Torah

Numbers 13:1-15:41

“Send for yourself men, that they may search the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel.” (Numbers 13:2)

Parashat Sh’lach (“send for yourself”) provides for us one of the most poignant and tragic narratives in the Aurayta (Torah) – the sending of the twelve spies into the Land of Canaan and the consequent failure of faith that leads to the judgment of an entire generation. It is a narrative consisting of themes of trust, vision, obedience, and the peril of collective fear. It also reintroduces us to the distinctive roles of leadership, especially as embodied by Caleb and Joshua, and offers a serious warning about how disbelief can deform a community’s future.

This portion also contains legal material—specifically, regulations concerning offerings and tzitzit. These serve as a theological counterbalance, reaffirming the enduring covenant between Mar-Yah and Israel, even in the wake of rebellion.

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Numbers 8:1-12:16

Parashat Beha’alotcha contains various narratives and mitzvoth, themes of consecration, purification, divine order, human frailty, and the enduring mercy of Mar-Yah. The Parashah begins with the kindling of the menorah, symbolic of divine illumination and the sanctification of the inner life, and concludes with the prophetic emergence of seventy elders, a mirror of the heavenly council, and the chastisement of Miriam and Aaron for speaking against Moshe. These episodes reflect a continuous tension between the sanctity of the covenant and the persistent weakness of the human heart. This section of the Aurayta (Torah) invites us to contemplate both the divine light that guides Israel and the shadows that arise when faith falters.

The Lighting of the Menorah (Numbers 8:1–4)
“And Mar-Yah spoke unto Moshe, saying, Speak unto Aharon, and say unto him, When you light the lamps, the seven lamps shall give light over against the candlestick.” (Numbers 8:1–2; LXX: “…the seven lamps shall give light in front of the candlestick.”)

This instruction follows directly upon the offerings of the tribal princes in the previous parashah and serves as a transition between the tribal leadership and the priestly service. The menorah, crafted of a single piece of pure gold (Exodus 25:31), represents not only unity in diversity but also the light of divine wisdom that must shine forth from the Sanctuary, illuminating both sacred space and the hearts of the people.

The seven lamps may also correspond to the sevenfold Spirit of Alaha described in Isaiah 11:2 and later referenced in Revelation 1:4. From our tradition, this particular menorah becomes a symbol of the fullness of the Rukha d’Kudsha, who enlightens the Assembly, which is the Body of Mshikha (Romans 12:5), and serves as a type of the light Yeshua proclaims in John 8:12. “I am the light of the world.”

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Parashat Nasso (consisting of Numbers 4:21–7:49) is rich in detail, scope, and theological significance. The portion continues the themes inaugurated in Bamidbar, refining the organisation of the wilderness camp and emphasising the sanctity, purity, and devotion required for Israel’s journey toward the Promised Land. Parashat Nasso interweaves laws concerning Levitical responsibilities, communal purity, marital fidelity, personal vows, priestly blessing, and tribal offerings. Each section builds toward a high point of divine encounter, culminating in Mar-Yah speaking directly to Moses from above the Ark of the Covenant.

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Parashat Bamidbar (Numbers 1:1–4:20) inaugurates Sefer Bamidbar—literally, “In the Wilderness”—known in English as the Book of Numbers. Yet the Hebrew title is more than a geographical note; it is a spiritual metaphor. The wilderness (midbar) is the theatre of divine pedagogy, covenantal testing, and the shaping of identity. It is here, in the crucible of desolation and dependence, that Israel is transformed from a redeemed multitude into a holy nation prepared for inheritance.

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Leviticus 25:1-27:34

Parashat Behar-Bechukotai, comprising the final double portion of Vayikra, encompasses a richly textured matrix of mitzvoth, divine assurances, and warnings, through which the identity of Israel as a holy people consecrated unto Mar-Yah is further refined. Here, within these sacred ordinances, the covenantal dynamics between Mar-Yah and Israel are revealed in legal, theological, and eschatological dimensions.

Parashat Behar begins with a most significant assertion: “And Mar-Yah spoke unto Moshe in Mount Sinai…” (Leviticus 25:1). The placement of this declaration is intentional. It signals that the laws which follow, pertaining to the Sabbatical year and Jubilee, were received at Sinai, bearing equal authority to the Decalogue and other covenantal ordinances.

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Torah Reading: Leviticus 21:1–24:23

This Sabbath’s Parashah opens with a solemn charge to the kohanim, beginning with a clear delineation of the boundaries of ritual purity and conduct. Mar-Yah commands Moshe to say to the priests. “Speak to the priests the sons of Aaron, and say to them, There shall none be defiled for the dead among his people.” (Leviticus 21:1)

The repetition of “speak” and “say” evokes a tone of gentleness mingled with urgency. Rabbinic exegetes, such as Rashi, observed that this is a warning for the elders to educate the youth. Yet beyond rabbinic insight, within a Hebraic framework, we perceive a deeper liturgical principle—those who stand near the altar must be consecrated not only in office but in being. St. Gregory the Theologian states that the priest is a “mediator of the earthly and the divine”—a role prefigured in Aaron’s line, but fulfilled in the Great High Priest, Yeshua Mshikha (Hebrews 4:14).

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We will consider Achrei Mot–Kedoshim, a double portion that encompasses the holy commands found in Vayiqra (Lev. 16:1–20:27), chapters 16 through 20. These passages form a foundational pillar of righteousness for the remnant, that we might walk in the path of separation from the defilements of the nations and in the light of the presence of Alaha.

After the Death – Achrei Mot (16:1–18:30)
The portion begins solemnly: “With regard to the death of the two sons of Aharon, when they drew near before Alaha, and died” (16:1). This reference to Nadav and Avihu’s sin stands as a sacred warning to all who approach Alaha without discernment or reverence. The sons of Aharon brought forth strange fire—not commanded by Alaha—and were consumed. This is not because Alaha is cruel, but because His holiness is like fire. That which is not sanctified shall not endure in His presence.

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This week’s Torah portion is a double portion found in the book of Vayikra, chapters 12 through 15. This parashah is deeply concerned with the matters of ritual purity and impurity, which in Hebrew are termed taharah and tumah. These concepts are often misunderstood in modern thought, for they do not necessarily relate to sin or morality, but to the conditions under which a person may or may not enter the sacred space and approach Alaha in holiness.

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