Deuteronomy-Chap-23

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Please Note: Some alterations or (additions) have been made relating to ‘Names’ and ‘Attributes’ of אֱלֹהִים - Elohim, 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. (JPS-1917).

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“Deuteronomy Chapter 23”

With Rabbi, Dr. Reuven Ben Avraham-Goossens, PhD.

Introduction: (The Sanctity of the Assembly and the Camp).

Deuteronomy 23 functions as a blueprint for maintaining the physical and spiritual integrity of Israel. Having transitioned from the broad moral strokes of the Decalogue to specific civil laws, the text now focuses on the “purity of the collective”. The chapter explores who may enter the Kahal (the Assembly of יְהוָה - the LORD) and how the community must conduct itself, both in the intimacy of the military camp and the social responsibility of the marketplace. The overarching theme is that holiness is not merely an abstract concept; it is a tangible requirement for a people who carry the Presence of the Divine in their midst.

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Below are the verses of Deuteronomy Chapter 23, verses 1 to 26: Whilst below the chapter is a commentary of same. (The Chapter is from JPS-1917 version of the Torah).

1 “A man shall not take his father’s wife, and shall not uncover his father’s skirt. 2 He that is crushed or maimed in his privy parts shall not enter into the assembly of יְהוָה - the LORD.  3 A bastard shall not enter into the assembly of יְהוָה - the LORD; even to the tenth generation shall none of his enter into the assembly of יְהוָה - the LORD. 4 An Ammonite or a Moabite shall not enter into the assembly of יְהוָה - the LORD; even to the tenth generation shall none of them enter into the assembly of יְהוָה - the LORD forever; 5 because they met you not with bread and with water in the way, when ye came forth out of Egypt; and because they hired against thee Balaam the son of Beor from Pethor of Aram-naharaim, to curse thee. 6 Nevertheless יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ - the LORD thy Eloheicha (God) would not hearken unto Balaam; but יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ - the LORD thy Eloheicha turned the curse into a blessing unto thee, because יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ - the LORD thy Eloheicha loved thee. 7 Thou shalt not seek their peace nor their prosperity all thy days for ever. 8 Thou shalt not abhor an Edomite, for he is thy brother; thou shalt not abhor an Egyptian, because thou wast a stranger in his land. 9 The children of the third generation that are born unto them may enter into the assembly of יְהוָה - the LORD. 10 When thou goest forth in camp against thine enemies, then thou shalt keep thee from every evil thing. 11 If there be among you any man, that is not clean by reason of that which chanceth him by night, then shall he go abroad out of the camp, he shall not come within the camp. 12 But it shall be, when evening cometh on, he shall bathe himself in water; and when the sun is down, he may come within the camp. 13 Thou shalt have a place also without the camp, whither thou shalt go forth abroad. 14 And thou shalt have a paddle among thy weapons; and it shall be, when thou sittest down abroad, thou shalt dig therewith, and shalt turn back and cover that which cometh from thee. 15 For יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ - the LORD thy Eloheicha walketh in the midst of thy camp, to deliver thee, and to give up thine enemies before thee; therefore shall thy camp be holy; that He see no unseemly thing in thee, and turn away from thee. 16 Thou shalt not deliver unto his master a bondman that is escaped from his master unto thee; 17 he shall dwell with thee, in the midst of thee, in the place which he shall choose within one of thy gates, where it liketh him best; thou shalt not wrong him. 18 There shall be no harlot of the daughters of Israel, neither shall there be a sodomite of the sons of Israel19 Thou shalt not bring the hire of a harlot, or the price of a dog, into the house of יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ - the LORD thy Eloheicha for any vow; for even both these are an abomination unto יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ - the LORD thy Eloheicha. 20 Thou shalt not lend upon interest to thy brother: interest of money, interest of victuals, interest of any thing that is lent upon interest. 21 Unto a foreigner thou mayest lend upon interest; but unto thy brother thou shalt not lend upon interest; that יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ - the LORD thy Eloheicha may bless thee in all that thou puttest thy hand unto, in the land whither thou goest in to possess it. 22 When thou shalt vow a vow unto יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ - the LORD thy Eloheicha, thou shalt not be slack to pay it; for יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ - the LORD thy Eloheicha will surely require it of thee; and it will be sin in thee. 23 But if thou shalt forbear to vow, it shall be no sin in thee. 24 That which is gone out of thy lips thou shalt observe and do; according as thou hast vowed freely unto יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ - the LORD thy Eloheicha, even that which thou hast promised with thy mouth. 25 When thou comest into thy neighbour’s vineyard, then thou mayest eat grapes until thou have enough at thine own pleasure; but thou shalt not put any in thy vessel. 26 When thou comest into thy neighbour’s standing corn, then thou mayest pluck ears with thy hand; but thou shalt not move a sickle unto thy neighbour’s standing corn”.

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My special Commentary on Deuteronomy Chapter 23:

Verses 1-9: ‘The Boundaries of the Assembly’. The opening section establishes strict genealogical and physical requirements for full membership in the national assembly. These exclusions, ranging from physical impediments to specific national origins (Moab and Ammon) serve as a historical reminder of the importance of loyalty and character. The exclusion of Ammon and Moab is particularly notable because it is based on a lack of hospitality and an active attempt to curse Israel. In contrast, the Egyptian and the Edomite are treated with a degree of leniency (eligible for entry in the third generation), reminding us that even in a system of boundaries, there is a recognition of shared history and the possibility of eventual integration.

Verses 10-15: ‘Purity in the Camp’. The focus shifts from the national assembly to the military camp. Here, the Torah insists that the camp be “holy”, not just for the sake of hygiene, but because the Divine Presence accompanies the soldiers. The requirement for physical cleanliness after a nocturnal occurrence and the mandate for a “paddle” (v. 14) to cover waste are practical rules that elevate the mundane to the level of the sacred. It teaches that אֱלֹהִים - Elohim (God) is found in the details of how we manage our physical existence during times of conflict.

Verses 16-26: ‘Social Compassion and Integrity’. The latter half of the chapter addresses a variety of ethical situations. The law protecting the runaway slave (v. 16–17) is a radical departure from the contemporary laws of the ancient Near East, which usually demanded the return of “property”. This highlights Israel’s unique status as a nation of former slaves who must now champion the vulnerable. The prohibition against usury (interest) between brothers (v. 20-21) reinforces a communal economy based on mutual aid rather than exploitation, though it allows for interest in international commerce to maintain economic viability. Finally, the laws concerning vows (v. 22-24) and the permission to eat from a neighbour’s vineyard while passing through (v. 25-26) underscore the importance of verbal integrity and the balance between private property rights and the immediate needs of the hungry.

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My Closing Message: ‘The Presence in the Ordinary’.

Deuteronomy 23 teaches us that the “Sacred” is not confined to a Temple or a specific day of the year. Instead, holiness is maintained through the boundaries we set for our community, the ‘kindness we show to the fugitive’, the ‘honesty of our speech’, and even the ‘cleanliness of our camps’. The chapter reminds us that if we wish for the Divine to “walk in the midst of thy camp” and deliver us from our challenges, we must provide a space that is worthy of that Presence. Purity is a lifestyle of mindfulness, where every action, from a financial transaction to a walk through a field, is an opportunity to sanctify the mundane.

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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).

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“The More Torah, the More Life”,

For Elohim is the One who gave us our ... Life!”

May the שָׁלוֹם - Shalom = Peace of צְבָאוֹת- יְהוָהthe 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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