By Rabbi Gabriel Lumbroso
In one of his teachings to the disciples, Yeshua spoke in these terms:
So whoever disobeys the least of these mitzvot and teaches others to do so will be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven. But whoever obeys them and so teaches will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven.
(Matthew 5:19 CJB)
By implication, this passage teaches us that some commands are "lesser" while by implication, others are "greater." By implication, this passage also teaches us that whatever the importance, they are all to be observed scrupulously to the same degree.
The Talmud teaches that while we are not told the reason we are told to do or not to do certain things, Exodus 20:12 is considered one of the greatest commandments, a commandment that carries a promise with it:
"Honor your father and mother, so that you may live long in the land which Adonai your God is giving you.
(Exodus 20:12 CJB)
Oddly enough, Deuteronomy 22:6-7, which is considered one of the least of the commandments, carries a similar type of promise:
"If, as you are walking along, you happen to see a bird's nest in a tree or on the ground with chicks or eggs, and the mother bird is sitting on the chicks or the eggs, you are not to take the mother with the chicks. You must let the mother go, but you may take the chicks for yourself; so that things will go well with you, and you will prolong your life.
(Deuteronomy 22:6-7 CJB)
"TROUBLE IN PARADISE"
Jewish mysticism tells us of a place in Paradise called "The Bird's Nest." The bird's nest is Messiah's place of residence, hidden away, until such a day when He returns. According to the sages' analogy, the Shechinah is the mother bird sitting upon Messiah; the young in the nest represents Israel.
This complicated, esoteric passage seems to parallel the narratives in Luke 13 and 19. I will give the main points of this midrash in italics, inserting my own references.
Compare:
The Messiah enters [the bird's nest] lifts up his eyes and sees ... the ruins of the house of God, then he sees Rachel with tears on her face; ... then the Messiah lifts up his voice and weeps
With,
When Yeshua had come closer and could see the city, he wept over it...
(Luke 19:41 CJB)
Also compare,
"The Messiah enters that abode [the bird's nest], lifts up his eyes ... He perceives Mother Rachel, with tears upon her face...He tries to comfort her, but she refuses to be comforted...
With,
This is what Adonai says: "A voice is heard in Ramah, lamenting and bitter weeping. It is Rachel weeping for her children, refusing to be comforted for her children, because they are no longer alive."
(Jeremiah 31:15 CJB)
And with,
Meanwhile, when Herod realized that the Magi had tricked him, he was furious and gave orders to kill all the boys in and around Beit-Lechem who were two years old or less, calculating from the time the Magi had told him. In this way were fulfilled the words spoken through the prophet Yirmeyahu, "A voice was heard in Ramah, sobbing and lamenting loudly. It was Rachel sobbing for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no longer alive."
(Matthew 2:16-18 CJB)
Then the Messiah lifts up his voice and weeps ... for a second time... (End of midrash).
THE MOTHER BIRD
Every year, during the month of Elul, synagogue readings include lamentation from the Spirit of HaShem over the fate of Jerusalem. In this second lamentation, Messiah takes on the role of a mother bird:
Yerushalayim! Yerushalayim! You kill the prophets! You stone those who are sent to you! How often I wanted to gather your children, just as a hen gathers her chickens under her wings, but you refused! Look! God is abandoning your house to you! I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of Adonai!'
(Luke 13:34-35 CJB)
Yeshua = mother-bird
Israel = the chicks
From the ensuing events, we draw a deep prophetic dimension from the mother bird passage and its reward of long life in the land. Read again:
If, as you are walking along, you happen to see a bird's nest in a tree or on the ground with chicks or eggs, and the mother bird is sitting on the chicks or the eggs, you are not to take the mother with the chicks. You must let the mother go, but you may take the chicks for yourself; so that things will go well with you, and you will prolong your life.
(Deuteronomy 22:6-7 CJB)
As the mother bird is shooed away from the nest, leaving its now vulnerable nest to be robbed, our Master ascended to the heavens, leaving Israel to be plundered by Rome.
Now, Yeshua patiently waits in the bird's nest of the New Jerusalem for the day of redemption when he can return and gather together his brood under the safety of his wings.
WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND
On that day, he will call the birds of the heavens to feed on the flesh of those who persecuted his brothers and sisters.
"As for you, human, Adonai Elohim says that you are to speak to all kinds of birds and to every wild animal as follows: 'Assemble yourselves and come, gather yourselves from all around for the sacrifice I am preparing for you, a great sacrifice on the mountains of Isra'el, where you can eat flesh and drink blood! You will eat the flesh of heroes and drink the blood of the earth's princes -- rams, lambs, goats and bulls, fattened in Bashan, all of them. You will eat fat till you are gorged and drink blood till you are drunk at the sacrifice I have prepared for you. At my table you will be satiated with horses, horsemen, heroes and every kind of warrior,' says Adonai Elohim. " 'Thus will I display my glory among the nations, so that all the nations will see my judgment when I execute it and my hand when I lay it on them.
(Ezekiel 39:17-21 CJB)
Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and he cried out in a loud voice to all the birds that fly about in mid-heaven, "Come, gather together for the great feast God is giving, to eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of generals, the flesh of important men, the flesh of horses and their riders and the flesh of all kinds of people, free and slave, small and great!"
(Revelation 19:17-18 CJB)
UNDER HIS WINGS TODAY,
MAY WE FIND REST AND SANITY
FROM THE INSANE CONFUSION OF THE WORLD.
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