Torah Pearls #39 – Chukat (Numbers 19:1-22:1)

Consider, if you will, another reason Moses died without entering the Promised Land. His last recorded official act was confirming the covenant of Deuteronomy for Israel (Deu 29:9, 14, [8, 13, TNK]) . He had been Israel’s connection to Yehovah, especially after the golden calf (Num 11:11-12, Ex 34:29-35, II Cor 3:7, NASB, NIV, CSB, ESV). That covenant established the Levitical priesthood as the connection to Yehovah (Deu 18:1-5, 17:8-10, Num 27:21). This arrangement was a new thing. It was not made with the patriarchs, the fathers (Deu 5:3). If Moses had continued alive after Eleazar became Yehovah’s official connection for Israel there might have been significant second guessing among the people. They would have still looked to Moses as the best source of Yehovah’s will. Eleazar’s as well a Joshua’s ability to do their job could have been significantly undermined. The agreement of Deuteronomy expected them to do their job without interference.

jc is false, never existed.

Ted, jc never existed.

Cheri, jc never existed.

Deb, jc never existed.

Matthew, sorry, but u r wrong. jc never existed.

Why would Moses after total obedience decide to randomly become disobedience to YHVH? He knew what Got was capable of based on recent past events.. For this was not his first rodeo. I my opinion it was a matter of frustration. He has millions of people clambering for water. The children crying to moms and moms stressing out dads to act. Dads going to Moses and pressuring him to go the God. It must have been a time of great ANXIETY, hence ….the beginning of, not trusting YHVH. And despite the fact God told Moses what to do and how to d it. Mose being human is not immediately relieved of his feeling of being overwhelmed. The masses are still without water. For the moment are murmuring and complaining. This a is human response to a dire situation, exacerbated by crying and complaining of the multitudes. I don’t believe ( trying to place myself in that situation..given the information available) Moses was not show boating. Not at all. But I do believe he let the voices of the people ring louder in his ears than the words of YeHoVah. He took his eyes off God (Matthew 14) Lost his focus and the clear words of God. And failed, as we all have.
Just my perspective. Thanks for allowing me to share. One day we will know exactly what was on Moses mind.

Love your teachings!!! Yasher Koach.

Excellent Thank You

Moses was angry. We have to bring water from the rock. We will use the last method.
Anger blinds our eyes and we focus on self, causing us to disobey Yehovah’s command.

Hi… I always enjoy your podcasts! This past week I heard about taking ASHES of wood, mixing it with WATER, letting it sit, then draining the liquid. That’s how LYE is made… which was used for making soap… (for the ‘preppers’)

That reminded me of Jer 2.22, “though I wash you with NITRE…” Nitre happens to be a mineral POTASH – ie POT ASH… which is how they made soap. But the lye in its very undiluted strength can actually dissolve an entire carcass over the course of a week or so… depending on size.

Num 18.6 says CEDAR WOOD was also burned with the heifer. Vs 9: they gather the ASHES … for the WATER of separation.

Just maybe there is a connection. Shalom!

Did not Moshe commit “chillul hashem חילול השם: in front of the people by this act?

I don’t think Moshe was confused or showing off. I think he was just really angry with the congregation of Israel and acted in anger instead of trust in Yehovah. That’s what got him in trouble.

Th law is NOT done away with, all you “christians” out there. The apostle Paul partook in a NAZARITE VOW in the new testament AFTER Yahushuas death and ressurection! And tje deciples told him to do this vow in order to prove once and for all to all to everyone, that Paul did indeed keep and teach the law to all who would listen. Paul even taught the law to gentiles. But more importantly, the book of Numbers details what a Nazarite vow consists of, and it REQUIRES blood animal sacrafice! Which means the true believers of Messiah were still sacrificing animals when required, even after Yahushuas death and ressurection! This is something self proclaiming lawless Christian’s van never understand, due to their ignorance and disobedience.

In Isaiah 32:2, the Messiah is compared to “a great rock in a weary land.” They found the rock that was split. It’s four stories high. You can see the video about it on Youtube. The documentary is called “Mountain of Fire.” The water that poured out from the rock is symbolic of the Holy Spirit we receive though Jesus, the Living waters, as you have recognized. Thanks for the scriptures.

Joh 7:37 And on the last day, the great day of the festival, יהושע stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me, and let him who believes in Me drink.
Joh 7:38 “As the Scripture said, out of His innermost shall flow rivers of living water

I have heard this teaching before, it totally makes sense

I like the point made about turning the brazen serpent into god. The Almighty can use anything even today to perform a miracle in our life. Let’s be careful not to transform that means into an object of worship. We could see that even today.
It’s is important to check anger too if not it can lead us not to honor our Father. Shalom

Moses and Aharon both represented the Old Covenant. God told them to speak to the rock not to strike it. They disobeyed Him and struck the rock. The rock is a type of the Messiah. In the first instance when they needed water, God told Moses to strike the rock because Messiah would be stricken for the sins of the people. He would only be struck once, then after that all we need to do is speak to the rock, call upon the name of the Lord and we will be saved. This scenario was marred by Moses and Aharon’s disobedience. They couldn’t enter the promised land because of it and the fact they represented the old covenant. Joshua was permitted because He represents the new covenant in Messiah Jesus/Joshua, the rock that was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities – Isaiah 53:5
These foreshadows and typologies are all over the Torah and the prophets.

Thank You

I am seeking the truth……..thank you

Lol, Brass Sister, lol

I mean I’m sure it wouldn’t have nothing to do with the orchestrating the whole deal with the golden calf while Moses was up getting the law.

My question is regarding Aharon. He didn’t strike the rock showing lack of belief in YHVH nor deny YHVH’s holiness before the children of Israel. So why was he stripped of his priesthood and not allowed entrance to the Promised Land? Am I missing something?

Very interesting insight here.

Was Aaron ceremonially clean, prior to the first red heffer was burned?

There is a misconception that the Torah was given by Yehovah for the purpose of being kept perfectly.

The Torah is for instruction on how to live and treat each other with equity, love and compassion having God as teacher and judge. We all sin when we turn aside from them to go after empty things that can neither profit nor deliver. What happens then to the one who sins?

King Solomon tells us when he said, “When they sin against You, FOR THERE IS NO ONE WHO DOES NOT SIN… and repent and make supplication to You… saying, ‘We have sinned and have committed iniquity, we have acted wickedly ‘ if they return to You with all their heart and with all their soul… Then hear their prayer and their supplication in heaven Your dwelling place, and maintain their cause, and forgive Your people who have sinned against You and all their transgressions which they have transgressed against You. (1 Kings 8)

Enjoyed this teaching a lot blessings to you guys

1 Corinthians 10:4 says: “And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.” So both incidents seem to be prophetic with the Rock representing Yeshua.

In both incidents Moses symbolizes the Israeli civil authorities. His rod symbolizes that authority. In the first instance Moses strikes the Rock and it splits, as revealed in Psalm 78:15: ” He clave the rocks in the wilderness, and gave them drink as out of the great depths.” So the prophecy is that the mission of the Messiah will be divided into two parts and the point of division will come immediately after the Israeli civil authorities strike Yeshua. Note that in the first incident Moses is not criticized for splitting the Rock. Yehovah told Moses to smite the Rock and that is exactly what he did. This means that the Israeli authorities (whatever their other faults) were not responsible for the death of Yeshua. It was preordained by Yehovah in order that the Holy Spirit might be poured out at Pentacost.

The second incident evidently relates to the second coming, but is more difficult to interpret. Was Moses’ striking of the Rock part of the prophecy? In that case it seems to predict that the Israeli authorities will strike Yeshua also at the the second coming and thereby be prevented from entering into the spiritual promised land. Or is Jehovah upset with Moses because he botched the prophecy which was supposed to be that the Israeli authorities will speak to Yeshua and will be allowed to enter in to the spiritual promised land? Perhaps the ambiguity is deliberate in order to leave the choice open open to them.

In any case, it seems to indicate that the second coming will come at a stressful time when the Israeli people are upset with and losing confidence in both their religious and governmental leaders.

I also have the feeling that Yehovah is also using this incident to demonstrate that the Torah alone cannot save anyone because not even Moses, the author of the Torah, was able to keep it perfectly.

Agreed his “character” didn’t show the “character” of YHWH correctly for that moment, from what i understand.

Nehemia the reason from my understanding that he hit the rock is because he was upset that the people were coming at him and wouldn’t let him grieve over his sister.

Ok, is it possible that the snake on a pole was “copper” because the snakes were copper heads?

please stay away from Christian writings as it is a heathen religion(of the Roman Empire). don’t believe anyone is to go where Yahweh dwells after death as that would assume a judgement of some kind. thank you.

Isreal goes to his promised land after 40 yrs. I can imagine Moses saying I need a vacation after this. And so Yehovah takes him to his promised land. Some think it was sad he wasn’t able to go unto the land. But he did. What better place to be than with Yehovah. Now he lives forever. I wonder when in time or where he went to just chill and have a glass of wine.

As for me, I misunderstood the scriptures of purification since my youth, and I’m also glad that I didn’t go up on the Temple Mount to wander onto the Holiest spot on the planet, which would have really messed things up for myself. Thanks for clearing things up. If I ever get a chance to go back to Jerusalem there’s a lot I want to see and do, with a better understanding next time around.

I have spent most of the entirety of my last four Sabbaths listening to Torah Pearls while I rest. This has been a blessing to me as I am eagerly trying to learn to live by YAHOVA’S wonderful Torah!

Thank you Nehemiah and Keith and that Australian guy ?

We tend to see Moses’ death as a punishment from God for not being obedient. But is it a punishment to be allowed to go into The Kingdom and BE WITH God? Yes, he was ‘punished’ by not getting to go into the Promised Land, but he had spent most of his life serving The Living God… is it wrong to think his spirit was allowed to continue his relationship with Yehovah after his physical burial, a relationship not bound by a physical body?

Thank you Nehemia for the point you brought out about going up on the Temple Mount. As I was reading this Torah portion, I was concerned about the lack of being able to receive the this cleansing today. During your discussion, you made it clear that our being cut off from Israel today due to coming in contact with a dead body and not being sprinkled with the Waters of Purification on the 3rd and seventh days, would only take place if we went up on the Temple Mount to the area of the Temple and defiled it. That cleared up a Hugh question for me. I have never been blessed to go to Israel, but if I ever do get there, you can believe I will not go any further than the Kotel!!

I think the real reason Moses struck the rock instead of speaking to it is obvious, based on what he said first and how he said it: “Hear now, you rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock?” Moses had a meltdown. He was angry and gave place to his wrath; because of that, he did not follow the instructions of Yehovah exactly. I believe Yehovah had very significant reasons for telling him to speak to the rock instead of striking it, and Moses messed that up by allowing his wrath to speak for him.

” Strike vs Speak ”

The act of striking the Rock continued the display of authority represented by or in the staff – tangible focal point of power. We forget that the typical sojourner of that day was very superstitious and would attribute magical powers where none existed. However, when Moshe is told to SPEAK to the Rock it reveals a different and more intimate source of this “magical power”. This event appears at a time when Moshe and Aaron’s authority seem to be under continual assault, yes ? So, when Moshe is told to speak to the Rock, it is an opportunity to show Israel that not only is Moshe’s staff loaded with Yehovah’s power ( perceived ) but that Moshe himself has this power in his breath – words. Words are power and words matter. If Moshe would have obeyed and spoke to the Rock, he would have proven beyond any shadow of a doubt that not only did he wield authority in his staff but he also had this authority in himself – his ruach – his spoken WORDS. Again, the superstitious Israelite would have witnessed it this way; ” The power of everything we have witnessed since leaving Egypt is actually coming out of Moshe’s ( breath – words ) MOUTH. I other words, Deuteronomy 30:10-14. Moshe’s true authority was an arm’s length away from his staff – in his heart.

Moses was a leader of the people, leaders are held to a higher account, so that no matter why Moses errored, he had to be held to account, there was no one to mediate punishment for Moses like Moses did for the Children at the Golden Calf; so the highest punishment was meeted out. So as leaders or teachers; we must be very clear what we instruct our people or what we teach them.

The Torah demands to wash one’s entire body rather than simply dunk in a body of standing water. The demand for a Miqweh is Rabbinic and totally non-Scriptural.

I believe Numbers 33 gives us the chronology for determining if Miriam in the 1st month, died in the 40th year.
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Nu 33:36-39
36 And they journeyed from Ezion-geber, and camped in the wilderness of Zin, that is, Kadesh. (Miriam?)
37 And they journeyed from Kadesh, and camped at Mount Hor, at the edge of the land of Edom.
38 Then Aaron the priest went up to Mount Hor at the command of the Lord, and died there, in the fortieth year after the sons of Israel had come from the land of Egypt on the first day in the fifth month.
39 And Aaron was one hundred twenty-three years old when he died on Mount Hor.
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Otherwise you have MANY YEARS camped at Kadesh, where the chapters that follow are in Chronological order on the way to Jericho?

Thanks gents. Listening again, I was helped by your observations about “perfection” of the red heifer. I think I am going to have to discuss this issue with one of our associate pastors (Baptist) who taught us that the “old covenant” failed because no animal sacrificed for sin was perfect. (that’s a crude summary). Apart from the fact that Yehovah surely did not institute a covenant that could never work, I feel this misuses the phrase translated “without defect”. Surely what is required is not perfection down to the last hair, but like Micah challenged the people about; not offering blind or crippled animals. Does the Hebrew translated as “without blemish” clarify this? Bless you guys in what you are doing. Michael @ wildolive

Actually, Lakewood, New Jersey.

The uncleanness is for 7 days IF one is undergoing the purification with the ashes of the red heifer, i.e., sprinkling on the 3rd and 7th days and immersion in a mikveh. Without the ashes, the impurity remains.

There is a red heifer in Lakewood New York and it is being guarded and not being worked. Rabbis have inspected it and declared it is kosher and meets the requirements.

Another interpretation of Moses’ sin: Num 20:10 says, “…”Now listen, you rebels, can WE draw water for you from this rock.” Here, the “we” refers to Moses and Aaron, in other words, Moses is saying they are bringing water from the rock.
Then in verse 12 God says, “…”Since you did not have faith in Me to sanctify Me in the eyes of the children of Israel…” In other words, Moses should have given credit to God, that is, Moses should have said in verse 10, “God will draw water…”

Re. the matter of cleanness/uncleanness after an encounter with a dead body, I don’t understand why Nehemia says that he or anyone else who has had such an encounter would then be ritually unclean until, well, “forever” until the temple is rebuilt and the waters of purification reconstituted. Num. 19 says that you would only be unclean for 7 days.

On the other hand, if the state of impurity only exists for 7 days, I don’t really see why you would benefit from undergoing a 7-day ritual of purification; your uncleanness will be over in 7 days in any case, right?

Hang on! Number refers to these snakes as seraphim, the same term used in Isaiah and other ancient texts. How is this possible?
Christianity sees the serpent on the pole as type of Jesus. This is an interesting interpretation because Jesus has literally become an idol. As the Messiah he is not recognisable to Jews and Islamists. They see a church-made abomination. Was this a prophetic symbol?

I was taught bronze/copper represent judgement. Gold-Deity, silver-redemption. As per Temple Instuite. As we studied the Temple in the wilderness, the outside couplings-bronze, copper, represent judgement, the second layer silver was used, redemption, then the inner court, Holy of Holies, gold is used.

I thank you for share your wisdom .
The way you doit, is so delightful.

What if Moses disobeyed on purpose in order to bring YHVH’s wrath on himself rather than on the people for complaining yet again? His history is to always obey YHVH to the letter, so this is completely out of character for him. He also has a history of volunteering himself on behalf of the people. Makes a lot of sense to me. (you may have heard this one before–I just listened to Yoel’s torah round table)

Cross focus and cross worship is endemic in Christianity. Yeshua was crucified on a ‘stake / stauros, not a cross. The bronze/copper serpent was put on a ‘pole’ and as you point out it ‘became’ an idolatrous object in Israel. The ‘barber’ poles in America with the ‘entwined’ red stripes – are they a replica of Nehushtan? Great program !