每週一妥拉 2016/3/6-3/12
從古時起，世界各地的猶太會堂會一週一次在安息日讀經，從摩西五經（妥拉）到先知的書（先知書）。每週的讀經內容都有一個希伯來名稱，其出自經文內容起頭的字。每週慣例讀經的實例剛好記載在路加福音四章16節，耶穌來到拿撒勒的會堂，讀了一段先知書（以賽亞書61章）。我們發現每週一次閱讀這些內容，不僅提供我們機會，與世界成千上萬的猶太人來確認神話語的內容，在我們為以色列與猶太人的代禱上，聖靈更時常貼切的啟發具體的內容禱告。 

這週的閱讀（3/6-3/12）稱為『總數』（P’kudei）：
妥拉：出埃及記38:21-40:38
先知書：列王記上7:51-8:21

*這週的妥拉讀經仔細地描述會幕建造的最後階段，包括一些貴重金屬使用的數量。值得注意的是，不管在會幕的完工或上週敘述會幕的開始，都沒有提到烏陵和土明(出埃及記28:29-30)。這表示烏陵和土明並不是人創意的技巧所『塑造的』，而是神賜下放在決斷的胸牌裡。妥拉閱讀內容最後結束在會幕工作的完成(39:32)，帳幕被立起來（40:17），以及主用祂的榮耀充滿在其中─在前往迦南的路上住在祂百姓中間。同樣地，先知書(列王記上 7:51-8:21，通常會與這週的妥拉一起閱讀)，結束在約櫃從大衛城運送到新的聖殿，被放在至聖所，神的榮光充滿了殿（王上8:11）。

*列王記上 8:8. 這裡小心指出在所羅門的聖殿，用來擡約櫃的槓甚長，槓頭在內殿前的聖所可以看見，在殿外卻不能看見。主在妥拉裡對扛擡約櫃的指示，顯然大衛並沒有太留意細節，當他想要將神的約櫃從基列耶琳擡到耶路撒冷(撒母耳記下6:3)，造成他手下一人死亡。

請禱告：我們要留意神所有的旨意(使徒行傳20:27)，瞭解細節與『大圖片』一樣重要。

神榮耀的彰顯 Shekinah 

這週的妥拉和先知書閱讀都與預備神的同在住在祂百姓當中有關。雖然sh'khinah(英文: shekinah)這個字沒有出現在聖經裡，但有時人們會用這個字作為神榮耀的光在地上的彰顯。這與shakhan（鄰居）這個希伯來文有關，在幾週前的妥拉閱讀我們探討到，那時我們閱讀出埃及記25:8，神渴望靠近祂的子民，作他們的「鄰居」。祂喜悅祂的子民也渴望讓主可以住在他們中間，好使他們願意犧牲來預備一個聖所（會幕）─一個讓祂居住的地方。在這週的先知書閱讀，耶和華的榮耀同在─神榮耀的彰顯降臨到他們所預備的地方。許多年過後，神的同在從祂的會幕離開，那是一段很悲劇的時刻。在猶太人心中渴望神的同在再次回來，因此在他們古老的禱告書（猶太會堂至今仍在使用），包括以下的禱告：

我們的眼目應當注視祢以憐憫回到錫安。主啊！祢配得稱頌，將祢榮耀的彰顯帶回錫安。

今日在一些彌賽亞肢體當中，其中一個常聽到的就是渴慕神的榮耀臨到─也就是神榮耀彰顯的同在（正如摩西呼求主『彰顯祢的榮耀』！在歡迎主榮耀的彰顯時，我們不單單是呼求一些『榮耀』的經歷或彰顯─我們乃是在心中回應祂渴望住在我們中間！

『我要住在以色列人中間，作他們的神。他們必知道我是耶和華─他們的神，是將他們從埃及地領出來的，為要住在他們中間。我是耶和華─他們的神。』(出埃及記29:45)  

『我要住在你中間，你就知道萬軍之耶和華差遣我到你那裡去了。』(撒迦利亞書2:11)

『祂的救恩誠然與敬畏祂的人相近，叫榮耀住在我們的地上。』(詩篇 85:9)

『耶和華說：我要作耶路撒冷四圍的火城，並要作其中的榮耀。』(撒迦利亞書2:5) 

請禱告：喚起以色列對主同在回到聖地的渴望；禱告在信徒當中為祂的榮耀預備道路時的恩典，並禱告以色列人在彌賽亞回來前能得著啟示，祂榮耀的靈是有可能居住在祂子民的心中（以弗所書2:22）─好與他們相交、鼓勵他們、帶領他們，就好像祂同在的雲柱與火柱在曠野裡一樣。 

下週的閱讀進度（3/13-3/19）被稱為『呼叫』（VaYikra），妥拉─利未記1:1-6:7＋紀念安息日（Shabbat Zakhor）：申命記25:17-19；先知書─撒母耳記上15:2-34。 

馬汀和娜瑪‧賽維士（Martin & Norma Sarvis）
於耶路撒冷

 

THIS WEEK'S TORAH PORTION:

From ancient times there has been a weekly portion (Parashah) from the first five books of Moses (The Torah) and an ending (Haftarah) from the Prophets read on the Sabbath in synagogues around the world. This portion is given a Hebrew name drawn from the opening words of the Torah passage. An illustration of this practice appears to have been recorded in Luke 4:16 where Yeshua (Jesus) arrived in the synagogue in Nazareth and was asked to read the portion (Isaiah 61) from the Prophets. We have found that in perusing these weekly readings, not only are we provided opportunity to identify in the context of God's Word with millions of Jewish people around the world, but very often the Holy Spirit will illumine specific passages pertinent that week in our intercession for the Land and people of Israel. The Haftarah, unless otherwise noted, will be that read in Ashkenazy synagogues around the world. The references for all texts are those found in English translations of the Scriptures.

The readings for this week 6-12 March 2016 are called P'kudei-"Accountings Of-"
TORAH: Exodus 38:21-40:38
HAFTARAH: I Kings 7:51-8:21

*THIS TORAH PORTION carefully describes the concluding stages of constructing the Tabernacle, even down to itemizing the amount of precious metals used. It is noteworthy that neither in this account of finishing the work, nor in last week's account of beginning it, are the Urim and Thumim (Exodus 28:29-30) mentioned. This su ggests that they were not "fashioned" by the creative skills of men, but given by God to be placed in the Breastplate of Judgment. The Portion then ends with the completion of the work of the Tabernacle (39:32), its erection (40:17), and the coming of the manifest Presence of the LORD to fill it with His Glory-that He might dwell among His people in their travel to Canaan. SIMILARLY, THEHAFTARAH ends with the Ark of the Covenant being brought up from the City of David to the new Temple built by Solomon, with its being placed in the Temple's inner court, and with the cloud of God's glory filling the House of the LORD (I Kings 8:11).

*I Kings 8:8. This takes care to point out that in Solomon's Temple, the poles used to transport the Ark of the Covenant were so prominent that they extended out of the Inner Sanctuary of the Temple so as to be visible in the Holy Place. The LORD's instructions in the Torah for carrying the Ark had evidently been viewed as 'lesser details' by David when he sought to bring it up to Jerusalem from Kiryat Yearim (II Samuel 6:3), resulting in the death of one of his men when the ox pulling the cart stumbled. PLEASE PRAY that we be attentive to the whole counsel of God (Acts 20:27)-realizing that details ar e just as critically important as what seem to be the 'big pictures.'

Shekinah

Both of the readings this week have to do with completing preparations of a place-and then the coming of God's Presence to dwell among His people. Although it does not appear in Scripture, a Hebrew word sometimes used for the manifestation of the glory of His Presence on Earth is Sh'khinah, or in English: "Shekinah." It is related to the word shakhan which we discussed several weeks ago, when we read in Exodus 25:8 of God's desire to shokhen-todwell closely with, to neighbor with His people. And of His delight that they should so also desire for Him to be among them, that they would willingly sacrifice to prepare a mishkan(tabernacle)-a place for Him to dwell. In this week's Parahsha, the Glorious Presence-theShekinah of God-comes into the place prepared for it. There would be a tragic time, many years later, when that Presence would depart from its mishkan (Ezekiel 11:23). It has been a longing within the Jewish soul ever since that it return. The Siddur, an anc ient Hebrew prayer book still used in Synagogues today, contains the following prayer:

Our Eyes shall behold Your return with mercy to Zion. Blessed are you, LORD, that brings back His Shekinah to Zion.

In parts of the Body of Messiah today, one may hear of a longing for the coming of theShekinah-the manifest presence of the Glory of God. This can be of course a blessed longing (Moses cried, "Show me your glory!"). In welcoming Shekinah-we are not merely calling for some "glorious" experience or manifestation-we are instead responding in our hearts to Hisdesire to shokhen-to dwell among us!

"I will dwell among the children of Israel and will be their God. And they shall know that I am the LORD their God, who brought them up out of the land of Egypt, that I may dwellamong them. I am YHVH their God" (Exodus 29:45).

"And I will dwell in your midst. Then you will know that the LORD of Hosts has sent Me to you." (Zechariah 2:11).

"Surely His salvation is near to those who fear Him, that glory may dwell in our land"(Psalm 85:9).

" 'For I,' says the LORD, 'will be a wall of fire all around he r [i.e. Jerusalem], and I will be the glory in her midst'" (Zechariah 2:5).

PLEASE PRAY: for an awakened longing in Israel for the Presence of the LORD to return to His Land. Pray for grace among us as Believers in preparing the way for His Glory. And pray for revelation among Israelis that preceding Messiah's physical return to the Land, it is possible for His glorious Spirit to take up residence within the individual hearts of all of His people (Ephesians 2:22)-to commune with them and encourage them, and to lead, even as did the cloud and the fire of His Presence in the wilderness.

Martin & Norma Sarvis
Jerusalem

[The Torah and Haftarah portions for next week 13-19 March 2016 are called :VaYikra--"And He Called": TORAH: Leviticus 1:1-6:7 + "Shabbat Zakhor": Deuteronomy 25:17-19; HAFTARAH: I Samuel 15:2-34]