Re'eh - Day #1

Re'eh רְאֵה - See!  

Torah Portion: 

Deuteronomy 11:26-16:1

Deuteronomy 11:26–12:10

11:26 Behold, I set before you today a blessing and a curse: 27 the blessing, if you listen to the commandments of Hashem your Elohim, which I command you today; 28 and the curse, if you do not listen to the commandments of Hashem your Elohim, but turn away out of the way which I command you today, to go after other gods which you have not known. 29 It shall happen, when Hashem your Elohim brings you into the land that you go to possess, that you shall set the blessing on Mount Gerizim, and the curse on Mount Ebal. 30 Aren’t they beyond the Jordan, behind the way of the going down of the sun, in the land of the Canaanites who dwell in the Arabah near Gilgal, beside the oaks of Moreh? 31 For you are to pass over the Jordan to go in to possess the land which Hashem your Elohim gives you, and you shall possess it and dwell in it. 32 You shall observe to do all the statutes and the ordinances which I set before you today.

12:1 These are the statutes and the ordinances which you shall observe to do in the land which Hashem, the Elohim of your fathers, has given you to possess all the days that you live on the earth. 2 You shall surely destroy all the places in which the nations that you shall dispossess served their gods: on the high mountains, and on the hills, and under every green tree. 3 You shall break down their altars, dash their pillars in pieces, and burn their Asherah poles with fire. You shall cut down the engraved images of their gods. You shall destroy their name out of that place. 4 You shall not do so to Hashem your Elohim. 5 But to the place which Hashem your Elohim shall choose out of all your tribes, to put His name there, you shall seek His habitation, and you shall come there. 6 You shall bring your burnt offerings, your sacrifices, your tithes, the wave offering of your hand, your vows, your free will offerings, and the firstborn of your herd and of your flock there. 7 There you shall eat before Hashem your Elohim, and you shall rejoice in all that you put your hand to, you and your households, in which Hashem your Elohim has blessed you. 8 You shall not do all the things that we do here today, every man whatever is right in his own eyes; 9 for you haven’t yet come to the rest and to the inheritance which Hashem your Elohim gives you. 10 But when you go over the Jordan and dwell in the land which Hashem your Elohim causes you to inherit, and He gives you rest from all your enemies around you, so that you dwell in safety.

Today’s Meditation:

In verse 12:5, we learn that there is a place where Hashem will dwell, where He will put “His name”, but to the place which Hashem your Elohim shall choose out of all your tribes, to put His name there, you shall seek His habitation, and you shall come there.” That special place is at first the Tabernacle, then the Temples (first and second). Right now, we do not have a Temple. But we will. It is promised in Scripture. And there He will place His name, and there He will be seen, and we will be there also. It will be in Jerusalem, and it will be when the Mashiach comes. We will be commanded to go there at least for the three required Feasts. But I am sure we will all want to live in Israel during the Messianic Age. Study more and learn about this by reading Ezekiel.

Today’s Challenge:

Today, we are challenged to listen to Elohim's commandments, and we will receive a blessing. We can listen either by hearing Him speak through Scripture or through prayer. Sometimes we can hear Him speak to us through other people, too. But your “spiritual antennas” must be in place to hear Him. That is why it is so important to study Torah every day. And that is what I challenge you to do today and every day: read the Torah Portion and pray. Pray that you will hear His voice through your reading and prayer. That you will get direction in your life and learn how to live and worship Him. And as you study and pray, you will learn how to love and serve others. By doing all this, the blessing comes, and you will surely recognize it.

Ekev - Day #7

Ekev עֵקֶב - As a Result  

Torah Portion: Deuteronomy 7:12-11:25

Isaiah 49:14-51:3

Shabbat: Deuteronomy 11:22–25

11:22 For if you shall diligently keep all these commandments which I command you—to do them, to love Hashem your Elohim, to walk in all His ways, and to cling to Him— 23 then Hashem will drive out all these nations from before you, and you shall dispossess nations greater and mightier than yourselves. 24 Every place on which the sole of your foot treads shall be yours: from the wilderness and Lebanon, from the river, the river Euphrates, even to the western sea shall be your border. 25 No man will be able to stand before you. Hashem your Elohim will lay the fear of you and the dread of you on all the land that you tread on, as He has spoken to you.

Today’s Meditation:

In verse 22, we read once again about keeping all His commandments, and the phrase “cling to Him” is added here. What do you think that means? When you cling to something, you hold on pretty tight. And you are probably doing it because you need something. Here, Hashem tells us it’s okay to cling to Him; in fact, He seems to encourage it. He says to walk with Him and cling to Him. And amazingly enough, if we do all this, He will drive out the enemy ahead of us. That’s really awesome. Start clinging to Hashem today, however that looks. Either through studying His Word, praying, worshiping, serving others, or just loving Him. 

Today’s Challenge:

Let’s look at the command to “walk in His ways”. What does that look like? Probably very simple to follow Torah. That's his way. So my challenge to you today is to continue on, faithful servant. Try your best to follow His commandments. You may not be doing a perfect job, but I believe Hashem knows when we are trying. If we truly want to walk in His ways, we must follow His commandments. Also, remember this: we are to love Hashem and love our neighbor. Loving others is a heavy-duty commandment that is sometimes very hard to follow. Especially if they have hurt us. Today, forgive others and move on. Repent and turn. And let’s walk together with Hashem.

This Week’s Haftarah: Isaiah 49:14-51:3

49:14 But Zion said, “Hashem has forsaken me,

    and the L-rd has forgotten me.”

15 “Can a woman forget her nursing child,

    that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb?

Yes, they may forget,

    yet I will not forget you!

16 Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of My hands.

    Your walls are continually before me.

17 Your children hurry.

    Your destroyers and those who devastated you will leave you.

18 Lift up your eyes all around, and see:

    all these gather themselves together, and come to you.

As I live,” says Hashem, “you shall surely clothe yourself with them all as with an ornament,

    and dress yourself with them, like a bride.

19 “For, as for your waste and your desolate places,

    and your land that has been destroyed,

surely now that land will be too small for the inhabitants,

    and those who swallowed you up will be far away.

20 The children of your bereavement will say in your ears,

    ‘This place is too small for me.

    Give me a place to live in.’

21 Then you will say in your heart, ‘Who has conceived these for me, since I have been bereaved of my children

    and am alone, an exile, and wandering back and forth?

Who has brought these up?

    Behold, I was left alone. Where were these?”

22 Hashem Adonai says, “Behold, I will lift up My hand to the nations,

    and lift up My banner to the peoples.

They shall bring your sons in their bosom,

    and your daughters shall be carried on their shoulders.

23 Kings shall be your foster fathers,

    and their queens your nursing mothers.

They will bow down to you with their faces to the earth,

    and lick the dust of your feet.

Then you will know that I am Hashem;

    and those who wait for me shall not be disappointed.”

24 Shall the plunder be taken from the mighty,

    or the lawful captives be delivered?

25 But Hashem says, “Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away,

    and the plunder retrieved from the fierce,

for I will contend with him who contends with you

    and I will save your children.

26 I will feed those who oppress you with their own flesh;

    and they will be drunk on their own blood, as with sweet wine.

Then all flesh shall know that I, Hashem, am your Savior

    and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.”

50:1 Hashem says, “Where is the bill of your mother’s divorce, with which I have put her away?

    Or to which of My creditors have I sold you?

Behold, you were sold for your iniquities,

    and your mother was put away for your transgressions.

2 Why, when I came, was there no one?

    When I called, why was there no one to answer?

Is My hand shortened at all, that it can’t redeem?

    Or have I no power to deliver?

Behold, at My rebuke I dry up the sea.

    I make the rivers a wilderness.

    Their fish stink because there is no water, and die of thirst.

3 I clothe the heavens with blackness.

    I make sackcloth their covering.”

4 The Hashem Adonai has given me the tongue of those who are taught,

    that I may know how to sustain with words him who is weary.

He awakens morning by morning,

   He awakens my ear to hear as those who are taught.

5 Hashem Adonai has opened my ear.

    I was not rebellious.

    I have not turned back.

6 I gave my back to those who beat me,

    and my cheeks to those who plucked off the hair.

I didn’t hide my face from shame and spitting.

7 For Hashem Adonai will help me.

    Therefore, I have not been confounded.

Therefore, I have set my face like a flint,

    and I know that I won’t be disappointed.

8 He who justifies me is near.

    Who will bring charges against me?

Let us stand up together.

    Who is my adversary?

    Let him come near to me.

9 Behold, Hashem Adonai will help me!

    Who is he who will condemn me?

Behold, they will all grow old like a garment.

    The moths will eat them up.

10 Who among you fears Hashem

    and obeys the voice of his servant?

He who walks in darkness

    and has no light,

let him trust in Hashem’s name,

    and rely on his Elohim.

11 Behold, all you who kindle a fire,

    who adorn yourselves with torches around yourselves,

walk in the flame of your fire,

    and among the torches that you have kindled.

You will have this from my hand:

    you will lie down in sorrow.

51:1 “Listen to me, you who follow after righteousness,

    you who seek Hashem.

Look to the rock you were cut from,

    and to the quarry you were dug from.

2 Look to Abraham, your father,

    and to Sarah who bore you;

for when he was but one I called him,

    I blessed him,

    and made him many.

3 For Hashem has comforted Zion.

    He has comforted all her waste places,

    and has made her wilderness like Eden,

    and her desert like the garden of Hashem.

Joy and gladness will be found in them,

    thanksgiving, and the voice of melody.

Today’s Haftarah Meditation:

I think Hashem is talking to His people in exile. He speaks something very profound in verse 23, “Those who wait for Me shall not be disappointed.” We can only imagine how the Israelites felt as they were exiled to other countries. Would they ever be able to return? Hashem speaks to Isaiah, encouraging him and the people. He says to wait, and you won’t be disappointed. It’s hard to wait, isn’t it? Even for small things. Being in exile is huge. Look at the almost 2,000 years that the Jewish people had to wait to regain their country, Israel. Did they ever give up, or did they continue and believe, “Next year Jerusalem”? And finally it happened. Right after World War 2 and the horrific Holocaust, Israel became a nation. They waited and were not disappointed. The same goes for us. Wait and be patient. He will deliver.

Today’s Haftarah Challenge:

Isn’t it comforting in verse 16, “Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of My hands.” Our names are on His hands. He hasn’t forgotten us. He literally holds us in His hands. Isn’t that a calming thought? My challenge today is to take some time to think about this. Think about how you are held by Him, and you need not worry about what is concerning you. Try to put your 100% trust in Him. Not only about your present concern, but about everything. Remember, He loves us so much. And we love Him.

Ekev - Day #6

Ekev עֵקֶב - As a Result  

Torah Portion: Deuteronomy 7:12-11:25

Deuteronomy 11:10–21

11:10 For the land, where you go in to possess isn’t like the land of Egypt that you came out of, where you sowed your seed and watered it with your foot, as a garden of herbs; 11 but the land that you go over to possess is a land of hills and valleys which drinks water from the rain of the sky, 12 a land which Hashem your Elohim cares for. Hashem, your Elohim’s eyes are always on it, from the beginning of the year, even to the end of the year. 13 It shall happen, if you shall listen diligently to My commandments which I command you today, to love Hashem your Elohim, and to serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul, 14 that I will give the rain for your land in its season, the early rain and the latter rain, that you may gather in your grain, your new wine, and your oil. 15 I will give grass in your fields for your livestock, and you shall eat and be full. 16 Be careful, lest your heart be deceived, and you turn away to serve other gods and worship them; 17 and Hashem’s anger be kindled against you, and He shut up the sky so that there is no rain, and the land doesn’t yield its fruit; and you perish quickly from off the good land which Hashem gives you. 18 Therefore, you shall lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul. You shall bind them for a sign on your hand, and they shall be for frontlets between your eyes. 19 You shall teach them to your children, talking of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. 20 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates; 21 that your days and your children’s days may be multiplied in the land which Hashem swore to your fathers to give them, as the days of the heavens above the earth.

Today’s Meditation:

Do you want to take care of your own property (land) or would you prefer Hashem to care for it? In today's verses 11 and 12, we learn that the Israelites will not have to tend the Land of Israel; Hashem Himself will bring rain from the sky and take care of it. But, there is always a contingency. And that is obedience to His commandments. We read about this in verses 13 and 14, “It shall happen, if you shall listen diligently to My commandments which I command you today, to love Hashem your Elohim, and to serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul,  that I will give the rain for your land in its season, the early rain and the latter rain, that you may gather in your grain, your new wine, and your oil.” It is always His agreement with us to obey and be blessed, or disobey and not be blessed. When Adam and Eve did not follow Hashem’s commands in the garden, they were not blessed and had to leave the presence of Elohim. I don’t think we really realize that when we sin, there are consequences. Yes, we repent and make things right, but there will still be a form of punishment or a withdrawal of blessing. If you are reading this, then you have already experienced it.

Today’s Challenge:

The challenge today is to examine your life. Clean up your “garden” and ask Hashem to tend to it now. You could pray something like this, “Hashem, I love you so much. I am very sorry for disobeying your commandment of ___________. Please forgive me. I will try to make things right, but I need your help. Will you please assist me in living the pure and holy life? Will you please teach me your ways? Will you please put mentors and Godly people in my life to associate with? Thank you, Hashem. Amen.” You want His rain in your garden, not water from the well that man has dug.