We pray every week for one of the Jewish

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1 Shabbat Truma Shabbat 16 February Adar 5773 Website: Shalom Adventure Magazine online: Facebook: WebRadio: shema-israel-radio.com List of Prayer February 17 to 23 We pray every week for one of the Jewish ministry leaders. According to our list of prayer for I suggest to pray from February 17 to 23 for Paula Sanders, she is the Director of the Jewish Adventist congregation Beth Bnei Zion in Fletcher, (North Carolina, U.S.A.). She has been working in this ministry for a very long time. I was in Fletcher in August to celebrate with her and her congregation their 10th anniversary. This congregation is in a small town, that is why they really need our prayers. Thus I suggest to pray for both, Paula Sanders and her Beth Bnei Zion congregation. Ministry in New Zealand It is not necessary to live in a country where hundred of thousands of Jews are living to have a ministry towards the Jewish people. Uruguay and New Zealand are among small Jewish countries and our leaders are doing a good work. I have been in contact with the Global Mission Director of the South Pacific Division for quite some time and after longing for a leader motivated for this ministry in Australia, there is a couple of pastor in New Zealand who are involved in this ministry and have started a Jewish Adventist congregation called Beth Tikun, Beth is house and Tikun is the Hebrew process of Tikun Olam which is the Restoration of the World. Thus, Beth Tikun is the House of Restoration. They are pastoring also three regular congregations. Dr. Jen Betham-Lang has a DMin in Messianic Judaism. Here is their mission and vision for this congregation: News Mission: To create a Healthy Adventist Church (Synagogue) with a two-fold purpose: For Jews to create a safe and comfortable place for people of Jewish Heritage/Culture to worship alongside non-jews in Unity and Shalom. This includes mixed families and Christian Jews who are not comfortable in typical Christian environments that are too foreign or even offensive to them (for instance, due to the many Jews crucified by Romans, the cross, a symbol of salvation for a Christian, is considered by most Jews to be a very offensive anti-semitic symbol of torture and national defeat). For Christians to teach Christians the Jewish Roots of the Christian Faith while bringing them to a deeper understanding of the Bible and the Culture and People that gave it to us, including the Biblical holidays, customs and traditional understandings (including the Hebrew language and liturgies). Such teachings help foster a Jewishfriendly Understanding and Acceptance amongst Christians, so vital for future Jewish evangelism on a larger scale. Vision: The vision of Bet Tikkun ( House of Restoration ), as the Hebrew name suggests, is to endeavor to work towards the Restoration of the Relationship between the Church and the Jewish People as well as the restoration of the wider community through community outreaches, services and programmes. This is to be partly accomplished by teaching the Jewish Roots of Christianity in a spirit of the Restoration of the Relationship of Israel (Fathers) and the Church (Children) (Malachi 4:5-6). Good luck to this new congregation in NZ. 1 Newsletter n 515

2 2 Newsletter Overview Trumah Exodus 25: 1-27:19 G-d commands Moshe to build a Mishkan (Sanctuary) and supplies him with detailed Instructions. The Children of Israel are asked to contribute precious metals and stones, fabrics, skins, oil and spices. In the Mishkan s outer courtyard are a) an altar for the burnt offerings and b) a laver for washing. The Tent of Meeting is divided by a curtain into two chambers. The outer chamber is accessible only to the Cohanim, the descendants of Aharon. This contains a) the Table of Showbreads, b) the Menorah, and c) the Golden Altar for Incense. The innermost chamber, the Holy of Holies, may be entered only by the Cohen Gadol, and only once a year, on Yom Kippur. Here is the Ark that held the Ten Commandments inscribed on the two tablets of Stone that G-d gave to the Jewish nation on Mount Sinai. All of the Ustensils and Vessels, as well as the construction of the Mishkan, are described in great detail. Our comments are based on Rabbi Hirsch s commentaries 1. To be Exalted The parasha starts saying The LORD said to Moses, Speak to the people of Israel, that they take for me a contribution. From every man whose heart moves him you shall receive the contribution for me. (Exodus 25:1 2) The word contribution is the translation of the word Trumah which is from the root Rom which means to be exalted to be uplifted that is why Rabbi Hirsch translates the verse 2 saying Speak to the Children of Israel, that they accept for me an uplifted donation. It is a donation set apart for a higher purpose. How do we consider therefore our donations and tithes. Are we aware of the high purpose of our donations. Being aware of the exalted and uplifted purpose of our tithes, offerings and donations, we would use them carefully for the advancement of the cause of G-d and His glory. I may dwell in their midst The Torah states: And let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell in their midst. (Exodus 25:8). The construction of the Tabernacle (Sanctuary) which begins in this chapter here in Shemot (Exodus) is followed by the book Vayikra (Leviticus) called also Torat Cohanim, which gives the series of laws whose purpose is the Sanctity of the Temple and the Sanctification of Life. The last chapters of Leviticus, 26 and 27, conclude the narrative of the Construction of the Sanctuary and its Laws. In these chapter it is written If you walk in my statutes and observe my commandments and do them I will make my dwelling among you, and my soul shall not abhor you. And I will walk among you and will be your God, and you shall be my people. I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, that you should not be their slaves. And I have broken the bars of your yoke and made you walk erect. (Leviticus 26:3, 11 13). The meaning of I will make my dwelling among you extends far beyond the Presence of G-d merely in the Temple. Its true meaning in the proximity of G-d in our midst, the fulfillment of the covenant between Him and His people, which manifest itself in the prosperity of private and national life under His protection and by His blessing. Sanctuary & Tabernacle The first segment of the verse: And let them make me a sanctuary (v; dqm) mikdash (Exodus 25:8a) is a collective task on whose fulfillment the promised presence of the Shekhinah in Israel s midst depends. The second segment I may dwell in their midst (Exodus 25:8b). According to Rabbi Hirsch: the Sanctuary is expressed by the Hebrew word v; dqm which means the totality of the task we are to fulfill towards G-d; and the tabernacle is expressed by the Hebrew word Nkv; m Mishkan which expresses the fulfillment of the promises made to us by G-d in return for our fulfilling that task. v; dqm signifies the consecration of all our lives, both public and private, to the fulfillment of G-d s Word. Nkv; m signifies the promised presence of the Shekhinah, manifesting itself in the prosperity of our private and national life under His protection and by His blessing. The Tabernacle is to be Mikdash, the Place of Consecration, and the Mishkan the place of G-d s closeness.

3 Poles of Acacia The Torah states: You shall make poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold. And you shall put the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark to carry the ark by them. The poles shall remain in the rings of the ark; they shall not be taken from it. (Exodus 25:13 15). The Carrying-poles were not simply means of transport, needed only when carrying the Ark from place to place. They were never to be removed from the Ark. According to Rabbi Hirsch if the Poles were not used for transport; they were accessories of purely symbolic significance and there was a second pair of Poles which were put in place only when it was necessary to transport the Ark and were used only for this purpose. The essential importance of the Poles to the Ark is affirmed by the prohibition that they may never be removed from the Ark, in contrast to the Poles of the other furnishing of the Sanctuary. In the first book of Kings it is written: And the poles were so long that the ends of the poles were seen from the Holy Place before the inner sanctuary; but they could not be seen from outside. And they are there to this day. (1Kings 8:8), that means that the front ends of these Poles caused the Ark curtain to bulge out so that, although they were covered by the Curtain, they were visible. To anyone in the sanctuary, they were the sole visible evidence of the Existence of the Ark of the covenant behind the curtain. The command that the Poles must never be removed from the Ark establishes from the outset and for all time to come the truth that this Torah and its mission are not confined to the soil on which the Sanctuary and the Temple once stood. The constant presence of the Poles testifies that G-d s Torah is not bound to or dependent on any particular place or people testimony that is boldly underscored by the contrast between the Ark and the other furnishing of the Sanctuary, especially the Tables and the Menorah, which do not have permanently attached poles. Rabbi Hirsch then affirms Israel s Tables and Israel s Menorah the fullness of its material life and the flowering of its spiritual life are bound to the soil of Holy Land, Israel s Torah is not. The Torah is for the whole world and all people. A Mercy Cover The Torah states: You shall make a mercy cover trpk kapporet of pure gold. Two cubits and a half shall be its length, and a cubit and a half its breadth. (Exodus 25:17). The word kapporet which has given the name of the feast of Yom Kippur or Day of atonement share the basic idea of covering, protecting, guarding, in our verse the Kepporet is a cover to protect and guard. However, this cover had a particularity, it had at its extremities two cherubim. And you shall make two cherubim of gold; of hammered work shall you make them, on the two ends of the mercy cover. Make one cherub on the one end, and one cherub on the other end. Of one piece with the mercy seat shall you make the cherubim on its two ends. (Exodus 25:18 19). The word hvqm Mikshah which is translated by hammered work means in fact made of one piece with the cover, from which they arose at either end of the cover. Rabbi Hirsch affirms that this word hvqm Mikshah denotes metal work hammered out of one piece, not joined together from several pieces. Thus the cover itself at its two extremities became cherubim. The most Holy Place where the Ark of the Covenant was located represents the throne of G-d, the presence of G-d was there. The Ark is symbolically our heart where the Tables of the Ten Commandments have to be placed or written I will write it on their hearts (Jeremiah 31:33). Our heart has to be where G-d is. The two cherubim are turned towards the Kepporet, in this way their wings form a shield or protection to the Kepporet. Similarly, the Sages of Israel understood that this focus of attention of the cherubim as symbolizing the attention and concentration each believer must have when he studies the Torah, the Bible and the will of G-d symbolized by the Tables within the Ark of the Covenant. About the Cherubim, we should remember that they have two distinct functions: 1) They act as guardians and protectors, Thou a cherub stretched out, and protecting, (Ezekiel 28:14 Douay), each one of us has a protector angel (cherub) and 2) they are bearers of God s glory Now the glory of the God of Israel had gone up from the cherub on which it rested (Ezekiel 9:3). It was their function in the Sanctuary, to symbolize G-d s protection upon Israel (Shechinah) and bearing the Glory of G-d to certify His presence. 1. Reference Cited Hirsch, Samson Raphael The Hirsch Chumash: The Five Books of the Torah, Sefer Shemot. Translated by D. Haberman. Third edition in 6 volumes, Vol. 2. Nanuet, NY: Feldheim Publishers. 3 Newsletter

4 4 Newsletter Make Me a Sanctuary A great and mighty king loved his only daughter dearly. When the time came she married a prince from a faraway land. After they were married, the prince wanted to take his wife back to his country. When the king realized that his only child was about to move away, he said to his son-in-law, You know how much I love my daughter. Until now I enjoyed her company greatly and now I will miss her. Thus, I ask of you only one favor. Wherever you and my daughter will live, please build a home for me next to yours so that I can come and stay near you. The same, says the Midrash, is with the Torah and the people of Israel. For thousands of years, the Torah had been in G-d s possession. Now, after we read in t Yitro and Mishpatim that G-d gave the Torah to the Jewish people, He requests, Make Me a sanctuary, so that I shall dwell among them! Do as much as you can The Midrash tells the following tale: Once, Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa, who was very righteous yet very poor, saw a nicely shaped rock which he wanted to bring as a gift to the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. However, the rock was too heavy for him to carry and he couldn t afford to pay porters to deliver it to Jerusalem. Rabbi Chanina prayed to G-d. Soon five angels in the form of people appeared. He told them that he would like to carry the stone to Jerusalem, but he couldn t pay them. The five angels immediately offered to carry the rock to Jerusalem, but with the condition that Rabbi Chanina put his finger to the rock and help them carry. Our sages explain that, although the angels didn t need Rabbi Chanina s help, the lesson is that G-d wants us to do as much as we can. Then He will take care of the rest. That Mitsvah Saved your Life Rabbi Akiva had a daughter whom stargazers forecast would die on her wedding day. This caused her no end of worry. Nevertheless, the day eventually arrived when she got married. That night, after her wedding, when she went to sleep, she took a golden brooch from her head-dress and stuck it into the wall. In the morning, she was shocked to see a dead poisonous snake, with her golden brooch pierced through its eye! She ran to tell her father. My daughter, asked Rabbi Akiva, what have you done to deserve such a miracle? At my wedding, she replied, a poor man came and pleaded for a meal to satisfy his hunger. I saw that everyone was too busy with the wedding festivities to help him, so I got up and gave him my own portion that you, father, had personally served me. That s it! her father exclaimed. That Mitzvah saved your life!. YOur Full Potential Rabbi Zusia of Anipoli was a disciple of the Great Rabbi Ber of Mezritch. Rabbi Zusia was a very humble and kind person. Rabbi Zusia said, When I pass on and come before the Almighty in judgment, I am not worried that He might ask, Why didn t you accomplish in your lifetime as much as our forefathers Abraham, Isaac, Yaakov or Moshe. I will simply answer, Who am I to be able to be like them? But if I am asked, Zusia, why didn t you accomplish the full potential of Zusia? Then I will have no answer. EDITOR A newsletter published by the World Jewish Adventist Friendship Center Under the umbrella of the General Conference Office of Adventist Mission Richard-Amram Elofer 5, Square Yves du Manoir Massy France Tel Fax Mobile richard@elofer.com web: jewishadventist.org

5 Haftara 1 Kings 5:26-6:13 The Sanctuary was used by Israel for about four hundred years before Solomon built the Temple in Jerusalem: In the four hundred and eightieth year after the Israelites had come out of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon s reign over Israel, in the month of Ziv, the second month, he began to build the temple of the LORD. (1 Kings 6:1). G-d was satisfied and blessed Solomon. The word of the LORD came to Solomon: As for this temple you are building, if you follow my decrees, carry out my regulations and keep all my commands and obey them, I will fulfill through you the promise I gave to David your father. And I will live among the Israelites and will not abandon my people Israel. (1 Kings 6:11-13). The spot on which the temple was built had long been regarded as a consecrated place. It was here that Abraham, the father of the faithful, had revealed his willingness to sacrifice his only son in obedience to the command of the L-rd. Here G-d had renewed with Abraham the covenant of blessing, which included the glorious Messianic promise to the human race of deliverance through the sacrifice of the Son of the Most High. I swear by myself, declares the LORD, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me. (Genesis 22:16-18). Here it was that when David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings to stay the avenging sword of the destroying angel, God had answered him by fire from heaven. See 1 Chronicles 21. And now once more the worshipers of Jehovah were here to meet their G-d and renew their vows of allegiance to Him (PK37). Apostolic Writings Hebrews 8:5 The text of the parasha is about the construction of the Sanctuary. A building of primordial importance in the story of G-d s people for his symbolism and his teaching on salvation. Indeed, the whole Sanctuary is a living illustration of G-d s plan of salvation, starting by the door which represents the Messiah, through whom we have to enter in the presence of G-d, continuing by the sacrifice of the lamb, which represents the sacrifice of the Messiah, the courtyard representing the earth, and the holy places representing the heavenly place where the Messiah continued his ministry after his ascension. But in the Torah it is written See that you make them after their pattern, which has been shown to you on the mountain. (Exodus 25:40). The building of the Sanctuary was led by Moses, he was the earthly architect, I say earthly architect, because the true architect is the heavenly architect, it is G-d himself. Moses was on the mountain forty days, during these forty days, G-d taught him the Torah, what he had to write and what he had to communicate to the elders. Among these instructions, G-d gave him instructions about the Sanctuary. He showed him a detailed plan or pattern of the Sanctuary. He showed him the real Tabernacle, which is in heaven and asked him to build it exactly after the pattern he saw. This idea is not only in the Torah, but also in the Apostolic Writings. Rabbi Shaul after describing the Sanctuary wrote They serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things. For when Moses was about to erect the tent, he was instructed by God, saying, See that you make everything according to the pattern that was shown you on the mountain. (Hebrews 8:5). The true Sanctuary was not on earth, the one which was built in the desert was a copy of the true Sanctuary that was in heaven. The reason of that is because the ministry of the Messiah whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days (Micah 5:2) started in heaven, it was completed on earth (that is why the Temple was necessary when the Messiah was on the earth) and then his ministry was continued in heaven after his ascension. That is the reason why the heavenly Tabernacle is even more important than the earthly Sanctuary. The earthly Sanctuary was destroyed when it was not necessary anymore, but the heavenly Sanctuary is still in used by the Messiah, that is why we understand its necessity today. 5 Newsletter