Standing this day before HaShem

(Deuteronomy 29:9)
Elul 27, 5776/September 30, 2016

One of the shortest parshiot (weekly reading selections) of the Torah, containing words spoken by Moshe to Israel on the last day of his life, Nitzavim is is packed full with one inspirational and motivating verse after another. Moshe has spent many of his final words over the final thirty seven days of his life, (which make up the book of Deuteronomy), castigating his beloved people, both for sins they have committed in the past and for transgressions he suspects they will commit in the future. However, from the opening words of this week's parasha, "You are all standing this day before HaShem, your G-d," (Deuteronomy 29:9) Nitzavim is a paean and a tribute to the entire nation of Israel, which, despite its flaws, remains the apple of G-d's eye and faithful to the mission and the vision G-d has set before it.

AGAPE IS NOT ALWAYS A SUPERIOR FORM OF LOVE, OR EVEN GODLY OR GOOD. (Part #3)

Now let's turn again to John's gospel. First we'll look at Joh 3:35:

"The Father loves (AGAPA -- from AGAPE) the Son and has placed everything in his hands."

Then we'll examine a very similar sentence a couple of chapters later:

"For the Father loves (PHILEI -- from PHILEO) the Son and shows him all he does" (Joh 5:20).

Both verbs are linguistically in the same "slot" in the sentence, with the same Greek syntactic structure (for those interested-- ind. pres. act. 3PS), and fulfilling the same semantic role. If AGAPE and PHILEO were automatically different kinds of love -- by virtue of the words alone -- you would not expect to find this kind of synonymous usage in the NT writings. But there it is for all to see. In some passages of Scripture PHILEO and AGAPE simply stand for the same thing; the contexts provide the clues as to actual meaning. Not some contrived definitions which do not match the biblical evidence.

The altar of HaShem, your G-d

(Deuteronomy 26:4)
Elul 20, 5776/September 23, 2016

"And it will be, when you come into the land which HaShem, your G-d, gives you for an inheritance, and you possess it and settle in it, that you shall take of the first of all the fruit of the ground, which you will bring from your land, which HaShem, your G-d, is giving you. And you shall put them into a basket and go to the place which HaShem, your G-d, will choose to have His Name dwell there. And you shall come to the kohen who will be serving in those days, and say to him, 'I declare this day to HaShem, your G-d, that I have come to the land which the Lord swore to our forefathers to give us.' And the kohen will take the basket from your hand, laying it before the altar of HaShem, your G-d." (Deuteronomy 26:1-4)

Imitating God

The Torah commands us to "walk" in the ways of God, but how can mortal human beings walk like the Almighty?

THIS WEEK'S TORAH PORTION:

Ki Tavo (כי תבוא | When you come in)

Torah: Deuteronomy 26:1-29:8

Haftarah: Isaiah 60:1-22

Gospel: Luke 23:26-56

Love and War

A soldier in a heathen army would have no compunction over taking, raping, and disposing of a captive woman. Not so in the army of the LORD.

THIS WEEK'S TORAH PORTION:

Ki Tetze (כי תצא | When you go forth)

Torah: Deuteronomy 21:10-25:19

Haftarah: Isaiah 54:1-10

Gospel: Luke 23:1-25

The Mysterious Prophet

Who is the mysterious "prophet like Moses" that God promised to raise up in the future? What does a prophet like Moses look like?

THIS WEEK'S TORAH PORTION:

Shoftim (שופטים | Judges)

Torah: Deuteronomy 16:18-21:9

Haftarah: Isaiah 51:12-52:12

Gospel: Matthew 26:47-27:10

Invest in Heaven

A wise businessman invests his money in things that will turn a profit and bring him a good return in this world. How much more so should we invest in the kingdom and the world to come.

THIS WEEK'S TORAH PORTION:

Re'eh (ראה | See)

Torah: Deuteronomy 11:26-16:17

Haftarah: Isaiah 54:11-55:5 (Shabbat Rosh Chodesh: Isaiah 66:1 - 66:24)

Gospel: John 16:1-17:26