What are the tassels for?

Daily manna from the Torah by Dr Ketriel Blad

Shelach Lecha 37-7 Send for you Numbers 15:27-41 What are the tassels for? The tassels that Jewish men wear on their four cornered garments are a reminder of the commitment they have with the Eternal and His commandments. When the eyes want to go astray after impurity, the tassels are there as a reminder that the Jew is sacred and that helps him avoid sin. The tassels are also a reminder of the departure from Egypt which means that the sons of Israel are not slaves anymore, not even of their eyes' desires; so, they are able to overcome their bad instincts with the help of the Eternal. The desire to be pure has to do with the certainty that the Eternal is my Elokim and that I live for him, I am sacred. Jews who live in real sanctity, not a fictitious one, will be the future teachers of the gentiles that will look for them eagerly when they see that the Almighty is with them in every aspect, also supernaturally. The moment in history will come, not far from now, when ten men from the nations will take hold of the hem of a Jew's garment – where the four tassels are – and will ask for help to walk with him, as it's written in Zechariah 8:23: “This is what the LORD Almighty says: In those days ten men from all languages and nations will take firm hold of one Jew by the hem of his robe and say, 'Let us go with you, because we have heard that God is with you.'” (NIVUK) What will these men want? To walk with the Jew. But, why? Because they've heard that Elokim is with the Jews. They don't want to try walking apart from the Jews anymore, following their own interpretations of the Scriptures, away from the Hebrew origins and the oral instruction. By holding the tassels they are acknowledging that the Torah was given to the Jew and the Jew has the authority to teach Torah to the nations. They are also acknowledging that the Eternal is with the Jews who fulfill the commandments and wear the tzitzit –ציצת – tassels. The Jew received the written and oral Torah, that's why he is the only one able to teach the non-Jew how it should be fulfilled correctly so he can also walk with Elokim. To walk with a Jew who walks with the Almighty is a practical issue. It has to do with specific commandments and a disciplined conduct in all aspects of life. This doesn't mean that the non-Jew will have to fulfill all the commandments of the Torah, but that he is willing to be taught by the Jew about the commandments for him and how to obey them. Heaven-fearing based discipline is one of the conditions for the supernatural to be present constantly. The Jew who knows how to fulfill the commandments correctly knows his Elokim (G-d) and He is with him. That divine presence is attractive and it is the one that will eventually be able to help people from the nations to walk properly. Shabbat shalom, Ketriel

Can parents' words influence over their children for many years?

Shelach Lecha 37-4

Send for you

Numbers 14:26-15-7

So tell them, 'As surely as I live, declares the LORD, I will do to you the very things I heard you say: In this desert your bodies will fall—every one of you twenty years old or more who was counted in the census and who has grumbled against me... Your children will be shepherds here for forty years, suffering for your unfaithfulness, until the last of your bodies lies in the desert.

(Num. 14:28, 29, 33 NIV)

Can parents' words influence over their children for many years?

The tongue has the power of death and life. Those who complained received exactly what they said in their cry of disbelief. The Eternal deemed their complaint and disbelief as spiritual adultery. The Hebrew word that was translated as unfaithfulness is zennut – זנות – and it means adultery. What kind of adultery did they commit? Did they bow before another god? No, they said that it would have been better to die in Egypt or in the desert than to fall by a sword and be taken in captivity. They also talked about naming someone to lead them to Egypt.

The Eternal called this attitude adultery. Being in a covenant with Him and not trusting Him and His promises is spiritual adultery. Not submitting to the leaders established by Him and seek to have other leaders democratically chosen is spiritual adultery. That attitude doesn't lead anywhere but to death.

None of those who were counted could enter the Promised Land, except for the two that spoke the truth faithfully and with trust. “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.” (Prov. 18:21 ESV)

Those who weren't counted; the elderly, women and children up to the age of 19 were not included in this sentence. This teaches us that for those who are chosen for a task of more responsibility, the judgement will be greater in case of being unfaithful. The others were also unfaithful, but since they weren't on the list of the counted ones they didn't have to die in the desert.

The children of those who died had to carry the consequence of their parents' spiritual adultery and spend 40 years in the desert until they received the promise. Because of their parents' words they had to be shepherds in the desert for forty long years. How important are the words we utter! Whatever I say today may have influence over my children for many years.

Nevertheless, those forty years being shepherds in the desert served well to forge a truthfully obedient and faithful generation. Just as forty years of shepherding created a very good character in Moshe, now a whole generation had to go through the same treatment so that they could learn to be faithful. That was the best generation in Israel's history.

Let's learn from this lesson and never doubt the Eternal's goodness and promises. Let's learn to leave out words that bring judgement upon us and our children. Let's not say expressions such as: “This (or that) always happens!" "I'll never be able to..." "Why ...always..?" "It's impossible..." What you speak before the Eternal has power not only over your life but also over the next generation. Put bits in your mouth!

Kol tuv,

Ketriel

Who is stronger, the one who punishes or the one who forgives?

Shelach Lecha 37-3

Send for you

Numbers 14:8-25

"Now may the Lord's strength be displayed, just as you have declared: 'The LORD is slow to anger, abounding in love and forgiving sin and rebellion. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation.' In accordance with your great love, forgive the sin of these people, just as you have pardoned them from the time they left Egypt until now."

(Num. 14:17-19 NIV)

Who is stronger, the one who punishes or the one who forgives?

Moshe asked the Eternal that His power be great and show mercy instead of acting in rigorous justice. What do mercy and forgiveness have to do with power? Wouldn't it be a greater manifestation of power to be able to exterminate the whole people in an instant?

This text teaches us that the Eternal has to use more power for mercy and forgiveness than for punishment.

It is so for men too. It's easier to act in a feeling of anger and outrage before injustice and sin than with mercy and forgiveness. It requires more power to forgive than to take revenge. The one who knows how to forgive is more powerful than the one who demands a fair sentence.

Let the Eternal's example be the guide for your behaviour. Let Him strengthen your inner man and allow mercy to triumph upon judgement in your dealings with your neighbour.

The one who knows how to forgive is powerful!

Kol tuv,

Ketriel

How do you see what is in front of you?

Daily manna from the Torah by Dr Ketriel Blad

Shelach Lecha 37-2 Send for you Numbers 13:21-14:7 And they spread among the Israelites a bad report about the land they had explored. They said, "The land we explored devours those living in it. All the people we saw there are of great size... and said to the entire Israelite assembly, "The land we passed through and explored is exceedingly good." (Num. 13:32; 14:7 NIV) How do you see what is in front of you? Whatever we see determines the speech, decisions and conduct of each one of us. Our spiritual vision decides how our future will be. The twelve spies saw the same land, the same cities and the same inhabitants, but they had very different reactions to what they saw. What is important is not what lies before your eyes but your reaction to it. Even though the ten spies saw a beautiful land, thoughts of problems and impossibilities took over their souls and they couldn't believe that it could be possible to defeat such great peoples and conquer such fortified cities. The reason was that they didn’t want to believe in the Eternal. But the other two spies saw things in a different way. They had learned from what happened in Egypt and in the desert. They knew that they had a powerful Elokim and they believed in His promises. They saw the visible reality and also the invisible reality. The sons of Anak were gigantic, yes, the cities had tall fortified walls, yes, but the Almighty is much greater and He was with them. The ten spies saw things from down below but the two other spies saw them from above. There are two voices, the voice of the impossible, that speaks of things from a natural perspective and the voice of possibilities that speak of things from the perspective of the power and promises of the Eternal. According to how we listen, we are going to believe; if we only see and listen to things from the natural perspective we are only going to act in the natural way and receive natural results. But if we see and listen to what divine promises say, we'll act in a natural way but receive help from heaven so our natural actions will become supernatural. The way we listen determines our faith. According to the way we see things; it will be done to us. Beloved disciple of the Messiah: learn to see things with your spiritual eyes, from above. Observe the reality of physical things but don't stay there. Watch and listen to what heaven says, because heaven has authority over the earth and the power to change the things on earth. Learn to cooperate with heaven and you'll see how the Eternal's promises are able to transform situations on earth according to what is in heaven. “I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength,” (Eph. 1:18-19 NIV) Ketriel

What is the relation between the Messiah and Ephraim?

Shelach Lecha 37-1

Send for you

Numbers 13:1-20

from the tribe of Ephraim, Hoshea son of Nun... Moses gave Hoshea son of Nun the name Joshua.

(Num. 13:8, 16b NIV)

What is the relation between the Messiah and Ephraim?

Yehoshua (Joshua) is the long form of the name Yeshua. Moshe knew prophetically that the name of the Messiah would be Yehoshua/Yeshua; therefore he named the one who was going to be his successor this name. This Yehoshua son of Nun came from the tribe of Ephraim, son of Yosef. This is a prophetic sign that the Messiah had to be a son of Yosef and fulfill the role of the suffering Messiah to be, afterwards, lifted up just as Yosef was in Egypt.

At the same time, we see an interesting connection between the Messiah and the tribe of Ephraim who represents the lost tribes of Israel. The Messiah has the task of representing and restoring these lost tribes.

Since his first coming, the Messiah has been working on the restoration of the lost tribes spiritually. The ten lost tribes are mixed among the gentiles. That's why when a gentile receives salvation and starts being obedient to the seven Noachide commandments they receive heavenly citizenship, and in that way Ephraim is restored in heaven and achieves a very high status.

However, the gentiles that come to the Messiah and represent Ephraim are not grafted in Israel on earth through this salvation; therefore they cannot call themselves Israelites nor replace the Jewish people. They are a people that belong to the Eternal, composed of righteous men and women from among the nations, but they are not the people of the Eternal in the sense of the covenant (of physical circumcision). And they do not have the obligation to fulfill the commandments that are meant for those of the circumcision.

The physical final and complete restoration of the lost tribes is reserved to the second coming of the Messiah. Then, according to my understanding, Ephraim's physical descendants that are mixed among the nations – who won't become immortal by the power of resurrection – will be chosen and pointed out by the Messiah and will have to enter the covenant of circumcision to take part in the physical people of Israel. Thus, the tribes will be restored, physically. These Israelites will be mortal.

So we can see that Ephraim's restoration is carried out in two stages: first, in a spiritual manner, in heaven, through the circumcision of the heart of those gentiles who receive the message of the Messiah; and second, with the restoration on earth of the lost tribes with the circumcision on the flesh and their gathering with the physical people of Israel on earth.

The righteous ones from among the nations that are now co-citizens in heaven are not part of those who are physically restored from the tribes, because in the moment of the return of the Messiah they will become immortal and will be the ones who rule over the earth, over the mortal ones.

 This is how I understand the Scriptures.

Shavua tov,

Ketriel

Why did the anger of the Eternal burn against the people?

BeHaalotcha 36-7

When you lift up

Numbers 11:30 – 12:16

All that day and night and all the next day the people went out and gathered quail. No-one gathered less than ten homers. Then they spread them out all around the camp. But while the meat was still between their teeth and before it could be consumed, the anger of the LORD burned against the people, and he struck them with a severe plague.

(Num. 11:32-33 NIVUK)

Why did the anger of the Eternal burn against the people?

The mixed multitude that came out from Egypt with the sons of Israel had an insatiable desire for meat, fish, fruits and vegetables. They despised the manna that came from the Eternal's kind hand every day. This attitude infected the sons of Israel who cried: “Who will give us meat to eat?" (11:4) The Eternal, who is kind, showed His power sending quail so they would have meat for a whole month.

But His wrath burnt against the people and many died for it. The reason is that they rejected the Eternal with their attitude (11:20). All the treatment that the Eternal gave His people in the desert was in order to shape their character and create a sanctified people similar to the Messiah. Part of this treatment was food. The manna was given to hone their temperaments. The Eternal wanted to teach them to be grateful for that amazing miracle that fed them everyday. Those who give thanks before and after eating protect their souls against this bad attitude.

The Eternal could have given them meat, fish, fruits and vegetables every day in the desert, but He didn't in order to prepare them for the conquest of the promised land. He who can't defeat his bad desires can't conquer bigger promises. He who isn't able to control his biological instincts can't be part of a sacred army. He who is able to control his mind is stronger than the one who takes a whole city.

All this is what the Eternal wanted to teach his people in the desert and that's why He made them go through all they went through. But instead of trusting in His kindness and believing in His promises, they were controlled and carried away by their animal instincts thus rejecting the divine treatment for their lives. Those people never achieved the goal. 

Dear disciple of the Messiah: the Eternal is the Lord of whatever circumstance in your life. If He allows you to go through difficulties and anguish, it's in order to purify you from your sin. Be careful not to give room to the animal instincts of your flesh. Allow Him to purify you from all that. Be grateful for the few or many things you have and the Eternal will entrust you with more.

Blessings,

Ketriel

Who goes first?

When you lift up

Numbers 10:11-34

The standard of the camp of the children of Judah set out first according to their armies; over their army was Nahshon the son of Amminadab.

(Num. 10:14 NKJV)

Who goes first?

The name Yehuda has the same root than the word "thank you" – todah, תודה – according to what was said: “She conceived again, and when she gave birth to a son she said, "This time I will praise (odeh – אודה) the LORD." So she named him Judah. Then she stopped having children.” (Gen. 29:35 NIV)

The first characteristic of a Jew is that he praises the Eternal. From the moment he wakes up to the moment he goes to bed his mouth is full of praise and thanksgiving. Saying thanks to the Eternal for everything and in everything is a key to advance in life.

That's why the tribe of Yehuda, the one that knows to bless, praise and thank, is the one that goes first. The people that know to thank is the one that paves the way and advances to be the first to arrive at the final line. The one who trades praise for bitterness will never reach the final line.

“...the people I formed for myself that they may proclaim my praise.” (Isa. 43:21 NIV)

“Blessed are the people who know the joyful sound! They walk, O LORD, in the light of Your countenance.” (Ps. 89:15 NKJV)

All the peoples of earth are invited to learn from Yehuda and follow the example, as it's written in Deuteronomy 32:43a and Romans 15:10: “Rejoice, O Gentiles, with His people...” (NIV)

“be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah.” (Eph. 5:18b-20 NKJV revised)

“in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Messiah Yeshua for you.” (1 Thes. 5:18 NKJV revised)

Let's follow Yehuda's example, let's praise and thank the Eternal in everything and for everything. In this way, we'll advance and get to reach the promises first.

Blessed be the Eternal forever!

Ketriel

How are leaders seen in the Kingdom of Heaven

Daily manna from the Torah by Dr Ketriel Blad

BeHaalotcha 36-2 When you lift up Numbers 8:15-26 I have given the Levites as a gift to Aharon and to his sons from among the children of Yisra'el, to do the service of the children of Yisra'el in the Tent of Meeting, and to make atonement for the children of Yisra'el; that there be no plague among the children of Yisra'el, when the children of Yisra'el come near to the sanctuary.  (Num. 8:19 HNV) How are leaders seen in the Kingdom of Heaven? The leaders that HaShem has instituted are gifts to the other believers. In this case the Levites were gifts to their superiors, the priests. The leaders that the Messiah Yeshua places in his assembly are gifts, as it's written in Ephesians 4:7-12, “But to each one of us was the grace given according to the measure of the gift of Messiah. Therefore he says, ‘When he ascended on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men.’ Now this, ‘He ascended,’ what is it but that he also first descended into the lower parts of the earth? He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things. He gave some to be messengers; and some, prophets; and some, preachers of good news; and some, shepherds and teachers; for the perfecting of the sanctified ones, to the work of serving, to the building up of the body of Messiah.” (HNV revised) This text speaks about the five ministry gifts that the Messiah has given man. Each one of them makes up one part of the complete ministry of the Messiah, verse 7. None of the leaders have the entire ministry of the Messiah, but only a part. Together, however, they form the Mashiach as ministry gifts. Each ministry is a gift that has been given to the people and each and every one of them has a part of the Messiah’s ministry according to the grace that they have been given. Yeshua has everything, but none of us has been as equipped as he. We only have a part of him. The ministry gifts are given to make the consecrated ones complete so that they can perform their ministry and build up the body of the Messiah. Notice that it is the consecrated ones who do the work, guided and completed by the five ministry gifts. The ministry gifts are given to the people, but none of them will be able to perform their functions if he's not received and accepted by the people first. That's the way leadership works; the Eternal gives and the people acknowledge, the Eternal places and the people submit to that. There are no dictatorships in the Kingdom of Heaven; leaders cannot force anyone to submit and obey. But even though submission is voluntary, the consequences of rebellion against the ministry gifts are severe, producing lack of direction and blessing which in turn produces malfunctioning of the body. May the Eternal, through His Messiah, choose, lift up, consecrate and deliver good leaders to the Messiah's congregation, and may He pour His grace so that the people may receive them and submit to them, and in this way the body of the Messiah is built up, perfected and fully cleansed before his coming in glory. Blessings, Ketriel

When is the next year of jubilee?

BeHar 32-1

On the mount

Leviticus 25:1-13

Speak to the Israelites and say to them: 'When you enter the land I am going to give you, the land itself must observe a sabbath to the LORD... 'Count off seven sabbaths of years—seven times seven years—so that the seven sabbaths of years amount to a period of forty-nine years. Then have the trumpet sounded everywhere on the tenth day of the seventh month; on the Day of Atonement sound the trumpet throughout your land. Consecrate the fiftieth year and proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee for you; each one of you is to return to his family property and each to his own clan.

 (Lev. 25:2, 8-10 NIV)

When is the next year of jubilee?

The year of jubilee that the state of Israel proclaimed on the 50th anniversary of its foundation is not a year of jubilee from the Torah. The Torah speaks of another kind of jubilee when all the tribes go back to their possessions and the land is restored to its original state according to the borders established through Moshe and conquered under the guidance of Yehoshua.

After the dispersion of the ten tribes of the north in the year 722 B.C.E. there has been no way of celebrating the year of jubilee. However, sabbatical years were counted during the time of both temples. During the time of the second temple the years of jubilee weren't celebrated but they were counted.

After the destruction of Yerushalayim and the beginning of the Diaspora caused by Rome there has been no keeping or counting of the year of shmitah – sabbatical year – or the year of yovel – jubilee – in the land of Israel.  

According to Maimonides (1137-1204), in the future, a new counting of the years of shmitah and jubilee on the third return (from the Diaspora by Rome) will start, just as it was done on the second return in the time of Ezra.

In the year 1881-1882 (5642) the first aliyah of the third return was made. The following year was counted as the first year of the seven year cycle of the sabbatical years. Then the first jubilee of the third return was in the year 1931-1932 (5692). The next jubilee was in 1980-1981 (5741) and the next one will be on year 2029-2030 (5790).

The first year of Yeshua's public ministry 27-28 (3788), was a sabbatical year according to ancient historical sources. He also said that his ministry started during a sabbatical year when he cited Isaiah 61:1-2, recorded in Luke 4:16-21. The prophesy in Isaiah 61 speaks of the Messiah's coming during a sabbatical year and a year of jubilee.

If his first coming was during a sabbatical year, it is highly probable that his second coming will be on a year of jubilee. It's also possible that he comes before the year of jubilee to put an order in all the world and restore the twelve tribes so that the thousand year messianic kingdom can start on the next year of jubilee.

Time will prove if the counting that started from 1882-1883 (5643) is correct so that the next year of jubilee falls on 2029-2030 (5790), which would be the beginning of the messianic kingdom.

Shavua tov,

Ketriel