Post by alon on Feb 14, 2020 9:16:39 GMT -8
Name of Par’shah- 17.3 Yitro
Par’shah- Exodus 18:1 – 20:23
Haftara- Isaiah 6:1-7:6, 9:5-6
D’rash: Since this parashah contains the popular version of the עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדִּבְּרוֹת, Aseret ha’Dibrot, the 10 Commandments, we clearly will have our work cut out for us here. I say the “popular version” because when we get to ch. 34 we will see a different version of what was on the tablets, and that is what Even Yisroel, the Stone of Israel (Gen 49:24), our Rosh Pinnah, Cornerstone (Ps 118:22) calls the 10 Words, or 10 Commandments.
The difference is these 10 Words were given directly by the Almighty to the people gathered at the foot of Mt Sinai. The other list of 10 Words is what was on the tablets Abishter gave to Moshe. Also, in the original Hebrew, these instructions were numbered. And the first one, א aleph, or 1 would probably not be seen by many as a commandment. It is Exodus 20:2-3 below. No matter, both are in
, and so we are committed to keeping both. Biblically, the number10 signifies testimony, law, responsibility and the completeness of order. The “10” Commandments therefore represents our responsibility to keep all the commandments. The number 10 was no accident. So let’s start with our list of “10 Words” here:
Exodus 20:2-3 (ESV) “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. “You shall have no other gods before me.” Biblically Egypt represents sin. So for all who Elohim has brought out of sin, all of us who accept Yeshua and are saved, we have only One God, El Elohe Yisroel. Some who call themselves Messianic argue this means we can worship other gods, just do not place them first before Elohei Yisroel. But the word here translated “before” is פָּנִים pânîym, my face. This is strong language; the commandment God is giving is “keep them out of my face!”
Exodus 20:4-5 (ESV) “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God,” This actually has 2 parts- do not make graven images, and do not worship graven images. Many argue that this means we cannot make images for the purpose of worship. I find this argument to be disingenuous, an excuse to do as we please. God explicitly says you shall not make those images! Because what so often happens is that we or someone else will worship them. The ancient world was full of gods, often represented by animals, men, or spiritual beings; and their likenesses were used to call, or channel them. The most important part of this commandment is not to make them. If everyone follows that and there is nothing there to worship in the first place! A corollary would be that if you do find them, destroy them. I have many leather items I made before becoming Messianic which have defaced images on which I had carved or stamped those likenesses. I threw out a sealed leather container because it featured a very large hand carved image of the Navaho thunder-god. I did not worship it, but as a Southwesterner I considered it a part of my heritage. But no arguing, its chief purpose was for worship by an entire ancient people. It had to go, painful as that was. More painful than this was throwing out a few hundred dollars worth of leather stamps!
Exodus 20:7 (ESV) “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.” What does this mean? I was brought up believing it meant cursing using the term “God.” But I think it is more than this. To falsely curse someone in His name would be another. To swear falsely, or even just rashly, impulsively, by His name. Even to make the Sacred Name, which is the Covenant Name of Elohim overused and so commonplace. And to profane His name. Any use of any of the names of the Most High which does not glorify Him, representing Him faithfully to a lost world I would think is a violation here.
Exodus 20:8-11 (ESV) “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.” The most oft repeated commandment, and the first one we were ever given. One might think The Everlasting- El’Olam (Gen 21:33) is trying to tell us something about the importance of this one! Note here too something that is too oft overlooked. Not only are we not to work, but we are not to cause others to work in our stead. This is a day of rest for everyone, and a witness to those around us.
Exodus 20:12 (ESV) “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.” To honor our parents is to obey them, as we were all taught. But it also means do not speak ill of them. It can unfortunately also mean to forgive them, as most are not perfect, and some are far from it. But I believe there is a clue here where it says “that your days may be long.” This speaks not only of our immediate parents, but our entire family lineage. This doesn’t mean we don’t acknowledge problems and try to correct them in our generation; just that we don’t needlessly dwell on them and/or run down our ancestors.
Exodus 20:13 (ESV) “You shall not murder.” Unfortunately the KJV translated this as “Thou shalt not kill.” Many use this as an excuse to sit idly by and let evil have its way; to avoid military service, to oppose the death penalty, or any number of things. I am not arguing the validity of their point of view, but I am saying their use of this commandment to further their cause is wrong. The Hebrew term here is רָצַח râtsach, meaning to murder. However the Hebrew understanding of this concept includes things we might call manslaughter- causing human death through carelessness or negligence.
Exodus 20:14 (ESV) “You shall not commit adultery.” The Hebrew term is interesting, נָאַף nâʼaph. And while it does include having relations with a married woman, it also carries the connotations of apostatizing. This might be analogous to what we would call “alienation of affections.” Remember when the Hebrew men whored with the Moabite women and the pattern was set: they were drawn by these women into idolatry and worship of pagan gods.
Exodus 20:15 (ESV) “You shall not steal.” To paraphrase Chuck Larabee, “Thieving, not cool.”
Exodus 20:16 (ESV) “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.” This obviously would mean in a court of law. But how about at work? At home? In the community? This is a comprehensive commandment not to spread falsehoods against others.
Exodus 20:17 (ESV) “You shall not covet … anything that is your neighbor’s.” And by neighbor it means anyone in your community, or that of greater Israel. For our purposes, I think it means anyone else, period. חָמַד châmad, to delight in, desire, lust after. It’s theirs, be happy for them and move on.
Par’shah- Exodus 18:1 – 20:23
Haftara- Isaiah 6:1-7:6, 9:5-6
D’rash: Since this parashah contains the popular version of the עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדִּבְּרוֹת, Aseret ha’Dibrot, the 10 Commandments, we clearly will have our work cut out for us here. I say the “popular version” because when we get to ch. 34 we will see a different version of what was on the tablets, and that is what Even Yisroel, the Stone of Israel (Gen 49:24), our Rosh Pinnah, Cornerstone (Ps 118:22) calls the 10 Words, or 10 Commandments.
The difference is these 10 Words were given directly by the Almighty to the people gathered at the foot of Mt Sinai. The other list of 10 Words is what was on the tablets Abishter gave to Moshe. Also, in the original Hebrew, these instructions were numbered. And the first one, א aleph, or 1 would probably not be seen by many as a commandment. It is Exodus 20:2-3 below. No matter, both are in
, and so we are committed to keeping both. Biblically, the number10 signifies testimony, law, responsibility and the completeness of order. The “10” Commandments therefore represents our responsibility to keep all the commandments. The number 10 was no accident. So let’s start with our list of “10 Words” here:Exodus 20:2-3 (ESV) “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. “You shall have no other gods before me.” Biblically Egypt represents sin. So for all who Elohim has brought out of sin, all of us who accept Yeshua and are saved, we have only One God, El Elohe Yisroel. Some who call themselves Messianic argue this means we can worship other gods, just do not place them first before Elohei Yisroel. But the word here translated “before” is פָּנִים pânîym, my face. This is strong language; the commandment God is giving is “keep them out of my face!”
Exodus 20:4-5 (ESV) “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God,” This actually has 2 parts- do not make graven images, and do not worship graven images. Many argue that this means we cannot make images for the purpose of worship. I find this argument to be disingenuous, an excuse to do as we please. God explicitly says you shall not make those images! Because what so often happens is that we or someone else will worship them. The ancient world was full of gods, often represented by animals, men, or spiritual beings; and their likenesses were used to call, or channel them. The most important part of this commandment is not to make them. If everyone follows that and there is nothing there to worship in the first place! A corollary would be that if you do find them, destroy them. I have many leather items I made before becoming Messianic which have defaced images on which I had carved or stamped those likenesses. I threw out a sealed leather container because it featured a very large hand carved image of the Navaho thunder-god. I did not worship it, but as a Southwesterner I considered it a part of my heritage. But no arguing, its chief purpose was for worship by an entire ancient people. It had to go, painful as that was. More painful than this was throwing out a few hundred dollars worth of leather stamps!
Exodus 20:7 (ESV) “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.” What does this mean? I was brought up believing it meant cursing using the term “God.” But I think it is more than this. To falsely curse someone in His name would be another. To swear falsely, or even just rashly, impulsively, by His name. Even to make the Sacred Name, which is the Covenant Name of Elohim overused and so commonplace. And to profane His name. Any use of any of the names of the Most High which does not glorify Him, representing Him faithfully to a lost world I would think is a violation here.
Exodus 20:8-11 (ESV) “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.” The most oft repeated commandment, and the first one we were ever given. One might think The Everlasting- El’Olam (Gen 21:33) is trying to tell us something about the importance of this one! Note here too something that is too oft overlooked. Not only are we not to work, but we are not to cause others to work in our stead. This is a day of rest for everyone, and a witness to those around us.
Exodus 20:12 (ESV) “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.” To honor our parents is to obey them, as we were all taught. But it also means do not speak ill of them. It can unfortunately also mean to forgive them, as most are not perfect, and some are far from it. But I believe there is a clue here where it says “that your days may be long.” This speaks not only of our immediate parents, but our entire family lineage. This doesn’t mean we don’t acknowledge problems and try to correct them in our generation; just that we don’t needlessly dwell on them and/or run down our ancestors.
Exodus 20:13 (ESV) “You shall not murder.” Unfortunately the KJV translated this as “Thou shalt not kill.” Many use this as an excuse to sit idly by and let evil have its way; to avoid military service, to oppose the death penalty, or any number of things. I am not arguing the validity of their point of view, but I am saying their use of this commandment to further their cause is wrong. The Hebrew term here is רָצַח râtsach, meaning to murder. However the Hebrew understanding of this concept includes things we might call manslaughter- causing human death through carelessness or negligence.
Exodus 20:14 (ESV) “You shall not commit adultery.” The Hebrew term is interesting, נָאַף nâʼaph. And while it does include having relations with a married woman, it also carries the connotations of apostatizing. This might be analogous to what we would call “alienation of affections.” Remember when the Hebrew men whored with the Moabite women and the pattern was set: they were drawn by these women into idolatry and worship of pagan gods.
Exodus 20:15 (ESV) “You shall not steal.” To paraphrase Chuck Larabee, “Thieving, not cool.”
Exodus 20:16 (ESV) “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.” This obviously would mean in a court of law. But how about at work? At home? In the community? This is a comprehensive commandment not to spread falsehoods against others.
Exodus 20:17 (ESV) “You shall not covet … anything that is your neighbor’s.” And by neighbor it means anyone in your community, or that of greater Israel. For our purposes, I think it means anyone else, period. חָמַד châmad, to delight in, desire, lust after. It’s theirs, be happy for them and move on.
