Nitzavim-Vayelech
Deuteronomy 29:9-31:30
Reading #3: Deuteronomy 30:7-14
My Thoughts:
Verse 8, “You shall return and obey Hashem’s voice…”. What are we returning from? It is simple. We are returning to Him from a godless, disobedient and rebellious life. We are returning to spiritual things that are wonderful, from a dark, callous world. We are returning to the Light from the darkness of evil. We must try and remember that He has so much and IS so much, and the earthly life we live is so selfish. We must make an effort every day to return to Him in all we do. To love Him with our whole heart and soul and strength. There is no other way to live. Amen.
Challenge:
To continue my thoughts above, in verse 10 we read we are to return to Hashem with “all your heart and with all your soul”. This is not just being flippant about how we serve Him -- but intentional. It is giving Him ALL we have within us! That’s the challenge today. Think about how you can give Hashem “your whole heart and soul”. Not just part of it, but all of it! Then we have the greatest blessing of all -- “Hashem will again rejoice over you for good”. Can you even begin to imagine what it means for Hashem, the Elohim of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob to rejoice over us? What does that look like? Does He smile or sing, does He speak kind words about us? Whatever He does, we look forward to being able to receive it. And we will do our part to follow Torah to the best of our ability. In every minute of every day. Amen.
Reading #3: Deuteronomy 30:7-14
7 Hashem your Elohim will put all these curses on your enemies and on those who hate you, who persecuted you. 8 You shall return and obey Hashem's voice, and do all His commandments which I command you today. 9 Hashem your Elohim will make you prosperous in all the work of your hand, in the fruit of your body, in the fruit of your livestock, and in the fruit of your ground, for good; for Hashem will again rejoice over you for good, as He rejoiced over your fathers, 10 if you will obey Hashem your Elohim’s voice, to keep His commandments and His statutes which are written in this book of the law; if you turn to Hashem your Elohim with all your heart and with all your soul.
11 For this commandment which I command you today is not too hard for you or too distant. 12 It is not in heaven, that you should say, “Who will go up for us to heaven, bring it to us, and proclaim it to us, that we may do it?” 13 Neither is it beyond the sea, that you should say, “Who will go over the sea for us, bring it to us, and proclaim it to us, that we may do it?” 14 But the word is very near to you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may do it.