Deu. 21 : 10 - 25: 19 Removing And Replacing

[R' Y'hoshua Moshe]

The following is a D'rash I taught last year at our congregation. Enjoy!

Removing And Replacing The Garments Of The Old Man

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By Reuel

For Parashah Ki Tetze[/center]

Whom can convert to be a member of the Religion of Israel? What exactly is required to convert from one’s old life to the life that faithful Israel lead? And, what does it look like when one converts to faith in The God of Israel? Furthermore, did Yeshua (Jesus) the Messiah come to start a new religion called Christianity? These are the questions I intend to address in this short discourse.

In parashah Ki Tetze we see a beautiful picture of an Israeli man finding a “goy” (gentile) wife and taking her as a bride bringing her into the fold of Israel. The following is the passage in question as found in Devarim (Deut.) 21:10-13. It says,

“When you go forth to battle against your enemies, and YHVH your Elohim delivers them into your hands, and you carry them away captive, and see among the captives a beautiful woman, and you have a desire to her, and would take her to you as wife; then you shall bring her home to your house; and she shall shave her head, and pare her nails; and she shall put the clothing of her captivity from off her, and shall remain in your house, and bewail her father and her mother a full month: and after that you shall go in to her, and be her husband, and she shall be your wife.”

From this passage we can see that through a war this Israeli man is able to redeem a goy (gentile) from their pagan life and through this Israeli man this “isha” woman, or wife is able to be absorbed into the commonwealth of Israel and become a part of the faith and religion of Israel. This process of bringing the “isha” into the “house” of the Israeli man, shaving her head, and cutting her nails was the sign and process of one's conversion from an old life of being a Gentile to being part of the commonwealth of Israel and to that of Judaism. Being brought into the “house” of an Israeli family was intimate language describing full inclusion and integration into the practices and faith of that “house”. Just as the disciples of the “house” of Hillel are totally observant of the faith and practice of that “house”, so too is one to be observant and faithful to the “house” in which they reside.

The conclusion of this conversion process; the shaving of one’s hair, the cutting off of one’s nails is culminated with the shedding the old garments. These are the garments of bondage in which this goyish isha (gentile woman) was found wearing at the time as she was redeemed during this war between Israel and the pagan elohim (mighty ones). In Devarim (Deut.) 21:13 it says,

“…and she shall put the clothing of her captivity from off her, and shall remain in your house…”

The old garments symbolize one’s old life, faith, and practice. These garments where to be replaced with garments as found in this godly Israeli “house” that she was now residing. These dark garments of bondage where to be replaced by white garments of light as the Tzedukkim, the righteous ones will be found wearing white as seen in the book of Revelation chapter 3:4-5…

“Nevertheless you have a few names in Sardis that did not defile their garments. They will walk with me in white, for they are worthy. He who overcomes will be arrayed in white garments, and I will in no way blot his name out of the book of life, and I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.”

These white garments are symbols of righteousness and this standard never changes as seen in Tehillim (Psalms) 119:142,

“Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness. Your is truth.”

This is also evidenced in the book of Revelation as we see whom are granted access to “Etz HaChayim” which is translated “The Tree Of Life” or “Tree of The Life”. Revelation 22:13-15 says,

“I am the Alef and the Tav, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. Blessed are those who do his mitzvot, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter in by the gates into the city. Outside are the dogs, the sorcerers, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.”

In Judaism today and in the day of Yeshua The Messiah the “Tree Of Life” was synonymous with our Heavenly Father’s . Notice how Tehillim (Psalms) 119:142 and Revelation 22:13-15 contrasts the “truth” and the “falsehood” in conjunction with those whom are clothed with white garments of righteousness and to those whom have access of “Etz HaChayim”, The Tree of Life. The reason that they have access to it is because they want access to it and it’s fruit is sweet to the taste of the Righteous Ones. And, anyone, Jew or Gentile may have access to this Tree that is accessible only through the Elohim Of Israel and through the Israeli man that God has appointed to rescue and save from the current spiritual war that is raging. This Man Of Israel, from the very “house” of Yehudah (Judah) is Yeshua The Messiah! If one was born a Goy (Gentile) and we have been redeemed by this Jewish man known as Yeshua, than such a one has become part of His house, practice, and faith.

How does one convert to Messianic Judaism or to the Messianic observant faith? It is more simple than most make it out to be. What did Ruth do as we find in the book of Ruth chapter 1:16-17? It says,

“Rut said, "Don't entreat me to leave you, and to return from following after you, for where you go, I will go; and where you lodge, I will lodge; your people shall be my people, and your God my God; where you die, will I die, and there will I be buried: YHVH do so to me, and more also, if anything but death part you and me."

This was Ruth’s official declaration of conversion to the faith of Israel. She declared that she would consider herself a part of the people of Israel, that she would reside with them and stick with them through thick and thin, even to the point of declaring herself as cursed if anything but death separated her from the people of Israel and it’s faith. She did not maintain her Goyim (Gentile) identity, faith and practice. After she had converted she had become one with the people sharing one God, one faith practice, and one people. All things had become new as we see in 2Corinthians 5:17. It says,

“Therefore if anyone is in Messiah, he is a new creation. The old things have passed away. Behold, all things have become new.”

When a Gentile converted to faith in the God of Israel or in Messiah they had to reject their old life, their old family ways, traditions, and practice. It is the same today for all those whom come to Messiah whom were not previously living of a life of observance. In fact, these Goyim (Gentiles) whom convert are really not even referred as Goyim any longer as we see in the book of Ephesians. Ephesians 2:10-22 says,

“For we are his workmanship, created in Messiah Yeshua for good works, which God prepared before that we would walk in them. Therefore remember your former state, you Gentiles by birth, who are called "uncircumcision" by that which is called "circumcision," (in the flesh, made by hands); that you were at that time separate from Messiah, alienated from the commonwealth of Yisra'el, and strangers from the covenants of the promise, having no hope and without God in the world.

But now in Messiah Yeshua you who once were far off are made near in the blood of Messiah. For he is our shalom, who made both one, and broke down the middle wall of partition, having abolished in the flesh the hostility, the of commandments contained in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man of the two, making shalom; and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, having killed the hostility thereby. He came and preached shalom to you who were far off and to those who were near. For through him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father.

So then you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but you are fellow citizens with the holy ones, and of the household of God, being built on the foundation of the emissaries and prophets, Messiah Yeshua himself being the chief cornerstone; in whom the whole building, fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom you also are built together for a habitation of God in the Spirit.”

Note that Ruth’s former state was a Gentile (just as is communicated in the passage in Ephesians). Ruth became a part of the commonwealth of Israel. Indeed, she is even a part of the genealogy of Yeshua The Messiah! Those whom join themselves to the God of Israel are no longer strangers, are no longer foreigners, are no longer Goyim (Gentiles), but have become part of the commonwealth of Israel and have become fellow citizens. Yeshua did not come to start a new religion…He came to teach Judaism done right! He came to make one flock from the willing and observant of both Israel and the Goyim. But again, note that these former Goyim do not retain their old Gentile identity and faith. They are now citizens of Israel and the faith of it’s Elohim. They start taking on the characteristics of this commonwealth. The commonwealth of Israel does not and should not take on the characteristics of the Goyim. In fact, we see that it is prophesied that in the end of times that the Goyim would take hold of the Jewish people and not the other way around as seen in Zecharyah (Zechariah) 8:23. In those days Christianity will finally get it right. Zecharyah 8:23 says,

“Thus says YHVH Tzva’ot: "Many peoples, and the inhabitants of many cities will yet come; and the inhabitants of one shall go to another, saying, 'Let us go speedily to entreat the favor of YHVH, and to seek YHVH Tzva’ot. I will go also.' Yes, many peoples and strong nations will come to seek YHVH Tzva’ot in Yerushalayim, and to entreat the favor of YHVH." Thus says YHVH Tzva’ot: "In those days, ten men will take hold, out of all the languages of the nations, they will take hold of the skirt of him who is a Jew, saying, 'We will go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.'"

In the end of days we will truly hear it said,

“YHVH, my strength, and my stronghold, and my refuge in the day of affliction, to you shall the nations come from the ends of the earth, and shall say, Our fathers have inherited nothing but lies, even vanity and things in which there is no profit.”
– Yirmeyahu (Jer.) 16:19

In these last two scripture passages as prophesied in the book of Zecharyah (Zechariah) and Yirmeyahu (Jeremiah) we see that word for “nations” is “goyim” meaning Gentiles. These Jews whom the nations (Gentiles) will be taking hold of will in the end of time know Messiah as Messiah will be ruling and reigning in the coming Kingdom. In the end, it is prophesied the Gentiles will confess their error, reject the lies of their Gentiles fathers, and take hold of those whom practice Messianic Judaism and follow their lead, as they will then recognize that they are the true ones walking with the God of Israel. Even now these Goyim are becoming part of the common wealth of Israel as they take hold of the edge of the garment of a Jewish man which is understood and known to be the very tassel or “tzitzit” as seen commanded in parashah Ki Tetze. These tzizit symbolize the of our Heavenly Father (B’midbar/Numbers 15:38-39). Even now these goyim are and will in the future in greater numbers take hold of the Biblical tassel/fringe (or in Hebrew “tzitzit”) and thus are taking hold of the and the God of Israel. They will become part of the common wealth of Israel in faith and practice.

No longer will the oral ordinances of Rabbinic Judaism or that of Christianity that acted as the enmity (the very middle wall of partition) separate Jew and Gentile. They shall be one new man. For those Goyim (Gentiles) whom wish to convert to the faith of Israel, the book of Ephesians has the following to share in chapter 4:17-24,

“This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind, being darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardening of their hearts; who having become callous gave themselves up to lust, to work all uncleanness with greediness. But you did not learn Messiah that way; if indeed you heard him, and were taught in him, even as truth is in Yeshua: that you put away, as concerning your former way of life, the old man, that grows corrupt after the lusts of deceit; and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new man, who in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of truth.”

What does the final state of conversion look like for the Gentile whom becomes a part of the common wealth of Israel? As it says in the book of B’midbar (Numbers) 15:15-16,

“For the assembly, there shall be one statute for you, and for the stranger who lives as a foreigner with you, a statute forever throughout your generations: as you are, so shall the foreigner be before YHVH. One and one ordinance shall be for you, and for the stranger who lives as a foreigner with you.”

[Mark]

The Parashah reading this week is the most concentrated collection of mitzvot in the . The rabbis count 74 specific commands and prohibitions. The sub-title in many Christian translations includes "miscellaneous laws". That’s because they haven’t found it necessary to try to understand them. These are not haphazardly put together "oh, and by the ways." These are specific descriptive attributes as how we are to live together as a community. There are three characteristics of a person who is to walk and live obediently to the mitvotim of Ki Tetzi: discretion, consideration and restraint.

A number of years ago, a sporting goods icon touted the slogan, "If it feels good, do it." They actually took a lot of heat for that. You see, sin feels good! A lot of very destructive and demeaning activities carry a huge reward of physical or emotional gratification. I often tell my kids, "Sin is fun. If it were not, then the world would be perfect because no one would ever want to do anything bad." The truth is that we all step on other people’s toes (or far worse) trying to get to the front of the line or thoughtlessly finding pleasure for ourselves. Adonai teaches us through His , to look around and see that there are other people out there who have feelings, who have needs and are worth considering with compassion and understanding.

It starts with a strappin’ young warrior in the heat and passion of battle, spirited by triumph and victory, finding some hot young babe who has no place to go. We need not discuss how other cultures treat this circumstance: they go from inhumane to altogether hideous and demonic. The Jewish man is to invite her into his home, freely allowing her to leave any time she wishes. He is to shave her head: she is not just a sexual object for him to lust after. There is a person under there, so he is to cover up that which he is not to focus on, for the next thirty days, and uncover that which he should focus on.

A father is not to show favoritism against his children and parents must not fail to train up their children, consistently and obedience from their youngest days. Understand and live with regard to the distinctions between men and women. Don’t allow such into the community that will not respect your ways. It goes on in consistent record of examples of what Paul commands us in Philippians 2:3-4.

"Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit; but in lowliness of mind let each consider others as better than yourself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests; but also to the interests of others."

[alon]

This week's par'shah