. Sinai was the ultimate event between G-d and the Jewish people – wherein G-d chose Israel and formed a special relationship with us.

As followers of Yeshua, we speak all the time about a New Covenant – but what does that mean? And what does that especially mean for us as Jews??? After all, the first reference to a New Covenant does not all of a sudden show up in Mathew Chapter 1, but rather is first referenced in Jeremiah 31:30-36.

What is the covenant that is being Renewed?

The subject of Jeremiah’s prophesy is the Torah – a renewal of the covenant made at Mt. Sinai with the Jewish people. What is different is that Jeremiah prophesies the Torah will become internalized and experienced in a greater way (think John 1).

The New Covenant – or better translated – the Renewed Covenant – is not some brand-new replacement of the Torah – but the intensification and internalization of the Torah. This includes a renewed Israel which is then empowered to fulfill our role of being Or L’Goyim – a Light to the Nations!

The renewal of the Torah described in Jeremiah 31 is not a replacement of, but a renewal of the covenant.

What is the sign of this Covenant Renewal?

The fulfillment of this promise of a Renewed Covenant was incarnated, realized and fulfilled through Yeshua (John 1), and the sealing of that covenant-renewal was the outpouring of the Spirit in Acts 2.

In a description similar to the giving of the Torah back at Mt. Sinai, the Spirit was poured out upon the early followers of Yeshua who were gathered together on the Temple mount … in fulfillment of exactly what Yeshua promised:

“For you will receive power when the Ruach HaKodesh comes upon you; and you will be my witnesses both in Yerushalayim and in all of Yehudah and Shomron, even to the ends of the earth! (Acts 1:8)”

This outpouring of the Spirit in Acts 2 takes place on Shavuot for a reason – it is the sealing of that covenant-renewal promised in Jeremiah 31.

So how does the Torah and the Spirit work together?

Throughout the writings of the Biblical Prophets and the Brit Chadasha, the Spirit and the Torah are meant to go together. There is no dichotomy between the Torah and the Spirit. A great example of this is Ezekiel 36:22-28, where G-d describes what this renewal will look like:

1. Being filled with the Spirit
2. Being back in the Land
3. and living in covenant-faithfulness to HaShem.

This is the Spiritual Restoration of the Jewish People!

According to Ezekiel 37:14, this is the Jewish people’s purpose for existing – to Kiddush HaShem – to sanctify the Name of HaShem:

“It is not for your purposes O’ Israel … but for mine!”

According to Ezekiel (and many other places in the Bible) the purpose of the Spirit is to enable us to live according to the Torah … to observe the commands and ordinances of HaShem. So as we prepare ourselves for Shavuot during the counting of the omer, let’s keep in mind that HaShem continues to renew creation and that through Yeshua, the Torah that was given to us on Mt. Sinai became incarnated, dwelled among us, and we will once again behold His glory!

Happy Counting!

On Earth Day I tweeted:

“According to the Torah, we are placed on this earth to tend and watch over it (Gen 2:15). Happy Earth Day! Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. #EarthDay”

I also posted something similar on Facebook. I was surprised to hear some of the responses. People often do not associate Torah values with that of being good stewards of the environment. However, the Torah has much to say about our role towards the world in which we live.

Therefore, I was really happy to see First Fruits of Zion’s blog post today on Torah and the Environment, which gives a great perspective from not only a traditional Jewish sources, but additionally, a Messianic Jewish perspective for those of us who are followers of Yeshua.

I greatly encourage you to check it out!

This week’s double-portion seems to be a long list of do’s and don’ts. If so, why is their so much talk about holiness and being holy? What is the connection?

Parashat Kedoshim is one of my favorite parashiot in the Torah. For it clearly illustrates the stark distinction between the concept of holiness as understood within the Jewish community and much of the western world. Holiness in the Torah is not some mystical, esoteric state we are all somehow striving to attain; but is rather a state of being, and a way of living our lives. In the Torah, holiness is establishing G-d’s Kingdom and Presence here on this earth. It is partnering with G-d in bringing redemption into the world.

The Torah portion is called Kedoshim because it is all about holiness. It is the instructions of how to live a life that is holy and pleasing unto G-d. We are instructed to weigh fairly, pursue justice, observe Shabbat and the mitzvot, and protect those who are down trodden. Why? Because the Torah states “Anochi HaShem … Because I am HaShem … and you are to be holy as I am holy (Leviticus 19:2)”.

It is a concept radically different from many of our own understandings of what we perceive as holy. For holiness is establishing G-d’s Presence among us and through us. Yeshua intrinsically understood this. Yeshua came to serve, and to ransom his life for ours (Mark 10:45). After all, it is in this week’s Torah portion we find the commandment echoed by Yeshua, “V’ahavta l’Raeicha Kamocha – To love your neighbor as you love yourself (Lev. 19:18).” For Judaism clearly teaches that how we treat one another is a direct reflection upon our relationship to G-d.

This is what Yeshua even taught us to pray for, “May Your Kingdom come. May Your Will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven (Matthew 6:9).” Let us pray for the inspiration and strength to lead lives that are holy and pleasing to G-d. May each of us pursue justice, follow Torah, and protect those downtrodden.

HaShem our G-d, open our eyes for opportunities to serve you, and help us see the world and our neighbors the way you see them. And may we merit your soon coming and the ultimate redemption in the messianic age!

After nearly 2,000 years in exile, Israel as a nation was re-birthed in 1948. Sixty-five years later we recall not only the miracle of her existence but the cost of her resurrection. Yesterday was Yom HaZikaron – Israel’s Memorial Day, which is immediately followed by Yom HaAtzma’ut – Israel’s Independence Day. This is to remind us that Israel was birthed out of the ashes of the Holocaust and 2,000 years of struggle and persecution. As we remember Israel’s soldiers who died in defense of our Land we also recall her re-birth as an ultimate symbol of hope – or as the siddur describes it, “the first-fruits of our redemption.”

Yom HaAtzma’ut is a reminder that our hope is not lost. As long as there is an Israel, there is hope. This is exactly the point we sing in Israel’s national anthem, “Our hope is not lost – a 2,000 year old hope – to be a free people in our own land, the Land of Israel and Jerusalem.”

In honor of Yom HaAtzma’ut, one particular passage from the Talmud (b. Berachot 5a) is worth mentioning:

It has been taught: Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai says: The Holy One, Blessed Be He, gave Israel three precious gifts, and all of them were given only through suffering. They are: the Torah, the Land of Israel, and the World to Come. Whence do we know this of the Torah? Because it is said: “Happy is the person who You discipline, O L-rd, the one You instruct in Your Torah (Ps. 94:12).” When of the Land of Israel? Because it is written: “Just as a man disciplines his son, HaShem your G-d disciplines you (Deut. 8:5).” And after that it is written: “For HaShem your G-d is bringing you into a good land (Deut. 8:7).” Whence of the World to Come? Because it is written: “For the commandment is a lamp, the teaching is a light, and the way to life is the rebuke that disciplines (Prov. 6:23).”

A similar thought is supported by Yeshua, “But it is a narrow gate and a hard road that leads to life, and only a few find it (Mathew 7:14).” Although this passage from Matthew is often quoted only in reference to spiritual redemption, the context is much broader and refers to our spiritual lifestyles in general. After all, this passage appears in the middle of a section on bearing spiritual fruit. We can also apply this idea to our passage from the Gemara above and relate it back to Israel.

As Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai stated above, the way of Torah is not easy. And neither is the path that leads to the World to Come. As Yeshua reminds us, “only a few will find it.” And so is support for the Land of Israel.  Not only was it birthed out of suffering, but it exists in suffering, and will only continue to exist through suffering until Mashiach returns. We must continue to speak out in support of Israel. We must defend her to a world that constantly refuses to weigh fairly. I am not speaking of blind support, but educated support. Israel is not perfect. And I will be the first one to speak-up when she falls short. However, our support for Israel is not only Scripturally solid, it is politically defensible.

As we celebrate Israel’s 65th birthday, let’s do so with a renewed vigor to speak up and support not only Israel, but our faithful brothers and sisters in the Land who every day continue to make her existence a reality. Let us also work even harder to prepare the way for Mashiach’s return. For Israel and Messiah are interconnected.  Our support and rebuilding of Israel is part of preparing the way for Messiah. And may we all witness that day speedily and soon!

Happy 65th Birthday, Israel!

Zichronam livrachah – May their memories be a blessing.