Turn-Us-UntoThee
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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.
Introduction:
In the landscape of the Tanakh, human existence continually moves between two poles: the ideal world of ‘Divine harmony’ and the fractured reality of ‘human suffering and exile’.
In Proverbs 3:17-18, we are given a vision of the ideal. Here, wisdom and Torah are described as Darkhei No’am “ways of pleasantness” and an Etz Chaim, a “Tree of Life”. This imagery brings us back to the garden of Eden, offering a blueprint for a life anchored in wholeness, serenity, and unhindered connection with the Divine.
Conversely, Lamentations 5:21
emerges from the absolute ‘depths of exile’, ‘loss, and ‘national devastation’.
Standing among the ruins of
This study explores the dynamic interplay between where we are meant to dwell and how we return when we have lost our way. By examining these passages together alongside the personal plea of Jeremiah 31:18, we discover that the journey of Teshuvah (repentance and return) is a sacred partnership: a human heart reaching out from the wilderness, and a compassionate Creator drawing us back to the ways of pleasantness and peace.
Below is a focused study connecting Proverbs 3:17-18 and Lamentations 5:21 (JPS-1917), accompanied by a third harmonious passage Jeremiah 31:17 to complete the thematic bridge between ‘human repentance’ (Teshuvah) and ‘Divine restoration’.
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Let us read Proverbs 3:17-18:
דְּרָכֶיהָ דַרְכֵי-נֹעַם; וְכָל-נְתִיבוֹתֶיהָ שָׁלוֹם
עֵץ-חַיִּים הִיא, לַמַּחֲזִיקִים בָּהּ; וְתֹמְכֶיהָ מְאֻשָּׁר
“Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her, and happy is every one that holdeth her fast”.
And next read Lamentations 5:21:
הֲשִׁיבֵנוּ יְהוָה אֵלֶיךָ ונשוב , חַדֵּשׁ יָמֵינוּ כְּקֶדֶם
“Turn Thou us unto Thee, O יְהוָה - LORD, and we shall be turned; Renew our days as of old”.
Theme: The Journey Back to the Tree of Life:
At first glance, Proverbs 3:17-18 and Lamentations 5:21 represent two distinct states of the human and national soul.
Proverbs presents the ideal, ‘eternal essence of
Torah’: ‘pleasantness’, ‘peace’, ‘vitality’, and ‘connection’.
Lamentations
arises from the depth of ‘exile’, ‘loss’, and ‘dislocation’ a cry out of ‘the
ruins for Divine initiative’.
When these are
placed side-by-side, they form a powerful spiritual arc: 1. The vision of where
we belong, and 2. the prayer that enables us to return there.
1. Wisdom and Torah as the Anchor: (Proverbs 3:17-18).
In Proverbs,
Wisdom (Chokhmah)
traditionally understood as the Torah is described not as an ‘oppressive burden
of legalities’, but as a ‘path of inner harmony’ (Darkhei No’am)
and ‘wholeness’ (Shalom).
“Ways of Pleasantness”: True observance and alignment with Divine wisdom
does not produce ‘friction’ or ‘cruelty’; they ‘refine character’ and ‘cultivate
peace in human relationships’.
“Tree of Life” (Etz Chaim): Recall that the original ‘Tree of Life’
in Genesis, it became inaccessible after humanity’s exile from
2. The Cry from the Wilderness: (Lamentations 5:21)
Lamentations (Eikha) ends on a poignant note. After facing
destruction and exile, the community recognizes a fundamental reality: we cannot return entirely on our own strength.
“Turn Thou us unto Thee... and we shall be turned”: Human resolve alone (Teshuvah) can only take us so far. True turnings require a
reciprocal spark from Above (Hashiveinu). We
ask the Creator to incline our hearts, remove the obstacles, and draw us near.
“Renew our days as of old”: This is not merely a nostalgic wish for ancient
political prosperity, but a longing for the original closeness the pristine
state of clarity and connection embodied by the “Tree of Life”.
Adding a Complementary Text: Jeremiah 31:17.
To deepen this
study, let us look to Jeremiah, traditionally held to be the author of
Lamentations:
Jeremiah
31:17 (JPS-1917).
לֻמָּד; הֲשִׁבֵנִי וְאָשׁוּבָה, כִּי אַתָּה יְהוָה אֱלֹהָי
“Turn Thou me, and I shall be turned; for Thou art יְהוָה אֱלֹהָי - the LORD my Elocha”.
Where Lamentations speaks in the plural (“Turn Thou us...”), Jeremiah 31:17 brings it down to the individual soul (“I shall be turned...”).
Synthesis & Reflection:
|
Passage: |
Focus: |
Soul’s
Motion: |
|
Proverbs 3:17–18 |
The Destination / Goal. |
Holding fast to the Tree of Life and dwelling in peace. |
|
Lamentations 5:21 |
The Collective Cry. |
Pleading for Divine grace to initiate communal return. |
|
Jeremiah 31:17 |
The Personal Awakening. |
The individual heart surrendering to אֱלֹהִים - Elohim’s guidance. |
The Essential Takeaway:
When ‘exile’ or ‘personal trials create distance’ from the “ways of pleasantness”, the path back is not paved with self-reliance alone. We call upon הַשִׁיבֵנוּ (Hashiveinu) asking God to turn us around so that we may once again clasp the עֵץ חַיִּים (Etz Chaim) and experience the peace that has always been the Torah's ultimate promise!
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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 ...