June 8, 2024: Parashah Torah Portion Bamidbar - “In The Desert”
Shabbat : June 7th, 2024 at sunset until June 8th, 2024 at sunset.
Rosh Chodesh, Sivan 1-2, 5784
Scriptures:
Torah Portion: Numbers 1:1-4:20
Haftarah: Hosea 2:1-23, 1 Samuel 20:18-42
Brit Hadashah: Romans 9:22-33; Luke 24:50-51; Acts 1:9-11
Restore Israel Team: Elihana Elia, Dr. Hadassah Elia & Devorah Silva
We will start by reading the fourth book of the Torah, namely Sefer Bamidbar (ספר במדבר), or the Book of Numbers, in English.
Second, we honor Yom Yerushalayim (Jerusalem Day) that commemorates the prophetic reunification of Jerusalem and the establishment of Israeli control over the Old City on June 7, 1967 (i.e., Iyyar 28, falling on June 5th this year).
על נהרות בבל - אליחנה אליה:
By The Rivers of Babylon - Elihana Elia (AL NAHAROT BAVEL):
Jerusalem of Gold/ Yerushalayim Shel Zahav (SHUVU ELAI/RETURN TO ME) - ELIHANA ELIA (Messianic version):
ירושלים של זהב אליחנה אליה:
JERUSALEM OF GOLD - ELIHANA ELIA (LIVE IN JERUSALEM):
The month of Sivan began on Thursday, June 6th at sundown, which heralds the conclusion of the 49th day of the Omer, counting down from the day following Passover (see Leviticus 23:15-16).
The first five days of the month of Sivan anticipate the day the Torah was given to Israel at Sinai, namely, the sixth of Sivan, which marks exactly seven weeks (i.e., 49 days) after
the Exodus from Egypt!
Our Torah portion for this week, Parashat Bamidbar (פרשת במדבר), begins the Book of Numbers (ספר במדבר), where the narrative begins precisely where the Book of Exodus left off, that is, with the glory of the LORD hovering over the Mishkan (Tabernacle) as the Israelites were stationed at Sinai (Exodus 40:38, Numbers 1:1).
On the first day of the thirteenth month following the Exodus from Egypt – exactly thirty days after the Tabernacle was first consecrated, God commanded Moses to take a census of all Israelite males over 20 years of age who would bear arms.
Moses counts 603,550 men of draftable age (20 to 60 years); This number did not include the Levites, however, since they were designated to take care of the Tabernacle during the journeys.
The tribe of Levi, numbering 22,300 males age one month and older, is counted separately. The Levites are to serve in the Sanctuary. They replace the firstborn, whose number they approximated, since they were disqualified when they participated in the worshipping of the Golden Calf. The 273 firstborn who lacked a Levite to replace them had to pay a five-shekel “ransom” to redeem themselves.
The LORD then gave instructions about how the Israelite camp was to be arranged. The Tabernacle would occupy the central location, with three clans of the Levites surrounding it on the north, south, and west (Moses and Aaron's tents were placed before the entrance on the east). The twelve other tribes were divided into four groups of three.
Beyond the Levite circle, the twelve tribes camped in four groups of three tribes each. To the east were Judah (pop. 74,600), Issachar (54,400) and Zebulun (57,400); to the south, Reuben (46,500), Simeon (59,300) and Gad (45,650); to the west, Ephraim (40,500), Manasseh (32,200) and Benjamin (35,400); and to the north, Dan (62,700), Asher (41,500) and Naphtali (53,400). This formation was kept also while traveling. Each tribe had its own nassi (prince or leader), and its own flag with its tribal color and emblem.
All of the tents of the Israelites were to face the Tabernacle on every side. This camp formation was to be strictly maintained while traveling throughout the desert.
Sivan: Month of Revelation...
The third month of the Torah's calendar (as reckoned from the month of Nisan) is called Sivan a 30-day lunar month which usually begins during late May or early June. In the Torah, this month is simply called the third month סיון החודש השלישי: Chodesh Ha-Shlishi.
Though some time after the Babylonian Captivity, it assumed its present name. Sivan is mentioned only once in the Jewish Scriptures, in the Book of Esther (Esther 8:9).
Since Sivan always has 30 full days, Rosh Chodesh Sivan (the celebration of the new month) is observed for only one day. The rabbis call the second day of Sivan Yom Hameyuchat (The Day of Distinction), since on this day the people agreed to accept the Torah, and upon their ratification Moses instructed the people to prepare themselves to become "a kingdom of priests and a holy nation" (Exodus 19:6-8).
In some circles this day of distinction is celebrated as a minor festival. On the third day of month the LORD instructed Moses to set a boundary (Hagbalah) for the people around the mountain in preparation for the coming revelation to be given (Exodus 19:9-15).
These three days are called the "Three Days of Separation" (Sheloshet Yemei Hagbalah): ְשׁל ֶשׁת יְ ֵמי ַה ְגּ to prepare for the revelation on Sivan 6th: Make yourselves ready by the third day (Exodus 19:11,15).
The Talmud comments: "Blessed be our God who has given a threefold Torah (Torah,
Prophets, Writings) to a threefold nation (Kohanim, Levites, and Israelites) through one who was third (Moses, the third child after Aaron and Miriam) in the third month."
The first five days of the month of Sivan anticipate the day that the Torah was revealed to Israel at Sinai, namely, on the sixth of Sivan, a date which the rabbis later associated with the holiday of Shavuot (Weeks or Pentecost), which occurred exactly seven weeks after the Exodus from Egypt.
Nowadays, on the night of Shavuot, it is customary to stay up all night reading selections from the Torah until sunrise. This custom is called Tikkun Leil Shavuot: תּקּוּן לֵיל ָשׁבוּעוֹת (Rectification for Shavuot Night), and was instituted as a remedy for Israel's failures to be awaked on the morning of the revelation (the midrash scolds the people who overslept on the morning of the revelation and needed to be roused to salute the King).
Spiritually speaking, right now the people of Israel need to be awakened to the fact that their sins are an abomination to the Elohim of Israel! The remedy for Israel's failures is to repent and turn away from their sins, and turn toward Adonai, choosing to walk in His ways, according to the Torah they had originally agreed to follow!
While the GIBORIM ISRAEL (Heroes of Israel ) are in battle fighting in Gaza, and up north against Hezbollah, the gays are defiling the land with the gay parade and their banners stolen from the promise of Adonai, which is the 🌈 rainbow today!
The enemy tries to bring the stench into the nostrils of our ABBA so they lose the battle. But we DECLARE AND DECREE TODAY THAT THOSE INVADERS OF THE HOLY LAND DO NOT REPRESENT THE CHOSEN NATION!
Today Parashah Bamidbar (in the desert) shows us the ELECTION OF ELOHIM toward His chosen people of Israel, called to be a Holy Nation! What an ironic fact that the flags of pride are flying to irate our ABBA! As Intercessors today we pray for mercy and grace super abundant revelation of the Truth of Messiah Yeshua, causing His people to be set FREE!
"31 Then Yeshua said to the Judeans who had trusted Him, “If you abide in My word, then you are truly My disciples. 32 You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free!” John 8:31-32
We speak freedom over the families and people, to choose life , to say YES to Yeshua, the true salvation of Israel!
The month of Sivan represents the giving of the Torah to Israel (Z'man Mattan Toratenu): זְ ַמן ַמ ַתּן תּוֹ ָר ֵתינוּ, when the drama which began with the Exodus from Egypt culminated with the giving of the Torah.
For Messianic believers, the month of Sivan also commemorates the giving of the Ruach Ha-Kodesh (Holy Spirit) to the followers of Yeshua after His ascension into heaven.
Rosh Chodesh Blessing:
יְ ִהי ָרצוֹן ִמלְּ ָפנֵיF יהוה ֱאל ֵהינוּ
וֵאל ֵהי ֲאבוֹ ֵתינוּ ֶשׁ ְתּ ַח ֵדּשׁ ָעלֵינוּ ח ֶדשׁ טוֹב ַבּ ֲאדנֵינוּ יֵשׁוּ ַע ַה ָמּ
ִשׁי ַח אָ ֵמן
ye·hee · rah·tzon · meel·fah·ney';·kha · Adonai · E·loh·hey'·noo
vei·loh·hey · a·voh·tey'·noo · she·te·cha·deish · ah·ley';·noo ·
choh·desh tohv ba'a·doh·ney'·noo · Ye·shoo'·a · ha·mah·shee'·ach ·
ah·mein
"May it be Your will, LORD our God and God of our fathers,
that you renew for us a good month in our Lord Yeshua the Messiah.
Amen."
Jerusalem Day - June 5th
In Israel, Jerusalem Day (Yom Yerushalayim: יום ירושלים) commemorates the re- unification of the old city of Jerusalem on June 7th,1967 during the Six Day War. In 1968 the Chief Rabbinate of Israel declared on Iyyar 28 to be a minor holiday to thank God for answering the 2,000-year-old prayer of "Next Year in Jerusalem."
On March 23,1998, the Knesset passed the Jerusalem Day Law, making it a
national holiday. This year, Iyyar 28 ran from Tuesday, June 4th (after sundown) through the following day until sundown.
Friends, how can we forget Zion, the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem? "But you have come to Mount Zion—to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, a joyous gathering," Hebrews 12:22
Is she not our mother? "But the Jerusalem above is free—she is our mother." Galatians
4:26.
Are we not her citizens, indeed, her exiles in this age? As the psalmist said,
"If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its skill! Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth, if I do not remember you, if I do not set Jerusalem above my highest joy!" Psalm 137:5-6.
Of course we are instructed to pray for the peace of Jerusalem (Psalm 126:6), but we are further told to "badge" the LORD until he makes Zion "the praise of the earth" (Isaiah 62:7).
"17This is what the Lord says—your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel:
“I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go.
18 If only you had paid attention to my commands, your peace would have been like a river, your well-being like the waves of the sea. 19 Your descendants would have been like the sand, your children like its numberless grains; their name would never be blotted out nor destroyed from before me.”
20 Leave Babylon, flee from the Babylonians! Announce this with shouts of joy and proclaim it. Send it out to the ends of the earth; say, “The Lord has redeemed his servant Jacob.”
21 They did not thirst when he led them through the deserts; he made water flow for them from the rock; he split the rock and water gushed out.
22 “There is no peace,” says the Lord, “for the wicked.” Isaiah 48:17- 22
