Torah 101-Tzav Parsha I.

ANSWERS TO STUDY QUESTIONS (from Vayikra)

SPECIAL NOTE: Revised Torah Portion Schedule! Some of you have asked me about the listings on my calendar and how it relates to the Torah portions we actually do. My calculations for the sun, moon and stars on the calendar are the main focus and are very intensive; the Torah readings, while usually correct, are put as a guideline only. When double portions begin hitting, as they do at this time of year and Great Feasts like Pesach also intervene, I sometimes reserve for myself a bit of flexibility to slightly modify the schedule due to a variety of factors. Regardless of those factors however, my goal is always to keep people fundamentally on time and in unity with Jewish worship as much as possible even if sometimes my double portions are a little different, they all catch up in the end. So here is the revised schedule for the next month or so March 23rd: Tzav March 30th: Shabbat in the Middle of Pesach (Pesach Special) April 6th: Shemini April 13th: Tazria/Metzora April 20th: Acharei Mot/Kedoshim April 27th: Emor May 4th: BeHar/BeChukkotai Please also note that there are some format changes with Double Portions. Because two portions go up at the same
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time, generally speaking I have one set of Study Questions and one Torah Thought for the Week to cover both parts. Otherwise, no one can get a week to work out the answers to the issues raised. I will be reproducing these notes throughout this period of time, but if you have any questions, please ask! Todah! Andrew PS-The Special Moedim Teaching, or Pesach Special, does not have a Torah 101 version. All Great Feast teachings are free and open to everyone.
1) Question for Leviticus 1: This book is called Vayikra or and he called, named after the first few words of chapter 1. A similar thing happens with both the names of the individual Torah portions and the names of the other 4 books. How do these Hebrew names for all 5 Torah books spell out a message with very minor modifications and taking into account the full opening phrases? As my good friend Avigail, who is a Hebrew teacher in her own right, pointed out, the names of the books are Bereshit (In the beginning) Shemot (these are the names) Vayikra (and he called) Bemidbar (in the wilderness) Devarim (these words that Moshe spoke to all Israel) In the beginning, these are the names. And He called in the wilderness these words that Moshe spoke to all Israel. 2) Question for Leviticus 2-4:

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How do the names of Aarons sons also spell out a message and what might it be referring to? Nadab = Noble/generous Abihu = my father is Eliezar = El is my help Ithamar = Land of palm trees Noble and generous my Father is. El is my help (in the) land of palm trees. This is a reference to Elim, a place where the Israelites stopped about 6 weeks after the Exodus 15:27. Elim was known for having 12 springs of water (one for every tribe of Israel) and 70 palm trees. In spite of their constant complaining and mistakes, the generosity of Abba YHWH has been very evident by not destroying them up until now! 3) Question for Leviticus 5: How does one verse in this chapter give us a clue about the Second Coming of Yshua haMashiyach? In Leviticus 5:9 we read
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'He shall also sprinkle some of the blood of the sin offering on the side of the altar, while the rest of the blood shall be drained out at the base of the altar: it is a sin offering. (Leviticus 5:9 NAU) The word for sprinkle in Hebrew here is NAZAH. This word is used also by Ezekiel to talk about the immersion of the future where the nations and native Israelites will cleanse their sins. But when the Immerser comes to announce this, he points to Yshua who must come after him to immerse all with the Ruach ha Kodesh and with fire. It is the fire immersion that is about the Second Coming and the Aramaic cognate for sprinkle is used specifically here in Revelation to talk about Mashiyachs return and appearance: (Rev 19:11) And I saw heaven opened: and lo, a white horse; and he that sat on it is called Faithful and True: and in righteousness he judges, and makes war. (Rev 19:12) His eyes (were) like a flame of fire, and on his head (were) many diadems; and he had names inscribed; and the name which was written on him, no one knew, except himself. (Rev 19:13) And he was clothed with a vesture sprinkled with blood; and his name is called, "The Word of Elohim."71 (Rev 19:14) And the army of heaven followed him on white horses, clad in garments of fine linen, pure (and) white. (Rev 19:15) And from his mouth issued a sharp two-edged sword, that with it he could strike the nations; and he will rule the 3|Page

nations with a rod of iron; and he will tread the wine-press of the wrath of Elohim Almighty. 4) Haftorah Question of the Week: Isaiah 43:21-44:23 Does the prophet Isaiah indicate that YHWH Himself has a Redeemer and what might that really mean? After the familiar, Thus says Yahweh, the King of Israel the next phrase in the Hebrew reads, vega-al-o Yah-weh tsa-vah-owt, and HIS Redeemer, Yahweh of Hosts. The word for redeemer or GAAL, is the same word used in the book of Ruth for Boaz who redeems her. What is startling about this passage is that GAAL has a vav/waw as its last letter. This is what grammarians call a PRONOMIAL SUFFIX, which is fancy talk for showing possession of a noun in a construct state. There are three states of Hebrew nouns, but that falls out of the scope of our discussion. Basically though this construct state nails two or more nouns into a single unit, (Biblical Hebrew: An Introductory Grammar by Paige Kelley, p. 58). That vav/waw ONLY applies as MASCULINE THIRD PERSONso it is literally HIS redeemer (Biblical Hebrew: An Introductory Grammar, p. 71). Now for those of you who would say Jewish interpretation differs on this idea, you are partly correct. The Jewish Publication Societys last two Tanakh versions (1985 and 1999, the current one), both say THEIR redeemer, which puts the emphasis on Israel instead. To be sure, YHWH IS Israels Redeemer, but thats not the point. The point is there is a deeper message here. Now that we know YHWH has HIS redeemer the question is ultimately what does that mean and where does it lead us? The Redeemer is not necessarily His in the sense that Yahweh needs one for Himself. Rather, it sounds like its almost reflexive, that Yahweh is His own redeemer, called YHWH of Hosts. But, if thats the case, it can still relate to Yshua as the Messenger who had YHWHs Name in him (Exodus 23:20-23) and who literally would lead YHWHs angelic host army perhaps in his Second Coming. II. QUESTIONS FOR THIS TORAH PORTION (Tzav) Please NOTE: For clarity and time constraints, if I elect to not read the whole parsha (which is the case this week) I may still ask questions relating to the portions I did not read! 5) Question for Leviticus 6:

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Why are there different regulations for clay pots than for copper pots? 6) Question for Leviticus 7: What is the significance of the total number of loaves and types of bread mentioned? 7) Question for Leviticus 8: Last week we talked about ordination in the sense of one Hebrew word pointing to the laying on of hands. Now there is another Hebrew word for ordination that points to something else. What is it? 8) Haftorah Question of the Week: Jeremiah 7:21-8:3 What does the prophet Yiremyahu (Jeremiah) have in common with a major debate recorded in the Book of Acts?

III.

Renewed Covenant Commentary: Romans 12:1-8 Romans 12:1 73) Murdock has rational service, the other more common rendering is reasonable service. Both ideas tend to resolve in our minds though rather than in our hearts, a rational or reasonable man is generally known for his cerebral logic and reason. Here the beauty and elegance of Mashiyach and Pauls Hebraic spirituality shines through. The key Hebrew words that elucidate us to this specific service are; avodah and avad together they occur about 400 times in the Tanakh as the word service or serve. When an Observant Jew reads reasonable service he or she identifies with the expression, haavodah shebalev, (the service of the heart). This is a very beautiful element of spirituality within observant Judaism that gives Joy, Delight and Beauty of kiddusha (being a Set Apart people through Torah observance). The central theme of being a kedoshim (Set Apart people) is to sanctify ourselves and be set apart unto YHWH. Avodah underscores that our service or work of obedience to YHWHs Word is accomplished by His Spirit working through us, not of our own strength lest any man should boast but; Mashiyach in us the hope of glory. When we observe Shabbat we are not trusting in our good works or good deeds, but in expressing joy and delight in our Father in Heaven who gave Shabbat. Avodah lev, the work of the heart is through chen (grace) and chesed (mercy), it is spiritual empowerment to be obedient and bring Glory to the Name of our Father in Heaven. This is the kind of service Paul refers to. When Paul and all the Shlichim observe Shabbat for example, it is not through works of the law, but through our reasonable service of the heart, according to the one new man. Whether YHWHs people are in Judaism or Christianity all are called to joyful

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obedience in YHWH, this is our reasonable service. Romans 12:2 74) Acceptable comes from the word qablaa ( ) in Aramaic or qabala (kabbalah) in Hebrew and derived from qabal which means to receive. Kabbalah that lives outside the Tanakh and NT incorporates very dark and demonic elements of sorcery, witchcraft, necromancy, religious bigotry, religious identity, ego, lust, and all manner of empowerment through evil. Many of the ideas of modern Kabbalah evolved during medieval or dark ages, a time that was fraught with spiritual darkness, deception, wickedness, torture and all manner of weirdness and witch hunt for power and authority. As we track and compare the ideas of haSatans version of Kabbalah with Scripture, we can easily recognize that the demonic world simply reacted to the teachings of Mashiyach Yshua and Rav Shaul with evil religious devices to distract people from the Kingdom of Heaven. Note that the Hebrew the word for divinationnachashis the same word for the serpent that tempts mankind into sin, all sorcery and related arts come from the serpent, haSatan. The NT uses a plethora of Aramaic and Hebrew spiritual terminology like nothing that existed before or after. Please see footnotes on Mat_13:11, 1Co_2:14, Col_4:12.

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