Beth Elohim Messianic Synagogue

WEEKLY PARSHA

Parsha #45: Deuteronomy [D'varim] Va'etchanan (I pleaded) 3:23-7:11

B’rit Hadashah: Mattityahu (Matthew) 4:1-11; 22:33-40; Mark 12:28-34; Luke 4:1-13; 10:25-37; Acts 13:13-43; Romans 3:27-31; I Timothy 2:4-6; Ya'akov (James) 2: 14-26

In this Parsha we see how Moshe pleads to no avail with YHVH to enter the Land. Moshe accepting his punishment prophesizes to the people that after they have been in the Land a long time they will be exiled, scattered among the nations, and be few in number because they become corrupt and worship idols. Moshe then calls upon the heavens and the earth to be witnesses that if B'nai Yisrael practices idol worship they will be thrown out of the Land. Within this bleak prophecy there is a ray of sunshine for he tells B'nai Yisrael that they will seek Elohim, and if they search with all their hearts and souls in the end of days they will return to YHVH and listen to His voice. Finally, Moshe tells them that they must obey YHVH's decrees and His commandments if they want to prolong their days in the Land that YHVH gives them, forever.

Moshe then sets aside three cities of refuge on the West Bank of the Jordan: Beltzer, Ramot, and Gilad. They are to be used by a person who accidentally kills another person.

Moshe repeats the Ten Commandments to the people:

1. I am you Elohim, Who took you out of Egypt, from slavery. YHVH is our Elohim, the first and the last, there is to be no other G-d before Him.

2. You shall not make images for worship

3. You shall not carry YHVH's name carelessly.

4. Keep Shabbat Holy and set-apart.

5. Honor your father and your mother.

6. You shall not murder.

7. You shall not commit adultery.

8. You shall not steal.

9. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

10. You shall not desire your neighbor's wife, his house, his field, his servants, his ox, his donkey, or anything that he owns.

Moshe recites the Sh'ma: "Hear Israel, YHVH our Elohim, YHVH is one, which is followed by the command to love YHVH "with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your resources (wealth)." Each person must teach the commandments to his children and keep the commandments day and night, wherever they go. Moshe tells the people if their child asks them, "What are the laws that YHVH commanded you?" They are to answer by saying, "We were slaves in Egypt, and YHVH took us out with a mighty hand and brought us to the Land He swore to our forefathers. And YHVH commanded us to obey the statutes, and to fear YHVH, so that it will be good with us all the days of our lives" Finally, Moshe tells B'nai Yisrael to put the Sh'ma in their tefilllin and in their mezuzot.

Moshe points out what will happen when B'nai Yisrael builds up the Land of Israel. Things will be good, and their cities and houses will be filled with wonderful food. They will forget that they did not build their houses and orchards by them selves. Moshe reminds us that it is YHVH Elohim who gives us everything and we must not forget Him in our plenty. Too often we leave YHVH out of the equation of our successes.

Moshe then tells B'nai Yisrael that although the seven nations who inhabit the Land are stronger than they, these nations will be no match for them for B'nai Yisrael is a chosen and holy people, chosen by YHVH Elohim. They are warned not to intermarry for if they do they will turn away from YHVH.

B'rit Chadasha:

Matthew 4:1-11.

In Matthew I want to consider verse 3. "And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of G-d, command that these stones be made bread." This theologically important Messianic Scripture (NT) term can mean:

1. A G-dly person (without divine or supernatural attributes)

2. The special one sent by YHVH

3. The son of YHVH in the flesh, as described in chapters 1-2 of Matthew.

4. A human whose presence on earth required a special creative act of YHVH, like either Adam or Yahshua, who is called "the second Adam."

5. Yahshua who in his earthly lifetime could relate to YHVH as his personal Father, calling Him "Abba."

6. The "divine", eternally existent individual or Word -Manifested Torah who always has and always will be within the inner "structure" of YHVH Elohim, and in that structure which is the One Elohim, is in his essence the Son in both equal and subsidiary relationship with the Father.

In this section from the mouth of hasatan it probably carries all six meanings. The Tanakh says little explicitly about these things, yet it does offer strong m'razim (hints). Isaiah 9:5-6; Micah 5:1; Psalm 2:7; Proverbs 30:4 and Daniel 7:13 sheds light on this subject. In ancient Jewish literature Enoch 105:2 and Ezra 7:28-29, 13:32-52, 14:9 refer to the Messiah as the Son of YHVH.

Mark 12:28-34

In this portion I want to consider verse 28.

28 And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all?

Which is the most important commandment? What the Scribe is asking is really "what is the most basic principle, the one on which the rest of the Torah depends?"

Verse 29 where Yahshua cites the central affirmation of Judaism He tells us! But, I want to show you something else and that is how the Talmud epitomizes (summarizes) the Torah.

"Rabbi Simlai, said, "Six hundred thirteen commandments were given to Moshe-365 negative, equaling the number of days in a year, and 248 positive, equaling the number of a man's members. David came and reduced them to eleven (Psalm 15). Then Isaiah reduced them to six (Isaiah 33:15-16), Micha three (Micha 6:8). And Isaiah again to two, as it is said, "Keep judgment and do righteousness" (Isaiah 66:1). Then Amos reduced them to one, "Seek me and live" (Amos 5:4). Or one could say Habakkuk: "the righteous shall live by faith." (Habakkuk 2:4) [Makkot 23b-24a]

Also in verse 29 I'd like to point out that in the NT, Yahshua affirms that G-d in One. This goes back to the section in Matthew we just considered. So how can G-d be the Father, the Son, and the Ruach HaKodesh? Doesn't that make three? I already spoke on the remez (hint) given in Torah, but here I want you to consider another hint in the Sh'ma. Deu. 6:4 that Yahshua is reciting. Notice there is a triple reference to G-d here, Adonai, Eloheynu, Adonai, and then there is the word Echad meaning unity or one. Elsewhere in Torah Elohim speaks of Himself in the plural as in Gen. 1:26. Now how does Yahshua summarize or epitomize the Torah.

29 And Yahshua answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our G-d is one Lord:

30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy G-d with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.

31 And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.

What does this mean to you? That you can make your own standards of conduct or does it mean that to love YHVH we must learn what His standards for us are? If we love Him we want to know what He has written to us, how He has instructed us, and we want this intimate knowledge of Him regardless of the investment required of our energy and strength with all our soul, mind, and love..

Halftarah: Yesha'yahu (Isaiah) 40:1-26

This is the first of the seven "prophecies of comfort" read between the Fast of the Ninth of Av and Rosh Hashanah. Our Halftarah begins with the words, "You should be comforted, you should be comforted my nation." It talks of the bright future for which B'nai Yisrael are destined.

Things to think about:

1. The commandment not to subtract anything from YHVH's Torah is understood, but why are we also prohibited from adding to them?

2. There are subtle differences between the Ten Commandments in this Parsha and the way they are explained in Shemot (Exodus) 20:1-20. What do you think these differences come to tell us?

3. Which is better to love YHVH or to be in awe of Him. Why?

4. Moshe tells the nation not to test YHVH like they did in Masa. How did B'nai test YHVH there? See Shemot 17: 1-7.

5. Why do you think the Sh'ma, sometimes referred to as "the martyr's prayer," plays a central role in Judaism? What are the elements of belief that make up this verse?

Sages Wisdom:

"And love your Elohim …with all your heart." (6:5)

Rashi explains that it means to love YHVH with the Yetzer tov, "the good inclination" and the Yetzer ha'ra, "the evil inclination. How can one love YHVH with the evil inclination? When we can admit that we have sinned against YHVH Elohim and don't try to justify our evil actions, then we love YHVH through our evil inclinations.

Va'et'hanan is always read on the Shabbat after the Fast of the Ninth of AV. Rabbi Yisrael of Koznitch explains the reason behind this. The Ninth of Av in traditional Judaism is the only day that a Jew is not allowed to study Torah. The reason for this is that it's a sad day and learning Torah makes one happy. We read Va'et'hanan after the Fast because it contains the "Ten Commandments" which symbolize that fact that once again we may resume learning Torah.

Gramatria: Va'et'hanan…(3:23) "And I pleaded…

Moshe tells B'nai Yisrael that he pleaded with YHVH for them. The Da'at Zekainim tells us that Moshe actually recited 515 prayers for B'nai Yisrael. This is hinted at in the numeric value of the word Va'et'hanan, which has the numeric value of 515.

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Davis

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