Mark Call of Shabbat Shalom Mesa made the decision to treat the last few weeks of regular readings, which included a “double-portion,” separately – because there was so much in there that needed to be given more time. So, this week, we will catch up, at least a bit, with a different combination ‘double parsha,’ and see that the combination also fits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Parsha “Bechukotai,” (Leviticus 26 through the end of the Book) from the opening verse, IF you WALK, “IN MY Statutes,” is perhaps the second most dramatic set of “blessings and curses” in Scripture, after Deuteronomy chapter 28. And it includes what Mark has called the set of “seven times seven times seven times seven” — and a litany of curses that any of us would be hard pressed to argue aren’t at least in their initial stages, or worse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Erev Shabbat reading then continues with parsha “Bemidbar,” (Numbers chapters 1 through 4) and the command to Moshe and Aaron to “lift up the head” or number – take a census – the men of ‘fighting age’ in the mixed multitude. And the details make certain elements of that effort stand out over the millenia:<\/p>\n\n\n\n