Parashat Tetzaveh

(Exodus 27:20 - 30:10)

An olive is bitter and useless until it is either pickled or turned into oil. Olive oil only comes forth when pressured. Pure: from the first pressing. Only the finest “extra virgin” oil could be used for the menorah, for anointing, or for anything in the sanctuary. It also burns most cleanly. "Lamp" here specifically refers to the central column of the menorah, from which all the other candles on it are lit. It is known as the "servant", because the rest depend on it and are lower than it. Yahshua is "the firstborn among many brethren", "the greatest" who knelt down to serve and poured out his life fully. In Gath-sh'maney [which itself means "wine press of the oils"], Yahshua sweat great drops of blood because that was the real crushing. Thus he is exalted as the most important of the perpetual lights in the heavenly temple. Perpetually: Yahshua constantly intercedes for us. (Heb. 7:23-25) But his suffering was not enough for everything YHWH wants to accomplish; we need to bring it to completion. (Col. 1:24) We, too, need to take up our crosses and follow him. (Mat. 16:24) Israel is called an olive tree (Yirmeyahu 11:16; Rom. 11:17) For fruit to be useful we must either be “in a pickle” or under great pressure; we have proven pretty useless when the screws are not being tightened. One olive cannot provide light for very long; the whole tree is needed to keep YHWH's temple full of light. The finest oil is that which is given "willingly", before the real pressure is applied. Later pressings provide plenty of oil, but the added pressure needed creates more friction, heating the oil and changing its chemical structure. The quality decreases. They also have more pulp--the "flesh" of the olive in them. The more we have to be squeezed into obeying, the less valuable our submission is to Him. It will still benefit others, but He will only let it be used at the more profane, common level, such as feeding the general public with physical food, which will not bring about the Kingdom, but only some temporary improvement. So be eager to submit to Him quickly, so we can be of the use He most desires. (1 Cor. 3:12ff; 2 Tim. 2:21) This oil is transparent, a revelation of the true heart with no hidden motives. The crushings and pressings we receive are not pleasant, but result in the fruit of righteousness (Heb. 12:11; cf. I Keyfa/Peter 5:10), so that we who are already called "the light of the world" (Mat. 5:14ff) will actually exude that light. Israel is to be a light to the nations, and if we do not do our job on their behalf, the rest of the world has a right to “complain to the manager”, as they often have through hatred and persecution of those who have profaned the light. He equates light here with our works that benefit others. "Oil" in Hebrew is indeed based on a root word meaning "to shine". The Hebrew word for "olive" is based on a word for "brightness". So what is the oil that produces this light? The olive’s job is simply give up the oil, so it is the surrendering itself. As we grow in maturity, self hides further and further inside so it is harder to recognize. He asks for the first oil; if He has to press us again before getting the oil, we have lost our reward, though He will still have His oil.

Tend it: literally, "arrange it in order", or even "in battle array"; in 1 Shmu’el 17:8 the same word is used for the "ranks" in the army. Evening until morning: when this light is most needed--a picture of the fact that "He who watches over Israel never slumbers nor sleeps". (Psalm 121) He uses us to accomplish this purpose as we allow Him to crush our flesh so spiritual energy can be released. It is the responsibility of the priests to oversee the process from the very growing of the olive trees, to be sure the oil will always be available for the sanctuary. The Levites were chosen in place of the firstborn (Num. 3:12), and YHWH calls Efrayim His firstborn (Yirmeyahu 31:9), so Efrayim (the Northern Kingdom) therefore has a special responsibility at least in relation to the spiritual aspect of being sure the oil is released so that His House can be illuminated. Never-ending: Therefore nothing Yahshua did can ever be construed as removing this standing order. The fact that this source of special blessing is not currently intact does not mean it is no longer necessary. We may “get by” with Yahshua’s atonement, but something important is still missing.

CHAPTER 28

For Moshe to choose his brother as high priest would seem like nepotism if it were not that YHWH himself had chosen him. This is, after all, a very willing family, all of whom have taken great risks on behalf of Israel—Yokheved their mother as a midwife, their sister Miryam when she went to Pharaoh’s daughter to offer her mother as Moshe’s nurse. Aharon himself left Egypt to go meet Moshe, when he was a slave who could be killed for doing so. He risked incurring Pharaoh’s wrath when he helped bring the plagues on Egypt. So YHWH showed him special favor for his own actions, not just because he was Moshe’s brother. He was even less afraid to speak for YHWH than Moshe was. So he has been doing YHWH’s will on behalf of Israel for a long time; this is not something altogether new. He is just being recognized with an official position. YHWH can change anyone, but He most often looks for someone who has proven faithful in smaller things to choose for larger responsibilities. (Luqa 16:10) In Israel, being given such a high position does not mean he will be able to sit back, collect taxes, and burden the people; rather, the people will become his burden. From among the people: He is therefore no longer among the people, though he is part of them. He is not a rich politician pretending to be with the “little guy”. He is clearly in a category all his own. He has a different set of rules. He will be able to do things on the Sabbath that no one else can. Moshe has no title, though he is essentially an acting king. Aharon is given a position in the public eye, but he is not elected by the people. He is working first and foremost for YHWH, though the people will certainly benefit from it. “Priest” means officiator, mediator, or administrator. He is not offered the position; he is named to it. There is no interview. He is just told this is his job. The Kingdom does not offer us many choices. The Soviet Union fell largely because Gorbachev visited America and saw how many choices there were in our markets, and realized his system was not serving his people as it was designed to do. But since the Russian people have had more choices, there has come much more corruption. With Torah the only choice is to keep it or break it. If we want to know YHWH, the only choice is to keep it. Aharon and his sons are still at Sinai, where the people have been afraid to approach YHWH. Now Aharon and his sons are told they are the ones who will need to draw near to YHWH regularly on behalf of all Israel. He is the one man who will be able to walk behind the veil, and his sons will be in training to one day take his position. This is a scary job—one in which nothing less than perfection will be accepted. One misstep and there will be no atonement for the people. Just having their names in the Book of Life is a great honor, but with it comes an extremely high level of accountability. He is much like us: he grew up in Egypt, and was not trained from his childhood for this position. The last priest to YHWH was Melkhitzedeq, several hundred years earlier. As YHWH regathers Israel, many of us will be given responsibilities such as we have only heard about in stories from long ago. Like Aharon, we need to restore ancient things we have not seen before. Aharon means "light-bearer" (see v. 17 below). Nadav means "generous or willing"--a "cheerful giver"; Avihu, "he is my father". El'azar means "Elohim has helped". And Ithamar means "coast of date palms" or “island of palms”—possibly an ancient way to describe an oasis, for “coast/island" comes from a word meaning "desire, sigh, or wait longingly", as anyone traveling through the desert would do if he knew of an oasis somewhere ahead. The fulness of the connection is seen in Yeshayahu/Isaiah 42:4, spoken of Messiah: "The coastlands [to which the lost tribes were scattered] shall wait expectantly for his instruction [torah]." Palm trees are juxtaposed with kh'ruvim in the artwork of the coming temple (Ezek. 40-41). Psalm 92:12 tells us the palm is a symbol of the righteous man. So this last son of Aharon symbolizes that there is a place for the repentance of the northern kingdom as seen in Hoshea 14, where the beauty of their return is described in terms of a variety of other important trees.

Authority and splendor: or, for gravity and outstanding dignity, so as to identify him as set apart from anyone else so they will be approached in a way different from others, much as one would when seeing someone in a police or general’s uniform. But “splendor” is not an adequate translation. It has the sense of ornamentation, but the best way to describe it may simply be, “Wow!” The garments are to attract attention like an ambulance siren or a bright orange vest. They are meant to be something we cannot take our eyes off of, because we are mean to watch what he is doing and do the same thing—not at his level, but all of Israel is called a “kingdom of priests, a set-apart nation”. (19:6) We have a service to carry out that parallels his. The thread of blue in our tzitziyoth (Num. 15:38ff; Deut. 22:12) is our priestly garment, reminiscent of the blue of his garment. Tzitzit comes from a word meaning to sparkle or shine—again, something to catch our attention and remind us of YHWH’s commands. His clothing signified the weightiness and uniqueness of his position as the "spiritual general" of the ranks of Israel. He was not permitted to officiate without this covering (except during some parts of Yom Kippur), even if otherwise he had purchased a nice new garment, just as we may not enter YHWH’s presence without the covering of Yahshua’s blood. It must be done the way YHWH said, or we have no High Priest. The Romans understood this, and kept the garments locked away until the festivals, threatening to withhold them if the Jews’ behavior became too rebellious. He has the unique authority to officiate before YHWH, but Moshe had to oversee the design of his garment, because only he had seen the pattern YHWH showed him—whether or not it was to his own taste.

Or "sanctify him that he may serve Me as a priest" (Hirsch). Filled: or invested. Spirit of skill: or "of wisdom". The wise of spirit are recognized by their fruits. They are filled with a spirit of wisdom because they are wise of heart. I.e., they have prepared within themselves a place for wisdom, so that when they receive this “transplant”, they are ready and will not reject it. This is more than knowledge or even understanding. Those are prerequisites, but simply knowing that if we flip a switch a light will come on or even understanding how an electric circuit works and how a bulb filament interacts with the current and voltage does not mean we would be able to actually make a light work. We have to use the knowledge that is on the schematic and apply our understanding. YHWH says His people perish for lack of knowledge, and ties it directly back to this passage by saying that if we reject knowledge he will not let us be His priests, and that He will forget our children. (Hoshea 4:6) How do we prepare our children to be a kingdom of priests? Of course we must start with a literal knowledge of the Torah. But we must also understand the “why” of the commands, for the Hebrew word for understanding means “dividing” with the mind: picturing how to do what it says. But this is still only trivia until that understanding is applied and we actually do it. When we are wise as well as understanding, there is real power. If we keep His commands, YHWH says the nations will see us as wise and understanding (Deut. 4:5)—whether or not we actually know the principles behind why something works. The point is, it does work when we obey. Proverbs 4, which says wisdom is the principal thing and will deliver a crown of splendor (compare v. 2) to those who take hold of it, tells us that the way to find wisdom begins with letting our hearts retain the words of righteous parents and obey their commands. As we do, and as we let it shape our lives beyond the strict command to our lives in other situations as well. We have to approach it like the offer of a king’s daughter in marriage—sight unseen—and then we will find it unparalleled in its beauty. This wisdom is not mere craftiness, which keeps us watching our backs. Wisdom comes from experience and by seeking more if it.

While all priests have some special garments, most of these are worn only by the High Priest. Those from the whole community who can accomplish each task most proficiently each thus "gave up their rank" to Aharon, all contributing to build one outfit for him as all their work was unified. A particular person's job might have been nothing more than to sew one stitch around one stone, which may have seemed insignificant, but if that one stone was not in place when he served before YHWH, he would not be properly dressed. We too surrender our authority to Yahshua, and through all our spiritual activity, we "weave a garment" for him, since he is now our Great High Priest—though of a different order. This is distinct from that one as well as from the royal priesthood that all Israel is called to be. Before YHWH, he is higher than any of us, but we are to do our part on our No one is meant to usurp the place of the Aharonic priesthood, though it died out temporarily in its active form. Turban: about ten meters (or ten yards) of linen wound around the head in a circular pattern. (Maimonides) Pouch: or breast-pocket--used in Scripture only of this particular piece of clothing. Often translated "breastplate", it was made of cloth and held the stones bearing the names of the Israelites safely in place. Efod: an outer garment, somewhat like a reversed work-apron worn over the same type of white linen garment all the priests wore,and fastened at the front to keep his other garments (a full-length robe worn next to the skin and a short-sleeved, fringed tunic) in place so it fit close to his body; the Septuagint (LXX) emphasizes that it had shoulder-straps. These attached to the pouch in the center of his chest. The pouch was also attached from below by straps to the waist-sash, which was tied in front, but extended nearly as low as the tunic, slightly separated at the front to reveal the sky-blue tunic, which in turn came to within a few inches of the bottom of his white robe underneath it, which reached to the top of his bare feet.

All of these dyes were made from unclean animals, symbols of selfishness; their flesh had to die in order to create a beauty worthy of His Dwelling-place.

A view of the new garments already made by the Temple Institute for the next high priest. What he wears matches the inner tapestries of the Tabernacle, identifying him with it. He is all that most people will ever see of the inside of the tent. Skilled: or thoughtful, calculating.

Joined: or "compacted and coupled". Two pieces: the pouch with its end-chains and the waistband described below, joined in front and back like suspenders. YHWH's two witnesses--the kingdoms of Israel and Yehudah--were joined at the beginning, and will again become one in the end.

Ingeniously-imaginative: or, embroidered, but related to the word for “skilled” in v. 6. Waistband: a belt that would be tied.

Onyx: Aramaic, "beryl"; LXX, "emerald". This is the same stone used for the tribe of Yoseyf, so in some way Yoseyf (possibly through his two sons, Efrayim and Menashe) is linked with the "shoulder" that bears the weight of the whole nation. This is fulfilled in part through "Messiah ben Yoseyf" bearing away the sins of the nation. Atonement is made for anyone who falls under these twelve names, just as the gates--the only entrances--to the New Yerushalayim bear these names (Rev. 21:12). YHWH's covenant with all other peoples has been broken (Zech. 11:10), so His only remaining covenant is with the whole house of Israel. Any Gentiles who come into covenant through Yahshua become part of the Commonwealth of Israel (Eph. 2:12).

11. "With the [artistic] work of a stone engraver, like the engravings of a signet, shall you engrave the two stones according to the names of the sons of Israel; you must fashion them as to be inset in a plaited-weave setting of gold.

Like the engravings of a signet: or "seal" (LXX)--possibly written in reverse (as on the front of an ambulance) so it would be readable when the high priest saw his reflection in the gold-plated walls when the Temple would be built, and was reminded of the whole nation he represented (see v. 12). The Aramaic renders it in a way that suggests distinct, protruding letters as on coins, so it could be pressed into clay; there were other such seals that had raised letters instead, the result of the signet having indented letters, and these survive the centuries much better.

A reminder: also to YHWH of His covenant. He bears the responsibility for the whole nation on his shoulders, just as we have a different level of responsibility on our shoulders to unload a fellow Israelite’s overloaded donkey and shoulder the burden of whatever it was carrying. (23:5) As we bear one another’s burdens, there is no room for a “chip” on our shoulder—a grudge against our own people. (Deut. 19:18) That is never the garment of the priesthood. His garment is an example to us of how to apply the Torah.

Circlets: rings by which to attach two chains together. (v. 14)

15. "You must make a pouch of judgment, the work of a weaver; you must fashion it in the style of the efod: you shall make it gold, blue and purple, crimson scarlet and bleached, twisted [linen].

Pouch: Heb., khoshen. LXX, "oracle". Many translate it “breastplate”, but it is more like a pocket onto which precious stones representing all the tribes of Israel are fastened. (v. 17ff) The whole community will be reunited by being like-minded and following the same rules--the Torah. The term khoshen is used in no other sense elsewhere in Scripture; the closest word to it is khashman, which means “wealthy”, and indeed anyone possessing such stones would be wealthy. But the rest of the phrase is “of judgment”, so it is speaking of a wealth of just legal rulings more than financial. And look at how much value King Shlomoh indeed put in wisdom in 1 Kings and the proverbs. Rashi wrote that the individual threads of each color were intertwined to make larger multi-colored threads before the weaving began, so this was a very intricate, complex item to make. And indeed, proper justice does not just consider the initial appearance, but deals with every thread contributing to the case to see what is actually joined together and how.

Doubled over: thus forming the pouch (v. 15). Handbreadth: A picture is worth many words, and seeing how the Temple Institute has interpreted the Hebrew wording clarifies many things. But until recently, we have not had the actual garments to look at again; all we had were the words, and YHWH had a purpose in that. Even if someone saw the garment, there are many things he would miss if he did not know what the terms for the components were in Hebrew, for there are many deeper lessons to be learned and many connections to be made through how they are described in Hebrew. The word for “handbreadth” comes from a word for “winnowing”, therefore defining it not as the width of a hand with the fingers tightly together, but with them spread out as far as possible, like a winnowing fork (somewhat like a long-pronged rake). Our judgment must be like winnowing—tossing the facts to the wind (spirit in Hebrew) so that what is heavy (important or authoritatibe) remains with us, but what is useless and without profit is blown away. Is what we are about to listen to or say eternal? Is it something that should be bound in the heavenlies? (Will it last through the Kingdom?) And this also teaches us that judgment must be done with an open hand. This means that it should include the right measure of mercy. Like a slap, it should sting or get someone’s attention, not like a closed fist which might kill instead. But an open hand is also symbolic of being generous; if one is not giving of himself, he is unable to bring proper judgment either. Unified Israel is the only place true judgment can be fully found. When not folded over, the vertical length of the pouch would be double that of the width. The one-span width is parallel to the earth, but the length runs from the earth to the heavens, where the judgment is “twice as powerful”, and when doubled over, the earthly end and the heavenly end are both upheld by the same golden chains—a picture of the judgment on earth being the same as the judgment in the heavens, which is the very purpose of this garment. Yahshua taught this very thing in Mat. 16:19 when he gave Keyfa the authority to “bind” and “loosen”—terms used rabbinically for setting the standard of how to walk out the Torah commands that are in themselves not as specific as they could be, since they leave room for varying interpretation according to the need of the time or particular community. He was saying that since the proper rulers in Israel had become corrupt, and the seated Sanhedrin was catering to Roman wishes, Keyfa and those who were with him now had the authority, as they regathered both houses of Israel, to rule on the proper interpretation of Torah for any who followed Yahshua. Yahshua’s brother Yaaqov ended up with the greater authority, since he was in the position to be king in Yahshua’s absence, but the two worked together in different roles.

Aramaic: "Carnelian, topaz, and smaragd", representing Reuven, Shim'on, and Levi (v. 21). Carbuncle: LXX, "emerald". Rashi says the settings should completely surround the stones and be as thick as the stones, so that they are “nested” in the gold. The community of Israel should be a place we can completely sink into so that only what needs to be exposed (Israel) can be.

Aramaic: "turquoise, sapphire, and emerald", representing Yehudah, Dan, and Nafthali. Emerald: LXX, "carbuncle".

Opal: Aram., "jacinth"; LXX, "ligure". These three represented Gad, Asher, and Yissachar.

Aramaic, "chrysolite, beryl, and jasper", representing Z'vulun, Yoseyf, and Binyamin. On Yoseyf’s stone, see note on verse 9. Efrayim and Menashe fall under Yoseyf in this case. Interestingly enough, both of these tribes still speak the same language (English) today. The exact stones are somewhat uncertain; the Hebrew names are not commonly used and there is no physical description except in a very vague sense, but they are all very costly. Aharon means "light-bearer"--the same as "Lucifer" in Latin, whose Hebrew name, Heylel, means "shining, boastful one". These bright gems are too similar to his covering in Eden to ignore; every one of the nine stones plus the gold mentioned in Yehezq’El (Ezekiel) 28:13, is included in these 12 stones worn on Aharon's chest! (The entire third row—corresponding with Gad, Asher, and Yissachar--is missing from the description of Heylel.) He had been called "the anointed kh'ruv that covers (atones)”. Atonement was the calling of the priestly line of Aharon, and also of the Anointed one (Messiah). His bride, the New Yerushalayim, includes 12 precious stones as its foundations, as well (Rev. 21:19-20). Eight of the twelve stones in the two Greek listings (Rev. 21 and the LXX version of this passage) are the same. The tribes whose stones are listed differently in Revelation are Yehudah, and once again Gad, Asher, and Yissachar. However, there is some variation in the Greek translations of the two Hebrew passages, and those substituted in Yehezq’El are the same as those added in Revelation, so the twelve stones are essentially the same; thus, these three passages are meant to be seen as bearing one theme: the divesting and replacement of rebellious Heylel with Israel through its Messiah, just as Hadassah (Esther) replaced the disobedient queen Vashti. (For more detail on this topic, see the article on “Satan’s Breastplate” at Rabbi Ed Nydle’s web site Bnai Avraham.

22. "And you shall fashion upon the [breastplate] pouch twisted chains of interwoven foliage [made] of pure gold.

23. "And you shall fashion on the pouch two rings of gold, and you shall set the two rings at the extremities of the pouch.

24. "And you shall put the two interwoven cords of gold into the two rings on the extremities of the pouch,

25. "and you shall fasten the other ends of the two interwoven [chains] into the plaited weaveworks, and you shall put them on the shoulder pieces on the front of the efod.

These hold the pouch to the stones on the shoulders which also have names on them. the burden of Israel is attached to the right ruling which is on his heart. The lesson: If you will not bear your brother’s burdens, you have no right to make rulings. You cannot have authority in Israel—on any level—if you do not bear the burdens of the house. Unlike any other kingdom, here the servants are the ones with authority. Elsewhere, politicians are supposed to be “public servants”, but rarely act that way. We cannot even have authority over our own moods unless we serve someone else—a sure cure for depression!

Inward: literally, “house”.

28. "And they shall fasten the pouch by its rings to the efod's rings with a twisted cord of blue, so it may be above the ingeniously-imaginative band of the efod, and so the pouch will not come loose from the efod.

Aramaic, "so the breastpiece does not become dislocated from the top of the efod". Judgment is held firmly in place by being attached to the shoulders not just in front, where the heart is, but on the back as well, where the burden is actually borne. We must uphold right judgment not only by our intents, but also by our actual deeds.

The Holy Place: not the Holy of Holies, but the room in front of it. The one time each year when he went into the back room, he did not wear his splendid garment, but dressed like any other priest. This is referring to the times he went in to trim the lights and burn incense. Above him were tapestries, and to his right and left as he served, there were veils with kh’ruvim on them, but when he looked straight ahead (to the north or south side of the tent), he would see the boards overlaid with gold. They were polished so well that they would appear like a mirror, and he would see his reflection in it. This was not only so that he would be constantly examining himself, but also so that he would see the names written on his shoulders and breastplate. This is why they had to be engraved backwards—not just so YHWH would remember Israel, but so that he himself would remember why he was there. He would see the names of his brothers. What appears backward outside the sanctuary is proper there. He was bearing the reputation of all of Israel, and if he did something wrong, it reflected on all of them—just as our actions do on a smaller scale. A tree is known by its fruit, not by how it is dressed or how friendly it is; especially in the absence of the high p riest, what we do defines the rest of Israel, not just before men but before YHWH, and if we are not bearing one another’s burdens, our definitions will be poor ones. We don’t need to try to bear the world’s burdens (see Yahshua’s example in Mat. 15:21-28) until we learn to walk this out in our own community. Over (or upon) his heart: his motivation is to unify these twelve tribes.

These are mysterious items, but we can be pretty sure they came out of Egypt, unless they had been handed down to Yaaqov, possibly from Noach or before. Urim: Illuminations or energies; thummim: perfections, something finished or complete, innocent, or having integrity. They are plural, since both Yahshua and we, as his Body, are both called the "light of the world", since we are called to walk as he walked--and reject what he rejected. They are not in the dual form, so there must have been at least three of each. There may have been black and white stones, used for "yes/no" answers when one inquired of YHWH. But in Scrtiptural examples, when people enquired of YHWH, they were given longer answers. By tradition, the words were spelled out with glistening light on the letters of the names of the twelve sons of Yaaqov, possibly reflected from the lamps on the menorah in the Holy Place. LXX, "the manifestation and the truth". Yoma 73b (in the Talmud) says the names of the three patriarchs were also added on the first stone so that all of the Hebrew letters would be present. (Four letters would be missing otherwise.) The phrase “tribes of Yeshurun” was also included, in the opinion of some. This method of inquiry was only permitted to be used in matters relating to the king, the Temple, or affecting the entire nation of Israel, not individuals’ concerns. What they are physically remains somewhat obscure, so the question for us is, “What do they mean?” Why are they there? They are things that illuminate and things that perfect. Something that illuminates (e.g. the sun or moon, Gen. 1:14) makes other things brighter. It brings light. The first three urim in Scripture are heavenly bodies (which set and clarify YHWH’s calendar), the pillar of fire (Ex. 13:21, a symbol of YHWH’s presence), and the menorah (Ex. 25:37, the picture of Yahshua and us being the light of the world together). Thummim is spelled just like tammim (perfect, blameless, or without blemish). The first three times this term appears it describes Noakh (Gen. 6:9), Avraham (Gen. 17:1), and the Passover lamb (Ex. 12:5, a picture of Yahshua, who was perfect because of his walk). One would think Yaaqov would be included, but the word that describes him is tam—the singular form, not the plural, because though he was complete in one way (in his studies), his twin brother had gotten the complete left-handed part of their nature, and he was lacking the left hand; he was a pacifist, and refused to judge when he should have. What we offer to YHWH must be without defect as well. (Lev. 22:21)

Presenting outer garment: that which shows through under the pouch but over his Blue: the same dye as used for the tzitzit-fringe, considered by the Temple Institute researchers to be intended as a reminder of the heavens, as representative of YHWH Himself.

Like the opening of a coat of mail: circular and reinforced with a stiff hem that could not be torn. (Hirsch) The solid neck was woven right into the garment rather than added later, like Yahshua’s garment. (Yoch. 19:23) This is no coincidence. He was not to mourn over Israel’s lost sheep, but rather to take positive steps to bring them back. Lev. 21:10 stipulates that the high priest was never to tear his garment, for it was a symbol of mourning, which would not befit him. His job was so important that he could never take a break to mourn. However, He knew some would try, so He built in this deterrent. And indeed, at the time of Yahshua's accusation of blasphemy, the high priest disobeyed this command. (Matt. 26:65) Tractate Sanhedrin 56a of the Talmud describes in detail what took place on such an occasion (possibly even the same one).

Pomegranates: LXX, "as of a flowering pomegranate tree...golden pomegranates of the same shape".

The pomegranate blossom has six petals, and a model of one was on the tip of King David's scepter. The six-pointed "star [lit., shield] of David" is a stylized reminder of this. The pomegranate has many seeds, recalling YHWH's promises to the seed of Avraham, and a reminder that his priestly duties are for the sake of all generations of Israel. A pomegranate, which has hundreds of seeds and looks like blood inside, is a symbol of fruitfulness—an inheritance and lots of children that survive, assuring one’s continuance. The Hebrew word for pomegranate is rimmon, and it comes from a root word meaning "lifted up” or growing upright, which is what pomegranates do, rather than hanging from the branches like other fruit. This is a picture of striving upward toward a special degree of holiness rather than simply taking the easy way of following gravity. The intermittent bells may have been to draw attention to the pomegranates The holy garments are not permitted outside the inner court, and the priest is not to sanctify the people wearing this garment, lest its sanctity be lost. This may be why Yahshua perceived that "virtue" had gone forth from him when a woman with a flow of blood touched this part of his garment. (Mark 5:30) Like the priest's garment, he wore a seamless garment (Yochanan 19:23)--a picture of a unified garment for the body of the man who would unify into one body all those who truly belong to YHWH. Such an expensive garment was worn by people of authority--great rabbis, judges, priests, and kings--all of which Yahshua is.

Officiate: to wait on YHWH, making sure His every requirement is satisfied. Was the sound meant to announce his arrival to YHWH? Possibly, but in Hebrew “sound” and “voice” are the same term. When Adam and Chavvah heard the sound of YHWH in the garden (Gen. 3:18), they hid because they had listened to the serpent's voice and were unwilling to bear the responsibility--the first step in repentance. So they did die that day, spiritually, and the physical process began. The High Priest, adorned much like the serpent was (Y'chezq'el 28:13), may also have been tempted to think of himself as more than he really was, but the sound of the bells would remind him not to fall for the same lie Adam and Chavvah, and not incur this penalty for the whole community of Israel, which is YHWH's solution to the fall of the ancient Adam. He will not die: as with the pomegranates, one lives on through his seed. Again, this has nothing to do with the Holy of Holies on Yom Kippur, for he would not be wearing these at that time. That is a Christian myth.

Plate: literally, "shining", "blossoming", "sparkling", or "twinkling"--in other words, it got people's attention! It extended across Aharon's forehead from ear to ear. (Tractate Sabbath 63b) Since it was written backwards like a signet ring, he would see this reminder of his solemn calling every time he saw his reflection. Aharon assumed responsibility for any error he made in the order of the liturgy and ritual. In the Messianic kingdom, the whole city of Yerushalayim will take on such holiness that this same phrase will be written even on the cooking pots and the bells on the horses' bridles there. (Z'kharyah 14:20)

The turban "blossomed" slightly above his head, but also hung down behind his head, held firmly in place by the plate, which resembled a royal crown in front, but the ribbon appears to have tied it in place, since the plate was only on his forehead.

Israel will receive merit if he does his job rightly, and will therefore be accepted by YHWH. The headgear is to remind him not to let his own mind get in the way, but to follow the instructions precisely. This is no different from Yahshua’s precision obedience being the reason the lost sheep of Israel are permitted to return. What if our obedience might mean the release of just one of those lost sheep? What if it means one every day? Think of the ramifications when you look in the mirror. If I do the right thing, might someone else’s guilt be removed? This can be supported in Scripture by Avraham’s or Moshe’s arguing with YHWH that His people should be spared. Even Lot’s presence held off judgment for a long time. We are Hebrews as well,with the same blood and the same covenants. Even if on a small scale, if our obedience can set someone free, isn’t it worth doing things right? On the high priest’s forehead is this statement that he belongs to YHWH, to remind him that the foremost reason he was there was to serve YHWH, not Israel as such. Only in keeping that focus could he properly bear the burdens of the people. But he could not be separated unto Him without being separated unto them as well. We cannot violate the Torah in order to put the community first. Proverbs 4 says wisdom is the “head thing”, and that she will place a crown of authority on the heads of those who seek her. It has to be worked out among the twelve tribes, but when this is not yet attainable, this part reminds us that we always belong to Him, not to self. Yochanan's proclamation that the Lamb of YHWH would "carry away the sins of the world" is reminiscent of this situation. The articles the Israelites brought out of Egypt were unclean, having been put to idolatrous use by their donors, so they had to be rendered holy. This reminder before YHWH kept them from incurring guilt through the use of things once unholy. All of us who have been called out from among the unholy nations to become a set-apart nation were likewise cleansed from unholy use, and Yahshua "ever lives to make intercession for us" before the Father (Heb. 7:25), reminding Him that we have been "washed, sanctified, and justified" through his name. (1 Corinthians 6:11)

Patterned: Hirsch, “of chequer-work". Of needlework: or "with skillfully-woven, mixed colors". Tradition says the sash was 32 hand-breadths long. 32 is the numerical value of the Hebrew word for “heart”, and was therefore intended to remind Israel that what we are to be after is YHWH’s own heart. White linen clothing is symbolic of a life of righteous acts. (See also note on v. 42.)

The "headgear" for the other priests was not wrapped around like the high priest's turban, but was piled up like a rounded "hill".

You: that is, Moshe. The word for "ordain" (or "inaugurate") here means to "fill their hands with abundance", or "invest them with full powers" (Hirsch) In other words, they had to be appointed by Moshe to be valid. Moshe’s name is often also a shorthand for the Torah, which he recorded. Yahshua, our great High Priest, was given His agenda in the Torah—which includes fulfilling the promise that the prodigal tribes of Israel would one day return. (Deut. 29:14 - 30:9) It also means “give them something to do”! They are not just a board of directors that are mere figureheads, doing nothing of actual value for the people over whom they officiate.

Thus the ordinary priests wore four articles of clothing while ministering, while the high priest wore eight on most occasions. Breeches: literally "hiders". Aside from his face (which was also mostly covered by his beard), his hands, and his bare feet, as little evidence of his flesh as possible was to be seen in the holiest place. The flesh can be put to use if it is properly shielded from direct effect on others. This is what the “pants” teach. (These may have been the first people in history to wear trousers.) Y'hezq'el (Ezekiel) 44:18 tells us that the priests in the Temple still to come are to be dressed in linen so they will not sweat. Sweat is a reminder of the curse on Adam, as is naked flesh that is no longer illumined by the glory of Elohim from within. Sweat also symbolizes the work of the flesh. The priests do not derive their food from the sweat of their brow; they are the exception. Rather, they do only the work of service, not labor for recompense. Thus they can keep working and even double their work on the Sabbath, because it is not for themselves, but for the sake of the community. The Mishnah tells us that these garments, once soiled, were torn into strips and used to fuel the four great lights in the Court of Women each Sukkoth. Some identify these with the swaddling clothes Yahshua was wrapped in, having been born during this feast. Yahshua was also buried wrapped in strips of white linen. (Yoch. 20:7)

Incur guilt: literally, pick up crookedness. Even what the priests wear has an eternal effect on the whole world. If they tried to express individuality in this context, they would ruin the picture of righteousness and unity. What is done for the sake of Israel is eternal; what we do for self, or even for anyone outside, is not the Kingdom. A perpetual statute: Again, it is a standing order to have a priesthood whenever possible.

CHAPTER 29

You: that is, Moshe, who learned many of these principles of priesthood from Yithro. Mediate: that is, stand between a higher and lower party, speaking to the people on YHWH’s behalf and to YHWH on behalf of the people. In Galatians 3:19 we are told that the Torah was added through a mediator. Thus there is a special link between the Torah and the priests. In the book of Hebrews, Yahshua is called our mediator (compare 1 Tim. 2:5), and he is also called our great high priest. (Heb. 8:6) Thus he is upholding the same thing the priests upheld. But what was the Torah added to? The existing covenant between YHWH and Avraham’s descendants.(Gen. 15:18) The first part of this involved the Land of Israel. This was renewed over and over, with new aspects added each time (Gen. 17:2; 26:4-5; 28:13-22, etc.), but nothing ever diminished. Avraham had obeyed YHWH’s statutes, even when they were not written down. (Gen. 26:4-5) Nothing but YHWH’s words mediated then; Avraham’s example was enough for the next few generations. But when his descendants stopped listening, it had to be written down, and became a mandatory condition for the covenant. It was added “because of transgressions”. The covenant with the priesthood (Mal. 2:4ff) was established to teach us, as His messengers, via a group of physical actions, to uphold the true heart of the covenant. They tend to the part of the covenant we break, keeping us inside the fence for our own protection as we move toward the promised Land. Yahshua came to write the Torah on our hearts and minds again, so that YHWH can trust us as He trusted Avraham, and the only mediator again can be His Word (now fleshed out in Yahshua). To our shame, we have not arrived there yet. When His Kingdom comes, the Torah again will go forth from Yerushalayim on the lips of the priests. Only the mediator changes; the covenant does not. Set them apart: from what? Not just from the rest of the world, but from the rest of Israel. It is as important that they see themselves as separate as that the people see them as separate. They must see themselves as not only responsible but authorized to carry out the role YHWH created for them. They need to recognize the importance of their task. But this also applies to whatever calling YHWH has given us on any level for the sake of the Kingdom, no matter how small it appears. It is easier to take on a responsibility, especially if it is a difficult one, if we seeourselves as set apart to it by YHWH. These priests are set apart on a very high level, but Israel as a whole is set apart from the rest of the nations. The agreement cannot work if we remain mixed up in other things and still see ourselves as Gentiles. But what are they separated unto? YHWH and the others who understand that they are Israel. Each of us must separate ourselves daily unto the accomplishment of things that facilitate the coming of the Kingdom. It might not be anything high and lofty; it might be nothing more than stopping our other activities on the Sabbath, or helping another person move away from selfishness and into community. Rather than thinking of our duties as “something we have to do”, seeing them as Kingdom tasks to which we are set apart changes our outlook completely. We do not have to be saying prayers and burning incense . Sweeping the floor can be a holy thing if done for the sake of the Israelite community, which at present is our only way to walk out the Torah. If we learn well in this context, we will be ahead of the curve when the Kingdom comes in its fullness. If we do not learn to walk in YHWH’s calendar and His rulings now, how can we imagine we will be at home in the Kingdom? Our time “in the wilderness” is given to us so we can learn how to serve one another and function in harmony as one people. There is no longer a slave driver telling us what we have to do with his whip. We now have a nation to form, though we still live in other nations. We need to prepare to live under a king, though the world is trying to do away with every situation in which only one man is in charge. There is not much trust among slaves who have been abused, but now that we are out from under those who abused us, we have to again learn to trust those YHWH has put in charge. He no longer allows anyone to come directly to Him; they have to come through this man and his sons, so they are expected to be trustworthy, and are accountable to both parties they serve in this regard. YHWH does trust him to plant the seeds so others might eat before he “eats his own apple”. So the people must trust him, too. If someone proves untrustworthy even after being confronted, then we can withdraw the benefit of the doubt, but Aharon has been faithful since the beginning. Now he is being called to as important a position as there could be, so he is called to extreme trustworthiness. Son of the herd: a special term used to designate "youthful maturity", specifically as being in its third year. (Hirsch)

Tempered: or "thoroughly mingled". Unleavened: a reminder of the Passover lamb, which is one of the roles of Yahshua, the one free from the leaven of sin. (1 Cor. 5:7; 1 Kefa 2:22) But leaven can also be a picture of the Kingdom, Yahshua says (Mat. 13:33). In both cases it is something that permeates the whole—and we have to decide which we will allow to permeate. Here we have matzah cooked three different ways, and the Hebrew terms make it clear what they represent. They are made from the finest refined flour such as the rich would eat. It is made the best by many siftings, a picture of the trials that make us stronger and more pure. Bread is a picture of the single community of Israel (1 Cor. 10:17), and its term, lechem, simply means ordinary food. It represents the average, mediocre Israelite who will put forth some effort to love his neighbors. The word for loaves is challoth, which means “pierced”—a picture of those who, like Yahshua, give greatly of themselves. They are the heroes who are inclined to service. The wafer is raqiq, which comes from a word meaning “to spit”, thus a picture of the scoffer with a bad attitude, who “can find a problem in every solution”. It is the job of these priests to make sure sin does not permeate any of these groups of people, and the Kingdom does, for any of us can fall into any of these categories depending on the day; all the bread is in one basket, and all of it must be cared for, even those who are hard to get along with.

This all represents a huge expense. A bull was one’s most valuable possession. It could serve as a tractor, a vehicle to ride on, and even something one could eat for a long time during a famine. It is a picture of our security. The Hebrew word for “rams” means “strong ones”, and the native Hebrew speakers had the advantage of knowing both meanings of the word, so that seeing a ram would automatically bring the other meaning to mind and make it obvious what was being taught, just as the three names for the types of bread would bring to mind the meanings and pictures listed in the note on v. 2.

The priests themselves are the next “offering” on behalf of the people. Moshe himself is instructed to give them a bath! This may have been done in the laver. Their bodies must be purified before holy garments go on them:

Tunic: the basic white garment worn by all the priests, symbolizing righteous acts.

"Crown of consecration"--related to the word Nazir[ite], one who is set apart for a special purpose. It is the same as the "plate of pure gold" described in 28:36.

Anoint: to separate from everything common by pouring or smearing oil upon him. The kings were also anointed, and both priests and kings are pictures of Messiah, which means “anointed one”. As Yahshua was only publicly recognized by YHWH after he had “fulfilled all righteousness” (Mat. 3:15ff), so Aharon cannot be anointed until he is fully clothed.

9. "and you shall belt them with waist-sashes--[both] Aharon and his sons, and you shall bind on headgear for them, and it shall be a never-ending statute for them in the priestly office. Thus you shall consecrate Aharon and his sons.

Never-ending statute: they are always to be dressed like this when operating in this office. Moshe is told to dress them as if they were little children, for if they had dressed themselves in this clothing that was designed for authority and splendor, it would not have been as convincing in the eyes of the people. It is so that they will all recognize that these men’s covering came from YHWH by way of Moshe, as any authority in Israel must. Note that Moshe did not put on their breeches (short trousers). They probably kept these on even when being bathed here, lest the shame of their nakedness be seen (by analogy with 20:26), for they were before all the people—at least their leaders, who would bear witness of these events to all under their jurisdiction. They were not to wear these set-apart garments outside the holy precinct. The Mishnah tells us that a tailor named Pinkhas, who made or repaired them, lived right in the temple complex.

Lay their hands: "lean on" (Hirsch)—anot just toch it, but transfer one’s weight to them as a sign of identification with that animal as it was killed in one's stead. The people gave the bull, but now it belonged to Aharon and his sons, so they were showing a trust in YHWH instead of other securities by offering up this entire bull of which they would not eat this time.

12. "Then you shall take some of the bull's blood and apply it to the horns of the altar with your finger, then you shall pour out all the [rest of the] blood at the base of the altar.

Horns: on all four corners of the altar, to symbolize atonement for all four camps of Israel. Base of the altar: below the grating as well. The life is in the blood, so they are showing a connection between their lives and the place they will serve.

Overhanging lobe: Hirsch, "diaphragm". Liver: in Hebrew it means the "heavy" or “important” organ. Burn: or cause to smoke. In Hebrew, fat is a positive term meaning that which is best or is robust and healthy. This is what produced the best aroma, which YHWH often said was satisfying to Him. The word for “lobe” means what is more than enough” or “excellence”. Kidneys: from the word for “vessels”, that is, a tool or container which is not focused on for its own sake but used for a particular task. They are that which separates what is wholesome from what is useless.

This is a lot of valuable meat, leather, and what would still be useful for kindling or fertilizer, all “going down the drain”. Sin offering: or simply, "freeing from sin", to remove their prior guilt. (Hirsch) For this reason Yahshua had to be executed outside the gates of the city. But the text has no word here for “offering”; it simply says “sin”, which means “missing the target” in any sense. So this is showing that what came from the outside is not recognized by YHWH because it misses the target. What came from the inside is what can be offered on His altar. There can be no kingdom profit derived from sin. Many valuable things will be destroyed when we sin. We waste valuable time and valuable relationships. Only the Torah establishes what the target is.

16. "And you shall slaughter it, and take its blood and toss it onto the altar, all around.

“All around”: Later this was actually the particular name of a ledge that ran around the top of the foundation, since the next higher section of the altar was narrower. So this is giving clearer instruction as to exactly where to toss the blood with a jerking motion.

Cut into pieces: a picture of “rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Tim. 3:16). Malachi 2 tells us that the lips of the priest are to preserve knowledge, and they would teach each one who came to make a sacrifice how to do so, and in later generations fathers would pass this down to their sons. But it appears that they are preparing it to cook for dinner, yet will have no direct benefit from this one; no one will eat of it. It is given completely to YHWH. But anything we give to YHWH is profitable. If we offer our strength or security to Him, He becomes the same to us, though it will probably look very different from the world’s model. You might not even have a bank account or insurance policy, but His type lasts forever. It is not attached to temporary things, and we cannot use it in court to press our rights, but it is more real than any of these. He Himself is to be the priests’ inheritance. (Num. 18:20) He owns everything and can make more if He needs to, in order to provide what He knows we need. But we “can’t keep our bull and keep it too”. If we say YHWH is our security, we cannot keep seeking other forms of security and still serve Him. We cannot both give it up and continue chasing it. Get your hands off it, because it is about to be burned up. If you want to be close to YHWH, these other “securities” will only hurt you. They never keep their promises anyway. On its head: Called the "crowned sacrifice", its entrails were wrapped around its head. This was also done with the Passover lamb--a foreshadowing of Yahshua with his crown of thorns. His inward organs were also exposed after He was whipped. (Psalm 22:14-17)

The last phrase could also read, "It is a wife for YHWH", since our drawing near and ascending away from worldly things into holiness and His presence is what forms His bride.

20. "Then you shall slaughter the ram, and take some of its blood and put it on the tip of Aharon's ear--on the tip of Aharon's right ear and the earlobe of his sons, and on the thumb of the right hand, and on the big toe of their right foot, then you shall toss the blood on the altar all around.

Any of these body parts we could survive without, but having a thumb enables us to do things so much more efficiently, and haing a big toe means we can do more tha just Placing the blood of consecration on their ear lobes symbolized that they would hear and judge righteously; on their hands, it reminded them to be righteous in all their actions and imbue with holiness all that they hold. Putting it on their big toe would symbolize keeping their "walk"--a Hebrew euphemism for a righteous lifestyle-- in balance. The same procedure was done for one who was to be cleansed of leprosy, a disease of ritual uncleanness, which pictures selfishness (Lev. 14:14), and to the altar itself. This is not just any blood, but the blood of “strength” (the ram). It is therefore meant to strengthen our hearing, our works, and our walk with proper balance. It was only put on the right side of the body, magnifying the inclination to do right. As long as they served from this motivation, even if making mistakes, there was atonement. But if the other side, the inclination to evil, is served willfully, with not even an attempt to do right, there is no atonement. (Heb. 10:26-27; the context there defines one form of this sin as failing to consider one another and assemble together. The priest was a picture of complete selflessness, wearing uniforms that took the attention off self and served a larger purpose than their own needs. He was willing to weaken his own position in the world before men, but YHWH gives back more still.

Both the men and their garments were rendered thus holy. But their new and splendid garmnents are being covered with many drops of blood. They are not nice and shiny anymore. Everyone probably gasped when they saw this take place. This is to get them used to being covered with blood, for this will be part of their job from here on. Blood is where the life is, and dealing with people’s lives is very messy. It may be possible to stay clean when focusing only on a personal relationship with YHWH, and Church leaders may be able to do things the dainty way, but we cannot stay clean when responsible for making other people ready for the Kingdom as well. Talk is cheap; leaders must provet heir love for the people. When they are hurting, where are you?

The right foreleg (from the word for both "abundance" and "running") is thus connected to inauguration of the priests--comparable to Yahshua's being told to sit at the Father's right hand at his coronation. The inauguration gives the people and priests a definite point to look back at to remember when their responsibility began, and gave them a ceremony and ritual so they would havet hings to look at and hear and smell—to stimulate their senses so they would think about it. Each festivalk He gave also does the same, though not all at once. At Yom Teruah the emphasis is on hearing. At Yom Kippur we withdraw from our senses, and this speaks to us in a different way. At Sukkoth we have every sense stimulated. These are part of our “ordination” into being a”kingdom of priests”, though not Aharonic.

24. "Then put them all in the palms of Aharon and the palms of his sons, and wave them as a wave offering before the face of YHWH.

The waving would get people’s attention on the things being waved so the deeper meaning of their names (see vv. 2-3) Now he is literally “filling their hands”. They are already being put to work doing the things they can expect to be doing every day. He appears to be bringing them the strength and security they need to get the job done. The best things—not the steaks, as we would expect, but the organs, because of what they mean. He added two things as well: the right foreleg, and the fat tail, which is from a Hebrew word meaning to take an oath or wear. Taken together, it is a picture of raising one’s right hand to wear. Taking these seemingly nastry things in their hands is saying that they promise to do their job rightly.

As a soothing aroma: Aramaic, "to be accepted willingly".

Ration: or "assigned portion".

28. "And it shall belong to Aharon and his sons as a prescribed portion from the descendants of Israel in perpetuity--that is, it shall be a contribution from the descendants of Israel from what is slaughtered for their peace offerings--their contribution to YHWH.

This time it was Moshe’s portion (v. 26), but he has no successor as such; hereafter, the same part will go to Aharon and his sons. They will end up eating more meat than anyone else, and in the second Temple times, when more people were having to make offerings, they had to have an intestinal specialist on the Temple premises because of this. But this was just part of their job.

Have their hands filled: possibly an idiom for being assigned their particular tasks.

Seven days: to let them get accustomed to their position, to let a renewal take place in their own hearts. They w*ould have to remain in the sanctuary precinct for the entire seven days, for they could not wear these clothes elsewhere. Seven is the number of completeness, and is a picture of the seven years in which the earth will be purified at the inauguration of the Messianic Kingdom. The altar likewise undergoes a seven-day atonement, anointing, and sanctification (v. 37). This pomp and circumstance was to take place every time there was a succession in priesthood, for it was to be a big event that could not be missed, since it marke dthe time people confined to the cities of refuge could finally go free.

32. "and Aharon and his sons shall eat the ram's flesh and the bread that is in the basket [at] the opening to the Tent of Appointment.

Verse 23 identifies this bread as unleavened. This is a covenant meal, emphasizing an intimacy with YHWH. This is why it is important who we eat with.

Stranger: not just one never known by the community, but also one who turns aside from it, committing spiritual adultery. In this case, it is referring to anyone other than Aharon and his descendants. A stranger shall not eat: like the Passover lamb, there are restrictions on who may partake of it. Note YHWH’s many allusions to Passover in this context. (See also v. 32 and v. 46)

This is reminiscent of the manna that was not to be left until morning, and of Yahshua's prayer for YHWH to "give us this day our daily bread". He is always there to continue providing for us tomorrow as He did today. But what is holy must not be allowed to spoil. Like the Passover lamb, what is set apart can only be consumed within a particular time frame; after that it is destroyed by fire so no one else will incur guilt by eating of it. It cannot be seen as common food; if it is not eaten at this meal, it is not to be eaten at any other. The bread (referring to that in v. 32) was all unleavened (v. 2), again a reminder of Passover. One must wonder whether this ceremony took place at the anniversary of Passover. The rescue from Egypt only got us started—as with Yahshua. Aharon carries on the Passover by continuing to provide a blood covering for the people.

36. "That is, daily you shall prepare a bull as a sin offering in regard to the atonements, and as you make atonement you will cleanse it from impurity. Then anoint it to make it holy.

Or, ...atonements, and cleanse it from sin [bear a loss for it]; then when you make atonement, anoint it to set it apart.

The altar is prepared in the same way they are prepared for service. Everything that touches: This does not mean that if someone touched the altar he would become a priest, or even be immune to punishment, as Shlomoh’s brother Adoniyah would find out. (1 Kings 2:28ff) It means that only what is already set apart may be brought to the altar. Only the priests may touch it. No unclean meat may be brought onto it. Even the wood brought to the altar had to be perfect; each piece was inspected and judged worthy or not. (The rest was put to other uses for the priests.) No one is free to approach YHWH in a way of his own choosing; He has defined how He wants to be approached—including that we approach Him in His own name, not those of other deities.

39. "--prepare the one lamb in the morning, and the second lamb you shall prepare between the evenings.

40. "And for the one lamb, a tenth [part of a measure] of fine flour mixed with a quarter of a hin of pure pressed oil, and a quarter of a hin of wine as a libation offering.

A measure: probably a tenth of an eyfah, which is an omer, the measure that is counted from the first day of the week after Passover until Shavuoth. Hin: a liquid measure holding about five quarts or five liters.

Between the evening [oblation]s: before the next day begins, as evening approaches.

To speak to you: Aramaic, "I will appoint My Memra [living Word] to be there for you." Throughout your generations: While Yahshua said that there would come a time when people would not worship YHWH in Yerushalayim, He did not say this was to be a permanent thing; it is a temporary punishment, but all the propets allude to the restoration of the sanctuary.

All of this is done under YHWH’s authority. If He stops showing up, their authority could be called into question. He probably demonstared this with the pillar of cloud again.

45. "And I will dwell in the midst of the descendants of Israel, and I will be to them for an Elohim;

Dwell: or "rest My presence". In the midst of: b'tavekh--in the place bisected or cut in half. He honors His covenant. (Ancient covenants were ratified by cutting animals in half and walking together between them; see Genesis 15:7-17.) We need to make His temple--both our individual bodies and, more importantly, the community that we form as we become one building--a fitting place for His presence to rest. When others are brought closer to Elohim, you are too.

I am YHWH: This does not just mean, “Do this because I said so”, but, “by doing this, learn to know Me.” Because He had done all of these things to the priests, the whole nation would be eligible to take hold of the covenant of the Land again, and to have Him dwell in our midst. These are not just boring, redundant activities, though many are repeated daily or yearly. By seeing who the priests are and what they do, the people could understand YHWH. The best we can do now, when we cannot see them being done, is study them. Participate in a slaughter if you can, so you can get into this context in your mind. When it is all back, we will have a fuller understanding. Aharon did not refuse this responsibility, saying, “I have played second fiddle to my younger brother long enough. I endangered my life may times by going before Pharaoh. I know I will die if I do this wrongly; I do not want that responsibility. I have done more than anyone else already; please find someone else.” He had a life, too, and this would take up all his time and commitment. He had no days off after this. But wisdom, experience, understanding, and trustworthiness are all useless where there is no willingness. This was the deciding factor in whether it would work. Aharon was willing; will we take up our part of the responsibility for the Kingdom?

CHAPTER 30

Burning: literally, making it smoke; the word is a variation of the word for incense itself, so the idea is really, “turning potential smoke into smoke”. Incense: the Aramaic term includes the sense of being aromatic. The powder itself smells sweet, but when it touches the embers, it releases much more of the smell so it can spread out everywhere. Incense is symbolic of the prayers of the righteous. (Rev. 8:4; see note on verse 8 below) This is borne out by the Second-Temple practice that at the hour when a priest took his now once-in-a-lifetime turn at burning incense in the Holy Place, representatives of all Israel prayed outside. (Luke 1:8) Indeed, often we do not pray as honestly as we ought until the heat is turned up. Again, this altar is made of acacia wood (many small sticks that form one object)--a picture of the community of multiple sticks made into one.

This altar is the only furnishing with no half-cubit measures--a picture of Yahshua, who has no incompleteness in him. It has the same measurement in either direction on the sides parallel to the earth, but is twice as high as it is wide, showing us that it is an object concerned with ascension. Prayer must be twice as inclined toward the heavens (an idiom for the Messianic Kingdom) than toward the earth. If our prayers are from a worldly perspective, they are coming from the wrong level. The incense does not begin from the ground; what begins there cannot reach all the way to YHWH’s nostrils, which is probably best, because it will not be a pleasing smell. We must begin our ascent before we can truly pray. We may have to prostrate ourselves and get close to the ground so we can become detached from the ground, for prayer must come from an elevated place to be appropriate. A part of itself: or, of one piece with itself. Like the brazen altar, it has projections, called by the same Hebrew word as animal horns, and as we saw in chapter 27, they can be used either to protect or to gore, and can become an entanglement to us. The coals for this altar came from that other altar of judgment, and judgment can likewise be for us or against us, depending on whether we judge ourselves first so external judgment need not be forced on us. In fact, the primary root meaning of the term for prayer in Hebrew is to judge—and we start by judging ourselves (Mat. 7:5; 1 Cor. 11:31). We should not just careen into His presence. We must consider where our own hearts are before we dare to ask YHWH for anything. This is why this altar has horns too.

This altar was only about ½ meter (or yard) by ½ meter by 1 meter high--the smallest piece of Tabernacle furniture, symbolizing the fact that we do not need grand, verbose prayers in order to reach YHWH. (Matt. 6:7) Yet it is made of gold; we cannot neglect its importance either. Everything in the Tabernacle (e.g., 25:11; 28:14, et al) that symbolizes our connection to YHWH or to one another is pure gold, and the purity is the same word for ritual purity, being a picture of selflessness.

Housings: i.e., holders. To carry it: There are designated places and times especially set aside for prayer, but though the altar of incense usually stayed in one place, it was portable--a reminder that we can pray anywhere, and indeed are told to prayer without ceasing (1 Thess. 5:16-17). We should be in constant communication with YHWH, but just as the altar was misused by Uzziyahu, prayer can be abused in many ways.

6. "Then you shall set it in front of the veil which is beside the ark of the testimony, in front of the atoning cover which is over the testimony--there where I meet you.

The golden altar sat directly in front of the ark where YHWH rests His presence (25:22). The only thing between it and the ark is the veil. In Revelation 8, we see incense being offered directly before the throne in Heaven, of which the ark is symbolic. There is no veil there, because it symbolizes (with the images woven into it), the kh’ruvim that block access to the throne. Yahshua can come directly before the throne, having done no sin. (1 Tim. 2:5) We do not have direct access in this realm, but like the High Priest who goes beyond the veil on Yom Kippur, he interposes for us. (Heb. 7:25) The High Priest takes coals from this altar to burn incense within the Holy of Holies, just as an angel takes incense mingled with the prayers of the righteous before the true throne in the dimension to which we do not yet have access—but Yahshua does. When the fullness of the Gentiles (Ephraim and Menashe) return, the blinding will be removed (Gen. 48:19; Rom. 11:25), and Israel can again eventually have access to Eden. For now, we must focus now on coming back into clear communication with the Father (Yoch. 5:19, 30), becoming holy enough again through Yahshua’s blood and renewed obedience so He can meet with us as He did with Adam.

Sweet: actually any sort of spicing or perfuming; LXX, "fine compounded incense". Rabbinic writers say this mixing of spices represents the mingling of all the aspects of the whole community.(More on this at verse 24. Morning by morning: Aramaic, "every morning". Dresses the lamps: makes them right, taking them down one by one and clearing away the darkened residue of the burning oil so that they can again shine brightly. It is renewed twice per day (see v. 8), and we need to be also. The menorah (representing Torah, which illuminates the bread that represents the unity of Israel) cannot be lit apart from communication with YHWH, for that is the main thing He wishes to restore. In Eden, it was direct, without all these intermediaries, and if we focus on the intermediaries apart from their goal, it is all mere religion. The main point is to put ourselves in a position to again hear from YHWH. Without this, there is no purpose in reading the Torah or being in community. Every time Aharon would serve in the sanctuary, he would smell this fragrance. The smell would come to be associated with trimming off the blackened wicks, clearing soot from the openings of the lamps one by one (so that there is always at least one burning), and refreshing the oil in this picture of the vine and branches, the teacher and students, or Messiah and the righteous, who are served in order to become servants to others. When Aharon makes sure the light is burning well and tends this picture of Israel’s righteous deeds bringing light to the world, the idea in itself offers up a fragrant aroma to YHWH. And when we make sure the relationships are right between us and that our deeds are rightly motivated, we, too, will be bringing Him this pleasure.

Between the evening [oblations]: one of the three times a day set aside as hours of prayer (e.g., Daniel 6:10)—morning, the ninth hour (about 3:00 p.m., which Acts 3:1 tells us was the right time for healing), and at evening, based on the recorded prayers of Avraham in the morning, Yitzhaq in the afternoon, and Yaaqov in the evening. This establishes a connection between the hour of prayer and the incense. These two refreshings of incense would correspond to the times of shakharit and ma’ariv prayers. At the time the “students” are getting fresh oil from their “teacher”, our fires are also lit again. The soot is cleared from our edges. When we enter into prayer with a whole heart, we receive a fresh anointing, and that is what prayer is about.

Foreign incense: any but the specific mixture prescribed by YHWH. Aharon's own sons disobeyed this command within the very next generation. (Leviticus 10) This pictures misuse of prayer, or having the wrong mediator. (cf. 1 Tim. 2:5) Yaaqov (James) 4:3 tells us how even prayer can be a sin. Sinning simply means missing the target. He says when we ask to spend YHWH’s answers on our own pleasures, we are asking amiss—that is, missing the target. In that case, prayer is the wrong thing to do. It is also wrong to say, “I’ll pray about it” when confronted with a Scripture that shows clearly what YHWH wants us to do. That is just an excuse to avoid repentance when He has already given us His answer. He will not change His word for you! He gives us a time to spend on our pleasures—the feast of Sukkoth. (Deut. 14:26) The rest of the year, ask for Kingdom things. We need to pray for ourselves, of course, but only in light of the whole community of Israel and for the benefit of the Kingdom, not as someone asking to be handed something we are not willing to work for. Some training is necessary, but there comes a point at which, if we are not committed with our whole selves to what we are praying for, our prayer is profaned. If it will benefit the community, it is not a sin. Rabbi Hirsch says this also teaches that we may not formulate other sets of high ideals than those received from the Torah. Is it a sin to offer burnt offerings or grain offerings? Not in general, but it is a sin to offer them on this altar. They have their prescribed place; this is not it. Anything we do not do the way we were told is sin. The word for altar in Hebrew is related to the word for slaughter, yet nothing slaughtered is to be offered on this altar. But the coals on which the incense was burned were taken from the daily offerings on the brazen altar outside, so there is a connection between the two. The fire for our prayers must come from a place where the flesh has already been offered. Yahshua sent the Spirit of fire from the heavenlies that kindled on the heads and hearts of His followers (Yoch. 14:25; Acts 2)—from one altar to another, enabling us to pray as we ought. (Rom. 8:26).

Make atonement: Aram., "achieve atonement...for your future generations". Once a year: on Yom Kippur. On the day we are to be busy about our souls, this altar is used for a different-than-usual use. It has a special significance, for Yom Kippur is the ultimate cleaning of the menorah. It is about getting each lamp in the community in perfect condition. As the fast helps us focus on repentance, so do the special prayers we offer on this day. They are to be an especially-sweet aroma to YHWH. It is a time to judge ourselves, and making excuses goes directly against this. Any prayer, but especially at this time, is a time to compare your attitude with the words that are coming out of your mouth: Are you willing to do what needs to be done in order to receive what you are asking for? If your child asks you for a pet, and you are able to give it to him, you would remind him that it will be his responsibility to care for it once he has it. Are you willing to do the same for what you are asking YHWH for? “You just might get it.” Asking without judging can get you into a lot of trouble. YHWH has given us as much as He thinks we can handle; He knows that if He gave us wealth, it could ruin us or take our focus far off where it should be. Don’t ask until you are ready to be faithful with the “pet” He gives you. When we are serving Israel, our prayers are heard. (Luqa 7:4-5; Acts 10:31) Other actions of ours will keep our prayers from being heard: giving consideration to wickedness (Psalm 66:16ff), disdaining YHWH’s counsel and rebuke and hating kowledge (Prov. 1:23ff), shutting our ears to the cries of the poor (Prov. 21:13), having hands full of blood—also an idiom for putting all our efforst toward our own lives (Yeshayahu 1:15ff), refusing to hear His instruction (Zkh. 7:11ff), or doubting that He will answer us (Yaaqov 1:6). If we are not walking in what is right, it is a waste of time to pray for YHWH’s favors, unless we are prepared to make the changes necessary to receive from Him. And think about what you have done with what He has already given. We may need to stop collecting gifts and start using them, so we do not become a stagnant pond. He may have even already given us what we need, and we are not just using it because we do not know what He has said about the very thing we are requesting. We need to take inventory, entering into stricter judgment, to find out why we are missing some things it seems we need.