Tetzaveh - Day #7

Tetzaveh תְּצַוֶּה - You Shall Command  

Torah Portion: Exodus:27:20-30:10

Haltarah: Ezekiel 43:10-27

Shabbat: Exodus 30:1–10

30 “You shall make an altar to burn incense on. You shall make it of acacia wood. 2 Its length shall be a cubit, and its width a cubit. It shall be square, and its height shall be two cubits. Its horns shall be of one piece with it. 3 You shall overlay it with pure gold, its top, its sides around it, and its horns; and you shall make a gold molding around it. 4 You shall make two golden rings for it under its molding; on its two ribs, on its two sides, you shall make them; and they shall be for places for poles with which to bear it. 5 You shall make the poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with gold. 6 You shall put it before the veil that is by the ark of the covenant, before the mercy seat that is over the covenant, where I will meet with you. 7 Aaron shall burn incense of sweet spices on it every morning. When he tends the lamps, he shall burn it. 8 When Aaron lights the lamps at evening, he shall burn it, a perpetual incense before Hashem throughout your generations. 9 You shall offer no strange incense on it, nor burnt offering, nor meal offering; and you shall pour no drink offering on it. 10 Aaron shall make atonement on its horns once in the year; with the blood of the sin offering of atonement once in the year, he shall make atonement for it throughout your generations. It is most holy to Hashem.”

Today’s Meditation:

If you do some research on the altar of incense, you will find some varying opinions. We know that Hashem required that it fill the Holy Place with smoke, that it ascended, and it was to be enforced day and night. Most likely, it was a display of obedience by the Priests to Hashem in following the Laws. Whatever reason Hashem chose for the burning of incense, it must have made it very special to the senses of smell and sight. Maybe there was even an association that, when you were in the Tabernacle and smelled the special spices burning, reminded you of Hashem’s presence. Again, everything in the Tabernacle was special and for a specific purpose.

Today’s Challenge:

Some people believe that the incense in the Tabernacle represents our prayers. As incense smoke ascends upward, so should our prayers to Hashem. Some of the prophets in Scripture liken the incense to prayers ascending to the heavenly altar. This is a good reminder to us that Hashem does acknowledge our prayers —maybe sees them as incense. So we must present them to Him daily. This does not necessarily mean prayers of requests, but prayers of praise and honor to Hashem for all He does in our lives. Praising and thanking Him should be natural, and often, our very existence on the planet is because of Him. Thank you, Hashem, for all you do in our lives and those whom we love.

This Week’s Haftarah: Ezekiel 43:10-27

43:10 “You, son of man, show the house to the house of Israel, that they may be ashamed of their iniquities; and let them measure the pattern. 11 If they are ashamed of all that they have done, make known to them the form of the house, and its fashion, and its exits, and its entrances, and all its forms, and all its ordinances, and all its forms, and all its laws; and write it in their sight; that they may keep the whole form of it, and all its ordinances, and do them.

12 “This is the law of the house. On top of the mountain the whole limit around it shall be most holy. Behold, this is the law of the house. 13 “These are the measurements of the altar by cubits (the cubit is a cubit and a hand width): the bottom shall be a cubit, and the width a cubit, and its border around its edge a span; and this shall be the base of the altar. 14 From the bottom on the ground to the lower ledge shall be two cubits, and the width one cubit; and from the lesser ledge to the greater ledge shall be four cubits, and the width a cubit. 15 The upper altar shall be four cubits; and from the altar hearth and upward there shall be four horns. 16 The altar hearth shall be twelve cubits long by twelve wide, square in its four sides. 17 The ledge shall be fourteen cubits long by fourteen wide in its four sides; and the border about it shall be half a cubit; and its bottom shall be a cubit around; and its steps shall look toward the east.”

18 He said to me, “Son of man, Hashem says: ‘These are the ordinances of the altar in the day when they make it, to offer burnt offerings on it, and to sprinkle blood on it. 19 You shall give to the Levitical priests who are of the offspring of Zadok, who are near to me, to minister to me,’ says Hashem, ‘a young bull for a sin offering. 20 You shall take of its blood, and put it on its four horns, and on the four corners of the ledge, and on the border all around. You shall cleanse it and make atonement for it that way. 21 You shall also take the bull of the sin offering, and it shall be burned in the appointed place of the house, outside of the sanctuary.

22 “On the second day, you shall offer a male goat without defect for a sin offering; and they shall cleanse the altar, as they cleansed it with the bull. 23 When you have finished cleansing it, you shall offer a young bull without defect, and a ram out of the flock without defect. 24 You shall bring them near to Hashem, and the priests shall cast salt on them, and they shall offer them up for a burnt offering to Hashem.

25 “Seven days you shall prepare every day a goat for a sin offering. They shall also prepare a young bull, and a ram out of the flock, without defect. 26 Seven days shall they make atonement for the altar and purify it. So shall they consecrate it. 27 When they have accomplished the days, it shall be that on the eighth day, and forward, the priests shall make your burnt offerings on the altar, and your peace offerings. Then I will accept you,’ says Hashem.”

Today’s Haftarah Meditation:

In Ezekiel's reading today, we learn more about the building of a sacrificial altar for burnt offerings. Many people believe that these instructions are for a future Temple. Isaiah and others have similar references to a future Temple. Some people think that when the last Temple was destroyed, that marked the end of the Temple era. However, Scripture, as seen in Ezekiel, defines the opposite. That there will be another Temple, and we need to prepare for it. The future Mashiach will reside there, and the glory of Hashem will dominate it. Let us look forward to this day when the world will be made right again.

Today’s Haftarah Challenge:

I have previously challenged you to conduct some Temple studies. There isn't much teaching available that supports the prophecies of the Third Temple. But, I believe with my whole heart that there will be a Temple prepared for the return of the Mashiach, where He will rule and reign for eternity. It only makes sense. But I recommend you study it on your own.

Tetzaveh - Day #6

Tetzaveh תְּצַוֶּה - You Shall Command  

Torah Portion: Exodus:27:20-30:10

Exodus 29:38–46

29:38 “Now this is that which you shall offer on the altar: two lambs a year old day by day continually. 39 The one lamb you shall offer in the morning; and the other lamb you shall offer at evening; 40 and with the one lamb a tenth part of an ephah of fine flour mixed with the fourth part of a hin of beaten oil, and the fourth part of a hin of wine for a drink offering. 41 The other lamb you shall offer at evening, and shall do to it according to the meal offering of the morning and according to its drink offering, for a pleasant aroma, an offering made by fire to Hashem. 42 It shall be a continual burnt offering throughout your generations at the door of the Tent of Meeting before Hashem, where I will meet with you, to speak there to you. 43 There I will meet with the children of Israel, and the place shall be sanctified by My glory. 44 I will sanctify the Tent of Meeting and the altar. I will also sanctify Aaron and his sons to minister to me in the priest’s office. 45 I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will be their Elohim. 46 They shall know that I am Hashem their Elohim, who brought them out of the land of Egypt, that I might dwell among them: I am Hashem their Elohim.

Today’s Meditation:

The glory of Hashem sanctifies the Tabernacle; how wonderful is that? Can we even imagine what Hashem’s glory would be like? Would it light up the area? Would it bring you to your knees? Would you lie prostrate? Would you be totally consumed by His love? Maybe it’s good to think once in a while what it would be like to be exposed to the glory of Hashem. It is something we could yearn for and pray about. For the Temple to be rebuilt and for His presence, His glory to return. Let’s get ready for this. Let’s be living our lives in such a way that when His glory returns, we are ready to present our lives to Him. Every knee will bow, and every tongue will praise Him.

Today’s Challenge:

In verse 46, Hashem tells His people why He brought them out of Egypt, “that I might dwell among them. I am Hashem their Elohim.” He wants to dwell with us. But He needs a house to dwell in. Just like we do, and that house is the Temple in Jerusalem. I have mentioned this before. Please pray for the Temple to be built so we have a place for the glory of Hashem. We should do this daily. How exciting it will be when He comes to dwell there.

Tetzaveh - Day #5

Tetzaveh תְּצַוֶּה - You Shall Command  

Torah Portion: Exodus: 27:20-30:10

Exodus 29:19–37

29:19 “You shall take the other ram, and Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands on the head of the ram. 20 Then you shall kill the ram, and take some of its blood, and put it on the tip of the right ear of Aaron, and on the tip of the right ear of his sons, and on the thumb of their right hand, and on the big toe of their right foot; and sprinkle the blood around on the altar. 21 You shall take of the blood that is on the altar, and of the anointing oil, and sprinkle it on Aaron, and on his garments, and on his sons, and on the garments of his sons with him: and he shall be made holy, and his garments, and his sons, and his sons’ garments with him. 22 Also you shall take some of the ram’s fat, the fat tail, the fat that covers the innards, the cover of the liver, the two kidneys, the fat that is on them, and the right thigh (for it is a ram of consecration), 23 and one loaf of bread, one cake of oiled bread, and one wafer out of the basket of unleavened bread that is before Hashem. 24 You shall put all of this in Aaron’s hands, and in his sons’ hands, and shall wave them for a wave offering before Hashem. 25 You shall take them from their hands, and burn them on the altar on the burnt offering, for a pleasant aroma before Hashem: it is an offering made by fire to Hashem.

26 “You shall take the breast of Aaron’s ram of consecration, and wave it for a wave offering before Hashem. It shall be your portion. 27 You shall sanctify the breast of the wave offering and the thigh of the wave offering, which is waved, and which is raised up, of the ram of consecration, even of that which is for Aaron, and of that which is for his sons. 28 It shall be for Aaron and his sons as their portion forever from the children of Israel; for it is a wave offering. It shall be a wave offering from the children of Israel of the sacrifices of their peace offerings, even their wave offering to Hashem. 29 “The holy garments of Aaron shall be for his sons after him, to be anointed in them, and to be consecrated in them. 30 Seven days shall the son who is priest in his place put them on, when he comes into the Tent of Meeting to minister in the holy place.

31 “You shall take the ram of consecration and boil its meat in a holy place. 32 Aaron and his sons shall eat the meat of the ram, and the bread that is in the basket, at the door of the Tent of Meeting. 33 They shall eat those things with which atonement was made, to consecrate and sanctify them; but a stranger shall not eat of it, because they are holy. 34 If anything of the meat of the consecration, or of the bread, remains to the morning, then you shall burn the remainder with fire. It shall not be eaten, because it is holy.

35 “You shall do so to Aaron and to his sons, according to all that I have commanded you. You shall consecrate them seven days. 36 Every day you shall offer the bull of sin offering for atonement. You shall cleanse the altar when you make atonement for it. You shall anoint it to sanctify it. 37 Seven days you shall make atonement for the altar, and sanctify it; and the altar shall be most holy. Whatever touches the altar shall be holy.

Today’s Mediation:

Hashem is getting His priests ready for the Tabernacle. It is essential to anoint the ears (so they may hear clearly), the thumb (so that their actions will be good), and the foot (to anoint the path of wherever they go). Everything Hashem does is intentional and not random. Sacrifices and clothing are essential for preparing to serve Hashem. That is why all these instructions are given, so that this very special place has people who are prepared in special ways to approach Hashem. It is a very privileged time to be in the Tabernacle. And as we will soon see, if the priests do not follow instructions, they will not be allowed to enter. Same for our lives. If we do not follow His instructions (Laws), we will not be able to enter eternal life.

Today’s Challenge:

They spend seven days atoning at the altar and getting it ready (verse 37). They are preparing the altar and making it holy for sacrifice. We pray as a sacrifice, and in the space we pray. Is it a sacred space? In other words, is it set apart and special for your prayer time? I have a place in my house where I like to pray every morning. It’s comfortable, and I study there too. Perhaps you could consider making your prayer space a special place. Add a picture, a candle, worship music, or anything else that makes it special. We don’t have the Temple right now, but we can still have a special place to meet with Hashem. Try it, you will really love your morning devotional time.

Tetzaveh - Day #4

Tetzaveh תְּצַוֶּה - You Shall Command  

Torah Portion: Exodus:27:20-30:10

Exodus 29:1–18

29:1 “This is the thing that you shall do to them to make them holy, to minister to me in the priest’s office: take one young bull and two rams without defect, 2 unleavened bread, unleavened cakes mixed with oil, and unleavened wafers anointed with oil. You shall make them of fine wheat flour. 3 You shall put them into one basket, and bring them in the basket, with the bull and the two rams. 4 You shall bring Aaron and his sons to the door of the Tent of Meeting, and shall wash them with water. 5 You shall take the garments, and put on Aaron the tunic, the robe of the ephod, the ephod, and the breastplate, and clothe him with the skillfully woven band of the ephod. 6 You shall set the turban on his head, and put the holy crown on the turban. 7 Then you shall take the anointing oil, and pour it on his head, and anoint him. 8 You shall bring his sons, and put tunics on them. 9 You shall clothe them with belts, Aaron and his sons, and bind headbands on them. They shall have the priesthood by a perpetual statute. You shall consecrate Aaron and his sons.

10 “You shall bring the bull before the Tent of Meeting; and Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands on the head of the bull. 11 You shall kill the bull before Hashem at the door of the Tent of Meeting. 12 You shall take of the blood of the bull, and put it on the horns of the altar with your finger; and you shall pour out all the blood at the base of the altar. 13 You shall take all the fat that covers the innards, the cover of the liver, the two kidneys, and the fat that is on them, and burn them on the altar. 14 But the meat of the bull, and its skin, and its dung, you shall burn with fire outside of the camp. It is a sin offering.

15 “You shall also take the one ram, and Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands on the head of the ram. 16 You shall kill the ram, and you shall take its blood, and sprinkle it around on the altar. 17 You shall cut the ram into its pieces, and wash its innards, and its legs, and put them with its pieces, and with its head. 18 You shall burn the whole ram on the altar: it is a burnt offering to Hashem; it is a pleasant aroma, an offering made by fire to Hashem.

Today’s Meditation:

In verse 11, Elohim says, “Kill the bull before Hashem.” You may visualize that they are just taking offerings to the altar and killing them. But, honestly, they are doing it all before Hashem. It’s like He watches the whole thing and is very pleased. If you think about it, most everything we do is right “before Hashem”. In a way that can be scary. Do we do things that are pleasing to Hashem? Or are we doing questionable things that we are not proud to do in front of Hashem? Give this some thought. Really, everything we do is before Hashem. It’s time to correct our lives if we are not doing good for Him.

Today’s Challenge:

When Aaron and his sons approach Hashem in the Tabernacle, they are first washed with water. Then they each put on special garments and ornaments. They wear headbands and belts. They are preparing to enter the Tabernacle. It is essential to be dressed in a special way. Can you imagine entering Hashem's presence and preparing yourself? Putting on special clothes and extras? It would undoubtedly be an exciting time.

That’s what we should think about every day. We are in the presence of Hashem when we pray. Are we ready to do so? Are we clothed in a special way—maybe spiritually and mentally? We need to be prepared to approach Hashem with pure and sincere thoughts. We need to wear special attire and be ready to approach Him in prayer. Let’s try to do that today for Him.

Tetzaveh - Day #3

Tetzaveh תְּצַוֶּה - You Shall Command  

Torah Portion: Exodus: 27:20-30:10

Exodus 28:31–43

28:31 “You shall make the robe of the ephod all of blue. 32 It shall have a hole for the head in the middle of it. It shall have a binding of woven work around its hole, as it were, the hole of a coat of mail, that it not be torn. 33 On its hem you shall make pomegranates of blue, and of purple, and of scarlet, all around its hem; with bells of gold between and around them: 34 a golden bell and a pomegranate, a golden bell and a pomegranate, around the hem of the robe. 35 It shall be on Aaron to minister: and its sound shall be heard when he goes in to the holy place before Hashem, and when he comes out, that he not die.

36 “You shall make a plate of pure gold, and engrave on it, like the engravings of a signet, ‘HOLY TO HASHEM.’ 37 You shall put it on a lace of blue, and it shall be on the sash. It shall be on the front of the sash. 38 It shall be on Aaron’s forehead, and Aaron shall bear the iniquity of the holy things, which the children of Israel shall make holy in all their holy gifts; and it shall be always on his forehead, that they may be accepted before Hashem. 39 You shall weave the tunic with fine linen. You shall make a turban of fine linen. You shall make a sash, the work of the embroiderer.

40 “You shall make tunics for Aaron’s sons. You shall make sashes for them. You shall make headbands for them, for glory and for beauty. 41 You shall put them on Aaron your brother, and on his sons with him, and shall anoint them, and consecrate them, and sanctify them, that they may minister to me in the priest’s office. 42 You shall make them linen pants to cover their naked flesh. They shall reach from the waist even to the thighs. 43 They shall be on Aaron and on his sons, when they go into the Tent of Meeting, or when they come near to the altar to minister in the holy place, that they don’t bear iniquity, and die. This shall be a statute forever to him and to his offspring after him.

Today’s Meditation:

In verse 36, we learn that Aaron is to wear a gold plate on his forehead with the words “Holy to Hashem.” This is most likely to remind him that all that is happening in the Tabernacle is for the holiness of Hashem. It’s not like he would forget, but sometimes even extraordinary things can become routine. It doesn’t seem like this could ever happen in the Holy Place where Hashem’s glory resides behind the veil, but maybe it could. Aaron was still living on our planet, a place full of sin and daily challenges. It would be a challenge to be in the presence of Hashem and commit 100% of your body, soul, and mind. How about today? Can we wear Hashem’s holiness on our foreheads? In essence, we do when we serve and love Him with our whole minds every day. Are we 100% about this 24/7? I doubt it. But we must try our best. Our best to leave behind the temptations of this world, and serve Hashem wholeheartedly in our minds (and actions) all the time. Think about wearing a plate with Hashem’s Name on your forehead today. Fulfill that responsibility with your actions.

Today’s Challenge:

Hashem cares about every tiny detail of our lives. This is reflected in today's reading, when Hashem commands Aaron to wear a robe with little bells on its hem. Therefore, the priests near him can hear him when he is in the Holy of Holies, as well as in the Holy Place. This makes you think about how sensitive and caring our Elohim is for us. I believe He is still that way today. He cares about the most minor details in our lives. And if this is so, shouldn’t we be honoring Him in all the small ways of our lives? Pay attention today and see if you are honoring Hashem in all the ways of your daily life. In your speech, thoughts, and actions.

Tetzaveh - Day #2

Tetzaveh תְּצַוֶּה - You Shall Command  

Torah Portion: Exodus:27:20-30:10

Exodus 28:13–30

28:13 You shall make settings of gold, 14 and two chains of pure gold; you shall make them like cords of braided work. You shall put the braided chains on the settings.

15 “You shall make a breastplate of judgment, the work of the skillful workman; like the work of the ephod you shall make it; of gold, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, you shall make it. 16 It shall be square and folded double; a span shall be its length, and a span its width. 17 You shall set in it settings of stones, four rows of stones: a row of ruby, topaz, and beryl shall be the first row; 18 and the second row a turquoise, a sapphire, and an emerald; 19 and the third row a jacinth, an agate, and an amethyst; 20 and the fourth row a chrysolite, an onyx, and a jasper. They shall be enclosed in gold in their settings. 21 The stones shall be according to the names of the children of Israel, twelve, according to their names; like the engravings of a signet, everyone according to his name, they shall be for the twelve tribes. 22 You shall make on the breastplate chains like cords, of braided work of pure gold. 23 You shall make on the breastplate two rings of gold, and shall put the two rings on the two ends of the breastplate. 24 You shall put the two braided chains of gold in the two rings at the ends of the breastplate. 25 The other two ends of the two braided chains you shall put on the two settings, and put them on the shoulder straps of the ephod in its forepart. 26 You shall make two rings of gold, and you shall put them on the two ends of the breastplate, on its edge, which is toward the side of the ephod inward. 27 You shall make two rings of gold, and shall put them on the two shoulder straps of the ephod underneath, in its forepart, close by its coupling, above the skillfully woven band of the ephod. 28 They shall bind the breastplate by its rings to the rings of the ephod with a lace of blue, that it may be on the skillfully woven band of the ephod, and that the breastplate may not swing out from the ephod. 29 Aaron shall bear the names of the children of Israel in the breastplate of judgment on his heart, when he goes in to the holy place, for a memorial before Hashem continually. 30 You shall put in the breastplate of judgment the Urim and the Thummim; and they shall be on Aaron’s heart, when he goes in before Hashem. Aaron shall bear the judgment of the children of Israel on his heart before Hashem continually.

Today’s Meditation:

This is so wonderful in verses 29-30 that Aaron is covering his heart with the names of the twelve tribes on his breastplate, so that their judgment is in front of Hashem continually. Hashem makes a way for His people to be with Him, even though they are not physically present. It always is about Hashem’s love for His people. And that is you and me, too. May we never doubt His love and protection. Things may get rough sometimes in this world, but our names are forever in front of Him: good times and bad. And someday we will have the privilege of serving and loving Him forever. We don’t know what that looks like, but we do know it will be good.

Today’s Challenge:

Do you carry the names of the people whom you love over your heart? By that, I mean, do you care enough about those around you to pray for them every day? It is the best way to start the day, along with your cup of coffee, to appeal to Hashem for those you love, to be safe and full of joy. But, most importantly, they will know Hashem and love and serve Him. This should be your daily prayer, before you start your day. Prayer does make a difference. Just as Aaron carried the names of his people over his heart, be sure to hold those you love over your heart. It will make a difference in this world.