- there are 70 faces to 
Post by alon on Feb 14, 2018 10:27:54 GMT -8
Next week’s reading schedule:
Date of reading- 24 Feb 2018/9 Adar 5778/11-9-5778
Name of Par’shah- Tetzaveh, You Shall Command
Par’shah- Exodus 27.20-30.10
Haftara- Ezekiel 43.10-27
Brit Chadashah- Philipians 4.10-20
This week’s readings:
Date of reading- 17 Feb 2018/2 Adar 5778/11-2 5778
Name of Par’shah- T’rumah, Heave Offering
Par’shah- Exodus 25.1-27.19
Haftara- 1 Kings 5.26(12)-6.13
Brit Chadashah- Hebrews 8.1-6; 9.11-28;10.1
D’rash:
Hebrews 8:1-6 (ESV) 1 Now the point in what we are saying is this: we have such a high priest, one who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, 2 a minister in the holy places, in the true tabernacle that the Lord set up, not man. 3 For every high priest is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices; thus it is necessary for this priest also to have something to offer. 4 Now if he were on earth, he would not be a priest at all, since there are priests who offer gifts according to the law. 5 They serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things. For when Moses was about to erect the tabernacle, he was instructed by God, saying, “See that you make everything according to the pattern that was shown you on the mountain.” 6 But as it is, Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises.
It is this attention to detail in building the Mishkan and later the Temple which is the subject of our par’shah and haftara readings. However before we get into those, I want to deal with the Christain perception of this reading from the Kethuvai Shaliachim. It is often assumed that this scripture denigrates the structures here on earth erected by the Jews. Nothing can be further from the truth. For in them we can see the plan HaElyon The Most High (Deuteronomy 32:8) had for our salvation. We see prophecy of a Redeemer as well as the awe and reverence for Atik Yomin Ancient of Days (Daniel 7:9) which many Christians have lost.
Josephus tells us Alexander the Great himself made a reverential inclination before the Cohen HaGadol (Antiquities of the Jews, 11, 8, 5). The prophet Daniel also relates the punishment exacted upon Melech Balthazar for profaning the sacred vessels of the Temple at his licentious banquet. The house of Elohim is never to be taken lightly. And the two houses He instructed to be built were the Mishkan and the Temple. How odd to venerate a church as a house of worship, yet look down on these edifices whose plans were delivered from Kedoshi, the Holy One Himself (Habakkuk 1:12).
As El Elohe Yisro’el had now set apart His people who He had reconciled unto Himself a definite place to meet with them where they could worship and He could commune with them was essential. Moshe was on the mountain forty days and nights with neither food nor water while he received the ten words and the plans for the Mishkan, the first of these structures:
Deuteronomy 9:9 (ESV) When I went up the mountain to receive the tablets of stone, the tablets of the covenant that the Lord made with you, I remained on the mountain forty days and forty nights. I neither ate bread nor drank water.
This revelation included the Tabernacle itself, the priesthood who served there, and the services and rituals to be performed therein. Everything was to be made and done exactly as instructed, in the minutest detail:
Exodus 25:9 (ESV) Exactly as I show you concerning the pattern of the tabernacle, and of all its furniture, so you shall make it.
Hebrews 8:5 (ESV) They serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things. For when Moses was about to erect the tent, he was instructed by God, saying, “See that you make everything according to the pattern that was shown you on the mountain.”
Hebrews 9:23 (ESV) Thus it was necessary for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these rites, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.
These teach us that we may only approach Abishter in the way He says we are to do. However they also prophecy of His plan to redeem all men, pointing obviously to haMoshiach. Much is written on this topic, however it is beyond the scope of this d’rash to delve too deeply into those waters. For now just be aware that every detail had meaning, and to have changed one thing even slightly would destroy not only its’ meaning but that of the entire edifice and rituals. This is probably why Nadab and Abihu were destroyed after offering “strange fire” to the Lord.
Everything was to be a symbol of present and enduring truth, as well as a prophetic type of future temporal and spiritual realities. Everything had meaning; materials, colors, fabrics, measurements, numbers, vessels, the priesthood, rituals, services, sacrifices. Everything, in minute detail was meaningful. And all point to the same spiritual reality, Yeshua HaMoshiach who would one day dwell with us. However they do not just look forward to messiah, as the Temple will be rebuilt and services restored in the Olam Haba, as in Ezekiel’s vision in ch. 40 of the book bearing his name. For this is a reminder of what Elohim did for His people that we might have eternal life with Himself.
The Tabernacle was constructed with a court, it and particularly its’ gate being where people approached Elohim. There offerings were made to expiate sin or to honor their Lord in grateful acts of giving. The Holy Place where they held communion with Elohim was next, then the Most Holy Place wherein the Shechinah resided on the Mercy Seat of the Ark of the Covenant.
The order the instructions concerning the Mishkan and its’ furnishings are given is interesting. First are instructions concerning the Ark of the Covenant, the most holy thing in the Mishkan (Ex 25:10-22); the place where the Shechinah will rest. Next come the Table for the Showbread (vss. 23-30) and the Menorah (vss. 31-40). These represent life and Light of the World, not only the spiritual outcome of the presence of Elohei Ha’Ivriyim, the Lord God of the Hebrews (Exodus 3:18) on the Mercy Seat, but the promise of His Redeemer; Yeshua HaMoshiach.
Next we are given instructions for the Mishkan itself; the edifice that will house all these things (ch. 26). Then comes instructions for the Bronze Altar and the Court of the Tabernacle (ch. 27). Note the order stresses the adjuncts used in the service of Elohim, then the edifice that houses them. In ch. 27 we also enter into the area of ministry. The altar is where sacrifices will be made, the court is the place they are made, and the chapter is rounded out with instructions for burning the lamps and the oil that is to be used. So here we also see a type of the ministry of the Ruach HaKodesh.
If I may be allowed to get ahead of the instruction and encroach on next weeks par’shah, chs. 28 and 29 institute the priesthood. And ch. 30 (which I will desist on going into depth on) represents prayer and worship. So we see everything given from the most holy place outward, as all good things flow from Avinu, Our Father (Isaiah 64:8).
Our haftara has a very instructional verse:
1 Kings 6:7 (ESV) When the house was built, it was with stone prepared at the quarry, so that neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron was heard in the house while it was being built.
The sages in Massecheth Middoth 3:4 say “The iron is created to shorten the days of man, and the altar to lengthen them; therefore it is not right that that which shortens should be lifted upon that which lengthens.” From “Jewish Social Life in the Days of Christ,” Dr. Edersheim.
So we see here in the building and maintenance of the Temple the same care and attention to detail, where the physical is a picture of the spiritual, all good things flowing again from Aveinu, and the promise of a Moshiach who will give eternal life.
Dan C
Date of reading- 24 Feb 2018/9 Adar 5778/11-9-5778
Name of Par’shah- Tetzaveh, You Shall Command
Par’shah- Exodus 27.20-30.10
Haftara- Ezekiel 43.10-27
Brit Chadashah- Philipians 4.10-20
This week’s readings:
Date of reading- 17 Feb 2018/2 Adar 5778/11-2 5778
Name of Par’shah- T’rumah, Heave Offering
Par’shah- Exodus 25.1-27.19
Haftara- 1 Kings 5.26(12)-6.13
Brit Chadashah- Hebrews 8.1-6; 9.11-28;10.1
D’rash:
Hebrews 8:1-6 (ESV) 1 Now the point in what we are saying is this: we have such a high priest, one who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, 2 a minister in the holy places, in the true tabernacle that the Lord set up, not man. 3 For every high priest is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices; thus it is necessary for this priest also to have something to offer. 4 Now if he were on earth, he would not be a priest at all, since there are priests who offer gifts according to the law. 5 They serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things. For when Moses was about to erect the tabernacle, he was instructed by God, saying, “See that you make everything according to the pattern that was shown you on the mountain.” 6 But as it is, Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises.
It is this attention to detail in building the Mishkan and later the Temple which is the subject of our par’shah and haftara readings. However before we get into those, I want to deal with the Christain perception of this reading from the Kethuvai Shaliachim. It is often assumed that this scripture denigrates the structures here on earth erected by the Jews. Nothing can be further from the truth. For in them we can see the plan HaElyon The Most High (Deuteronomy 32:8) had for our salvation. We see prophecy of a Redeemer as well as the awe and reverence for Atik Yomin Ancient of Days (Daniel 7:9) which many Christians have lost.
Josephus tells us Alexander the Great himself made a reverential inclination before the Cohen HaGadol (Antiquities of the Jews, 11, 8, 5). The prophet Daniel also relates the punishment exacted upon Melech Balthazar for profaning the sacred vessels of the Temple at his licentious banquet. The house of Elohim is never to be taken lightly. And the two houses He instructed to be built were the Mishkan and the Temple. How odd to venerate a church as a house of worship, yet look down on these edifices whose plans were delivered from Kedoshi, the Holy One Himself (Habakkuk 1:12).
As El Elohe Yisro’el had now set apart His people who He had reconciled unto Himself a definite place to meet with them where they could worship and He could commune with them was essential. Moshe was on the mountain forty days and nights with neither food nor water while he received the ten words and the plans for the Mishkan, the first of these structures:
Deuteronomy 9:9 (ESV) When I went up the mountain to receive the tablets of stone, the tablets of the covenant that the Lord made with you, I remained on the mountain forty days and forty nights. I neither ate bread nor drank water.
This revelation included the Tabernacle itself, the priesthood who served there, and the services and rituals to be performed therein. Everything was to be made and done exactly as instructed, in the minutest detail:
Exodus 25:9 (ESV) Exactly as I show you concerning the pattern of the tabernacle, and of all its furniture, so you shall make it.
Hebrews 8:5 (ESV) They serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things. For when Moses was about to erect the tent, he was instructed by God, saying, “See that you make everything according to the pattern that was shown you on the mountain.”
Hebrews 9:23 (ESV) Thus it was necessary for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these rites, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.
These teach us that we may only approach Abishter in the way He says we are to do. However they also prophecy of His plan to redeem all men, pointing obviously to haMoshiach. Much is written on this topic, however it is beyond the scope of this d’rash to delve too deeply into those waters. For now just be aware that every detail had meaning, and to have changed one thing even slightly would destroy not only its’ meaning but that of the entire edifice and rituals. This is probably why Nadab and Abihu were destroyed after offering “strange fire” to the Lord.
Everything was to be a symbol of present and enduring truth, as well as a prophetic type of future temporal and spiritual realities. Everything had meaning; materials, colors, fabrics, measurements, numbers, vessels, the priesthood, rituals, services, sacrifices. Everything, in minute detail was meaningful. And all point to the same spiritual reality, Yeshua HaMoshiach who would one day dwell with us. However they do not just look forward to messiah, as the Temple will be rebuilt and services restored in the Olam Haba, as in Ezekiel’s vision in ch. 40 of the book bearing his name. For this is a reminder of what Elohim did for His people that we might have eternal life with Himself.
The Tabernacle was constructed with a court, it and particularly its’ gate being where people approached Elohim. There offerings were made to expiate sin or to honor their Lord in grateful acts of giving. The Holy Place where they held communion with Elohim was next, then the Most Holy Place wherein the Shechinah resided on the Mercy Seat of the Ark of the Covenant.
The order the instructions concerning the Mishkan and its’ furnishings are given is interesting. First are instructions concerning the Ark of the Covenant, the most holy thing in the Mishkan (Ex 25:10-22); the place where the Shechinah will rest. Next come the Table for the Showbread (vss. 23-30) and the Menorah (vss. 31-40). These represent life and Light of the World, not only the spiritual outcome of the presence of Elohei Ha’Ivriyim, the Lord God of the Hebrews (Exodus 3:18) on the Mercy Seat, but the promise of His Redeemer; Yeshua HaMoshiach.
Next we are given instructions for the Mishkan itself; the edifice that will house all these things (ch. 26). Then comes instructions for the Bronze Altar and the Court of the Tabernacle (ch. 27). Note the order stresses the adjuncts used in the service of Elohim, then the edifice that houses them. In ch. 27 we also enter into the area of ministry. The altar is where sacrifices will be made, the court is the place they are made, and the chapter is rounded out with instructions for burning the lamps and the oil that is to be used. So here we also see a type of the ministry of the Ruach HaKodesh.
If I may be allowed to get ahead of the instruction and encroach on next weeks par’shah, chs. 28 and 29 institute the priesthood. And ch. 30 (which I will desist on going into depth on) represents prayer and worship. So we see everything given from the most holy place outward, as all good things flow from Avinu, Our Father (Isaiah 64:8).
Our haftara has a very instructional verse:
1 Kings 6:7 (ESV) When the house was built, it was with stone prepared at the quarry, so that neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron was heard in the house while it was being built.
The sages in Massecheth Middoth 3:4 say “The iron is created to shorten the days of man, and the altar to lengthen them; therefore it is not right that that which shortens should be lifted upon that which lengthens.” From “Jewish Social Life in the Days of Christ,” Dr. Edersheim.
So we see here in the building and maintenance of the Temple the same care and attention to detail, where the physical is a picture of the spiritual, all good things flowing again from Aveinu, and the promise of a Moshiach who will give eternal life.
Dan C
