Navigation

Parashat Shlach Lkha

Lamed
Lamed Messianic Studies

(Original Entry from HOD-Wordpress - 2007-06-08 11:48:49 pm)

Category - Lamed Messianic Studies, Jewish

Parashat Sh’lach L’kha

Torah Portion: Numbers 13:1-15:41
Haftarah Portion: Joshua 2:1-2:24

The Torah Portion today is interesting to me because it centers around the idea of focus. Basically, all the Bible is really about focus and the way to keep it on the correct thing. Sure, there are stories about grace and forgiveness and love, but all of it centers around the focal point of HaShem.

The ideology is basically this: Torah does not change, people do. You see, G-D never moves from His plan or from our lives. But, people change in their perceptions and experiences, and therefore their actions, and make G-D seem so far removed from their way of operation. Neat idea to remember don’t you think?

The fringes in Numbers 15:38-41 were a reminder to stubborn children who were absent-minded in their diligence to follow the instructions of their professed G-D. The fringes represented the mercy of HaShem in a material manner and method, because mortal death and spiritual rejection was not what HaShem wanted for a people that belonged to Him and called on His Name.

In Chapter 15, we learn of the beginnings of first-fruits. The whole intent here seems to be to remember HaShem first. As well as it should be. Once again, we have that focus thing coming into existence. Nature produced the grain that could be ground to flour for the making of bread. But, so many things were necessary in nature and had to come together in such a fashion to produce the grain.

We are reminded most radically, and most importantly, through first-fruits that nature and its orchestration could not exist without a Creator to plan it; Nature can not exist without a Maker working His craft. Indeed, a Maker can exist without His creation.

I am now going to post a charting that is sort of a sideline to this message, yet was actually spun from it. There is no particular meaning to it, but maybe it will jog your imagination and maybe even your own studies. So here it follows.

These ideas are simply charted ideas that seemed to relate. They may not be in the correct order, but you can make of them what you will. Register with the forum and comment about it if you feel strongly enough; maybe we will all learn something.

Law ---> Interpretation ---> Application ---> Case ---> Outcome
V V
V
V V
V
V V
V
V V
V
V V
V
Written ---> Unchanging ---> Unforgiving ---> Perversive ---> Death
V V
V
V V
V
V V
V
V V
V
V V
V
Text ---> Context ---> Understanding ---> Faith ---> Judgment
V V
V
V V
V
V V
V
V V
V
V V
V
Letter ---> Concept ---> Wisdom ---> Power ---> Grace
V V
V
V V
V
V V
V
V V
V
V V
V
Oral ---> Adaptable ---> Forgiving ---> Applicable ---> Life

The Written Law is Unchanging and Unforgiving, making it difficult to apply, and can therefore be made perverse by its unloving interpretation into the outcome of death for those who take it literally.
The Text put into Context can give Understanding thereby creating Faith by that in which someone is convinced, but also creates a Judgment by the bar of application.
The Letter of the Law taken in Concept of how to love G-D and others will create Power of Application which conceives Grace through forgiveness.
The Oral Concepts are Adaptable to situations and provide Forgiveness in Application making it applicable to the situation at hand and profit all by giving Life as the final outcome of Loving G-D and others as we ought to instead of just using the Law for condemnation and judgment.

–SILVERMOUSE


Comment on this Article

(:$Guestbook:)