- there are 70 faces to 
Post by alon on Jan 6, 2023 20:09:12 GMT -8
This Week’s Readings:
Parashah- Exodus 16:25-17:16
Haftara- Is 56:1-8, 58:12-14
D’rash: While this parashah covers three separate events, there is a common theme in all of them: trust in the Lord. Trust His word, His provision, and His salvation.
Exodus 16:25-26 Moses said, “Eat it today, for today is a Sabbath to the Lord; today you will not find it in the field. Six days you shall gather it, but on the seventh day, which is a Sabbath, there will be none.”
Kedoshi, The Holy One (Hab 1:12) is here reestablishing His Shabbat. This is a graphic representation of Shabbat observance to the Hebrew people.That the manna did not spoil between the 6th day and Shabbat is a miracle, both establishing the Shabbat and the preparation day as the sixth day. It was established at creation “And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, ” (Gen 2-3a). My belief is there was an Oral Torah before which included Shabbat. However after 400 yrs. under pagan slave masters they had forgotten this. Either way, God needed to reestablish His Shabbat, and He does.
Exodus 16:27-30 On the seventh day some of the people went out to gather, but they found none. And the Lord said to Moses, “How long will you refuse to keep my commandments and my laws? See! The Lord has given you the Sabbath; therefore on the sixth day he gives you bread for two days. Remain each of you in his place; let no one go out of his place on the seventh day.” So the people rested on the seventh day.
After all God has just done for them, still some disobey. Here Yoetz- our Counsellor (Is 9:6) emphasizes both the preparation day and the Shabbat. Also we see that the Hebrews finally obey, though some presumably go hungry.
Exodus 16:31- Now the house of Israel called its name manna. It was like coriander seed, white, and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey. Moses said, “This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Let an omer of it be kept throughout your generations, so that they may see the bread with which I fed you in the wilderness, when I brought you out of the land of Egypt.’” And Moses said to Aaron, “Take a jar, and put an omer of manna in it, and place it before the Lord to be kept throughout your generations.”
“Remembrance.” Remember that word? We are to “remember.” So for later generations who will not taste manna, a description of its’ taste is given. An omer was also set aside to be kept before the Lord, a symbol that He remembers His people as long as they remember Him.
Exodus 16:34-35 As the Lord commanded Moses, so Aaron placed it before the testimony to be kept. The people of Israel ate the manna forty years, till they came to a habitable land. They ate the manna till they came to the border of the land of Canaan.
This explanation is given a bit out of order; a reminder that Torah was written later, after Moshe was given the charge to write it at Sinai. The “testimony” here refers to the Ark of the Covenant, again built later.
As we’ll see later on, the forty years ‘eating manna’ was necessary to convert the Hebrews from slaves to an army. Those who lived lives under the whip were cowed, dependent on others for their lives and livelihood. They could never be an occupying army.
Exodus 17:1-3 All the congregation of the people of Israel moved on from the wilderness of Sin by stages, according to the commandment of the Lord, and camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink. Therefore the people quarreled with Moses and said, “Give us water to drink.” And Moses said to them, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the Lord?” But the people thirsted there for water, and the people grumbled against Moses and said, “Why did you bring us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?”
I think it significant here that the people do not distinguish between Moshe and Adonai. They have lived their lives in a pagan culture where connection to a deity can only be made through a spiritual medium; to wit, an idol. They saw Moshe as the channel through which God spoke. He “channeled” God, which made him as Pharaoh’s sorcerers and magicians in their eyes! This view persisted to the incident with the Golden Calf, also to be covered in a later parashah. The implication leveled at Moshe that he brought them there to kill them (an obvious exaggeration, even for them) is therefore also leveled at YHVH-Yireh, God the Provider (Gen 22:14). The relevant fact is that this too had to be removed from the collective psyche in order to make them not just an army, but the army of the Most High.
Now we come to the attack by Amalek. This was a sneak attack on a people who were tired from the march, and made against those lagging behind; the most vulnerable of all: “Remember what Amalek did to you on the way as you came out of Egypt, how he attacked you on the way when you were faint and weary, and cut off your tail, those who were lagging behind you, and he did not fear God.” Deu 25:17-18.
Exodus 17:9-11 So Moses said to Joshua, “Choose for us men, and go out and fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand.” So Joshua did as Moses told him, and fought with Amalek, while Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. Whenever Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed, and whenever he lowered his hand, Amalek prevailed.
This battle is obviously and miraculously under divine control. But why make the fortunes of this engagement dependent on the hands Moshe?
The Mekhilta of R Ishmael says that the people, knowing their commander was obeying a divine command had faith whenever they looked up and saw his hands raised, holding his staff. However the Talmud in Mishnah Rosh Hashanah 3:8 goes a bit deeper: “Incidental to the discussion of the required intent when sounding the shofar, the mishna cites the verse: “And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed; and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed” (Exodus 17:11). It may be asked: Did the hands of Moses make war when he raised them or break war when he lowered them? Rather, the verse comes to tell you that as long as the Jewish people turned their eyes upward and subjected their hearts to their Father in Heaven, they prevailed, but if not, they fell.”
In this view, God intercedes on the behalf of the people when their hearts were directed to Him. This is a biblical principle repeated often in scripture. That their hearts are directed to God implies trust that He will fight for them. And “If God is for us, who can be against us?” Rom 8:31b. This question echoes through the ages, even to today.
The Amalekites were related to the Hebrews through the line of Esav. They seem to have developed a pathological hatred for God’s people, as they attack again and again. Much later we’ll see Haman the Agagite, who was also a descendant of Amalek. He notoriously tried to eradicate the Jews in the time of Esther, becoming the archetype for many others such as the Nazis and Islam.
Exodus 17:13 And Joshua overwhelmed Amalek and his people with the sword.
Regardless the details, the Hebrews prevailed; but not just by military prowess, which they had little of at this point. But their God did fight for them: “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Is 41:10. And in concert with Mishnah Rosh Hashanah 3:8, we later see: “Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same way of thinking. … For the time that is past suffices for doing what the Gentiles want to do, … With respect to this they are surprised when you do not join them … .” 1 Peter 4:1a, 3a, 4a. Rav Shaul was speaking of lusts of the flesh, however the principle is the same. They (and we) must have a change of mindset. Whether military might or the often overwhelming temptation to sin, we must keep our eyes (and hearts) directed to God. Not to any representative other than Yeshua, who is God. Looking to Moshe or his books, Torah, makes of them idols. Our salvation is and always has been by grace, through faith and trust: “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,” Eph 2:8. The term rendered “faith” is: πίστις pistis- persuasion, credence; moral conviction, especially reliance upon Christ for salvation; reliance, confidence, obedience, trust
Torah is then instruction in holy living as a new creation, after we are saved. We follow it because we trust His word.
Whatever we face, we must trust God to see us through it. And pray diligently for the courage and moral stamina to face whatever comes. And trusting comes from trials and remembrance. God’s actions and His people are remembered, but the memory of their enemy is blotted out, except to remember they have no record of memory: “Then the Lord said to Moses, “Write this as a memorial in a book and recite it in the ears of Joshua, that I will utterly blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven.” Ex 17:14.
Mekorot: all scripture from the ESV unless otherwise noted; JPS Study TNK; Drisha (Talmudic commentary); Sefaria (Talmudic text); Vines Expository dictionary; D Prager; my father and others
Next Week’s Readings:
Parashah- Ex 18:1-20:23(26)
Haftara- Is 61:1-11
* Apostolic references will be given in the darashot
Parashah- Exodus 16:25-17:16
Haftara- Is 56:1-8, 58:12-14
D’rash: While this parashah covers three separate events, there is a common theme in all of them: trust in the Lord. Trust His word, His provision, and His salvation.
Exodus 16:25-26 Moses said, “Eat it today, for today is a Sabbath to the Lord; today you will not find it in the field. Six days you shall gather it, but on the seventh day, which is a Sabbath, there will be none.”
Kedoshi, The Holy One (Hab 1:12) is here reestablishing His Shabbat. This is a graphic representation of Shabbat observance to the Hebrew people.That the manna did not spoil between the 6th day and Shabbat is a miracle, both establishing the Shabbat and the preparation day as the sixth day. It was established at creation “And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, ” (Gen 2-3a). My belief is there was an Oral Torah before which included Shabbat. However after 400 yrs. under pagan slave masters they had forgotten this. Either way, God needed to reestablish His Shabbat, and He does.
Exodus 16:27-30 On the seventh day some of the people went out to gather, but they found none. And the Lord said to Moses, “How long will you refuse to keep my commandments and my laws? See! The Lord has given you the Sabbath; therefore on the sixth day he gives you bread for two days. Remain each of you in his place; let no one go out of his place on the seventh day.” So the people rested on the seventh day.
After all God has just done for them, still some disobey. Here Yoetz- our Counsellor (Is 9:6) emphasizes both the preparation day and the Shabbat. Also we see that the Hebrews finally obey, though some presumably go hungry.
Exodus 16:31- Now the house of Israel called its name manna. It was like coriander seed, white, and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey. Moses said, “This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Let an omer of it be kept throughout your generations, so that they may see the bread with which I fed you in the wilderness, when I brought you out of the land of Egypt.’” And Moses said to Aaron, “Take a jar, and put an omer of manna in it, and place it before the Lord to be kept throughout your generations.”
“Remembrance.” Remember that word? We are to “remember.” So for later generations who will not taste manna, a description of its’ taste is given. An omer was also set aside to be kept before the Lord, a symbol that He remembers His people as long as they remember Him.
Exodus 16:34-35 As the Lord commanded Moses, so Aaron placed it before the testimony to be kept. The people of Israel ate the manna forty years, till they came to a habitable land. They ate the manna till they came to the border of the land of Canaan.
This explanation is given a bit out of order; a reminder that Torah was written later, after Moshe was given the charge to write it at Sinai. The “testimony” here refers to the Ark of the Covenant, again built later.
As we’ll see later on, the forty years ‘eating manna’ was necessary to convert the Hebrews from slaves to an army. Those who lived lives under the whip were cowed, dependent on others for their lives and livelihood. They could never be an occupying army.
Exodus 17:1-3 All the congregation of the people of Israel moved on from the wilderness of Sin by stages, according to the commandment of the Lord, and camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink. Therefore the people quarreled with Moses and said, “Give us water to drink.” And Moses said to them, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the Lord?” But the people thirsted there for water, and the people grumbled against Moses and said, “Why did you bring us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?”
I think it significant here that the people do not distinguish between Moshe and Adonai. They have lived their lives in a pagan culture where connection to a deity can only be made through a spiritual medium; to wit, an idol. They saw Moshe as the channel through which God spoke. He “channeled” God, which made him as Pharaoh’s sorcerers and magicians in their eyes! This view persisted to the incident with the Golden Calf, also to be covered in a later parashah. The implication leveled at Moshe that he brought them there to kill them (an obvious exaggeration, even for them) is therefore also leveled at YHVH-Yireh, God the Provider (Gen 22:14). The relevant fact is that this too had to be removed from the collective psyche in order to make them not just an army, but the army of the Most High.
Now we come to the attack by Amalek. This was a sneak attack on a people who were tired from the march, and made against those lagging behind; the most vulnerable of all: “Remember what Amalek did to you on the way as you came out of Egypt, how he attacked you on the way when you were faint and weary, and cut off your tail, those who were lagging behind you, and he did not fear God.” Deu 25:17-18.
Exodus 17:9-11 So Moses said to Joshua, “Choose for us men, and go out and fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand.” So Joshua did as Moses told him, and fought with Amalek, while Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. Whenever Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed, and whenever he lowered his hand, Amalek prevailed.
This battle is obviously and miraculously under divine control. But why make the fortunes of this engagement dependent on the hands Moshe?
The Mekhilta of R Ishmael says that the people, knowing their commander was obeying a divine command had faith whenever they looked up and saw his hands raised, holding his staff. However the Talmud in Mishnah Rosh Hashanah 3:8 goes a bit deeper: “Incidental to the discussion of the required intent when sounding the shofar, the mishna cites the verse: “And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed; and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed” (Exodus 17:11). It may be asked: Did the hands of Moses make war when he raised them or break war when he lowered them? Rather, the verse comes to tell you that as long as the Jewish people turned their eyes upward and subjected their hearts to their Father in Heaven, they prevailed, but if not, they fell.”
In this view, God intercedes on the behalf of the people when their hearts were directed to Him. This is a biblical principle repeated often in scripture. That their hearts are directed to God implies trust that He will fight for them. And “If God is for us, who can be against us?” Rom 8:31b. This question echoes through the ages, even to today.
The Amalekites were related to the Hebrews through the line of Esav. They seem to have developed a pathological hatred for God’s people, as they attack again and again. Much later we’ll see Haman the Agagite, who was also a descendant of Amalek. He notoriously tried to eradicate the Jews in the time of Esther, becoming the archetype for many others such as the Nazis and Islam.
Exodus 17:13 And Joshua overwhelmed Amalek and his people with the sword.
Regardless the details, the Hebrews prevailed; but not just by military prowess, which they had little of at this point. But their God did fight for them: “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Is 41:10. And in concert with Mishnah Rosh Hashanah 3:8, we later see: “Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same way of thinking. … For the time that is past suffices for doing what the Gentiles want to do, … With respect to this they are surprised when you do not join them … .” 1 Peter 4:1a, 3a, 4a. Rav Shaul was speaking of lusts of the flesh, however the principle is the same. They (and we) must have a change of mindset. Whether military might or the often overwhelming temptation to sin, we must keep our eyes (and hearts) directed to God. Not to any representative other than Yeshua, who is God. Looking to Moshe or his books, Torah, makes of them idols. Our salvation is and always has been by grace, through faith and trust: “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,” Eph 2:8. The term rendered “faith” is: πίστις pistis- persuasion, credence; moral conviction, especially reliance upon Christ for salvation; reliance, confidence, obedience, trust
Torah is then instruction in holy living as a new creation, after we are saved. We follow it because we trust His word.
Whatever we face, we must trust God to see us through it. And pray diligently for the courage and moral stamina to face whatever comes. And trusting comes from trials and remembrance. God’s actions and His people are remembered, but the memory of their enemy is blotted out, except to remember they have no record of memory: “Then the Lord said to Moses, “Write this as a memorial in a book and recite it in the ears of Joshua, that I will utterly blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven.” Ex 17:14.
Mekorot: all scripture from the ESV unless otherwise noted; JPS Study TNK; Drisha (Talmudic commentary); Sefaria (Talmudic text); Vines Expository dictionary; D Prager; my father and others
Next Week’s Readings:
Parashah- Ex 18:1-20:23(26)
Haftara- Is 61:1-11
* Apostolic references will be given in the darashot
