{"id":44,"date":"2017-06-03T10:01:00","date_gmt":"2017-06-03T10:01:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/batkol.info\/new-website\/?p=44"},"modified":"2017-06-03T10:01:00","modified_gmt":"2017-06-03T10:01:00","slug":"pentecost-sunday","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ratisbonne.org.il\/bk\/2017\/06\/03\/pentecost-sunday\/","title":{"rendered":"Parashat Naso"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Shabbat Table Talk<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Parashat Naso \u2013 Erev Shabbat, 02 June 2017<\/p>\n

Week of 28 May- 03 June<\/p>\n

Torah portion: <\/em><\/strong>Num. 4:21-7:89\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Haftarah:\u00a0 <\/em><\/strong>Judges 13:2-25<\/p>\n

Download<\/p>\n

I<\/em><\/strong>n a chance encounter at a guesthouse in Jerusalem I met a woman who had come to Israel to work on an archeological dig.\u00a0 Noticing my copy of Torah and the seal with which I was practicing the Hebrew script, she suggested that I might learn more if I used a pick and shovel!\u00a0 Her scorn did not dampen my enthusiasm for studying G-d\u2019s word.\u00a0 The wisdom of her view became apparent to me on a subsequent visit to the Israel Museum.<\/p>\n

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\u00a0In 1979 two amulets dating to the 7th<\/sup> century BCE were discovered during excavations at the Iron Age burial site of Ketef Hinnom, which overlooks the Hinnom Valley, just opposie Mount Zion.\u00a0 Each amulet contained a rolled up sheet of silver inscribed with ancient Hebrew script, which revealed a version of Numbers (6:24-26) known Birkat Kohanim, the Priestly Blessing.\u00a0 Scholars have determined these scrolls are the earliest known citations of Biblical\u00a0 texts, significantly predating the Dead Sea scrolls.\u00a0 The ancient Hebrew lettering was incised with a sharp stylus, thinner than a human hair.\u00a0\u00a0 These fragile slivers of silver which are on display at the Israel Museum shed light on the Psalm (12:6):\u00a0 \u2018The words of the Lord are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace\u2026\u201d (Caesar, Biblearcheology).<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 It is well to remember that scripture was handed down as an oral\/aural (speaking\/hearing) revelation.\u00a0 With that in mind, try reading Birkat Kohanim (Num. 6:24-26) in Hebrew for a sense of the poetic rhythmic structure.\u00a0 Each line builds in length.\u00a0 Three Hebrew words increase to five, then to seven.\u00a0 The progression of the number of words suggests an outward movement and expansion of YHWH\u2019s blessing, producing a crescendo, which culminates in peace.\u00a0 More than the absence of war, peace is a right relationship with YHWH and a sense of completeness wherein all things connect in harmony.\u00a0 YHWH\u2019s name, (the second word in each line) is repeated three times to emphasize that YHWH is the source of all blessings.\u00a0 This is confirmed (v.27) \u201cThus they shall link my name with the people of Israel, and I will bless them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 This brief and very beautiful ancient prayer, which survives in synagogue and Christian liturgies to this day, is so familiar that its meaning is sometimes not appreciated.\u00a0 The introduction (v.22) as well as Lev. 9:22-23 makes clear that among the chief duties of the priest is to bless the people in the name of the Lord. \u00a0The blessing issues solely from the Lord; it is the priest\u2019s function to channel it (Etz Hayim, 803).<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMay YHWH bless you and keep you\u201d focuses on tangible gifts given according to the individual\u2019s needs and protection from losing that wealth, recognizing that material blessings are vulnerable to loss. (Sifrei). \u201cMay YWHW shine his face upon you and favor you\u201d looks to the blessing of enlightenment \u2013 that a person may understand the purposes YHWH has in mind for them.\u00a0 For Sifrei these blessings are the light of wisdom and the light of Torah, which unlike wealth require no protection to prevent their being stolen.\u00a0 \u201cMay YHWH lift up \u00a0his face toward you and grant you shalom!\u201d\u00a0 YWH turns his head in our direction, forgives shortcomings, hears prayers, grants requests, blesses us with peace (Etz Hayim, 804, 805).<\/p>\n

For Reflection and Discussion:\u00a0 <\/strong>1. Carry this thought with you: that the peace of YHWH is offered to us in every place and at every time, for its dwelling place is in our hearts.\u00a0 2. How can we be a blessing to others?<\/p>\n

Bibliography:\u00a0 <\/strong>Birkat Kohanim translation is from Fox, The Five Books of Moses (New York, 1995); Lieber, Etz Hayim:Torah and Commentary (New York, 2001); \u00a0Caesar, The Blessing of the Silver Scrolls, (www.biblearcheology.org\/post<\/a>, 2010\/01\/06); Israel Museum Searchable Collections Database (item 198069).<\/p>\n

\u00a0This week\u2019s teaching commentary was prepared by<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Mary Ann Payne, Catechist, Melbourne, Australia, Bat Kol alum 2007, 2011, 2015<\/strong><\/p>\n

Email: <\/strong>mapayne77@gmail.com<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

\u00a0[Copyright \u00a9 2017]<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u2026..\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026…………………………………………………………………………………………<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

PLEASE NOTE: The weekly Parashah commentaries represent the research and creative thought of their authors, and are meant to stimulate deeper thinking about the meaning of the Scriptures. While they draw upon the study methods and sources employed by the Bat Kol Institute, the views and conclusions expressed in these commentaries are solely those of their authors, and do not necessarily represent the views of Bat Kol. The commentaries, along with all materials published on the Bat Kol website, are copyrighted by the writers, and are made available for personal and group study, and local church purposes. Permission needed for other purposes. Questions, comments and feedback are always welcome.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0……………………………………………………………………………………………………………<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Bat Kol Institute for Jewish Studies, Jerusalem<\/strong><\/p>\n

~~1983-2017~~<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cChristians Studying the Bible within its Jewish milieu, using Jewish Sources.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

Website: www.batkol.info<\/a> \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Parashah Admin. gill@batkol.info<\/a><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Shabbat Table Talk Parashat Naso \u2013 Erev Shabbat, 02 June 2017 Week of 28 May- 03 June Torah portion: Num. 4:21-7:89\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Haftarah:\u00a0 Judges 13:2-25 Download In a chance encounter at a guesthouse in Jerusalem I met a woman who had come to Israel to work on an archeological dig.\u00a0 Noticing my copy of Torah and…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":46,"featured_media":38,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ghostkit_customizer_options":"","ghostkit_custom_css":"","ghostkit_custom_js_head":"","ghostkit_custom_js_foot":"","ghostkit_typography":"","_coblocks_attr":"","_coblocks_dimensions":"","_coblocks_responsive_height":"","_coblocks_accordion_ie_support":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ratisbonne.org.il\/bk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ratisbonne.org.il\/bk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ratisbonne.org.il\/bk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ratisbonne.org.il\/bk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/46"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ratisbonne.org.il\/bk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=44"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.ratisbonne.org.il\/bk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ratisbonne.org.il\/bk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/38"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ratisbonne.org.il\/bk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=44"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ratisbonne.org.il\/bk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=44"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ratisbonne.org.il\/bk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=44"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}