Parsha Beha'Alotcha 2023

Torah: Numbers 8:1-12:15

Haftarah: Zechariah 2:13-4:7

Summary:

Chapter 8 - Trimming the Lamps, and cleansing the Levites for their duties, and retirement of the Levites

Chapter 9 - Second Passover, the Cloud over the Tabernacle, Faithfully moving only when the cloud moves

Chapter 10 - Two silver Trumpets, Israel moving in order (Judah, Reuben, Ephriam, and Dan), Reuel returns to Midian

Chapter 11 - Israel complains, Gods fire consumes the outskirts of the camp (Those whoare farthest away from God), Moses states how caring for Israel is too burdensome and for God to kill him if he doesn’t give him help, God commands Moses to setup 70 elders and gives them some of Moses’s Spirit that is on him, and the Incident of the Quail takes place

Chapter 12 - Miriam and Aaron speak Lashon Hara against Moses, and God punishes Miriam with Leprosy for a week

Beha-Alotcha means “When you Lift up” the lamps for the Menorah. We are a Light to the World

3 Steps that led to the top of the Menorah - Allusion to what?

Moses lifted up his hands during the Battle with Amalek… As long as his arms were lifted, Israel was victorious (Amalek has the same numerical value as Doubt - Safek)

Faith does not mean that we are going to be perfect … We should strive to be perfect, but Faith means that despite what the World throws at you (Fear, Poverty, Pain, Suffering, Discomfort, Oppression), we still push forward

in a parallel reading, the lamps were trimmed so that they can face the center branch, as well as to illuminate what is in front of it. (Miracle that the middle candle would never go out), secondly, the purpose of the Menorah is to illuminate what is in front of the Menorah… What is in front of the Menorah? The Table of Show bread (Bread of Life), the Torah

The 7 lamps are the Seven Spirits of God, whose role is to help us see the Torah with clarity

Zechariah 3 talks about Joshua (Yeshua) the High Priest who Satan tries to accuse before God

1 Then the angel showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, with Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him.

2 And the LORD said to Satan: “The LORD rebukes you, Satan! Indeed, the LORD, who has chosen Jerusalem, rebukes you! Is not this man a firebrand snatched from the fire?”

3 Now Joshua was dressed in filthy garments as he stood before the angel. 4 So the angel said to those standing before him, “Take off his filthy clothes!”

Then he said to Joshua, “See, I have removed your iniquity, and I will clothe you with splendid robes.”

5 Then I said, “Let them put a clean turban on his head.” So a clean turban was placed on his head, and they clothed him, as the angel of the LORD stood by.

6 Then the angel of the LORD gave this charge to Joshua: 7“This is what the LORD of Hosts says: ‘If you walk in My ways and keep My instructions, then you will govern My house and will also have charge of My courts; and I will give you a place among these who are standing here.

Zechariah 3:8-10, “Hear now, O high priest Joshua, you and your companions seated before you, who are indeed a sign. For behold, I am going to bring My servant, the Branch. 9 See the stone I have set before Joshua; on that one stone are seven eyes.d Behold, I will engrave on it an inscription, declares the LORD of Hosts, and I will remove the iniquity of this land in a single day. 10 On that day, declares the LORD of Hosts, you will each invite your neighbor to sit under your own vine and fig tree.’ ”

Nathaniel sitting under the Fig Tree, and Yeshua mentions this when he talks to him.

“Sitting under the Fig Tree” is a Jewish Idiom meaning “Sitting and studying Torah”, Why do you think Zechariah 3:10 says, “On that day, declares the LORD of Hosts, you will each invite your neighbor to sit under your own vine and fig tree.’ ”??? - It’s because they will be making Disciples of the Nations!!

What’s the Role of the Levites? Last Torah Portion, the Tribes gave their offerings to God when the Tabernacle was dedicated… Except the Levites...

Role of the Levites is to Light and Trim the Lamps (You are that Light/Lamp)

The Candles represent the Torah, and Levites have to trim the lamps until the flame can burn on its own (Making Disciples of the Nations…) Just telling someone that Yeshua died for you is NOT making disciples (Taught Ones)… Making Disciples is when you teach them the Ways of God and once they’re learned in walking out Torah, then your mission is complete

Numbers 8:5–7 LEB

5 Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 6 “Take the Levites from the midst of the Israelites and purify them. 7 So you will do to them, to purify them: sprinkle on them waters of purification, and they will shave their whole body and wash their garments.

They had a razor go over their whole body and got washed, similar to the Lepers when they were cleansed... Why did they have to Shave themselves? Aside from the perspective that this action was symbolizing being “Born Again”, since they were a substitution for the Firstborn of Israel, they had to be prepared for service to God… Story in the Prophets where there weren’t enough Cohanim consecrated to do service in the Temple, so regular Levites were called to step in and do the service, which they did… Are we Prepared? (Test the Audience)