Nitzavim-Vayelech - Reading #4

Nitzavim-Vayelech

Deuteronomy 29:9-31:30

Reading #4: Deuteronomy 30:15-31:6

My Thoughts:

If your heart turns away, you will perish (verses 16-17). This is a concurrent theme throughout Scripture. We must not turn to other gods (money, relationships, sin). Our life depends on it. We must only follow Hashem and His Torah. This requires us to “guard” our hearts. And how does that work? That means we stay saturated in His Word. That means we don’t go places or hang out with people that give us temptation to sin. Instead we surround ourselves with people who love Hashem with all their hearts. It also means we pray and worship Him consistently. Remember, Torah is life. To not follow Hashem and His Torah is death. I choose life.

Challenge:

When you choose life it is required (according to today’s reading) that you; love Hashem, obey His voice, and cling to Him. We know how to hear His voice (I hope). We know how to obey Him. But, how do we cling to Him? Ruth “clung” to her mother-in-law Naomi. She told her she would love her, follow her and her G-d, her country - everything. That is what “clinging” is. You hold close. It’s not letting go when you hug someone. I challenge you today to not let go of Hashem. To cling to Him. Give Him everything you have. Do everything for Him and for others. He is your life. Don’t let go.

Reading #4: Deuteronomy 30:15-31:6

5 Behold, I have set before you today life and prosperity, and death and evil. 16 For I command you today to love Hashem your Elohim, to walk in His ways and to keep His commandments, His statutes, and His ordinances, that you may live and multiply, and that Hashem your Elohim may bless you in the land where you go in to possess it. 17 But if your heart turns away, and you will not hear, but are drawn away and worship other gods, and serve them, 18 I declare to you today that you will surely perish. You will not prolong your days in the land where you pass over the Jordan to go in to possess it. 19 I call heaven and earth to witness against you today that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. Therefore choose life, that you may live, you and your descendants, 20 to love Hashem your Elohim, to obey His voice, and to cling to Him; for he is your life, and the length of your days, that you may dwell in the land which Hashem swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.

31 Moses went and spoke these words to all Israel. 2 He said to them, “I am one hundred twenty years old today. I can no more go out and come in. Hashem has said to me, ‘You shall not go over this Jordan.’ 3 Hashem your Elohim Himself will go over before you. He will destroy these nations from before you, and you shall dispossess them. Joshua will go over before you, as Hashem has spoken. 4 Hashem will do to them as He did to Sihon and to Og, the kings of the Amorites, and to their land, when He destroyed them. 5 Hshem will deliver them up before you, and you shall do to them according to all the commandment which I have commanded you. 6 Be strong and courageous. Don’t be afraid or scared of them; for Hashem your Elohim himself is who goes with you. He will not fail you nor forsake you.”