What is Torah and Its Importance

In considering how best to share my thoughts on this blog, I've decided to focus on the weekly Torah portions. They are a backdrop to how Chad and I plan and manage our lives, and the Torah explains how our Hebrew ancestors navigated this world as they endured its trials and tribulations, too. The Most High Yah gives His people instructions through Moses, and we have hindsight into what happened to them when they loved and obeyed Him, or when they disagreed and disobeyed His Word.

I am no Torah expert, as I have not studied at Torah school or with a Rabbi; however, I am a believer in Messiah Yeshua and was baptized in the Holy Spirit in July 1991. So the Holy Spirit (Ruach ha’Kodesh) has been my Teacher.  I have read the Old Testament (OT), then studied the first 5 books of the Bible since the late 1980’s. So I’ve allowed the Word to speak to me for decades.

The week’s Torah portion (each portion has a name) will be divided into a couple of sections with my comments to follow. Since we are deep into the year 5786, we will not begin with Gen 1, but stick to the current portion, which is the book of Numbers, chapters 8-12. I’m only covering Num. 8:1-13 in this post. I hope that you’ll be encouraged in your most holy faith. Let’s begin!

What is the Torah?

            The first 5 books of the Old Testament

What is a Torah portion?

            The Torah is divided into 54 portions, allowing the entire text to be read over the course of a year, culminating on Simchat Torah, which follows the 8-day fall feast of Sukkot. The Torah cycle begins the following Sabbath. (rabbiianadams.com)

This week’s Torah portion: Numbers 8–12 | Beha’lotcha, “When you ascend”

Today’s lesson:  Num 8:1-13

Num 8:1-4  And יהוה spoke to Mosheh, saying, “Speak to Aharon, and say to him, ‘When you ascend to trim the lamps, let the seven lamps give light in front of the lampstand.’ ” And Aharon did so. He set up the lamps to face toward the front of the lampstand, as יהוה commanded Mosheh. And this is the work of the lampstand: beaten work of gold, from its base to its blossoms it is beaten work. According to the pattern which יהוה had shown Mosheh, so he made the lampstand.

Num 8:5-13  And יהוה spoke to Mosheh, saying, “Take the Lěwites from among the children of Yisra’ěl, and you shall cleanse them, and do this to them to cleanse them: Sprinkle water of sin offering on them, and they shall shave all their body, and shall wash their garments, and cleanse themselves, and shall take a young bull with its grain offering of fine flour mixed with oil, while you take another young bull as a sin offering. “And you shall bring the Lěwites before the Tent of Appointment, and you shall assemble all the congregation of the children of Yisra’ěl. “And you shall bring the Lěwites before יהוה, and the children of Yisra’ěl shall lay their hands on the Lěwites, and Aharon shall wave the Lěwites before יהוה, a wave offering from the children of Yisra’ěl – so shall they be for doing the service of יהוה.A“And the Lěwites shall lay their hands on the heads of the young bulls. And one shall be prepared as a sin offering and the other as an ascending offering to יהוה, to make atonement for the Lěwites. “And you shall have the Lěwites stand before Aharon and his sons, and then wave them, a wave offering to יהוה. “Thus you shall separate the Lěwites from among the children of Yisra’ěl, and the Lěwites shall be Mine.

🕎  In the first few verses, 1-4, יהוה (YHUH or Yah) instructs the high priest, Aaron, to set up the lampstand or menorah. Then HE comments on how they look, and how the gold they were hammered from has a detailed pattern. As an introduction to how the Levites were to be cleansed, it's as if יהוה (YHUH or Yah) is saying He knows how each Levite is fashioned with the details or patterns of his life.

What does the pattern of your life reveal? Does it reflect the glory of Yah and His fashioning of you?

The remaining verses, v. 5-13, describe how the initial priests were cleansed and prepared for service. Each step in the process is detailed and meaningful. As we ponder our own lives, are we paying attention to details that יהוה (YHUH or Yah) may be revealing that need some work? At the end of the day, can our lives be waved as a wave offering before יהוה?