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Post by alon on Jan 13, 2023 14:49:38 GMT -8
This Week’s Readings:
Parashah (part 1)- Exodus 18:1-20:23(26)
Haftara- Isaiah 61:1-11
D’rash: Jethro’s visit, the Hebrews before the Lord at Sinai, and the giving of the Ten Commandments; a lot to cover. I’m going to divide this one into two parts, looking at Jethro’s visit and the giving of the Ten Commandments.
Jethro’s Visit:
Exodus 18:1-3a,5 Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses' father-in-law, heard of all that God had done for Moses and for Israel his people, how the Lord had brought Israel out of Egypt. Now Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, had taken Zipporah, Moses' wife, after he had sent her home, along with her two sons. … Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, came with his sons and his wife to Moses in the wilderness where he was encamped at the mountain of God.
The Hebrew name Yitro is of course telling:
יִתְרוֹ yithrô- with pronominal suffix; his excellence; Jethro, Moses’ father in law: - Jethro:
from the root:
יֶתֶר yether- an overhanging, by implication an excess, superiority, remainder; abundant, cord, exceeding, excellency (-ent); what they leave, that hath left, plentifully, remnant, residue, rest, string, with
So what did Yitro, a Midianite and apparently part of a godly remainder among his people, have that he left in abundance with Moshe? Recall Midianites were descendants of Abraham through his wife Keturah; however never of the covenant people of God. Cousins, if you will, but the Midianites as a people were hostile to the Hebrews throughout the biblical record. We will soon see God curses the Midianites (Ex 31) because they were as a plague on His people.
But Yitro the Midianite is also called a Kenite (Jud 1:16, 4:11). The Kenites קֵינִי Qēinī Qe’ini (Kabalistically “Cainites,” or descendants of Cain, though no evidence other than the similar pronunciation exists) were apparently a sub-group or tribe of Midianites. Many allied with and later joined with Israel, and there were several notable Kenites in Judges and 1st Samuel (for example Heber, Yael, and the Rechavites).
God has a habit of keeping for Himself a remnant who worship Him within a people. I think the Kenites Yitro and Tziporah (Moshe’s wife) were among these. Yitro is also called רעואל Reuel, “friend of God” (Num 10:29). A priest ministers to a people, and as a priest of God Yitro had authority to leave something with Moshe. But what was it he left?
God is now finishing His work of creating a people for Himself. This man, a remnant of those who worshiped God throughout biblical history now gives advice which mirrored the creation narrative.
I should note that Exodus 18:5 and subsequent events seem to be out of order here:
- Exodus 24:14b And he said to the elders, “Wait here for us until we return to you. And behold, Aaron and Hur are with you. Whoever has a dispute, let him go to them.”
- Deuteronomy 1:9-10, 12-13 “At that time I said to you, ‘I am not able to bear you by myself. The Lord your God has multiplied you, and behold, you are today as numerous as the stars of heaven. … How can I bear by myself the weight and burden of you and your strife? Choose for your tribes wise, understanding, and experienced men, and I will appoint them as your heads.’
Those passages make no sense if Yitro had already visited and Moshe had changed his plan of administration. However this is a common thing not only in Torah and later scripture, but in ancient writings in general. Events are taken out of their context and inserted elsewhere (or simply reordered) in order to make a point, or more often ‘points.’ So what is this telling us? Let’s go on:
Exodus 18:13-14 The next day Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood around Moses הבּקר עד-הערב; ha’boqer ad-ha’arev from morning till evening. When Moses' father-in-law saw all that he was doing for the people, he said, “What is this that you are doing for the people? Why do you sit בּד bad alone, and all the people stand around you הבּקר עד-הערב; ha’boqer ad-ha’arev from morning till evening?” This turns the order in the Genesis account on its’ head. Gen 1:5, 8, 13, 19, 23, 31: there was “evening and there was morning.” This reversal tells the reader that Moses’ approach to legislation had an administrative problem. Moshe’s approach overturns God’s organization at creation:
Exodus 18:15- And Moses said to his father-in-law, “Because the people come to me to inquire of God; when they have a dispute, they come to me and I decide between one person and another, and I make them know the statutes of God and his laws.” Moses' father-in-law said to him, “What you are doing is לא-טוב; lo-tov not good. לא-טוב; lo-tov, not good is the same thing said of Adam:
Gen 2:18 “It is לא-טוב; lo-tov not good for the human to be בּד; bad alone ; I will make an equal helper for him” “It is לא-טוב; lo-tov not good” and “בּד; bad alone” connect these two accounts. Just as it was not good for Adam to be alone in his task of overseeing the Garden, it is not good for Moshe to govern the people alone. Yitro gave Moshe an accurate assessment of his situation based on godly principles established at creation. He reasserts God’s dissenting appraisal of solitude, reiterating our need for others’ help.
Exodus 18:18 You and the people with you will certainly wear yourselves out, for the thing is too heavy for you. You are not able to do it alone.
heavy- כָּבֵד kâbêd: severe, difficult; grievous, foolish
wear yourselves out- נָבֵל nâbêl: basically carries the meaning of falling away
When we try to become Meshiachim alone it can become “too heavy” for us. Many fall away because of this, while others may turn to Rabbinical Judaism (especialy Orthodox Judaism) for answers, and eventually their faith. Others become easy prey to the many cults which try to fly our banner. There are a few who stay the course, but in my experience they tend to be too literal, absolute, and harsh in their interpretation of scripture. They also can become too invested in their own interpretations, becoming hard headed and not willing to listen to others. Few can align with them. Messianism is not a solo pursuit. We all need the counsel of godly men and women to aid in our understanding; people who’ve been in this a while and will give good counsel, and who will not lead them astray. That is why this forum exists; to help those who have no godly assembly to attend and worship with. I have been in Messianic Judaism over ten years, and Hebrew Roots before this, and I still need help with my understanding. Surprisingly (or not) that help often comes from those newer in the faith! Here Moshe and the Hebrews are led to a better understanding of the will of God by someone outside their own community:
Exodus 18:10-12 Jethro said, “Blessed be the Lord, who has delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians and out of the hand of Pharaoh and has delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians. Now I know that the Lord is greater than all gods, because in this affair they dealt arrogantly with the people.” And Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, brought a burnt offering and sacrifices to God; and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat bread with Moses' father-in-law before God.
Outside help, yes. However they still worship the same Elohei HaElohim, God of Gods (Deu 10:17), and above they enter into a covenantal relationship by breaking bread together.
Exodus 18:19-20 Now obey my voice; I will give you advice, and God be with you! You shall represent the people before God and bring their cases to God, and you shall warn them about the statutes and the laws, and make them know the way in which they must walk and what they must do.
Yitro speaks with authority in prefacing his advice.
Exodus 18:21-22 Moreover, look for able men from all the people, men who fear God, who are trustworthy and hate a bribe, and place such men over the people as chiefs of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens. And let them judge the people at all times. Every great matter they shall bring to you, but any small matter they shall decide themselves. So it will be easier for you, and they will bear the burden with you.
This is what Yitro leaves with Moshe and the Hebrews; a plan to make becoming the people of God work so that they will not fall away:
Exodus 18:23- If you do this, God will direct you, you will be able to endure, and all this people also will go to their place in peace.”
And endure they did, though repeatedly attacked by their cousin nations of Moabites (related through Lot’s oldest daughter) and Edomites (through his youngest daughter). [edit/correction: see jimmies post below] They endure today by genetics, despite more recent attempts to destroy them by Nazis, Communists, and Islamists. They also endure in those Gentiles grafted in, most notably we, the Notsarim, despite persecution by just about everyone; most notably the church:
2 Timothy 3:12 Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,
Romans 15:8-9a, For I tell you that Christ became a servant to the circumcised to show God's truthfulness, in order to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs, and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. … And again Isaiah says, “The root of Jesse will come, even he who arises to rule the Gentiles; in him will the Gentiles hope.”
* I'll add part two next week, as the subject
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Post by alon on Jan 20, 2023 16:46:02 GMT -8
D’rash (part 2): The Ten Commandments Exodus 20:1 And God spoke all these words, saying,
Exodus 20:22 And the Lord said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the people of Israel: ‘You have seen for yourselves that I have talked with you from heaven.
God Himself makes it clear it was He who spoke to the people from the heavens. He alone is the source of these letsavot, or commandments. In other cultures of the time (and even now) it is men who make the laws. At the time it was usually kings. But for the Hebrew people and all who call themselves by God’s name these instructions come straight from the mouth of Elohim; addressed to the people and not just Moshe or any other authority. Also they were delivered not in ha’eretz but in a pagan desert. Therefore we are all, Jew, Gentile, and Messianic alike responsible to keep them. “For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him.” Romans 10:12.
In Judaism these are called ăśârâh ha’dâvârim, the ten words, or statements. Since they don’t call them “commandments,” as in Christianity, they list the first as:
Exodus 20:2 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.”
Not explicitly a command, however Maimonides in his Sefer HaMitzvot (Book of the Commandments) said: “That is the command that He commanded us to believe in God. And that is that we believe that there is an Origin and Cause, that He is the power of all that exists.
What is being said here is “Do not do evil in My holy name.” Doing so does irreparable damage to The Name of God. And [the source of the command] is His saying (Exodus 20:2) …” In my Concise Book of Mitzvoth compiled by the חָפֵץ חַיִּים Chafetz Chayim, "Desirer of Life” the very first mitzvah is “To believe there is a God in existence.”
Protestants list the first as “You shall have no other gods before [besides] me.” Exodus 20:3.
Verses 4-6 are thought of as the second commandment in Protestant Christianity, while in Judaism they are part of the second statement (the first part being verse 3):
Exodus 20:4-6 “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, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands [to the thousandth generation] of those who love me and keep my commandments.”
The difference is subtle, however the key is context. The emphasis in Judaism is on not making any graven image, whereas in Christianity the making of graven images and their worship are separate ideas. Thus Christians can say “it’s ok to make graven images, to have statues in our sanctuaries, to have gnomes (small demons) on my front lawn; just as long as I don’t worship them.” My take is God said not to make them, and He said not to worship them. So I don’t do either. And Christians who do either are disingenuous, using context to twist the word into a lie.
In the words of Dennis Prager, we have a tendency to “confuse image with essence.” Seeing images we relate them to God, the next step being to confuse them with God. The creation becomes a visual representation of the creator, and God is now a part of nature instead of being above it. The incorporeal essence of God is important to understanding His nature vis-à-vis nature itself.
Exodus 20:7 “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. The third ‘commandment.’
vain- שַׁו shav; desolating; evil (as destructive), literally (ruin) or morally (especially guile); figuratively idolatry (as false, subjective), uselessness (as deceptive, objective; also adverbially, in vain):—false(-ly), lie, lying, vain, vanity.
This commandment says “Do not do evil in my name.” Doing so attacks the reputation of the Almighty, possibly turning away others who might benefit from our good example. Another interpretation might be “Do not speak evil and say it is from God.” Again, you may be turning someone away. Regardless you have besmirched the name of the true God. Yet another is the proscription against taking God’s name in vain has to do with failing to fulfill an oath; a solemn statement which began חי־יהוה chai Adonai, as the Lord lives.
The term translated “take” is נָסָה (or נשא) nasa:
nâsâh נשא/נָסָה- accept, advance, arise, bear, lift up, bring (forth), carry, cast, exalt (self), extol, hold up, magnify, raise (up), receive, regard, respect, set (up), spare, stir up; swear, take (away, up), yield.
Invoking God’s name שׁם shem means we bear it. We are known by it. As such when we take an oath we must perform as we swore, or bear the consequences. Yeshua was protecting us, trying to warn us not to take God’s name in vain when he said “But I say to you, Do not take an oath at all” (Matthew 5:34a) You cannot fail to perform an oath you never took.
Exodus 20:8 Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. The fourth. And once again, we are to ‘remember.’ Remember God and His creative work, not our own. We are to rest, but the purpose is not rest itself so much as ceasing from our own creative labors. We remember to keep the day holy, kadosh- set apart to God. Exodus 20:9-11 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 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.
According to JD Sarna, a day corresponds to one rotation of the earth; and a month is one complete orbit of the earth around the sun. But a week, seven days is an arbitrary division of time, corresponding to nothing in nature. Therefore it is rooted not in the natural, but in the supernatural as it is commanded by Boreh Ketzot HaAretz, Creator of the Ends of the Earth (Is 40:28). So when we worship God every seven days we affirm His existence outside and above nature.
Exodus 20:12 “Honor [כָּבַד kâbad, make weighty, honor, respect] your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you. The fifth saying, which is a bridge between the first four dealing with our relationship with HaShem and the last five which deal with interpersonal relationships.
On the surface, this one may seem strictly interpersonal. However our parents are quite literally our physical creators, while it is YHVH-Hose’enu, God Our Creator (Ps 95:6) who gives all life. Also if one does not respect his/her parents, they are far less likely to respect YHVH Elohim, the Lord Your (Their) God (Gen 27:20). For this reason we are not commanded to ‘love’ our parents- an unreliable emotional response, but to honor them; to respect them.
Exodus 20:13 “You shall not רָצַח râtsach murder. רָצַח râtsach- also covers killing a human through carelessness or negligence; manslaughter, negligent homicide. Many English Bibles inaccurately translate רָצַח râtsach as “to kill,” and the sixth commandment as “Do not kill.” (Exo. 20:13). However a much better translation would be “Do not murder.” “Do not kill without just cause.” So when it says “לרצח lo ratsach” the verb must more accurately be translated “Do not murder.”
Exodus 20:14 “You shall not commit adultery. The seventh, but a good argument could be made this should be first just because it is the hardest to keep. It includes any sexual contact outside marriage. The reason it is so important is it threatens the foundations of marriage, which reflects on how we see our spiritual family; how we value the relationships there. If we take our own physical family so lightly as to mar the relationship for casual, fleeting gratification, how does this portend our approach to our spiritual and far less tangible relationship with God and other believers?
Exodus 20:15 “You shall not steal. Commandment eight seems pretty straight forward- don’t steal. But it is the only open ended commandment, not even hinting at what it is we are not to steal. First would probably be human beings- making them slaves. Also murder is theft of human life, adultery is theft of a spouse, bearing false witness is theft of justice. Even coveting is the desire to steal. But it also obviously applies to “things.” The framers of the US Constitution understood personal property to be a foundation of freedom. If a government can control what you can have, or own what you do have, then they own and control the individual. And if thieves go unpunished, crime will become rampant and the individual owns nothing outside government protection; men then will likely trade liberty for security.
Exodus 20:16 You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. This is ninth, between theft and coveting; probably because of what we were discussing just prior. Bearing false witness perverts justice, encouraging criminality. It stresses an important connection between those who simply covet and encouragement to act on their desires; between liberty and slavery. As an example, we just saw the Egyptians give control of food reserves to Pharaoh, then end up selling their property and themselves to assuage their hunger. Hunger passed, but servitude remained. This in turn played a part in their dislike and distrust of the Hebrews, making them easily manipulated by a pharaoh wanting to keep control (all despots fear the masses they ‘control’); which led to their suffering ten plagues.
Exodus 20:17 “You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor’s.” The tenth and last of the commonly accepted list. There are more commandments and instructions, as well as ‘sayings.’ There is even another, different list which is the one scripture refers to as “ăśârâh ha’dâvârim, the ten words, or statements” (Ex 34). We are responsible for all of them, of course. But these two lists of ten were the ones spoken directly to the people (here), and the ones given directly to Moshe on the tablets (Ex 34). They are foundational.
So why “Ten Commandments?” Because God wanted to reverse the plague that is government ownership and control. He wished to establish a free society- not free to just do as they/we pleased, but free to serve God as we were intended to do. “saying, “If you will diligently listen to the voice of the Lord your God, and do that which is right in his eyes, and give ear to his commandments and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you that I put on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, your healer.”” Exodus 15:26.
Yeshua, who as Messiah explained Torah better gives more insight to this foundation:
Romans 13:9-10 For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself. Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.”
When asked about the greatest commandment Yeshua had this to say:
Matthew 22:36-40 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”
Now while the principles may be found throughout Torah (and indeed all scripture) neither of these quotes from Torah comes from either list of Ten Commandments. They are found in the following passages:
- Deuteronomy 6:4-5 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.
- Leviticus 19:18 You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.
So while the Ten Commandments may be foundational to both Judaism and Christianity, and indeed as these were given from God directly to the people they are foundational to us too; we tend to view all Torah as our foundation and the Ten Commandments more as an important part of Torah. I think most of Judaism would agree, though I have seen many darashot that gives too much weight to them. I’ve also heard many Christians foolishly argue they are all that are relevant today from Torah, while others I’ve known would again agree. Prager contends they are the foundation of a moral society, and I’d agree with that. But keep this all in perspective:
Matthew 4:4 But he answered, “It is written,
“‘Man shall not live by bread alone,
but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
Yeshua’s answer to ha’satan in the most important debate of the ages. It’s all relevant, all important, and all trustworthy and true. And as the Word of God it is all relevant, all still valid and in force today. “Every word.”
Mekorot: All scripture from the ESV unless otherwise specified; JPS Study TNK; the Chafetz Chayim; Maimonides; Drs’ Eli & Schaser of the IBC; JD Sarna; D Stern; my father and others
Next Week’s Readings:
Parashah- Ex 21:1-22:24(25)
Haftara- Jer 34:1-14
* Apostolic references will be given in the darashot
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Post by garrett on Jan 20, 2023 19:08:50 GMT -8
This is an excellent study. "So little" covers so much. It's astonishing to see how much ground God covers with so few words.
Thanks for posting this - garrett
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Post by garrett on Jan 22, 2023 19:18:20 GMT -8
D’rash (part 2): The Ten Commandments Exodus 20:1 And God spoke all these words, saying,
Exodus 20:22 And the Lord said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the people of Israel: ‘You have seen for yourselves that I have talked with you from heaven.God Himself makes it clear it was He who spoke to the people from the heavens. He alone is the source of these letsavot, or commandments. In other cultures of the time (and even now) it is men who make the laws. At the time it was usually kings. But for the Hebrew people and all who call themselves by God’s name these instructions come straight from the mouth of Elohim; addressed to the people and not just Moshe or any other authority. Also they were delivered not in ha’eretz but in a pagan desert. Therefore we are all, Jew, Gentile, and Messianic alike responsible to keep them. “For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him.” Romans 10:12. In Judaism these are called ăśârâh ha’dâvârim, the ten words, or statements. Since they don’t call them “commandments,” as in Christianity, they list the first as:Exodus 20:2 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.”
Not explicitly a command, however Maimonides in his Sefer HaMitzvot (Book of the Commandments) said: “That is the command that He commanded us to believe in God. And that is that we believe that there is an Origin and Cause, that He is the power of all that exists.
What is being said here is “Do not do evil in My holy name.” Doing so does irreparable damage to The Name of God. And [the source of the command] is His saying (Exodus 20:2) …” In my Concise Book of Mitzvoth compiled by the חָפֵץ חַיִּים Chafetz Chayim, "Desirer of Life” the very first mitzvah is “To believe there is a God in existence.”Protestants list the first as “You shall have no other gods before [besides] me.” Exodus 20:3.Verses 4-6 are thought of as the second commandment in Protestant Christianity, while in Judaism they are part of the second statement (the first part being verse 3):Exodus 20:4-6 “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, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands [to the thousandth generation] of those who love me and keep my commandments.”
The difference is subtle, however the key is context. The emphasis in Judaism is on not making any graven image, whereas in Christianity the making of graven images and their worship are separate ideas. Thus Christians can say “it’s ok to make graven images, to have statues in our sanctuaries, to have gnomes (small demons) on my front lawn; just as long as I don’t worship them.” My take is God said not to make them, and He said not to worship them. So I don’t do either. And Christians who do either are disingenuous, using context to twist the word into a lie.In the words of Dennis Prager, we have a tendency to “confuse image with essence.” Seeing images we relate them to God, the next step being to confuse them with God. The creation becomes a visual representation of the creator, and God is now a part of nature instead of being above it. The incorporeal essence of God is important to understanding His nature vis-à-vis nature itself.Exodus 20:7 “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. The third ‘commandment.’
vain- שַׁו shav; desolating; evil (as destructive), literally (ruin) or morally (especially guile); figuratively idolatry (as false, subjective), uselessness (as deceptive, objective; also adverbially, in vain):—false(-ly), lie, lying, vain, vanity.
This commandment says “Do not do evil in my name.” Doing so attacks the reputation of the Almighty, possibly turning away others who might benefit from our good example. Another interpretation might be “Do not speak evil and say it is from God.” Again, you may be turning someone away. Regardless you have besmirched the name of the true God. Yet another is the proscription against taking God’s name in vain has to do with failing to fulfill an oath; a solemn statement which began חי־יהוה chai Adonai, as the Lord lives. The term translated “take” is נָסָה (or נשא) nasa:nâsâh נשא/נָסָה- accept, advance, arise, bear, lift up, bring (forth), carry, cast, exalt (self), extol, hold up, magnify, raise (up), receive, regard, respect, set (up), spare, stir up; swear, take (away, up), yield.
Invoking God’s name שׁם shem means we bear it. We are known by it. As such when we take an oath we must perform as we swore, or bear the consequences. Yeshua was protecting us, trying to warn us not to take God’s name in vain when he said “But I say to you, Do not take an oath at all” (Matthew 5:34a) You cannot fail to perform an oath you never took.Exodus 20:8 Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. The fourth. And once again, we are to ‘remember.’ Remember God and His creative work, not our own. We are to rest, but the purpose is not rest itself so much as ceasing from our own creative labors. We remember to keep the day holy, kadosh- set apart to God. Exodus 20:9-11 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 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.
According to JD Sarna, a day corresponds to one rotation of the earth; and a month is one complete orbit of the earth around the sun. But a week, seven days is an arbitrary division of time, corresponding to nothing in nature. Therefore it is rooted not in the natural, but in the supernatural as it is commanded by Boreh Ketzot HaAretz, Creator of the Ends of the Earth (Is 40:28). So when we worship God every seven days we affirm His existence outside and above nature. Exodus 20:12 “Honor [כָּבַד kâbad, make weighty, honor, respect] your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you. The fifth saying, which is a bridge between the first four dealing with our relationship with HaShem and the last five which deal with interpersonal relationships.
On the surface, this one may seem strictly interpersonal. However our parents are quite literally our physical creators, while it is YHVH-Hose’enu, God Our Creator (Ps 95:6) who gives all life. Also if one does not respect his/her parents, they are far less likely to respect YHVH Elohim, the Lord Your (Their) God (Gen 27:20). For this reason we are not commanded to ‘love’ our parents- an unreliable emotional response, but to honor them; to respect them.Exodus 20:13 “You shall not רָצַח râtsach murder. רָצַח râtsach- also covers killing a human through carelessness or negligence; manslaughter, negligent homicide. Many English Bibles inaccurately translate רָצַח râtsach as “to kill,” and the sixth commandment as “Do not kill.” (Exo. 20:13). However a much better translation would be “Do not murder.” “Do not kill without just cause.” So when it says “לרצח lo ratsach” the verb must more accurately be translated “Do not murder.”Exodus 20:14 “You shall not commit adultery. The seventh, but a good argument could be made this should be first just because it is the hardest to keep. It includes any sexual contact outside marriage. The reason it is so important is it threatens the foundations of marriage, which reflects on how we see our spiritual family; how we value the relationships there. If we take our own physical family so lightly as to mar the relationship for casual, fleeting gratification, how does this portend our approach to our spiritual and far less tangible relationship with God and other believers?Exodus 20:15 “You shall not steal. Commandment eight seems pretty straight forward- don’t steal. But it is the only open ended commandment, not even hinting at what it is we are not to steal. First would probably be human beings- making them slaves. Also murder is theft of human life, adultery is theft of a spouse, bearing false witness is theft of justice. Even coveting is the desire to steal. But it also obviously applies to “things.” The framers of the US Constitution understood personal property to be a foundation of freedom. If a government can control what you can have, or own what you do have, then they own and control the individual. And if thieves go unpunished, crime will become rampant and the individual owns nothing outside government protection; men then will likely trade liberty for security.Exodus 20:16 You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. This is ninth, between theft and coveting; probably because of what we were discussing just prior. Bearing false witness perverts justice, encouraging criminality. It stresses an important connection between those who simply covet and encouragement to act on their desires; between liberty and slavery. As an example, we just saw the Egyptians give control of food reserves to Pharaoh, then end up selling their property and themselves to assuage their hunger. Hunger passed, but servitude remained. This in turn played a part in their dislike and distrust of the Hebrews, making them easily manipulated by a pharaoh wanting to keep control (all despots fear the masses they ‘control’); which led to their suffering ten plagues. Exodus 20:17 “You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor’s.” The tenth and last of the commonly accepted list. There are more commandments and instructions, as well as ‘sayings.’ There is even another, different list which is the one scripture refers to as “ăśârâh ha’dâvârim, the ten words, or statements” (Ex 34). We are responsible for all of them, of course. But these two lists of ten were the ones spoken directly to the people (here), and the ones given directly to Moshe on the tablets (Ex 34). They are foundational.
So why “Ten Commandments?” Because God wanted to reverse the plague that is government ownership and control. He wished to establish a free society- not free to just do as they/we pleased, but free to serve God as we were intended to do. “saying, “If you will diligently listen to the voice of the Lord your God, and do that which is right in his eyes, and give ear to his commandments and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you that I put on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, your healer.”” Exodus 15:26.Yeshua, who as Messiah explained  better gives more insight to this foundation: Romans 13:9-10 For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself. Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.”
When asked about the greatest commandment Yeshua had this to say:Matthew 22:36-40 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”Now while the principles may be found throughout (and indeed all scripture) neither of these quotes from comes from either list of Ten Commandments. They are found in the following passages:- Deuteronomy 6:4-5 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.
- Leviticus 19:18 You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.
So while the Ten Commandments may be foundational to both Judaism and Christianity, and indeed as these were given from God directly to the people they are foundational to us too; we tend to view all as our foundation and the Ten Commandments more as an important part of . I think most of Judaism would agree, though I have seen many darashot that gives too much weight to them. I’ve also heard many Christians foolishly argue they are all that are relevant today from , while others I’ve known would again agree. Prager contends they are the foundation of a moral society, and I’d agree with that. But keep this all in perspective:Matthew 4:4 But he answered, “It is written,“‘Man shall not live by bread alone,
but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”Yeshua’s answer to ha’satan in the most important debate of the ages. It’s all relevant, all important, and all trustworthy and true. And as the Word of God it is all relevant, all still valid and in force today. “Every word.”
Mekorot: All scripture from the ESV unless otherwise specified; JPS Study TNK; the Chafetz Chayim; Maimonides; Drs’ Eli & Schaser of the IBC; JD Sarna; D Stern; my father and othersNext Week’s Readings:
Parashah- Ex 21:1-22:24(25) Haftara- Jer 34:1-14 * Apostolic references will be given in the darashot I have a question regarding graven images. What are we to make of the twelve oxen supporting the basin of water, the sea, in the Temple? What of the graven cherubim on the ark of the covenant? Is there a dichotomy here or am I missing something? |
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Post by jimmie on Jan 23, 2023 13:54:56 GMT -8
Ex 20:4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: 5Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them:
The problem is how the image is treated not the image itself. God did not command Israel to break one command to fulfil another.
Also see the story of the Brasen Serpent: It was not a problem until it was worshiped, then ultimately destroyed.
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Post by jimmie on Jan 23, 2023 14:14:31 GMT -8
According to JD Sarna, a day corresponds to one rotation of the earth; and a month is one complete orbit of the earth around the sun. But a week, seven days is an arbitrary division of time, corresponding to nothing in nature. Therefore it is rooted not in the natural, but in the supernatural as it is commanded by Boreh Ketzot HaAretz, Creator of the Ends of the Earth (Is 40:28). So when we worship God every seven days we affirm His existence outside and above nature. [/font] ][/quote] I am going to take exception to this. There are seven visible luminaires that move. 1. Sun - sunday 2. Moon - monday 3. Mars - tuesday 4. Mercury - wednesday 5. Jupiter - thursday 6. Venus - friday 7. Saturn - saturday I don't like the pagan name of the days, they should be numbered as in scripture. Having the seven-day week rooted in the natural does not pose a problem as it complies with: Gen 1:14And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years: |
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Post by jimmie on Jan 23, 2023 14:23:10 GMT -8
[/font] And endure they did, though repeatedly attacked by their cousin nations of Moabites (related through Lot’s oldest daughter) and Edomites (through his youngest daughter). They endure today by genetics, despite more recent attempts to destroy them by Nazis, Communists, and Islamists. They also endure in those Gentiles grafted in, most notably we, the Notsarim, despite persecution by just about everyone; most notably the church:[/quote] Genesis 19:38 And the younger, she also bare a son, and called his name Benammi: the same is the father of the children of Ammon unto this day. Genesis 36:9 And these are the generations of Esau the father of the Edomites in mount Seir: I know you know this. Just mentioned for accuracy. |
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Post by alon on Jan 24, 2023 9:50:51 GMT -8
I have a question regarding graven images. What are we to make of the twelve oxen supporting the basin of water, the sea, in the Temple? What of the graven cherubim on the ark of the covenant? Is there a dichotomy here or am I missing something?
The same God who gave us the mitzvah not to make graven images can give us exceptions for His own purposes. It's not my place to question either. I am just to be obedient. |
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Post by alon on Jan 24, 2023 10:01:37 GMT -8
Ex 20:4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: 5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them:The problem is how the image is treated not the image itself. God did not command Israel to break one command to fulfil another. Also see the story of the Brasen Serpent: It was not a problem until it was worshiped, then ultimately destroyed.
Read without the arbitrary verse numbers these are linked- not exclusive of each other. It does not say not to make them for the purpose of worship, nor that it's ok until you worship them. It says do not make them AND do not worship any of them; the implication being not to worship any someone else made.
See my reply to garrett above for the images God commanded to be made. |
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Post by alon on Jan 24, 2023 10:29:49 GMT -8
According to JD Sarna, a day corresponds to one rotation of the earth; and a month is one complete orbit of the earth around the sun. But a week, seven days is an arbitrary division of time, corresponding to nothing in nature. Therefore it is rooted not in the natural, but in the supernatural as it is commanded by Boreh Ketzot HaAretz, Creator of the Ends of the Earth (Is 40:28). So when we worship God every seven days we affirm His existence outside and above nature.
Yale University, Ph.D.
Yale University, M.Phil.
Yale University, M.A.
Brandeis University, M.A.
Brandeis University, B.A.
Hebrew College, B.H.L.
I don't see any degrees in astronomy there, so ...
Also ancient astronomy would be different from todays- just to confuse the issue more. So I really do not have a definitive answer. Good point to consider though.
I agree with you about the names of days being numbered. Those names of "luminaries" are also names of pagan gods. The heavenly bodies were worshiped and given their own days. I would point out that God numbered the days; it was men who gave them over to their own gods.
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Post by alon on Jan 24, 2023 10:38:30 GMT -8
[/font] And endure they did, though repeatedly attacked by their cousin nations of Moabites (related through Lot’s oldest daughter) and Edomites (through his youngest daughter). They endure today by genetics, despite more recent attempts to destroy them by Nazis, Communists, and Islamists. They also endure in those Gentiles grafted in, most notably we, the Notsarim, despite persecution by just about everyone; most notably the church:You are correct. I got confused- a thing that is happening more these days as my condition deteriorates. This is a good example of why I say to always check me for accuracy. Good catch. |
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Post by garrett on Jan 28, 2023 17:47:25 GMT -8
Ex 20:4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: 5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them:The problem is how the image is treated not the image itself. God did not command Israel to break one command to fulfil another. Also see the story of the Brasen Serpent: It was not a problem until it was worshiped, then ultimately destroyed.
Read without the arbitrary verse numbers these are linked- not exclusive of each other. It does not say not to make them for the purpose of worship, nor that it's ok until you worship them. It says do not make them AND do not worship any of them; the implication being not to worship any someone else made.
See my reply to garrett above for the images God commanded to be made. I've had to think on this for a few days. Still struggling with it. What are we to do with the museums full of fine art? The various forms of sculpture, the paintings. "You shall not make for YOURSELF a carved image..." "or any likeness of anything..." Rabbinical commentary seems to consistently point to verse 4 in the context of Idolatry. Sculptures are three dimensional and CAN have an accurate representation of something. Sculpture can also be non-representational, but a study of form, shape, line,occupation of space, relationship of forms and the balance of the rendered artwork. R' Hirsch also mentions (perhaps extra-biblically) "...while an image is a symbolic likeness, which may be either sculpted, drawn, or produced in any other way." Interestingly, there is no shortage of drawn portraits of Rabbis in many a person's house, and many photographs (perfectly rendered images captured through man-made means) of family members on the refrigerator. The Temple, with it's extravagant and large sculptural renderings of the bulls holding the basins.... I thought a lot about this. Those commissioned to create such artifacts HAD to be master artists/artisans. Creating these sculptures is something they KNEW how to do and they were masters in the field, they were familiar with this work. They were schooled, trained. Additionally, this was ages after the statement/commandment about Idolatry was made in the era of the Exodus. God had those sculptures created by MAN. Yet, they were already told not to worship them. So, I'm still not convinced entirely. I'm not saying I'm right or wrong, nor that you are right or wrong. I think there's always the possibility that there is more to know on this subject. I can't imagine un-seeing the sculptures made by the artist Auguste Rodin. Or the multitudes of paintings (which are often a likeness, drawn or painted). Having earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, I've studied most of the disciplines of the visual arts (drawing, ceramics, printmaking, painting, sculpture, jewelry making, 2D design, 3D design) with a major in painting and a minor in ceramics and history. I believe it was a calling. There wasn't anything else I could do and I immersed myself into the visual languages. So, this is a tough one. |
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Post by alon on Jan 28, 2023 19:11:57 GMT -8
I've had to think on this for a few days. Still struggling with it. What are we to do with the museums full of fine art? The various forms of sculpture, the paintings. "You shall not make for YOURSELF a carved image..." "or any likeness of anything..." Rabbinical commentary seems to consistently point to verse 4 in the context of Idolatry. Sculptures are three dimensional and CAN have an accurate representation of something. Sculpture can also be non-representational, but a study of form, shape, line,occupation of space, relationship of forms and the balance of the rendered artwork. R' Hirsch also mentions (perhaps extra-biblically) "...while an image is a symbolic likeness, which may be either sculpted, drawn, or produced in any other way." Interestingly, there is no shortage of drawn portraits of Rabbis in many a person's house, and many photographs (perfectly rendered images captured through man-made means) of family members on the refrigerator. The Temple, with it's extravagant and large sculptural renderings of the bulls holding the basins.... I thought a lot about this. Those commissioned to create such artifacts HAD to be master artists/artisans. Creating these sculptures is something they KNEW how to do and they were masters in the field, they were familiar with this work. They were schooled, trained. Additionally, this was ages after the statement/commandment about Idolatry was made in the era of the Exodus. God had those sculptures created by MAN. Yet, they were already told not to worship them. So, I'm still not convinced entirely. I'm not saying I'm right or wrong, nor that you are right or wrong. I think there's always the possibility that there is more to know on this subject. I can't imagine un-seeing the sculptures made by the artist Auguste Rodin. Or the multitudes of paintings (which are often a likeness, drawn or painted). Having earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, I've studied most of the disciplines of the visual arts (drawing, ceramics, printmaking, painting, sculpture, jewelry making, 2D design, 3D design) with a major in painting and a minor in ceramics and history. I believe it was a calling. There wasn't anything else I could do and I immersed myself into the visual languages. So, this is a tough one.
God gave the craftsmen the ability to do the work required. Especially Betzalel, who was in charge. He had to be intimately familiar with all the required disciplines- weavers, goldsmiths, carpenters, perfumers, and many more. No one learned all these disciplines, then or now. Then a man was lucky to learn just one skilled trade.Betzalel בְּצַלְאֵל means "in the shadow of God.” This can be a reference to God’s protection, but I think it may also be a reference of the indwelling of the Ruach, as it says in vs 3 (above). Jewish tradition holds Betzalel was only 13 yrs old (Sanhedrin 69b) when appointed to head the building of the Mishkan and all it’s furnishings and accouterments, including priestly garments (he had to be a tailor too). I don’t know about the age, but no man could ever learn all these trades in one lifetime! There is no doubt then that his and the others gifts were works of the Ruach; some in their entirety.
I would be loath to tell you (or anyone) I am absolutely right in my reading of this. I believe it enough to follow that belief even though it cost me in many ways. But then I have not structured my whole life around those things either. This has got to be a tough decision for you. I wish I could give you a definitive answer, but all I can do is give advice on how I read this. Praying for you.Dan |
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Post by jimmie on Jan 30, 2023 7:31:11 GMT -8
A few verses that deal with images that seem not to be commanded to be destroyed:
Genesis 5:3 And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, after his image; and called his name Seth:
1 Samuel 19:13 And Michal took an image, and laid it in the bed, and put a pillow of goats' hair for his bolster, and covered it with a cloth.
1 Samuel 19:16 And when the messengers were come in, behold, there was an image in the bed, with a pillow of goats' hair for his bolster.
Matthew 22:20 And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription?
Mark 12:16And they brought it. And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? And they said unto him, Caesar's.
Luke 20:24 Shew me a penny. Whose image and superscription hath it? They answered and said, Caesar's.
The split of the catholic & eastern orthodox church was partly over the use of statues and pictures (icons). The orthodox didn’t like statues and insisted that icons where the way to go. It seems to me the real issue should have been the use of any item in worship.
Should we not have two dimensional images? What about a mirror that produces a near perfect image, heads included?
Job 37:18 Hast thou with him spread out the sky, which is strong, and as a molten looking glass?
James 1:23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:
Yet the mirror can be misused and taken away:
Isaiah-3-16-23 Moreover the LORD saith, Because the daughters of Zion are haughty, and walk with stretched forth necks and wanton eyes, walking and mincing as they go, and making a tinkling with their feet: Therefore the Lord will smite with a scab the crown of the head of the daughters of Zion, and the LORD will discover their secret parts.
In that day the Lord will take away ...The glasses...
I still think that how the image is used is the key. If it is designed to be or to aid in worship, it is against God.
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Post by Elizabeth on Feb 1, 2023 10:37:02 GMT -8
I check in time to time and found this interesting because been wondering about how art and culture impact society. Always hear society impacts art and culture, but think it’s a two-way street. Just trying to figure out how the cultural elites influenced us so much. Anyway, found this interesting and think I can say something relevant. First time we here something being made into the image of something in scripture, it’s God making man. Then we learn He gives men dominion over the birds, animals, earth,…. I personally think the issue with graven images that He’s trying to address is about order and the center heart of idolatry, which is not only giving an image made by man honor above man, but above God. It turns His command for dominion completely upside down. Regarding the render to Caesar what’s Caesar’s; to God what’s God’s…money literally being given to people because it can serve idolatrous purposes by symbolically indebting them to Caesar as some source of provision and power; meanwhile we are bearing God’s image, so I think it was about we then rendering ourselves to Him, and He was in some way showing what a joke the world system and its powerful are. Guess Caesar’s power can be likened to portable inanimate objects people give for something better. In my mind if you make something with a sense of order and dominion - to create, and I know you’re certainly not going to think it equal to God, you’re probably just enjoying what He made. Anyway, it seems at some point what else can we create in art but some depiction of what God already did….even in a lot of modern and abstract art, the whole point is undoing something orderly already created to get to something visceral about humans. It still has to depict something based on something in a creation not made by the artist even if it’s deconstructed. I find this interesting recently. I am more concerned with abstract and deconstructive art than actual representative art because there’s so much atheist motive behind it. I’ve become acutely aware of the whole idea of “it can mean whatever you want” coming out of the culture and art world. I think maybe the whole “your own truth” mess began getting validation in art. That’s off the topic maybe, but point is, anything can be idolatrous and anything can be perverted. Trying to create something that doesn’t represent anything God made is now coming from evil in our world because it celebrates chaos, so that can also be idolatrous and rebellious. Think the image thing going back to order and dominion is key to whether it’s in a heart of idolatry overall. Sometimes people are so grateful for what God made so much, they want to create. I’m just not convinced if they paint in that heart it’s wrong, but if there’s any doubt, I wouldn’t because we’re told anything not done from faith is sin. Don’t call myself messianic anymore. Still believe same things in terms of relevance of , but think I have to wait for Yeshua to make a way. Basically think everything I was looking for now will be done then instead of stressing and forcing. prayers for everyone’s health and well-being. |
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- there are 70 faces to 
