Parashat 47 Portion 135 Dev 11:26-12:19 Yesh 54:11-55:6 1Tim 6:13-16

Blessing for the Torah:

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. Blessed are you, YHVH, giver of the Torah. Ameyn.)

   This Torah portion – “Re eh or See!” leads us to ask ourselves “what it is more than anything else in this world that we would desire to see”?

     This is not a trick question. The answer should be obvious, but the impact of its simplicity eludes us.

      The study of Torah is meant to create within us the deepest longing possible to “Re eh or See” the Messiah.

      The evidence of truly “hearing” all of Torah is “seeing” Messiah as he is meant to be seen and known.

       The tragic reality of the ages is that many have claimed to know the Messiah but if they saw the Messiah as revealed in the scriptures, they would not recognize him – Mat 7:21-22.

For this reason the anti- messiah will deceive almost everyone in the last days – Rev 12:9.

                                                                                                                        

The most important spiritual lesson we can ever learn in this life is that if we “hear” YHVH and we guard and do His Torah – we will SEE? Or “Re eh” MESSIAH. If we Re eh Messiah we “Re eh” YHVH.

Joh 14:9  יהושע said to him….” He who has seen Me has seen the Father….”

This is the essence of all spiritual life –

Joh 17:3  “And this is everlasting life, that they should know You, the only true Elohim, and יהושע Messiah whom You have sent.

Deu 11:26  ‘See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse:

Deu 11:27  the blessing, when you obey the commands of יהוה your Elohim which I command you today;

Deu 11:28  and the curse, if you do not obey the commands of יהוה your Elohim, but turn aside from the way which I command you today, to go after other mighty ones which you have not known.

Rashi - This teaches that whoever worships idols departs from the entire path that Israel has been commanded. From here [our Rabbis] said: One who acknowledges [the divinity of] pagan deities is as though he denies the entire Torah. — [Sifrei]

וְהַקְּלָלָה, אִם-לֹא תִשְׁמְעוּ אֶל-מִצְו‍ֹת יְהוָה

“ The Curse” “vehakelala” Strongs 7045 – to treat with contempt also to withdraw from someone or something because all association has become displeasing and worthless.

Blessings come when we see – re eh Yahshua

Curses come when we do not see Yahshua.

Joh 20:29  יהושע said to him, “T’oma, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.”

Deu 11:29  ‘And it shall be, when יהוה your Elohim has brought you into the land which you go to possess, that you shall put the blessing on Mount Gerizim and the curse on Mount Ěyḇal.

Deu 11:30  ‘Are they not beyond the Yardĕn, toward the setting sun, in the land of the Kenaʽanites who dwell in the desert plain opposite Gilgal, beside the terebinth trees of Moreh?

“Gerizim” means “cuttings off” we get the idea of pruning excess vegetation to facilitate better growth and fruitfulness. Blessing comes as the Ruach Ha Kodesh removes hindrances to our spiritual growth.

Joh 15:1  “I am the true vine, and My Father is the gardener.

Joh 15:2  “Every branch in Me that bears no fruit He takes away. And every branch that bears fruit He prunes, so that it bears more fruit.

Joh 15:3  “You are already clean because of the Word which I have spoken to you.

Joh 15:4  “Stay in Me, and I stay in you. As the branch is unable to bear fruit of itself, unless it stays in the vine, so neither you, unless you stay in Me.

“eybal” means “bare” it can imply much activity but no fruit.

Blessing is measured by our being fruitful.

 Gal 5:22  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, trustworthiness,

Gal 5:23  gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no Torah.

Gal 5:24  And those who are of Messiah have impaled the flesh with its passions and the desires.

Gal 5:25  If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

Gal 5:20  idolatry, drug sorcery, hatred, quarrels, jealousies, fits of rage, selfish ambitions, dissensions, factions,

Gal 5:21  envy, murders, drunkenness, wild parties, and the like – of which I forewarn you, even as I also said before, that those who practise such as these shall not inherit the reign of Elohim.¹ Footnote: ¹1 Cor. 6:10.

Deu 11:31  ‘For you are passing over the Yardĕn to go in to possess the land which יהוה your Elohim is giving you, and you shall possess it and dwell in it,

Deu 11:32  and shall guard to do all the laws and right-rulings which I am setting before you today.’

Deu 12:1  “These are the laws and right-rulings which you guard to do in the land which יהוה Elohim of your fathers is giving you to possess, all the days that you live on the soil.

Deu 12:2  “Completely destroy all the places where the nations which you are dispossessing served their mighty ones, on the high mountains and on the hills and under every green tree.

Deu 12:3  “And you shall break down their altars, and smash their pillars, and burn their Ashĕrim with fire. And you shall cut down the carved images of their mighty ones and shall destroy their name¹ out of that place. Footnote: ¹The names of the gentile deities (mighty ones).

Deu 12:4  “Do not do so to יהוה your Elohim,

Deu 12:5  but seek the place which יהוה your Elohim chooses, out of all your tribes, to put His Name there, for His Dwelling Place, and there you shall enter.

Deu 12:6  “And there you shall take your burnt offerings, and your offerings, and your tithes, and the contributions of your hand, and your vowed offerings, and your voluntary offerings, and the firstlings of your herd and of your flock.

Deu 12:7  “And there you shall eat before יהוה your Elohim, and shall rejoice in all that you put your hand to, you and your households, in which יהוה your Elohim has blessed you.

Deu 12:8  “Do not do as we are doing here today – each one doing whatever is right in his own eyes¹. Footnote: ¹See Jud. 17:6 & 21:25.

Deu 12:9  “Because you have not yet entered the rest and the inheritance which יהוה your Elohim is giving you.

Deu 12:10  “But you shall pass over the Yardĕn, and shall dwell in the land which יהוה your Elohim is giving you to inherit, and He shall give you rest from all your enemies round about, and you shall dwell in safety.

Deu 12:11  “And it shall be, that unto the place which יהוה your Elohim chooses to make His Name dwell there, there you are to bring all that I command you: your burnt offerings, and your offerings, and your tithes, and the contributions of your hand, and all your choice offerings which you vow to יהוה.

Deu 12:12  “And you shall rejoice before יהוה your Elohim, you and your sons and your daughters, and your male servants and your female servants, and the Lĕwite who is within your gates, since he has no portion nor inheritance with you.

Deu 12:13  “Guard yourself that you do not offer your burnt offerings in every place that you see,

Deu 12:14  except in the place which יהוה chooses, in one of your tribes, there you are to offer your burnt offerings, and there you are to do all that I command you.

Deu 12:15  “Only, whatever your being desires you shall slaughter and eat, according to the blessing of יהוה your Elohim which He has given you, within all your gates. The unclean and the clean do eat of it, of the gazelle and the deer alike.

Deu 12:16  “Only, the blood you do not eat, pour it on the earth like water.

Deu 12:17  “You are not allowed to eat within your gates the tithe of your grain, or of your new wine, or of your oil, or of the firstlings of your herd or your flock, or of any of your offerings which you vow, or of your voluntary offerings, or of the contribution of your hand.

Deu 12:18  “But eat them before יהוה your Elohim, in the place which יהוה your Elohim chooses, you and your son and your daughter, and your male servant and your female servant, and the Lĕwite who is within your gates. And you shall rejoice before יהוה your Elohim in all that you put your hands to.

Deu 12:19  “Guard yourself that you do not forsake the Lĕwite as long as you live in your land.

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 Yahweh, 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

Please note these notes are under construction and are subject to correction and are in no way a final authority on any subject

Parashat 46 Portion 134 Dev/Deut 10:1-11:25 2 Kings 13:22-25 1 Thess 1:8-9

Blessing for the Torah:

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. Blessed are you, YHVH, giver of the Torah. Ameyn.)                            

      Parashah Eikev begins with “if you will listen…” paradoxically, then, it is hearing, rather than the more riveting experience of seeing, that enables us to commit ourselves wholeheartedly and totally to the pursuit of being conformed into the image of Messiah. If we continue “hearing” and obeying we will begin to “see” and experience the will of YHVH in our lives and on earth – “may Your kingdom come ….on earth as it is in heaven.”

     2Co 5:7  for we walk by belief, not by sight.

We walk according to “the faith” handed down for us from our fathers – Avraham Yitzchak and Yakov – revealed in the Torah and expounded upon in the Nazarene Talmud – Apostolic scriptures.

“Belief” refers to “the faith” and is a noun and not a verb, and “sight” refers to our perception of the faith walk. We are told we cannot walk according to our perception of truth but of YHVH’s as revealed in the Word – Torah.

The next parashah “Re eh” or “seeing” … “Deu 11:26  ‘See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse:…….” follows our current parashah which focuses on hearing and obeying.

And so we see that the underlying theme of “sefer devarim” (Deuteronomy) is “teshuvah” “repentance” since we struggle to “shemah” “hear” and obey YHVH because of our often faulty perception of the truth.

And so the sages have rightly stated that this parashah is about what is required to usher in the Messianic era.

The Messiah himself said in Luk 13:35  “See(hineh), your House(Yerushalayim) is left to you laid waste. And truly I say to you, you shall by no means see Me until the time comes when you say, ‘Blessed is He who is coming in the Name of יהוה!’ ”

Messiah will only return when the Yahudim(and other believers) “shemah” the truth of the Torah as Messiah teaches and declare with a heart of deep repentance “blessed is he who comes in the name of YHVH”

This week’s Parashah begins:

Deu 10:1  “At that time יהוה said to me, ‘Hew for yourself two tablets of stone like the first, and come up to Me on the mountain. And you shall make yourself an ark of wood,

א  בָּעֵת הַהִוא אָמַר יְהוָה אֵלַי, פְּסָל-לְךָ שְׁנֵי-לוּחֹת אֲבָנִים כָּרִאשֹׁנִים, וַעֲלֵה אֵלַי, הָהָרָה; וְעָשִׂיתָ לְּךָ, אֲרוֹן עֵץ.

Deu 10:2  then I write on the tablets the Words that were on the first tablets, which you broke. And you shall put them in the ark.’

The Torah was always meant to have a resting place. The “Aaron” was the wooden box in which the tablets of the Torah were kept. Today each synagogue has an ‘Aaron Kodesh’ a resting place for the Torah scroll. The wooden box reminds us of a fragile storage space, we can compare this to human beings or human clay vessels.

2Co 4:7  And we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the excellence of the power might be of Elohim, and not of us –

The Torah found a perfect resting place in a perfect clay vessel called “Emmanuel” or “with us is El”- Mt1:23. Through Yahshua’s presence and life, YHVH’s presence and life was made known.

The Torah in us, remaining in us, will bring us into the perfect presence of the Almighty.

This is why the Torah instructs us again and again to guard, do and hear this Torah and to teach it to our children all the days of our lives.

Deu 10:3  “So I made an ark of acacia wood, hewed two tablets of stone like the first, and went up the mountain, with the two tablets in my hand.

Deu 10:4  “And He wrote on the tablets according to the first writing, the Ten Words, which יהוה had spoken to you in the mountain from the midst of the fire in the day of the assembly. Then יהוה gave them to me,

Deu 10:5  and I turned and came down from the mountain, and put the tablets in the ark which I had made. And they are there, as יהוה commanded me.”

Deu 10:6  Now the children of Yisra’ĕl set out from the wells of Benĕi Yaʽaqan to Mosĕrah. Aharon died there, and he was buried there. And Elʽazar his son became priest in his place.

Deu 10:7  From there they set out to Guḏgoḏah, and from Guḏgoḏah to Yotḇathah, a land of rivers of water.

Deu 10:8  At that time יהוה separated the tribe of Lĕwi to bear the ark of the covenant of יהוה, to stand before יהוה, to serve Him, and to bless in His Name, to this day.

עַד הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה

YHVH has not changed His mind concerning the Levites. Anyone called today to stand in a priestly role is merely doing so as a “proxy” until all the temple service and the Levitical priesthood is restored.

Deu 10:9  Therefore Lĕwi has no portion nor inheritance with his brothers. יהוה is his inheritance, as יהוה your Elohim promised him.

Deu 10:10  “And I stayed in the mountain for forty days and forty nights. And יהוה heard me at that time also, and יהוה chose not to destroy you.

Deu 10:11  “And יהוה said to me, ‘Arise, go before the people, to set out, and let them go in and possess the land which I swore to their fathers to give them.’

Deu 10:12  “And now, Yisra’ĕl, what is יהוה your Elohim asking of you, but to fear יהוה your Elohim, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, and to serve יהוה your Elohim with all your heart and with all your being,

Deu 10:13  to guard the commands of יהוה and His laws which I command you today for your good?

This has never changed!

Deu 10:14  “See, the heavens and the heaven of heavens belong to יהוה your Elohim, also the earth with all that is in it.

Deu 10:15  “יהוה delighted only in your fathers, to love them. And He chose their seed after them, you above all peoples¹, as it is today. Footnote: ¹See also 7:6, 14:2, 26:18, Ps. 135:4 and Amos 3:2.

Deu 10:16  “And you shall circumcise the foreskin of your heart, and harden your neck no more.

Deu 10:17  “For יהוה your Elohim is Elohim of mighty ones and Master of masters, the great Ěl, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality nor takes a bribe.

Deu 10:18  “He executes right-ruling for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the stranger, giving him food and a garment.

Deu 10:19  “And you shall love the stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Mitsrayim.

Deu 10:20  “Fear יהוה your Elohim. Serve Him, and cling to Him, and swear by His Name.

To “swear by His Name” possibly implies that we should be true to our word as YHVH is true to His.

Deu 10:21  “He is your praise, and He is your Elohim, who has done for you these great and awesome deeds which your eyes have seen.

Deu 10:22  “Your fathers went down to Mitsrayim with seventy beings, and now יהוה your Elohim has made you as numerous as the stars of the heavens.

Deu 11:1  “And you shall love יהוה your Elohim and guard His Charge¹: even His laws, and His right-rulings, and His commands, always. Footnote: ¹See Gen. 26:5.

Deu 11:2  “And you shall know today – for it is not your children who have not known and who have not seen the discipline of יהוה your Elohim, His greatness, His strong hand and His outstretched arm,

Deu 11:3  and His signs, and His works which He had done in the midst of Mitsrayim, to Pharaoh sovereign of Mitsrayim, and to all his land;

Deu 11:4  and that which He had done to the army of Mitsrayim, to their horses and their chariots, when He made the waters of the Sea of Reeds overflow them as they pursued you, and how יהוה has destroyed them to this day;

Deu 11:5  and what He had done for you in the wilderness till you came to this place;

Deu 11:6  and what He had done to Dathan and Aḇiram the sons of Eliyaḇ, son of Re’uḇĕn, when the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, and their households, and their tents, and all the living creatures that were in their possession, in the midst of all Yisra’ĕl.

Deu 11:7  “For yours are the eyes that saw all the great work of יהוה, which He did.

Deu 11:8  “And you shall guard every command which I command you today, so that you are strong, and shall go in, and shall possess the land which you are passing over to possess,

Deu 11:9  and to prolong your days in the land which יהוה swore to give your fathers, to them and their descendants, a land flowing with milk and honey.

Deu 11:10  “For the land which you are going in to possess is not like the land of Mitsrayim from which you have come, where you sowed your seed and watered it by foot, as a vegetable garden,

Rabbi Israel Baal Shem Tov would say:

There are two types of fields: an irrigated field, and a field watered by rain.

The scholar's soul is an irrigated field, devotedly developed and nurtured by her farmer. The soul of the simple Jew is a rain-nourished field, surrendering herself to the whims of the heavens, humbly awaiting blessing and stimulation from above.

The irrigated field yields a harvest that is superior, in quantity and quality, to that of her passive sister. But the rain-watered field is a truer, purer reflection on her Heavenly Maker.

Deu 11:11  but the land which you are passing over to possess is a land of hills and valleys, which drinks water from the rain of the heavens,

Deu 11:12  a land which יהוה your Elohim looks after. The eyes of יהוה your Elohim are always on it, from the beginning of the year to the latter end of the year.

Deu 11:13  ‘And it shall be that if you diligently obey My commands which I command you today, to love יהוה your Elohim and to serve Him with all your heart and with all your being,

יג  וְהָיָה, אִם-שָׁמֹעַ תִּשְׁמְעוּ אֶל-מִצְו‍ֹתַי, אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי מְצַוֶּה אֶתְכֶם, הַיּוֹם--לְאַהֲבָה אֶת-יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם, וּלְעָבְדוֹ, בְּכָל-לְבַבְכֶם, וּבְכָל-נַפְשְׁכֶם.

The remainder of this parashah addresses “you” in the plural. Imagine the impact a messianic community would have on this earth if a group of believers heard and obeyed and guarded the Torah of YHVH.

Deu 11:14  then I shall give you the rain for your land in its season, the early rain and the latter rain, and you shall gather in your grain, and your new wine, and your oil.

Deu 11:15  ‘And I shall give grass in your fields for your livestock, and you shall eat and be satisfied.

Deu 11:16  ‘Guard yourselves, lest your heart be deceived, and you turn aside and serve other mighty ones and bow down to them.

Deu 11:17  ‘Then the displeasure of יהוה shall burn against you, and He shall shut up the heavens, and there be no rain, and the land not give its increase. And you shall perish quickly from the good land which יהוה is giving you.

Deu 11:18  ‘And you shall lay up these Words¹ of Mine in your heart and in your being, and shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. Footnote: ¹See footnote at 5:22.

Deu 11:19  ‘And you shall teach them to your children, speaking of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise up,

Deu 11:20  and shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates,

Deu 11:21  so that your days and the days of your children are increased on the soil of which יהוה swore to your fathers to give them, as the days of the heavens on the earth.

Deu 11:22  ‘For if you diligently guard all these commands which I command you, to do it, to love יהוה your Elohim, to walk in all His ways, and to cling to Him,

Deu 11:23  then יהוה shall drive out all these nations before you, and you shall dispossess greater and stronger nations than you.

Deu 11:24  ‘Every place on which the sole of your foot treads is yours: from the wilderness, and Leḇanon, from the river, the River Euphrates, even to the Western Sea is your border.

Deu 11:25  ‘No man shall stand against you. יהוה your Elohim shall put the dread of you and the fear of you upon all the land where you tread, as He has spoken to you.

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 Yahweh, 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

Please note these notes are under construction and are subject to correction and are in no way a final authority on any subject

Parashat 46 Portion 133 Dev 9:1-29 Yerm 2:1-13 Yak 4:1-10.

Blessing for the Torah:

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. Blessed are you, YHVH, giver of the Torah. Ameyn.)

“Here we come face to face with one of the most important lessons in scripture, namely, that YHVH acts according to His sovereign will to accomplish His eternal plan so that the esteem of it all will be His. He is the all esteemed One, and acts in faithful loyalty to all that He is and all that He has decreed. YHVH does not work in reaction to mankind’s successes or failures. YHVH is not shut up to accomplish His will through the “maybe’s” of human fickleness. Even more YHVH is not left with His Hands tied up behind the backs of His people. He accomplished His will among the host of heaven and the inhabitants of the earth, and no one stays His Hand or requires of Him “what are You doing?”- Dan 4:35. YHVH, the Almighty, the Commander of the Hosts, will accomplish His plan, and how blessed are the people through whom He sovereignly wills to accomplish it.” – Tim Hegg.

Dan 4:35  And all the inhabitants of the earth are of no account, and He does as He wishes with the host of the heavens and among the inhabitants of the earth. And there is none to strike against His hand or say to Him, “What have You done?”

This Torah portion points to the long history of disobedience of those who were called to love and serve YHVH. This disobedience continued in spite of the coming of Yahshua and the outpouring of the Ruach Ha Kodesh.  Will this disobedience continue even after the Messiah comes again?

Jer 2:1  And the word of יהוה came to me, saying, Jer 2:2  “Go, and you shall cry in the hearing of Yerushalayim, saying, ‘Thus said יהוה, “I remember you, the kindness of your youth, the love of your bridehood, when you went after Me in the wilderness, in a land that was not sown. Jer 2:3  “Yisra’ĕl was set-apart to יהוה, the first-fruits of His increase. All who ate of it became guilty – evil came upon them,” declares יהוה.’ ” (will evil come upon the church because of replacement theology?) Jer 2:4  Hear the word of יהוה, O house of Yaʽaqoḇ and all the clans of the house of Yisra’ĕl. Jer 2:5  Thus said יהוה, “What unrighteousness have your fathers found in Me, that they have gone far from Me, and went after worthlessness, and became worthless? Jer 2:6  “And did not they say, ‘Where is יהוה, who brought us up out of the land of Mitsrayim, who led us through the wilderness, through a land of deserts and pits, through a land of drought and the shadow of death, a land that no one passed through and where no one dwelt?’ Jer 2:7  “Then I brought you into a garden land, to eat its fruit and its goodness. But when you entered, you defiled My land and made My inheritance an abomination. Jer 2:8  “The priests did not say, ‘Where is יהוה?’ And those who handle the Torah did not know Me, and the shepherds¹ transgressed against Me, and the prophets prophesied by Baʽal, and walked after matters that did not profit. Footnote: ¹See 10:21, 12:10-11, 50:6-7. Jer 2:11  “Has a nation changed its mighty ones, which are not mighty ones? But My people have changed My esteem¹ for that which does not profit. Footnote: ¹Symbolic name for His Ark. Jer 2:12  “Be amazed, O heavens, at this, and be frightened, be utterly dried up,” declares יהוה. Jer 2:13  “For My people have done two evils: they have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters¹, to hew out for themselves cisterns, cracked cisterns, which do not hold water. Footnote: ¹See 17:13.

In verse 13 we see YHVH sum up Yisreal’s failure – Firstly their failure to be utterly motivated, nourished and satisfied with YHVH as the source of all life; and secondly to try and fill this satisfaction with manmade religion and self -significance.

Our weekly Torah portion:

Deu 9:1  “Hear, O Yisra’ĕl: You are passing over the Yardĕn today, to go in to dispossess nations greater and stronger than yourself, cities great and walled up to the heavens,

א  שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל, אַתָּה עֹבֵר הַיּוֹם אֶת-הַיַּרְדֵּן, לָבֹא לָרֶשֶׁת גּוֹיִם, גְּדֹלִים וַעֲצֻמִים מִמֶּךָּ--עָרִים גְּדֹלֹת וּבְצֻרֹת, בַּשָּׁמָיִם.

“Shemah Yisrael…” – whenever these two words are used they are immediately intended to call us to listen carefully and pay careful attention as to what is about to be said.

Moshe then goes on to say that Yisrael is crossing the Yarden River on that particular day. Why is this important?

Firstly Moshe was not crossing over the Yarden. Secondly those crossing the Yarden must not assume that their crossing has something to do with their own obedience and righteousness. This is a lesson to us who call ourselves believers and believe we are entitled to all the blessings and promises of YHVH.

For many Yisraelites this must have been a wonderful day yet it must also have been a sad day because there were many others that could have crossed over but never did.

This Torah portion seems to draw our attention to the fact that not everyone who calls themselves believers in YHVH and His Messiah Yahshua, automatically qualify to cross over into Yisrael. And not everyone who crosses over the Yarden to Yisrael will automatically stay in Yisrael

 “Walled up to the heavens” could imply that these cities were protected by ocultic demonic forces.

We should consider the implications of this matter in a very sober manner. False doctrines have “walled up the truth to the heavens” for many dear precious “called out ones.” Only the mighty power of YHVH working in us will save us from such deception and defeat in the last days.

Deu 9:2  a people great and tall, the descendants of the Anaqim, whom you know, and of whom you heard it said, ‘Who does stand before the descendants of Anaq?’

Deu 9:3  “And you shall know today that יהוה your Elohim is He who is passing over before you as a consuming fire – He does destroy them and subdue them before you. So you shall dispossess them and destroy them quickly, as יהוה has said to you.

It is difficult for modern day believers to even entertain the idea that they may have to destroy those who have become possessed by their religion and intend to do all they can to destroy YHVH’s people and His Torah.

Deu 9:4  “Do not think in your heart, after יהוה your Elohim has driven them out before you, saying, ‘Because of my righteousness יהוה has brought me in to possess this land.’ But it is because of the wrong of these nations that יהוה is driving them out from before you.

Deu 9:5  “It is not because of your righteousness or the uprightness of your heart that you go in to possess their land, but because of the wrong of these nations that יהוה your Elohim drives them out from before you, in order to establish the word which יהוה swore to your fathers, to Aḇraham, to Yitsḥaq, and to Yaʽaqoḇ. (See comment in Stones Chumash p 985 vs 4-6)

Deu 9:6  “And you shall know that יהוה your Elohim is not giving you this good land to possess because of your righteousness, for you are a stiff-necked people.

Deu 9:7  “Remember, do not forget how you provoked to wrath יהוה your Elohim in the wilderness. From the day that you came out of the land of Mitsrayim until you came to this place, you have been rebellious against יהוה.

Deu 9:8  “Even in Ḥorĕḇ you made יהוה wroth, so that יהוה was enraged with you, to destroy you.

Note the accusations YHVH makes against His people in vs 6-9.

Does YHVH not remain enraged with those who continually break His covenant and violate His Torah?

Deu 9:9  “When I went up into the mountain to receive the tablets of stone, the tablets of the covenant which יהוה made with you, then I stayed on the mountain forty days and forty nights. I did not eat bread nor did I drink water.

Deu 9:10  “Then יהוה gave me the two tablets of stone written with the finger of Elohim, and on them were all the Words which יהוה had spoken to you on the mountain from the midst of the fire in the day of the assembly.

Deu 9:11  “And it came to be, at the end of forty days and forty nights, that יהוה gave me the two tablets of stone, the tablets of the covenant.

Deu 9:12  “Then יהוה said to me, ‘Arise, go down quickly from here, for your people whom you brought out of Mitsrayim have acted corruptly. They have quickly turned aside from the way which I commanded them, they have made themselves a moulded image.’

Deu 9:13  “And יהוה spoke to me, saying, ‘I have seen this people, and look, they are a stiff-necked people.

Deu 9:14  ‘Leave Me alone, so that I destroy them and blot out their name from under the heavens, and make of you a nation stronger and greater than they.’

Deu 9:15  “So I turned and came down from the mountain, and the mountain burned with fire. And the two tablets of the covenant were in my two hands.

Deu 9:16  “And I looked and saw that you had sinned against יהוה your Elohim, and had made for yourselves a moulded calf! You had quickly turned aside from the way which יהוה had commanded you.

Deu 9:17  “And I took the two tablets and threw them out of my two hands and broke them before your eyes,

Deu 9:18  “and I fell down before יהוה, as at the first, forty days and forty nights. I did not eat bread and I did not drink water, because of all your sins which you committed in doing evil in the eyes of יהוה, to provoke Him.

Deu 9:19  “For I was afraid of the displeasure and rage with which יהוה was wroth with you, to destroy you. But יהוה listened to me that time once more.

Deu 9:20  “And יהוה was very enraged with Aharon, to destroy him, so I prayed for Aharon at that time also.

Deu 9:21  “And I took your sin, the calf which you had made, and burned it with fire and crushed it and ground it very small, until it was as fine as dust. And I threw its dust into the stream that came down from the mountain.

Deu 9:22  “And at Taḇʽĕrah and at Massah and at Qiḇroth Hatta’awah you made יהוה wroth.

Deu 9:23  “And when יהוה sent you from Qaḏĕsh Barnĕa, saying, ‘Go up and possess the land which I have given you,’ then you rebelled against the mouth of יהוה your Elohim, and you neither trusted Him nor listened to His voice.

Deu 9:24  “You have been rebellious against יהוה from the day that I knew you.

Deu 9:25  “So I fell down before יהוה the forty days and forty nights, for I fell down because יהוה had said He would destroy you.

Deu 9:26  “And I prayed to יהוה, and said, ‘O Master יהוה, do not destroy Your people and Your inheritance whom You have redeemed in Your greatness, whom You have brought out of Mitsrayim with a strong hand.

Deu 9:27  ‘Remember Your servants, Aḇraham, Yitsḥaq, and Yaʽaqoḇ. Do not look on the stubbornness of this people, or on their wrong or on their sin,

Deu 9:28  lest the land from which You brought us should say, “Because יהוה was not able to bring them to the land which He promised them, and because He hated them, He has brought them out to kill them in the wilderness.”

Deu 9:29  ‘And they are Your people and Your inheritance, whom You brought out by Your great power and by Your outstretched arm.’

Why would YHVH want us for an inheritance?

Psa 127:3  Look, children are an inheritance from יהוה, The fruit of the womb is the reward.

Torah seeking parents desire their children to be raised on the foundation of Torah. In the ancient Hebrew communities the little children began their study of Torah in the book of Vayikra - learning to hear and respond to the voice of YHVH. These children were often only about three years old when their study of Torah began.

YHVH clearly instructs us in His Torah that we are to daily commit these instructions of life to our children and our children to their children and so on from generation to generation.

In a like manner YHVH wants to impregnate our beings with His Word – Torah, in such a way that our lives will reproduce YHVH’s life throughout the world and even the universe. In the “eighth day” of the new beginning, we believe this will be so.

In the meantime we have all being impregnated with a “mixed seed” and produced an inferior kind of life. It is only the love of YHVH and a love for YHVH that will inspire us to open our lives to receive His Pure Word – His Torah….. “shemah Yisrael …..love YHVH with all your heart ….”

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.”

Many believers have understood the concept of worship and many wonderful worship songs have been composed and sung. Sadly however this has not brought most of these worshippers to embrace YHVH’s truth – His Torah, the way His anointed Son came to show us.

Listen to the following songs and pray that YHVH will open your hearts to embrace His Torah. (Note that these songs were written years ago by “Charismatic believer - musicians” and we also sung them years ago before we were on this “Torah-road of restoration”. At least these songs give complete honour to Elohim our Father. If we have to sing it now though, we will not use the Father’s name as “LORD” but will sing Yah or YHVH and where we sang “holy God or holy LORD” before we will replace it now to “set apart Elohim or Father”. In the last few years since we have returned to our Hebrew roots, we are very sensitive to check out a praise or worship song to see if it is Scriptural if it is not direct Scripture. Many of the songs that we sang years ago while we were still in “Charismatic or Pentecostal churches” we will not sing anymore because some are not really scripturally correct.  Accept  for the “LORD” and “Holy God” names in stead of the restored names of our Father, these two worship songs that the links were provided for are  scripturally correct  and two lovely songs.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=No1MfYkcNuU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KnhUh2tt97Q

One thing that we really appreciate about the musicians who are also on this “Torah road of restoration so to speak” – let’s call them “Messianic musicians” (“Messianic” because that is a descriptive name that is given to people like ourselves who are striving to be Torah observant – people who keep Shabbat on the real Shabbat (the Seventh day); keeping the Scriptural Feasts of YHVH; eating according to Scriptural dietary laws etc etc, versus “Christians” who keep the First day of the week as the Shabbat; celebrating Christmas and Easter; eating pork and shellfish etc because they believe “Jesus had come to do away with the Torah when he died” ) is that many, many of the songs that the Messianic musicians are composing are direct Scripture that is putting to music. When not a pure scriptural song (melody put with certain Scripture verses) then we test it against the Word of Elohim and do not sing songs for instance that are still promoting the Trineterian doctrine. Most Messianic musicians will do the restored name of “Jesus” and put Yeshua or Yahshua in stead but unfortunately many of them are still singing “the LORD” and “God” in their songs instead of using the Father’s covenant name YHVH or the title name “Elohim”. Here is a link to a Messianic musician who are putting many Scripture to music and who is serious about using the restored names of the Father YHVH and his son Yahshua/Yeshua: https://www.youtube.com/watchv=CRP8tamjmPA&list=PLsMX7C7R043B_0MOBRrBMHF1vbC-m4DHG  

His name is James Block.

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

Please note these notes are under construction and are subject to correction and are in no way a final authority on any subject