Parashat Bechukotai. The Lord will Walk and Dwell in our midst because of the Covenant He has established

Transcription

1 Parashat Bechukotai פרשת בחקתי Shabbat Iyyar 27, 5772, May 19, 2012 MATSATI.COM / Rightly Dividing The Word of God matsati@matsati.com The Lord will Walk and Dwell in our midst because of the Covenant He has established / This Week s Reading השבועות הזה קוראים Leviticus 26:3-27:34 :תורה Jeremiah 16:19-17:14 :הפטרה Luke :הברית :החדשה Triennial cycle: Vayikra / Leviticus 26:3-27:15 This week's reading from Parashat Bechukotai (Vayikra / Leviticus 26:3-27:34), is the last portion of scriptures from Sefer Vayikra (Book of Leviticus). The parashah begins with God stating to keep His Mitzvot (Commandments) so that the rains will come and the land will produce its fruit in its seasons (26:3-5). In addition to this, walking in God's ways will bring peace in the land and remove the harmful beasts and no sword will pass through the land (26:6). The scriptures ז say that when we obey God's Mitzvot our enemies will run and fall before us וּר ד פ תּ ם א ת-א י ב יכ ם ו נ פ לוּ ל פ נ יכ ם ל ח ר ב: ח ו ר ד פוּ מ כּ ם ח מ שּׁ ה מ אָה וּמ אָה מ כּ ם ר ב בה י ר דּ פוּ 'But you will chase your enemies and they will fall 26:7 ו נ פ לוּ א י ב יכ ם ל פ נ יכ ם ל ח ר ב : before you by the sword; 26:8 five of you will chase a hundred, and a hundred of you will chase ten thousand, and your enemies will fall before you by the sword. and God will make His dwelling among us (26:11). The Scriptures go on to say that if the people fail to keep His commandments and reject His statutes (26:14-15) that He (the Lord) will appoint a sudden terror, consumption, and fever over them which will waste away the eyes, the soul will pine away, and the sowing of seed in the fields will be useless because their enemies will eat it up (26:16). The Lord will set his face against the people so they will fall before their יז (26:17, them enemies and the people will flea even when no one is pursuing The.(ו נ ת תּ י פ נ י בּ כ ם ו נ גּ פ תּ ם ל פ נ י א י ב יכ ם ו ר דוּ ב כ ם ש נ א יכ ם ו נ ס תּ ם ו א ין-ר ד ף א ת כ ם: reason given for the Lord bringing these things upon the people is so they turn from their wicked ways and obey the Lord (26:18). The Scriptures go on the say מ כּ ה שׁ ב ע that if the people continue to reject the Lord he will cause the plague to strike them seven times because of their sins (26:21) and if they כּ ח טּ את יכ ם ו ה כּ ית י א ת כ ם גּ ם-אָנ י שׁ ב ע ע ל- continue in hostility against the Lord it is repeated "I will strike you, also I seven times because of your sins." Because of ח טּ את יכ ם their disobedience, the people will eat and not be satisfied (26:27), and again it is ו י סּ ר תּ י א ת כ ם אַף- repeated, if the people act with wrathful hostility against the Lord sins." "I will punish you, even I seven because of your אָנ י שׁ ב ע ע ל- ח טּ את יכ ם Continuing in the sin of hostility against the Lord results in the increase in punishment, the people will consume the flesh of their own children (26:29), the

2 Lord will lay waste to the cities (26:31), and scatter the people among the nations (26:33), all because of their sin of hostility against the Lord and idolatry. When these things happen then the land will truly enjoy its Shabbats (26:35). The people who are left will have great weakness of heart (26:36) and the people will stumble and flea even though nobody is pursuing them and their enemies will מ ו ה ת ו דּוּ א ת -ע וֹנ ם ו א ת-ע וֹן א ב ת ם consume them (26:37-38). The Lord then says בּ מ ע ל ם א שׁ ר מ ע לוּ-ב י ו אַף א שׁ ר-ה ל כוּ ע מּ י בּ ק ר י: מא אַף-א נ י א ל ך ע מּ ם בּ ק ר י ו ה ב את י א ת ם בּ א ר ץ א י ב יה ם אוֹ-אָז י כּ נ ע ל ב ב ם ה ע ר ל ו אָז י ר צוּ א ת-ע וֹנ ם: מב ו ז כ ר תּ י א ת-בּ ר ית י י ע קוֹב ו אַף א ת- 'If they confess their 26:40 בּ ר ית י י צ ח ק ו אַף א ת-בּ ר ית י אַב ר ה ם א ז כּ ר ו ה אָר ץ א ז כּ ר : iniquity and the iniquity of their forefathers, in their unfaithfulness which they committed against Me, and also in their acting with hostility against Me 26:41 I also was acting with hostility against them, to bring them into the land of their enemies or if their uncircumcised heart becomes humbled so that they then make amends for their iniquity, 26:42 then I will remember My covenant with Jacob, and I will remember also My covenant with Isaac, and My covenant with Abraham as well, and I will remember the land. The Scriptures say that if the people repent the Lord will remember His covenant with Avraham, Yitzchak (Isaac), and Yaakov (Jacob). The Parashah ends with the Mitzvot on the Yovel (Jubilee) year. In addition to this, the command of the tithe of one tenth is given לב ו כ ל -מ ע ש ר בּ ק ר ו צ אן כּ ל א שׁ ר-י ע ב ר תּ ח ת ה שּׁ ב ט ה ע ש יר י י ה י ה-קּ ד שׁ,27:32) ). ל יהוֹ ה : In this week s Parashat, from sefer Vayikra / Leviticus 26:3-27:15, we find א ם בּ ח קּ ת י תּ ל כוּ ו א ת מ צ וֹת י תּ שׁ מ רוּ ו ע שׂ ית ם א ת ם the conditional phrase meaning if you walk in my statutes and keep my commands and so as to carry them out (you doing them) then the Lord will give rain upon the land in their seasons and the land will yield its produce and bear its fruit according to Vayikra 26:3. Moshe goes on to tell the people the Lord will then bring the harvest of food in its season and they shall eat and be filled and be blessed in fullness. In addition to this, not only will they not fear their enemies, but their enemies will fall before them by the sword and they shall chase their enemies where one person will chase a hundred and an hundred will chase ten thousand. The Lord will put fear in the heart of our enemies. By obeying God and His mitzvot (commands) the Lord says that He will make his ו ה י ית י ל כ ם ל אל ה ים saying dwelling among His people and walk among them meaning and I will be their God and they will be my ו אַתּ ם תּ ה יוּ ל י ל ע ם people. These scriptures 26:11-12 are very significant for our understanding the Word of God, God s plan of redemption, and why Yeshua (Jesus) had come to die for our sins. How does walking and dwelling in our midst signify the establishment of His covenant in a way that only God could do? 2 פרשת בחקותי ספר ויקרא פרק כו פסוק ט-יג ט וּפ נ ית י א ל יכ ם ו ה פ ר ית י א ת כ ם ו ה ר בּ ית י א ת כ ם ו ה ק ימ ת י א ת-בּ ר ית י א תּ כ ם: [שלישי] [חמישי כשהן מחוברין] י ו א כ ל תּ ם י שׁ ן נוֹשׁ ן ו י שׁ ן מ פּ נ י ח ד שׁ תּוֹצ יאוּ: יא ו נ ת תּ י מ שׁ כּ נ י בּ תוֹכ כם ו ל א- ת ג ע ל נ פ שׁ י א ת כ ם: יב ו ה ת ה לּ כ תּ י בּ תוֹכ כ ם ו ה י ית י ל כ ם ל אל ה ים ו אַתּ ם תּ ה יוּ-ל י ל ע ם: יג א נ י י הוֹ ה א ל ה יכ ם א שׁ ר הוֹצ את י א ת כ ם מ א ר ץ מ צ ר י ם מ ה י ת ל ה ם ע ב ד ים ו א שׁ בּ ר מ ט ת ע לּ כ ם ו אוֹל ך א ת כ ם קוֹמ מ יּוּת : Vayikra / Leviticus 26: :9 'So I will turn toward you and make you fruitful and multiply you, and I will confirm My covenant with you. 26:10 'You will eat the old supply and clear out the old because of the new. 26:11 'Moreover, I will make My dwelling among you, and My soul will not reject you. 26:12 'I will also walk among you and be your God, and you shall be My people. 26:13 'I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt so that you would not be their slaves, and I broke the bars of your yoke and made you walk erect.

3 We begin our study by examining an Aramaic translation of the Torah, the Targum Onkelos. The Targum Onkelos is the official eastern (Babylonian) Targum to the Torah. As we examine the Aramaic and Hebrew texts, we will be asking ourselves the primary question: What does the author intend for us to understand in terms of meaning? What does the text mean? Now, the Targum is a translation of the Hebrew Scriptures into Aramaic. This was necessary to accommodate the returning exiles from Babylon (see Jeremiah and Nehemiah for the exile and return narratives). The Targumim (plural for Targums) are not always a word-for-word translation of the Hebrew text but often included an expanded paraphrase of the Torah passages that contain the theology and perspectives of the translators in their times. The standard Targum of the Torah in Judaism is Onkelos and the standard Targum of the prophets is Jonathan named after Jonathan ben Uzziel the supposed author of the translation. Another Targum is Pseudo-Jonathan. Targum Yerushalami (Jerusalem) is the translation for the Writings (except for Ezra, Nehemiah, and Daniel). The Targum Onkelos is dated to the 2 nd Century. In addition to this, note that the basic vocabulary of Aramaic is very similar to that of Hebrew, even though not all of the roots have the same meaning in both languages. Many words have similar meanings in both languages; Aramaic also undergoes certain fixed consonantal changes as the words pass from one language to the other. Thus, the student that encounters an unfamiliar Aramaic word can often guess its meaning by considering whether a similar root exists in Hebrew having a common root. Let s look in the Targum Onkelos אונקלוס) (תרגום at Vayikra / Leviticus verses 26:11-12 and see what we can learn: 3 תרגום אונקלוס ספר ויקרא פרק כו פסוק י-יב י ו ת יכ לוּן ע תּ יק א דּ ע תּ יק ו ע תּ יק א מ ן ק ד ם ח ד תּ א תּ פ נּוּן: יא ו א תּ ן מ שׁ כּ נ י בּ ינ יכוֹן ו ל א תּר ח ק מ ימ ר י י ת כוֹן: יב ו אַשׁ ר י שׁ כ ינ תּ י בּ ינ יכוֹן ו א ה ו י ל כוֹן ל אל ה א ו אַתּוּן תּ הוֹן ק ד מ י ל ע ם : פרשת בחקותי ספר ויקרא פרק כו פסוק י-יב י ו א כ ל תּ ם י שׁ ן נוֹשׁ ן ו י שׁ ן מ פּ נ י ח ד שׁ תּוֹצ יאוּ: יא ו נ ת תּ י מ שׁ כּ נ י בּ תוֹכ כ ם ו ל א-ת ג ע ל נ פ שׁ י א ת כ ם: יב ו ה ת ה לּ כ תּ י בּ תוֹכ כ ם ו ה י ית י ל כ ם ל אל ה ים ו אַתּ ם תּ ה יוּ-ל י ל ע ם : Inspection of the Aramaic text along side of the Hebrew text shows some similarities to the Hebrew and it is relatively easy to determine what is being said. In Hebrew it says I will give/put/place my Mishkhan (tabernacle) in their ) ו נ ת תּ י מ שׁ כּ נ י בּ תוֹכ כ ם ו ל א- ת ג ע ל נ פ שׁ י א ת כ ם ( you midst and my soul will not reject The word tigal (ת ג ע ל) is from the root להגעיל meaning to make someone feel disgust, loathe so God is saying that He will not make His נפשי soul, life, or spirit loath or feel disgust of the people. In the Aramaic translation, God will not make his Word Memrah (written as מימרי meaning My Word ) to feel disgust toward them. יא ו א תּ ן מ שׁ כּ נ י בּ ינ יכוֹן ו ל א תּ ר ח ק מ ימ ר י י ת כוֹן : Onkelos Targum יא ו נ ת תּ י מ שׁ כּ נ י בּ תוֹכ כ ם ו ל א -ת ג ע ל נ פ שׁ י א ת כ ם : Torah Vayikra / Leviticus 26: :9 'So I will turn toward you and make you fruitful and multiply you, and I will confirm My covenant with you. 26:10 'You will eat the old supply and clear out the old because of the new. 26:11 'Moreover, I will make My dwelling among you, and My soul will not reject you. 26:12 'I will also walk among you and be your God, and you shall be My people. 26:13 'I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt so that you would not be their slaves, and I broke the bars of your yoke and made you walk erect.

4 'Moreover, I will make My dwelling among you, and My soul will not reject you. Reading Vayikra / Leviticus 26:12 God told the Children of Yisrael that I will ו ה ת ה לּ כ תּ י ( People. also walk among you and be your God and you shall be My ) According to these Scriptures and בּ תוֹכ כ ם ו ה י ית י ל כ ם ל אל ה ים ו אַתּ ם תּ ה יוּ- ל י ל ע ם throughout all of Scripture, from Avraham until today, God proclaims that He wants to be our God and he wants us to be His people! יב ו אַשׁ ר י שׁ כ ינ תּ י בּ ינ יכוֹן ו א ה ו י ל כוֹן ל אל ה א ו אַתּוּן תּ הוֹן ק ד מ י ל ע ם : Onkelos Targum יב ו ה ת ה לּ כ תּ י בּ תוֹכ כ ם ו ה י ית י ל כ ם ל אל ה ים ו אַתּ ם תּ ה יוּ-ל י ל ע ם : Torah 145 'I will also walk among you and be your God, and you shall be My people In sefer Bereshit, God called out to Avraham making a covenant with him, God s plan was to call forth a people who would be His own. He proclaimed to Avraham before he had children in sefer Bereshit / Genesis 16 saying, before Avraham had Yitzchak (Isaac), that To you I will be God and to your children after you. Through this people (the descendents of Avraham) and by His 4 פרשת לך לך ספר בארשית פרק יז פסוק א -ז covenant, God is creating a people who He has redeemed to be holy, righteous, and bring glory to His Name. It is interesting in the 155 א ו י ה י אַב ר ם בּ ן-תּ שׁ ע ים שׁ נ ה ו ת שׁ ע שׁ נ ים ו יּ ר א י ה ו ה א ל-אַב ר ם ו יּ אמ ר א ל יו א נ י-א ל שׁ דּ י ה ת ה לּ ך Targum Onkelos, God says I will place My Word (Memra, (מ ימ ר י between Me and between you and between your seed. ל פ נ י ו ה י ה ת מ ים: ב ו א תּ נ ה ב ר ית י 160 בּ ינ י וּב ינ ך ו אַר בּ ה אוֹת ך בּ מ א ד תרגום אונקלוס ספר בראשית פרק יז מ א ד: ג ו יּ פּ ל אַב ר ם ע ל-פּ נ יו ז ו אָק ים י ת ק י מ י בּ ין מ ימ ר י וּב ינ ך וּב ין בּ נ ך בּ ת ר ך לד ר יהוֹן ו י ד בּ ר א תּוֹ א ל ה ים ל אמ ר: ד א נ י ל ק י ם ע ל ם ל מ ה ו י ל ך ל אל ה א ו ל ב נ ך בּ ת ר ך : Here, the Word of God is set, raised up, and ה נּ ה ב ר ית י א תּ ך ו ה י ית ל אַב ה מוֹן between God and Avraham (ו אָק ים) 165 established גּוֹי ם: ה ו ל א-י קּ ר א עוֹד א ת-שׁ מ ך and his children (seed). In Hebrew It says that אַב ר ם ו ה י ה שׁ מ ך אַב ר ה ם כּ י אַב- (בּ ר ית י) Covenant God will place His ה מוֹן גּוֹי ם נ ת תּ יך : ו ו ה פ ר ת י א ת ך between Himself, between Avraham and his בּ מ א ד מ א ד וּנ ת תּ יך ל גוֹי ם וּמ ל כ ים מ מּ ך י צ אוּ: [שביעי] ז children. In the Aramaic text (Targum 170 ו ה ק מ ת י א ת-בּ ר ית י בּ ינ י וּב ינ ך,מ ימ ר י) Onkelos) God will place His Memra Avraham, Word) between Himself, between וּב ין ז ר ע ך אַח ר יך ל ד ר ת ם ל ב ר ית עוֹל ם ל ה יוֹת ל ך ל אל הים and his children. The fascinating aspect of the differences between the two translations is that וּל ז ר ע ך אַח ר יך :,מ ימ ר י) Word in the Aramaic translation the Memra) is written to be synonymous with the Covenant (בּ ר ית י) of God in the Hebrew text. Comparison of the Hebrew and Aramaic, the word for covenant indicating that it is in God s (מ ימ ר י) is substituted with the word Memra (בּ ר ית י) Word that the covenant is being established. We come to understand this based

5 on the translation, the Hebrew word for between (ב ין) is the same root in Aramaic. The primary question for us is what does the author intend for us to understand in terms of meaning with respect to the Aramaic and Hebrew texts? Comparison of the translations tells us that the Memra,מ ימ ר י) My Word, God s Word) is through whom the covenant is made. When understanding the nature of a covenant, the most important covenants are those that are issued from God that is made with man. In the Torah, there are three types or categories of covenants; the first is between people, without a reference to God such as the covenant that Avraham made with Avimelech in sefer Bereshit / Genesis 26. In this instance a covenant is made as a statement of ideas that are agreed upon (See Bereshit / Genesis 26:29, 31:50-52) and then the agreement is sealed with and by an oath (see Bereshit / Genesis 26:31, 31:48-52). In this covenant, the two parties (between two men, one man with another) agree and give an oath by their word. Here, the covenant is sealed by an oath, by the Word of two men. The second type of covenant is one that is made by man to God. Throughout sefer Bereshit / Genesis, Avraham made a covenant with God and sealed his covenant in blood. In this case, the covenants were sealed in the life and the blood of the animal that was slaughtered. The third type of covenant is where God makes a covenant with man but there is no blood that is spilled. The covenant is sealed by the Word of the Lord similar to how the covenant was sealed between Avraham and Avimelech. For example in Parashat Lekh lekha (sefer Bereshit / Genesis 12) God calls Avraham to go to the land of Canaan and promises a covenant with his children like it is shown in sefer Bereshit / Genesis 17. In this case, the covenant is sealed by the Word Memra (מ ימ ר י) of the Lord, as indicated by the Aramaic translation and Avraham believes by faith that God will accomplish and fulfill these covenantal promises. These types of covenants are eternal covenants that are established by God s Word where the Word of the Lord is synonymous with God Himself. In addition to this, these types of covenants are prophetic in nature, such as in sefer Bereshit / Genesis 17 in God s promise to place His Word/Memra (מ ימ ר י) and/or Covenant (בּ ר ית י) with Avraham and his children. This type of covenant provides a link/connection to other prophetic covenants that God was going to fulfill. One example is found in the prophetic covenant spoken by the prophet Jeremiah that the Lord God will make a new covenant with His people in sefer Jeremiah chapter 31 verses ספר ירמיה פרק לא פסוק ל-לד ל ה נּ ה י מ ים בּ א ים נ א ם-י ה ו ה ו כ ר תּ י א ת-בּ ית י ש ר א ל ו א ת-בּ ית י הוּד ה בּ ר ית ח ד שׁ ה: לא ל א כ בּ ר ית א שׁ ר כּ ר תּ י א ת-א בוֹת ם בּ יוֹם ה ח ז יק י ב י ד ם ל הוֹצ יאָם מ א ר ץ מ צ ר י ם א שׁ ר-ה מּ ה ה פ רוּ א ת-בּ ר ית י ו אָנ כ י בּ ע ל תּ י ב ם נ א ם-י ה ו ה: לב כּ י ז את ה בּ ר ית א שׁ ר א כ ר ת א ת-בּ ית י ש ר א ל אַח ר י ה יּ מ ים ה ה ם נ א ם-י ה ו ה נ ת תּ י א ת-תּוֹר ת י בּ ק ר בּ ם ו ע ל-ל בּ ם א כ תּ ב נּ ה ו ה י ית י ל ה ם ל אל ה ים ו ה מּה י ה יוּ-ל י ל ע ם: לג ו ל א י ל מּ דוּ עוֹד א ישׁ א ת-ר ע הוּ ו א ישׁ א ת-אָח יו ל אמ ר דּ עוּ א ת-י ה ו ה כּ י-כוּלּ ם י ד עוּ אוֹת י ל מ ק ט נּ ם ו ע ד-גּ דוֹל ם נ א ם-י ה ו ה כּ י א ס ל ח ל ע וֹנ ם וּל ח טּ את ם ל א א ז כּ ר-עוֹד: לד כּ ה אָמ ר י ה ו ה נ ת ן שׁ מ שׁ ל אוֹר יוֹמ ם ח קּ ת י ר ח ו כוֹכ ב ים ל אוֹר ל י ל ה ר ג ע ה יּ ם ו יּ ה מוּ ג לּ יו י ה ו ה צ ב אוֹת שׁ מוֹ : Jeremiah 31: :31 Behold, days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, 31:32 not like the covenant which I made with their fathers in the day I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, although I was a husband to them, declares the Lord. 31:33 But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord, I will put My law within them and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. 31:34 They will not teach again, each man his neighbor and each man his brother, saying, 'Know the Lord,' for they will all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, declares the Lord, for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.

6 ה נּ ה י מ ים בּ א ים נ א ם -י ה ו ה ו כ ר תּ י א ת-בּ ית י ש ר א ל ו א ת- בּ ית י הוּד ה בּ ר ית ח ד שׁ ה God says Behold, days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, In 31:32, the Lord says that this is not the covenant that He cut/made with your Fathers in the day that He delivered them by the hand from eretz Mitzrayim (land of Egypt). This is a new covenant, a different covenant, an eternal covenant a covenant that says will cause God to ו ה י ית י ל ה ם ל אל ה ים ו ה מּ ה י ה יוּ- ל י ל ע ם that I will be there God and they will be a people to me. Here, not only is there a parallel with our Torah text in Vayikra 26:12, God is also declaring that He will make a new covenant that will lead to Him being our God and us being His people. The presentation of these Mitzvot (commands) in the Parashah is contained within the eternal covenant that God is going to make with His people. Now, based on our understanding of the covenantal systems through the bible, the three types, man with man, and man with God and God with man, the covenant God is going to make with us, this new covenant will be sealed by His Word,מ ימ ר י) Memra) and by blood. The one thing we know for certain is that God always comes through on His promises and man always falls short on keeping his promises. Therefore, God, in His timing, brought His Word, His Memra (מ ימ ר י) into the World in a unique and special way that satisfies the covenantal promise that He made in ל א כ בּ ר ית א שׁ ר כּ ר תּ י א ת-א בוֹת ם בּ יוֹם ה ח ז יק י ב י ד ם ל הוֹצ יאָם מ א ר ץ,31:32 Jeremiah making a covenant מ צ ר י ם א שׁ ר-ה מּ ה ה פ רוּ א ת-בּ ר ית י ו אָנ כ י בּ ע ל תּ י ב ם נ א ם-י ה ו ה : that was unlike the covenant He had made with our fathers in the past. God was doing something different, something new, and something wonderful. The way this new covenant was accomplished was that God caused His Memra,מ ימ ר י) My Word) to become flesh as recorded in the Ketuvei Shelachim (Apostolic Writings). In Yeshua (Jesus) God established His covenant with His people by His Word,מ ימ ר י) My Memra) and by the blood of the Word (Yeshua s death). It was in this way that God, by His Word Memra becoming flesh enabled God to seal the covenant He made with us by his Word ( מ ימ ר י, Memra) and by blood. Examining the Greek text from John 1: Ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν ὁ λόγος, καὶ ὁ λόγος ἦν πρὸς τὸν θεόν, καὶ θεὸς ἦν ὁ λόγος. 2 οὗτος ἦν ἐν ἀρχῇ πρὸς τὸν θεόν. 3 πάντα διʹ αὐτοῦ ἐγένετο, καὶ χωρὶς αὐτοῦ ἐγένετο οὐδὲ ἕν. ὃ γέγονεν 4 ἐν αὐτῷ ζωὴ ἦν, καὶ ἡ ζωὴ ἦν τὸ φῶς τῶν ἀνθρώπων: 5 καὶ τὸ φῶς ἐν τῇ σκοτίᾳ φαίνει, καὶ ἡ σκοτία αὐτὸ οὐ κατέλαβεν. 6 Ἐγένετο ἄνθρωπος ἀπεσταλμένος παρὰ θεοῦ, ὄνομα αὐτῷ Ἰωάννης: 7 οὗτος ἦλθεν εἰς μαρτυρίαν, ἵνα μαρτυρήσῃ περὶ τοῦ φωτός, ἵνα πάντες πιστεύσωσιν διʹ αὐτοῦ. 8 οὐκ ἦν ἐκεῖνος τὸ φῶς, ἀλλʹ ἵνα μαρτυρήσῃ περὶ τοῦ φωτός. 9 *)=ην τὸ φῶς τὸ ἀληθινόν, ὃ φωτίζει πάντα ἄνθρωπον, ἐρχόμενον εἰς τὸν κόσμον. 10 ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ ἦν, καὶ ὁ κόσμος διʹ αὐτοῦ ἐγένετο, καὶ ὁ κόσμος αὐτὸν οὐκ ἔγνω. 11 εἰς τὰ ἴδια ἦλθεν, καὶ οἱ ἴδιοι αὐτὸν οὐ παρέλαβον. 12 ὅσοι δὲ ἔλαβον αὐτόν, ἔδωκεν αὐτοῖς ἐξουσίαν τέκνα θεοῦ γενέσθαι, τοῖς πιστεύουσιν 6 John 1:1-15 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 1:2 He was in the beginning with God. 1:3 All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. 1:4 In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. 1:5 The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. 1:6 There came a man sent from God, whose name was John. 1:7 He came as a witness, to testify about the Light, so that all might believe through him. 1:8 He was not the Light, but he came to testify about the Light. 1:9 There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man. 1:10 He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. 1:11 He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. 1:12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, 1:13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. 1:14 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. 1:15 John testified about Him and cried out, saying, This was He of whom I said, 'He who comes after me has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.'

7 εἰς τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ, 13 οἳ οὐκ ἐξ αἱμάτων οὐδὲ ἐκ θελήματος σαρκὸς οὐδὲ ἐκ θελήματος ἀνδρὸς ἀλλʹ ἐκ θεοῦ ἐγεννήθησαν. 14 Καὶ ὁ λόγος σὰρξ ἐγένετο καὶ ἐσκήνωσεν ἐν ἡμῖν, καὶ ἐθεασάμεθα τὴν δόξαν αὐτοῦ, δόξαν ὡς μονογενοῦς παρὰ πατρός, πλήρης χάριτος καὶ ἀληθείας. 15 Ἰωάννης μαρτυρεῖ περὶ αὐτοῦ καὶ κέκραγεν λέγων, Οὗτος ἦν ὃν εἶπον, Ὁ ὀπίσω μου ἐρχόμενος ἔμπροσθέν μου γέγονεν, ὅτι πρῶτός μου ἦν. Here John 1:1 describes the function of the creative Word of God, 1 Ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν ὁ λόγος, καὶ ὁ λόγος ἦν πρὸς τὸν θεόν, καὶ θεὸς ἦν ὁ λόγος. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.,מ ימ ר י) Memra When the Apostle John wrote his gospel, he was aware of the Word, λόγος, Logos) and its use in the Tanach (Torah, Neviim, Ketuvim). The Memra is used being synonymous with God, in the Targumim, the Aramaic translations of the Tanach. Note that the Word of the Lord ( Memra of Adonai ) is used in substitution for the Melach Adonai the Angel of the Lord in many places throughout the Torah in the Aramaic translation (see the study Parashat Bereshit). The author of the Aramaic translation was saying that the Memra of God ( Word of God ) is the very presence of the Lord Himself. Take for example, the Memra walking in the Garden of Eden as God (compare ח Torah: the Targum with the Hebrew text from sefer Bereshit / Genesis 3:8). ו יּ שׁ מ עוּ א ת-קוֹל י הוֹ ה א ל ה ים מ ת ה לּ ך בּ גּ ן ל רוּח ה יּוֹם ו יּ ת ח בּ א ה אָד ם ו א שׁ תּוֹ מ פּנ י י הוֹ ה א ל ה ים ח וּשׁ מ עוּ י ת ק ל מ ימ ר א ד יי א ל ה ים דּ מ ה לּ ך בּג נ ת א Onkelos: and Targum בּ תוֹך ע ץ ה גּ ן : here according to ל מ נ ח יוֹמ א ו א ט מ ר אָד ם ו א תּ ת יהּ מ ן קד ם י י א ל ה ים בּ גוֹ א יל ן גּ נ ת א : Bereshit 3:8, the Aramaic translation states the Memra of Adonai Elohim walking in the garden ד יי א ל ה ים דּ מ ה לּ ך בּ ג נ ת א) (מ ימ ר א whereas its Hebrew י הוֹ ה א ל ה ים מ ת ה לּ ך ( garden: counterpart states the YHVH Elohim walking in the is through whom the covenant is (מ ימ ר א) In addition to this, the Memra.(בּ גּ ן established as we saw in Bereshit / Genesis 17:7. Thus, the people who read from the Targumim, the Aramaic translations of the Torah, would have understood that the Memra was and is the Word of the living God. By writing about the Word (Logos, λόγος) of God, John was portraying the Messiah as both being a messenger from God who simultaneously shared the very nature of the Lord God Almighty Himself. John 1:14 goes on to say Sarx egeneto (σὰρξ ἐγένετο) meaning flesh became the Scripture is saying the Word of God put on flesh, meaning He became a man. It says that by taking on flesh, the Word of God eskenosen (ἐσκήνωσεν) tented, tabernacle, made His dwelling, or pitched His tent. The words of John the Apostle echo (allude to) sefer Shemot / Exodus 25:9 ו נ ת תּ י מ שׁ כּ נ י בּ תוֹכ כ ם ו ל א-ת ג ע ל ( people and God s promise to tabernacle with His ) as we see in this week s Parashah and in the prophetic covenant God נ פ שׁ י א ת כ ם was going to make according to Vayikra / Leviticus 26:11-12 and Jeremiah והדבר נהיה 31: The Hebrew translation of the Greek text in John 1:14 says,מ ימ ר א) which translates as the Word became flesh meaning that the Word בשר Memra) put on flesh like the wearing of clothing and then וישכן בתוכנו yishcon 7

8 betocheinu meaning that when the Memra (Word) put on flesh, He dwelled, or tabernacle betocheinu in our midst. 315 ספר יוחנן פרק א פסוק יד והדבר נהיה בשר וישכן בתוכנו ונחזה תפארתו כתפארת בן יחיד לאביו רב חסד ואמת Here the Memra (מ ימ ר א) became flesh, and brought the atoning sacrifice to make peace between you and me, and the Lord God Almighty. The Word acted on our behalf to establish an everlasting covenant fulfilling prophetically what God has promised so many hundreds of years ago. In these Scriptures we see God doing all of the work of drawing us near and confirming His Covenant by His Word in the blood of the Word in Yeshua the Messiah. This is how we understand Yeshua (Jesus) to be God, God the Word, the Memra,מ ימ ר א) Logos, λόγος), the Creator and Sustainer of life (see sefer Colossians 1:15-20). These Scriptures explain to us why it is important to believe in God s Word and to remain in the Word of God. Yeshua taught His disciples saying 31 Ἔλεγεν οὖν ὁ Ἰησοῦς πρὸς τοὺς πεπιστευκότας αὐτῷ Ἰουδαίους, Ἐὰν ὑμεῖς μείνητε ἐν τῷ λόγῳ τῷ ἐμῷ, ἀληθῶς μαθηταί μού ἐστε, 32 καὶ γνώσεσθε τὴν ἀλήθειαν, καὶ ἡ ἀλήθεια ἐλευθερώσει ὑμᾶς. If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free (John 8:31 32). We who abide in the Word of God, abide in Yeshua, the truth of the Word,מ ימ ר א) Memra, Logos, λόγος) is that which sets us free free to serve Yeshua, free to be His true disciples, free to accomplish the work He has given us to do. Those who would try to turn you from the Word know, at least the spiritual forces behind them know, that falsehood or bad information does the opposite by placing us back into bondage. If we do not study the Word (the Bible) and believe in Yeshua for salvation, we are disabling ourselves from being His disciples as God intended and hinder ourselves from accomplishing the kingdom work God wants to begin יד ו א ם-ל א ת שׁ מ עוּ ל י in our lives. Reading this week s portion of Scriptures say ו ל א ת ע ש וּ א ת כּ ל-ה מּ צ וֹת ה א לּ ה: טו ו א ם-בּ ח קּ ת י תּ מ אָסוּ ו א ם א ת-מ שׁ פּ ט י תּ ג ע ל נ פ שׁ כ ם ל ב ל תּ י ע ש וֹת א ת-כּ ל-מ צ וֹת י ל ה פ ר כ ם א ת-בּ ר ית י: טז אַף-א נ י א ע ש ה-זּ את ל כ ם ו ה פ ק ד תּ י ע ל יכ ם בּ ה ל ה these א ת-ה שּׁ ח פ ת ו א ת-ה קּ דּ ח ת מ כ לּוֹת ע ינ י ם וּמ ד יב ת נ פ שׁ וּז ר ע תּ ם ל ר יק ז ר ע כ ם ו א כ ל הוּ א י ב יכ ם : Scriptures state that if the people fail to keep His commandments and reject His statutes (26:14-15) that He (the Lord) will appoint a sudden terror, consumption, and fever over them which will waste away the eyes, the soul will pine away, and the sowing of seed in the fields will be useless because their enemies will eat it up (26:16). How do you guard yourself against terror and against bad information? We dare not rely upon tradition, we absolutely must commit ourselves to the disciplined study and application of the inspired Scriptures seeking to know and understand the text, what it means, and how it is to be applied to our lives both individually and corporately. Studying the Scriptures, we know without a doubt that we must place our faith in the Yeshua, God s Messiah, the living Word of God. Let us dedicate ourselves once again to the work of being Yeshua's true disciples. Ask this question: Is God walking and has God established his ו ה י ית י ל ה ם ל אל ה ים ( 26:12 dwelling place in your life so that Vayikra / Leviticus 8

9 360 YES ) has been fulfilled? If your answer is not an emphatic ו ה מּ ה י ה יוּ- ל י ל ע ם you need to invite the Lord God Almighty into your heart in the Name of Yeshua the Messiah. Come let us pray together Heavenly Father, Thank You for the gift of Your Word and for making an everlasting covenant by Your Word in Your Son Yeshua. I believe the Scriptures that Yeshua (Jesus) had come as the Word of God, took on flesh, and lived a perfect life. I believe that Yeshua laid His life down on my behalf. I believe by faith that Yeshua established an everlasting covenant in His blood for me. Please forgive me of my sins, heal me both spiritually, and physically, and help me to begin the work of Your kingdom as a disciple of Yeshua the Messiah. Lord please come into my life and make your dwelling place in me. I ask you to send your Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit) to dwell within me, to lead me and guide me in life and as I study Your holy Word. I thank You Lord for all of the gifts You have given, I now want to give a gift back to You, the gift of a life lived for you. Thank You for the mercy you have shown me all of these years and the new mercies you are showing me today and will show me tomorrow. To Your Name be the glory, the honor, and the praise. In Yeshua s Name I pray! Amen What to pray: Thank the Lord for the gift of His Word, the gift of His Son, and the gift of everlasting life. 9 Thank the Lord from lifting the burden of sin and setting you free. Be Blessed in Yeshua, Christ our Messiah! * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * הללויה לאדוננו מורנו ורבינו ישוע מלך המשיח לעולם ועד : Hallelujah for our Lord, our Teacher, our Rabbi, Yeshua King Messiah forever and ever