[youtube url=”https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=AeZJ3Ab7ksg&feature=youtu.be”]<\/p>\n
This weeks reading is from Parashat Tetzave (Shemot \/\u00a0 Exodus 27:20-30:10<\/span><\/em>), which details the construction of the priestly garments.\u00a0 Aaron\u2019s garments are said to consecrate him for the purpose of ministering before the Lord (28:3<\/span><\/em>).\u00a0 The Priestly garments consist of various parts, the breast-piece, the ephod, a robe, a turban, and a sash (28:4<\/span><\/em>).\u00a0 The ephod was inlaid with two onyx stones contain the engraving of the names of the tribes of Israel (28:9<\/span><\/em>) and twelve precious stones are set in the breast-piece one for each tribe (28:17-22<\/span><\/em>).\u00a0 We are told the Urim and Thummim are placed in the breast-piece so that they are over the High Priest\u2019s heart continually.\u00a0 The biblical record of the Urim and Thummim are significant when it is understood that Urim (light) and Thummim (innocence) are simply the plural forms of the Hebrew words for light and innocence.\u00a0 Based upon a Hebraic way of thinking, light is synonymous to God\u2019s truth, and innocence is synonymous to walking peacefully with our God and with men (e.g. walking in Justice, Truth, and Righteousness<\/span><\/em>).\u00a0 The Scriptures tell us that the Lord instructs Moshe to consecrate Aaron and his sons as priests with a bull and two rams without blemish (29:1<\/span><\/em>).\u00a0 The consecration of the priests for service to the Lord is emphasized in the idea of being a light unto the nations, and living in innocence and truth before God.\u00a0 The putting on of the special garments for service before the Lord (29:5-6<\/span><\/em>) and anointing with oil (29:7<\/span><\/em>) may be paralleled to ordering our lives and being filled with the Spirit of God.\u00a0 The Lord says He will consecrate the tent of meeting, the altar, and the sons of Aaron as priests.\u00a0 Note also that Aaron and the priests are also to consecrate the holy place of God because the Lord is to be respected for the work that He has performed in consecrating them.\u00a0 The Parashah concludes with the Lord saying \u201cI will dwell among the sons of Israel and will be their God.\u201d<\/span><\/em>\u00a0 These aspects of consecrating and setting apart are a part of the Lord God dwelling in our midst.<\/p>\n The concept of light, truth, innocence, righteousness, justice, and holiness are all Torah principles.\u00a0 In the rabbinic literature, often the rabbis make statements that both instruction and the Torah are the light of God.\u00a0 Why do the rabbis consider both teaching and the Torah the light of God?<\/p>\n \u05e1\u05e4\u05e8 \u05e9\u05de\u05d5\u05ea \u05e4\u05e8\u05e7 \u05db\u05d6<\/strong> Shemot \/ Exodus 27:20-21<\/span><\/em><\/strong> In the Scripture reading for this week, Shemot \/ Exodus 27:20-21<\/span><\/em> states that the menorah that stands in the inner sanctuary is to be kept burning continually.\u00a0 Israel is instructed to bring clear oil derived from beaten olives to be used to keep the menorah burning.\u00a0 This is to be a perpetual statute throughout their generations for the sons of Israel.\u00a0 Due to these opening verses in Parashat Tetzave, the rabbis devote the majority of Midrash Rabbah Shemot, Parashat 36<\/span><\/em> to the idea of the olive oil that is commanded to be brought for the menorah in the Tabernacle.\u00a0 Part 3 of Midrash Rabbah has some interesting points to make concerning the Torah, instruction, and light.<\/p>\n Midrash Rabbah Shemot, Parashat 36, Part 3<\/span><\/em><\/strong> According to Midrash Rabbah Shemot, Parashat 36, Part 3<\/span><\/em>, the rabbis taught that the words of the Torah give forth light to a man when he studies them.\u00a0 They say that he who does not occupy himself with the Torah and does not know it, stumbles.\u00a0 Examples are given to clarify the meaning of stumbling without the light the Torah provides.\u00a0 The idea is that when one does not know the Torah, he will stumble due to sin and die.\u00a0 The point is that without the Torah one would not know he sins, and the example given is from King Solomon in Mishley \/ Proverbs 4:19<\/span><\/em> saying that \u201cThe way of the wicked is darkness; they know not at what they stumble.\u201d<\/span><\/em>\u00a0 The midrash states that the Torah functions as a lamp for us to see where we can walk without stumbling due to sin (Tehillim \/ Psalms 119:105<\/span><\/em>).\u00a0 In addition, the proverbs tells us that \u201cThe spirit of man is the lamp of the Lord\u201d<\/span><\/em> (Mishley \/ Proverbs 20:27<\/span><\/em>).\u00a0 The most fascinating aspect of the midrash is the statement that says:<\/p>\n God said, Let My lamp be in your hand and your lamp in My hand.\u00a0 What is the lamp of God?\u00a0 The Torah, as it says, For the commandment is a lamp, and the teaching is light (Mishley \/ Proverbs 4:23<\/span><\/em>).<\/p>\n The idea is the one who performs a commandment (maasim tovim<\/span><\/em>) it is as if he has kindled a light before God.\u00a0 The midrash states \u201cThe Torah, as it says, For the commandment is a lamp, and the teaching is light\u201d<\/span><\/em> (Mishley \/ Proverbs 4:23<\/span><\/em>).\u00a0 Both the concepts of performing a command (mitzvah) and teaching (instruction) are paralleled to a lamp or light.\u00a0 The rabbis ask the question of why is teaching called a light? they say, \u201cBecause it often happens that when one is eager to fulfill a precept, his Evil Inclination within him dissuades him, saying, Why do you want to perform this command and diminish your wealth?\u201d<\/span><\/em>\u00a0 Why do you think the Yetzer Hara (Evil Inclination) is used as the Nimshal (\u05e0\u05de\u05e9\u05dc) to explain the rabbinic analogy on \u201cteaching\u201d<\/span><\/em> being called \u201clight?\u201d<\/span><\/em>\u00a0 They say that the Yetzer Hara will argue against the Torah command to give to others (take care of the poor).\u00a0 The example given is to give to your own children so that one\u2019s wealth does not leave the family.<\/p>\n The concept of \u201cGod\u2019s light\u201d means that the Lord is the source and measure for all that is true.\u00a0 Another way of putting this statement is that nothing is truly understood until it is understood in the light of the Word of the Lord.\u00a0 This is why the Solomon states, \u201cThe fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge\u201d<\/span><\/em> (Mishley \/ Proverbs 1:7<\/span><\/em>).\u00a0 The Lord is the source of all that is true, and the reason the Apostle John used the word \u201clight\u201d<\/span><\/em> in his opening verses to the Gospel of John is because the light carries a positive connotation that God\u2019s word is truth, and God\u2019s truth is found in Yeshua the Messiah.\u00a0 The reason John chose the word \u201clight\u201d<\/span><\/em> is because it promises the truth of God, and in a similar manner, the reason the Torah is called the \u201clight\u201d<\/span><\/em> of God is because contained within the Torah is the truth of God which is full of joy and hope.\u00a0 One of the major aspects of the \u201clight\u201d<\/span><\/em> of the Torah is the truth, hope, and joy that is found in the command, not only to walking with the Lord and in His ways, but in the expectation of God\u2019s Messiah Yeshua.\u00a0 Take for example, studying the Aramaic translations, the Targum Pseudo-Jonathan and Neofiti provide us with an interesting insight into this verse from Shemot \/ Exodus 29:33<\/span><\/em> on eating the things by which atonement was made.<\/p>\n Targum Neofiti<\/span><\/em><\/strong> Targum Pseudo Jonathan<\/span><\/em><\/strong> The literal translation of Targum Pseudo-Jonathan provides us with this insight on the importance of the Sacrificial system.\u00a0 The Targum states, \u201c\u05d5\u05d9\u05d0\u05db\u05dc\u05d5\u05df \u05d9\u05ea\u05d4\u05d5\u05df \u05d3\u05d9 \u05d9\u05db\u05e4\u05e8\u201d saying \u201cand you are to eat the one who atones,\u201d<\/span><\/em> \u201c\u05d1\u05d4\u05d5\u05df \u05dc\u05de\u05e9\u05dc\u05de\u05d4\u201d \u201cwith regard to being complete, to make true,\u00a0 scripture being fulfilled or made perfect,\u201d<\/span><\/em> \u201c\u05d9\u05ea \u05e7\u05e8\u05d1\u05df \u05d9\u05d3\u05d9\u05d4\u05d5\u05df \u05dc\u05de\u05e7\u05d3\u05e9\u05d0\u201d \u201cat the hand of the sacrifice which sanctifies you.\u201d<\/span><\/em>\u00a0 It is important to note when studying Hebrew and Aramaic, in the Semitic languages, word order may be used to place emphasis upon a particular aspect of what is being said or written.\u00a0 Here in Targum Pseudo Jonathan, the text states \u201c\u05d9\u05ea \u05e7\u05e8\u05d1\u05df \u05d9\u05d3\u05d9\u05d4\u05d5\u05df \u05dc\u05de\u05e7\u05d3\u05e9\u05d0\u201d \u201cat the hand of the sacrifice which sanctifies you\u201d<\/span><\/em> where the Aramaic word order is different from that of the English translation.\u00a0 The Aramaic word \u05d9\u05ea is used to introduce the direct object (Sacrifice).\u00a0 This is synonymous to the Hebrew word \u05d0\u05ea used to introduce the same (a direct object) in Hebrew grammar.\u00a0 Also, this word is not translated into English as a definite direct object marker because the English language accomplishes this by word order in the same way that Hebrew and Aramaic do with the words \u05d0\u05ea and \u05d9\u05ea respectively.\u00a0 (Take for example, the sentence \u201cThe dog bites the man.\u201d<\/span><\/em>\u00a0 If we change the word order in English to \u201cThe man bites the dog,\u201d<\/span><\/em> the meaning of the sentence changes.\u00a0 This is not so in Hebrew and Aramaic since \u05d0\u05ea or \u05d9\u05ea is placed before the object.\u00a0 The sentence would be written in Aramaic as \u201cThe dog bites \u05d9\u05ea the man.\u201d<\/span><\/em>\u00a0 Therefore, one is able to give emphasis on the man by changing the word order saying \u201c\u05d9\u05ea the man bites the dog\u201d<\/span><\/em> and the person reading or listening would still understand the dog as biting the man regardless of the word order.)\u00a0 The Aramaic translation, according to Targum Neofiti, specifically states that the priest is to eat \u201c\u05d9\u05ea the sacrifice\u201d<\/span><\/em> so that \u201cthe scriptures may be fulfilled or made perfect.\u201d<\/span><\/em>\u00a0 Emphasis is placed upon the sacrifice, consumption, and the fulfilling of the Scriptures.\u00a0 By eating the sacrifice the priest incorporates (internalizes) the thing that bears the iniquity of the offerer.\u00a0 The purpose was so the priest could then go before God and make atonement before God.\u00a0 The concepts found here in the Torah on the consumption of the sacrifice is so the priest could function to bear the sin of the people (eating and making it a part of the body) and then going before God to make atonement on behalf of the people.\u00a0 The Torah principle, the teaching here, the light or truth of God is that the life of the animal is laid down as a substitute for our lives and there is a need for a Priest to bear our iniquity in order to make atonement before God.\u00a0 The truth of this Torah principle is that this is done in the place and the way that God requires.\u00a0 The sacrificial laws given in the Torah provide for us a future expectation of the Messiah.\u00a0 The Lord God in heaven, our Father, brought His Messiah, as Prophet, Priest, and King.\u00a0 Yeshua the Messiah provided atonement in offering his life as \u201cthe Lamb of God slay from the foundation (\u05d9\u05e1\u05d5\u05d3) of the world\u201d<\/span><\/em> (1 Peter 1:19-20, Revelation 13:8<\/span><\/em>).\u00a0 The concept of instruction being light that is paralleled to the truth and the word of God, found within the Torah, is the expectation of the Messiah through whom we would receive the forgiveness of sins.\u00a0 Throughout all of Scripture, like the emphasis here in this weeks reading on the Sacrifice, emphasis is placed upon the sacrifice from the Lord, the True Lamb of God, Yeshua the Messiah!\u00a0 How can we not believe and receive the One in whom we have the forgiveness of sins?\u00a0 Believe and be saved!\u00a0 Yeshua is the Messiah of God! BTT_Parashat Tetzave-2015<\/a> <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" [youtube url=”https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=AeZJ3Ab7ksg&feature=youtu.be”] This weeks reading is from Parashat Tetzave (Shemot \/\u00a0 Exodus 27:20-30:10), which details the construction of the priestly garments.\u00a0 Aaron\u2019s garments are said to consecrate him for the purpose of ministering before the Lord (28:3).\u00a0 The Priestly garments consist of various parts, the breast-piece, the ephod, a robe, a turban, and a sash […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":3706,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-3703","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-bits-of-torah-truth"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.matsati.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3703","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.matsati.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.matsati.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.matsati.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.matsati.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3703"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.matsati.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3703\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.matsati.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3706"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.matsati.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3703"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.matsati.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3703"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.matsati.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3703"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}\n
\n\u05db\u00a0\u00a0 \u05d5\u05b0\u05d0\u05b7\u05ea\u05bc\u05b8\u05d4 \u05ea\u05bc\u05b0\u05e6\u05b7\u05d5\u05bc\u05b6\u05d4 | \u05d0\u05b6\u05ea-\u05d1\u05bc\u05b0\u05e0\u05b5\u05d9 \u05d9\u05b4\u05e9\u05b0\u05b9\u05e8\u05b8\u05d0\u05b5\u05dc \u05d5\u05b0\u05d9\u05b4\u05e7\u05b0\u05d7\u05d5\u05bc \u05d0\u05b5\u05dc\u05b6\u05d9\u05da\u05b8 \u05e9\u05c1\u05b6\u05de\u05b6\u05df \u05d6\u05b7\u05d9\u05b4\u05ea \u05d6\u05b8\u05da\u05b0 \u05db\u05bc\u05b8\u05ea\u05b4\u05d9\u05ea \u05dc\u05b7\u05de\u05bc\u05b8\u05d0\u05d5\u05b9\u05e8 \u05dc\u05b0\u05d4\u05b7\u05e2\u05b2\u05dc\u05b9\u05ea \u05e0\u05b5\u05e8 \u05ea\u05bc\u05b8\u05de\u05b4\u05d9\u05d3: \u05db\u05d0\u00a0\u00a0 \u05d1\u05bc\u05b0\u05d0\u05b9\u05d4\u05b6\u05dc \u05de\u05d5\u05b9\u05e2\u05b5\u05d3 \u05de\u05b4\u05d7\u05d5\u05bc\u05e5 \u05dc\u05b7\u05e4\u05bc\u05b8\u05e8\u05b9\u05db\u05b6\u05ea \u05d0\u05b2\u05e9\u05c1\u05b6\u05e8 \u05e2\u05b7\u05dc-\u05d4\u05b8\u05e2\u05b5\u05d3\u05bb\u05ea \u05d9\u05b7\u05e2\u05b2\u05e8\u05b9\u05da\u05b0 \u05d0\u05b9\u05ea\u05d5\u05b9 \u05d0\u05b7\u05d4\u05b2\u05e8\u05b9\u05df \u05d5\u05bc\u05d1\u05b8\u05e0\u05b8\u05d9\u05d5 \u05de\u05b5\u05e2\u05b6\u05e8\u05b6\u05d1 \u05e2\u05b7\u05d3-\u05d1\u05bc\u05b9\u05e7\u05b6\u05e8 \u05dc\u05b4\u05e4\u05b0\u05e0\u05b5\u05d9 \u05d9\u05b0\u05d4\u05d5\u05b9\u05b8\u05d4 \u05d7\u05bb\u05e7\u05bc\u05b7\u05ea \u05e2\u05d5\u05b9\u05dc\u05b8\u05dd \u05dc\u05b0\u05d3\u05b9\u05e8\u05b9\u05ea\u05b8\u05dd \u05de\u05b5\u05d0\u05b5\u05ea \u05d1\u05bc\u05b0\u05e0\u05b5\u05d9 \u05d9\u05b4\u05e9\u05b0\u05b9\u05e8\u05b8\u05d0\u05b5\u05dc:<\/p>\n
\n 27:20 \u2018You shall charge the sons of Israel, that they bring you clear oil of beaten olives for the light, to make a lamp burn continually. 27:21 \u2018In the tent of meeting, outside the veil which is before the testimony, Aaron and his sons shall keep it in order from evening to morning before the Lord; it shall be a perpetual statute throughout their generations for the sons of Israel. (NASB)<\/span><\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
\n Another explanation of, A leafy olive tree.\u00a0 Just see how the words of the Torah give forth light to a man when he studies them; but he who does not occupy himself with the Torah and does not know it, stumbles.\u00a0 It can be compared to one who stands in a dark place; as soon as he starts walking, he stumbles against a stone; he then strikes a gutter, falls into it, and knocks his face on the ground, and all because he has no lamp in his hand.\u00a0 It is the same with the ordinary individual who has no Torah in him; he strikes against sin, stumbles, and dies, while the Holy Spirit exclaims, He will die for lack of instruction (Mishley \/ Proverbs 5:23); and instruction means the Torah, as it says, Take fast hold of instruction, let her not go (Mishley \/ Proverbs 4:13).\u00a0 He dies, because he knows not the Torah and goes and sins, as it says, The way of the wicked is darkness; they know not at what they stumble (Mishley \/ Proverbs 4:19).\u00a0 But those who study the Torah give forth light wherever they may be.\u00a0 It is like one standing in the dark with a lamp in his hand; when he sees a stone, he does not stumble, neither does he fall over a gutter because he has a lamp in his hand, as it says, Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path (Tehillim \/ Psalms 119:105), and also, And if you run, you will not stumble (Mishley \/ Proverbs 4:12), and also, The spirit of man is the lamp of the Lord (Mishley \/ Proverbs 20:27).\u00a0 God said, Let My lamp be in your hand and your lamp in My hand.\u00a0 What is the lamp of God?\u00a0 The Torah, as it says, For the commandment is a lamp, and the teaching is light (Mishley \/ Proverbs 4:23).\u00a0 Why is the commandment a lamp?\u00a0 Because if one performs a commandment it is as if he had kindled a light before God as if he had revived his own soul, also called a light, for it says, The spirit of man is the lamp of the Lord (Mishley \/ Proverbs 20:27).\u00a0 Why is teaching called light?\u00a0 Because it often happens that when one is eager to fulfill a precept, his Evil Inclination within him dissuades him, saying, Why do you want to perform this command and diminish your wealth?\u00a0 Instead of giving away to others, give it to your own children.\u00a0 But the Good Inclination says to him, Give rather to a pious cause; for see what it says, For the commandment is a lamp; just as the light of the lamp is undiminished even if a million wax and tallow candles are kindled from it, so will he who gives towards the fulfillment of any commandment suffer a diminution of his possessions.\u00a0 Hence, For the commandment is a lamp, and the teaching is light.<\/span><\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n
\n\u05dc\u05d2\u00a0\u00a0 \u05d5\u05d9\u05d0\u05db\u05dc\u05d5\u05df \u05d9\u05ea\u05d4\u05d5\u05df \u05d3\u05d9 \u05d9\u05db\u05e4\u05e8 \u05d0\u05ea\u05db\u05e4\u05e8 \u05d1\u05d4\u05d5\u05df \u05dc\u05de\u05e9\u05dc\u05de\u05d4 \u05d9\u05ea \u05e7\u05e8\u05d1\u05df \u05d9\u05d3\u05d9\u05d4\u05d5\u05df \u05dc\u05de\u05e7\u05d3\u05e9\u05d0 \u05d9\u05ea\u05d4\u05d5\u05df \u05d5\u05d7\u05d9\u05dc\u05d5\u05e0\u05d9\u05d9 \u05dc\u05d0 \u05d9\u05d0\u05db\u05dc \u05d0\u05e8\u05d9 \u05e7\u05d3\u05e9 \u05d0\u05d9\u05e0\u05d5\u05df\u05c3<\/p>\n
\n\u05dc\u05d2\u00a0 \u05d5\u05d9\u05d9\u05db\u05dc\u05d5\u05df \u05d9\u05ea\u05d4\u05d5\u05df \u05d3\u05d0\u05ea\u05db\u05e4\u05e8 \u05d1\u05d4\u05d5\u05df \u05dc\u05e7\u05e8\u05d1\u05d0 \u05d9\u05ea \u05e7\u05e8\u05d1\u05e0\u05d4\u05d5\u05df \u05dc\u05de\u05e7\u05d3\u05e9\u05d0 \u05d9\u05ea\u05d4\u05d5\u05df \u05dc\u05e9\u05de\u05e9\u05d0 \u05e7\u05d3\u05de\u05d9 \u05d5\u05d7\u05d9\u05dc\u05d5\u05e0\u05d9 \u05dc\u05d0 \u05d9\u05d9\u05db\u05d5\u05dc \u05d0\u05e8\u05d5\u05dd \u05e7\u05d5\u05d3\u05e9\u05d0 \u05d4\u05d9\u05e0\u05d5\u05df:<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n