Rabbi’s Reflections – Monday, November 4, 2024
Shalom,
Psalms
Psalm 19:8(7) – Part 5
Psalm 19:8(7) The Torah of Adonai is perfect, restoring the soul. The testimony of Adonai is trustworthy, making the simple wise.
What is “Torah?” It depends on who is answering. Different people attach different answers to that question. Most accurately (because it is my answer), Torah is the Five Books of Moses written on sheepskin parchment and rolled between two scrolls. However; many rabbis say “Torah” when they mean “Talmud.” To them, spending the entire day studying “Torah” means spending the entire day studying Talmud, which is rabbinical commentary on the Torah… and then there is commentary on the commentary.
King David may be using his poetic license to assign yet another, deeper, meaning to Torah, which he objectifies as Toraht. The Hebrew word, “Torah,” comes from another Hebrew word, Yarah, (Yud-Resh-Hey). I recently saw this in Adam Clarke’s commentary…
Yarah means, “To instruct, direct, put straight, guide. It is God’s system of instruction, by which men are taught the knowledge of God and themselves, directed how to walk so as to please God, redeemed from crooked paths, and guided in the way everlasting.”
Torah and testimony are the two parts of our verse. It’s hard to tell them apart. The written commandments of God form the substance of His testimony, (We even call it a “Testament.”) and God’s testimony is the revelation of His love and goodness contained in the written word. The Torah is described as “Tamimah” meaning eternally complete, whole, perfect and blameless. It is actually a word that describes our condition as we rise up out of the waters of baptism.
The “Aydut” or “testimony” of the Lord is described as “Ne’ema’nah,” which is to say it is, “believable, trustworthy, and reliable.” It is part of the word Amen” meaning, “So be it.” This reminds me of another question. What is impossible for God? Hebrews 6:18a So by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie. These “two unchangeable things” are the promise (which shows us the way) and the oath (which assures us that way is the truth.
Last question… is there something better to which we should dedicate our lives? You answer for yourself. I’ll agree with the confession of Joshua, Joshua 24:15d …As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. Shalom shalom.
Daily Bread, reading plan by Lars Enarson (https://www.thewatchman.org/
Mon 4-Nov -2024 3rd of Cheshvan, 5785
Ge 12:14-13:4 Jos 13 Ps 11-12 Mt 9 (1 Pet 4)