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Todays Parsha #49: Ki Teze (When you go out)

PART 1: THE LAST AND CURRENT TORAH PORTIONS

New Bonus Teaching! Moshes Calendar Transformation

How did Moshe's astronomical training in Egypt help him follow Abba YHWH's
commands to make the final additions to the original Biblical calendar?
Join me on a fascinating journey through ancient Egyptian documents, the
historical records of Josephus and Philo and see the Scripture open up and reveal
even more calendar secrets! See how Egyptian sunrise reckoning and summer
solstice New Year's Day were transformed back to the calendars of Adam and Seth
and brought to fruition by Moshe and how 25 365 day Egyptian civil years
predicted the lunar cycles and then got put back into kosher Biblical time units of
Jubilees and dor (centuries). How did the Egyptians, who may have met the Biblical
Seth, pervert the original Biblical calendar into paganism and turn the son of Adam
into a demon in their mythology? And how did Moshe, after having been educated
in Egypt, bring everything back to Abba YHWH's original intentions for all time?
This may be the farthest sweeping calendar study of them all!


ANSWERS TO LAST WEEKS STUDY QUESTIONS (Shoftim):

There is only ONE study question this week but it is a BIG one. I want you all to
list for me all the things that Moshe and Yshua have in common, with Scripture
citations to back it up. I will tell you all right now this is a long list!

1) Both were preserved from infant massacres (Exodus 2:2-10, Matthew 2:14-15).
2) Both were sheltered in Egypt from danger (Exodus 2:1-10, Matthew 2:13-23).
3) Born during a time when Israel was dominated by an outside pagan power
(Exodus 1, Luke 2).
4) Contended with masters of evil (Exodus 7:11, Matthew 4:1).
5) Showed power over serpents (Genesis 3:15, Exodus 7:9-13, Revelation 20:2-5).
6) Fire associated with their first call to ministry (Exodus 3:1-2, Matthew 3:11).
7) Fasted 40 days and 40 nights (Exodus 34:28, Matthew 4:2).
8) Crossed the desert for long periods of time (Exodus 2:15; 12:1-20:1, Mark 1:12).
9) Controlled the shape and consistency of the waters (Exodus 14:21, Matthew
8:26).
10) Transformed waters from their normal clear substance to something red and more
viscous, blood or wine, as opening miracle (Exodus 7:14-25, John 2:1-11).
11) Cured leprosy and other related skin diseases (Exodus 9:8-29, Numbers 12:13-16,
Luke 17:12-14).
12) Strengthened people physically and spiritually through the laying on of hands
(Numbers 27:23, Deuteronomy 34:9, Mark 8:25, Luke 13:13).
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13) Had and proclaimed exclusive access to Abba YHWH that was denied everyone
else of their generation (Numbers 12:5-8, Deuteronomy 34:10, Matthew 11:27,
John 1:18; 3:13).
14) Fed multitudes through miraculous means (Exodus 16:15, Matthew 14:20).
15) Endured grumbling (Exodus 15:24, Mark 7:2).
16) Had earthquakes at key points in ministry (Exodus 15:12; 19:18, Numbers 16:32,
Matthew 27:54; 28:2).
17) Had siblings doubt authority (Numbers 12, John 7).
18) Had wider rebellions come from his own tribe (Numbers 16, Matthew 26:14-31).
19) Multitudes complained about bread from heaven (Numbers 11:4-6, John 6:41).
20) Predicted punishments for disobedience through bitter waters (Exodus 32:20,
Numbers 5:12-31, Revelation 8:10-11).
21) Wore tzit-tzit, or tassels, to remember the covenant (Numbers 15:37-41, Mark
5:28).
22) Climbed up mountains to commune with Abba YHWH (Exodus 24:9-18, Luke
6:12).
23) Had radiant faces after climbing down those mountains (Exodus 34:35, Matthew
17:2).
24) Proclaimed messages of consolation and assurance to be delivered at Sukkot; in
Moshes case it was commanded every 7
th
year and in Yshuas case it was at the
last Sukkot he ever celebrated (Deuteronomy 31:6-10, John 7:37-38).
25) Made intercessory prayers (Exodus 32:32, John 17:9).
26) Had 70 helpers (Numbers 11:16-17, Luke 10:1).
27) Preached the freeing of captives and slaves (Leviticus 25:10, Luke 4:14-30).
28) Entered cloud of glory to behold YHWHs presence in front of witnesses (Exodus
24:18, Matthew 17:1-9, Acts 2).
29) Taught on proving the truth of prophecy through miracles (Deuteronomy 18:15-
22, John 5:36-46).
30) Taught the oneness of Elohim through the Shema prayer (Deuteronomy 6:4, Mark
12:28-29).
31) Taught obedience to Torah law as the way to eternal life (Deuteronomy 30:18-20,
Matthew 5:17-19, Mark 12:28-34, Luke 16:17, John 5:45-47; 7:19).
32) Warned of destruction and exile being the result of disobedience (Deuteronomy
30:18-20, Luke 13:34-35).
33) Used seven menorahs as a symbol of righteous behavior/obedience (Exodus
30:27-30, Numbers 8:1-4, Revelation 1:20).
34) Forever embedded their story into the Passover feast (Exodus 12:14, Luke 22:19).
35) Revealed and taught the Divine Name of YHWH (Exodus 3:13-15, John 17:1-26-
especially verses 6, 11 and 24-26).
36) Washed feet as a sign of humility and service during the first Hebrew month of
Abib (Exodus 40:30-32, John 13:5-15).
37) Had trusted colleagues named Eliezar, or as Greek NT has it, Lazarus (Numbers
4:16, John 11).
38) Just as Moshe proclaimed 10 plagues against Pharaoh before the deliverance of
his people, so did Yshua proclaim 10 woes against the rich and powerful just
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about a week before his resurrection, the deliverance of eternal life (Matthew
23:13-26:24).
39) Mortal remains cannot be found, FOR DIFFERENT REASONS, as they can be
for other Biblical figures (Deuteronomy 34:6, Matthew 28:5-7).
40) Appeared to the same group of disciples after death (Matthew 17:3, 28:1-20).

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AND NOW FOR THIS WEEKS PORTION

1) Meaning of this weeks Torah portion and summary of contents:

Ki Teze means when you go out as in terms of when Israel confronts her
enemies on the battle field. One main war regulation is given at the start, and
that is what to do with a woman taken captive from the nations that a Jewish man
wants to make a wife. From there other requirements about marriage under other
circumstances follow that have nothing to do with war. Many other marital and
purity regulations follow for the remainder of this portion.

2) Parsha (English-Deuteronomy 21:10-25:19). This week we will read the entire
portion.

3) Play by Play commentary where appropriate.

Ki-tetse lamilchamah al-oyveycha unetano Yahweh Eloheycha
beyadecha veshavita shivyo.

Vera'ita bashivyah eshet yefat-toar vechashakta vah velakachta lecha
le'ishah.

Vahavetah el-toch beytecha vegilechah et-roshah ve'asetah et-
tsiporneyha.

4) Point out key Hebrew words/terms. Color Commentary:

YAPHEH (yefat in text with conjugation) (21:11) = beautiful of form. When a
Hebrew is very pleased with something he says Yoffi! or beautiful! The term
denotes the kind of beauty that moves a man very deeply. It is not an abstract
kind of noticing symmetry or good proportions but rather a deep need to possess
what is being seen to brighten up ones world.

VEASETA ET-TSIPORNEYHA (21:12) = literally, make her nails. Opinion
is divided as to whether that means to cut her fingernails or let them grow. I am
inclined to Stones position, to let them grow.

SEMELET SHAVYA (21:13) = the garments of her captivity. According to Rashi
these garments would have been very fine, as it was customary for Gentile women
to wear their best clothes as a possible way to ensnare enemy men. It may have
also been, like with Jezebel, a way of going out in style if death were to come by
the hand of the enemy. Others suggest pagan motifs on her garments would by
definition mark them for destruction.

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VEHAYATA LECHA LEISHA (21:13) = make her your wife. Literally make
her to yourself as your wife. The text implies that intercourse after her mourning
period is all that is needed to make the woman a wife, rather than a formal
marriage ceremony. However, even if this is true, the woman would have
abandoned her paganism to be acceptable as a wife and, as such, have all the
rights and privileges of a native wife.

UMACHOR LO TIMKERENAH BAKESEF LO-TITAMER BA TACHAT
ASHER INITAH (21:14) = you will certainly not sell her for cash or take her as a
servant. This is again supporting proof that the captive woman has the same
rights as a wife acquired through normal means.

BEN SORER UMOREH (21:18) = stubborn and rebellious/contentious son.
While there are many cases in the Torah that seem like son/sons applies to all
children, the rabbis are unanimous that this commandment only applies to boys.

TALAH (21:22) = Yshua uses the Aramaic form of this word in Matthew 7:7
where he talks about Do not HANG earrings on dogs nor give pearls to pigs.
This hanging is interesting because dogs in the NT often represent apostate or
lawless Jews who would also be hanged per this regulation in Deuteronomy. In
the Talmud, a gallows is defined as a pole sunk in the ground with a beam
protruding from its side (Sanhedrin 47 a-b). Therefore, this description of
hanging is much closer to a Roman crucifixion than the modern method of
hanging, and this further explains the linkage from Deuteronomy hanging an
offender from a tree to the impalement imagery of crucifixion, when otherwise
such a connection would not be immediately apparent.

KI-KAVOR TIKBERANU BAYOM (21:23) = bury him the same day, that is
before sunset. In this case the rabbis make a legal point that is hard to argue
against. They state the idea that if a criminal must be afforded such an
accommodation at death, how much more would this be true of the innocent? I
agreewithin this command for criminals is the regulation that such applies to all
who die, and that includes Yshua the Mashiyach who was also buried the same
day.

KELI GEVER AL ISHAH (22:5) = article of a man/warrior upon a woman. This
word means far more than just the prohibition of a woman not putting on mans
clothing. Many rabbis would argue the plain meaning of the word would include
things like weapons. The word GEVER can denote warrior and not just male
which might add strength to this argument. From this standpoint the rabbis derive
the articles of men would include the prohibition of women not wearing tzit-tzit.
Others point out that the phrase sons of Israel which is given with this
command could include the women as well. I personally find neither a strong
commandment for women to either wear tziti-tzit or a prohibition against them
doing so should they wish to. Furthermore, the rabbinic argument is circular in
nature, in that it already makes an a priori assumption that tzit-tzit are mens
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clothing, and yet that is what is yet to be proven, so you cant use this verse to
prove the assertion from Numbers 15, when the original command is given to the
children of Israel.

SHATNEZ TZEMER UFISHTIM YACHDAV (22:11) = a forbidden mixture of
linen and wool in a single (garment). It is an interesting question to ponder
modern applications of this command. Today linen and/or cotton tends to be
mixed with artificial fibers and not wool at all. Some would interpret any mixture
as being bannedwhether one of the fabrics was artificial or not. However, the
pshat nature of the verse specifically mentions only linen and wool not being
combined.

GEDILIM (22:12) = bound tassels. However, the word derived from GADOL
(greater) implies that one thread is longer than the others and rabbis derive other
instructions from this verse on exactly how to make the tzit-tzit, excepting the fact
that they do not use the shade of tekhelet blue because they claim they dont know
what it was.

YASAR (22:18) = flog or whip, presumably with 39 lashes, which is the rabbinic
fence to make sure never to go over the maximum Torah mandated 40 lashes, and
Torah itself only puts 40 as a maximum and does not prohibit administering only
39 (Deuteronomy 25:1-3). The details in this commandment also would extend
past this historical moment in the text and link to earlier mechanisms in Torah to
investigate adultery as well, such as the water of cursing given in Numbers 5,
meaning a husband who falsely accuses his wife by that process could also face
39 lashes. It is an open question however, given the fact that 40 years separate
Numbers 5 from Deuteronomy 22 and 25 if the lashes would have been applied in
the years in between these separated procedures.

MEAH CHESEF (22:19) = 100 shekels is twice the normal dowry of 50 shekels
that the man would get for the wife (Deuteronomy 22:19) so this is meant to
doubly penalize him.

ARAS (22:23) = betrothed, as in engaged but not taken into the husbands house.
As this law says, such a woman can still be killed even though the marriage is not
completed. This is the penalty Joseph feared would be exacted on Maryam when
she became pregnant by the Ruach ha Kodesh. What he didnt know at the time
though was that there could not be two witnesses to Maryams infidelity because
it never happened! Fearing the worst, he wanted a quiet divorce, since he was a
righteous man.

VEHOTSETEM ET-SHNEYHEM EL-SHAAR HAIR HAHI USKALTEM
OTAM BAAVANIM VAMETU ET-HA-NAARA AL-DEVAR ASHER LO-
TSAAKAH VAIR VEET HA-ISH AL-DEVAR ASHER INAH ET-ESHET
RE-EHU UVIARTA HARA MIKIRBECHA (22:24) = Both of them shall be
brought to the gates of the city and shall be put to death by stoning, for the girl,
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because she did not cry out and on the man, because he violated his neighbors
wife. You will rid yourselves of this evil.

We see at least two violations of the Torah procedure in John 7:53-8:11, which is
one of many reasons why the passage is left out of the 4 earliest Greek versions of
John and all of the Aramaic witnesses of this section as well. First, the man and
the woman should have been brought to Yshua for judgment, but only the
woman is brought. Second, the entourage bringing the woman should have
substantiated that the woman did not cry out, and instead they expect her to be
killed solely on their opinion that adultery happened. No witness testimony is
given to Yshua for him to judge, beyond the general charge, and details are
required.

Finally, the next line, 22:25, shows that there are cases where, if anything, only
the MAN should be put to death and charged and the woman is blameless.

NAARAH VETULAH (22:28) = virgin maiden, proving that a NAARAH or an
ALMAH is culturally considered a virgin unless the text proves otherwise.
Therefore a maiden conceiving is a virgin conceiving for the purposes of Isaiah
7:14 and such was well understood by the rabbis who translated that verse into
both Greek and Aramaic before the birth of Yshua. It is only after the
controversy of Yshua that the rabbis back tracked from the clear pshat meaning
of the verse.

KEHAL (23:2-3) = assembly. However, many rabbis link the term with being a
bride which is a similar Hebrew word. Bibleort.org translates KEHAL as Gods
marriage group for this reason. On the other hand, the word has a wider use that
could be applied to congregations. The main point seems to be that among these
assemblies are Israelites who are free to marry anyone in that group who is single.

MAMZER (23:3) = bastard. However, since the seduction or rape of a maiden
can result in marriage, assuming the girl is willing, the child is NOT counted as a
bastard. Only adultery or incest results in a child being called a bastard. This is
because it could still be said that the maiden has only had sex with her husband
even if technically he was not married to her at the time. Other rules with respect
to a captive woman at least suggest that the marriage may come about simply
because of the sex.

VEHAYAH LIFNOT-EREV YIRCHATS BAMAYIM UCHEVO HASHEMESH
YAVO ET-TOCH HAMACHANEH (23:12) = and when it comes to pass,
towards the face of evening he will immerse himself in water and at sundown he
may re-renter the camp. This is a very specific and helpful reference to how Israel
kept time. It directly proves that EVENING (erev) can be a separate time apart
from SUNDOWN (chevo hashemesh, or literally, the going out of the sun). In
situations with this level of specificity EREV is not a synonym for sunset, but it is
FIRST EREV, or late afternoon that is being referenced. In other places the
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SECOND EREV is most certainly synonymous with sunset, but again, they are
listed as two separate occasions in this instance.

YAHWAY ELOHEYCHA MIT-HALECH (23:15) = Yahweh your Elohim walks
among you. Some translations downplay the physical languagethe same given
when Yahweh walked in Edenin favor of just saying YHWHs presence is
among you. However, either way Abba YHWH can do what He wills (Genesis
18).

QADESHA (23:17) = prostitute, but derived from the word QADESH (set-apart)
implies a temple prostitute or a woman selling sexual favors in exchange for
converting to paganism. A normal harlot who commits fornication without
sacred context is called ZANAH (23:18).

LO TEACHER LESHALMO (23:22) = Do not be late in completing (payment
of the debt). Typically this is interpreted as not completing the debt over three
Great Feasts, depending on the time of year the debt is originally incurred.

SEFER KERITUTH (24:1-2) = bill of divorce. While this is the Hebrew term,
both the marriage (ketubah) and divorce (get) documents are known by Aramaic
terms and have been written in Aramaic for 2400 years. The reason for the
divorce written certificate is directly stated as VEYATSAH MIBEYTO
VEHALECHAH VEHAYETAH LESIH ACHER, or and she goes from his
house, she may then marry another man. Therefore, without the certificate of
divorce she CANNOT marry another man but the husband has sent her from the
house.

This brings us to Yshuas legal discussion in Matthew 5 and 19. The Pharisees
open with the rules of the House of Hillel, that a man can divorce his wife for any
reason, even as trivial as burning dinner. Yshua then countersrather than
answerswith this issue. In the case of fornication, the marriage is called dead
the moment the injured party consents to end the marriage. I call this sudden
death discretion, and the intent of the husband in sending the woman away if she
cheated on him is clear. Since Abba YHWH called the marriage dead and since
in many cases adulterers are killed anyway, there is no need for a certificate of
divorce. Either the consent of the injured husband or the death of the woman and
her lover will instantly nullify the marriage.

However, Yshuas concern is that their hearts were hard, and this provision was
liberally extended to strip a married woman of all rights to protection and
property because she was sent away WITHOUT a certificate.

When that happens, the husband who sent her away cannot remarry without
committing adultery, since he did not divorce his first wife. This also proves that
the husband cannot legally have more than one wife at a time.

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Furthermore, the woman so abandoned cannot remarry either, for the same
reason, and if she does both she and hubby #2 are guilty of committing adultery!
This puts a whole new spin on the way Christianity has taught on divorce.

The fact is also that believers in Yshua can get divorced for other reasons apart
from fornication, but it is remarriage after that which is prohibited by Yshua,
unless either one of two things happen: 1) If one of the divorced couple remarries
out of spite or admits to having sex with someone other than their spouse,
marriage is called dead by the consent of the injured party OR 2) one spouse does
not remarry but dies, leaving the other free to marry.

LO YUMTU AVOT AL-BANIM UVANIM LO-YUMTU AL-AVOT ISH
BECHETO YUMATU (24:12) = Fathers should not be put to death for their
children nor should children be put to death for their fathers but each man will die
in their own sin. I got an interesting question about this passage of Scripture from
last year

Question

Why does it seem like Abba YHWH is contradicting Himself when He says on
one hand in 2 Kings 14: 5-6 "Fathers are not to be executed for the children, nor
are children to be executed for the fathers; every person will be executed for his
own sin. And then in places like Exodus 20:4-6 and Exodus 34:6-8 and
Numbers 14: 18 are we told the opposite...that He DOES punish the children for
the sin of the parents?

For your convenience, here are the above scriptures, so you don't have to look
them up:

2 Kings 14: 5 As soon as he had the kingdom firmly under his control, he
put to death the servants of his who had murdered the king his father. 6
But he did not put the children of the murderers to death, because of what
is written in the scroll of the Torah of Moshe, as ADONAI ordered when
he said, "Fathers are not to be executed for the children, nor are children to
be executed for the fathers; every person will be executed for his own sin.

If that was written in the Torah that each will be executed for his own sin then
why:

Exodus 20:4-6 4 You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of
anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 5
You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your
God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to
the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing love
to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my
commandments.
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Exodus 34:6-8 6 And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, The
Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger,
abounding in love and faithfulness, 7 maintaining love to thousands, and
forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty
unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the
parents to the third and fourth generation.

Numbers 14: 18 The Lord is slow to anger, abounding in love and
forgiving sin and rebellion. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished;
he punishes the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth
generation.

And here was my answer

Shalom--first of all, it doesn't say Abba YHWH KILLS children to the 4th
generation for the sins of their parents but it says Abba YHWH PUNISHES up to
the 4th generation.

This is because the punishment of the parents affects the children, so if the parent
is exiled so is the child and parents are punished through knowing what they do
will negatively impact their children but no one dies for another's sin.

BEYOMO TITEN SCHARO VELO TAVO ALAV ALAV HASHEMESH
(24:15) = and on the same day you must give him his wage, and not let the sun set
(before paying him). More proof that the day began and ended at sunset.

Note on 24:21Josephus interprets this verse as talking about leaving the
immature grapes alone, so they can still grow and be used by the poor.

ARBAIM YAKENU LO YOSEF (25:3) = Do not add more than 40 lashes.
However, in practice Jewish law never allowed more than 39 lashes, since some
read the command to mean that 40 was 1 too many. Others thought, to be
absolutely sure, going to 39 minimized the risk of going to the 41
st
lash, which all
agree would have been a violation. Also see Paul talk about this in 2 Corinthians
11:24.

EVEN SHLEMAH VATZEDEK YIHEYEH-LACH EYFAH SHLEYMAH
VATZEDEK YIHEYEH-LACH LEMAAN YAARICHU YAMEYCHA AL
HA ADAMAH ASHER YAHWEH ELOHEYCHA NOTEN LACH (25:15) =
you must have a completely righteous (or honest) weight and a completely
righteous (honest) measure. If you do, you will long endure in the land that
Yahweh your Elohim is giving you.

Honest weights and measures apply universally in business, whether the
measurement is of a physical product, service or even expectation. If what is
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promised is changed at the last minutebait and switch in other wordsthat also
violates this commandment. The penalty for doing so is literally deaththey will
not long endure in the land, as the very next like of 25:16 proves.

I also note with interest how the word for land is ADAMAH here rather than
the more common and expect ERETZ. I believe this was done on purpose by
Moshe to remind Israel of Adams sins leading to his death as well as the fact that
the word DAM or blood is in that name.

Torah Question of the Week:
How did a commandment in this portion help prevent the outbreak of a modern
plague and save tens of thousands of lives?
END PART 1
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PART 2: THE HAFTORAH

Torah Question of the Week:
How did a commandment in this portion help prevent the outbreak of a modern
plague and save tens of thousands of lives?

Britain suffered from a horrific series of epidemics, including cholera, which spread
through infected sewage water that typically ran through the streets. It took a lot of
effort to figure out why rich and poor alike were suffering from this disease, and in
the end Britain needed to completely rebuild their cities with vastly superior sewage
systems to prevent the spread of cholera and many other diseases, such as influenza,
which also killed tens of thousands.

In the end, Britain saved herself by following Moshes advice in this Torah portion.
The Israelites knew they had to keep their excrement buried and outside the camp,
away from their water supplies. Britain in the 19
th
century in this sense lagged
behind disease prevention techniques given in the book of Deuteronomy. The
Israelites might not have known YHWHs commandments would stall the spread of
disease but they didnt have to. All they had to do was obey.

For more information see:
http://www.victorianweb.org/science/health/health10.html


1) Haftorah portion (English- Isaiah 54:1-10) and discuss common themes with the
Torah portion.

Roni akarah lo yaladah pitschi rinah vetsahali lo-chalah ki-rabim
beney-shomemah mibeney ve'ulah amar Yahweh.

Harechivi mekom aholech viri'ot mishkenotayich yatu al-tachsochi
ha'arichi meytarayich vitedotayich chazeki.

Ki-yamin usmol tifrotsi vezar'ech goyim yirash ve'arim neshamot
yoshivu.

2) Our linguistic commentary

SHAMEM (54:2) = desolation or apallment. In Hosea 2:12 this is applied to fig
trees and vines. I find this interesting because oil for anointing can come from
pressing these and similar things like olives, which bring SHAMEN (oil). The
resettling of the land that is talked about later sounds a lot like the redemption
Yshua will bring at his Second Coming. Yshua also uses the metaphor about
the times of Noah likened to the coming of the Son of Man, which is echoed in
54:9.
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GAAL (54:8) = redeemer, to buy someone back from bondage at a dear price.

ABAR (54:9) = flood, but literally to pass or cross over. Same word and root
as EBER, from where we get Hebrew. YHWH will not allow the waters to
cross over to destroy us but He will allow US to cross over to obey Him!

But as to HOW Abba YHWH redeems us, He tells us more in 40:1-11
(extemporaneous commentary):

"Comfort, O comfort My people," says your God.
2
"Speak kindly to Jerusalem;
and call out to her, that her warfare has ended, That her iniquity has been
removed, That she has received of the LORD'S hand. Double for all her sins."
3
A
voice is calling, "Clear the way for the LORD in the wilderness; Make smooth in
the desert a highway for our God.
4
"Let every valley be lifted up, And every
mountain and hill be made low; And let the rough ground become a plain, And
the rugged terrain a broad valley;
5

1
Then the glory of the LORD will be
revealed, And
b
all flesh will see it together; For the mouth of the LORD has
spoken."
6
A voice says, "Call out." Then
1
he answered, "What shall I call out?"
All flesh is grass, and all its loveliness is like the flower of the field.
7
The grass
withers, the flower fades, When the breath of the LORD blows upon it; Surely the
people are grass.
8
The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God
stands forever.
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Get yourself up on a high mountain, O Zion, bearer of good
news, Lift up your voice mightily, O Jerusalem, bearer of good news; Lift it up,
do not fear. Say to the cities of Judah, "Here is your God!"
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Behold, the Lord
GOD will come with might, With His arm ruling for Him. Behold, His reward is
with Him And His recompense before Him.
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Like a shepherd He will tend His
flock, In His arm He will gather the lambs and carry them in His bosom; He will
gently lead the nursing ewes. (Isaiah 40:1-11 NAU)

3) Renewed Covenant portion: (English). Mark 1:1-14 (all the way through with
applicable footnotes.)

4) Highlight common themes in Aramaic (terms in footnotes which I will read):

AYKH DKTAVIT BAYSHAYA NEVIYAH (1:2) = as it is written by the
Prophet Yeshayahu. Technically this is a double quote, echoed also by Malachi
3:1 as much as it quotes Isaiah 40:1-3. What is interesting is that my messenger
is Malachi in Hebrew, the same name/title as the other prophet.

BMIDBARA (1:3) = nearly the exact form of the Hebrew name for the book of
Numbers, BEMIDBAR, in the wilderness. An interesting link between Moshe and
the Immerser.

AYKH YONAH (1:10) = like a dove. This was the name of the prophet JONAH,
so in a sense the Gospel of Yochanan has its own version of a sign of Jonah. It
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seems therefore fitting that we would have two signs named after this prophet,
one at the beginning and the other regarding Yshuas death and resurrection.

W KALA HWA MEN SHMAYA: ANT HAW BERI HABIVA (1:11) = and a
voice was (heard) from heaven: This is my beloved Son. The word HABIVA
connotes a very special kind of loveextreme intimacy through and through. The
Father knows every thought and detail behind the personality and emotions of His
Son. The status also is heightened with Yshua being His ONLY BEGOTTEN
Son.

LGALEELA MAKARAZ HWA SAVARTA (1:14) = from Galilee he preached
the Good News. However it is interesting that the root for GALILEE is to
reveal and the word for Gospel or Good News (SEVARTA) can also mean
to preach even though another word for preach is used here
KIRAZ/KARAZ. In Aramaic, the traditional name for Gospel is also
KARAZUTHAderived from KARAZwhich is to say the Preaching of
Matthew, Mark, etc. At a deeper level one could say from Revelation Yshua
Preached the Gospel.

Also noting with interest that the summary form of the Temptation given in
Mark 1, rather than proving Marks Gospel was written first, seems to prove the
opposite. I say this because the summary would not make immediate sense to a
reader unless that reader was also familiar with the fuller account in Matthew 4.

5) Apply these themes/issues to modern issues in the Netzari faith. (We see clearly
in the details of these regulations the difference between YHWHs government
and mans government. Torah uplifts the fortunes of all, regardless of status, as
long as they are obedient. Mercy is at the heart of everything that YHWH
prescribeseven in the treatment of enemies in war.)

6) Relate to all or part of an Appendix portion of AENT or footnotes from a portion
(Salvation, p. 952-954).


STUDY QUESTIONS TO BE ANSWERED NEXT WEEK FOR THIS
PORTION:

1) Is there a difference in meaning between the GEDILIM mentioned here and
the TZIT-TZIT?

2) How are these terms carried over into the Aramaic NT?

3) One of the biggest mistranslation errors in the Greek NT is revealed where in
this Torah portion? (If you have a valid answer other than the one I have in
mind trust me I am grateful for another proverbial arrow in my quiver!)

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4) If you know the answer to #3, what other detail in this passage of Scripture
helps better explain why the mistranslation occurred?

5) We all know that Yshua comments on Deuteronomy 24:1-4 which reads:

Suppose a man has taken a wife and consummated the marriage; but she has
not pleased him and he has found some impropriety of which to accuse her; he
has therefore made out a writ of divorce for her and handed it to her and then
dismissed her from his house;
2
she leaves his home and goes away to become
the wife of another man.
3
Then suppose this second man who has married
her takes a dislike to her and makes out a writ of divorce for her and hands it
to her and dismisses her from his house or if this other man who took her as
his wife dies,
4
her first husband, who has repudiated her, may not take her
back as his wife now that she has been made unclean in this way. For that is
detestable in Yahweh's eyes and you must not bring guilt on the country
which Yahweh your God is giving you as your heritage. (Deuteronomy 24:1-4
NJB)

However, my question is about the OTHER place in the NT this issue is
raised. In this case I am going for something very specific that is the direct
cause of the death of a major NT figure. Who is this person and why did this
rule cause his/her death?

Torah Thought for the Week:
The Real Amazing Grace

(Exo 33:19) And He said, I shall cause all My goodness to pass before you, and
I shall proclaim the Name of before you. And I shall favor him whom I favor,
and shall have compassion on him whom I have compassion. (TS 1998)

(Psa 25:4) Show me Your ways, O ; Teach me Your paths. (Psa 25:5) Lead
me in Your truth and teach me, For You are the Elohim of my deliverance; On
You I wait all the day.(Psa 25:6) Remember, O , Your compassion and Your
kindnesses, For they are from everlasting. (Psa 25:7) Do not remember the sins of
my youth, and my transgressions; According to Your kindness remember me, For
Your goodness sake, O . (TS 1998)

Typically when the issue of grace comes up, it seems to be from the mouth of a
committed Protestant who has little understanding of the need for Torah observance.
They keep wondering where my grace is, as if it were some kind of little puppy that I
owned that got out of my yard and wandered away. Apparently also, if you actually have
to do somethinganythingthen you have no grace at all from this Christian
perspective, because after all, as they readily quote, The Law came through Moses, but
grace and truth came from Jesus Christ right?

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My response to this I suppose largely depends on how charitable a mood I am in at any
given moment. Usually I will point out that Grace is clearly not just 2000 years old,
because if thats true how did anyone survive the flood, the Assyrian and Babylonian
captivities, and so on?

But when I am more pressed on the matter, I tell my Christian friends, that we have
always been under grace and never under the Law because it was never proclaimed at
any time in Scripture that Torah or Torah ritual saved anyone; rather it was proclaimed
that obedience to Abba YHWHs Instruction (True Torah) brought blessing from Him
because we are in covenant to Him through obedience:

(Gen 26:3) Sojourn in this land. And I shall be with you and bless you, for I give
all these lands to you and your seed. And I shall establish the oath which I swore
to Araham your father. (Gen 26:4) And I shall increase your seed like the stars
of the heavens, and I shall give all these lands to your seed. And in your seed all
the nations of the earth shall be blessed,(Gen 26:5) because Araham obeyed My
voice and guarded My Charge: My commands, My laws, and My Torot
1
.
Footnote:
1
Torot - plural of Torah, teaching. TS 1998

(Psa 119:96) I have seen an end of all perfection; Your command is exceedingly
broad. (Psa 119:97) O how I love Your Torah
1
! It is my study all day long. .(Psa
119:98) Your commands make me wiser than my enemies; For it is ever before
me.

(Psa 119:99) I have more understanding than all my teachers, For Your witnesses
are my study.(Psa 119:100) I understand more than the aged, For I have observed
Your orders.(Psa 119:101) I have restrained my feet from every evil way, That I
might guard Your word. (Psa 119:102) I have not turned aside from Your right-
rulings, For You Yourself have taught me.

(Psa 119:103) How sweet to my taste has Your word been, More than honey to
my mouth! (Psa 119:104) From Your orders I get understanding; Therefore I
have hated every false way.(Psa 119:105) Your word is a lamp to my feet And a
light to my path.

These descriptions in turn are reflected in the NT as well

(Joh 14:15) If you love me, keep my Commandments.

(Rom 7:12) As a result, Torah is Set Apart; and the Commandment is Set Apart, and
righteous, and good. (AENT)

(Jas 1:21) And so, throw all that is defiled and the myriads of evil things far away
from yourselves and with meekness, receive the Word that is implanted in our nature
which is able to resurrect your souls. (Jas 1:22) But be doers of the Word, and not
hearers only; and do not deceive yourselves. (Jas 1:23) For if any man will be a
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hearer of the Word and not a doer of it, he will be like one who sees his face in a
mirror: (Jas 1:24) for he sees himself and passes on and forgets what a man he was.
(Jas 1:25) But everyone that looks upon the perfect Torah of liberty and lives fully in
it, is not a hearer of something to be forgotten, but a doer
5
of the things; and he will
be blessed in his work. (AENT)

(1Jn 4:20) And if anyone will say, I love Elohim, and yet hates his brother, he is a
liar: for he that loves not his brother who is visible, how can he love Elohim who is
invisible? (1Jn 4:21) And this command we have received from him, that whoever
loves Elohim, must love also his brother.

The other issue that I found with the typical Christian formulation on this issue is in their
not understanding the difference between grace and license. Christianity inadvertently
proclaims the latter and confuses it for the former.

Grace means you are guilty of breaking a current and binding lawthat you deserve
punishment but for whatever reason the penalty is being mitigated or set aside. When that
grace happens, it in no way reflects a lessening of the laws importance. The law is still
on the books but you are being spared penalty for violating it. So if you are caught for
speeding but dont get a ticket from the cop, does it mean there is no law against speeding
or did the cop just show you grace?

By contrast, license means that an act that was deemed wicked before is no longer
wicked today, so for example, you can commit adultery over and over again and never be
punished. Obviously this makes no sense when we look in Revelation, which proclaims
those sins put people in the Lake of Fire! And yet, if the logic in Western Christianity is
followed to its furthest extent, all a murderer has to do is say a quick prayer after killing
to gain forgiveness, and then he is free to kill again and do the same thing! Such a
grace is truly amazing, but not for the right reasons. We have resorted to magic spells
and special words to absolve ourselves of all moral responsibility. In the words of Paul:
May it never be!

So now we need to go deeper and try to understand what Amazing Grace really is. In
order to do that, we need to first understand certain facts about the Elohim that gave the
grace in the first place


(1Jn 4:16) And we have believed and known the love which Elohim has towards us:
for Elohim is love, and whoever abides in love, abides in Elohim. (AENT)

(1Jn 1:5) And this is the announcement which we have heard from him and declare
to you, that Elohim is light and no darkness at all is in him. (1Jn 1:6) And if we say
that we have fellowship with him and we walk in the darkness, we are liars and walk
not in the truth. (1Jn 1:7) But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have
fellowship with each other and the blood of Y'shua his Son cleanses us from all our
sins. (1Jn 1:8) And if we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth
18


is not in us. (1Jn 1:9) But if we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to
forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all our iniquity. (1Jn 1:10) If we say that
we have not sinned, we make him a liar and his word is not with us. (AENT)

So if Elohim is ALL LIGHT and ALL LOVE, how do we explain the many times that
Abba YHWH seems to get angry and want to punish us? The answer, oddly enough, has
to do with the Real Amazing Grace!

You see, when we paltry humans get angry or frustrated at one another, we often retaliate
in ways that are meant to inflict pain or harm the other person. Contrast this with our
loving Elohim, who only gets angry when we do things that hurt ourselves!

(Mat 18:2) And Y'shua called a child and made him stand in their midst. (Mat
18:3) And said, "Truly I say to you, that unless you change
183
and become like
children, you will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven. (Mat 18:4) He therefore
who humbles himself like this child, he will be great in the Kingdom of Heaven.

(Mat 18:5) And he who receives one like this child in my name receives me.
(Mat 18:6) And anyone who harms one of these little ones who believe in me, it
would be better for him that the millstone of a donkey would be hung on his neck
and he be sunk into the depths of the sea. (Mat 18:7) Woe to the world because of
offenses. It is necessary for offenses that should come, but woe to the man by
whose hand the offenses come.

(Mat 18:8) And if your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and
cast it away from you. For it is better to enter into life lame, or while you are
maimed, than while you have two hands or two feet to fall into the fire that is
everlasting.

(Mat 18:9) And if your eye
184
causes you to stumble, pluck it out and cast it away
from you, for it is better for you that with one eye you enter into life than while
you have two eyes to fall into the Gehenna of fire. (Mat 18:10) See to it that you
do not despise one of these little ones. I say to you, for their Messengers in
heaven
185
at all times see the face of my Father who is in heaven. (Mat 18:11) For
the Son of man has come to save that which was lost.

(Mat 18:12) What do you think if a man had one hundred sheep, and one of them
went astray. Does he not leave the ninety and nine, go on the mountain, and seek
that which strayed? (Mat 18:13) And if he finds it, truly I say to you that he
rejoices at it more than the ninety and nine that did not stray. (Mat 18:14)
Likewise, your Father who is in heaven does not wish that any of these little
ones should perish.

So while it is inevitable that offenses will come and people will perish, Abba YHWH
does not want ANYONE to perish but ALL to have eternal life, but ONLY if they are
obeying His Commandments!

19


Therefore, when we break a Commandment, the anger that Abba YHWH feels is
actually Amazing Grace, because that anger does not come from a place of wanting
to destroy us but from sadness that what we are doing is bringing about our own
destruction! It is, in other words, the opposite of the way a human would deal with his
own sense of revenge.

Can we honestly say that no matter what another person does to us, regardless as to
how bad it is or how often it was done, that we are only thinking of THEIR welfare or
are we instead focused on how bad things in return might happen to that offender?

It is most fortunate then that our Heavenly Father, Abba YHWH, does not judge as
man does, but gives Amazing Graceand a strong dose of personal responsibility as
wellto boot.

And finally, consider this idea. The Scriptures have told us that Elohim is ALL LOVE
and ALL LIGHTso do we really think any of our paltry failings are sufficient
enough to change the actual composition of the stuff Abba YHWH is made of? We
cant even turn lead into goldhow in the world are our sins supposed to alter the
100% composition of light and love in Abba YHWH?

That is why, again, I turn to the fact that He doesnt want us to die or fail, and all
frustration He has with us comes from worrying about what will happen to us.

As a result, when we go through the hardships of life, it is important to bear in mind
that when we connect with Him through prayer, we are connecting with the ultimate
source of love, compassion, and yes, Amazing Grace. The more we connect to him
regardless as to what we have donethe more love we will feel WHEN we repent,
for though we are imperfect, if we follow His Torah and then fail, He will bridge the
gap we have from the other side and He will complete that bridge from His love. That
is why we are also told

(1Jn 4:18) In love there is no fear; but perfect love casts out fear; because fear
exists in peril, and he that fears
15
is not perfected in love. (1Jn 4:19) Let us,
therefore, love Elohim; because he has first loved us. (AENT)

Now thats a hymn I can really get behind!

Im Andrew Gabriel Roth and thats your Torah Thought for the Week!

Next week we will be exploring Ki Tavo, or Deuteronomy 26:1-29:8. Our Haftorah
portion will be Isaiah 60:1-22 and our Renewed Covenant portion will be Matthew 13:1-
23. Stay tuned!