In a time of year where Hollywood overwhelms us with summer blockbusters, it’s time to show the original action hero, a man so brave he saves the lives of an entire nation for all time. The weapon sent against israel was subtle enough that no scanner or device even today could have detected it but so deadly that 24,000 people died inside a few minutes and millions more would have died had not Pinchus stood up for what was right, preserving both his people and his family’s role as high priests at the same time. Forget the theater, Redbox or Netflix. The greatest action hero of them all is playing on your television right now, coming now to the parsha near you.
This story would be very funny if it wasn’t first sand foremost tragic. Balak of Moab is scared of Israel. He can’t overcome them with his army and he tries this week to engage a prophet for hire, Balaam, to curse Israel. Balaam tries repeatedly to to do so and get his reward from the king only to find Father Yah standing in his way with the truth. But before Balaam can even meet the king, he has to get past a heavenly messenger and deal with the wise rebuke of his own beast of burden. Ironically, after all that effort, Israel dooms itself this week by lapsing into promiscuity and idolatry. So sin was able to do to Israel what nothing else could not. Also on Scroll to Scroll a special look into the life of Peter.
Remember back in Leviticus when it seemed parshas were all detail about sacrifices and architecture and little about conflict and action? Now here is this part of Numbers it seems it is all action–the bad kind–and no pausing at all. Even after miracles and plagues made it clear that Korah was evil, Israel still pines for him and his band and refuses to understand that Moshe is the only true representative for Elohim. This week things get really personal as both Moshe’s sister Miriam and brother Aaron die, and there is no rest from the wicked surrounding Moshe even in these tragic circumstances; only war, hardship and pain. In our Haftorah we also look at the mysterious Jephtah and ask the hard question: Did he really sacrifice his daughter in exchange for victory at war? All this, and I forgot to also mention, 38 years goes by in a flash so fast that the text barely lets you know what happened. Talk about losing track of time. And finally, for Scroll to Scroll, don’t miss the new teaching, “The Message of the Math”. Enjoy.
This is Moshe’s darkest hour but also the time of one of his greatest triumphs. Action and intrigue doesn’t get any more suspenseful than this one!
For two years Israel has been sheltered under the safe haven of Mount Sinai, but now its time to hit the road. And, with a new journey of course come new dangers. But before they can walk one step the priests clearly need a refresher course to avoid more people dying, the entire military camp is reorganized and, lest we forget, Moshe very nearly has a nervous breakdown before having to deal with a rebellion led by his brother and sister! All in a day’s work, but then there is that mysterious calendar code (in the Scroll to Scroll version) where the Israelites walk out time mirroring the stars of heaven. This is one packed parsha that’s not to be missed!
“it’s all in the math”–that is, until its not. Here in a special double parsha of the first two parts of Numbers, we find that the math leads to some very unexpected places, including times when the numbers seem to not add up only to find that they actually do in the end. Explore the mysteries and crack the codes about confirming history, revealing calendar and counting down to our apocalyptic future!
Calendar controversies? Challenges in recovering precise years of historical events that the whole nation agrees on? Not this time. If ever there was proof that ancient Israel could not function without unanimity on when their events happened and the timing of the Feasts, it is in this parsha. Learn all about the intricate rules for the Land Sabbath and Jubilee, the key events that if not agreed on and followed lead to disaster and how the true knowledge of these timings has come back to Elohim’s people!
It’s been several months since the deaths of Nadab and Abihu, since the nation of Israel and her priesthood teetered on the brink of extinction. But Father Yah has deliberated and decided they all will continue, but the priests and the people they serve must get serious about keeping the Torah without excuses or confusion. Also a special insider look of the Zadokite priesthood from one who knows all about them, the prophet Ezekiel, and why they are so indispensable to our apocalyptic future, followed by an in-depth look at what Colossians 2 does, and more importantly, what it does NOT mean, wrapping up with the ins and outs of blasphemy as well.
They don’t have money or power, but what they do have is “a particular set of skills”. And they better use those skills to perfection because already they lost nearly half of their number and now, if these few who are left mess up too, they die and a nation of 2 million is put at risk. Who can save the day? Nothing from the mind of Hollywood that’s for sure. These are the priests and they literally take their lives into their own hands every day they serve. Don’t be”taken” in by imitations–Aaron and sons are the real deal. And also we close with a Torah Thought for the Week on a fairly controversial subject but one which I truly endeavor to deal with in both love and accurately from Scripture. What is it? Well, let’s just say it’s about the people in your neighborhood–as told through the eyes of another priest, Ezekiel.
It’s just a skin disease; a medical condition like any other. Or is it? Even the sages cannot decide this seemingly simple question. Is leprosy divine judgment for a moral failure or just another kind of defilement that happens in the course of normal living? Can it be equated to any known ski disease today? And if it has nothing to do with today’s skin diseases, why do the medical protocols in this part of Leviticus still being used today with great medical effectiveness? Also: When Y’shua heals the woman with the 12 year flow of blood, did the power come only from Y’shua or from his Father and what does that answer reveal about the relationship between the Father and the Son? One thing is for certain: These mysteries certainly don’t just run skin deep!
Tazria. One chapter gives us intimate details about what Messiah’s earthly parents will go through bringing him into the world. The other chapter reveals the true reasons why Messiah kept saying to those he healed of leprosy “Go and show yourselves to the priests”. Messiah is in fact all over this short yet very powerful portion. Also we’ll have an update on some of the latest research surrounding Passion Week and how to clarify what seems to be hopelessly contradictory and confusing language describing the day Messiah died. It’s a surprising conclusion, to say the least.