Questions & Commentary on Parashat Shelach-lekha
1. In this week's Torah portion, we read about the mitzva of tzitzit (Numbers 15:37-41).
What is this commandment meant to teach us? Why is it considered to be one of
the most significant commandments in Judaism?
Rabbi Jason Sobel
The great importance of the tzitzit is
underscored by the following story:
One day a group of students asked their Rabbi what was the
greatest sin a person could commit. He responded by saying, "To forget that you
are a child of the King of Kings." Then they proceeded to ask what the next
greatest sin was. Their Rabbi replied, "To know that you are a child of the
King and not to live like one."
The first reason why the mitzva of tzitzit
is so significant is that it reminds us of our relationship to the Lord. They
declare to all who see them that we are children of the King who have been
called by him to be a royal and priestly Nation (Exodus 19:6).
Tzitzit underscores this spiritual calling
and relationship in several ways. First it reminds us that we are a "Royal
Priesthood." The tzitzit remind us of this role through the petil
techelet, the single blue cord, attached to each of the four tassels.
The Hebrew word petil, meaning "cord or
thread" occurs in a limited number of places in the Bible. One is found in
Genesis 38:8 were Judah
gives his seal and cord petil to Tamar as collateral for her services. The seal
as well as the cord indicated the identity and status of its owner.
A cord/petil dyed blue/techelet as in
the case of the tzitzit would further underscore the special status of
the owner. In the ancient world, blue dyed garments were very expensive and
were thus associated with royalty. In the book of Esther, Mordechai left the
palace of the king clothed in "royal apparel of techelet" (Esther 8:15). Thus one reason why God instructed us to
place one cord of techelet on the each of our four tassels is to remind
us that we are royalty, sons and daughters of the King.
Another reason is to remind us that we are called to
be a priestly people. As such, our goal and purpose as a nation is primarily to
serve the Lord through keeping all his commandments. The connection between tzitzit
and our role as a "Royal Priesthood" is further evidenced by the fact that the
only other place were the term petil techelet appears is in association
with the construction of the golden headband worn by the High Priest:
Make a plate (tzitz)
of pure gold and engrave on it as on a seal: HOLY TO THE LORD. Fasten a blue
cord (petil techelet) to it to attach
it to the turban; it is to be on the front of the turban.
Exodus 28:36
Thus the use of the word tzitz and the phrase
petil techelet clearly alludes to the fact that the head garment worn by
the High Priest and the tassels worn by the children of Israel
are interrelated. The tzitzit remind us that all of us are called to
play a priestly role in this world. Through the help of Messiah Yeshua and the
Holy Spirit, may all of us life up to this high calling as children of the
King.
2. What is the major theme of Parashat Shelach-lekha,
and how is it connected to the reason why God did not allow us to enter the
Promised Land?
Joshua Brumbach
This week's parasha begins with the sending
out of the twelve spies. After reconnoitering the land God was about to give
them, they returned with news that the land was indeed flowing with chalav
udevash, milk and honey. However, due to their lack of faith in God, they
also reported that there were fierce people dwelling there, and that the cities
were fortified and well protected.
Continuing, the Torah says, "At this all the people
of Israel cried
out in dismay and wept all night long" (Numbers 14:1). They began to grumble
against their leaders, Moses, Aaron, Joshua, and Caleb; and cried out to return
back to Egypt.
The people lost faith that it was possible to enter the land that God had
promised them.
Joshua and Caleb pleaded with the entire community,
"If the LORD is pleased with us, then he will bring us into this land and give
it to us - a land flowing with milk and honey.
Just do not rebel against the LORD" (Numbers 14:8).
Trusting in their insecurities, Israel
rebelled against the LORD, and thought it would be better to return back to Egypt
(the place of enslavement). This lack of faith ignited God's anger, and he
appeared before all the people and threatened to destroy us.
During one of the most beautiful sections of the
Torah (Numbers 14:13-19), Moses
pleads with God to reconsider and forgive his people. God agrees, but with the
condition that the generation who had the opportunity to enter the land, but
rebelled and lacked faith, would not see the promise fulfilled. The generation
that rebelled against God was forced to return to the desert to wander for
forty years.
The concluding verses of the parasha describe
the commandment to wear tzitzit on the corners of our garments. These
verses are the origin for the mitzva of wearing a tallit. God
instructed that the wearing of tzitziyot were meant to be a reminder for
all generations, that we must look upon them and remember our relationship and
covenant obligation to God. Why? "So that you shall not follow after your own
heart and eyes after which you go astray (Numbers 15:39)."
The wearing of tzitzit is meant to serve as a
safeguard against our lack of faith, to be a constant reminder of not only
God's commandments, but also to his loving faithfulness to each one of us. All
too often we focus on the negatives we are faced with each day and forget the
many times we have seen God act on our behalf, the many miracles God has done
for us, and the deliverance from that which we all have been set free from.
Just like our ancestors, we often lack faith. We know God's promises for our
lives, but we often cower when faced with fierce opponents and well fortified
lands. It is so much easier to hide behind our insecurities and cry out to
return to our own individual Egypts
- the places of our individual enslavement.
Why do we wear tzitzit? Because we constantly need reminders of our
faith and our constant devotion to God, so that we, like our ancestors, will
have the faith to enter the Promised Land.
Julie Goodman
Matthew 26:17-30 - In Good Company
During the feast of one of the most honored
celebrations in Jewish life, Passover, Yeshua, who knows of his oncoming death,
spends his last meal with his twelve disciples. These twelve had been most
faithful as they learned from Yeshua's life through his teachings and his
example. Can you imagine at the dinner table, particularly with the celebratory,
yet somber mood hovering over the room, thinking to yourself, "He knows
everything. He knows I'm going to betray before I even know it! Will it be me?"
Yeshua already knew who would betray him. He already
knew how it would take place.
The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will
betray me. The Son of Man will go just as it is written about . . . But woe to
that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not
been born." Then Judas, the one who would betray him said, "Surely not I,
Rabbi?" Yeshua answered, "Yes, it is you."
Matthew 26:23-25
Just a few hours before, Judas had made his plans to
give up Yeshua to the authorities. He'd already given him away for a price of
thirty silver coins (26:15). Did Judas really think he could really get away
with Yeshua not knowing? After this conversation however, what does Yeshua do?
There are at least two options:
- He stays seated
with the entire group in the company of not only one betrayer, but two. Peter
will deny his knowing and following Yeshua just hours later.
- Yeshua remains calm,
continues with the meal, and includes both Judas and Peter, instead of scolding
them and turning them away.
I can't imagine the pain in Yeshua's heart, knowing
that two of his closest followers would betray him. Why does he continue to
break bread with Judas and Peter at the Last Supper when he could justifiably
send them away, knowing the pain that they were bound to cause him?
Yeshua knew exactly what would take place according
to the Scriptures (26:24) and he accepted it in order to fulfill his divine
destiny. In humility, Yeshua offered himself as the divine-human sacrifice not
only in his death (hours later) but in this example of his life. Where he could
have easily acted human, he righteously acted divine.
Yeshua saw the role of humanity the Father's divine
plan. He loved Judas and Peter in spite of their human downfalls. How many of
us would forgive someone enough to sit and dine with them, to break bread with
them before they commit an offense that we already know they will commit? What
examples can you think of that represent a modern picture of this concept?
Maybe one would be inviting a man who I know is about to repossess my house to
dinner. Or perhaps dining with a friend who I know is about to gossip about me
to others in just a few hours during a social event. These examples seem
superficial, and yet, what would we do if we knew ahead of time how people
would offend us? I don't imagine that we would dine with them or treat them
kindly, but instead we would be angry about their offenses and probably turn
them away. Not so with our Lord, who in his omniscient role already knew the
part that humanity would play in the divine realms.
Parashat Shelach-lekha
1. In
this week’s Torah portion, we read about the mitzva of tzitzit
(Numbers 15:37-41). What is this
commandment meant to teach us? Why is it considered to be one of the most
significant commandments in Judaism?
2. What is the major
theme of Parashat Shelach-lekha, and
how is it connected to the reason why God did not allow us to enter the
Promised Land?
NEXT WEEK'S READINGS
- PARASHAT QORACH
Numbers 16:1-18:32,
29:9-15
Isaiah 66:1-24
Mark 14:32-50
UPCOMING YACHAD NETWORK EVENTS
3rd Annual Young Leaders Shabbaton
Beverly Hills, CA ● June 8-9, 2007
6th Annual Young Messianic Jewish Scholars Conference
Beverly Hills, CA ● June 10-11, 2007
Learning 
