| Torah Portion | Haftarah Portion(s) | B'rit Chadashah Portion(s) |
|---|
Numbers 8.1–12.15 | Zechariah 2.14–4.7 | Matthew 14.14-21 |
| | 1 Corinthians 10.6–13 |
| | Revelation 11.1-19 |
| | |
| | |
Portion Outline
Torah
Numbers 8:1 The Seven Lamps
Numbers 8:5 Consecration and Service of the Levites
Numbers 9:1 The Passover at Sinai
Numbers 9:15 The Cloud and the Fire
Numbers 10:1 The Silver Trumpets
Numbers 10:11 Departure from Sinai
Numbers 11:1 Complaining in the Desert
Numbers 11:16 The Seventy Elders
Numbers 11:31 The Quails
Numbers 12:1 Aaron and Miriam Jealous of Moses
Prophets
Zec 2:6 Interlude: An Appeal to the Exiles
Zec 3:1 Fourth Vision: Joshua and Satan
Zec 4:1 Fifth Vision: The Lampstand and Olive Trees
B'rit Chadashah
Luke 1.11 Zechariah is visted by the Angel of the Lord in the Temple
John 8.1 Yeshuah delivers the woman taken in adultery
Acts 21.17 Paul comes to Jerusalem
Acts 21.27 Paul is apprehended-in great danger-but rescued by the chief captain
Commentary
Bonus material
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Torah Portion Summary
The third reading from the book of Numbers and the thirty-sixth reading from the Torah is called Beha'alotcha, a word that literally means "When you ascend." It comes from the first verse of the portion, which could literally be translated as "When you ascend the lamps" (Numbers 8:2), a reference to the fact that the priest had to step up to clean and light the lamps of the menorah. This portion is jam-packed, telling the story of the consecration of the Levites, the first Passover in the wilderness, the silver trumpets, the cloud of glory, the departure from Sinai, the grumbling in the wilderness, the first Sanhedrin and the punishment of Miriam.
Haftarah Portion Summary
The prophet Zechariah (זְכַרְיָה) delivered his prophetic message to Yehoshua ben Yehotzadak, the Kohen Gadol, and to Zerubavel, the Jewish Governor (who was appointed by the Persians) during the return to Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple. Yehoshua (Joshua) seemed to be on trial in a Heavenly courtroom with Satan accusing him. In defense of Yehoshua, the LORD said, "Hear now, Yehoshua, High Priest, behold I am bringing my servant, Tzemach" (Zech. 3:8). Tzemach (צֶמַח, Branch) is a metaphorical name for the Mashiach, the offshoot of King David (Jer. 33:15). Of him the prophet says, "Behold, a man called the Branch (tzemach) shall branch out (יִצְמָח) from the earth, and he shall build the Temple of the LORD (בָּנָה אֶת־הֵיכַל יְהוָה)" [Zech. 6:12]. Zechariah regards the high priest Yehoshua (the same name as "Jesus/Yeshua") as a picture or foreshadowing of God's future fulfillment in Yeshua, the coming greater High Priest after the order of Malki-Tzedek. Yeshua is the One who will ultimately restore the Temple of the God of Israel in the truth.
The haftarah concludes with a connection with the menorah in the parashah. Like Moses who foresaw the menorah in the Mishkan (Tabernacle), Zechariah is shown a vision of a Menorah. Two olive trees stand next to the Menorah, one on the right, and one on the left (Zech. 4:2-3). The two olive trees may picture the priesthood and the kingship united in the Person of the Mashiach, Yeshua, or they may refer to Israel and the Church, respectively. Note that the portion ends with, "he shall bring forth the top stone (הָאֶבֶן הָראשָׁה) with shoutings of 'Grace, grace, unto it' (Zech. 4:7).
B'rit Chadashah Portion Summary(s)
The Brit Chadashah reading (from 1 Corinthians) reminds us that the judgment of the Israelite's various rebellions in the wilderness serve as examples for us so that "we might not desire evil as they did." Remember kivrot-hata'avah ("the graves of those who craved").
The reading from the book of Revelation links the two olive trees and two menorahs with "two witnesses of the Lord Jesus" who, for 42 months during the coming Tribulation period, will perform signs and wonders just before the wrath of the LORD is unleashed from heaven upon the earth.
The Cloud over the Mishkan Leads Israel
The portion then repeats the events that ended the Book of Exodus, describing how the Shekhinah cloud covered the tent of meeting, and that whenever the cloud lifted, the people of Israel would set out, and wherever it settled, the people would camp. The Israelites traveled this way for 40 years in the desert, never knowing when a journey would begin or how long it would last (Num. 9:15, cp. Pekudei).
The Two Silver Trumpets
The LORD then instructed Moses to make two silver trumpets (shtei hatzotzerot kesef) to be used to summon the camp to attention. The kohanim (priests) used different sounds to signal events. A tekiah (te-KEE-yah) is a straight, unbroken blast, whereas a teruah (te-ROO-ah) is a staccato division of the tekiah into nine rapid-fire notes (alarm).
When both trumpets were blown tekiah, all of Israel were to meet Moses at the entrance of the Mishkan for instructions; if only one trumpet was sounded, then just the nesi'im (leaders) were to convene. When Israel was to decamp and move to another location in the wilderness, both trumpets would blast tekiah-teruah-tekiah.
Signaled Event Trumpet Sound
Gathering of all Israel Tekiah (both trumpets)
Gathering of the leaders Tekiah (one trumpet)
Departure from the camp Tekiah - Teruah - Tekiah (both trumpets)
The teruah was an alarm used to signal camp movements. Whenever the LORD moved the entire camp, Judah (the east most camp) would break first. When the second teruah was sounded, the camp of Reuben (the south most camp) would break. And so on.
In cases of battle, the sound of the trumpets would be used "so that you may be remembered before the LORD your God, and you shall be saved from your enemies" (10:9). They would also be used during appointed feasts and celebrations (10:10).