"a continual burnt offering, as offered up at Mount Sinai"(Numbers 28:6) Tammuz 25, 5783/July 14, 2023 As we conclude the book of Numbers which has chronicled Israel's forty years in the wilderness, and leaves us just days away from Israel's entering into the land promised them long ago, there seems to be a lot of last minute questions and answers. Just last week, in parashat Pinchas, we read of the daughters of Tzelophehad, who approached Moshe with a query about inheritance. And in this week's parashat Matot-Masei, it is the leaders of the tribes of Reuven and Gad who shock Moshe with an unprecedented request. And then there is the follow up question posed by "the paternal heads of the family of the sons of Gilead the son of Machir the son of Manashe of the families of the sons of Yosef." (Numbers 36:1) It appears that the positive response by HaShem to the question posed by the daughters of Tzelophehad has given rise to yet another question by the heads of the tribe of Menashe. And these aren't the only questions which have arisen during Israel's desert stay. earlier in Numbers we read of the men who were unable to perform the Passover offering in its proper time due to their being ritually impure. There were also questions concerning a Shabbat violator and a man who blasphemed using HaShem's name. All these questions were promptly answered and the answers given all became part of the Torah itself. But now we ask our own question: Wasn't Torah delivered to Israel at Sinai in its entirety? All these various questions and answers seem rather piece meal. The Torah is very coy when it comes to time. The book of Numbers itself describes the first two years of Israel's travels and travails in the wilderness in painstaking detail, and then simply skips over the next thirty eight years before, once again slowing down the clock dramatically as Israel nears her destination. And, of course, time truly comes to a stop in the book of Deuteronomy which we begin next week, when Moshe, in the final days of his life, delivers a thirty seven day address to his people. Two hundred plus years of Egyptian servitude are covered in a few paragraphs, while Moshe's hesitant response to G-d's message at the burning bush seems to progress over many days. It is a well-known understanding that "ein mukdam ume'uchar baTorah," meaning, the Torah does not necessarily progress chronologically. Did Yitro come to visit Moshe before the receiving of Torah at Mount Sinai, or only after? And surely the laws of the red heifer, which are only related to us in the book of Numbers, were part of the original Sinai revelation. Judaism understands time in three ways. Time is a constantly evolving progression known as history, and history is HaShem's way of interacting with His people, and a way for HaShem's people to ultimately fulfill their obligations to HaShem. Our prophets all talk of a time of redemption, a golden era that awaits us. Time has a past and a future, and time has a purpose and a goal. Time, in Judaism, is also circular. The annual pilgrimage holidays of Passover, Shavuot and Sukkot are celebrated year after year on the same calendrical dates, as are Rosh HaShana and Yom Kippur. Even as time moves forward, it also repeats and returns and retraces its steps. Time is not just a relentless march into the future, it is also a circle dance whose individual moments are renewed over and over and over again. By observing our holidays we are, in fact, grasping the hands of time itself, and inserting ourselves into its never-ending, spinning, swirling carousel. And finally, time as commanded by Torah, is an ever present Now! Shabbat, the seventh day of rest, is utterly disattached from the tethers of time. It is an eternal day that we re-enter into every seven days, but Shabbat itself was established by G-d even before the creation of time. Shabbat stands above time. On Shabbat there is no yesterday or tomorrow. There is only the eternal moment we call Shabbat. The never-ending today of Shabbat has its parallel in the Holy Temple. In Torah's description of the daily offering, which we read in in parashat Pinchas, we are told that it is "a continual burnt offering, as offered up at Mount Sinai, for a spirit of satisfaction, a fire offering to HaShem." (ibid 28:6) The daily offering in the Holy Temple is a daily reprise of Israel's most intimate and momentous moment with HaShem. The daily offering is known in Hebrew as Tamid, which means "always, constantly, perpetually." Just as Shabbat constantly places us both before and after the six days of creation, the Tamid offering in the Holy Temple constantly places us at the foot of Mount Sinai at the moment of revelation. So yes, we are constantly and relentlessly moving forward, swept away by unceasing time. But we do have the power to stretch or shrink time, to go back in time or skip ahead: "ein mukdam ume'uchar" - there is no absolute "before" or "after." And we also possess the ability to dance with time, to revisit the same moments year after year. And Shabbat teaches us how to stop time itself, to escape its orbit and to stand above it, no longer ruled over by it. And, finally, the daily Tamid offering in the Holy Temple, the perpetual offering, "offered up at Mount Sinai," is a bold reminder that the revelation at Sinai and the Torah that it introduced into our lives, is a constant, daily occurrence. The receiving of Torah at Sinai was a one day in the life of creation happening that we are privileged to re-experience every day of our lives. Questions like those of the daughters of Tzelophehad, or the elders of Menashe, are constantly arising as we move forward in time and through history, but the answers to these questions are all contained in the single, yet ever repeating revelation at Sinai. The answers to our questions today have been patiently waiting since Sinai for us to ask them. Time, created by G-d, can often seem relentless and uncompromising, but the Torah that HaShem blessed us with at Sinai has gifted us the tools to stretch, squeeze, speed up and slow down, spin atop our finger and even stop time in its tracks. Shabbat Shalom! . |
Tune in to this week's Temple Talk, as Yitzchak Reuven talks about the sacred utensils we bring to war, the transformation from mourning to rebuilding - the changing face of bein hameitzarim, and about the ups & downs of 40 years in the wilderness coming to a close! What the world needs now, more than ever, is the Holy Temple. It is time for a united Israel to lead the world to a better future, one in which we share our space in creation with He who created us! |
Help To Build The Holy Temple In Our Time! Donate Generously To Help The Sacred Work Of The Temple Institute! Every contribution helps to rebuild the Holy Temple in our Time! |
In parashat Matot-Masei we learn of the borders of the land of Israel that G-d has determined, even before Israel has entered into the land. Would Israel have been able to successfully return to her land after suffering a two thousand year old exile, had G-d not personally determined the map for all eternity? Matot-Mase (Numbers 30:2 - 36:13)
Matot-Mase is read on Shabbat:
Tammuz 26, 5783/July 15, 2023 |
Haftara For Shabbat Parashat Matot-Masei Jeremiah 2:4-28; 4:1-2: "Hearken to the word of HaShem, O house of Yaakov, and all the families of the house of Israel. So says HaShem: What wrong did your forefathers find in Me, that they distanced themselves from Me, and they went after futility and themselves became futile? And they did not say, 'Where is HaShem, Who brought us up from the land of Egypt, Who led us in the desert, in a land of plains and pits, in a land of waste and darkness, in a land where no man had passed and where no man had dwelt..." |
A Temple Mount Moment: Ancient Gates to the Temple Mount! Archaeologist Frankie Snyder takes us on a tour of the ancient gates that led up to the Holy Temple. |
Bein Hameitzarim Reminder We are currently in the three week period known as "bein hameitzarim - between the narrow straits," the three week period during which, for 2,000 years we have outwardly mourned the destruction of the Holy Temple. But the great days of which our prophets of old told us so many years ago, are drawing closer and closer. "You have turned my lament into dancing for me; You loosened my sackcloth and girded me with joy." (Psalm 30:12) Even King David, who did not live to see the Holy Temple, knew that one day in the distant (now near) future the Temple would be rebuilt. The secret of the distance between mourning and rejoicing is found in our hearts. |
Matot-Masei: The Forty Eight Levitical Cities In this week's Torah reading, Matot-Masei, we read of the 48 cities to be designated for the tribe of Levi, who have no inheritance in the land of Israel. The 48 cities are to be located within each of the twelve tribes: "HaShem spoke to Moshe in the plains of Moav, by the Jordan at Jericho saying: Command the children of Israel that they shall give to the Levites from their hereditary possession cities in which to dwell, and you shall give the Levites open spaces around the cities. These cities shall be theirs for dwelling, and their open spaces shall be for their cattle, their property, and for all their needs." (Numbers 35:1-3) |
The Eternal Commandment To Build The Holy Temple "And they shall make for me a Mikdash (Sanctuary) and I will dwell amongst them." (Exodus 25:8) This commandment was fulfilled by Israel when they built the Tabernacle, and when they built both the first and second Holy Temples. The commandment to build a Mikdash for HaShem is valid for all generations. Even today,following the destruction of the Holy Temple nearly two thousand years ago, we are commanded to rebuild it as before. |
Matot-Masei: The 6 Cities Of Refuge In parashat Matot-Masei we read about the six cities of refuge: "Among the cities you shall give to the Levites, shall be six cities of refuge, which you shall provide as places to which a murderer can flee. In addition to them, you shall provide forty two cities." (Numbers 35:6) |
The Sacred Utensils Of The Israel Defense Forces We read this week in parashat Matot-Masei, that in preparing Israel for war against the Midianites, "Moshe sent them the thousand from each tribe to the army, them along with Pinchas the son of Eleazar the kohen to the army, with the sacred utensils and the trumpets for sounding in his possession." (Numbers 31:6) |
Let There Be Light – The 3 Weeks & The Holy Temple! In Genesis Rabbah we read:
“Rabbi Chiya Raba said – from the beginning of the creation of the world the Holy One saw the Holy Temple built, destroyed and built. 'In the beginning of G-d's creation…' (Genesis 1:1) refers to it built, this is what it says '…to plant the heavens and to found the earth…' (Isaiah 51:16) “Now the earth was astonishingly empty…' refers to it destroyed, this is what it says 'I saw the earth, and behold, it was void and unformed…' (Jeremiah 4:23) , 'And G-d said, Let there be light…' refers to it built and complete in the future to come..." |
This Week: Matot-Masei: The War Against Midian This week we read the double parasha of Matot-Masei, which takes us to the end of the book of Numbers. Following the plot by Midian and Moav to entice the Israelite men into acts of idolatry, HaShem commanded Moshe "Take revenge for the children of Israel against the Midianites; afterwards you will be gathered to your people." (Numbers 31:2) |
Mikdash Monday - The Churban (destruction) and rebuilding of the Holy Temple (Part 1) “Thus says Hashem; Let your hands be strong, you that hear in these days these words by the mouth of the prophets, who spoke on the day that the foundation of the house of the Lord of hosts was laid, saying that the temple might be built.” (Zechariya 8:9) |
Bein Hameitzarim - In The Narrow Places "O how has the city that was once so populous remained lonely! She has become like a widow! She that was great among the nations, a princess among the provinces, has become tributary. She weeps, yea, she weeps in the night, and her tears are on her cheek; she has no comforter among all her lovers; all her friends have betrayed her; they have become her enemies. Judah went into exile because of affliction and great servitude; she settled among the nations, and found no rest; all her pursuers overtook her in the narrow places." (Lamentations 1:1-3) |
Shavua Tov from the Temple Mount! We have begun the annual three week period of mourning the destruction of the Holy Temple. Nothing says "Rebuild the Holy Temple Now" like ascending the Temple Mount in purity and in prayer! Wishing all a shavua tov - a very good week! |
Red Heifers Arrive In Israel! On Thursday, September 15, 2022, 5 PM, 5 perfect, unblemished red heifers arrived in Israel from the USA. A modest ceremony was held at the unloading bay of the cargo terminal at Ben Gurion airport, where the new arrivals were greeted and speeches were made by the incredible people who have put their hearts and souls and means into making this historic/prophetic day become a reality. |
Red Heifer Update The five red heifers that were flown into Israel last summer are currently enjoying a quiet, pastoral life in an undisclosed location in Israel. They are being periodically checked to determine whether they still meet the very strict standards required to be eligible candidates for the red heifer ceremony. These requirements include no blemishes and no non-red hairs. While red heifers are fairly common throughout the world, a red heifer that meets these halachic requirements would be a tremendous breakthrough. |
Blessings from the holy city of Jerusalem!
Yitzchak Reuven
The Temple Institute |
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