於2016-05-12發佈


每週一妥拉 2016/5/8-5/14

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。 

這週的閱讀進度5/8-5/14被稱為Emor

妥拉:利未記21:1-24:23

先知書:以西結書44:15-31

妥拉

這週的妥拉閱讀聚焦在祭司被分別為聖,在服事主上要潔淨自己的重要性,以及他們在人面前所呈現的樣貌。他們的工作代表生命與完全,他們不能以死屍或殘疾或不潔來沾染自己。身為代表按神形象所造的人,祭司身上不能有任何缺陷,不論是天生的或後天的,而使那形象有所損毀。這些祭司(雖然他們也是罪人)在每一方面被呼召來代表耶穌的完全這位已來到的大祭司:

像這樣聖潔、無邪惡、無玷污、遠離罪人、高過諸天的大祭司,原是與我們合宜的。我們所講的事,其中第一要緊的,就是我們有這樣的大祭司,已經坐在天上至大者寶座的右邊,在聖所,就是真帳幕裡,作執事;這帳幕是主所支的,不是人所支的。(希伯來書 7:26, 8:1-2) 

利未記 21:4祭司既在民中為首,就不可從俗沾染自己。』這句話在希伯來文很難翻譯;然而,若結合利未記21:7,13-14這幾節,似乎可以呈現出大祭司所代表的完整圖畫,包括在婚姻上的完整性。不可娶妓女或被污的女人為妻,也不可娶被休的婦人為妻,因為祭司是歸神為聖』(7節) 

利未記21:5不可使頭光禿;不可剃除鬍鬚的周圍,也不可用刀劃身。』因為這些都是異教徒服喪時的儀式,所以再一次重申,以神的形象被造來代表人類的祭司不能玷污自己的身體。

利未記21:8所以你要使他成聖,因為他奉獻你神的食物;你要以他為聖,因為我使你們成聖的耶和華是聖的 成聖與為聖的希伯來文字根都有『聖潔』之意,人們將祭司分別為聖,他必須在他們面前反映出聖潔的樣式,但這只是他外在與行為的見證。終極的成聖需要主自己更深層的恩典工作,在利未記21和22章至少六次提醒祭司:我是叫他成聖的耶和華(21:8,15; 22:9,16,32),而他們所建造的聖所是為了尊榮神(21:23)。

*利未記21:21-23.  祭司亞倫的後裔,凡有殘疾的,都不可近前來,將火祭獻給耶和華。他有殘疾,不可近前來獻神的食物。神的食物,無論是聖的,至聖的,他都可以吃。但不可進到幔子前,也不可就近壇前;因為他有殘疾,免得褻瀆我的聖所。我是叫他成聖的耶和華

在亞倫家中凡有殘疾的可以吃神的百姓所獻上的食物,但他們不能『近前』來將這些食物獻給神。只有完全的人才能近前來,這是祭司所反射出來的形象,而聖潔的大祭司耶穌將此形象完全彰顯出來。『近前來』是一個特別與美好的特權;然而,若沒有緊緊跟著主的方向走,就可能迷失,正如我們在這週的先知書以西結書44:10 -14所看見的,當祭司走迷時仍可以在主面前執行某些任務,他們卻失去原來的呼召,喪失以一種特別的方式親近祂的特權。 

利未記23章:耶和華的節期

這章描述聖會的細節,就是主給祂子民以色列的『節期』(在申命記16章也有列出這些節期)。然而,值得注意的是,這些節期並不是被描述為『希伯來人的節期』,而是『耶和華的節期』(23:2, 4, 37)。他們從每週的『安息日』(Shabbat(3)為開始,然後到了春天:逾越節(3)─吃無酵餅(Matzot(6-8)一週,獻上初熟的果子(10-14)49天之後來到五旬節(Shavuot(16-21)。到了秋天:吹角節(Yom Teruah(23-25)、贖罪日(Yom Kippur(26-32)與住棚節(Succot(33-43)。因為在今年的這些節期我們要面對更多發生的事情,以下是我們對這些節期的註解:

*利未記23:3六日要做工,第七日是聖安息日,當有聖會;你們什麼工都不可做。這是在你們一切的住處向耶和華守的安息日。在每星期五晚上用餐前的禱詞都有稍微提到:『使我們以愛和恩寵來承接祂的聖安息日,作為神創造之工的紀念,因為那天是祂聖會中排第一的日子。』主真正的節期,在一年之中特定的時間都會有聖會,但首先需要重申每週守的安息聖會。

*利未記23:24-25.  你曉諭以色列人說:七月初一,你們要守為聖安息日,要吹角作紀念,當有聖會。什麼勞碌的工都不可做;要將火祭獻給耶和華 吹角的希伯來文是t'ruah,那可能是呼叫聲或角聲,從最早的時期,這裡所吹的角是羊角。有趣的是,在以撒得著『救贖』的地方『有一隻公羊,兩角扣在稠密的小樹中』。羊角的呼叫聲是一個救贖性的聲音,讓大家留意,謹慎進入贖罪日。猶太教拉比有一項傳統,多數猶太教徒會如此做,就是當七月一日是在安息日這天時,他們會將角聲拉長(在安息日帶羊角是觸犯律法的)。但聖經並沒有如此的例外,只是清楚陳述在『耶和華的節期』要宣告聖會(4節)。事實上,38節也指出守這些節期應優先於一般的安息日。 

*利未記23:15-16.  你們要從安息日的次日,獻禾捆為搖祭的那日算起,要滿了七個安息日。到第七個安息日的次日,共計五十天,又要將新素祭獻給耶和華。』 猶太教對於『初熟的果子』和『數算禾捆』何時開始有爭議性;法利賽人認為『安息日的次日』應該指著逾越節的安息日次日(守完逾越節的次日是安息日)。因此,初熟的果子和數算禾捆應該從希伯來月正月的16日開始計算。撒都該人則認為這裡所提到的安息日是逾越節碰到的『星期六安息日』。因此,初熟的果子和數算禾捆應從星期天開始計算,還有另一個猶太教派Ka'arites則有別的計算方式。傳統的法利賽人(認為七個安息日是在週間而非週末,會從亞筆月/尼散月16日開始算50天)是在耶穌時代出現的人物,他們的計算方式仍被今日多數猶太人所採用。

*利未記24:2-4.  要吩咐以色列人,把那為點燈搗成的清橄欖油拿來給你,使燈常常點著。在會幕中法櫃的幔子外,亞倫從晚上到早晨必在耶和華面前經理這燈。這要作你們世世代代永遠的定例。他要在耶和華面前常收拾精金燈臺上的燈。

5-9節描述金燈臺上的燈是要照亮桌上代表神同在的十二個餅(每個餅代表以色列每個支派)。聖經中有多次描述以色列的救恩,是透過神的光照在他們身上而來: 

因為,在祢那裡有生命的源頭;在祢的光中,我們必得見光。』 (詩篇36:9)

你必點著我的燈;耶和華我的神必照明我的黑暗。』 (詩篇18:28) 

*利未記24:11, 15-16.  這以色列婦人的兒子褻瀆了聖名,並且咒詛,就有人把他送到摩西那裡。(他母親名叫示羅密,是但支派底伯利的女兒。)』『你要曉諭以色列人說:凡咒詛神的,必擔當他的罪。那褻瀆耶和華名的,必被治死;全會眾總要用石頭打死他。不管是寄居的是本地人,他褻瀆耶和華名的時候,必被治死 

這裡二次用到名字來代表神的名,正如上週我們提到,今日當猶太教徒讀到或提到主時,他們會使用『這名』而不是將神的名耶和華直接發音。當別人用希伯來文問候我『Ma-shlomkha』(你好嗎?你平安嗎?),我一律回答『Baruch HaShem』(稱頌主的名,意思是謝謝,我很好)。 

*利未記24:19-20.  人若使他鄰舍的身體有殘疾,他怎樣行,也要照樣向他行:以傷還傷,以眼還眼,以牙還牙。他怎樣叫人的身體有殘疾,也要照樣向他行。』使一個人身體有殘疾是非常嚴重的罪行,損傷了神用祂形象所造的人。 

先知書

*以西結書44:15以色列人走迷離開我的時候,祭司利未人撒督的子孫仍看守我的聖所。他們必親近我,事奉我,並且侍立在我面前,將脂油與血獻給我。這是主耶和華說的。』

我們來到天父面前,是經由祂兒子耶穌,『使我們成為國民,作祂父神的祭司』(啟示錄1:6)。『侍立在祂面前』是我們所能擁有最寶貴的特權,但我們必須謹守命令,善美的總要持守(帖前5:21; 來4:14; 啓2:25; 3:11)。不寶貴與謹守此禮物的可能會帶來悲劇,正如前面所提到的,在同一章10-14節告訴那些離棄他們責任,就是『走迷離開祂的』。他們找著悔改的地方,並得著服事主的方式,但他們最先的親密位置將永遠喪失。『他們不可親近我』,就像從前一樣。 

*以西結書44:23他們(神的祭司)要使我的民知道聖俗的分別,又使他們分辨潔淨的和不潔淨的。』 

請禱告:為以色列的彌賽亞肢體禱告,主將興起並支撐忠心的領袖,他們將以個人的典範、德行與對真理的持守來贏得權柄,他們時時『親近』神,單單服事祂。在越來越混淆與蒙蔽的日子,當在神面前聖潔與潔淨,禱告這些領袖能教導百姓聖潔、清潔與分辨力。

下週的閱讀進度(5/15-5/21)被稱為『在西乃山』(Behar),讀經內容包括:妥拉─利未記25:1-26:2;先知書─耶利米書32:6-27。

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.

NOTE:  Below are the texts for the Parashah read in Jerusalem.  Because in the Diaspora(i.e. communities of Jews outside of Israel) an extra day is celebrated at Passover (and this year, that day came on a Sabbath), the readings read outside of Israel are now behind one week from those read here.   On August 6th, through the use of a special "double reading" covering the final chapters of the Book of Numbers, the readings both inside and outside of Israel will once again coincide.

The Parasha for this week 8-14 May 2016 is called Emor-"Say!":

TORAH:  Leviticus 21:1-24:23
HAFTARAH:  Ezekiel 44:15-31

Torah Portion

This week's portion focuses first upon the importance of priests being set apart, clean in their service to the LORD and in the picture they present before the people.  In their work on behalf of life and wholeness, they are not to defile themselves with that which is dead or deformed or impure. As those representing man made in the image of God, the priests are themselves not to bear any outward marks, natural or inflicted, of that image having been marred.  In every way these priests (though themselves sinners), were called to represent outwardly the perfection of Yeshua, the Great Priest who was to come,

"For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens.Now the point in what we are saying is this:  we have such a high priest, one who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, a minister in the holy places, in the true tent that the Lord set up, not man"  (Hebrews 7:26, 8:1-2).

* Leviticus 21:4 (ESV).  "He shall not make himself unclean as a husband among his people and so profane himself." 

This is a difficult sentence to translate in the Hebrew.  However, coupled with verses 7, 13-14, it seems to extend the picture of wholeness represented by the High Priest to include the "oneness" realized in his marital union as well.

* Leviticus 21:5.  "They shall not make any bald place on their heads, nor shall they shave the edges of their beards nor make any cuttings in their flesh." 

These were all pagan rites of mourning-but again, the Priest, as representative of humankind, was not to mar his body made in the image of God.

* Leviticus 21:8.  "Therefore you shall consecrate him, for he offers the bread of your God.  He shall be holy to you, for I the LORD (YHVH), who sanctify you, am holy." 

The English words "consecrate" and "sanctify" both bear within them the Hebrew root for "holy".  The people are to set apart the priest as holy, and he must reflect holiness before them-but this is the testimony of his outward appearance and behavior.  Ultimate sanctification (being made holy) requires a gracious, deeper work of the LORD Himself.   At least six times in these two chapters the LORD reminds the priests that "It is I who sanctify"-both the people (21:8,15; 22:9,16,32),  and the holy places they have constructed in which to honor Him (21:23).

*Leviticus 21:21.  "No man of the descendants of Aaron the priest, who has a defect, shall come near to offer the offerings made by fire to the LORD.  He has a defect; he shall not come near to offer the bread of his God.  He may eat the bread of his God, both the most holy and the holy; only he shall not go near the veil or approach the altar, because he has a defect, lest he profane My sanctuaries(i.e. holy places); for I the LORD sanctify them."   

Those of the House of Aaron who were outwardly defective could partake of the offerings brought by the people to God-but they could not "draw near" to present them to God.  Drawing near requires that which is perfect, which the priests reflected, and the Holy Priest Yeshua would fulfill.  This "drawing near" was a special and wonderful privilege.  However, it could be lost by failing to adhere to the LORD's directions, as may be seen in Ezekiel 44:10-14 (immediately preceding this week's Haftarah), where the priests who had gone astray could still execute certain responsibilities before the LORD, but the privilege of drawing near to Him in the special way of their original cal l was forfeited. 

Chapter 23 "Appointed Times of YHVH"

This chapter presents in detail the Holy Convocations, the LORD's "appointed times" (many English translations, feasts) to be observed by His people Israel (They are also enumerated in Deuteronomy 16).  It should be noted, however, that these are not described as "Hebrew" appointed times or feasts, but as "The appointed times of YHVH" (23:2, 4, 37).  They begin with the weekly Shabbat (Sabbath) (vs 3)-then in the Spring:  Pesach-"Passover" (vs 5), the Week of Matzot-"Unleavened Bread" (vss 6-8), with the presenting of First Fruits (vss 10-14).  Fifty days later comes Shavuot-"Feast of Weeks" / "Pentecost" (vss 16-21).  In the Autumn come: Yom Teruah-"Day of Shofar Blasts" (vss 23-25), Yom Kippur-"Day of Atonement" (vss 26-32) and Succot-"Feast of Tabernacles" (vss 33-43).  Since we will deal more-extensively with these festivals as they occur throughout the year, we will limit our comments here to the following:

*Leviticus 23:3.  "Six days shall work be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, a holy convocation, You shall do no work on it; it is the Sabbath of the LORD in all your dwellings." 

This is eluded to each Friday evening before meals when a prayer is said which includes, "and caused us to inherit his holy Sabbath in love and favor, as a memorial of the work of creation; for that day ranks first amongst the holy convocations."   The actual Festivals of the Lord, convocations which are to be proclaimed at their appointed times throughout the year, follow.  But first it was necessary to reaffirm the weekly observance of Shabbat.

*Leviticus 23:24-25.  "In the seventh month, on the first of the month, you shall have a Sabbath, a memorial of blowing, a holy convocation." 

The word for "blowing" is t'ruah-which may be a shout or a trumpet blast.  From earliest times its occurrence here has been interpreted to refer to the sounding of the shofar-"ram's horn".  It is interesting that the "re demption" which took the place of Isaac was a "ram caught by its horn in a thicket".  The shout of the shofar is a redemptive call to attention, to taking account before the days of awe leading to Yom Kippur.  There is a rabbinic tradition, adhered to in most of Judaism today, which calls for postponing the blowing of the shofar on Yom T'ruah when the first of the seventh month falls on Shabbat ("Carrying a shofar to synagogue" is considered a violation of Shabbat!).  But Scripture makes no such exception, it clearly states that these convocations are to be carried out "at their appointed times" (vs 4).  In fact, verse 38 also implies that observance of these festivals is to take precedence over the regular weekly Sabbaths themselves.

*Leviticus 23:15-16.  "And you shall count for yourselves from the day after the Sabbath, from the day that you brought the sheaf of the wave offering:  seven Sabbaths shall be completed.  Count fifty days to the day after the seventh Sabbath; then you shall offer a new grain offering to the LORD." 

There has been a controversy in Judaism regarding when "Firstfruits" and the "Counting of the Omer" were to begin.  The Pharisees understood "day after the Sabbath" to refer to the day following the "day of rest" begun on Seder night. So Firstfruits and the beginning of Counting of the Omer always begin on the 16th of the First Hebrew month.  The Sadducees took the "Sabbath" in this passage to refer to the first "Saturday Sabbath" following Passover (therefore, Firstfruits and Counting the Omer would always begin on a Sunday). Another sect of Jews, the Ka'arites, have yet another way of determining when to count.  The tradition of the Pharisees (which sees the seven Sabbaths as weeks rather than Saturdays, and counts 50 days beginning with the 16th of Aviv/Nisan) is what appears to have been in place during the time of Yeshua, and is the system followed by most Jews today.

*Leviticus 24:2-4.  "Command the children of Israel that they bring to you pure oil of pressed olives for the light, to make the lamps burn continually.  Outside the veil of the Testimony, in the tabernacle of meeting, Aaron shall be in charge of it from evening until morning before the LORD continual ly:  it shall be a statue forever in your generations.  He shall be in charge of the lamps of the pure gold menorah before the LORD continually." 

The light of the Menorah was positioned to shine across onto the table bearing the 12 cakes of Bread of the Presence described in vss 5-9 (one cake for each of the Tribes of Israel).  Another translation is "Bread of the Face".  Many times in Scripture Israel's salvation is described as coming through the shining of God's face upon His people.  "For with You is the fountain of life; In Your light we see light" (Psalm 36:9.  See also Psalm 31:16; 44:3; 80:3, 7, 19).  And through that Light, there is a lamp which He has himself kindled and maintains within our hearts, "You, O LORD, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light"(Psalm 18:28)!

*Leviticus 24:11, 15-16.  "And the Israelite woman's son blasphemed the name and cursed; and so they brought him to Moses."  "Whoever curses his God shall bear his sin.  And whoever blasphemes the name of YHVH shall surely be put to death.When he blasphemes the name, he shall be put to death." 

Here, twice the word shem (name) is used in place of the name of God (YHVH).  As mentioned last week, today it is common among religious Jews when reading aloud or referring to YHVH (the LORD) to use this expression ha Shem -"the Name", rather than attempt to pronounce the covenant name.  I very common reply to the query, "Ma-shlomkha?" (How is your shalom?-How are You?) is simply, "Baruch HaShem!"(Blessed be The NAME.-Thank you, I am fine).

*Leviticus 24:19.  "If a man causes disfigurement of his neighbor, as he has done, so shall it be done to him-fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth; as he has caused disfigurement of a man(Hebrew: adam),  so shall it be done to him." 

Disfigurement of a fellow human being (Hebrew: "Son of Adam") is an extremely serious crime, marring that which of all creation was crafted by God in His own image.

Haf tarah

*Ezekiel 44:15.  "But the priests, the Levites, the sons of Zadok, who kept charge of My sanctuary when the children of Israel went astray from Me, they shall come near Me to minister to Me.They shall enter My sanctuary, and they shall come near My table to minister to Me, and they shall guard My charge." 

We who have come to the Father through His Son Yeshua are part of a "Kingdom of Priests" (Revelation 1:6).   "Drawing near" in ministry to Him is one of the most precious privileges we have, but we must guard His charge, and hold fast to what is good (I Thess. 5:21; Heb. 4:14; Rev. 2:25; 3:11).  Not to treasure and guard this gift can lead to tragic consequences.  As mentioned earlier, verses 10-14 tell of those who chose to abandon their charge, who "went far from Him.strayed away from Him".  These found place for repentance, and were given ways to minister to their Lord-but the intimacy of their first positioning was forfeited forever, "they shall not come near Me to minister" as they had in the past.

*Ezekiel 44:23.  "And the y (God's priestsshall teach My people the difference between the holy and the unholy, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean." 

PLEASE PRAY:  For the Body of Messiah in Israel, that the Lord raise up and sustain faithful leaders who will command authority by their example, integrity and adherence to the truth-including their regular "drawing near" to God to minister only to Him.  Pray that they will be able to teach the people holiness, cleanness, and discernment in a day of growing confusion and deception regarding what is holy and what is clean before God.

Martin and Norma Sarvis
Jerusalem


[The Parashah for next week 15-21 May is called BeHar-"On the Mount".  TORAH: Leviticus 25:1-26:2; HAFTARAH:  Jeremiah 32:6-27.]