Numbers-Chapter-28
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Remember the following truth from our beloved
Torah!
“Ye shall NOT ADD TO
THE WORD which I command you, NEITHER SHALL
YE DIMINISH FROM IT, that ye may keep the commandments of יְהוָה
אֱלֹהֵיכֶם - the LORD your Eloleichem, which I command you”. Davarim -
Deuteronomy 4:2. (JPS-1917).
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With Rabbi,
Dr. Reuven Ben Avraham-Goossens, PhD.
Introduction:
Numbers
Chapter 28 serves as a comprehensive liturgical calendar for the nation of
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Let us read Numbers
Chapter 28, verses 1 to 31: (JPS-1917 version of
the Torah). Below this chapter you will find my commentary for this study.
1 “And יְהוָה - the LORD spoke unto Moses,
saying: 2 Command the children of
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Below is my Commentary
on Numbers Chapter 28:
Verse 1: The Eternal speaks to
Moses, initiating a new set of instructions regarding the communal service.
This transition marks the move from civil and leadership laws to the laws of
national worship.
Verse 2: Moses is commanded to
charge the people with bringing the offerings in their “due season”. The
terminology “My food” is used metaphorically to emphasize that these offerings
are the “bread” of the communal relationship with the Divine.
Verse 3: The Tamid
(continual) offering is introduced: two yearling lambs without blemish are to
be offered every single day, one in the morning and one in the evening. This
represents the constant, unwavering presence of the Divine in daily life.
Verse 4: The timing is specific:
one lamb is offered at daybreak and the second “between the evenings” (dusk). This bookends the day in holiness, ensuring no day passes
without a communal expression of gratitude.
Verse 5: Alongside the animal
offering, a meal-offering of fine flour mixed with beaten oil is required. This
acknowledges the produce of the land and the labour of the people as part of their service.
Verse 6: The text reminds the
people that this is the same “continual burnt-offering” ordained at
Verse 7: A drink-offering of
strong wine is to be poured out in the holy place. The use of wine signifies
joy and the sanctification of the physical world through the act of libation.
Verse 8: The evening lamb is
offered with the same proportions as the morning, maintaining perfect symmetry
in the daily service.
Verse
9: The Sabbath offering is introduced as an addition to the daily Tamid. On the seventh day, two additional lambs are
brought, signaling that the Sabbath possesses a "double portion" of
sanctity.
Verse 10: This Sabbath
burnt-offering is distinct and added on top of the daily requirement, teaching
that the special holiness of the day does not replace the consistency of the
daily routine.
Verse 11: The Rosh Chodesh (New Moon) offerings are detailed. The beginning of
each month is marked with a significant expansion of the sacrifices, including
young bullocks, a ram, and seven lambs, celebrating the renewal of time.
Verse 12-14: Specific measurements for
meal-offerings and drink-offerings are provided for each animal the bullock,
the ram, and the lamb. This precision ensures that the service is conducted
with order and intentionality.
Verse 15: A he-goat is added as a
sin-offering on the New Moon. This acknowledges the need for communal atonement
and purification as the nation enters a new month.
Verse 16: The focus shifts to the
spring: the fourteenth day of the first month is designated as the Passover of
the Eternal, the anniversary of the Exodus.
Verse 17: For seven days
thereafter, the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Matzot) is
observed. The eating of unleavened bread serves as a reminder of the haste of
the redemption and the removal of ego (represented by leaven).
Verse 18: The first day of the
festival is a “holy convocation”. No “manner of servile work” is to be done,
allowing the people to focus entirely on the spiritual significance of the day.
Verse 19-23: The specific animal
offerings for each of the seven days of Passover are listed. Just like the New
Moon, these are brought in addition to the morning Tamid,
layering festive joy upon daily discipline.
Verse 24: The Torah repeats that
these shall be offered “daily” throughout the seven days, emphasizing that the
celebration of freedom requires sustained effort and consistency.
Verse 25: The seventh day of
Passover is also a holy convocation with a prohibition on servile work,
concluding the festival with the same level of sanctity with which it began.
Verse 26: The “Day of First-fruits”
(Shavuot) is introduced. This occurs when the new meal-offering is brought,
marking the harvest and the spiritual culmination of the count from Passover.
Verse 27-30: The offerings for Shavuot
mirror those of the New Moon and Passover, creating a consistent “festive
standard” for the major holidays.
Verse 31: The chapter concludes by
reiterating that all animals must be “without blemish”. This
serves as a reminder that when we offer ourselves or our resources to a higher
purpose, we must strive to do so with our best, most whole-hearted efforts.
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My Closing Message:
Numbers
Chapter 28 teaches us the power of consistency. By establishing the Tamid the daily, unceasing offering the Torah reminds us
that holiness is not found only in grand, occasional gestures, but in the
steady rhythm of our daily lives. Whether it is the quiet devotion of a weekday
morning or the communal joy of a festival, the goal remains the same: to live
with an awareness of the Divine presence in every season and every moment.
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