Post by R' Y'hoshua Moshe on Jun 20, 2005 22:31:26 GMT -8
The following is a commentary for this week's parashah compliments of Rabbi Ya'akov BenYosef. Enjoy!...
Shelach L'kha “Send on your behalf”-Bamidbar (Numbers) 13:1- 15:41
18 Sivan 5765 - June 25, 2005
By Rabbi Yaakov benYosef – ABOUT-
.org
"Living in the generation when prophecy is being foretold takes a completely different type of faith than living in the generation when prophecy is being fulfilled. Avraham had the faith required to believe that what HaShem told him would happen. Therefore, Avraham believed that his descendants would inherit the Promised Land. As a sign of the future prophecy HaShem gave circumcision to Avraham and his descendants. B’reisheet 17:7-8 says “I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God. God said unto Abraham, Thou shall keep my covenant therefore, thou, and thy seed after thee in their generations. This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised.” Avraham believed in what the Lord said. Therefore, circumcision was to be passed on from one generation to the next.
Discerning that prophecy is in the process of being fulfilled also requires strong faith. For example, in Yeshua’s generation very few individuals recognized Him as the prophetic fulfillment of the Mashiach. Those that believed Yeshua was the fulfillment of prophecy did so because they had the faith to see that HaShem was fulfilling His promises. Luke 2:25-26 states “behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him. it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord’s Mashiach.” Simeon’s faith overcame his doubt. He saw beyond the physical realm and realized HaShem was fulfilling His promise. In Shelach we can see the struggles that occur when people do not have the faith required to discern that prophecy is being fulfilled. The struggles that Yisrael faces are a direct result of their lack of faith and inability to overcome doubt. Because of their lack of faith the generation that HaShem delivered from Egypt was not the generation that entered into the Promised Land. Therefore, they bore the consequences of their doubt and were physically and spiritually cut off from the Promised Land.
Doubting that HaShem was capable of overcoming the physical obstacles they saw prevented the Yisraelites from entering the Promised Land. B’Midbar 14:22-23 states “Because all those men which have seen my glory, and my miracles, which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have tempted me now these ten times, and have not hearkened to my voice; Surely they shall not see the land which I swore unto their fathers, neither shall any of them that provoked me see it:” The spies’ failure to bring a positive report after returning from the Promised Land spread doubt throughout the entire camp. Doubt in the entire camp caused the Children of Yisrael to murmur and complain about Moshe and HaShem. As a result, HaShem judged the camp. Beginning with the spies, the Yisraelites would be cut off from the Promised Land. Bamidbar 14:37 states “those men that did bring up the evil report upon the land, died by the plague before the LORD.” The spies died immediately after doubting HaShem’s ability to deliver them into the Promised Land. However, judging the spies was not enough to atone for the whole camp. B’Midbar 14:29 states “Your carcasses shall fall in this wilderness; and all that were numbered of you, according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward, which have murmured against me” HaShem required the Children of Yisrael to wander forty years in the wilderness until the men of war that had come out of Egypt died. Doubt had to be removed from the camp before the Children of Yisrael could inherit the land. Yehoshua and Calev were the only two men of war that would see the prophecy fulfilled. HaShem cut off the generation that came out of Egypt, because that generation did not have the faith required to recognize the fulfilling of the prophecy. Therefore, the cost of doubt was the land promised to the forefathers.
Doubting HaShem also affected the Children of Yisrael spiritually. Yehoshua 5:4-6 states:
“this is the cause why Yehoshua did circumcise: All the people that came out of Egypt, that were males, even all the men of war, died in the wilderness by the way, after they came out of Egypt. Now all the people that came out were circumcised: but all the people that were born in the wilderness by the way as they came forth out of Egypt, them they had not circumcised. For the children of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness, till all the people that were men of war, which came out of Egypt, were consumed, because they obeyed not the voice of the LORD: unto whom the LORD swore that he would not show them the land, which the LORD swore unto their fathers that he would give us, a land that flowed with milk and honey.”
When the Children of Yisrael did not have the faith to enter the land, they lost the sign of the covenant. Yisrael’s lack of faith meant that the children born after the Exodus, those born in the wilderness, would not be circumcised. However, this punishment is directed only at the tribes that sent spies to spy out the land. The men of the tribe of Levi were not men of war, nor were they related to the spies that searched out the land. Therefore, in spite of the burden of loosing the sign of circumcision, HaShem still dwelt with His people through the tribe of Levi. The descendants of Levi remained unaffected and were able to continue operating the tabernacle. Some of the sons of Levi even entered the Promised Land with Yehoshua and Calev as we can see in Yehoshua 24:33 which states “Eleazar the son of Aaron died; and they buried him in a hill that pertained to Phinehas his son, which was given him in mount Ephraim.” Aaron’s son Eleazar died and was buried in the Promised Land. HaShem preserved the sons of Levi in spite of the fact the rest of Yisrael was no longer practicing circumcision. Therefore, HaShem still ministered to the Children of Yisrael through the sons of Levi even though Yisrael did not have the faith required to fulfill prophecy.
Fulfilling prophecy requires a completely different type of faith than believing a prophecy. Many individuals believe that a Mashiach is coming. However, very few individuals believe Yeshua is the Mashiach. This is because when prophecy does not unfold the way we want, we do not have the faith to believe. Because Yeshua did not fulfill the prophecies the way every individual wanted, many do not believe in Him. However, in spite of those that do not believe, HaShem still has a remnant that remain faithful. The remnant remains so that when the final prophecies do come, the generation that is alive at that time will have the opportunity to recognize the spiritual and physical signs that indicate that the promises to Avraham are being fulfilled."
Shelach L'kha “Send on your behalf”-Bamidbar (Numbers) 13:1- 15:41
18 Sivan 5765 - June 25, 2005
By Rabbi Yaakov benYosef – ABOUT-
.org"Living in the generation when prophecy is being foretold takes a completely different type of faith than living in the generation when prophecy is being fulfilled. Avraham had the faith required to believe that what HaShem told him would happen. Therefore, Avraham believed that his descendants would inherit the Promised Land. As a sign of the future prophecy HaShem gave circumcision to Avraham and his descendants. B’reisheet 17:7-8 says “I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God. God said unto Abraham, Thou shall keep my covenant therefore, thou, and thy seed after thee in their generations. This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised.” Avraham believed in what the Lord said. Therefore, circumcision was to be passed on from one generation to the next.
Discerning that prophecy is in the process of being fulfilled also requires strong faith. For example, in Yeshua’s generation very few individuals recognized Him as the prophetic fulfillment of the Mashiach. Those that believed Yeshua was the fulfillment of prophecy did so because they had the faith to see that HaShem was fulfilling His promises. Luke 2:25-26 states “behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him. it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord’s Mashiach.” Simeon’s faith overcame his doubt. He saw beyond the physical realm and realized HaShem was fulfilling His promise. In Shelach we can see the struggles that occur when people do not have the faith required to discern that prophecy is being fulfilled. The struggles that Yisrael faces are a direct result of their lack of faith and inability to overcome doubt. Because of their lack of faith the generation that HaShem delivered from Egypt was not the generation that entered into the Promised Land. Therefore, they bore the consequences of their doubt and were physically and spiritually cut off from the Promised Land.
Doubting that HaShem was capable of overcoming the physical obstacles they saw prevented the Yisraelites from entering the Promised Land. B’Midbar 14:22-23 states “Because all those men which have seen my glory, and my miracles, which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have tempted me now these ten times, and have not hearkened to my voice; Surely they shall not see the land which I swore unto their fathers, neither shall any of them that provoked me see it:” The spies’ failure to bring a positive report after returning from the Promised Land spread doubt throughout the entire camp. Doubt in the entire camp caused the Children of Yisrael to murmur and complain about Moshe and HaShem. As a result, HaShem judged the camp. Beginning with the spies, the Yisraelites would be cut off from the Promised Land. Bamidbar 14:37 states “those men that did bring up the evil report upon the land, died by the plague before the LORD.” The spies died immediately after doubting HaShem’s ability to deliver them into the Promised Land. However, judging the spies was not enough to atone for the whole camp. B’Midbar 14:29 states “Your carcasses shall fall in this wilderness; and all that were numbered of you, according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward, which have murmured against me” HaShem required the Children of Yisrael to wander forty years in the wilderness until the men of war that had come out of Egypt died. Doubt had to be removed from the camp before the Children of Yisrael could inherit the land. Yehoshua and Calev were the only two men of war that would see the prophecy fulfilled. HaShem cut off the generation that came out of Egypt, because that generation did not have the faith required to recognize the fulfilling of the prophecy. Therefore, the cost of doubt was the land promised to the forefathers.
Doubting HaShem also affected the Children of Yisrael spiritually. Yehoshua 5:4-6 states:
“this is the cause why Yehoshua did circumcise: All the people that came out of Egypt, that were males, even all the men of war, died in the wilderness by the way, after they came out of Egypt. Now all the people that came out were circumcised: but all the people that were born in the wilderness by the way as they came forth out of Egypt, them they had not circumcised. For the children of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness, till all the people that were men of war, which came out of Egypt, were consumed, because they obeyed not the voice of the LORD: unto whom the LORD swore that he would not show them the land, which the LORD swore unto their fathers that he would give us, a land that flowed with milk and honey.”
When the Children of Yisrael did not have the faith to enter the land, they lost the sign of the covenant. Yisrael’s lack of faith meant that the children born after the Exodus, those born in the wilderness, would not be circumcised. However, this punishment is directed only at the tribes that sent spies to spy out the land. The men of the tribe of Levi were not men of war, nor were they related to the spies that searched out the land. Therefore, in spite of the burden of loosing the sign of circumcision, HaShem still dwelt with His people through the tribe of Levi. The descendants of Levi remained unaffected and were able to continue operating the tabernacle. Some of the sons of Levi even entered the Promised Land with Yehoshua and Calev as we can see in Yehoshua 24:33 which states “Eleazar the son of Aaron died; and they buried him in a hill that pertained to Phinehas his son, which was given him in mount Ephraim.” Aaron’s son Eleazar died and was buried in the Promised Land. HaShem preserved the sons of Levi in spite of the fact the rest of Yisrael was no longer practicing circumcision. Therefore, HaShem still ministered to the Children of Yisrael through the sons of Levi even though Yisrael did not have the faith required to fulfill prophecy.
Fulfilling prophecy requires a completely different type of faith than believing a prophecy. Many individuals believe that a Mashiach is coming. However, very few individuals believe Yeshua is the Mashiach. This is because when prophecy does not unfold the way we want, we do not have the faith to believe. Because Yeshua did not fulfill the prophecies the way every individual wanted, many do not believe in Him. However, in spite of those that do not believe, HaShem still has a remnant that remain faithful. The remnant remains so that when the final prophecies do come, the generation that is alive at that time will have the opportunity to recognize the spiritual and physical signs that indicate that the promises to Avraham are being fulfilled."
