Rabbi’s Reflections – Tuesday, November 5, 2024
Shalom *|FNAME|*,
Psalms
Psalm 19:8(7) – Part 6
Psalm 19:8(7) The Torah of Adonai is perfect, restoring the soul. The testimony of Adonai is trustworthy, making the simple wise.
King David begins Psalm 19 with high praise and outright wonder over God’s creation. Now, in verse 8, he pivots slightly to praise God over the Torah, which he calls perfect. In Hebrew, Tamim, in addition to perfect, it also means eternally complete, whole, unblemished, and lacking nothing. The first reason he gives for such a profession is the ability of Torah to restore the soul.
Rabbi Trail: One of the things I love is when a song is written using the Psalms as lyrics. Here is a perfect example of such using our subject verse. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_M05xh0XNs . End RT.
Then David refers to the Torah by another name, calling it “the testimony of Adonai” which he then says is “Ne’emanah,” or “eternally true.” Yeshua IS THE WORD… John 1:14 And the Word became flesh and tabernacled among us. We looked upon His glory, the glory of the one and only from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Rabbi Trail: Why do so many people put grace and truth in “opposite corners,” figuratively duking it out with each other in an eternal fight over law and grace? There is no such antipathy in Scripture. Jacob(James) 2:18 But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith without works and I will show you faith by my works…. 26 For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead. End RT.
We must have a “yes in our hearts” to do the will of God. How do we know God’s will? There are several ways, but first and foremost, we read about God’s will in His testament. 2Corinthians 1:20 For in Him all the promises of God are “Yes.” Therefore also through Him is the “Amen” by us, to the glory of God. When we answer God’s call by coming into agreement with His commandments through an affirmation such as “Amen,” we are giving new life, in our day, to God’s ancient testimony. This has the power to make wise the simple one.
Rabbi Trail: The Hebrew word for “simple” is “Peti.” This could be where we get our English word “petty.” To be “petty” is to agree with minor issues, but ignore major ones. Yeshua found such people offensive. Matthew 23:23 “Woe to you, Torah scholars and Pharisees, hypocrites! You tithe mint and dill and cumin, yet you have neglected the weightier matters of Torah—justice and mercy and faithfulness. It is necessary to do these things without neglecting the others. 24 O blind guides, straining out a gnat while swallowing a camel! End RT.
We know well the transformational power of God’s word. Even our own lives testify of such power. Shalom shalom.
Daily Bread, reading plan by Lars Enarson (https://www.thewatchman.org/)
Tue 5-Nov -2024 4th of Cheshvan, 5785
Ge 13:5-18 Jos 14 Ps 13-14 Mt 10 (1 Pet 5)