Moses-and-the-Torah
-hebraicstudies.net-
Please
do NOT visit this site
on שַׁבָּת - Shabbat or on the מוֹעֲדִים - Mo’a’dim - Feasts!
Re Tanakh versions:
Throughout
this site I may use any of three versions of the Tanakh: 1. “Jewish Publication Society” (JPS-1917), 2. “Mechon-Mamre.org” (MEC), and 3. “Sefaria.org” (SEF), three brilliant versions, However, the
JPS-1917 is my preferred version!
Colour coded
details of our beloved TaNaKh:
1. Torah =
History & Law, 2. Nevi’im = The Prophets. 3. *Ketuvim = all other Writings.
*The Ketuvim - Includes, Poetical
books - Psalms, Proverbs, Job, the Megillot,
or Scrolls - Song of Solomon, Ruth, Lamentations of
Jeremiah, Ecclesiastes, and Esther, prophecy of Daniel, and history
of Ezra, Nehemiah, and Chronicles I & II.
Please Note: Some alterations
or (additions) have been made relating to ‘Names’ and ‘Attributes’ of אֱלֹהִים - Elohim (God), 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 אֱלֹהֵיכֶם יְהוָה - 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.
The Book of
דְּבָרִים - Devarim - Deuteronomy is frequently
described as Moses’ review of the Torah. However, looking at it in its deepest sense
it is a reflection on the nature of Torah. Thus Moses teaches us some new laws
and refreshes the previous ones, and he argues for the centrality of the Torah
and the commandments.
However, he also
offers a nuanced perspective on the limits of Torah and how it should be
approached with care and curiosity even caution. This perspective invites us to
think thoughtfully about the role of Torah. We need to fully understand the
text, and not just be a passive recipient and obey out beloved Law!.
Much of the
aforementioned statement hangs on a single verb, which we originally first
encountered in ‘Parashat Vaetchanan’.
וְזֹאת,
הַתּוֹרָה,
אֲשֶׁר-שָׂם
מֹשֶׁה, לִפְנֵי
בְּנֵי
יִשְׂרָאֵל
“And this is the law
which Moses set before the children of
Many readers will be familiar with this verse, which is recited in many synagogues as the Torah is displayed after the public reading, but the language is a little strange. Why does it say that Moses “placed” the Torah before the people? Why didn’t he give it, or maybe better, teach it?
What is the meaning
of that which is written: “And this is the Torah which Moses ‘put or ‘placed’
before the children of
One might ask, ‘what
is the meaning of that which is written’: “And this is the Torah which Moses
placed before the children of
The truth is that
the Hebrew word for “placed” is a homophone for the Hebrew word for “potion”.
From this, we may argue that the nature of the Torah is not ‘absolute’, but
‘relative’. The kind of person you are and the way that you approach the Torah
determines whether or not you will find the Torah ‘life-giving’ or
‘life-taking’, ‘invigorating’ or ‘exhausting’. According to this teaching, the
Torah is not properly thought of as something that transforms us, but rather it
is we who transform the Torah, through interpretation and
application, but perhaps most importantly, through our attitude. We determine
the nature of the Torah based on our own nature.
The question is: How?
How does one become the sort of person for whom the Torah is a ‘blessing’
instead of a ‘burden?’ The answer is that if you love יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ - the LORD our Eloheinu with all ‘your heart’ and ‘all your soul’, the
Torah is always a wonderful blessing, no matter what! Thus at all times,
continue to read and study it for the Torah is ‘life giving’, and ‘keeps us’
being ‘His faithful people’, who have always been known as ‘Hebrews’ and
‘Israelites’ and certainly not that rabbinic manmade name, Jewish or Jews, etc.
Remember, we are not all from the tribe of יְהוּדִים - Yehudim, but the truth is we are in fact from all the 12 tribes of Yisrael,
thus we are to this day still legally, (in spite of the rabbis) ‘Hebrews’ or
‘Israelites’!
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Please Note: “hebraicstudies”
links are located down the page!
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 through a number of our prophets...
“The More Torah,
the More Life”,
For Elohim 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!
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