40 chukat Resumen de la Parasha Semanal

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A must website. To subscribe to our newsletter. To download some resources (Hebrew Sabbath School, and other documents). To order the book “Comfort, Comfort my people…” and many other things.

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Professional Urban Development: The WJAFC provides: - Professional Urban training for Jewish Ministry - Teaching for theological students - Help to plant new congregations.

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If you would like to read articles, watch videos, learn things about Judaism and Israel, this website is just for you.

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If you would like to listen Jewish or Messianic songs. If you want to be used to ear modern Hebrew of the Apostolic Writings, it is the right radio to listen on the web.

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WJAFC Paris

A weekly Journal of information and training published by the World Jewish Adventist Friendship Center Under the umbrella of the General Conference —Office of Adventist Mission

Journal of Information and Training — Issue 688— 9 July 2 0 1 6 / 3 Ta m u z 5 7 7 6

Jael Wells Cuellar English Edition: Richard-Amram Elofer

Richard Amram Elofer

Russian Edition: Alexandra Obrevko French Edition: Sabine Baris Spanish Edition: Jael Wells Cuellar Portuguese Edition: Carlos Muniz Dutch Edition: Hubert Paulleta

Hubert Paulleta 8

Shabbat — Chukat

Shabbat Shalom Newsletter

Resources:

Carlos Muniz Emails: English: richard@elofer.com Russian: sashok_l@mail.ru French: sabinebaris@gmail.com Spanish: jael_wells@hotmail.com Portuguese: cdmuniz@gmail.com Dutch: hpauletta@hotmail.com

Credit photos: Richard Elofer, Alexandra Obrevko, Jael Wells Cuellar Hubert Paulleta, Laurent Baris and Advent Digital Media

for more information: contact us at www.jewishadventist.org

Alexandra Obrevko

Sabine Baris

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1 6 J u l y / 1 0 Ta m u z 2016 / 5776

This issue

News P.1 Parasha’s comments P.2-4 Haftara P.4-5 Apostolic Writings P.5 Stories P.6 Inspirational Corner P.6,7 Color Sheet for Kids P.7

Weekly Jewish-Adventist Journal of Information

We pray every week for leaders of the Jewish Ministry, According to our list of prayer for 2016, I suggest that our partners pray from July 17 to 23 for Emmanuel Lascu and Shalom David, who are pastor in Israel, working for the Hebrew, Romanian, and Spanish Congregations.

NEWS

World Jewish Adventist Congress in Streaming

The Congress will be broadcasted on Internet by streaming at: http://livestream. com/accounts/12397264/events/5743444 Starting on July 13, at 7:00 PM French time.

1:00 PM East Coast. For the full schedule refer to http://jewishadventist.org/worldjewish-adventist-congress.

A year of Achievement in Kiev, Ukraine.

On June 22 Vitaliy Obrevko finished the 9-month class “The Hebrew Bible.”

This class finished with 5 graduated students (even though they were 10 students to start), who studied the Hebrew Bible for 72 academic hours from October 2015 to June 2016. The last meeting was dedicated to a practical and theological analysis of the famous Birkat Hakohanim (Numbers 6:2227). All of students were happy to study Hebrew and to discover the deep meaning of the Hebrew text.

Vitaliy Obrevko is a very prolific teacher, since he completed his teaching of the Jewish ministry seminar in 14 class “Messiah to Jews, a possible mission” Every Shabbat afternoon from March to June, this seminar was a teaching on the history of the Jewish people, its religion, culture, the land of Israel, language, tradition, religion, festivals, Holocaust etc. the teachings were also centered on G-d’s love for Israel and the Mission to Jews in order to have a successful ministry.

This seminar attracted 25 people at each meeting, but 45 when it was the topic of the Holocaust or Shoah. Vitaliy informs us that the attendance was composed of Adventist and Messianic Jews. Everyone considered these seminars as a blessing for the congregation and the Ukrainian Jewish Adventist Friendship Center. Some pictures are available at: https://www. facebook.com/Beit.Shalom.SDA.Kyiv/ posts/1359929227368734

Parasha Overview

Chukat

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he laws of the para aduma (the red heifer) are detailed.

These laws are for the ritual purification of one who comes into contact with death.

After nearly 40 years in the desert, Miriam dies and is buried at Kadesh.

The people complain about the loss of their water supply that until now has been provided miraculously.

Aharon and Moshe pray for the people’s welfare. G-d commands them to gather the nation at Merivah and speak to a designated rock so that water will flow forth. Distressed by the people’s lack of faith, Moshe hits the rock instead of speaking to it.

He thus fails to produce the intended public demonstration of G-d’s mastery over the world, which would have resulted

“and the L-rd spoke to Moses, saying, “Take the staff, and assemble the congregation, you and Aaron your brother, and tell the rock before their eyes to yield its water. So you shall bring water out of the rock for them and give drink to the congregation and their cattle.” (Numbers 20:7–8)

Parasha for this Week

Chukat

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Numbers 19:1 - 22:1

Mystery in the Torah

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he first law given in the parashat Chukat is about the Parah Adumah (the red heifer). This chok (rule) is one of the most famous in the Torah, but one of the most mysterious because it is unexplained, reading the parasha we don’t find a rational explanation of this chok. This law reminds us of the answer the people of Israel gave to G-d when he spoke to them from the Sinai Naase Venishma (we will do and we will listen), meaning the people of G-d are ready to “do” without understanding first. They will listen after, if G-d is willing to give them an explanation.

This is the specificity of the Jewish people, always ready to obey even if they don’t understand. It is not the behavior of the 21st century. We want to understand what the Bible says, even if we are not ready to do what is commanded. We don’t eat pork and other unclean animals, but why? Just because it says we don’t have to eat them, or because science explains that these animals are not healthy?

Jews don’t need any scientific explanation to keep the law of G-d. Rabbi Berel Wein says, “it is obvious that the Torah teaches

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us a very basic lesson. Not everything in life is logical, understandable, rational or given to any sort of human understanding.” The Torah and the Bible are beyond human understanding and we can only understand what G-d is willing to explain to us. However, the Bible was given to human beings and one of the mitzvot is to study the Bible in order to understand it.

Chukat Laws

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he 613 mitzvot are generally divided into three categories; Eidut, Chukim, and Mishpatim.

Eidut are the mitzvot which commemorate the holidays and Shabbat. Mishpatim are mitzvot which have logical reason, such as not to steal, to be charitable etc. Chukim (statutes) are mitzvot which have no human logic whatsoever and are observed only because G-d commanded us to do them.

The Torah calls the mitzvah of Para Adumah (red heifer) a Chukah - implying that it is in the category of Mitzvot for which there is no logical reason given. According to our sages, the reason the mitzvah of Para Adumah is a mitzvah with no rational explanation, is the very fact that while the person who was impure becomes spiritually cleansed, the Kohen, who sprinkled the water, becomes unclean

Water came from the Rock

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he Torah states: “Now there was no water for the congregation. And they assembled themselves together against Moses and against Aaron. And the people quarreled with Moses and said, ‘Would that we had perished when our brothers perished before the L-rd! Why have you brought the assembly of the L-rd into this wilderness, that we should die here, both we and our cattle? And why have you made us come up out of Egypt to bring us to this evil place? It is no place for grain or figs or vines or pomegranates, and there is no water to drink.”” (Numbers 20:2-5). In response, G-d told Moshe and Aaron to gather the congregation. Moshe was told to take his staff and speak to the rock before the congregation. It would then give water.

Moshe was upset with the people for constantly arguing against G-d. In anger, Moshe called out, “Hear now, you rebels:” (Numbers 20:10) Then, instead of speaking to the rock, Moshe hit the rock twice with his staff.

The rock gave water, but Moshe and Aaron were punished for not speaking to the rock.

G-d told them that as a result, they would not enter the promised land.

Why did Moshe make the mistake of hitting the rock? Our sages explain that Moshe’s anger caused his mistake. From this story we see how a person must be careful not to become angry, for in the end it usually causes greater harm to the one who is angry.

Meeting Edom

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oshe sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom: ‘Thus says your brother Israel: You know all the travail that has befallen us; how our fathers went down into Egypt, and we dwelt in Egypt a long time; and the Egyptians dealt ill with us, and with our fathers. And we cried out to G-d, and He heard our voice and sent an angel, and brought us out of Egypt; and, behold, we are in Kadesh, a city at the outer limits of your territory.”

(Numbers 20:14-16). Edom is another name for Esav, who was the brother of Yaakov. Esav was not interested by the responsibilities of the firstborn, and sold his birthright for a pot of lentils. Being firstborn meant living up to the covenant that G-d had made with Abraham, a covenant that

promised the Land of Israel at the cost of hundreds of years of slavery. Moshe seems to be politely communicating to our “brother”: the Children of Israel made a “down payment” on the Land of Israel with the slavery we endured in Egypt, and we are now ready to come home and take what is ours.

Moshe then makes a request; he asks, as a long-lost brother, if Israel can pass through the land of Edom. His request is denied: “Please let us pass through your land; we will not pass through field or through vineyard, nor will we drink of the water of the wells; we will go along the king’s highway, we will not turn aside to the right nor to the left, until we have crossed your border.’ And Edom said to him: ‘You shall not pass through me, lest I come out with the sword against you.’ And the Children of Israel said to him: ‘We will go up by the highway; and if we drink your water, I and my cattle, I will pay full price for it; let me only pass through on my feet; there is no harm in it.’

And he said: ‘You shall not pass through.’ And Edom came out against him with a heavy force of people, and with a strong hand.

Thus Edom refused to give Israel passage through his border; and Israel turned away from him.” (Numbers 20: 17-21). It will be the same with the Am-

monites. In fact Ammon and Moav, who are called “brothers”

by Moses did not exactly behave like relatives should, when a relative comes to visit, you welcome him in and you provide food and drink, just like their great-uncle Avraham. “An Ammonite or a Moavite shall not enter into the Congregation of G-d; even to the tenth generation none of them shall enter into the Congregation of G-d forever; because they did not meet you with bread and with water on the way, when you came out of Egypt; and because they hired against you Bil’am the son of Beor from Petor of AramNaharaim, to curse you.” (Deuteronomy 23:4- 5).

Instead of providing food they tried to curse Israel. The punishment for this behavior is they are no longer considered “brothers” and can not marry into the Jewish People. When they behaved as they did, in a manner that went against everything their greatuncle Avraham stood for, they severed their connection with the land which belonged to Avraham, and from the people who were Avraham’s legitimate heirs. However, Edom is still considered our brother: “You shall not abhor an Edomite, for he is your brother; you shall not abhor an Egyptian, because you were a stranger in his land.” (Deuteronomy 23:8).

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had the rock produced water merely at Moshe’s word. Therefore, G-d tells Moshe and Aharon that they will not bring the people into the Land.

Bnei Israel resume their travels, but because the King of Edom, a descendant of Esav, denies them passage through his country, they do not travel the most direct route to Eretz Yisrael. When they reach Mount Hor, Aharon dies and his son Eleazar is invested with his priestly garments and responsibilities.

Aharon was beloved by all, and the entire nation mourns him 30 days. Sichon the Amorite attacks Bnei Yisrael when they ask to pass through his land. As a result, Bnei Yisrael conquer the lands that Sichon had previously seized from the Amonites on the east bank of the Jordan River.

Apostolic Writings — 1 Corinthians 10:3-4

Haftara Overview Judges 11:1-33

“And the L-rd said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent and set it on a pole, and everyone who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live.” So Moses made a bronze serpent and set it on a pole. And if a serpent bit anyone, he would look at the bronze serpent and live.” (Numbers 21:8–9)

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n the text of the parasha we have the story of Israel crossing the Negev and coming to the land of Edom. They ask permission to pass.

“Now let us pass through your land” (Num. 20:17).

But Edom refused. “You shall not pass through, or we will come out with the sword against you” (Num. 20:18). Israel did not insist and turned back and went around the land of Edom (Num. 21:4).

The same thing happened with the Amorites (Num. 21:21-26). However this time Israel did not accept the refusal of the Amorites and took their land and cities.

The story in our Haftara occurred about three hundred years later, during the time of Jephthah the Gileadite, the son of a prostitute (Judges 11:1). The Amonites came to provoke Israel for what happened during the time of Moses.

“After a time the Ammonites made war against Israel” (Judges 11:4). The people of Israel called Jephthah to help them in this situation. Even though Jephthah was not happy, he sent a delegation to the Amonites. “What is there between you and me, that you have come to me to fight in my land?”

(Judges 11:12). The king of the Amonites recalled to Jephthah what had happened a few centuries

Death of Aharon

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fter the disobedience of Moses, a sentence of death was pronounced against him, indeed, instead of speaking to the Rock he struck it. But Moses was not alone in this story, Aharon was with him and thus contributed to this sin. that is why the Torah states: “Let Aharon be gathered to his people, for he shall not enter the land that I have given to the people of Israel, because you rebelled against my command at the waters of Meribah” (Numbers 20:24) Rabbi Hirsch does not see “Meribah” as a proper name, but as a common name and translates it as “Contention”, this verse become “because you have acted contrary to My word with regard to the waters of contention”.

There is an interesting commentary on the death of Aharon. Our Sages teach us that such as, after the death of Miriam, the loss of the nation became manifest by the drying up of the well, so too, the death of Aharon became “visible” to the nation by an external manifestation. With Aharon’s death, the cloud that until then had protected and guided them in the wilderness departed.

The Jewish tradition says that the “external manifestation” in fact the departure of the cloud is alluded to in the text by the word

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“Vayirhu” which is the first word of the verse 29. this verb means “see” “And the entire community ‘saw’ that Aharon had expired and the entire house of Israel wept for Aharon thirty days”, Moses, Elazar and Aaron went up to mount Hor, the people of Israel were not on the mountain, they did not see directly the death of Aaron, but since the text says “the entire community saw”, that means an external manifestation shows them that Aaron died. Rabbi Hirsch adds

the Gemara’s statement “don’t read ‫ ואריו‬but read ‫וארייו‬ with two Yod. Very often we don’t “see” where G-d is acting, but Israel “saw.”

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A Symbolic Serpent

n the Parasha, we read: “And the people spoke against G-d and against Moses, ‘Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness?

For there is no food and no water, and we loathe this worthless food.’ ” (Numbers 21:5). To punish them for their lack of faith, G-d sent “fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many people of Israel died.” (Numbers 21:6). Then G-d said to Moshe: “Make a fiery serpent and set it on a pole, and everyone who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live.” So Moses made a bronze serpent and set it on a pole. And if a serpent bit anyone, he would look at the bronze ser-

pent and live.” (Numbers 21:8–9).

G-d wanted to teach the Jewish people that one can transform the cause of their suffering and pain (the serpent) into the source of healing by looking up; which means looking up to G-d through repentance and seeking His help.

The snake bit the people - why is the image of the snake the “cure”? Rabbi Chaim Shmuelevitz explained that when a person hits someone, it comes from anger and hatred, but when he helps another person, it comes from compassion and love. With the Almighty, however, even when He causes a person to suffer, it comes from His compassion and love. In the overall scheme of thing a person gains from that suffering. It is either atonement, it serves as a lesson to teach a person to improve, or it elevates a person. Therefore, the smiting and the cure can be from the same thing because they both come from the attribute of love. When you find meaning in your suffering, it is much easier to accept with a positive attitude.

Once again this symbolic serpent referred to the Mashiach who is the one who heals and give true life. Yeshua affirmed “And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. For G-d so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.” (John 3:14-16).

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his text written by Rabbi Shaul is in connection with the text of our parasha. In this week’s parasha we encounter again this famous Rock that gave water to the people of Israel during the 40 years of travel in the wilderness. This Rock was described in Exodus 17, at Rephidim, at the beginning of their journey and in Numbers 20, at Kadesh-Barnea, at the end of their travel. But Moses does not say too much about this Rock in the books of Exodus and Numbers. He starts to reveal who is this Rock only at the very end of his life, when he wrote the book of Deuteronomy.

He says: “For I will proclaim the name of the L-rd; ascribe greatness to our G-d! “The Rock, his work is perfect, for all his ways are justice. A G-d of faithfulness and without iniquity, just and upright is he.” (Deuteronomy 32:3–4). The L-rd is the Rock, the G-d of faithfulness. And in the verse 15 he goes further and calls him the “Rock of his [Israel] salvation” that means here this Rock provides salvation and thus is assimilated to the Messiah, the one who will bring “salvation”. In the verse 18, Moses makes a beautiful and poetic parallel between the Rock who bore Israel and G-d who gave them birth “You were unmindful of the Rock that bore you, and you forgot the G-d who gave you birth.”

(Deut 32:18). This metaphor of G-d as the Rock will be used in the Hebrew Bible many times.

In the first book of Samuel we read the prayer of Hannah who was granted by the L-rd with the baby Samuel, she said “There is none holy like the L-rd: for there is none besides you; there is no rock like our G-d.” (1 Samuel

2:2), the people of Israel knew that G-d was compared to the Rock. King David himself used also this metaphor in his prayers and poetry “He said, “The L-rd is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my G-d, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge, my savior; you save me from violence.” (2 Samuel 22:2–3), this Rock is for him, the L-rd, his fortress, his deliverer, his refuge, his shield, the horn of his salvation, his stronghold, his Savior, what a wonderful presentation of G-d who is everything for David.

And naturally when we come to the Apostolic Writings we find the same idea as in the Hebrew Bible, the Rock is G-d, the Rock is the Savior. It gives us a special light about the rock which followed the people of Israel in the wilderness, saying that this Rock was the Messiah.

Shaliach Shaul said “and all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink.

For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Mashiach.”

(1 Corinthians 10:3–4). The Rock was Yeshua himself, the Mashiach who was sent by G-d to protect Israel and to give them food and drink. However, this wonderful Rock could also be a “stumbling block” the prophet Isaiah wrote: “he will become a sanctuary and a stone of offense and a rock of stumbling to both houses of Israel, a trap and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. And many shall stumble on it.” (Isaiah 8:14–15). These words were fulfilled when the people of Israel refused to recognize Yeshua as the Mashiach as the Shaliach Shim’on said:

“So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe, ‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,’” (1 Peter 2:7) and Shaul adds “as it is written, ‘Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense; and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.’”

(Romans 9:33). This stumbling block can become the Rock of Salvation that Moses and David recognized, it only depends on us, if we accept that Yeshua is the Mashiach of Israel.

It is important to remember who is Mashiach. The prophet Micah wrote in his book “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.” (Micah 5:2). The Messiah who would be born in Bethlehem and who would be the ruler over Israel has his “origins from the old, from ancient times”. That means his origin is much older than the day of his birth in Bethlehem. He existed before his birth. It the same idea that Yochanan gives us in his first verses: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with G-d, and the Word was G-d. He was in the beginning with G-d. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.” (John 1:1–3). So it is not surprising if he was there also in the time of Moses and Israel in the desert. Then according to Rabbi Shaul the rock which followed the people of Israel in the desert was Yeshua who was with G-d and appeared to Israel as a rock, giving them water and refreshment in a hot wilderness.

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before (Judges 11:26) and pretended that he wanted to get back his original territory, “Because Israel, on coming from Egypt, took away my land from the Arnon to the Jabbok and to the Jordan; now therefore restore it peaceably” (Judges 11:13). However, Jephthah did not want to accept this demand from the Amonites. It was impossible, because the land had been given to the people of Israel by the L-rd himself.

“So now the L-RD, the G-d of Israel, has conquered the Amorites for the benefit of his people Israel. Do you intend to take their place?

(Judges 11:23). In fact Jephthah asked the Amorites if they wanted to oppose the will of G-d. They had not opposed G-d’s decision for three hundred years; it was better to continue that way if they did not want to be in trouble with G-d. The king of the Ammonites refused. “But the king of the Ammonites did not heed the message that Jephthah sent him” (Judges 11:23).

Of course the conclusion is the victory of Israel. It is crucial for us to know whether or not we oppose G-d’s will. Victory is in the hand of G-d, but only if we obey him.

Inspirational Corner v The calm faith of

their leader inspired the people with confidence in G-d. They trusted all to His omnipotent arm, and He did not fail them. Not mighty giants nor walled cities, armed hosts nor rocky fortresses, could stand before the Captain of the L-rd’s host. The L-rd led the army; the L-rd discomfited the enemy; the L-rd conquered in behalf of Israel. The giant king and his army were destroyed, and the Israelites soon took possession of the whole country.

Thus was blotted from the earth that strange people who had given themselves up to iniquity and abominable idolatry.

(PP 436).

Stories and Traditions

Torah’s Study

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he Chofetz Chaim gave the following story: A very successful merchant was so busy taking care of the customers who came to his store that he had no time for Torah study. He noticed one day that his hair was turning gray and he realized that he was getting older.

He knew that the day he would leave this world was getting closer. He therefore decided that he would go each morning to the synagogue to pray with a minyan (quorum of 10 men over the age of 13) and to study Torah for a couple of hours.

When he came late to the store, his wife was frantic. People would have come to his store if he were there - they were losing customers! He calmly told his wife, “What would I do if the Angel of Death came to me and told me that my time in this world was up? Could I tell him that I can’t go yet since I’ll miss out on customers? If I were already dead I would not be able to come to the store. Therefore, each day let us imagine for a couple of hours that I have already died. This way I am able to study Torah each day.”

This, said the Chofetz Chaim, is what the Sages are advising us. You might be very busy and feel that you do not have any time to study Torah.

However, if you will just view yourself as if you were already dead, you will find the time to study Torah which gives life to those who study it.

Do You See Good In Everyone?

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abbi Levi Yitzchak of Barditchev was one of those sages whose unconditional love for his brethren was legendary. He didn’t see any negative, he always found and saw the good in everyone.

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The story is told of Rabbi Levi Yitzchak who saw a Jewish coachman, enwrapped in Talit and Tefillin, in the middle of his prayers, greasing the wheels of his carriage in preparation for a trip.

Someone else would have scolded the man for his lack of respect for his prayers. Not so Rabbi Levi Yitzchak. He lifted his eyes upward and exclaimed, “G-d, see what a great people you have. Look how devoted this poor coachman is to You. Even when he’s greasing the wheels of his coach he cannot refrain from praying to you!”

There are those who find fault with others even when the other person is performing a good deed and then there are those who see only good in others.

is different. At home one should have all the necessities...!”

Rabbi Dov Ber was implying that he didn’t view this world as his home. To Rabbi Dov Ber, this world was only a temporary place to prepare for his real home, the World-to-Come.

Thus, we recite each morning, “How good are your tents, O Jacob, your dwellings, O Israel”. This serves as a reminder that this world is “Ohalecha” - “Tents” - for all material possessions in this world are only temporary. Our permanent investment are the mitzvot and good deeds we perform in this world which provides for the comfort of a Jew’s true dwelling place.

How Good Are Your Tents…

person who becomes angry is like worshipping idols!” say our sages.

Why does the Torah tell us that Moshe struck the rock twice?

Rabbi Israel of Ruzhin once saw one of his children become angry. When the Rebbe’s son saw that his father didn’t reprimand him, he again expressed his anger against that person.

His father then said to him, “We find that only after Moshe hit the stone twice did G-d react negatively to him. Why didn’t G-d react like this after Moshe struck the rock the first time? The answer is that a person is not an angel, he is only human, perhaps he couldn’t help from becoming angry. But when the person expresses his anger a second time, then it is his fault and he must be reprimanded. The same with you. The first time I figured you just fell into anger... but when you became angry a second time, this is prohibited and against the law of the Torah.”

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abbi Dov Ber of Mezritch succeeded the Baal Shem Tov as leader of the Chassidic movement. Before becoming leader, Rabbi Dov Ber of Mezritch was a poor teacher. He didn’t even have the barest necessities of a decent table, chairs and bed.

Once the Baal Shem Tov asked a visitor to stop in Mezritch on his way home and give regards to Rabbi Dov Ber. When the person came to Rabbi Dov Ber’s house, he couldn’t believe its dilapidated state. When he went inside, he was even more shocked at the poverty which he found. After giving regards from the Baal Shem Tov, the man said, “Rabbi, I am not a wealthy man, yet, at home, I have a decent table, chairs, and beds.

How can you live like this?”

Rabbi Dov Ber looked at him, smiled and replied, “You said, ‘At home you have everything you need’. Sure, at home

Kids Parasha Chukat

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Inspirational Corner

v The same beau-

Are you an Angel?

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Numbers 19:1 - 22:1

“Then Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock, and he said to them, “Hear now, you rebels: shall we bring water for you out of this rock?” And Moses lifted up his hand and struck the rock with his staff twice, and water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their livestock. And the L-rd said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not believe in me, to uphold me as holy in the eyes of the people of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land that I have given them.” These are the waters of Meribah, where the people of Israel quarreled with the L-rd, and through them he showed himself holy.” (Numbers 20:10–13). http://www.bnai-tikkun.org.nz 7

tiful and expressive figures are carried throughout the Bible. Centuries before the advent of Christ, Moses pointed to Him as the rock of Israel’s salvation ( Deut.

32:15); the psalmist sang of Him as “my Redeemer,” “the rock of my strength,” “the rock that is higher than I,” “a rock of habitation,” “rock of my heart,” “rock of my refuge.” In David’s song His grace is pictured also as the cool, “still waters,” amid green pastures, beside which the heavenly Shepherd leads His flock. (PP 413)