Parsha #26 : “Shemini / “Eighth”
(V’Yikra / Leviticus *9:1 Through 11:47*)
Edition: 15d18
“The Punishment Fits the Crime”
Greetings Sojourners, Friends, Guests and Other Readers! Welcome!
Greetings indeed to all our regular readers, and to those who may have simply stumbled onto our website this week. I trust that all who observe the Moedim had a joyous Pesach celebration and remembered to either clean your houses of Chametz, or at least sold it off to a friend or neighbour. I have to confess, we sold ours to a couple who are not yet ready to observe Pesach, but are at least aware of its significance. On the humourous side of things, because I failed to include our address in the wording of the contract, I actually managed to “sell” them all the Chametz in the world, which I didn’t realize until later when I was re-reading the contract. That’s quite a bargain, all the leaven in the world for just one ‘loonie’.
Of course, if you don’t keep the Moedim, then, at the same time as above, I hope that you enjoyed a happy Easter break, and remembered to celebrate Adonai Y’shua’s Redemption and His overcoming of the price of sin by Rising from death, illustrating His mastery over all things created, including the penalty of dying for our sins. Pesach and The Resurrection of Our Lord are meant to be joyous celebrations, with times of worship offered to Avinu Elohim and times of rejoicing with our families. And, of course, I hope all these things were able to over-ride the usual bunny visits and egg hunts which seem to be so prevalent now-a-days.
Thanks be to our loving God who, by providing for our redemption – whether from the bondage of slavery in Egypt, or to it’s foreshadowed fulfillment of our redemption from the bondage of slavery to our sinful selves, and to the sin present in this broken world – has brought us to a time of “New Beginnings”. Interestingly enough, our Parsha this week begins with a subtle reminder that we are indeed given the opportunity to “begin again”. Our Parsha this week is entitled “Shemini” which means “eighth”, as in “It was the eighth day…”(V’Yikra 9:1) In studying Hebrew, I learned that the letters of the Hebrew alphabet each have a significant meaning, as do the numbers represented by the letters. For instance, the number eight, represented by the letter “Chet”, refers to ‘new beginnings’, or even ‘new life’. Thus, when God arranges for something to happen on the eighth day, as in this case, we need to look for its significance in ‘a new start’, or something of ‘new life’, or ‘new beginnings’. [NOTE: For example, something I had not noticed before – until researching for this reflection – three Biblical examples of ‘eight’ in use: Y’shua arose on the third day following his crucifixion, but this was [also] on the first day of the week, often referred to as ‘the eighth day’ (the beginning of a new week). Furthermore, from His appearance to Mary in the Garden on the day of His Resurrection, through to his post-ascension appearing to Sha’ul on the road to Damascus, Y’shua makes eight appearances with those who knew and loved Him. One of those appearances was on the eighth day after He had risen, when he appears to T’oma (Thomas) and the doubtful apostle is able to see the wounds on the risen Messiah. (Isn’t this amazing to see it all ‘spelled out’ as it were?)]
The use of “eight” in our present case refers to the final day in a series of events and activities revolving around the sanctification of the Tabernacle in the wilderness. (These activities are touched upon in our last Reflection (Tzav)). These activities began on the twenty third day of Adar, during the last days of the first year following the Hebrew people’s having left Egypt. We read in that last article that for a span of seven days, Moshé himself has been erecting the Tabernacle, performing various rites and celebrations while Aharon and his sons looked on from within the confines of the Tabernacle itself. (One presumes that the Tabernacle was erected around them each day while they watched.)
Now, on the eighth day, Moshé is told to call the Cohenim and the Cohen Gadol together in the Tabernacle enclosure, in order to complete the sanctuary service to Elohim. What will be happening on this ‘eighth day’ is actually the sanctification of the Cohenim themselves. The first interesting thing that strikes me about this is that the Cohenim seem almost to be considered a part of the Tabernacle – and in a way that is true, since the Tabernacle requires the priests to make the actual sacrifices, and the Priests are not permitted to offer sacrifices outside the Tabernacle area. (This was meant to prevent what later began to happen in the era of the Judges, when illegal ‘private’ sacrifices were being offered on hilltops and under trees all over the Promised Land, as everyone did “what was right in their own eyes”. (Judges 17:6)
Greetings indeed to all our regular readers, and to those who may have simply stumbled onto our website this week. I trust that all who observe the Moedim had a joyous Pesach celebration and remembered to either clean your houses of Chametz, or at least sold it off to a friend or neighbour. I have to confess, we sold ours to a couple who are not yet ready to observe Pesach, but are at least aware of its significance. On the humourous side of things, because I failed to include our address in the wording of the contract, I actually managed to “sell” them all the Chametz in the world, which I didn’t realize until later when I was re-reading the contract. That’s quite a bargain, all the leaven in the world for just one ‘loonie’.
Of course, if you don’t keep the Moedim, then, at the same time as above, I hope that you enjoyed a happy Easter break, and remembered to celebrate Adonai Y’shua’s Redemption and His overcoming of the price of sin by Rising from death, illustrating His mastery over all things created, including the penalty of dying for our sins. Pesach and The Resurrection of Our Lord are meant to be joyous celebrations, with times of worship offered to Avinu Elohim and times of rejoicing with our families. And, of course, I hope all these things were able to over-ride the usual bunny visits and egg hunts which seem to be so prevalent now-a-days.
Thanks be to our loving God who, by providing for our redemption – whether from the bondage of slavery in Egypt, or to it’s foreshadowed fulfillment of our redemption from the bondage of slavery to our sinful selves, and to the sin present in this broken world – has brought us to a time of “New Beginnings”. Interestingly enough, our Parsha this week begins with a subtle reminder that we are indeed given the opportunity to “begin again”. Our Parsha this week is entitled “Shemini” which means “eighth”, as in “It was the eighth day…”(V’Yikra 9:1) In studying Hebrew, I learned that the letters of the Hebrew alphabet each have a significant meaning, as do the numbers represented by the letters. For instance, the number eight, represented by the letter “Chet”, refers to ‘new beginnings’, or even ‘new life’. Thus, when God arranges for something to happen on the eighth day, as in this case, we need to look for its significance in ‘a new start’, or something of ‘new life’, or ‘new beginnings’. [NOTE: For example, something I had not noticed before – until researching for this reflection – three Biblical examples of ‘eight’ in use: Y’shua arose on the third day following his crucifixion, but this was [also] on the first day of the week, often referred to as ‘the eighth day’ (the beginning of a new week). Furthermore, from His appearance to Mary in the Garden on the day of His Resurrection, through to his post-ascension appearing to Sha’ul on the road to Damascus, Y’shua makes eight appearances with those who knew and loved Him. One of those appearances was on the eighth day after He had risen, when he appears to T’oma (Thomas) and the doubtful apostle is able to see the wounds on the risen Messiah. (Isn’t this amazing to see it all ‘spelled out’ as it were?)]
The use of “eight” in our present case refers to the final day in a series of events and activities revolving around the sanctification of the Tabernacle in the wilderness. (These activities are touched upon in our last Reflection (Tzav)). These activities began on the twenty third day of Adar, during the last days of the first year following the Hebrew people’s having left Egypt. We read in that last article that for a span of seven days, Moshé himself has been erecting the Tabernacle, performing various rites and celebrations while Aharon and his sons looked on from within the confines of the Tabernacle itself. (One presumes that the Tabernacle was erected around them each day while they watched.)
Now, on the eighth day, Moshé is told to call the Cohenim and the Cohen Gadol together in the Tabernacle enclosure, in order to complete the sanctuary service to Elohim. What will be happening on this ‘eighth day’ is actually the sanctification of the Cohenim themselves. The first interesting thing that strikes me about this is that the Cohenim seem almost to be considered a part of the Tabernacle – and in a way that is true, since the Tabernacle requires the priests to make the actual sacrifices, and the Priests are not permitted to offer sacrifices outside the Tabernacle area. (This was meant to prevent what later began to happen in the era of the Judges, when illegal ‘private’ sacrifices were being offered on hilltops and under trees all over the Promised Land, as everyone did “what was right in their own eyes”. (Judges 17:6)
Two services which have been part of my own ministry stand out in my memory as I read this week’s passage. The first is the service in which I was ordained a priest in the Anglican tradition. It was May 1987, and I was to be “priested” (that’s the colloquial term) at Trinity Church in Port Credit, Ontario. I shared the privilege with a fellow Deacon from a neighbouring church. It was an impressive gathering. We had special music from a variety of styles led by a joint choir from each congregation, and a guest organist. The Diocesan Bishop was there to officiate at the service, and most of the Anglican clergy (priests) from the area were present as well as members of both churches and other invited guests.
The service began with the usual prayers, similar to a service of Holy Communion. Following the readings from Scripture, the candidates were each ‘presented’ to the Bishop who then asked the questions of examination, both to us and to the congregations who were ‘raising us up’ to the office of priesthood. We in turn responded both with direct answers, and later in the form of a vow. [No one can ever claim that they have become a priest ‘with eyes closed’, for all the duties are laid out completely – and of course we had, and continued to have afterward, years of education and training]
The most impressive part for me involved the laying-on-of-hands by the Bishop and all the other clergy who joined in. This part of the service, called the “Consecration of the Priest” relates to the sacramental act portraying the induction of the Ruach H’Chodesh (Holy Spirit) into our lives and bodies. So many hands were resting on my head and shoulders at the time, that I really believed my neck was about to snap. Although the transformation had begun many years earlier, my life (and those of my family) certainly were changed that night, and Adonai Elohim has travelled with me through every one of those modifications such that I have never doubted His presence.
The other service I am reminded of, and perhaps even more so in this case, involves the liturgy around being inducted into a new church setting – to become the priest of those people who made up a congregation in a certain and specific area. Once again the liturgy is presented as part of the Communion meal – and it involves a covenant between the Bishop, the congregation and the priest (as representative of the Bishop in that setting). This to me was, and remains, the more personal form of liturgy, because it is done individually, early on during the period of serving the local people, the ‘church’. In most cases, both the people and the priest are just getting to know each other and so the promises are truly couched in an ‘on faith’ basis. Both sides truly must trust God for guidance, strength and wisdom as a new relationship is begun.
I mention these two ‘Rites’ at this point, because this is pretty much what we are talking about in chapter 9 of V’Yikra – the ordination and induction (all together entwined) of the first Cohenim in Hebrew history – at least in a sense heretofore unknown, and now being instituted by Adonai for the new Tabernacle.
However, the induction of these Cohenim is different in one major way from the usual Ordination and / or Induction of Priests through which I entered into my ministry, and I wonder if you have spotted just what that “whopping” difference is….
Following the seven days in which the Tabernacle is inaugurated, Moses ‘summons’ Aharon and his sons, and he also includes the elders of Yisra’el. Moshé is about to have them perform a task which will now inaugurate, (or ordain, consecrate or induct), the five main characters who have served B'nei Yisra’el for the past year into the ‘official’ priesthood. He includes the Elders of the people in this ceremony to have witnesses which will be able to attest that it was Adonai who brought about the appointment, not just Moshé fulfilling a ‘family dream’, as it were.
Moshé tells his brother Aharon to take a young bull (i.e.: a male calf) from the herd along with a ram from the flock. The young bull is to be a ‘sin-offering’ for the atonement of the Cohenim, while the ram is to be an elevation offering. The instructions for each sacrifice would be found in the preceding parsha, but this seems to be a special service due to the occasion. The bull is killed and the blood is drained into a bowl. Some of the blood is placed by hand on the horns of the alter, and then the rest is poured out around the base of the altar. Next the bull is butchered in the appropriate manner, the fat, kidneys, liver and diaphragm are set upon the altar. This was burned on the Altar causing smoke to arise into the air: “a pleasing aroma” for Adonai. After changing his clothes, Aharon burned the remaining parts of the calf “outside the camp”. Then, returning to the Tabernacle, the four sons butcher the ram, presenting the blood to Aharon who throws it on all four sides of the altar. The sons also present, eventually, all the parts of the ram to Aharon, who washes the innards and the feet of the ram, and then causes all the pieces to go up in smoke on the altar.
The Cohenim then return to receive the offering of the people – a male goat as a sin-offering, a calf and a sheep as an elevation offering, and a bull and a ram for a peace-offering and a meal-offering (flour mixed with oil) representing the covenantal meal. These items are then prepared in the proper manner and, in their turn, offered up to God for the atonement of the people.
Note that the first sacrifice offered up to Elohim from the Cohenim who are just beginning their years of service, and the first offering from the people are each a sin-offering – a sacrifice which illustrates the humility and repentance of each party. The second offering, the elevation offering which is completely burned up, is a form of worship of Elohim. And thus begins the era of official animal sacrifice utilized by the Hebrew people – now in the Tabernacle, later in the Temple.
But why were these first offerings – “the bull calf” for Aharon and the Cohenim and then “the Goat Ram” for the people – chosen to be the first set of sacrifices? (Note that usually there was a choice of which animal could be used depending on the socio-economic level of the person bringing the offering.) The sages, having studied the instructions, and discussing the finer points involved, have come to this conclusion: First, we are reminded that the only reason the Tabernacle is given to the fledgling nation is because of their sinfulness. The original intent was that the people, having been chosen by Elohim and having been obedient in the early days of the Exodus, would simply be the housing, the dwelling place, the Tabernacle – for the Ruach haChodesh themselves. [Note:. This idea was ‘picked up’ by Sh’mon Kefa (Simon Peter) in his letter to the church: “Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected by men, but choice and precious in the sight of God, you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to off up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Messiah Y’shua.”(1 Ptr 2:4,5) and Sha’ul also makes mention of it when he writes: “Do you not know that you are a Temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” (1 Cor. 3:16)]
The problem was that, due to their impatience in awaiting Moshé’s return from Sinai’s peak, the people declared that Moshé must be dead, and they would need someone (something) to lead them from Sinai to the Promised Land, and so they forced Aharon to create an idol. Aharon’s symbol of repentance then is appropriate, for he had fashioned for the people a ‘Golden Calf’ to ‘act’ as their new god. Thus the offering for Aharon is a calf - which reverses the action of creating the calf for B'nei Yisra'el’s worship. On the other hand, the people’s ‘stand in’ sacrifice was a goat ram because their behaviour had been like a rebellious, over-active, uncontrollable goat. In both cases, the “Punishment fits the Crime”. The action of these sacrifices would have been very bitter-sweet therefore – to have the freedom to come before God and make an offering which would illustrate their having been forgiven and atoned for by God’s mercy was a welcome thing, and yet at the same time, to be reminded of their grievous sin of turning not just to idolatry itself, but worse yet – to turn to the types of idols that were worshipped back in Egypt before their redemption and sanctification before God. Down through the ages, every sin-offering ever made, while perhaps offered for more recent sins, would also draw the people’s pride back to that dread day at Sinai’s base, when all the people went mad for a short period, and they would – once again – be humbled.
All this background about the induction of the Cohenim is to help you answer the puzzle above. What makes the Tabernacle service different is the fact that they begin with an act of contrition. First Aharon and his sons must make atonement for their sins, then the people follow suit and seek atonement by ‘confessing’ their sins by way of the sacrifice made on their behalf. What is missing from the modern ordination and induction services is the action of humbling ourselves before God, seeking – through our ‘sacrifice’ of confession prayer – the atonement we require because of the sin in our lives.
The service began with the usual prayers, similar to a service of Holy Communion. Following the readings from Scripture, the candidates were each ‘presented’ to the Bishop who then asked the questions of examination, both to us and to the congregations who were ‘raising us up’ to the office of priesthood. We in turn responded both with direct answers, and later in the form of a vow. [No one can ever claim that they have become a priest ‘with eyes closed’, for all the duties are laid out completely – and of course we had, and continued to have afterward, years of education and training]
The most impressive part for me involved the laying-on-of-hands by the Bishop and all the other clergy who joined in. This part of the service, called the “Consecration of the Priest” relates to the sacramental act portraying the induction of the Ruach H’Chodesh (Holy Spirit) into our lives and bodies. So many hands were resting on my head and shoulders at the time, that I really believed my neck was about to snap. Although the transformation had begun many years earlier, my life (and those of my family) certainly were changed that night, and Adonai Elohim has travelled with me through every one of those modifications such that I have never doubted His presence.
The other service I am reminded of, and perhaps even more so in this case, involves the liturgy around being inducted into a new church setting – to become the priest of those people who made up a congregation in a certain and specific area. Once again the liturgy is presented as part of the Communion meal – and it involves a covenant between the Bishop, the congregation and the priest (as representative of the Bishop in that setting). This to me was, and remains, the more personal form of liturgy, because it is done individually, early on during the period of serving the local people, the ‘church’. In most cases, both the people and the priest are just getting to know each other and so the promises are truly couched in an ‘on faith’ basis. Both sides truly must trust God for guidance, strength and wisdom as a new relationship is begun.
I mention these two ‘Rites’ at this point, because this is pretty much what we are talking about in chapter 9 of V’Yikra – the ordination and induction (all together entwined) of the first Cohenim in Hebrew history – at least in a sense heretofore unknown, and now being instituted by Adonai for the new Tabernacle.
However, the induction of these Cohenim is different in one major way from the usual Ordination and / or Induction of Priests through which I entered into my ministry, and I wonder if you have spotted just what that “whopping” difference is….
Following the seven days in which the Tabernacle is inaugurated, Moses ‘summons’ Aharon and his sons, and he also includes the elders of Yisra’el. Moshé is about to have them perform a task which will now inaugurate, (or ordain, consecrate or induct), the five main characters who have served B'nei Yisra’el for the past year into the ‘official’ priesthood. He includes the Elders of the people in this ceremony to have witnesses which will be able to attest that it was Adonai who brought about the appointment, not just Moshé fulfilling a ‘family dream’, as it were.
Moshé tells his brother Aharon to take a young bull (i.e.: a male calf) from the herd along with a ram from the flock. The young bull is to be a ‘sin-offering’ for the atonement of the Cohenim, while the ram is to be an elevation offering. The instructions for each sacrifice would be found in the preceding parsha, but this seems to be a special service due to the occasion. The bull is killed and the blood is drained into a bowl. Some of the blood is placed by hand on the horns of the alter, and then the rest is poured out around the base of the altar. Next the bull is butchered in the appropriate manner, the fat, kidneys, liver and diaphragm are set upon the altar. This was burned on the Altar causing smoke to arise into the air: “a pleasing aroma” for Adonai. After changing his clothes, Aharon burned the remaining parts of the calf “outside the camp”. Then, returning to the Tabernacle, the four sons butcher the ram, presenting the blood to Aharon who throws it on all four sides of the altar. The sons also present, eventually, all the parts of the ram to Aharon, who washes the innards and the feet of the ram, and then causes all the pieces to go up in smoke on the altar.
The Cohenim then return to receive the offering of the people – a male goat as a sin-offering, a calf and a sheep as an elevation offering, and a bull and a ram for a peace-offering and a meal-offering (flour mixed with oil) representing the covenantal meal. These items are then prepared in the proper manner and, in their turn, offered up to God for the atonement of the people.
Note that the first sacrifice offered up to Elohim from the Cohenim who are just beginning their years of service, and the first offering from the people are each a sin-offering – a sacrifice which illustrates the humility and repentance of each party. The second offering, the elevation offering which is completely burned up, is a form of worship of Elohim. And thus begins the era of official animal sacrifice utilized by the Hebrew people – now in the Tabernacle, later in the Temple.
But why were these first offerings – “the bull calf” for Aharon and the Cohenim and then “the Goat Ram” for the people – chosen to be the first set of sacrifices? (Note that usually there was a choice of which animal could be used depending on the socio-economic level of the person bringing the offering.) The sages, having studied the instructions, and discussing the finer points involved, have come to this conclusion: First, we are reminded that the only reason the Tabernacle is given to the fledgling nation is because of their sinfulness. The original intent was that the people, having been chosen by Elohim and having been obedient in the early days of the Exodus, would simply be the housing, the dwelling place, the Tabernacle – for the Ruach haChodesh themselves. [Note:. This idea was ‘picked up’ by Sh’mon Kefa (Simon Peter) in his letter to the church: “Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected by men, but choice and precious in the sight of God, you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to off up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Messiah Y’shua.”(1 Ptr 2:4,5) and Sha’ul also makes mention of it when he writes: “Do you not know that you are a Temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” (1 Cor. 3:16)]
The problem was that, due to their impatience in awaiting Moshé’s return from Sinai’s peak, the people declared that Moshé must be dead, and they would need someone (something) to lead them from Sinai to the Promised Land, and so they forced Aharon to create an idol. Aharon’s symbol of repentance then is appropriate, for he had fashioned for the people a ‘Golden Calf’ to ‘act’ as their new god. Thus the offering for Aharon is a calf - which reverses the action of creating the calf for B'nei Yisra'el’s worship. On the other hand, the people’s ‘stand in’ sacrifice was a goat ram because their behaviour had been like a rebellious, over-active, uncontrollable goat. In both cases, the “Punishment fits the Crime”. The action of these sacrifices would have been very bitter-sweet therefore – to have the freedom to come before God and make an offering which would illustrate their having been forgiven and atoned for by God’s mercy was a welcome thing, and yet at the same time, to be reminded of their grievous sin of turning not just to idolatry itself, but worse yet – to turn to the types of idols that were worshipped back in Egypt before their redemption and sanctification before God. Down through the ages, every sin-offering ever made, while perhaps offered for more recent sins, would also draw the people’s pride back to that dread day at Sinai’s base, when all the people went mad for a short period, and they would – once again – be humbled.
All this background about the induction of the Cohenim is to help you answer the puzzle above. What makes the Tabernacle service different is the fact that they begin with an act of contrition. First Aharon and his sons must make atonement for their sins, then the people follow suit and seek atonement by ‘confessing’ their sins by way of the sacrifice made on their behalf. What is missing from the modern ordination and induction services is the action of humbling ourselves before God, seeking – through our ‘sacrifice’ of confession prayer – the atonement we require because of the sin in our lives.
In most weekly services held in the churches of the Anglican, Catholic, Lutheran and Orthodox denominations there is a regular prayer of confession. For certain, because of my background, I can only speak from the experience I have as an Anglican. In ‘our’ tradition, during the Communion service, usually a weekly service, there is a prayer for confession, but it is placed before the Communion itself – leading us (in a sense, erringly) to believe after centuries of worship, that we must be ‘purified’ before we receive the wine and bread of the communion meal. Because the communion is actually grounded in the final meal which Y’shua enjoyed with his Talmidim – the Pesach Seder – which itself has two examples of purification imbedded in it – enacted by the ceremonial washing of hands – the “Urchatz” near the beginning of the Seder and the “Rachatz”, placed just before the actual meal in about the middle of the service, the modern placement of the confession within the midst of the service has some merit. However, if we reflect upon this service of inauguration, and recall that before most of the sacrificial services in the Tabernacle, (and later in the Temple), we see a more prominent placement of the sin-offering in the prime position before other offerings are ‘lifted up’.
In fact, looking at the modern service of “morning prayer” we see that the first prayers of the morning pertain to the confession of the penitent worshipper: namely, an opening sentence from Scripture which introduces our need for repentance and purification, an invitation to make our confession and immediately afterwards a prayer of confession followed by the announcement of our atonement made by the presiding priest. In this practice we are reminded of the actions of sacrificial worship and the lifting up of the sin-offering before God.
Above, I noted in brackets, the “in a sense, erringly” understood practice of purification before receiving communion. Let me explain why I wrote it that way. First of all, let me say that I don’t have a problem with being atoned before the communion itself. I think it is a good idea to make confession before receiving the elements which represent the Body and Blood of Messiah Y’shua. That having been clarified, may I now say that I just don’t think that point in the service is sufficient. Our Atonement must be made long before that point in time. May I remind the reader that there is at least one Psalm which speaks of our need to be purified – not just before communion – but before we can even consider approaching Adonai, which is of course the whole idea, the whole concept of prayer. Psalm 24:3 asks us: “Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord, and who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart….”. In Psalm 11:7 we read: “For the Lord is righteous; He loves righteousness; the Upright shall behold His face.” The apostle Matthew relates the words of Messiah Y’shua in His teachings on the Mountain in Galilee: “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”. (Matthew 5:8) In short, if we are to encounter God, and enter into His Shekinah Glory Presence, we must be purified of all that clings to us from the broken world in which we live and do business - long before we sit and eat with Him. Because Elohim is pure Himself, it stands as unthinkable that anything impure can be in His presence. Thus, we must be pure, in a “state of Atonement”, in other words, if we are to seek Him in prayer or in service.
Many years ago, when this concept of seeking our atonement before entering the presence of God first occurred to me, I made some changes in the order of our Sunday services. The first thing we, as a congregation, did – after we were all gathered in the church and the service had been opened with prayer and a hymn of praise – was to pray together the prayer of confession, placing our short-comings before Elohim, asking Him to have mercy on us as sinners, and to receive anew the atoning sacrifice of Messiah who died for us so that our sins would not cause our own death. From that point in the service, we then entered into an extended time of worship, lifting our hearts, minds, bodies and souls up into the Presence of Avinu, (Our Father). Almost immediately, the ‘atmosphere’ of our services changed. We knew the presence of God amongst us, and we were able to listen to His Word more attentively and our lives were transformed in many different ways. It was a simple act of humbling ourselves before almighty God – just as Aharon and his sons, and B'nei Yisra'el did so long ago – from the very beginning of their Tabernacle assemblies. After all, what does the Lord go on to promise in this Parsha? “They took what Moshé had commanded to the front of the Tent of Meeting; and the entire assembly approached and stood before Adonai. Moshé said: ‘this is the thing that Adonai has commanded you to do; then the glory of HaShem will appear to you.”(9:5,6)…. “Aharon raised his hands toward the people and blessed them; then he descended from having performed the sin-offering, the elevation-offering, and the peace-offering. Moshé and Aharon came to the Tent of Meeting, and they went out and they blessed the people – and the glory of HaShem appeared to the entire people. A fire went forth from before HaShem and consumed upon the Altar the elevation-offering and the fats; the people saw and sang glad song and fell upon their faces.”(9:22-24)
Shavua Tov!! - Have a Great Week!!
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In fact, looking at the modern service of “morning prayer” we see that the first prayers of the morning pertain to the confession of the penitent worshipper: namely, an opening sentence from Scripture which introduces our need for repentance and purification, an invitation to make our confession and immediately afterwards a prayer of confession followed by the announcement of our atonement made by the presiding priest. In this practice we are reminded of the actions of sacrificial worship and the lifting up of the sin-offering before God.
Above, I noted in brackets, the “in a sense, erringly” understood practice of purification before receiving communion. Let me explain why I wrote it that way. First of all, let me say that I don’t have a problem with being atoned before the communion itself. I think it is a good idea to make confession before receiving the elements which represent the Body and Blood of Messiah Y’shua. That having been clarified, may I now say that I just don’t think that point in the service is sufficient. Our Atonement must be made long before that point in time. May I remind the reader that there is at least one Psalm which speaks of our need to be purified – not just before communion – but before we can even consider approaching Adonai, which is of course the whole idea, the whole concept of prayer. Psalm 24:3 asks us: “Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord, and who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart….”. In Psalm 11:7 we read: “For the Lord is righteous; He loves righteousness; the Upright shall behold His face.” The apostle Matthew relates the words of Messiah Y’shua in His teachings on the Mountain in Galilee: “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”. (Matthew 5:8) In short, if we are to encounter God, and enter into His Shekinah Glory Presence, we must be purified of all that clings to us from the broken world in which we live and do business - long before we sit and eat with Him. Because Elohim is pure Himself, it stands as unthinkable that anything impure can be in His presence. Thus, we must be pure, in a “state of Atonement”, in other words, if we are to seek Him in prayer or in service.
Many years ago, when this concept of seeking our atonement before entering the presence of God first occurred to me, I made some changes in the order of our Sunday services. The first thing we, as a congregation, did – after we were all gathered in the church and the service had been opened with prayer and a hymn of praise – was to pray together the prayer of confession, placing our short-comings before Elohim, asking Him to have mercy on us as sinners, and to receive anew the atoning sacrifice of Messiah who died for us so that our sins would not cause our own death. From that point in the service, we then entered into an extended time of worship, lifting our hearts, minds, bodies and souls up into the Presence of Avinu, (Our Father). Almost immediately, the ‘atmosphere’ of our services changed. We knew the presence of God amongst us, and we were able to listen to His Word more attentively and our lives were transformed in many different ways. It was a simple act of humbling ourselves before almighty God – just as Aharon and his sons, and B'nei Yisra'el did so long ago – from the very beginning of their Tabernacle assemblies. After all, what does the Lord go on to promise in this Parsha? “They took what Moshé had commanded to the front of the Tent of Meeting; and the entire assembly approached and stood before Adonai. Moshé said: ‘this is the thing that Adonai has commanded you to do; then the glory of HaShem will appear to you.”(9:5,6)…. “Aharon raised his hands toward the people and blessed them; then he descended from having performed the sin-offering, the elevation-offering, and the peace-offering. Moshé and Aharon came to the Tent of Meeting, and they went out and they blessed the people – and the glory of HaShem appeared to the entire people. A fire went forth from before HaShem and consumed upon the Altar the elevation-offering and the fats; the people saw and sang glad song and fell upon their faces.”(9:22-24)
Shavua Tov!! - Have a Great Week!!
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Endnotes:
Other uses of “Eight” in Scripture: On the eighth day following Creation, the work is finished, God has rested on the Seventh day, and now life begins to go about its ‘tasks’, truly a ‘new beginning’. Noah saves his wife, 3 sons, 3 daughters-in-law and himself – 8 People (1 Ptr 3:20) According to V’Yikra 14:10, a cleansed leper is to be restored to the ‘camp’. A New Born Boy is circumcised on the eighth day, (V’Yikra 12:3 and Luke 2:21). Following the Moed Sukkot, (a seven day festival), on the eighth day (Shemini Atzeret) all celebrants are to gather for a special offering, a public assembly (Lev 23:36). Likewise, Shavuot or Pentecost is celebrated after counting 7 weeks from the day after the Sabbath following First Fruits when the sheaf of Barley is waved, plus a day – making it the eighth day of that week. (7 x 7 + 1) (Lev 23:15f). In 2 Chronicles 29 beginning at verse 15 we read about the consecration of the first Temple in Yerushalayim. On the Eighth day, it says, “they reached the vestibule of Adonai, and on the second eighth day they had completed all the work of consecration. Related to this of course is the re-dedication of the Temple after the desecration of the Greek leader Antiochus, an action which took Eight days in Total and gives us the festival of Chanukah. Can you see how each of these examples deals with the connection between “Eighth Day” and “New Beginnings”?
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Other uses of “Eight” in Scripture: On the eighth day following Creation, the work is finished, God has rested on the Seventh day, and now life begins to go about its ‘tasks’, truly a ‘new beginning’. Noah saves his wife, 3 sons, 3 daughters-in-law and himself – 8 People (1 Ptr 3:20) According to V’Yikra 14:10, a cleansed leper is to be restored to the ‘camp’. A New Born Boy is circumcised on the eighth day, (V’Yikra 12:3 and Luke 2:21). Following the Moed Sukkot, (a seven day festival), on the eighth day (Shemini Atzeret) all celebrants are to gather for a special offering, a public assembly (Lev 23:36). Likewise, Shavuot or Pentecost is celebrated after counting 7 weeks from the day after the Sabbath following First Fruits when the sheaf of Barley is waved, plus a day – making it the eighth day of that week. (7 x 7 + 1) (Lev 23:15f). In 2 Chronicles 29 beginning at verse 15 we read about the consecration of the first Temple in Yerushalayim. On the Eighth day, it says, “they reached the vestibule of Adonai, and on the second eighth day they had completed all the work of consecration. Related to this of course is the re-dedication of the Temple after the desecration of the Greek leader Antiochus, an action which took Eight days in Total and gives us the festival of Chanukah. Can you see how each of these examples deals with the connection between “Eighth Day” and “New Beginnings”?
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Acknowledgements – A General List
For these weekly reflections at least some of the following sources are used to resource basic and foundational information which augment’s the reflections offered.
Alexander, D and P, et al, The Eerdman’s Handbook to the Bible, William H. Eerdman Publishing, Grand Rapids, MI 1983
Ausubel, Nathan, The Book of Jewish Knowledge, Crown Publishers, New York, NY, 1970
Gehman, H. S. The New Westminster Dictionary of the Bible, Westminster Press, Philadelphia, PA 1970
Barker, Kenneth, General Editor, The New International Study Bible, (NIV) Zondervan Corporation, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1985
Scherman, R. Nosson; and Zlotowitz, R. Meir; Editors, Stone Edition Art Scroll Chumash, (SEASC) Mesorah Heritage Foundation / Mesorah Publications, Ltd., Brooklyn, New York, 2008
Stern, David, The Complete Jewish Bible, (CJB) Jewish New Testament Publications Inc, Clarkville, Maryland. 1998
Zodiates, Spiros, Exec Editor, The Hebrew Greek Key Word Bible (New American Version Bible) (NASV) AMG Publishers, Chattanooga, TN 1977
Wikipedia and other Internet sources for background information and some images. Other images are from personal files.
Also from the Internet:
http://www.hebrew4christians.com/Prayers/Daily_Prayers/daily_prayers.html
www.interfaithfamily.com/.../GuidetotheSynagogueforInterfaithCouplesandfamilies...
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For these weekly reflections at least some of the following sources are used to resource basic and foundational information which augment’s the reflections offered.
Alexander, D and P, et al, The Eerdman’s Handbook to the Bible, William H. Eerdman Publishing, Grand Rapids, MI 1983
Ausubel, Nathan, The Book of Jewish Knowledge, Crown Publishers, New York, NY, 1970
Gehman, H. S. The New Westminster Dictionary of the Bible, Westminster Press, Philadelphia, PA 1970
Barker, Kenneth, General Editor, The New International Study Bible, (NIV) Zondervan Corporation, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1985
Scherman, R. Nosson; and Zlotowitz, R. Meir; Editors, Stone Edition Art Scroll Chumash, (SEASC) Mesorah Heritage Foundation / Mesorah Publications, Ltd., Brooklyn, New York, 2008
Stern, David, The Complete Jewish Bible, (CJB) Jewish New Testament Publications Inc, Clarkville, Maryland. 1998
Zodiates, Spiros, Exec Editor, The Hebrew Greek Key Word Bible (New American Version Bible) (NASV) AMG Publishers, Chattanooga, TN 1977
Wikipedia and other Internet sources for background information and some images. Other images are from personal files.
Also from the Internet:
http://www.hebrew4christians.com/Prayers/Daily_Prayers/daily_prayers.html
www.interfaithfamily.com/.../GuidetotheSynagogueforInterfaithCouplesandfamilies...
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