Va'etchanan וָאֶתְחַנַּן - Pleaded
Deuteronomy 3:23-7:11
Reading #6 - Deuteronomy 6:4–25
My Thoughts:
Today we read the “Shema” (hear). A prayer that is recited several times a day in Judaism and those of us who have attached to Israel. It is said that Jewish people would want this particular prayer on their lips when they die. It is the heart of Torah. We are to love and obey Hashem with everything we have and place His Torah on our heart. We are to teach it to our children so it continues on through the generations. We are to know that He is One, that there are no other gods. If we believe this, we will have life for eternity. If you haven’t already memorized this prayer both in English and Hebrew then I encourage you to do so today. Put it on a notecard by your bed and on your refrigerator and go over it repeatedly until you have it memorized. Continue to pray it daily. It will remind you who Hashem is and why you serve Him. Amen.
Challenge:
Are you looking for how to be holy and righteous before Hashem? We have the answer in verse 25, “It shall be righteousness to us, if we observe to do all these commandments before Hashem your Elohim, as He has commanded us.” Holiness is obeying His Commandments. To not do so is sin and unholiness. How can you say you are not sinning, unless you know what sin is? That is why we must “learn” and study Torah. Yes, many of the Commandments do not apply today because we do not have a Temple and we are not priests. But, many of them do apply and direct our lives. That is why we go through the portions every day. To learn what is sin and what is not sin. Your challenge today is to read and study the Torah portions every day. Learn Torah and do it -- so that you may have life!
Reading #6 - Deuteronomy 6:4–25
6:4 Hear, Israel: Hashem is our Elohim. Hashem is one. 5 You shall love Hashem your Elohim with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might. 6 These words, which I command you today, shall be on your heart; 7 and you shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise up. 8 You shall bind them for a sign on your hand, and they shall be for frontlets between your eyes. 9 You shall write them on the door posts of your house and on your gates.
10 It shall be, when Hashem your Elohim brings you into the land which he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give you, great and goodly cities which you didn’t build, 11 and houses full of all good things which you didn’t fill, and cisterns dug out which you didn’t dig, vineyards and olive trees which you didn’t plant, and you shall eat and be full; 12 then beware lest you forget Hashem, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. 13 You shall fear Hashem your Elohim; and you shall serve Him, and shall swear by His name. 14 You shall not go after other gods, of the gods of the peoples who are around you, 15 for Hashem your Elohim among you is a jealous Elohim, lest the anger of Hashem your Elohim be kindled against you, and He destroy you from off the face of the earth. 16 You shall not tempt Hashem your Elohim, as you tempted Him in Massah. 17 You shall diligently keep the commandments of Hashem your Elohim, and His testimonies, and His statutes, which He has commanded you. 18 You shall do that which is right and good in Hashem’s sight, that it may be well with you and that you may go in and possess the good land which Hashem swore to your fathers, 19 to thrust out all your enemies from before you, as Hashem has spoken.
20 When your son asks you in time to come, saying, “What do the testimonies, the statutes, and the ordinances, which Hashem your Elohim has commanded you mean?” 21 then you shall tell your son, “We were Pharaoh’s slaves in Egypt. Hashem brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand; 22 and Hashem showed great and awesome signs and wonders on Egypt, on Pharaoh, and on all his house, before our eyes; 23 and He brought us out from there, that He might bring us in, to give us the land which he swore to our fathers. 24 Hashem commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear Hashem your Elohim, for our good always, that He might preserve us alive, as we are today. 25 It shall be righteousness to us, if we observe to do all these commandments before Hashem your Elohim, as He has commanded us.”
