Parashat Behalotecha
18 Sivan, 5785 / June 14, 2025
By Bobby Franklin
This Week’s Readings:
Torah: Numbers 8:1 – 12:16
Haftarah: Zechariah 4:1-7
Brit Chadashah: Mark 14:32-42
As I think all of you know by now, I have a lot of food allergies and last year started a diet that, while very restrictive, has allowed me to live a much happier life than I had been previously. That said, not a day goes by where I don't miss eating stuff. Case and point; this week my mom made my wife Bethany some super yummy and very tasty chocolate chip banana muffins. These are a big threat, and there was one morning where, while I was preparing my rice cake breakfast, I took one of the muffins out and almost ate it. I just wanted a bite, which of course would have turned into me just eating all of it. Now I have prayed over time for strength when it comes to eating. And here I saw that strength from G-d. As the Haftarah said, not by might not by power but by His Ruach alone.
Now the Torah portion is pretty focused on Moses, but I want to look at it from the perspective of the people, the "grumblers". Now look, can you blame them? Eating the same thing every day is hard. I complained last week when I had chicken twice in a day. Having nothing to eat but manna I'm sure got hard to bear. And it is alright to complain a little. Moses does, a lot. The thing is, G-d is G-d. He can handle it. The issue with the grumblers is really that their trust in G-d is lacking. I mean, look at all G-d has done for them and they're going to lose it over what they're eating. So G-d punishes them. It's a very tough love. I get it, when I eat melons and leeks and garlic and onions I get punished too. By not trusting in G-d to provide for them, keep them strong, in the face of their earlier prayers and G-d's earlier blessings they forfeited the protection and strength G-d gave them.
The Haftarah portion sees Zechariah relating a vision he has about a menorah and two olive trees. We are told that among other things this represents G-d saying to Zerubbabel, the Persian appointed governor of Judea, not by might not by power but by my Ruach. As Zechariah was writing this the Persians had allowed the Israelites to return home to Judea. G-d is reminding the people and the leadership through Zechariah that, yes this is a great thing that has happened, but it happened through faith in G-d. And they will rebuild their homeland not by merely their own strength and power, but through the spirit of G-d who will give them the strength to do so.
In the Brit Chadashah portion we see a man, Yeshua, praying to G-d. He knows he is about to be crucified, and that it has to be done. That said, as a human he obviously does not want to undergo this horrible ordeal. And so he prays. It's a very human moment of weakness, followed by a steadying of himself. He knows that to undergo crucification he will need more than his own strength or power. I believe he is reaching out for G-d's spirit and through it is able to accept what he has to do.
Frankly I expect to spend the rest of my life sorely tempted by food that I should not and cannot eat. Sometimes I will give in because every once in a while a chest meal is acceptable. Sometimes I will be weak and forget the spirit of G-d and all He has done for me. And believe me, I will suffer for it. I challenge you to think about what tempts you to forget the spirit of G-d and to see clearly the consequences that are leveled upon you not as divine retribution, but as tough love. G-d knows we will mess up, even Yeshua had doubts, but the harder we stay on top of our faith the more G-d will be there for us.