Torah portion Ki Teitzei "When you go out"

Another post from Rabbi Jack in Toronto, Thanks as always, Brother

"Delivered From Ourselves"



Parashat HaShavua Ki Teitzei / When You Go Out

This Week's Reading List:
Devarim / Deuteronomy 21:10-25:19
Yeshayahu / Isaiah 54:1-10
Korintim Aleph / 1 Corinthians 5:1-5


Devarim {21:10} When you go forth to battle against your enemies, and HaShem your G-D delivers them into your hands, and you carry them away captive,...

What an encouraging passage of Scripture! It is encouraging because we are learning that the battle is the L-rd’s! We sing these words in our Messianic congregations. We read these words or ones that are similar time after time in Scripture, where we are told that HaShem fights for Yisrael, defending her and defeating her enemies before her. We experience these words in our own lives when HaShem delivers us out of the hand of enemies that have come against us with the intention of harming us in one way or another. By faith we believe these words – the battle is the L-rd’s!

However, this passage is also ominous because, although the battle is the L-rd’s the victory, in most cases, depends on us! You will recall the incident of the twelve spies; ten of the twelve men sent out by Moshe to spy out the land of Canaan came back with a negative report. They succeeded to turn the hearts of the entire nation away from believing and serving G-d. However, when HaShem struck the spies with a plague and they died, bnei Yisrael (the children of Israel) then realized their mistake and they repented and agreed to go in and fight for the land, but it was too late for fighting; worse than that it was too late for them to stop the consequence that would come for their sin of rebellion.

Bamidbar (Numbers) {14:40} In the morning, however, they rose up early and went up to the ridge of the hill country, saying, "Here we are; we have indeed sinned, but we will go up to the place which HaShem has promised." {14:41} But Moshe (Moses) said, "Why then are you transgressing the commandment of HaShem, when it will not succeed? {14:42} "Do not go up, lest you be struck down before your enemies, for HaShem is not among you. {14:43} "For the Amalekites and the Canaanites will be there in front of you, and you will fall by the sword, inasmuch as you have turned back from following HaShem. And HaShem will not be with you."

HaShem will fight our battles for us, and He will deliver up our enemies into our hands; however, we do have some responsibilities toward Him. G-d will do all that He has promised, but we need to participate if we want the victory. We need to be obedient! Obedience unlocks the door to all our blessings.

Devarim {28:1} It shall happen, if you shall listen diligently to the voice of HaShem your G-D, to observe to do all his mitzvot (commandments) which I command you this day, who HaShem your G-D will set you on high above all the goyim (nations) of the earth: {28:2} and all these blessings shall come on you, and overtake you, if you shall listen to the voice of HaShem your G-D. {28:7} HaShem will cause your enemies who rise up against you to be struck before you: they shall come out against you one way, and shall flee before you seven ways.

All this seems quite simple and straight forward, but bnei Yisrael was not able to accomplish this simple task, nor can most of us. Something as simple as obedience turns out to be the hardest thing to accomplish. We have to ask ourselves why? Why is it that, despite the assurance by G-d that He will bless us and deliver all our enemies up to us if we are obedient that we can not be obedient? Is it because we do not want to be blessed? Is it because we are sadistic and enjoy pain and sorrow? I do not think so! So why do we have so much difficulty being obedient? Most people would like to say it is because, “The devil made me do it,” but the fact is that we are the ones to blame. Our own selfishness, our own desire to have our own way and do things our own way; our own craving to satisfy our flesh is what does it.

Romim (Romins) {7:19} For the good that I wish, I do not do; but I practice the very evil that I do not wish. {7:20} But if I am doing the very thing I do not wish, I am no longer the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me. {7:21} I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wishes to do good. {7:22} For I joyfully concur with the Torah of G-d in the inner man, {7:23} but I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the Torah of my mind, and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members. {7:24} Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death? {7:25} Thanks be to G-d through Yeshua HaMashiach (the Messiah) our L-rd! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the Torah of G-d, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin.

Let us face it; we are our own worst enemies! However, thanks to Yeshua HaMashiach, we have been delivered from ourselves!

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Baruch HaShem
Rabbi Ya'acov Farber

Hallelujah for our Lord, our Teacher,our Rabbi, "YESHUA" King Messiah for ever and ever!!!

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

Ekev "As a result"

Another contribution from Rabbi Jack, thanks again, Brother, we do appreciate it. -Bradley

"The Ultimate Result"התוצאה הסופית


Parashat HaShavua Ekev / As a Result



This Week's Reading List:
Devarim / Deuteronomy 7:12-11:25
Yeshayahu / Isaiah 49:14-51:3
Romim / Romans 8:31-39


Devarim {8:1} All the mitzvot (commandments) which I command you this day shall you observe to do, that you may live, and multiply, and go in and possess the land which HaShem swore to your avot (fathers). {8:2} You shall remember all the way which HaShem your G-D has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that He might humble you, to prove you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His mitzvot, or not. {8:3} He humbled you, and allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna, which you did not know, neither did your avot know; that He might make you know that ish (man) does not live by bread only, but by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of HaShem does ish live... {8:11} Beware lest you forget HaShem your G-D, in not keeping His mitzvoth, and His chukim (judgments), and His statutes, which I command you this day: {8:16} who fed you in the wilderness with manna, which your avot did not know; that He might humble you, and that He might prove you, to do you good at your latter end:

I trust you noticed that I skipped a few verses in quoting the above portion from this week’s Parasha. That is because I only wanted to quote verses that were pertinent to our discussion.

What I would like us to see here is that, firstly, HaShem wants us to obey Him and observe all His mitzvot. He has promised that if we keep them we will not only live, but we will prosper, we will multiply and we will also posses the land of our enemies. However, HaShem wants us to remember that even though we may be obedient to His mitzvot, He will find it necessary, from time to time, to humble us in order to test whether our commitment to Him is true. As He said above, He did this humbling by, among other things, causing bnei Yisrael (the children of Israel) to hunger and then providing them with the most meager of food (manna), which under normal circumstances seem to physically nor nutritionally satisfy a person. However, this food miraculously does satisfy. In our Scripture passage He said He did this to show that “man does live on bread alone but on every Word which proceeds from the mouth of G-d” .

My wife and I are very health conscious. We try our best to eat healthy and nutritiously. However, both of us know, without a doubt, that no matter how well we eat and no matter how health conscience we are, without our being obedient to HaShem and His mitzvot, we would not be able to maintain good health. Our health and wellbeing does not depend on bread alone, but on every Word that proceeds from the mouth of G-d.

Today we are told that we must eat balanced healthy meals. Schools are removing Coca Cola and other potentially unhealthy drinks and food from their cafeterias’. However, these same schools have already taken G-d out of the classrooms -- G-d is barred from entering our school (at least the G-d of Avraham, Yitzchak and Ya’acov that is). What can we conclude then? Well, as HaShem has said, “Man does not live by bread alone, but by every Word that proceeds from the mouth of G-d?” We can conclude, therefore, that man’s efforts to instill healthy eating habits into our schoolchildren will not produce a generation of healthy adults, at least in the long run anyways.

The second thing that I would like us to see is that HaShem sends adversity into our lives so as to humble us. I have noticed, in myself as well, that success is left unchecked then we can become self-serving, self-aggrandizing and snobbish. This can develop to the point where we look down on others and seek out only those people that can further our positions or our careers. Adversity in a person’s life certainly cures this problem. When problems strike you realize that you are not invincible or infallible, but that you are like everyone else in this wicked and perverse world. You are vulnerable and subject to sickness, disease, disasters and problems. Through this knowledge and through the experiencing of any one of these messengers from G-d, humility is produced in us.

The final thing that I would like us to see is that everything HaShem does to us, is done just as the last Scripture I quoted above states, “... that He might prove you, to do you good at your latter end:” haSatan (Satan) tempts us for the purpose that he might do us evil in the latter end. He wants us to fail, mess up and fall away from HaShem, but HaShem tests us so that we might know who we really are. He does it so that we will not be puffed-up, self serving and snobbish. HaShem tests us for the purpose of doing good to us in the latter end. Every time we pass a test and choose G-d’s will over or own we draw closer to HaShem, which will ultimately result in Him blessing us.

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Baruch HaShem
Rabbi Ya'acov Farber

Va Etchanan- And I begged

Another contribution from Rabbi Jack in Toronto,we are always thanksful for your posts. -Bradley Avi

Parashat HaShavua Va'Etchanan / And I Begged



This Week's Reading List:
Devarim / Deuteronomy 3:23-7:11
Yeshayahu / Isaiah 40:1-26
Mordechai / Mark 12:28-34

Devarim {5:17} "You shall not murder.

Mattityahu (Matthew) {5:17} "Do not think that I came to abolish the Torah or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish, but to complete. {5:18} "For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not so much as a yud or kotz (stroke) shall pass away from Torah, until all is accomplished. {5:19} "Whoever then annuls one of the least of these mitzvoth (commandments), and so teaches others, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. {5:20} "For I say to you, that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven. {5:21} "You have heard that the ancients were told, “You shall not commit murder” and “Whoever commits murder shall be liable to the Sanhedrin.” {5:22} “But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the Sanhedrin; and whoever shall say to his brother, 'You good for nothing,' shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever shall say, 'You fool,' shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell.

Did you notice things changed slightly with the coming of Yeshua. Instead of the Torah being eliminated it became even stricter! Why, because through the acceptance of Yeshua as our Messiah we became new creations and the fulfillment of Jeremiah 31:31-34 took place in us. The Torah of G-d, through Yeshua, has been internalized in us and as a result Yeshua redefines it for us.

In the Scriptures we just read Yeshua explains that murder is simply the progression down the path of anger. The first stage of murder, Yeshua says, is committed in a person’s heart. It is anger, anger that is directed at anyone. This is where the sin of murder first begins. The second stage of murder, Yeshua goes on to say, is when we say “Raca” to someone. The word “Raca” is to consider someone a good for nothing, a jerk. So the second stage of murder is achieved when our anger becomes contempt. The third stage of murder, Yeshua tells us, is when we call someone a fool. Here we are not only insulting their character, but we are also making a statement about their beliefs and attitude towards G-d. If you want to know why calling someone a fool is such a terrible thing, then check to see what the Book of Mishlei (Proverbs) has to say about a fool. The fourth stage of murder is when we actually take a person’s life.

Now, HaShem declared the physical punishment for the fourth stage of murder to be the physical death of the murderer. While man waits till the physical stage to administer punishment, G-d, in the spiritual realm, has already started administering His punishment right from the first stage -- right at the stage of anger! He doesn't wait for the actual physical manifestation of murder. As far as God is concerned there is no greater punishment than the punishment for murder that has taken place in our hearts.

Do you now understand that God sees anger and physical murder as just varying degrees of the same sin? All the three degrees of anger that I have just explained are considered murder by G-d. This means that all of us are guilty of murder when we are guilty of un-confessed, unrepentant anger in our hearts!

Did you ever get angry at someone because they made a mistake? Then you've committed murder! Husbands, if you were ever angry at your wife because you came home and your dinner wasn't ready, then you committed murder over a meal of spaghetti and meat balls! How about those of you who got angry at a waitress or a taxi driver? How many times have you insulted the integrity of a police officer or a customs officer? Have you made an insulting comment about someone's driving? If you have, then you committed murder! How about you guys who walk around so spiritual at Shul, but when you get home you throw temper tantrums? You have committed murder! How about you who would not talk to your spouse for a week because they forgot your birthday or anniversary? You are a murder! How about those of us who act so pious and then go scream at our children instead of disciplining them according to Scripture? By the way, if you done this last one, then you have also given your children a distorted picture of G-d, so you are worse than a murder! How many of us have murdered the waitress that took too long with our order; or the mechanic who didn't fix our car right; or the person on the other end of the phone; or the doctor who didn't seem to care; or the nurse who didn't do what we wanted the moment we asked? How many of us have murdered our bosses, or our employees? How many of us have murdered our entire family with anger when we come home tired and discouraged after a hard day's work? How many of us have murdered G-d? This is pretty sobering information, is it not?

Do you want to go through life being angry? I am sure you do not! If this is the case, then I am going to offer you a solution. Every time you start getting angry, pray; pray especially for the person you are angry with. Pour your heart and your life into them. Instead of being known as an angry person be known as a prayerful person.

Before we close there is something that I want to point out, so hold on a minute! Even though we are all guilty of the first three stages of murder we all have the opportunity to be pardoned. We do not have to go to the electric chair or spend a day in prison or live eternally in hell. If you are a believer in Yeshua HaMashiach as your L-rd and Saviour, then you only need to confess your sin and ask for forgiveness and the blood shed for you on the tree will set you free. However, if you have never accepted Yeshua as your Messiah and you are guilty of murder, then you have two choices. 1) You can continue suffering the consequences for what you have done, which are already at work in your life or 2) You can accept Yeshua as your Mashiach (Messiah) now and ask for His forgiveness and all of your past sin will be washed away by His atoning blood.

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Baruch HaShem
Rabbi Ya'acov Farber

Devarim - Words

Another contribution from Rabbi Jack, Thanks again, Brad

Parashat HaShavua Devarim / Words



This Week's Reading List:
Devarim / Deuteronomy 1:1-3:22
Yeshayahu / Isaiah 1:1-27
Timoteos Alef / 1 Timothy 3:1-7


Devarim {1:20} I said to you, You are come to the hill-country of the Amorites, which HaShem our G-D gives to us. {1:21} Behold, HaShem your G-D has set the land before you: go up, take possession, as HaShem, the G-D of your avot (fathers), has spoken to you; do not be afraid, neither be dismayed. {1:22} You came near to me everyone of you, and said, Let us send men before us, that they may search the land for us, and bring us word again of the way by which we must go up, and the cities to which we shall come. {1:23} The thing pleased me well; and I took twelve men of you, one ish (man) for every tribe:

This incident just sticks in my throat. What happened to Moshe’s faith? Did he not learn anything from the incident where he was supposed to speak to the rock instead of striking it? Obviously not! HaShem specifically told him that bnei Yisrael (the children of Israel) would conquer the land and that it was a land flowing with milk and honey. So then why on earth would Moshe agree to a suggestion by the masses that he should send spies to confirm what HaShem had already told him? After all this was G-d’s land, it was a good land and they were going to possess it -- end of story!

Devarim {6:1} Do not put HaShem your G-d to the test, as you testedHim at Massah.

Moshe himself told bnei Yisrael not to put G-d to the test, yet here he was putting HaShem to the test. We recall when Zecharyah (Zechariah), Yochanan (John) the immerser’s father, put HaShem to the test. In the Brit Chadasha when Zecharyah was told that he was going to have a son he was also told that he was to call him Yochanan. Zecharyah asked the angel for a sign for confirmation. Zecharyah did not accept what he had been told, even though the word was coming from G-d. He too put HaShem to the test. This angered HaShem and He struck Zecharyah unable to speak, until after the birth of his son.

HaShem has told us many things in His Word. Much of it can be applied directly to our lives, yet many of us second guess Him. We want confirmations, signs and wonders instead of just believing and trusting in what HaShem has said.

Most commentators blame the ten spies for causing bnei Yisrael to be cursed with having to wander around, aimlessly, Bamidbar (in the wilderness) for forty years. In fact, Moshe also put the blame on the people, as we see from this verse:

Devarim {1:26} Yet you would not go up, but rebelled against the Mitzvah (Command) of HaShem your G-D: {1:27} and you murmured in your tents, and said, Because HaShem hated us, he has brought us forth out of the land of Mitzrayim (Egypt), to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us.

Notice the “you rebelled,” and the “you murmured.” It is very possible, even probable, that the people would have never rebelled or murmured if Moshe would have just taken bnei Yisrael to the boarder of the Promise Land, trusted HaShem, taken Him at His Word and leads the people into the land. Instead, Moshe put G-d to the test and left himself and the people open to sin. Yes it can be said that fault lies squarely with Moshe.

As a leader I take the lesson I have received from Parasha Devarim very seriously. I study HaShem’s Word, reading it from cover to cover, once each year. I familiarize myself with everything HaShem has said and everything He has promised and then, to the best of my ability, I stand on His Word -- even when prompted by others to put Him to the test.

There is no guarantee that bnei Yisrael would have accepted Moshe’s final word to believe HaShem and therefore follow him into the Land, a land that was theirs for the taking; they may have rebelled anyway. But we will never know now will we?

How much wandering have we all done because of our not trusting HaShem’s Word? How many times has this lack of trust / faith resulted in us putting HaShem to the test? Sometimes I wonder how my life would have been different if I had totally, at all times, taken HaShem at His Word, but then again I will never know, will I!

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Baruch HaShem
Rabbi Ya'acov Farber

Matot-Masei: Tribes-Journey

Another contribution from Rabbi Jack in Toronto, Thanks again, Rabbi Jack-
"האם זה באמת יכול להחשב כעבודה"
"Can It Really Be Classified As Work"



Parashat HaShavua Matot-Masei / Tribes-Journeys

This Week's Reading List:
BaMidbar / Numbers 30:2-36:13
Yirmiyahu / Jeremiah 2:4-28; 3:4
Piliphim / Philippines 1:12-16
Yaacov / James 4:1-12


Bamidbar {31:21} El'azar the cohen (priest) said to the men of war who went to the battle, This is the statute of the Torah which HaShem has commanded Moshe: {31:22} however the gold, and the silver, the brass, the iron, the tin, and the lead, {31:23} everything that may abide the fire, you shall make to go through the fire, and it shall be tahor (ritually clean) ; nevertheless it shall be purified with the water for impurity: and all that does not withstand the fire you shall make to go through the water. {31:24} You shall wash your clothes on hash'vi‘i (the seventh) day, and you shall be tahor; and afterward you shall come into the camp.

Hello all you legalists out there -- did you read this? HaShem told the men who went to war to wash their clothes on the seventh day. This means that the seventh day could have very easily fallen on a Shabbat – a war ends on Sunday means there needs to be a wash on the Shabbat! How can that be? How could G-d tell us in His Word not to work on the Shabbat and then turn around and instruct these men of war to wash their clothes on the seventh day -- even if it may fall on the Shabbat? The answer is very simple and Yeshua HaMashiach (the Messiah) gave us the answer in the Brit Chadasha (Renewed Covenant).

Mordechai (Mark) {2:27} And He was saying to them, "The Shabbat was made for man, and not man for the Shabbat.

What this verse is saying is that we were not made to serve Shabbat; Shabbat was made to serve us. Shabbat was to be a mandatory day off. This was something unheard off in the pagan world.

HaShem is not legalistic; He is a compassionate, loving, caring and understanding G-d. These men of war in our Parasha had just finished fighting a battle on behalf of HaShem. We are not told exactly how many days the battle was raging, it probably went on for days, nor are we told what day the battle ended. The warriors were no doubt tired, they were weary. I am sure that, once the battle was won and everything was over, they all wanted nothing more than to go home to their respective families. However, before they could enter the camp they had to fulfill the command of G-d. They had to fulfill the commandment to remain outside of the camp for seven days and on the seventh day they were to purify themselves and wash their cloths. After doing all of this they could enter the camp. As I said above, it is totally possible that the seventh day would fall on the Shabbat. If it had, was HaShem, the compassionate G-d, going to make these men wait an extra day before being allowed to go home to their families? I think not! He would allow the men to wash their clothes, even though it was a Shabbat, presumably so that they could re-enter the camp and rejoin their families without any further delay.

Mordechai {3:4} And He said to them, "Is it lawful on the Shabbat to do good or to do harm, to save a life or to kill?" But they kept silent.

Obviously it is lawful to do good on the Shabbat. So, even though these men had to fulfill their required seven days outside the camp, reuniting these men of war with their loved ones after they had experienced the horrors of battle was clearly something that is good and, therefore, lawful -- even if it meant washing their clothes on the Shabbat.

Some people need to take a good hard look at themselves and the man made rules

they impose on themselves and other people. In certain areas of Torah and under certain conditions HaShem may not be as dogmatic or as harsh as we may think or make Him out to be.

While I do not know if any of these men of war were in the laundry business during their regular 9-5 jobs, I am sure that, for the ones who were married, it was their wives’ who did the laundry and not them when they went home. So, can what they were asked to do if it fell on the Shabbat really be classified as work? Seems not!

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Baruch HaShem
Rabbi Ya'acov Farber