Holiness

Weekly Torah Lesson

Parasha: Korach (Corah)
Torah b’midbar 16:1 – 18:41

“40 So you shall remember and do all my commandments, and be holy to Elohekam. 41 I am Avinu Elohekam, who brought you out of the land of Egypt to be Elohekam: I am Avinu Elohekam.”” (Nu 15:40-41 )

When we read, “We are commanded “to remember and do..” that we might be “…holy to..” puts pressure on us to perform certain instructions in order to maintain our individual “holiness before Avinu”. The tasks that we have to perform differ from one person to another. The priests tasks differed from the Levites. A man’s tasks differed from a woman’s. The command to “be holy” in most situations differs from person to person. The commandment “to remember to do…that you might be holy” could be called a “works based faith by some.

Korach had a different “concept” about holiness.

“1 ¶ Now Korah the son of Izhar, son of Kohath, son of Levi, and Dathan and Abiram the sons of Eliab, and On the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men (captured by deception).
2 And they rose up before Moses, with a number of the people of Israel, 250 chiefs of the congregation, chosen from the assembly, well-known men.

** Some versions say, “…men of name..” or ‘..men of authority…
It could be the hierarchy of men given as ‘elders’ to Isrel when Moshe was told to ‘choose men’ to e over 10, 50, 100 and 1,000 Israeli’s.

3 They assembled themselves together against Moses and against Aaron and said to them, “You have gone too far! For all in the congregation are holy, every one of them, and Avinu is among them. Why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of Avinu?”” (Nu 16:1-3 )

Korach believed that holiness was a natural occurance based on one’s ancestory. Everyone in the congregation was equally holy because Avinu dwelt in the midst of ‘all of them’. This type of “faith” eliminates all responsibility on the part of the human. It also eliminates the possibility of losing that holiness through sin. Once holy, always holy. Thirty five hundred years later, the conflicting concepts still survive. This is why we read, “But the sons of Korah did not die.”(Nu 26:11 )

The Holy Spirit teaches,

“and hope does not put us to shame, because Avinu’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” (Ro 5:5 )

“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of Avinu, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to Avinu, which is your spiritual worship.” (Ro 12:1 )

“If anyone destroys Avinu’s temple, Avinu will destroy him. For Avinu’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.” (1Co 3:17 )

“Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from Avinu? You are not your own,” (1Co 6:19 )

“even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love” (Eph 1:4 )

“And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of Avinu, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.” (Eph 4:30 )

“who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Meshiach Yeshua before the ages began,” (2Ti 1:9 )

“By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you.” (2Ti 1:14 )

“he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the (immersion) renewal of the Holy Spirit,” (Tit 3:5 )

“15 but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”” (1Pe 1:15-16 )

** When we ‘receive’ the Holy Spirit, we become ‘Holy” to some degree. Yeshua taught us this when He spoke, “14 ¶ “For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. 15 To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. 16 He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. 17 So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. 18 But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master’s money.

**’..dug in the ground.’ possibly,’participated in the world..’.

19 Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. 20 And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here I have made five talents more.’ 21 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’

*** “looking to Yeshua, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of Avinu.” (Heb 12:2)

22 And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents; here I have made two talents more.’ 23 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ 24 He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, 25 so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.’ 26 But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? 27 Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. 28 So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. 29 For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 30 And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’” (Mt 25:14-30 )

We see that the Holy Spirit is given in different degrees and can be grown or squandered based on our response to it’s ‘leading’.

*** “Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?” (Ro 2:4 )

*** “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” (John 14:26 )

*** “But you will receive power (authority) when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”” (Ac 1:8 )

*** “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide (lead) you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.” (John 16:13 )

“16 You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? 17 So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. 18 A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.” (Mt 7:16-20)

Can you be ‘recognized by your fruit’?