Parashat Masei

[debi b]

Weekly Torah reading for August 6, 2005
Parashat Masei
Bamidbar 33:1-36:13

Bamidbar 33: 1 These are the journeys [journeys = masei] of the people of Israel, which went forth out of the land of Egypt with their armies under the hand of Moses and Aaron.

Many messianics read the weekly Torah readings. Generally, Torah is the name given to the first five books of the Bible, although there are times when it refers to a larger body of text. The most basic meaning of the word Torah is teaching. Torah is HaShem’s (G-d’s) teaching to His people. In the Torah, HaShem tells us how to live. They are HaShem’s instructions to us. Each week we read a passage from the Torah. This passage is referred to as a parashah (if used in combination with the name of the passage parashah becomes parashat).

The Hebrew names of the first five books are derived from the first few words of the book. Bereshit = Genesis; Shemot = Exodus; Vayikra = Leviticus; Bamidbar = Numbers; Devarim = Deuteronomy. The Hebrew names for the parashah (passage) comes from the first few words in the reading.

Let us try to understand the Torah,
not as a book of law, and surely not as a book of lore, but as the book of life.
Let us read with our eyes and listen with our souls.
May our lives be transformed to what HaShem intended them to be.

[debi b]

BAMIDBAR 33

1 These are the journeys of the people of Israel, which went forth out of the land of Egypt with their armies under the hand of Moses and Aaron.
Shemot 12:40 Now the sojourning of the people of Israel, who dwelt in Egypt, was four hundred and thirty years.

2 And Moses wrote their starting places according to their journeys by the commandment of Adonai; and these are their journeys according to their starting places.

3 And they departed from Rameses in the first month (Nisan), on the fifteenth day of the first month; on the next day after the Passover the children of Israel went out with a high hand in the sight of all the Egyptians.

4 For the Egyptians buried all their firstborn, which Adonai had struck among them; upon their Elohims (gods) also Adonai executed judgments.

5 And the people of Israel moved from Rameses, and camped in Succoth.

6 And they departed from Succoth, and camped in Etham, which is in the edge of the wilderness.

7 And they moved from Etham, and turned back to Pihahiroth, which is before Baal-Zephon; and they camped before Migdol.
Shemot 14:2 adds encamped by the sea

8 And they departed from before Pihahiroth, and passed through the midst of the sea into the wilderness, and went three days' journey in the wilderness of Etham, and camped in Marah.
Shemot 15:22 wilderness of Shur

9 And they moved from Marah, and came to Elim; and in Elim were twelve fountains of water, and seventy palm trees; and they camped there.

10 And they moved from Elim, and camped by the Red Sea.

11 And they moved from the Red Sea, and camped in the wilderness of Sin.

Shemot 16: 1 And they took their journey from Elim, and all the congregation of the people of Israel came to the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month (Iyar aka Zif) after their departing out of the land of Egypt.

ADONAI GIVES MANNAH

ADONAI GIVES QUAIL

[debi b]

1 Ki 6:1 And it came to pass in the four hundred and eightieth year after the people of Israel came out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon's reign over Israel, in the month Ziv (Zif = Iyar), which is the second month, that he began to build the house of the Lord.

1 Ki 6:37 In the fourth year was the foundation of the house of the Lord laid, in the month Ziv;

2Chron 3:2 And he began to build in the second day of the second month (Ziv), in the fourth year of his reign.

So for 480 Israel had the Tabernacle of the wilderness, then the construction for the Temple began - on the 2nd of Ziv.

Shemot 16: 1 And they took their journey from Elim, and all the congregation of the people of Israel came to the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month (Ziv) after their departing out of the land of Egypt.

Bamidbar 1: 1 And the Lord spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the Tent of Meeting, on the first day of the second month (Ziv), in the second year after they came out from the land of Egypt, saying,

Bamidbar 9:11 on the 14th of Ziv can hold second Passover

Ezra 3:8 in the month of Ziv in the 2nd year of the return Zerubbabel lays the foundations for the Temple.

A little overlooked month....

[debi b]

12 And they took their journey out of the wilderness of Sin, and camped in Dophkah.

13 And they departed from Dophkah, and camped in Alush.

14 And they moved from Alush, and camped in Rephidim, where there was no water for the people to drink.

MOSES STRIKES THE ROCK AT HOREB, WATER FROM ROCK FIRST TIME, CALLED IT WATERS OF MASSAH AND MERIBAH;

BATTLE WITH AMALEK

JETHRO, ZIPPORAH, AND SONS GERSHOM AND ELIEZER COME.

JETHRO COUNSELS MOSES TO TEACH ORDINANCES AND LAWS, SET UP LEADERS OF THOUSANDS ETC.

15 And they departed from Rephidim, and camped in the wilderness of Sinai.

Shemot 19:1 gives the date for this as “in the third month (Sivan) the same day they left Egypt”

ADONAI CAME DOWN UPON MT. SINAI, 10 WORDS GIVEN, JUDGMENTS GIVEN

MOSES READ THE BOOK OF THE COVENANT TO THE PEOPLE AND SPRINKLED THE BLOOD OF THE COVENANT ON THE PEOPLE

MOSES AARON NADAB ABIHU AND 70 ELDERS WENT UP AND SAW THE ELOHIM OF ISRAEL

MOSES RECEIVED TABLETS, TORAH AND COMMANDMENTS THAT ADONAI WROTE; HE WAS ON MOUNTAIN 40 DAYS & NIGHTS,GIVEN INSTRUCTION ON BUILDING OF TABERNACLE, TABERNACLE SERVICES

GOLDEN CALF, MOSES SMASHED TABLETS

MOSES ASKS TO SEE ADONAI’S GLORY, CLEFT OF THE ROCK, 2ND SET OF TABLETS, STAYED ANOTHER 40 DAYS & NIGHTS, FACE SHONE

MOSES GIVES INSTRUCTION TO THE PEOPLE FOR BUILDING THE TABERNACLE

TABERNACLE SET UP 1ST DAY OF 1ST MONTH (Nissan 1) THE SECOND YEAR

LEVITICAL PRIESTHOOD ORDAINED, NADAB AND ABIHU DIED

BOOK OF VAYIKRA (Leviticus) WAS WRITTEN

Bamidbar (Numbers) 1:1 And Adonai spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the Tent of Meeting, on the first day of the second month (Iyar aka Zif), in the second year after they came out from the land of Egypt, saying,

1ST CENSUS TAKEN 1ST DAY OF THE SECOND MONTH (Iyar aka Zif), IN THE SECOND YEAR

TRIBES ARRANGED AROUND TABERNACLE, ORDER SET FOR DEPARTURE

LEVITES GIVEN THEIR DUTIES

Bamidbar 9:1 And Adonai spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the first month of the second year after they came out of the land of Egypt, saying,

Chapter 9 occurred before the events in chapter 1
INSTRUCTION GIVEN AGAIN APPOINTED TIMES

70 ELDERS APPOINTED TO STAND WITH MOSES

16 And they moved from the desert of Sinai, and camped in Kibroth-Hattaavah.

Bamidbar 11:34 gives the reason for the name Kibroth-Hattaavah (graves of the craving) - because there they buried the people who had the craving

QUAILS FOR 1 MONTH

[debi b]

17 And they departed from Kibroth-Hattaavah, and camped in Hazeroth.

MIRIAM AND AARON COMPLAIN ABOUT CUSHITE WIFE OF MOSES,MIRIAM BECOMES LEPROUS

18 And they departed from Hazeroth, and camped in Rithmah.
Bamidbar 12: 16 And afterward the people removed from Hazeroth, and camped in the wilderness of Paran.

SPIES SENT TO CANAAN

Bamidbar 14: 25 Now the Amalekites and the Canaanites live in the valley. Tomorrow turn, and go to the wilderness by the way of the Red Sea.

CONGREGATION TOLD THEY WILL WANDER 40 YEARS look at all that happened before they were told this. Because of hindsight (we know about the 40 years) we fail to think about what it would have been like from their perspective.

KORAH’S REBELLION, ADDITIONAL 250 DIED, ALTAR COVERED IN BRONZE

14,700 DIED BECAUSE THEY ACCUSED MOSES OF KILLING THOSE WHO DIED IN KORAH’S REBELLION

AARON’S ROD BUDDED

19 And they departed from Rithmah, and camped at Rimmon-Perez.

20 And they departed from Rimmon-Perez, and camped in Libnah.

21 And they moved from Libnah, and camped at Rissah.

22 And they journeyed from Rissah, and camped in Kehelathah.

23 And they went from Kehelathah, and camped in Mount Shapher.

24 And they moved from Mount Shapher, and camped in Haradah.

25 And they moved from Haradah, and camped in Makheloth.

26 And they moved from Makheloth, and camped in Tahath.

27 And they departed from Tahath, and camped at Terah.

28 And they moved from Terah, and camped in Mithcah.

29 And they went from Mithcah, and camped in Hashmonah.

30 And they departed from Hashmonah, and camped in Moseroth.

31 And they departed from Moseroth, and camped in Bnei-Jaakan.

32 And they moved from Bnei-Jaakan, and camped in Horhagidgad.

33 And they went from Horhagidgad, and camped in Jotbathah.

34 And they moved from Jotbathah, and camped in Ebronah.

35 And they departed from Ebronah, and camped in Ezion-Geber.

There doesn't seem to be detail about anything that happened at these places.

[debi b]

36 And they moved from Ezion-Geber, and camped in the wilderness of Zin, which is Kadesh.

Bamidbar 20: 1 Then came the people of Israel, the whole congregation, into the desert of Zin in the first month (Nisan); and the people abode in Kadesh; and Miriam died there, and was buried there.

MOSES STRUCK THE ROCK 2ND TIME; WATER OF MERIBAH

MESSENGERS SENT TO REQUEST PASSAGE; EDOM REFUSES

37 And they moved from Kadesh, and camped in Mount Hor, in the edge of the land of Edom.

38 And Aaron the priest went up to Mount Hor at the commandment of Adonai, and died there, in the fortieth year after the people of Israel came out of the land of Egypt, in the first day of the fifth month.

39 And Aaron was a hundred and twenty three years old when he died in Mount Hor.

40 And king Arad the Canaanite, who lived in the Negev in the land of Canaan, heard of the coming of the people of Israel.

Bamidbar 21: 3 And Adonai listened to the voice of Israel, and delivered up the Canaanites; and they utterly destroyed them and their cities; and he called the name of the place Hormah.

41 And they departed from Mount Hor, and camped in Zalmonah.

Bamidbar 21: 4 And they journeyed from Mount Hor by the way of the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom; and the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way.

PEOPLE COMPLAIN ABOUT MANNAH; ADONAI SENT FIERY SERPENTS; MOSES MAKES BRONZE SERPENT ON A POLE

[debi b]

42 And they departed from Zalmonah, and camped in Punon.

43 And they departed from Punon, and camped in Oboth.
Bamidbar 10: 12 From there they moved, and camped in the valley of Zared.

Bamidbar 10: 13 From there they moved, and camped on the other side of Arnon, which is in the wilderness that comes out of the borders of the Amorites; for Arnon is the border of Moab, between Moab and the Amorites.

DEFEATS SIHON KING OF AMORITES; OG KING OF BASHAN

Bamidbar 11: 3 And he called the name of the place Taberah; because the fire of Adonai burnt among them.

44 And they departed from Oboth, and camped in Ijeabarim, in the border of Moab.

45 And they departed from Iim, and camped in Dibon-Gad.

46 And they moved from Dibon-Gad, and camped in Almondiblathaim.

47 And they moved from Almondiblathaim, and camped in the mountains of Abarim, before Nebo.

48 And they departed from the mountains of Abarim, and camped in the plains of Moab by the Jordan near Jericho.

BALAK & BALAAM

Bamidbar 25: 1 And Israel stayed in Shittim, and the people began to commit harlotry with the daughters of Moab.

BAAL-PEOR;
ZEAL OF PINCHAS;
24,000 DIED IN PLAGUE;
MIDIANITE COZBI SLAIN;
SECOND CENSUS;
MOSES TOLD HE WOULD DIE;
JOSHUA APPOINTED;
BATTLE WITH MIDIAN;
BALAAM KILLED;
REUBEN & GAD ASK FOR INHERITANCE ON EAST SIDE OF JORDAN RIVER;

49 And they camped by the Jordan, from Beth-HaJeshimoth to Abel-Hashittim in the plains of Moab.