Deuteronomy-Chap-24
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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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With Rabbi,
Dr. Reuven Ben Avraham-Goossens, PhD.
Introduction: (The Sanctity of the Social Fabric).
In Deuteronomy 24, the Torah shifts its focus toward the ethical treatment of the vulnerable and the preservation of ‘human dignity’ within the community. This chapter is not merely a list of civil laws; it is a blueprint for a compassionate society. It addresses the complexities of human relationships, ‘marriage’, ‘labour’, and ‘poverty’, insisting that even in moments of legal dispute or economic hardship; the “other” must be treated with holiness. The underlying theme is the refinement of the individual through the exercise of restraint and empathy. And always remain faithful unto אֱלֹהִים יְהוָה - the LORD Elohim (God), בָּרוּךְ שֵׁם - Baruch Shem - “Blessed be His Name”.
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Below are the verses
of Deuteronomy Chapter 24, verses 1 to 22: Whilst below the chapter is a
commentary of same. (The Chapter is from JPS-1917 version
of the Torah).
1 “When a man
taketh a wife, and marrieth her, then it cometh to pass, if she find no favour
in his eyes, because he hath found some unseemly thing in her, that he writeth
her a bill of divorcement, and giveth it in her hand, and sendeth her out of
his house, 2 and she departeth out of his house,
and goeth and becometh another man’s wife, 3 and
the latter husband hateth her, and writeth her a bill of divorcement, and
giveth it in her hand, and sendeth her out of his house; or if the latter
husband die, who took her to be his wife; 4 her
former husband, who sent her away, may not take her again to be his wife, after
that she is defiled; for that is abomination before יְהוָה - the LORD; and thou shalt not cause the land to sin, which יְהוָה
אֱלֹהֶיךָ -
the LORD thy Eloheicha (God), giveth thee for an
inheritance. 5 When a man taketh a new wife, he
shall not go out in the host, neither shall he be charged with any business; he
shall be free for his house one year, and shall cheer his wife whom he hath
taken. 6 No man shall take the mill or the upper
millstone to pledge; for he taketh a man's life to pledge. 7 If
a man be found stealing any of his brethren of the children of
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My
special Commentary on Deuteronomy
Chapter 24:
Verses 1-4: (The Integrity of Marriage). These
verses address the laws of divorce and remarriage. The Torah seeks to prevent
the commoditisation of women and ensures that the marital bond is treated with
gravity. By prohibiting a man from remarrying his former wife after she has
been married to someone else, the law discourages impulsive divorces and
protects the sanctity of the second marriage.
Verse 5: (The
Joy of the New Home). A newly married man is exempt from military service or
public business for one year. This highlights the Torah’s priority on the “home”
as the foundation of the nation. The goal is “to cheer his wife”, placing
domestic happiness above national utility.
Verses 6, 10-13, 17: (Dignity in Indebtedness).
The Torah strictly regulates how a creditor can collect a debt. One may not
take a millstone as a pledge, as that deprives a person of their means of
making food. Furthermore, a creditor may not enter a debtor’s house to retrieve
a pledge; they must wait outside. This preserves the debtor’s privacy and last
shred of pride, reminding us that poverty does not strip a person of their
right to a “private domain”.
Verses 7-9: (Social Crimes and Vigilance). The
chapter touches upon the severity of kidnapping and the importance of following
the laws regarding ‘tzara’at’ (skin afflictions). Reference to
Miriam serves as a reminder that no one is above the law and that speech, the
cause of Miriam’s affliction, had profound social consequences.
Verses 14-15, 19-22: (The Rights of the Worker and the Poor).
These laws command the prompt payment of wages “on the same day you shall give
him his hire” because the worker “sets his heart upon it”. This is followed by
the laws of ‘Pe’ah’ (corners of the field), ‘Lekhet’ (gleanings),
and ‘Shich’chah’ (forgotten
sheaves). The produce left behind is not “charity” in the modern sense; it is
the right of the ‘stranger’, the ‘fatherless’, and the ‘widow’.
Verses 16-18: (Individual Responsibility). The text clarifies that parents shall not be put to death for children, nor children for parents. This establishes individual legal accountability, rejecting the ancient practice of collective family punishment.
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My Closing Message: (The Memory of
The recurring refrain throughout this chapter
is: “And thou shalt remember
that thou wast a bondman in the
The Torah uses our historical trauma not as a
reason for bitterness, but as a catalyst for kindness. We are commanded to be
sensitive to the poor, the workers, and the divorcee precisely because we know
the “soul of the stranger”. The ultimate message of Deuteronomy 24 is that a
truly holy society is measured by how it treats those who have no power to give
anything back. Our conduct in the marketplace and the home is the true measure
of our devotion!
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