"Not To Make a Graven Image"

[Mevaser]

"Not To Make a Graven Image"

http://www.cmy.on.ca/toraportions2000/vayikra/behar.htm (Online version)
Congregation Melech Yisrael, Toronto, Canada
Shabbat May 17, 2003, 15 Iyar 5763
http://www.cmy.on.ca / cmy@ca.inter.net

Vayikra {26:1} You shall make you no idols, neither shall you rear you up an engraved image, or a pillar, neither shall you place any figured stone in your land, to bow down to it: for I am HaSHEM your G-D. {26:2} You shall keep my Sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary: I am HaSHEM.

Israel during Biblical times took this mitzvah (commandment) very seriously. Throughout the Roman occupation of ha eretz (the land), although Roman coinage was the currency of the day, devout Jews were reluctant to use it and it was definitely not used in the Beit HaMikdash (Temple). The reason for this was that all Roman coins bore the image of the emperor and since using the money ostensibly could have constituted paying homage or bowing down to an image of the emperor, it was barred from use in the Beit HaMikdash. This fact is what lead to the incident where Yeshua turned over the tables of the moneychangers.

Mark {11.15} And they come to Yerushalyim (Jerusalem): and Yeshua went into the Beit HaMikdash, and began to cast out them that sold and bought in the Beit HaMikdash, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves; {11.16} And would not suffer that any man should carry any vessel through the Beit HaMikdash. {11.17} Then He taught, saying to them, "Is it not written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations'? But you have made it a 'den of thieves.'"

Pesach (Passover) was one of the three moedim (appointed times) when all male Jewish men had to appear at the Beit HaMikdash before the L-rd. It was also the time for the paying and collecting of the half shekel Beith HaMikdash tax (Shemot [Exodus] 30.12-13). Because most Jews outside of Yerushalyim used Roman coinage, it was therefore necessary for them to convert their money into the coinage minted by the Sanhedrin so that it may be used to pay their tax.

The moneychangers as well as the people selling livestock for korban (literally "draw near" but translated as "sacrifice") served a legitimate purpose. Coinage other than that of the Beit HaMikdash had to be changed for the reason stated above. In addition, because of the great distances some men had to travel in order to get to Yerushalyim it was impractical for them to bring their own korbanot (plural of korban). There was also the high probability if they did bring their own korbanot that the animals would in some way be injured on the way and rejected as a korban by the kohenim (priests). So these people did serve a legitimate purpose! It was the location the merchants chose to do their business as well as their business ethics, which Yeshua objected to.

The moneychangers and animal merchants set up shop in the Court of the Gentiles. The Saducees, whose jurisdiction was the Beit HaMikdash, sanctioned this practice, mainly because they received financial benefit from it. The Court of the Gentiles was the location in the Beit HaMikdash compound, where non-Jewish (pagan) travellers could come and pray. It is for this reason that while Yeshua was throwing the moneychangers out of the area He was also exclaiming; "Is it not written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations'?....

Their business practices were also less than honourable. They were taking advantage of the fact that theirs was the only game in town. The moneychangers charged excessive fees or exchange rates, and the animal vendors, who were taking advantage of the larger than normal demand, practiced price gouging. It was so much so that Yeshua declared; "....But you have made it a 'den of thieves."

We are not as conscious of images as bnei Yisrael (children of Israel) were during the times of Yeshua. No one knows what Yeshua actually looked like. There are no drawings or pictures of Him that we might know His face. The authenticity of the shroud is questionable and even then the images is not very recognizable. Yet many people do not think it any problem to buy a picture, statue or figurine depicting some artists conception of who knows who and declare it to be Yeshua. This practice I must warn is not like having a picture of your uncle Harry or aunt Tilly hanging on the wall. This picture represents or is presumed to be of G-d when in actuality it is not; it is an idolatrous image.

I would like to point out another danger, which may arise from this practice. Truly Satan cannot appear to anyone in the true image of Yeshua, but he certainly can appear to you in the image you or someone else has created of Yeshua. Many people I am sure have been deceived by Satan, when he appeared to them, thinking they were seeing or speaking to Yeshua, all because of an image they have hanging on their wall or standing on a table top.

2 Corinthians {11.14} And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.

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Baruch HaShem
Rabbi Jack (Yaacov) Farber


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