Parasha Tazria-Metzorah (She Bears Seed - Infected)

from Rabbi Jack… Bible link
A favorite topic of discussion by religious people and religious cults is biblical prohibition of cooking on the Shabbat. I would like to address and clarify this topic. Numbers 15:31-36 is about the man gathering sticks on the Shabbat. Clearly, from reading these verses of scripture we see that Moses and the elders did not know what the man’s intentions were, whether it was to gather sticks to light a fire for cooking or to light a fire for working.    Numbers 15:34 “There was no clear instruction about what should be done to him…” The question that Moses and the Elders had, was, ‘was gathering wood a violation of Shabbat?’  Exodus 35:2 “For six days, work is to be done, but the seventh day shall be your holy day, a day of Sabbath rest to the LORD. Whoever does any work on it is to be put to death.” We can see from this scripture that working on the Shabbat carried the death penalty but from the next verse we see that lighting a fire on the Shabbat did not carry the death penalty. Exodus 35:3 “Do not light a fire in any of your dwellings on the Sabbath day.” This verse does not give any indication of the death penalty being required for lighting a fire for cooking. So, we have to conclude that this man was put to death, not because he wanted to cook on the Shabbat but because he intended to work on the Shabbat. Most likely the work he intended to do was related to the building of the Tabernacle. God had just commanded not to light a fire on Shabbat with the intention of working and the work that was implied was building the Tabernacle on the Shabbat. Many people would have been involved in the Tabernacle’s construction; silversmiths, goldsmiths, carvers, tanners, dyers of wool and so forth, most if not all of these tasks would require fire to accomplish. In their zeal to get the job done and knowing human nature, I believe God was reminding the children of Israel that they were not to light a fire on Shabbat to do any work associated with building the Tabernacle. In fact, He felt so strongly about it that He attached the death penalty to it, a penalty, like I said, that was not attached to cooking on the Shabbat!
from Ellen… Bible link
Today we throw words out too quickly.  Sometimes we do not think before we speak and things go haywire. We have thoughts, good thoughts but at times there is a disconnect in how we translate them into words.  The other week was not only Passover but also Easter.  Even though we do not celebrate Easter I kept hearing and reading one word popping up numerous times.  The word was “passion”.  When you hear this word what do you think of?  So, I asked this question of myself and did a little research.  Sadly, the world sees passion more times than not, in a sensual sense, so I did not want to go there.  Where did I go?  I went to the Scriptures and here is what I found.  In John 2.13-20 Yeshua had a great passion for His Father’s house, so he cleared it of man’s corruption.  Martin Luther King Jr. and Eleanor Josaitis were passionate about freedom and equality for people of color. Yeshua had and continues to have the greatest of all passion for His people to be saved, that is his name, SALVATION!  So, I am asking you today…”what is your passion?” I have two wonderful sisters that have a passion for people to be well in more natural ways than with medications.  They study and research their passion continually (BTW they both received Yeshua, hallelujah)!  My husband desires that there be salvation throughout the world, so he studies and researches the Word with insight and passion.  There are chefs who have a passion to continually study food; there are specialized medical doctors who have a passion to research disease and bodily functions; there are gardeners who have a passion to research seeds and flowers; lawyers that continually study loopholes, ha-ha just kidding. So, again I am asking you, “what are you passionate about?”  I ask you to ponder this and take a look at yourself as I looked at myself. I do have one final scripture to share and it is in Titus 2.11-13S: “For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say No to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age.”  I encourage us all to pursue godly passions!
Yours in Messiah Yeshua, "…while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Messiah Yeshua." (Titus 2:13) Rabbi Jack & Ellen
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