Parashat Beha’alotecha

Dedication of the Levites

8 Adonai spoke to Moses saying, ² “Speak to Aaron and say to him: When you erect the lamps, the seven lamps are to illuminate the area in front of the menorah.” ³ Aaron did so. He erected the lamps facing forward so they illuminated the area in front of the menorah, just as Adonai had commanded Moses. ⁴ Now this is how the menorah was made: hammered gold from its base to its blossoms. Just as was the pattern that Adonai had shown to Moses, so he made the menorah.

⁵ Again Adonai spoke to Moses saying, ⁶ “Take the Levites from among Bnei-Yisrael and ceremonially cleanse them. ⁷ This is what you must do to them to make them clean: Sprinkle the purifying water on them,^[a] then have them shave their whole bodies and wash their clothes, thus purifying themselves.

⁸ “Then they are to take a young bull with its grain offering of fine flour mixed with oil, plus a second young bull for a sin offering. ⁹ Bring the Levites before the Tent of Meeting, and gather the whole community of Bnei-Yisrael. ¹⁰ Bring the Levites before Adonai, Bnei-Yisrael will lay their hands on the Levites, ¹¹ and Aaron will present the Levites before Adonai as a wave offering from Bnei-Yisrael. Then they may go about the work of the service of Adonai.

¹² “The Levites are to lay their hands on the heads of the bulls. Use one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering to Adonai to make atonement for the Levites. ¹³ Have the Levites stand before Aaron and his sons and present them as a wave offering to Adonai. ¹⁴ In this way you are to set apart the Levites from Bnei-Yisrael to be Mine. ¹⁵ After you have purified them and presented them as a wave offering, the Levites will come to do their work at the Tent of Meeting. ¹⁶ For they are the ones from among Bnei-Yisrael given to Me in place of all the first from the wombs of Bnei-Yisrael. I have taken them for Myself.

¹⁷ “For every firstborn among Bnei-Yisrael is Mine, whether human or animal. On the day I struck down the firstborn of the land of Egypt, I sanctified them for Myself. ^{[b] 18} So I am taking the Levites in place of the firstborn of Bnei-Yisrael, ¹⁹ and I am giving the Levites as a gift to Aaron and his sons from among Bnei-Yisrael, to do the work on behalf of Bnei-Yisrael in the Tent of Meeting, and to make atonement for them—so that there would be no plague among them for coming too close to the Sanctuary.”

²⁰ So Moses, Aaron and the entire community of Bnei-Yisrael did so with the Levites. All that Adonai had commanded Moses regarding the Levites, so Bnei-Yisrael did to them. ²¹ The Levites also purified themselves from sin and washed their clothes. Aaron presented them as a wave offering before Adonai, and, he made atonement for them to purify them. ²² After that, the Levites came to do their tasks before Aaron and his sons in the Tent of Meeting, just as Adonai had commanded Moses concerning the Levites.

²³ Adonai again spoke to Moses saying, ²⁴ “This is for the Levites. Men 25 years old and upward are to present themselves for service to work in the Tent of Meeting. ²⁵ But at the age of 50 he is to retire from his service and work no longer. ²⁶ He may assist his brothers in the Tent of Meeting to do their duties, but he himself will no longer do the work. Thus, you are to assign to the Levites their responsibilities.”

Second Month Passover

9 Adonai spoke to Moses in the Sinai wilderness in the first month of the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt saying, ² “Bnei-Yisrael is to observe Passover at its appointed time. ³ You are to celebrate it at its appointed time, at twilight on the fourteenth day of this month, with all its rules and regulations.”

⁴ So Moses told Bnei-Yisrael to observe Passover. ⁵ They celebrated Passover at twilight on the fourteenth day of the first month in the Sinai wilderness. In accordance with all that Adonai commanded Moses, so Bnei-Yisrael did.^[c]

⁶ However, there were some men who could not celebrate Passover because of being defiled by a dead body. So they came to Moses and Aaron on that same day, ⁷ and these men said to him, “We have become unclean because of a dead man’s body. Why should we be kept from presenting the offering of Adonai at the appointed time with the rest of Bnei-Yisrael?” ⁸ Moses answered them, “Wait, and I will inquire what Adonai commands concerning you.”

⁹ Then Adonai spoke to Moses saying, ¹⁰ “Say to Bnei-Yisrael saying: If any man, whether you or your descendants, becomes unclean because of a dead body, or is away on a long journey, he may yet observe Adonai’s Passover. ¹¹ They are to celebrate it at twilight on the fourteenth day of the second month. With matzot and bitter herbs they are to eat it. ¹² They are not to leave any of it until morning, or break any bones. When they celebrate Passover they are to observe all its regulations.

¹³ “But the person who is clean and not away on a journey, yet neglects to celebrate Passover, that soul shall be cut off from his people because that person did not present Adonai’s offering at the appointed time. That man will bear his sin.

¹⁴ “If an outsider living among you would celebrate Passover to Adonai according to the requirement, so he should do. There will be for you the same regulation for the outsider and the native of the land.’”

The Cloud as the Guide

¹⁵ On the day the Tabernacle was erected, the cloud covered the Tabernacle. By evening until morning, the cloud above the Tent of Testimony had an appearance like fire. ¹⁶ It was that way continually. The cloud covered it, and by night it appeared like fire. ¹⁷ Whenever the cloud lifted up from above the Tent, then Bnei-Yisrael would set out, and at the place where the cloud settled, there Bnei-Yisrael would encamp. ¹⁸ At the mouth of Adonai, Bnei-Yisrael would set out, and at the mouth of Adonai they would encamp. All the days that the cloud remained over the Tabernacle, they would remain in camp.

¹⁹ When the cloud would remain over the Tabernacle many days, Bnei-Yisrael would obey the command of Adonai and not set out. ²⁰ At times the cloud stayed over the Tabernacle only a few days. At Adonai’s word they would encamp, and at Adonai’s word they would set out.

²¹ At times the cloud remained only from evening until morning. When the cloud would lift, they would set out. Whether by day or by night, when the cloud lifted, they would set out. ²² Whether for two days or a month or a year, while the cloud remained over the Tabernacle, Bnei-Yisrael remained camped and would not set out. But when it would lift, they would set out. ²³ At Adonai’s word they would encamp, and at the mouth of Adonai they set out. They obeyed Adonai’s order by Moses’s hand.

Birth Pangs Before Deliverance

¹⁴ “But when you see ‘the abomination of desolation’^[a] standing where it should not be (let the reader understand), then those in Judea must flee to the mountains. ¹⁵ The one on the roof must not go down, nor enter to take anything out of his house. ¹⁶ And the one in the field must not turn back to get his cloak. ¹⁷ Woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! ¹⁸ Pray that it will not happen in winter.

¹⁹ “For in those days there will be trouble such as has never happened,^[b] not since the beginning of the creation which God created until now, and never will. ²⁰ And unless Adonai had cut short those days, no one would be saved. But for the sake of the elect, whom He chose, He cut short the days.

²¹ “And then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here’s the Messiah!’ or, ‘Look, there He is!’ do not believe it. ²² For false messiahs and false prophets will rise up^[c] and show signs and wonders to lead astray, if possible, the chosen. ²³ So be careful! See, I have told you everything beforehand.”

Messianic Victory

²⁴ “But in those days, after that trouble,

and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.’^[d]

²⁶ And then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in clouds’^[e] with great power and glory. ²⁷ Then He will send out the angels and will gather together His chosen from the four winds, from the end of the earth, to the end of heaven.”

Keep Watch

²⁸ “Now learn the parable from the fig tree. When its branch becomes tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. ²⁹ So also, when you see all these things happening, know that it is near, at the door. ³⁰ Amen, I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things happen. ³¹ Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away. ³² But of that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven nor the Son, except the Father.

³³ “Keep on the lookout! Stay alert! For you do not know when the time is. ³⁴ It is like a man away on a journey. After leaving his house and putting his servants in charge and giving each his task, he also commanded the doorkeeper to watch. ³⁵ Therefore stay alert, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming, whether in the evening, at midnight, when the rooster crows, or in the early morning. ³⁶ So watch in case, coming suddenly, he finds you asleep. ³⁷ What I say to you I say to all: ‘Stay alert!’”

A Sacrifice of Thanks

Psalm 50