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Subject: Parashah: B'shalach, Yitro, Bo
Date: Thu, 18 Feb 1999 16:45:56 -0800
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From: James Trimm
To: heb_roots_chr@geocities.com
Subject: Parashah B'shalach

The Weekly Parashah for the coming Shabbat

Torah: Sh'mot (Ex.) 13:17-17:27

Haftarah: Shof'tim (Judges) 4:4-5:31 (A)
Shof'tim (Judges) 5:1-31 (S)

Ketuvim Netzarim: Lk. 2:22-24
Yochanan (Jn.) 6:15-17, 22-40; 19:31-37
1Cor. 10:1-13
2Cor. 8:1-15
Rev. 15:1-4

Rather than write a commentary on the whole of this weeks Parashah I
thought I would supply some comments on three factors from this parashah:

1. The observance of Shabbat BEFORE the Mosaic Covenant.
(Sh'mot (Ex.) 16:22-27)

There is a great debate in some circles over the issue of whether Gentiles
should observe the Shabbat. Shabbat is mentioned but not commanded in the
first two chapters of Bereshit (Gen.). Shabbat is NOT included in the
"Seven Laws of Noach" or in the Noachdic Covenant. In Acts 15 Shabbat is
not listed as something Gentiles should observe however Acts 15:21 may
imply that it was assumed that Gentiles would observe the Shabbat. Some
have reasoned that Shabbat was part of the Mosaic Covenant and was not
required of Gentiles. However here in Sh'mot (Ex.) 16:22-27 the Shabbat is
being observed BEFORE the Mosaic Covenant was given.

2. The manna
(Sh'mot (Ex.) 16:4-27)

Manna is called "bread from heaven" in Tehillim (Ps.) 78:24 & Nechemyah
(Neh.) 9:15. In Yochanan (Jn.) 6:30-51 Yeshua identifies himself with
this "bread from heaven" and calls himself "the bread of life."
While Rev. 2:17 states: "...to him that overcomes will I give to eat
of the hidden manna..."

So how is the Messiah like the manna?

1. The Messiah down from heaven (Yochanan 6:33, 38, 42)
2. The Messiah gives life (Yochanan 6:33, 35, 40, 47-58)
3. The Messiah is a gift from G-d (Yochanan 3:16; 6:30-51)

Other ways in which the Messiah is like the manna:

* The manna was small - Messiah's humility.
* The manna was round - Messiah's perfection.
* The manna was white - Messiah's purity.
* Like fresh oil - Messiah's anointing.
* Like honey - The "Word" is sweet in ones mouth.

Moreover Revelations speaks of "hidden manna." The word "hidden" in Hebrew
is SOD which also refers to a hidden, secret or mystical understanding of a
text. One way in which a SOD understanding is drawn is called
"notarikon." Through this method the first
letters of each word in a phrase are combined to form a word, or the
letters of a word are taken to be the initial letters of each word in a
phrase. In this case we are told to look at the Hebrew word MANNA for a
hidden meaning. Now the Hebrew word MANNA is spelled in Hebrew
MEM-NUN which are the initial letters for the phrase MOSHIACH NETZER
"the Messiah the Branch."

3. The water from the rock
(Sh'mot (Ex.) 17:4-7)

Writing of these events Paul says "...they drank of that spiritual rock
that followed them: and that rock was Messiah." (1Cor. 10:4). The Torah
records more than one occasion when Moshe (Moses) brought forth water from
a rock (Ex. 16:4-35; 17:1-9; Num. 20:1-13; 16-20). According to Rabbinic
tradition the rock did in fact follow them. The Talmud says that it was "a
moveable well" (b.Shabbat 35a) and calls it "the Well of Miriam" (b.Ta'anit
9a). Rashi comments on b.Ta'anit 9a saying that the rock "rolled and went
along with Israel, and it was the rock Moshe struck." The tradition of the
moving rock known as the "Well of Miriam" is also found in B'midbar Parshat
Chukkat. Paul's statement that the rock "followed them" testifies to the
fact that he accepted this oral tradition as being factual.

How is the Messiah like a rock? Like a rock Messiah is unmoveable,
unshakeable and timeless. Moreover the water pouring out from the rock
reminds us of Messiah who gave the Living Water (Yochanan (Jn.) 4:1-14)

The Talmud also refers to Messiah as a rock in b.San. 38a:

The son of David [the Messiah] cannot appear ere the two ruling
Houses of Israel shall have come to an end, viz., the Exilarchate,
In Banylon and the Patriarchate in Palestine, for it is written,

And he [Messiah] will become a sanctuary, but to both the
houses of Israel, a stone to strike,and a rock to stumble over,
and a snare and a trap for the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
[quoting Is. 8:14]

(Is. 8:14 is also applied to the Messiah several times in the NT)

- Dr. James Trimm

*******************************************************************

From: James Trimm
To: heb_roots_chr@geocities.com
Subject: Parashah B'shalach

The Weekly Parashah for the coming Shabbat

Torah: Sh'mot (Ex.) 13:17-17:27

Haftarah: Shof'tim (Judges) 4:4-5:31 (A)
Shof'tim (Judges) 5:1-31 (S)

Ketuvim Netzarim: Lk. 2:22-24
Yochanan (Jn.) 6:15-17, 22-40; 19:31-37
1Cor. 10:1-13
2Cor. 8:1-15
Rev. 15:1-4

Beshalach 1999 (Shemot 13:17-17:16)

Shalom Brothers and Sisters.

The rabbis teach that Israel entered into the covenant with God
by three rites; Circumcision, Immersion, and Sacrifice. In this
week's Parashah we are going to explore Israel's Mikveh (immersion).
With the incident of the final plague and all the events of Passover,
Israel had now experienced redemption; they had left Egypt. As they
approached the Reed Sea, God was about to take them through the
symbolic event that would demonstrate that reality
.
In I Cor 10 Rav Sha'ul discusses this mikveh. He said that
Our forefathers were all under the cloud and they all passed through the
sea. They were all immersed into Moshe in the cloud and in the
sea. The mikveh in the Torah always symbolizes a change in
status. When a leper was cleansed, he was mikvehed. An unclean
individual immersed himself as part of the cleansing process.
Israel had undergone the greatest change of status there is, they had
changed from being a powerless group of slaves to the holy, unique
people of Almighty God. Under the renewed covenant, the mikveh has
much the same meaning, it symbolizes our change in status from sinful,
unredeemed individuals to co-heirs with the Messiah, part of the holy
nation and the royal priesthood, and included among the righteous
remnant of Israel.

So how does the mikveh, Torah, the Messiah and our redemption fit
together? The Messiah's mikveh was to fulfill all righteousness.
What does this mean? Righteousness is 'doing what is right', and
in our context, doing what is right in the eyes of God. Torah was
given to show us what God thinks is right so part of the reason
Yahushua was mikvehed was in obedience to God's commands,
fulfilling His duty under Torah. Even moreso, however, is that the
mikveh symbolizes the covenant of Torah. Back to Rav Sha'ul's
exposition. He says that they were immersed into Moshe. Moshe,
in the writings of the Talmidim and in the words of Yahushua Himself
is often used to symbolize Torah (i.e. Moshe and the prophets).
Therefore, part of what Sha'ul is saying is that Israel was mikvehed
as a symbol of their taking on the 'yoke of the Mitzvot', now that they
had taken on the 'Yoke of Heaven' through their experience of
redemption. Because they are 'our forefathers' (for Jew and
Gentile alike in the renewed covenant) and these things happened to
provide us an example, our mikveh experience includes this as well.
It is symbolic of our entrance into the redeemed community of God
(Israel) with all the privileges (salvation, covenant blessings, etc.)
and responsibilities (mitzvot).

Rav Sha'ul's midrash not only provides us an example but also
a warning. The mikveh is symbolic of a redemption experience and
entrance into the redeemed community and is to be taken very
seriously. Sha'ul warns us not to be like some of them (the
Israelites who came out of Egyp t) who grumbled and rebelled and
experienced God's judgement. They may have come through the Reed
Sea but they had not experienced circumcision of the heart. For
them, mikveh was just getting wet. We need to constantly be on our
guard to make sure our mikveh experience is not just a dunk in a
river but a truly life changing experience, an experience of death and
life. The mikveh is symbolic of our entrance into God's unique
coevenant community. If we do not uphold our end of that
covenant, we can expect to be judged and judged severely. We do not
want God's Name to be blasphemed before the
world on account of us, He does not look on the smearing of His Name
very kindly. But Rav Sha'ul ends with a promise. It may be
difficult to live as the redeemed people of God and adhere to the
covenant. But God is faithful and does not command or allow things
that are impossible for us and will always provide us the way and the
strength to stand for Truth and righteousness and thus make Abba
proud.

Rav Mikha'el
Beit HaKadosh
Reading PA

*******************************************************************

From: James Trimm
To: heb_roots_chr@geocities.com
Subject: Parashah - Yitro

Torah : Sh'mot (Ex.) 18:1-20:23 (or thru 20:26 in Gentile
editions)

Haftorah: Yesha'yahu (Is.) 6:1-7:6; 9:5-6 (9:6-7 in Gentile
editions) = (A) Yesha'yahu (Is.) 6:1-13 (S)

Ketuvim Netzarim: Mattityahu 5:17-32; 15:1-11; 19:16-30
Mark 7:5-15; 10:17-31
Luke 18:18-30
Acts 6:1-7
Rom. 2:17-29; 7:7-12; 13:8-10
Eph. 6:1-3
1Tim. 3:1-14
2Tim. 2:2
Titus 1:5-9;
Heb. 12:18-29
Ya'akov 2:8-13;
1Kefa 2:9-10

Parashah Yitro Shemot (Ex) 18:1-20:23

Shalom, Brothers and Sisters

One of the best ways of looking at the covenant God was making
with Israel in this parashah is as a wedding. To see Israel as the Bride
of God will put a new perspective on the covenant and change our
attitude toward's the Torah itself. Many of us, having been brought
up in the Christian church, were taught to view the Torah negatively.
It is 'Law', it is oppressive, it is judgmental, it is the
opposite of 'grace' and of the teachings of the Messiah Himself.
We have now learned that is not the case. The Messiah is the
'Torah made flesh', He taught and lived Torah and encouraged
others to do the same. So in reevaluating our attitude toward's
Torah, it is helpful to change our view of Torah from that of a bunch
of rules and regulations an outside authority (YHWH) imposes on us, to
a living, breathing marriage relationship where each party has a
vested interest in serving and blessing the other.

In a wedding, particularly a Jewish one, there is a process to
go through. First, there is a statement of intention made by the groom,
who in our case is YHWH. His intentions are stated in Exodus 6:6-7
which comprise the four 'I will' promises of Pesach. Next, the
bride (Israel) is separated in preparation for the wedding. G-d
accomplished this throughout the Exodus and bringing Israel out into
the desert. This began the process of her sanctification, of
setting her apart. It made her unavailable to others (Egypt) and it
removed outside temptation. Much of what is contained in the rest of
Torah will be concerned with this separation. This also was the
time when G-d began to outline what the marriage would be like. He
told Israel that she would be His prized possession and that she
would be a holy nation and a royal priesthood. This would be a
fulfillment of what G-d had promised Avraham, that his descendants
would be a blessing to all the nations.

At the foot of Mt Sinai the wedding took place. It began, as
traditional Jewish weddings do, with a mikveh; all the people were
told to wash and be ready for what was to come. They came to the
Groom under the Chuppah, the wedding canopy, which G-d had provided
with the great cloud over the mountain. And then came the moment they
were all waiting for, the exchange of covenant vows and the signing
of the Ketubah. This was the Ten Words (Commandments) spoken by G-d
from the cloud to all of Israel, on which all the rest of Torah is
based. Next there was the Token of the covenant, the ring in our day.
Ex 31:13 tells us that this sign is Shabbat. And finally, God began
to make provisions for their dwelling together in a house, the
Mishkan.

Why this illustration? Because if we view our covenant
relationship with G-d as a marriage covenant rather than a king/slave relationship,
it changes our attitude toward G-d and our duty under the terms of the
covenant. In a marriage, we do not look at our obligations to our
spouse as a burden but as a joy. We seek to do the things that please
our spouse not because we have to but because we want to, because we
love them. Our relationship with G-d is the same way. As our
'marriage partner', He has
shown us what is pleasing to Him (Torah). We perform the mitzvot
because we love Him and want to please Him just as He made promises to
Israel regarding their health and prosperity and mission because
that's what pleased them (and us!). We serve Him because we love
Him and because He loves us, just as we serve and bless our spouses
because we love them and are loved by them. Torah is there to show us
how to properly express that love just as when we talk with our
spouses, they tell us how they desire to be loved, appreciated and
shown affection. If we have that kind of attitude toward G-d, we
can't help but be joyful servants of the Almighty, willingly doing
anything we can to please Him. No mitzvot will be burdensome or
inconvenient, their performance will be a great privilege for we
will have His love for us and our love for Him on our minds
continually. And that is the attitude and motivation that
characterizes a true son or daughter of Avraham.

Blessings in Yahushua
Have a wonderful Shabbat
Rav Mikha'el

**********************************************************************

From: James Trimm
To: heb_roots_chr@geocities.com
Subject: Parashah - Bo

The Weekly Parashah for the coming Shabbat

Torah: Sh'mot (Ex.) 10:1-13:16

Haftarah: Yirmeyahu (Jer.) 46:13-28

Ketuvim Netzarim: Lk. 2:22-24
Yochanan (Jn.) 19:31-37
Acts 13:16-17
Rev. 8:6-9:12; 16:1-21
1Cor. 11:20-34
Lk. 22:7-30

This weeks parashah deals with the story of the Passover and the
mitzvah (commandment) of Passover. Now there is a clear connection
between the mitzvah of Passover and the mitzvah of T'fillin
(Phylacteries) as expressed toward the end of this weeks parashah:

And it [Passover] shall be for a sign unto you upon your hand, and
for a memorial between your eyes.... (Sh'mot (Ex. 13:9))

And it [Passover] shall be for a token upon your hand,
and for frontlets between your eyes...
(Sh'mot (Ex. 13:16))

These commandments parallel two passages from Devarim (Deut.):

And you shall bind them [mitzvot] for a sign upon your hand,
and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.
And you shall write them upon the posts of your house,
and on your gates.
(Devarim 6:8-9)

Therefore you shall lay up these my words in your heart
and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand,
that they may be as frontlets between your eyes.
(Devarim 11:18)

And you shall write them upon the doorposts
of your house, and upon your gates:
(Devarim 11:20)

It is from the pashat (literal meaning) of these passages that we
derive the mitzvot of the t'fillin and the mezuzah.

In order to literally fulfill these mitzvot we place scripture verses
in boxes with straps. These are called t'fillin and are bound upon
the forehead and hand with straps. Rabbinic Jews (and presumably
Pharisees) inscribed the texts of Ex. 13:16; Dt. 6:4-9 (the Sh'ma),
11-18 & 13-23 on a parchment placed inside the box. An object which
seems to be a first century hand t'filla has been discovered and
identified. It has the ten commandments inscribed on the stone and a
slot cut in the stone for a strap to pass through. Wear marks on the
stone reveal that it was held many times in a left hand.

Another box, called a mezuzah, is attached to the doorpost of a Jewish
home. In this box Rabbinic Jews (and presumably Pharisees) have a
parchment as well. This parchment has written on one side Devarim
(Deut.) 6:4-9 & 11:13-21 and on the other side a cryptogram for "YHWH
our Elohim is YHWH" and "Shadai" (short for El Shadai). A mezuzah
parchment was discovered at Qumran containing sentences from Devarim
(Deut.) 10:1-11:1 demonstrating that the Essenes (or at least the
Qumran community) used these sentences. According to Semitist Dr.
Cyrus Gordon the Samaritans instead used the text of the ten
commandments and inscribed them in stone.

Let us note that there is an intimate connection between the mitzvot
of Passover and that of the t'fillin and mezuzah. Sh'mot (Ex.) 13:9,
16 refers directly to Passover. Passover itself involved placing the
blood of the Passover lamb on the doorpost as a sign to redeem the
firstborn. In like manner the Pashat (literal meaning) of Sh'mot
13:9, 16; Devarim (Deut.) 6:8-9; 11:18, 20 involves placing the
t'fillin upon the hand and forehead and the mezuzah upon the doorpost.

At this point in our study I would like to turn to one of our readings
from the Ketuvim Netzarim (Rev. 8:6-9:12; 16:1-21). Rev. 9:4 refers
to "...those men which have not the seal of G-d on their
foreheads...". This points us to Rev. 7 where the 144,000 are sealed
with "the seal of the living G-d". In Rev. 14:1 we read that these
144,000 have "his [the Lamb's] Father's name written on their
foreheads." They are also described as "being firstfruits unto G-d and
to the Lamb" (Rev. 14:4) (in Hebrew "firstfruits" and "firstborn" are
the same word). Remember that Passover is to be a sign upon ones hand
and forehead (Sh'mot (Ex.) 13:9, 16) and that at Passover the blood of
the Lamb redeems the firstborn and protects them from the plague of
the firstborn. The seal of the living G-d in Revelation is clearly
connected to the mitzvot of Passover, the t'fillin and the mezuzah.
This seems in Revelation to be contrasted with the "mark of the Beast"
(Rev. 13:16-17; 14:9, 11; 20:4).

Now let us examine a related passage in Yechezk'el 9 (Ezek. 9). Here
YHWH sends an angelic being to "...set a mark upon the foreheads of
the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that are done
in the midst thereof." Then He sends six beings with slaughter weapons
to kill all of those that lack this mark. The being which marked them
then goes before the throne of YHWH, takes fire and casts it down.
This clearly parallels Rev. 7:1-8; 8:1-5. The question is: What are
the "abominations" that the marked/sealed ones of Yechezk'el (Ezek.) 9
are mourning about? The answer is found in the previous chapter.

Throughout Yechezk'el (Ezek.) chapter eight we are told of various
"abominations." The first of these involves an "image of jealousy"
(8:5-6) Scholars generally identify this as the idol of Astarte (both
Halley's and Unger's Bible Handbooks make this identification).
Astarte is also known as Ishtar and Easter. The next "abomination"
involves men worshiping in the dark (8:7-12). The next involved a
woman "weeping for Tammuz" (8:13-14). Finally we are shown men facing
the east and worshiping the Sun in the east (8:15-17). These images
all point to the observance of the Pagan Babylonian festival of
Easter. This day is similarly observed in Christendom today. Roman
Catholics commonly worship with images of Mary whom they call "The
Mother of God" (a title of the goddess Easter). There is a period of
mourning for the dead deity (lent), A time in which the alter candles
are removed and the alter is dark, followed by rejoicing at his
resurrection with a sunrise service. (For more on Easter see:
http://www.nazarene.net/_halacha/easter.htm ) So the "abominations"
that those marked on their foreheads are mourning about involve the
observance of Easter.

So those with the seal of G-d are observing Passover and those that do
not receive this seal are observing Easter. There is a clear
relationship revealed in these passages as follows:

PASSOVER EASTER
SEAL OF G-D MARK OF THE BEAST
T'FILLIN & MEZUZAH (literal manifestation of this mark)

Now in this new light let us reexamine our Torah passage:

And it [Passover] shall be for a sign unto you upon your hand, and
for a memorial between your eyes.... (Sh'mot (Ex. 13:9))

And it [Passover] shall be for a token upon your hand,
and for frontlets between your eyes...
(Sh'mot (Ex. 13:16))

The lesson to be learned is this: Passover is to be to us a memorial
between our eyes, as a mark or seal upon our foreheads and those with
this seal should mourn because of the abomination of Easter.

- Dr. James Trimm

********************************************************************

To educate, train and equip for study both the Jew and
Non-Jew in the Rich Hebraic Heritage of our Faith.

Please visit the Hebraic Roots Global Network
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1999 Feast of Tabernacles Celebration
and
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Dean Wheelock .......... Hebrew Roots Ministries
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