Weekly Torah Studies
Today's Torah
Portion:
The Fruit of the Holy Spirit
Having studied the Hebrew alphabet, at least in an overview, we are better equipped to study and correctly understand the Torah. But there is one more foundational concept which needs to be addressed - the root system of the Torah which is its underlying purpose or the the intent behind its principles.
When considering the Torah, people are often tempted to fall into imbalance. Either folks are tempted to reject the Law of God entirely, seeing it as being done away with at Calvary; or they go the opposite way and embrace the Law to such a legalistic, letter-of-the-Law degree that their lives become judgmental, hard, and miserable (for them, and everyone around them).
Now, at first, the idea of keeping every part of the Law may seem right and attractive to Torah students, so this statement warrants further explanation...
We once had a very well-meaning person suggest that it was breaking the Torah to have a bathroom in the house. This was because of the statute principle which instructs us not to dig a toilet pit in our tent (living quarters). But the purpose of the Statute wasn't to make life a bit more inconvenient. Rather it was to prevent disease and to keep the home clean from unnecessary bacteria. A clean bathroom with a working sewer or septic system is not at all like having an open sewer pit in one's tent! But, by a letter-of-the-Law interpretation, this person had come to believe that one shouldn't have a clean, working restroom facility inside one's house. In fact, it was because the Pharisees interpreted the Torah in this legalistic fashion, that they had made it a "burden" instead of the blessing Yahweh intended.
Here's another example of a legalistic, letter-of-the-Law extreme. One man. who teaches Torah and heads a Torah-keeping group, takes the Statute about blood to quite an extreme. He believes that he must have a man who waits upon him, carrying his chair about and making sure it is ready for him to sit in, as needed. Why? It's not that this man has a physical need for a special chair. Rather, he believes the Torah would have him sit exclusively in his personal chair to avoid contamination. His reason? He believed it was against the Torah to sit in a chair in which a menstruating woman might have ever sat. To further insure his "purity", this misguided man refused to ever shake hands with a woman.
But the Statutes prohibiting contact with blood weren't prohibiting contact with people! In fact, Yahshua, our Example in all things, was not afraid to touch (or be touched by) a woman - even one with an issuance of blood. And when she touched the hem of His robe, she was healed.
On one memorable occasion we were sharing with a group of very conservative and sincere Torah-keepers in another state. Before our time there was finished, one of the younger ladies asked to speak with me privately. In the conversation she wept and told me that she wished she could die! The reason? She felt that dying (not suicide, she just hoped God would take her life) would be a mercy since her life had become so miserable from their "Torah-keeping". I was shocked and saddened to see that Torah-keeping could be the cause of such a miserable existence. Truly this was far from the Father's intent in giving it!
But as she explained, the woman's husband had been imposing Pharisee-like rules upon his family, believing that his legalistic (and even emotionally abusive) interpretations were true Torah-observance. And when I learned of some of the interpretations this man had of the beautiful Statutes, my heart broke for the poor young wife! How sad it is when God's well-intending people forget that the Torah is a revelation of God's Character, which is also given in the Fruits of the Holy Spirit. If ever the Fruits of the Holy Spirit are missing from our "Torah-observance", whatever we are doing or believing, we have missed the boat!
Thus, in our studies of the Torah, we will avoid a legalistic, extreme, letter-of-the-Law approach. Instead, we will be seeking to discover the Heavenly Father's intent behind the Statutes and Commands.
Bearing this in mind, the first, foundational principle for studying the Torah and interpreting the Statutes is this: in our interpretation of each Statute, we must prayerfully if the Fruits of the Holy Spirit are evident. We need to always check for the Fruits. When we have prayerfully found the Creator's Intent in a Statute, we will find keeping it to be a demonstration of the Fruits of the Holy Spirit.
When considering the Torah, people are often tempted to fall into imbalance. Either folks are tempted to reject the Law of God entirely, seeing it as being done away with at Calvary; or they go the opposite way and embrace the Law to such a legalistic, letter-of-the-Law degree that their lives become judgmental, hard, and miserable (for them, and everyone around them).
Now, at first, the idea of keeping every part of the Law may seem right and attractive to Torah students, so this statement warrants further explanation...
We once had a very well-meaning person suggest that it was breaking the Torah to have a bathroom in the house. This was because of the statute principle which instructs us not to dig a toilet pit in our tent (living quarters). But the purpose of the Statute wasn't to make life a bit more inconvenient. Rather it was to prevent disease and to keep the home clean from unnecessary bacteria. A clean bathroom with a working sewer or septic system is not at all like having an open sewer pit in one's tent! But, by a letter-of-the-Law interpretation, this person had come to believe that one shouldn't have a clean, working restroom facility inside one's house. In fact, it was because the Pharisees interpreted the Torah in this legalistic fashion, that they had made it a "burden" instead of the blessing Yahweh intended.
Here's another example of a legalistic, letter-of-the-Law extreme. One man. who teaches Torah and heads a Torah-keeping group, takes the Statute about blood to quite an extreme. He believes that he must have a man who waits upon him, carrying his chair about and making sure it is ready for him to sit in, as needed. Why? It's not that this man has a physical need for a special chair. Rather, he believes the Torah would have him sit exclusively in his personal chair to avoid contamination. His reason? He believed it was against the Torah to sit in a chair in which a menstruating woman might have ever sat. To further insure his "purity", this misguided man refused to ever shake hands with a woman.
But the Statutes prohibiting contact with blood weren't prohibiting contact with people! In fact, Yahshua, our Example in all things, was not afraid to touch (or be touched by) a woman - even one with an issuance of blood. And when she touched the hem of His robe, she was healed.
On one memorable occasion we were sharing with a group of very conservative and sincere Torah-keepers in another state. Before our time there was finished, one of the younger ladies asked to speak with me privately. In the conversation she wept and told me that she wished she could die! The reason? She felt that dying (not suicide, she just hoped God would take her life) would be a mercy since her life had become so miserable from their "Torah-keeping". I was shocked and saddened to see that Torah-keeping could be the cause of such a miserable existence. Truly this was far from the Father's intent in giving it!
But as she explained, the woman's husband had been imposing Pharisee-like rules upon his family, believing that his legalistic (and even emotionally abusive) interpretations were true Torah-observance. And when I learned of some of the interpretations this man had of the beautiful Statutes, my heart broke for the poor young wife! How sad it is when God's well-intending people forget that the Torah is a revelation of God's Character, which is also given in the Fruits of the Holy Spirit. If ever the Fruits of the Holy Spirit are missing from our "Torah-observance", whatever we are doing or believing, we have missed the boat!
Thus, in our studies of the Torah, we will avoid a legalistic, extreme, letter-of-the-Law approach. Instead, we will be seeking to discover the Heavenly Father's intent behind the Statutes and Commands.
Bearing this in mind, the first, foundational principle for studying the Torah and interpreting the Statutes is this: in our interpretation of each Statute, we must prayerfully if the Fruits of the Holy Spirit are evident. We need to always check for the Fruits. When we have prayerfully found the Creator's Intent in a Statute, we will find keeping it to be a demonstration of the Fruits of the Holy Spirit.
This Week's Torah Studies: (Statutes 101-120)
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 101-120, which are summarized below. Happy studying!
Statute 101-102 Summary:
Because only holy people can keep the Sabbath holy, Yahweh wants His
Children to make double sure of their Cleansing on the Sabbath. For this
reason, (101) twice the Lambs were to be sacrificed on the Sabbath (representing
Yahshua’s Sacrifice for our sins). (102) Following the double Lamb sacrifice, Yahweh’s
people are to offer double the meat (flour) and drink offerings (representing
our acceptable living sacrifice–Romans 12:1–which is our thanks for
Yahshua’s Sacrifice).
Numbers 28:9-10 “And on the Sabbath day two lambs of the first year without spot, and two tenth deals of flour for a meat offering, mingled with oil, and the drink offering thereof: This is the burnt offering of every Sabbath, beside the continual burnt offering, and his drink offering.”
Numbers 28:9-10 “And on the Sabbath day two lambs of the first year without spot, and two tenth deals of flour for a meat offering, mingled with oil, and the drink offering thereof: This is the burnt offering of every Sabbath, beside the continual burnt offering, and his drink offering.”
Statute 103-106 Summary:
Yahweh commands His Children to keep the New Moon by offering specific
sacrifices. These sacrifices each point to specific aspects of Yahshua’s
Atoning Gift. The point in commanding us to keep the New Moons with such
offerings is that Yahweh wants us to specifically claim the Gift of Yahshua over
our homes, family and lives in these specific roles.
We no longer literally
offer these animals, because they all pointed to Yahshua’s Death. But we can
spiritually claim the Sacrifice of Yahshua in these Roles:
(#103) We are to
keep the New Moon by claiming and acknowledging Yahshua’s Blood as the most
expensive Gift Heaven (bullock) had to offer. As we think of the high cost of
our sins, sin become less attractive in our eyes.
(#104) We are to keep the New
Moon by claiming and acknowledging Yahshua’s Role as our Leader and Protector
(Ram). As we think of the Saviour’s Role as our Leader, we study His Example
and choose to follow Him more closely.
(#105) We are to keep the New Moon by
claiming and acknowledging Yahshua’s Blood as the Innocent and Pure One (lamb).
As we think of this, we are able to claim Yahshua’s Atonement for our sins and
be made pure and innocent through Him.
(#106) We are to keep the New Moon by
claiming and acknowledging Yahshua’s Sacrifice as our Substitute. The devil is
compared to a goat, this is why a scapegoat was used to symbolize him. Yahshua
had to die for the devil’s traits in us. As we think of this, we are able to
repent for having “seeds” of darkness in our souls and be made clean of it. As
with the daily and Sabbath offerings, we are to not only claim Yahshua’s
Sacrifice, we are also to be the living oblation, returning our gratitude for
the tremendous Gift of Salvation through living fully and being willing to die
for Yahweh (emblemized in the meal and drink offerings). These offerings are
acceptable in Yahweh’s Sight – demonstrated by fire. He sends fire (Pentecost) to
consume acceptable sacrifices.
Numbers 28:11-15 “And in the beginnings of your months ye shall offer a burnt offering unto Yahweh; two
young bullocks, and one ram, seven lambs of the first year without spot; And three tenth deals of
flour for a meat offering, mingled with oil, for one bullock; and two tenth
deals of flour for a meat offering, mingled with oil, for one ram; And a
several tenth deal of flour mingled with oil for a meat offering unto one lamb;
for a burnt offering of a sweet
savour, a sacrifice made by
fire unto Yahweh. And their drink offerings shall be half an hin of
wine unto a bullock, and the third part of an hin unto a ram, and a fourth part
of an hin unto a lamb: this is the burnt
offering of every month throughout the months of the year. And one kid
of the goats for a sin offering unto Yahweh shall be offered, beside
the continual burnt offering, and his drink offering.”
Statute 107-109 Summary:
(#107) Yahweh commands us the keep the New Moons. (#108) We are to
especially pay attention to (or regard) the New Moon of the month Abib, for
this is the first New Moon of the New Biblical Year. We are to calculate timing
on Yahweh’s Calendar by the New Moons. (#109) Passover is kept in the first month
(New Moon cycle) of the Biblical Year.
Deuteronomy 16:1 “Observe the month of Abib,
and keep the Passover unto
the LORD thy God: for in the month of Abib
Yahweh thy God brought thee forth
out of Egypt by night.”
Exodus 12:2 “This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be
the first month of the year to you.”
Statute 110-111 Summary:
(#110) Yahweh’s people are to work for six days. (#111) But on the Seventh Day, we and
all our households are to rest from our daily work and keep the Sabbath.
Exodus 23:12 “Six days thou shalt do thy work, and on the seventh day thou shalt rest: that thine ox and thine ass may rest, and the son of thy handmaid, and the stranger, may be refreshed.”
Statute 112 Summary:
(#112) On Friday, the preparation for the Sabbath is to be completed. Cooking
for the Sabbath meals is to be done on Friday. No cooking, baking or boiling is
to be done on the Seventh-day Sabbath.
Exodus 16:23 “And he said unto them, This is that which the LORD hath
said, To morrow is the rest
of the holy Sabbath unto Yahweh: bake that which ye will bake to
day, and seethe that ye will
seethe; and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the
morning.”
Statute 113-114 Summary:
(#113) Yahweh’s people are never to marry non-Torah-keeping,
false-god-worshippers. (#114) Yahweh’s people are not to allow their children to
inter-marry with the heathen (those who don’t follow Torah).
Deuteronomy 7:3 “Neither shalt thou make
marriages with them; thy daughter
thou shalt not give unto his son,
nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son.”
Statute 115 Summary:
When someone attempts to curse Yahweh's people, it is a serious offense
before Yahweh! Even though Balaam was unable to curse Israel, the fact that the
Moabites hired him to do it was sufficient reason for Yahweh to bar them from
Life. People from groups which try to curse Yahweh’s Children cannot fellowship
with Yahweh’s people or partake of Abraham’s blessings for ten generations.
However, Ruth was a Moabite, and because she repented and chose Yahweh as her El,
she was not only allowed in the fellowship of the Saved, she was also in the
lineage of Christ! As it says in Exodus 20:6, Yahweh is merciful to those who
love and obey Him.
Deuteronomy 23:3-4 “An Ammonite or Moabite shall not enter into the congregation
of Yahweh; even to their tenth generation
shall they not enter into the congregation of Yahweh for ever: Because they met you not with bread and with water in
the way, when ye came forth out of Egypt; and because they hired against thee
Balaam the son of Beor of Pethor of Mesopotamia, to curse thee.
Statute 116-117 Summary:
(#116) Spiritual Israel are not to loathe people who, like the Edomites, are not
antagonistic against Yahweh’s people and have an affinity for Yahweh and the Truth. (#117) Spiritual Israel are also not to loathe people who, like the Egyptians, are not
antagonistic against Yahweh’s people or Truth, yet are caught in the spiritual
bondage of Egypt. We are to be understanding and gentle with such folk, because
we ourselves were once caught in the spiritual bondage of Egypt.
Deuteronomy 23:7 “Thou shalt not abhor
an Edomite; for he is thy brother:
thou shalt not abhor an Egyptian; because thou wast a stranger in his land.”
Statutes 118 Summary:
When the Children of Israel tried to conquer Canaan, they were afraid of
the giant and formidable people who blocked their way. Before final Spiritual
Israel can possess ultimate Canaan, we too will face “giants” in ungodly
earthly powers. But, (#118) Yahweh instructs us NOT to be afraid. We are to remember
that Yahweh is with us. He is greater than any foe!
Statutes 119-120 Summary:
(#119) Yahweh’s people are never to bring contempt upon Yahweh’s Name, nor trifle
with or make light of it nor curse it in any way. (#120) Also Yahweh’s people are never
to make light of, bring into contempt, bitterly curse, despise or declare to be
evil the leadership of the flock.
Exodus 22:28 “Thou shalt not revile
the gods, nor curse the ruler of thy people.”
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