Deuteronomy-5-19-29
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having been corrected like it once was pre the “Masoretic Text”.
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Remember the
following truth from our beloved Torah!
“Ye shall NOT ADD TO THE WORD which
I command you, NEITHER SHALL YE DIMINISH FROM
IT, that ye may keep the commandments of יְהוָה
אֱלֹהֵיכֶם - the LORD your Eloleichem,
which I command you”. Davarim -
Deuteronomy 4:2.
However, sadly both the later priests as well as our rabbis of long ago and of today have, and are shamefully disobeying this command of אֱלֹהִים יְהוָה - the LORD Elohim, בָּרוּךְ שֵׁם קָדוֹשׁוֹ - ‘Baruch Shem Kadosho’ – ‘Blessed be His Holy Name!’
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Part Two.
With Rabbi, Dr. Reuven Ben Avraham-Goossens, PhD.
Introduction:
In this section of Davarim -
Deuteronomy, Moses continues his review of the Covenant at Horeb.
Having just finished reciting the עֲשֶׂרֶת
הַדִּבְּרוֹת - ‘Ten Commandments’, he transitions into
a vivid description of the people’s reaction to the Divine presence. This
passage highlights the profound awe, and the very real terror experienced by
the Israelites as they encountered the voice of אֱלֹהִים - Elohim (God). It
sets the stage for Moses’ unique role as the mediator between the Creator and
the nation.
Let is now read Devarim - Deuteronomy Chapter 5:19-29: (JPS-1917 version f the Torah).
19. And it came to
pass, when ye heard the voice out of the midst of the darkness, while the
mountain did burn with fire, that ye came near unto me, even all the heads of your
tribes, and your elders;
20. and ye said:
‘Behold, יְהוָה
אֱלֹהֵינוּ - the LORD our Elohim hath
shown us His glory and His greatness, and we have heard His voice out of the
midst of the fire; we have seen this day that doth speak with man, and he liveth.
21. Now therefore why should we die? for this great fire will consume us; if we hear the voice of
יְהוָה
אֱלֹהֵינוּ - the LORD our Elohim any more,
then we shall die.
22. For who is there of all flesh, that hath
heard the voice of the living אֱלֹהִים speaking out of the midst of the fire, as we have, and
lived?
23. Go thou near, and hear all that יְהוָה
אֱלֹהֵינוּ - the LORD our Elohim may say;
and thou shalt speak unto us all that יְהוָה
אֱלֹהֵינוּ - the LORD our Elohim may speak
unto thee; and we will hear it and do it’.
24. And יְהוָה - the
LORD heard the voice of your words, when ye spoke unto me; and יְהוָה - the
LORD said unto me: ‘I have heard the voice of the words of this people, which
they have spoken unto thee; they have well said all that they have spoken.
25. Oh that they had such a heart as this alway, to fear Me, and keep all My
commandments, that it might be well with them, and with their children for
ever!
26. Go say to them: Return ye to your tents.
27. But as for thee, stand thou here by Me, and
I will speak unto thee all the commandment, and the statutes, and the
ordinances, which thou shalt teach them, that they
may do them in the land which I give them to possess it’.
28. Ye shall observe to do therefore as אֱלֹהֵיכֶם- יְהוָה- the LORD your Elohim hath commanded
you; ye shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left.
29. Ye shall walk in all the way which אֱלֹהֵיכֶם- יְהוָה- the LORD your Elohim hath commanded you, that ye may live, and that it may be well with you, and
that ye may prolong your days in the land which ye shall possess”.
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Let us now look at the ‘verse by verse’ with Explanations:
Verse
19: “Neither shalt thou steal. Neither shalt thou bear false witness against thy neighbour”.
Explanation: These concluding
ethical commandments focus on the integrity of society. Prohibiting theft
protects the physical efforts and property of others, while the ban on false
witness ensures that justice and truth remain the foundation of the community's
legal and social life.
Verse
20: “Neither shalt thou covet thy neighbour’s wife; neither shalt thou desire thy neighbour’s
house, his field, or his man-servant, or his maid-servant, his ox, or his ass,
or any thing that is thy neighbour’s”.
Explanation: This commandment is unique because it governs the heart and mind. By forbidding the “desire” for what belongs to another, the Torah seeks to stop sin at its root, “envy” before it can manifest as theft or violence.
Verse 21: “These words יְהוָה - the LORD spoke unto all your assembly in the mount out of the midst of the fire, of the cloud, and of the thick darkness, with a great voice, and it went on no more. And He wrote them upon two tables of stone, and gave them unto me”.
Explanation: Moses reminds the people that these laws were not human inventions but were delivered through a terrifying, supernatural display. The "great voice" and the writing on stone signify the eternal and unchangeable nature of this covenant.
Verse 22: “And it came to pass, when ye heard the voice out of the midst of the darkness, while the mountain did burn with fire, that ye came near unto me, even all the heads of your tribes, and your elders;”
Explanation: The leaders of Israel were the first to react. Despite the holiness of the moment, the sheer physical intensity of the Divine revelation was overwhelming, prompting a communal response of fear.
Verse 23: “and ye said: ‘Behold, יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ - the LORD our Elohim hath shewed us His glory and His greatness, and we have heard His voice out of the midst of the fire; we have seen this day that אֱלֹהִים doth speak with man, and he liveth”.
Explanation: The people acknowledge a miracle: they have witnessed the presence of אֱלֹהִים and survived. It is a moment of profound realization that the Infinite can indeed communicate with the finite.
Verse 24: “Now therefore why should we die? for this great fire will consume us; if we hear the voice of יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ - the LORD our Elohim any more, then we shall die”.
Explanation: Mortality asserts itself. The Israelites feared that repeated exposure to such raw, Divine power would eventually be fatal to their physical bodies.
Verse 25: “For who is there of all flesh, that hath heard the voice of the living אֱלֹהִים speaking out of the midst of the fire, as we have, and lived?”
Explanation: This rhetorical question underscores the uniqueness of the Sinai event. They recognize they have experienced something unprecedented in human history, yet they do not wish to push their luck further.
Verse 26: “Go thou near, and hear all that יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ - the LORD our Elohim shall say; and speak thou unto us all that יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ - the LORD our Elohim shall speak unto thee; and we will hear, and do”.
Explanation: Here, the people officially request Moses to act as their mediator. They commit to obedience (“we will hear and do”) provided the message is delivered through a human intermediary who can shield them from the direct fire of אֱלֹהִים.
Verse 27: “And יְהוָה - the LORD heard the voice of your words, when ye spoke unto me; and יְהוָה - the LORD said unto me: ‘I have heard the voice of the words of this people, which they have spoken unto thee; they have well said all that they have spoken’”.
Explanation: אֱלֹהִים validates the people’s response. Their fear is seen not as a lack of faith, but as a proper sense of “Yirat Shamayim” (Awe of Heaven). Their recognition of their own limits is “well said”.
Verse 28: “Oh that they had such a heart as this alway, to fear Me, and keep all My commandments, that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever!”
Explanation: This is a rare, poignant expression of Divine desire. אֱלֹהִים wishes that the clarity and reverence the people feel in this intense moment would remain with them forever, ensuring their long-term prosperity and spiritual health.
Verse 29: “Go say to them: Return ye to your tents”.
Explanation: With the mediator established and the Covenant confirmed, the people are dismissed to return to their daily lives. The “mountain-top” experience ends, and the practical application of the Law in their homes begins.
My closing Message:
This passage captures the delicate balance between Divine power and human frailty. It teaches us that while the Law is a gift of “glory and greatness”, it requires a “heart of fear” (reverence) to truly sustain it. The Israelites’ request for a mediator reminds us that while we may seek a relationship with the Divine, we must do so with humility, recognizing the immense weight of the truth we have been given!
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This site was originally created, for those who desired to return to our blessed and wonderful faith. Thus be wise and work on your faith and pray at least two or three times a day (if possible) and always seek our beloved אֱלֹהִים - Elohim’s guidance, for His love is always with us, especially when we seek Him, blessed be He! However this site has become very much a teaching site with hundreds of studies!
Remember what אֱלֹהִים -
Elohim, blessed be He, said the following via
several of our prophets...
“Return
unto Me, and I will return unto you, saith צְבָאוֹת- יְהוָה- the LORD of hosts”. Mal’a’chi - Malachi 3:7. (JPS).
And Remember ...
Enjoy your Sabbath Rest, Shabbat Shalom!
אֲנִי
יְהוָה
אֱלֹהֵיכֶם, בְּחֻקּוֹתַי
לֵכוּ; וְאֶת-מִשְׁפָּטַי
שִׁמְרוּ, וַעֲשׂוּ
אוֹתָם
וְאֶת-שַׁבְּתוֹתַי, קַדֵּשׁוּ; וְהָיוּ
לְאוֹת, בֵּינִי
וּבֵינֵיכֶם-לָדַעַת, כִּי
אֲנִי יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם
“I am אֱלֹהֵיכֶם יְהוָה - the LORD your Eloheichem; walk in My statutes,
and keep Mine ordinances, and do them; and hallow My Sabbaths, and they shall
be a sign between Me and you, that ye may know that I am אֱלֹהֵיכֶם יְהוָה
- the LORD your Eloheichem”. Yechezkel - Ezekiel 20:19-20. (JPS).
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“Hebraic Studies” motto is as follows;
“The More Torah, the
More Life”
For אֱלֹהִים יְהוָה - the LORD Elohim, Blessed be His Sanctified Name,
He is
the one who gave us our Life!”
May the שָׁלוֹם - Shalom = Peace of צְבָאוֹת-
יְהוָה= the LORD
of hosts. be with you, and
please always uphold our blessed שַׁבָּת - Shabbat, as well as the מוֹעֲדִים - Mo’a’dim - Feasts, and continue saying your daily תְּפִלָּה - Tefeelah’s (Prayers) and regular בְּרָכָה - Be’ra’chah’s
(blessings) before food and drinks, etc!
שָׁלוֹם
עֲלֵיכֶם - Shalom
Aleichem - Peace be with you!
Rabbi,
Dr. Reuven Ben Avraham-Goossens,
PhD.
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