Weekly Torah Studies
Today's Torah
Portion:
The Hebrew Alphabet:
Tzaddi
Tzaddi
The eighteenth letter of the Hebrew alphabet is
called “Tsade” or “Tzaddi” (pronounced
“tsah-dee”) and has the sound of “ts” as in “nuts.”
Tzaddi has the numeric value of 90.
Note: In
the past, Tzaddi sometimes was
transliterated using “z” (producing spellings such as “Zion”) and in some
academic work you might see it transliterated as an “s” with a dot underneath
it. It is commonly transliterated as “tz” (as in mitzvah) among
American Jews.
Hebrew speakers may also call this letter Tzaddik (“righteous person”), though this pronunciation probably originated from fast recitation of the Aleph-Bet (i.e., “Tzade, Qoph” -> “tsadiq”).
“The wicked man flees though no one pursues, but the
righteous are as bold as a lion,” Proverbs 28:1.
“And I will betroth thee unto Me for ever; yea, I will
betroth thee unto Me in Righteousness, and in Judgment, and in Lovingkindness,
and in Mercies. I will even betroth thee unto Me in Faithfulness: and thou
shalt know Yahweh,” Hosea 2:19-20.
Spiritual Meaning of the Tzaddi
Tzaddi = TS
and 90 and means “STRONGHOLD”, “FISHER”, “THE WAY” and “RIGHTEOUS SERVANT”
The Name of
Yahweh is a Strong Tower! The righteous runneth into it and is safe,” Proverbs
18:10.
TZADDI is almost the same as the word for “A RIGHTEOUS MAN” – TZADDIK.
TZADDI is ancient Hebrew for “Fish Hook” This shows that is God’s Righteousness
that hooks us. Also, since we are called to be Fishers of men, we need to
remember that Righteousness is the hook – vitally important in catching fish.
We can’t compromise from the RIGHTEOUS PATH to win souls and better influence
people for God. Such compromises don’t work!
Tzadi got its name from the shape of a “fishing hook”, which is
related to the root tzod, meaning “to fish, catch, capture.” This has both positive
and negative sides to it. First, Yahweh
lovingly woos and “catches” us for Salvation. But for all who reject Him, the
next fishing picture is sobering:
Jeremiah
16:16-18 “Behold, I will send for many fishers, saith Yahweh, and they shall fish them; and
after will I send for many hunters, and they shall hunt them from every
mountain, and from every hill, and out of the holes of the rocks. For Mine Eyes
are upon all their ways: they are not hid from My Face, neither is their
iniquity hid from Mine Eyes… I will recompense their iniquity and their sin
double; because they have defiled My land…”
The letter itself is formed from a bent Nun and a Vav.
The Nun represents a humble and faithful servant (the crowned Vav) that is bent
in submission. The Yod represents a hand lifted to heaven, or the Spirit of
God. The tzaddik - the righteous person -- is therefore revealed in the
letter form as a faithful servant with his arms raised to Yahweh in humble
praise and submission. As such, some of the sages have said that the letter
Tsade represents the tzaddikim (righteous ones) that are the yesod (foundation)
of the earth:
When the storm passes through, the wicked are swept
away, but the righteous are an everlasting foundation. (Prov 10:25)
Tzaddi is a
perfect letter to describe Yahshua, the Messiah! He was the One and Only TRULY
RIGHTEOUS MAN Who ever lived.
"Behold
the days come, saith Yahweh, that I will raise unto David a RIGHTEOUS BRANCH, and
a King shall reign and prosper… and this is the Name whereby He shall be
called: YHWH our RIGHTEOUSNESS,” Jeremiah 23:5-6
Abraham, father of the Righteous, became a father to the Promised Son
(Isaac) when his wife, Sarah, was 90 years old (Genesis 17:17). 90 is a symbol
of Righteousness by Faith. “For it is
written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a
freewoman. But he who was of the
bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise.
Which things are an allegory…” Galatians 4:22-24.
Tzaddi: The Principle of the Menorah
Each series of seven letters in the Hebrew alephbeit shows another layer of meaning
in to the seven-branched candlestick or menorah. Before considering the letter tzaddi, which stands at the center of
our third and last series of Hebrew letters, it is necessary to introduce the
amazing principle of the menorah.
The golden menorah, described in Exodus 25:31-40 was a lamp fueled from a
reservoir or oil in its base. The central branch supported three branches on
either side, each culminating in a decorative cup supporting a flame. The
purpose of the menorah was to provide light in the Holy Place of the
Tabernacle, and later in the Temple. God, has ordained the menorah as the object that best illustrates His Design for
presenting the Light of Truth, because His “…Word is a Lamp unto my feet and a
light for my path.” (Psalm 119:105).
The principle of the menorah is portrayed
in numerous ways, such as in the Hebrew alphabet, as we will soon see. It is
also revealed in the first verse of Scripture, Genesis 1:1 – a verse which
contains only seven Hebrew letters (one for each branch of the menorah).
This Week's Torah Studies: (Statutes 41-60)
The Torah studies are provided in two formats for your convenience. The first option (below) is the blank worksheets for this week, which will allow you to print out the worksheets and hand-write the studies yourself. If you have less time, you may wish to read/print my completed Statute studies. The completed worksheets are the second option (below):
This week we will be studying Statutes 41-60, which are summarized below. Happy studying!
Statute 41-42 Summary:
(41) The priests bear the responsibility to be watchmen who safeguard Yahweh’s holy things and days (42) and lead in the worship of Yahweh. When the priests rightly serve in this post, people are protected by it..
Number 18:5 “And ye (the priests) shall keep the charge of the Sanctuary, and the charge of the Altar: that there be no wrath any more upon the children of Israel.”
Statute 43-45 Summary:
(43) The priests are to serve as burden bearers (intercessors), helping others find pardon and peace with Heaven. (44) Priests are not to have an earthly inheritance. (45) The tithes are the support and inheritance of the priests.
Numbers 18:23-24 “But the Levites (priests) shall do the service of the Tabernacle of the Congregation, and they shall bear their iniquity: it shall be a Statute forever throughout your generations, that among the children of Israel they have no inheritance. But the tithes of the children of Israel, which they offer as an heave offering unto Yahweh, I have given to the Levites to inherit: therefore I have said unto them, Among the children of Israel they shall have no inheritance.”
Statute 46 Summary:
(46) We (since we are all called to be priests - Revelation 5:12) are to take care to come cleansed before Yahweh. We cannot worship Him, be an acceptable living sacrifice, or minister to others until we ourselves are made clean.
Exodus 30:18-21 “Thou shalt also make a laver of brass, and his foot also of brass, to wash withal: and thou shalt put it between the Tabernacle of the congregation and the altar, and thou shalt put water therein. For Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet thereat: When they go into the Tabernacle of the Congregation, they shall wash with water, that they die not; or when they come near to the altar to minister, to burn offering made by fire unto Yahweh: So they shall wash their hands and their feet, that they die not: and it shall be a statute for ever to them, even to him and to his seed throughout their generations.”
Statute 47-48 Summary:
(47) The Menorah is to be fueled only by pure olive oil. (48) The Menorah Light is never to burn out, but is to be always lit.
Exodus 27:20-21 “And thou shalt command the children of Israel, that they bring thee pure oil olive beaten for the Light, to cause the lamp to burn always. In the Tabernacle of the Congregation without the veil, which is before the testimony, Aaron and his sons shall order it from evening to morning before Yahweh: it shall be a statute forever unto their generations on the behalf of the children of Israel.”
Statute 49 Summary:
(49) The priests are to regularly bless the people in Yahweh’s Name with the following Yah-given blessing:
Numbers 6:23-27 “Speak unto Aaron and unto his sons, saying, On this wise ye shall bless the Children of Israel, saying unto them, Yahweh bless thee, and keep thee: Yahweh make His Face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: Yahweh lift up His countenance upon thee, and give thee peace. And they shall put My Name upon the children of Israel; and I will bless them.”
Statute 50 Summary:
(50) The priests are to set a show-bread table continually before Yahweh’s Presence.
Exodus 25:30 “And thou shalt set upon the Table Showbread before Me always.”
Statute 51-53 Summary:
When a foul and idolatrous building or city is judged and destroyed, (51) it is to remain a ruin forever. It must never be rebuilt. Also, (52) no items or gain from the judged place may be taken or used by the Children of Yahweh. (53) All proceeds and gain from the judged place must be destroyed and burned by fire.
Deuteronomy 13:16-17 “And thou shalt gather all the spoil of it into the midst of the street thereof, and shalt burn with fire the city, and all the spoil thereof every whit, for Yahweh thy God: and it shall be an heap forever; it shall not be built again. And there shall cleave nought of the cursed thing to thine hand: that Yahweh may turn from the fierceness of His anger, and show thee mercy, and have compassion upon thee, and multiply thee, as He hath sworn unto thy fathers.”
Statute 54-55 Summary:
(54) A prophet who claims to speak in Yahweh's Name, the prophet must speak the Truth from the Word of God. When a prophet (teacher of “truth”) claims to speak in Yahweh’s Name, but does not speak the Truth from the Word of God, that presumptuous prophet will die. (55) And when person claims to teach truth, he/she must not do it in the name of a false god. Such a false prophet will also die.
Deuteronomy 18:20 “But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in My Name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die.”
Statutes 56 Summary:
(56) If a false prophet (proclaimed teacher of “truth”) encourages people to do or believe things which honor false gods, you are not to listen to him/her. Even if the false teacher “proves” his false teachings with miracles, you are not to listen to or allow yourself to in any way be influenced by him or her.
Deuteronomy 13:1-3 “If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder, And the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them; Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams: for Yahweh your God proveth you, to know whether ye love Yahweh your God with all your heart and with all your soul.”
Statute 57-59 Summary:
(57) Yahweh’s people are not to assemble to hear a false prophet. (58) Yahweh's people must not show hospitality to a false prophet. (59) Yahweh's people are not to show deferential respect towards a false prophet.
Deuteronomy 18:22 “When a prophet speaketh in the Name of Yahweh, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which Yahweh hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him.”
Statute 60 Summary:
(60) Yahweh’s people are not to talk like, nor practice the worldly habits of, nor take on the ungodly customs of the unsaved people around us.
Leviticus 20:23 “And ye shall not walk in the manners of the nation, which I cast out before you: for they committed all these things, and therefore I abhorred them."
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