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Parashah T’rumah

by with No Comment Exodus

The Hebrew word “terumah” means “offering”. In this context, it refers to the voluntary contributions that the Israelites were to make for the construction of the Mishkan – Tabernacle. Yehovah instructed Moses to invite the people to bring specific materials, such as precious metals, fabrics, animal skins, wood and oils, among others, for the construction and the elements of the sanctuary.

Also detailed are the designs and materials necessary for the construction of the Ark of the Covenant, the Table of Showbread, the golden Menorah, the Altar of Incense, the Altar of Burnt Offering and the Mishkan enclosure itself. Each of these elements had a specific purpose in the future service of the Temple and symbolized various aspects of Yeshua’s role and Yehovah relationship with his people.

Just as the Israelites contributed their resources in the past to the construction of the Mishkan, we believers are called to offer our gifts and talents for the building of the Kingdom of Yehovah on earth. Yeshua himself, throughout his ministry, taught and exemplified the value of giving oneself in service to others and in the expansion of love, truth and justice.

To reflect

The Tabernacle is the meeting place between Yehovah and the people of Israel, a figure of the presence of the Almighty that is fully manifested in Yeshua. He is described as the “Tabernacle” that dwelt among us (John 1:14), being the place where Yehovah and man meet in perfect harmony. In other words, Yeshua is the way to reconciliation with our Father, and his sacrifice on the cross represents the perfect fulfillment of the system of sacrifices and offerings prescribed in the Torah.

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Parashah Mishpatim

by with No Comment Exodus

Yehováh delivered the Royal Law on Mount Sinai. It is very important to understand that when we use the expression “The Royal Law”, it is because we are referring to the Law of the King or of the Kingdom, that is to say that it belongs to the Royalty of Yehováh; that is why it is of an unparalleled category.
Later in these chapters, Yehovah, the King, begins to hand down more detailed ordinances through Moses, which have to do with the new condition of a people who until now did not know what it was to be free. No. It is not the total absence of an authority that makes us free, but obedience to the laws established by that Supreme Authority.

The instructions we receive from Yehováh our Father encourage us to look out for the needs of others, rather than protecting our own. This philosophy clashes with that of the present world, where the permanent emphasis is on demanding respect for “our rights” to the point of totally ignoring our duties or obligations.

As we progress through the Torah, you will notice that nowhere does Yehovah, our Father, instruct us to adopt such a position; on the contrary, he will always be reminding us of the importance of taking care of those around us: parents, family, friends, etc., who may be in need.

The best role model for us is Yeshua, who modeled a role of servant or caretaker not only with his disciples but with all his contemporaries, when he healed them, provided them with food, instructed them and prayed for them, even to the point of death. Think about it: If Yeshua had demanded his rights, where would you and I be?

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Parashah Yitro

by with No Comment Exodus

At this point in the Exodus narrative we find Moses taking on the monumental task of judging the people of Israel. Sitting from morning to evening, Moses attended to the disputes and conflicts among the Israelites, seeking to impart justice according to divine will. His dedication to this task, while admirable, also showed the limitations of a single individual in the face of the complexities of governing and administering justice for an entire nation.

There is a change of course when his father-in-law, Jethro, gives him some excellent advice. This key moment will mark the beginning of a more structured judicial system, laying the foundations for the future legislation found in the giving of the Torah.

In Jewish thought it is understood that:

“The Torah considers any judge who judges with absolute truthfulness, even for a single hour, as if he had become God’s partner in the work of Creation.”

Talmud, Shabbat 10a

It is interesting that the Creator did not wish to judge each individual ‘personally’, but rather it was His will that men learn the ways of His justice and then be able to judge themselves.

Just as man was created in the image and likeness of the Creator, who is Judge and Sovereign of all Creation, so too must man learn how to execute justice in an impartial and responsible manner.

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Parashah B’shalaj

by with No Comment Exodus

Parashah Beshalach narrates one of the most outstanding episodes in the history of the people of Israel: the liberation from slavery in Egypt and the miraculous crossing of the Red Sea.

The narrative begins with a description of the route taken by the people of Israel as they left Egypt. Instead of taking the most direct route to the Promised Land, Yehovah guides the Israelites into the desert to avoid possible conflicts with other nations. Soon, the pharaoh regrets having freed the people and pursues the Israelites with his army. Let’s look at some important aspects of this parashah that provide valuable lessons for our daily lives.

The parashah highlights the song of triumph of Moses and the children of Israel, known as the “Shirat HaYam” or the Song of the Sea, which celebrates the miraculous liberation. The story deals with the divine provision of manna and quail to feed the nation in the desert, as well as the importance of keeping the Shabbat.

Beshalach is a section rich in teachings about trust in Yehovah, gratitude for his miracles and the importance of obeying his commandments. This story continues to be a source of inspiration and reflection for the children of Israel and offers very valuable lessons about faith and redemption.

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Parashah Bo – Go

by with No Comment Exodus

The Exodus is an event in the history of the world that demonstrates Yehovah‘s control over the nations. It is a great lesson in how our Father is not only the Creator but also the day-to-day Governor of the Universe, even in things that we might consider irrelevant to Him. This event shows us that Yehovah can intervene in the most powerful realms, demonstrating that He Was, Is and Will Be.

The Commandment of Yehováh leaves no room for doubt. Pesach (Passover) is a celebration that we must observe if we consider ourselves part of His people.

Like the observance of Shabbat, which it is a sign that we are His children, the commemoration of Pesach is another credential that identifies us as those rescued by Him. Yehovah Elohim gives us clear instructions regarding this, and even if we find ourselves in the diaspora—outside the land of Israel—we must make our best effort to obey or at least demonstrate our desire to do so.

In fact, no one can truly celebrate Pesach today due to the absence of the House of Yehovah (the Temple). However, what we can do is remember this celebration, as it serves as an educational way to teach new generations about the great works of our Creator and Father, Yehovah.

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Parashah va’Era – I appeared

by with No Comment Exodus

The God who appeared to Abraham and made a covenant with him is the same God who appeared to Moses in the bush. Curiously, this parashah opens by questioning whether Abraham had known Him by His Name:

I appeared to Avraham, Yitz’chak and Ya‘akov as El Shaddai, although I did not make myself known to them by my name, Yehovah (Yud-Heh-Vav-Heh).
Exodus 6:2

It is a fact that the Almighty had indeed appeared to our patriarchs, not only Abraham, but also Isaac and Jacob, revealing His Name. There are examples of all of them calling on His Name, or erecting altars or calling places with the Name.

And there are two explanations to the verse quoted. One of them can be related to the Hebrew syntax, where the last portion could be understood as a kind of rhetorical question (at least according to the medieval biblical commentator Rashi): –[Had I] not made myself known to them by the name Yehovah?

On the other hand, we could deduce that despite having made Himself known to the patriarchs by that Name, they would not know the full magnitude of Yehovah’s power until the generation that experienced the exodus. This event, which would forever change the history of the family of Israel, would manifest the power of the Creator over His creation in a massive way, and would become a testimony for all future generations.

After making His existence manifest before the eyes of all Egypt, the Creator will manifest Himself by opening the Red Sea and at Mount Sinai, in order to create an impression on His people that would last for millennia to come.

This is the testimony that millions of people around the world fervently believe: that Yehovah, the Creator of the heavens and the earth, has power over all His Creation; then, now, and until the end of time.

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Parashah Shemot – Names

by with No Comment Exodus

After a time of prosperity and enjoyment under Joseph’s rule, the children of Israel suddenly found themselves confronted with a challenge: slavery imposed by a new Pharaoh who did not know Joseph’s history, much less appreciate what he had brought to Egypt. This period of oppression becomes a dark chapter for the Israelites, as they were subjected to forced labor in very cruel and difficult conditions.
However, in the midst of this adversity, an outstanding figure emerges: Moses, designated by Yehovah as the deliverer of the people. Moses will become a divine instrument for the deliverance of the children of Israel. Through a series of miraculous events and confrontations with Pharaoh; he will lead the people to freedom, beginning an epic journey known as: The Exodus.

At the end of this portion, Moses meets with his brother Aharon and together they appear before Pharaoh, asking him to let the Israelites go out to serve Yehovah. Pharaoh refuses and hardens his heart, increasing the workload of the slaves. It is then that Yehovah promises Moses that he will show his power and glory, and that he will bring out his people with a mighty hand.

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Parashah vaYeji – He lived

by with No Comment Genesis

We are about to finish reading the book of the Beginning: Genesis. Being already in the last moments of his life, Jacob gave clear instructions to his sons regarding his burial. His body was to be taken to Canaan to be placed in the cave of Machpelah that his grandfather Avraham had acquired years before.

The Scriptures record three properties that the Israelites acquired for money from the Canaanites: the first, the burial cave purchased by Abraham from Ephron the Hittite; the second, that acquired by Jacob from Hamor; and the third one acquired by King David, the threshing floor of Araunah as recorded in 2Samuel 24. 24; these three places testify to the legal ownership of the land by the people of Israel and their right to possess it, although it is much more conclusive that it was Yehovah who promised it to them as an inheritance.

Let us pay special attention to the blessing on Joseph, for we are living in the most exciting time in history, witnessing the fulfillment of many prophecies; so that what was foreseen to happen, has almost been fulfilled.

Yehovah, our Father, is about to finish his plan to achieve his goal: The restoration of all things to their original order. Yes, all this history leads to the restoration of His sovereignty and authority throughout the Universe.

In these days Yehovah is awakening all of us who are descendants of the lost tribes and He is also beginning to awaken Yahudah, whom we know as: the Jews. They are our brothers and one day we will finally be together, as foreseen in Ezekiel 37 and in many other parts of Scripture.

We need to learn from them what so many centuries of maintaining their identity have taught them; but they also need to learn from us who is the true Messiah: Yeshua, to whom we too must return. I am not talking about the westernized Jesus, but the authentic Messiah, the Yahudite, the one with Hebrew roots, the one who modeled keeping the Torah without abolishing it, the one who kept the Shabbat and the Feasts of Yehovah, the one who came to seek and save what was lost.

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Parashah vaYgash – He approached

by with No Comment Genesis

From the earliest childhood Yosef, son of Ya’akov, was considered a special person. Having been born of the one who was “the woman he loved”, and occurring in his old age, Ya’akov considered him as a leader from his youth. All this was confirmed by the revelatory dreams that were given to Yosef, which led to his enmity with his brothers.

Prophetically, in his own lifetime, Yosef saw the fulfillment of those omens, but what neither he, nor anyone of his generation knew, was that he would become a prophetic archetype, upon which exiles and returns to the Promised Land would be declared hundreds of years later. Yosef became the leader of Egypt during his own lifetime, but he would continue to be the leader of his people until the end of days.

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Parasha Miketz – At the end

by with No Comment Genesis

After being sold into slavery, Joseph proved to be a faithful and competent servant. However, he faced several trials when he was accused of a crime he did not commit and was imprisoned. Despite this, Joseph demonstrated a unique gift for interpreting dreams. With this ability and with Yehovah’s help, he was appointed governor of Egypt, becoming second after Pharaoh. His story is a testimony to divine provision and God’s ability to transform adverse situations into instruments for good.

The Parashah Miketz leaves us a great teaching, revealing the change of attitude of Joseph’s brothers, especially Judah, who offers to stay as a slave instead of Benjamin, Jacob’s favorite son. This contrasts with what they had done with Joseph, when they sold him into slavery out of jealousy. Now Joseph’s brothers show remorse and repentance, as well as compassion for their father and for their younger brother. These are attitudes and values that we can well develop in our own lives.