Post by R' Y'hoshua Moshe on Jun 8, 2005 21:22:58 GMT -8
Shalom,
The following is a commentary on this week's parashah called Nasso “Make and Accounting” - by Rabbi Yaakov BenYosef found in Bamidbar (Numbers) 4:21-7:89. Enjoy!
4 Sivan 5765 - June 11, 2005
"Throughout Scripture there are many individuals committed enough to sacrifice their lives in the service of HaShem. Because of their strong commitment, these individuals exhibit the power of faith. They demonstrated the strength and power of HaShem by their willingness to serve Him against all opposition. As followers of Yeshua we should also be prepared to sacrifice ourselves, and follow Him wherever He leads. In Nasso we can see in the Nazirite vow this type of commitment. The Nazirite was required to totally separate himself or herself from family, friends, and the community. He or she was expected to focus only on serving HaShem as long as the vow lasted. To some individuals the vow lasted a lifetime, but to individuals that voluntarily took the vow the minimum length was seven days. HaShem gives us examples in both the Tanach and in the B’rit Hadashah of individuals that were committed to serving Him as Nazirites. There are four specific examples in Scripture that personify the hardship that comes with the commitment to serve HaShem as a Nazirite. Three of these individuals were Nazirites for life. Their parents dedicated them to serve HaShem as a Nazirite before they were born. The fourth individual voluntarily chose to become a Nazirite. The four Nazirites specifically named in Scripture are Shimshon, Sh’mu’el, John the Baptist, and Paul (Rav Shaul). As we’ll see these individuals were separated from family and friends and became focused on serving HaShem with their heart, soul, and strength.
Bamidbar 6:4-5 states “All the days of his separation shall he eat nothing that is made of the vine tree, from the kernels even to the husk. All the days of the vow of his separation there shall no razor come upon his head: until the days be fulfilled, in the which he separated himself unto the LORD, he shall be holy, and shall let the locks of the hair of his head grow.” Two of the most noticeable attributes of a Nazirite were the commitment to HaShem’s commandments to not eat or drink grape products, and not to cut his or her hair. As a result, a Nazirite was required to change his or her lifestyle. A Nazirite was required to appear different than the social norm. We can see a strong commitment to the Nazirite lifestyle in Shimshon, Sh’mu’el, and John the Baptist.
Shimshon was a Nazirite from birth, therefore before he was born his mother made the commitment to observe the commandments given to the Nazirites. We can see this in Shof’tim 13:4-5 which states “Now therefore beware, I pray thee, and drink not wine nor strong drink, and eat not any unclean thing: for, lo, thou shall conceive, and bear a son; and no razor shall come on his head: for the child shall be a Nazirite unto God from the womb:” Shimshon’s mother is explicitly instructed by HaShem to refrain from wine, and strong drink, and to allow the child’s hair to grow. From birth Shimshon was chosen as a Nazirite to deliver Yisrael from the oppression of the Ph’lishtim. Unfortunately, Shimshon was not totally focused on serving HaShem. Shimshon took his calling for granted and allowed the pleasures of the world to entice him. He was easily subdued by Delilah. In HaShem’s mercy, Shimshon was restored to his former anointing when he repented. Therefore, he fulfilled his separation as a Nazirite by giving his life to deliver Yisrael from the Ph’lishtim.
Sh’mu’el was also a Nazirite from birth. First Sh’mu’el 1:11 sates “And she vowed a vow, and said, O LORD of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the LORD all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head.” As Shimshon, Sh’mu’el was also set apart for the service of HaShem. As a result, he obtained a level of Holiness that allowed him to remain in the temple with the priests. In fact, Sh’mu’el’s mother committed to leave him with the priests as first Sh’mu’el 1:22 states “until the child be weaned, and then I will bring him, that he may appear before the LORD, and there abide for ever.” Sh’mu’el did not lose focus of his calling. Therefore, Sh’mu’el became more righteous then the cohenim who served in the temple. Sh’mu’el heard the word of HaShem when the priests became corrupt and unholy. As a result, Sh’mu’el replaced the priests as HaShem’s spokesman to Yisrael.
John the Baptist was also anointed as a Nazirite from birth. Luke 1:15 states “for he shall be great before the Lord, and wine and strong drink he may not drink, and of the Holy Spirit he shall be full, even from his mother’s womb;” John the Baptist was also required to refrain from wine and strong drink from his mother’s womb. As a Nazirite John the Baptist had a specific calling, to walk in the spirit and power of Elijah as Luke 1:17 states. Therefore, HaShem used the commitment and focus of Yochanan to open the hearts of men for the coming Mashiach. From Scripture we can see that these three individuals were set apart from birth to deliver Yisrael, speak HaShem’s word, and prepare the way for Mashiach.
Not all Nazirites were Nazirites from birth. HaShem made it possible for an individual to voluntarily accept the calling of a Nazirite. Unlike an individual that was born a Nazirite, a voluntary Nazirite shaved his or her head upon taking the vow. An individual that began a Nazirite vow after they were born had became unclean as a result of living in an unclean world. For example, being in the presence of the dead was forbidden for the Nazirite. Therefore, any individual that attended a funeral would become unclean. As a result, Nazirites were required to shave their head as stated in Bamidbar 6:9 “if any man die very suddenly by him, and he hath defiled the head of his consecration; then he shall shave his head in the day of his cleansing, on the seventh day shall he shave it.” The shaving of the head allowed the individual start the Nazirite vow with a new head of hair. This signified that the individual was totally committed to serving HaShem. One individual that shaved his head when he took the Nazirite vow was Rav Shaul. In fact, Acts 18:18 indicates Rav Shaul shaved his head and was preparing to go to Yerusalem to fulfill the vow. In fact, in Acts 21, when Rav Shaul reaches Yerusalem, we can see he is commanded by James to also pay the expenses for other individuals wanting to take the Nazirite vow. James and the elders instructed Rav Shaul to do this, to prove that he was not teaching individuals to do away with the
. In obedience to James and the elders Rav Shaul agreed. Therefore, Rav Shaul was proving he was committed to serving HaShem with his whole heart. It was the hope of the elders, that others would witness Shaul’s commitment and realize he was not instructing the Y’hudim among the nations to violate the commandment of circumcision. It is clear in Acts 21 that Rav Shaul’s voluntary commitment to the Nazirite vow was a result of his total commitment to HaShem. Before the days of his separation were over Shaul was forcefully removed from the Temple and was imprisoned. HaShem was able to use this incident to prove Shaul was committed to the and walked by the Spirit. As a result, Yeshua was glorified by Rav Shaul’s willingness to voluntarily become a Nazirite.
These four individuals stand out in Scripture because of the great deeds they accomplished in the service of HaShem. However, before these individuals fulfilled their callings they each gave up family and friends to serve HaShem as a Nazirite. In fact, they could not even defile themselves for their parents as Bamidbar 6:7 states “He shall not make himself unclean for his father, or for his mother, for his brother, or for his sister, when they die: because the consecration of his God is upon his head.” The life of a Nazirite must have been very difficult because of the total separation that was required. By understanding this self-sacrifice we can understand what it means to put Yeshua in control of every aspect of our life. Therefore, let us separate ourselves from the world spiritually and take on the heart of the Nazirite, to serve HaShem with every aspect of our being."
By Rabbi Yaakov benYosef – ABOUT-.org
The following is a commentary on this week's parashah called Nasso “Make and Accounting” - by Rabbi Yaakov BenYosef found in Bamidbar (Numbers) 4:21-7:89. Enjoy!
4 Sivan 5765 - June 11, 2005
"Throughout Scripture there are many individuals committed enough to sacrifice their lives in the service of HaShem. Because of their strong commitment, these individuals exhibit the power of faith. They demonstrated the strength and power of HaShem by their willingness to serve Him against all opposition. As followers of Yeshua we should also be prepared to sacrifice ourselves, and follow Him wherever He leads. In Nasso we can see in the Nazirite vow this type of commitment. The Nazirite was required to totally separate himself or herself from family, friends, and the community. He or she was expected to focus only on serving HaShem as long as the vow lasted. To some individuals the vow lasted a lifetime, but to individuals that voluntarily took the vow the minimum length was seven days. HaShem gives us examples in both the Tanach and in the B’rit Hadashah of individuals that were committed to serving Him as Nazirites. There are four specific examples in Scripture that personify the hardship that comes with the commitment to serve HaShem as a Nazirite. Three of these individuals were Nazirites for life. Their parents dedicated them to serve HaShem as a Nazirite before they were born. The fourth individual voluntarily chose to become a Nazirite. The four Nazirites specifically named in Scripture are Shimshon, Sh’mu’el, John the Baptist, and Paul (Rav Shaul). As we’ll see these individuals were separated from family and friends and became focused on serving HaShem with their heart, soul, and strength.
Bamidbar 6:4-5 states “All the days of his separation shall he eat nothing that is made of the vine tree, from the kernels even to the husk. All the days of the vow of his separation there shall no razor come upon his head: until the days be fulfilled, in the which he separated himself unto the LORD, he shall be holy, and shall let the locks of the hair of his head grow.” Two of the most noticeable attributes of a Nazirite were the commitment to HaShem’s commandments to not eat or drink grape products, and not to cut his or her hair. As a result, a Nazirite was required to change his or her lifestyle. A Nazirite was required to appear different than the social norm. We can see a strong commitment to the Nazirite lifestyle in Shimshon, Sh’mu’el, and John the Baptist.
Shimshon was a Nazirite from birth, therefore before he was born his mother made the commitment to observe the commandments given to the Nazirites. We can see this in Shof’tim 13:4-5 which states “Now therefore beware, I pray thee, and drink not wine nor strong drink, and eat not any unclean thing: for, lo, thou shall conceive, and bear a son; and no razor shall come on his head: for the child shall be a Nazirite unto God from the womb:” Shimshon’s mother is explicitly instructed by HaShem to refrain from wine, and strong drink, and to allow the child’s hair to grow. From birth Shimshon was chosen as a Nazirite to deliver Yisrael from the oppression of the Ph’lishtim. Unfortunately, Shimshon was not totally focused on serving HaShem. Shimshon took his calling for granted and allowed the pleasures of the world to entice him. He was easily subdued by Delilah. In HaShem’s mercy, Shimshon was restored to his former anointing when he repented. Therefore, he fulfilled his separation as a Nazirite by giving his life to deliver Yisrael from the Ph’lishtim.
Sh’mu’el was also a Nazirite from birth. First Sh’mu’el 1:11 sates “And she vowed a vow, and said, O LORD of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the LORD all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head.” As Shimshon, Sh’mu’el was also set apart for the service of HaShem. As a result, he obtained a level of Holiness that allowed him to remain in the temple with the priests. In fact, Sh’mu’el’s mother committed to leave him with the priests as first Sh’mu’el 1:22 states “until the child be weaned, and then I will bring him, that he may appear before the LORD, and there abide for ever.” Sh’mu’el did not lose focus of his calling. Therefore, Sh’mu’el became more righteous then the cohenim who served in the temple. Sh’mu’el heard the word of HaShem when the priests became corrupt and unholy. As a result, Sh’mu’el replaced the priests as HaShem’s spokesman to Yisrael.
John the Baptist was also anointed as a Nazirite from birth. Luke 1:15 states “for he shall be great before the Lord, and wine and strong drink he may not drink, and of the Holy Spirit he shall be full, even from his mother’s womb;” John the Baptist was also required to refrain from wine and strong drink from his mother’s womb. As a Nazirite John the Baptist had a specific calling, to walk in the spirit and power of Elijah as Luke 1:17 states. Therefore, HaShem used the commitment and focus of Yochanan to open the hearts of men for the coming Mashiach. From Scripture we can see that these three individuals were set apart from birth to deliver Yisrael, speak HaShem’s word, and prepare the way for Mashiach.
Not all Nazirites were Nazirites from birth. HaShem made it possible for an individual to voluntarily accept the calling of a Nazirite. Unlike an individual that was born a Nazirite, a voluntary Nazirite shaved his or her head upon taking the vow. An individual that began a Nazirite vow after they were born had became unclean as a result of living in an unclean world. For example, being in the presence of the dead was forbidden for the Nazirite. Therefore, any individual that attended a funeral would become unclean. As a result, Nazirites were required to shave their head as stated in Bamidbar 6:9 “if any man die very suddenly by him, and he hath defiled the head of his consecration; then he shall shave his head in the day of his cleansing, on the seventh day shall he shave it.” The shaving of the head allowed the individual start the Nazirite vow with a new head of hair. This signified that the individual was totally committed to serving HaShem. One individual that shaved his head when he took the Nazirite vow was Rav Shaul. In fact, Acts 18:18 indicates Rav Shaul shaved his head and was preparing to go to Yerusalem to fulfill the vow. In fact, in Acts 21, when Rav Shaul reaches Yerusalem, we can see he is commanded by James to also pay the expenses for other individuals wanting to take the Nazirite vow. James and the elders instructed Rav Shaul to do this, to prove that he was not teaching individuals to do away with the
. In obedience to James and the elders Rav Shaul agreed. Therefore, Rav Shaul was proving he was committed to serving HaShem with his whole heart. It was the hope of the elders, that others would witness Shaul’s commitment and realize he was not instructing the Y’hudim among the nations to violate the commandment of circumcision. It is clear in Acts 21 that Rav Shaul’s voluntary commitment to the Nazirite vow was a result of his total commitment to HaShem. Before the days of his separation were over Shaul was forcefully removed from the Temple and was imprisoned. HaShem was able to use this incident to prove Shaul was committed to the and walked by the Spirit. As a result, Yeshua was glorified by Rav Shaul’s willingness to voluntarily become a Nazirite. These four individuals stand out in Scripture because of the great deeds they accomplished in the service of HaShem. However, before these individuals fulfilled their callings they each gave up family and friends to serve HaShem as a Nazirite. In fact, they could not even defile themselves for their parents as Bamidbar 6:7 states “He shall not make himself unclean for his father, or for his mother, for his brother, or for his sister, when they die: because the consecration of his God is upon his head.” The life of a Nazirite must have been very difficult because of the total separation that was required. By understanding this self-sacrifice we can understand what it means to put Yeshua in control of every aspect of our life. Therefore, let us separate ourselves from the world spiritually and take on the heart of the Nazirite, to serve HaShem with every aspect of our being."
By Rabbi Yaakov benYosef – ABOUT-
.org
