RR Parashat Devarim Deuteronomy 1:1-3:22 By Jeffery Freeman
Shabbat Shalom,
This week we start the last book of Torah. Deuteronomy, Devarim in Hebrew, is the plural form of devar – meaning word. So, Devarim is words. This comes from the opening verse, “These are the words (devarim) that Moses spoke to all Israel across the Jordan – in the wilderness...”
Deuteronomy, from the Greek deuteron nomos meaning second law or repetition of the law. This is also an accurate name for Deuteronomy as that is largely what Deuteronomy is – a second telling of the Law by Moses before he hands leadership over to Joshua.
As I was reading though the Torah portion, Deuteronomy 1:5 really stuck out to me.
Across the Jordan in the land of Moab, Moses began to explain this Torah…
What is this statement about? Why did Moses need to explain Torah?
Perhaps the easiest answer is that he was led by the LORD to more carefully explain Torah to the people. Maybe to even clear up a few misunderstandings or potential stumbling blocks. Maybe some of the people had already been taking the commandments too literally thereby missing the intent of the command or perhaps not taking the commandments literally enough again missing the intent.
The prophet Isaiah opens his prophesy in Isaiah 1:2-3 Listen! Heavens, and hear, earth, for ADONAI has spoken: “Sons I have raised and brought up, but they have rebelled against me. The ox knows its owner, and the donkey its manger, but Israel does not know, My people do not understand.
Yeshua also spoke on this in Mark 7:6-9 …Rightly did Isaiah prophesy about you hypocrites, as it is written: ‘This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’
“Having left behind the commandments of God, you hold onto the traditions of men.” He was also telling them, you set aside the commands of God, in order that you may validate your own traditions.
The LORD led Moses to restate Torah, perhaps more carefully to ensure the people completely understood Torah. Isaiah is linking rebellion to not understanding God’s intent. Yeshua is reminding people that Torah obedience is far more important than traditions.
But aren’t we saved by grace through our faith in Yeshua? If so, what relevance does Torah have for us? Paul has this to say about Torah in Romans 3:30-31:
Since God is One, He will set right the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith. Do we then nullify the Torah through faithfulness? May it never be! On the contrary, we uphold the Torah.
How can we uphold Torah? Through careful study…of the Bible. We must know Scripture.
Yet some persist with Torah being “old law,” meaning that it is somehow no longer relevant.
Matthew 5:17-19 “Do not think that I (Yeshua) came to abolish the Torah or the Prophets! I did not come to abolish, but to fulfill. Amen, I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or sherif shall ever pass away from the Torah until all things come to pass. Therefore, whoever breaks even the least of these commandments, and teaches others the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven. But whoever keeps and teaches them, this one shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.”
I cannot see heaven (yet), but I can see the earth. It looks solid enough to me. I am pretty sure this means that not even the smallest letter or sherif have passed from Torah. I have no idea what Yeshua means when he says “least in heaven.” But I am guessing that it isn’t a good thing.
Rashi, the 11th Century Jewish commentator taught that the meaning of “explain this Torah” (Deuteronomy 1:5) was that Moses had the Torah translated into the seventy languages – all the languages of the world. Rashi further explained that the LORD was commanding the Jews to take Torah to the whole world.
Because we are adopted into the Nation of Israel, we too share in the responsibility to bring the LORD’s Torah to all peoples.
Kind of an interesting set of reminders – from Moses, Isaiah, Yeshua, Paul and Rashi (among many others), know (study) God’s Word and share the Good News with the whole world.
Shabbat Shalom!
Daily Bread, reading plan by Lars Enarson (https://www.thewatchman.org/)
Sat18-July 20264th of Av, 5786
Parashat Devarim Shabbat Chazon
De 3:15-22Isa 1:1-27Mt 3:1-12
This week we start the last book of Torah. Deuteronomy, Devarim in Hebrew, is the plural form of devar – meaning word. So, Devarim is words. This comes from the opening verse, “These are the words (devarim) that Moses spoke to all Israel across the Jordan – in the wilderness...”
Deuteronomy, from the Greek deuteron nomos meaning second law or repetition of the law. This is also an accurate name for Deuteronomy as that is largely what Deuteronomy is – a second telling of the Law by Moses before he hands leadership over to Joshua.
As I was reading though the Torah portion, Deuteronomy 1:5 really stuck out to me.
Across the Jordan in the land of Moab, Moses began to explain this Torah…
What is this statement about? Why did Moses need to explain Torah?
Perhaps the easiest answer is that he was led by the LORD to more carefully explain Torah to the people. Maybe to even clear up a few misunderstandings or potential stumbling blocks. Maybe some of the people had already been taking the commandments too literally thereby missing the intent of the command or perhaps not taking the commandments literally enough again missing the intent.
The prophet Isaiah opens his prophesy in Isaiah 1:2-3 Listen! Heavens, and hear, earth, for ADONAI has spoken: “Sons I have raised and brought up, but they have rebelled against me. The ox knows its owner, and the donkey its manger, but Israel does not know, My people do not understand.
Yeshua also spoke on this in Mark 7:6-9 …Rightly did Isaiah prophesy about you hypocrites, as it is written: ‘This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’
“Having left behind the commandments of God, you hold onto the traditions of men.” He was also telling them, you set aside the commands of God, in order that you may validate your own traditions.
The LORD led Moses to restate Torah, perhaps more carefully to ensure the people completely understood Torah. Isaiah is linking rebellion to not understanding God’s intent. Yeshua is reminding people that Torah obedience is far more important than traditions.
But aren’t we saved by grace through our faith in Yeshua? If so, what relevance does Torah have for us? Paul has this to say about Torah in Romans 3:30-31:
Since God is One, He will set right the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith. Do we then nullify the Torah through faithfulness? May it never be! On the contrary, we uphold the Torah.
How can we uphold Torah? Through careful study…of the Bible. We must know Scripture.
Yet some persist with Torah being “old law,” meaning that it is somehow no longer relevant.
Matthew 5:17-19 “Do not think that I (Yeshua) came to abolish the Torah or the Prophets! I did not come to abolish, but to fulfill. Amen, I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or sherif shall ever pass away from the Torah until all things come to pass. Therefore, whoever breaks even the least of these commandments, and teaches others the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven. But whoever keeps and teaches them, this one shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.”
I cannot see heaven (yet), but I can see the earth. It looks solid enough to me. I am pretty sure this means that not even the smallest letter or sherif have passed from Torah. I have no idea what Yeshua means when he says “least in heaven.” But I am guessing that it isn’t a good thing.
Rashi, the 11th Century Jewish commentator taught that the meaning of “explain this Torah” (Deuteronomy 1:5) was that Moses had the Torah translated into the seventy languages – all the languages of the world. Rashi further explained that the LORD was commanding the Jews to take Torah to the whole world.
Because we are adopted into the Nation of Israel, we too share in the responsibility to bring the LORD’s Torah to all peoples.
Kind of an interesting set of reminders – from Moses, Isaiah, Yeshua, Paul and Rashi (among many others), know (study) God’s Word and share the Good News with the whole world.
Shabbat Shalom!
Daily Bread, reading plan by Lars Enarson (https://www.thewatchman.org/)
Sat18-July 20264th of Av, 5786
Parashat Devarim Shabbat Chazon
De 3:15-22Isa 1:1-27Mt 3:1-12
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