Va'etchanan - Day #2

Va'etchanan וָאֶתְחַנַּן - Pleaded  

Torah Portion: Deuteronomy 3:23-7:11

Deuteronomy 4:5–40

4:5 Behold, I have taught you statutes and ordinances, even as Hashem our Elohim commanded me, that you should do so in the middle of the land where you go in to possess it. 6 Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples who shall hear all these statutes and say, “Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.” 7 For what great nation is there that has a god so near to them as Hashem our Elohim is whenever we call on him? 8 What great nation is there that has statutes and ordinances so righteous as all this law which I set before you today?

9 Only be careful, and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things which your eyes saw, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life; but make them known to your children and your children’s children— 10 the day that you stood before Hashem your Elohim in Horeb, when Hashem said to me, “Assemble the people to me, and I will make them hear My words, that they may learn to fear Me all the days that they live on the earth, and that they may teach their children.” 11 You came near and stood under the mountain. The mountain burned with fire to the heart of the sky, with darkness, cloud, and thick darkness. 12 Hashem spoke to you out of the middle of the fire: you heard the voice of words, but you saw no form; you only heard a voice. 13 He declared to you His covenant, which He commanded you to perform, even the Ten Commandments. He wrote them on two stone tablets. 14 Hashem commanded me at that time to teach you statutes and ordinances, that you might do them in the land where you go over to possess it. 15 Be very careful, for you saw no kind of form on the day that Hashem spoke to you in Horeb out of the middle of the fire, 16 lest you corrupt yourselves, and make yourself a carved image in the form of any figure, the likeness of male or female, 17 the likeness of any animal that is on the earth, the likeness of any winged bird that flies in the sky, 18 the likeness of anything that creeps on the ground, the likeness of any fish that is in the water under the earth; 19 and lest you lift up your eyes to the sky, and when you see the sun and the moon and the stars, even all the army of the sky, you are drawn away and worship them, and serve them, which Hashem your Elohim has allotted to all the peoples under the whole sky. 20 But Hashem has taken you, and brought you out of the iron furnace, out of Egypt, to be to him a people of inheritance, as it is today. 21 Furthermore Hashem was angry with me for your sakes, and swore that I should not go over the Jordan, and that I should not go in to that good land which Hashem your Elohim gives you for an inheritance; 22 but I must die in this land. I must not go over the Jordan, but you shall go over and possess that good land. 23 Be careful, lest you forget the covenant of Hashem your Elohim, which he made with you, and make yourselves a carved image in the form of anything which Hashem your Elohim has forbidden you. 24 For Hashem your Elohim is a devouring fire, a jealous G-d. 25 When you father children and children’s children, and you have been long in the land, and then corrupt yourselves, and make a carved image in the form of anything, and do that which is evil in Hashem your Elohim’s sight to provoke him to anger, 26 I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that you will soon utterly perish from off the land which you go over the Jordan to possess it. You will not prolong your days on it, but will utterly be destroyed. 27 Hashem will scatter you among the peoples, and you will be left few in number among the nations where Hashem will lead you away. 28 There you will serve gods, the work of men’s hands, wood and stone, which neither see, nor hear, nor eat, nor smell. 29 But from there you shall seek Hashem your Elohim, and you will find Him when you search after Him with all your heart and with all your soul. 30 When you are in oppression, and all these things have come on you, in the latter days you shall return to Hashem your Elohim and listen to His voice. 

31 For Hashem your Elohim is a merciful Elohim. He will not fail you nor destroy you, nor forget the covenant of your fathers which He swore to them. 32 For ask now of the days that are past, which were before you, since the day that Elohim created man on the earth, and from the one end of the sky to the other, whether there has been anything as great as this thing is, or has been heard like it? 33 Did a people ever hear the voice of Elohim speaking out of the middle of the fire, as you have heard, and live? 34 Or has Elohim tried to go and take a nation for himself from among another nation, by trials, by signs, by wonders, by war, by a mighty hand, by an outstretched arm, and by great terrors, according to all that Hashem your Elohim did for you in Egypt before your eyes? 35 It was shown to you so that you might know that Hashem is Elohim. There is no one else besides Him. 36 Out of heaven He made you to hear His voice, that He might instruct you. On earth, He made you to see His great fire, and you heard His words out of the middle of the fire. 37 Because He loved your fathers, therefore He chose their offspring after them, and brought you out with His presence, with His great power, out of Egypt; 38 to drive out nations from before you greater and mightier than you, to bring you in, to give you their land for an inheritance, as it is today. 39 Know therefore today, and take it to heart, that Hashem Himself is Elohim in heaven above and on the earth beneath. There is no one else. 40 You shall keep His statutes and His commandments which I command you today, that it may go well with you and with your children after you, and that you may prolong your days in the land which Hashem your Elohim gives you for all time.

Today's Meditation:

Verse 8 is very compelling: “What great nation is there that has statutes and ordinances so righteous as all this law which I set before you today?” And it is so true. What group of people on this planet has such righteous laws as Israel? We should acknowledge and thank Hashem for our ability to connect and unite with the Torah. It makes us a people set apart who worship the one true Elohim. There is only one true Elohim. The Elohim of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. And He has created unique and wonderful statutes and ordinances. We praise Adonai for this.

Today’s Challenge:

Who or what are we looking for? Verse 39 says it all, “Know therefore today, and take it to heart, that Hashem himself is Elohim in heaven above and on the earth beneath. There is no one else.” He is the One. And He is Elohim of heaven and earth. Think of that. He is the one and only Elohim of the planet Earth. He created and owns the earth. And if we really believe that, we need to take better care of what He has entrusted to us. That is my challenge to you today. Make sure your house is in order. And see if there is anything you can do for your community. Both your religious community and the physical community you live in. If you see a piece of paper or garbage on the ground, maybe pick it up. Let’s start with what Hashem has given us and take care of it. This will affect the rest of the world; it will make it better. 

Va'etchanan - Day #1

Va'etchanan וָאֶתְחַנַּן - Pleaded  

Torah Portion: Deuteronomy 3:23-7:11

Deuteronomy 3:23–4:4

3:23 I begged Hashem at that time, saying, 24 “L-rd Hashem, You have begun to show your servant Your greatness, and Your strong hand. For what god is there in heaven or on earth that can do works like Yours, and mighty acts like Yours? 25 Please let me go over and see the good land that is beyond the Jordan, that fine mountain, and Lebanon.”

26 But Hashem was angry with me because of you, and didn’t listen to me. Hashem said to me, “That is enough! Speak no more to me of this matter. 27 Go up to the top of Pisgah, and lift up your eyes westward, and northward, and southward, and eastward, and see with your eyes; for you shall not go over this Jordan. 28 But commission Joshua, and encourage him, and strengthen him; for he shall go over before this people, and he shall cause them to inherit the land which you shall see.” 29 So we stayed in the valley near Beth Peor.

4:1 Now, Israel, listen to the statutes and to the ordinances which I teach you, to do them; that you may live, and go in and possess the land which Hashem, the Elohim of your fathers, gives you. 2 You shall not add to the word which I command you, neither shall you take away from it, that you may keep the commandments of Hashem your Elohim which I command you. 3 Your eyes have seen what Hashem did because of Baal Peor; for Hashem your Elohim has destroyed all the men who followed Baal Peor from among you. 4 But you who were faithful to Hashem your Elohim are all alive today.

Today’s Meditation:

Moses recounts his attempts to persuade Hashem to change His mind about entering the Holy Land of Israel. In fact, he says he begged him. But Hashem says not to talk about it anymore. And that he should commission Joshua to lead the people. It was sort of one last try. Have you ever done that with Hashem? Have you been punished for a sin or felt the consequences and begged Him to stop them? I think that once you have sinned, His hand is released regarding that issue. When we are obedient, His hand stays on us to protect, bless, and gift us. Which do you prefer?

Today’s Challenge:

Chapter 4 verses 1 and 2 are so powerful, “Now, Israel, listen to the statutes and to the ordinances which I teach you, to do them; that you may live, and go in and possess the land which Hashem, the Elohim of your fathers, gives you. 2 You shall not add to the word which I command you, neither shall you take away from it, that you may keep the commandments of Hashem your Elohim which I command you.” It is so clear that we can not change the Law. We can’t add to it, subtract from it, or call it null and void. 

I heard a protestant pastor say yesterday that the Law was obsolete. We no longer had to follow it. That we could go home and eat bacon sandwiches. But this verse is really powerful and tells us not to make any changes. My challenge to you today is to review whether you are adding or taking away from Torah. And if you find out you are doing this, stop it today. Go back to fully following the commands in Torah, to the best of your ability.

Devarim - Day #7

Devarim דְּבָרִים - Words  

Torah Portion: Deuteronomy 1:1-3:22

Haftarah: Isaiah 1:1-27

Shabbat: Deuteronomy 3:15–22

3:15 I gave Gilead to Machir. 16 To the Reubenites and to the Gadites I gave from Gilead even to the valley of the Arnon, the middle of the valley, and its border, even to the river Jabbok, which is the border of the children of Ammon; 17 the Arabah also, and the Jordan and its border, from Chinnereth even to the sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, under the slopes of Pisgah eastward.

18 I commanded you at that time, saying, “Hashem your Elohim has given you this land to possess it. All of you men of valor shall pass over armed before your brothers, the children of Israel. 19 But your wives, and your little ones, and your livestock, (I know that you have much livestock), shall live in your cities which I have given you, 20 until Hashem gives rest to your brothers, as to you, and they also possess the land which Hashem your Elohim gives them beyond the Jordan. Then you shall each return to his own possession, which I have given you.”

21 I commanded Joshua at that time, saying, “Your eyes have seen all that Hashem your Elohim has done to these two kings. So shall Hashem do to all the kingdoms where you go over. 22 You shall not fear them; for Hashem your Elohim Himself fights for you.”

Today’s Meditation:

Hashem is working things out for the tribes who want to stay east of the Jordan, verse 20: “Then you shall each return to his own possession, which I have given you.” It is so wonderful to know that Hashem is the One who gives us anything in our lives. Where we live, where we work, our relationships, and our lives. We just need to be in a relationship with Him so that we realize this. He creates and owns everything, and we must take good care of the things that He places in our lives. We have been selling our house and moving. I have stayed in close contact with Hashem every step of the way. And I must admit I have seen several moves of His hands on all of this. But, bottom line, He owns our house, He owns my family, and He owns my life. And I am glad. I am His. And that is a privilege and a comfort.

Today’s Challenge:

Hashem fights our battles. We read in verse 22, “You shall not fear them; for Hashem your Elohim Himself fights for you.” Hashem has been putting something on my heart about creating a non-profit agency. I think about all the miracles He would do through this project, and then I start wondering how the enemy might oppose it. Then I realize that this will be Hashem’s plan and He will protect it. He will defeat the enemy if the enemy plans any attempts to cause trouble. That is so reassuring. My challenge to you is today to trust in Hashem. If you are going through a battle, seek His face and ask for help. Ask Him to defeat the enemy and protect you. We are assured through the Torah that He will do this.

This Week’s Haftarah: Isaiah 1:1-27

1:1 The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.

2 Hear, heavens,

    and listen, earth; for Hashem has spoken:

“I have nourished and brought up children

    and they have rebelled against me.

3 The ox knows his owner,

    and the donkey his master’s crib;

    but Israel doesn’t know.

    My people don’t consider.” 

4 Ah, sinful nation,

    a people loaded with iniquity,

    Offspring of evildoers,

    children who deal corruptly!

They have forsaken Hashem.

    They have despised the Holy One of Israel.

    They are estranged and backward.

5 Why should you be beaten more?

    that you revolt more and more?

The whole head is sick,

    and the whole heart faints.

6 From the sole of the foot even to the head, there is no soundness in it:

    wounds, welts, and open sores.

    They haven’t been closed, bandaged, or soothed with oil.

7 Your country is desolate.

    Your cities are burned with fire.

    Strangers devour your land in your presence

    and it is desolate,

    as overthrown by strangers.

8 The daughter of Zion is left like a shelter in a vineyard,

    like a hut in a field of melons,

    like a besieged city.

9 Unless Hashem of Armies had left to us a very small remnant,

    we would have been as Sodom.

    We would have been like Gomorrah.

10 Hear Hashem’s word, you rulers of Sodom!

    Listen to the law of our Elohim, you people of Gomorrah!

11 “What are the multitude of your sacrifices to me?”, says Hashem.

    “I have had enough of the burnt offerings of rams

    and the fat of fed animals.

    I don’t delight in the blood of bulls,

    or of lambs,

    or of male goats.

12 When you come to appear before me,

    who has required this at your hand, to trample My courts?

13 Bring no more vain offerings.

    Incense is an abomination to me.

    New moons, Sabbaths, and convocations:

    I can’t stand evil assemblies.

14 My soul hates your New Moons and your appointed feasts.

    They are a burden to Me.

    I am weary of bearing them.

15 When you spread out your hands, I will hide My eyes from you.

    Yes, when you make many prayers, I will not hear.

    Your hands are full of blood.

16 Wash yourselves. Make yourself clean.

    Put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes.

    Cease to do evil.

17 Learn to do well.

    Seek justice.

    Relieve the oppressed.

Defend the fatherless.

Plead for the widow.”

18 “Come now, and let’s reason together,” says Hashem:

    “Though your sins are as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.

    Though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

19 If you are willing and obedient,

    you will eat the good of the land;

20 but if you refuse and rebel, you will be devoured with the sword;

    for the Hashem’s mouth has spoken it.”

21 How the faithful city has become a prostitute!

    She was full of justice.

Righteousness lodged in her,

    but now there are murderers.

22 Your silver has become dross,

    your wine mixed with water.

23 Your princes are rebellious and companions of thieves.

    Everyone loves bribes and follows after rewards.

    They don’t defend the fatherless,

    neither does the cause of the widow come to them.

24 Therefore, Adonai, Hashem of Armies,

    the Mighty One of Israel says:

“Ah, I will get relief from My adversaries,

    and avenge Myself on My enemies.

25 I will turn My hand on you,

    thoroughly purge away your dross,

    and will take away all your tin.

26 I will restore your judges as at the first,

    and your counselors as at the beginning.

Afterward, you shall be called ‘The city of righteousness,

    a faithful town.’

27 Zion shall be redeemed with justice,

    and her converts with righteousness.

Today’s Haftarah Meditation:

The commands and promises are simple. We read in verses 18-20, “Come now, and let’s reason together,” says Hashem:  “Though your sins are as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool. If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the good of the land; but if you refuse and rebel, you will be devoured with the sword; for the Hashem’s mouth has spoken it.” If you obey, you will be blessed; if you do not, you will be devoured. Plain and simple. What is it about this that we don’t get? Why do we continue to sin and turn our faces away from Hashem? There is no excuse. Yes, we are exiled, but we need to get over that. We must follow and obey Torah and Hashem.

Today’s Haftarah Challenge:

Here is the answer to disobedience in verses 16-17, “Wash yourselves. Make yourself clean. Put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes. Cease to do evil. Learn to do well. Seek justice. Relieve the oppressed. Defend the fatherless. Plead for the widow.” Easy. Stop sinning and do good (help others). That’s your challenge today. Try to make your own life and the lives of those around you better.

Devarim - Day #6

Devarim דְּבָרִים - Words  

Torah Portion: Deuteronomy 1:1-3:22

Deuteronomy 2:31–3:14

2:31 Hashem said to me, “Behold, I have begun to deliver up Sihon and his land before you. Begin to possess, that you may inherit his land.” 32 Then Sihon came out against us, he and all his people, to battle at Jahaz. 33 Hashem our Elohim delivered him up before us; and we struck him, his sons, and all his people. 34 We took all his cities at that time, and utterly destroyed every inhabited city, with the women and the little ones. We left no one remaining. 35 Only the livestock we took for plunder for ourselves, with the plunder of the cities which we had taken. 36 From Aroer, which is on the edge of the valley of the Arnon, and the city that is in the valley, even to Gilead, there was not a city too high for us. Hashem our Elohim delivered up all before us. 37 Only to the land of the children of Ammon you didn’t come near: all the banks of the river Jabbok, and the cities of the hill country, and wherever Hashem our Elohim forbade us.

3:1 Then we turned and went up the way to Bashan. Og, the king of Bashan, came out against us, he and all his people, to battle at Edrei. 2 Hashem said to me, “Don’t fear him; for I have delivered him, with all his people and his land, into your hand. You shall do to him as you did to Sihon king of the Amorites, who lived at Heshbon.”

3 So Hashem our Elohim also delivered into our hand Og, the king of Bashan, and all his people. We struck him until no one was left to him remaining. 4 We took all his cities at that time. There was not a city that we didn’t take from them: sixty cities, all the region of Argob, the kingdom of Og in Bashan. 5 All these were cities fortified with high walls, gates, and bars, in addition to a great many villages without walls. 6 We utterly destroyed them, as we did to Sihon, king of Heshbon, utterly destroying every inhabited city, with the women and the little ones. 7 But all the livestock, and the plunder of the cities, we took for plunder for ourselves. 8 We took the land at that time out of the hand of the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, from the valley of the Arnon to Mount Hermon. 9 (The Sidonians call Hermon Sirion, and the Amorites call it Senir.) 10 We took all the cities of the plain, and all Gilead, and all Bashan, to Salecah and Edrei, cities of the kingdom of Og in Bashan. 11 (For only Og king of Bashan remained of the remnant of the Rephaim. Behold, his bedstead was a bedstead of iron. Isn’t it in Rabbah of the children of Ammon? Nine cubits was its length, and four cubits its width, after the cubit of a man.) 12 This land we took in possession at that time: from Aroer, which is by the valley of the Arnon, and half the hill country of Gilead with its cities, I gave to the Reubenites and to the Gadites; 13 and the rest of Gilead, and all Bashan, the kingdom of Og, I gave to the half-tribe of Manasseh—all the region of Argob, even all Bashan. (The same is called the land of Rephaim. 14 Jair, the son of Manasseh, took all the region of Argob, to the border of the Geshurites and the Maacathites, and called them, even Bashan, after his own name, Havvoth Jair, to this day.)

Today’s Meditation:

This is where people struggle with Torah history. Why the battles? Why the killing of children and women? The only answer is this. Hashem told them to do so. There are things we cannot understand with our earthly minds. And that is when we have to trust Hashem. We know that the conquered people were most likely approached first with bargaining points. They most likely offered to travel through peacefully and pay for water and food. If they refused, then Hashem delivered them into the Israelites' hands. War is hard to understand and makes us very sad. That is why we must strive toward unity with our enemies. We must treat others better than ourselves. We must be kind and generous. And we must be forgiving. This will all be groundwork for peace.

Today’s Challenge:

In verse 36, we read, “Hashem our Elohim delivered up all before us.” He went ahead of the Israelites and prepared the way. Even if we do not understand everything, there is one central truth here. If He asks you to do something, He will prepare the way for you to go. Here’s my challenge today. If you feel that Hashem is taking you in a specific direction but you are hesitant, don’t be. Believe in your heart that He will not only direct your path but also prepare the way ahead of time. He will then walk with you through it. Someone once told me: He doesn’t call you unless He equips you. I believe that, don’t you?