The-Path-of-Light-and-Life
-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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“Light, the Way, the Truth, the Life, for Everyone”..
With Rabbi, Dr. Reuven Ben Avraham-Goossens, PhD.
Our beloved Torah is without a doubt the most important Scripture we have, for it contains the beginning of us receiving the name of ‘Hebrews’, as Avraham was named just that. Later, after we entered the Promised Land we also became known as ‘Israelites’. And we the faithful loved our Torah, which offers us so much!
Let me provide a list of four verses that speaks about our blessed Torah, and us!
1. Light: Proverbs 6:23. (All verses are from the JPS-1917 version).
כִּי נֵר מִצְוָה, וְתוֹרָה אוֹר; וְדֶרֶךְ חַיִּים, תּוֹכְחוֹת מוּסָר
“For the commandment is a lamp, and the teaching is light, and reproofs of instruction are the way of life”.
2. Light: Psalm 36:10.
כִּי-עִמְּךָ, מְקוֹר חַיִּים; בְּאוֹרְךָ, נִרְאֶה-אוֹר
“For with Thee is the fountain of life; in Thy light do we see light”.
3. The Way: Psalm 119:1.
אַשְׁרֵי תְמִימֵי-דָרֶךְ- הַהֹלְכִים, בְּתוֹרַת יְהוָה
“Happy are they that are upright in the way,
who walk in the law of יְהוָה - the LORD”.
4. The Truth: Psalm 119:142.
צִדְקָתְךָ צֶדֶק לְעוֹלָם; וְתוֹרָתְךָ אֱמֶת
“Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and Thy law is truth”,
5. The Life: Proverbs 13:14.
תּוֹרַת חָכָם, מְקוֹר חַיִּים- לָסוּר, מִמֹּקְשֵׁי מָוֶת
“The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death”.
Returning to the ‘Light’, ‘Lamp’, ‘the Way’, ‘Truth’ and ‘the Fountain of Life’:
אוֹר (Light) & נֵר (Lamp): As Proverbs 6:23 states
directly, the Torah is the macro-light, and the individual mitzvah is the
practical lamp. Elohim gives the commandment to illuminate our immediate steps
so we do not stumble in a dark world.
דֶּרֶךְ (The Way): Walking by the light of that lamp establishes a consistent path. As Psalm 119:1 states, those who walk in the Torah of יְהוָה - the LORD are walking in the true Derech.
אֱמֶת (Truth): This path is
reliable because it reflects absolute reality. Psalm 119:142 declares,
"Thy law is truth." It is the unchanging standard of Elohim.
מְקוֹר
חַיִּים (Fountain of Life): The ultimate result of
keeping the Torah is life itself. Proverbs 13:14 links the instruction directly
to a flowing fountain that delivers a person from the snares of death.
Thus,
what did the above really tell us?
“The spiritual landscape unfolds in various stages. It begins with Light, the raw, unadulterated wisdom of the Divine. To guide us, this expansive light is focused into a single Lamp, the specific action of a commandment. As these illuminated steps multiply, they forge to The Way, a path of living that aligns human behaviour with eternal reality. In walking this path, we uncover that His Law is Truth, the ultimate reality of the universe. Finally, this external truth is internalized, transforming the seeker into a perpetual Fountain of Life, vibrant and eternally renewed”.
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Look at
how it all beautifully maps out:
אוֹר (Light) and נֵר (Lamp): Proverbs 6:23 introduces them right away as a pair. The Torah is the macro-light (the sun), while the individual mitzvah is the micro-lamp (the flame we carry). וְדֶרֶךְ חַיִּים (The Way of Life): The end of this verse naturally synthesises your other two concepts: The Way (Psalm 119:1) and Life/The Fountain of Life (Proverbs 13:14).
I pray that this very different study has touched you and has brought you closer to our beloved יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ - the LORD our Eloheinu, בָּרוּךְ שֵׁם קָדוֹשׁוֹ - ‘Baruch Shem Kadosho’ - ‘Blessed be His Holy Name!’ Amen.
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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!
Enter ...