Beth Yeshua Messianic Congregation

Shabbat Service, Saturday May 4, 2013

An Introduction to Up Coming Bible Studies at Beth Yeshua

Torah, Haftorah and B’rit Chadasha http://www.bethyeshua-idaho.com/

It would be important for me first to define the terminology of what I will be saying before I give a “drash” on the “parsha.”

Before We Go to Our New Studies of the Scripture Readings

We MUST Realize: The Bible AS A WHOLE is a Hebraic Work – from

B’resheet, to Revelation!

The Autographs Were ALL Penned by Hebrews (except perhaps the Books of Luke and Acts who were penned by Luke, a historian, who was possibly not a Hebrew, but initially a convert to Judaism).

Therefore to Understand the Entire Bible,

We MUST approach it from the Hebraic perspective…

Even Rabbi Sha’ul’s (Paul’s)

EVEN the Writings of Shaliach Sha’ul (Apostle Paul) – who was trained by Rabbi Gamliel, the grandson of Rabbi Hillel of the Pharisaical school of Hillel!Acts 22:3 “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated at the feet of Gamaliel according to the strict manner of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God as all of you are this day.”

He Wrote His Epistles to NON-Jewish (Greek) Ecclesiae in Koine

Greek

That is: As a Hebrew writing from a Hebrew World-view (Hebrew thinking) to Greeks to their Greek World-view (Greek thinking).

Whenever there is a Translation

From one World-view to another OR from one Language to another, there is ALWAYS “Something lost in the translation.”

We Shall See This as We Go Through the Study of the Word!

The message today is NOT about subject…it is to define the terminology and approach that we shall be using as we go through the D’rash of the Parshot each Shabbat.

Those of You Who Have Attended…

…Messianic or Traditional synagogues or our Wednesday Evening Torah Studies before probably know these terms, but for those who have not, I must do this before I go any further.

Please be Patient With Me…

I am asking those who know the following material to please be patient as I define these terms for those who don’t.

To Those Who Are Hearing These Things for the First Time…

I am NOT Saying, “Just Trust Me…”I am saying that I’ll be able to answer the questions you may have in time and you won’t be disappointed.

BUT, We HAVE to Define Terms FIRST

Or, I shall lose people at the very beginning when I begin to use Hebrew

Terms!

The Words “Parsha” (singular) or(“Parshot” –plural)

Are transliterations of the Hebrew words into English, so it can be spelled differently. They can also be spelled – parashah (sing.) and parashot or parashiyot (pl.)

Definition of a “Parsha”

Formally means a section (portion) of a biblical book in the Masoretic text of the TaNaKh.

The Word TaNaKh…

…Is an Acronym made from the First Letters of Three Hebrew

Words.(An acronym is an abbreviation formed from the initial components in a phrase or a word.)

We use Acronyms in our own language: for example - IBM for International Business Machines or CEO for Chief Executive Officer of a Corporation.

TaNaKhT = Torah – “Instruction/Teaching”

– NOT “Law”N = Neviim – “prophets”

K = Kethuvim – “writings”

Yeshua Speaks of These Three Divisions of the Hebrew Scriptures

Luke 24: 25 He said to them, “Foolish people! So unwilling to put your trust in everything the prophets spoke! 26 Didn’t the Messiah have to die like this before entering his glory?” 27 Then, starting with Moshe and all the prophets, he explained to them the things that can be found throughout the Tanakh concerning himself.

Luke 24:44

Yeshua said to them, “This is what I meant when I was still with you and told you that everything written about me in the Torah of Moshe, the Prophets and the Psalms had to be fulfilled.”

Divisions of the TaNaKh

The division of the text into parashot for the biblical books is independent of chapter and verse numbers, which are not part of the Masoretic tradition. Parashot are not numbered, but have special names.

You Will See the Hebrew Names of the Biblical Books

In the Complete Jewish Bible, by Dr. David Stern, and perhaps versions, you will see TWO NAMES for EACH BOOK of the Hebrew Scriptures (known by many Christians as the “Old” Testament) – I prefer the term “Older” Testament.

The Hebrew name of the Book…

…is derived from a Hebrew word or words generally found in the first paragraph of that Book.

For Instance:

The First Book of the Bible is the Hebrew word B’resheet (B’rayshith), meaning “In (B’) the Beginning (resh from rosh - head).”

Alongside of the Hebrew word B’resheet/B’rayshith is the word Genesis - from the Latin Vulgate, in turn borrowed or transliterated from the Koine Greek word (meaning “origin”).

In The Christian Bible

The Hebrew Scriptures (“Older” Testament Books) are entitled by their names which originated from the Septuagint (LXX - Koine Greek translation of the “Older” Testament).

The Septuagint - LXX

…is an ancient translation of the Hebrew Bible and some related texts into Koine Greek, dated as early as the late 2nd century BCE.

Meaning of the Word Septuagint

The Septuagint derives its name from the Latin versio septuaginta interpretum, “translation of the seventy interpreters,” or simply “translation of the seventy.”

The traditional story is that Ptolemy II sponsored the translation by seventy or seventy-two Jewish scholars for use by the many Alexandrian Jews who were not fluent in Hebrew but fluent in Koine Greek, which was the lingua franca of Alexandria, Egypt and the Eastern Mediterranean from the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BCE (before the Common Era) until the development of Byzantine Greek around 600 CE (Common Era).

The Septuagint - LXX

A version of the legend is found in the Tractate Megillah of the Babylonian Talmud:“King Ptolemy once gathered 72 Elders. He placed them in 72 chambers, each of them in a separate one, without revealing to them why they were summoned. He entered each one's room and said: "Write for me the Torah of Moshe, your teacher." God put it in the heart of each one to translate identically as all the others did.”

Tractate Megillah, pages 9a-9b. The Talmud identifies fifteen specific unusual translations made by the scholars, but only two of these translations are found in the extant LXX (Roman numerals for the number 70).

The Septuagint (LXX) is the Translation of the TaNaKh…

…That is MOSTLY (if not always) quoted by the Writers of the Apostolic Writings (“Newer”

Testament).

Weekly Torah Portion“Parashat ha-Shavua (week)”

Popularly known just as parashah (or parshah)

As With Each Book of the Bible, Each weekly Torah portion adopts its name from one of the first unique words in the Hebrew text.

Dating back to the time of the Babylonian captivity (6th century BCE), public Torah reading mostly followed an annual cycle beginning and ending on the Jewish holiday of Simchat Torah, with the Torah divided into 54 weekly portions to correspond to the lunisolar Hebrew calendar, which contains up to 55 weeks, the exact number varying between leap years and regular years.

Annual Cycle of Torah Readings

The annual cycle of parashot takes us all the way from B’rayshith (Genesis) 1:1 to Devarim (Deuteronomy) 34:12 in one year.

In a Strictly Solar Calendar

We know there are 52 weeks in a solar year – with every 4th year (leap year) adding one day to the month of February.

But because there are always 54 Weekly portions, we will see some Shabbats that have TWO Parashot!As we would have today, since our assigned parashot readings are B’har (“on the mountain”) and B’chukotai (“By (“on” or “in”) My statutes”).

However, In Our Congregation

Since Simchat Torah (“Joy of the Torah”) last year (2012) we have been following the triennial cycle. [There was also an ancient triennial cycle of readings practiced in some parts of the world.]

The Triennial CycleMany congregations have implemented an alternative triennial cycle in which only one-third of each weekly parashah is read in a given year; the parashot read are still consistent with the annual cycle but the entire Torah is completed over a three year period.

In Other Words:

We are STILL reading the SAME PARSHOT as those reading the Annual Cycle, BUT we are reading only the final 1/3 of that SAME Parsha, instead of the WHOLE Parsha!

So Today, We Read

The LAST 1/3 of a Double Parsha.

We Read the end of Parsha Bechukotai – V’yikrah

(Leviticus) 27:1-34.

Since We Completed the Book of V’yikrah (Leviticus)

It is Traditional, when completing any book of the Torah to say the words,

“Hazak, Hazak, V’Nit’chazek”“Be Strong, Be Strong, and let us be

Strengthened!”

As We Have Done Today, after the Reading of the Torah Portion

On each Sabbath and on Jewish festivals and fast days in the Synagogue, the parsha reading is followed by the reading of the Haftarah.

The Word Haftarah or Haftoroh

Which means "parting," "taking leave", plural haftarot) is a series of selections from the books of Nevi'im ("Prophets") of the Hebrew Bible (TaNaKh) that is publicly read in synagogue as part of Jewish religious practice.

Thematically LinkedTypically, the haftarah is thematically linked to the parasha (Torah portion) that precedes it.The theme may be based upon subject matter or on a “remez” (hint) found in the parasha. (We will investigate those terms when we talk about Hermeneutics in future Bible Studies.)

The Origin of the Haftorah Reading…

…Is lost to history, and several theories have been proposed to explain its role in Jewish practice, suggesting it arose in response to the persecution of the Jews under Antiochus Epiphanes which preceded the Maccabean revolt, wherein Torah reading was prohibited.

BUT We DO KNOW that Our Lord Yeshua Read from the Haftorah

In Luke 4:16-22 - Now when he went to Natzeret, where he had been brought up, on Shabbat he went to the synagogue as usual. He stood up to read, and he was given the scroll of the prophet Yesha‘yahu. Unrolling the scroll, he found the place where it was written…

“The Spirit of Adonai is upon me; therefore he has anointed me to announce Good News to the poor; he has sent me to proclaim freedom for the imprisoned and renewed sight for the blind, to release those who have been crushed, to proclaim a year of the favor of Adonai.”

After closing the scroll and returning it to the shammash, he sat down; and the eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fixed on him.

He started to speak to them (D’rash): “Today, as you heard it read, this passage of the Tanakh was fulfilled!” Everyone was speaking well of him and marveling that such appealing words were coming from his mouth. They were even asking, “Can this be Yosef’s son?”

Finally, We Read from the Apostolic Writings (“B’rit Chadasha”):

The traditional synagogue (those who don’t believe in Yeshua) does not have such a reading.They read only from the Torah portion and Haftorah portion.

We read from ALL Three:

1. The Torah, 2. Haftorah and 3. “B’rit Chadasha” (Apostolic writings

or “Newer” Testament)

We in the Messianic Community

…have various Readings taken from the Apostolic Writings; but nothing that is universal among our Community at large.

At This Congregation

We follow with one of the Apostolic Readings that the Complete Jewish Bible has at the end of a parsha.

Now, Let’s Take a Moment to Explain the Terms “B’rit Chadasha”

In the Hebrew the word “B’rit” means “covenant” or “cut.”

“B’rit Chadasha”

In ancient times, when a covenant was made, clean, undamaged animals and/or birds were slaughtered and the covenant makers would walk between the pieces to emphasize the seriousness of the covenant (see Genesis 15).

In Short:

Blood was shed in the making of the Covenant as the parties were literally placing their own lives on the line (as that of the clean animals and/or birds) if they broke that Covenant.

In Shemot (Exodus) 24:4-8

After God made the Covenant at Mount Sinai with Israel, the words of the Lord were written down by Moshe, sacrifices were made, the blood of the covenant was sprinkled on the book and on the people.

“This is the blood of the covenant…”

Moshe then said, “This is the blood of the covenant which Adonai has made with you in accordance with all these words.”

The Covenantal Meal

Exodus 24:8-11 Then God called up Moshe, Aharon, Nadav, Avihu and seventy leaders of Israel to the mountain where they “saw the God of Israel” and ate a covenantal meal.

The Covenantal Meal

After the Covenant was made between two parties, a celebratory meal was eaten.

Similarly, At Yeshua’s Last Supper He Ratified the “New” Covenant!

Matthew 26:26 While they were eating (Covenant Meal), Yeshua took a piece of matzah, made the b’rakhah, broke it, gave it to the talmidim and said, “Take! Eat! This is my body!” 27 Also he took a cup of wine, made the b’rakhah, and gave it to them, saying, “All of you, drink from it!

“…this is my blood, which ratifies the New Covenant…”

28 For this is my blood, which ratifies the New Covenant, my blood shed on behalf of many, so that they may have their sins forgiven.

Similarly, A Hebrew Infant Baby Boy

Enters into a “B’rit Milah” ("covenant of circumcision”) as an infant when he

is 8 days old by a *mohel.

*A mohel (Hebrew:מוהל, plural mohalim, pronunciation moy'el, mo'hel, Aramaic mohela, "circumciser") is a Jewish person trained in the practice of brit milah, the "covenant of circumcision."

Blood is shed by the infant boy.

AND In like manner of ancient covenant making, the brit milah is followed by a celebratory meal.

Again, with a Covenant (“B’rit”/ “Cut”)

Blood is Shed and a Celebratory Meal is eaten!

Now, We Examine the Word “New”

Hebrew word “Chadasha” means “New” or “Renewed.”

In the Hebrew, the “New Moon” which signifies the beginning of a New Month is called the “Rosh” (head) “Chodesh” (New, or Renewed).

Rosh Chodesh or Rosh ḥodesh

Beginning of the Month; lit. Head of the Month) is the name for the first day of every month in the Hebrew calendar, marked by the appearance of the new moon.

The New Moon in the Hebrew Calendar

Is marked by the day and hour that the new crescent of light is observed on the Moon.

Light Must Be ObservedGenesis 1:14

And God said Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night and let them be for signs (ְלֹאֹת֙ת lə·’ō·ṯōṯ) and for seasons ים) - *ū·lə·mō·w·‘ă·ḏîm ּוְל֣מֹוֲעִד֔Strongs 4150) and for days and years.

Same Word – Moeday/Moedim – Appointed Times!

Leviticus 23: 1 ADONAI said to Moshe, 2 "Tell the people of Isra'el: 'The designated times (י mō·w·‘ă·ḏê מֹוֲעֵד֣Strongs 4150) of ADONAI which you are to proclaim as holy convocations are my designated times (י mō·w·‘ă·ḏê מֹוֲעֵד֣Strongs 4150).

Therefore the LIGHTS in the Heavens Determine the

Designated Times of the lord

Which brings up a critical question: “When is the MOON a LIGHT?

ONLY When the Sun Shines its LIGHT Upon it!

Since The MOON does NOT produce its own light!

Biblical Phases of the Moon

Contrasted with the Astronomical Definition of New Moon

Which is not visible to the naked eye!

Astronomical Phases of the Moon

NOTE: In Genesis 1:14

God said, “Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven…”• He Didn’t say, “Let there be darks in the

firmament of the heaven…”

So, in Ancient Israel, the “New” or “Renewed” Moon Was to be SEEN

or Observed!

When this was witnessed by TWO WITNESSES and established by the Sanhedrin, a NEW Month (Rosh Chodesh) was proclaimed!

Why “Renewed”?

When We See the Appearance of a “New Moon” it doesn’t Mean that the Moon which we saw last previously was dissolved into nothing and a “New” Moon was created to replace it.It simply means that the Moon now has a sliver of light from the Sun upon it and the lunar cycle is started all over again.

Likewise, “Chadasha” Means “Renewed”

In that the Covenant that God Made with us at the Mountain of Sinai is “Renewed” by the Blood of Messiah Yeshua, Who instituted this New Covenant by His shed blood on the Cross.

This Completes the Definition of the Terms Concerned With the

Readings

I am going to finish by defining the term “drash” or “mid-rash,” since after the readings I shall give a Drash or Midrash of that parsha.

We Will Be Going Into This Subject Further

When We Get into Interpreting the Bible During One of Our pre-Topical Bible Studies. However, for a brief explanation, I shall define these two terms.

The Word “Drash” (to “Dig,” “to inquire,” or “to seek”)

“Drash” or “Derash” is a method of exposition of scriptural verses, similar to a Bible Commentary or a sermon. An allegorical or homiletical application of a text. Its’ purpose is to help people understand a passage of Scripture better.

This is a species of eisegesis - reading one’s own thoughts into the text - as opposed to exegesis, which is extracting from the text what it actually says. The implied presupposition is that the words of Scripture can legitimately become grist for the mill of human intellect, which God can guide to truths not directly related to the text at all.

Sha’ul (Paul) Uses This in Galatians 4:21-31

Tell me, you who want to be under law, do you not listen to the law? For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the bondwoman and one by the free woman. But the son by the bondwoman was born according to the flesh, and the son by the free woman through the promise. This is allegorically speaking, for these women are two covenants:

The Word “Midrash” (“Dig Deeper”)

Is Hebrew word referring to a method of exegesis of a Biblical text. Midrash (Hebrew: מדרש; plural midrashim) is a Hebrew term for the body of homiletic stories told by Jewish rabbinic sages to explain passages in the Bible.

Midrash is a method of interpreting biblical stories that goes beyond simple distillation of religious, legal, or moral teachings. It fills in gaps left in the biblical narrative regarding events and personalities that are only hinted at.

So, With This Introduction

Next Shabbat We Shall Begin our Readings with parsha B’Midbar

(Numbers).After the Reading of the Word (Torah, Haftorah, and B’rit Chadasha) I will be giving a Drash on those readings.