於2015-03-13發佈

每週一妥拉 2015/3/8-3/14
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3/8-3/14)分成三個部分:

A 『二倍閱讀』: 

I.    『招聚』(VaYakhel
      妥拉出埃及記35:1-38:20

II.  『總數』P’kudei
      妥拉38:21-40:38

III. 『紅母牛安息日』(Shabbat Parah
       妥拉民數記19:1-22
       先知書以西結書36:16-38

紅母牛安息日(SHABBAT PARAH 這是在逾越節前四週特別安息日的其中一週,會有額外的妥拉閱讀,先知書閱讀也隨之改變。此安息日稱為紅母牛安息日,是關於紅母牛的灰用來潔淨觸摸死屍所沾染到污穢的一種儀式。特別的先知書閱讀在以西結書36章,講述神的審判臨到祂不潔的子民,但也預言祂將再次帶他們回到自己的土地上,祂會用清水灑在他們身上,並賜給他們新心和新靈。

招聚(VaYa khel
出埃及記 35:1-38:20

*在本週的閱讀,摩西招聚以色列全會眾,告訴他們關於神所吩咐的會幕建造。在執行上,出埃及記35:4-39:43仔細地重複早先在25-28章以及隨後所記載的內容。但這裡還加上一些細節:舉例來說,這裡特別提到婦女,35:25-26提到『凡心中有智慧的婦女』,以及『凡有智慧、心裡受感的婦女』。29節仔細提到『無論男女』,凡甘心樂意獻禮物來建造會幕的人。在36:6提到他們的奉獻甘心樂意、慷慨大方到摩西不得不傳命說:『無論男女,不必再為聖所拿什麼禮物來。』

請禱告:以色列信徒的心受神感動,將他們的技巧與創作活力白白獻給至高神。禱告男人與女人在才幹與恩賜上能公平被重視與認出。禱告以色列信徒在地上的資源、才幹與時間都能捐得甘心『樂意』(林後9:7),不單是出於『律例』─更是聖靈在他們心中的感動。 

*出埃及記35:1-3. 摩西招聚以色列全會眾,對他們說:這是耶和華所吩咐的話,叫你們照著行:六日要做工,第七日乃為聖日,當向耶和華守為安息聖日。凡這日之內做工的,必把他治死。當安息日,不可在你們一切的住處生火

今日許多嚴格遵守律法的猶太人,持續遵守上述經文最後一節不可在安息日生火的指示,根據我們的瞭解,有一些太過極端,已經超出禁止生火的本意。從星期五日落前安息日的燈點燃之時,一直到星期六日落蠟燭再次點燃中間,這些猶太人是不開其餘的燈。電子計時器就擺在燈的開關處和爐子上,以致於房子的主人不會犯了在住處生火的罪(例如,藉由按開關來點亮電燈)。這也是為何虔誠的猶太人在安息日不開車(啟動車子需要電池製造火花來點燃引擎)。為了過馬路而按下紅綠燈按鈕也是點燃『火花』,按下電梯按鈕亦是如此(在以色列符合猶太教教規的旅館與許多公寓大樓,都設有『安息日專用電梯』,在安息日時會被自動設定每一層樓都停。我們並不是在嘲笑那些真誠感到如此做是出於神旨意的人,他們藉由守這些嚴苛的規則試圖討祂喜悅。但我們相信他們被錯誤引領;在一些例子中,如此的禁令是耶穌當時在馬太福音23:4所譴責的:這些宗教領袖把並非出於神難擔的重擔放在人的肩上,那些規則往往成為展示給人看的工具。

關於在安息日點火的經文內容是神要在祂百姓中間建造居所的指示─神的居所,神的會幕。那建造需要人(按神的形象所造)的各樣創意、『藝術』恩賜、精力和技巧,但此擁有一切聖潔設備的聖所,並不是要廢除這位藝術造物者的模式,是祂自己創造了宇宙。祂工作六日,到了第七日便安息舒暢(創世記2:3; 出埃及記31:17)。在這幾週大部分被描述的工作都需要生火來熔煉金屬並塑型─融化、彎曲、成形與組成任何東西,從純金的基路伯到加工、裝飾。生火需要許多工作─尋找、收集木頭並砍柴,接著用更多力氣摩擦生火(民數記15:32明確記載在安息日撿柴是破壞律法)。將人的恩賜與技巧喜樂獻上作為『聖工』,在操練這些恩賜時必須也包括看重祂的『時間和季節』,這是祂第一個稱為『聖潔』的日子─第七日(創世記2:3)。

*
出埃及記 35:34. 耶和華又使他,和但支派中亞希撒抹的兒子亞何利亞伯,心裡靈明,能教導人上週我們讀到比撒列(猶大的子孫)與亞何利亞伯(但的支派)─他們是充滿神一切智慧與恩典的工匠,來執行並監督會幕預備中所有複雜的巧工。在35:34提到神使人心裡靈明、能『教導』。事實上在36:1提到神讓其他充滿智慧做巧工的人服在他們下面,聽從他們智慧的指示。 

請禱告:
那些在以色列會眾擁有藝術技巧的人,不單將時間專注在工作上,更是心中被激動,渴望將他們的智慧與技藝傳給下一世代的男女。 


總數(P’kudei
出埃及記38:21—40:38

*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)。

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'chinah (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。sh'chinah這個字與lishkon(有著居住,與某人為鄰之意)為相關字,代表神強烈渴望『住在』祂子民中間。

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。  

紅母牛安息日(SHABBAT PARAH
妥拉民數記19:1-22
先知書以西結書 36:16-38

這週我們還會額外讀到民數記19章,處理人觸摸到死屍所帶來的污穢。為了潔淨,一隻寶血顏色、沒有殘疾、未曾負軛的『母牛』在營外焚燒,母牛的灰與『活水』(流動的水)結合,灑在沾染污穢的人身上,使他或她潔淨。耶穌來到地上成為聖潔的祭,祂用自己的身體打敗死亡,用更聖潔的噴灑方式來潔淨我們:『若山羊和公牛的血,並母牛犢的灰,灑在不潔的人身上,尚且叫人成聖,身體潔淨,何況基督藉著永遠的靈,將自己無瑕無疵獻給神,祂的血豈不更能洗淨你們的心,除去你們的死行,使你們事奉那永生神嗎?』(希伯來書9:13-14)。

這週特別的先知書讀經,以西結書36:16-38處理相同的聖潔噴灑!

我們發現用此來協助我們為以色列有爭議的『領土』─猶大和撒馬利亞禱告特別實用,以色列長期受壓要將這些土地永久讓給一個穆斯林國家,沒有任何猶太人被允許住在其上。

在此閱讀裡所有的預言都以『以色列山』(以西結書36:1)為中心,而以色列山剛好就在目前受爭議的地區。

請禱告
為著目前住在這些地區的猶太屯墾區禱告,他們能得著來自彌賽亞耶穌基督的公義啟示。這段經文強調唯有他們領受祂所供應的潔淨,他們才能永遠『住在那地』。

以西結書 36:24-28. 我必從各國收取你們,從列邦聚集你們,引導你們歸回本地。我必用清水灑在你們身上,你們就潔淨了。我要潔淨你們,使你們脫離一切的污穢,棄掉一切的偶像。我也要賜給你們一個新心,將新靈放在你們裏面,又從你們的肉體中除掉石心,賜給你們肉心。我必將我的靈放在你們裏面,使你們順從我的律例,謹守遵行我的典章。你們必住在我所賜給你們列祖之地。你們要作我的子民,我要作你們的神。』

以西結書36:31,33.  那時,你們必追想你們的惡行和你們不善的作為,就因你們的罪孽和可憎的事厭惡自己。…主耶和華如此說:我潔淨你們,使你們脫離一切罪孽的日子,必使城邑有人居住,荒場再被建。』

以西結書36:37-38.  『主耶和華如此說:我要加增以色列家的人數,多如羊群。他們必為這事向我求問,我要給他們成就。耶路撒冷在守節作祭物所獻的羊群怎樣多,照樣,荒涼的城邑必被人群充滿。他們就知道我是耶和華。』

請禱告:以色列有恩典可以渴望並求問主,成為健康與不斷增加的屬神羊群。禱告他們將渴慕『賜平安的神,就是那憑永約之血、使群羊的大牧人─我主耶穌從死裏復活的神』(希伯來書13:20。禱告他們將知道耶穌就是主(耶和華)─祂和祂父親本為一。

下週的閱讀進度(3/15-3/21)被稱為『呼叫』(VaYikra),妥拉─利未記1:1-6:7;先知書─以賽亞書43:21-44:23。下週是猶太人的正月開始(出埃及記12:2,因此會有額外的妥拉閱讀:出埃及記12:1-20,先知書也改成以西結書45:16—46:18。

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.  All texts are those of English translations of the Scriptures.

The readings for the week of 8-14 March 2015 is in three parts:

A “Double Reading”:

I.    VaYakhel—“And He Assembled”
      TORAH:  Exodus 35:1—38:20

II.   P’kudei—“Accountings of…”
      TORAH:  Exodus 38:21—40:38

III. Shabbat Parah
       TORAH:  Numbers 19:1-22
        HAFTARAH:  Ezekiel 36:16-38

SHABBAT PARAH:  This is one of four special Shabbats preceding Pesach/Passover which contain an additional Torah reading and a replacement for the usually-read Haftarah reading.  It is called Parah (Cow), and recalls the ritual involving the ashes of a red heifer for purification from defilement by death.  The special Haftarah from Ezekiel 36 recounts God’s judgment upon His people for their uncleanness, but also prophecies His return of them to their own Land, his sprinkling of clean water on them and giving them a new heart and new spirit.

VaYa khel
Exodus 35:1-38:20
*In this week’s readings, Moses gathers together the congregation of Israel and relates to them what God has instructed regarding the construction of the Tabernacle.  In effect, Exodus 35:4—39:43 carefully repeats what was recorded earlier in Chpts. 25-28 (T’rumah) and subsequent passages.  But here certain details have been clarified.  For instance, unlike the earlier passages, this one makes specific mention of women .  Verses 35:25-26 refer to “Each woman who is a gifted artisan” and “whose hearts stirred with wisdom.”  Verse 29 is careful to mention both “men and women” whose hearts moved them to volunteer materials and to labor as a freewill offering for building the tabernacle.  In 36:6, this had in fact been done with such generosity and cheerfulness that Moses was forced to issue a command, “Let no man or woman any longer perform work for the contribution of the sanctuary!” 

Please pray for hearts of Israeli believers to be moved to offer up their craftsmanship and creative energies as a free-will offering to the Most High.  Pray for women and men to be equally valued and recognized in their talents and giftings.  Pray for “cheerful” giving from the heart (II Cor. 9:7) on the part of Israeli believers, both of physical resources and of talents and time, not merely as a mitzva (an obedience to gain favor)—but at the moving of the Holy Spirit within their hearts.

*Exodus 35:1-3 “…These are the words which YHVH has commanded you to do:  ‘Work shall be done for six days, but the seventh day shall be a holy day for you, a Sabbath of rest to YHVH.  Whoever does any work on it shall be put to death.  You shall kindle no fire throughout your dwellings on the Sabbath day.” 

Attempts to observe the prohibition related to fire in the last verse of this passage continue amongst many observant Jews today, in some cases reaching extremes which, to our understanding, go far beyond the original intent of the prohibition.  From the time the Shabbat Lights are lit just before sundown on Friday until candles are again kindled at Havdalah at the close of Saturday, no lights are to be kindled by Jews.  Electric timers are placed on light switches and stoves so that the owners will not be guilty of lighting a fire (i.e. initiating an electric spark by flipping a switch).  This is also the reason religious Jews don’t drive on Shabbat (starting a car involves making the battery produce a spark to ignite the engine).  Pressing a button at a streetlight in order to cross the street also initiates a “spark”, as does pressing a button in an elevator (Kosher hotels and many fancy apartment buildings in Israel are equipped with “Shabbat elevators,” which are set to unceasingly go up and down automatically throughout the Sabbath). We do not mock the earnestness of those who genuinely feel it to be God’s will, and who are trying to please Him by observing these strictures.  But we do believe them to be misguided; that in some instances, such prohibitions slip into a category which Yeshua condemned in Matthew 23:4—that of heavy burdens not intended by God being laid on people’s shoulders by religious leaders, rules which often become mere works for show.  

The context for this lone passage about lighting a fire on the Sabbath is God’s releasing of instructions for the construction of a place for His habitation among His people—the Mishkan, Dwelling Place, the Tabernacle.  It was a construction of craftsmanship requiring all the creative, “artistic&rdqu o; gifts, energies and skills of which humankind (made in the image of God) is capable. Yet the fashioning of this Holy place with all of its Holy furnishings was not to cancel out the pattern set by the Master Artist when He Himself fashioned the universe.  He worked “creatively” for six days, then ceased work and was refreshed on the seventh (Genesis 2:3; Exodus 31:17). Much of the work being described in these chapters would require building a fire to smelt and fashion the metals—melting, bending, shaping and forming everything, from Cherubim of gold, to tools, to ornaments, to bolts and pins of brass. Making the fire involved a lot of work—finding, gathering and chopping the wood, then kindling the flame with a friction method involving much exertion (The one record we have of judgment coming on an individual for breaking this law is found in Numbers 15:32, where the offense was specifically for gathering wood on the Sabbath) .  The joyous sacrifice of yielding up one’s gifts and skills to God for “holy work”  must also include respect for His “times and seasons” in exercising those gifts, chief amongst them being what He  first called “holy”—the Seventh Day (Genesis 2:3). 

*Exodus 35:36.  “And He has put it in his heart the ability to teach, in him and Aholiab the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan.”  Last week we read ofBetzalel (a descendant of Judah) and Aholiav (of the tribe of Dan)—artisans whom God had filled with all wisdom and grace for performing and overseeing the intricate workmanship required in preparation of the Tabernacle. In this later passage it is mentioned that He also put it in their hearts “to teach.”  Indeed, 36:1 mentions others whom the LORD had filled with artistic grace to work under them (36:1), subject to their wise instruction.

PLEASE PRAY:   that those released in the artistic skills in the congregations in Israel will focus not only on the work allotted to them for their own times—but will be stirred in their hearts with a desire and ability to pass on their wisdom and skill to the men and women of the generation rising after them.

P’kudei
Exodus 38:21—40:38

*THIS TORAH PORTION
 carefully describes the concluding stages of constructing the Tabernacle, even down to itemizing the amount of pre cious 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 suggests 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, THE HAFTARAH  (I Kings 7:51—8:21, which is usually read with this Torah Portion) 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).      

Shekinah
Both of the readings this week have to do with preparing for th e coming of God’s Presence to dwell with 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 infinitivelishkon—“to dwell, to “neighbor.” Mishkan (Tabernacle) is the dwelling place.  Shekinah is a manifestation of the Presence itself!  It is God’s intense desire and purpose to “dwell” among or “near to” His people.  

“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 dwell among 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 wa ll of fire all around her [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—to commune with them and encourage them, and to lead, even as did the cloud and the fire of His presence in the wilderness.

SHABBAT PARAH
TORAH:  Numbers 19:1-22
HAFTARAH:  Ezekiel 36:16-38

The additional Torah reading from Numbers 19 deals with the contamination taking place when one comes into contact with a dead human body. For cleansing, a red cow was burned and its ashes mixed with living (flowing) water which was then sprinkled upon the contaminated one, making him or her clean.  Yeshua came be a holy sacrifice, and to in His own body defeat Death, cle ansing us with a far holier sprinkling, “For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Messiah, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?”  (Hebrews 9:13-14).

THIS WEEK’S SPECIAL HAFTARAH, EZEKIEL 36:16-38, DEALS WITH THIS SAME HOLY SPRINKLING! 

We find it especially useful in helping us to pray for Israel as regards the contested “territories” of Judea and Samaria, which she is being pressured to release to be converted permanently into a Muslim state in which no Jews would be allowed to dwell.

All of the prophecies in this reading are centered on an area called “The Mountains of Israel” (Ezekiel 36:1), which exactly constitute this contested area. 

PLEASE PRAY
FOR THOSE JEWISH SETTLERS CURRENTLY LIVING IN THESE AREAS, THAT THEY BE GRANTED REVELATION OF THE RIGHTEOUSNESS WHICH COMES IN MESSIAH YESHUA. THIS PASSAGE STRONGLY IMPLIES THAT IT IS ONLY WHEN THEY RECEIVE THE CLEANSING WHICH HE OFFERS THAT THEY WILL BE ENABLED PERMANENTLY TO “DWELL IN THE LAND.”

Ezekiel 36:24.  “For I will take you from among the nations, gather you out of all countries, and bring you into your own land.  Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols.  I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.  I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.  Then you shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; you shall be My people, and I will be your God.”

Ezekiel 36:31.   “Then you will remember your evil ways and your deeds that were not good; and you will loathe yourselves in your own sight, for your iniquities and your abominations…Thus says Adonai YHVH:  ‘On the day that I cleanse you from all your iniquities, I will also enable you to dwell in the cities, and the ruins shall be rebuilt.’”

Ezekiel 36:37.  “Thus says Adonai YHVH:  ‘I will also let the house of Israel inquire of Me to do this for them:  I will increase their men like a flock.  Like a flo ck offered as holy sacrifices, like the flock at Jerusalem on its feast days, so shall the ruined cities be filled with flocks of men.  Then they shall know that I am YHVH.”  

PLEASE PRAY:  For grace for Israelis to come to a place that they desire and enquire to be a healthy and increasing “flock” of God.  That they will long for “the God of peace, who brought up our Lord Yeshua from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant (Hebrews 13:20).  That they will come to know that Yeshua is the LORD (Yehovah)—that He and His Father are One.

Martin & Norma Sarvis
Jerusalem

[The Parashah for next week 15-21 March 2015 is called VaYikra—“And He Called”:  TORAH: Leviticus 1:1—6:7.  It is Shabbat haChodesh—The beginning of months for the Hebrew people (Exodus 12:2), and therefore contains an additional Torah Portion: Exodu s 12:1-20; the usual Haftarah is replaced by Ezekiel 45:16—46:18.]