Rabbi’s Reflections – Friday, May 28, 2021
(Early) Shabbat Shalom,
Daily Bread, reading plan by Lars Enarson (https://www.thewatchman.org/)
Fri 28 May 2021 17th of Sivan, 5781
Nu 10:35-11:29 Jer 27-28 Dan 4 (Mk 11) 1 Co 10
Numbers 10:35 is the first verse of today’s Aliyah. It is the central verse of the liturgical Torah service. These are the prayers we pray as we take the Torah out of the ark before we read it from the Bima.
Rabbi Trail: Yes, the Bima is the word we use in the synagogue for the lectern – Torah reading table – stage area. It is also a word used in the church world for the judgment seat of Messiah. End RT.
Here it is in Hebrew, transliterated Hebrew and English.
וַיְהִי בִּנְסֹעַ הָאָרֹן, וַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה
קוּמָה יְהוָה, וְיָפֻצוּ אֹיְבֶיךָ, וְיָנֻסוּ מְשַׂנְאֶיךָ, מִפָּנֶיךָ
Va’y’hi Bin’soa Ha’aron, Va’yomer Moshe
Kumo Adonai, V’Ya’fu’tzu Oy’ve’cha, V’Ya’nusu M’san’echa, Mi’pane’cha.
Numbers 10:35 Whenever the Ark would set out, Moses would say: “Arise, Adonai! May Your enemies be scattered! May those who hate You flee from before You!”
This whole section of Scripture carefully explains the order of how Israel marched through the desert. Since the people were encamped completely surrounding the Tabernacle, the Ark could not move until its place in the order came.
There were 3 tribes on the East (Judah, Issachar, Zebulon). They had to being moving before the Tabernacle could be dissembled, but the Ark still could not move. The Tabernacle moved after the first 3 tribes on the East moved. Then, following clockwise, the 3 tribes on the South (Reuben, Simeon, Gad) fell in order.
Only then could the holy items of the Tabernacle follow into position. The Torah tells us that this was to allow time for the Tabernacle to be rebuilt, when the cloud indicated it was time to camp once again. Then the holy items would arrive (after 6 tribes) to be placed inside the Tabernacle once again.
Why am I explaining this to you? There is an old saying, “the devil is in the details.” I wish to take exception to that. According to what we’re reading in this week’s Torah portion, God is in the details. If the children of Israel didn’t follow God’s order, there would be chaos. Families would be running into each other. Those who moved faster would separate themselves and the order would be open to attack. As long as godly instruction was followed, everyone was both safe and secure.
Obey God, follow His instructions, and avoid a “train wreck.”
Week 22
Memory Verse: John 11:25 Yeshua said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life! Whoever believes in Me, even if he dies, shall live. 26 And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?”
106 5/27 Monday: Jonah 1-2
107 5/28 Tuesday: Jonah 3-4
108 5/29 Wednesday: Hosea 1-3
109 5/30 Thursday: Amos 1:1, 9
* 110 5/31 Friday: Joel 1-3
Reprinted from 2 years ago.
Question of the day: Do we really believe the Bible?
Answer: You say: Of course we believe the Bible, Rabbi! What a silly question.
Rabbi responds: Then you believe this? Amos 3:1 “So it will be afterward, I will pour out My Ruach on all flesh: your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. 2 “Also on the male and the female servants will I pour out My spirit in those days. 3a I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth….
To which some will respond, “Not now! We do not have “wonders” now. That was then, and this is now. Miracles ended when the last of the (capital “A”) Apostles died.
Rabbi’s comment: If that’s what you believe, then you are cessationist, and I am not. Need proof that I’m right? Everyone I know has a testimony of a miracle in his/her life.
Why just walk into Shomair Yisrael Messianic Synagogue at 3811 Boyd’s Bridge Pike and answer this question… “How did a small congregation with an annual budget of less than $125,000 (at the time) buy a building worth $1,300,000? That’s not explained by one miracle. That’s explained by a series of miracles.
The powerful intervention of God should be our expectation. We should be more grateful than amazed.
Jeremiah 32:27 “Behold, I am Adonai, the God of all flesh; is there anything too hard for Me?”
Luke 18:27 But Yeshua said, “What is impossible with men is possible with God.”
Job 5:8 But as for me, I would seek God; I would lay my cause before God. 9 Who does great things beyond comprehension, wonders without number.
And let me add one more…. Ephesians 3:20 Now to Him who is able to do far beyond all that we ask or imagine, by means of His power that works in us, 21 to Him be the glory in the community of believers and in Messiah Yeshua throughout all generations forever and ever! Amen.