Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] There's a commandment in the Torah that carries the death penalty. But when you look for the definition of the crime, the text is almost silent. Hardly any explanation and no detailed parameters. Just a warning not to violate it. So how do we know what clearly defines what it means to break the Torah? The answer may be surprising. Let's explore this idea together in this week's five Minute Torah.
[00:00:28] Shalom and Blessings from Shalom Macon, the place where disciples of your Yeshua learn, connect and grow. I'm Darren, and before I get into the five minutes of my five Minute Torah commentary, let's cover a few quick facts about this week's Torah portion. This week we are studying the 21st Torah portion and the ninth portion of the Book of Exodus. We are in the portion of Kitisa Exodus 30:11, 3435 and here are the three things that you need to know about it. Number one Egal Zahav the Golden Calf the bulk of this week's Torah portion is focused on the Egil Zahav, or the Golden Calf, which is While Moses is at the top of Mount Sinai receiving the covenant on behalf of the children of Israel. At their spiritual zenith, the Israelites plunged to one of their lowest lows. They created a golden idol to take the place of the unseen God who had just delivered them from generations of slavery. They even went so far as to say that the golden idol was actually the God of Israel himself. After they made it, they proclaimed, this is your God, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. This is Exodus 32:4. When Moses saw what the children of Israel had done, he threw the tablets down and shattered them, realizing they weren't worthy of the holiness God wanted to give them. After that, he commanded the Levites to take their swords and slaughter those leading the Israelites into idolatry. Approximately 3,000 men died that day because of idolatry. The God of Israel doesn't share his affections with other gods.
[00:01:57] Number two Yom Hashabat the Sabbath Day up to this point, the children of Israel had been told to keep the Sabbath, but there have been no explicit warnings about the gravity of its sanctity. In our current Torah portion, however, the critical nature of the Sabbath is made crystal clear. God tells the Israelites above all, you shall keep my Sabbaths, for this is a sign between me and you throughout your generations that you may know that I, the Lord, sanctify you. You shall keep the Sabbath because it is holy for you. Everyone who profanes it shall be put to death. Whoever does any work on it, that soul shall be cut off from among his people. Six days shall work be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest holy to the Lord. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day shall be put to death. Exodus 31:13 15 since the covenant at Sinai, the Sabbath has been the wedding ring that Israel has worn as a sign of her fidelity to the God who redeemed her. A common saying is that it's not so much that Israel has kept the Sabbath, but the Sabbath has kept Israel. A very true saying indeed. And number three Shalosh Yisrael Midot the 13 attributes of mercy this week's Torah portion also contains God's revelation of His 13 attributes of mercy. After destroying the first set of tablets, God tells Moses to cut new stone tablets that he can ride on them once more. Moses then climbs Mount Sinai once more to receive the Torah anew. In the process of receiving what most people call the Law, God reveals to Moses these 13 merciful attributes of his character that underscore his divine compassion and forgiveness he longs to bestow upon his people. Well, hey, Purim is behind us, which means Passover is just ahead. Are you ready? Many people are looking for a balanced Passover Haggadah that will allow them to have a meaningful connection to Yeshua and his life leading up to sacrificial death and resurrection. And this is why I created the cup of Redemption, my Messianic Passover Haggadah. It not only walks you through the traditional Seder, but it also connects Yeshua's last meal and his suffering with the various elements of the Seder. It's great for homes, communities and Messianic synagogues as well as churches, and gives step by step instructions for conducting a Seder, even if you've never experienced one before. And it's priced low enough to snag a copy for everyone at your Seder table. Just use the link in the description box below and gear up early so you can be ready for this Passover to be your best Passover. This week's Torah commentary is called you, Rules Are Mine and it comes from my book, Five Minute Torah, Volume one.
[00:04:37] For the last few Torah portions, we've been reading and learning about the construction of the Tabernacle and everything that needed to be done for it to function properly. Over the last several chapters, the Lord has been dictating to Moses the exact instructions for the Tabernacle and its furnishings, as well as the garments for the Kohanim, the priests. This week's Torah portion concludes these instructions. However, immediately upon giving the last instruction regarding who was to be in charge of all the craftsmanship, the Lord gives the children of Israel a stern and detailed warning that none of these things were to be done on the Sabbath. Speak to the Israelite people and say, nevertheless, you must keep my Sabbaths, for this is a sign between me and you throughout the ages that you may know that I, the Lord, have consecrated you. You shall keep the Sabbath, for it is holy to you. He who profanes it shall be put to death whoever does work on it. That person shall be cut off from among his kin. Six days work may be done, but on the seventh day there shall be a Sabbath of complete rest holy to the Lord. And whoever does work on the Sabbath day shall be put to death. The Israelite people shall keep the Sabbath, observing the Sabbath throughout the ages as a covenant for all time. It shall be a sign for all time between me and the people of Israel. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he ceased from work and was refreshed. Exodus 31:12 17 this admonition is the first time we learn of the severe consequences of breaking the Sabbath. Willful transgression of the Sabbath day while living within a theocratic Torah based community results in the death penalty. But what constitutes a Sabbath violation? If violating the Sabbath will result in the dire consequence of the death penalty, then surely the parameters of violating the Sabbath are clearly spelled out in the Torah, right?
[00:06:30] However, a thorough examination of the entire Torah will not be able to produce any kind of list defining the parameters of what it means to profane the Sabbath outside of two instances. The first is not to kindle a Fire Exodus 35:3. The second has something to do with gathering sticks from Numbers 15, Verses 32 through 36. But even these are far from being explicit. For example, what constitutes kindling? Is it how the fire is initially created, or does it have something to do with adding fuel to to an existing flame? And what is this business about gathering sticks? What's so wrong with this? And why did a man have to lose his life over it? Because the consequences of this offense was so serious and the guidelines in the Torah are so ambiguous, Israel had to have a clear means by which capital cases that involve Sabbath violations could be adjudicated. There had to be a clear legal definition of what it meant to either keep the Sabbath or or break the Sabbath. Therefore, since this passage is the first mention of the death penalty in relation to the Sabbath, the judges of Israel determined to use this passage as the precedent for determining the boundaries of the Sabbath, since the Lord gave the explicit command to not engage in these activities on the Sabbath. Even for the construction of the Tabernacle, the various labors that were needed to build the Tabernacle and its furnishings were were used as the guidelines for determining what must not be done on the Sabbath. Therefore, a total of 39 categories of prohibitions became the legally defined boundaries of what it means to desecrate the Sabbath and is recorded for us in the Mishnah, the codification of Jewish law. Sometimes it's very tempting to define what the Torah means on our own terms, but whose definition is binding? Do we play by your rules or mine? But we must always remember that the Torah was given to a nation, not individuals. While we may have our own interpretations, we do not have any legal authority to say our interpretation is binding. Only the judges of Israel have that authority, and the parameters for how Sabbath must be guarded were established a very long time ago by that authority. Hey, before you go, if this discussion about authority and boundaries of Shabbat got you thinking, you may want to go back and watch last week's five minute Torah on the portion of Tetzave. In that video, we explored the garments of the High Priest and the weight of responsibility placed on those who serve on behalf of the nation. If you missed it, be sure to check it out. Just click the link right here.
