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March 20 He Gathered/CountingsAdrian's Midrash (A-Drash)
This Week's Torah Portion: Vayakhel/Pekudei' “He Gathered/Countings” Exodus 35:1-40:38 Prophets: Ezekiel 45:16-46:18 Gospel: Mark 15-16
When Moses gathered the whole community of Israel together he told them, “These are the instructions (HaDevariym-the sayings, words) YHWH has commanded you to follow” (YHWH mine, Exodus 35:1, NLT). He then states the Sabbath as the first thing to follow. With this command, he instructs the Israelites that they are not to even light a fire throughout all their homes (v.3).
It's pretty easy to see why many fences of rabbinic traditions (halakhic-rulings) have been added or placed into position to help keep the children of Israel from being found guilty of breaking the least of the commandments. Close to two-hundred years prior to the first-century (191 B.C.), the Great Sanhedrin consisting of 71 members was established. They were considered the Supreme Court of the Israel, while the Lesser Sanhedrin, consisting of 23 members, ruled in every city, which then helped to define and establish these traditions. However, the Mishnah (rabbinic tradition) teaches that the Great Assembly actually started with Moses when he laid hands upon Yehoshua (Joshua) with the 70 elders; hence, the 71 member court also known as Beyt HaMidrash (House of the Study, or Interpretation) to avoid persecution in the later part of the 3rd Century.
These, fences, which are called “ma'asim” were decisions or rulings, which are the basis for much of what we now know as modern rabbinical Judaism. And, the rabbinical court took these fences very serious. The Mishnah states, “Moses received Torah at Sinai and handed it onto Joshua, Joshua to elders, and elders to prophets. And prophets handed it onto the men of the great assembly [Great Sanhedrin]. They said three things: (1) 'Be prudent in judgment, (2) 'Raise up many disciples, and (3) 'Make a fence for the Torah'” (b. Abot 1:1, I: a, b, c).
Therefore, these fences started out with all the best intentions that man can muster! However, like every man-made institution, our laws become the Law regardless of what the actual Law says. For example, the Jewish head covering, the kippah, has no basis in the Torah; yet, it has become a symbol of reverence for observant, religious Jews (b. Kiddushin 31a). Thus, by the late Middle Ages the kippah became a fence to keep the traditions of the rabbis, which to Orthodox Jews is on the same level as the Written Word. I remember while I was celebrating Sukkot (Tabernacles) at the house of an Ultra-Orthodox rabbi, we began to discuss something about the Word, when I said, “Yeah, but isn't that an oral law and not a written law?” He quickly responded, “Oral! . . . Written! . . . It doesn't matter, they are the same; they are one!”
So, although the Written Word doesn't say that Jewish men are required to cover their heads, it has become such an oral tradition (a binding fence) that even secular Jews will not be found going without the kippah during special occasions, such as, weddings, funerals, and many of the holidays.
These man-made fences were exactly what Yeshua was standing against when he often collided with the Pharisees and Sadducees. Yeshua's focus was to reinterpret the Written Word back to its initial intentions, which were being nullified by man-made traditions! This is exactly what should be expected by the Messiah! And, although no work must be done on the Sabbath, which includes “building” a fire, the shadow (focus) of the Sabbath was the Lord (Master) of the Sabbath, Yeshua (Mark 2:27-28). It was given as a gift (Gen. 2:2-3). It was set aside (holy) to be a day when we meet with YHWH (Leviticus 23).
Has our Sabbath-rest become an idol—a god, with what we can and cannot do, or is it what it was meant to be: An appointed time (Leviticus 23) to meet with YHWH through the Messiah, and in the power of the Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit) so that our souls would be revived and we can gather the strength to press forward with the work of the Master?
Shabbat Shalom! March 13 Midrash Ki Tissa'I will be starting a weekly Midrash teaching. Please visit the site often, an refer others if you so desire.
Shalom,
Adrian
Adrian's Midrash (A-Drash)
This Week's Torah Portion: Ki Tissa' “When You Take” Exodus 30:11-34:35 Prophets: Ezekiel 36:16-38 Gospel: Mark 13-14
Ah! The golden calf (Exodus 32).** Over the years I have heard pastors dismiss the actions of the Israelites regarding this sin; also, I have heard rabbi's try to excuse away Aaron's sin, as if he didn't sin. Why is it that we, people, are not simply willing to admit our wrongs and take responsibility? We live in a time of such turmoil that if the Messiah does not come quickly, history will reveal us as the hypocrites we are.
Overwhelmingly, America is now being led by a generation that had two goals in the sixties: (1) Sex, and (2) Drugs. Oh, and lest I offend anyone . . . rock and roll—or at least Bob Dylan. The battle cries were, “Down with authority!”, “Make love, not war”, and “Question authority!” Now, this same group (granted, not every person in this generation), which has produced Roe v. Wade, legalized medical marijuana, legalized abortion, no prayer in schools, and misguided constitutional “twisting” (e.g., “Separation of Church and State), is blaming everyone else for the problems we are facing instead of taking personal responsibility.
In many ways it is rather comical. It's like watching a child with chocolate, smothered across his mouth and cookie crumbs scattered about his shirt. When asked why he was eating the cookie he adamantly denies any wrong doing. Sadly, the leaders of America are simply grown children that are still living in their own glory days with cookie crumbs and chocolate all over their faces.
What does this have to do with this weeks Torah portion? Everything! Aaron had not put up much of a fight when the people approached him about Moshe's “disappearance” (Ex. 32:2). I have even heard Messianic “rabbis” argue that the people in this passage were the “mixed multitude” that left Egypt with the Israelites and caused them to be led astray. Perhaps he was scared, or feeling the same way as the others: “Hmm!, I wonder what happened to my younger brother . . . maybe he got lost . . . maybe he left me to take over, hmm . . .” Either way, Aaron did sin! His lack of leadership, blame, and denial is the epitome of this present generation of leadership in America. The Bush Administration did this, they did that; my wife made me do this, or he made me do that, etc. Where's the heart like David's that says, “Create in me a clean (pure) heart, O Elohim, and renew a right spirit within me” (Psalm 51:10[12]).
Are we, today, more advanced as a people? No way! We've just invented better ways to excuse our actions. Actually, Aaron's excuse was pretty darn good, “Don’t be angry, master. You know that these people are always ready to do wrong. The people said to me, ‘Moses led us out of Egypt, but we don’t know what has happened to him. Make us gods who will lead us.’ So I told the people, ‘Take off your gold jewelry.’ When they gave me the gold, I threw it into the fire and out came this calf!” (emphasis mine, Ex. 32:22-24) It doesn't get any better than that! “Out came this calf!” However, we read just a few verses earlier, “So all the people took their gold earrings and brought them to Aaron. He took the gold from the people and formed it with a tool and made a statue of a calf” (emphasis mine, Ex. 32:3-4). should I say any more?
As believers in the Messiah Yeshua, we are not perfect by any stretch of the imagination; however, we are called to set an example of humility, which leads to teshuvah (repentance). Let's take personal responsibility for our actions and be humble enough to admit when we've failed. “Whether we eat or drink, or whatever we do, do it all for the glory of Elohim” (1 Corinthians 10:31). It is up to you and I to represent YHWH, in the faith we have in Yeshua and to repair the world (Tikkun HaOlam). Let's do our part. Shabbat Shalom Chaverim!
**Note: Usually, when a commentary is done on the Torah portion it is done from the name of the portion. In this case it would be, “כִּי תִשָּׂא (Ki Tissa'); however, I usually draw from a passage that speaks to me within the entire portion for the week. This is why I sometimes choose from the Apostolic Scriptures, (Brit Chadashah (NT)), or the Prophets, or the Torah itself. Therefore, you'll not always see a midrash on the actual portion, but on a variance within the portion. |
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