Roots of Faith

In this week’s lesson, Ross’ talk covers the normal Torah reading (Exodus 27:20 – 30:10) as well as the Special Torah Reading Zachor.  Tetzaveh covers, among other things, the oil for the menorah, the priestly garments, the consecration of the priests and the altars.

A key word for today is “Remember”, especially since the special reading is called Zachor – Hebrew for Remember.  But to what is the admonition to remember based upon?  What precisely is it that we are to remember?  Amalek – the evil enemy of Israel that rose against the children of Israel and attacked the weak and feeble among the Israelites during their exodus travels. 

In the special section of the Torah read today in synagogues around the world, the following passage from the Torah is read aloud:

KJV Deuteronomy 25:17 Remember what Amalek did unto thee by the way, when ye were come forth out of Egypt; 18 How he met thee by the way, and smote the hindmost of thee, even all that were feeble behind thee, when thou wast faint and weary; and he feared not God. 19 Therefore it shall be, when the LORD thy God hath given thee rest from all thine enemies round about, in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance to possess it, that thou shalt blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven; thou shalt not forget it.

The message is clear….this evil presence shall be blotted, but Israel was to never forget them.  How is it that we are commanded to blot out the remembrance of Amalek and then in the next sentence we are told to “not forget it”?  Exodus 17:16 perhaps provide a key to help us understand.  There we are told that there is a hand against the throne of Yah, and that therefore there will always be war against Amalek from a generation of a generation.  This evil incarnate has raised its ugly head throughout the generations in different forms and under different names.  Whenever a force raises against God’s special treasure Israel one should recognize that it is the spirit of this cruel attacker.

So it was in the time of Saul, the first king of Israel.  Saul was charged to totally destroy those from Amalek in his generation.  Saul does not do so as we read in our special prophets reading for today (I Samuel 15:2-34).  This Benjamite from Kish (I Samuel 9:1-2) allowed certain ones of the enemy to survive.  The real danger in not fulfilling this command of the LORD is realized quite some time later and it was his own descendants that were left to deal with the situation he failed to deal with!

The book of Esther tells the story.  In Esther 3:2-13 we read that Haman (known in Rabbinic literature as a descendant of Amalek) determined to annihilate the Jews.  He chose a certain day (Adar 13 on the Hebrew calendar) by lot (Pur in Hebrew) in which to execute his evil plot.  But God had arranged things to give the family of Saul one more chance to succeed in fulfilling the command.   A beautiful Jewish girl was strategically positioned within the court of the king to make a way for the Jews to be saved.  This girl was the niece of one Modechai who was descended from the same Kish the Benjamite as was Saul!  See Esther 2:5ff.

This shows that the gifts and calling of God are without repentance (Romans 11:29). Tonight is the beginning of Purim (lots) to commemorate the salvation provided by God for the Jews and the defeat of the Haman and the enemies of Israel.

In this week’s lesson Ross talks about the Altar of Incense (Exodus 30:1-10) and describes the meaning of this altar.  The incense represents prayer (Psalm 141; Revelation 8:2-6).

The rabbis say that the four Hebrew letters that make up the word for Incense (Ketoreth in Hebrew) represent four Hebrew words that are a “wonderful summary of the pre-requisites of prayer and its spiritual results in the lives of Men” – Hertz, page 349).  The four words are; holiness, purity, pity and hope.

Ross then takes his congregation to the first chapter of Luke 1:5-11 to describe the scene based upon what the group is learning about the arrangement of the holy place of the Temple / Tabernacle.

Next, the class reviews some prophetic passages that speak of the Menorah (Zechariah 4:1-4; 6:9-15; Revelation 1:4-5, 12-20).  Ross talked about the significance of the true meaning of the lamp.

The Torah describes the bells and pomegranates on the hem of the robe for the priest. Jewish tradition says that there were 72 ornaments on the hem – pomegranate, bell, pomegranate, bell.  In Hebrew this rhymes; pa-amon zahav v’rimon.  Ross talked about the importance of the pomegranate in Biblical literature.

He then talked about the Ephod and that it was made out of the same material as the veil and the curtain.  Just as the tabernacle was to contain representations of the spirit of God and the Testimony in its “heart” so was the priest.  This is perhaps why the priest is dressed as the tabernacle.  This then is the goal of humanity – to be a living sanctuary, a habitation for God.

Indeed the key to all of this is found in this week’s lesson (Exodus 29:45-46).  God wants to dwell in the midst of His people, with His testimony in their heart.

Shalom and enjoy this week’s lesson!  Let us know what you think of our weekly services. 

 

 Tetzaveh - Intro and Torah Reading [46:04m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 Tetzaveh - Teaching and Conclusion [41:51m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download