This week’s Torah portion covers Deuteronomy 11:26 to 16:17. Deuteronomy opened with a historical recap of the Exodus and Sinai. But in chapter 12, the author stops reminiscing and starts reiterating the Torah’s law code. For 14 chapters, Deuteronomy lays out the statutes that are to govern the twelve tribes once they settle in the…
This week’s Messianic Lite is our second Torah portion in Deuteronomy. It covers 3:23 to 7:11. According to Bible translator Robert Alter, the book of Deuteronomy is Moses’ “valedictory address.” He recapitulates the narrative of the Exodus, reinforces the points of the law, and repeats previous exhortations. Moses understands the threat facing God’s people as…
This week’s Torah portion goes from Numbers 33:1 to 36:13. As the book of Numbers draws to a close, Moses maps out the boundaries of the land of their inheritance and he allocates the land portions set out for each of the tribes. The tribes of Gad, Reuben, and Manasseh negotiate with Moses and agree…
This week’s Torah portion covers Numbers 22:2 to 25:9. 38 years of wilderness wandering have passed with very little biblical commentary. Miriam and Aaron have died and Moses knows he will never step foot in the promised land. The Israelites now find themselves battling Edomites, Amorites, and Canaanites in their journey onward. By the time…
This week’s Torah portion covers Numbers 19:1 to 22:1. Numbers 19 starts out with God instructing both Moses and Aaron on the law of the red heifer. According to the law, a red heifer must be found which has no blemish or defect and has never “borne a yoke.” After slaughtering the perfect red heifer,…
This week’s Torah portion covers Numbers 16:1 to 18:32. In the aftermath of the twelve spies and the pronouncement that the current generation must languish in the desert until their death, it is not surprising that a serious rebellion occurs next. Korach accuses Moses and Aaron of going too far and elevating themselves at the expense…
This week’s Torah portion is Numbers 13:1 to 15:41. The narrative covers the episode of the twelve spies. Twelve appointed leaders went to Canaan to scout the land and its inhabitants. Moses gave them very specific instructions. They were to enter the land through the Negev desert and journey up to the hill country in…
This week’s Torah portion covers Numbers 8:1 to 12:16. It begins with divine instructions on how to care for the Tabernacle’s golden seven-branched lampstand, maintaining its everlasting light. It continues with guidelines for consecrating the Levites. At this point in Numbers, it has been exactly a year since the former slaves left Egypt so they…
This week’s Torah portion covers Numbers 4:21 to 7:89. The text is made up of seemingly unrelated passages that are out of any chronological order. The reading begins with a continuation of the census in the camp. Over 8,000 Levites are counted responsible for transporting the Tabernacle. Details are given for exactly which pieces go to which…
This week we begin the fourth book in our weekly Torah readings. We covered the grand sweeps of human history in the book of Genesis. We followed the sons of Jacob into Egypt and reached the dramatic climax of the Jewish story when Pharaoh finally let God’s people go. Leviticus beat the drum for purity…