Rabbi's Drash

Va-etchanan

b

5 7 6 9

Numbers 30:2-36:13
 

This is the second parashah in the book of D'varim where Moshe is pleading for the last time to those who are about to enter the Promised Land. He begged also for the last time for himself to be able to enter but G-d became angry with Moshe saying "rav-lach"- enough already, don't say another word about this to me…and he didn't. Moshe said that he had been given the important role for the past 40 years of leading his people out of slavery and that his pain was that he would not be able to enter with them. His time was over and now G-d was appointing a new leader, Yehoshua to lead this new generation which didn't know the slavery of Egypt. The only other person who was left of that last generation was Caleb, the Kenizzite, a gentile of the tribe of Judah (Joshua 14:6, 14). The old had passed away and the new generation would take over. This is a beautiful picture of the olive tree Israel where some of the branches had been broken off- some remained and now many were grafted in of both Jew and gentile. Moshe was pleading again to these to take heed of the teachings he had been given by G-d to bring to them. It was important for them not only to listen to these words but also to obey. "See, I have taught you statutes and judgments just as the LORD my G-d commanded me, that you should do thus in the land where you are entering to possess it. So keep and do them, for that is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples who will hear all these statutes and say, 'Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people."(Deut 4:5-7). In the keeping and doing of His Word, we exalt the Name of G-d not only in Israel but for the whole world. G-d created Israel to be "am segulah" a treasured people, chosen by Him to be a testimony to the world. We are not a race but a called out people. In Israel there are many people from all over the world, Ethiopia, Morocco, France, South and North America of every color skin and hair…I repeat, not a race, a calling from both the Jew and the gentile together as one. In Chapter 5 we see a repetition of the Ten Words or Commandments and in Chapter 6 is the Shema, the holiest of prayers in Judaism reminding us who our G-d is. After this brief introduction I would like to draw two important principles from this portion applicable for us today. The first is that when G-d said that He gave us the Land, He never said that it would be easy. We could not be lazy but we would have to work hard. It is the same today. Things do not come easily to us but G-d will always be there with us and bless the work of our hands. We are not to be lazy when serving Him. The second principle is that when they would enter the Land they were not to mix with the foreign cultures, adopting their ways and their gods. This is not a racist stance; it is simply protection from being contaminated with the culture of false gods which would turn the people against the G-d of Israel. Assimilation is one of the greatest challenges we face today in Judaism. Today more Jews are secular having forgotten the G-d who formed and molded us as a people. Yet there is still a remnant which closely guards His word and keeps His commandments. The early Christian church which spread "ha Besorah" (the Good News) all over the world used to be strict in its keeping of the commandments and fighting immorality within its midst. Today this has totally crumbled. The leaders have accepted the morality of the world instead of standing firm for G-d's values and principles handed down in the Scriptures. They have forgotten Deuteronomy 4:1-6 especially verse 2..."You shall not add to the word which I am commanding you, nor take away from it, that you may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you." Yeshua's Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5:17-20 was similar to what Moses said. Yeshua said: "Do not think that I came to abolish the Torah or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to make it fully understood. Amen, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Torah until all is accomplished. "Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven." These are very strong words and are ignored today by many who call themselves believers in Jesus. Religion has basically changed the Word of G-d and replaced it with man's word. Religion has destroyed G-d's Word. G-d is not interested in our sacrifices. He wants our obedience to His Word. Man has changed the Shabbat for Sunday. Man has told us that Jewishness comes from the mother instead of the father whereas the Scriptures clearly show us that it is from the father; the G-d of Abraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov. (Until today when we want to know to which tribe we belong, we ask which tribe your father belongs to; if your mother is a Cohen and your father is a Yehudite, you are a Yehudite; if it is your father a Cohen and your mother is a Yehudite you are a Cohen.) Keeping G-d's Word is important simply because He gave it to us to hear and to obey. These are not separate. It is not one or the other. Today, we choose whatever we want to obey and leave the rest. Who gave us the right to make this decision? It is not enough to know ABOUT the Word; we need to know the Word. This can cause us to fall into the trap of believing things which sound good but are simply not in the Bible such as…"G-d helps those who help themselves." Everybody had heard that and think that it is in the Bible. G-d never said that. He helps those who He chooses and who trust in Him. Sometimes we need to humble ourselves and allow ourselves to believe what the Word says…not what someone tells us it says. How many of us have tried to defend our honor when we have heard the truth but refuse to believe it? We need to constantly check ourselves and pray that G-d has mercy upon us. We need to be like the Bereans (Acts17) who did not take the talmidim at their word; they went to check the Scriptures first. You would be surprised at how many things you believe about the Scriptures that are simply not in Scripture. Yaakov (James) 4:17 says "Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin." What good is it if you know someone who is truly in need and you simply say to them "I'll pray for you" but do nothing to help that person? Is that being obedient to G-d's Word? What is true worship? I have spoken in the past about this word coming from "avodah" in Hebrew which means work…it is in serving one to another that we give true worship to G-d. In Ephesians 2: 8-10 Rav Shaul (Paul) said "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship created in Messiah Yeshua for good works, which G-d prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them." He was explaining Bereshit 15:6 where Abraham believed in G-d and this was credited to him as righteousness. We have nothing to boast about as far as our righteousness goes. When we do the good works that G-d has called us to do, there is nothing to boast about since He has prepared them in advance for us. Ibn Ezra gave the same meaning as Rav Shaul and Yaakov did when he said that it is not your faith but it is G-d's faith that moves us to good works. In D'varim 7: 6, 11 Moshe is reminding us that we were called not because we were more numerous than anyone else; in fact we are the fewest so that G-d could get the glory. You and I have nothing to do with our salvation. G-d chose to save us and we have been immensely blessed to receive it. We are His servants called to do good for others. In so doing, we uplift His Name. We do not do this for reward or payment. We already have our reward. It is such a miracle to know that we belong to Him. Yeshua did everything for us. He prayed the price that the Torah demands for sin-death. We no longer need to wonder whether or not we have made it into the Book of Life. If we have chosen us, we only need to serve Him. It is time to stand up and be counted for His service. If you are too comfortable, He will not allow it. If you are hot, He will make it hotter. If you are cold, He will make it colder. If there is something that G-d is calling you to do today, don't wait for tomorrow…do it today. He is stirring up the true believers. It is time to start thinking about others more than you. If you do that you will forget yourself in the doing for others. Listen and obey, in that lies true happiness.      May G-d add blessings to His Word!      Rabbi Percy Johnson      Netanel ben Yochanan      [nxy [b lantn      © 2008 Use by Permission      Kehilat She’ar Yashuv

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