Chapter 8: G-d’s Instructions re-emphasized – Parshat 44 Devarim (Words) 1:1 – 3:2
“Unveil my eyes that I may perceive hidden wonders from Your Torah” – Psalm 119:18
On a Shabbat all over the world in all Synagogues, the same part (Parsha) of the Torah is read. In the following 7 parts (chapters) of this blog I am going to discuss the parts of the 5th book of the Torah, Devarim, meaning ‘words’, (Deuteronomy in English). The 44th Parshat of the Torah (*1) is read for the 44th Shabbat of the Hebrew year, and starts the book Deuteronomy.
I will be discussing each Parsha according to the following headings: The commandments that apply to us (*2); How they apply to us; What we learn from the historical background; What we learn from certain Hebrew words in the text.
“The Sages refer to Deuteronomy / Mishneh Torah which is commonly translated as ‘Repetition (or Review) of the Torah,’ or as ‘Explanation of the Torah’……R’ Hirsch explains that Deuteronomy was Israel’s introduction to the new life it would have to forge in Eretz Yisrael. Once they crossed the Jordan, the people would no longer see God’s constant Presence and daily miracles, as they had in the Wilderness. They would plow, plant, and harvest…They would need strong faith and self-discipline to avoid the snares and temptations of their pagan neighbors and false prophets. To stress these laws and values and exhort Israel to be strong was the function of Deuteronomy, its laws and Moses’ appeals….of the two hundred laws which are contained in this Book, more than seventy are completely new. (My underlining) [11.938]
In the first 4 books of the Torah, we constantly read “יהוה spoke to Moses” but now we are going to read “G-d spoke to me” – thus it’s mainly written in the first person. But do not fall into the trap and call it: Moses’s Laws! All this was spoken to and taught to Moses by G-d. This book consists of actually 4 speeches written not in the 3rd person, but in the 1st person. Israel is poised to enter the Promised Land; it’s the 40th year after their exodus from Mitzraim (Egypt) – which means constraint, narrow, limited, in Hebrew. And note how in verse 3 of Deu.1 the exact year, month and day is specified. This underlines and verifies that we are reading true history and true facts!
The Commandments –
I will list only those Commandments that apply to men, woman and children in general. Therefore, not those that only apply to Kohanim, Priests, the land of Israel, Temple, etc
- Trust G-d. G-d keeps his promises [see also Hebrews 6:18]
- Form a just and ordered society with honorable and wise leaders and judges. You the individual, do not judge. G-d judges.
- Do not fear, do not lose resolve, trust G-d
- Be fair – Moses was fair and just.
- Do not commit slander; do not gossip – do not commit loshan ha’ra
- Obey the Torah, then you will get to Olam Haba – The principle of the World to Come.
- Listen to G-d; obey him. If you do not, there will be consequences
Now tell me which of these 7 principles Christians are not supposed to do? So if you agree that these are in fact behaviors and beliefs that you are to exercise, where do you think these commandments came from and where were they first written down?
Now write down for yourself where in the NT these beliefs and behavior principles are to be found: …
What follows are brief discussions of the above commandments:-
- Deu 1:8-11 G-d promised the Land of Israel personally to Abraham, [Gen 12:1,7 & 15:17] Isaac [Gen26:2-5 ] and Jacob [Gen 7:13-15 ] and confirmed it with Moses [Ex3:8-10]. Thus many years may pass; time may pass by, but G-d will keep his promises because He is not a man that He should lie [Num 23:19]. Trust in Him. The fact that Israel became a state again in 1948 confirmed this promise of G-d to Jacob and his family!
- Deu 1:13- 17 We should live in an ordered society according to G-d’s commandments and have judges that: listen, judge righteously, show no favoritism; handle big important issues as well as small, and are not bribed “for the judgment is God’s” – [see also Exodus 18:21-26]
Note! The King of Israel was instructed to write TWO copies of the Torah for himself- Deu 17:18
- Deu 1:21, 29, 33 & 2:34, 3:2 3:22 See how many times in this Parasha Israel is told not to fear, not to lose resolve but to trust G-d. Moses in fact pointed out many of the miracles that G-d provided for them during the 40 year journey in Sinai, as well as the pagan enemies that they actually conquered; even the Rephamim (giant) king Og! Moses even ‘boosts their confidence’ by saying: “This day I (G-d) shall begin to place dread and fear of you on the peoples under the entire heaven… and they will tremble and be anxious before you.” [Deu 2:25]
[See also Deu 4:6 & 26:19 & 28:1-13]
- Deu 1:23 Moses did not favor one tribe over the other, when the Isralites asked that men should be sent to tour (*3) and inspect the land. He chose a man from each tribe.
- Deu 1:27 The principle of Loshan H’ra (bad talking) is considered a very serious transgression. The Sage Chofetz Chaim is especially known for his tome on and wisdom concerning the Laws of proper speech. “Scripture states, ‘You shall not go about as a tale-bearer among your people’ “[Levitikus 19:16] (*4) …There is a criminal act …included under this prohibition, and that is evil gossip. This means that a person speaks disparagingly about his fellow-man , even though he tells the truth; for a person who speaks falsehood is called ‘one who spreads a bad report’… יהוה will cut off all unctuous lips, the tongue that speaks proud things [Ps 12:4]…..The Sages of blessed memory taught…For three transgressions punishment is exacted from a person in this world, and he has no share in the world-to-come: idol worship, incest or adultery, and bloodshed [murder]. But evil gossip is equal in seriousness to them all….Evil gossip kills three: the one who tells it, the one who accepts it, and the one about whom it is told. But the one who accepts it is affected more than the one who tells it. ….So also if one speaks well of another person before someone who hates him, because that makes that person speak in disparagement of him. So too if someone speaks evil gossip by way of a joke…and…[if] he is an informer… [my underlining] [see further 27.163]
All those gossip magazines, Facebook, columns in newspapers and videos on the internet, of course all fall under this prohibition. Therefore, teach your children it is not good to look at those. Because in fact the ‘admiration’ and worship they have for those stars and pop-stars and presenters on channels, is in fact Idol worship! Today, during political campaigning we also often commit this sin.
- Deu 1:36 Here we read that because Caleb did not give an evil report regarding the Promised Land that they spied out and because he followed יהוה wholeheartedly, he will be allowed to enter the Holy promised Land.
Here we have an example of a shadow image (*5) in the Tenach [OT]. Tony Robinson explains it so well in his discussion of this Parasha 44 Devarim:-
”..read Leviticus 18:5 ‘You shall therefore keep My statutes and My judgments, which if a man does, he shall live by them: I am the LORD’. This verse is the first instance where the Holy One gives us the purpose for keeping His Torah…Remember, the word Torah simply means the Holy One’s instructions (not laws). What does Moses mean by saying ‘if a man does [them] he shall live by them?’…it almost sounds like he’s saying, ‘If you listen to me, you will hear me.’….At the Pashat, or literal level of interpretation, he means this: If you obey my Torah, you will have physical LIFE!.... Those who keep the Torah will have life and remain alive in the Land. Those who disobey the Torah will not live.” (*6)
Now consider this carefully, especially if you are a Christian. Is this not also what Jacob / James means when he writes:
“So speak and so do as those who are to be judged by a Torah of freedom…My brothers what use is it for anyone to say he has belief but does not have works: This belief is unable to save him. And if a brother or sister is naked and in need of daily food, but one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,’ but you do not give them the bodily needs, what use is it? So also belief, if it does not have works, is in itself dead. Was not Abraham our father declared right by works when he offered Yitshaq his son on the slaughter-place? Do you see that the belief was working with his works, ….You see, then, that a man is declared right by works, and not by belief alone…For as the body without the spirit is dead, so also the belief is dead without the works.” [James 2:12-26]
In other words, you are not saved by faith and grace alone. Yes, it by the grace of G-d that He gave His only Son for us to die in our stead because “There is none righteous, no not one” [Rom.10:9-10] & “For there is no man so wholly righteous on earth that he always does good and never sins” [Ecclesiastes 7:20] “For the wages of sin is death but the favorable gift of Elohim is everlasting life through Messiah our Master” [Rom 6:23] You have to do G-d’s commandments; that is to walk and Live according to His Way, and if not, do teshuva – that is, ask forgiveness for what you have done wrong, and return back to the right path. [Read again the quote above of Jacob / James].
- Deu 1:26; 1:42, 43. Here we read how some Israelites did not listen to G-d’s instructions as conveyed by Moses, to not be afraid, and enter the Promised Land. And in verses 42 & 43 we read: “Do not ascend and do not do battle, for I am not among you…but you did not listen. You rebelled against the word of יהוה, and you were willful and climbed the mountain..” and the consequence of that was that the Amorite went out against them and pursued them ‘as bees would do’ !!
What we learn from this historical tale
G-d’s way is not man’s way. [see Deu 2:4-30] If the Holy One helped Edom, Ammon and Moab to displace the giants, and helped Israel to defeat Og, King of Bashan, surely He will help Am Yisrael now also!. Moses did not want them to make the same mistake as before when ‘they rejected the Holy Land’ when the ‘spies’ came back and reported on what they saw in the Promised Land. Note Moses said this at the same place, the Amorite territory, when they were going to enter the Land!
It is so easy for us to forget the miracles that G-d provided, e.g Israel’s conquest after 6 days war 1967 and as also for yourself personally. One should actually specially keep a diary of one’s prayers and requests, and then fill in the day or time He answers! Recently I was so conflicted and stressed with worry what to do. I ended my prayer to יהוה with: ‘Good, blessed, Holy Father you have guided me so many, many times. Please you show me what to do!’ And two days later, His Holy Spirit gave me the answer!
We learn from an event that is described in Deu 3:18-20 an important lesson. In Numbers 32 we read that the children of Reuben and Gad had abundant livestock. When they saw the land of Jazer and the land of Gilead, on the East bank of the Jorden river which seemed perfect for their livestock for grazing, they approached Moses and asked him if they may have that land as their inheritance. Moses berated them and said: “Shall your brothers go out to battle while you settle here?” Then we read in today’s Parsha Deu 3:18ff
“I commanded you at that time, saying ‘ יהוה your God gave you this Land for a possession, armed shall you cross over before your brethren…..Until יהוה shall give rest to your brethren like yourselves, and they, too, shall possess the Land that יהוה your God, gives them on the other side of the Jordan; then you shall return…”
In other words Moses is stressing to them that they are also part of Israel, of the 12 tribes; they are part of a community and therefore need to support, help and have fellowship with their community. They cannot, and must not separate themselves from their brothers. This is in fact an important Jewish principle, for example: To bear respect and affection for every Jew as for oneself and not to separate oneself from the community; be one of the community and partake in the affairs and actions of the community.
What we learn from Hebrew words in the Parasha
Bill Bullock always magnificently explain deeper meanings [Sod and Remez information] of the Hebrew text. (*7) Here are some examples in this Parsha:-
Key Phrase #1
The first key phrase…… comes from a rebuke leveled by Moshe at our ancestors. Of the Redeemed who accepted the report of the spies, and cried out to be allowed to die in the desert or return to Egypt, Moshe said:
“. . . You did not trust the Holy One your God . . .”
” The Hebrew word our English Bibles translate as “trust”, or “believe” in this verse, [what those who received and accepted the report of the spies lacked] is a form of Strong’s Hebrew word #539, ‘aman’[alef, mem, nun sofit, pronounced aw-man’. This word is the Hebrew verb root of the word “Amen!” which is commonly spoken after a prayer. It is a key word for anyone wishing to understand their Hebraic roots. It is the word usually translated as “believe”. It is found, for instance, in Genesis 15:6 [its first instance in Scripture], where we are told:
He [Avraham] believed in [Hebrew, aman] the Holy One; and he reckoned it to him for righteousness.
“…… The Hebrew pictograph formed by the combination of consonants which make up this verb root tells the story. The first consonant, alef, [א ]is the symbolic representation of the Holy One, the ‘alef and the tav’ [ת][in Greek, alpha and omega]. The second consonant, mem, [מ ]is the symbolic representation of a flowing wave, that which represents movement [as a wave carries an object to the shore]. The third consonant, nun sofit [ ן] , the form the letter nun takes at the end of a word, represents the final, ultimate son or heir of the Holy One – Messiah. Putting these together, this pictures the Holy One putting the Messiah in something [or, more particularly, someone] who will carry Him to full term and deliver Him. To flesh this out a little more, consider that the Hebrew word formed by the first two letters, alef, mem, אמ, means ‘mother’. Add the nun sofit to this, and you get one who serves as a ‘mother’ – i.e., becomes pregnant with, and carries to full term, and delivers — the Messiah [the Word – the Torah made flesh]. ….. [Hebrew letters inserted by me.]
“It is so, so much more than the English word “believe”. It means to totally yield oneself to The Holy One. It means to allow oneself to be impregnated by the Holy One with the Messiah…..
”Moshe tells us that the generation who accepted the report of the spies did not aman. In other words, Moshe is saying: your ancestors did not acknowledge, accept and agree with, and become pregnant with, carry to full term, and deliver, the Holy One’s statements of truth….”
Key Phrase #2
“The second key phrase…. comes from Moshe’s description of Kalev, son of Y’funneh…[Deuteronomy 1:36]The word translated as “whole-heartedly” in our English Bibles is Strong’s Hebrew word #4390, male’ [mem, lamed, alef,pronounced maw-lay’], meaning to the fullest, to the utmost; therefore meaning without distraction, without hesitancy, without doubt, and without regret. It is this kind of single-minded, whole-hearted devotion and steadfastness to which all of us aspire. Key phrase #1 and #2 are obviously connected. Only he who truly aman the Divine Bridegroom can love or serve Him wholeheartedly. And, of course, if one is not at least moving toward loving and serving the Holy One wholeheartedly, one does not truly aman the Holy One – whatever his creed or confession may say.”
Key Phrase # 3
“The third key phrase…. is found in connection with a prophetic message Moshe received from the Holy One at the time of the chet ha-meraglim [sin of the golden calf] regarding the children under 20 who were then alive. Of those who were mere children at the time of the chet ha-meraglim, Moshe said:
“they will have possession of [the land of Kena’an, which was promised to Avraham, Yitschak, and Ya’akov]” [Deuteronomy 1:39]
” The Hebrew verb our English Bibles translate as “have possession” is Strong’s Hebrew word #3423, yarash, [yod, resh, shin, pronounced yaw-rash’], meaning to inherit and enjoy the benefits of something which one did not acquire by labor or purchase. “
Key Phrase #4
“The fourth key phrase….. comes from Moshe’s description of the ‘presumptuous ones’, who, after the Holy One said to turn around and go back into the desert, refused to do so, but presumptuously attacked the Emori. Of those who heard, but refused to sh’ma the instructions of the Holy One to leave K’desh and turn back into the desert, Moshe said:
“you wouldn’t sh’ma! Instead, you rebelled against Adonai’s order, took matters into your own hands, and went up into the hill country . . .” [Deuteronomy 1:43]
“The Hebrew word our English Bibles translate with the phrase “took matters in your own hands” or “were presumptuous”, is Strong’s word #2102, zuwd, [zayin, yod, dalet, [pronounced zood],meaning literally “to cook — to make a meal”; by implication, to try to create something by oneself, to act defiantly and arrogantly, in a show of self-sufficiency. ” [For all of the above see (*7)
I would like to end off with what Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks shared re Parasha Devarim:
“Throughout Devarim Moses is relentless in his criticism of the people: “From the day you left Egypt until you arrived here, you have been rebellious against the Lord… You have been rebellious against the Lord ever since I have known you.” (Deut. 9:7, 24). His critique extends to the future: “If you have been rebellious against the Lord while I am still alive and with you, how much more will you rebel after I die!” (Deut. 31:27). Even the curses in Deuteronomy, delivered by Moses himself, are bleaker than those in Leviticus 26 and lack any note of consolation. Criticism is easy to deliver but hard to bear. It is all too easy for people to close their ears, or even turn the criticism around (“He’s blaming us, but he should be blaming himself. After all, he was in charge”). What does it take for criticism to be heeded? The people have to know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that the leader is always ready to defend them. They have to know that he cares for them, wants the best for them, and is prepared to take personal risks for their sake. Only when people know for certain that you want their good, do they listen to you when you criticize them.” (*8)
FOOTNOTES
*1 The Torah, the first 5 books of the Tenach [Old Testament], was divided into 54 sections; a section for each week, including the weeks in a leap year. The Jews were in exile and the Sages decided that unless the Torah is taught and read regularly – as they were commanded to do! – the people [by now in their history, Judah & Benjamin & some of the other tribes] will lose this knowledge and G-d’s way. The Masoretic Text (7th century CE) of the Tenach as well as the Aleppo Codex (10th century CE) already had these divisions. We therefore study the Torah weekly according to the week’s Parshat [literal reading] which is named after a key word in the first verse of the Parshat.
*2 The Rabbi’s say there are 613 commandments. But note some only apply to the High Priest or Priests. Some apply only to the ceremony of sacrifices; some only to the Temple or the Land of Israel; some only to men, and some only to women.
*3 The Hebrew word is ירגלו [ or טיול ] / walked, means touring and not spying.
*4 Note that this commandment and principal is part of the ‘Heart of the Torah’ – Lev 17,18,19 & 20
*5 A Shaddow Image, is an example, event, action or person in the Tenach, that foreshadows something deeper and yet to be or come.
*6 Tony Robinson. Parshat Devarim: Parashat HaShavua teaching, Restoration of Torah Ministries.
*7 Bill Bullock. D’varim – The Final Leg of Our Great Torah Journey. rabbbisson@cableone.net
*8 Jonathan Sacks. ‘The Effective Critic’, Devarim, Covenant & Conversation 5778; on Life-Changing Ideas in the Parsha.