Parasha "KiTetze" (when you go out)

[Jacob Ben Avraham]

Parashah:  Ki Tetse (when you go out)

 

DEUT: 21:10-25:19……………….ISAIAH 54:1-10………………….JOHN 12:1-50
 
     In this parashah we see a lot of “common sense” mitzvoth that are for today, and we can also see some mitzvoth that we need to take a good look at to see how we can apply them, perhaps not so much literally, but spiritually and morally.  In some cases, both.
     Verse 10 talks about taking a captive woman from the enemy and making her your wife.  Well, I wouldn’t recommend that very much, you might end up with your throat cut when you are sleeping.  But back in the old days, an Israeli soldier had the right to take a woman who was from an enemy city, once captive, and make her his wife.  We might ask ourselves, why? Well, if a person falls in love with someone, well, as the saying goes, “love is blind” many times, the man (or woman) can’t see reason, just the flesh.  
     But in the case of a captive woman from an enemy city, what is the “bigger picture?” An Israeli soldier shows her compassion, she has lost her family, her city in ruins, her “gods” have abandoned her.  All she has now is this “soldier” who has brought her to his camp, and to his “One God”.  Soon she will see the difference between the false gods she left behind, and the one and Only God, Adonai-Elohim, perhaps she was ill-treated in her city, and here, she is showed compassion, she is allowed to mourn her loss, and in time, she will learn about Adonai, and perhaps, even to love her new husband.  At first, it seems a bad thing, but in time, it turns into a good thing.
     Many US soldiers have returned home with foreign wives, perhaps, some pagan who worshipped idols, perhaps some even gave up their pagan worship to embrace the worship of Adonai.  We would like to hope so.
Looking at this from another standpoint.  We were at one time, in the enemy’s camp, we were in the camp of HaSatan, and our “bridegroom’ (Yeshua) paid the price of ransom, and bought our freedom with his own blood, now, He has taken us (his bride) to his encampment, and we, all believers, will be HIS future bride. Baruch HaShem! (Praise God) 
     Vs 18 talks about the “wayward son” in that if he is rebellious and defiant and refuses correction, that the parents would have to take him to the “shoftim” (judges) and they would stone him with stones.  Rebellion had a death sentence connected to it.  Now, we never read of that actually happening in God’s Word, yet it was a commandment back then. Try that today and you will definitely be “standing tall before the man!” (off to prison you will go) HOWEVER…if we train up a youth in God’s Word, and teach him to worship, and he sees (or she sees) the parents as models, then…it is likely that rebellion will not be part of his or her life.  Today, we know that “rocks” are not the answer, only the “ROCK of ages is!”
     Vs 22:  those that have received the death penalty, could not be left “hanging” either from a rope, or from a cross or stake.  They had to be taken down and buried.  That is why our Messiah was taken down and buried in the tomb.  Today, we see many crucifixes with Yeshua still on them.  The fact is that He did NOT remain on the cross, but was buried, and arose the third day.  We worship a risen Savior, not one who is still on the cross.
     Chap 22; 1-4.  To help someone find a lost item is a big mitzvah, be the item an animal, such as a lost pet, or a wallet, important papers, etc.  Unfortunately, we live in an age of worldly materialism, the ideology is “Finders Keepers, Losers weepers” that is the philosophy of the lost world, not of born-again believers.  If one finds a wallet with money inside (that has happened to me a few times, finding peoples’ wallets) and there is an ID, we must return it to that person, money intact! Not minus the cash, that will only make you a thief.  If a person’s mule (or car) is on the side of the road, go render assistance if you can (sometimes, a bit dangerous today) or at least, call the police for assistance if the emergency looks bad.
     Vs 5;  “A woman must not put on a man’s apparel, nor a man wear a woman’s clothing”  Back thousands of years ago, the clothing was generally the same, long, flowing tunics tied with a cloth or leather belt or sash and sandals.  The difference between men and women’s tunics was the type of material used and the design.  Today we live in a unisex clothing world.  Many women wear blue-jeans or pants to work, just like men, yet a man better not put on a dress (unless you are a Scotsman with a kilt and bagpipes).  But even today, there are pants and jeans that are “made for women” let us all abide by this commandment. Personally, a woman looks better in a dress than in pants.
     Vs 8:  Common sense to build a fence on your roof, or around a swimming pool, property, etc, so that there will not be accidents, (nor alligators coming in to swim in your pool)
     Vs 9:  prohibition of mixing seed, wool and linen, mixing work animals.  These can be considered being “unequally yoked” an ox is stronger than an ass, and the ass will suffer in the long-run.  Mixed seeds will take out more chemicals from the soil. Wool will shrink, and linen will not, this goes for a marriage relationship as well, mixing a non-believer with a believer.  You will have an unequally yoked household, different goals, ideas, philosophies, mannerisms, etc.  One will serve God the other, HaSatan! That is why there is a separation of things that are Holy and things that are unholy, the things of God and the things of the lost world.
     Vs 12:  “You shall make Tzitziot (tassels) on the four corners of your garments” This is still for today and speaks about our relationship with our Messiah Yeshua, it also connects us with our Jewish culture, it reminds us of the Torah, and the number of windings of the blue thread  7,8,11,13 are significant.  (7+8=15, Yod + Hey) and (11 = Vav (6) + Hey (5)) Y H V H and ECHAD (one in unity) = 13 (Alef + Chet + dalet) YHVH is ONE
     Chap 24 addresses divorce, if a woman is found in “uncleanness” as some texts state, the man can divorce her.  This word is connected to “nudity” and could even go as far as saying, the husband finds the wife nude with another man, (adultery) the word in Hebrew is “Ervat” (uncleanness) yet Yeshua teaches that forgiveness is more important than “putting away the wife” but…the exception remains “adultery” yet even this can be forgiven, a marriage is important, and Satan will do everything in his power to destroy marriages.
     24:14   “You shall not abuse a needy and destitute laborer, whether a fellow countryman or a STRANGER (foreigner) in one of the communities of your land” Very important to know, that ALL workers, including immigrants, with or without work visas, should be respected, helped, and not HARRASSED! Hello!!  The USA was founded by immigrants, let’s do our best to pray for them and respect them, and help them, vs 17 says “You shall NOT subvert the RIGHTS of the stranger…” Every immigrant has the right to the “pursuit of happiness and well-being in this country called the US of A.  If the immigrant is an unrepentant criminal, that is a different story.
     The chapter also talks about the farmer and his crops, he should let the needy take what they need, it is not considered stealing.  We should not look at everything with $ in mind, we should share with the needy.
     25:4   “You shall not muzzle an ox while it is threshing.”  In other words, every employee has the right to his or her lunch break!
    25:5-10 talks about the “Levirate marriage” when a man dies and leaves no sons, the man’s brother (if single) must marry the man’s widow so as to raise up children.  Well, would this be a good thing today? There are some who would say yes, and others would say no.  I’ll let you decide, If I were single and in that situation, if I wasn’t going with anyone, well…. maybe I’d go for it, why not? (especially if she was pretty).  I guess it would be good because the marriage is kept within the family.
    25:13 talks about “diverse weights” very important to conduct “honest business transactions” not crooked and unfair, unfortunately, we live in a world of greed, and there are people out there, scammers, that want to get your goods, be careful! Especially on the internet.

 

ISAIAH 54:1-10

 

     “Shout O Barren one, you who bore no child, shout aloud for joy…” We ask when does a barren woman shout for joy because she cannot have children.  I would guess that it depends of the circumstances.  This reminds us of Sarah, who was barren, yet she did not give up hope, in spite of her error, in giving to Abraham her servant Hagar, YHVH still blessed her, and her child “Yitzchak” was the blessing she hoped for, her “offspring will dispossess nations” from Yitzchak to Ya’akov, from Ya’akov to the 12 sons, and from the 12 sons, we are all here
Today, many of us, mixed in with the nations, yet we are still here.
     The LORD has called us back! There was a time when we didn’t give spiritual things a second thought, the bible was just another book on the book shelf.  I for sure didn’t have any interest in it growing up as a teenager.
Yet the LORD called me through another teen, and from there, Bible study groups in the Army, and from there, Yeshiva school.
     We are chastised yet we are forgiven, the LORD chastens all whom he receives, I think that the worse type of chastening is having an indifferent spirit, neither hot nor cold, The LORD has taken us back in love, His love is seen in YESHUA HaMASHIACH, who gave his all for us all!

 

JOHN 12:1-50

 

     Nearing the time of Pesach, when Yeshua entered Yerushalayim, people welcomed him.  We know the story, with palm branches.  It reminds us of the first Passover, when a lamb was to be taken on the tenth day of Nissan
And then, sacrificed on the 14th.  The Lamb of YHVH entered on the tenth day, and gave up his life on the 14th
     Yet before Calvary, he made a statement; “Unless a grain of wheat that falls to the ground dies, it stays just a grain, but if it dies, it produces a big harvest” What is he saying here?  HE is the grain of wheat that died, yet arose again with life.  WE are the big harvest of believers that have come from his death and resurrection, and when we “sow the seed” (God’s Word) we are helping to create big harvests,
     Yet we need to understand that some seed will land on stony ground, not all seed that ends up in the ground, sprouts, if it responds to the water and sunlight, it will come up.  We came up! Because we responded to the “Living Water” and the SON light!

 

Shabbat Shalom......Rabbi Ben Avraham