Ki Tetze (When You Go Out) Deut 21-25
Torah Portion: Ki tetze (When You Go Out) Devarim Deut. 21:10-25:19
HafTorah: Isaiah 54:1-10
This week we look at “Ki Tetze or in English, when you go out. As you read this Torah section you will notice many commandments covering all areas of life. Some seem to have little or no relevance to our life today. However I would like us to look at several to see what we might be able to glean from them spiritually.
Va’era (I Appeared) Exodus 6-9
Torah Portion: Va’era (I Appeared) Sh’mot (Exodus) 6:2-9:35
HafTorah: Ezekiel 28:25-29:21
Tonight we read the portion of Torah that covers most of the plagues that G-d was to bring on the people of Egypt and to rescue His bride. We could see this as a contest between G-d and a man who thought he was god and others thought he was god. So, Pharaoh could not relent to the demands of a shepherd and a bunch of slaves. In fact last week we read in Exodus 5:2, “Who is the L-rd that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I do not know the L-rd and I will not let Israel go.” The word, know, here is the Hebrew word for intimate knowledge. Maybe he had heard some reference somewhere to a Jewish G-d but he had no personal knowledge and deemed it beneath him to listen to this shepherd.
Va’etchanan (I Pleaded) Deut 3:23-7:11
Torah Portion: Va’etchanan (I Pleaded) Devarim (Deut.) 3:23-7:11
HafTorah: Isaiah 40:1-26
NT Matt. 4:1-11; 22:33-40; Mark 12:28-34; Luke 4:1-13; 10:25-37; Acts 13:13-43; Romans 3:27-31; I Tim 2:4-6; James 2:14-26
“I pleaded with the L-rd at that time.” Deut 3:23: Moses asked over and over that G-d allow him to enter the Land. Jewish sages teach that He wished to enter Israel mainly that he could keep all the commandments of G-d. Some could only be kept in Israel – such as first fruits. If they are correct we see Messiah being like Moses teaching His disciples in Matt. 5:17, “I did not come to abolish the Law or the Prophets but to fulfill.” What does this mean? Yeshua like Moses sought to fulfill the Law by being able to give us an example of how one was to show his love of G-d by living one’s life completely as G-d intended.
What’s Your Perspective? – Shelach Lekha Numbers 13
Torah Portion: Shelach Lekha Numbers 13:1-15:41
HafTorah: Joshua 2:1-24
I would like us to focus mainly on the story of the spies and see what we can learn from it. First let us see if we can clear up what seems to be a contradiction. In Numbers 13:1-2 we read in English that G-d spoke to Moses and told him to send the spies. In Deut. 1:22 we read Moses recounting this event by saying the people came to him and asked to send spies. So which is true? Here the Hebrew language helps a little. In Numbers 13:2 G-d’s word to Moses translated as “send men” should be translated as. “send for yourself” or you do what you think is right. Given this, then there is harmony between the two. G-d allowed this. He allows us the freedom of choice even when that choice is incorrect.
Do You Trust G-d? – Behar (On the Mountain)Leviticus 25
Torah Portion: Behar (On the Mountain) Leviticus 25:1-26:2
HafTorah: Jeremiah 32:6-27
Let us start with a question. What do the concepts of Shabbat, Shmitah and Jubilee have in common? What do they teach us spiritually? Two of the three have the same root in Hebrew. Shabbat and Sabbatical or Shmitah come from the word to rest. The Shabbat comes once each week and the other once every seventh year. Even Jubilee teaches us the same principle. G-d is our provider. All things belong to Him. He expects us to live in a way that reflects Him in society. We tend to compartmentalize life and in doing that relegate G-d to certain places and time. We may only relate to Him in this meeting or one like it. Some of us may allow Him into our personal lives. We don’t hurt people, we try to live upright lives but fewer are those who let Him into our business or pocketbooks. We may say, “I’ll pray, I’ll study scripture but really business is business. I can’t take off a day or a week much less a year. I can’t tithe. That’s a lot of money. What would I do without it? Everybody cheats a little especially with Uncle Sam. I need it more than they do.”
We Are Redeemed! – Bo (Come) Exodus 10
Torah Portion: בוא Bo Exodus 10:1-13:16
HafTorah: Jeremiah 46:13-28
This Torah portion is called “Bo” in Hebrew or “Come” in English. What does the name of a Torah portion usually tell us? It is usually the main thought or idea or maybe the name of one of the main characters. So here, in one of the most important portions in the Torah, the name is “come” rather than freedom, or Exodus, which would seem more fitting. Why? I would like to take a few minutes before we get to the Passover implementation to answer the question of why. Last year I think we touched on this to some degree so some of you may remember that discussion. Why did G-d use the word “come?” Moses had met with Pharaoh a few times already. But in each of those cases G-d says “Go to Pharaoh” but here He says “Come to Pharaoh.” I think we see Moses about to enter into Pharaoh’s inner sanctum rather than meeting him in a somewhat neutral place such as by the river. Here Moses is coming into the “belly of the beast” so to speak and G-d is saying, “Come with Me to Pharaoh.” Remember in Ezekiel 29:3 how Pharaoh is described as a great serpent who crouches in the river and says, “My river is my own, I have made it or ‘made myself.’” What was Pharaoh’s biggest sin? Was it the enslavement of the Jewish people or killing of infants? No, everything he did sprung from his unbridled ego. He lived his life saying, “I am god. What is good is what helps me. What is bad hinders me.” So Moses was about to come face to face with the heart of evil. G-d assures him He will be with him. Is our ego bad? It is only bad when it is separated from G-d. Our ego should be a reflection of G-d and as such should lead us to do those things which brings glory and honor to G-d, not to ourselves. If not, then we become god in or own eyes and the world revolves around us. Right and wrong becomes perverted.