What Loving One Another Looks Like–The Morality and Love of Torah-Parashah 143—Sabbath Thoughts and Reflections 

Our Torah Reading This Week—Parashah 143—Is Found in Deuteronomy 22:8-23:25

The physical should always be followed when applicable, but also the physical must point us to the spiritual application.

These are righteous living principles that separate the faithful covenant walking Child of the Most High from the world’s ways of conducting themselves and living their lives. Some say that these principles no longer apply to us because we are now under grace. And the truth of the matter is, indeed, we are under Yah’s grace. However, Yah’s grace is intended to provide us the means by which to resist the ways of this world and live in accordance with His holy and righteous Ways. For Yah’s Ways are the only Ways that we, His elect and His children, must live in order to remain in covenant relationship with Him and to receive the Kingdom of Yehovah. We study and receive and obey these instructions because we love Yehovah our Abba, the Creator of the Universe. And we faithfully obey these instructions because it pleases Yah to see His children living in obedience to His Ways and because it is just the right thing to do.

Key Obedience and Spiritual Take-Aways

• Make our dwellings safe for family and brethren.
• Love for one another.
• Separation of classes.
• The wearing of tzitzits.
• Raising Godly daughters.
• The sanctity of marriage.
• Purity in the Camp of Yehovah.
• Disqualifiers for the Congregation of Yisra’el.
• Prostitution-Homosexuality and forbidden sexual activity.
• Helping our brethren in need and not taking advantage of them in the process.
• Proper treatment of foreign slaves.

Personal Responsibilities For Family’s and Neighbor’s Safety and Wellbeing (22:8) 

Instructions on making our homes safe for our guests (22:8. Abba instructed us to erect “parapet” around the edges of our homes once we entered the Land of Promise. People spent a lot of time on their roofs for various and sundry reasons. And with that extended time on the roofs of their homes, there existed a very real fall danger. The parapets offered a protective barrier around the roof to prevent people from falling and injuring themselves. And depending on the height of the structure, a fall could result in death.

It should be of no surprise that the rabbinic sages had to put their two cents into this instruction. Parapets, according to ancient Jewish law, were required to be a minimum of 10-handbreaths, which translates to about 30” high.

Turns out that a fall resulting in one’s death from a Hebrew’s roof because the owner was negligent in failing to install a parapet was viewed by Jewish lawyers as gross negligence or negligent homicide.

Thus, we see illustrated what love for one’s neighbor looks like. And for us today, we can draw from this example in our own day-to-day lives. Are we taking proper precautions to make our families and visitors to our homes safe? Do we care enough about others that we are willing to do the right thing and make the necessary improvements to our dwellings to prevent any chances of injury or harm? To do so is to be a responsible homeowner and an obedient keeper of Torah.

Separation and Class Distinctions (22:9-11)

Here we have a prohibition against planting mixed seeds (in our vineyards), plowing our fields using mixed species of animals and wearing garments that consist of a mixture of wool and linen (22:9-11). Linen in this sense consisted of flax (Exo. 39:8; cf. Exo. 30:22-27).

The linen-wool mixture was unique to the composition of the priestly garments and construction of the Tabernacle (4QMMT). Thus, a separating of the holy from the profane and common. The Hebrew terminology at play here is sha’atnez-the mingling of wool and linen. The unequally yoke beasts of burden prohibition is obviously a direct tie to our responsibilities toward the wellbeing of Yah’s animal creation. The mixing of seeds seems to get varied opinions amongst Torah and denominational teachers. But on seemingly sound explanation is Yah’s insistence that His vegetation creation order be maintained by His human creation. As far as Yah and we are concerned, hybridization was strictly prohibited.

Tassels—Aka Tzitzits (22:12) 

Here we have the instruction for Hebrews to make for themselves tassels, or gedilim, which differs somewhat in the terminology used in Num. 15:38-41–fringes or tzitzit. Tassels as used here being gedilim is used only here and in 1 Kings 7:17, which describes in that case “wreaths of chain work” on the capitals of the courtyard of Solomon’s Temple.

Tzitzit are to be sewn or attached to the 4-corners or wings of a Hebrew’s garments.

This is a universal commandment, although certain rabbis have restricted the wearing of tzitziyot to men.

But here in this passage we find no assigned or attached mnemonic for the Hebrew as we find for the tzitziyot of Numbers.

The Sacred Reputation of a Virgin of Yisra’el (22:13-29)—Raising Godly Daughters and by Extension Godly Men 

If an Yisra’eli male marries a professed Yisra’eli female virgin, who at some point and for whatever reason falls out of favor with him, and he accuses her of not being a virgin (Heb. is “betulim” which means the condition of virginity and the concrete evidence of her virginity) as she originally attested to him before they were married, thereby impugning her integrity, it falls to this woman’s parents to present to the court the evidence of her virginity. After verifying the evidence, the man making the false allegation will receive punishment that includes beating, financial reparations to the woman’s parents, and remain married to that man until either one dies. The reason for this sentence against the man is that he put forth a “bad name for a virgin in Yisra’el.”

On the other hand, if it turns out that there is no evidence to the fact of the woman’s virginity and it turns from (it would seem) further inquiry that the woman was not a virgin as declared to her husband before their marriage, that woman would be stoned to death by the men of the community. In this, according to Yehovah, evil will be rooted from the community’s midst.

It would seem as though there is a stark disparity in the degree of punishment as it relates to either party in this tragic situation is concerned. In both instances, either the husband or the wife is lying. If the man is found to be lying, he receives humiliation. If the woman, on the other hand, is found to be lying, she receives the death sentence. Why? It is not entirely clear from the text. But it would seem to me that the disparity in the degree of punishment was not about the man lying versus the woman lying about their respective positions. The disparity appears to rest on the issue of chastity and deception.

Marriage was one of those sacred pillar institutions that Father was unequivocal on. To Yehovah, marriage was intended to be for life: The life of the man and the life of the woman. The institution of marriage was intended as the only instrument or means by which we are to procreate. It also was intended to serve as the means by which our worship and glorifying of Yehovah here on this planet would be magnified: the man and the woman becoming one through the institution of marriage would create a situation of worship and service that would be impossible with just one individual. Two are better than one.

As far as intimacy is concerned, it is reserved only for marriage. Period. And sex outside of marriage is a transgression of Torah. So, there’s to be no shacking up and no premarital relations as is very much the common practice among secularists and even some people of Faith today.

When scripture speaks of the “marriage bed,” we are to always understand it to be a euphemism for marital relations.

Thus, it was imperative that the man and the woman get this whole marriage thing right for a lot was riding on it. And the woman who elected to live a less than chaste life prior to marriage, but then hides that reality from her betrothed (that is, she deceives her betrothed) only compounded her sin.

Ancient rabbis viewed this mitzvah as extremely draconian, and they drew up various impediments to carrying out the required punishment such as requiring at least two-witnesses attested to the woman’s fornication. The accusation and any such evidence the crossed husband might produce against his wife was viewed as circumstantial.

I contend there is another way to view this disparity. The imbittered husband had the option, if he truly believed he was deceived by his wife as it related to her supposed virginity, to not put his wife through such an ordeal. For if he truly loved her, he would have the righteous option of forgiving his wife of her deception and loose ways prior to their marriage and living happily ever after with her. If anything, if indeed the husband’s suspicions were correct, this mitzvah served as a test of the state of the husband’s heart and love for his wife. This mitzvah, if carried out by the husband, knowing the potential outcome his accusations would bring to his wife and to his wife’s parents, would certainly prove the hatefulness of the husband and no doubt his life would be miserable from that point onward.

The husband was not required to bring down judgment upon his wife, even if his suspicions were valid. The text stipulates that he comes to “hate her” and he elects to “impute to her misconduct and put out a bad name for her” (verses 13-14). Thus, Yehovah left the husband an out as a means of showing his true love for his wife.

The spiritual application here is undeniable. Yehovah likened Yisra’el as His wife as He entered into a marriage covenant with her. Yet she was not chaste. She was, from the very beginning, a deceptive and sitffnecked wife. And according to the terms of the covenant Yah made with her, He had every right to cast Yisra’el away from Him. But He didn’t. He has stayed true to his covenant with her because He loved her.

The same applies to us today. Most, if not all of us, came to this Faith covenant relationship with Yehovah in less than a spiritually chaste state. And after we entered into a covenant relationship with Him, we all have the tendency to violate the terms of that covenant relationship. Yet Father is loving and kind to us. He doesn’t want to hurt us, nor cast us away from Him. He provides us the means by which to remain in covenant with Him.

Yehovah, ideally speaking, always intended that a woman entering marriage would be a virgin. And this works only when the man does not transgress Torah himself. For if all men of the Congregation of Yisra’el were truly walking in covenant relationship with the Almighty, women would remain virgins till marriage. And men would also remain virgins till marriage. So, the onus was placed on the males of Yisra’el to “tow the line” as it relates to them and their families living righteous and Torah-based lives. As head of the household, the husband was ultimately responsible for raising his sons and daughters to act in accordance with Yah’s holy and righteous ways. Thus, a woman’s father was ultimately responsible for his daughter’s chastity until she married. And execution of the unchaste woman would serve as a loud acknowledgment of his negligence in properly raising his sons and especially his daughters.

Even today, it falls to Godly fathers to safeguard their daughters and teach them to be Godly woman of Yehovah and to remain chaste until Yah blesses them with the right Godly man.

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Another situation involves a “betrothed” female Yisra’eli woman who engages another man in sexual relations who, if caught, both the offending man and the virgin woman are to be stoned to death.

Yehovah sees a marriage betrothal as binding as the sacred marriage covenant. And the man who defiles another man’s “wife” (although betrothed) and the virgin, if caught in the act of adultery, are subject to being stoned to death, again to rid evil from the midst of the community. The woman, in this case, is punished because her contact with this man was not that of rape. If, however, the woman calls for help because the man is raping her, only the man is executed by stoning.

So, this mitzvah addressed the question of consensual sex outside of marriage. If the act occurred within a densely populated community, and it was NOT a consensual act but rather the man was forcing himself on the betrothed woman (I.e., raping her), it would be presumed that someone would hear the betrothed woman’s distress-calls and someone or someones would render assistance. In that case, the man would be stoned to death for his gross disrespect and violation of the marriage betrothal covenant.

Silence on the part of the woman would be indicative of the act being consensual. In this case, if caught, both the man and the betrothed woman faced summary execution.

If on the other hand the act occurs outside the densely populated community, such as in a rural setting, rape is generally presumed and only the man would be subject to execution. It would be presumed in such a case that no one would be within reasonable earshot to hear and respond to the betrothed woman’s cry for help. Thus, in this case, the woman would be deemed innocent. So, where there is no hard and fast evidence of the betrothed woman crying out for help, she is presumed innocent.

There are, of course, many questions surrounding this mitzvah. But the bottom line is: If indeed the betrothed woman is Godly—having received the proper training from her parents on how to behave and she in turn adheres to that Torah training—such situations ideally would not occur. And the same bottom line applies to the man: The man who walks in covenant with the Almighty who is well versed in Torah and who’s heart is true, will not find himself entwined in such situations. Thus, the one who is not Godly and who is evil, Yah has assured, will be found out and he will be uprooted from the Congregation of Yehovah.

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If a man engages in sexual relations with an unbetroth female Yisra’eli virgin and is caught, he will be required to give the woman’s father 50 weights of silver, and then marry her. This man will never be permitted to send this woman away.

Rape in this sense is “chazaq,” which means to be strong; such that a man seizes a woman and overpowers her.

The thing to consider here is the father of the unbetroth woman has the right to accept or deny marriage of his daughter to the rapist. In either case, the rapist must pay the father the bride price of 50-shekels of silver, essentially a dowry.

The Sacredness of a Parent’s Marriage (22:30/23:1) 

No son shall “take” (laqach–to be taken in marriage or be intimate with) their father’s wife. The confusing phraseology of a son “uncovering his father’s skirt” is best understood as simply “marital relations.” Skirt is not as we know it here in 21st century western parlance: That of a woman’s article of clothing. It refers to, instead, the son’s father’s bedcover.

Contextually, this passage is not a prohibition against a son marrying his living father’s wife. It is pertaining to the son who elects to wed the wife of his dead father or a former wife of his living father (i.e., a woman who is divorced from his father). This was apparently a common practice in certain pagan cultures of ancient Mesopotamia.

So, what we have here is a prohibition against Yisra’el engaging in Canaanite-type incestuous relationships.

Disqualifiers to Worship and Fellowship (3:2-9)

1. Those men with “crushed testes or lopped member” (3:2). This appears to be a prohibition against the common ANE cultic/pagan practice of castration—the causing of one to become “unsexed” (J.H. Hertz). This passage further speaks of one who is somehow accidentally sexually mutilated (Isa. 55:3). Both situations would result in the individual being barred from worship and from becoming or remaining a member of the Community or Body of Yisra’el. For not being admitted into the Community or Commonwealth of Yisra’el meant such an individual would also be barred from marrying a Yisra’eli woman. And at the heart of the matter here, both situations speak clearly to the importance Abba placed on the sanctity of the marriage union and the family that would emerge from that sacred union. And in this case, fatherhood was an extremely important part of being a member of the Body of Yisra’el. So anything or anyone that would adversely impact the purity and fruitfulness of the marriage union was not tolerated. For indeed, the family was an integral part of worship and covenant relationship with the Almighty. And for us today, this mitzvah stands as a reminder of the importance Abba places on the integrity and wholeness of these bodies, or rather these temples. It is imperative that we safeguard and look after these bodies of ours to ensure that we provide Yehovah’s Ruach a proper—pure and sanctified—dwelling place so that we may image Him to all the world. But the primary takeaway must always be the state of our hearts towards Yehovah and our neighbor. For the wholeness and wellbeing of our bodies means nothing in the eyes of Yehovah, if our hearts are uncircumcised. Furthermore, Yehovah demands that we be men: Physically and spiritually. He’s not looking for men who are less than His ideal man, who is best exemplified in the Person of Y’shua HaMashiyach. (Note: some contend that one who scriptures describes as being excluded from the “Assembly of Yehovah” means one who is excluded from serving in one of Yisra’el’s governing bodies, as opposed to being excluded from being a part of the Congregation of Yisra’el. And the reasons given by those who believe Moshe is talking about a governing/legislative body as opposed to the Congregation of Yisra’el is that the excluded individuals’ judgments on these governing bodies would be adversely influenced by their particular physical situations. This seems to me a bit of a stretch and I can’t buy into such thinking. It seems contextually more sensible to conclude Moshe is talking about individuals who are to be excluded from the Congregation of Yisra’el.)
2. One who is the product of or offspring of an “uncertain” (Hebrew of “mamzer”) or dubious sexual relationship (e.g., a prohibited sexual relationship) were also barred from worship and being a member of the Body of Yisra’el (3:3; cf. 18 and 20). It is not at all barring those born in what is commonly referred to as “wedlock” (as some may teach and think) from being members of the Body of Yisra’el. The Hebrew term “mamzer” provides the clarification we need by stipulating those born of prohibited sexual unions such as incest and or adultery.
3. In 3:4-9, we find that no Ammonite or Moabite, along with their descendants, were prohibited from joining/entering the Body of Yisra’el or worship because of the way the Ammonites and Moabites treated Yisra’el and the partnership they established with Balaam in the corrupting of the nation at Baal Peor ( Neh. 13:1). When read outside of context, it would appear that we have a major contradiction here. For we know that Boaz married Ruth, a Moabitess, which would have been a violation/transgression of this mitzvah. And what makes this situation even worse is that the Boaz-Ruth marriage led to the birth of King David and ultimately the birth of our Master Y’shua Messiah. But we find in this verse that Moabite and Ammonite are rendered in the masculine. Thus, the so-called sages deduced that this mitzvah was specific to male Moabites and Ammonites. And I would have to agree with those sages. For our Elohim is not a God of confusion and He doesn’t do double-talk. That being all said, it is safe to conclude that Abba was prohibiting the inclusion into the Body of Yisra’el any Moabite and Ammonite men. I would conclude that this is a restrictive mitzvah in that it was specific for the physical nation of Yisra’el throughout her generations. Clearly, Abba had a serious issue with the Moabites and Ammonites, especially when we look at this thing from the perspective of Him instructing Yisra’el “not to abhor an Edomite” and “not to abhor an Egyptian.” Both Edom and Egypt provided Yisrael their fair share of grief throughout their early history. But that which the Ammonites and Moabites did was unforgivable in Yah’s sight. Abba’s perspective is the only perspective we must have. And if He said cut off the Moabite and the Ammonite, that’s the way it’s got to be. Our perspectives on the issue are irrelevant.

The Warriors of Yisra’el Were to Always be in a State of Ritual Purity (3:10-15) 

The Yisra’eli soldier was to separate himself from that which was unclean and evil (3:10). And I like what J.H.

Hertz has to say about this insistence that Yisra’el’s warriors remain in state of purity/cleanness and separation from that which is evil: “The camp was hallowed by the Divine Presence and must therefore be a place of purity. Uncleanness leads to ungodliness” (Pentateuch and Haftorah; pg. 847). Today, we as Yah’s spiritual warriors, ourselves, must remain in a state of cleanness and purity. This involves not just spiritual cleanness and purity, but also personal and physical purity and cleanliness. Too many of us contaminate our covenant relationship and walk with Mashiyach by involving ourselves in ungodly things ranging from the things we entertain ourselves with; relationships we engage ourselves into; personal habits such as smoking and excessive drinking and pornography. These and other such things make us spiritually and physically unclean and unworthy as dwelling places for Yehovah’s Ruach. These bodies of ours and the lives we live, to borrow from J.H.Hertz’ commentary above, are to be hallowed by Yah’s Divine Presence and must therefore be a place of purity. Amein.

Abba then addresses other personal, natural bodily functions that He views as unclean: nocturnal emissions and excrements (3:11-15). In both cases, the warrior is instructed to exercise extreme care and be responsible for properly taking care of his own bodily functions. And the reason Father was insistent upon these seemingly innocuous physical situations was that He, being their Elohim who dwelt in their midst, walked about their camp. He being holy then, did not desire to see such things and be forced to turn back from them.

Yisra’el to be a Place of Refuge for the Slave (3:16-17) 

Yehovah instructed that Yisra’el was to be a safe haven for foreign run-away (fugitive) slaves. Yisra’el was to be a welcoming place for the slave, who would find peace from his former life of servitude. That slave would not be returned to his/her master. This instruction ran contrary to the coventional wisdom and practice of most ANE cultures. Yah’s Ways are truly not the Ways of men. As it related to slaves within the commonwealth of Yisra’el, Abba provided the legal framework for his/her freedom—the Sabbatical Year.

From a Spirit and Truth perspective, our Faith Community must always be a welcoming refuge for those who seek to come out of the physical and spiritual slavery of this world. We must offer them the opportunity, without the danger of turning them back over to their former foreign master, to start anew and join into the Commonwealth of Yisra’el. Thus, these must be taught what walking in obedient covenant relationship with the Almighty looks like. Adopt them as fellow brothers and sister in the Faith once delivered. Disciple them and teach them the Gospel that Y’shua taught. Provide them the peaceful oasis we’ve come to love and enjoy in Y’shua HaMashiyach.

Prostitution and Homosexuality Strictly Prohibited in the Holy Nation (3:18-19) 

Yehovah strictly prohibited Yisra’eli woman practicing prostitution and Yisra’eli men engaging in homosexuality. Any commerce generated from prostitution would be deemed as abominable by Yehovah. Those funds could not be used in or given to the House of Yehovah (that being, the Sanctuary).

Sexual misconduct/malfeasance/impropriety, at every level, undermines the sanctity and integrity of Yehovah’s sanctioned family unit and the marriage union. Additionally, it defiles the bodies of the participants as well as anything that flows from such activities and unions, such as financial transactions or children just to name a couple, are considered as abominable by Father.

Thus, for us today, sexual sins at any level, undermines and destroys in addition to what I mentioned above, the covenant relationship we have with Yehovah. Apart from the obvious, sexual sin-forbidden sexual relationship (my post on forbidden sexual relationships) lead both parties deeper and deeper into physical and spiritual despair and ultimate destruction. It consumes one’s thoughts and draws one’s heart completely away from Yah and His perfect will. As well as it causes Yehovah’s Name to be blasphemed, by both the individual and by the unbelieving who learn of the impropriety. Case in point are those ministry leaders who have over the last several decades, become entangled in sexual sin and who were found out in the media. These faced having their spiritual and secular careers and ministries irrevocably ruined and their relationship and favor with the Almighty forfeited.

Yah’s People Exacting Usury Prohibited (3:20-21) 

Usury is the practice of exacting interest on loans that one makes to another. In the case of loans made to one’s Yisra’eli brother/sister, it was forbidden. Pure and simple. However, a Yisra’eli may exact interest from a stranger. In our abstaining from exacting interest on loans we would make to a fellow Yisra’eli, we open the door to blessings from Yehovah, because we helped someone in need.

The reason for the prohibition against exacting interest on loans rendered to a brother or sister is easily understood. Yah commanded us to love one another. This mitzvah is one of the ways we demonstrate the love we are supposed to have for others. Making a dollar and a cent off the needs or difficulties of a brother or sister of Faith is self-serving. It denies the blessings and provenance Yehovah has over our lives. Y’shua instructed us to provide for the need of a brother or sister by freely giving him or her that which they need, expecting nothing in return on our part:

 ²⁷ But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you, ²⁸ Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you. ²⁹ And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloke forbid not to take thy coat also. ³⁰ Give to every man that asketh of thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again. ³¹ And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise. ³² For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them. ³³ And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same. ³⁴ And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again. (Luk 6:27-34 KJV)–

Let Your Yea Be Yea and Your Nay Be Nay—Keeping Vows We Make to Yehovah  (3:22-24) 

Yehovah commands that we keep our word always. Whatever vow or pledge we make unto Yehovah, we are bound to keep and fulfill that vow or pledge. And in our fulfilling of those vows and pledges, we are instructed to make haste to fulfill them. This instruction is unique in that Yehovah also makes an out for those who cannot keep their word to Yehovah: Simply keep your physical and spiritual mouth closed and don’t make a vow or pledge to Yah.

Our Master backed up this mitzvah when He taught His disciples the following:

³³ Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths:  ³⁴ But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God’s throne: ³⁵ Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King. ³⁶ Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black.  ³⁷ But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil. (Mat 5:33-37 KJV)

Bottom line: There’s absolutely nothing wrong with making pledges or oaths in the service of Yehovah. Desiring to do something to glorify or please Yehovah is always a good thing. And making a pledge or putting forth an oath to do that pleasing thing for Yehovah is only good if one actually carries it out. The problem with making promises to Yehovah is that Yehovah will hold us to fulfilling those promises. And Yeshua, our Master, admonished us to simply not make promises to Yehovah. He instead admonished us to simply do that which we are led to do.

It’s human nature, unfortunately, from time-to-time to make promises to Yehovah and not keep them. It’s best to simply not make the promise in the first place. Go forth and do that good thing that will be pleasing to Yehovah with a pure and loving heart, and in so doing, Yah will bless in the end.

Satisfying One’s Hunger Versus Being Greedy (3:25-26) 

Yehovah provides a simple command that shows forth one’s love and respect for his fellow neighbor. If one is traveling in Yisra’el and is hungry, he/she may eat from an owner’s standing field of produce. It’s a free provision that Father commands all who He has blessed to bless others. Yehovah, on the other hand, draws the line at one taking advantage of the blessings bestowed upon them by the owner of the field and greedily heaping unto him/herself beyond that which satisfies their immediate hunger.

The spiritual application cannot be denied here. When we are materially blessed by the provisions of a brother or sister in the Faith, we are compelled to not take advantage of that brother or sister’s kindness and provision. It befalls us to bless Yehovah for the provision and to show our respect for the individual(s) who provided for our need.