Parashat Matot-Massei and the Melchizadek Scroll (11Q13)

Last week in the annual cycle of Torah study, we read a double portion and it is also the final portion in sefer B’midbar – the book of Numbers. The opening line of the first portion (Numbers 30:1-2) is addressed only to the heads of the tribes as opposed to the entire community. The opening statement enforces the importance of keeping one’s vows or oaths, i.e., keeping one’s word – having our actions and our words line up with one another. It is another example of God’s desire for His people to reflect His image. He cannot break His word or fail to keep His promises and therefore if we would live our lives consistently with His principals and character, we should try never to break our word either. After this we find a number of statements regarding the authority of a husband over the wife and a father over his unmarried daughter (Numbers 30:3-16) regarding the making of vows. This has often been interpreted to be demeaning to women, in that it allows men to exercise undue control over their wives and children, but actually, the truth is that women, in this case are allowed more freedom then men, in that if they make a hasty and unwise promise or commitment, they need not be bound to it, if after the husband or father learns about it, he feels it is an unwise commitment for them to make. It protects them rather than unfairly restricting them. Furthermore, as I will attempt to demonstrate in this article, this statute may be prophetic in nature by alluding to the protections afforded to the Church - the Bride of Messiah as a result of the authority of the bridegroom, Yeshua the Messiah, to nullify vows or commitments we may have unwisely made. 

In the Same portion we later find that the Torah commands the establishment of cities of refuge where a murderer is allowed sanctuary from the punishment of execution by a kinsman of the slain. The text in Numbers 35 describes the number of cities that are designated cities of refuge, and the process by which someone guilty of unintentional murder, can take refuge. Under ancient tribal law says a person would be subject to execution by a close kinsman of the murdered person. The Torah is careful to differentiate one guilty of intentional murder because that person cannot avail themselves of protection from capital punishment. There is a strange clause given, whereby the guilty party would be unable to leave the city of refuge until the death of the High Priest. There is no other commandment in the Torah like this. The closest thing would be the commandment regarding the Jubilee year when people who have sold themselves as bond servants to pay their debts are freed and allowed to return to their families and their home in the year of Jubilee which comes around once every 50 years. The similarity here is that in either case there is a potential for unfairness in the application of these Commandments. A person trapped in the city of refuge for 20 years and another person who had committed unintentional murder only days before, would both would go free on the same day, triggered by the death of the High Priest. The person who had sold themselves into slavery 40 years before the Jubilee year, would go free the same year as someone who sold themselves into slavery only a year before. This hardly seems fair. 

According to Bible scholar Dr. Ken Johnson, this unfairness points to a prophetic meaning connected with Messiah. In a recent presentation on one of the the Dead Sea Scrolls known as 11Q Melchizadek (11Q13), Dr. Johnson reviews the text of the scroll and how it identifies Messiah to the enigmatic character from Genesis 14:18, Melchizadek and connects the commandment referred to regarding the Jubilee, when everyone would go free (Leviticus 25) with the commandment for the release of debts on the Schmittah (Deuteronomy 15:2) with the prophesied coming of Messiah (Isaiah 61:1). We know from the gospel account (Luke 4:18) that Yeshua read this text in the Synagogue in Nazereth to declare that He himself was the Messiah and said after the reading, “today in your hearing these words are fulfilled.” I.e., the prophecies regarding the coming of Messiah were fulfilled in Him. Here is a portion of the text from the Melchizadek scroll which is dated to approximately 200 B.C.:

“Moses said, ‘In that year of Jubilee, each of you will be free to return home [Lev 25:13]’ and he described how, saying,” now this is the manner of the release: Let every creditor remit when he has lent his neighbor. He shall not press his neighbor or his brother for repayment, for the LORD’s release has been proclaimed [Deu 15:2}. Its interpretation pertains to the end of days. The captives Moses speaks of are those whom Isaiah says, ’To proclaim freedom to the captives [Isa 61:1]. Its interpretation is that the Lord will assign those freed to the sons of Heaven and the lot of Melchizadek. Even those whose teachers had deliberately hidden and kept secret from the truth about their inheritance through Melchizadek. The lord will cast their lot amid the portions of Melchizadek, who will make them return [repent] and will proclaim freedom to them, to free them from the debt of all their iniquities. This event will take place in the first week of the jubilee that occurs after the ninth Jubilee [AD32].” 

The Essenes employed a unique calendar system different from the Lunar calendar employed by the Pharisees and Sadducees of the time, but it is quite clear that according to their calendar, the date of the fulfillment of the prophecy relating to messiah was AD32, i.e., the approximate year of Yeshua's death on the cross. Keep in mind that this document is dated to approx. 200 B.C. The identification of Messiah as Melchizadek is clear and consistent with the New Testament writings. Five times in the New Testament, Jesus is called, directly or indirectly, “a priest after the order of Melchizedek” (Hebrews 5:6, 10; 6:20; 7:11, 17). The text in Hebrews 5:5-10 presents two examples of the designation of Jesus as High Priest:

“So also Christ did not exalt himself to be made a high priest, but was appointed by him who said to him, ‘You are my Son, today I have begotten you’; as he says also in another place, ‘You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek.’ In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him, being designated by God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek” (Hebrews 5:5-10 ESV).

But I want to return to the earlier suggestion that when we see statutes or commandments in the Torah that seem to be unfair, it should be considered prophetic in nature and it is almost certainly a pointer to Messiah. We started by examining the seemingly unfair and possibly Sexist commandment regarding the nullification of vows made by a daughter by her father or of a wife by her husband. How is this commandment potentially unfair? A widowed woman, divorcee or an unmarried woman not living in her fathers house would not enjoy this protection and therefore the unfairness. As we have just learned it is this very potential for unfairness that reveals the prophetic nature of this statute and that points to the Messiah our Bridegroom who protects us from unwise vows and commitments. Whatever sway the powers of this world may hope to hold over us because of ANY unwise agreements we may have made, our redeemer has already delivered us from this debt and obligation.

More on Melchizadek

But more recently discovered in the trove of over 950 documents is the Melchizadek Scroll. Analysis of the text of this scroll is illuminating to say the least. It clearly points to the true understanding of the Essene Community as it relates to the coming of Messiah. In fact as we gain more and more understanding of the beliefs of the Essenes we see that, of all of the Jewish sects that existed 2,000 years ago and during the inter-testamental period. The beliefs of the Essenes line up most perfectly with Christian understanding of scripture as documented by the writers of the New Testament. In fact one could almost say the the New Testament authors were reading from the same scrolls and interpreting them in the same manner in many respects as the Essenes. E.g., they taught that the Messiah was God Incarnate, that He comes to die for our sins, and that He redeems us through His sacrificial death. Because the Dead Sea Scrolls confirm beyond any doubt the Jewish presence in the land of Israel during this time period, that the biblical text we have today is consistent with the ancient texts written over 2,000 years ago, modern day Jews are beginning to examine these writings and as a result , many are coming to faith in Messiah - becoming Messianic Believers.

Of all the unusual individuals that show up in Scripture, Melchizedek, the King of Salem, is one of the most fascinating. Throughout the Old and New Testament, Melchizedek is only mentioned in three books: Genesis, Psalms, and Hebrews, with Genesis being the only book where he appears in person. Very little information is given in Scripture about Melchizedek, however, among the discoveries made at the Qumran caves, the Melchizedek Dead Sea Scroll, dating back to the 1st Century BC, gives more information about the importance of Melchizedek the priest.

Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was the priest of God Most High. And he blessed him and said:

Genesis 14:18-20 “Blessed be Abram of God Most High, possessor of heaven and earth;

And blessed be God Most High, Who has delivered your enemies into your hand.”

And he gave him a tithe of all.   

The spiritual authority of Melchizedek and the way in which the author of Genesis brings the readers attention to the absence of any genealogy relating to Melchizedek, indicates the uniqueness of Melchizedek as a figure of Scripture. Melchizedek has no genealogy, he is a priest of God during a time when there were very few godly men, and the author of Hebrews draws comparisons between Melchizedek and Yeshua (Jesus), saying that Melchizedek was greater than Abraham (Hebrews 7:7). 

Similarly, in John 8 the Jews ask Jesus if he is greater than Abraham. Jesus (Yeshuah) answered, 

John 8:54-57  “If I honor Myself, My honor is nothing. It is My Father who honors Me, of whom you say that He is your God. Yet you have not known Him, but I know Him. And if I say, ‘I do not know Him,’ I shall be a liar like you; but I do know Him and keep His word. Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.”

Then the Jews said to Him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?”  

The parallels between Jesus and Melchizedek are so striking, that some Biblical scholars have speculated whether Melchizedek may have been a manifestation of Messiah before the the Nativity of Yeshua. On the other hand, the references made in Hebrews, stating that Yeshua “is a priest after the order of Melchizedek”, would seem redundant if Melchizedek had himself been a manifestation of Messiah. What is certain is that Melchizedek was a great priest of God and that he was recognized as such by Abraham, King David, and the author of the Book of Hebrews. Whether they were in fact the same personage, we will have to wait to ask Him when he returns or when we meet up with him in the heavens.

Heb 7:1-10   For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, to whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all, first being translated “king of righteousness,” and then also king of Salem, meaning “king of peace,” without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, remains a priest continually.

More on the Dead Sea Scrolls

Is been said that the greatest discovery in human history was the cache of documents known as the The Dead Sea Scrolls are ancient manuscripts that were discovered between 1947 and about 1956 in eleven caves near Khirbet Qumran, on the northwestern shores of the Dead Sea. These scrolls are believed to have been hidden away by a community of Jewish believers known as the Essenes. The timing of the discovery was coincidental with the founding of the modern nation of Israel and therefore indicates to many that the discovery has great prophetic significance. They are approximately two thousand years old, dating from the third century BCE to the first century CE. Most of the scrolls were written in Hebrew, with a smaller number in Aramaic or Greek and were written on parchment, or in a few cases, papyrus. Only seven of the scrolls were found mostly intact. Nevertheless, scholars have managed to reconstruct approximately 950 different manuscripts from the fragments discovered.

Possibly the most famous of Dead Sea Scrolls is the great Isaiah Scroll.

The Great Isaiah Scroll (1QIsa^a) is one of the original seven Dead Sea Scrolls discovered in Qumran in 1947. It is the largest (7.34 meters or about 24 feet long) and best preserved of all the biblical scrolls, and the only one that is almost complete. The 54 columns contain all 66 chapters of the Hebrew version of the biblical Book of Isaiah. Dating from ca. 125 BCE, it is also one of the oldest of the Dead Sea Scrolls, some one thousand years older than the oldest manuscripts of the Hebrew Bible known to us before the scrolls' discovery. (1)

The manuscripts fall into three major categories: biblical, apocryphal, and sectarian. The biblical manuscripts comprise some two hundred copies of books of the Hebrew Bible, representing the oldest surviving biblical text in the world. Among the apocryphal manuscripts (works not included in the Jewish biblical canon) are works that had previously been known only in translation, or that had not been known at all. The sectarian manuscripts include biblical commentary, religious-legal writings, liturgical texts, and apocalyptic literature. Most scholars believe that the scrolls formed the library of the sect that lived at Qumran. 

In 2019 Cindy and I visited the Shrine of the Book which houses the first seven scrolls discovered at Qumran. It was an amazing experience. The Shrine of the Book was built as a repository for the first seven scrolls discovered at Qumran in 1947. The unique white dome embodies the lids of the jars in which the first scrolls were found. This symbolic building, a kind of sanctuary intended to express profound spiritual meaning, is considered an international landmark of modern architecture. Designed by American Jewish architects Armand P. Bartos and Frederic J. Kiesler, it was dedicated in an impressive ceremony on April 20, 1965. Its location next to official institutions of the State of Israel—the Knesset (Israeli Parliament), key government offices, and the Jewish National and University Library—is appropriate considering the degree of national importance that has been accorded the ancient texts and the building that preserves them.

Sources:

1. The Digital Dead Sea Scrolls
   http://dss.collections.imj.org.il/isaiah

2. The Dead Sea Scrolls
   https://www.imj.org.il/en/wings/shrine-book/dead-sea-scrolls

4. Melchizedek Dead Sea Scroll Found at Qumran
   https://livingpassages.com/melchizedek-dead-sea-scroll/ 

5. Melchizedek in 11Q13 (11QMelch)
   https://otstory.wordpress.com/2008/04/17/melchizedek-in-11q13-11qmelch/

5. Dr. Ken Johnson: Dead Sea Scrolls 11Q13 from the Defender Conference - Rise 2021, by Subscription only from SkyWatchTV.com at https://defenderconference.com

Other sources:

Astour, Michael C. 1992. “Melchizedek.” ABD IV: 685-88.

Brooke, G. 1992. “Melchizedek (11QMelch).” ABD IV: 687-88.

Fitzmyer, Joseph A. 1967. “Further Light on Melchizedek from Qumran Cave 11.” JBL 86/1: 25-41. 

Garcı́a Martı́nez, Florentino ; Tigchelaar, Eibert J. C.:The Dead Sea Scrolls Study Edition (Translations). Leiden; New York : Brill, 1997-1998.

Martinze, García. 1992. Qumran and Apocalyptic. Leiden: E.J. Brill.

Van de Water, Rick. 2006. “Michael and Yhwh: Toward Identifying Melchizedek in 11Q13.” JSP 16/1: 75-86.

 Pinchas and Circumcision

Loren Abraham

This week in the annual cycle of Torah Study, we are reading from Parashat Pinchas (English: Phinehas) - Numbers 25:10-30:1. The opening verses introduce the character of Phinehas, son of Eleazar the High Priest, who after the Israelite men are seduced by the women of Moab to commit sexual immorality, takes it upon himself to execute Zimri, a leader of the tribe of Simeon and Kozbi, the daughter of a Midianite Prince who are committing sexual intercourse openly before the people. As a result a plague which had up to that point killed 24 thousand Israelites was stopped and God confirmed that the Lord would grant to Phinehas His Covenant of Peace - a perpetual priesthood. 

There is a connection between this Torah portion and the Jewish rite of Brit Milah - circumcision. When God made His covenant with Abraham (Genesis 17:10-14) he was required to circumcise every male as a sign of the covenant. We can understand this in several ways. Cut into the reproductive flesh, it was meant to intimately put the mark of the Lord at the point of contact with the lower reproductive nature. In this way it was meant as a sign of separation from Abrahams pagan past. In a deeper sense it represents the blood covenant God made with Abraham. When a blood covenant is struck between two parties, the flesh is cut producing blood. The blood was often intermingled between the parties symbolizing that they were now one family or blood. This type of ritual was done to seal the promises made. Through this blood covenant God was confirming three promises made to Abraham - promises of descendants as the stars of the heavens, of land, and of material blessings. So Abraham and his descendants are bound to this blood covenant through the right of circumcision. But one might ask how is it possible for God to bleed since he is a party to this covenant? The answer is that He would later be born in the flesh, fully man, live a sinless life, and be crucified, wherein He would bleed. 

Until this very day, nearly all Jewish males are circumcised at the age of 8 days. A mohel — usually pronounced so it rhymes with boil — is the man or woman (mohelet) who performs the circumcision. Some mohels work full time in this profession, but many are also physicians, rabbis, cantors or nurse-midwives. A mohel is trained in the Jewish laws concerning circumcision, as well as in modern surgical hygiene. The ceremony performed is called Brit Milah - covenant of circumcision. Now, I want to be careful, here because what is done to the male child during this rite, is not necessarily what is commonly referred to as circumcision by western medical standards. In Brit Milah, it is only necessary to remove the tip of the foreskin, whereas in the medical procedure commonly referred to as circumcision, the entire foreskin is removed. (Source: https://www.littleimages.org/blog/should-christian-parents-circumcise-their-infant-sons/) Furthermore, some Jewish parents opt to have the circumcision done in the hospital rather then in the Synagogue by the Mohel (Rabbi) and some elect not to circumcise their children altogether. However, Circumcision is considered by most to be a requirement for entry into the Abrahamic Covenant and into the community of God’s chosen people, the Jewish people. In the eyes of most Jewish authorities, if you are not circumcised, you are simply not a Jew.  

Is there any corollary in the Christian Faith to the Jewish rite of Brit Milah? No, the closest thing would be the Christening of a newborn by his or her parents before the congregation, where the child is set apart at an early age for God and both parents and congregation promise to raise the child according to the tenets of the Christian Faith. But you do not have to be christened as a newborn in order to be considered a Christian or a believer in Messiah. However it begs the question - should christian parents or Messianic Jewish Believers circumcise their male children? This is a very good but also a very contentious question. Therefore, I will address this a little later after exploring the connection between Brit Milah and Parashat Pinchas.

At the start of a traditional Jewish circumcision or Brit Milah, the mohel customarily begins with the recitation of the opening verses from the Torah portion Pinchas:

Phinehas, son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest, has turned away My wrath from the children of Israel, in that he was very zealous for My sake among them, so that I consumed not the children of Israel in my jealousy. Wherefore say: “behold I give unto him My covenant of peace,” _Numbers 25:11-12

As we have already discussed, Pinchas intervened in a moment of great sin involving perverse sexual immorality and lewdness on the part of the Israelite men who were seduced by the women who were enemies of Israel and therefore enemies of God. The things they were engaging in were clearly against the commandments of the Torah and the text implies that God allowed a plague to break out among the people and 24,000 died of the plague. The text credits Phinehas for acting zealously for God’s sake - i.e. to defend His reputation among the people. 

Perhaps it is not surprising that God rewarded Phinehas even though he circumvented normal jurisprudence and acted on his own without Moses’ approval to stop the spread of Sexual Immorality and therefore the spread of the plague?

Why was Moses impotent to act decisively in this situation rather than forcing Phinehas, who did not have judicial authority, to act? Rabbi Cohen explains:

The Midrash (Numbers Rabbah 20:25) states that Zimri dragged Cozbi by the hair in front of Moses and the elders, and challenged Moses, saying, "Tell me, son of Amram, is this woman permitted to me or not?" When Moses replied, "She is forbidden", Zimri gave an insolent riposte: "You call yourself a faithful interpreter of God's law. How can she be forbidden to me when you yourself, Moses, married a Midianite. Furthermore, this one is the daughter of a king, whereas your wife, Zipporah, is the daughter of an idolatrous priest!' Moses broke down in tears, unable to answer the personal insult hurled at him or to recollect the punishment Zimri deserved for his outrageous behavior. It was this embarrassing impasse which prompted Phinehas to leap into the breach and take the law into his own hands. 

What is the connection of this to Brit Milah - the Jewish Covenant of Circumcision? Rabbi Cohen addresses this question also stating: 

“This may, of course, be explained quite simply by the fact that during this ceremony we are bringing a child into the faith of Israel and giving him a Jewish identity. At that moment, we remind ourselves of the occasion in our early history when we were guilty of a flagrant act of apostasy and defection from the high moral standards that membership of Israel demands. The reference to Phinehas thus reinforces the implications of that membership, and it constitutes an implicit plea for the newborn initiate to live up to the exacting moral standards exhibited by Phinehas.”

He also connects the Covenant of Peace awarded to Phinehas to the Covenant of circumcision in this way: 

“In addition, the climactic two words uttered by God in appreciation of Phinehas's action, I will give him et-beriti shalom – My covenant of peace, also have a close link with circumcision. Beriti, "My covenant", is, of course, the term used for circumcision, and shalom connotes (among its many biblical nuances) the sense of family continuity. For example, Psalm 128, which speaks of the blessing of a wife and a large family, concludes with the words: U-re'eh vanim le-vanekha shalom al Yisrael – When you look upon your children's children, you shall experience the peace[ful continuity] of Israel (verse 6). Thus, that final word (shalom) in our Phinehas episode also has a semantic association with the context of birth and circumcision. 

In the footnotes, Rabbi Cohen further explains this apparent contradiction in this way:

“In a lighthearted vein, one might explain the connection between "seeing children's children" and "experiencing peace" as follows: the multiple chores, responsibilities and anxieties occasioned by the raising of one's children, afford little opportunity to enjoy peace and tranquillity. In the case of one's grandchildren, however, once they start to become obstreperous and to disturb one's peace, one can simply hand them back to their parents!”

As a grandparent of five grandsons, I can very readily affirm this clarification. But there is also a close connection of the personage of Elijah to the rite of Brit Milah and to the character of Phinehas. Rabbi Cohen explores this connection in this way:

“In midrashic tradition, the prophet Elijah was invested with the soul of Phinehas, both having shared the characteristics of zeal and the pursuit of peace. When Elijah says, ′′I have been very zealous for the Lord God of Hosts; for the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant′′ (I Kgs. 19:10), this distinctly echoes the words used to describe Phinehas – be-kan′o et-kinati – who was very zealous for My sake (Num. 25:11).”

He goes on to explain the actual physical place reserved for Elijah at the circumcision ceremony:

“Indeed, Elijah is called malakh ha-berit, "the angel of the covenant,” and immediately after reciting the verses from Pinhas, the mohel designates a seat of honour as Kisse shel Eliyyahu ha-navi, "the Chair of Elijah," presupposing that he attends every circumcision and occupies his seat.” 

We must also allow the great Jewish sage, Maimonides to weigh in on this question. According to Maimonides: 

”As regards circumcision, I think that one of its objects is to limit sexual intercourse by weakening the organ of generation as far as possible, and thus causing man to be temperate . 

So, here is the point of all of this. We can see that just as Phinehas stands out more than Moses, as the one who sought to "counteract excessive lust" by wreaking vengeance on Zimri, the prince of Israel who publicly displayed and promoted that misguided passion, so it is incumbent upon every Jewish man (and His parents) to zealously resist the human inclination toward sexual immorality from an early age, for the betterment of the Jewish people and for all humanity. 

On the question of whether Christians or Messianic Jews should circumcise their children, it would seem perfectly acceptable for both Christian parents and Messianic believers to desire to circumcise their children. And as long as one is seeking divine wisdom about it through prayer and doing their best to research the medical options available, I would not argue against circumcision. However, there are some important questions to address before making that decision. What are the risks to the child? …and what are my motives for making this decision for my son? …and what if my son at a later age wants to know why I chose this for him? How will I answer him?

Finally, if we believe that “All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” (2 Tim 3:16-17) Then we can definitively say that it is not necessary or compulsory in any way for Christian male children to be circumcised. Paul addresses the issue with the church in Corinth:

“Was anyone at the time of his call already circumcised? Let him not seek to remove the marks of circumcision. Was anyone at the time of his call uncircumcised? Let him not seek circumcision.”  1 Corinthians 7:18

Therefore, if you’re circumcised when you come to Christ, no problem. Don’t try to hide it.  If you aren’t, that’s fine too, don’t feel that you have to be circumcised.  Paul further argues that if you are circumcised out of a desire to keep the law, then you’ve rejected the grace that comes from Jesus’ sacrifice:

Look: I, Paul, say to you that if you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you. I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that he is obligated to keep the whole law. You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace. For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love. Galatians 5:1-11

Again it boils down to what are your motives for pursuing circumcision? If you are a Messianic Jewish believer, there may be more reasons to consider this physical sign of participating in the covenant of Abraham, however, whether as Messianic believers or Gentile believers we are all already grafted in to this covenant and no physical right of entry is required. 

Sources: 

Phinehas, Elijah and Circimcision by Jeffrey M. Cohen

https://jbqnew.jewishbible.org/assets/Uploads/411/jbq411pinchascohen.pdf 

Should Christian Parents Circumcise Their Infant Sons?

https://www.littleimages.org/blog/should-christian-parents-circumcise-their-infant-sons/

Should a Christian be Circumcized?

https://hebrew4christians.com/Articles/Circumcision/circumcision.html

Is it wrong for Christians to be Circumcized?

https://www.uncoveringintimacy.com/is-it-wrong-for-christians-to-be-circumcised/

Black Babies Lives Matter Too! Don't they?

The time for boldly proclaiming the truth has come. There is one thing that has come to irritate me more than anything else and I cannot hold my peace... 

During my daily walks with my wife and my dog through our neighborhood, I am confronted by the scores of black and white signs. I find these signs offensive. You've seen them. Why are they offensive you may ask? Two reasons come to mind. The first reason that I find these signs offensive is that the organization that printed these signs and distributes them has core values that do not line up with the message on the sign and therefore the sign is deceptive. Recently, one of the leaders of this organization in our city of Saint Paul very publicly separated from the organization stating, "'Black Lives Matter' doesn't care about black families or about the black children" in Saint Paul.

The second reason that I find these signs offensive is the glaring hypocrisy hidden in the words on the sign. What hypocrisy you may ask? Here it is … the sign at its face ascribes value to Black lives. The progressive agenda and goals of this organization clearly do not value Black Lives. If they did they would decry the statistics surrounding the number of black deaths that result from everyday crime, gang warfare, drive-by shootings, and the accidental deaths of children who get caught up in the crossfire of all these criminal attacks. Not to mention the fact that over 80% of black men in prison come from families where there is no father involved in the raising of the children. A fact that is also overlooked and even ignored by this organization and its activist supporters who reject religious and family values that seek to correct this societal ill.

But the most incredible and inexplicable truth that proves the hypocrisy of these signs is the fact that since 1973, about 20 million black lives have been snuffed out due to abortions, and statistics prove that black women are being targeted by abortion providers far more than other races in our country. Not only that, but abortion is the number one cause of death in black communities. More than crime! More than accidents! More than cancer, heart disease, and AIDS. Abortion has taken more Black American lives than every other cause of death combined since 1973. In the United States, the abortion rate for Black women is almost 4 times that of White women. On average, 900 Black babies are aborted every day in the United States. This tragedy continues to impact the population levels of African Americans in the United States. Here are the facts:

• More than 20 million Black babies have been aborted since the 1973 Roe v. Wade U.S. Supreme Court decision legalized abortion in the United States.
• Black women have a significantly higher abortion rate than Whites and Hispanics.
• 38.0% of all abortions in the United States in 2016 were performed on Black women, however, only about 13.4% of the total population is Black.
• African-Americans are no longer the nation’s largest minority group. Today, Hispanics have outpaced Blacks in population growth.
• For every 1,000 live births, non-Hispanic Black women had 401 abortions. Non-Hispanic White women had 109 abortions per 1,000 live births.
• The tragic reality is that 79% of Planned Parenthood abortion facilities are located within walking distance of neighborhoods that have proportionately higher populations of Black or Latina women. An analysis of census tract data clearly documents that this kingpin of the abortion industry targets women of color, selling them the illusion that they must choose between career advancement and the lives of their babies.
• In some cities, like New York, more Black babies are aborted than born.
• In America today, a Black baby is three times more likely to be killed in the womb than a White baby.
• Since 1973, abortion has reduced the Black population by over 25%. (Source)
• Sadly, Margaret Sanger’s racist legacy at Planned Parenthood lives on in today’s pro-abortion movement. As recently as 2009, Ruth Bader Ginsburg told the New York Times that “at the time Roe was decided, there was concern about population growth and particularly growth in populations that we don’t want to have too many of.” (Source)

For more information, see these resources:

Black Preborn Lives Matter

Babies Lives Matter

Anti-abortion Group says its First Amendment Rights were Violated

Black Lives Matter, Born and Unborn

Planned Parenthood Utah, Babies Lives Matter Mural

Healthcare Workers Protesting Black Babies Lives Matter Video

Students for Life

On the Issachar Community Website

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Psalm 121 in HEBREW! בעברית // LIVE at the TOWER of DAVID, Jerusalem // ...

 

Achrei Mot-Kedoshim   

אחרי מות - קדשים 

“After the death" and "Holy ones”‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

Part 2

A daily Torah study by Loren Abraham
Download Parashat Acharei Mot - Kedoshim Study Guide

Torah: Leviticus 16:1 - 20:27

Haftarah: Amos 9:7 - 9:15 (Ashkenazim)

Ezekiel 20:2 - 20:20 (Sephardim)


Suggested: Heb 5:3; 7:26-8:7; 1Jn 2:21; Isa 53:7-8; Mat 27:15-31; Luke 23:13-25 

Also Please Read Day 29: The Idential (Lev 16:7-10); Day 13: The East-West Continuum (Lev 16:14): Day 90: The day of Gezurah (Lev:16:21-22): and Day 329: Performing your Semikah (Lev 16:21) from The Book of Mysteries by Jonathan Cahn

In each day of this study we will focus on a theme or themes from the corresponding reading or aliyah. Here is the full list of aliyot for this portion:

Daily Readings

Daily Readings
1:  Lev 16:1-24 Yom Kippur and the Scapegoat
2:  Lev 16:25-17:7 Day of Atonements
3:  Lev 17:8-18:21 Blood atones for the soul
4:  Lev 18:22-19:14 Sexual perversion and holiness
5:  Lev 19:15-32 Love your neighbor
6:  Lev 19:33-20:7 Love foreigners, honest business
7:  Lev 20:8-27 Be separate from the World

Introduction to Part 2

In part One of our study of Parashot Acharei Mot  אחרי מות  we learned about of the purification rites and sacrificial offerings on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement including the ritual of the scapegoat” or “goat for Azazel" - לַעֲזָאזֵ֔ל - where two identical goats were selected and by lot one was sacrificed as a sin offering for the people and the other was sent alive into the wilderness. The ritual describes accurately the moment when the innocent Yeshua stands before the people beside the criminal Barabbas (who's name means son of the father) and is selected to be the atoning sacrifice while Barabbas is freed and sent away. In this way, just as prophesied in Isaiah 53:4: "Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted." Also in Part one we reviewed the chiastic structure of the book of Leviticus and the Torah that points to the importance of this portion of the Torah perhaps the focal point of the entire Torah. Here is a video examination of this by The Bible Project.

 

Video: The Bible Project - The Book of Leviticus

In part two of our study we are going to review the 2nd, third and 4th Aliyot which comprise the remainder of Parashat Acharei Mot and the beginning of Parashat Kedoshim.

Review of the first Aliyah 

Day 2 Lev 16:25-17:7   The day of Atonement(s) 
In the second reading, Aaron was to offer the fat of the sin-offering. The person who set the Azazel-goat free was to wash his clothes and immerse himself in water. The bull and goat of sin offering were to be taken outside the camp and burned, and the one who burned them was to wash his clothes and bathe in water. This is to be a permanent statute, to be observed on the tenth day of the seventh month, by both Jews and aliens who reside with them were to practice self-denial and do no work. On that day, the High Priest was to put on the linen vestments, purge the Tabernacle, and make atonement for the Israelites once a year.

Offerings are to be brought to the door of the Tabernacle
The second reading continues with what scholars call the Holiness Code. God prohibited Israelites from slaughtering oxen, sheep, or goats meant for sacrifice without bringing them to the Tabernacle as an offering.  

Day 3 Lev 17:8-18:21   The life is in the blood – keep my Torah and Live!  
In the third reading, God threatened excision (כרת, karet) for Israelites who slaughtered oxen, sheep, or goats meant for sacrifice without bringing them to the Tabernacle as an offering. God prohibited consuming blood. One who hunted an animal for food was to pour out its blood and cover it with earth. Anyone who ate what had died or had been torn by beasts was to wash his clothes, bathe in water, and remain unclean until evening. God told the Israelites not to follow the practices of the Egyptians or the Canaanites, but to follow God's laws.  

Forbidden sex and the prohibition of child sacrifice
God prohibited any Israelite from uncovering the nakedness of his father, mother, father's wife, sister, grandchild, half-sister, aunt, daughter-in-law, or sister-in-law. A man could not marry a woman and her daughter, a woman and her granddaughter, or a woman and her sister during the other's lifetime. A man could not cohabit with a woman during her period or with his neighbor's wife. Israelites were not to allow their children to be offered up to Molech. 

Day 4 Lev 18:22-19:14   Homosexuality and bestiality 
In the fourth reading, God prohibited a man from lying with a man as with a woman. God prohibited bestiality. God explained that the Canaanites defiled themselves by adopting these practices, and any who did any of these things would be cut off from their people.  

"Be holy" – how to be a set apart people
God told Moses to tell the Israelites to be holy, for God is holy. God then explained how people can be holy. God instructed the Israelites: To revere their mothers and fathers; to keep the Sabbath; not to turn to idols; to eat the peace offering within the first two days and to burn all of the leftovers on the third day; not to reap all the way to the edges of a field; but to leave some for the poor and the stranger; not to steal, deceive, swear falsely, or defraud; to pay laborers their wages promptly; and not to insult the deaf or cause the blind to stumble. 

Themes for Acharei Mot 

5. The Cleanser is made unclean Lev 16:23-28

6. Sacrificing to demons versus bringing the offerings to the door of the tabernacle

7. Afflicting one's soul Lev 16:29

8. The life is in the blood – it is the blood that makes atonement for your soul Lev 17:14-19

9. Do not do as they do – Keep my Torah and Live! Lev 18:1-5, Gal 3:10-12

10. Drawing near – the intimacy connection Lev 18:6

11. Uncovering the nakedness Lev 18:6-20

12. The process of selecting a mate -  a process of elimination Lev 18:6-20

13. Sex, blood and purity – rules regarding Niddah Lev 18:19

14. Sexual immorality and child sacrifice – what's the connection? Lev 18:21

15. Homosexuality and bestiality – too similar vs. too different Lev 18:22-23

16. Defiling the land and the covenant Lev 18:24-30

1.    Discussion on some of the Themes of the portion

The Cleanser is made unclean Lev 16:23-28

TBA

TBA

John 11: 50 You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nationperish.” 51 Caiaphas did not say this on his own. Instead, as high priest that year, he was prophesying that Jesus would die for the nation.                                                                                          

The life is in the blood – it is the blood that makes atonement for your soul Lev 17:14-19

TBA

Lev. 16:1   The LORD spoke to Moses after the death of two of Aaron’s sons when they approached the presence of the LORD and died. 2 The LORD said to Moses: “Tell your brother Aaron that he may not come whenever he wants into the holy place behind the veil in front of the mercy seat on the ark or else he will die, because I appear in the cloud above the mercy seat.

TBA

16 He will purify the most holy place in this way for all their sins because of the Israelites’ impurities and rebellious acts. He will do the same for the tent of meeting that remains among them, because it is surrounded by their impurities.

Drawing near – the intimacy connection Lev 18:6

TBA

TBA

Uncovering the nakedness Lev 18:6-20

TBA - blah blah blah bla-blah.

Heb. 9:11   But the Messiah has appeared, high priest of the good things that have come. In the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands (that is, not of this creation), 12 He entered the most holy place once for all, not by the blood of goats and calves, but by His own blood, having obtained eternal redemption. 13 For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a young cow, sprinkling those who are defiled, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, 14 how much more will the blood of the Messiah, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse our consciences from dead works to serve the living God?

       24 For the Messiah did not enter a sanctuary made with hands (only a model of the true one) but into heaven itself, so that He might now appear in the presence of God for us.

The process of selecting a mate -  a process of elimination Lev 18:6-20

TBA

Parashat Kedoshim  “Holy People”  קדשים  which begins in the middle of the 4th reading seems like a relatively short section of scripture, however it is jam packed and from these two chapters are derived 50 of the 613 commandments in Maimonides list of mitzvot. The opening verses contain the directive from יהוה God to Moses, "Speak to the entire Israelite community and tell them: Be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy.”  In Matt. 5:48 Yeshua said: "Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect." If we are to be faithful students and desciples of Yeshua, we are compelled to explore what this seemingly impossible demand really suggests, i.e. what it means to “Be Holy” and who is responsible for our sanctification and how is it accomplished? And furthermore, why is it so important anyway? We must also explore the connection between setting apart a people and setting apart one day out of the week – namely, the Sabbath. Finally we will learn some of the specific ways that יהוה God wants us to be set apart so as to not only be separate from the world but display a distinct and noticeable difference. 

In Part Three we will look at the themes of the final Aliyot of our double portion - namely readings 5-7 and we will address the

Key verses in Parashat Kedoshim

Lev 19:2 “Speak to the entire Israelite community and tell them: Be holy because I, Yahweh your God, am holy.

Lev 19:8  Do not take revenge or bear a grudge against members of your community, but love your neighbor as yourself; I am Yahweh.

Lev 19:34 The stranger who dwells among you shall be to you as one born among you, and you shall love him as yourself; for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.

Lev 19:36 You shall have honest scales, honest weights, an honest ephah, and an honest hin: I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt.

Lev 20:7 Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am the LORD your God.  8 And you shall keep My statutes, and perform them: I am the LORD who sanctifies you.

Lev 20:26 And you shall be holy to Me, for I the LORD am holy, and have separated you from the peoples, that you should be Mine.

Download Parashat Acharei Mot - Kedoshim Study Guide