Beth Elohim Messianic Synagogue
Parashah #17: Yitro (Jethro) Sh’mot (Exodus) 18:1-20:23
Haftarah: Yesha’yahu (Isaiah) 6:1-13
B’rit Chadashah: James 2:8-13
There are limits! “Now if you will pay careful attention to what I say and keep my covenant, then you will be my own treasure from among all the peoples, for all the earth is mine; and you will be a kingdom of cohanim for me, a nation set apart” (Ex. 19:5-6) Notice the if-then conditions set by G-d as the requirement for inclusion into the nation set apart for G-d. These requirements are repeated throughout the Testaments and there are no exclusions.
Now, in case there is a question about what we are specifically required to do to meet G-d’s standards, we learn in Ex. 19:10 that the people were required to wash their clothing in preparation for the third day when G-d would go down Mount Sinai before the eyes of all the people. The washing of clothing in this passage was more than a mere physical washing of garments. This phrase symbolizes repentance also described in Revelation 19:7-8 and 22:14 respectively: “Let us rejoice and be glad! Let us give him the glory! For the time has come for the wedding of the Lamb, and his Bride has prepared herself- fine linen, bright and clean has been given her to wear.”
“How blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they have the right to eat from the Tree of Life and go through the gates into the city!”
For the benefit of those who believe G-d is “all inclusive” when it comes to behaviours and life-styles that are not consistent with His commands, I will continue to read Revelation 22:15: “ Outside are the homosexuals, those involved with the occult and with drugs, the sexually immoral, murderers, idol worshippers, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.”
I have been and will continue to be accused of being intolerant, a radical fundamentalist, a teacher who is trying to “brain wash” anyone who reads, listens to, or attends services to learn the truth of G-d’s Torah. But it is what it is and my G-d, the G-d of Israel, the G-d of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob never changes (Mark 13:31;Malachai 3;6). Furthermore, I and others who choose to repent (wash our robes) and follow G-d’s instructions/Torah, were duly warned by the Messiah himself about what will befall us in one form or another “(John 15:18-21; Mark 13:9-13).
There is more! G-d commands that the men are not to approach a woman as they prepare to receive the 10 commands of G-d. This is because a woman may have her menses at that time and the fact that she would be passing a non-viable egg means that there is blood involved that would be a source of contamination for the male. The menses of a woman and the restriction on contact lasts for seven days. If the man touches or comes into contact with a menstruating woman, he becomes ritually impure. Men and women had to be ritually pure as they prepared to receive the Commands of G-d. The question may arise as to whether a menstruating woman was “excused” from gathering with the others at Mount Sinai. There is no support for this possibility in the Chumash, only that intercourse would render the couple ritually unclean. According to the Jewish Study Bible ritual impurity related to sexual relations is mentioned as in the Chumash. However, it is not until the Sanctuary was commanded and the sacrificial system was established that menstruating women were disqualified from entering the sanctuary (Lev.15:8; 1 Sam. 21:5-6). However, they were with the men when all the people witnessed this momentous event (Ex. 20:15).
Clarification on the subject of who was in attendance at the giving of the Commands of G-d may be found by considering the multiple times Moshe is commanded by Adonai to address all the people as they prepare to receive the commands of G-d (Ex. 19:11,12,16). Finally in Exodus 20:15 we are told that “All the people experienced the thunder, the lightning, the sound of the shofar, and the mountain smoking.” That G-d included all the people, including any menstruating women, no one was excluded or excused from accountability in keeping the commands of G-d. So it is today. There will be no excuse for choosing not to follow G-d’s instructions (Rom. 1:20). The laws of impurity including a woman in her menses (niddah) would be established at a later time, at the building of the Sanctuary (Leviticus 15:19) leading us to the conclusion that no one was excluded from receiving the 10 Commands of G-d also considered a marriage contract (ketubah) between G-d and his chosen people. This was the Israelite nation initially, now to include anyone who repents and becomes reconciled to G-d through Yahshua’s sacrifice and follows the commands of G-d out of a loving obedience.
Haftarah: Yesha’yahu (Isaiah) 6:1-13
This week’s haftarah discusses Isaiah’s vision of the heavenly Chariot (the merkavah), a revelation that all the Israelites experienced when G-d spoke the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai. Isaiah perceived sitting on a throne surrounded by angels. Isaiah describes the angels and their behavior in terms we can understand. During the course of his vision, Isaiah volunteered to be G-d’s emissary to transmit His message to the Israelites. He was immediately given a depressing prophecy regarding the exile the nation would suffer as punishment for their many sins and the Land of Israel would be left empty and desolate. An interesting comparison can be made between the scenario at Sinai and the vision of G-d’s throne Isaiah describes in Is. 6:1. The house was “filled with smoke, the s’rafim (guardian angels) were singing ‘Holy, holy, holy!’, and the doorposts shook “at the sound of their shouting” (Is. 6:2-4) Isaiah heard the voice of G-d and said, “Send me!” In comparison, on Mount Sinai G-d surrounded the mountain with a thick cloud (Ex. 19:9). The mountain was smoking (Ex. 20:15). The thunder (Ex. 20:15) can be likened to the shouting of the s’rafim. Moshe can be compared to Isaiah in his willingness to be used by G-d.
An interesting point in Isaiah is found in reading Chapter 9:7: “to the increase of His rulership and to completeness, there will be no end.” The Hebrew for increase begins with a mem sofit (final mem). This alludes to the fact that the whole peace of G-d is yet to come! We have not “arrived” yet; we are not “eternally saved” in one instantaneous moment. It is a process consistently described in the Bible in the Old and “New” Testaments.
B’rit Chadashah: James 2:8-13
“If you truly attain the goal of Kingdom Torah, in conformity with the passage that says, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself,’ you are doing well. But if you show favoritism, your actions constitute sin, since you are convicted under the Torah as transgressors. 10 For a person who keeps the whole Torah, yet stumbles at one point, has become guilty of breaking them all. For the one who said, ‘Don’t commit adultery, also said ‘Don’t murder.’ Now if you don’t commit adultery but do murder, you have become a transgressor of the Torah. Keep speaking and acting like people who will be judged by a Torah which gives freedom. 13 For judgment will be without mercy toward one who doesn’t show mercy; but mercy wins out over judgment.”
James was the brother of Yahshua, and he was well-grounded in the Old Testament. His teachings paralleled those of his brother and L-rd as we read in the above passage. James reminds us that we need take great care not to judge others lest we be judged. This parallels Yahshua’s teaching to those who wanted to stone the adulteress. Those without sin were invited to cast the first stone. We see examples of people judging others on a daily basis. We are quick in our religious circles to condemn those of other religions forgetting from where we may have come prior to the calling out of apostate religion. In the context of a synagogue, some people condemn others for dancing or not, smoking, wearing their hair too long or too short, including too much liturgy or not enough, etc. Yet many of these same people do not tithe, do not keep the festivals of G-d, and participate, even initiating lashon hara (the evil tongue/gossip) about others. None of us are righteous. Yet, YHVH/Yahshua reserves the right to show us mercy or not. As people who profess to love and follow YHVH/Yahshua, we are to show mercy, allow and encourage people to grow into the faith and truth even as we grow. Sometimes encouragement takes the form of admonishment or rebuke. We will be judged as we judge. If we see someone teaching another or openly judging another in error, we have a responsibility to correct that individual, privately when possible (3 John).
We must give others an example to follow by our own lifestyle. That’s how Yahshua taught his disciples; one day and one mile at a time. That is a big order. However, if we realize we are to be a people set apart and act like it, we can assist others in their growth by leading a consistent lifestyle based on our continued learning and adherence/obedience to our new knowledge. Are we setting a good example as a representative of the Messianic Jewish faith? Are we glorifying Yahshua in our thoughts, speech and actions? Do we provoke wives to anger or jealousy, becoming bitter against them (Col. 3:19;21)? Do we envy others? “Don’t deceive yourselves by only hearing what the Word says, but do it! Whoever hears the Word but doesn’t do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in the mirror, who looks at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But if a person looks closely into the perfect Torah, which gives freedom and continues, becoming not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work it requires, then he will be blessed in what he does” (James 1:22-25).
“So everyone who hears these words of mine and act on them will be like a sensible man who built his house on bedrock. The rain fell, the rivers flooded, the winds blew and beat against that house, but it didn’t collapse, because its foundation was on rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does NOT act on them will be like a stupid man who built his house on sand. The rain fell, the rivers flooded, the wind blew and beat against that house, and it collapsed- and its collapse was horrendous! (Matthew 7:24-27).
Let us become and act like the special treasure, a nation set apart, a kingdom of cohanim unto the L-rd that we are meant to be (Ex. 19:5-6; 1 Pet. 2:9).
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Tamah Davis-Hart