In Numbers 16:1-7 we see Korach hatching his plan.  In Numbers 16:8-15 we see Moshe attempt reconciliation.  And in Numbers 16:16-35 we see in great detail the demise of Korach.  

Korach had an ego problem, Korach’s haughtiness and the Frank Sinatra, “My Way” approach lead to his demise.  Haughtiness and ego are the most destructive things in the body of Messiah.  For it is written: 

But He gives all the more Chen v’Chesed! Therefore it says, "Hashem LALETZIM HU YALITZ V’LA’ANAYIM YITEN CHEN ("Hashem opposes the proud mocker but gives grace to the humble").
(James 4:6; OJB) 

The Maharal, (Rabbi Yehudah Lowe of Prague, 1512-1609, philosopher-astronomer-kabbalist, famous as the one who created a golem) spoke a lot about this “I”. He demonstrated that the sages of the Mishnah were talking about it as well.
”Why was Adam created as a lone individual?” the sages ask. “To teach you that whoever sustains the life of a single human being is as though he sustained an entire world. And anyone who destroys the life of a single human being is as though he destroyed an entire world.”

”What sense does this make?” the Maharal asked. “Some will explain that just as the entire humankind extended from this one Adam, so each human being is potentially an entire world. But there is no real parallel here: Adam is the single root of all humankind. Another human being—if not for him, another will take his place.”
”Rather,” the Maharal continues, “every human being is an entire world. This is the experience of every human being since Adam and this is the truth according to Torah: Adam was created to be unique and singular in this world, just as G‑d is unique and singular above all. That’s why every human being sees himself as an entire world. And if he is, G‑d forbid, destroyed, that entire world goes down with him.”

This is also how the Maharal explains the Mishnah, “Every person is obligated to say, ‘For my sake the world was created.’” It’s true: In your world, you are the center and all else depends on you. The same in the other guy’s world. And
In your world, you are the center. And your world is true.

Think of it this way, a piece of canvas that people draped over a frame to paint, is incredibly sturdy material.  Weight lifters cannot tear it.  But, one small break in it’s integrity by the smallest snip from scissors or a blade, virtually microscopic weakens the entire integrity of the canvas and it can be torn easily by a child.  

This is how ego and haughtiness works in our faith as well.  The egotistical destroy their marriages, they destroy their families, they destroy their relationships with their friends.  It is an ongoing trend that brings about massive destruction all around the,.  Essentially this is the main story of Korach that is sometimes virtually unseen.  What we must be diligent in doing, is seeing the Bible as internal introspection and not like bullets from a gun.  If we do this, then the yetzer hara is defeated.  If we give in, then the yetzer hard grows and sin abounds. 

The Bible reminds us often of the importance of unity. Whether it is in the days of Adam and Hava when the Torah states, “Therefore shall an ish leave his av and his em, and shall cleave unto his isha: and they shall be basar echad” (Genesis 2:24).  Or when G-d is giving his instruction to the Children of Israel, “And in the yom harishon there shall be a mikra kodesh, and in the yom hashevi'i there shall be a mikra kodesh to you; no manner of melachah shall be done in them, except that which every nefesh must eat, that only may be done of you. (Exodus 12:16).  

We see this as well in the New Testament: 

“There is not Yehudi nor Yevani (Greek), there is not eved (servant) nor Ben Chorin (freedman), there is not zachar (male) nor nekevah (female), for you are all echad in Moshiach Yeshua.”
(Galatians 3:28) 

There are several other places we can cite this ideal of unity that are outside of identity, tribal affiliation, region, world view etc.  This Torah portion, Tetzaveh, reminds us of this.  

“And thou shalt command the Bnei Yisroel, that they bring thee pure pressed shemen zayit (olive oil) for the ohr, to kindle the Ner Tamid (Perpetual Lamp).”
(Exodus 27:20) 

The term תצוה (Tetzaveh: meaning “you must command) shares the same root as צות (Tzevet: meaning “join”).  By joining people in unity, Rebbe Nachman of Breslov says: “you can cause the Menorah to shine G-d’s glory to the entire world”
(Likutey Halakhot I, p. 500) 

The past year and a half I have been studying what is called bilateral ecclesiology and also what is called radial ecclesiology.  In the associated faiths as mine, the Lapid Jewish faith, we also have the Messianic Jewish faith and the Hebrew Roots Movement.  I want to speak to all these communities in this writing here today.  First of all we have to establish where our salvation comes from.  Our salvation and foundation is within the Messiah of Israel.  The Torah is something we strive for but it is not our salvation.  I think that is incredibly important to understand. 

During the times of Paul, we had communities of people who worshiped many other gods that were apart of the culture of the region in which they lived in.  Then, they hear of the Messiah of the Jewish people.  They want to come into the community.  They want to be a part of the Jewish people who worshipped the Messiah.  But there was a problem.  

At this time we had more Gentiles coming into the synagogues than Jews.  This was troubling to the Jewish people because these Gentiles had worshipped other gods and they were afraid, and rightfully so, of outside influence making their way into religious life and defiling the Holy places.  Some, decided conversion for all is the way.  Conversion is not for everyone.  Not everyone is able to do it.  Some are not meant to convert and some are.  Others agreed with the apostles in Acts 15 and handed down a ruling that was an early form of the laws of B’nei Noach.  Luckily the apostle that Yeshua chose was a student of Gamliel and not one of the followers of Shammai. Otherwise, we would not have 2.7 billion Christians around the world today being such wonderful advocates for the Jewish people today.  

Now, I realize our Christian brethren get a bad rap from many in the associated faiths.  But let us remember what our sages said, R’ Bachya said, “a B’nei Noach, can be just as precious in the eyes of HaShem and achieve loftier presence in the eyes of HaShem than a Baal HaTorah.”  Despite our differences we must be mature and realize that those reading this may not have the same halakha I do, nor the same hashkafa.  And I don’t expect you to.  We must all realize, despite the variances in halakha or the levels of observance each of us connect with HaShem in a different way.  We all believe that the Bible is true and the infallible word of G-d.  Our religious expression may differ a little, or it may differ a lot.  But despite this, one thing we can all agree on is that Yeshua HaNotzri is our salvation.  He is the center of our faith.  Once we realize this.  We have reached a maturity level that is required for us to be a part of the Jewish people, to be a part of Israel.  
The egotist wants to be validated, the egotist has a “my way of the highway” mentality.  We are not to be this way.  Instead we are to be servants, we are to be meek and humble and as the words of the Messiah say: 

“By this will kol Bnei Adam have da'as that my talmidim you are, if ahavah you have one for the other.”
(John 13:35)

The verse continues and says: “that they bring thee pure pressed shemen zayit (olive oil)”.  This alludes to us in many ways.  In our lives we go through trials and tribulations that shape us into the people G-d has ordained us to be.  Through our trials we gain great wisdom from HaShem but only if we realize that G-d is indeed the Ayin Sof (the limitless one involved in every single instance of life).  We must learn that G-d has His hand in the most minute of things that we rarely even think about that cause our actions to go one way or another.  A split cup of coffee even has significance in G-d putting everything into it’s place.  Shemot Rabbah says: 

“Why are the Jews compared to olives?  The olive sits upon its branch.  It is plucked, squeezed, ground and crushed, and only then does it give it’s oil.  So too, when the Jews endure suffering they show their mettle.” 
(Shemot Rabbah 36:1) 

The Apostle Paul says: 

“Not only so, but we also glory in tzoros (troubles, afflictions), knowing that tzarah (trouble) produces zitzfleisch (patience), Zitzfleisch produces tested character and midos, and tested character and midos produce tikvah. And tikvah does not in the end lead to our being meyayesh (despairing) in disillusionment and bushah (shame), because the Ahavas Hashem (G-d's love) has been poured out in our levavot through the Ruach Hakodesh given to us.”
(Romans 5:3-5)

Nachman as well says: 

“Only after much self sacrifice can a person merit to see his purity illumine his soul.” 
(Likutey Halakhot II, p. 63a) 
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We often ask ourselves, who do bad things happen to good people.  It is because those who get the most trials merit a loftier place in the Olam Haba if they learn from the trials in which they are presented with.  Our true character is presented during those times.  If one’s attitude changes drastically in the way of the Other Side when trials come their way then their true intentions are heart is then exposed.  But if a person doesn’t pass on blame for their situation to others and instead maintains their shalom and their gratitude, then one can say that one is indeed a “good person”.  One would not make such a claim if they were cranky and blaming others for their situation.  Instead, tzedikim always realize everything is from HaShem.  They find that the Bible is true, this is indeed the case and therefore because it is from HaShem it is for the good.  So they are more inclined to listen to His voice, through His patriarchs, His prophets, His Mashiach and His sages.  They will be able to tell the difference between the Bat Kol, Ruach HaKodesh and the Yetzer Hara.  Because through the storm their mind is clear.  It is clear because they know the One who brings the storm. 

In Exodus 14 we have the story of the Children of Israel crossing the Red Sea by the mighty hand of HaShem and Moshe as the mediator to divide the waters so the Jewish people could cross over. This story should tell us much of ourselves. 

The term עִברִי (Ivri) has multiple meanings. It means “to cross over” it means “to break through the spiritual barrier” and it also represents the start of Jewish conversion which is also known as עִברִי. But let’s analyze this story and see what is happening here. 

“And when Pharaoh drew near, the Bnei Yisroel lifted up their eyes, and, hinei, the Egyptians marched after them; and they were very terrified; and the Bnei Yisroel cried out unto Hashem.”
(Exodus 14:10; The Orthodox Jewish Bible) 

Our sages say in Arachin 16b that if a person goes 40 days and 40 nights without trial or tribulation they may have lost their share in the world to come. Kiddushin 40b tells us that the righteous receive tribulations in order to merit a lofty place in the world the come. This sounds reminiscent of what we read in Brit Chadasha. 

“Because from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. Lo HaKavod l'Olamim. Omein. (" To Him be glory forever. Amen.")”
(Romans 11:36; The Orthodox Jewish Bible) 

We can all look through our lives and see times of trouble, of trial and tribulation we can find ourselves pleading with G-d over the situations brought forth to us. When we are at our times of weakness, our hearts of stone becomes a heart of flesh. During that time we gain comfort from Ruach HaKodesh, and we are more susceptible to G-d. 

Think of the story of Jacob and Esau: 

And the nearim grew: and Esav was a skilled hunter, an ish sadeh; and Ya'akov was an ish tam (quiet man), dwelling in ohalim. And Yitzchak loved Esav, because he did eat of his wild game; but Rivkah loved Ya'akov. And Ya'akov cooked stew: and Esav came from the sadeh, and he was famished. And Esav said to Ya'akov, Let me eat now some of the adom (red stew); for I am famished; therefore was shmo called Edom. And Ya'akov said, First sell me today thy bechorah (birthright, right of the firstborn). And Esav said, Hinei, I am at the point of death; and what profit shall this bechorah do to me? And Ya'akov said, Swear to me this day; and he swore unto him; and he sold his bechorah unto Ya'akov. Then Ya'akov gave Esav lechem and adashim (lentils) stew; and he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way; thus Esav despised his bechorah.
(Genesis 25:27-34; The Orthodox Jewish Bible) 

We see an antithesis to this story in the Gospels: 

Then Yeshua was led up into the midbar by the Ruach Hakodesh of Hashem to undergo nisyonos (temptations) by Hasatan. And, having undergone a tzom (fast) for arbaim yom varbaim lailah (forty days and forty nights), afterward Yeshua was famished. And the tempter came to him and said to him, If you are the Ben HaElohim, then speak the command that these avanim (stones) become lechem (bread). But Yeshua answered, Katuv (It is written), Lo a halechem lvodah ycheyeh Haadam, Ki al kol motzah fi hashem. (Man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of Hashem), Then Hasatan takes Rebbe, Yeshha to the Ir Hakodesh (the Holy City) and set him atop the pinnacle of the Beis Hamikdash, and says to Yeshua, If you are the Ben HaElohim, then throw yourself down, for katuv (it is written),malachav ytzav veh lach (His angels he will command concerning you) and upon their hands they will lift you up lest you strike your foot against a stone. Yeshua said to Hasatan, Again, it is written, lo tenassu es HaShem Eloheichem (Do not test Hashem your G-d). Again, Hasatan takes Yeshha to a very high mountain and shows him all the mamlechot (kingdoms) of the Olam Hazeh and the kavod (glory) of them. And Hasatan said to Yeshua, All these things I will give to you, if you will fall down v’tiahtachaveh (and you will bow down to) me. Then Yeshua says to him, Depart, Hasatan! For katuv (it is written), es HaShem Eloheicha Tira voto ta’avod (The L-rd your G-d you shall fear and Him you shall worship) Then Hasatan leaves him, and, hinei, malachim came and attended to Yeshua.
(Matthew 4:1-11; The Orthodox Jewish Bible) 

Here we see both the Messiah, and Essau desperately hungry, desperate for food. We see a different reaction however. We see that Essau takes the first offer given to him out of desperation. And we see the Mashiach has his sights focused upon the Creator of Heaven and earth. Essau gave up something holy (his birthright) for soup. Some look at the passage from Malachi and say “this is kinda harsh”. 

V’ohav es Ya’akov v’es Esav saneiti (Ya'akov have I loved, but Esau have I hated). 
(Malachi 1:3; The Orthodox Jewish Bible)

The reason this is said is because it was not the actions persay. But the evil of the soul that was rooted in the here and now, the finite physical world and not the things of HaShem. For some reason Essau thought that HaShem was not gonna sustain him, thus He didn’t look to HaShem, instead he came to Jacob and sold his birthright, essentially spitting in the face of G-d and essentially saying to G-d “you are not here for me”. Yet HaShem put oxygen in his lungs, gave him the rain for water, gave him food all around him for his consumption. He was like the angry child who curses his parents and say that his room is not big enough to fit a movie theater into, and yet he feels entitled to have a 100 seat movie theater in his bedroom. But in terms of the Mashiach it was different. 40 days, His sights were upon HaShem. This is when the breakthrough begins. This is when someone is considered עִברִי. When they have broken that spiritual barrier and have had that change of heart, and they choose to live for HaShem. 

As we continue one in the story:
 
“And Moshe said unto HaAm, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the Yeshuat Hashem, which He will bring to you today; for the Egyptians whom ye have seen today, ye shall see them again no more ad olam. Hashem shall fight for you, and ye shall keep still.”
(Exodus 14:13-14; The Orthodox Jewish Bible) 

The Mechilta says in terms of Exodus 14:13-14:

“While standing at the edge of the sea, terrified by the advancing Egyptians, the Jews broke into four camps, each advocating a different course of action. The first camp said: "Lets plunge into the sea," preferring to drown themselves than return to Egypt. The second camp said: "Let's return to Egypt," willing to accept the yoke of bondage again. The third camp said: "Let's wage war against them” hoping that they would be victorious. The fourth camp said: "Let's cry out to God” appealing to God in prayer.” 

So we had different camps offering up different solutions to the situation. Each of them signify where they were spiritually. Who and what their reliance was upon and was the rest to see if they had truly chosen a life for HaShem or if they just wanted to be a part of the outcast cool kids busting out of Egypt. Their spiritual condition was exposed at this time of either being likened unto Mashiach or likened unto Essau. 
As the story goes they crossed the Red Sea, and then what happens? They travel for 40 years. Through this time as we will see in Parshas Yitro we will find them building a golden calf while the Torah was being given. We will see them make several missteps along the way. We will see them preparing for the Promised Land. 
As we progress we read in verse 21: 

“Then Moshe stretched out his yad over the yam; and Hashem caused the yam to go back by a strong east wind all that night, so that the yam was made dry land, and the mayim were divided.”
(Exodus 14:21; The Orthodox Jewish Bible)

Earning a livelihood is as difficult as the Splitting of the Sea 
(Pesachim 118a). 

"Towards morning, the sea returned to its strength"—"morning" corresponds to Abraham, and thus to kindness and love. When a religious Jew engages in business honestly, he fulfills the mitzvah to "Love God" (Deuteronomy 6:5) in the sense that he "makes God beloved to others," since they associate his religiosity with ethical behavior (Yoma 86a). Having tuned into the resonance of "love," this Jew is also in tune with the unforced dynamic of the sea as it returns to its natural state. Therefore he, too, can earn a living in an effortless, unforced manner.” (Likutey Moharan i. 210). 

“If someone truly wants to perform a mitzvah, he will certainly face obstacles. Yet he can overcome them all if he truly desires. For example, let's say he decides to travel to the Holy Land. If he arrives at the port and there is no ship- or if he has no money left to pay his fare, nevertheless, if he truly desires he will see see miracles happen that allow him to complete the mitzvah and make the trip In certain ways. these miracles are as great as those that accompanied the Splitting of the Sea. Though that miracle was very great, it lasted only for a short time. If a person opens his eyes to the Divine Providence that brought him to where he is today, he will clearly see God's guiding hand every week and even every day! (Likutey Halakhot I, p. 142a-284).

It is complete and utter trust in Hashem with a responsibility attached. In the Talmud it mentions “to make a livelihood”. For we read in Brit Chadasha: 

“For the Kitvei HaKodesh says, lo tachsom shor bedisho ("You shall not muzzle the ox while he is treading out the grain"), and "Worthy is the workman of his wages."
(1 Timothy 5:18; The Orthodox Jewish Bible) 

The reason why “livelihood” is mentioned we can see through product of the salvation given to a person. There is then a job to do, there is a product that must be produced, which is referred to as pri tov (good fruit). What is this good fruit? Well, it is a part of the “works” propagated in iggaret ya’akov (letter of Jacob/James). The “works” that are a part of the product of our salvation. And it goes beyond mitzvos. This is even said by our Mashiach, who said:

“For I say unto you that unless the Tzedek (Righteousness) of you exceeds that of the Sofrim and Perushim, you will certainly not enter the Malchut HaShomayim.”
(Matthew 5:20; The Orthodox Jewish Bible)

Now I don’t see the OJB as a being a primary source for the New Testament because Phil Goble tends to insert Hebrew variances into the Greek text in terms of the New Testament. But I find it interesting he uses the term מִצִּדְק and Franz Delitzsch has מִצִּדְקַת both mean the same thing and they are the words for “righteous” or “righteousness” but they are also the word for “charity”. Was Yeshua propagating the same idea in the original Aramaic? 

In the Aramaic Khabouris Codex, we get a greater scope through the word kinuthkun (ܟ݁ܺܐܢܽܘܬ݂ܟ݂ܽܘܢ) where the later Hebrew has מִצִּדְקַת. The word ܟ݁ܺܐܢܽܘܬ݂ܟ݂ܽܘܢ in Aramaic means “righteousness, uprightness, charity, godliness, rectitude, and justice.” In both of these Semitic forms of the gospels we see something that is less about the idea of how many mitzvos, chukim, and mishpatim are fulfilled in terms of Torah law. But it is more of a change in self and a giving of one’s self over to the Creator. When one gives themselves over to HaShem what essentially happens is a person then has a focus on the Malchut HaShamayim (Kingdom of Heaven) as opposed to the things of the world. There is a transformation. 
​
Now this transformation is not instant. As the transformation of the children of Israel wasn’t instant, they suffered many trials and tribulations from the external and the internal they had to battle before they made their way into the land of Israel. Thus is the same with our lives. Perfection is not gonna be obtained. Fulfillment of all mitzvos will never happen, but with each trial. With each time we come to the Red Sea and we feel as though certain death is imminent we are offered a choice. A death to self? Or a death to the constriction by the constriction? Esau, and some of the Jews chose a death to the constriction of the world, and the limits of it. However, some of the Jews and Moshe chose the death of self in terms of the words of the Satan speaking to them and saying “you are constricted”. Trust in HaShem, acts of tzedakah, a death of self and the voice of the serpent, which is our own yetzer hara (evil inclination) is what gives us a clearer vision when faced with trial and tribulation and it allows us to cross the Red Sea.

The word מִצְרָיִם (Mitzrayim: meaning Egypt) also has another definition.  It also means “restriction”.  It should be striking to us that the name of Parshah this week is בּׂא which means “Go”.  

The Torah portion talks greatly on the plagues placed upon מִצְרָיִם and the parshah is called בּׂא.  Thus we can see deep spiritual and practical usage out of this understanding.  

In the parshah we see that the Jewish people, made a choice.  For it is said in Shemot Rabbah 17:3 it says: 

“And I will make you a legend unto myself, even though you are as low as a moss, that is said (Exodus 19: 5): And you shall be my glory from all the nations. What is the Holy One, Blessed is He, to protect them with blood, in order to remind them of the blood of the word of Abraham? And in two blood, Israel was saved from Egypt in the blood of Passover and in the blood of Milah....” 
(Shemot Rabbah 17:3) 

We see we are told the blood of the circumcision was mixed in with the blood of the Passover lamb.  Symbolizing the redemption from the land of restriction (aka Egypt), מִצְרָיִם.  How so?  

In my article “Was Yeshua Really the Passover Lamb”, we established the fact that the Passover Lamb didn’t represent the Messiah of Israel but instead it represented one of the pagan gods worshipped in Egypt.  The people were מִצְרָיִם (constricted) because of their worship of pagan gods and the ways of Pharaoh. 

The circumcision represents the covenant between us and HaShem.  The blood from circumcision mixed with the blood of the lamb represents essentially the death of the old ways and the redemption through the blessing of the Torah of HaShem through HaShem and acknowledgement and consecration unto HaShem.  It is through this, when they decided to בּׂא (Go) from the land of מִצְרָיִם (Egypt: Constriction) of those pagan gods stayed in Egypt as well, and the Jews ran from the constriction found in the land.  

Think of it in this way.  Say a man, is deathly ill.  He goes to the doctor, the doctor sends him to the hospital.  On his way into the hospital he was worried.  In the hospital as they prep him for surgery he is worried, he is also constricted.  He is unable to watch the pay per view fight on tv that night at home, he is unable to toss the football with his son, he is unable to sit at the dinner table with his wife.  During surgery and during his recovery he is constricted.  No walks, no going to Subway for a footlong sub.  He is eating hospital food and has to even get permission to use the rest room.  Then he leaves the hospital, his condition has improved and he is able to leave.  His family takes him home but he still is slightly constricted for a period of time till he fully heals.  Then he is better than new.  He has broken from his constriction he is better than new.  

The hospital stay is likened to the Jews in Egypt.  One may ask, was this stay and the slavery in Egypt necessary?  The answer is yes.  When one is without freedom can they fully appreciate their freedom?  Of course and they do so with more gratitude.  This is key.  

Along the way, we have Baal Peor, we have the golden calf we have the bad report from the spies we have Moshe getting frustrated and striking the rock.  We have all these instances where the children of Israel are making great gains and then they do something incredibly stupid.  This is like the patient going home but he is slightly restricted by the surgery from the hospital.  Moses goes to Sinai, receives the Torah and they thought they were doing a good thing by creating their own god with the Golden Calf.  The stitches were still in their body, they still had part of the hospital within them.  But then, we see them come into the land.  

Was it appreciated more because of the restriction and because of the stumbles along the way?  You bet they were.  The Messiah tells us: 

“If therefore HaBen (the Son) makes you Bnei Chorin (free men), you shall be Bnei Chorin (free men) indeed.”
(John 8:36; The Orthodox Jewish Bible) 

This statement in its context from leaving Egypt.  The people were free to observe the Torah of HaShem.  And no longer restricted fully by Egypt.  The Torah of HaShem brings us freedom and life.  As it is written: 

“In that I command thee today to love Hashem Eloheicha (HaShem your G-d), to walk in His ways, and to be shomer (guardians) over His mitzvot (commandments) and His chukkot (statutes) and His mishpatim (judgements), that thou mayest live and multiply; and Hashem Eloheicha shall bless thee in ha'aretz (the land) whither thou goest to possess it.”
(Deuteronomy 30:16; The Orthodox Jewish Bible) 

Life is found in the Torah, observance of it is life and freedom.  It is the freedom to receive Hashem’s blessing or to be restricted and not receive His blessings from the Torah.  

Thus, one has to shed Egypt each and every single day, if one is going to strive for tzedikim (righteousness).  Each day we must strive to battle yetzer hara (the evil inclination) and to leave Egypt.  Through each day and each week and each year we stumble, we fall, we build our golden calves, we put ourselves in restriction.  But each day, each week, each year, we are restricted a little less.  We must constantly בּׂא (go) out from Egypt, and leave restriction behind.  Every day we reach a new level, we reach a new understanding but also each day we grow in chochmah (Wisdom) and da’as l’Elohim (knowledge of G-d).  It’s a constant progression we never perfect.  We leave Egypt each day and every day we get further.  Upon our last breathe however is when we reach Gan Eden (The Garden of Eden).

“there are two different timelines in the Synoptics and John for when the Paschal lamb is eaten:
On the  rst day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Y’shua and asked,
“Where do you want us to make preparations for you to eat the Passover?” He replied, “Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, ‘The Teacher says: My appointed time is near. I am going to celebrate the Passover with my disciples at your house.’” So the disciples did as Y’shua had directed them and prepared the Passover. When evening came, Y’shua was reclining at the table with the Twelve. And while they were eating, he said, “I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me.” They were very sad and began to say to him one after the other, “Surely not I, Master?” Y’shua replied, “The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me. The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born.” Then Yehuda, the one who would betray him, said, “Surely not I, Rabbi?” Y’shua answered, “Yes, it is you.” While they were eating, Y’shua took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.” Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it anew with you in my Father’s kingdom” (Matthew 26:17-29).
This passage, along with parallel citations in Mark 14:12-31 and Luke 22:1-21, clearly indicate the evening of Y’shua’s arrest is just after a Passover Seder. But, on the other hand, John seems to mention a different schedule:
“When he had  nished praying, Y’shua left with his disciples and crossed the Kidron Valley. On the other side there was an olive grove, and he and his disciples went into it. Now Yehuda, who betrayed him, knew the place, because Y’shua had often met there with his disciples. So Yehuda came to the grove, guiding a detachment of soldiers and some of cials from the chief priests and Pharisees...Then the Jews led Y’shua from Caiaphas to the palace of the Roman governor. By now it was early morning, and to avoid ceremonial uncleanness the Jews did not enter the palace; they wanted to be able to eat the Passover” (John 18:1-3, 28).
There seems to be a contradiction between these two accounts. John says the Pharisees have not yet had their Passover even the morning after they arrested Y’shua from his own Seder! Can both accounts be right? As it turns out, the answer is yes, but not for the reasons that most think. Some theologians are split on whether they should keep the  rst or second night of Pesach (or both) as a Seder. The reason for both this modern tendency and one explanation for why the Pharisees did what they did in Y’shua’s day, comes from this a “confusion” of understanding the Tanakh:
Now we still have to reconcile the words of Paul that are often quoted.  Knowing what we know now, lets go back to his statement in 1 Corinthians, but this time in context.  

(Aramaic in Swadaya Script from the Khabouris Codex)
ܠܐ ܫܦܝܪ ܫܘܒܗܪܟܘܢ ܠܐ ܝܕܥܝܢ ܐܢܬܘܢ ܕܚܡܝܪܐ ܩܠܝܠ ܟܠܗ ܓܒܝܠܬܐ ܡܚܡܥ
ܕܟܘ ܡܢܟܘܢ ܚܡܝܪܐ ܥܬܝܩܐ ܕܬܗܘܘܢ ܓܒܝܠܬܐ ܚܕܬܐ ܐܝܟܢܐ ܕܐܝܬܝܟܘܢ ܦܛܝܪܐ ܦܨܚܐ ܓܝܪ ܕܝܠܢ ܡܫܝܚܐ ܗܘ ܕܐܬܢܟܣ ܚܠܦܝܢ
ܡܛܠ ܗܢܐ ܢܥܒܕ ܥܕܥܕܐ ܠܐ ܒܚܡܝܪܐ ܥܬܝܩܐ ܘܠܐ ܒܚܡܝܪܐ ܕܒܝܫܘܬܐ ܘܕܡܪܝܪܘܬܐ ܐܠܐ ܒܚܡܝܪܐ ܕܕܟܝܘܬܐ ܘܕܩܕܝܫܘܬܐ

(Transliterated Aramaic from the Khabouris Codex)
la shapeer shoovharchoon, la yad`een antoon dachmeera qaleel koolah gveelta machma`; dakaw menchoon chmeera `ateeqa; dthehwoon gveelta chadtha; aykana deethaykoon pateera, peskha geyr deelan; meshikha hoo, dethnches chlafayn, metool hana ne`bed `ad`eeda; la bachmeera `ateeqa, wla bachmeera dveeshootha wadmareerootha; ela b achmeera ddachyootha wadqadeeshootha

Your boasting isn't good! Don’t you know that a little leaven leavens all the lump? Purge from you the old leaven, so that you are made a new lump, in such a way that you become unleavened, for Our Peskha {Our Passover} is Meshikha {The Anointed One}; He who was slain for us. On account of this, perform The Festival; not with the old leaven, and not with the leaven of wickedness, and of bitterness, but rather, with the leaven that is of purity, and of holiness. 
(1 Corinthians 5:6-8; The Aramaic Scriptures)

The proper context we that Paul is not saying that Yeshua is the Passover lamb, instead he is likening Passover for the Jews in Egypt to the new beginning for the gentile believers.  The Corinthians were the 1st century version of today's secular humanists, their motto was "if it feels good do it" there was an absence of morality among those who lived in Corinth.  Paul is likening the life in Mashiach to the life to the new life of being a part of G-d's family after they had slaughtered the passover lamb in Egypt.  Because the killing of the lamb in Egypt symbolized killing the gods of Egypt and those gods being dead to the Jewish people.  Much in the same way, leaving a life of paganism of the secular society for Mashiach. 

The fact is, when we see the statement, "Yeshua is our Passover Lamb" this statement, by the unlearned is a rather blasphemous statement because it is saying that Yeshua is a pagan god worshipped in Egypt.  The Passover lamb NEVER represented the forgiveness of sins, instead it was the lamb in Leviticus 14:11-13 that symbolized the lamb that John was speaking of in John 1:29, not the one in Exodus 8 and 12.  

Upon completion of this article I was challenged by a friend by the name of Matthew Bartlett and Matthew said: 

"Doesn't John 18 make it clear this was NOT the night of the Passover? After all, v28 (If I recall right) says the priests wouldn't entire the house of Pilate and risk defilement so they could eat the passover… 
This seems to imply that Yeshua celebrated a day prior to the actual sacrifices and passover seder. 

Which is how i've already read that- they sacrifice the lamb on the afternoon of the 14th, eating it as evening (beginning the 15th and unleavened bread) is beginning… and in Exodus they left in the morning- without a full day between the sacrifice and the departure."

Wonderful question by brother Matthew.  As good scholars we always have to welcome a different view.  So lets look at the verse in question: 

(Aramaic in Swadaya Script from the Khabouris Codex)
ܐܝܬܝܘܗܝ ܕܝܢ ܠܝܫܘܥ ܡܢ ܠܘܬ ܩܝܦܐ ܠܦܪܛܘܪܝܢ ܘܐܝܬܘܗܝ ܗܘܐ ܨܦܪܐ ܘܗܢܘܢ ܠܐ ܥܠܘ ܠܦܪܛܘܪܝܢ ܕܠܐ ܢܬܛܘܫܘܢ ܥܕ ܐܟܠܝܢ ܦܨܚܐ

(Transliterated Aramaic from the Khabouris Codex)
atyiihy deyn l'Eshu men l'wath qayafa l'apretawreen weethawhy hwa tsafra, whenoon, la alw l'apretawreen; d'la nethtawshoon ad achleen paskha

"NOW they led Jeshu from Kaiapha into the praetorium, and it was early. But they would not enter the praetorium, that they might not be defiled, until they should have eaten the petscha."
(John 18:26; John W Ethridge's translation from the Aramaic Peshitta)

So we seem to have a chronology issue with the death of Yeshua and the day of Passover that seems to contradict our previous citation in Luke 22.  But is it really a contradiction?  Those unfamiliar with Judaism would say, "yes, one gospel is right and the other use wrong."  Then we have to have the two gospels duke it out based on our own personal bias to see which one wins out in the end.  But, if we acknowledge who wrote the gospels and who they were written to, we then look into what was known by authors because of their religious faith we can see that the two gospels do not contradict one another.  

Now, it is well know that John was Jewish, John wrote on the level of hermeneutic called "sod" which is the level of Kabbalah.  To understand this level of interpretation one has to know Hebrew and Aramaic very well and they have to know the mishna, the gemara, tosefta, sefirot etc like the back of their hand.  There is no question as to how Jewish John was.  

Luke had a gentile name, but most scholars cite that he wrote on the level of Remez, which is the hint level of interpretation that uses 13 Jewish hermeneutic rules within Judaism.  Most scholars, given Luke's writing style in both his aramaic and greek say there is a good chance that Luke was a jewish convert because he follows the semitic formula much better than any gentile could dream of.  So we can conclude that Luke knew Aramaic atleast and also knew the mishna.  

Given these facts we can easily say that both of these men were familiar with this: 

“a festal offering derives from the flock of the sheep or from the heard of the oxen from lambs and from goats, from males and females. And it is eaten FOR TWO DAYS and the intervening night [to the night of the 15th of Nisan].”
(Mishnah Pesachim 4:6)

The second night's eating then of what is also called the chagigah, or obligatory burnt offering that (he Pharisees must consume, and this chagigah is "the Paskha" that they are afraid they will not be able to eat if they are defiled. Otherwise it seems John's timeline is contradicting the Synoptics and is a day behind. If the Paschal lamb that is slaughtered on the 14th is meant here, this clearly contradicts the Synoptics accounts that the Passover Seder had happened already when Yeshua was arrested, as opposed to here in John where the Pharisees are waiting to do this the next morning.

So it seems we have some issue here.  Now, I have a friend whom I disagree with just as many times as I agree with him but in terms of chronology and understanding of the mishnaic passage cited above, he hits the nail on the head.  

“Celebrate the Feast of Unleavened Bread, because it was on this very day that I brought your divisions out of Egypt. Celebrate this day as a lasting ordinance for the generations to come. In the  first month you are to eat bread made without yeast, from the evening of the fourteenth day until the evening of the twentieth day. For seven days no yeast is to be found in your houses. And whoever eats anything with yeast in it must be cut off from the community of Israel, whether he is an alien or native-born. Eat nothing made with yeast. Wherever you live, you must eat unleavened bread” (Exodus 12:17-20).
These instructions seem straightforward at  first glance:
1) Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread are interchangeable terms for a ceremony that begins on the evening of 14 Nisan. (For con rmation of a 6 day Feast of Unleavened Bread, please see Deuteronomy 16:8)
2) The combined feast lasts seven days, from the 14th to the 21st, during which time yeast is totally prohibited.
However, when we examine other passages in Torah, it’s not so easy after all:
“These are Hashem’s appointed feasts, the sacred assemblies you are to proclaim at their appointed times: Hashem’s Passover begins at twilight on the fourteenth day of the  rst month. On the  fteenth day of that month Hashem’s Feast of Unleavened Bread begins; for seven days you must eat bread made without yeast” (Leviticus 23:4-6).
“On the fourteenth day of the first month G-d’s Passover is to be held. On the  fteenth day of this month there is to be a festival; for seven days eat bread made without yeast” (Numbers 28:16-17).
Here the scenario is:
1) Passover is a separate occasion, beginning late afternoon on 14 Nisan.
2) Passover is then followed by the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which lasts an additional seven days.
Additionally: “On the first day hold a sacred assembly and do no regular work. For seven days present an offering made to G-d by fire. And on the seventh day hold a sacred assembly and do no regular work.” (Leviticus 23:7-8) The “first day” mentioned here in Leviticus 23:7 is the same “first day mentioned in the line before, 15 Nisan. So now, technically speaking, we have three sacred occasions running together:
1) Passover, just in the twilight time on the 14th. Begin eating unleavened bread, and also bitter herbs, etc., for the Seder.
2) The Feast of Unleavened Bread, from 15-21 Nisan, where unleavened bread is eaten for 6 more days, totaling 7 in all. On the 15th also there is a “sacred assembly” (Annual Shabbat) in which no work is to be done.
3) At the end of the six additional days is separate “sacred assembly” (also an Annual Shabbat) where again regular work is prohibited.
It takes several references to piece everything together, and we can easily see why some references would add the 8th day (the second sacred assembly) to the overall holiday, and others might be more precise and say it is a separated occasion that simply happens the very next day. This “over flowing” from Passover on 14 Nisan, directly into the Feast of Unleavened Bread on 15-21 Nisan and the  nal Annual Shabbat on 22 Nisan is responsible for much of the controvery on the “Passover” timing!
In Y’shua’s time, eating the Paschal lamb sometimes got confused with the burnt offering/meal called a “chagigah” that happened a day later, as Alfred Edersheim explains: We have already explained that according to the Rabbis (Chag. ii, 1; vi. 2), three things were implied in the festive command to ‘appear before Hahem’—’Presence,’ the ‘Chagigah,’ and ‘Joyousness.’ As specially applied to the Passover, the first of these terms meant, that every one was to come up to Jerusalem and to offer a burnt-offering, if possible on the  first, or else on one of the other six days of the feast. This burnt-offering was to be taken only from ‘Cholin’ (or profane substance), that is, from such as did not otherwise belong to Hashem, either as tithes, firstlings, or things devoted, etc. The Chagigah, which was strictly a peace-offering, might be twofold. This first Chagigah was offered on the 14th of Nisan, the day of the Paschal sacrifce, and formed afterwards part of the Paschal Supper. The second Chagigah was offered on the 15th of Nisan, or the  first day of the feast of unleavened bread. It is this second Chagigah which the Jews were afraid they might be unable to eat, if they contracted defilement in the judgment-hall of Pilate (John 18:28).
In reference to the  rst Chagigah, the Mishnah lays down the rule, that it was only to be offered if the Paschal day fell on a week-day, not on a Sabbath, and if the Paschal lamb alone would not have been suf cient to give a satisfying supper to the company which gathered around it (Pes. vi. 4).
As in the case of all other peace-offerings, part of this Chagigah might be kept, though not for longer than one night and two days from its sacri ce. Being a voluntary offering, it was lawful to bring it from sacred things (such as tithes of the flock).
But the Chagigah for the 15th of Nisan was obligatory, and had therefore to be brought from “Cholin.” The third duty incumbent on those who appeared at the feast was “joyousness.” This expression, as we have seen, simply referred to the fact that, according to their means, all Israel were, during the course of this festival, with joyous heart to offer peace-offerings, which might be chosen from sacred things (Deut. 27:7).
Thus the sacrifices which every Israelite was to offer at the Passover were, besides his share in the Paschal lamb, a burnt-offering, the Chagigah (one or two), and offerings of joyousness— as Elohim had blessed each household. (The Temple: Its Ministry and Services, Chapter 11, “The Three Things”)
So here is the real reason why John’s account appears to be “running a day behind.” The reality is, as Edersheim asserts, the Pharisees were still on the same schedule as Y’shua and his disciples were in the accounts of Matthew, Mark and Luke. On the other hand, the Pharisees could point to the daylight period from dawn to sunset on 15 Nisan also technically as a “day of preparation”! As a result, the timing of the “day of preparation” terminology can be applied to the daylight periods of 14, 15 or even 16 Nisan, assuming the 16th was a Friday, the “day of preparation” for the regular weekly Shabbat! We will see how this pattern actually manifests in the Good News record a bit later.”
(Andrew Gabriel Roth; AENT 2nd Edition, p 1035-1037)

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