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"Speak to all the congregation of Israel, saying, 'On the tenth of this month
they are each one to take a lamb for themselves, according to their fathers'
households, a lamb for each household. (Exodus 12:3 NAU)
(In later times the lamb could be bought on the 14th, the day it would be
slaughtered.)
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'Moreover, they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts
and on the lintel of the houses in which they eat it. (Exodus 12:7 NAU)
(Another detail not repeated since Exodus.)
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'Now you shall eat it in this manner: with your loins girded, your sandals
on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and you shall eat it in haste
(Exodus 12:11 NAU)
(The Haggadah specifically says, on this night we recline meaning to
RELAX, the opposite of how the children of Israel felt at that time!
2) Which of these unique details points to the exact moment that Yshua died but is
not the actual lamb itself?
EZOB (12:22) = Hyssop. Note the description here
You shall take a bunch of hyssop and dip it in the blood which is in the basin,
and apply some of the blood that is in the basin to the lintel and the two
doorposts; and none of you shall go outside the door of his house until
morning. (Exodus 12:22 NAU)
Here is the only time HYSSOP appears in the Gospels with respect to
Yshua
And they placed a vessel there that was full of vinegar, and filled a sponge
with the vinegar and placed it on hyssop and brought it to his mouth. And
when he had taken that vinegar Y'shua said, "Behold, it is finished!" And he
bowed his head and gave up his spirit. (Yochanan 19:29-30-AENT)
Note carefully this very deep midrash! The hyssop is dipped in the blood in
Exodus and mingled with Yshuas blood on the stake. The hyssop in Exodus
is mixed with the blood in the basin and put on the MEZUZZAH or doorpost
in Exodus, whereas in Yochanan it is put to Yshuas MOUTH and the word
for MOUTH is a synonym in Hebrew for door, opening. The other word
for DOOR in Hebrew, DALET, even looks like a door in Hebrew and in
Aramaic (in Aramaic the dalet has a KNOB in the middle) and when you
take Yshuas statement of I am the door and put the DALET in the
middle of YHWH, you get YEHUDAH, or Yshuas tribe.
3) There is one place in the NT portion that seems to either allude to or predict
depending on who you talk toa very famous story in the Talmud. What is the
reference in Revelation and what is its matching Talmud story?
Rev 19:16 And he has upon his vesture and upon his thigh the words written:
"King of Kings, and Master of Masters.
The reference may be to an early version of what we now call the Toldot
Yeshua vicious Rabbinic parody of the Gospels. Here is what that text
said in part
In the Temple was to be found the Foundation Stone on which were
engraved the letters of God's Ineffable Name. Whoever learned the
secret of the Name and its use would be able to do whatever he
wished. Therefore, the Sages took measures so that no one should gain
this knowledge. Lions of brass were bound to two iron pillars at the
gate of the place of burnt offerings. Should anyone enter and learn the
Name, when he left the lions would roar at him and immediately the
valuable secret would be forgotten.
Yeshu learned the letters of the Name; he wrote them upon the
parchment which he placed in an open cut on his thigh and then drew
the flesh over the parchment. As he left, the lions roared and he forgot
the secret. But when he came to his house he reopened the cut in his
flesh with a knife an lifted out the writing. Then he remembered and
obtained the use of the letters.[6]
He gathered about himself three hundred and ten young men of Israel
and accused those who spoke ill of his birth of being people who
desired greatness and power for themselves. Yeshu proclaimed, "I am
the Messiah; and concerning me Isaiah prophesied and said, 'Behold,
a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name
Immanuel.'" He quoted other messianic texts, insisting, "David my
ancestor prophesied concerning me: 'The Lord said to me, thou art
my son, this day have I begotten thee.'
Notice the fact that HOW Yeshu learns the Name in spite of these
precautions is not directly explained, and that would in a sense be a kind of
miracle that the Rabbis are admitting to. But the answer of course is the
thigh with the King of Kings name connecting the two quotes from Rev and
the Toldot Yeshu. However, I have two more extra comments to make.
First, Yochanan 17, which we studied last week, has THREE places where
Yshua admits he taught his disciples his Fathers Name of YHWH, so thats
an interesting bit of agreement there. Second, the Toldot Yeshu goes a step
further suggesting that either Peter or Paul did miracles through the same
use of the Name but there is also a complaint that the Christians were
abandoning Torah!
Simeon, having gained the secret of the Ineffable Name, healed a leper
and a lame man by means of it and thus found acceptance as a true
disciple. He told them that Yeshu was in heaven, at the right hand of
his Father, in fulfillment of Psalm 110:1. He added that Yeshu desired
that they separate themselves from the Jews and no longer follow
their practices, as Isaiah had said, "Your new moons and your feasts
my soul abhorreth." They were now to observe the first day of the
week instead of the seventh, the Resurrection instead of the Passover,
the Ascension into Heaven instead of the Feast of Weeks, the finding
of the Cross instead of the New Year, the Feast of the Circumcision
instead of the Day of Atonement, the New Year instead of Chanukah;
they were to be indifferent with regard to circumcision and the
dietary laws. Also they were to follow the teaching of turning the right
if smitten on the left and the meek acceptance of suffering. All these
new ordinances which Simeon Kepha (or Paul, as he was known to the
Nazarenes) taught them were really meant to separate these
Nazarenes from the people of Israel and to bring the internal strife to
an end.
At the same time, the Rabbis also seem to be a little scared of the backlash,
and deliberately put the story during the time of Queen Helene, who ruled
about 90 BCE, not the 5 BCE to 30 CE lifespan that the historical Yshua
had.
4) What is the plague/miracle used against the Egyptians which may play a role in
the End Times?
The answer is LOCUSTS and possibly also darkness, depending on how you
interpret this part of Revelation
Rev 9:1 And the fifth Messenger sounded; and I saw a star which fell
from heaven upon the earth. And there was given to him the key of the pit
of the abyss. Rev 9:2 And he opened the pit of the abyss; and smoke
issued from the pit, like the smoke of a furnace that is in blast; and the
sun and the air were darkened by the smoke of the pit. Rev 9:3 And out
of the smoke came locusts upon the earth: and power was given them, like
that which scorpions have on the earth. Rev 9:4 And it was commanded
them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, nor any herb, nor
any tree; but (only) the persons who had not the seal of Elohim upon
their foreheads. Rev 9:5 And it was given them, that they should not kill
them, but should torment them five months: and their torment was like
the torment of a scorpion when it strikes a person.
Rev 9:6 And in those days, men will desire death and will not find it; and
they will long to die, and death will fly from them. Rev 9:7 And the
appearance of the locusts (was this): they were like the appearance of
horses prepared for battle; and on their heads was, as it were a crown,
resembling gold; and their faces were like the faces of men. Rev 9:8 And
they had hair, like the hair of women: and their teeth were like those of
lions.
Rev 9:9 And they had breastplates, like breastplates of iron: and the
sound of their wings was like the sound of the chariots of many horses
rushing into battle. Rev 9:10 And they had tails like those of scorpions,
and stings; and with their tails they had the power of hurting men five
months. Rev 9:11 And they had a king over them, the Messenger of the
abyss;33 and his name, in Hebrew, is Abaddon;34 and in Greek, his name
is Apollyon.35
5) If you know the answer to #4 then tell me: Where do we see in that answer the
opposite of Cain?
Rev 9:4 And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of
the earth, nor any herb, nor any tree; but (only) the persons who had not the
seal of Elohim upon their foreheads.
So Cain had a mark/seal upon him that protected him in spite of his guilt
whereas the righteous have the seal of Elohim to protect them from the
locusts!
1) Meaning of this weeks Torah portion and summary of contents:
Beshalach means let go, and the portion begins with Pharaoh regretting his
decision to free the Hebrews, so he musters his chariots in an attempt to bring
them all back. Instead however Abba YHWH parts the waters of the Reed Sea
and destroys Pharaohs army. But even as Israel rejoices, her trials are just
beginning. After leaving camp from Elim on the 15th day (proving lunar sabbath
wrong), the Israelites complain they dont have enough meat, Abba YHWH sends
a flock of quail and this is the first appearance of the mysterious Manna bread.
The portion ends with a key victory against Amalek; a victory only achieved with
Moshes arms being held up by Aaron and Hur.
2) Parsha (English-Exodus 13:17-17:15). This week we will read the entire portion.
3) Play by Play commentary where appropriate.
ancient Egyptian, so this is in the area probably of the Gulf of Suez going towards
the Sea of Reeds.
AMIUD (13:21) = pillar/column, referring both to the cloud and to the fire.
Normally this word indicates a solid, fixed, standing structure, so it is not usually
associated with things like smoke and fire. This may indicate the cloud and fire
were more solid in this miraculous event than they otherwise would have been
naturally, much like how the waters of the Sea of Reeds were said to congeal
and exhibit aspects of a solid as well. These pillars also become metaphorically
attached to leaders, just as Paul references Yaakov and Yochanan as pillars of
the faith; and of course the AMIDAH or standing prayer is also derived from this
word.
PI-HA-CHIROT (14:2) = mouth of freedom (literally) or perhaps Freedom Bay
is a better translation. It seems this was one of many places that may have had an
earlier name (usually dedicated to a pagan god) that was changed to reflect the
victory of Abba YHWH. It may have been only slightly altered from the ancient
Egyptian name, PER CHERU, the name for temples dedicated to Horus, the god
the Pharaoh was supposed to represent on earth, or perhaps it refers to Per Chet
Cher, a town near Tanis which some scholars identify as Goshen, but I believe
Goshen is in another nearby place, called Qantir.
VAYIKACH SHESH MEOT RECHEV (14:7) = and he (Pharaoh) took 600
chariots. That sounds like a lot, and it is, but bear in mind that is only 1 chariot
for 1,000 Israelite fighting men. Yes chariots have a huge advantage over walking
troops, as the Incas and Aztecs found out that their vastly superior numbers were
nothing compared to 600 Spanish cavalry men. But, on the other hand, it still
seems inadequate given the task of rounding up 2 million people. For that reason
Josephus suggests that the Torah simply didnt add the extra numbers of
Pharaohs army, which his ancient sources put at 50,000 horsemen and 200,000
foot soldiers. While Josephus first number seems unlikely, the 200,000 foot
soldiers is definitely realistic. Pharaoh also brought extra troops of his own as the
Torah directly says, but these numbers are not stated. In any case what seems
certain to me is that both sides had vastly increased numbers of support troops
which are simply not recorded.
HAMIBILI EYN-KVARIM BE-MITZRAYIM LEKACHTANU LAMUT
BAMIDBAR? (14:11) = were there no graves in Egypt that you brought us out
here to die in the wilderness? This is the quintessential lack of faith cry that
totally ignores the ten plagues that got them out of slavery in the first place. If the
Egyptians could not fight Moshe, what makes Egypts slaves think they can?
YAHWEH YILACHEM LACHEM VEATEM TACHARISHUN (14:14) =
Yahweh will fight for you but you must remain silent. This short command is
very evocative of later parts of Scripture, particularly my favorite passage, Psalm
46:10, Be still and know that I am Elohim, but also in Revelation. When the
armies mass at Har Megiddo, the battle is actually for Jerusalem but we never see
it fought. Instead, we are told to stand and let Abba YHWH fight for us and then
we are told the battle is already won! Hallel-u-YAH!
VEIKAVDAH BEFAROH UVECHOL CHEYLO BERICHBO
UVEFARASHAV (14:17) = Thus I will triumph over Pharaoh and his entire
army, his chariot troops and his cavalry. If the triumph is the same over Pharaoh
and his army, then Pharaoh must also be dead.
VEHAMAYIM LAHEM CHOMAH (14:22) = and the water was like to them as
two walls. This language proves that the Israelites are not just crossing a marsh at
low tide. There have been recent theories that I believe are coming closer to
telling us the scientific side of the miracle, though it was not purely scientific
what happened. The better theories I have heard all deal with the fact the strong
east wind blew 8-10 hours and the unique topography of the area of the crossing
made the general separation of the waters possible. But nothing can explain these
walls described in the Torah or that the water was congealed as KJV says.
The timing also of the return of the waters is clearly Abba YHWHs Hand.
VAYEHI BEASHMORET HA BOKER (14:24) = and when the morning watch
came. This is around sunrise.
VAYAR YISRAEL ET-HAYAD HAGDOLAH ASHER ASAH YAHWEH
BEMITZRAYIM (14:31) = And saw the Israelites the Great Hand that Yahweh
worked against Egypt. Here hand is a great metaphor for power but we
should also bear in mind that in the Aramaic NT we are told that all things were
made by him (Yshua) and for him and THROUGH HIS HANDS so there is no
greater example of power than Creation itself!
Song of Moshe in Hebrew and English (15:1-3):
ASHIRA LYAHWEH KI GAOH GAAH
I will sing to Yahweh for His great victory
SUS VEROCHEVO RAMAH VAYAM
The horse and the rider He has thrown into the sea
OZI VEZIMRAT YAH
My strength and my song is Yah [proving Yah is interchangeable with Yahweh,
the longer form of the Name]
VAYEHI-LI LYESHUAH
And He has become this, my salvation
ZEH ELI VEANVEHU
This is my El and I will praise Him
16th day of the month. Since the only day the manna could stop was the Shabbat,
this means the 16th was a Shabbat, not the 15th, as LS theory would require.
KVOD YAHWEH NIRAH BEANAN (16:10) = the glory of YHWH was
visible in the clouds. KAVOD can also mean heaviness as well as glory, so
perhaps some kind of majestic outline of His power is in the clouds.
MANNA (16:15) = Literally what is it? The question became the name of the
bread. But there are also other very interesting possibilities. MAN HU is what is
it in Hebrew but the same phrase in ancient Egyptian is MA-NU. MAN can also
mean food in Egyptian as well, so a statement like Is that food? is also
possible. MAN also means gift or something coming from the sky in ancient
Egyptian. But for me, the most significant meaning is CORIANDER which is
what it was compared to in the Hebrew text thought it was not coriander itself.
OMER (16:16) = just under half a gallon.
VAYISHBETU HAAM BEYOM HA-SHVII (16:30) = and the people rested
on the seventh day. From here, the rabbis believe the Shabbat was actually
instituted, however I disagree on this point because the Shabbat had already been
Set-Apart from the rest of the week by YHWH in Genesis 2:2-3. Instead, what I
believe happened is the Hebrews forgot the Shabbat because they had grown up in
a country that had a 10 day week and they were not allowed to rest as slaves on
the Shabbat, which is why they were FREED on Shabbat, a Friday night. From
there, the manna was a kind of memory exercise that was further enshrined in
Exodus 20 to REMEMBER the Shabbat (go back to doing it, like you started to
with the manna). 40 years later, with the Shabbat established, they are no longer
commanded to REMEMBER it in Deuteronomy 5 but to OBSERVE it.
EPHAH (16:36) = 5 gallons/22 liters.
AMALEK (17:8) = A descendant of Esau, this represents Abba YHWHs
ultimate judgment against a significant portion of Esaus line (Genesis 36:12).
CHUR (17:10) = Hur. The Talmud has an interesting account that Hur perished
when he tried to prevent the Israelites from worshipping the Golden Calf. This is
extremely ironic, given that the other person holding up Moshes hand is his
brother Aaron, the high priest, who did help them worship the Golden Calf. See
Sanhedrin 7a and Targum Jonathan.
VAYOMER KI-YAD AL KES-YAH (17:16) = He said, the Hand is on His
Throne. The Hand is a symbol of power, and in Yochanans Gospel it applies to
the power of Abba YHWH that is manifest by His Son Yshua ha Mashiyach.
Messiah is also called the Arm of YHWH in various places (Isaiah 53:1) so it is
possible this is referring to Yshua who carries out the Will of Abba YHWH.
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Personally, while I find the idea fascinating, I dont think there is evidence to
even suggest that the DANITES are the DANOI and seeing the Ark in a particular
sculpture is definitely in the eyes of the beholder. Also Simchas dates are about
50-100 years off from the Biblical data and moreso on the Egyptian chronology
side, so further study is needed I think.
KISHON (5:21) = bent like a bow, derived from KASHET, Hebrew for bow or
archer.
7) Renewed Covenant portion: (English). Revelation 15:1-8 (all the way through
with applicable footnotes.)
8) Highlight common themes in Aramaic (terms in footnotes which I will read):
Revelation 15:1
54) These plagues bring to remembrance the plagues of the Exodus but also
provide a warning that these ones will be exceedingly more powerful. This is also
why the song of Moshe is mentioned in Rev_15:3.
Revelation 15:2
55) Aramaic word zeka could also mean "victorious" as is translated into Greek;
however the context demands the word "innocent" as the preferable reading.
Revelation 15:3
56) "Singing the song of Moshe and the song of the Lamb" shows the clear
continuity between YHWH saving the Israelites back at the time of the Exodus
and those who follow the true halakha of Moshe's testimony as given by Y'shua
Mashiyach. Also the "song" of the Lamb may refer to a very early Netzari hymn
sung in the synagogues, perhaps along the lines of Php_2:6-11.
9) Apply these themes/issues to modern issues in the Netzari faith. (It is important to
note that though Yochanan says at the end of Revelation he did not see a
Temple in heaven coming down, that only applies to his last vision. Here we see
that Yochanan most certainly has prophetically seen that Temple coming down to
earth; he doesnt mention it at the end because he wishes to make a spiritual point.
This is our hope for believers, the Temple is restored, but its sacrifices have no
atoning power but are done as a remembrance. Even from the Gentiles will arise
priests and Levites to serve in that Temple during the End of Days, according to
Isaiah 66.)
10) Relate to all or part of an Appendix portion of AENT or footnotes from a portion
(Priesthood, p. 926-928).
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But let me not boast, except by the stake of our Master Y'shua the Mashiyach by
whom the world is put to death on a stake, (and also) to me and I to the world.
(Galatians 6:14-AENT)
So both Moshe and Paul boast in YESHUA in one form or another. But before His Son
can bring eternal life, Abba YHWH must bring physical salvation from certain death
4
Pharaoh's chariots and army he has hurled into the sea the pick of his officers
have been drowned in the Sea of Reeds. 5 The ocean has closed over them; they
have sunk to the bottom like a stone. 6 Your right hand, Yahweh, wins glory by
its strength, your right hand, Yahweh, shatters your foes, 7 and by your great
majesty you fell your assailants; you unleash your fury, it consumes them like
chaff. 8 A blast from your nostrils and the waters piled high; the waves stood firm
as a dyke; the bed of the sea became firm ground. 9 The enemy said, 'I shall give
chase and overtake, 'I shall share out the spoil and glut myself on them, 'I shall
draw my sword, my hand will destroy them.' 10 You blew with your breath, the
sea closed over them; they sank like lead in the terrible waters. (Exodus 15:4-10
NJB)
This recollection of Abba YHWHs power after a great miracle becomes a springboard
for Yshua to explain that such events show his Fathers approval:
And they took away that stone and Y'shua lifted his eyes upwards and said,
Father, I thank you that you have heard me. And I know that you always hear
me, but because of this crowd that stands here I say these things that they might
believe that you have sent me. (Yochanan 11:41-42-AENT)
And, as we saw recently, re-capping his ministry through calling on His Father directly
And I have made Your Name known to them. And I will confess it so that the
love with which You have loved me might be in them, and I might be in them.
(Yochanan 17:26-AENT)
Then Moshe continues into the most beautiful expression of his faith again, all about
YHWH and nothing about himself
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Yahweh, who is like you, majestic in sanctity, who like you among the holy
ones, fearsome of deed, worker of wonders? 12 You stretched your right hand out,
the earth swallowed them! 13 In your faithful love you led out the people you had
redeemed, in your strength you have guided them to your holy dwelling. 14
Hearing of this, the peoples tremble; pangs seize on the people of Philistia; 15 the
chieftains of Edom are dismayed, Moab's princes -- panic has seized them, all the
inhabitants of Canaan have melted away. 16 On them fall terror and dread;
through the power of your arm they are still as stone while your people are
passing, Yahweh, while the people you have purchased are passing. (Exodus
15:11-16 NJB)
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And for Yshua haMashiyach, those same kinds of miracles prove, like with Moshe, that
his Father sent him
Unless I do the works of my Father, do not believe me. If, however, I do them
even if you do not believe me, you believe the works that you may know and believe
that my Father is in me and I am in my Father. (Yochanan 10:37-38-AENT)
It is the same hope that Moshe has had all alongeven if you dont believe me, believe
the works of Abba YHWH, believe that He has sent me to do this. And like Yshua also,
Moshe will make the case that the future is more important than the present day filled
with signs and wonders
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You will bring them in and plant them on the mountain which is your heritage,
the place which you, Yahweh, have made your dwelling, the sanctuary, Yahweh,
prepared by your own hands. 18 Yahweh will be king for ever and ever. 19 For
when Pharaoh's cavalry, with his chariots and horsemen, had gone into the sea,
Yahweh brought the waters of the sea back over them, though the Israelites went
on dry ground right through the sea. (Exodus 15:17-19 NJB)
Indeed, Abba YHWH will be and is King forever. His very name means I was, I am, I
always will be. No matter how amazing the miracle then it must always take secondary
status to the message behind it. The greater the miracle then, the greater its reason for it
coming about, which of course brings us to this part of Revelation:
And I saw as it were, a sea of glass mixed with fire: and they, who had been
innocent over the beast of prey and over its image, and over the number of its
name, were standing on the sea of glass; and they had the harps of Elohim. And
they sing the song of Moshe the servant of Elohim, and the song of the Lamb,
saying: "Great and marvelous are your deeds, Master YHWH Elohim Almighty;
just and true are your ways, O King of worlds.
Who will not Fear you, O Master YHWH, and glorify Your Name? Because You
only are Set Apart and just: Because all nations will come and worship before
you, since your righteousnesses have been revealed."
And after this I beheld, and the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in
heaven was opened. And the seven Messengers who had the seven plagues went
forth from the temple, clothed in clean splendid linen, and girded about their
breast with girdles of gold.
And one of the four Creatures gave to those seven Messengers seven cups of gold
full of the wrath of Elohim who lives forever and ever. And the temple was filled
with smoke from the glory of Elohim and from his power; and no one was able to
enter the temple until the seven plagues of the seven Messengers were
accomplished. (Revelation 15:2-8-AENT)
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I think maybe Yochanan knew what many in Christianity have clearly forgotten in spite
of the plain language of Scripture: You need to sing both the Song of Moshe and the
Song of the Lamb, have both the Torah and the Renewed Covenant, to truly see the depth
and beauty of Abba YHWHs YESHUA, salvation. Thats the way it really was and in
fact thats the way it still is.
Im Andrew Gabriel Roth and thats your Torah Thought for the Week!
Next week we will be exploring Yitro, or Exodus 18:1-20:23 where the Ten
Commandments are given! Our Haftorah portion will be Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 6:1-7:6;
9:5-6 and our Renewed Covenant reading will be from 1 Timothy 3:1-14. Stay tuned!
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