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Todays Parsha #16: Beshalach (let go)

STUDY QUESTIONS FROM LAST WEEKS PORTION (Bo)
1) Name three things that were required during the first Passover that were not repeated
later.
3

"Speak to all the congregation of Israel, saying, 'On the tenth of this month they are
each one to take a lamb for themselves, according to their fathers' households, a lamb
for each household. (Exodus 12:3 NAU)
(In later times the lamb could be bought on the 14th, the day it would be slaughtered.)
7

'Moreover, they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and on
the lintel of the houses in which they eat it. (Exodus 12:7 NAU)
(Another detail not repeated since Exodus.)
11

'Now you shall eat it in this manner: with your loins girded, your sandals on your
feet, and your staff in your hand; and you shall eat it in haste (Exodus 12:11 NAU)
(The Haggadah specifically says, on this night we recline meaning to RELAX, the
opposite of how the children of Israel felt at that time!
2) Which of these unique details points to the exact moment that Yshua died but is not
the actual lamb itself?
EZOB (12:22) = Hyssop. Note the description here
You shall take a bunch of hyssop and dip it in the blood which is in the basin, and
apply some of the blood that is in the basin to the lintel and the two doorposts; and
none of you shall go outside the door of his house until morning.
(Exodus 12:22 NAU)
Here is the only time HYSSOP appears in the Gospels with respect to Yshua
And they placed a vessel there that was full of vinegar, and filled a sponge with the
vinegar and placed it on hyssop and brought it to his mouth. And when he had taken
that vinegar Y'shua said, "Behold, it is finished!" And he bowed his head and gave
up his spirit. (Yochanan 19:29-30-AENT)
Note carefully this very deep midrash! The hyssop is dipped in the blood in Exodus
and mingled with Yshuas blood on the stake. The hyssop in Exodus is mixed with

the blood in the basin and put on the MEZUZZAH or doorpost in Exodus, whereas in
Yochanan it is put to Yshuas MOUTH and the word for MOUTH is a synonym in
Hebrew for door, opening. The other word for DOOR in Hebrew, DALET, even
looks like a door in Hebrew and in Aramaic (in Aramaic the dalet has a KNOB in the
middle) and when you take Yshuas statement of I am the door and put the
DALET in the middle of YHWH, you get YEHUDAH, or Yshuas tribe.
3) There is one place in the NT portion that seems to either allude to or predict
depending on who you talk toa very famous story in the Talmud. What is the
reference in Revelation and what is its matching Talmud story?
Rev 19:16 And he has upon his vesture and upon his thigh the words written: "King
of Kings, and Master of Masters.
The reference may be to an early version of what we now call the Toldot Yeshua
vicious Rabbinic parody of the Gospels. Here is what that text said in part
In the Temple was to be found the Foundation Stone on which were engraved
the letters of God's Ineffable Name. Whoever learned the secret of the Name
and its use would be able to do whatever he wished. Therefore, the Sages took
measures so that no one should gain this knowledge. Lions of brass were
bound to two iron pillars at the gate of the place of burnt offerings. Should
anyone enter and learn the Name, when he left the lions would roar at him and
immediately the valuable secret would be forgotten.
Yeshu learned the letters of the Name; he wrote them upon the parchment
which he placed in an open cut on his thigh and then drew the flesh over the
parchment. As he left, the lions roared and he forgot the secret. But when he
came to his house he reopened the cut in his flesh with a knife an lifted out the
writing. Then he remembered and obtained the use of the letters.[6]
He gathered about himself three hundred and ten young men of Israel and
accused those who spoke ill of his birth of being people who desired greatness
and power for themselves. Yeshu proclaimed, "I am the Messiah; and
concerning me Isaiah prophesied and said, 'Behold, a virgin shall conceive,
and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.'" He quoted other messianic
texts, insisting, "David my ancestor prophesied concerning me: 'The Lord said
to me, thou art my son, this day have I begotten thee.'
Notice the fact that HOW Yeshu learns the Name in spite of these precautions is
not directly explained, and that would in a sense be a kind of miracle that the
Rabbis are admitting to. But the answer of course is the thigh with the King of Kings
name connecting the two quotes from Rev and the Toldot Yeshu. However, I have
two more extra comments to make.
First, Yochanan 17, which we studied last week, has THREE places where Yshua
admits he taught his disciples his Fathers Name of YHWH, so thats an interesting

bit of agreement there. Second, the Toldot Yeshu goes a step further suggesting that
either Peter or Paul did miracles through the same use of the Name but there is also a
complaint that the Christians were abandoning Torah!
Simeon, having gained the secret of the Ineffable Name, healed a leper and a
lame man by means of it and thus found acceptance as a true disciple. He told
them that Yeshu was in heaven, at the right hand of his Father, in fulfillment
of Psalm 110:1. He added that Yeshu desired that they separate themselves
from the Jews and no longer follow their practices, as Isaiah had said, "Your
new moons and your feasts my soul abhorreth." They were now to observe the
first day of the week instead of the seventh, the Resurrection instead of the
Passover, the Ascension into Heaven instead of the Feast of Weeks, the
finding of the Cross instead of the New Year, the Feast of the Circumcision
instead of the Day of Atonement, the New Year instead of Chanukah; they
were to be indifferent with regard to circumcision and the dietary laws. Also
they were to follow the teaching of turning the right if smitten on the left and
the meek acceptance of suffering. All these new ordinances which Simeon
Kepha (or Paul, as he was known to the Nazarenes) taught them were really
meant to separate these Nazarenes from the people of Israel and to bring the
internal strife to an end.
At the same time, the Rabbis also seem to be a little scared of the backlash, and
deliberately put the story during the time of Queen Helene, who ruled about 90 BCE,
not the 5 BCE to 30 CE lifespan that the historical Yshua had.
4) What is the plague/miracle used against the Egyptians which may play a role in the
End Times?
The answer is LOCUSTS and possibly also darkness, depending on how you interpret
this part of Revelation:
And the fifth Messenger sounded; and I saw a star which fell from heaven upon
the earth. And there was given to him the key of the pit of the abyss. And he
opened the pit of the abyss; and smoke issued from the pit, like the smoke of a
furnace that is in blast; and the sun and the air were darkened by the smoke of the
pit.
And out of the smoke came locusts upon the earth: and power was given them,
like that which scorpions have on the earth. And it was commanded them that
they should not hurt the grass of the earth, nor any herb, nor any tree; but (only)
the persons who had not the seal of Elohim upon their foreheads. And it was
given them that they should not kill them, but should torment them five months:
and their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it strikes a person.
And in those days, men will desire death and will not find it; and they will long to
die, and death will fly from them.

And the appearance of the locusts (was this): they were like the appearance of
horses prepared for battle; and on their heads was, as it were a crown, resembling
gold; and their faces were like the faces of men. And they had hair, like the hair of
women: and their teeth were like those of lions. And they had breastplates, like
breastplates of iron: and the sound of their wings was like the sound of the
chariots of many horses rushing into battle.
And they had tails like those of scorpions, and stings; and with their tails they had
the power of hurting men five months. And they had a king over them, the
Messenger of the abyss; and his name, in Hebrew, is Abaddon; and in Greek, his
name is Apollyon. (Revelation 9:1-11 AENT)
5) If you know the answer to #4 then tell me: Where do we see in that answer the
opposite of Cain?
And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, nor
any herb, nor any tree; but (only) the persons who had not the seal of Elohim
upon their foreheads. (Revelation 9:4 AENT)
So Cain had the mark or seal upon him that protected him in spite of his guilt,
whereas the righteous have the seal of Elohim to protect them from the locusts!
1) Meaning of this weeks Torah portion and summary of contents:
Beshalach means let go, and the portion begins with Pharaoh regretting his
decision to free the Hebrews, so he musters his chariots in an attempt to bring
them all back. Instead however Abba YHWH parts the waters of the Reed Sea
and destroys Pharaohs army. But even as Israel rejoices, her trials are just
beginning. After leaving camp from Elim on the 15th day (proving lunar sabbath
wrong), the Israelites complain they dont have enough meat, Abba YHWH sends
a flock of quail and this is the first appearance of the mysterious Manna bread.
The portion ends with a key victory against Amalek; a victory only achieved with
Moshes arms being held up by Aaron and Hur.
2) Parsha (English-Exodus 13:17-17:15). This week we will read the entire portion.
3) Play by Play commentary where appropriate.

Vayehi beshalach Par'oh et-ha'am velo-nacham Elohim derech erets

Plishtim ki karov hu ki amar Elohim pen-yinachem ha'am bir'otam
milchamah veshavu Mitsraymah.
4) Point out key Hebrew words/terms. Color Commentary:

DERECH ERETZ PLISHTIM (13:17) = Way of the Land of the Philistines, or better, the
Coastal Highway. I believe the reference here and the earlier ones in Genesis are not that
same group of people that become the great enemies of Israel in later times. Instead, this
is a general designation of people who live by the coast and the way is simply their
the Coastal Route. Strong evidence for this position is in Exodus 15:14, because the
terror is gripping the local population in the coastal places not in Philistia as some
translations read, because the nearest Philistine settlement is hundreds of miles to their
west.
As for the real Philistines, who are probably refugees from the Minoan(or perhaps a
later group, early Mycenaen) Greeks, whose culture fell because of volcanic disasters and
earthquakes that took place over a period of several decades, the earliest certain record
we have of them is from the tomb of Rameses IV from ca. 1150 BCE where he
specifically mentions the peleset specifically in the context of foreigners invading Egypt
from the sea.
Although Genesis 10:14 does seem to have prophetic reference to the later variety, from
Caphtor, which is Crete1, Genesis 21:32-34, 26:1,8,14-15, 18; Exodus 13:17, 23:31;
Joshua 13:2-32; Judges 3:3, 31, 10:6-7 and 11 all appear to be talking about either the
geographical area at the other end of the Coastal Highway (in Canaan) or the people who
live on the strip of land in that region dotting the coast.
Therefore, if in fact the Egyptian record is the earliest known references to Greek
seafarers coming into Egypt and Canaan, this accords extremely well with the Scriptural
record.
In my chronology of the book of Judgeswhich was one of the toughest periods I ever
had to date preciselythe classic villain-invading Philistines making their debut around
1150 BCE is towards the end of the Judges period, roughly at the end of Yairs reign and
into a period where there was no judge over Israel but separate local judges in Gilead
during 18 years of Ammonite oppression, after which Jephthah begins his 6 year reign.
1

Admittedly this does not eliminate all possible ways to interpret Genesis 10:14, but some of the
alternatives I have looked at for doing so may appear worse to some. For example, in my own research on
how the Tanakh was put together, I believe I found some general Scriptural proof that Ezra, under the
direction of the Ruach ha Kodesh, may have updated some of the Hebrew terms in the earlier books that he
felt would be better understood by his audience a thousand years after Exodus. But while I can admit that
broadly and conceptually, I am not necessarily comfortable with the idea that Ezra directly added this and
similar later details to Genesis. Failing then the prospect of a later editor changing Moshes words so
directly, and not believing the Scripture can contradict itself or have anachronistic information, the
alternative that is left to me at the moment is to look at the overspreading of the nations after the flood as
having some prophetic information that was centuries past the lifetime of Moshe, and this is what I will
stick to until of course better evidence comes along to clarify things more.
2
Joshua 13:3 and Judges 3:3, 31; 10:6-7 and 11 are all very intriguing in that they list the five lords and
five cities of the Philistines which is a pattern that will be emulated by the Philistines Samson encountered.
Nevertheless, I still maintain that there were two distinct Philistine groups and that the people occupying
those five cities in Joshua are the earlier Sea Peoples who are at the north-eastern end of the Coastal
Highway. The later Philistine group that Samson, Samuel and David face are the invaders who replace the
Sea Peoples living there and adopt the five city/five ruler pattern from.

This means that by the time Samson is born Philistine Group #2 has been well established
and well entrenched in Canaan, and they begin a 40 year period of oppression as a result.
VAYACHANU VEETAM BEKITSEH HAMIDBAR (13:20) = and they camped in
Etham, at the edge of the wilderness. ETHAM means seashore in ancient Egyptian, so
this is in the area probably off of the Gulf of Suez going towards the Sea of Reeds.
AMIUD (13:21) = pillar/column, referring both to the cloud and to the fire. Normally
this word indicates a solid, fixed, standing structure, so it is not usually associated with
things like smoke and fire. This may indicate the cloud and fire were more solid in this
miraculous event than they otherwise would have been naturally, much like how the
waters of the Sea of Reeds were said to congeal and exhibit aspects of a solid as well.
These pillars also become metaphorically attached to leaders, just as Paul references
Yaakov and Yochanan as pillars of the faith; and of course the AMIDAH or standing
prayer is also derived from this word.
PI-HA-CHIROT (14:2) = mouth of freedom (literally) or perhaps Freedom Bay is a
better translation. It seems this was one of many places that may have had an earlier
name (usually dedicated to a pagan god) that was changed to reflect the victory of Abba
YHWH. It may have been only slightly altered from the ancient Egyptian name, PER
CHERU, the name for temples dedicated to Horus, the god the Pharaoh was supposed to
represent on earth, or perhaps it refers to Per Chet Cher, a town near Tanis which some
scholars identify as Goshen, but I believe Goshen is in another nearby place, called
Qantir.
BAAL TZEPHONMIGDOL (14:2) = Lord of the NorthTower. It is interesting that
one of the possible meanings of Etham in ancient Egyptian is tower but it also can
mean seashore. Put the two together and it is a pretty good description of this area, near
the seashore but also having fortresses. As for Baal Tzephon, Cairo Papyrus 31169 calls
this area Megdal (Migdol) and Bla Tzapnu, which is firmly identified at a site 8 miles
north of Suez City, and which is a perfect place from which the Israelites would have
turned around and continued south, into the Sinai Peninsula. The very name Lord of the
North should all but rule out a Gulf of Aqaba crossing. Not only was the pagan deity in
question not worshipped anywhere near that area but the region hardly qualifies as
northern territory nor does it have any place names anywhere near approaching these
which are unique to the Suez area.
VAYIKACH SHESH MEOT RECHEV (14:7) = and he (Pharaoh) took 600 chariots.
That sounds like a lot, and it is, but bear in mind that is only 1 chariot for 1,000 Israelite
fighting men. Yes chariots have a huge advantage over walking troops, as the Incas and
Aztecs found out that their vastly superior numbers were nothing compared to 600
Spanish cavalry men. But, on the other hand, it still seems inadequate given the task of
rounding up 2 million people. For that reason Josephus suggests that the Torah simply
didnt add the extra numbers of Pharaohs army, which his ancient sources put at 50,000
horsemen and 200,000 foot soldiers. While Josephus first number seems unlikely, the
200,000 foot soldiers is definitely realistic. Pharaoh also brought extra troops of his own

as the Torah directly says, but these numbers are not stated. In any case what seems
certain to me is that both sides had vastly increased numbers of support troops which are
simply not recorded.
HAMIBILI EYN-KVARIM BE-MITZRAYIM LEKACHTANU LAMUT BAMIDBAR?
(14:11) = were there no graves in Egypt that you brought us out here to die in the
wilderness? This is the quintessential lack of faith cry that totally ignores the ten plagues
that got them out of slavery in the first place. If the Egyptians could not fight Moshe,
what makes Egypts slaves think they can?
YAHWEH YILACHEM LACHEM VEATEM TACHARISHUN (14:14) = Yahweh
will fight for you but you must remain silent. This short command is very evocative of
later parts of Scripture, particularly my favorite passage, Psalm 46:10, Be still and know
that I am Elohim, but also in Revelation. When the armies mass at Har Megiddo, the
battle is actually for Jerusalem but we never see it fought. Instead, we are told to stand
and let Abba YHWH fight for us and then we are told the battle is already won! Hallel-uYAH!
VEIKAVDAH BEFAROH UVECHOL CHEYLO BERICHBO UVEFARASHAV
(14:17) = Thus I will triumph over Pharaoh and his entire army, his chariot troops and his
cavalry. If the triumph is the same over Pharaoh and his army, then Pharaoh must also
be dead.
VEHAMAYIM LAHEM CHOMAH (14:22) = and the water was like to them as two
walls. This language proves that the Israelites are not just crossing a marsh at low tide.
There have been recent theories that I believe are coming closer to telling us the scientific
side of the miracle, though it was not purely scientific what happened. The better
theories I have heard all deal with the fact the strong east wind blew 8-10 hours and the
unique topography of the area of the crossing made the general separation of the waters
possible. But nothing can explain these walls described in the Torah or that the water
was congealed as KJV says. The timing also of the return of the waters is clearly Abba
YHWHs Hand.
VAYEHI BEASHMORET HA BOKER (14:24) = and when the morning watch came.
This is around sunrise. The Hebrew actually literally reads, and it came to be during the
dawn watch, which is more likely to refer to the end of said watch rather than in the
opening moments of it, around 2 AM. A good parallel from the NT is in John 20:1,
where the Aramaic says, btzapra ayd khashoch, or in the dawning, while it was still
dark, which is the end of that watch, not the beginning. Also, as we are told several times
in this parsha, the wind blew all night, after which the waters were parted, so it is only
at the start of dawn that the wind has done enough work to part the waters. One can then
well imagine the spectacle that just as the sun comes over the horizon the waters are
either just starting the part or fully parted.
VA-YASAR ET-OFAN MARKEVOTAV VAYENAHAGEHU BICHEVUDUT (14:25)
= and the chariot wheels drove away (on their own) with heaviness (difficulty). I believe

this statement also proves the timing give for 14:24, in that the waters had just parted at
the end of the night while the sun was dawning, and perhaps were completing their
parting when the sun was fully up, for all to see. In that case, the exposed ground was still
very muddy, and even in a desert environment like this one that mud would not have had
time to evaporate, hence causing the chariots which were terrible in mud to have a hard
time moving, or moving in heaviness as the Hebrew so beautifully describes it.
LO NISHAR BAHEM AL-ECHAD (14:28) = not a single one of them remained,
meaning that all the Egyptians who went into the Sea of Reeds were killed. Exodus 14:23
says that all of Pharaohs horses, chariots and army went into the waters, so unless
someone can show me how Pharaoh doesnt somehow own his own chariot and horses
that he was riding he also went in and he also must have perished. This is why Rameses
II cannot be the Pharaoh of the Exodusnot only did his first born son perish before he
even became king, he would have also outlived his confrontation with Moshe by nearly
50 years, when the Scripture says he was literally dead in the water. Please also see
another confirmation of this in Exodus 15:19.
VAYAR YISRAEL ET-HAYAD HAGDOLAH ASHER ASAH YAHWEH
BEMITZRAYIM (14:31) = And saw the Israelites the Great Hand that Yahweh worked
against Egypt. Here hand is a great metaphor for power but we should also bear in
mind that in the Aramaic NT we are told that all things were made by him (Yshua) and
for him and THROUGH HIS HANDS so there is no greater example of power than
Creation itself!
Song of Moshe in Hebrew and English (15:1-3):
ASHIRA LYAHWEH KI GAOH GAAH
I will sing to Yahweh for His great victory
SUS VEROCHEVO RAMAH VAYAM
The horse and the rider He has thrown into the sea
OZI VEZIMRAT YAH
My strength and my song is Yah [proving Yah is interchangeable with Yahweh, the
longer form of the Name]
VAYEHI-LI LYESHUAH
And He has become this, my salvation
ZEH ELI VEANVEHU
This is my El and I will praise Him
ELOHEY AVI VAAROMEMENHU
The El of my fathers and I will exalt Him
YAHWEH ISH MILCHAMAH YAHWEH SHEMO

Yahweh is a Man of War, Yahweh is His Name

MI-CHAMOCA BA-ELIM YAHWEH (15:11) = Who is like unto You among the
powers Yahweh. MI-CHAMOCA EL (Who is like unto You El?) is where the name
Michael comes from, the messenger Daniel says is the protector of Israel. It is the only
Hebrew name I am aware of that is derived/shortened from the form of a question. It is
little wonder that this great miracle and victor brings about this question, and that the
questions phrasing is remembered in the name of a messenger. Also angels can
sometimes also be called elohim, so this could be referencing angels as much as it is
fake pagan gods.
SHAMU AMIM YIRGAZUN CHIL ACHAZ YOSHVEY PLASHET (15:14) = terror
gripped those who lived in the coastlands. This is the best evidence in Torah that the socalled Way of the Philistines is a mistranslation into English and the terms PELUSET
and PLASHET here need to be understood more generically as the peoples who happen
to live right near or even on the water. If this were talking about the Philistines as a
group, they were not in this area by Suez at allPhilistia proper is in the wrong direction,
at the end of this route hundreds of miles away, not at the beginning of the route from the
borders of Egypt. The text is not talking about the way leading to Philistia here; rather it
means literally that that there are Sea Peoples right in that immediate vicinity, which
means these Sea Peoples cannot be the actual Philistines.
KI VA SUS FAROH BERICHBO U-VE-FARASHAV BA-YAM (15:19) = when
Pharaohs horse came into the sea along with his chariots and army. Following the
scenario given in Exodus 14:28, Pharaoh directly goes into the water and none who went
into the Sea of Reeds on the Egyptian side survived, not a single one of them remained.
Therefore Pharaoh had to die there.
Special Note on Exodus 14-15: If my geographical identifications and chronology here
is correct, it looks like it is possible that the morning that the Sea of Reeds parted was the
daylight period of the 18th of Abibwhich is the same Hebrew day Yshua rose from the
dead. However, this is not a lock only a possible scenario.
KI VA SUS PAROH BERICHBO UVEFARASHEV BAYAM (15:19) = when
Pharaohs horse came into the sea. This may be the clearest possible indication that
Pharaoh died. If his horse and he went into the waters and no one came out, then it seems
he may have died there.
VAYITKACH MIRYAM HA-NEVIEYAH ACHOT AHARON (15:20) = And took
Miriam the prophetess the sister to Aaron. In spite of her failure later, Miriam is
considered a prophetess by both Abba YHWH and by Moshe who is writing this story.
She will sin and defame Moshes wife in Numbers 12, but at the end of her punishment
she is restored to good standing by being mentioned as being on par with Moshe and
Aaron (Micah 6:4).

BACHAMISHAH ASAR YOM LACHODESH HA SHENI (16:1) = it was the 15th day
of the second month. This is an absolutely critical verse to debunking the Lunar Sabbath
heresy that has been trying to make inroads into our movement. This idea states that a
Sabbath is controlled by the cycle of the moon so that you can never have a Shabbat on
any day OTHER than the 8th, 15th, 22nd or 29th day. There is a minority school that says
the 1st day also is a Shabbat, but that I will tend to at a later time. In any case, the reason I
bring it up is simply that the Israelites are breaking camp, TRAVELLING on the 15th day
of the 2nd month. That means the 15th could NOT be a Shabbat with them voluntarily
deciding to pack up and go on that day. If there is no Sabbath on the 15th, then the whole
LS system is proven to be a fraud!
VEHAYAH BAYOM HASHISHI VEHECHINU ET ASHER YAVIU
VEHAYAHMISHNEH AL ASHER-YIKLETU YOM YOM (16:5) = on the 6th day, they
will have to prepare what they bring home. It will be twice as much as they gather every
other day. They gather twice as much on Friday because there will be no manna on the
Shabbat morning. This also helps in disproving Lunar Sabbath. In Joshua 5:10-12 we are
clearly told the manna stopped falling on the 16th day of the month. Since the only day
the manna could stop was the Shabbat, this means the 16th was a Shabbat, not the 15th, as
LS theory would require.
KVOD YAHWEH NIRAH BEANAN (16:10) = the glory of YHWH was visible in the
clouds. KAVOD can also mean heaviness as well as glory, so perhaps some kind of
majestic outline of His power is in the clouds.
MANNA (16:15) = Literally what is it? The question became the name of the bread.
But there are also other very interesting possibilities. MAN HU is what is it in Hebrew
but the same phrase in ancient Egyptian is MA-NU. MAN can also mean food in
Egyptian as well, so a statement like Is that food? is also possible. MAN also means
gift or something coming from the sky in ancient Egyptian. But for me, the most
significant meaning is CORIANDER which is what it was compared to in the Hebrew
text though it was not coriander itself (see 16:31).
OMER (16:16) = just under half a gallon.
Special Note on Exodus 16:28: When Abba YHWH is angry and says, How long will
you disregard My Commandments! I dont think it was just about not following the
rules about the manna. Rather, I think it was about expecting them to do the Shabbat
immediately, because they had been longing for rest and crying out from Egypt, since the
Egyptians had a 10 day week and did not give the Hebrews rest. Now with them on the
road and miraculously saved, when they have an opportunity to rest they dont take it!
Its not that they didnt know to do it but they refused to do it. So at Sinai they are
commanded to remember to keep it, as they should have from the moment they were
freed.
VAYISHBETU HAAM BEYOM HA-SHVII (16:30) = and the people rested on the
seventh day. From here, the rabbis believe the Shabbat was actually instituted, however I

10

disagree on this point because the Shabbat had already been Set-Apart from the rest of
the week by Abba YHWH in Genesis 2:2-3. Instead, what I believe happened is the
Hebrews forgot the Shabbat because they had grown up in a country that had a 10 day
week and they were not allowed to rest as slaves on the Shabbat, which is why they were
FREED on Shabbat, a Friday night. From there, the manna was a kind of memory
exercise that was further enshrined in Exodus 20 to REMEMBER the Shabbat (go back
to doing it, like you started to with the manna). 40 years later, with the Shabbat
established, they are no longer commanded to REMEMBER it in Deuteronomy 5 but to
OBSERVE it.
LIFNEY YAHWEH (16:33) = before the face of Yahweh or in His presence but
humans cannot literally see His face and live, so this is actually an instruction that is a
preview to when the Tabernacle, Tent of Meeting and the Ark of the Covenant will be
built, and at that time the omer full of manna will be placed there. For now, they cannot
technically follow this command except to set the jar of manna aside.
EPHAH (16:36) = 5 gallons/22 liters.
HA-TSUR BECHOREV (17:6) = the rock of Horeb. This cannot be Mount Horeb
which is another name for Mount Sinai because they have yet to enter the wilderness that
is near that peak (Exodus 19:1-2). In the Serabit el-Khadim area where I believe the Setapart mountain rests, there is a mount called Saniya (Sinai) and a separate peak a few
miles away called Ghorabi (Horeb). The rock of Horeb then may be in the vicinity of the
second mountain.
AMALEK (17:8) = A descendant of Esau, this represents Abba YHWHs ultimate
judgment against a significant portion of Esaus line (Genesis 36:12).
CHUR (17:10) = Hur. The Talmud has an interesting account that Hur perished when he
tried to prevent the Israelites from worshipping the Golden Calf. This is extremely ironic,
given that the other person holding up Moshes hand is his brother Aaron, the high priest,
who did help them worship the Golden Calf. See Sanhedrin 7a and Targum Jonathan.
VAYOMER YAHWEH EL-MOSHE KETOV ZOT ZIKARON BA-SEFER (17:14) =
and said Yahweh to Moshe: Write this as a reminder in the Book. This is the earliest
reference to the Torah, which means Moshe was writing down Abba YHWHs words
even before the Ten Commandments were given. Perhaps by this point he had already
written what we now call Genesis, or that could have been done later, when Moshe was
on Mount Sinai writing all of Abba YHWHs words down for 40 days and 40 nights.
VAYOMER KI-YAD AL KES-YAH (17:16) = He said, the Hand is on His Throne. The
Hand is a symbol of power, and in Yochanans Gospel it applies to the power of Abba
YHWH that is manifest by His Son Yshua ha Mashiyach. Messiah is also called the Arm
of YHWH in various places (Isaiah 53:1) so it is possible this is referring to Yshua who
carries out the Will of Abba YHWH.

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Torah Question of the Week:

According to the Rabbis, there is a tribe of Israelites that did NOT get
enslaved. Who were they and why do the Rabbis think this?
END PART 1

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PART 2: THE HAFTORAH

Torah Question of the Week:
According to the Rabbis, there is a tribe of Israelites that did NOT get
enslaved. Who were they and why do the Rabbis think this?
YEHOSHUA (17:9) = Joshua. Interesting commentary from Bible.ort.org:
Joshua was a grandson of Elishama son of Amihud, the prince of the tribe of Ephraim (1
Chronicles 7:27; Numbers 1:10). Since the Ephraimites were direct descendants of
Joseph, they were never enslaved (Sifethey Cohen on Exodus 14:3). The Ephraimites
retained a strong militaristic tradition (1 Chronicles 7:21; Targum Yonathan on Exodus
3:17; Pirkey Rabbi Eliezer 48), and Joshua's father Nun or Non was an important general
(Yalkut Shimoni on Chronicles 1177). Joshua was Moses' assistant even in Egypt (cf.
Sh'moth Rabbah 19:5), and it was at that time that Moses changed his name from Hoshea
to Joshua (Numbers 13:16, Rashbam ad loc.; Ramban here).
However I disagree with this idea, because by direct mention the Pharaoh who oppressed
the Israelites did not know Joseph at all, so being descendants of Joseph imparted no
advantage to Ephraim whatsoever.
5) Haftorah portion: (English- Shoftim (Judges) 4:4-5:31) and discuss common
themes with the Torah portion. Read entire portion first.

UDvorah ishah nevi'ah eshet Lapidot hi shoftah et-Yisra'el ba'et hahi.

Vehi yoshevet tachat-tomer Dvorah beyn haRamah uveyn Beyt-El behar
Efrayim vaya'alu eleyha beney Yisra'el lamishpat.
6) Our linguistic commentary
DEBORAHLAPIDOTH (4:4) = Beeflames. While Deborahs name is clear cut in its
meaning, the combination with her husbands name is a bit odd. LAPIDOTH is in
FEMININE form. As such, it may be a figurative wordnot necessarily the name of her
man but her title in a sense. Combined with the name of BARAK (lightning), Barak
being one of her commanders (4:6), some scholars posit her title is something like
woman of lights (flames, lightning) or woman of flames.
ABINOAMKADESH-NAPHTALI (4:6) = Abinoam means my father is delight.
Kadesh is of course set-apart/holy. NAPHTALI means my struggle. So this may be a
coded message My Father is delight and Set-Apart (with? for?) my struggle.
TABOR (4:7) = Name of a mountain 5 miles from Yshuas hometown of Nazareth.
Though some scholars think this is the mount of the Transfiguration, most disagree,
citing the fact that the location is not near enough to Caesarea Philippi nor does it present

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the isolated environment that Yshua desired for that event. That is why Mount Hermon
is the better choice for that event.
Nevertheless Tabor has an interesting Aramaic linkage. In Daniel 2:42 the Aramaic word
it is derived fromTABIRAis used to describe broken/fragmented kingdoms, the
word meaning broken.
This becomes important because when Daniel later on gives his prophecies regarding the
four kingdoms that follow after his time, he describes a mountain that will fill the whole
earth, and this is talking about Yshuas kingdom arising from Roman dominated Israel.
So the use of TABIRA by Daniel may be referring to Mount Tabor, a mountain very near
to Yshuas hometown!
This mountain is also the boundary marker of Zebulon and Isaacar, so each tribe claims a
side of the mountain for their territory.
SISERA (4:7) = Probable meaning: Servant of Ra, Ra being the false sun-god of ancient
Egypt. However, the ISBE dictionary says that some of Siseras progeny would be
grafted into Judaism. Specifically, the great Rabbi Akiba who was a leader in the Bar
Kochba revolt, is said to be a direct descendant of Sisera.
In terms though of the servant of Ra linkage, this may explain the phrase the stars
fought against Sisera (5:21), whether by meteor showers, hail or both, the Servant of Ra
was dethroned because Ra himself does not exist, and Abba YHWH reigns supreme.
VE DAN LAMAH YAGUR ONYOT (5:17) = And Dan, why did he remain in ships?
This is a very odd phrase. The BEYT proclitic can mean in ships or by/near ships,
which may mean that Dan is simply near Asher who is on the seashore. However, unless
the ships are docked, there is no way to be near ships without being on the water!
Simcha Jacovochich of Naked Archaeologist fame believes the Danitesat least some
of themuses the occasion to sail out of Israel! He notes that the Greek poet Homer calls
a particular group of people participating in the Trojan War DANOI.
In truth, there do seem to be similarities between the DANITES and the DANOI. Both
groups of people were famous for their skill in metalwork. Amongst the tribes, the
DANITES had a particular bent towards paganism while amongst the DANOI they
tended to downplay polytheism, perhaps because of their Hebrew roots? There is no way
to know for certain, and the problem is also that the Danite territory was very inland, so a
maritime culture is unlikely. Simchas climax to the theory he presents in Exodus
Decoded is a 3500 year old map of the DANOI that he says represents the Danites
leaving Israel for Greece. He also claims that they have a sculpture of the Ark of the
Covenant in that Aegean location.
Personally, while I find the idea fascinating, I dont think there is evidence to even
suggest that the DANITES are the DANOI and seeing the Ark in a particular sculpture is
definitely in the eyes of the beholder. Also Simchas dates are about 50-100 years off

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from the Biblical data and moreso on the Egyptian chronology side, so further study is
needed I think.
KISHON (5:21) = bent like a bow, derived from KASHET, Hebrew for bow or
archer.
7) Renewed Covenant portion: (English). Revelation 15:1-8 (all the way through
with applicable footnotes.)
8) Highlight common themes in Aramaic (terms in footnotes which I will read):
Revelation 15:1
54) These plagues bring to remembrance the plagues of the Exodus but also provide a
warning that these ones will be exceedingly more powerful. This is also why the song of
Moshe is mentioned in Rev_15:3.
Revelation 15:2
55) Aramaic word zeka could also mean "victorious" as is translated into Greek; however
the context demands the word "innocent" as the preferable reading.
Revelation 15:3
56) "Singing the song of Moshe and the song of the Lamb" shows the clear continuity
between YHWH saving the Israelites back at the time of the Exodus and those who
follow the true halakha of Moshe's testimony as given by Y'shua Mashiyach. Also the
"song" of the Lamb may refer to a very early Netzari hymn sung in the synagogues,
perhaps along the lines of Php_2:6-11.
9) Apply these themes/issues to modern issues in the Netzari faith. (It is important to
note that though Yochanan says at the end of Revelation he did not see a
Temple in heaven coming down, that only applies to his last vision. Here we see
that Yochanan most certainly has prophetically seen that Temple coming down to
earth; he doesnt mention it at the end because he wishes to make a spiritual point.
This is our hope for believers, the Temple is restored, but its sacrifices have no
atoning power but are done as a remembrance. Even from the Gentiles will arise
priests and Levites to serve in that Temple during the End of Days, according to
Isaiah 66.)
10) Relate to all or part of an Appendix portion of AENT or footnotes from a portion
(Priesthood, p. 926-928).
STUDY QUESTIONS TO BE ANSWERED NEXT WEEK

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1) In addition to not being able to deal with the shame of the slaves leaving Egypt, what
other hint in the last part of chapter 13 is there to explain why Pharaoh changes his
mind?
2) How is the Israelites choice of one of the first places they go to an insult on their part
to the Egyptians?
3) Where do we see evidence that the regular Egyptians understand things better than
Pharaoh does?
4) How is a minor inconvenience in this portion revisited and made far worse later on in
another book?
5) If you know the answer to #4 then tell me: How does a detail given just after the
Tanakh quote I gave in #4 also tie in to another part of the same later book? Hint: If
you have found the Tanakh quote asked for in #4, the extra detail is the line just after
that quote.
Torah Thought for the Week:
Singing the Song of Moshe
Throughout the Torah, Moshe is proclaimed as a humble man. On one key occasion, his
humility leads him to tell Abba YHWH that he cant even speak without stuttering. So
here is a humble man who doesnt even like to talk and here he is singing in front of 2
million people?
In a more modern ironic twist, one of the best ways to treat stuttering is literally for said
people to learn how to sing! And what comes out of Moshes mouth is, at least on the
surface, is not exactly the most humbling song ever sung
It was then that Moses and the Israelites sang this song in Yahweh's honor: I shall
sing to Yahweh, for he has covered himself in glory, horse and rider he has
thrown into the sea. Yah is my strength and my song, to him and He has become
my Yeshua (salvation). He is my Elohim and I shall praise him, my father's
Elohim and I shall extol him. Yahweh is a warrior; Yahweh is his name. (Exodus
15:1-3 NJB)
Moshe is bragging, but notice, not about himself, even though he is clearly a major part
of what just happened. Instead, he does as Paul commands 1500 years later
But let me not boast, except by the stake of our Master Y'shua the Mashiyach by
whom the world is put to death on a stake, (and also) to me and I to the world.
(Galatians 6:14-AENT)
So both Moshe and Paul boast in YESHUA in one form or another. But before His Son
can bring eternal life, Abba YHWH must bring physical salvation from certain death

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Pharaoh's chariots and army he has hurled into the sea the pick of his officers
have been drowned in the Sea of Reeds. 5 The ocean has closed over them; they
have sunk to the bottom like a stone. 6 Your right hand, Yahweh, wins glory by
its strength, your right hand, Yahweh, shatters your foes, 7 and by your great
majesty you fell your assailants; you unleash your fury, it consumes them like
chaff. 8 A blast from your nostrils and the waters piled high; the waves stood firm
as a dyke; the bed of the sea became firm ground. 9 The enemy said, 'I shall give
chase and overtake, 'I shall share out the spoil and glut myself on them, 'I shall
draw my sword, my hand will destroy them.' 10 You blew with your breath, the
sea closed over them; they sank like lead in the terrible waters. (Exodus 15:4-10
NJB)
This recollection of Abba YHWHs power after a great miracle becomes a springboard
for Yshua to explain that such events show his Fathers approval:
And they took away that stone and Y'shua lifted his eyes upwards and said,
Father, I thank you that you have heard me. And I know that you always hear
me, but because of this crowd that stands here I say these things that they might
believe that you have sent me. (Yochanan 11:41-42-AENT)
And, as we saw recently, re-capping his ministry through calling on His Father directly
And I have made Your Name known to them. And I will confess it so that the
love with which You have loved me might be in them, and I might be in them.
(Yochanan 17:26-AENT)
Then Moshe continues into the most beautiful expression of his faith again, all about
YHWH and nothing about himself
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Yahweh, who is like you, majestic in sanctity, who like you among the holy
ones, fearsome of deed, worker of wonders? 12 You stretched your right hand out,
the earth swallowed them! 13 In your faithful love you led out the people you had
redeemed, in your strength you have guided them to your holy dwelling. 14
Hearing of this, the peoples tremble; pangs seize on the Sea Peoples; 15 the
chieftains of Edom are dismayed, Moab's princes -- panic has seized them, all the
inhabitants of Canaan have melted away. 16 On them fall terror and dread;
through the power of your arm they are still as stone while your people are
passing, Yahweh, while the people you have purchased are passing. (Exodus
15:11-16)
And for Yshua haMashiyach, those same kinds of miracles prove, like with Moshe, that
his Father sent him
Unless I do the works of my Father, do not believe me. If, however, I do them
even if you do not believe me, you believe the works that you may know and believe

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that my Father is in me and I am in my Father. (Yochanan 10:37-38-AENT)

It is the same hope that Moshe has had all alongeven if you dont believe me, believe
the works of Abba YHWH, believe that He has sent me to do this. And like Yshua also,
Moshe will make the case that the future is more important than the present day filled
with signs and wonders
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You will bring them in and plant them on the mountain which is your heritage,
the place which you, Yahweh, have made your dwelling, the sanctuary, Yahweh,
prepared by your own hands. 18 Yahweh will be king for ever and ever. 19 For
when Pharaoh's cavalry, with his chariots and horsemen, had gone into the sea,
Yahweh brought the waters of the sea back over them, though the Israelites went
on dry ground right through the sea. (Exodus 15:17-19 NJB)
Indeed, Abba YHWH will be and is King forever. His very name means I was, I am, I
always will be. No matter how amazing the miracle then it must always take secondary
status to the message behind it. The greater the miracle then, the greater its reason for it
coming about, which of course brings us to this part of Revelation:
And I saw as it were, a sea of glass mixed with fire: and they, who had been
innocent over the beast of prey and over its image, and over the number of its
name, were standing on the sea of glass; and they had the harps of Elohim. And
they sing the song of Moshe the servant of Elohim, and the song of the Lamb,
saying: "Great and marvelous are your deeds, Master YHWH Elohim Almighty;
just and true are your ways, O King of worlds.
Who will not Fear you, O Master YHWH, and glorify Your Name? Because You
only are Set Apart and just: Because all nations will come and worship before
you, since your righteousnesses have been revealed."
And after this I beheld, and the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in
heaven was opened. And the seven Messengers who had the seven plagues went
forth from the temple, clothed in clean splendid linen, and girded about their
breast with girdles of gold.
And one of the four Creatures gave to those seven Messengers seven cups of gold
full of the wrath of Elohim who lives forever and ever. And the temple was filled
with smoke from the glory of Elohim and from his power; and no one was able to
enter the temple until the seven plagues of the seven Messengers were
accomplished. (Revelation 15:2-8-AENT)
I think maybe Yochanan knew what many in Christianity have clearly forgotten in spite
of the plain language of Scripture: You need to sing both the Song of Moshe and the
Song of the Lamb, have both the Torah and the Renewed Covenant, to truly see the depth
and beauty of Abba YHWHs YESHUA, salvation. Thats the way it really was and in
fact thats the way it still is.

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Im Andrew Gabriel Roth and thats your Torah Thought for the Week!
Next week we will be exploring Yitro, or Exodus 18:1-20:23 where the Ten
Commandments are given! Our Haftorah portion will be Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 6:1-7:6;
9:5-6 and our Renewed Covenant reading will be from 1 Timothy 3:1-14. Stay tuned!

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