Rabbi’s Reflections – Wednesday, October 2, 2019
Shalom *|FNAME|*,
S’licha is such a simple word. It kind of rhymes with Chutzpa, but not really. Just go with me here. These two are opposites. Chutzpa is unrepentant gall, the nerve of it all. S’licha means excuse me (notwithstanding the sarcastic use of the word) or pardon me.
If S’licha is such a simple word, why do we have such a hard time saying it with meaning? I’ll tell you. Because we want to be right. So, let’s try the expanded (amplified) meaning. “Please pardon me. I had no intention to offend you. Kindly accept my apology. I appreciate your giving me the benefit of the doubt. I will make every effort not to offend in the future.”
All of the liturgy on Yom Kippur is centered on this one word, S’licha. We pray that God will forgive us for sins against Him. For sins against people, we must ask the people for forgiveness.
“But why should I apologize? I did nothing wrong.” What are you 5? Maybe you were 99% right. That would be an extreme case. In the best case most of the blame could apply to others, but there is always some fault by both parties.
Yeshua put it this way… John 8:7 When they kept asking Him (should we stone the woman according to Moses), He stood up and said, “The sinless one among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” They all put down their stones and walked away. Yeshua closed the issue by saying… John 8:10 Straightening up, Yeshua said to her, “Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?” 11 “No one, Sir,” she said. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Yeshua said. “Go, and sin no more.”
Let’s receive His forgiveness and be quick to forgive each other. Matthew 6:14 “For if you forgive others their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your transgressions.”
Week 40
Memory Verse: Acts 17:24 The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by hands. 25 Nor is He served by human hands, as if He needed anything, since He Himself gives to everyone life and breath and all things.
196 9/30 Monday: Acts 15-16
197 10/1 Tuesday: Galatians 1-3
198 10/2 Wednesday: Galatians 4-6
199 10/3 Thursday: Acts 17-18:17
200 10/4 Friday: 1 Thessalonians 1-2
Question of the day: Galatians 4:16 So have I become your enemy by telling you the truth?!
The message on Rosh Hashana concerned the duel dispensations which can be summed up as the dispensation of flesh and the dispensation of spirit. The manifestations of this are many. There is circumcision of the flesh and circumcision of the heart. There is Jerusalem and Jerusalem which is above. There is the Aaronic priesthood and the Melchizedek priesthood.
This world exists in tension. It is the tension between the flesh and the spirit. Galatians 5:17 For the flesh sets its desire against the Ruach, but the Ruach sets its desire against the flesh—for these are in opposition to one another, so that you cannot do what you want. 18 But if you are led by the Ruach, you are not under law.
Yes, we are not “under law.” We are, however; called to obedience. The spirit will lead us into all truth. John 16:13a “But when the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all the truth.” And we know… John 17:17b “Your word is truth.”
Finally, there is this promise from the last chapter… Galatians 6:7 Do not be deceived—God is not mocked. For whatever a man sows, that he also shall reap. 8 For the one who sows in the flesh will reap corruption from the flesh. But the one who sows in the Ruach will reap from the Ruach eternal life.