Yogi Berra famously quipped, “It’s deja vu all over again.” And that seems to sum up the beginning of Torah reading בְּהַעֲלֹתְךָ Beha’alotcha (“when you raise up” [the lamps]). We have read about the Tabernacle menorah and the consecration of the priesthood before in Shemot (Exodus) and Vayiqra (Leviticus), but Bamidbar (Numbers), like Devarim (Deuteronomy), is a thematic rather than a book. And Bamidbar is like a travelogue of Israel’s journey from bondage to freedom, with snapshots of cringe-worthy waypoints that are best not revisited by future generations.

In the Beha’alotecha album of snapshots, we see a collection of lessons about remembering the One Who gave freedom and guarding oneself against resentment for the journey to that freedom.

Rather than from our vantage point of over 3,500 years in the future, put yourself in their place. It’s the second year since the Exodus from Egypt. Now, Israel is putting into action what God taught about the Tabernacle and its lessons of internal transformation. 

Numbers 8: The LORD watches the deeds of the nation of priests

“Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to Aaron and say to him, ‘When you mount the lamps, the seven lamps will give light in the front of the menorah.’” Aaron therefore did so; he mounted its lamps at the front of the menorah, just as the LORD had commanded Moses. Now this was the workmanship of the menorah, hammered work of gold; from its base to its flowers it was hammered work; according to the pattern which the LORD had shown Moses, so he made the menorah.” (Numbers 8:1–4 NASB)

* What was the point of this menorah? To bring light. 

* Who saw this light? Only the priests who were allowed to enter the Temple. 

* What did the menorah reveal? The light shined on the loaves of bread, representing the 12 tribes of Israel. 

It’s to remind them and us that God’s eyes were on all 12 tribes of Israel. They are always looking at His people. That is why the menorah was to be kept lit at all times.

Numbers 9:1–5: Anniversary of the Exodus, time to celebrate Pesakh

On the first Pesakh (Passover or Pascha), when they were in Egypt, they didn’t have to comply with the laws of ritual purity to celebrate and eat that Passover sacrifice but after Sinai, God instituted rules regarding Pesakh that required that one be ritually pure before eating of the Pesakh lamb or goat. But there are valid reasons where one isn’t able to partake of the Pesakh sacrifice at the scheduled time. 

Numbers 9:6–14: Second-chance Pesakh

There were certain exceptions in which one is given an opportunity to partake of a Pesach a month after the regular Pesach. 

* Allowed if one was unclean because of contact with a נֶפֶשׁ nefesh (H5315), a body without נִשְׁמַ֣ת חַיִּים nishmat chayyim (H5397+H2425b). 

* “observe Passover on that day” (Num. 9:6): Rashi posits, “It was the seventh day of their uncleanness.”

* In Num. 5:2–4, there was the directive to send outside the camp those with skin diseases, discharges and handlers of the dead.

*  That banishment period was seven days for leprosy (Leviticus 13 and Num. 12:15).

* And it was seven days for undertakers (Num. 19:11).

We need to understand that just as we don’t waltz into our neighbors house and raid their fridge anytime we want to do so, it is the same with God’s house. Where the LORD dwells is to be associated with life and sweetness, separate from death and stench (abominations and excrement).

It can be something to discuss with our brothers and sisters in the Body of Messiah that grace and a Spirit-led life were as much as a part of Tabernacle and Temple times as they were for post-Resurrection times,