Weekly Torah Lesson
Parasha: Re eh (to see)
Torah: Devarim 11:26 – 16:17
“See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse:” (De 11:26 )
“Three times a year all your males shall appear before Avinu Elohekah at the place that he will choose: at the Feast of Unleavened Bread, at the Feast of Weeks, and at the Feast of Booths. They shall not appear before Avinu empty-handed.” (De 16:16)
See…appear…do not appear empty!
** We are commanded to “see” and to “be seen”. Between these two verses, we are taught many ways to conduct our lives. At the culmination of “seeing”, “learning” and then “appearing” before Avinu, we are warned “… do not appear empty”! Our “seeing” (understanding) is made to produce “fruit” in us. This is why we are warned, “…do not appear empty..”!
*** “But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his Master’s money.” (Mt 25:18 )
*** “24 “Then he who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 ‘And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.’ 26 “But his Master answered and said to him, ‘You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. 27 ‘So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. 28 ‘Therefore take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents. 29 ‘For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. 30 ‘And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’” (Mt 25:24-30 )
*** “30 I went by the field of the lazy man, And by the vineyard of the man devoid of understanding; 31 And there it was, all overgrown with thorns; Its surface was covered with nettles; Its stone wall was broken down. 32 When I saw it, I considered it well; I looked on it and received instruction: 33 A little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to rest; 34 So shall your poverty come like a prowler, And your need like an armed man.” (Pr 24:30-34 )
Here are some of the “things” that we are supposed to “see”.
*** “1 “You are the sons of Avinu Elohekah. You shall not cut yourselves or make any baldness on your foreheads for the dead. 2 For you are a people holy to Avinu Elohekah, and Avinu has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.” (De 14:1-2 )
** It is forbidden for us to make any “marks” on our bodies – for any reason.
*** “You shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks on you: I am Avinu.” (Le 19:28)
** The external appearance of our bodies / temples should reflect the inner holiness that we are striving to maintain.
“You shall not eat any abomination.” (De 14:3 )
** The “dietary laws” help us to maintain that “inner holiness”. The purity of our temples should be a major focus of our lifestyles.
*** “You shall not eat anything that has died naturally. You may give it to the sojourner who is within your towns, that he may eat it, or you may sell it to a foreigner. For you are a people holy to Avinu Elohekah.
** Notice that the “food” that is forbidden for us is acceptable to those who are not being “called”. We have to be careful that we don’t try to force on others what isn’t meant for them to observe.
*** “You shall not boil a young goat in its mother’s milk.” (De 14:21 )
** This negative commandment appears three times in the Torah. It is “observed” in several different variations. Consider that this phrase might be an idiom such as, “Don’t add fuel to the fire”. If it is an idiom, it might be saying, “Don’t be overly stringent when observing the Torah”.
*** “You shall tithe all the yield of your seed that comes from the field year by year.” (De 14:22 )
** The word “tithe” means a lot of different applications to different people. The strictest application calls for approximately 20% of our “pre-tax” income to be given to various organizations and individual people.
Some “tithe” their time. Others tithe their love, etc.
*** “28 At the end of every three years you shall bring out all the tithe of your produce in the same year and lay it up within your towns. 29 And the Levite, because he has no portion or inheritance with you, and the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow, who are within your towns, shall come and eat and be filled, that Avinu Elohekah may bless you in all the work of your hands that you do.” (De 14:28-29 )
** Some organizations claim this verse to “prove” a “third tithe”. Notice that it’s “..a tithe of your produce..” and not a “total tithe”. I think that this “third year produce tithe” is part of “the second tithe” that we are commanded to bring to Yerushalem every year.
*** “At the end of every seven years you shall grant a release.” (De 15:1 )
** The forgiveness of your “poor brother’s” debt, and his return to his own family farm is demanded by the Torah. The concept is that no “debt” can last longer than six years. Land values are strictly controlled by the Torah.
*** “4 But there will be no poor among you; for Avinu will bless you in the land that Avinu Elohekah is giving you for an inheritance to possess — 5 if only you will strictly obey the voice of Avinu Elohekah, being careful to do all this commandment that I command you today. 6 For Avinu Elohekah will bless you, as he promised you, and you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow, and you shall rule over many nations, but they shall not rule over you. 7 “If among you, one of your brothers should become poor, in any of your towns within your land that Avinu Elohekah is giving you, you shall not harden your heart or shut your hand against your poor brother, 8 but you shall open your hand to him and lend him sufficient for his need, whatever it may be.” (De 15:4-8 )
“You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and Avinu Elohekah redeemed you; therefore I command you this today.” (De 15:15 )
** Interest free loans “to our poor brother” are demanded by the Torah.
“My little children, for whom I labor in birth again until Meshiach is formed in you,” (Ga 4:19 )
“My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Yeshua HaMeshiach the righteous.” (1Jo 2:1 )
“And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming.” (1Jo 2:28 )
“Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous.” (1Jo 3:7 )
“My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.” (1Jo 3:18 )
“Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.” (1Jo 5:21 )
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