Num 15.1-41 tells us about the different laws concerning the bread offerings and libations; there is to be one law for the native and for the non-Jew who sojourns among them in the land; the laws of Challah; the laws concerning the Sin offering and the Tzitzit on the corners of the their garments.
v 1…Now the Lord spoke to Moses ,saying,
v 2…Speak to the sons of Israel, and say to them, ‘When you enter the land (this is to give the people hope and that some following can only be done in the land; if these can be done anywhere there would be no reason to hope about being in the land) where you are to live, which I am giving you,
v 3…then make an offering by fire to the Lord, a burnt offering or a sacrifice (zevach-a celebratory peace offering-Lev 3.1; a feast went with the covenant and the Temple was the covenantal center-1 Kings 1.9, 19.21; Gen 26.28-30, 31.44-46) to fulfill a special vow, or as a freewill offering or in your appointed times (moed), to make a soothing aroma to the Lord (who is pleased with their obedience to his commands), from the herd or from the flock.
v 4…And the one who presents his offering shall present to the Lord a grain offering (minchah) of one-tenth of an ephah of fine flour (solet) mixed with one-third of a hin of oil,
v 5…and you shall prepare wine for the libation, one-fourth of a hin, with the burnt offering (Korban Olah) or for the sacrifice, for each lamb.
v 6…Or for a ram (a larger animal) you shall prepare as a grain offering two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with one-third of a hin of oil,
v 7…and for the libation you shall offer one-third of a hin of wine as soothing aroma to the Lord (he is pleased with their obedience).
v 8…And when you prepare a bull (the largest animal so offerings increase) as a burnt offering or a sacrifice, to fulfill a special vow, or for peace offerings to the Lord,
v 9… then you shall offer with the bull a grain offering of tree-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with one-half a hin of oil;
v 10…and you shall offer as the libation one-half a hin of wine as an offering by fire, as a soothing aroma to the Lord.
v 11…Thus it shall be done for each ox, or for each ram, or for each of the male lambs , or of the goats.
v 12…According to the number that you prepare, so you shall do for everyone, according to their number.
v 13…All who are native (Israelites born in Israel) shall do these things in this manner, in presenting an offering by fire, as a soothing aroma to the Lord.
In Num 15.14-16 we learn about the Torah and the non-Jew. A non-Jew must worship this God in accordance with what he has said in the Torah, otherwise it is not considered worship. Non-Jews have a relationship with the Torah based on 1 Cor 7.17-19; Ecc 12.13 and Eph 2.11-22. Intentions don’t matter. If one worships in a different manner it is like the Golden Calf and meat sacrificed to idols. It is a form of idolatry. One worships the way God has instructed in the Torah. Provisions are made all through the Torah for the same blessings, the same benefits and the same God. If you want to love the Lord, keep the commandments. Even if you don’t know what you are doing yet, you will be accepted.
v 14…And if the alien (Ger; a resident non-Israelite who follows the God of Israel) sojourns with you, or one who may be among you throughout your generations, and wishes to make an offering by fire, as a soothing aroma to the Lord, just as you do, so he shall do (A Ger T’Shav is one who lives in the land, and a Ger Ha Shaar is one who lives outside the land-Num 9.14; Zech 14.16-21; Isa 56. 6-8; Matt 28.19-20; 1 Cor 11.1-2; 2 Thes 2.15, 3.6; 2 Tim 3.16-17).
v 15…As for the assembly (kahal-made up of Jews and non-Jews), there shall be one statute for you and for the alien (Ger) who sojourns with you, a perpetual statute throughout your generations, as you are, so shall the alien (Ger) be before the Lord.
v 16…There is to be one law (Torah) and one ordinance for you and for the alien who sojourns with you.’ “
In Num 15.17-21 we have the Law of the Challah. It says, “When you enter the land” and again it was said to bring the people hope. They would be going into the land eventually, despite the Ten Scouts incident and the judgments that were given as a result. Before they have defeated their enemies and settle down, they were to give a “Terumah” (contribution) when they eat the bread of the land (m’lechem ha eretz), the first of their dough will be lifted up as a “cake” (challah).
v 17…Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
v 18…”Speak to the sons of Israel, and say to them, ‘When you enter the land (see v 2 notes) where I bring you,
v 19…then it shall be, that when you eat the food (bread) of the land, you shall lift up an offering (terumah-a contribution or a portion as a gift) to the Lord.
v 20…Of the first of your dough you shall lift up as a cake (challah) as an offering, as the offering of the threshing floor, so you shall lift it up (as the two wave loaves and the firstfruits of the harvest).
v 21…From the first of your dough you shall give to the Lord (to a priest) an offering throughout your generations.
Num 15.22-28 discusses the sin offering (Korban Chata) for an unintentional sin. This is a sin done in error, not willful defiance. A sabbath breaker is dealt with in Num 15.32-36. He has gathered wood, probably for a work fire. Exo 35.1-3 talks about the Sabbath and then says they were not to “kindle a fire.” The chapter then goes on to talk about building the Mishkan. To “kindle a fire” can mean several things depending on the context, not necessarily “work.” The people are being told not to make “work fires” in their dwellings for the Mishkan. There were no factories or “Home Depots” around. Everything that needed to be forged in fires for the Mishkan had to be done in their homes. The person in our verse was going to work and needed a fire. He was brought before the elders. This law was known, but not the method of execution (Lev 24.12). The Lord said that stoning was the proper mode of execution.
v 22…But when you unwittingly fail and do not observe all these commandments, which the Lord has spoken to Moses,
v 23…even all that the Lord has commanded you through Moses, from the day when the Lord gave commandment and onward throughout your generations,
v 24… then it shall be, if it is done unwittingly (in error), without knowledge (hid from the eyes) of the congregation (this is not a private person, but if the whole congregation does something) that all the congregation shall offer one bull for a burnt offering, as a soothing aroma to the Lord, with its grain offering, and its libation, according to the ordinance, and one male goat for a sin offering.
v 25…Then the priest shall make atonement (a covering) for all the congregation of the sons of Israel, and they shall be forgiven; for it was an error, and they have brought their offering, an offering by fire to the Lord, and their sin offering before the Lord, for their error.
v 26…So all the congregation of the sons of Israel will be forgiven, with the alien who sojourns among them, for it happened to all the people through error.
v 27…Also if one person (a private person) sins unintentionally, then he shall offer aa one year old female (a picture of submission) goat for a sin offering.
v 28…And the priest shall make atonement before the Lord for the person who goes astray when he sins unintentionally, making atonement for him that he may be forgiven.
v 29…You shall have one law (Torah) for him who does anything unintentionally, for him who is native among the sons of Israel and for the alien who sojourns among them (do double standard).
v 30…But the person who does anything defiantly (with a high hand; pride, insolent, bold, stubborn, self-will and openly defies God), whether he is a native or an alien, that one is blaspheming the Lord; and that person shall be cut off from among his people (by the civil magistrates or God).
v 31…Because he has despised the word of the Lord and has broken his commandment, that person shall be completely cut off; his guilt shall be on him (as long as he has not repented).’ “
v 32…Now while the sons of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man gathering wood on the sabbath (probably for a work fire-Exo 35.3 or he defied their admonitions to stop).
v 33…And those who found him gathering wood brought him to Moses and aaron, and to all the congregation (elders-Exo 18.25-26);
v 34…and they put him in custody because it had not been declared what shall be done to him (no method of execution-Lev 24.12 is a similar case).
v 35…Then the Lord said to Moses, “The man shall surely be put to death, all the congregation (elders) shall stone him with stones outside the camp.”
v 36…So all the congregation brought him outside the camp, and stoned him to death with stones, just as the Lord had commanded Moses (a solid example of the intentional sin of v 30; God knew his heart and it was contrary and defiant-see Jer 17.21-27).
Now we come to the Law of the Tzitzit in Num 15.37-41. In Ezek 8.3 the word “tzitzit” denotes a lock of hair, but in this case, it is the fringes or tassels that were to be placed on the four corners of a garment. These fringes were to have a cord of blue (techelet) in it. The tzitzit were given by the Lord to remind the wearer of the commandments (v 39) and to do them. They were not to follow their own heart and eyes, as in replacement theology. The word “kanaf” means “corner” and we see this concept in Mal 4.2 where it says, “But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness (Messiah) will rise with healing in his wings (kanaf/corners where the tzitzit hung). We see that the woman who had an issue in Mark 5.25-29 touched the tzitzit in response to the Scripture in Mal 4.2. Later on in the chapter Yeshua wrapped a dead girl in his talit with the tzitzit and raised her from the dead (Mark 5.41). Mark 6.56 says that wherever Yeshua went, the sick wanted to touch “the fringe of his cloak; and as many as touched it were being cured.” We see this concept in 1 Sam 24.5 when David cut the tzitzit off of Saul’s garment to show him that his authority to rule as king has been cut off by the Lord. It was also to show Saul that David did not want to kill him because he could have.
The techelet (blue) cord is a reminder of the kohanim (priests) and heaven (Exo 24.10-11). The tzitzit today are put on what is called a “Talit” which basically means a “Little Tent” and it alludes to the Mishkan. Before this, the tzitzit hung on an outer garment. The garment that Yeshua wore and was reached for had the tzitzit on it. The Torah does not command the wearing of what is called a “prayer shawl” or “talit” as is done today.
Our passages here do not specify how to tie the tzitzit or the number of knots. The current customs are post-biblical and rabbinic in origin. The Karaite Jews have their own method concerning the making and tying of tzitzit and it is quite different than the Rabbanites. But the Torah does give the reasons for the tzitzit, as we have mentioned. The tzitzit hang “free” because the Torah is “the Law of Liberty” and is not burdensome (Jam 1.25; John 8.32; Psa 119.45; 2 Cor 3.17; Rom 2.13; Jam 2.20; Luke 11.2-8; Luke 6.46-47; Jam 2.12; Exo 32.16). They were designed to help us believe by looking at what they represent (Torah, authority) and remembering.
The Torah separates us from the world. If we don’t know what that means, just start going out and obeying the Torah and the world will rise up against you in contempt, and they will separate from you. The Lord will give us the desire to keep the commandments according to Jer 31.33, Ezek 11.19 and Heb 8.10.
The word “heart” is understood as “desire.” That is what a new heart is, new desires. This story is about slaves who are learning to become free men. In order to be free, they need the Torah. A true believer will be drawn to the Torah. It may not happen at first, but it will manifest eventually. A true believer will be drawn to the true Tree of Life and the true Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Both of these terms are terms for the Torah. If not, then a person is drawn to another Tree of Life and another Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, which in essence, is their own passions and desires. We all want to be free, too, and we must remember our victories in the Lord. This will give us the strength and courage we need. The Lord will lead us to freedom.
Now, why is the command for tzitzit placed here in the Torah? Because we should remember not to make the same mistake the ten scouts did. The tzitzit remind us to follow God and his word, not our own passions and desires. We are not to stray from his purposes by following evidence that is contrary to what he has already said. We have a future in the Olam Haba, or the “promised land”, even though we don’t get there until we die. Our eyes can only see the reminder of what God said about it, the tzitzit. The lesson is this: No commandments mean no teaching, and no obeying the Lord, which leads to no success.
The tzitzit are a picture of Yeshua who is the Word of God and came out of heaven. The word “tziztit” means “to appear in visible form” (The Aryeh Kaplan Anthology II, p.159; this book has an interesting rabbinical teaching on the tzitzit and its meaning-p. 166-232)
v 37…The Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
v 38…”Speak to the sons of Israel and tell them that they shall make for themselves tassels (tzitzit) on the (four corners-Mal 4.2; Mark 5.25-29, 6.56; the commandments apply to all believers in the four corners of the earth-Matt 28.19-20) of their garments throughout their generations, and they shall put on the tassel of each corner a cord of blue “(techelet” alluding to “heaven” where the commandments and Yeshua came from).
v 39…And it shall be a tassel for you to look at (see and be aware of) and remember all the commandments of the Lord, so as to do them and not follow after your own heart and your own eyes (Judges 21.25) after which you played the harlot,
v 40…in order that you may remember to do all my commandments and be holy (set apart with a kedusha) to your God.
v 41…I am the Lord your God who brought you out from the land of Egypt to be your God; I am the Lord your God.”
So, we will pick up here in Part 16.
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