Moses the pharmacist

It’s interesting that people usually name Moses as a prophet, army leader, Judge, but no one calls him a pharmacist. Maybe since the chapters about the tabernacle considered to be less attractive in the readers’ eye.
Let’s examine the verses that show us the Moses was also a pharmacist, as written:

” וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהוָ֖ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר׃וְאַתָּ֣ה קַח־לְךָ֮ בְּשָׂמִ֣ים רֹאשׁ֒ מָר־דְּרוֹר֙ חֲמֵ֣שׁ מֵא֔וֹת וְקִנְּמָן־בֶּ֥שֶׂם מַחֲצִית֖וֹ חֲמִשִּׁ֣ים וּמָאתָ֑יִם וּקְנֵה־בֹ֖שֶׂם חֲמִשִּׁ֥ים וּמָאתָֽיִם׃וְקִדָּ֕ה חֲמֵ֥שׁ מֵא֖וֹת בְּשֶׁ֣קֶל הַקֹּ֑דֶשׁ וְשֶׁ֥מֶן זַ֖יִת הִֽין׃וְעָשִׂ֣יתָ אֹת֗וֹ שֶׁ֚מֶן מִשְׁחַת־קֹ֔דֶשׁ רֹ֥קַח מִרְקַ֖חַת מַעֲשֵׂ֣ה רֹקֵ֑חַ שֶׁ֥מֶן מִשְׁחַת־קֹ֖דֶשׁ יִהְיֶֽה׃

” Moreover the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Take thou also unto thee principal spices, of pure myrrh five hundred shekels, and of sweet cinnamon half so much, even two hundred and fifty shekels, and of sweet Calamus two hundred and fifty shekels, And of cassia five hundred shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary, and of oil olive a hin: And thou shalt make it an oil of holy ointment, an ointment compound after the art of the apothecary: it shall be a holy anointing oil.” (Exodus 30:22-25)

Only Moses can make this oil of holy ointment.
If someone else would do it- he will be put to death (See verse 33).
Another attribute is added to Moses, the prophet of prophets.

Have a beautiful day, Eli

The tent of meeting

 

If I could have been in the wilderness with the Israelites, I would probably choose to see the tent of meeting. It seems to be that so much is written about the tent and the Details want to show us that everything in this tent was planned precisely.
After speaking about the clothes of Aaron and his sons, there’s a special ceremony in this chapter that wants to distinguish between them to others.
However, the chapter ends with these words-

״וְנֹעַדְתִּ֥י שָׁ֖מָּה לִבְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְנִקְדַּ֖שׁ בִּכְבֹדִֽי׃וְקִדַּשְׁתִּ֛י אֶת־אֹ֥הֶל מוֹעֵ֖ד וְאֶת־הַמִּזְבֵּ֑חַ וְאֶת־אַהֲרֹ֧ן וְאֶת־בָּנָ֛יו אֲקַדֵּ֖שׁ לְכַהֵ֥ן לִֽי׃וְשָׁ֣כַנְתִּ֔י בְּת֖וֹךְ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְהָיִ֥יתִי לָהֶ֖ם לֵאלֹהִֽים׃וְיָדְע֗וּ כִּ֣י אֲנִ֤י יְהוָה֙ אֱלֹ֣הֵיהֶ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֨ר הוֹצֵ֧אתִי אֹתָ֛ם מֵאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרַ֖יִם לְשָׁכְנִ֣י בְתוֹכָ֑ם אֲנִ֖י יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵיהֶֽם׃

״ And there I will meet with the children of Israel, and glory shall sanctify the tabernacle. And I will sanctify the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar: I will sanctify also both Aaron and his sons, to minister to me in the priest’s office. And I will dwell among the children of Israel and will be their God. And they shall know that I am the Lord their God, that brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, that I may dwell among them: I am the Lord their God.(Exodus 29:43-46)

In this tent, we can feel the holiness of God. Wouldn’t you like to visit there?
Have a blessed weekend, Eli

Aaron and his sons

Usually, when we read about characters, there’s a story with an exposition, sometimes prolog and only then we can read about their actions. The story with Aaron and his sons is different. Although there’s information about them in Exodus 6:23-25, the next time that we hear about them is in our chapter- Exodus 28.

Most of the information in this chapter is about the clothes of Aaron, but also his sons are mentioned at the beginning of this chapter and in the end, as written:

“וְאַתָּ֡ה הַקְרֵ֣ב אֵלֶיךָ֩ אֶת־אַהֲרֹ֨ן אָחִ֜יךָ וְאֶת־בָּנָ֣יו אִתּ֔וֹ מִתּ֛וֹךְ בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לְכַהֲנוֹ־לִ֑י אַהֲרֹ֕ן נָדָ֧ב וַאֲבִיה֛וּא אֶלְעָזָ֥ר וְאִיתָמָ֖ר בְּנֵ֥י אַהֲרֹֽן׃וְעָשִׂ֥יתָ בִגְדֵי־קֹ֖דֶשׁ לְאַהֲרֹ֣ן אָחִ֑יךָ לְכָב֖וֹד וּלְתִפְאָֽרֶת…. וְלִבְנֵ֤י אַהֲרֹן֙ תַּעֲשֶׂ֣ה כֻתֳּנֹ֔ת וְעָשִׂ֥יתָ לָהֶ֖ם אַבְנֵטִ֑ים וּמִגְבָּעוֹת֙ תַּעֲשֶׂ֣ה לָהֶ֔ם לְכָב֖וֹד וּלְתִפְאָֽרֶת׃וְהִלְבַּשְׁתָּ֤ אֹתָם֙ אֶת־אַהֲרֹ֣ן אָחִ֔יךָ וְאֶת־בָּנָ֖יו אִתּ֑וֹ וּמָשַׁחְתָּ֨ אֹתָ֜ם וּמִלֵּאתָ֧ אֶת־יָדָ֛ם וְקִדַּשְׁתָּ֥ אֹתָ֖ם וְכִהֲנ֥וּ לִֽי”

“And take thou unto thee, Aaron, thy brother, and his sons with him, from among the children of Israel, that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office, even Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron’s sons. And thou shalt make holy garments for Aaron thy brother for glory and beauty… And for Aaron’s sons, thou shalt make coats, and thou shalt make for them girdles, and bonnets shalt thou make for them, for glory and beauty. And thou shalt put them upon Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him; and shalt anoint them, and consecrate them, and sanctify them, that they may minister unto me in the priest’s office.”(Exodus 28:1-2, 40-41)

The function of priests started 3200 years ago approximately and continues until today with the priestly blessing that will be discussed in Numbers 6:24-26.

Shabbat Shalom,

Eli

The lamp that will always shine

When we think about a great metaphor in a person’s life in Exodus 27 there’s one to take. For me, it’s also something that is related to my personal life. The name of my firstborn is Neriyah- which means the lamp/candle of The Lord. I am so proud with him, he’s great and wise, sensitive and intelligent. One of the verses that influenced Iris and me to choose his name is in our chapter, as written:

” וְאַתָּ֞ה תְּצַוֶּ֣ה ׀ אֶת־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל וְיִקְח֨וּ אֵלֶ֜יךָ שֶׁ֣מֶן זַ֥יִת זָ֛ךְ כָּתִ֖ית לַמָּא֑וֹר לְהַעֲלֹ֥ת נֵ֖ר תָּמִֽיד׃”

“Command the Israelites to bring you clear oil of pressed olives for the light so that the lamps may be kept burning” (Exodus 27:20).

The lamp/candle/fire/torch that will keep burning- THIS IS THE METAPORE THAT WE CAN USE IN OUR LIFE.

Have a beautiful day, Eli

Details in Exodus 26

The chapters about the tabernacle considered to be a challenge for every teacher and reader of the Bible. There are many details that maybe difficult to understand. Another difficulty is that we can just imagine the tabernacle in the wilderness, since we are not there, and the tabernacle is not with us.

However, we can’t avoid the words of the Bible and let’s examine one sentence from the text, as written:

נָתַתָּ֣ה אֶת־הַפָּרֹכֶת֮ תַּ֣חַת הַקְּרָסִים֒ וְהֵבֵאתָ֥ שָׁ֙מָּה֙ מִבֵּ֣ית לַפָּרֹ֔כֶת אֵ֖ת אֲר֣וֹן הָעֵד֑וּת וְהִבְדִּילָ֤ה הַפָּרֹ֙כֶת֙ לָכֶ֔ם בֵּ֣ין הַקֹּ֔דֶשׁ וּבֵ֖ין קֹ֥דֶשׁ הַקֳּדָשִֽׁים׃

“Hang the curtain from the clasps and place the ark of the covenant law behind the curtain. The curtain will separate the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place”(Exodus 26:33)

The most important detail is that there are levels of holiness- holy and holy of holiness. If we’ll take the word holy and replace it with the word priority- I think that our decisions would be better.

Don’t you?

Have a blessed day, Eli

The Tabernacle

The chapters of the tabernacle were always a challenge to the Bible’s readers since they are with many details that not always easy to understand. However, between the lines there are a few fantastic statements, one of them will be discussed today, as written:

“וְעָ֥שׂוּ לִ֖י מִקְדָּ֑שׁ וְשָׁכַנְתִּ֖י בְּתוֹכָֽם׃”

“And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them.”(Exodus 25:8)

For the question of how The Lord can dwell among the people, there’s a beautiful answer in the Midrash Exodus Rabbah 34:3.

In a nutshell, the Midrash tells about the relationship between God and his people as Shepherd and sheep, Guard of the vineyard and vineyard, and father and sons. These three metaphors are fantastic for a man can feel protected all day long as God dwells in him,

Have a lovely and quiet week, Eli

When you can’t explain a picture

I love museums, especially museums that There are some ways to walk and choose the exhibits that you want. In the Bible sometimes you feel like you’re in a museum. The text is sacred. The words are the words of God. Every verse is one scene from a great picture.
However, some pictures cannot be described. Let’s examine these words-

וַיַּ֥עַל מֹשֶׁ֖ה וְאַהֲרֹ֑ן נָדָב֙ וַאֲבִיה֔וּא וְשִׁבְעִ֖ים מִזִּקְנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃וַיִּרְא֕וּ אֵ֖ת אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְתַ֣חַת רַגְלָ֗יו כְּמַעֲשֵׂה֙ לִבְנַ֣ת הַסַּפִּ֔יר וּכְעֶ֥צֶם הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם לָטֹֽהַר׃וְאֶל־אֲצִילֵי֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל לֹ֥א שָׁלַ֖ח יָד֑וֹ וַֽיֶּחֱזוּ֙ אֶת־הָ֣אֱלֹהִ֔ים וַיֹּאכְל֖וּ וַיִּשְׁתּֽוּ׃ (ס)

“Then went up Moses, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel: And they saw the God of Israel: and there was under his feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it were the body of heaven in his clearness. And upon the nobles of the children of Israel he laid not his hand: also they saw God and did eat and drink”(Exodus 24: 9-11)

All we can imagine is a sight that was forbidden and God hen permission to 74 people to see it with food and drinks.

What else can we say? It’s a secret that no one knows exactly!

Have a blessed weekend!
Eli

The protection of the angel

When we read the beautiful laws of Exodus 23, there’s suddenly a description of an angel, the angel of God, of course, that has a mission from God, as written:

“כִּֽי־יֵלֵ֣ךְ מַלְאָכִי֮ לְפָנֶיךָ֒ וֶהֱבִֽיאֲךָ֗ אֶל־הָֽאֱמֹרִי֙ וְהַ֣חִתִּ֔י וְהַפְּרִזִּי֙ וְהַֽכְּנַעֲנִ֔י הַחִוִּ֖י וְהַיְבוּסִ֑י וְהִכְחַדְתִּֽיו׃לֹֽא־תִשְׁתַּחֲוֶ֤ה לֵאלֹֽהֵיהֶם֙ וְלֹ֣א תָֽעָבְדֵ֔ם וְלֹ֥א תַעֲשֶׂ֖ה כְּמַֽעֲשֵׂיהֶ֑ם כִּ֤י הָרֵס֙ תְּהָ֣רְסֵ֔ם וְשַׁבֵּ֥ר תְּשַׁבֵּ֖ר מַצֵּבֹתֵיהֶֽם׃וַעֲבַדְתֶּ֗ם אֵ֚ת יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֔ם וּבֵרַ֥ךְ אֶֽת־לַחְמְךָ֖ וְאֶת־מֵימֶ֑יךָ וַהֲסִרֹתִ֥י מַחֲלָ֖ה מִקִּרְבֶּֽךָ׃

“For mine, Angel shall go before thee, and bring thee in unto the Amorites, and the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Canaanites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites: and I will cut them off. Thou shalt not bow down to their gods, nor serve them, nor do after their works: but thou shalt utterly overthrow them, and quite break down their images. And ye shall serve the Lord your God, and he shall bless thy bread, and thy water; and I will take sickness away from the midst of thee. (Exodus 23:23-25)

The angel just needs to walk with the people and they will feel more protected on their way to the Promised Land. However, maybe the idea of an angel is a kind of supervisor. After God will destroy the other people of Canaan, he just asks to be exclusive.

For this the people will be blessed with bread, water, and health – fair enough, isn’t it?

Have a blessed day, Eli

The sojourner- Hagger

The people of Israel went out from Egypt and came back to Egypt a few times in the Bible’s time. Abraham, Jacob, the Israelites, Solomon, Jeroboam, some people after the destruction of the First Temple were in Egypt for a while. And there they were foreigners or sojourners- Gerim in Hebrew. By the way, Ger today in Modern Hebrew is a person that wants convert himself to be Jewish.

One of the most beautiful laws is the one that we find in Exodus 22:20-

” וְגֵ֥ר לֹא־תוֹנֶ֖ה וְלֹ֣א תִלְחָצֶ֑נּוּ כִּֽי־גֵרִ֥ים הֱיִיתֶ֖ם בְּאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם׃”

“You shall not wrong a stranger or oppress him, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.”

There are some ways to deceive people – with words or with money are the main two. Eventually, the basic idea for me is the feeling of any person that comes to a new place without the knowledge of the law of the place. This is the moment when we as society must be welcome for this person!

This is the way when the stranger will be part of us, and he won’t feel as we have felt in Egypt.

Have a blessed day,

Eli

The ear that heard

The first law after the Ten Commandments is the servant’s law. It’s fascinating to see that this was the law that was chosen by God to be given to the Israelites. In this law, there’s a unique situation when the servant wants to continue his slavery after he declares that “he Love his Master” (Exodus 21:5. Only then he is going to be a servant his entire life (Rashi and others say that until the year of Jubilee). This law is only for Hebrew males. Let’s us see what happens to his ear, as written:

“וְהִגִּישׁ֤וֹ אֲדֹנָיו֙ אֶל־הָ֣אֱלֹהִ֔ים וְהִגִּישׁוֹ֙ אֶל־הַדֶּ֔לֶת א֖וֹ אֶל־הַמְּזוּזָ֑ה וְרָצַ֨ע אֲדֹנָ֤יו אֶת־אָזְנוֹ֙ בַּמַּרְצֵ֔עַ וַעֲבָד֖וֹ לְעֹלָֽם׃”

his master shall take him before God. He shall be brought to the door or the doorpost, and his master shall pierce his ear with an awl, and he shall then remain his slave for life. (Exodus 21:6)

Why the ear was chosen? Which ear? For this let’s see Rashi, who brought in his commentary the Midrash and the Talmud-

“הַיְמָנִית, אוֹ אֵינוֹ, אֶלָּא שֶׁל שְׂמֹאל? תַּ”לֹ אֹזֶן אֹזֶן לִגְזֵרָה שָׁוָה, נֶאֱמַר כָּאן וְרָצַע אֲדֹנָיו אֶת אָזְנוֹ, וְנֶאֱמַר בִּמְצֹרָע תְּנוּךְ אֹזֶן הַמִּטַּהֵר הַיְמָנִית (ויקרא י”ד), מַה לְּהַלָּן הַיְמָנִית, אַף כָּאן הַיְמָנִית; וּמָה רָאָה אֹזֶן לֵרָצַע מִכָּל שְׁאָר אֵבָרִים שֶׁבַּגּוּף? אָמַר רַבָּן יוֹחָנָן בֶּן זַכַּאי: אֹזֶן זֹאת שֶׁשָּׁמְעָה עַל הַר סִינַי לֹא תִגְנֹב, וְהָלַךְ וְגָנַב, תֵּרָצַע. וְאִם מוֹכֵר עַצְמוֹ, אֹזֶן שֶׁשָּׁמְעָה עַל הַר סִינַי כִּי לִי בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל עֲבָדִים, וְהָלַךְ וְקָנָה אָדוֹן לְעַצְמוֹ, תֵּרָצַע.

” “His ear” means his right ear. Or perhaps this is not so, but Scripture means his left ear? Scripture, however, uses the term אזן here and it uses אזן in another passage, thereby suggesting an analogy based upon verbal similarity; viz., here it is said “and his lord shall bore his ear (אזנו) through”, and of the leper it is said, (Leviticus 14:25) “and the priest shall put it upon the tip of the right ear of him that is to be cleansed”. — How is it in that latter passage? It is the right ear! So here, too, it is the right ear. —

What is the reason that the ear had to be pierced rather than any other limb of the servant’s body? Rabban Jochanan ben Zaccai said: That ear which heard on Mount Sinai, (Exodus 20:13) “Thou shalt not steal” and yet its owner went and stole and was therefore sold as a slave — let it be pierced! Or, in the case of him who sold himself from destitution, having committed no theft, the reason is: That ear which heard on Mount Sinai what I said, (Leviticus 25:55) “For unto Me the children Israel are servants” and yet its owner went and procured for himself another master — let it be pierced! (Mekhilta d’Rabbi Yishmael 21:6:3; Kiddushin 22b).

Why do you think about this commentary?

Share with us and have a great week!

Eli