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.

Terumah - Day #4

Terumah תְּרוּמָה - Offering  

Torah Portion: Exodus:25:1-27:19

Exodus 26:15–30

26:15 “You shall make the boards for the tabernacle of acacia wood, standing upright. 16 Ten cubits shall be the length of a board, and one and a half cubits the width of each board. 17 There shall be two tenons in each board, joined to one another: thus you shall make for all the boards of the tabernacle. 18 You shall make twenty boards for the tabernacle, for the south side southward. 19 You shall make forty sockets of silver under the twenty boards; two sockets under one board for its two tenons, and two sockets under another board for its two tenons. 20 For the second side of the tabernacle, on the north side, twenty boards, 21 and their forty sockets of silver; two sockets under one board, and two sockets under another board. 22 For the far side of the tabernacle westward, you shall make six boards. 23 You shall make two boards for the corners of the tabernacle in the far side. 24 They shall be double beneath, and in the same way they shall be whole to its top to one ring: thus shall it be for them both; they shall be for the two corners. 25 There shall be eight boards, and their sockets of silver, sixteen sockets; two sockets under one board, and two sockets under another board.

26 “You shall make bars of acacia wood: five for the boards of the one side of the tabernacle, 27 and five bars for the boards of the other side of the tabernacle, and five bars for the boards of the side of the tabernacle, for the far side westward. 28 The middle bar in the middle of the boards shall pass through from end to end. 29 You shall overlay the boards with gold, and make their rings of gold for places for the bars. You shall overlay the bars with gold. 30 You shall set up the tabernacle according to the way that it was shown to you on the mountain.

Today’s Meditation:

The boards in today’s reading were built and placed on three sides of the Tabernacle structure. Apparently, there were five pillars at the front entrance. Most interestingly, the boards are overlaid with gold. That’s a lot of gold and it must have made them so heavy. Remember that the Israelites had received gold and other goods from the Egyptians just before they left. Now they were giving their best to build the tabernacle. This place was the most special; it would be Hashem's resting place. It could only be the best.

Today’s Challenge:

Are you giving Hashem your best? If you were building a resting place for Him, would you contribute your gold? We must provide to Hashem in whatever way He asks us. It may be given to a charity, a friend, a family member, or used for the actual preparation of the Temple in Jerusalem. Think about how you are supporting or giving to Hashem today. Together, we can all support the Kingdom of Elohim.

Mishpatim - Day #4

Mishpatim מִּשְׁפָּטִים - Laws  

Torah Portion: Exodus: 21:1-24:18

Exodus 22:27–23:5

22:27 for that is his only covering, it is his garment for his skin. What would he sleep in? It will happen, when he cries to me, that I will hear, for I am gracious.

28 “You shall not blaspheme Elohim, nor curse a ruler of your people.

29 “You shall not delay to offer from your harvest and from the outflow of your presses.

“You shall give the firstborn of your sons to me. 30 You shall do likewise with your cattle and with your sheep. It shall be with its mother seven days, then on the eighth day you shall give it to me.

31 “You shall be holy men to Me, therefore you shall not eat any meat that is torn by animals in the field. You shall cast it to the dogs.

23 “You shall not spread a false report. Don’t join your hand with the wicked to be a malicious witness.

2 “You shall not follow a crowd to do evil. You shall not testify in court to side with a multitude to pervert justice. 3 You shall not favor a poor man in his cause.

4 “If you meet your enemy’s ox or his donkey going astray, you shall surely bring it back to him again. 5 If you see the donkey of him who hates you fallen down under his burden, don’t leave him. You shall surely help him with it.

Today’s Meditation:

In 23:5, we read that Hashem wants to help even animals that are in trouble. So, if you see a donkey (or any animal) in a troublesome situation, you are to help it out. That shows me how much Hashem cares not only for us, but for His creation. He is so very kind. 

Today I heard on the news that an abused dog had gotten loose and was running around in a local city park. Someone found him, helped him, and got him to shelter. They were reporting that they were investigating the individuals responsible for this. It may seem trivial, but it’s not. We read about a particular Commandment that requires us to do precisely this: rescue an animal if needed. I believe Hashem is saying that all of His creation matters. And if we are to treat even animals decently and fairly, how much more will we treat fellow humans?

Today’s Challenge:

In Chapter 23:1, we are told not to give a false report or a lie about someone. Many of us are guilty of doing this, even when we think we are just sharing some news. Or we may say something like, “Mary needs prayer. She is getting a divorce”. However, we are not sure whether this is true. Best not to talk about them at all. Unless you have something kind to say about someone, don’t say anything.

Yitro - Day #4

Yitro יִתְרוֹ - Jethro  

Torah Portion: Exodus: 18:1-20:22

Exodus 19:1–6

19 "...In the third month after the children of Israel had gone out of the land of Egypt, on that same day, they came into the wilderness of Sinai. 2 When they had departed from Rephidim, and had come to the wilderness of Sinai, they encamped in the wilderness; and there Israel encamped before the mountain. 3 Moses went up to Elohim, and Hashem called to him out of the mountain, saying, “This is what you shall tell the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel: 4 ‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings, and brought you to Myself. 5 Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be My own possession from among all peoples; for all the earth is Mine; 6 and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel.”

Today’s Meditation:

Imagine this. Hashem lifts you up on an eagle’s wing (verse 4) and carries you home. Of course, He did not literally do this to the Hebrew people, but it was like He did. He lifted them out of slavery and delivered them to freedom. I can recall times in my life when Hashem rescued me from a difficult situation. In fact, one time I was in a car with a friend. We had been drinking alcohol. My friend ran a red light while I was in the passenger seat. Cars were approaching in both directions, so I closed my eyes. And somehow we got through the intersection. I remember thinking that angels lifted us over the cars. Now, I know that Hashem literally “lifted” me up on eagle's wings. Has this ever happened to you where you know Hashem intervened in a situation in some amazing, miraculous way? Praise Him for making it through.

Today’s Challenge:

In verse 5, we read, “...for all the earth is Mine.” Have we forgotten this? Do we try to take control of things in our personal lives rather than consult Hashem? Do we think that we have the final say about what happens in our lives? We sure act like it. We get mad when things don’t go our way, yet we forget that Hashem is ultimately in charge. I challenge you today to take a moment to reflect on the issues in your life. Take the time to list them and return each one to Hashem. And repent for trying to take charge of them. Go with His plan. It is the best way to go. It may not be your choice anyway.

Beshalach - Day #4

Beshalach בְּשַׁלַּח - When He Sent Out  

Torah Portion: Exodus:13:17-17:16

Exodus 14:26–15:26

14:26 Hashem said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea, that the waters may come again on the Egyptians, on their chariots, and on their horsemen.” 27 Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to its strength when the morning appeared; and the Egyptians fled against it. Hashem overthrew the Egyptians in the middle of the sea. 28 The waters returned, and covered the chariots and the horsemen, even all Pharaoh’s army that went in after them into the sea. There remained not so much as one of them. 29 But the children of Israel walked on dry land in the middle of the sea, and the waters were a wall to them on their right hand and on their left. 30 Thus Hashem saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. 31 Israel saw the great work which Hashem did to the Egyptians, and the people feared Hashem; and they believed in Hashem and in his servant Moses.

15 Then Moses and the children of Israel sang this song to Hashem, and said,

“I will sing to Adonai, for He has triumphed gloriously.

    He has thrown the horse and his rider into the sea.

2 Adonai is my strength and song.

    He has become my salvation.

This is my Elohim, and I will praise Him;

    my father’s Elohim, and I will exalt him.

3 Adonai is a man of war.

    Adonai is His name.

4 He has cast Pharaoh’s chariots and his army into the sea.

    His chosen captains are sunk in the Red Sea.

5 The deeps cover them.

    They went down into the depths like a stone.

6 Your right hand, Adonai, is glorious in power.

    Your right hand,  Adonai, dashes the enemy in pieces.

7 In the greatness of Your excellency, You overthrow those who rise up against You.

    You send out Your wrath. It consumes them as stubble.

8 With the blast of Your nostrils, the waters were piled up.

    The floods stood upright as a heap.

    The deeps were congealed in the heart of the sea.

9 The enemy said, ‘I will pursue. I will overtake. I will divide the plunder.

    My desire will be satisfied on them.

    I will draw my sword. My hand will destroy them.’

10 You blew with Your wind.

    The sea covered them.

    They sank like lead in the mighty waters.

11 Who is like You, Adonai, among the gods?

    Who is like You, glorious in holiness,

    fearful in praises, doing wonders?

12 You stretched out Your right hand.

    The earth swallowed them.

13 “You, in Your loving kindness, have led the people that You have redeemed.

  You have guided them in Your strength to Your holy habitation.

14 The peoples have heard.

    They tremble.

    Pangs have taken hold of the inhabitants of Philistia.

15 Then the chiefs of Edom were dismayed.

    Trembling takes hold of the mighty men of Moab.

    All the inhabitants of Canaan have melted away.

16 Terror and dread falls on them.

    By the greatness of Your arm, they are as still as a stone,

    until Your people pass over, Adonai,

    until the people You have purchased pass over.

17 You will bring them in, and plant them in the mountain of Your inheritance,

    the place, Adonai, which You have made for Yourself to dwell in; the sanctuary, Adonai, which Your hands have established.

18 Adonai will reign forever and ever.”

19 For the horses of Pharaoh went in with his chariots and with his horsemen into the sea, and Hashem brought back the waters of the sea on them; but the children of Israel walked on dry land in the middle of the sea. 20 Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a tambourine in her hand; and all the women went out after her with tambourines and with dances. 21 Miriam answered them,

“Sing to Adonai, for He has triumphed gloriously.

He has thrown the horse and his rider into the sea.”

22 Moses led Israel onward from the Red Sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur; and they went three days in the wilderness, and found no water. 23 When they came to Marah, they couldn’t drink from the waters of Marah, for they were bitter. Therefore, its name was called Marah. 24 The people murmured against Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?” 25 Then he cried to Hashem. Hashem showed him a tree, and he threw it into the waters, and the waters were made sweet. There He made a statute and an ordinance for them, and there He tested them. 26 He said, “If you will diligently listen to Adonai your Elohim’s voice, and will do that which is right in His eyes, and will pay attention to His commandments, and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have put on the Egyptians; for I am Adonai who heals you.”

Today’s Meditation:

Here is your answer to being healed. It is so clear, you don’t have to look anywhere else. Hashem says in 15:26 “He said, “If you will diligently listen to Hashem your Elohim’s voice, and will do that which is right in His eyes, and will pay attention to His commandments, and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have put on the Egyptians; for I am Hashem who heals you.” There you go. If you want healing, then listen to Hashem, do what is right, pay attention to His Law, and keep it. The problem is that no one teaches us what those statutes and commandments are. But if you stay with this daily devotion, you will learn as you go through the first five books of the Bible what they are. In His Law, you will find healing.

Today’s Challenge:

The Hebrew people are led out of Egypt with a huge miracle. The sea literally parts for them to cross. But, within three days, with no water, the doubts return. Did Hashem really tell them to leave? They are wondering. Did they do the right thing? Doesn’t that happen to you? Hashem will do something really huge in your life, and then, in just a short time, you face challenges, and you forget His faithfulness? If you have forgotten how loving and faithful Hashem is, remember what He has done for you today. Take a piece of paper and write down all the incredible miracles Hashem has done in your life. I promise it will help you navigate your situation.