What is the remedy for The Spirit of Occultism!?! The answer to this question is found in this week’s Torah portion. The same is revealed in what the antithesis of these two words are: Ambiguity and Obscurity!?! The Torah portion for this week is “Pinchas (Phinechas …).” The following famous quote is a statement that is absolutely true for this parasha;

“Charles Spurgeon: "If He gives you the grace to make you believe, He will give you the grace to live a holy life afterward."

Last week’s Torah portion ( “Balak -Devastator”) ended with this passage of scripture:

Numbers 25:6-9 KJV

“And, behold, one of the children of Israel came and brought unto his brethren a Midianitish woman in the sight of Moses, and in the sight of all the congregation of the children of Israel, who were weeping before the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. 7 And when Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he rose up from among the congregation, and took a javelin in his hand; 8 And he went after the man of Israel into the tent, and thrust both of them through, the man of Israel, and the woman through her belly. So the plague was stayed from the children of Israel. 9 And those that died in the plague were twenty and four thousand.”

I know the ending portion of this last parasha was “QUITE GRAPHIC” in nature. But we must understand that this event corresponds to the degree of dishonor/disregard the children of Israel expressed for their Heavenly Father. Every time I read this parasha I am reminded of the fact this foul lust was being conducted in plain sight and by the leaders of the twelve tribes shortly after the following verse was proclaimed.

Numbers 25:1-5 KJV

“ And Israel abode in Shittim, and the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab. 2 And they called the people unto the sacrifices of their gods: and the people did eat, and bowed down to their gods. 3 And Israel joined himself unto Baalpeor: and the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel. 4 And the LORD said unto Moses, Take all the heads of the people, and hang them up before the LORD against the sun, that the fierce anger of the LORD may be turned away from Israel. 5 And Moses said unto the judges of Israel, Slay ye every one his men that were joined unto Baalpeor.

What is the antithesis of these two words: Ambiguity and Obscurity!?!

Ambiguity- is defined as; the quality or state of being ambiguous especially in meaning (see ambiguous-able to be understood in more than one way : having more than one possible meaning: not expressed or understood clearly) b: a word or expression that can be understood in two or more possible ways : an ambiguous word or expression 2: uncertainty Obscurity- is defined as; the state of being unknown or forgotten: something that is difficult to understand: the quality of being difficult to understand.

PINCHAS (Phinechas- פִּינְחָס )

The understanding of the meaning of the Hebrew word itself is revealed in the meaning of each letter within the word:

Pey-פִּ

Mouth- Blow, Scatter, Edge

Nun-נְ

Seed- Continue, Heir, Son

חָ-Chet

Tentwall- Outside, divide, half

Samech-ס

Thorn- Grab, Hate, Protect

The name Phinehas explains the heroism that he displayed

So what’s in a name? In the hebrew sense of the word everything. Your whole purpose / destiny is within the hebrew letters of one’s name. At the very command of Moses in Numbers 25:5 KJV “ 5 And Moses said unto the judges of Israel, Slay ye every one his men that were joined unto Baalpeor.” Phinephas leaps into action. Because he was the son of the high priest the awesome responsibility to keep order was already upon his shoulder. He took it upon himself to quickly stamp out disobedience in order to separate Israel from the judgement of Yah. In this way he also protected the people of Yah by acting on his own personal hatred for evil. Thus fulfilling every hebrew letter meaning of his name. WOW what an awesome Yah we serve; what does the hebrew letters of your name mean? Are you fulfilling your destiny as it is written by Yah for you!?!

See Yah This Sabbath ... Much love in Yahushua!

Rabbi John Wesley A. PhD & Pastor Martha
Congregation Beth Hashem in Durham & Greenville NC