Aaron the Peacemaker

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK:

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. (Matthew 5:9)

THIS WEEK'S TORAH PORTION:

Chukat (חוקת | Statute)

Torah: Numbers 19:1-22:1

Haftarah: Judges 11:1-33

Gospel: Matthew 21:1-17

Three Offices of Messiah

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK:

But the LORD said to Moses, “Put back the rod of Aaron before the testimony to be kept as a sign against the rebels, that you may put an end to their grumblings against Me, so that they will not die.” (Numbers 17:10)

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

One Law and the Gentiles

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK:

The Torah says there is to be only one law for both Jews and aliens sojourning with the Jewish people. On the surface, this appears to be a simple statement, but when we dig deeper into biblical studies and interpretations, it becomes a complicated issue.

THIS WEEK'S TORAH PORTION:

Shelach (שלח | Send)

Torah: Numbers 13:1-15:41

Haftarah: Joshua 2:1-24

Gospel: Mark 10:1-45

PRAYERS - THE PRACTICE OF THE EARLIEST CHRISTIANS

WHAT A SIMPLE DEFINITE ARTICLE ["the"] AND A PLURAL ["...s"] CAN TEACH US ABOUT THE PRACTICE OF THE EARLIEST CHRISTIANS

"And they continued steadfastly in … THE prayerS" (Act 2:42).

Something gets left out of most Evangelical Protestant translations of the last phrase in Act 2:42. Most recent Evangelical Protestant translations have "prayer," when the Greek text has a definite article and a plural TAIS PROSEUKHAIS ("THE prayerS"). Do the translators "de-definitize" or "de-pluralize" "teaching of THE ApostleS"? No. "Breaking of THE bread"? No. But many of them de-definitize (and de-pluralize) "THE prayerS" so that they become in translation the generic "prayer."

Why? I can't read minds, and I am just as guilty as any of theological bias. But I'd bet my two crooked front teeth that it sounded too "liturgical" and too "Jewish" for some of the "low-church" Evangelical Protestant Christian translators. They couldn't imagine the Apostles and friends doing Jewish liturgical "prayers" (what "THE prayerS" implies … see below) so they simply omitted the definite article and the plural. An editorial decision. Based on an anti-Jewish bias.

But the meaning got changed!

THE GIFT OF TONGUES AS A JUDGMENT AGAINST DISOBEDIENT ISRAEL

THE GIFT OF TONGUES AS A JUDGMENT AGAINST DISOBEDIENT ISRAEL

This Tuesday, June 3rd at sundown, begins the "appointed time" of SHAVUOT, or "[Feast of] Weeks" … what is commonly translated from the Greek portion of our Bibles as Pentecost." What Christians commonly refer to a Pentecost Sunday is, not this Sunday, but next … on June 8th. The difference in times is explained by the lunar character of the Jewish calendar (so holy days float around a bit) and by Christians' concern to keep the celebration on Sunday. Not to digress, but a thought: Is it good to change the dates of God's appointed times? (Dan 7:25).

But back on topic …

The Pentecost we read about in Acts chapter 2 was obviously not the first Pentecost. When Israel was obedient to the command, they celebrated it yearly, always in the Spring/early Summer. At the "appointed time." Jesus and his first disciples celebrated it every year throughout their earthly lives. However, the Pentecost in Acts 2 was unique because, during it, God poured out His Holy Spirit in partial fulfillment of Joel's and other prophets' predictions. God's miracle here is a **sign**, i.e. it signifies something. Points beyond itself to something else. The disciples of Jesus who were present at that Pentecost began to speak in other languages. You know the story.

However, there is an angle of the "tongues" story rarely told:

Noah and descendents

Noah and descendents were permitted by God Himself to eat כָּל־רֶ֙מֶשׂ֙ / KOL REMES, i.e. *every scurrier* (Gen 9:3; See also Gen 1:24). Mice, rats, lizards, salamanders, beetles, etc are examples of this category of animal. Obviously this too is selective, since some "scurriers" can be poisonous and otherwise unfit for healthy consumption. But point being, the more detailed KASHRUT laws were later given by God to native-born and naturalized Israelites in order to distinguish them from the Gentiles ... Gentiles who were, and still are still permitted by God to eat כָּל־רֶ֙מֶשׂ֙ / KOL REMES, i.e., "every scurrier." So, while some people may find the idea personally distasteful, it is not forbidden by the Torah for Gentiles to eat mice, rats, lizards, salamanders, beetles. Or animals that died on their own, for that matter (Deu 14:21). Forbidden for native-born and naturalized Israelites; permitted for the Gentiles.

-Michael Millier

Trumpets and Clouds

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK:

Our Rabbis taught, “Six blasts were blown on Friday evening before the Sabbath. The first one warned people to cease working in the fields. The second one warned people in the city to cease working. The third warned people to kindle their Sabbath lights … [finally the last three] a tekiah, teruah, and a tekiah were blown to mark the onset of the Sabbath.” (b.Shabbat 35b)

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