Parashah Chukkat

Shalom Chaverim (friends),

Greetings from the Land of Israel and welcome to this week's study, Chukkat { חֻקַּת }(Decree or Ordinance) which begins with the law regarding the mysterious Red Heifer (Parah Adumah) whose ashes were required to create the waters of purification.  

The World Cow (1913 painting by Franz Marc)

“This is the statute (Chukkat) of the law (Torah) which the Lord has commanded. ‘Tell the Israelites to procure for you a red heifer that is free from every blemish and defect and on which no yoke has ever been laid.’ ” (Numbers 19:2) 

It may be interesting to note that the place where the Red Heifer was burnt in biblical times was on the Mount of Olives where the Dominus Flevit Church [translated from Latin as ‘The Lord Wept’] is located today..

 Dominus Flevit Church

This Roman Catholic Church was constructed between 1953 and 1955 by the Italian architect Antonio Barluzzi  in the shape of a teardrop to symbolize the tears of the Messiah. It is believed to be at this site that Yeshua, while riding toward the city of Jerusalem, wept over that which He knew would soon befall His people : the destruction of Jerusalem and the Second Temple; as well as the exile of the Jews.Luke 19:37-42   

Looking for a ‘Needle in a Haystack’

‘Chukkat’ are ordinances of God that He has commanded; and for which he gives us no rational explanation.  It is somewhat like a father who says to his son, “You must do this only because I said so…”  So it is with the laws of purification through the Red Heifer.  The early Jewish explanation for this mysterious sacrifice is that it was meant to atone for the sin of the Golden Calf.

Because the state of ritual purity obtained through the ashes of a Red Heifer is a necessary prerequisite for participating in any Temple service, efforts have been made in modern times by Jews wanting to rebuild the Temple to locate a red heifer and recreate the ritual. However, multiple candidates have been disqualified over the years.

As recently as June 2014, the elusive ‘Red Heifer’ was believed to have been found in the United States of America (on the very same week as this parashah was read); but alas it was also eventually disqualified.  This Red Heifer is such an extremely rare creature that searching for it is considered like looking for a ‘needle in a haystack.

  

                                                   

The Red Cow

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The Mystery of the Red Heifer Revealed in the Messiah

The laws regarding the Red Heifer seem a mystery – how can the ashes of a red heifer possibly cleanse a person from defilement?  This makes no sense (like many concepts in the Torah) without knowing Yeshua.

 “He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption.

The blood of goats and bulls and the ASHES OF A HEIFER sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean.

How much more, then, will the blood of the Messiah, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!”  (Hebrews 9:13-14)

 Temple Mount Faithful

A Jewish group by the name of Temple Mount Faithful (considered a ‘fringe element by many Jews) re-enacts a ritual blood sacrifice of a lamb in an annual pre-Passover ritual.

Cohanim (Jewish priests) dress in authentic attire and the Levites sing Tehillim (Psalms) as the ancient biblical ceremony is re-enacted to the letter: the lamb is slaughtered and skinned; its blood spilled and organs burned on the specially constructed altar; and the choicest pieces of its meat are offered up to the Kohanim.

Accompanying the procession this year (on April 1^st, 2015) was Rabbi Yehudah Glick (in photo on the right), who miraculously survived an assassination attempt by an Arab terrorist only six months prior.

At the event, Rabbi Glick said, "Five months ago, the doctors didn't give me more than a two to five percent chance of surviving,"  

"My children came to the hospital to say goodbye to me. I wish I could offer up a sacrifice to express my gratitude, but we can't do so today. Who knows, perhaps we will be able to  soon." 

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4643453,00.html

There are so many rich, amazing nuggets of truth and wisdom in the rest of this Torah study, I wouldn't even know where to begin!  I do hope you can find time to study this Word out of Zion and discover secrets hidden within the Hebraic Scriptures.

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Please pray for Liat's plans to enroll in the King of Kings School of Media and become a Messianic Israeli filmmaker for the glory of Adonai.

Avi also is very happy to have finished his last week of Ein Harim elementary school where he has been attending for the last six years. He came in kitah aleph א (grade 1), not knowing even one word of Hebrew and despite being thrown into an entirely different culture and language, Avi not only became totally fluent in Hebrew; but also gained the respect and affection of his Israeli classmates and teachers alike.  

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Yeah Avi!  Looking forward to your grad on Sunday. Avi, my youngest child, plans to celebrate his Bar Mitzvah in Canada this summer with our family there before returning to Israel to celebrate again in Jerusalem.

Timothy is still studying engineering at the Technion School of Technology in Haifa where he lives with his lovely wife, Victoria. One more year to go, Timothy, until you graduate! 

Courtney and Emanuel are kept busy with their growing family of four young ones, raising them as godly seed for the glory of God.  How wonderful to see the good of Jerusalem and to see my children's children growing up here.  Peace upon Israel! (Psalm 128:5-6)

 Thanks so much for your generous support for our family and ministry here in the Land of Israel; and for your prayers for us and for all Israel (Kol Yisrael)!  May Adonai richly bless you (Gen. 12:3) and faithfully keep you under the shelter of His wings.

To make a donation on-line through paypal:  

http://www.voiceforisrael.net/donate

Shabbat Shalom,

With Love (ahava) from Israel

Hannah, Liat & Avi

P.S.  To receive the full study, just send me an e-mail or message

 

Facing the Giants - Parashat Shlach L'cha June 12th 2015

June 12th 2015

Shalom Chaverim (friends) 

Greetings from the beautiful land of Israel and welcome to this week's Torah study from Parashat Shlach L'cha  שְׁלַח-לְךָ (Send Forth), in which Moses sent 12 spies (meraglim) to scout out the Promised Land.  

 The spies came back with huge clusters of grapes and other fruits of the land  - evidence of the abundance of this land that flows with milk and honey. 

The Grapes of Canaan (watercolor circa 1896–1902 by James Tissot)

But the spies brought back more than just fruit; they also came bearing terrifying reports about the 'giants (nephilim or anakim) in the Land'. 

Moses and the Messengers from Canaan (painting by Giovanni Lanfranco)

This reminds me so much of the Land of Israel today.  We see evidence of God's abundant blessings here: the land that lay barren for over 2000 years is once again fruitful and prospering!

Fruit at Carmel Market in Tel Aviv   www.goisrael.com



The ruined cities of this Promised Land have been re-built and are now filled with people; but, my beloved chaverim, the reality is that there are still 'giants in the Land'.

Today, 100,000 people are expected to show up for the 17th annual Gay Pride parade in Tel Aviv.  God have mercy! 


The 'Rainbow Flag' next to the Israeli one

The 16th annual Gay Pride parade, last year. Photo by Ofer Vaknin


This past week was particularly difficult for us personally as a family. Sometimes the pressures of living in Israel can feel overwhelming (especially when coming from a totally different culture and language)!  

In this parashah, only 2 of the spies (Calev & Joshua) said, "Let us go up at once and possess the Land; for we are 'well able!'  The other 10 spies discouraged the people, spreading fear, doubt, and panic among the people of Israel, causing them to want to go back to Egypt.

In the end, only Calev & Joshua survived out of all the adult Israelites to enter the Promised Land.  The carcasses of the rest lay scattered all over the wilderness because of their sin of unbelief. The Ten spies were killed by the Lord.

The Ten Spies Who Had Spread the False Report Died (1984 illustration by Jim Padgett, courtesy of Sweet Publishing)

I am sorry to confess to you that I send you this Torah study this week with a humbled and contrite heart, for when I faced the giants this week, I succumbed to an emotional meltdown - acting much more like my Israelite ancestors than I would care to admit.

Instead of standing in courageous faith, I gave in to fear, doubt and panic. Oye!  I did everything that I am telling you NOT to do in this week's Torah study:  grumble, complain, cry, have a negative attitude and think about going back. 

So just in case you thought that I've got this all down pat, you can be assured that we are all in this journey together, growing and falling and picking ourselves up and, by the grace of God, continuing to walk with Adonai. 

We truly do need and appreciate your prayers and support to continue bearing good fruit here in the Land!  At this time, the grapes in Israel are still tiny on the vines; but here is a photo of a grape cluster from our village in the 'time of the season of the ripe grapes.'  YUM! 

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The report from the Land is not all bad, however, as many good and wonderful things have been happening. 

 Yesterday, I taught a message on relationships to the Messianic youth group at the King of Kings assembly in Jerusalem.  It was an awesome time and I'm so thankful to have the opportunity to speak into their lives.  It is amazing how God can take our messes and make it our message! 

** Please pray for Liat &her friends:  Gabby, Naamit, Samuel, Yan, D'vorah, Yoseph, Carl, & all our Israeli Messianic youth who really have a great deal to cope with here in the Land as young believers in Yeshua the Messiah.  It can be challenging enough as an adult, let alone all the additional challenges of being a teenager in the midst of this generation of young people here in the Land. 

One study shows that rates of anger, risky behavior, recreational drinking of alcohol, physical inactivity, long hours of computer use and negative feelings about their schools remain high among Israeli youth, according to Dr. Yossi Harel-Fisch, head of the national research program for the health of youth at Bar-Ilan University’s School of Education.

Teenagers drinking and smoking Hookah 521. (photo credit:Ariel Jerozolimski)

His surveys showed that during the intifadas, Palestinian terror caused serious harm to the psyches and moods of Israeli teens. http://www.jpost.com/Health-and-Science/Study-Israeli-youth-more-negative-than-other-teens

After the youth meeting, we attended the King of Kings Media School graduation and had the privilege of seeing some of their film productions.  On-line evangelism is really taking off from Jerusalem to the Jewish people in the nations and we witnessed a powerful film that will likely impact millions!  One video of the testimony of an Orthodox Jewish man who came to faith has reached over 5 million people on-line (including many Jewish people)! Halleluyah!

http://www.israeltoday.co.il/NewsItem/tabid/178/nid/26739/Default.aspx#.VXRTQ8sHBjk.facebook

My youngest daughter, Liat (15) is registered for a 9 day intensive course in film making and video production next week at the King of Kings Media School .  Thank you for everyone who has donated to help make this opportunity available. Some of you have seen Liat's videos on her new Vlog http://mylifeinisrael.net/ 

Liat hopes to improve her skills and produce great films for the Kingdom of God.

After the KOK Media School grad, we fought the heavy  traffic and non-existent parking (because of the current Jerusalem Light show playing in the Old City) to go to a dance performance in the historic outdoor arena of theSultan's Pool.  

 It was funny to see that instead of selling snow cones and cotton candy, vendors came through the stands selling bagelle (a favorite round, sesame bread) with zahtar (a favorite spice eaten with humous and bagelle).  :) 

Sultan's Pool open auditorium concert

The Sultan's pool is situated directly beneath the walls of the Old City in the Valley of Hinnom, which used to be a garbage dump and site of ritual sacrifice to pagan gods. This led to the naming of the Jewish concept of purgatory (hell)  as Ge - Hinnom (valley of Hinnom).

This open air auditorium, now used for many concerts from internationally renowned musicians,  was once an ancient water source built by Suleiman the Magnificent, the Ottoman Sultan who built the current walls of the Old City of Jerusalem. 

Jaffa Gate Jerusalem Old City  photo: www.goisrael.com

We have also been building a beautiful relationship with our neighbors, Shirlee and Yossi, a couple of 'free spirits' from Tel Aviv who have a cabin and camp out in this beautiful spot overlooking the valley near our home.

Many nights, they have invited us to their campfire where we have had wonderful conversations about God and faith. They listened intently as I shared my testimony one night over the fire. God gave me the ability to speak fluently in Hebrew and express how I came to believe in Yeshua as Messiah (Mashiach). 

 The next day I gave them a Tanach and Brit Hadashah (Old & New Testament) in Hebrew which they gladly received. 

One night they asked me to bring my auto-harp and I played and sang worship songs over the hills of Judea.  They said that they felt genuinely touched in their heart. 

Please pray for our witness to Shirlee and Yossi and others like them who are so open and ready for the harvest.  Thank you so much for standing with us here in the Land of Israel with your faithful prayers and generous support.

Love Hannah

Parashat Korach - Get Away From Their Tents June 19th 2015

June 18th, 2015

Shalom Chaverim (friends),

Welcome to my very first blog post! I am really excited about this and hope you will enjoy it.   It came to me recently that it was a shame to e-mail out these messages and photos each week as a cover to my Torah studies and not have them saved anywhere. So I decided to start posting them on a blog so they will be archived and people can have access to them at any time.  

So..... (drum roll please.........) 

 Here it is - Voice for Israel's premiere Blog post #1

Greetings from the Land of Israel and welcome to this week's Torah study from Parashat Korach (Korah - Bald).  I'm sending it out a little early since tomorrow I will be at the Sha'are Tzedek hospital for an MRI test.  Thanks for your prayers that I will be calm and at peace; and that anything that needs to be revealed will be brought to the light so that I can walk in good health.  Todah L'El (thank God) for excellent medical services and technology in Israel! 

Shaare Zedek in the 1950s

By the way, everything went well with the MRI.  The technicians were great.  As they prepared to slide me into this tube, they said, "Think happy thoughts"  . Then they put a round thing in my hand and said, "This is the panic button.... but don't use it too often!" :)

 Ha ha!  I didn't have to use it even once. Just imagined myself suntanning on the Mediterranean beach and enjoyed the rest.

Shaare Tzedek Medical Center in Jerusalem

In last week’s study (Shlach L’cha), we could already see the seeds of rebellion being sown within the community of Israel as, in fear and unbelief, the Israelites threatened to select a leader (other than Moses) and return to Egypt. The seeds of revolt had already been planted and were just waiting to break out into full blown rebellion. 

In this week’s Torah study, the rebellion continued with the mutiny against Moses’ leadership by a man named Korach קֹרַח, which means ‘baldness, ice, hail, or frost’.  The Torah portion opens with ‘Vayikash Korach’ (‘And Korach took...’) – an act of selfishness which led to division and disaster in Israel.

 

 The Punishment of Korah (detail from the fresco Punishment of the Rebels by Sandro Botticelli (1480–1482) in the Sistine Chapel)

Basically, two groups expressed discontentment with the leadership of Moses and Aaron:  Datan & Aviram (from the tribe of Reuven) led one group of rebels and Korach (a Levite) led the other.  In the end, God vindicated Moses and Aaron while severely punishing those who joined the rebellion.  

It is incredible that 250 men joined the rebellion; but even more incredible that they were 'princes' in Israel - the very elect of society!  Today, it is just as unbelievable that people occupying high positions in churches and the political realm are siding against Israel and joining with those who seek to steal her God-given land.

Yeshua warned us that in the last days, many will be deceived and let astray – even the very elect of society.  “For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.”  (Matthew 24:24)

The rebels were deceived into siding with the enemy of God’s chosen leadership, just as many are today choosing to side against Israel.  Moses called Datan and Aviram to go up (aleh); but they replied ‘loh na’aleh’ (we won’t go up). 

“And Moses sent to call Datan and Aviram the sons of Eliab, but they said, “We will not come up!”(Numbers 16:12)

Ironically, those who refused to ‘go up’ to negotiate peace with Moses ended up ‘going down’ to their deaths.  The earth swallowed them up alive and they went down to Sheol (place of the dead).

“So they and all those with them went down alive into the pit; the earth closed over them, and they perished from among the assembly. “ (Numbers 16:33) 

Datan and Abiram Devoured by the Earth (illumination by Hesdin of Amiens from a circa 1450–1455 "Biblia pauperum" (Bible of the Poor))

 Moses spoke to the congregation of Israel, “Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest ye be swept away in their sins’. (Numbers 16:26)  

 We must also stay far away from those who rebel against God in His election of Israel, for when Yeshua returns He will destroy all the enemies of Israel.

The Power of Unity

The name Korach is also derived from Korcha, which means ‘split’.  The split between the Israelites caused the ground to split and swallow up those causing the trouble.  People causing  strife, trouble, discord and division among brothers is one of the things God says He absolutely can't stand (hate is such a harsh word :) (Proverbs 6:19) 

Today, the Jewish people still struggle with division and strife.  In Israel, there is animosity and contention between various sects of Judaism:  Ultra-Orthodox, Conservative, Reform, secular, and even Messianic.

​ Chasidic man, secular soldier, and Arabic woman on bus

There is such a great power in Unity, as it is written, 

“Hinei mah tov u’manayim; shevet gam achim b’yachad.” 

הִנֵּה מַה-טּוֹב, וּמַה-נָּעִים--    שֶׁבֶת אַחִים גַּם-יָחַד

 “Behold  how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell together in unity.”  (Psalm 133:1)

It's easy to sing and dance these well known words traditional dance,(see awesome You Tube video)    Hinei Matov U'Manayim  but the real issue is - can we live it out?

This Psalm goes on to say that this very place (unity)  is where God COMMANDS His blessing. Wow!  I want God to command a blessing on me and my household.  Then why is it so hard for us to just all get along?  It sometimes seems like a continual battle against strife (or am I the only one)?  

No, we are not to come into unity with those who are rebellious towards God and His Torah; but may we all learn to walk in greater humility, contentment and gentleness towards all people; and may God one day bring unity and peace between brothers.

Being Content

I've been thinking a lot about Korach since Shabbat and about how he relates to my life.  What was the reason that Korach led a rebellion against Moses and Aaron? Moses knew his inner motives. 

 He said, 'Isn't it enough that God has made you a Levite and given you a special position to serve Him in the tabernacle?  Do you covet the priesthood too?'  (loose paraphrase of Numbers 16:8-10) 

Korach wasn't content to be 'just' a Levite.  He wanted to exalt himself into a higher, more prestigious position.  I think the Bible calls this, "Selfish ambition"  which it is said causes all kinds of trouble, confusion and strife.  Oye very!

My devotion this morning was about this very subject (from this great book called Streams in the Desert by L. B. Cowman) .  She said that coral invertebrates (called polyps) work under the water creating coral reefs. We have a beautiful coral reef in Eilat which I soooooo want to see again (haven't been there for 13 years).

Eilat underwater observatory photo:  www.goisrael.com Dafna Tal_EILAT_585

  

Ok - how do polyps & coral reefs in Eilat possibly relate to Korach you ask?  Patience (savlanut) I'm getting there! These polyps just faithfully go about doing their thing, having no idea (I don't think so anyways) that they are creating these magnificent coral reefs that we love to snorkel in.

So, she says, God has called some of us to be 'spiritual polyps' (don't know if I like that name though).  We work in seclusion and obscurity. Hidden from public view; but we should not grumble and complain. For this is where God has placed us.   

I was out walking my dogs, Pepper and Nina, one day in our village (moshav).  

 and the dogs took me down this dead end street where I rarely go (since it leads to nowhere except a gorgeous view!  Well worth the detour. 

 As I walked along, I had to stop and gaze upon this bush just sitting there on the side of this dead end road.  It boasted such incredibly beautiful flowers that I had to stop and take a photo!  

.  . It felt kind of unfair to me.  I questioned the Lord, "Why would you put such a beautiful flowering bush here.... on the side of some dead end road that hardly anyone would ever see?  Why not display it somewhere that everyone can see its beauty?"  

And then I felt the Lord speak to my heart of His love; and that He does not always put His treasures on display but guards them jealously.  I began to weep, for I so often feel that I am secluded here in this little village behind the screen of my laptop. There are times I long to be 'out there' more often in the limelight; but I need to take a lesson from Korach (and from the polyps) and be content to 'bloom where I am planted' and not seek for some place or position that God, in His wisdom and mercy, has not intended for me. 

God is looking for people who are willing to serve Him in these hidden places where they may not receive the praise and adulation of men; but will surely receive their reward one day from Heaven.  

I like that.  I hope those of you faithfully serving the Lord in obscurity and feeling that you're not doing anything 'great' for the Lord will also be encouraged.  

To be continued........... (suspenseful music)

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There is so much more to this week's study but I will leave it here and let you read the rest for yourself. Also attached are bonus study questions to discuss in your congregation, fellowship or Bible study groups. 

NOTE:  TO RECEIVE THESE ON-LINE TORAH STUDIES, SEND ME AN E-MAIL:  nesher.hannah@gmail.com and ask me to sign you up.  It's completely free.  In time I hope to have an automatic subscription thing going on my website but for now this is the limit of my technical abilities. :)  Please pray for the right tech support! 

Thank you so much for standing together with us here in the Land of Israel with your faithful prayers and generous giving.  May Adonai richly bless you and keep you!

Shabbat Shalom with love from Israel,

Hannah & family

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