For the week of August 3, 2024 / 28 Tammuz 5784

Mattot & Masei
Torah: B’midbar/Numbers 30:2 – 36:13 (English 30:1 – 36:13)
Haftarah: Jeremiah 2:4-28, 3:4
Originally posted the week of July 26, 2014 / 28 Tammuz 5774

Special note: As of this week, we are about ten months into Israel’s war with Hamas and their allies. It is also ten years since the 2014 Gaza War. At that time, I posted the following TorahBytes message, which is as relevant now as it was then, including the article and video I mention. Links to each are still active. – Alan Gilman

When you pass over the Jordan into the land of Canaan, then you shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you and destroy all their figured stones and destroy all their metal images and demolish all their high places. (B’midbar/Numbers 33:51-52)

Over the past few weeks I, like many others, have been caught up with the tragic situation between Israel and Gaza. The amount of articles and videos is overwhelming. As you may know, if the issue includes Israel, we end up with an inordinate amount of emotionally charged attention and opinions.

Every now and then I happen upon an article or report that, in my opinion, is set apart from the others by how the author avoids narrow definitions and simplistic conclusions. “Why the Arab World Is Lost in an Emotional Nakba, and How We Keep It There” by Richard Landes looks at the conflict from a worldview perspective. Whether or not Landes’s evaluation is correct, he is right that the problem at hand is fundamentally ideological. How people see the world controls how they live life. Failure to accept that will undermine any attempt to resolve conflict, whether it be interpersonal or international.

But this is not the way many people in the West look at life, instead preferring simplistic superficial analysis and quick thoughtless solutions. A great example of this as it relates to the current crisis is a three-and-half-minute animation entitled “This Land Is Mine” by Nina Paley. This is a satirical retelling of the history of the region by showing each people group being killing off by the next people group as their cartoon representatives seamlessly lip synch the song “This Land Is Mine” from the 1960 film, “Exodus.”

The appeal of Paley’s animation, apart from its humor, is its simplicity. But it’s a simplicity not rooted in a deep understanding of the issues. Instead it’s stripped of any historical context whatsoever. The bigger picture that might inform and affect the behaviors of the people involved is either neglected or deemed irrelevant. There is no consideration whatsoever for the various factions’ history, values, and aspirations. All the viewer is offered is a story of meaningless killing with the implied resolution being if only the fighting stopped, everything would be okay. A cry of “why can’t we all get along!” may sound good, but is devoid of any sense of justice.

What does this have to do with this week’s parsha (Torah portion)? Everything. First, so much of the Bible is taken up with issues pertaining to the region in question. The backdrop of a great deal of what is going on in Scripture can be termed “Mid-East crisis.” By the Bible’s twelfth chapter who has claim to the Land of Israel is already a key theme. While so many people are quick to derive personal spiritual lessons from the stories of Scripture, most of the context of both Old and New Testaments is the geo-political issues of the region. Yet many readers of Scripture treat this context in the same way as Paley’s animation. The bigger story becomes irrelevant in our attempt to distill the meaning we wish to derive.

The verses I quoted from this week’s parsha demonstrate what the conflict in the region is really all about. When God called the people of Israel to take the Land, they were not only to drive out its inhabitants, but also to destroy the objects of their religions. They were not simply a migrant people looking for territory and annihilating anybody who stood in their way. The goal was to establish a godly community of truth and righteousness. At the same time displacing the previous inhabitants was not indiscriminate, but was rather God-ordained judgment on peoples whose evil behavior had become irreversible (see Bereshit/Genesis 15:16).

I am not proposing that the modern State of Israel should follow the same directions today that God gave through Moses over three thousand years ago. I don’t believe that the Bible supports that at all. Still, through this we are reminded that all conflict is fundamentally ideological. This is why Landes’s article is so helpful. He understands that the two sides are conflicting on how they see the world. Paley’s animation provides another way of looking at the world, but skirts the real issues and insults the peoples involved by belittling their concerns.

The Bible is God’s revelation of the way the world really is and calls us to make that truth known in the name of the Messiah. The players in the current conflict are caught up in this ideological battle whether they know it or not. The only way we will ever find lasting resolutions to this and every other conflict is by gaining a better understanding of God’s perspective through his written Word.

Scriptures taken from the English Standard Version

For the week of July 27, 2024 / 21 Tammuz 5784

Pinchas
Torah: B’midbar Num 25:10 – 30:1 (English: 25:10 – 29:40)
Haftarah: Jeremiah 1:1 – 2:3
Originally posted the week of July 11, 2015 / 24 Tammuz 5775

But you, dress yourself for work; arise, and say to them everything that I command you. Do not be dismayed by them, lest I dismay you before them. (Jeremiah 1:17)

We are in a culture war. That’s nothing new. A biblical case can be made that we have always been in one. When God pronounced judgement in the Garden of Eden following our first parents’ disobedience, he said to the Tempter, “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel” (Bereshit/Genesis 3:15). This verse, the first messianic prophecy, looks forward to the Messiah’s eventual defeat of the Evil One, but there is something else here that is often overlooked, the enmity God placed between the serpent and the woman. When Adam and Eve sinned, God didn’t give the human race completely over to evil, but instead caused there to be a great struggle between the forces of good and the forces of evil. This clash is a key theme of the biblical story, what we might call the culture war.

In Scripture, the culture war finds two main expressions. The first is in the development of the nation of Israel as they are called out of Egypt and into the Promised Land. Under the Old Covenant Israel functioned more or less in isolation. Particular laws were given them to keep them separate from other cultures. They were not to concern themselves with the affairs of the outside world, except to prevent its influence. Eventually, through the latter prophets, God began to build an expectation within the nation that one day his reign would extend beyond their borders to encompass the entire world. How that would come about was not made clear until the Messiah’s coming and the establishment of the New Covenant.

Which brings us to Scripture’s second main expression of the culture war. Beginning with Yeshua’s early Jewish followers, it was time for the reign of God to be proclaimed everywhere. The new mandate for God’s people would no longer be one of preservation and purity of the nation but the call to the reconciliation and transformation of all peoples.

A major difference between these two expressions is found in the tools given us to fight this war. Under the Old Covenant, Israel was to enforce its cultural isolation through corporal punishment of its own members who put the nation’s integrity at risk and by the sword against the threat of foreign enemies. Under the New Covenant, we are given words. As Paul writes:

For although we do live in the world, we do not wage war in a worldly way; because the weapons we use to wage war are not worldly. On the contrary, they have God’s power for demolishing strongholds. We demolish arguments and every arrogance that raises itself up against the knowledge of God; we take every thought captive and make it obey the Messiah (2 Corinthians 10:3-5; CJB)

Sometimes I think the opponents of God’s Word understand this better than those who are called to proclaim it as they boldly assert their viewpoints without apology. The cultural changes we are seeing happening around us today are the result of a concerted effort that will not back down. In addition, its proponents have been very effective at shutting down dissent through intimidation, creating a great lack of confidence among God’s people.

In this week’s Haftarah portion, we read that when Jeremiah was called by God, he was solemnly warned against giving in to intimidation. The Hebrew word “chatat” refers to being emotionally shattered, resulting in a loss of confidence. Thus our translation uses the English “dismayed,” which is what happens when we give in to intimidation. In effect, God told him that giving in to intimidation would create an even greater sense of intimidation. If we don’t have confidence in God and his Word, he will not give us the courage we need to stand against those who oppose him and his followers.

How do we learn to not be intimidated by the opposition? First, we need to know what God is really saying. It’s not good enough to spout traditional values without knowing God-given truth as taught by Scripture. Second, we ourselves need to be people of integrity, living according to what we claim to believe. Hypocrites have no foundation on which to stand. And finally, we need to speak God’s Truth boldly and clearly. We don’t have to give in to fear. As we stand confidently upon the rock of God’s word, we will discover how secure it really is.

Scriptures taken from the English Standard Version unless otherwise indicated

For the week of July 20, 2024 / 14 Tammuz 5784

Balak
Torah: B’midbar/Numbers 19:1 – 25:9
Haftarah: Micah 5:6-6:8 (English: Micah 5:7 – 6:8)
Revised version of “The God-Led Life,” (posted the week of June 30, 2018 / 17 Tammuz 5778)

He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God (Micah 6:8)

This statement by the Hebrew prophet Micah is one of the most concise and balanced prescriptions for life and living. It is most instructive in times like these when we are faced with concerns over large-scale societal and systemic issues. When held in balance, these three directives equip us to effect positive change. Conversely, the neglect of any one of the three is potentially destructive. Neglect, not overemphasis, because keeping each in mind even to a small extent mitigates against the extremes that emerge when neglecting any one of the others.

The Hebrew word for justice is mishpat. It refers to the bringing about of what is right. The world is full of what needs to be righted. The Hebrew, asah mishpat, instructs us that this is the activity aspect of the triad. Making things right is something we need to purposely work at. To do justice demands being aware of injustice, devising practical strategies to confront it, and finding ways to make it last. That’s a heavy task, especially since the forces of injustice are not passive, nor do they play fair.

Once the concern for justice captures our hearts, it can blind us, however, to the other essentials of life. Thus, connecting it with the other two is brilliant. Too often the purveyors of justice leave much damage in their wake, forgetting that while Scripture instructs us to do justice, it is not to overwhelm our affections. Therefore, at the very same time, we must also love kindness. The word for kindness here is hesed, which is far more than simply being nice. The biblical concept of hesed is steeped in committed relationship to God and to others. Depending on the context, hesed can mean “covenant love” or “loyal love.” It’s the type of kindness often shown to a relative or long-time friend, a generous heart toward someone because of the bonds of committed relationship. But God through Micah is not reminding us to simply show loyal love to family and friends. It’s that the love normally reserved for those we hold dear is the love we are to extend to those we perceive as unjust.

When adjoined to doing justice, hesed allows for needed change, while at the same time avoiding hurting people in the process. Making things right can be painful, but true committed love greatly reduces potential harm to individuals and communities. When focusing on what we think is right, it is far too easy to forget that on every side of every issue is a fellow human being. It is loyal love for God and others that helps us keep everyone’s best interest in mind even when they wrong us.

We might think that these first two are sufficient to balance each other. Too much justice and we unnecessarily hurt people. Too much kindness allows injustice to flourish. What more do we need? What we still need is the third directive: v’hatznei-a lekhet im eloheikha, “and to walk humbly with your God,” which is a way to express a life that continually and personally relies on him. Without that, what we have is what is termed principle-based living. Principle-based living can be appealing but is deceptively misguided. Tragically, the Bible is often abused by treating it as an instruction manual. Passages are read in order to reduce them to moral lessons that we try to apply to contemporary situations. Because God is continually referenced, we don’t realize when we disregard him. God didn’t inspire the Bible and then remove himself from human affairs while he watches history unfold from afar. God doesn’t expect us to figure out life on our own. How do we know whether or not our sense of urgency and allocation of resources match those of God’s? The Bible provides us with life’s foundations and general priorities, but not the specifics. Wisdom, the ability to implement scriptural truth, is not drawn from study and intelligence alone, no matter how well informed we may be. Rather it stems from a life that keeps in close step with avinu malkeinu, our Father and our King.

Doing justice and loving kindness, without the intimate God-dynamic, however noble and well-intentioned, remains self-focused. The greatest of virtues driven by our own agendas eventually become idols, gods of our own making. No wonder so many endeavors done in God’s name have defamed him. But if we allow him to initiate what we give ourselves to and correct our course as needed; if we look to him to fill us with genuine love for others as we remember his faithful love for us; then we will become the embodiment of his intentions, accomplishing his purposes in his time and in his way.

Scriptures taken from the English Standard Version

For the week of July 13, 2024/ 7 Tammuz 5784

Chukkat
Torah: B’midbar/Numbers 19:1 – 22:1
Haftarah: Shoftim/Judges 11:1-33
Updated message originally posted the week of June 23, 2007 / 7 Tammuz 5767
originally entitled, “You Don’t Have To Do Stupid Things”

And Yiftah (English: Jephthah) made a vow to the LORD and said, “If you will give the Ammonites into my hand, then whatever comes out from the doors of my house to meet me when I return in peace from the Ammonites shall be the LORD‘s, and I will offer it up for a burnt offering.” (Shoftim / Judges 11:30-31)

The biblical book of Shoftim (English: Judges) includes some “interesting” stories and characters. It underscores for us the interpretive principle of prescriptive vs. descriptive passages. Prescriptive passages provide general directives or life principles, such as “Honor your mother and your father” or “To give is better than to receive.” Descriptive passages are those that describe an incident or provide dialogue without necessarily encouraging the reader to follow suit. This isn’t always straightforward, allowing us to ponder these passages as we seek God to speak to us through them.

The Book of Shoftim (English: Judges), is especially challenging in this regard. Several of its characters the apparent heroes of the stories, engage in disturbing behaviors. Since these characters often appear to be divinely inspired to save the day, so to speak, the reader may be inclined to think that these behaviors are acceptable.

When this passage was chosen to be part of the annual cycle of readings, it was decided to stop at the point when the hero wins the day, leaving out the disturbing part. Maybe the conclusion was just too embarrassing or too difficult to handle. Yiftah promised God that if God would give him victory in battle, then, upon his return home, he would sacrifice whatever came out of the door of his house to meet him. That much we learn from this week’s passage. But what is not included is what it was that met him upon his return. I don’t know what Yiftah was thinking when he made his promise in the first place. Did he assume he would be met by one of his goats or sheep? As it turned out, it was his daughter! So what does he do? Does he say to himself, “Oy veh! Am I meshuge (English: crazy person)! Forgive me O Lord for making such a rash vow!”? No, instead he tells his daughter how bad he feels having to follow through with his promise.

I could see some spiritually-minded people attempting to justify Yiftah’s actions. After all, it was God to whom he made this promise. Of course his daughter’s death was tragic, but “God is God,” they might say, ignoring what God himself thinks about human sacrifice and murder. While we should keep our promises even when it is extremely difficult, it is never too late to stop ourselves from doing stupid things.

An important aspect about descriptive passages, even though they are not prescriptive, is that we can still to learn from them. The story of Yiftah and his daughter shows us how a person could be chosen and inspired by God to do great things, yet still say and do some of the most ridiculous and destructive things in the entire Bible.

What should we learn from this? Are we to learn that if we are really spiritual, then we can get away with murder, both literally and figuratively, or should we stop and realize that being spiritual doesn’t automatically prevent anyone from doing stupid things? I suggest that as soon as we realize that we have gone down a foolish road—no matter how we got there or how far down that road we might be—it is never too late to change course.

Scriptures taken from the English Standard Version

For the week of July 6, 2024 / 30 Sivan 5784

Korach/Rosh Chodesh
Torah: B’midbar/Numbers 16:1 – 18:32; Numbers 28:9-15
Haftarah: Isaiah 66:1-24

Thus says the LORD: “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool; what is the house that you would build for me, and what is the place of my rest? All these things my hand has made, and so all these things came to be, declares the LORD. But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word. (Isaiah 66:1-2)

This week’s parsha (weekly Torah reading) records yet another time when Moses’ leadership was challenged. We saw this two weeks ago when his sister and brother confronted him, and now here, a group led by Korach takes him on again. This time, the issue is the special status given to Moses’ tribe, Levi, as stewards and servants of the mishkan (English: tabernacle). As in the previous affair, God supports Moses. It might be better to say that God supported himself because the special positions of Moses and the Levites were his choice. It’s relatively easy to claim God is behind one’s position; it’s another to see him come through in practical ways as he does in both these occasions.

This week’s Haftarah (accompanying reading from the Prophets) is special for Rosh Chodesh (the new month). From time to time Rosh Chodesh coincides with Shabbat. The month of Tammuz begins at the end of Shabbat this week. Coincidently, the content of the Haftarah from the prophet Isaiah speaks directly to what’s happening in our Torah reading.

Who is it that God regards? Who is it that he is with? Is it the strong, the wise, the spiritually powerful, the successful? Isn’t that what most of us think whether we admit it or not? Moses certainly had some significant qualifications. Did not God do great acts of power at his word? Yet, I wonder what Moses was like in the day-to-day that he would be challenged the way he was. Many leaders make great efforts to prevent such challenges from happening. Not Moses. It’s in the context of the challenge from Miriam and Aaron where we read, “Now the man Moses was very meek, more than all people who were on the face of the earth” (B’midbar/Numbers 12:3).

There is a great deal of misunderstanding over what meekness or humility really is as if it’s about being a pushover, someone who is easily manipulated. However, when we read the Isaiah passage with the incident of Korach and company we discover a vivid illustration of true humility. First, we see what humility is not. Korach and the others were jealous and self-motivated. They sought to take matters into their own hands for their own purposes. On the other hand, Moses, the humble one, didn’t defend himself, but continually deferred to God to act on his behalf.

True humility places one in a very vulnerable situation. Instead of hiding behind structures and people, they remain open to engaging others as they find their security in God. The proud and self-sufficient may reference God and his word but, in reality, depend on self and others to accomplish their goals.

Moses grasped what Isaiah said many centuries after he lived. The all-encompassing God, who cannot be contained by human beings, will never be controlled by them. It is foolish to think we can ever truly set the agenda for our or others’ lives. Yet, as great as God is, he has regard for those humble like Moses.

The person whom God regards, the one to whom he draws near and communicates, is the one whose heart remains open to him in all things and at all times, always ready to hear his correction and direction, knowing that he alone is Master of the Universe.

Scriptures taken from the English Standard Version