By their fruit you shall know them; by Messianic Rabbi Y. Farber

[Mevaser]

By their fruit you shall know them; by Messianic Rabbi Y. Farber
http://www.cmy.on.ca/toraportions200...bar/korach.htm (Online version)
Congregation Melech Yisrael, Toronto, Canada
Shabbat July 5, 2003, 5 Tammuz 5763
http://www.cmy.on.ca / cmy@ca.inter.net

This week's Reading list:
* Bamidbar / Numbers 16.1-18.32
* I Sh'muel / Samuel 11.14-12.22
* Romim / Romans 13:1-7


Parasha Korah has a very special place in my heart, mainly because it was my bar mitzvah portion. Of course it means a lot more to me now then it did forty-six years ago. Then it was an obligation, something I owed my parents, and today it is a joy for me to read and study this and the other Parashot of Torah. Little did I know then the place Torah would have in my life - HaShem knew.

Bamidbar {16:5} and he (Moshe-Moses) spoke to Korach and to all his company, saying, In the morning HaSHEM will show who are his, and who is kadosh (holy), and will cause him to come near to Him: even him whom He shall choose will He cause to come near to Him.

Korach and the men that followed him banded together to challenge the leaderships of both Moshe and Aharon (Aaron). Obviously from what we are being told here they had the same problem thousand of years ago, as we have today. People may profess to know HaShem, to love Him and serve Him but in reality they are all talk and no action or at least their actions do not line up with their words. Here Yisrael was, freshly on the east side of Har Sinai, the ink was hardly dry on the Aseret Hadibrot (Ten Commandments), figuratively speaking, and already leaders within the community of bnei Yisrael (children of Israel) were sinning, rebelling against Moshe and Aharon breaking the mitzvot (commandments). But look at what is being said in this passage of Scripture. These men obviously professed to be religious; they obviously gave the impression that they were righteous, holy, part of HaShem's community. However we are being told that may not necessarily be the case. Appearances we are being told, may be just that, appearances, things may not be as they appear and G-d was about to prove that to the community.

How many times have you met someone who talked a good talk, but their lives and their actions were total opposite to their words. I cannot tell you how often I have encountered people like this. People who join our congregation profess to love the HaShem and want to serve Him, only to end up being rebellious troublemakers, but not until after they had gained some credibility and weaseled their way into both my wife's and my heart as well as the hearts of the kahilah (congregation).

Well here in Parasha Korach G-d once again gives us a physical example of what will later be shown to us in the spiritual among the pages of the Brit Chadasha (Renewed Covenant)

Bamidbar {17:1} HaSHEM spoke to Moshe, saying, {17:2} Speak to the bnei of Yisrael, and take of them rods, one for each avot' (fathers') house, of all their princes according to their avot' houses, twelve rods: write you every man's name on his rod. {17:3} You shall write Aharon's name on the rod of Levi; for there shall be one rod for each head of their avot' houses. {17:4} You shall lay them up in the Ohel Moed (Tent of Meeting) before the testimony, where I meet with you. {17:5} It shall happen, that the rod of the ish (man) whom I shall choose shall bud: and I will make to cease from Me the murmurings of the Bnei Yisrael, which they murmur against you. {17:6} Moshe spoke to the Bnei Yisrael; and all their princes gave him rods, for each prince one, according to their avot' houses, even twelve rods: and the rod of Aharon was among their rods. {17:7} Moshe laid up the rods before HaSHEM in the tent of the testimony. {17:8} It happened on the next day, that Moshe went into the tent of the testimony; and, behold, the rod of Aharon for the house of Levi was budded, and put forth buds, and produced blossoms, and bore ripe almonds.

If there was any question of whom G-d's man was, who he chose to draw near to Him, this event settled the matter. Not only did Aharon's rod produce leaves, it budded and brought forth fruit. I guess you can figure out what I am going to say next. Well I not going to say it, I will let the Scriptures in the words of Mashiach (Messiah) do the teaching for me.

Mattityahu (Matthew) {7.16}You shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles? {7.17} Even so every good tree brings forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree brings forth evil fruit. {7.18} A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. {7.19} Every tree that brings not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. {7.20} Wherefore by their fruits you shall know them. {7.21} Not every one that says unto Me, L-rd, L-rd, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that does the will of my Father which is in heaven.

By their fruit you shall know them! Good trees produce good fruit. Nor do trees bear fruit out of season. You also have to wait until its season before you can tell if the tree you have planted, cared for, and cared about will produce good fruit. So is the case with people. They may come into your life presenting themselves as a respectable productive fruit tree, but sometimes when their season approaches you discover that there is no fruit, or the fruit they produce is bad, they are a bad tree.

The Aseret Hadibrot are divided into two distinct sections. The first four mitzvot teach us about man's relationship to G-d and the last six mitzvot teach us about man's relationship to his fellow man. The sum of the Aseret Hadibrot are but a summary of all the mitzvot of Torah. It is for this reason when asked by the rich young man which mitzvot were the greatest Yeshua answered him as follows:

Mark {12.29} And Yeshua answered him, The first of all the mitzvot is, Hear, O Israel; The L-rd our God is one L-rd: {12.30} And you shall love the L-rd you G-d with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength: this is the first mitzvot. {12.31} And the second is like, namely this, You shall love your neighbour as yourself. There is none other mitzvot greater than these.

In other words He was referring him to the entire Scriptures. The principle of loving ones neighbour as oneself is not something new, it is not something that Yeshua added, it was and is part of Torah. Korah and his rebellious followers were not displaying the love and respect G-d expected of them. They need to submit to the leadership HaShem had placed over them. In addition, by their actions they did not love their neighbour, instead they were trying to discredit and depose them. Their violation of this most basic of Torah's mitzvot resulted in their demise. They were bad trees that produced bad fruit therefore G-d cut them down.

There is a lesson for all of us in this week's Parasha, a lesson as true today as it was thousands of years ago. Many believers have not yet learned it I pray you are not one of them.

*****************************
Baruch HaShem
Rabbi Jack (Yaacov) Farber


Hallelujah to our L-rd, our Teacher, our Rabbi, "YESHUA" King Messiah for ever and ever!!!
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till King Mashiach Yeshua comes back!!!
Shalom Shalom....

[richardcorse]

I read your post with great interest especially since you posted it here on this forum, of which I am a new member.

I myself [born in Scotland] and living for 35 years in Israel have 3 boys who are all Haridim my daughter isn't.I myself keep what I can

corse

[BatEl]

So how do u feel about that Richard.... that ur boys have turned Ulra Orthodox? I take it they did not grow up in such a home??Is their a split in the family? I do hope not, we should all be able 2 respect each other!However Absolutes scare me! Cheers no Tears BatEl

[richardcorse]

Hello.There is no split in jy family especially as my wife and I and my daughter all believe in the \Almighty\.

We keep everything Glatt Kosher and don't travel etc on Shabbat but we do feel from time to time that my sons must remember, that religeous or not, everyone uses the same water the same electricity etc and therefor has the same bills to pay.

My MOTTO to all Haredim is be on the side that gives the Ma'aser [the 105 donation to the needy] and not on the side who holds his hand out to receive the Ma'aser

corse

[BatEl]

Emmmmmm yes I can relate 2 that!I am for seperation of State & the Religious Establishment, everywhere in the World...."they" r all on a "Gravy Train",look after each other... but not the masses they pretend 2 care about! Human Nature??? Peace & Light

[Mevaser]

I guess mr. Betel you may have a problem with Messiah's kingdom? that will be a very G-d center goverment.

Oh I can wait, Anachnu Rotzim Mashiach ackshav!

Soon in our midst; see Zecharya 12:10 and up

12:8 In that day the LORD will defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem. He who is feeble among them at that day will be like David, and the house of David will be like God, like the angel of the LORD before them. 12:9 It will happen in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem. 12:10 I will pour on the house of David, and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplication; and they will look to me whom they have pierced; and they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for his only son, and will grieve bitterly for him, as one grieves for his firstborn. 12:11 In that day there will be a great mourning in Jerusalem, like the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon. 12:12 The land will mourn, every family apart; the family of the house of David apart, and their wives apart; the family of the house of Nathan apart, and their wives apart; 12:13 the family of the house of Levi apart, and their wives apart; the family of the Shimeites apart, and their wives apart; 12:14 all the families who remain, every family apart, and their wives apart.

THEN IT SAYS IN 14:

14:9 The LORD will be King over all the earth. In that day the LORD will be one, and his name one.

[BatEl]

Excuse me..... its not Mr. & its not Bet el.......Dont u know what the name means?????????