Previously posted ...
The Sanctity of Marriage !!!
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Welcome to our Torah study on this week’s portion of Scripture, which is called Naso (Lift Up or Elevate).
This portion of Scripture will be read in synagogues all over the world this Shabbat (Saturday).
Please read it along with us. We know you will be blessed !
NASO (Elevate) - Numbers 4:21–7:89; Judges 13:2–25; John 11:1–54
“The LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
‘Take a census of the sons of Gershon also, by their fathers' houses and by their clans.’”
(Numbers 4:21–22)
Last week, in Parasha Bamidbar, a census was taken of the Israelite men of draftable age. The Levites, who were given the duty to serve in the Sanctuary in the place of Israel’s firstborn, were excluded. The title of this week’s Parasha, Naso, means lift up or elevate. It was the term used to take a head count (census) of the children of Israel. In the Hebrew it reads, “Lift up the heads” (נָשֹׂא אֶת רֹאשׁ—naso et rosh). This week, the headcount of the Israelites is completed with a census of the Levites who are between the ages of 30 and 50. They are to do the work of transporting the Mishkan (Tabernacle). Besides discussing the duties of the Levites, this Scripture portion also provides the law of the nazir, or Nazirite, and the Aaronic Benediction (Birkat Kohanim—ברכת כהנים), more commonly known as the Priestly Blessing.
You can view this Parasha on our new website complete with embedded links ...
Parsha Naso (Elevate): Sanctified Heads, Holy Hands, and Blessing
http://free.messianicbible.
Parasha Reading Schedule 5775
http://free.messianicbible.
Many have falsely said that God is finished with His Chosen People;
however, Bible prophecy clearly states that this will never be so.
In fact, in these Last Days, God is moving among His people to
physically and spiritually restore them.
THE SHABBAT CANDLE BLESSING
Jewish people around the world mark
this day by the candle lighting and blessing:
"Blessed are you, Lord our God, King of the universe,
who has sanctified us with His commandments, and
commanded us to kindle the light of the Holy Shabbat."
http://lp.eteacherhebrew.com/
✡ ✡ ✡
Yavoh ~ He is coming !
Yahweh - Yeshua - Ruach Ha-Kodesh
Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh אֶהְיֶה אֲשֶׁר אֶהְיֶה
BREAKING NEWS FROM ISRAEL
Minute by minute updates here ...
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http://www.ynetnews.com/home/
http://www.jewishworldreview.
http://www.israpundit.org/
http://pamelageller.com/
http://www.jihadwatch.org/
http://www.joyofkosher.com/
http://prophecyupdate.
Watching for Yeshua Ha-Mashiach
Grilled Turkey Salad with Dijon Mustard Dressing
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Delicious Steak Salad - Eats Like a Meal
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Halleluyah ...
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Watch the First-Ever Camp Zeke Video
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Spicy Citrus Tilapia
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Using Fresh Herbs, Fantastic Fish Recipes, and a Wheat and Dairy Free Feast
Brilliant Ways To Cook With Basil
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Shabbat Checklist: Appetizer Recipes? Check !
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Everyone Loves Cupcakes On Shabbat
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Joy of Kosher w Jamie Geller
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But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto
children's children; To such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them.
Psalm 103:17-18 KJV
Shabbat Shalom -
Parsha Naso (Elevate): Sanctified Heads, Holy Hands, and Blessing !!!
Torah scroll
Shabbat Shalom !
Welcome to our Torah study on this week’s portion of
Scripture, which is called Naso
(Lift Up or Elevate).
This portion of Scripture will be read in synagogues all
over the world this Shabbat (Saturday). Please read it along
with us. We know you will be blessed!
NASO (Elevate)
Numbers 4:21–7:89; Judges 13:2–25; John 11:1–54
“The LORD spoke to Moses,
saying, ‘Take a census of the sons of Gershon also, by
their fathers' houses and by their clans.’” (Numbers
4:21–22)
Reading the Torah in the synagogue
Last week, in Parasha Bamidbar, a census was taken of the
Israelite men of draftable age. The Levites, who were given
the duty to serve in the Sanctuary in the place of Israel’s
firstborn, were excluded.
The title of this week’s Parasha, Naso, means lift up or elevate. It was the term used
to take a head count (census) of the children of Israel. In
the Hebrew it reads, “Lift up the
heads” (נָשֹׂא אֶת רֹאשׁ—naso et rosh).
This week, the headcount of the Israelites is
completed with a census of the Levites who are between the
ages of 30 and 50. They are to do the work of
transporting the Mishkan
(Tabernacle).
Besides discussing the duties of the Levites, this
Scripture portion also provides the law of the nazir, or
Nazirite, and the Aaronic
Benediction (Birkat Kohanim—ברכת כהנים),
more commonly known as the Priestly Blessing.
The High Priest Blessing Israel
(Photo by the Magnes Collection of Jewish Art and Life)
The Nazirite Vow
“When a man or a woman
utters a Nazirite vow... he shall abstain from new and old
wine... grape-beverages, grapes and raisins ...” (Numbers
6:2)
A man or woman who vows to abstain from cutting his or her
hair, touching a corpse, and eating grapes and grape products,
including drinking wine, is called a Nazirite, or Nazir (נָזִיר)
in Hebrew.
The word comes from the root NZR (נזר), which
means to dedicate or separate oneself (as in
keeping oneself separate from grapes and wine). Another word
from the same root is nezer
(נֵזֶר), which means crown, consecration, and separation.
We can see the intersection of these ideas in Numbers
6:7–8, which discusses the Nazir. It reads, “They must not make themselves
ceremonially unclean …because the symbol of their dedication [crown (nezer—נֵזֶר)] to God is on their head.
Throughout the period of their dedication [nezer], they are consecrated [kadosh
/ holy] to the LORD.” (Numbers 6:7–8)
Through this vow, the layman’s status was raised
to something approaching the status of priest.
This level of sanctity is seen in that, like the High Priest, the
Nazirite could not contaminate him or herself by coming
into contact with a corpse, even one of an immediate
family member.
As well, the Nazirite abstains from intoxicants more
stringently than the priests, who abstain only during their
term in the Sanctuary. Moreover, the focus of sanctity for
both the Nazirite and High Priest is their head
(compare Numbers 6:7 to Exodus 29:7 and Leviticus 21:10).
(compare Numbers 6:7 to Exodus 29:7 and Leviticus 21:10).
Jewish men pay respect to the Torah scroll at the Western
(Wailing) Wall.
Although most people are not to stay separate or aloof
from society but, rather, to bring holiness into the world in
which we live, Nazirites are allowed to do so.
Amos underlines the holiness of the Nazirites,
connecting them to prophets: “I set up prophets from your sons and
Nazirites from your young men. (Amos 2:11)”
The rabbis believe that in the Messianic Era, there will
be no need for separation from worldly matters since they will
no longer negatively impact us. Instead, since all will
abound in peace and beauty, our single-minded focus will be to
know God—to love, serve, and worship Him forever. This will
fulfill the holiness of the Nazirite vow.
Jewish people pray for the coming of that Messianic era
and God’s salvation (in
Hebrew, Yeshuah—יְשׁוּעָה)
every day. They say in their daily prayers, “Every day (and
all day long) we hope for Your salvation”; or in the version
of the Thirteen Principles of the Faith: “I await his coming
every day.”
A father pulls his sons under his tallit (prayer
shawl) during the Priestly Blessing at the
Western Wall in Jerusalem.
(Photo by Lilach Daniel)
The Birkat Kohanim:
Priestly Blessing
In this Parasha, God commands the Kohanim (Jewish High
Priests/descendants of Aaron, brother of Moses) to impart a
blessing (Numbers 6:24–26) called the Birkat Kohanim
to the people of Israel through the following three-part
benediction:
May
the LORD bless you and guard you.
May
the LORD make His face shed light upon you and be gracious
unto you.
May the LORD lift up His face unto you and give
you peace.
To impart this blessing, the priests lift their hands with
palms outstretched and facing downwards.
While the Sephardic communities today simply raise their
hands above their heads and separate their fingers with their
arms outstretched, Ashkenazi communities see the hands of the
Kohanim forming windows through which the blessings flow, as
explained in the Midrash.
The Midrash (Jewish commentary) compares this stance with
a passage in the Song of Songs, which suggests that God’s Shekhinah (Divine
Presence) stands behind the Kohens who bless the
people:
“. . . therefore the priests
spread their palms, to say that the Holy One stands behind us.
And so it is written: ‘There He
stands behind our wall, gazing through the window, peering
through the lattice.’ (Song of Songs 2:9) ‘Gazing
through the window’—through the fingers of the priests;
‘peering through the lattice’—when they spread their palms,
therefore it says ‘Thus shall you bless them.’”
(Tanhuma (Buber) Parashat Naso, Article 15, cited by netivot-shalom)
(Tanhuma (Buber) Parashat Naso, Article 15, cited by netivot-shalom)
A mosaic of the positioning of the hands during the Priestly Blessing
in Ashkenazi communities.
The Difference
Between Prayers and Blessings
"The prayer of a righteous
person is powerful and effective." (James 5:16)
The rabbis make a distinction between prayer and
a blessing.
The blessing of a tzadik
(righteous man) imparts to us whatever God
has intended for our life.
For example, when Jacob blessed his grandchildren,
Menasheh and Ephraim, Jacob crossed his hands to give the
greater blessing to Ephraim rather than Menasheh. This was
not his personal decision; he was being guided by Adonai to
give the blessing He intended for these particular tribes.
Prayer, however, can also change circumstances for the
better.
It can cause a sick person to recover, a single person to
find their bashert (chosen
match), and a person plagued with poverty to have
their needs met. Every prayer is to end with the phrase Yehi Ratzon (May it
be God’s will).
The Birkat Kohanim, however, acts as both a blessing and a
prayer. The Kohanim bless us with God’s peace, protection,
favor, and grace; but as a prayer, it can also change our
circumstances for the better.
Blessing of Ephraim and Manasseh, by Marc Chagall
Pronouncing the
Blessing Today
"And He took the children in
His arms, placed His hands on them and blessed them." (Mark
10:16)
Because the lineage has been preserved over
thousands of years, the Kohanim still stand up to bless the
people in synagogues and Jewish communities all over the
world.
In Israel, the Western Wall Plaza is packed with people
who come at special festival times to receive the Aaronic
Benediction from the Kohanim in Jerusalem.
Although the blessing comes through the raised hands of
the Kohanim, God makes it clear that it is His
blessing being transmitted through the Priests as
His chosen vessels. God said, “So
they shall put My name on the children of Israel, and I will
bless them.” (Numbers 6:27)
Not only did God place His name on the hands of the
Kohanim, He also
engraved the names of the children of Israel on the palms
of His hands (Isaiah
49:16).
A newborn's great-grandfather, grandfather, and uncle recite the
priestly blessing over her. (Photo by Avi and Elina Flax)
This blessing continues to be recited today in
Jewish families.
In the Brit
Chadashah (New Covenant), we see that
blessings are also imparted through hands. Believers in
Yeshua also have the power to bless and even heal by the
laying on of hands.
“They will be able to handle
snakes with safety, and if they drink anything poisonous, it
won't hurt them. They will be able to place their hands on
the sick, and they will be healed." (Mark 16:18)
Many Messianic congregations pronounce the Birkat Kohanim,
blessing the people in their services.
Ultimately, the
Birkat Kohanim is about experiencing intimacy with God. May
our lives be a living testimony of this intimacy—of a people
with holy hands and sanctified hearts and heads who carry with
them the Presence of the God of Israel.
Please help the Jewish People discover the true intimacy
with God that is possible in Yeshua HaMashiach (Jesus the
Messiah).
"The LORD their God
will save his people on that day as a shepherd saves his
flock. They will sparkle in his land like jewels in a
crown." (Zechariah 9:16)
"If you return to Me
and obey My commands, then even if your exiled people are at
the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and
bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for My
Name." (Nehemiah
1:9)
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