Parsha Bamidbar 2023

TORAH : NUMBERS 1:1-4:20|

PROPHETS : HOSEA 2:1-22|

GOSPEL : MATTHEW 4:1-17

Additional Parallels: Luke 2:1–7; 1 Corinthians 12:12–31

Summary: God commands Moses to Take a Count of the Men of Israel 20 and up, and after doing this, God instructs him to setup the Camp of Israel in a particular way, with the tribes set up with their camps and with their banners, and the Levites surrounding the Tabernacle. Then Moses Set up the Levite Families to do their duties regarding the Tabernacle, and Numbered the Levites, 22,000 (from 1 month old and up), while the Firstborn of Israel were 22,273 men (from 1 month old and up), so those 273 extra Israelite Firstborns had to be “Redeemed”, and 1,365 Shekels were given to Redeem them… This is in accordance to the Commandment of the “Redemption of the Firstborn”, which we might cover at Torah Study tonight. then it finishes with the duties of the K’hathites, who got to handle all of the Tabernacle artifacts, while the other Levites handled the curtains and beams...

1 Cor 12:7-11, “7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8 To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in various tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, who apportions them to each one as He determines.”

Question: What should come first, the Body or the Heart?

The Heart Represents a “Common Cause”, while the Body represents “Unity”

“K’Ish Echad, B’Lev Echad” - As One Man/Body, As One Heart

“And the Jews picked up their eyes and they saw the Mitzriyim traveling after them”.

Rashi points out; the word “traveling” in the verse is written in the singular (“Nosaya” not “Nosim”). This is to teach us that the Mitzriyim had unity against Klal Yisroel – “BiLev Echad K’Ish Echad” – “With 1 heart like 1 person”.

Rashi makes a similar comment in Parshas Yisro. When Klal Yisroel came to Har Sinai, the pasuk says, “VaYichan Sham Yisroel Neged HaHar” – “And the Jews camped near the mountain”. “VaYichan” is in the singular – “And he camped”- although it is referring to all of Klal Yisroel. Rashi says that this is to teach us the unity that Klal Yisroel had. They were, “K’Ish Echad BiLev Echad”- “like 1 person with 1 heart”.

Rav Hutner takes note of the different wording which Rashi uses in each instance. In Parshas Beshalach, when referring to the Mitzriyim, Rashi says, “BiLev Echad K’Ish Echad” – Lev first then Ish. As opposed to Parshas Yisro, when he is referring to the Jews, Rashi says, “K’Ish Echad BiLev Echad” – placing Ish before Lev?

Rav Hutner answers; The Egyptians (and all Goyim for that matter) do not have unity. What brings them together is a common cause. In this instance, the common cause was their hatred for Klal Yisroel. That is why Rashi said, “BiLev Echad K’Ish Echad”. They were “BiLev Echad” – with 1 cause, and therefore “K’Ish Echad” with unity like 1 person. However Klal Yisroel is different. They are compared to a human body. Does the left hand have a different opinion than the right? Of course not! All parts of 1 body work together. They are 1 unit. So too is Klal Yisroel 1 unit by definition. That is why Rashi says, “”K’Ish Echad BiLev Echad”- They are by definition K’Ish Echad – 1 unit. Our “BiLev Echad” – common cause – is only a secondary factor.

Even without a common cause we are united.”

Basically, according to Rashi, the idea is to Unite in Body first, then unite in Common Cause… Because suppose a group of people who have different opinions gather together, what’s bound to happen? they will be expressing their positions and disagreements… If the people are Foolish, they will run away and never gather again, but the Ones who are Wise will try to reason with the people who disagree with them and try to understand why they believe what they believe and point out the problems with the other persons thinking… and Guess what happens after a short time… suddenly, those people are able to Unite under the Common Grounds, and build their Unity until they are in Agreement!!

Ephesians 2:11–17 LEB

11 Therefore remember that formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh, the so-called uncircumcision by the so-called circumcision in the flesh, made by hands, 12 that you were at that time apart from Christ, alienated from the citizenship of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, not having hope, and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you, the ones who once were far away, have become near by the blood of Christ. 14 For he himself is our peace, who made both one and broke down the dividing wall of the partition, the enmity, in his flesh, 15 invalidating the law of commandments in ordinances, in order that he might create the two in himself into one new man, thus making peace, 16 and might reconcile both in one body to God through the cross, killing the enmity in himself. 17 And coming, he proclaimed the good news of peace to you who were far away and peace to the ones who were near,

Numbers 14:15 References All of Israel as “One Man”, and this was right after the Sin of the 12 Spies, When God decreed that the Generation that was counted in the Census, the 603,550 men twenty years old and up, to die off in the Wilderness over the course of 40 years..

Exodus 15:19 references Egypt pursuing Israel into the Red Sea as “The Horse and his Rider” not, “Horses and Riders”… Meaning that they were united in destroying Israel… “Sus V’Richvoh”

Judges 6:16 also references the idea of “One Man”… either in the context that Gideon will smite the Midianites with a Unified Israel “One Man”, or that the Midianites will fall to Gideon as though they are “One Man”.

Question: What United the Children of Israel?

Tabernacle… notice that God first Commanded that Israel Built the Tabernacle, which they completed by the First Month of the Second Year (Exodus 40), then a Month later, God commands Moses to take a Census of the Men of Israel and set up the Camp according to their Tribes and According to their Banners… The Heavenly Throne room is visually represented on Earth through the Camp of Israel (Ezekiel 1)

North - Eagle(Dan)

West - Ox(Ephraim)

East - Lion(Yehudah)

South - Man(Reuben).

Their Unity was The Tabernacle/Temple/Throne of God(Word of God)

We spent some time last Shabbat learning how to Wrap Tzitzit… Question: Why does the tzitzit have to have a Blue String? Because Blue represents the Torah… Which is why in the prophets, the Throne of God (Ark of the Covenant) is likened to Sapphire (Blue) Exodus 24, Ezekiel 1, etc. It’s for us to Remember what we are fighting for, and why we come together… If it wasn’t for the Written Word, we would’ve been more divided than ever!! One person could easily say, “God Told me This!!” and “God told me that!” and without something to Test that Spirit, we would be running around like it was in the Days of the Judges… “And they were doing what was Right in their OWN EYES!”… I think the Biggest issue with Believers is the stubbornness to Submit to One Another… Someone read their Bible Once and suddenly thinks that now they know everything and that their understanding of the scriptures is “Ultimate Truth!”… But as soon as somebody else who has Biblical understanding comes and corrects them, they run away, and even accuse the person who corrected them!! It’s even worse if there’s a disagreement within the Congregation… “Now I’m going to gather together as many people that believe what I say, and we’ll make a little “Home Fellowship” and everything will be alright!! We’re the ONLY people who got it Right!!”

“Factionalism” is a Fruit of the Flesh according to Galatians 5, and if we do not try to unite, then we will fall…

Acts 2 is a perfect example of Believers United in One Accord… There are 5 Sects of Judaism (Pharisees, Sadducees, Essenes, Zealots, Followers of Yeshua); One of those Sects Literally KILLED People (Zealots). And I guarantee you that the Followers of Yeshua came from all Four of those Sects.... Yet, when Shavuot/Pentecost came… They put their differences aside, and went to Worship God together where He called them to Worship… That’s why Acts 2 can be summarized with one Statement, “And they were all in One Accord..” Dare I say, “Ki Ish Echad, B’Lev Echad”… “As One Man with One Heart”. Just like Israel on the First Shavuot/Pentecost in Exodus 20, they Assembled before the Mountain to HEAR God Speak… in those days, the Holy Spirit poured out on the 70 Elders, and “Eldad and Medad” were in the camp when this happened, and they prophecied… what did Moses say about their actions?

Numbers 11:26–30 LEB

26 But two men were left in the camp; the name of one was Eldad, and the name of the second was Medad, and the spirit rested on them; they were among those who were written down, but they did not go out to the tent, so they prophesied in the camp. 27 So a boy ran and told Moses and said, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.” 28 And Joshua son of Nun, the assistant of Moses from time of his youth, answered, “Moses, my lord, stop them.” 29 But Moses said to him, “Are you jealous for my sake? Would that he give all Yahweh’s people prophets, that Yahweh put his spirit on them!” 30 Then Moses and the elders of Israel were gathered to the camp.

“I wish that All of the People of YHVH were Prophets, and that YHVH would put His Spirit upon them”… Remember, a Broken Vessel cannot hold any Water, and a defiled Temple cannot House the Spirit of God

Shavuot is approaching Fast… It is our responsibility to come prepared, both in Body, Heart and Mind, to Worship the Master of the Universe… During this last week of the Omer, I encourage every single one of you to reflect on yourselves… “What’s holding me back from Serving God to my Fullest Potential? What barriers and obstacles are preventing me from being the Best version of Myself? and What can I do to overcome those Obstacles?? (Praying for a Barrier to Move, Versus Praying for the Strength to Overcome it?? There’s a Reason why God put that Barrier in front of you… not for you to pray it away to the distant future, but for you to get yourself together, gird up your loins, and overcome it… “With Man it is Impossible, but with God, Everything is Possible”

Torah Study: Tribes divided into 13 camps

“There Will be 12 Gates in the Millenium Kingdom”

Our Prayers go up through the gates of Heaven (Commentary that the Prayer Siddur opens up the 12 gates in Heaven that we can go through)

13th gate for anyone to access Heaven (God makes a way for us and meets us where we are at) - Sortof like Yeshua, who went out and Ate with Sinners and Tax Collectors… Not because he was a Liberal who wanted to be so “Inclusive and Tolerant and Loving”, but rather because He was calling them to Repentance…