Bar’chu
et YHVH ha-m’vorach, Baruch YHVH ha-m’vorach l’O’lam va-ed!
Baruch
ata YHVH Eloheinu melech ha-olam asher bachar banu m’kol ha-amim, v’na-tan lanu
eht Torah-to. Baruch atah YHVH, noteyn ha-Torah. Ameyn.”
(Bless YHVH the blessed One; Blessed is YHVH, the
blessed One for all eternity. Blessed are you, YHVH, our Elohim, King of the
Universe, you have selected us from among all the peoples, and have given us
your Torah.)
It
remains a great source of amazement to the ancient and modern Jewish scholars
how the most important Torah portion in the Torah –‘’Yitro’’ – “This parashah -
The giving of the Torah” would be named after the gentile – Yithro.
This
Torah portion reminds us once again that righteous Torah-seeking-non-Jews would
again play a critical role to cause the Torah to flourish again among Jews and
non- Jews in the last days – may it be
His will in our time for this to happen – Deu 32:21 “They made
Me jealous by what is not Ěl, They provoked Me with their worthless matters.
But I make them jealous by those who are no people, I provoke them with a
foolish nation. (Rom
11:14)
The
name Yithro comes from a root word “yeter” (S3499) which can also mean
“remnant.” Will there
be a Torah observant “ex-gentile” remnant in the last days that together with a revived Jewish remnant, usher in the Messianic Torah reign and bring “tikkun” (restoration) to all the earth?
be a Torah observant “ex-gentile” remnant in the last days that together with a revived Jewish remnant, usher in the Messianic Torah reign and bring “tikkun” (restoration) to all the earth?
Listen
carefully to the following prophetic word given to us from the Torah:
It is said of Yithro
in Bamidbar 10:29-31 “And Moshe said … We are journeying to
the place about which YHVH said, I will give it you; come with us, and we will
do you good … And he [Yitro] said to him, I will not go; but I will
depart to my own land, and to my kindred. And he [Moshe] said, Leave us
not, I pray you; for you know how we are to camp in the wilderness, והיית לנו לעינים and you may be to us instead of eyes.”
(Bamidbar Numbers10:31) reads, “You
will be our guide … Another explanation: [the passuk is in] the future tense—If anything
should be hidden from our eyes, you shall enlighten us. – Rashi.
Torah
Readings:
- 18:1-12
- 18:13-23
- 18:24-27
- 19:1-6
- 19:7-13 (Sefardim); 19:7-19 (Ashkenazim)
- 19:14-19 (S); 19:20 – 20:17 (v. 14 Heb.) (A)
- 19:20- 20:17 (v. 14 Heb.) (S); 20:18-21
(15-18 Heb.) (A)
- Maftir: 20:24-26 (21-23 Heb.) (S); 20:22-26
(19-23 Heb.) (A)
Haftarah: Isaiah
6:1-13 (Sefardim); 6:1 – 7:6; 9:6-7 (5-6 Heb.) (Ashkenazim)
Aliyah
Rishon 18:1-12
Exo 18:1 And Yithro, the priest of Miḏyan, Mosheh’s
father-in-law, heard of all that Elohim had done for Mosheh and for Yisra’ĕl
His people, that יהוה had brought
Yisra’ĕl out of Mitsrayim.
It is well documented that
Yitro was a Kenite. Kenites were descendants of Cain. They were willing to
associate and help the children of Yisrael. Sadly their history is seldom
spoken of. Some interesting research has been done in this regard. Below is a
quote from a book written by a scholar who believes there was a believing
remnant from the descendants of Cain that remained true to the One Elohim of
Yisrael. This remnant can be traced to the Rechabites that still exist in
places today.
''The Kenite Hypothesis, which is based on clear
teachings of the Bible, states that the ancient Hebrews did not know Elohim by
the name Yahveh until the time of the
Exodus. This name is often translated as "the LORD" in Bibles. In the
Kenite Hypothesis, it was the Kenites who first worshiped Yahveh. Moses
sojourned among the Kenites and among them he received the revelation that the
Elohim of the Kenites, Yahveh, was the same Elohim worshiped by his forefathers
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, by a different name, that of El Shadday, meaning
"Elohim Almighty." – Shemot/Ex 6:3 –“ Va yera”
Here in lies a profound message: there has always been a
faithful priesthood who have been partakers of the Abrahamic covenant that come
from outside the nation of Yisrael. These have been willingly grafted into the
Hebrew roots of the faith and have become citizens of the commonwealth of
Yisrael.
Exo 18:2 And
Yithro, Mosheh’s father-in-law, took Tsipporah, the wife of Mosheh – after he
had sent her back,
Commentary: N Lawrence
''18:2–3, There is indication
here that Moses divorced his wife after their altercation over the circumcision
of their sons in 4:24–26. The phrase sent away/back in verse two is shilluach/
(shin-lamed-lamed-vav-chet, shil-loo’-akh), which according to Strong’s
and Gesenius can refer to divorce. Shilluach is from shalakh/
(shin-lamed-chet), a basic verb meaning “to send” (note passive
participle ie an action which was done to her ie she received her marching
orders) where in Isaiah 50:1 and Jeremiah 3:1 the prophets use it referring to
YHVH’s divorce from the House of Israel/Ephraim. Though rabbinical commentators
Rashi and Hirsch fail to note the possibility of Moses’ divorce (Jewish Torah
commentators tend to gloss over the faults of their great heroes), Baal HaTurim
notes this possibility in his commentary. Yet in Exodus18:2, YHVH still views
Zipporah as Moses’ wife. What’s going on here? Zipporah seems to have evidenced
reluctance at obeying YHVH’s command to circumcise their sons (4:25), so did
Moses put her away (divorce her), as a result? Was Moses, the human “savior” of
Israel from Egypt and an antetype (prophetic forerunner) of Yeshua the
Messianic Savior (Deut 18:15–19), having to deal with a rebellious wife even as
Yeshua had to deal with his rebellious
bride? Perhaps we see in this weeks and next week’s Torah portion how Moshe
takes her back. We read in Numbers 12:1 how Moshe took another wife (Kushite
woman)” End quote.
In next week’s Torah portion –“ Mishphatim” - Exo
21:10 “If he takes another wife,
her food, her covering, and her marriage rights are not to be diminished.
Maybe there is a prophetic
reference here to the gentile part of the Bride of Messiah. If one part of his
bride is not pleasing to him, he may take another bride without diminishing the
rights of the first one.
This may explain why so many
non Torah observant Christians are blessed today, but in reality many do not
want to be part of a Torah observant bride and subsequently will not be included
as the part of the first bride(wife) of Messiah.
Exo 18:3 and her
two sons, of whom the name of one was Gĕreshom, for he said, “I have been a
sojourner in a foreign land,”
With the name Gershom Moshe indicated that he had
always been a sojourner in this world – even before his flight from Egypt –
because a tzaddik’s (righteous man) true world is not from this world.
The verb “garish” is also associated with the name
“Gershom.” This verb means to divorce oneself from something- in the case of a “ger” it is
one who has divorced himself from his culture and religion and has taken on the
faith and culture of Avraham Yitzchak and Yakov revealed in the Torah of Moshe.
Exo 18:4 and the
name of the other was Eliʽezer, for he said, “The Elohim of my father was my
help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh.”
Eliezer comes from two Hebrew words “El” which can mean
“Elohim” and it can also mean “strength or mighty.” “Ezer” “means aid or
helper.”
“Eliezer can either mean ''Elohim is my help'' or ''my
help or aid is mighty”
Exo 18:5 Yithro, Mosheh’s father-in-law, came with his
sons and his wife to Mosheh in the wilderness, where he was encamped at the
mountain of Elohim.
Exo 18:6 And he had said to Mosheh, “I, your
father-in-law Yithro, am coming to you with your wife and her two sons with
her.”
Note in vs 2,5 &6 The Torah repeats that Yitro
brought back Moshe’s family. The Torah wants to draw our attention to this fact
because it is repeated three times. From this we may deduce that Moshe’s family
will all come together again at the future appointed time.
Exo 18:7 And Mosheh went out to meet his father-in-law,
and bowed down, and kissed him. And they asked each other about their welfare,
and they went into the tent. (Yitro was not a pagan priest)
Exo 18:8 And
Mosheh told his father-in-law all that יהוה had done to
Pharaoh and to the Mitsrites for Yisra’ĕl’s sake, all the hardship that had
come upon them on the way, and how יהוה had delivered
them.
Exo 18:9 And
Yithro rejoiced for all the good which יהוה had done for
Yisra’ĕl, whom He had delivered out of the hand of the Mitsrites.
Exo 18:10 And
Yithro said, “Blessed be יהוה, who has delivered you out of the hand of the Mitsrites and out
of the hand of Pharaoh, and who has delivered the people from under the hand of
the Mitsrites.
Exo 18:11 “Now
I know that יהוה is greater than all the mighty ones, indeed in the matter in which they acted proudly, above
them.”
Exo 18:12 Then
Yithro, the father-in-law of Mosheh, brought a burnt offering and other
slaughterings unto Elohim. And Aharon came with all the elders of Yisra’ĕl to
eat bread with the father-in-law of Mosheh before Elohim.
For Yithro to present such an offering he could not
have been a pagan priest – eating bread together was a covenant affirmation
with the Elohim of Yisrael.
Aliyah Sheni 18:13-23
Exo 18:13 And it came to be, on the next day, that
Mosheh sat to rightly rule the people. And the people stood before Mosheh from
morning until evening.
Exo 18:14 And when the father-in-law of Mosheh saw all
that he did for the people, he said, “What is this that you are doing for the
people? Why do you sit by yourself, and all the people stand before you from
morning until evening?”
Exo 18:15 And Mosheh said to his father-in-law,
“Because the people come to me to seek Elohim.
Exo 18:16 “When they have a matter, they come to me,
and I rightly rule between one and another, and make known the laws of Elohim
and His Torot.”
Exo 18:17 And the father-in-law of Mosheh said to him,
“What you are doing is not good.
Exo 18:18 “Both you and these people with you shall
certainly wear yourselves out. For the matter is too heavy for you. You are not
able to do it by yourself.
Exo 18:19 “Now listen to my voice. Let me counsel you
and Elohim be with you: Stand before Elohim for the people, and you shall bring
the matters to Elohim.
Exo 18:20 “And you shall enlighten them concerning
the laws and the Torot, and show them the way in which they should walk and the
work which they do.
Exo 18:21 “But you yourself, seek
out from all the people able men, who
fear Elohim, men of truth, hating unfair gain. And place these over them
to be rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of
tens.
Exo 18:22 “And they shall rightly
rule the people at all times. And it shall be that they bring every great
matter to you, but they themselves rightly rule every small matter. So, make it
lighter for yourself, for they shall bear with you.
Exo 18:23 “If you do this word,
and Elohim shall command you, then you shall be able to stand and all this
people also go to their place in peace.”
Yithro is introducing Yahshua’s pattern of
making disciples. The Torah was always meant to be lived out in a community of
people who are in a dynamic relationship with one another and with the leaders
who have paid a price to lead and train disciples or ‘’talmadim’’ in the truth
of Torah. This was always the way of YHVH and YHVH’s Kingdom and rule will be established
in such a way. This kind of Messianic people will not only rule themselves
effectively but also the nations.
Aliyah Shlishi 18:24-27
This kind of lifestyle observance of Torah
would produce men and woman who would take responsibility for proper
functioning of the household of faith.
Eph 4:11 And He Himself gave some as emissaries, and
some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as shepherds and teachers
Eph 4:12 for the perfecting of the set-apart ones, to
the work of service to a building up of the body of the Messiah,
Eph 4:13 until we all come to the unity of the belief
and of the knowledge of the Son of Elohim, to a perfect man, to the measure of
the stature of the completeness of Messiah,
Eph 4:14 so that we should no longer be children,
tossed and borne about by every wind of teaching, by the trickery of men, in
cleverness, unto the craftiness of leading astray,1 Footnote: 15:6,
also 2 Cor. 10:5, 2 Cor. 11:3-14, Gal. 1:6-9, 2 Tim. 3:1-8, 2 Tim. 4:2-4, 2
Peter 2:2-22, Jud. vv. 10-19.
Eph 4:15 but, maintaining the truth in love, we grow
up in all respects into Him who is the head, Messiah,
Eph 4:16 from whom the entire body, joined and knit
together by what every joint supplies, according to the working by which each
part does its share, causes growth of the body for the building up of itself in
love.
Eph 4:17 So this I say, and witness in the Master,
that you should no longer walk as the gentiles walk,1 in the
futility of their mind, Footnote: 11 Cor. 12:2, and Jer. 10:2.
Eph 4:18 having been darkened in their understanding,
having been estranged from the life of Elohim, because of the ignorance that is
in them, because of the hardness of their heart,
Exo 18:24 And
Mosheh listened to the voice of his father-in-law and did all that he said.
Exo 18:25 And Mosheh chose able men out of all
Yisra’ĕl, and made them heads over the people: rulers of thousands, rulers of
hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.
Exo 18:26 And they rightly ruled the people at all
times – the hard matters they brought to Mosheh, but they rightly ruled every
small matter themselves.
Exo 18:27 And Mosheh sent off his father-in-law, and he
went away to his own land.
Aliyah
Reviee 19:1-6
Exo 19:1 In the third month after the children of
Yisra’ĕl had come out of the land of Mitsrayim, on this day they came to the
Wilderness of Sinai.
Exo 19:2 For they set out from Rephiḏim, and had come to
the Wilderness of Sinai, and camped in the wilderness. So Yisra’ĕl camped there
before the mountain.
Exo 19:3 And
Mosheh went up to Elohim, and יהוה called to him
from the mountain, saying, “This is what you are to say to the house of Yaʽaqoḇ,
and declare to the children of Yisra’ĕl:
Exo 19:4 ‘You have
seen what I did to the Mitsrites, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and
brought you to Myself.
Exo 19:5 ‘And now,
if you diligently obey My voice, and shall guard My covenant, then you shall be
My treasured possession above all the peoples – for all the earth is Mine –
Exo 19:6 ‘and you
shall be to Me a reign of priests and a set-apart nation.’ Those are the words
which you are to speak to the children of Yisra’ĕl.”
A special people or “am
segulah” this was a very special treasure above all other treasures a person
would possess. Then it says in the Hebrew that you shall become to Me a
“Mamlechet Kohanim” or kingdom of priests and a “goy kodesh” or nation of set
apart ones to YHVH.
1Pe 2:9 But you are a chosen race, a royal
priesthood, a set-apart nation, a people for a possession, that you should
proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvellous
light,
Aliyah
Chamishi 19:7-13
Exo 19:7 And Mosheh came and called for the elders of
the people, and set before them all these words which יהוה commanded him.
Exo 19:8 And all
the people answered together and said, “All that יהוה has spoken we
shall do.” So Mosheh brought back the words of the people to יהוה.
Exo 19:9 And יהוה said to Mosheh, “See, I am coming to you in the thick cloud, so
that the people hear when I speak with you, and believe you forever.” And
Mosheh reported the words of the people to יהוה.
This thick cloud could be a
reference to the marriage chuppah. YHVH
now calls a people who will accept His Torah or ketubah and enter a “marriage
covenant” with Him forever.
Exo 19:10 And יהוה said to
Mosheh, “Go to the people and set them apart today and tomorrow. And they shall
wash their garments,
Exo 19:11 and
shall be prepared by the third day. For on the third day יהוה shall come
down upon Mount Sinai before the eyes of all the people.
Exo 19:12 “And you
shall make a border for the people all around, saying, ‘Take heed to yourselves
that you do not go up to the mountain or touch the border of it. Whoever
touches the mountain shall certainly be put to death.
Exo 19:13 ‘Not a
hand is to touch it, but he shall certainly be stoned or shot with an arrow,
whether man or beast, he shall not live. ''When the trumpet sounds long, let
them come near the mountain.”
Aliyah Shishi 19:14-19
Exo 19:14 And Mosheh came down from the mountain to the
people and set the people apart, and they washed their garments.
Exo 19:15 And he said to the people, “Be prepared by
the third day. Do not come near a wife.”
Exo 19:16 And it came to be, on the third day in the
morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick
cloud on the mountain. And the sound of the ram’s horn was very
loud, and all the people who were in the camp trembled.
Exo 19:17 And Mosheh brought the people out of the
camp to meet with Elohim, and they stood at the foot of the mountain.
Exo 19:18 And Mount Sinai was in smoke, all of it,
because יהוה descended upon
it in fire. And its smoke went up like
the smoke of a furnace, and all the mountain trembled exceedingly.
Exo 19:19 And when
the blast of the ram’s horn sounded long and became louder and louder,
Mosheh spoke, and Elohim answered him by voice.
Aliyah Sheviee 19:20-26
Exo 19:20 And יהוה came down upon Mount Sinai, on the top of
the mountain. And יהוה called Mosheh to the top of the mountain, and Mosheh went up.
Exo 19:21 And יהוה said to
Mosheh, “Go down, and warn the people, lest they break through unto יהוה to see, and
many of them fall.
Exo 19:22 “And let
the priests who come near יהוה set themselves apart too, lest יהוה break out
against them.”
Exo 19:23 And
Mosheh said to יהוה, “The people
are not able to come up to Mount Sinai, for You warned us, saying, ‘Make a
border around the mountain and set it apart.’ ”
Exo 19:24 And יהוה said to him,
“Come, go down and then come up, you and Aharon with you. But do not let the
priests and the people break through to come up to יהוה, lest He break
out against them.”
Exo 19:25 And
Mosheh went down to the people and spoke to them.
Below is a fascinating
documentary about mount Sinai in Saudi Arabia:
http://www.arkdiscovery.com/mt__sinai_found.htm
Exo 20:1 And Elohim spoke all these Words, saying,
Exo 20:2 “I am יהוה your Elohim, who brought you out of the
land of Mitsrayim, out of the house of slavery.
Exo 20:3 “You have
no other mighty ones against My face.
Exo 20:4 “You do
not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of that which is in the
heavens above, or which is in the earth beneath, or which is in the waters
under the earth,
Exo 20:5 you do
not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, יהוה your Elohim am
a jealous Ěl, visiting the crookedness of the fathers on the children to the
third and fourth generations of those who hate Me,
Exo 20:6 but
showing kindness to thousands, to those who love Me and guard My commands.
Exo 20:7 “You do not bring1 the Name of יהוה your Elohim to naught, for יהוה does not leave the one unpunished who
brings His Name to naught. Footnote: 1Or lift up, or take.
Exo 20:8 “Remember the Sabbath day, to set it apart.
Exo 20:9 “Six days you labour, and shall do all your
work,
Exo 20:10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath1
of יהוה your Elohim. You do not do any work – you, nor your son, nor
your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle,
nor your stranger who is within your gates. Footnote: 1There are
other Sabbaths, but this is the weekly Sabbath.
Exo 20:11 “For in six days יהוה made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in
them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore יהוה blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart.
Exo 20:12 “Respect your father and your mother, so that
your days are prolonged upon the soil which יהוה your Elohim is giving you.
Exo 20:13 “You do not murder.
Exo 20:14 “You do not commit adultery.
Exo 20:15 “You do not steal.
Exo 20:16 “You do not bear false witness against your
neighbour.
Exo 20:17 “You do not covet your neighbour’s house, you
do not covet your neighbour’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female
servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, or whatever belongs to your neighbour.”
Exo 20:18 And all
the people saw the thunders, the lightning flashes, the sound of the ram’s
horn, and the mountain smoking. And the people saw it, and they trembled and
stood at a distance,
Hebrew says “ ve kol ha am Rahim et ha kolot” means and
the people SAW the voices.
How do you see a voice? The Torah was not meant just to
be heard but also SEEN. Maybe this also refers to the time when Ruach was
poured out like tongues of fire on the people. We must remember that the giving
of the Torah and Shavuot (Pentecost) are on the same day.
Exo 20:19 and said
to Mosheh, “You speak with us and we hear, but let not Elohim speak with us,
lest we die.”
Exo 20:20 And
Mosheh said to the people, “Do not fear, for Elohim has come to prove you, and
in order that His fear be before you, so that you do not sin.”
Exo 20:21 So the
people stood at a distance, but Mosheh drew near the thick darkness where
Elohim was.
Exo 20:22 And יהוה said to
Mosheh, “Say this to the children of Yisra’ĕl: ‘You yourselves have seen that I
have spoken to you from the heavens.
Exo 20:23 ‘You do
not make besides Me mighty ones of silver, and you do not make mighty ones of
gold for yourselves.
Exo 20:24 ‘Make an
altar of earth for Me, and you shall slaughter on it your burnt offerings and
your peace offerings, your sheep and your cattle. In every place where I cause
My Name to be remembered I shall come to you and bless you.
Exo 20:25 ‘And if
you make Me an altar of stone, do not build it of cut stone, for if you use
your chisel on it, you have profaned it.
Exo 20:26 ‘Nor do
you go up by steps to My altar, lest your nakedness be exposed on it.’
Aseret Ha Divarot -
The Ten Sayings.
The first saying is the cornerstone and foundation of all YHVH’s
Messianic redemptive revelation to mankind. The truth in this first saying is
so important that if we don’t get it right everything else we believe will
stand on a shaky spiritual foundation.
Isa 45:5 ‘I am יהוה, and there is
none else – there is no Elohim besides Me. I gird you, though you have not
known Me,
Isa 43:11 “I, I am יהוה, and besides
Me there is no saviour.
Col 1:14 in whom we have redemption through His blood,
the forgiveness of sins,
Col 1:15 who is the likeness of the invisible Elohim,
the first-born of all creation.1 Footnote: 1Heb. 1:6,
Rev. 3:14.
Col 1:16 Because in Him were created all that are in
the heavens and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or
rulerships or principalities or authorities – all have been created through Him
and for Him.
Col 1:17 And He is before all, and in Him all hold
together.
Col 1:18 And He is the Head of the body, the assembly,
who is the beginning, the first-born from the dead, that He might become the
One who is first in all.
Col 1:19 Because in Him all the completeness was well
pleased to dwell,
The first saying explicitly states that YHVH and YHVH alone is the One
who delivers us from darkness and bondage. YHVH has chosen His only brought
forth son Yahshua Ha Mashiach to be the mediator of His great salvation to all
those whom He chooses –
Joh 6:44 “No one is able to come to Me unless the
Father who sent Me draws him. And I shall raise him up in the last day.
Now there are ten sayings and two tablets. In Hebraic thinking and
life that which is heavenly appears on the right hand side and that which is
meant to be the earthly expression of that which is heavenly appears on the
left hand side.
Let us consider that the first saying that is on the right hand tablet:
saying number one – see 20:2 What is the corresponding saying on the left hand
tablet? It is the sixth saying. “You
shall not murder”.
When we compare the first saying with the sixth saying we conclude that
when you believe or proclaim that there is anyone besides YHVH who is powerful
and perfect enough to deliver us from all forms of bondage we are as good as
murderers to misrepresent this truth.
Yahshua was always declaring that he only did those things that his
Father YHVH revealed to him.
Joh 5:30 “Of Myself I am unable to do any matter.
As I hear, I judge, and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own
desire, but the desire of the Father who sent Me.
Joh 3:35 “The Father loves the Son, and has given all
into His hand.
Joh 3:36 “He who believes in the Son possesses
everlasting life, but he who does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the
wrath of Elohim remains on him.”
2. The second saying is that we must not come to have any other mighty
one before His face.
For centuries religious men have produced theological truths of YHVH and
have added to them by proclaiming Yahshua as the deity that has saved us and
then they have forced others to worship and honour Yahshua above YHVH.
Joh 4:23 “But the hour is coming, and now is, when the
true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father
also does seek such to worship Him.
Joh 4:24 “Elohim is Spirit, and those who worship Him
need to worship in spirit and truth.”
The transgression of this saying brings destruction upon generation s
of people. Why does it mention three to four generations? I believe it is
possible that it takes at least three to four generations of our fathers
returning to the Torah and ways of YHVH before we have a chance of coming out
from under the curse of this idolatry. I also believe that in the past century
there has been a faithful remnant who has laid a foundation for our
restoration. We have had various revivals the birth of Israel as a nation the
outpouring of the Ruach of YHVH in various places and a return to Torah by many
ex gentiles.
If we compare the second saying to the seventh saying, we find that
misrepresenting YHVH is like committing adultery.
3. The third saying is that we must not make the name of YHVH futile.
The Hebrew word for “futile” can also mean emptiness, vanity and
falsehood.
When we refuse to call YHVH by the names which He has given to us in His
Word, we rob Him of the essence of who He is. This is the worst possible kind
of theft and dishonesty.- identity theft - He has told us who He is and by what
name is to be called yet we call Him ''the LORD'' in place of YHVH and the title
name ‘’God’’ in place of Elohim /El/Eloha which means the Mighty One (the translators
could have transliterated Elohim to Elohim (like The Scriptures Version) or
they could have translated the title name Elohim then at least to ''the Mighty
One'' in English. In Afrikaans it could have been translated to '''Die Magtige
Een'' in stead of ''God''). We may not exactly know how to pronounce His personal
Name YHVH, but we have the Hebrew letters of YHVH and transliterations of His
name like Yahveh, Yahweh, Yahuah, Yahuvah, Yahovah etc. Why go and call Him
something completely different?
It is not up to mankind to give Him different names. His name contains
great truths about who He is when we change His names we rob YHVH and others of
the truth of who He is.
That is why the third saying is compared to the eighth saying – you
shall not steal.
4. The fourth saying commands us to keep the Sabbath. This is compared
to the ninth saying which says we are not to be false witnesses. I believe
those who refuse to honour the Sabbath as YHVH has commanded are false witness
of his truth and of who He really is.
5. The fifth saying is that we must honour our parents. It is easier to
understand this command when we understand what a Hebrew parent was called to
be. The Hebrew parent was to first provide a sound Torah foundation for their
children (see the full shema). Then the parents were to provide education and
training in a life skill. The parents were also responsible for providing
marriage partners for their children or at least because they brought their children
up in the ways of YHVH, they will give them guidance or warning where needed.
So if your parents did
their duty then you would not break the tenth commandment - Exo
20:17 “You do not covet your neighbour’s
house, you do not covet your neighbour’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his
female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, or whatever belongs to your
neighbour.”
Baruch atah
YHVH, Eloheynu, Melech ha-‘Olam, asher natan lanu Toraht-emet, v’chay-yeh o’lam
nata-b’tochenu. Baruch atah YHVH, noteyn ha-Torah. Ameyn.”
(Blessed are
you YHVH, our Elohim, King of the Universe, you have given us your Torah of
truth, and have planted everlasting life within our midst. Blessed are you,
YHVH giver of the Torah – Ameyn.)