Simplicity and Sin
We are in the Torah portion beginning at Numbers 13:1-15:41, it is called Shlach Lecha. In this parasha, we see the twelve spies being sent out to check out the land. Notice it was Moshe that called Hoshea, Yahoshua for the first time. He added a letter from YHVH'S name (Yud) and inserted it into Hoshea. Let's see what these men were supposed to look for in this new land. They were to check out the people and see if they were strong or weak. A lot of time we overlook that instruction and think they were only to check out the land. They were to check out the cities also and if the people dwelled in tents or not. They were told to see if the land was fat or lean, the supply of wood available and to check out the fruit. Moshe told them to bring back a sample of the fruit. What they saw both amazed them and terrified them both. At least it terrified ten of them:. Can you imagine grapes so large that it would take two men to carry one cluster of them? Sometimes you don't hear about the pomegranates and the figs they brought back. They were just as big. Imagine one fig here could make a lot of bags of fig newtons:. But the bad news according to ten of them was the giants in the land. The cities were walled and the people were strong. Really, that was not the bad report. That was a true report.
There were giants in the land and strong people in walled cities. If they had reported otherwise, they would have lied. The bad report was the men telling everyone that it was something insurmountable for the Israelites. It was the fact they were responsible not only for their personal unbelief, but causing others to get in unbelief. We all know there are bad enemies out there, but it reminds me of the old saying; the bigger they are, the harder they fall! These people were giants from the fallen angels lying with the daughters of men (nephillim). They were giants who bred more giants, all the 'ites' families, the Hittites, Jebusites, Amorites, etc, etc. YIKES, look at all the ITES :. When these men came back, they should have spoken with Moshe privately, but they made the mistake of announcing all the terrifying details to all the entire camp. It's interesting to notice, the men said they looked like the size of grasshoppers compared to the giants, both in the giant's sight 'and' in their own sight. In other words, they saw themselves the same way the enemy saw them, not good! So now they come back and cause all the people to enter into a 'fear frenzy'. As usual, they turn on Moshe and start crying to go back to Egypt. They even begin to discuss appointing a new leader. Then Joshua and Caleb tried to intervene. They tore their garments in despair over the lack of faith of the people. But now the people only wanted to stone them too! There's not anything much worse than an angry mob.
It took YHVH to do crowd control:. His beauty appeared in the Tabernacle in front of the people. To say He wasn't happy with the people would be an understatement. Notice He mentioned in chapter 14, verse 22 they had tempted YHVH ten times. According to the sages, those ten times were as follows; When the Egyptians chased them to the sea. When they had nothing to drink but bitter waters at Meribah When they ran out of food When they left manna longer to spoil When manna was gathered on the Sabbath, which was forbidden When their water ran out at Refidim When they worshipped the Golden Calf When the rebelled against YHVH'S mitzvoths When they complained the manna was not good enough-they wanted meat When they believed the spy's evil report So now the people are in BIG TROUBLE. Now everyone twenty years old and upward who murmured against YHVH was going to die in the wilderness. Even the ten spies who brought back an evil report died of a plague. But now, all of a sudden a group of people are ready to go conquer the land. It reminds you of little kids who after they know they are in trouble want to suddenly become obedient. But now it's too late! They go up to take the land and YHVH lets them get whipped up one side and then another. Moshe tried to warn them, but as usual they wouldn't listen. Neither Moshe, nor the Ark went with them. Let's switch gears here a moment. We continue to hear about people who are out there promoting unless you are from Judah, you're not under the instructions of the complete Torah. I read in three places in just this parasha alone, where the passages contradict that statement, Num. 15: 15, 15:16, 15:29. That doesn't even count all the passages in all the other books.
Now back to where we were:. We end up this parasha with the giving of the commandment of wearing Tzitzit. It was commanded that a blue thread was inserted with the white thread. Why are the Jewish men of today only wearing white tzitzit? I've heard the reasoning that the snail they made the blue dye from went extinct so they couldn't carry out this commandment. Well I have two comments on this. I bet you thought you'd get through this article without hearing one of my opinions didn't you:? Wrong! First, from what I've heard, that particular type of snail has resurfaced again. If so, then what is their excuse NOW? If it has not reappeared, where is the commandment that says they must use only one way to color a blue thread???? To me a blue thread is a blue thread and some effort at carrying out YHVH'S command is better than totally ignoring it altogether. All tzitzit should be blue and white. But now it's been turned into a totally different issue. Now you're Messianic if you're wearing a blue thread and a non-messianic Jew if you are wearing only white. What have we done to YHVH'S simple commandment of wearing a blue thread mixed into the white ones??? This just goes to show you how man can totally warp 'anything' YHVH tells us to do, no matter how simple it is to carry out. It seems like with man, these two words easily go together-simplicity and sin! Shalom
There were giants in the land and strong people in walled cities. If they had reported otherwise, they would have lied. The bad report was the men telling everyone that it was something insurmountable for the Israelites. It was the fact they were responsible not only for their personal unbelief, but causing others to get in unbelief. We all know there are bad enemies out there, but it reminds me of the old saying; the bigger they are, the harder they fall! These people were giants from the fallen angels lying with the daughters of men (nephillim). They were giants who bred more giants, all the 'ites' families, the Hittites, Jebusites, Amorites, etc, etc. YIKES, look at all the ITES :. When these men came back, they should have spoken with Moshe privately, but they made the mistake of announcing all the terrifying details to all the entire camp. It's interesting to notice, the men said they looked like the size of grasshoppers compared to the giants, both in the giant's sight 'and' in their own sight. In other words, they saw themselves the same way the enemy saw them, not good! So now they come back and cause all the people to enter into a 'fear frenzy'. As usual, they turn on Moshe and start crying to go back to Egypt. They even begin to discuss appointing a new leader. Then Joshua and Caleb tried to intervene. They tore their garments in despair over the lack of faith of the people. But now the people only wanted to stone them too! There's not anything much worse than an angry mob.
It took YHVH to do crowd control:. His beauty appeared in the Tabernacle in front of the people. To say He wasn't happy with the people would be an understatement. Notice He mentioned in chapter 14, verse 22 they had tempted YHVH ten times. According to the sages, those ten times were as follows; When the Egyptians chased them to the sea. When they had nothing to drink but bitter waters at Meribah When they ran out of food When they left manna longer to spoil When manna was gathered on the Sabbath, which was forbidden When their water ran out at Refidim When they worshipped the Golden Calf When the rebelled against YHVH'S mitzvoths When they complained the manna was not good enough-they wanted meat When they believed the spy's evil report So now the people are in BIG TROUBLE. Now everyone twenty years old and upward who murmured against YHVH was going to die in the wilderness. Even the ten spies who brought back an evil report died of a plague. But now, all of a sudden a group of people are ready to go conquer the land. It reminds you of little kids who after they know they are in trouble want to suddenly become obedient. But now it's too late! They go up to take the land and YHVH lets them get whipped up one side and then another. Moshe tried to warn them, but as usual they wouldn't listen. Neither Moshe, nor the Ark went with them. Let's switch gears here a moment. We continue to hear about people who are out there promoting unless you are from Judah, you're not under the instructions of the complete Torah. I read in three places in just this parasha alone, where the passages contradict that statement, Num. 15: 15, 15:16, 15:29. That doesn't even count all the passages in all the other books.
Now back to where we were:. We end up this parasha with the giving of the commandment of wearing Tzitzit. It was commanded that a blue thread was inserted with the white thread. Why are the Jewish men of today only wearing white tzitzit? I've heard the reasoning that the snail they made the blue dye from went extinct so they couldn't carry out this commandment. Well I have two comments on this. I bet you thought you'd get through this article without hearing one of my opinions didn't you:? Wrong! First, from what I've heard, that particular type of snail has resurfaced again. If so, then what is their excuse NOW? If it has not reappeared, where is the commandment that says they must use only one way to color a blue thread???? To me a blue thread is a blue thread and some effort at carrying out YHVH'S command is better than totally ignoring it altogether. All tzitzit should be blue and white. But now it's been turned into a totally different issue. Now you're Messianic if you're wearing a blue thread and a non-messianic Jew if you are wearing only white. What have we done to YHVH'S simple commandment of wearing a blue thread mixed into the white ones??? This just goes to show you how man can totally warp 'anything' YHVH tells us to do, no matter how simple it is to carry out. It seems like with man, these two words easily go together-simplicity and sin! Shalom