Jeremiah-Chap-8
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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:
Jeremiah Chapter 8 continues the “
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Let us read Jeremiah
Chapter 8, verses 1 to 23: (JPS-1917
version of the Torah). Below this chapter you will find my commentary on same.
1 “At that time,
saith יְהוָה - the LORD, they shall bring out the bones of the kings of Judah, and
the bones of his princes, and the bones of the priests, and the bones of the
prophets, and the bones of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, out of their
graves; 2 and they shall spread them before the
sun, and the moon, and all the host of heaven, whom they have loved, and whom
they have served, and after whom they have walked, and whom they have sought,
and whom they have worshipped; they shall not be gathered, nor be buried, they
shall be for dung upon the face of the earth. 3 And
death shall be chosen rather than life by all the
residue that remain of this evil family, that remain in all the places whither
I have driven them, saith יְהוָה - the LORD of hosts. 4 Moreover thou
shalt say unto them: Thus saith יְהוָה - the LORD: do men fall, and not rise up again? Doth one turn away,
and not return? 5 Why then is this people of
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Let us now look at Chapter 8 commentary:
Verses
1-3: (The Desecration of Idolatry). The chapter opens with a jarring image of the bones of kings and
priests being removed from their graves. This is a “measure-for-measure” (Middah k’neged Middah) consequence. Those who worshipped the sun, moon,
and stars, the “host of heaven” will find no rest under those very celestial
bodies. By seeking power from the creation rather than the Creator, they have
rendered themselves as “dung upon the face of the earth” losing the dignity of
a proper burial.
Verses
4-7: (The Unnatural Choice). Jeremiah uses a powerful rhetorical device: “If one falls, does he
not rise again?” In the physical world, a person who takes a wrong turn
eventually turns back. Even the stork, the turtle-dove, and the crane know the “ordinance
of יְהוָה - the LORD” regarding their migratory patterns. Yet, the people of
Verses 8-12: (The Corruption of Wisdom). Here, the prophet challenges those who claim to be wise because they possess the “Law of יְהוָה - the LORD”. He warns that the “false pen of the scribes” has worked in vain. Knowledge of the Torah is meaningless if it is used to justify greed or to provide a false sense of security. The leadership, priest and prophet alike is accused of healing the “breach of the daughter of my people” only slightly, saying “Shalom, Shalom” (Peace, peace) when there is no peace. They have lost the ability to feel shame (bosh), a prerequisite for repentance!
Verses 13-17: (The Harvest of Thistles). The metaphor of the vineyard returns. Because the people did not produce “grapes” of righteousness, there are no grapes on the vine. The “poisoned water” they are forced to drink is the result of their own rejection of the “living waters”. The mention of “serpents and cockatrices” represents an enemy that cannot be charmed or negotiated with a force of nature unleashed by their own moral choices.
Verses
18-23: (The Prophet’s Agony). The chapter concludes with Jeremiah’s profound empathy. Though he
rebukes the people, his heart is “faint within me”. He hears the cry of his
people from a “far country”, wondering if the LORD is no longer in
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My Closing Message:
Jeremiah 8 serves as a timeless reminder that
wisdom is not the accumulation of text, but the application of truth. When we
ignore our “spiritual instincts” and prefer comfortable lies over difficult
truths, we forfeit the peace we so desperately crave. However, the prophet’s
very weeping is a sign of hope; for as long as there is a heart that breaks for
the distance between man and the Divine, the path to “Teshuvah” always remains
open. May we have the courage to recognize our “seasons” and return to the
Source of Life before the summer of opportunity fades!
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