51.2a Par’shah Nitzavim

[alon]

Name of Par’shah- 51. Nitzavim, Standing
Par’shah- Deu 29:9-30:20
Haftara- Isaiah 61:10- 63:9
Brit Chadashah- Romans 9:30-10:13; Hebrews 12:14-15

D’rash: There is a common theme running through our readings here:

Hebrews 12:12-17 (ESV) Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed. Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled; that no one is sexually immoral or unholy like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal. For you know that afterward, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no chance to repent, though he sought it with tears.

So in this passage of encouragement not to stray from our halacha, our walk with the Lord, there is this term “root of bitterness:”

root- ῥίζα rhíza, hrid'-zah; apparently a primary word; a "root" (literally or figuratively):—root. Hebrews 12:15; the progenitors of a race are called ῤίζα

So in our reading above, this “root of bitterness” might be seen as attitudes passed on generationally. Possibly even a genetic predisposition to these attitudes.

bitterness- πικρία pikría, pik-ree'-ah; from G4089; acridity (especially poison), literally or figuratively:—bitterness; bitter gall, equivalent to extreme wickedness, a bitter root, and so producing bitter fruit, Hebrews 12:15, metaphorically,, i. e. bitter hatred

We see “bitter gall” again used:

Acts 8:23 (ESV) For I see that you are in the gall [a bitter fluid secreted by the liver; bile] of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity.”

Bitterness described as gall- something produced from within ourselves.

Deuteronomy 29:18-20 (ESV) Beware lest there be among you a man or woman or clan or tribe whose heart is turning away today from the Lord our God to go and serve the gods of those nations. Beware lest there be among you a root bearing poisonous and bitter fruit, one who, when he hears the words of this sworn covenant, blesses himself in his heart, saying, ‘I shall be safe, though I walk in the stubbornness of my heart.’ This will lead to the sweeping away of moist and dry alike. The Lord will not be willing to forgive him, but rather the anger of the Lord and his jealousy will smoke against that man, and the curses written in this book will settle upon him, and the Lord will blot out his name from under heaven.

root- שרש sheresh, sheh'-resh; from H8327; a root (literally or figuratively):—bottom, deep, heel, root.

Deep, healthy roots produce healthy plants. Shallow roots, especially in arid lands produce plants that quickly wither and die. Spiritually these are people in whom the salvation message never really took ahold. Many of these people think they are saved, but they are not. They may know all the right things to say and do, and may appear spiritually in tune with the Word. But in reality they delude themselves and deceive others, all the while subtly spreading hate and discontent in the community. These are very dangerous people.

poisonous- ראש rôʼsh, roshe; or רוֹשׁ rôwsh; (Deuteronomy 32:32), apparently the same as H7218; a poisonous plant, probably the poppy (from its conspicuous head); generally poison (even of serpents):—gall, hemlock, poison, venom.

bitter fruit- לענה laʻănâh, lah-an-aw'; from an unused root supposed to mean to curse; wormwood (regarded as poisonous, and therefore accursed):—hemlock, wormwood.

Wormwood placed in water will sour a well or cistern. In a desert land, this could be horrendous in its implications. Likewise, one bitter person in an assembly can spread their poison to everyone, and with similar disastrous results.

Isaiah 61:11 (ESV) For as the earth brings forth its sprouts, and as a garden causes what is sown in it to sprout up, so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to sprout up before all the nations.

This righteousness will have deep roots, metaphorically here as a healthy plant; one whose roots go down into moist soil to gather water and nutrients. Plants nourished by the Word, especially . Watered by the Living Word, who is Yeshua. And tended by the Ruach HaKodesh. A garden with only one type of plants (Deu 22:9), those who have experienced true repentance, and who walk in His .

Baruch HaShem