Zeal for Adonai

Religious zealotry and fanaticism has no place among the disciples of Yeshua outside of our "zeal for the Torah" and "zeal for good deeds."

THIS WEEK'S TORAH PORTION:

Pinchas (פנחס | Phinehas)

Torah: Numbers 25:10-30:1

Haftarah: 1 Kings 18:46-19:21

Gospel: Mark 11:27-12:37

Never Argue with a Donkey

Balaam referred to himself as “the man whose eye is opened ... who sees the Almighty." His donkey disagreed with his self-assessment.

THIS WEEK'S TORAH PORTION:

Balak (בלק | Balak)

Torah: Numbers 22:2-25:9

Haftarah: Micah 5:6-6:8

Gospel: Mark 11:12-26

Appoint a man over the congregation

(Numbers 27:16)
Tammuz 16, 5776/July 22, 2016

This week's Torah reading of Pinchas brings to a close the book of Numbers' gallery of villains and heroes, that is, those individuals, both Israelite and non-Israelite, who either sunk to the depths of depravity, falling prey to their own ambition and pride, or, as in the case of Pinchas himself, who became a household name in Israel in the twinkling of an eye, stood up and took action when all others fell silent and listless. At this point in the narrative the relentless march of history recaptures our attention. Forty years of desert wanderings have passed and are drawing to a close. The children of Israel are closer then ever, physically and temporally, to entering the land promised them by G-d , and a sense of anticipation and excitement is clearly gripping the people.

Aaron the Peacemaker

Stories about Aaron remind us that we are called not only to be peaceful people but also to be peacemakers.

THIS WEEK'S TORAH PORTION:

Chukat (חוקת | Statute)

Torah: Numbers 19:1-22:1

Haftarah: Judges 11:1-33

Gospel: Matthew 21:1-17

What HaShem puts into my mouth that I must take care to say

(Numbers 23:12)
Tammuz 9, 5776/July 15, 2016

"Who gave man a mouth, or who makes one dumb or deaf or seeing or blind?" (Exodus 4:11) This is G-d's rhetorical question to Moshe when Moshe once again raised his doubts as to his own ability to be the prophet and redeemer of Israel. The deep truth that it is G-d who chooses His prophets and it is G-d's voice which speaks through the mouths of His prophets is seen time and time again from G-d's response to Moshe'sprotest to Jeremiah's expressions of pain at having been chosen G-d's vessel of prophecy.

The pattern repeats itself. The chosen prophet's protest is an expression of his own profound humility and sense of inadequacy to be the mouthpiece for G-d's word. And yet it is that very modesty that proves the prophet's ability to deliver G-d's word only, and not his own. And so it was with all the Hebrew prophets.

Aharon shall be gathered to his people

(Numbers 20:24)
Tammuz 2, 5776/July 8, 2016

It is fitting that Torah's description of the death of Aharon the High Priest appears in the same parasha that opens with the statute of the red heifer whose ashes are imbued with the power to remove from man the impurity of death. For if there was ever a death that bespoke purity and transcendence, it is the death of Aharon on Mount Hor before the entire nation, as put forth in this week's Torah reading of Chukat.

Who is the Boss?

When a man regards himself as a big somebody, he becomes angry with others who do not acknowledge his ego.

THIS WEEK'S TORAH PORTION:

Korach (קורח | Korah)

Torah: Numbers 16:1-18:32

Haftarah: 1 Samuel 11:14-12:22

Gospel: Luke 18:35-19:28

A Different Spirit

Is the cup half full, or is it half empty? Do you see dark clouds or silver linings? The life of faith has no room for pessimism and cynicism.

THIS WEEK'S TORAH PORTION:

Shelach (שלח | Send)

Torah: Numbers 13:1-15:41

Haftarah: Joshua 2:1-24

Gospel: Mark 10:1-45

Is God's Grace Enough?

 

“I will tell of the LORD’s unfailing love [chesed].  I will praise the LORD for all He has done.  I will rejoice in His great goodness to Israel, which He has granted according to His mercy [racham] and love [chesed].”  (Isaiah 63:7)

 

 

Shalom,

 

"For by grace are you saved through faith."  (Ephesians 2:8)

 

Many Believers think that the Tanakh (Old Testament) is all about the law, whereas the Brit Chadashah (New Testament) is all about grace, the antithesis of the Law.

 

While it is true that grace is evident in the New Covenant, grace did not just appear with the coming of Yeshua (Jesus).

 

Grace can be found throughout the Tanakh, and it is not the antithesis or the opposite of the law.  Both the Law and grace coexist together.

 

Not only is grace active in the Tanakh, but so is faith in the Lord.  Genesis 15:6 states that "Abram believed the LORD, and He credited it to him as righteousness.  (see Romans 4:3, 22; Galatians 3:6)

 

We can surely go up and take possession of it, for we can indeed overcome it!

(Numbers 13:30)
Sivan 18, 5776/June 24, 2016

They say that success has many fathers, but failure is an orphan. G-d tells Moshe, "Send out for yourself men who will scout the Land of Canaan, which I am giving to the children of Israel." (Numbers 13:2) These are G-d's words, but our sages say that the language used in the original Hebrew implies that G-d was giving his assent to a preconceived plan, and not presenting a directive to the children of Israel. Moshe himself later testifies that the idea originated with the people. "And all of you approached me and said, 'Let us send men ahead of us so that they will search out the land for us and bring us back word by which route we shall go up, and to which cities we shall come.'"(Deuteronomy 1:22) After which, Moshe says, "And the matter pleased me; so I took twelve men from you, one man for each tribe." (ibid)

The Shortened Arm

Depression, sorrow, and despondency spiritually blinds us, causing us to forget the awesome power of God.

THIS WEEK'S TORAH PORTION:

Beha'alotcha (בהעלותך | When you set up)

Torah: Numbers 8:1-12:15

Haftarah: Zechariah 2:14-4:7

Gospel: Luke 17:11-18:14

Raising the lights

(Numbers 8:2)
Sivan 11, 5776/June 17, 2016

Parashat Beha'alotcha opens with the sublime image of Aharon literally "raising the lights"of the golden menorah and closes with the inexplicable harsh words spoken by Miriam andAharon about their brother Moshe, and G-d's severe response to Miriam's lapse of judgement, and in between these two events, Beha'alotcha chronicles the no less extreme examples of the best of, and the worst of, the children of Israel. The plethora of incidents it describes and the breadth of radical shifts in faith and trust in G-d and the concomitant extremes in behavior make Beha'alotcha a tour-de-force, an almanac of 'the best of times and the worst of times' for the nation of Israel.