Nasso - Day #7

Nasso נָשֹׂא - Elevate!  

Torah Reading: Numbers 4:21-7:89

Haftarah: Judges 13:2-5

Shabbat: Numbers 7:72–89

7:72 On the eleventh day, Pagiel, the son of Ochran, prince of the children of Asher, 73 gave his offering:

One silver platter, the weight of which was one hundred thirty shekels,

one silver bowl of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a meal offering;

74 one golden ladle of ten shekels, full of incense;

75 one young bull, one ram, one male lamb, a year old, for a burnt offering; 76 one male goat for a sin offering;

77 and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two head of cattle, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs, a year old. This was the offering of Pagiel, the son of Ochran.

78 On the twelfth day, Ahira, the son of Enan, prince of the children of Naphtali, 79 gave his offering:

One silver platter, the weight of which was one hundred thirty shekels,

one silver bowl of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a meal offering;

80 one golden spoon of ten shekels, full of incense;

81 one young bull, one ram, one male lamb, a year old, for a burnt offering; 82 one male goat for a sin offering;

83 and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two head of cattle, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs, a year old. This was the offering of Ahira, the son of Enan.

84 This was the dedication offering of the altar, on the day when it was anointed, by the princes of Israel: twelve silver platters, twelve silver bowls, twelve golden ladles; 85 each silver platter weighing one hundred thirty shekels, and each bowl seventy; all the silver of the vessels two thousand four hundred shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary; 86 the twelve golden ladles, full of incense, weighing ten shekels apiece, according to the shekel of the sanctuary; all the gold of the ladles weighed one hundred twenty shekels; 87 all the cattle for the burnt offering twelve bulls, the rams twelve, the male lambs a year old twelve, and their meal offering; and twelve male goats for a sin offering; 88 and all the cattle for the sacrifice of peace offerings: twenty-four bulls, sixty rams, sixty male goats, and sixty male lambs a year old. This was the dedication offering of the altar, after it was anointed.

89 When Moses went into the Tent of Meeting to speak with Hashem, he heard His voice speaking to him from above the mercy seat that was on the ark of the Testimony, from between the two cherubim; and He spoke to him.

Today’s Meditation:

In verse 89, we read that Moses heard His voice above the mercy seat in the Holy of Holies. How magnificent this must have been. Hashem is pleased with His special gifts from His special people. The offerings and sacrifices of obedience have been met. All is well. If even just for a short time. Isn’t that the way it is with us, too? All can be super good and right, for a short time. But that’s when we have to show our love and trust even during the hard times. It’s during those times that we grow really close to Hashem because we have to depend on Him. If you are going through a good time, give your praises to Hashem. If you are going through a challenging time, try to thank Him for staying by your side and for assuring you that it will all work out.

Today’s Challenge:

Who could enter the Holy of Holies during this time? Just Moses and the High Priest Aaron. And I believe Aaron could only enter on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. Time with Hashem is special. Time to be appreciated and to look forward to. My challenge to you today is to think about how you spend your time with Hashem. Is it special? Do you plan it? Do you try to spend time with Him every day? I tend to talk to Him throughout the day. I like to think He is with me through everything I do. In the morning, I do my Bible Torah study, and I always feel like He is giving me revelation and direction through His Holy Scripture. I pray for His land and His people (Israel) every day. Make sure you are making time to be with the Father. He is the whole reason for our existence. I pray we never forget that.

This Week’s Haftarah: Judges 13:2-5

13:2 There was a certain man of Zorah, of the family of the Danites, whose name was Manoah; and his wife was barren and childless. 3 Hashem’s angel appeared to the woman, and said to her, “See now, you are barren and childless; but you shall conceive and bear a son. 4 Now therefore please beware and drink no wine nor strong drink, and don’t eat any unclean thing; 5 for, behold, you shall conceive and give birth to a son. No razor shall come on his head, for the child shall be a Nazirite to Elohim from the womb. He shall begin to save Israel out of the hand of the Philistines.”

Today’s Haftarah Meditation:

In this week’s Torah Portion, Hashem describes the Nazarite vow to us. And here in Judges, we read about Samson and how, even before he is conceived, an angel tells his mother that Samson will be a Nazarite. And he will be set apart to defend Israel. Sometimes Hashem does call us to tasks and sets us apart. I think the next time He does this with me, I will try to follow the Nazarite instructions. It makes sense. A clear mind from alcohol, especially over time, really helps you to have a more explicit focus. This might be something we all think about.

Today’s Haftarah Challenge:

I don’t know if any of you have ever had an angel from Hashem come to you. I know there have been times in my life when it seemed as if an angel came and helped me through a particular situation. Our family has a story about when our two adopted sons first came to us from Korea. Before we met them on the plane, we had arrived at Chicago O’Hare Airport. We had gotten lost at the airport, and their arrival was getting close. Out of nowhere, a woman in a suit appeared and asked us if we needed help. She walked with us for a while, then clearly showed us where to go. We thanked her and started walking away. We turned around, and she had disappeared. The challenge today is to think of times when unusual things happened. Did it involve an angel? Maybe a special messenger from Hashem has visited us. And that is a wonder and an honor.

Shavuot Week - Day #7 (Officially Day #2)

Shavout Week - Day #7   (Officially Day #2)

Main Reading: Deuteronomy 15:19–16:17

Maftir: Numbers 28:26–31

Haftarah: Habakkuk 2:20–3:19

Deuteronomy 15:19–16:17

15:19 You shall dedicate all the firstborn males that are born of your herd and of your flock to Hashem your Elohim. You shall do no work with the firstborn of your herd, nor shear the firstborn of your flock. 20 You shall eat it before Hashem your Elohim year by year in the place which Hashem shall choose, you and your household. 21 If it has any defect—is lame or blind, or has any defect whatever, you shall not sacrifice it to Hashem your Elohim. 22 You shall eat it within your gates. The unclean and the clean shall eat it alike, as the gazelle and as the deer. 23 Only you shall not eat its blood. You shall pour it out on the ground like water.

16:1 Observe the month of Abib, and keep the Passover to Hashem your Elohim; for in the month of Abib Hashem your Elohim brought you out of Egypt by night. 2 You shall sacrifice the Passover to Hashem your Elohim, of the flock and the herd, in the place which Hashem shall choose to cause His name to dwell there. 3 You shall eat no leavened bread with it. You shall eat unleavened bread with it seven days, even the bread of affliction (for you came out of the of Egypt in haste) that you may remember the day when you came out of the land of Egypt all the days of your life. 4 No yeast shall be seen with you in all your borders seven days; neither shall any of the meat, which you sacrifice the first day at evening, remain all night until the morning. 5 You may not sacrifice the Passover within any of your gates which Hashem your Elohim gives you; 6 but at the place which Hashem your Elohim shall choose to cause His name to dwell in, there you shall sacrifice the Passover at evening, at the going down of the sun, at the season that you came out of Egypt. 

7 You shall roast and eat it in the place which Hashem, your Elohim, chooses. In the morning, you shall return to your tents. 8 Six days you shall eat unleavened bread. On the seventh day shall be a solemn assembly to Hashem your Elohim. You shall do no work.

9 You shall count for yourselves seven weeks. From the time you begin to put the sickle to the standing grain, you shall begin to count seven weeks. 10 You shall keep the feast of weeks to Hashem your Elohim with a tribute of a free will offering of your hand, which you shall give according to how Hashem your Elohim blesses you. 11 You shall rejoice before Hashem your Elohim: you, your son, your daughter, your male servant, your female servant, the Levite who is within your gates, the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widow who are among you, in the place which Hashem your Elohim shall choose to cause His name to dwell there. 12 You shall remember that you were a slave in Egypt. You shall observe and do these statutes.

13 You shall keep the feast of booths seven days, after you have gathered in from your threshing floor and from your wine press. 14 You shall rejoice in your feast, you, your son, your daughter, your male servant, your female servant, the Levite, the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widow who are within your gates. 15 You shall keep a feast to Hashem your Elohim seven days in the place which Hashem chooses, because Hashem your Elohim will bless you in all your increase and in all the work of your hands, and you shall be altogether joyful. 16 Three times in a year, all of your males shall appear before Hashem your Elohim in the place which He chooses: in the feast of unleavened bread, in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of booths. They shall not appear before Hashem empty. 17 Every man shall give as he is able, according to Hashem your Elohim’s blessing which He has given you.

Maftir: Numbers 28:26–31 

28:26 “Also in the day of the first fruits, when you offer a new meal offering to Hashem in your feast of weeks, you shall have a holy convocation. You shall do no regular work; 27 but you shall offer a burnt offering for a pleasant aroma to Hashem: two young bulls, one ram, seven male lambs a year old; 28 and their meal offering, fine flour mixed with oil, three tenths for each bull, two tenths for the one ram, 29 one tenth for every lamb of the seven lambs; 30 and one male goat, to make atonement for you. 31 Besides the continual burnt offering and its meal offering, you shall offer them and their drink offerings. See that they are without defect.

Haftarah: Habakkuk 2:20–3:19 

2:20 But Hashem is in His holy temple. Let all the earth be silent before Him!”

3:1 A prayer of Habakkuk, the prophet, set to victorious music.

2 Hashem, I have heard of Your fame.
    I stand in awe of your deeds, Hashem.
Renew your work in the middle of the years.
    In the middle of the years, make it known.
    In wrath, you remember mercy.

3 Hashem came from Teman,
    the Holy One from Mount Paran. Selah.

His glory covered the heavens,
    and His praise filled the earth.

4 His splendor is like the sunrise.
    Rays shine from His hand, where His power is hidden.

5 Plague went before Him,
    and pestilence followed His feet.

6 He stood and shook the earth.

   

  He looked, and made the nations tremble.
    The ancient mountains were crumbled.
    The age-old hills collapsed.
    His ways are eternal.

7 I saw the tents of Cushan in affliction.
    The dwellings of the land of Midian trembled.

8 Was Hashem displeased with the rivers?
    Was Your anger against the rivers,
    or Your wrath against the sea,
    that You rode on Your horses,
    on Your chariots of salvation?

9 You uncovered Your bow.
    You called for Your sworn arrows. Selah.
You split the earth with rivers.

10 The mountains saw You, and were afraid.
    The storm of waters passed by.
    The deep roared and lifted up its hands on high.

11 The sun and moon stood still in the sky
    at the light of your arrows as they went,
    at the shining of Your glittering spear.

12 You marched through the land in wrath.
    You threshed the nations in anger.

13 You went out for the salvation of Your people,
    for the salvation of Your anointed.
You crushed the head of the land of wickedness.
    You stripped them head to foot. Selah.

14 You pierced the heads of his warriors with their own spears.
    They came as a whirlwind to scatter me,
    gloating as if to devour the wretched in secret.

15 You trampled the sea with Your horses,
    churning mighty waters.

16 I heard, and my body trembled.
    My lips quivered at the voice.
Rottenness enters into my bones, and I tremble in my place
    because I must wait quietly for the day of trouble,
    for the coming up of the people who invade us.

17 For even though the fig tree doesn’t flourish,
    nor fruit be in the vines,
    the labor of the olive fails,
    the fields yield no food,
    the flocks are cut off from the fold,
    and there is no herd in the stalls,

18 yet I will rejoice in Hashem.
    I will be joyful in the Elohim of my salvation!

19 Hashem, the Elohim,  is my strength.
    He makes my feet like deer’s feet,
    and enables me to go in high places.

For the music director, on my stringed instruments

Today’s Meditation:

Habakkuk says it completely in verse 2 above, “Hashem, I have heard of Your fame. I stand in awe of your deeds, Hashem.” During this Feast of Weeks (Shavuot), not only do we remember His command to honor it, but most importantly, we honor Hashem for all He has done.

We stand in awe of Hashem's deeds. He has given us all that we have. He has created us to be all that we are. It is because of His love that we exist today. This Shavuot, remember to praise Hashem our Elohim with all your heart, soul, and strength. He has given us Torah. Through it we find eternal life.

Bamidbar - Day #7

Bamidbar בְּמִדְבַּר - In the Wilderness  

Torah Portion: Numbers 1:1-4:20

Haftarah: Hosea 2:1-22

Shabbat: Numbers 4:1–20

4:1 Hashem spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying, 2 “Take a census of the sons of Kohath from among the sons of Levi, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, 3 from thirty years old and upward, even until fifty years old, all who enter into the service to do the work in the Tent of Meeting.

4 “This is the service of the sons of Kohath in the Tent of Meeting, regarding the most holy things. 5 When the camp moves forward, Aaron shall go in with his sons; and they shall take down the veil of the screen, cover the ark of the Testimony with it, 6 put a covering of sealskin on it, spread a blue cloth over it, and put in its poles.

7 “On the table of show bread, they shall spread a blue cloth, and put on it the dishes, the spoons, the bowls, and the cups with which to pour out; and the continual bread shall be on it. 8 They shall spread on them a scarlet cloth, and cover it with a covering of sealskin, and shall put in its poles.

9 “They shall take a blue cloth and cover the lamp stand of the light, its lamps, its snuffers, its snuff dishes, and all its oil vessels, with which they minister to it. 10 They shall put it and all its vessels within a covering of sealskin, and shall put it on the frame.

11 “On the golden altar they shall spread a blue cloth, and cover it with a covering of sealskin, and shall put in its poles.

12 “They shall take all the vessels of ministry with which they minister in the sanctuary, and put them in a blue cloth, cover them with a covering of sealskin, and shall put them on the frame.

13 “They shall take away the ashes from the altar, and spread a purple cloth on it. 14 They shall put on it all its vessels with which they minister about it, the fire pans, the meat hooks, the shovels, and the basins—all the vessels of the altar; and they shall spread on it a covering of sealskin, and put in its poles.

15 “When Aaron and his sons have finished covering the sanctuary and all the furniture of the sanctuary, as the camp moves forward, after that, the sons of Kohath shall come to carry it; but they shall not touch the sanctuary, lest they die. The sons of Kohath shall carry these things belonging to the Tent of Meeting.

16 “The duty of Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest shall be the oil for the light, the sweet incense, the continual meal offering, and the anointing oil, the requirements of all the tabernacle, and of all that is in it, the sanctuary, and its furnishings.”

17 Hashem spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying, 18 “Don’t cut off the tribe of the families of the Kohathites from among the Levites; 19 but do this to them, that they may live, and not die, when they approach the most holy things: Aaron and his sons shall go in and appoint everyone to his service and to his burden; 20 but they shall not go in to see the sanctuary even for a moment, lest they die.”

Today’s Meditation:

This reading is about coverings. When they are ready to move on and pack up the Tabernacle, Hashem has instructed them to place coverings over the holy items. He does not want the sons of Kohath touching anything holy. He wants everything to remain sacred. He is a caring and merciful Elohim. He wants things taken care of properly in order. We forget how holy and special the Tabernacle and all its contents are, including the Holy of Holies. The presence of Hashem is so wonderful and glorious that much care must be given in the way this will occur.

We have no idea how incredible Hashem's presence is. We weren’t there. But Hashem gives special instructions, in case we forget. And when the Temple returns, and the glory of Adonai fills the Temple, we must be ready for His special procedures and careful preparation.

Today’s Challenge:

When you think of coverings, you may think of the Kippah, the hat that Jewish men wear. It is done to honor Elohim and not to be like the gentiles. I had heard that it is a covering that covers you from the presence of angels above. Whatever the reason, it is a symbol of being covered to maintain Elohim’s holiness, just like the articles of the Tabernacle. 

Today, think about your own life. What kind of coverings do you have that protect you? We use umbrellas in the rain, blankets at night, and hats in the sun (and sports games). But what do we do spiritually? Do we cover ourselves with purity, righteousness, peace, and love? This type of spiritual covering could maintain holiness with Hashem in our lives. Anger, hate, lying, cheating, any sin, will keep us uncovered and naked, not preparing us to be in the presence of the holiness of Hashem. Try to prepare yourself for Hashem's holiness. Cover yourself with holy things, not evil. All so you can enjoy His presence.

This Week’s Haftarah: Hosea 2:1-22 

2:1 “Say to your brothers, ‘My people!’

    and to your sisters, ‘My loved one!’

2 Contend with your mother!

    Contend, for she is not my wife,

    neither am I her husband;

and let her put away her prostitution from her face,

    and her adulteries from between her breasts;

3 Lest I strip her naked,

    and make her bare as in the day that she was born,

    and make her like a wilderness,

    and set her like a dry land,

    and kill her with thirst.

4 Indeed, on her children I will have no mercy;

    for they are children of unfaithfulness;

5 For their mother has played the prostitute.

    She who conceived them has done shamefully;

for she said, ‘I will go after my lovers,

    who gives me my bread and my water,

    my wool and my flax,

    my oil and my drink.’

6 Therefore, behold, I will hedge up your way with thorns,

    and I will build a wall against her,

    that she can’t find her way.

7 She will follow after her lovers,

    but she won’t overtake them

and she will seek them,

    but won’t find them.

Then she will say, ‘I will go and return to my first husband;

    for then it was better with me than now.’

8 For she didn’t know that I gave her the grain, the new wine, and the oil,

    and multiplied to her silver and gold, which they used for Baal.

9 Therefore, I will take back my grain in its time,

    and my new wine in its season,

    and will pluck away my wool and my flax, which should have covered her nakedness.

10 Now I will uncover her lewdness in the sight of her lovers,

    and no one will deliver her out of my hand.

11 I will also cause all her celebrations to cease:

    her feasts, her new moons, her Sabbaths, and all her solemn assemblies.

12 I will lay waste to her vines and her fig trees,

    about which she has said, ‘These are my wages that my lovers have given me;

and I will make them a forest,’

    and the animals of the field shall eat them.

13 I will visit on her the days of the Baals,

    to which she burned incense,

when she decked herself with her earrings and her jewels,

    and went after her lovers,

    and forgot Me,” says Hashem.

14 “Therefore behold, I will allure her,

    and bring her into the wilderness,

    and speak tenderly to her.

15 I will give her vineyards from there,

    and the valley of Achor for a door of hope;

and she will respond there,

    as in the days of her youth,

    and as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt.

16 It will be in that day,” says Hashem,

    “that you will call me ‘my husband,’

    and no longer call me ‘my master.’

17 For I will take away the names of the Baals out of her mouth,

    and they will no longer be mentioned by name.

18 In that day, I will make a covenant for them with the animals of the field,

    and with the birds of the sky,

    and with the creeping things of the ground.

I will break the bow, the sword, and the battle out of the land,

    and will make them lie down safely.

19 I will betroth you to me forever.

  Yes, I will betroth you to me in righteousness, in justice, in loving kindness, and in compassion.

20 I will even betroth you to me in faithfulness;

    and you shall know Hashem.

21 It will happen on that day, I will respond,” says Hashem,

    “I will respond to the heavens,

    and they will respond to the earth;

22 and the earth will respond to the grain, and the new wine, and the oil;

    and they will respond to Jezreel.

Today’s Haftarah Meditation:

Wonderful last verse in 18 “In that day I will make a covenant for them with the animals of the field, and with the birds of the sky, and with the creeping things of the ground. I will break the bow, the sword, and the battle out of the land, and will make them lie down safely.” After all that mankind will do to Hashem, ignore Him, forget Him, disobey Him, He will restore us. He has an unconditional love for us that exceeds anything we know on this planet. Imagine if we treated others like He treats us. There would be no war, no fighting, no starvation, abuse, etc. Because no matter what we do, He still loves us and will redeem us. Love Adonai with your whole heart, soul, and strength. And try to do good.

Today’s Haftarah Challenge:

In verse 13, we read that they forgot Him. They went after other gods, did their own thing, disobeyed, and literally forgot about Adonai. We can read this and think, “How could they do this?” And yet we do it too. Every time we disobey Torah, we are forgetting Hashem. We are forgetting His unconditional love, forgiveness, and His faithfulness to us every day. I notice that the closer I try to get to Hashem, the more severe even the smallest rebellion appears. I can hardly stand it anymore when I disobey. My challenge to you today is to think about the disobedience in your life. Correct what you find and do it immediately. Sin separates us from Hashem. But, thankfully, He will always bring us back.