Ki Tavo – When you come: Devarim (Deuteronomy) 21:1-29:9

Shalom and welcome to this week’s Torah study on KiTavo, “when you come.” I hope you’re hungry for Torah because this week’s portion is filled to the gunwales with instructions and insight. Let’s dive in and get a heaping helping.

Don’t Just Do Something, Do it With Joy

Remember when Aaron lost his two sons? They brought strange fire into the tabernacle and Yehovah struck them down with fire, (Leviticus/Vayikra 10:1-2) and after that, Aaron would not eat the offerings as he should have. He gave as a reason that if he had eaten, it would not have been accepted (Vayikra 10:18-19). One possible reason is given in our portion in verse 26:14;

“I have not eaten thereof in my mourning...”

This ties together with one of the reasons the curses will come upon Israel;

“...Because you did not serve Yehovah your Elohim with joyfulness, and with gladness of heart, for the abundance of all things;” (Devarim 28:47)

Not only is it important that we obey the instructions Elohim has blessed us with, we are to do so joyfully. Paul cautioned the Corinthian congregation;

“Let every man give according as he purposes in his heart; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for Elohim loves a cheerful giver.” (2 Corinthians 9:7)

Many fall into a trap here. They get the idea that it doesn’t matter what they do because, “God knows my heart.” While this is true, we know from the Prophet Jeremiah that man’s heart is deceitful and morally sick. So, knowing our heart isn’t enough. Elohim doesn’t ever tell us to have a good heart and sinful deeds.

What He asks is for us to obey His instructions and be joyful in doing so. When I think about this, what I realize is that even though we often take life for granted, it is a gift, and can be rescinded at any moment. Each minute we live and draw breath is a gift. We are to rejoice in it. “This is the day Yehovah has made; I will rejoice and be glad in it.”

We should be careful not to get caught up in the trouble and pain of living and forget the joy of being alive.

Rocks at our Feet

When my children were two and three years old, we were at a historical location. I was enamored of the architecture the bricks and structure that was over 135 years old. The construction was phenomenal. I glanced around and saw my children intently examining the rocks in the parking lot.

It occurred to me that we could be anywhere in the world. London, Paris, Jerusalem, Tahiti...and they would be just as happy fiddling with the rocks in the parking lot. It wouldn’t make any difference how incredible the sight above was, they would be staring down at the rocks.

I think we are the same. We get so caught up in the problems that are at our feet. Bills, sickness, death, the economy, politics, running late for...? that we sometimes forget that even our being here is an incredible gift from Elohim and He expects us to use that gift to glorify Him and show others what He has done so they see our good works and glorify Him as well.

Ki l’olam chasdo – Give thanks to Yehovah, for He is good and His mercy endures forever.

The Sinner’s Prayer

Have you ever heard of the sinner’s prayer? Not being raised as a Christian, this was a foreign concept to me, so when I began attending a Christian church, I was pressed to “say the sinner’s prayer.” As I tend to do, I asked the elders where in the Bible this prayer is found. (I already believed that if it’s not in the Scriptures, be wary of it, no matter what ‘it’ is)

Although they were unable to direct me to a scriptural reference for the prayer, I think the original, and still the best rendition, is found here, in Devarim 26:16-19;

“This day Yehovah your Elohim has commanded you to do these statutes and judgments: you shall therefore keep and do them with all your heart, and with all your soul. You have confessed today that you accept Yehovah to be your Elohim, and that you will walk in his ways, and keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his judgments, and listen to his voice: And Yehovah has confessed that you are his peculiar people, as he has promised you, and that you should keep all his commandments; And to make you high above all nations which he has made, in praise, and in name, and in honor; and that you may be a holy people unto Yehovah your Elohim, as he has spoken.” (Devarim 26:16-19)

Now that’s a prayer. It tells each of us who want to come into covenant with Elohim exactly what He expects of us. Living in obedience to the Torah’s instructions is the definition of walking humbly before Elohim. That’s why the Prophet Micah instructed us the whole duty of man is to, "do judgment, love mercy and walk humbly with Elohim." Essentially, obey His instructions, do them with a joyful heart and teach others about them in your words and deeds.

We’ve Lost Our Way

“And it shall be on the day you pass over Yarden into the land which Yehovah your Elohim gives you, that you shall set up great stones, and plaster them with plaster. And you shall write upon them all the words of this law, when you are passed over, that you may go into the land which Yehovah your Elohim gives you, a land flowing with milk and honey; as Yehovah, Elohim of your fathers promised you.” (Devarim 27:2-3)

Do you remember when schools, churches, courts and government buildings proudly displayed the Ten Commandments? They were a visible reminder of the shared Judeo-Christian values upon which this nation was founded, and which all citizens agreed to uphold. They are embodied in the declaration of Independence and the Constitution. Their presence set us apart from other nations because we ascribed to the highest moral values.

Now, in line with the nation’s stated goal of being just like all the other nations, we have removed the words of Elohim from our buildings, and many have removed them from their hearts. Both actions are violations of the Torah instructions. Let me stroll along a bit of a rabbi trail.

The United States was formed as a Christian nation. I know, there are some that argue against that, but they apparently have never read any of our founding documents. So in essence, citizens at the founding of our country were expected to be Judeo-Christian. Freedom of religion as stated in the Constitution is a direct response to King James, the English king forcing people to belong to the Church of England. Freedom of religion was implemented to prevent the government from imposing a state imposed religion or church.

There was never any intent to sanction any rogue religion that might pop up. If there was, why were witches prosecuted in the early years of this country? If Wicca were an acceptable religion, those judgments against witches would be in direct opposition to freedom of religion. Nor were voodoo, Mohammedanism, or Buddhism considered in the religious freedom clause of the Constitution.

I’m not saying that people should not be free to worship what they want, only that it never entered into the conversation among the founding fathers that such would be the case. Mohammedans were the enemy of the United States. If you have heard of the Barbary pirates, they were Mohammedans, and we formed the U.S. Navy to defend our ships from them. The one-world idea popular today would have been ludicrous in the early days of our nation.

Strangers in the Land

Those opposed to the Judeo-Christian ethic and documents, like the Ten Commandments, are alien to the concept of this nation and the free people who founded the United States. Those people who accept another god, or deny people to right to display portions of the Hebrew Scriptures are strangers. With this line of thought, we take a look at;

“You shall set a king over you, whom Yehovah your Elohim shall choose: one from among your brethren shall you set king over you: you may not set a stranger over you, which is not your brother.” (Devarim 17:15)

Many question whether our current president is a stranger, not born in this land, and not qualified for the office he holds. Have we perhaps violated this provision? I don’t know the answer, but there are legitimate questions about it. And if we do these things, don’t obey the instructions of Elohim, and rebel against Him;

“Yehovah shall bring you, and your king which you shall set over you, to a nation which neither you nor your fathers have known; and there shall you serve other gods, wood and stone.” (Devarim 28:36)

“The stranger that is within you shall get up above you very high; and you shall come down very low.” (Devarim 28:43)

Look at what is happening in the U.S. today. I see a correlation between the curses outlined in our portion and what is occurring in our country, do you? Are we, as grafted in Israel, suffering the punishment of a just Elohim who warned us what would happen, and we have ignored Him?

We essentially have strangers forcing us to change our American way of life into a society our fathers would not recognize. Can you imagine what your great-grandfather would say if he saw the changes happening in our country today?

Blessings and Curses

In Verses 28:1-2 and 28:15 there are two real-big if’s. The first is, If we do what Elohim commands, He will bless us, and the blessings are listed in verses 28:3-14. The second is, if we don’t listen and obey, shema, then all the curses in verses 28:16-68 will come upon us.

The instruction contains an ominous declaration, in verse 46, “And they shall be upon you for a sign and for a wonder, and upon your seed forever.”

With all of the promised curses, and the enormity of the havoc they portend, it is likely that Moshe expected the people would weigh the consequences and choose to obey. He leaves this portion with,

“Keep therefore the words of this covenant, and do them, that you may prosper in all that you do.” (Devarim 29:9)

Among the Seekers after Torah

Do you find it difficult to understand how even when we are told graphically of the destruction that will come upon us if we turn away from Elohim, we still turn our backs on Him? I think the Ruach haKodesh is moving across the world seeking out those who are willing to come out of the darkness and into the light of Torah, who will repent not only for their own sins, but for the sins they have inherited from their fathers.

If you are reading this, I suspect you are one of those being called. Otherwise, the Torah would hold no interest for you. So I say, welcome and shalom. Join us next week as we study portion Nitsavim, it is found in Devarim, 29:10 – 30:20.

My studies only deal with the Torah portion, but there are sections associated with each portion called the haftarah. During the past, when it was punishable by death to study the Torah, Jewish leaders established a set of readings from the Prophets and the Writings that were related in some way to the portion. I don’t include studies from these haftarah portions because there is so much in the portion itself that time and space don’t allow for it, but they are definitely worth reading. The haftarah for this week is Isaiah 60:1-22.