Weekly Torah Studies
Today's Torah
Portion:
The Hebrew Alphabet:
Ayin
Ayin
Spiritual Meaning of the Ayin
Ayin = 70 and means “EYE”,
“SIGHT” or “ENLIGHTENMENT”.
Ayin is for the word “Eye”. The Ayin shows two “Eyes” portraying how Yahweh is able to see both sides of
every situation. It also appears that the two “Eyes” on top of the Ayin are looking to the left… to the
Heart. This shows that Yahweh’s Sight
penetrates the inward being, seeing the heart of every man. 1 Samuel 16:7“… For Yahweh seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on
the outward appearance, but Yahweh looketh on the heart.”
The word Ayin is used as “FACE to FACE”, literally meaning “EYE to EYE” in
Numbers 14:14:
“…For they have heard that Thou Yahweh art among this people, that Thou Yahweh art seen Face to face, and that Thy Cloud standeth over them, and that Thou goest before them, by day time in a pillar of a cloud, and in a pillar of fire by night.”
Just as Yah
met Face to face with Moses on Mount Sinai, so we will see our beloved
Deliverer Face to face, when He soon returns to take us Home to the Heavenly
Mount Zion:
“For
now we see through a glass, darkly, but then, Face to face.”1 Corinthians
13:12
Ayin is sometimes described as having
two eyes that connect to a common "optic nerve" that leads to the
brain. The two eyes represent choice or the actions of the will (i.e., the
heart). We can choose whether to use the good eye or the evil eye to perceive
things; we can choose to see the glass as half full rather than half empty.
When the eye
is evil (ayin ra), it becomes a slave to the purposes of sin and the yetzer
hara (the evil impulse).
Matthew 6:22-23 “The
light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body
shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full
of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!”
The
letter Ayin can be represented as the
number 16 (from its ordinal position within the Alphabet), as 17 (from its
component values of Yod (10) and Zayin (7)); as 70 (from its number within the
alphabet), and as 130 (from its spelling: Ayin (70), Yod (10), and Nun (50)).
The value 130 means “ladder (selum) of Sinai”, both words of which equal
130. This shows that the spiritual eye sees the Torah as the means of
approaching God. This equates Torah observance with enlightenment.
Ayin: The Word and the Spirit
Ayin is constructed from two Hebrew letters which we have already studied: zayin (on the left), attached to a large yod (on the right). It appears in Torah scrolls as shown below:
Ayin is constructed from two Hebrew letters which we have already studied: zayin (on the left), attached to a large yod (on the right). It appears in Torah scrolls as shown below:
Zayin,
as we have already studied, represents the “weapon” or “Sword of the Spirit”-
the Word of Yahweh. The Yod represents the Works of Yah – His Creation – done through His
Spirit. By combining these two letters to form the Ayin, Yahweh is
illustrating that if we will walk according to His Word and His Spirit, we will
dwell in true enlightenment, having the spiritual eyes to truly see Him.
Therefore –
If my spirit is
filled with His Spirit (represented by the yod)…
And my mind is
filled with His Thoughts (represented by the zayin – the Word of Yah)
Then my vision
(represented by the Ayin) will be
filled with Him and my eye will truly be SINGLE for Yah.
These truths are also supported by the
fact that, in Aramaic, the word “Ayin” means “sheep”. In Hebrew thought, the
eye of the sheep is continuously looking towards the Shepherd, while the Eye of
the Shepherd is continually watching over His sheep.
The
Significance of 70
Ayin
is the number 70,
which is one of the most significant, Scriptural numbers. In Scripture we read
that:
·
70
souls went into Egypt, from Jacob’s family.
·
70
elders of Israel met with Yahweh on Mt. Sinai
·
70
sacrifices were made for the nations (during the festival of Sukkot)
·
Israel
was subject to 70 years of exile in Babylon, for their failure to keep the
Sabbiticals.
·
There
were 70 languages given to mankind, when Yahweh struck the builders of Babel.
·
There
were 70 nations in the ancient world, formed by the joining of those who spoke
the same language.
·
Joseph,
according to the book of Jasher, had to address the Pharaoh in all 70 of these
ancient languages.
·
There
are 70 Names of God.
·
There
are 70 Holy Days in the Biblical Calendar: 52 Sabbaths, 7 days of Unleavened Bread,
1 day of Pentecost, 1 day of Trumpets, 1 day of Atonement, 7 days of
Tabernacles, 1 day of the Last Great Day = 70 Holy Days
Ayin’s
ע Connection with
the Aleph א
Only in
silent intimacy do we grow to know Him and experience Him as He is. This is
also illustrated by the fact that the word עין (ayin)
means “a well”. When we commune with Yah
in silence, we are able to drink deeply from the “Well” of Salvation. Only then
will our spiritual thirst be satisfied (John 7:37).
Ayin’s
ע Connection with
the Gimel ג
In the first connection, we learned that we must be filled
with the Spirit of Yahweh and His
Word. In the second connection, we learned that we truly come to know Yah as we practice being silent before
Him. Both of these truths together equip us to fulfill the role illustrated by
gimel. The gimel is the Elijah
Message letter. The work of Yah’s
people is to bear the Elijah Message to the world, calling them to repentance
and restoration of obedience to Yahweh
and His Torah. We are able to do this
work to the degree that we are walking in His Spirit and living by His Word. If
we are filled with Bible knowledge, but do not have His Spirit, we are like a gimel without a foot, we will know the
theory of Salvation, but lack a life which follows the Example of Yahshua and leaves down life-prints,
leading others in His Steps. On the other hand, if we are filled with the Holy
Spirit, but do not possess the understanding of the Scriptures, we will have
zeal without Truth, resulting in sensuality and spreading confusion. We will
then resemble the foot of the gimel
without the zayin - just a yod rushing to and fro without Word or
Direction.
The lessons of taught by the letter ayin are reflected in Paul’s prayer for the believers in Ephesus
(Ephesians 1:18-19):
“The eyes (ע) of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know (ז) what is the hope
of His Calling, and what the riches of the glory of His Inheritance in the
saints. And what is the exceeding greatness of His Power to us-ward who believe, according to the working
of His mighty Power (י).”
If we will walk in His Spirit, meditate upon His Word, and
commune with Him in quietness, then Paul’s prayer will find fulfillment in our
lives.
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."
