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Scroll to Scroll:

Todays Parsha #50: Ki Tavo (When you enter)

WARNING!
This is a broadcast of the Emergency Torah System.
The Torah teachers in your area, in voluntary cooperation with Abba YHWH and
His Covenant Law, have developed this notification to keep you informed in the
event of a Torah emergency. Had this been an actual disaster however, I wouldnt
be here talking to you but would be with my family!

Butyou are now entering the last NORMAL Parsha before the Happy Madness of
a Double Parsha Next Week and Yom Teruah in the week after that kicks off the
Fall Feasts! Expect the unexpected! This is NOT a drill! We now return you to your
regularly scheduled parsha.


Note: Please see special Musical Bonus Video and MP3 (streaming) Recording of
Say Youll Write that Gospel, Levi!

(I TOLD you to expect the unexpected!)

Special Teaching, Moedim/Tishri 2014 Schedule
For more information, please see the 2014 Calendar under Other Resources and then
Calendar Tab. This schedule will be in the Notes throughout the Set-Apart season.
(Bonus Audio, Video and Written Teachings Will be Available for the Following):

Nitzvaim-Vayelech (#51-52) Parashot Sunset Fri Sept 19-Sunset Sat Sept 20
Yom Teruah/Rosh Hashanna Sunset Wed Sept 24-Sunset Thu Sept 25
Fast of Gedaliah/Haazinu (#53) Parsha Sunset Fri Sept 26-Sunset Sat Sept 27
Yom Kippur (25 hour fast thru Shabbat) Sunset Fri Oct 3-Sunset Sat Oct 4
Sukkot (1
st
day) Sunset Wed Oct 8-Sunset Thu Oct 9
Sukkot (2
nd
day) Sunset Thu Oct 9-Sunset Fri Oct 10
Shabbat Middle of Sukkot/Chol HaMoed Sunset Fri Oct 10-Sunset Sat Oct 11
Shemini Etzeret/Simchat Torah Sunset Wed Oct 15-Sunset Thu Oct 16
(Those outside of Israel have Shemini Etzeret and Simchat Torah on the same day.
Includes last parsha, #54, VeZot Ha-Berachah, or The Blessing of the Tribes)

Simchat Torah (I srael based only) Sunset Thu Oct 16-Sunset Fri Oct 17
(Same readings as those who celebrated yesterday outside of the Land.)

Return to First Parsha, Bereshit Sunset Fri Oct 17-Sunset Sat Oct 18

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PART 1: THE LAST AND CURRENT TORAH PORTIONS

ANSWERS TO LAST WEEKS STUDY QUESTIONS (Ki Teze):

1) Is there a difference in meaning between the GEDILIM mentioned here and the
TZIT-TZIT?

GEDILIM means twisted threads and is also derived from ancient
Aramaic that refers to a cord or rope. The threads though, once twisted become
TZIT-TZIT or a TASSEL or a lock. GEDILIM describes the raw material and
TZIT-TZIT describes the finished product along with the TEKHELET, or blue
thread.

2) How are these terms carried over into the Aramaic NT?

5 And they do all their deeds that they might be seen by the sons of men. For
they widen their Tefillin
210
and lengthen the Tekhelet
211
of their robes.



The words Tefillin and Tekhelet are carried over intact. However as Paul
Younan rightly points out

211) The "ribbon of blue" of the "tzitzit" (fringes), as commanded in Num.
15:38. "Tekhelet" can also refer to tzitzit, or even the whole prayer shawl/talit.
(PY)

3) One of the biggest mistranslation errors in the Greek NT is revealed where in this
Torah portion? (If you have a valid answer other than the one I have in mind trust
me I am grateful for another proverbial arrow in my quiver!)

My answer is Deuteronomy 23:1:

'A man whose testicles have been crushed or whose male member has been
cut off must not be admitted to the assembly of Yahweh. (Deuteronomy 23:1
NJB)

But Acts 8:27 in the Greek reads.

27
So he set off on his journey. Now an Ethiopian had been on pilgrimage to
Jerusalem; he was a eunuch and an officer at the court of the kandake, or queen, of
Ethiopia; he was her chief treasurer. (Acts 8:27 NJB)

The Greek word NJB uses as PILGRIMAGE actually means to prostrate,
worship, bow down, so this means the EUNUCH went to the Templethats
the only place you COULD worship in Jerusalem! But a EUNUCH was not
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allowed to do this at all, and Isaiah tells us this also

3
No foreigner adhering to Yahweh should say, 'Yahweh will utterly exclude me
from his people.' No eunuch should say, 'Look, I am a dried-up tree.'
4
For
Yahweh says this: To the eunuchs who observe my Sabbaths and choose to do
my good pleasure and cling to my covenant,
5
I shall give them in my house and
within my walls a monument and a name better than sons and daughters; I shall
give them an everlasting name that will never be effaced.
6
As for foreigners who
adhere to Yahweh to serve him, to love Yahweh's name and become his servants,
all who observe the Sabbath, not profaning it, and cling to my covenant:
7
these I
shall lead to my holy mountain and make them joyful in my house of prayer.
Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on my altar, for my house
will be called a house of prayer for all peoples. (Isaiah 56:3-7 NJB)

The confusion came from mistranslating one Aramaic word

96) The Aramaic word "mhymna" can mean either "believer" or

"eunuch." Greek versions mistranslate this as "eunuch" instead of the more
contextually correct "believer." (PY)

4) If you know the answer to #3, what other detail in this passage of Scripture helps
better explain why the mistranslation occurred?

Simply because the Ethiopians have a very ancient form of Judaism. They were
most likely taught the faith around 650 BCE by kohenim that escaped Jerusalem
under the tyrannical reign of Manasseh. In the 1980s
Israel recognized the Ethiopians as having the oldest and ONLY form of Judaism
that has survived intact from the time of the Second Temple at least. In the first
century, these believers would have made the Pharisees look liberal by
comparison, hence believer is very appropriate.

5) We all know that Yshua comments on Deuteronomy 24:1-4 which reads:

Suppose a man has taken a wife and consummated the marriage; but she has not pleased him
and he has found some impropriety of which to accuse her; he has therefore made out a writ
of divorce for her and handed it to her and then dismissed her from his house; she leaves
his home and goes away to become the wife of another man. Then suppose this second
man who has married her takes a dislike to her and makes out a writ of divorce for her
and hands it to her and dismisses her from his house or if this other man who took her as
his wife dies, her first husband, who has repudiated her, may not take her back as his wife
now that she has been made unclean in this way. For that is detestable in Yahweh's eyes
and you must not bring guilt on the country which Yahweh your God is giving you as
your heritage. (Deuteronomy 24:1-4 NJB)

However, my question is about the OTHER place in the NT this issue is raised. In this
case I am going for something very specific that is the direct cause of the death of a
major NT figure. Who is this person and why did this rule cause his/her death?
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The answer is Yochanan the Immerser, because Herod Antipas had married his
brother Phillips wife Herodias while Phillip was still alive.
This rule in the Torah said that Herod was sinning, and if he followed the
Immersers advice, he would have to send Herodias away and her first husband
Phillip would be forbidden from taking her back, leaving her destitute and a soiled
woman that no one would touch. That is the real reason that Herodias demanded the
Immersers death, so that Herod would not put her out of the house. Josephus
though tells us that later
Herodias scheming got the royal couple into major trouble with the
Emperor Caligula, a man not exactly known for being merciful.

AND NOW FOR THIS WEEKS PORTION

1) Meaning of this weeks Torah portion and summary of contents:

Ki Tavo means when you enter and begins with a variety of agricultural
regulations that take effect once Israel has entered Canaan. Other regulations, such as
that of tithing, are further instituted in the 26
th
chapter. 26 also contains a veiled
rebuke from Moshe to the previous generation as he points out how good the land
was, just as Abba YHWH commanded but this was not accepted as fact by Israel. As
27 opens, the Israelites will then hurl blessings from Mount Gerizim and curses from
Ebal, as we spoke at length about earlier. The curses are, for the most part a re-
statement of the prohibitions in the Ten Commandments. The blessings for obedience
then follow suit in chapter 28 and a very extensive category of curses for
disobedience follows for the rest of that chapter. Chapter 29 begins with Moshe on a
hopeful note, restating how Abba YHWH has been with them all even while being
chastised, to get ready for this great moment of entering the Promised Land.

2) Parsha (English-Deuteronomy 26:1-29:8. This week we will read the entire
portion.)

3) Play by Play commentary where appropriate.

Vehayah ki-tavo el-ha'arets asher Yahweh Eloheycha noten lecha nachalah
virishtah veyashavta bah.

Velakachta mereshit kol-peri ha'adamah asher tavi me'artsecha asher
Yahweh Eloheycha noten lach vesamta vatene vehalachta el-hamakom asher
yivchar Yahweh Eloheycha leshaken shmo sham.

4) Point out key Hebrew words/terms. Color Commentary:


NUACH (26:4) = set it down, place. However, others think the basket is to be
WAVED based on this same word. Bibleort.org explains:

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Some say that at this point the basket is placed before the altar, and then it is put down a
second time as mentioned in Deuteronomy 26:10 (Sifri; Midrash HaGadol; Rash,
Bikkurim 3:6; Abarbanel). Others translate 'place' here as 'wave' (Sukkah 47b) and render
the verse, 'The priest shall take the basket ... and wave it before the altar ...' (cf. Tosafoth,
Makkoth 18b, s.v. U'Man). Or, 'The priest shall then wave the basket from your hand, and
before placing it before the altar ... (26:5) you shall make the following declaration
(Tosefoth Yom Tov, Bikkurim 3:6; cf. Yad, Bikkurim 3:12). Or, 'Before the priest takes
the basket from your hand and places it before the altar ...

(26:5) you shall make the following declaration' (Shenoth Eliahu, Bikkurim 3:6).

My personal opinion is that the word is PLACE after all. NUACH suggests NOACH
(comfort, peace, serenity, like Noah) and therefore a settled place where it can peacefully
rest.

ABAD ARAMMI (26:5) = wandering Aramean. The word ABAD also can mean
lost or perishing or by extension, destroyed. Some have posited that because
Yshua used this exact same word in Matthew 10:6 and elsewhere for the tribes of
Israel that the tribes were DESTROYED. However, this makes no sense because
Yshua says he IS SENT TO THEM (in the PRESENT tense) and it makes no sense for
him to be sent to those who no longer exist because they are forever extinct.

Yaakov certainly was not DESTROYED in this verse of the Torah! Other rabbis would
suggest the father or ancestor being mentioned was Abraham and not Jacob because
Abraham was born in Ur and he also went down to Egypt for a time.
However, I still believe Jacob is being referenced here.

MORAH (26:8) = terror. However, some argue that visions is the better and more
accurate rendering. We get terror in the sense that the visions are awe-inspiring,
showing the absolute power of YHWH, and therefore terrifying as the Israelites were
when YHWH first spoke to them and they only wanted to hear Moshe speak instead. I
think terror is just fine.

VESAMACHTA VECHOL HA-TOV ASHER NATAN LECHA YAHWEH
ELOHEYCHA ULEVEYTECHA ATA VE-HA-LEVI VE-HA-GER ASHER
BIKIRBECHA (26:11) = and rejoice all of you in the good that Yahweh your Elohim
has given you in your midst (whether) you are a Levite or a proselyte. The rabbis teach
that if the proselyte (or ger) mentioned here is circumcised then he can make this
statement just as much as a Levite can, since he has gone from being only a descendant
of Noah to being a spiritual descendant of Abraham. The wording strongly suggests
native Israelites, Levites and proselytes all brought the same offering.

AVEN (26:14) =mourning. However, this word can refer to distress, strife and other
general travails in life. The wider message is that no matter what life throws at you, you
are still meant to keep the Torah.


SHMAYIM (26:15) = heaven, possibly from the word SHAM (there) and so heaven is
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what, by definition, is not already here. Others think it derives from SHAMAM or un-
imaginable, but I have no firm ruling on which is right, if any.

HAYOM HAZEH YAHWEH ELOHEYCHA METSAVECHA LAASOT EL-HA-
CHUKIM HA-ELEH VEET HA-MISHPATIM VE-SHAMARTA VEASITA OTAM
BE-CHOL LEVAVCHA UVE-CHOL NAPHSHECHA (26:16) = This day Yahweh
your Elohim is commanding you to obey all these rules and laws. You must carefully
keep them with all your heart and with all your soul. The phrase HAYOM HAZEH tells
us that all the commands Moshe has given have taken place on the same day, which must
be 1 Shevat (Deuteronomy 1:3), the day he dies. This is the conclusion of the second of
three farewell addresses Moshe will give before ascending Mount Nebo before sunset.
Also see the phrase repeated in 26:18. He is essentially recapping speech 2 and getting
ready for speech 3.

ELYON (26:19) = in the highest. This is maybe the only timeat least that I am aware
ofthat this attribute of YHWH as enshrined in a title (El Elyon)is applied to men.

AVANIM GADOLOT (27:2) = great stones. Similar to the 12 stones erected by
Moshe. Some authorities (Abarbanel) think these represent a kind of giant mezuzah for
the Land. According to Josephus, the Egyptians spun a story that Moshe was a priest
astronomer at Heliopolis and that these pillars were to serve as what we call gnomons,
or structures that cast the shadow of the noon time sun to determine the time of summer
and winter solstices. I should point out that Josephus himself doesnt like this story at
all, but I believe it is possible this is what Moshe did before Abba YHWH called him.

VECHATAVA ALEYHEN ET-KOL DIVREY HA-TORAH HAZOT (27:3) = And
then when you cross over, you shall write on them all the words of this Torah. This line
suggests the inauguration of the first generation of scribesmen other than Moshe who
are copying down the Torah instructions as they are given.

BAER HATEV (27:8) = clear script. From Bibleort.org: clear script
(Ibn Ezra; Septuagint); cf. Habakkuk 2:2. Ba'er Hetiv in Hebrew. Or, 'in clear language'
(Targum; Radak, Sherashim; cf. 1:5), indicating that the Torah was written on the stones in
70 languages (Sotah 32b; Targum Yonathan; Rashi). Some say that the stones were
plastered, inscribed, replastered and then inscribed again (Malbim).

HAYOM HAZEH NIHEYETAH LEAM LYAHWEH ELOHEYCHA (27:9) = This day
you have become a nation to Yahweh your Elohim. Now that they have heard most of the
rules, they are ready to be sealed into covenant, though obviously more instructions are still
to come.

VAYETSAV MOSHE ET-HA-AM BA-YOM HAHU LEMOR (27:10) = And Moshe
charged the people on that day saying. So here is the start of part 3, again on the same
day as the rest of Deuteronomy that has already passed.

AL HAR GRIZIM (27:12) = on (or near) Mount Gerizim. If the text said BEHAR
GRIZIM, it would definitely mean on or by as in at the base of the mountain. AL
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HAR GRIZIM is a more broad term that can refer to that or simply being in close
(visual?) proximity of the mountain.

KOL RAM (27:14) = loud voice, but literally, great exalted voice. RAM is
exalted as it is in Abrams name (exalted father).

ARUR LOKEACH SHOCHAD LEHKOT NEFESH DAM NAKI VEAMAR KOL
HAAM AMAYN (27:25) = cursed is he is accepts gifts/bribes to strike down an
innocent man and all the people say Amen. This is a prophecy about Yshua. Yehudah
the traitor got 30 pieces of silver to hand Yshua over and he got struck down or killed.

ARUR ASHER LO-YAKIM ET-DIVREY HA-TORAH HA-ZOT LA-ASOT
OLAM VEAMAR KOL HA-AM AMEN (27:26) = cursed is he who doesnt
keep all the words in this Torah and the people will say Amen. So this is a
command to keep the whole Torah to avoid a curse, not to become cursed for
keeping, as Christianity often teaches.

QUM (27:26) = confirm, but literally, uphold, establish. This same word, in another
conjugation can mean to resurrect or literally, to stand up again. It is also used by the
apostle Paul in Romans 3:31, to QYAMINA or establish the Torah

31 Do, we then nullify Torah by faith? May it never be! On the contrary, we establish
Torah.


VEHOTIRCHA YAHWAY LETOVAH (28:11) = YHWH will give you good things, or
great surplus. The verbal form of TOV though indicates will allow you to survive well.

LEROSH VELO LEZANAV (28:13) = literally, a head and not a tail. Idiomatically, a
leader and never a follower.

MERAH (28:20) = frustration or attrition, whereby ones strength is drained slowly
over a long period of time.

MEHUMA (28:20) = confusion, but also can mean restlessness or not being able to
focus.

MEGERETH (28:20) = frustration, or guilt feelings.

AZ PANIM (28:50) = Literally, fierce faced, meaning haughty, arrogant.

VENEEMANIM (28:60) = and will be relentless. However, the literal reading is
and will be faithful, which is to say Abba YHWHs punishments are as reliable
and trustworthy as His blessings are.

VEHESHIVCHA YAHWEH ELOHIM MITZRAYIM BAONYOT (28:68) = And
Yahweh Elohim will bring you back to Egypt in ships. This is the majority
readinghowever it is possible the phrase ONYOT (Oni) means pain, such as when
Rachel wanted to name her son Ben-Oni, son of my pain. So an alternate reading is
bring you back to Egypt in your pains/misery, which may in fact make a little more
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sense since the Israelites generally did not use ships, except for one reference to the tribe
of Dan in Judges.

HAMASOT HA-GEDOLOT (29:3) = The great miracles. MASOT actually means
deeds or works rather than miracles directly. The same Hebrew word forms the
name for the 5
th
book of the NTThe ACTS of the Apostles.

Torah Question of the Week:
What detail about the role of evil is in this portion that seems at odds with
other descriptions of evil but really isnt?

END PART 1



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PART 2: THE HAFTORAH

Torah Question of the Week:
What detail about the role of evil is in this portion that seems at odds with
other descriptions of evil but really isnt?

In other sections of Scripture, evil is put under the dominion of Satan to tempt
and to administer. Here though YHWH says He will visit curses on Israel for
their disobedience. In Isaiah He says I form the light and create the darkness,
I bring prosperity and disaster (paraphrasing). In the book of Job Satan does
cause evil but only with YHWHs express permission at every step of the way.

These things are not contradictory. The only difference is that Satan later on
decides he doesnt need to check in with YHWH for permission but
nevertheless he is still subject to what YHWH allows him to do.

1) Haftorah portion (English- Isaiah 60:1-22) and discuss common themes with
the Torah portion.

Kumi ori ki va orech uchevod Yahweh alayich zarach.

Ki-hineh hachoshech yechaseh-erets va'arafel le'umim ve'alayich
yizrach Yahweh uchevodo alayich yera'eh.

Vehalchu goyim le'orech umelachim lenogah zarchech.

Se'i-saviv eynayich ure'i kulam nikbetsu va'u-lach banayich
merachok yavo'u uvenotayich al-tsad te'amanah.

2) Our linguistic commentary

QUMI ORI (60:1) = rise, shine. Alternate meanings from the roots:
MY RESURRECTION, MY LIGHT.

KASEH (60:2) cover. The darkness is total and shrouds the earth. Therefore
this word cannot be usedas some think it is in Psalm 81:3to refer to a full
moon. It is instead a DARK or COVERED moon, which tells us the definition
of a new moon in ancient Israel and it wasnt the waxing crescent.

SABIB (60:4) = round about. The motion of lifting up your eyes here is the
same description of the camps below Sinai when the Ten Commandments are
being given. They camped AROUND the base of the mountain.

DOR VDOR (60:15) = generation to generation. DOR is more broad though as
a cycle of time. It can mean a century100 yearsas when Abraham is told his
people will return to Canaan from Egypt after 4 dor, interpreted clearly as 400
years. DOR also points to indefinite periods of time from one redemption period
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to another. This is the context of this line and the following one.

ELEPH (60:22) = clan, but literally one thousand indicating how numerous
Israel is meant to be if the smallest ONLY add up to that number.

3) Renewed Covenant portion: (English). Matthew 13:1-23 (all the way through
with applicable footnotes.)

Matthew 13:2

Both traditional Jewish and Christian folklore teaches that very few Jews
accepted Yshua as Mashiyach, which is an absolute falsehood. Both Scriptural
and historical records indicate that multitudes of Jews favored Yshuas
message and what he offered, over the traditional religions of the day. A survey
of Jews in America in the 1990s showed that 1 in 6 Jews believed Jesus to
either be the Mashiyach or a good Jew who embarrassed the establishment.

Matthew 13:11

Mystery of the Kingdom of Heaven is the spiritual nature of Mashiyach
revealed throughout the Tanakh and NT, it relates to the spiritual man more than
a consciousness of knowing about Heaven or salvation. In Proverbs it is
revealed; For the obstinate are an abomination to YHWH: but His secret (sod)
is with the righteous (Pro_3:32), the secret is the power of spiritual life within
the Kingdom of Heaven. Have you heard the mystery (sod) of Elohim?
(Job_15:8) The mystery of Elohim denotes the nature of Mashiyach and
righteousness within the inner man. Surely Elohim YHWH will do nothing, but
that He reveals His secret (sod) to His servants the prophets (Amo_3:7);
YHWH reveals future events from the spiritual to natural worlds with those who
pursue righteousness. The mystery unfolds when one realizes that; I form the
light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create calamity: I YHWH do all
these things (Isa_45:7). The word sod is also repeatedly used by Paul
through its Aramaic synonym and cognate araza (e.g. 1Co_15:51). It is the
highest level of interpretation of Scripture (PaRDeS).

The word pardes literally means paradise or orchard; the latter harking
back to the primordial Garden of Eden. But it also is an acrostic, meaning this
word is derived from the first letters of each word in a phrase. In this case
PRDS comes from pshat (plain meanings of Scripture), remez (hints of
deeper meanings in words of a scriptural passage), drash (comparisons of
places in Scripture where the word/concept is used) and, of course, sod. The
idea is that if you can find and enter (apply) all the levels of meaning in
Scripture you can attain Paradise.

The believer understands that cerebral knowledge is nothing without applied
faith as manifested through obedience and good works. By entering into
Mashiyach and observing Torah the new spiritual man differentiates the things
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of the Kingdom of Heaven from the religious masks that obscure the hidden
spirituality of Mashiyach. Most importantly however is the absolute command
that these steps be taken one at a time and in their proper order. If we skip a
step or downplay intermediate steps in our studies, the end result will be
confusion and error. This is why the Rabbis limited the study of the mystical
traditions to those 40 years old and older, and even then, they were required to
have special rabbinic training from a very young age to qualify.

Such also explains this warning from the Jewish historian Philo (ca. 20 BCE to
50 CE) who wrote: The sacred and mystic statements about the one uncreated
Being, and about his powers, ought to be kept secret; since it does not belong to
everyone to keep the deposit of divine mysteries properly.(Sacrifices of Abel
and Cain, 1:60-C.D. Yonge translation). Please see footnotes Rom_12:2;
Rom_16:24, 1Co_2:14, Col_2:2; Col_4:12.

4) Highlight common themes in Aramaic (terms in footnotes which I will read):

5) Apply these themes/issues to modern issues in the Netzari faith. (YHWH
hopes that all of will bear fruit and do many wonderful faith based deeds for
the Kingdom. He has invested in us, literally, having bought us for a dear
price, which is the price of His Son Yshua dying for us.)

6) Relate to all or part of an Appendix portion of AENT or footnotes from a
portion (Dispersion p. 767-770excerpts only).


STUDY QUESTIONS TO BE ANSWERED NEXT WEEK FOR
THIS PORTION:

1) What is the difference between the phrase land of Canaan and land
flowing with milk and honey?

2) Where did we encounter the family line of Islams founder this week?

3) If you know the answer to #2, how does Abba YHWH feel about this lineage?

4) Wild card question (not necessarily from this portion): One of Moshes
direct descendants may have gone into paganism but this was partially
covered up by the Masoretic scribes who compiled the traditional text.
Where is this clue and how do we understand this cover ups reasoning?

5) How does the Parable of the Sower contain a clue about the giving of the
Ten Commandments and the events that followed?


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Torah Thought for the Week:
We Have Met the Enemy, and He is Us!

Much of this current portion deals with blessings for obedience and curses for
disobedience. When we look at the long history of Israel, we see a people fraught with
conflict and heartbreak. As our studies progress, the usual suspects emerge from the
mists of history. We remember Balaam and Balaak, Dathan and Korah, Haman and
Hitler. Our hearts of course always reside with Israel because the promises Abba
YHWH made to themsee Romans 11are irrevocable. Thats the good news.
However, the not-so-good news is that the greatest enemy of Israel often goes
unnoticed and is never called into account. How can this be, you ask? The answer is
simple: We have met Israels greatest enemy, and he is us!

Now, I dont mean that we intend these bad things to happen to Israelthat we are
secretly plotting behind her back. Heaven forbid! Rather, all of us, as members of
Israel can, if we are not careful, become her greatest enemy. How is this possible?
Lets read what the Scripture says:

'But if you do not obey the voice of Yahweh your God, and do not keep and
observe all his commandments and laws which I am laying down for you today
then all these curses will befall and overtake you. 'You will be accursed in the
town and accursed in the countryside; accursed, your basket and your kneading
trough; accursed, the offspring of your body, the yield of your soil, the young of
your cattle and the increase of your flock. You will be accursed in coming
home, and accursed in going out. 'Yahweh will send a curse on you, a spell, an
imprecation on all your labors until you have been destroyed and quickly perish,
because of your perverse behavior, for having deserted me. Yahweh will fasten
the plague on you, until it has exterminated you from the country which you are
about to enter and make your own. Yahweh will strike you down with
consumption, fever, inflammation, burning fever, drought, wind-blast, mildew,
and these will pursue you to your ruin.

The heavens above you will be brass, the earth beneath you iron. Your country's
rain Yahweh will turn into dust and sand; it will fall on you from the heavens
until you perish. Yahweh will have you defeated by your enemies; you will
advance on them from one direction and flee from them in seven; and you will
be a terrifying object-lesson to all the kingdoms of the world. Your carcass will
be carrion for all wild birds and all wild animals, with no one to scare them
away. 'Yahweh will strike you down with Egyptian ulcers, with swellings in the
groin, with scurvy and the itch, for which you will find no cure. Yahweh will
strike you down with madness, blindness, distraction of mind, until you grope
your way at noon like a blind man groping in the dark, and your steps will lead
you nowhere. 'You will never be anything but exploited and plundered, with no
one to save you.

Get engaged to a woman, another man will have her; build a house, you will not
live in it; plant a vineyard, you will not gather its first-fruits. Your ox will be
slaughtered before your eyes and you will eat none of it; your donkey will be
carried off in front of you and not be returned to you; your sheep will be given
to your enemies, and no one will come to your help. Your sons and daughters
will be handed over to another people, and every day you will wear your eyes
out watching for them, while your hands are powerless. (Deuteronomy 28:15-32
NJB)
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This is just a partial list, but I think the point is clear enough. If Israel obeys Abba
YHWH will make them prosper. If not, these and many other curses listed here and
elsewhere will attach themselves to Israel.

Take the Shabbat for example. Abba YHWH specifically says if we keep it, we will
ride the heights of the land and prosper and have rest from our enemies. If we break
it, the opposite applies. I have been in the Old City on Friday nights and can tell you,
the Shabbat is not universally kept. And outside the city, the country at large doesnt
rest at all.

Now why would this be the case? I think part of it is the old saw we keep hearing in the
Torah. Israel keeps saying they want to be like every other people, but Abba YHWH
keeps saying they are Set-Apart and meant to teach the rest of the world by example.
As long as Israel wants to be part of the current world system and denies her role as
changing that system, Abba YHWH says there will be the exact problems we are
seeing there today.

In short, Israels problems and Israels solutions reside in her peoples own hearts.
They can stop these disasters at any time. Their enemies mean NOTHING. Hamas,
Islamic Jihad, Neo Nazis, all the anti-semites in all of history do not have even a
fraction of a percentage point of power over Israel that Israel herself has over her
destiny.

Thats where we come in. Whether we are Jewish or not, whether we live in the Land
or not, we present that grass is greener on the other side to Israel and in our own
way convince many there that they need to be like us, rather than us striving to be like
them! As a result, Israels blessings get removedAbba YHWH said soand we
become co-dependent enablers of HER ENEMIES!

Again, I know none of us intends for this to be true. But the old adage born through
the pain of the Holocaust still applies: Evil prospers only when good people do
NOTHING. Thats right. You dont even have to do anything. All you have to do is
accept things as they are, talk about moral relativism or secular humanism. All you
have to do is do things to be popular and well liked. Embrace the status quo and tell
everyone that all moral choices are equally valid. Tell them there is no standard of
right and wrong but only what feels good to us and is pleasing in our eyes.

Then just walk around the planet from wherever you live and show Israel they can
keep being secular too. Hey, no problemdo what you like!it doesnt matter either
way in the end. Then Israel will still fail at Shabbat and her enemies will be invited
inunder Abba YHWHs CONTROLand havoc results.

Dont blame Israels official enemies either. They at least have been straight with us
about their intentions and objectives. They have said plainly they want to wipe the
Jewish state off the map and force every Jew either into exile or into the grave. You
cant blame them for being honestnot when we live in a democracy wherein theory
at leastall people can speak their minds regardless as to the reprehensibility of their
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content.

No, I cant blame terrorists for advocating violence. I can only do my part to prevent
or mitigate the damage. With fatwas religious rulings advocating our deaths
raining down upon from so many places, should we really be surprised when
something like a September 11
th
happens again? I dont think so.

Yshua warned us all NOT to be lukewarm, or he will vomit us out of his mouth. Do
not then stand on the sidelines and let all things happen. Show in YOUR WALK to
YHWH that you love Torah and the Jewish people. You want to support Israel? Show
them you keep Shabbat and the Great feasts. You want to stymie her enemiesstop
eating that pork and avoiding circumcision. You want to play your small but important
part in the Second Coming of Messiah? Show the bridegroom through YOUR
ACTIONS that the bride is ready so Yshua can come back SOON.

Its not just your soul and your share in eternal life on the line here. When you do what
Abba YHWH commands the life you save could very well be THEIRS.

Im Andrew Gabriel Roth and thats your Torah Thought for the Week!

Next week we will be exploring Nitzavim, or Deuteronomy 29:9-30:20 and Vayelech,
Deuteronomy 31:1-30. Our Haftorah portion will be Isaiah 61:1-63:9 and Hosea
14:1-10, and our Renewed Covenant portion will be Romans 9:30-10:13 and
Matthew 28:16-20.

Stay tuned for special Tishri content as our Sacred Seventh Month Festivities begin
at sunset on Wednesday, September 24th!