Ki Tavo - Day #3

Ki Tavo כִּי-תָבוֹא - When You Enter In  

Torah Portion: 

Deuteronomy 26:1-29:8

Deuteronomy 26:16–19

26:16 Today Hashem your Elohim commands you to do these statutes and ordinances. You shall therefore keep and do them with all your heart and with all your soul. 17 You have declared today that Hashem is your Elohim, and that you would walk in His ways, keep His statutes, His commandments, and His ordinances, and listen to His voice. 18 Hashem has declared today that you are a people for His own possession, as He has promised you, and that you should keep all His commandments. 19 He will make you high above all nations that He has made, in praise, in name, and in honor; and that you may be a holy people to Hashem your Elohim, as He has spoken.

Today’s Meditation:

In verse 16, we are told to follow Torah with all of our heart and soul. He commands us so. These laws have never been changed or replaced. These are the same commandments for eternity. This is not hard to understand. He has given us the Torah; now we learn it and follow it—with everything we have. Do you love Hashem so much that you will agree today to follow His Torah with your whole heart and soul? Even if you are learning or don’t fully understand them, just do your best. He will bring people into your life to teach you. Just try and ask Him. The reward is eternal life.

Today’s Challenge:

Verse 18 says Hashem has “declared today that you are a people for His own possession”. You are possessed by Him when you love Him, serve Him, worship Him, and follow His Torah. I believe this is for the natural-born Jew and also the foreigner who joins Israel. If you are not Jewish, consider joining Israel. That is my challenge to you today. Be like Ruth and say, “Your people are my people. Your Elohim is my Elohim. Where you go, I go. Where you live, I live.” (Ruth 1:16-17) That is a real attachment. Consider joining Hashem’s people and serving the one true Elohim. It will change your life forever.

Ki Teitzei - Day #3

Ki Teitzei כִּי-תֵצֵא - When You Go Out  

Torah Portion:

Deuteronomy 21:10-25:19

Deuteronomy 22:8–23:7

22:8 When you build a new house, then you shall make a railing around your roof, so that you don’t bring blood on your house if anyone falls from there.

9 You shall not sow your vineyard with two kinds of seed, lest all the fruit be defiled, the seed which you have sown, and the increase of the vineyard. 10 You shall not plow with an ox and a donkey together. 11 You shall not wear clothes of wool and linen woven together.

12 You shall make yourselves fringes on the four corners of your cloak with which you cover yourself.

13 If any man takes a wife, and goes in to her, hates her, 14 accuses her of shameful things, gives her a bad name, and says, “I took this woman, and when I came near to her, I didn’t find in her the tokens of virginity;” 15 then the young lady’s father and mother shall take and bring the tokens of the young lady’s virginity to the elders of the city in the gate. 16 The young lady’s father shall tell the elders, “I gave my daughter to this man as his wife, and he hates her. 17 Behold, he has accused her of shameful things, saying, ‘I didn’t find in your daughter the tokens of virginity;’ and yet these are the tokens of my daughter’s virginity.” They shall spread the cloth before the elders of the city. 18 The elders of that city shall take the man and chastise him. 19 They shall fine him one hundred shekels of silver, and give them to the father of the young lady, because he has given a bad name to a virgin of Israel. She shall be his wife. He may not put her away all his days.

20 But if this thing is true, that the tokens of virginity were not found in the young lady, 21 then they shall bring out the young lady to the door of her father’s house, and the men of her city shall stone her to death with stones, because she has done folly in Israel, to play the prostitute in her father’s house. So you shall remove the evil from among you.

22 If a man is found lying with a woman married to a husband, then they shall both die, the man who lies with the woman and the woman. So you shall remove the evil from Israel. 23 If there is a young lady who is a virgin pledged to be married to a husband, and a man finds her in the city, and lies with her, 24 then you shall bring them both out to the gate of that city, and you shall stone them to death with stones; the lady, because she didn’t cry, being in the city; and the man, because he has humbled his neighbor’s wife. So you shall remove the evil from among you. 25 But if the man finds the lady who is pledged to be married in the field, and the man forces her and lies with her, then only the man who lies with her shall die; 26 but to the lady you shall do nothing. There is in the lady no sin worthy of death; for as when a man rises against his neighbor and kills him, even so is this matter; 27 for he found her in the field, the pledged to be married lady cried, and there was no one to save her. 28 If a man finds a lady who is a virgin, who is not pledged to be married, grabs her and lies with her, and they are found, 29 then the man who lay with her shall give to the lady’s father fifty shekels of silver. She shall be his wife, because he has humbled her. He may not put her away all his days. 30 A man shall not take his father’s wife, and shall not uncover his father’s skirt.

23:1 He who is emasculated by crushing or cutting shall not enter into Hashem’s assembly. 2 A person born of a forbidden union shall not enter into Hashem’s assembly; even to the tenth generation shall no one of his enter into Hashem’s assembly. 3 An Ammonite or a Moabite shall not enter into Hashem’s assembly; even to the tenth generation shall no one belonging to them enter into Hashem’s assembly forever, 4 because they didn’t meet you with bread and with water on the way when you came out of Egypt, and because they hired against you Balaam the son of Beor from Pethor of Mesopotamia, to curse you. 5 Nevertheless, Hashem your Elohim wouldn’t listen to Balaam, but Hashem your Elohim turned the curse into a blessing to you, because Hashem your Elohim loved you. 6 You shall not seek their peace nor their prosperity all your days forever. 7 You shall not abhor an Edomite, for he is your brother. You shall not abhor an Egyptian, because you lived as a foreigner in his land.

Today’s Meditation:

“So you shall remove the evil from Israel.” (verse 22) Here are some specific instructions about taking a virgin. And also the importance of a woman remaining a virgin until marriage (or it could cost her life). Hashem’s specific instructions are given so that Israel does not become corrupted anywhere. He does not want people to be influenced by other people who worship false gods, nor does He want any disapproved sexual conduct. How very liberal we have become regarding virginity. TV, movies, and media all promote promiscuity. It would be wise to study these verses and teach our children to be righteous before Hashem.

Today’s Challenge:

Verse 8 commands people to build a railing around a porch or any area where people may be at risk on a building. He is so wonderful at thinking about everyone's safety. My challenge to you today is to review your house. Is it safe? Do you have sturdy railings in places they should be? Have you made the necessary repairs throughout your house to keep people safe? Take an inventory and make sure that you are not taking risks. It is a command we must obey.

Shoftim - Day #3

Shoftim שֹׁפְטִים - Judges  

Torah Portion: 

Deuteronomy 16:18-21:9

Deuteronomy 18:1–5

18:1 The priests and the Levites—all the tribe of Levi—shall have no portion nor inheritance with Israel. They shall eat the offerings of Hashem made by fire and His portion. 2 They shall have no inheritance among their brothers. Hashem is their inheritance, as He has spoken to them. 3 This shall be the priests’ due from the people, from those who offer a sacrifice, whether it be ox or sheep, that they shall give to the priest: the shoulder, the two cheeks, and the inner parts. 4 You shall give him the first fruits of your grain, of your new wine, and of your oil, and the first of the fleece of your sheep. 5 For Hashem your Elohim has chosen him out of all your tribes to stand to minister in Hashem’s name, him and his sons forever.

Today’s Meditation: 

Think about this. The only inheritance the Levites receive is Hashem (verse 2) and serving and loving Him. Can you imagine this in your life? Not needing land, or houses, or worrying about purchasing food. Your job would be to serve Hashem in the Temple. And everything else would be provided. And the very best part is that He would be all that you need. Isn’t that true for us today? Isn’t He all that we need? Yes, we need jobs to make money and houses to live in. But truly, when it comes down to it all, Hashem is sovereign.

Today’s Challenge: 

With today’s reading, we should be thinking about those people around us who spend their lives serving Hashem. Whether they are Jewish or another religion, they are doing what Hashem has called them to do, and they should be financially supported. My challenge to you today is to think about who in your life or community is serving Hashem full-time. A rabbi or other spiritual leader may need your support. It might be good to pray and ask Hashem who you should support. 

Re'eh - Day #3

Re'eh רְאֵה - See!  

Torah Portion: 

Deuteronomy 11:26-16:17

Deuteronomy 12:29–13:19

12:29 When Hashem your Elohim cuts off the nations from before you, where you go in to dispossess them, and you dispossess them and dwell in their land, 30 be careful that you are not ensnared to follow them after they are destroyed from before you, and that you not inquire after their gods, saying, “How do these nations serve their gods? I will do likewise.” 31 You shall not do so to Hashem your Elohim; for every abomination to Hashem, which He hates, they have done to their gods; for they even burn their sons and their daughters in the fire to their gods. 32 Whatever thing I command you, that you shall observe to do. You shall not add to it, nor take away from it.

13:1 If a prophet or a dreamer of dreams arises among you, and he gives you a sign or a wonder, 2 and the sign or the wonder comes to pass, of which he spoke to you, saying, “Let’s go after other gods” (which you have not known) “and let’s serve them,” 3 you shall not listen to the words of that prophet, or to that dreamer of dreams; for Hashem your Elohim is testing you, to know whether you love Hashem your Elohim with all your heart and with all your soul. 4 You shall walk after Hashem your Elohim, fear Him, keep His commandments, and obey His voice. You shall serve Him, and cling to Him. 5 That prophet, or that dreamer of dreams, shall be put to death, because he has spoken rebellion against Hashem your Elohim who brought you out of the land of Egypt and redeemed you out of the house of bondage, to draw you aside out of the way which Hashem your Elohim commanded you to walk in. So you shall remove the evil from among you.

6 If your brother, the son of your mother, or your son, or your daughter, or the wife of your bosom, or your friend who is as your own soul, entices you secretly, saying, “Let’s go and serve other gods”—which you have not known, you, nor your fathers; 7 of the gods of the peoples who are around you, near to you, or far off from you, from the one end of the earth even to the other end of the earth— 8 you shall not consent to him nor listen to him; neither shall your eye pity him, neither shall you spare, neither shall you conceal him; 9 but you shall surely kill him. Your hand shall be first on him to put him to death, and afterward the hands of all the people. 10 You shall stone him to death with stones, because he has sought to draw you away from Hashem your Elohim, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. 11 All Israel shall hear, and fear, and shall not do any more wickedness like this among you.

12 If you hear about one of your cities, which Hashem your Elohim gives you to dwell there, that 13 certain wicked fellows have gone out from among you and have drawn away the inhabitants of their city, saying, “Let’s go and serve other gods,” which you have not known, 14 then you shall inquire, investigate, and ask diligently. Behold, if it is true, and the thing certain, that such an abomination was done among you, 15 you shall surely strike the inhabitants of that city with the edge of the sword, destroying it utterly, with all that is therein and its livestock, with the edge of the sword. 16 You shall gather all its plunder into the middle of its street, and shall burn with fire the city, with all of its plunder, to Hashem your Elohim. It shall be a heap forever. It shall not be built again. 17 Nothing of the devoted thing shall cling to your hand, that Hashem may turn from the fierceness of His anger and show you mercy, and have compassion on you and multiply you, as He has sworn to your fathers, 18 when you listen to Hashem your Elohim’s voice, to keep all His commandments which I command you today, to do that which is right in Hashem your Elohim’s eyes.

Today’s Meditation:

A prophet who can pull you away from Hashem is part of today’s portion. In 13:5 we read, “That prophet, or that dreamer of dreams, shall be put to death, because he has spoken rebellion against Hashem.” The cost of someone trying to do this and using signs and wonders is death. It is serious business to be a prophet and make statements that can actually lead someone away from Hashem. And even today, these prophets are out there. They may be disguised as kind, Biblical people, but really, their words are untrue. I bring this up because we must be super careful about who we listen to online, whether it's videos or podcasts. Do not take everything at face value or as the truth. Always check everything you hear with Scripture to make sure you are hearing and learning things correctly. If they are not, be sure to consider whether you want to continue listening to that person.

Today’s Challenge: 

Are you being ensnared? In our first verses (29-30) today, we read, “When Hashem your Elohim cuts off the nations from before you where you go in to dispossess them, and you dispossess them and dwell in their land, be careful that you are not ensnared to follow them.” What happens when we are ensnared? We can begin to do what other people are doing. We get drawn into their sin, their way of life. There is a saying, “You are who you hang with.” And we know that to be so true. When I hung out with party people, I partied. When I hung out with believers, I attended their assemblies. Today’s challenge. Think about who you hang out with. Are they enhancing your life and helping you to draw closer to Hashem? Or are they leading you away from Him?

Ekev - Day #3

Ekev עֵקֶב - As a Result  

Torah Portion: Deuteronomy 7:12-11:25

Deuteronomy 9:4–29

9:4 Don’t say in your heart, after Hashem your Elohim has thrust them out from before you, “For my righteousness Hashem has brought me in to possess this land;” because Hashem drives them out before you because of the wickedness of these nations. 5 Not for your righteousness or for the uprightness of your heart do you go in to possess their land; but for the wickedness of these nations Hashem your Elohim does drive them out from before you, and that he may establish the word which Hashem swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. 6 Know therefore that Hashem your Elohim doesn’t give you this good land to possess for your righteousness, for you are a stiff-necked people. 7 Remember, and don’t forget, how you provoked Hashem your Elohim to wrath in the wilderness. From the day that you left the land of Egypt until you came to this place, you have been rebellious against Hashem. 8 Also, in Horeb, you provoked Hashem to wrath, and Hashem was angry with you to destroy you. 9 When I had gone up onto the mountain to receive the stone tablets, even the tablets of the covenant which Hashem made with you, then I stayed on the mountain forty days and forty nights. I neither ate bread nor drank water. 10 Hashem delivered to me the two stone tablets written with God’s finger. On them were all the words which Hashem spoke with you on the mountain out of the middle of the fire on the day of the assembly.

11 It came to pass at the end of forty days and forty nights that Hashem gave me the two stone tablets, even the tablets of the covenant. 12 Hashem said to me, “Arise, get down quickly from here; for your people whom you have brought out of Egypt have corrupted themselves. They have quickly turned away from the way that I commanded them. They have made a molten image for themselves!”

13 Furthermore, Hashem spoke to me, saying, “I have seen these people, and behold, they are a stiff-necked people. 14 Leave me alone, that I may destroy them, and blot out their name from under the sky; and I will make of you a nation mightier and greater than they.”

15 So I turned and came down from the mountain, and the mountain was burning with fire. The two tablets of the covenant were in my two hands. 16 I looked, and behold, you had sinned against Hashem your Elohim. You had made yourselves a molded calf. You had quickly turned away from the way which Hashem had commanded you. 17 I took hold of the two tablets, and threw them out of my two hands, and broke them before your eyes. 18 I fell down before Hashem, as at the first, forty days and forty nights. I neither ate bread nor drank water, because of all your sins which you sinned, in doing that which was evil in Hashem’s sight, to provoke him to anger. 19 For I was afraid of the anger and hot displeasure with which Hashem was angry against you to destroy you. But Hashem listened to me that time also. 20 Hashem was angry enough with Aaron to destroy him. I prayed for Aaron also at the same time. 21 I took your sin, the calf which you had made, and burned it with fire, and crushed it, grinding it very small, until it was as fine as dust. I threw its dust into the brook that descended out of the mountain. 22 At Taberah, at Massah, and at Kibroth Hattaavah you provoked Hashem to wrath. 23 

When Hashem sent you from Kadesh Barnea, saying, “Go up and possess the land which I have given you,” you rebelled against the commandment of Hashem your Elohim, and you didn’t believe him or listen to his voice. 24 You have been rebellious against Hashem from the day that I knew you. 25 So I fell down before Hashem the forty days and forty nights that I fell down, because Hashem had said he would destroy you. 26 I prayed to Hashem, and said, “L-rd Hashem, don’t destroy your people and your inheritance that you have redeemed through your greatness, that you have brought out of Egypt with a mighty hand. 27 Remember your servants, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Don’t look at the stubbornness of these people, nor at their wickedness, nor at their sin, 28 lest the land you brought us out from say, ‘Because Hashem was not able to bring them into the land which he promised to them, and because He hated them, He has brought them out to kill them in the wilderness.’ 29 Yet they are your people and your inheritance, which you brought out by Your great power and by Your outstretched arm.”

Today’s Meditation:

Hashem is reminding His people what really happened over the past 40 years. That it wasn’t all because of what they did, but rather because the people in the land neglected to do what they should have done: to serve Hashem instead of false gods. We all have to be very careful not to fall for false idols and not to forget where we came from. It is also important that we don’t puff ourselves up. It is important to be holy and in the right relationship with Hashem. But, through it all, we must remember that He makes all the decisions, He confirms all the plans, and He owns all the cattle on the hills. All glory and credit, all worship, must go to Him.

Today’s Challenge:

Moses falls on his face in prayer to ask Hashem to spare His people from His wrath. What a faithful intermediary for the people. I don’t know if they realized how often he would stand in the gap for them. Or did they appreciate his thoughtfulness and how he would go to their defense? Think of a leader in your life who has defended you and stood up for you. Have you thanked them and acknowledged their help? That’s today’s challenge. Think hard about who is always there for you, who defends you, and protects you. Tell them how grateful you are for him/her. And thank Hashem that He has put them in your life. Don’t delay. Hashem’s Word tends to be super timely.

Va'etchanan - Day #3

Va'etchanan וָאֶתְחַנַּן - Pleaded  

Torah Portion: Deuteronomy 3:23-7:11

Deuteronomy 4:41–49

4:41 Then Moses set apart three cities beyond the Jordan toward the sunrise, 42 that the man slayer might flee there, who kills his neighbor unintentionally and didn’t hate him in time past, and that fleeing to one of these cities he might live: 43 Bezer in the wilderness, in the plain country, for the Reubenites; and Ramoth in Gilead for the Gadites; and Golan in Bashan for the Manassites.

44 This is the law which Moses set before the children of Israel. 45 These are the testimonies, and the statutes, and the ordinances which Moses spoke to the children of Israel when they came out of Egypt, 46 beyond the Jordan, in the valley opposite Beth Peor, in the land of Sihon king of the Amorites, who lived at Heshbon, whom Moses and the children of Israel struck when they came out of Egypt. 47 They took possession of his land and the land of Og king of Bashan, the two kings of the Amorites, who were beyond the Jordan toward the sunrise; 48 from Aroer, which is on the edge of the valley of the Arnon, even to Mount Sion (also called Hermon), 49 and all the Arabah beyond the Jordan eastward, even to the sea of the Arabah, under the slopes of Pisgah.

Today’s Meditation:

We read in verse 45, “These are the testimonies, and the statutes, and the ordinances which Moses spoke to the children of Israel when they came out of Egypt.” The Israelites were going to be a physical nation. They were going into the Land, and they were to occupy it. As a nation, there had to be laws and rules. This was obviously done for the sake of peace and order. And that is what the Law does in our lives today. It gives us peace and order rather than confusion and fear. It is guaranteed. Hashem’s Word is alive. The Torah is Life. If we follow Him, our lives will be filled with righteous plans and success.

Today’s Challenge:

Hashem takes care of everyone. Even those who are falsely accused of a crime (the man slayer). He cares so much that He has provided cities of refuge for those in trouble. It makes me think that when we get in trouble and are falsely accused of something we didn’t do, we need not worry. He can take us to a place of peace and safety. If that is you today, then ask Him to bring you to that place. It may be a spiritual or emotional place, but it will be somewhere where you can live with joy. The challenge is to seek Him with your whole heart and soul today.

Devarim - Day #3

Devarim דְּבָרִים - Words  

Torah Portion: Deuteronomy 1:1-3:22

Deuteronomy 1:22–38

1:22 You came near to me, everyone of you, and said, “Let’s send men before us, that they may search the land for us, and bring back to us word of the way by which we must go up, and the cities to which we shall come.”

23 The thing pleased me well. I took twelve of your men, one man for every tribe. 24 They turned and went up into the hill country, and came to the valley of Eshcol, and spied it out. 25 They took some of the fruit of the land in their hands and brought it down to us, and brought us word again, and said, “It is a good land which Hashem our Elohim gives to us.”

26 Yet you wouldn’t go up, but rebelled against the commandment of Hashem your Elohim. 27 You murmured in your tents, and said, “Because Hashem hated us, He has brought us out of the land of Egypt, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites to destroy us. 28 Where are we going up? Our brothers have made our hearts melt, saying, ‘The people are greater and taller than we. The cities are great and fortified up to the sky. Moreover, we have seen the sons of the Anakim there!

29 Then I said to you, “Don’t be terrified. Don’t be afraid of them. 30 Hashem your Elohim, who goes before you, He will fight for you, according to all that He did for you in Egypt before your eyes, 31 and in the wilderness where you have seen how that Hashem your Elohim carried you, as a man carries his son, in all the way that you went, until you came to this place.”

32 Yet in this thing you didn’t believe Hashem your Elohim, 33 who went before you on the way, to seek out a place for you to pitch your tents in: in fire by night, to show you by what way you should go, and in the cloud by day. 34 Hashem heard the voice of your words and was angry, and swore, saying, 35 “Surely not one of these men of this evil generation shall see the good land which I swore to give to your fathers, 36 except Caleb the son of Jephunneh. He shall see it. I will give the land that he has trodden on to him and to his children, because he has wholly followed Hashem.”

37 Also, Hashem was angry with me for your sakes, saying, “You also shall not go in there. 38 Joshua, the son of Nun, who stands before you, shall go in there. Encourage him, for he shall cause Israel to inherit it.”

Today’s Meditation:

In verse 29, Hashem tells us not to be afraid when He sets us to a task. That “He goes before you”. What about this, don't we believe? He is trustworthy, and all that is needed is to trust in Him. Even in my life, He has asked me to be involved in this huge pro-life project. We have to raise $250,000 to get a mobile medical unit on the road. It seems like so much money, but for Him it is so small. We just have to be obedient and trust that He will lead us to the right people and move on people’s hearts. I believe He is going before us. We need to believe this.

* A follow-up: Praise Hashem, the money was raised, and the mobile unit is on the road helping women with medical decisions. It has literally saved lives.

Today’s Challenge:

Again, the Israelites are scared and doubting why they left Egypt. Moses is retelling a story that has been retold over the centuries. We learn that they left because Hashem called them and led them. He provided and saved them. He wants to get this message deep into our souls. He is the Deliverer.

My challenge to you today is that you spend time thinking about this. If you are in a tough spot in life, remember to pray, see His face, and ask Him for deliverance. He is listening, and He will work it out for you. You could start thanking Him for the results.