Lamed Messianic Jewish Studies

The purpose of this writing is to explore the possibility of the post-resurrection contemporary believer who is desiring to partake the obligations of the Neizer. The problem in doing so seems to be in the completion of the obligation. There are associated sacrifices and offerings that complete the time of sanctified dedication. Without a physical stone Temple, many are at a loss of how to complete the time of consecration successfully, being that the tasks of completion are so specific.

The question today becomes that if we are the Temple of the Ru'acḥ, and Mashiacḥ guides our lives from the throne of our inner man, is it possible that this Temple in HaBasar b'Mashiacḥ (The Body of Messiah) is how we complete times of sanctified dedication of consecration? And if the latter is the case, what would it look like in the body as a witness of service today without a stone Temple?

We will first look at the passages found in the Tanakḥ as the foundation of obligation, and then explore practical fulfillment today.

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Tanakh Parashat

Individual Components

• NEIZER DEFILED
  • Verse 9 - Neizer defiled shall shave his head on the next Shabbath.
  • Verse 10 - Neizer defiled brings on the 8th day (1st day of week) two turtledoves, or two young pigeons to priest.
  • Verse 11 - Priest offers one fowl for Sin-Offering and one for Burnt-Offering for sin by reason of the dead.
  • Verse 12 - Neizer shall consecrate to LORD the days of his consecration, bringing a guilt-offering; but the former days shall be void, because his consecration was defiled.
• NEIZER FULFILLED
  • Verse 13 - The Neizer comes to the congregation or place of gathering at the end of His predetermined consecration.
  • Verse 14 - Neizer brings Animals each for a Burnt-Offering, a Sin-Offering (chatat), and a Peace-Offering.
  • Verse 15 - Neizer brings a Meal and a Grain Offerings, and a Drink-Offerings.
  • Verse 16 - Priest offers the Sin-Offering and the Burnt-Offering
  • Verse 17 - Priest offers Peace-Offerings with Unleavened Bread (Matzoth), and Meal-Offering, and Drink-Offering
  • Verse 18 - Neizer shaves his head at the congregation and offers hair on the fire under sacrifice of Peace-Offerings
  • Verse 19 - Priest puts in hands of shaved Neizer the shoulder of Peace-Offering, Matzoth cake and Matzoth wafer.
  • Verse 20 - Priest waves Wave-Offering along with breast of waving and thigh of heaving of the animal used in v19.
    • General understanding is that they eat of the peace-offerings at this juncture along with meal and drink offerings.

Contemporary Viewpoints

The purpose of the call of one to be consecrated unto Adonai is to be focused on being separated from the rest of the world. The idea that one can be in the world and not of it with the ever-constant presence of encroaching defilement upon us is a great endeavor of dedication. The senses are heightened as to what a wicked and twisted world we live in as one progresses through the days and just what a need for Messiah there is in this life.

Yeshua is the sacrifice better than the blood of bulls and goats. Then we have the meal-offerings, drink-offerings, wave-offerings which are of the peace-offerings and the meal and drink all together.

Equated to burnt-offerings, sin-offerings and guilt-offerings are the blood and sacrifice of Yeshua going up. The peace-offering, meal-offering, and drink-offering (as equated with Pesach) are the wave-offerings we give out of commitment to Mashiach and the faith.

• Broken Spirit - Peace-Offering
  • Mishlei (Proverbs) 15 מִשְׁלֵי
    • .יג  לֵב שָׂמֵחַ, יֵיטִב פָּנִים; וּבְעַצְּבַת-לֵב, רוּחַ נְכֵאָה
    • 13 A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance; but by sorrow of heart the spirit is broken.
  • One who is in sorrow can be one who is in turmoil and stresses that would put tension and break things. One who is in turmoil wants peace and no stress. It is equatable to see how sorrow can be one who would bring a peace-offering to alleviate turmoil and bring peace.
  • Qorinthi-im Beith (2nd Corinthians) 7:9
    • Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that your sorrow led to repentance. For you were made sorry in a godly manner, that you might suffer loss from us in nothing.
      • Being made sorry in a godly manner is a dedicated consecration by which we are set apart in understanding and it leads to a renewal of heart which the vow of a neizer would also do.
  • Qorinthi-im Beith (2nd Corinthians) 7:10
    • For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.
      • The idea that those things which withdraw into Elohim are beneficial and those things which withdraw away from Elohim are detrimental to the spirit. The neizer is a conscious purposeful decision to withdraw from the world and cleave unto Elohim in dedicated consecration of service by the reigning in of the flesh and worldly social norms.
• Broken Heart - Meal-Offering (Unleavened bread cakes/wafers)
  • B'midbar (Numbers) 15 בְּמִדְבַּר
    • .לא  כִּי דְבַר-יְהוָה בָּזָה, וְאֶת-מִצְוָתוֹ הֵפַר; הִכָּרֵת תִּכָּרֵת הַנֶּפֶשׁ הַהִוא, עֲוֺנָה בָהּ
    • 31 Because he hath despised the word of the LORD, and hath broken His commandment; that soul shall utterly be cut off, his iniquity shall be upon him. [Context is a soul that doeth aught with a high hand {wayward motive} blasphemeth the LORD]
      • The idea that Yeshua was broken and put away as someone who had aught motive and explained as the bread of life but was buried so as to be "cut off from His people" as is stated in verse 30 before, is to equate the whole idea to broken bread.
  • T'hillim (Psalms) 34 תְּהִלִּים
    • .יט  קָרוֹב יְהוָה, לְנִשְׁבְּרֵי-לֵב; וְאֶת-דַּכְּאֵי-רוּחַ יוֹשִׁיעַ
    • 19 The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart, and saveth such as are of a contrite spirit.
      • In a manner of speaking, our brokenness is likened to the sacrifice of the meal-offering, offered up with the broken body of Messiah together in unity of spirit as we return unto Elohim in Salvation (Yeshua).
  • T'hillim (Psalms) 51 תְּהִלִּים
    • .יט  זִבְחֵי אֱלֹהִים, רוּחַ נִשְׁבָּרָה לֵב-נִשְׁבָּר וְנִדְכֶּה-- אֱלֹהִים, לֹא תִבְזֶה
    • 19 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise.
      • This backs up that the broken heart is the sacrifice unto Elohim.
  • Mattit-Yahu (Matthew) 21
    • 42-44 - Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: ‘The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone. This was the LORD’s doing, And it is marvelous in our eyes’ ? [Ref. T'hillim 118:22-23]
      • This reference reinforces the understanding that a broken heart is the sacrifice we bring to Elohim.
    • Aphsiyim (Ephesians) 2
    • 14 For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, [Context: those in v12 without Mashiach, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise.]
      • Once again, in association with the Peace-Offering and the broken bread being as the wall of separation of the ordinances and charges against those who would come unto reconciliation with Messiah, the elements which comprise the Wave-Offering of praise are halfway to a complete understanding.
• Contrite Heart - Drink-Offering
  • Y'sha-Yahu (Isaiah) 57 יְשַׁעְיָהוּ
    • .טו  כִּי כֹה אָמַר רָם וְנִשָּׂא, שֹׁכֵן עַד וְקָדוֹשׁ שְׁמוֹ--מָרוֹם וְקָדוֹשׁ, אֶשְׁכּוֹן; וְאֶת-דַּכָּא, וּשְׁפַל-רוּחַ, לְהַחֲיוֹת רוּחַ שְׁפָלִים, וּלְהַחֲיוֹת לֵב נִדְכָּאִים
    • 15 For thus saith the High and Lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy: I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.
      • Water, Wine, drink can revive the body, give it what it needs in moisture to operate properly. Wine can relax the muscles, water can lubricate the joints and give elasticity to the ligaments. Those who have a contrite spirit are ready to accept that which replenishes the bodily necessities.
  • Y'sha-Yahu (Isaiah) 66 יְשַׁעְיָהוּ
    • .ב  וְאֶת-כָּל-אֵלֶּה יָדִי עָשָׂתָה, וַיִּהְיוּ כָל-אֵלֶּה נְאֻם-יְהוָה; וְאֶל-זֶה אַבִּיט--אֶל-עָנִי וּנְכֵה-רוּחַ, וְחָרֵד עַל-דְּבָרִי
    • 2 For all these things hath My hand made, and so all these things came to be, saith the LORD; but on this man will I look, even on him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at My word.
      • Just as the surface of the waters tremble at the voice of the wind, so the contrite who are immersed in the Word of Elohim will tremble with the mighty waters of life and be refreshed by the depth and revitalization of living waters.
• Adoration and Praise - Wave-Offering
  • Yirme-Yahu (Jeremiah) 17 יִרְמְיָהוּ
    • .כו  וּבָאוּ מֵעָרֵי-יְהוּדָה וּמִסְּבִיבוֹת יְרוּשָׁלִַם וּמֵאֶרֶץ בִּנְיָמִן, וּמִן-הַשְּׁפֵלָה וּמִן-הָהָר וּמִן-הַנֶּגֶב, מְבִאִים עוֹלָה וְזֶבַח, וּמִנְחָה וּלְבוֹנָה--וּמְבִאֵי תוֹדָה, בֵּית יְהוָה
    • 26 And they shall come from the cities of Judah, and from the places round about Jerusalem, and from the land of Benjamin, and from the Lowland, and from the mountains, and from the South, bringing burnt-offerings, and sacrifices, and meal-offerings, and frankincense, and bringing sacrifices of thanksgiving, unto the house of the LORD.
      • Interesting here is וּמְבִאֵי תוֹדָה or "bringer of thanks" which can also be interpreted as Praise. The idea here that those who are in song and thanksgiving and praise of Elohim come in with arms wide and waving high as the expression of praise out of their heart through their whole body as we are instructed to come unto the throne of Elohim {with our whole self}.
  • Ma-asei HaSh'licḥim (Acts of The Sent Ones) 12
    • 7 Now behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the prison; and he struck Peter on the side and raised him up, saying, “Arise quickly!” And his chains fell off his hands.
      • Those who are touched of the LORD and His servants will be raised as waving hands and freed to great works.
  • Philippim (Philippians) 1
    • 9-11 - And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.
      • As part of the Wave-Offering, if taken as the combination of all the above, is the idea that we are in a potentially perpetual Neizer Vow being without offense (against Torah) and full of sincerity and praise until the return of Mashiach being filled with the spiritual fruits of righteousness men see in our actions in the ways of Elohim as is our proper glory and praise to Elohim.

In essence, we seem to have nested Neizer Vows of re-entry into the world to do the servile work of the Kingdom, which would be the end of a time of dedicated consecration, equated with a vow of the neizer (consecrated). There has to be a time of refreshing and renewing of spirit before we can come back and work again in the world. Then, there is a larger life-covering and life-giving Neizer Vow by which we wait on the return of Mashiach. In a sense, this "nested existence" is pertinent to the understanding we have of the mystery of HaBesorah (The Good Report) which is Mashiach in us and working through our lives as a declaration of Himself to the rest of the unbelieving world who would heed the call of heaven.

Practical Applications

So, in this understanding that there seems to be mini Neizer Vows within a larger commitment to be a Neizer unto Mashiach, there are several places that we can see this idea show up. Let us go over a few examples.

• Is it possible that communion in essence is part of the meal and drink offering?
• Since there seems to be no time frame except the one declared at the time of the individual by the vow, there seems to be a lack of time-frame as to the example of us being the temple/priesthood. Can this be a period to put us in a contrite heart position?
• As Mashiach is now the offerings having to do with the blood of animals, this is fulfilled instantly (or rather already fulfilled) in a Believer in the Yeshua of Elohim?
  • Heightened focus from the world: Possible correlation of a new believer to a neizer would be the separation for a season from the wiles of the world to dedicate and set-apart themselves for the purposes of Elohim, before having to go and face the world again -- except this time better equipped.
  • Is it possible that the reference to old and new wine bottles and old/new wine could be equated in manner somehow to the vine products prohibited to the neizer and when the are able to have some wine again it was because the flesh was "renewed" or made ready to hold something (commitments, tasks, teachings, knowledge, etc.) again? This would mean that the time of separation for the purpose of being able to process what one already has and "meditate" on the Words of knowledge and understanding so that one could request and wait on Elohim for Wisdom.
• Separations in relationships
  • It is taught that couples can agree to separate for a time and then come back together. Is it possible that part of this separation time could have been for the rights of a Neizer?
• Yeshua B'midbar
  • When Yeshua went into the wilderness for testing, there would be a time of set-apart consecration whereby no grape-vine products or strong drink would be available, but also would allow a set time for hair to grow and be hyper-focused on Elohim. Is it also possible that this was the final completion of the Neizer obligation particular to the technicality of Torah?
• There was a declaration of Yeshua that He would not drink of the wine from Pesach again until the redemption.
  • Was this seemingly a vow of Neizer, not having anything of grapes again until that day?
  • Was the endeavor of taking on the Vows of the Neizer prophetic to the end of the ascension of Yeshua until the return for judgment and there is actually no need to take on the Neizer rights because of this, or is it still an example to be pursued as a witness to men?
• Hairy issues
  • So, the man or woman seem to both be open to the vows of a neizer, but the woman was not supposed to have her head shaved. Is it possible that this was only the sides of the head and not the whole head that would also allow her to take part in the vows? Was it the custom or the writ that only man in headship could take the Neizer Vows?
• Yochanan and the Neizer Vow
  • It is highly possible that the unkempt Yochanan HaMatbil we see is a man actually keeping the Vows of the Neizer due to the fact that the command in v5 that no razor shall come upon the head at all, which would also include the beard.
• Sha'ul and the Neizer Vow
  • When Paul went to keep the sacrifices of the neizer, they would not have been traveling with animals required for the keeping of a completion of the vows. If it was only the fowl, this means that what Paul was keeping was the defilement of the vow. We do not know if money-changers were a normal thing of the temple service or if it was only at the chaghim and so we do not know what animals Paul would have to sacrifice. If he also paid for the sacrifices of others, what would he have paid for if the animals were brought already and not at the temple on-hand. So, it is possible that Paul was actually paying for sacrifices of neizer completion, which begs the question of when it started (Damascus?).
• Land Shabbath
  • The hair and the lack of products from anything of the grape-vines could be equated to the Shabbath Year rest for the land when it lays fallow and no product is reaped but rather is allowed to go back into the ground. This would also align with the previous comment about allowing ones-self to meditate on the knowledge, counsel, and understanding they had while waiting on Elohim for the nourishing Wisdom they needed before addressing things of the world again. The unkempt hair is as the vines laying undressed and wile and the lack of anything grape would be akin to the lack of fruit from the life as the nutrients of the nephesh acquired from the Word was allowed to do it's work in HaLev (the heart, or heart of the earth, sub-soil as inner man).

As much as there is a lack of grape products, when one is cleaving to Elohim in a time of consecration, could also be a reminder of what life would be like in it's dryness without believers in Elohim and the lack of spiritual fruits in the world. This would mean the ability to have wine again would be as refreshing as the original commitment to take the initial vow.

This seems to correlate with the idea that in the days of Mashiach it is very hard to keep the sacrifices to end the Neizer Vows unless done with and in Mashiach as the Kohein HaGadol; Also, the taking of the vow would be likened to the commitment we should have in the world of a perpetual Neizerim with HaMashiach in them until Yeshua comes again for the judgment. If we are feeling like we need to refocus our devotion, it seems that it would be possible to declare a Neizer Vow and not cut our hair or have grape products or strong drink of any kind and then commune in fellowship with the appropriate clean Biblical animal roasted with unleavened bread and wine drink offering to declare the Vow interval at an end for such strenuous attention.

The hair could indeed be placed under the peace-offering on a roaster while at the other end there is meat to eat which would not be tainted with burning hair. According to the passage, it may be necessary to also have the appropriate congregation over-seer versed in the Neizer Vow proceedings to guide the participant in the proper Biblical manner which would be beneficial to the focus and dedication of the individual taking on such a vow. Of importance would be the dedication of the place of roasting as a holy place set aside for such practice and no strange poles, trees, or standards set up beside said created alter.

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