Post by R' Y'hoshua Moshe on Jun 16, 2005 18:39:55 GMT -8
The following commentary is by Rabbi Ya'akov BenYosef with about-
.org:
Beha'alot'cha “When you set up” - Bamidbar (Numbers) 8:1-12:16
11 Sivan 5765 - June 18, 2005
"When HaShem delivered the Children of Yisrael from Egyptian bondage they were not prepared to enter the Promised Land. The Children of Yisrael needed to learn how to walk by faith. This is a slow process. HaShem wanted the Children of Yisrael to gradually learn how to trust Him so they would not be overcome by their fears. HaShem gradually brought the Children of Yisrael into the Promised Land. Devarim 7:22 states “The LORD your God will put out those nations before you little by little: you may not consume them at once, lest the beasts of the field increase upon you.” The slow and gradual process allowed the Children of Yisrael to grow and to win small spiritual struggles before confronting great tests of their faith. The first part of Yisrael’s gradual training began in the wilderness of Sinai. Immediately after the Exodus HaShem took the Children of Yisrael into the wilderness of Mount Sinai, not the Promised Land. HaShem wanted the Yisraelites to learn how to depend on Him in times of need. During their year in the wilderness of Sinai HaShem taught the Children of Yisrael that faith requires remembrance and contentment.
To bolster our faith we must first remember the miracles and promises that HaShem has given to us and our forefathers. Remembering the miracles strengthens our faith because it connects us to those miracles. When we do not memorialize what HaShem has already done, we do not have a foundation for our faith. Realizing HaShem has helped individuals in the past, helps us to believe He will help us in the future. Before the Children of Yisrael resumed their journey HaShem wanted them to remember how He had led them out of Egypt. B’Midbar 9:1-3 states “the LORD spoke unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the first month of the second year after they were come out of the land of Egypt, saying, Let the children of Yisrael also keep the Passover at his appointed season. In the fourteenth day of this month, at even, ye shall keep it in his appointed season: according to all the rites of it, and according to all the ceremonies thereof, shall ye keep it.” It was important for the Children of Yisrael to keep the first Passover after the Exodus as a remembrance of the promise that HaShem, would take them to a land of their own. Observing the Passover just before leaving the wilderness of Sinai would guarantee that the Yisraelites would remember why they left Egypt. As a result, their faith would be strengthened and they would be prepared to face the struggles that would come.
To strengthen our faith HaShem also wants us to remember His miracles. It is easier to depend on Him when we remember what He has done,. In other words, remembering past miracles makes us aware that HaShem will also provide for the needs of our generation. Rav Shaul also understood the importance of remembering the past miracles of HaShem. 1 Corinthians 11:24-25 states “when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.” Remembrance is a strong catalyst for our faith, because it links us to what HaShem has already accomplished. Remembering is also important to our faith because it gives us hope. Messianic Jews 11:1 states “faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Without hope we do not believe HaShem will fulfill his promises. As a result, we also do not have the faith to see them fulfilled. Yisrael was commanded to construct the silver trumpets to give them hope that HaShem would fulfill His future promises. B’Midbar, 10:9 states “if ye go to war in your land against the enemy that oppresses you, then ye shall blow an alarm with the trumpets; and ye shall be remembered before the LORD your God, and ye shall be saved from your enemies.” The silver trumpets would call to mind HaShem’s words to Yisrael and give them hope for the promised salvation from their enemies.
Being content with what HaShem has provided is also critical for the establishment of faith. Being content with what we have frees us from strife. As a result, we can find joy in spite of our circumstance. When we become discontent we create our own strife. Eventually this strife will lead to envy. We can see an example of this in B’Midbar 11:4-6 “the mixed multitude that was among them fell a lusting: and the children of Israel also wept again, and said, Who shall give us flesh to eat? We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt
freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlic: But now our soul is dried away: there is nothing at all, beside this manna, before our eyes.” The Yisraelites became discontent with the manna that HaShem had provided. Instead of asking the Lord to provide a different sustenance, the Yisraelite chose to complain. As a result, strife entered the camp, and the Yisraelites became envious of the life they had in Egypt. The Yisraelites were even ready to return to the land of their to bondage so that they could eat cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, and garlic. The complaints of the Yisraelites weakened their faith because they became envious of what was in Egypt.
Building a strong faith requires remembrance and contentment. When we remember what HaShem has accomplished in the past it reaffirms our faith by connecting us to miracles HaShem provided for our forefathers. Contentment also builds faith. Being content with what HaShem has provided is critical to our faith because it frees us from strife. Therefore, we do not become envious of what we don’t have. As a
result our faith is strengthened and we are happy with what HaShem provides."
.org:Beha'alot'cha “When you set up” - Bamidbar (Numbers) 8:1-12:16
11 Sivan 5765 - June 18, 2005
"When HaShem delivered the Children of Yisrael from Egyptian bondage they were not prepared to enter the Promised Land. The Children of Yisrael needed to learn how to walk by faith. This is a slow process. HaShem wanted the Children of Yisrael to gradually learn how to trust Him so they would not be overcome by their fears. HaShem gradually brought the Children of Yisrael into the Promised Land. Devarim 7:22 states “The LORD your God will put out those nations before you little by little: you may not consume them at once, lest the beasts of the field increase upon you.” The slow and gradual process allowed the Children of Yisrael to grow and to win small spiritual struggles before confronting great tests of their faith. The first part of Yisrael’s gradual training began in the wilderness of Sinai. Immediately after the Exodus HaShem took the Children of Yisrael into the wilderness of Mount Sinai, not the Promised Land. HaShem wanted the Yisraelites to learn how to depend on Him in times of need. During their year in the wilderness of Sinai HaShem taught the Children of Yisrael that faith requires remembrance and contentment.
To bolster our faith we must first remember the miracles and promises that HaShem has given to us and our forefathers. Remembering the miracles strengthens our faith because it connects us to those miracles. When we do not memorialize what HaShem has already done, we do not have a foundation for our faith. Realizing HaShem has helped individuals in the past, helps us to believe He will help us in the future. Before the Children of Yisrael resumed their journey HaShem wanted them to remember how He had led them out of Egypt. B’Midbar 9:1-3 states “the LORD spoke unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the first month of the second year after they were come out of the land of Egypt, saying, Let the children of Yisrael also keep the Passover at his appointed season. In the fourteenth day of this month, at even, ye shall keep it in his appointed season: according to all the rites of it, and according to all the ceremonies thereof, shall ye keep it.” It was important for the Children of Yisrael to keep the first Passover after the Exodus as a remembrance of the promise that HaShem, would take them to a land of their own. Observing the Passover just before leaving the wilderness of Sinai would guarantee that the Yisraelites would remember why they left Egypt. As a result, their faith would be strengthened and they would be prepared to face the struggles that would come.
To strengthen our faith HaShem also wants us to remember His miracles. It is easier to depend on Him when we remember what He has done,. In other words, remembering past miracles makes us aware that HaShem will also provide for the needs of our generation. Rav Shaul also understood the importance of remembering the past miracles of HaShem. 1 Corinthians 11:24-25 states “when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.” Remembrance is a strong catalyst for our faith, because it links us to what HaShem has already accomplished. Remembering is also important to our faith because it gives us hope. Messianic Jews 11:1 states “faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Without hope we do not believe HaShem will fulfill his promises. As a result, we also do not have the faith to see them fulfilled. Yisrael was commanded to construct the silver trumpets to give them hope that HaShem would fulfill His future promises. B’Midbar, 10:9 states “if ye go to war in your land against the enemy that oppresses you, then ye shall blow an alarm with the trumpets; and ye shall be remembered before the LORD your God, and ye shall be saved from your enemies.” The silver trumpets would call to mind HaShem’s words to Yisrael and give them hope for the promised salvation from their enemies.
Being content with what HaShem has provided is also critical for the establishment of faith. Being content with what we have frees us from strife. As a result, we can find joy in spite of our circumstance. When we become discontent we create our own strife. Eventually this strife will lead to envy. We can see an example of this in B’Midbar 11:4-6 “the mixed multitude that was among them fell a lusting: and the children of Israel also wept again, and said, Who shall give us flesh to eat? We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt
freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlic: But now our soul is dried away: there is nothing at all, beside this manna, before our eyes.” The Yisraelites became discontent with the manna that HaShem had provided. Instead of asking the Lord to provide a different sustenance, the Yisraelite chose to complain. As a result, strife entered the camp, and the Yisraelites became envious of the life they had in Egypt. The Yisraelites were even ready to return to the land of their to bondage so that they could eat cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, and garlic. The complaints of the Yisraelites weakened their faith because they became envious of what was in Egypt.
Building a strong faith requires remembrance and contentment. When we remember what HaShem has accomplished in the past it reaffirms our faith by connecting us to miracles HaShem provided for our forefathers. Contentment also builds faith. Being content with what HaShem has provided is critical to our faith because it frees us from strife. Therefore, we do not become envious of what we don’t have. As a
result our faith is strengthened and we are happy with what HaShem provides."
