Another contribution from Rabbi Jack in Toronto, Thanks as always, -Brother Bradley Avi

"Riches"

Parashat HaShavua Shoftim / Judges



This Week's Reading List:
Devarim / Deuteronomy 16:18-21:9
Yeshayahu / Isaiah 51:12-52:12
Yochanan / John 1:19-27


Devarim {17:15} you shall surely set him king over you, whom HaShem your G-D shall choose: one from among your brothers shall you set king over you; you may not put a foreigner over you, who is not your brother. {17:16} Only he shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Mitzrayim (Egypt), to the end that he may multiply horses; because HaShem has said to you, You shall henceforth return no more that way. {17:17} Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart not turn away: neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold.

I could not help but think of King Shlomo (Solomon) when I read this passage. If this was to be the standard by which a king in Yisrael (Israel) was to live, then Shlomo did everything wrong! Not only did King Shlomo multiply horses from Mitzrayim, but he also multiplied wives and amassed huge quantities of gold and silver.

Malachim Alef (1 Kings) {10:21} And all king Shlomo's drinking vessels were of gold, and all the vessels of the house of the forest of Lebanon were of pure gold; none were of silver: it was nothing accounted of in the days of Shlomo. {10:27} And the king made silver to be in Yerushalyim (Jerusalem) as stones, and cedars made he to be as the sycamore trees that are in the vale, for abundance.

It is obvious to see that king Shlomo did everything wrong. The strange thing is that HaShem promised him great wealth. So, if on one hand the king was not to amass great wealth, but on the other hand HaShem promised Shlomo great wealth, then what can we make of this?

Divre Hayamim Bet (2 Chronicles) {1:11} And God said to Solomon, "Because you had this in mind, and did not ask for riches, wealth, or honour, or the life of those who hate you, nor have you even asked for long life, but you have asked for yourself wisdom and knowledge, that you may rule My people, over whom I have made you king, {1:12} wisdom and knowledge have been granted to you. And I will give you riches and wealth and honour, such as none of the kings who were before you has possessed, nor those who will come after you."

As we know Shlomo’s wealth was one of the things that lead to his ultimate demise. His wealth and lavish life style certainly contributed to his amassing horses from Mitzrayim as well as his accumulation of hundreds of foreign wives, who eventually enticed him into idol worship. Was HaShem, therefore, responsible for Shlomo’s fall from grace? Was it G-d who set him up for that fall?

Mishlei (Proverbs) {26:1} As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, so honour is not seemly for a fool.

King Shlomo was certainly not a fool. As we know from the Psalmist that a fool is someone who denies that there is a G-d (Tehillim [Psalm] 14:1). Shlomo knew there was a G-d, yet towards the end of his life he acted like a fool in joining in with his wives in the worship of false gods. Although HaShem promised Shlomo wealth, He never gave him permission to use that wealth inappropriately by multiplying horses and wives; this was Shlomo’s own doing. The responsibility, therefore, for Shlomo’s demise rests totally on himself, nor can we say that HaShem set Shlomo up or even tempted him:

Ya’acov (James) {1:13} Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am being tempted by G-d"; for G-d cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. {1:14} But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. {1:15} Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death.

So HaShem was not the one that set Shlomo up for his fall from His grace -- this too was Shlomo’s own doing. When Shlomo asked for wisdom and knowledge instead of wealth HaShem gave him wealth and honour as well. For wealth and honour in the hands of someone that has wisdom and knowledge should be totally manageable. Yet as wise and knowledgeable as Shlomo was wealth and honour still got the best of him.

I think that this is a good lesson for us all to learn because many of us think that if we had money, then we would do so much good with it. However, I think we should take our lesson from Shlomo, the wisest man that ever lived. That lesson is that power, wealth and honour -- even in the hands of those with surpassing wisdom and knowledge – corrupts a man! Let us rather learn from another King – Yeshua – who told us:

Mattityahu (Matthew) {8:20} And Yeshua said to him, "The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head." {11:29} "Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you shall find rest for your souls.

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Baruch HaShem
Rabbi Ya'acov Farber

Re'eh- Behold

More wisdom from Rabbi Jack, thanks as always, Brother Brad
Parashat HaShavua Re'eh / Behold



This Week's Reading List:
Devarim / Deuteronomy 11:26-16:17
Yeshayahu / Isaiah 54:11-55:5
Yochanan Aleph / 1 John 4:1-6

Devarim {13:1} If there arise in the midst of you a navi (prophet), or a dreamer of dreams, and he gives you a sign or a wonder, {13:2} and the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spoke to you, saying, Let us go after other gods, which you have not known, and let us serve them; {13:3} you shall not listen to the words of that navi, or to that dreamer of dreams: for HaShem your G-D proves you, to know whether you love HaShem your G-D with all your heart and with all your nefesh (soul). {13:4} You shall walk after HaShem your G-D, and fear Him, and keep His mitzvot (commandments), and obey His voice, and you shall serve Him, and cleave to Him. {13:5} That navi, or that dreamer of dreams, shall be put to death, because he has spoken rebellion against HaShem your G-D, who brought you out of the land of Mitzrayim (Egypt), and redeemed you out of the house of bondage, to draw you aside out of the way which HaShem your G-D commanded you to walk in. So shall you put away the evil from the midst of you.

This is an amazing passage of Scripture. It tells us something important. Actually, it does more than that. It is warning us about something very profound and very serious, something that is extremely relevant to our day. What it is telling us is that not all signs and wonders are from HaShem. Considering the direction that many churches and even some Messianic congregations are taking today, this is a very important warning. Why do I say this? I say it because Believers today are running to and fro, throughout the world, after the latest sign and wonder.

I think we need to be extremely discerning when it comes to signs and wonders. This applies even when that sign or wonder comes to pass, just as our passage of Scripture is saying. The fact that a prophecy, dream, sign or wonder has come to pass does not necessarily mean that it is from G-d. In fact we are warned that certain signs and wonders could come to try and convince us to server other gods.

So why then does HaShem allow signs and wonders that are not from Him? We know that HaShem is in control of everything and that nothing on the earth, under the earth or above the earth, whether in the physical or spiritual, takes place without His knowledge and approval. Well, we are told above that HaShem allows false signs and wonders to take place for the following reason:

Devarim {13:3} you shall not listen to the words of that navi, or to that dreamer of dreams: for HaShem your G-D proves you, to know whether you love HaShem your G-D with all your heart and with all your nefesh (soul).

This is quite a sobering statement considering that Toronto, Canada, the city that our congregation is located in, is home to one of the largest “signs and wonders” churches in the world.

So what is HaShem testing in us when He sends us dreamers of dreams, prophets, signs and wonders that are not from Him? He wants to test us to see if we will do the following:

Devarim {13:3b}... whether you love HaShem your G-D with all your heart and with all your nefesh (soul). {13:4} You shall walk after HaShem your G-D, and fear Him, and keep His mitzvoth, and obey His voice, and you shall serve Him, and cleave to Him.

What does this mean? It means that we should be extremely reluctant to believe any dream, any prophecy, any sign or wonder coming from someone, or coming from a believing church or Messianic synagogue that does not follow the mitzvoth of HaShem - His Torah!

It goes without saying that HaShem’s mitzvot are outlined in His Torah. Yeshua, as we know, is G-d. As such when He instructed us to follow His commandments, being the composer of the Torah, He was instructing us to follow Torah. Yes, we can not perform those mitzvoth which are dependant on the existence of a Bet HaMikdash (Temple) because one does not exist, nor can we perform those mitzvot that are dependant on us living in HaAretz (The Land) if we are not living in HaAretz, but we are responsible to keep all the rest. I am also one that believes that this is incumbent on both Jewish and non-Jewish Believers alike because that is how HaShem said it was suppose to be.

So next time you encounter a dreamer of dreams, a prophet or signs and wonders emanating from a person who does not say and who’s fruit does not say that they follow or even believe in Torah, they are probably speaking rebellion against HaShem your G-d. Be reluctant to believe them!

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Baruch HaShem
Rabbi Ya'acov Farber