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PAR'SHAT TETZAVEH: The Priest.

2/13/2019

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והיתה להם כהנה לחקת עולם ומלאת יד־אהרן ויד־בניו׃

The office of cohen is to be theirs by a permanent regulation.
Thus you will consecrate Aharon and his sons.
(Exo 29:9)

THE PRIEST.

 THE PRIEST
​In this parasha we are given many details concerning the levitical priesthood of Aaron. An important detail to remember is that Aaron’s priesthood is permanent. Permanent means that it never stops.  That it never stops means that it continues forever. Why then did the writer of the Letter to the Messianic Jews of the 1st century C.E refer to Yeshua as descendant of Judah, as a high-priest in these terms?

This is why he had to become like his brothers in every respect -- so that he might become a merciful and faithful cohen gadol in the service of God, making a kapparah for the sins of the people.  (Heb 2:17)

TWO PRIESTHOODS

Has Yeshua, a descendant of the tribe of Judah, replaced the Aaronic levitical priesthood which descends from Levi? How can it be, since the office of priest is to remain with the levitical House of Aaron forever (Exo 29:9). The answer to that question is in that pivotal letter to the Messianic Jews of the day (Heb 4:14-5:10 (Yeshua is a priest in the Order of Melchizedek, not of the Order of Aaron).) Jeremiah’s prophecies talk of a future day, perhaps at the fulfillment of the Messianic Age, when the two houses, the House of Judah and the House of Levi, will serve together each one in their own function. He says,

When those days come, at that time, I will cause to spring up for David a Branch of Righteousness. He will do what is just and right in the land. When those days come, Y'hudah will be saved, Yerushalayim will live in safety, and the name given to her will be Adonai Tzidkenu [Adonai our Righteousness]." For this is what Adonai says: "There will never be cut off from David, a man to occupy the throne of the house of Isra'el. Nor will there ever be cut off from the cohanim who are L'vi'im, a man before me to offer burnt offerings, burn grain offerings and offer sacrifices every day."(Jer 33:15-18)

Let’s now define the role of “priest.”


WHAT IS THE ROLE OF A PRIEST?
Since a deity exists in a different realm than the people it governs, a priest is meant to be the contact, a link between a laity and its deity. The priest is the agent, he represents the deity he acts on behalf of. It is a very important role. Aaron and the levitical priesthood, therefore represented HaShem to the people of Israel; and they were His agents of contact.
    Aaron was the first levitical priest and he set the standard, the bar for all future priests. Aaron was known to be a man of peace. Psalm 133 about the beauty of united brothers together, was written about him. He was known to invent stratagems in order to get people to get along. As such, the Aaronic priesthood acted as a sort of ‘peacemaker’ between HaShem and Israel.


The levitical priesthood serves to present Israel’s atonement to HaShem. One striking picture of that is after the Korah rebellion, when HaShem was destroying the people, the plague stopped immediately as Aaron stood between the people and the plague . The priest stood between the people and an angry God to atone, to cover for them.
While conscious of the sins of the people, the priest covers for their sins.  The sages of Israel pictured Moshe as often sternly rebuking the Children of Israel, expecting them to toe the line, but when he would speak with HaShem, he would praise them to Him. The priest is a little like the mother who pleads for the angry father to have mercy on the children. The priest is an intercessor. He brings the sins of the people to HaShem. He atones for the people. In this same manner Yeshua,  

…  is totally able to deliver those who approach God through him; since he is alive forever, and thus forever able to intercede on their behalf.  (Heb 7:25)

THE TABERNACLE: A MICROCOSM
When HaShem gave Moshe the instruction about building the Tabernacle, its furnishings and surroundings, He told him,
See that you make them according to the design being shown you on the mountain. (Exo 25:40)

Reading the texts in Exodus, the sages of Israel have often concluded that HaShem had come down on the mountain with His throne and entourage. If He asked therefore, for Moshe to do everything as he was shown on the mountain, then what we have in the form of the Tabernacle setting and its priesthood is a microcosm, an illustration of the real thing, which was shown Moshe. It’s as close as we can get to Heaven, so to speak.


If we have on earth a Tabernacle with two chambers, a Holy Ark, a candelabrum, an altar of incense, a table for showbread, an altar for sacrifices, and a levitical priesthood officiating the whole thing, it stands to reason that they are the replica of a greater reality in the heavenlies. It seems that some of the prophets such as Isaiah, Ezekiel, and Yochanan the Immerser, saw it all as they were raptured for a temporary visit in the throne room (Is 6:1-7; Ez 1:4-28; Rev 4).
Taking this understanding into consideration, we can see that the earthly levitical priesthood is a shadow-picture illustrating the heavenly Judaic priesthood in the heavenlies.

A KINGDOM OF PRIESTS

In our parasha this week, HaShem establishes the priesthood for Israel, but a couple of weeks ago, in par’shat Yitro, even before HaShem even gave His commandments, Israel is challenged.

Now if you will pay careful attention to what I say and keep my covenant, then you will be my own treasure from among all the peoples, for all the earth is mine; and you will be a kingdom of cohanim for me, a nation set apart.' These are the words you are to speak to the people of Isra'el."  (Exo 19:5-6)


If the Aaronic levitical order was the priesthood for Israel, Israel in turn was the priesthood for the world. What did that mean for Israel? As the Aaronic priests had special lifestyles and were held to a higher standard than the rest of Israel, so would Israel be when compared to the nations of the world.

Later, when Peter addresses the mixed  congregation of Rome (composed of Jews and Gentiles), he tells them,

You are a chosen people, the King's cohanim, a holy nation, a people for God to possess! Why? In order for you to declare the praises of the One who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. (1Pe 2:9)


As the congregation of Messiah we inherit the mantle of priesthood and as such, we are also held to higher standards than the rest of the world.
What are those higher standards? We discover them as we read the Divine Instructions given to Aaron. Here are some of them. This is far from exhaustive, but I am sure you can find more as you yourself exegate from the Text.


A PRIESTLY LIFESTYLE
The Menorah
"You are to order the people of Isra'el to bring you pure oil of pounded olives for the light, and to keep a lamp burning continually. Aharon and his sons are to put it in the tent of meeting, outside the curtain in front of the testimony, and keep it burning from evening until morning before Adonai. This is to be a permanent regulation through all the generations of the people of Isra'el. (Exo 27:20-21)

Much has been written about the meaning of the seven branched candelabrum, but its main purpose is to give light. Light signifies enlightenment, knowledge, and understanding. In this case, the enlightenment of knowing HaShem, the knowledge of His commandments, and the understanding of His plan for humanity.

In the vision Yochanan received on the Isle of Patmos, each congregation in Asia Minor was represented by a candelabrum (Rev 1:20). In the same manner, the candelabrum in the Tabernacle represents Israel as a congregation, and its role in being a light for the world.

The priests tended to that light of knowledge of understanding. They were to constantly trim the wicks and make sure that it burned clean and clear, not giving smoke. In the same manner, as HaShem’s representatives, we are to make sure to always be ready to give a reasoned answer to anyone who asks you to explain the hope you have in you -- yet with humility and fear, (1Pe 3:15)

As ‘priests’, we must be faithful arduous students of the Text of the Torah, so that we can give a reasoned answer. A reasoned answer is not, “It is so because it is so; don’t try to figure it out!” A reasoned answer is just that: an answer deduced by reason coming from intelligent study. Also, this “answer” must not be polluted by the smoke of man’s doctrine, but be clear and bright.

The Priestly Garments.
You are to make for your brother Aharon, garments set apart for serving God, expressing dignity and splendor. Speak to all the craftsmen to whom I have given the spirit of wisdom, and have them make Aharon's garments to set him apart for me, so that he can serve me in the office of cohen. (Exo 28:2-3)


Aaron and his priests were not to officiate in their everyday clothes. They had to wear special clothing when they represented HaShem in front of the people. The priestly garments were not only special, but they were beautiful, even expensive.


    Any officiator who stands in as HaShem agent for the people should wear his “Saturday best.” Not only is it respectful for HaShem, but it is a sign of love for the people they stand in front of. It doesn’t have, of course, to be something expensive or a tuxedo, but something at least semi-formal.

    As a priest in the Order of Melchizedek, Yeshua also appeared to Yochanan in beautiful special priestly royal garments (Rev 1:13).

The Ephod (ritual vest)

"They are to make the ritual vest of gold, of blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and of finely woven linen, crafted by a skilled artisan. Attached to its front and back edges are to be two shoulder-pieces that can be fastened together. Its decorated belt is to be of the same workmanship and materials -- gold, blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and finely woven linen. Take two onyx stones and engrave on them the names of the sons of Isra'el --six of their names on one stone and the six remaining names on the other, in the order of their birth. An engraver should engrave the names of the sons of Isra'el on the two stones as he would engrave a seal. Mount the stones in gold settings, and put the two stones on the shoulder-pieces of the vest as stones calling to mind the sons of Isra'el. Aharon is to carry their names before Adonai on his two shoulders as a reminder. (Exo 28:6-12)

This vest must have been heavy to wear, yet Aaron was to carry it before HaShem. It is a sign that he carries the burden of presenting the people to HaShem, a heavy burden indeed, a burden not unlike that of any shepherd, leader, and teacher who feels the weight and responsibility of leadership. Yet it was his job, as it is ours to bear.

    Not only do congregation leaders bear the burden of their congregations, but any true disciple of the Master needs to feel the burden of representing their ‘neck of the wood’, their circle of acquaintances to HaShem. A heavy burden indeed, but a labour of love as is said, “Aharon will carry the names of the sons of Isra'el on the breastplate for judging, over his heart, when he enters the Holy Place, as a continual reminder before Adonai.”(Exo 28:29). We are also to carry our burden for the people as a labour of love, not of reluctant obligation.

Love in Judgment
You are to put the urim and the tumim in the breastplate for judging; they will be over Aharon's heart when he goes into the presence of Adonai. Thus Aharon will always have the means for making decisions for the people of Isra'el over his heart when he is in the presence of Adonai.(Exo 28:30)


Urim and Tummim means “Light and Perfection (For more details: 

https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/the-urim-and-thummim

These were instruments of judgment. Again I want to draw the reader's attention to the fact that these instruments of judgment were to be placed over Aaron’s heart so that his judgment would be based, or at least balanced by love, not pure cold justice.
    So should we as we assess people, something congregation servants often have to do. Do it in a spirit of love, remembering that without His mercy, we ourselves would be lost in the darkness.


The Robe
"You are to make the robe for the ritual vest entirely of blue. (Exo 28:31)


The word used for ‘blue’ in Hebrew is actually  תכלת, which refers to a particular expensive dye originating from a sea snail. (For more details:

https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/ancient-cultures/what-color-was-tekhelet/


The whole robe was to be made in that expensive dye. Later, after a man found breaking the Shabbat had to be stoned, in order to help the Children of Israel to remember His Commands, he said to Moshe,

"Speak to the people of Isra'el, instructing them to make, through all their generations, tzitziyot on the corners of their garments, and to put with the tzitzit on each corner a blue [ תכלת] thread. It is to be a tzitzit for you to look at and thereby remember all of Adonai's mitzvot and obey them, so that you won't go around wherever your own heart and eyes lead you, to prostitute yourselves; (Num 15:38-39)

As we wear these tzitziot with a string dyed with the same dye as the robe of the high-priest, we in fact show that we are joined to the priesthood; that we are in fact ‘mini-priests’, just as Peter said,

You are a chosen people, the King's cohanim, a holy nation, a people for God to possess! Why? In order for you to declare the praises of the One who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. (1Pe 2:9)

MAY WE BE WORTHY AND REPRESENT HASHEM TO THE WORLD IN THE SPIRIT OF YESHUA OUR MASTER AND HIGH-PRIEST OF THE ORDER OF MELCHIZEDEK.


R' Gavriel Lumbroso


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PAR'SHAT T'RUMA: Golden Inside and Outside.

2/5/2019

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ועשׂו ארון עצי שׁטים אמתים וחצי ארכו ואמה וחצי רחבו ואמה וחצי קמתו׃
וצפית אתו זהב טהור מבית ומחוץ תצפנו ועשׂית עליו זר זהב סביב׃

"They are to make an ark of acacia-wood three-and-three-quarters feet long, two-and-a-quarter feet wide and two-and-a-quarter feet high. You are to overlay it with pure gold -- overlay it both inside and outside -- and put a molding of gold around the top of it.
(Exo 25:10-11 CJB)

GOLDEN INSIDE AND OUTSIDE.

WHY OVER LAY WITH GOLD ON THE INSIDE?
A great principle is taught to us in the idea that the Holy Ark is to be overlaid with pure gold inside and out. After all, why not use brass or even a cheaper metal?
Who ever sees the inside anyway?

THE MANY FACES OF GOLD.
First, let’s look at the ideas referring to gold in the Tanach. Where is gold mentioned in the Tanach? Where was it found? What’s its place in prophecy?
Gold is mentioned very early in the text of the Tanach. The Garden of Eden had a river flowing out of it that fed four other major waterways (the Pishon, Gihon, Tigris and the Euphrates, Genesis 2:10 - 14). Pishon flowed into a land called Havilah, where there were great quantities of high-quality gold (verse 11). There are seven Hebrew words in the Tanach that are translated as the English word “gold.”
  • Zahav זהב (Strong's Concordance #H2091). It stems from a root word that means to shimmer or shine. This is the one used on Exodus 25:11.
  • Paz פז (#H6337), refers to the mineral in its pure or refined state and sometimes refers to spiritual purity and glory.  Job 28:17 ; Psalms 19:10 ; 21:3
  • Betser בצר (#H1220), found in Job 36;19, refers to “riches’, or as gold dug out of the mine.
  • Charuts חרוץ (Strong's #H1220) is used to refer to gold when it is chopped or cut off in pieces Zechariah 9:3.
  • Kethem כתם (#H3800) refers to the metal that it is in a state as pure as originally mined (Isaiah 13;12)
  • Sagor  סגור(#H5462)( ).as being enclosed or treasured up; thus precious or "fine gold"  references the metal as a solid. (1 Kings 6:20; 7:49)
  • Lastly, Dehab דהב (#H1722), which occurs only in the books of Daniel and Ezra, is yet another reference to gold.
There are at least six places, in ancient times, where this precious metal was known to be found. They are Havilah (Genesis 2:11 - 12), Ophir (1Kings 9:28, 10:11, 1Chronicles 29:4, 2Chronicles 8:18, Job 22:24), Parvaim (2Chronicles 3:6), Sheba (1Kings 10:10, 2Chronicles 9:9, Psalm 72:15), Tarshish (2Chronicles 9:21, Isaiah 60:9) and Uphaz (Jeremiah 10:9).

Gold, in Bible times, was often valued by weight using a unit of measure known as a Talent. A talent weighed about 75 U.S. pounds or 34.3 kilograms, which is equivalent of 1,094 troy ounces. If we assume a gold price of $1,500 per troy ounce, a talent would be worth $1,639,500.This should give us a perspective on Matthew 25:14-30.

The book of Revelation makes 22 references to this precious metal. The seven lampstands (1:12, 1:20 and 2:1). Yochanan clothed in a girdle or band made of the gold (1:13). As well as. Revelation 4:4, 5:8, 8:3, 9:7, 9:20, 14:14 and 17:3 - Lastly, on the renewed heaven and earth,  New Jerusalem has streets composed of the rare mineral (Revelation 21).

GOLD AND THE SHECHINA
Gold has always represented wealth and purity. Its yellowish color which compares with the oil of anointing, with fire, and with the Shechina seem to be a special theme in Hashem's kingdom which abounds in purity.

Could it be why it was important that the Holy Ark should be overlaid with gold? To represent wealth, purity and the Kingdom of God?. But why inside?

The Talmud states that Exodus 25:11is a symbol that a Torah scholar must be pure inside as well as outside (Yoma 72b). A true Torah teacher is not someone who just speaks wisdom on the outside, but he must also internalize his wisdom and live with it.

In his book, “Growing Through Torah,” Rabbi Zelig Pliskin challenges his readers with, “Whenever you speak about lofty thoughts, ask yourself whether you really experience them. In your own behavior, do you actually follow the principles you are talking about? If not, do not stop speaking about those ideals, but elevate your behavior.”

OUR WORKS TESTED BY FIRE.
Paul used the property of metals such as gold and silver as a midrash to tell us about a very important principle in life. As he challenges the disciples in Corinth to vet their Torah teachers, he compares himself, and other Torah teachers, to farmers, then to builders of HaShem’s Kingdom on earth.  

After defining his role as a “planter” and Appolos’ as a “waterer”, he midrashes on the idea of rewards and recognition for a job well done saying,

Planter and waterer are the same.
However, each will be rewarded according to his work.
For we are God's co-workers; you are God's field, ...

Then he continues changing the midrash from field imagery to carpentry imagery where he lays the foundation upon which Appolos builds,

… God's building.
Using the grace God gave me, I laid a foundation, like a skilled master-builder; and another man is building on it. (1Co 3:8-10 CJB)

Afterward Paul gives a warning concerning the quality of the work we build on the foundation of Messiah. All work, but not all receive equal recognition. He warns,

But let each one be careful how he builds. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Yeshua the Messiah. Some will use gold, silver or precious stones in building on this foundation; while others will use wood, grass or straw. (1Co 3:10-12 CJB)

Notice the difference in material, some commun (the teachings of man), some precious (true Torah teaching). What is the element that reveals the true nature of teachers’ work?

But each one's work will be shown for what it is; the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire -- the fire will test the quality of each one's work. (1Co 3:13 CJB)

If the work someone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward; if it is burned up, he will have to bear the loss: he will still escape with his life, but it will be like escaping through a fire.
(1Co 3:14-15 CJB)

ADONAI, THE CONSUMING FIRE!
Adonai your God is a consuming fire,(Deu 4:24 CJB) the Torah tells us. He tests our endeavors through the fire of His majesty. Is our “work” based on selfish proud purposes or is it like the emmissary says, “Trusting faithfulness expressing itself through love. (Gal 5:6)” The same emmissary mentions later to the same Corintians,

I may speak in the tongues of men, even angels; but if I lack love, I have become merely blaring brass or a cymbal clanging. I may have the gift of prophecy, I may fathom all mysteries, know all things, have all faith -- enough to move mountains; but if I lack love, I am nothing. I may give away everything that I own, I may even hand over my body to be burned; but if I lack love, I gain nothing.
(1Co 13:1-3 CJB)

Yes, our works on earth will be tested through fire. If they are like wood, grass or straw, they will burn and be destroyed and we will have nothing to show for ourselves. But just as metal gets purer under fire, if our works for Him are made of  gold, silver, they will be refined in to even more purity.

This is the difference with the teacher who teaches from a heart which is golden on the outside, and wood on the inside.

May we be teachers who teach from a heart that is golden on the outside,
and on the inside:

His heart!

R' Gavriel


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