Parsha “Mishpatim” (Exodus chapters 21 through 24) is – no doubt about it — the Scriptural “next step” after the general principles and ‘broad strokes’ of the “Ten Commandments.”
It is also the most “judgment-oriented” parsha in the Torah, and has more of what the title says, ‘mishpatim,’ judgments or ordinances, than any other. More importantly, it is THE basis for what once formed the heart of the ‘common law’, and the very essence of ‘righteousness’ and thus civil society.
The fact that it is now “politically INcorrect” speaks volumes.
Join Mark Call first for the Erev Shabbat review of all of that, and the reason why REAL ‘social justice’ is what YHVH says it is, as opposed to self-described “warriors” against it:
During the Sabbath Day teaching — and this week especially — Mark takes a deeper look the stark differences between what NOW passes for “law,” and what really is.
Parsha Yitro (Exodus chapters 18 through 20) is most famously associated with the giving of the “Ten Commandments” to the mixed multitude of “All Israel” on Mount Sinai.
There is, of course, much more. More to the story, more to what was said, and maybe even more than just “ten” of ’em.
During the Sabbath Day teaching, Mark continues that teaching with a deeper look at some of the major “themes” of Yitro, from his mission, to the ‘preparation’ for what is to come, to the famous Covenant itself. There’s even a bit of “nerdy Markology”, which hopefully informed speculation, perhaps couched in modern terminology to help expand on a millenia-old event.
And have you ever noticed that YHVH describes what He is offering to a “Kingdom of PRIESTS” even before those cohenim are identified later as specifically from the tribe of Levi?
including some observations, and ‘dot-connection’, regarding what may have been one of the biggest “data dumps” in human history.
Mark calls it “channel prep” — preparing US for the download, and all the ‘hyperlinks’ that computer channels do at electronic speeds nowadays, but we still have to do by preparing ourselves — line by line, precept by precept — for His instruction to be written on our hearts, so we can walk what we have already been told is a “narrow path” — and FEW there be that find it.
Join Mark Call for the first parsha in the lives of the patriarchs, “Lech Lecha,” (Genesis chapters 12 through 17) in which Abram is told to “go forth” out of his home, away from all that he has known, “by faith”…only later to be worthy of being renamed “Abraham”.
During the Sabbath Day teaching, Mark takes a deeper look at why “go forth,” (or “come out!”) should still resonate so profoundly with each of us today, still faced with remarkably similar challenges:
The message in the Torah portion for this week (Vayelek, Deuteronomy chapter 31) is an elegant, and concise, summary of what Moshe told those who were about to enter the Promised Land. It’s also an elegant, concise warning that is every bit as vital to understand today, in such as time as this, as it was thousands of years ago.
Join Mark Call of Shabbat Shalom Mesa fellowship for this week’s teaching of “Shoftim,” (Deuteronomy 16:18 through 21:9), which seems to literally encapsulate most of what is ABSOLUTELY WRONG with the western world today!
The Erev Shabbat overview of course begins with the commandment to select righteous (in other words, Torah-obedient) judges, or ‘shoftim’, to the end that “justice, JUSTICE!” you shall pursue.
Those who have been following what passes for “just-us” nowadays will recognize just how far we have fallen. And the rest of the parsha truly brings that home.
The Sabbath Day teaching is perhaps even more NOT ‘politically-correct’ than last week, to the extent that Mark demonstrates how the command in the last verse in the parsha, literally the one-line summary, is to “<em>do what is RIGHT in the eyes of YHVH</em>.”
Not only has ‘the world’ now gone beyond merely what the Book of Shoftim (Joshua) suggests is a Big Problem, “every man did that which was right in HIS OWN EYES,” but the opposite extreme now has become an overt attempt to “do that which is downright EVIL in the eyes of Him they so clearly hate!”
Join Mark Call of Shabbat Shalom Mesa fellowship for this week’s teaching of “Ekev,” (Deuteronomy 7:12 through 11:25), where ‘because’ (the way the portion begins) really IS only the beginning of the story.
And the Erev Shabbat overview of course begins there, and follows the text, including still more insight into Moses’ continuing theme, “hear,” obey,” do, and LIVE:
The Sabbath Day teaching starts with some understanding that the Hebrew words don’t necessarily mean exactly how they’re [mis]translated into English. A word like “shema/shemar”, for example, is actually even more than “hear and OBEY”, because that obedience is an INFORMED choice, if we ‘love Him’.
And how can we “love” Him, trust Him, even “obey Him” if we have not only ‘forgotten Him,’ but can’t even “hear” Him?
And on such “trivial” distinctions, civilizations fall.
Join Mark Call of Shabbat Shalom Mesa fellowship for this week’s teaching of “Vaetchanon,” (Deuteronomy 3:23 through 7:11), arguably one of THE most “central” and fundamental teachings in the entire Torah.
The Erev Shabbat overview begins at “and I besought”, the opening words, “V’etchanan” through the warnings about idolatry, and not “adding to,” or “subtracting from” (still VERY popular with both exiled houses!) to the Ten Debarim (commandments, or sayings) and what is described by the Torah Made Flesh as THE most important commandment in Scripture. The main theme, however, is not just “hear,” but “obey,” and “DO!”:
Join Mark Call of Shabbat Shalom Mesa fellowship for this week’s teaching of “Pinchas,” (Numbers 25:10 through 30:1), which includes one of the most “problematic” examples and rewards in the Torah. How can what might be described as murder be rewarded by Yahuah with a perpetual Covenant of Peace?
The Erev Shabbat overview describes the “rest of the story,” since the major action actually took place at the end of last week’s parsh, and then what might seem to be a variety of disjointed other bits and pieces, from a second ‘head count’ to a recap of His ‘moedim’ (appointed times and feasts).
The Sabbath Day teaching explores what it means to be “zealous” for YHVH not only in a bit more depth, but in ‘context’ as well. Pinchas (Phineas) acted to save lives by making a public demonstration against those who — by their actions — acted in open defiance of Yahuah. But he was also “in the camp”, taking action to keep it clean.
If nothing else, Mark proves, while we are still in exile, the world we live in could hardly pass for a clean camp.
And it certainly shouldn’t surprise us that the portion is again SO relevant to the “times and seasons” today. It even has more to say about what constitutes “blasphemy” against His Ruach.
Join Mark Call of Shabbat Shalom Mesa fellowship for this week’s teaching of “Balak,” (Numbers 22:2 through 25:11), where the undeniably apropos metaphor of “Balaam’s Ass” is only one memorable part of the Real Story.
The Erev Shabbat overview describes a Torah portion that is a significant departure from the “journey to the land narrative,” because it not only DOESN’T include the usual cast of characters, but is filled with ‘colorful metaphors’ that have SO much resonance that they have literally “molded” our language! (Even if we now seem to see some of the terminology as “tacky”. But the reason – even the pun – is right here!)
Alternative link via Hebrew Nation Radio for overview Erev Shabbat teaching:
The Sabbath Day teaching this week comes with another warning up front, this time because Mark is arguably even harder than usual – because the lesson of this parsha is! – on the ‘whore church’, and the paganism that now literally IS pervasive. When prominent politicians, pundits, and priests openly break oaths before a ‘god’ they either “know not,” or just plain lie about, and demonstrate “by their fruits” their utter contempt for His Word, we need to see the “coming battle” for what it is. And, yes, Mark uses some VERY strong language, because sometimes, blasphemy against His Ruach merits nothing less.
This week, Mark Call of Shabbat Shalom Mesa fellowship teaches parsha “Chukat,” (Numbers chapters 19 through 21) and THE element described as the very essence of what a “chuk” is — aka “statute”, but really, ‘just DO IT because your Creator said to.’ This one is particularly poignant, because not only are the lessons NOT “done away with”, or obsolete, but some understanding of death is central to loving life, and living it in spite of challenges and worse.
The Erev Shabbat overview begins with that most famous, and perplexing ‘chuk’ of the Red Heifer. But it turns out that the story is far more intricate, and interconnected, than we may have thought.
Alternative link to the Erev Shabbat teaching via Hebrew Nation Radio:
The Sabbath Day teaching this week comes with a warning up front, because not only is the primary subject of this parsha DEATH, but Mark more than suggests that “death” has become so ingrained in this culture and ‘the church’ that the warnings, the metaphor, the ‘picture’ that YHVH is painting here has not only been lost in twisting and idolatry, but turned on its head.