Parasha Mishpatim
וְאֵלֶּה הַמִּשְפָּטִים אֲשֶר תָּשִׂים לִפְנֵיהֶם׃ כִּי תִקְנֶה עֶבֶד עִבְרִי שֵש שָנִים יַעֲבֹד וּבַשְּבִעִת יֵצֵא לַחָפְשִי חִנָּם׃
You know that not that long ago it could be heard and many really believed that a “man’s word was his bond”. When two men came to an agreement on something then it was taken and acted upon. I haven’t heard that term used very much since I left home as a seventeen-year-old boy, and I’m not sure if it is being used there now. I do know that on a daily basis one can read in almost any national paper where people are suing one another for breaches in agreements, including here in Georgia and Alabama. In modern times we define a host of relations by contracts. These are usually for goods or services and for hard cash. The contract, formal or informal, helps to specify failure in these relationships. The Lord did not establish a contract with Israel or with the church. He created a covenant for mankind. There is a difference. Contacts are broken when one of the parties fails to keep his promise. If, let us say, a patient fails to keep an appointment with a doctor, the doctor is not obligated to call the house and inquire, "Where were you? Why didn’t you show up for your appointment?" He simply goes on to his next patient and has his appointment secretary take note of the patient who failed to keep the appointment. The patient may find it harder the next time to see the doctor. He broke an informal contract. According to the Bible, however, God asks: "Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you!" (Isaiah 49:15) The Bible indicates the covenant is more like the ties of a parent to her child than it is a doctor’s appointment. If a child fails to show up for dinner, the parent’s obligation, unlike the doctor’s, isn’t canceled. The parent finds out where the child is and makes sure he’s cared for. One member’s failure does not destroy the relationship. A covenant puts no conditions on faithfulness. It is the unconditional commitment to love and serve. This has been God’s way since the Adamic Covenant, through the Avrahamic Covenant, the Noahic Covenant and in every Covenant, He has made with us. Let us look at what is required to ratify the Covenant, the God of the Covenant, and the Revelation location as presented in Exodus Chapter 24. Let us examine a marriage ratified in blood.
I am reading from Exodus 24:1-2 - Then to Moshe He said, “Come up to Adonai, you and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and the seventy elders of Israel, and worship from afar. Moshe alone is to approach Adonai, but the others may not draw near, nor are the people to go up with him.” What a blessed invitation is given to Moshe, Aaron, Nadav, Avihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel this day. We on the other hand are given this option daily and continually, I ask this, do you take it or do you take it for granted. That seventy is one of God’s chosen numbers is seen in the following ways: weeks, years, persons, and things. Seventy elders appointed - Numbers 11:16, Seventy years of captivity- - Jeremiah 25:11, Seventy weeks referred to by Daniel - Daniel 9:24, Seventy times of forgiveness - Matthew 18:22 and Seventy disciples sent forth - Luke 10:1. Then God makes a distinction by stating that Moshe alone will come near the Lord. This was a special privilege afforded to very few people prior to the “Good News” brought by Yeshua. Moshe will be given the laws concerning the nation of Israel’s contact with God shortly, Yeshua’s death brought about a rending or ripping of the Curtain that separated the “Holy of Holies” from the world and maintained the separation between man and God. Through Yeshua’s precious blood, all who have called upon HIS blessed name or able to come directly into the presence of and experience God in their lives and walk daily with God. Do you truly take advantage of this “great” blessing that you are afforded daily and continually? Verses 3-8 in our reading says, “So Moshe came and told the people all the words of Adonai as well as all the ordinances. All the people answered with one voice and said, “Na’aseh v’nishma” - “All the words which Adonai has spoken, we will do.” So, Moshe wrote down all the words of Adonai, then rose up early in the morning, and built an altar below the mountain, along with twelve pillars for the twelve tribes of Israel. He then sent out young men of Bnei-Yisrael, who sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings of oxen to Adonai. Then Moshe took half of the blood and put it in basins and the other half he poured out against the altar. He took the Scroll of the Covenant and read it in the hearing of the people. Again, they said, “All that Adonai has spoken, we will do and obey.” Then Moshe took the blood, sprinkled it on the people, and said, “Behold the blood of the covenant, which Adonai has cut with you, in agreement with all these words.” Those who have heard, have a responsibility to teach what we have learned. If we do not, how will others around us know? What are we to teach? All the words of the Lord... Nothing more, nothing less. Moshe next builds an alter that includes a reference to the twelve tribes of Israel. Do we remember that we are more than a single Messianic Jew, a single Synagogue, a single religious denomination, all together comprising Messianic Judaism the very “Bride” of Yeshua? Then Moshe takes blood and sprinkles half of the blood on the altar and the other half in basins he sprinkles on the people after reading the word of the Lord and the people stating they would follow the covenant. Wow, All that the Lord said will we do… of course we know the rest of the story… or we are working on knowing the rest of the story… they failed just as we occasionally fail. Just as they were washed in the blood of animals we are washed in the blood of the only perfect sacrifice, one that is perfect in all ways, the blood of our Lord and Savior Yeshua, this is what allows us to continue our sanctification process of becoming more and more Messiah like in our daily walk. Yet I think there’s more to this, so I want to bite into it a bit more.
Here at the end of the Parasha, the Torah recounts the striking crescendo of ma'amad Har Sinai, the revelation at Mount Sinai: We read in Exodus 24:7, "He (Moshe) took the Scroll of the Covenant (sefer ha’brit) and read it in the hearing of the people. Again, they said, “All that Adonai has spoken, we will do and obey.” (Na’aseh v’nishma)." In contrast to our normal way of thinking about "Na’aseh v’nishma," as a self-contained and unique note of unparalleled commitment, the Torah portrays the declaration not in isolation, but rather as part of a larger symphony, a ceremony which might be termed "Brit Sinai," the covenant at Sinai. This ceremony stretches over at least six verses and consists of at least the following events:
Moshe obtains the acquiescence of the people to God's commands ("divrei") and rules ("mishpatim"). (24:3)
Moshe writes down the commands, erects both an altar and twelve pillars symbolizing the twelve tribes of Israel, and sends young men to offer sacrifices. (24:4-5)
Moshe collects half of the blood of the sacrifices in basins and pours the other half of the blood of the sacrifices on the altar. (24:6)
Moshe reads the just transcribed "sefer ha-brit," the book of the covenant, and the people respond with "Na’Aseh v’Nishma." (24:7)
Moshe sprinkles the remaining half of the blood on the people and declares it the blood of the covenant that was contracted on these commands. (24:8)
With the covenant completed and sealed by the pouring or sprinkling of blood, we may very well conclude that the story of "Brit Sinai" has reached its conclusion. However, if we read the text with the Masoretic divisions of "petuchot" (blank areas after a verse) and "setumot" (blank area in the middle of a verse) in mind, it becomes obvious that "Brit Sinai" continues on for another two verses and contains an additional element.
The Torah recounts that:
Moshe, Aharon, Nadav, Avihu and seventy elders went up Har Sinai, where they had a vision of God. They ate and drank yet remained unharmed by God. (24:9-11)
At first glance, this appears rather strange. Why does the Torah group the ascent, vision and meal of the leadership along with "Brit Sinai?" What connection exists between A) the blood covenant between God and the people concluded on the "sefer ha’brit," and B) the ecstatic experience and meal of the leadership on the mountain? Upon further analysis, these questions are relatively easy to resolve. As Rashbam (24:11) has pointed out, other covenants between God and Israel also culminate in divine revelation. For example, "brit bein ha’betarim," the covenant of the pieces, culminates with "a smoking torch passing between the pieces" (Genesis 15:17), an apparent manifestation of the divine presence. Likewise, when the covenant is renewed after the sin of the golden calf, Moshe is promised by God, "You shall see My back" (Exodus 33:23). "Brit Sinai" follows this pattern, ending with a manifestation of the divine presence. On a similar note, many treaties and covenants conclude with a shared meal. For example, when Yitzhak and Avimelech conclude a "brit" (Genesis 26:28), they seal it by eating and drinking (Genesis 26:30). Likewise, Ya’Akov and Lavan seal their parting treaty by partaking in a meal (Genesis 31:54). Regarding this , Brit Sinai follows a more general pattern. In sum, we may claim that the meal constitutes a concluding aspect of any treaty, and the revelation constitutes the concluding element of a treaty between God and Israel.
Behold, it is the blood that ratified the covenants from the beginning of time, and the perfect sacrifice has been given and keeps giving of its perfection if you choose to draw near. Exodus 24:9-11 tells us, “Then Moshe and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel went up. They saw the God of Israel, and under His feet was something like a pavement of sapphire, as clear as the very heavens. Yet He did not raise His hand against the nobles of B’nei-Yisrael. So, they beheld God and ate and drank.” They saw the God of Israel, oh what a sight to see… I can’t imagine the glory to see my God and Savior. While "Brit Sinai" (24:3-11) can be viewed as a self-contained and coherent unit, it can also be viewed as part of a larger entity, the corpus of Chapter 24.
The chapter can be broken down into three sections.
1. The Commands (24:1-2) 2. "Brit Sinai" (24:3-11) and 3. The Ascent of Moshe (24:12-18)
Section one of the chapter consists of two commands, one of which is fulfilled in section two and the one in section three. First, Moshe is commanded, "Ascend ('aleh') to the Lord - you, Aharon, Nadav, Avihu and seventy of the elders" (24:1). This is fulfilled by the ascent, revelation and meal of the leadership at the end of section two. It is noted that the Torah utilizes the term "va’ya'al" (and went up - 24:9) to describe this ascent. Second, Moshe is commanded to ascend to God by himself: "V’nigash Moshe levado" ("Moshe will approach alone," 24:2). This occurs when Moshe takes leave of the elders and ascends alone in section three. In addition to the command-accomplishment structure outlined above, chapter 24 is also united by the concept of ascent and the verb stem "a.l.h." (aleh/ascend). The term appears seven times in the chapter (24:1,2,9,12,13,15,18) and at least once in each of the sections I have outlined. Finally, section two, "Brit Sinai," is not only integrated into chapter 24 by the term "ascent" and by a structure of dual command and accomplishment, but also by a unique type of parallelism, the literary feature known as chiasm.
Here it follows the pattern A-B-A-B-C-C-B-A-B-A. This may be mapped as follows:
A - Moshe is commanded to ascend to God (24:1).
B - The leadership will ascend but only to a specified distance (24:1).
A - Moshe alone will approach God (24:2).
B - The leadership will not approach that close (24:2).
C - The people will not ascend to God at all (24:2).
C - The people remain at the bottom of the mountain with the altar and engage in the
covenant (marriage) ceremony (24:3-8).
B - The leadership ascends to the specified distance (24:9-11).
A - Moshe is commanded to ascend to God (24:12).
B - Moshe takes leave of the leadership at a certain point in his ascent (24:13-14).
A - Moshe ascends alone and enters into the cloud (24:15-18).
The stylistic integration of "Brit Sinai" into the overall structure of chapter 24, in the manifold ways noted, should cause us to re-examine our assumptions about the meaning of the vision and meal of the leadership. Can we simply dismiss the ascent and meal of the leadership as a function of a standard covenantal form? Seemingly not. Rather, the structure of chapter 24 forces some fundamental questions upon us. Why does the Torah choose to embed the story of the "Brit Sinai" in the story of the ascent to God of Moshe and the elders, what might be termed the "theophany of Sinai?" What precisely is the thematic connection between the "brit" and ascending the mountain to behold God and to be with Him? Finally, as the events of "ma'amad Har Sinai," how does chapter 24 affect our understanding and interpretation of this encounter?
The seventy elders, who were representatives of the whole congregation, were chosen to witness the manifestation of God, that they might be satisfied of the truth of the revelation which He had made of Himself and of His will; and on this occasion it was necessary that the people also should be favored with a sight of the glory of God. Thus, the certainty of the revelation was established by many witnesses, and by those especially of the most competent kind. A paved work of a sapphire stone; Or sapphire brickwork. Sapphire is a precious stone of a fine blue color, next in hardness to the diamond. The ruby is considered of the same genus; so, the topaz: therefore, we cannot say that the sapphire is only of a blue color; it is blue, red, or yellow, as it may be called sapphire, ruby, or topaz; and some of them are blue or green, according to the light in which they are held; and some white. If we suppose that these different kinds of sapphires are intended, how glorious must a pavement be, constituted of polished stones of this sort, perfectly transparent, with a heavenly splendor poured out upon them! The red, the blue, the green, and the yellow, arranged by the wisdom of God, into the most beautiful representations, and the whole body of heaven in its clearness shining upon them, must have made a glorious appearance. And though the feet are here mentioned, this can only be understood of the sapphirine basis or pavement, on which this celestial and indescribable glory of the Lord appeared. There is a similar description of the glory of the Lord in the Book of Revelation, Revelation 4:3: “And He who sat (upon the throne) was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone; and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald.” In neither of these appearances was there any similitude or likeness of anything in heaven, earth, or sea. Thus, God took care to preserve them from all incentives to idolatry, while he gave them the fullest proofs of his being. Upon the nobles of—Israel He laid not His hand—This laying on of the hand has been variously explained. He did not conceal himself from the nobles of Israel by covering them with His hand, as He did Moshe, (Exodus 33:22), and He did not endow any of the seventy elders, with the gift of prophecy; for so laying on of the hand has been understood. Also, He did not slay any of them; none received any injury; which is certainly one meaning of the phrase. (Psalm 55:20; Nehemiah 13:21). Also, they saw God, i.e., although they had this discovery of His majesty, yet they did eat and drink, i.e., were preserved alive and unhurt. Perhaps the eating and drinking here may refer to the peace-offerings on which they feasted, and the libations that were then offered on the ratification of the covenant. But they rejoiced the more because they had been so highly favored and were still permitted to live; for it was generally apprehended that God never showed HIs glory in this signal manner but for the purpose of manifesting His justice; and therefore, it appeared a strange thing that these should have seen God as it were face-to-face, and yet live. It was a mystery to them, and what a mystery we are blessed with daily when we walk in a manner that is pleasing to God, that He might open up all things to us that we might see His mighty hand at work around us… Do you know and recognize the God of our Covenant this day? Have you spoken the wedding vows of the covenant?
Let us return briefly to the content of the covenant and the key phrase we began with: "Na’Aseh v’Nishma." As pointed out earlier, B’nei Yisrael respond and commit to Moshe's reading of the book of the covenant. This book consists of the commands ("divrei") and rules ("mishpatim") given to Moshe by God (24:3). Seemingly, the "divrei" refers to the "devarim" spoken by God in chapter 20, i.e. the Ten Commandments (see 20:1), and the "mishpatim" refers to the rules given by God in chapters 21-23 (see 21:1). The "brit" consists of a full-fledged and unconditional contractual commitment to the laws of God. It is a solid marriage contract, a ketubah, with conditions. The religious ecstasy, the encounter with God, the service and sacrifices - all these take place as part of B’nei Yisrael's commitment to the law and only as part of their commitment to the law. Let us return to the structure of chapter 24 and the issues raised earlier. Why does the Torah embed the story of the "brit" within the story of the ascent of Moshe and the leadership? What is the thematic connection of the "brit" to the ascent of Moshe and the leadership onto the mountain and their respective visions and intimate interactions with God? The answer lies in some of the themes explained so far. The Torah wishes to emphasize that the various forms and aspects of the spiritual quest - religious ecstasy, sacrifices, and ascending to God, on the one hand, and covenantal commitment to the word of God, on the other hand - constitute harmonious rather than conflicting categories. Each is somehow a necessary condition for and result of the other. The Torah knows of no conflict between law and spirituality, between celebrating the divine and seemingly dry legalism, between the encounter with God on a mountaintop and commitment to a code. The two categories fit neatly together in the text and in the experience of B’nei Yisrael. Together they comprise the rationale, purpose and culmination of the redemption from Egypt: a nation and its leaders serving God and celebrating His presence, fully and absolutely committed to His word. It ultimately represents a marriage ceremony.
Reading Exodus 24:12-18, it says, “Then Adonai said to Moshe, “Come up to Me on the mountain and stay there, and I will give you the tablets of stone with the Torah and the mitzvot, which I have written so that you may instruct them.” So, Moshe rose up along with his attendant Joshua, and Moshe went up onto the mountain of God. To the elders he said, “Wait for us here until we come back to you. See, Aaron and Hur are with you—whoever has a dispute should go to them.” When Moshe went up on the mountain, the cloud covered it. The glory of Adonai settled upon Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it for six days. Then on the seventh day He called to Moshe out of the midst of the cloud. The appearance of the glory of Adonai was like a consuming fire on the top of the mountain in the sight of Bnei-Yisrael. So, Moshe entered into the midst of the cloud and went up onto the mountain. Moshe was on the mountain 40 days and 40 nights.” Yes, God called Moshe to Himself alone. God also calls each and every one of us to Him alone. He says, “Be you holy for I Adonai your God am Holy.” Are you living a life that shows your separation unto God in a manner that would bring glory and honor to God? Are you teaching the things that God has revealed to you? If not, how will they know? When God calls you do you do as Moshe and “Go”? It had to be scary, Moshe had to wonder, and may have had some apprehension, yet when God called Moshe went. This I feel is something that is sadly lacking in our Churches and Synagogues today. We have been so secularly influenced that even pastors and rabbis respond more often to their benefits than to the “call” given in their lives. It amazes me that so many places of worship are unmanned, while so many others have two and three pastors. Are the benefits that great? I would hardly think so. If they aren’t God’s benefits, what good will they amount too? Then Moshe tells the elders to tarry there until they return. We know that this didn’t happen because God sends Moshe down to deal with an emergency, one of disbelief and deception so close to the very presence of God. Isn’t it amazing that so many people who come into the very presence of God could be led astray so quickly. In Parasha BeShalach I talked about the testing of God. Unlike the tests we are used to in this world that we take and never think twice about after we have passed them, God’s tests, God’s refinement are ongoing making us in His eyes like the sapphires and rubies… a precious sight to Him.
The book of Exodus recounts the history of the children of Israel from their days of slavery up until their assembling of the mishkan (tabernacle) at the end of the first year of their journey. Along the way, the varied events befalling them include being redeemed by God from Egypt, their first journey in the desert, the revelation at Sinai and the sin of the golden calf. From a thematic perspective, the book could be roughly broken up into three basic segments: 1) Slavery and Redemption (chapters 1-17); 2) Sinai and Receiving Torah (chapters 18-24); 3) The Tabernacle (chapters 25-40). While this approach is fundamentally correct, “Sefer Shemot" is not only organized by chronology but by certain conceptual threads that weave their way through the book and into a multi-hued yet fundamentally unified tapestry. Let us finish by looking at one of these strands. When Moshe first stands in front of God at "the mountain of God at Horev" (3:1) and God reveals Himself to Moshe through the burning bush. God's commands Moshe "...When you bring the people out of Egypt, you shall serve ('ta'avdun') God on this mountain" (3:12). From the very start, Moshe is commanded to bring the people to serve God at Horev. Strangely enough, the prospective "chag" and "avodah" seem to disappear. Throughout chapters 13-18, which detail the aftermath of leaving Egypt, celebration and sacrifices are conspicuously absent. The original command to Moshe, God specified "this mountain" - the mountain of God at Horev, i.e. Sinai. At the very least, as of chapter 19 when B’nei Yisrael arrives at Sinai (19:1-3), we might well expect service of the divine, celebration and sacrifices - a religious holiday and all it entails. Strangely enough, chapters 19-20 contain no mention of service, celebration or sacrifices. This brings us full circle to chapter 24 and "brit Sinai." It is deep into the second thematic section of Exodus, that the celebration and service of God, which was anticipated in the first section of the book, takes place. As part and parcel of "Brit Sinai," the children of Israel erect an altar and sacrifice to God (24:4-5). And at "Brit Sinai," the elders experience a vision of the divine and consume a festive meal (24:9-11). The religious ecstasy, the service, the sacrifices, the celebration and the encounter with God that God commanded Moshe take place in context of the brit, the marriage ketubah. Do you want to be married? Are you ready to be tested and tried in the sanctification process of becoming more Yeshua like for marriage? Maybe you feel that you are unworthy? Maybe you feel that the things you have done would not allow you to draw near to our Heavenly Father? Maybe your family is in turmoil? Maybe your children are running amuck? God can bring His grace in each and every one of these situations if you will only turn to Him. How can I do this, you ask? We must start by admitting to God that we are a sinner. What then? Are we better than they? No, for I have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, are all under sin; As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: Once we admit to God that we are a sinner, we must believe that Yeshua is God and that He came to die for our sins and we ask Him for His atoning blood to be applied to our very hearts. It is then the Holy Spirit indwells in us, and we start living a Torah observant life for Him.
Acts 2:38 tells us, Peter said to them, “Repent, and let each of you be immersed in the name of Messiah Yeshua for the removal of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Ruach ha-Kodesh. In so doing God calls us to turn from our evil ways, the way of our past and commit our lives to Him to change us daily into someone who shares His character and appearance, this can only be done by us giving our sinful tendencies and ourselves fully to Him to change us… to make us a “New Creation” in Him, to make us a chosen bride.
I pray that each of you have been ratified by Yeshua’s blood and given Him your marriage vow, “Na’aseh v’nishma” – “We will do, and we will obey”.
b’Shem Yeshua, haMelech v’haMashiach Shelanu! Amein.
(“in the name of Yeshua, our King and the Messiah! Amein.”)
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