- there are 70 faces to 
Post by alon on Jun 23, 2020 0:14:55 GMT -8
Name of Par’shah- 38.3 Korach- Korah
Par’shah- Numbers 16:1 – 18:32
D’rash: Numbers 16 and 17 is the story of Korah’s rebellion and the aftermath. And while there is a lot of “preachable” material in that story, there are no commandments for us to glean.
Chapter 18 concerns the duties of priests and Levites, so most of it is not applicable as well. However if we transpose these duties onto the modern synagogue, a few might apply to our rabbonim and other officers of the synagogue.
Numbers 18:14-16 (ESV) Every devoted thing in Israel shall be yours. Everything that opens the womb of all flesh, whether man or beast, which they offer to the Lord, shall be yours. Nevertheless, the firstborn of man you shall redeem, and the firstborn of unclean animals you shall redeem. And their redemption price (at a month old you shall redeem them) you shall fix at five shekels [about 2/5 ounce per shekel] in silver, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, which is twenty gerahs. We are commanded to redeem all firstborn (exceptions noted in vs. 17).
Numbers 18:17 (ESV) But the firstborn of a cow, or the firstborn of a sheep, or the firstborn of a goat, you shall not redeem; they are holy. You shall sprinkle their blood on the altar and shall burn their fat as a food offering, with a pleasing aroma to the Lord. These are typically animals raised for slaughter or for sale. So today we would typically give 10% of what we earn from them or of the value of their produce (for example, what we ourselves consume must also be tithed on). Therefore their firstborn are not redeemed at birth.
Numbers 18:23 (ESV) But the Levites shall do the service of the tent of meeting, and they shall bear their iniquity. It shall be a perpetual statute throughout your generations, and among the people of Israel they shall have no inheritance. Officers of the synagogue must do the duties of their office faithfully as to HaShem. Ideally the congregation will grow to the point that the major officers will not have to work at other jobs, but will devote themselves entirely in their duties to the congregation.
Numbers 18:24a (ESV) For the tithe of the people of Israel, which they present as a contribution to the Lord, I have given to the Levites for an inheritance. We are to give a tithe towards the operation of our place of worship.
Numbers 18:26 (ESV) “Moreover, you shall speak and say to the Levites, ‘When you take from the people of Israel the tithe that I have given you from them for your inheritance, then you shall present a contribution from it to the Lord, a tithe of the tithe. Officers in the synagogue must tithe on what they are given for their work therein.
Numbers 18:32b (ESV) But you shall not profane the holy things of the people of Israel, lest you die. Any duties we do or responsibilities we take for the congregation of the Most High, we must take very seriously. Never profane the things of God, including those of His people.
Looking at the list of commandments of the Rabbonim, I see I have a couple more than they do. However I was looking for what applies to us today, while they looked at it from the perspective of Temple service only. I do not think I stretched any of these commandments too far, nor misapplied them. However I am open to discussion before I add them to our ever growing list. I’ll put that list up after the Torah cycle is completed, probably in installments. It will need some refinements, mostly to organization.
Par’shah- Numbers 16:1 – 18:32
D’rash: Numbers 16 and 17 is the story of Korah’s rebellion and the aftermath. And while there is a lot of “preachable” material in that story, there are no commandments for us to glean.
Chapter 18 concerns the duties of priests and Levites, so most of it is not applicable as well. However if we transpose these duties onto the modern synagogue, a few might apply to our rabbonim and other officers of the synagogue.
Numbers 18:14-16 (ESV) Every devoted thing in Israel shall be yours. Everything that opens the womb of all flesh, whether man or beast, which they offer to the Lord, shall be yours. Nevertheless, the firstborn of man you shall redeem, and the firstborn of unclean animals you shall redeem. And their redemption price (at a month old you shall redeem them) you shall fix at five shekels [about 2/5 ounce per shekel] in silver, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, which is twenty gerahs. We are commanded to redeem all firstborn (exceptions noted in vs. 17).
Numbers 18:17 (ESV) But the firstborn of a cow, or the firstborn of a sheep, or the firstborn of a goat, you shall not redeem; they are holy. You shall sprinkle their blood on the altar and shall burn their fat as a food offering, with a pleasing aroma to the Lord. These are typically animals raised for slaughter or for sale. So today we would typically give 10% of what we earn from them or of the value of their produce (for example, what we ourselves consume must also be tithed on). Therefore their firstborn are not redeemed at birth.
Numbers 18:23 (ESV) But the Levites shall do the service of the tent of meeting, and they shall bear their iniquity. It shall be a perpetual statute throughout your generations, and among the people of Israel they shall have no inheritance. Officers of the synagogue must do the duties of their office faithfully as to HaShem. Ideally the congregation will grow to the point that the major officers will not have to work at other jobs, but will devote themselves entirely in their duties to the congregation.
Numbers 18:24a (ESV) For the tithe of the people of Israel, which they present as a contribution to the Lord, I have given to the Levites for an inheritance. We are to give a tithe towards the operation of our place of worship.
Numbers 18:26 (ESV) “Moreover, you shall speak and say to the Levites, ‘When you take from the people of Israel the tithe that I have given you from them for your inheritance, then you shall present a contribution from it to the Lord, a tithe of the tithe. Officers in the synagogue must tithe on what they are given for their work therein.
Numbers 18:32b (ESV) But you shall not profane the holy things of the people of Israel, lest you die. Any duties we do or responsibilities we take for the congregation of the Most High, we must take very seriously. Never profane the things of God, including those of His people.
Looking at the list of commandments of the Rabbonim, I see I have a couple more than they do. However I was looking for what applies to us today, while they looked at it from the perspective of Temple service only. I do not think I stretched any of these commandments too far, nor misapplied them. However I am open to discussion before I add them to our ever growing list. I’ll put that list up after the Torah cycle is completed, probably in installments. It will need some refinements, mostly to organization.
