This Week’s Torah Reading is found in Deuteronomy 12:20-15:6. I’ve entitled this discussion: Gods Food Laws-Tithing-Walking in Obedient Covenant Relationship with God-Parashah 136

Personal Perspective—Opening Remarks

 

Our obedient covenant relationship with the Eternal defines our identity. That covenant relationship that defines our identity is a Way of Life that is unlike any the world has ever known. Unfortunately, that identity, the Way of Life, and our obedient covenant relationship with the Almighty runs contrary to this world’s paganistic and evil systems.

 

I trust that you can see as I see the repeating, undulating themes that reverberate throughout the Cepher of Deuteronomy: (1) Keep Yah’s commandments precisely as He has prescribed; and (2) Be careful to guard one’s self from being enticed and becoming ensnared by the demigods and worship practices of the Canaanites.

 

Many people who come into this beloved Faith of ours seek more to be tradition-led than Torah-led and Spirit-led  in their walk with Mashiyach. What I mean by that is simply this (and please understand what I am saying here as I am not aiming to criticize any who choose to follow a certain path in their walk (I.e., their halachah) with Mashiyach): A great many folks that enter this Faith of ours are more interested, specifically, in establishing a covenant with Judaism and Judaism’s various trappings than they are with establishing a true and substantive, obedient covenant relationship with the Eternal. So these will make every effort to look and perform as orthodox Jews in their day-to-day halachah. And to their credit, that which separates them from Rabbinic, orthodox Judaism seems to be their profession that Y’shua is their Mashiyach.

 

But my point is this: We’ve all been called to a higher walk than that which is embodied in rote, Jewish traditions and the rules of Jewish sages. We’ve been called to imitate and be like our Master Y’shua Messiah: to become children of the Most High. We’ve not been called to become Messianic Jews or Messianic Christians or Hebrew Rooters.

 

Look, if that’s the course of halachah one feels they’ve been called to walk, that’s between that individual and their Elohim. But what I’m tasked with putting forth to you here on this platform is that Yah is interested in each of us as prospective children of His; not as perspective members of a denomination or religion.

 

Yah, in His infinite wisdom and grace, spelled out in this very parshah reading of ours here today, the very things that He requires of those who would be His children. And those things don’t include traditions and manmade rules that are supposed to form fences around Yah’s Torah. (Look, there’s nothing wrong with traditions. However, traditions and manmade rules become a problem when they take precedence over Yah’s Word and His Torah. And we can clearly see that in many of our Faith Communities operating out there today, traditions and manmade rules are getting in the way of Torah and the teachings of our Master Y’shua. And I dare say that some of those traditions and rules are even pagan-based. We must therefore heed the words of Moshe: Beware not to become ensnared in the ways of man and in idolatry.)

 

And as He states throughout the entirety of Torah, we are not to add to nor subtract from His instructions in righteousness.

 

 

Critical Points Contained in this Parshah:

1. Blood Cooking/blood consumption/use of blood in worship and pagan practices.
2. The humane nature of slaughtering animals based upon Abba’s Eternal Word.
3. Food Laws—consuming that which is clean versus that which is unclean.
4. False prophets and the penalty for causing Yah’s people to swerve over into paganism and demigod worship.
5. We are children of YHVH–chosen to be a treasured people unto YHVH of all the peoples that are on the face of the earth.
6. What is required to walk in Covenant Obedience with YHVH.
7. The Tithe belongs to YHVH.
8. Forgiveness of debt by Yah’s set-apart people.

 

 

Prohibition Against Consuming Meat Outside Worship Reversed by YHVH

 

Chapter 12:20-27: Abba provided us with new food instructions. Prior to our entering the Land, we were not permitted to consume meats, presumably outside the framework of worship as Yah stipulated in His instructions. The domesticated animals we brought with us from Mitsrayim (and their offspring) were exclusively for worship purposes. However, according to YHVH, upon our taking possession of the Land, if we desired to consume meat, we would be permitted to do so, even within the confines of our own towns and cities. We were also given instructions of how to slaughter the meats, the instructions of which seem to underscore the Jewish Kosher practices of today to a moderate degree.

 

In the previous Torah Reading, Parashah 135 (Deu. 11:26-12:19), Abba outlined the process by which worship would be conducted. We would not worship YHVH as the former occupants of the Land did to their demigods. The Canaanites designated various locations throughout Canaan where they’d set up monuments and local sites to worship their demigods. Nevertheless, YHVH was adamant, for we see this reiterated several times throughout the Deuteronomic narrative, that Yah would select one central location for which we would journey to and worship Him. He described this central location as the place where He chooses to set His Name and make it dwell there (12:5).It would be there, according to YHVH, that we would journey and bring with us our tithes and offerings and celebrate or “feast before YHVH our Elohim” (12:7). And it would be at the Place where Abba chose to set His Name and to make it dwell, that we would “rejoice in all our undertakings and to the prosperity that came as a result of our undertakings.” Our worship of YHVH when we entered the “abiding estate–a haven–that YHVH our Elohim was about to give to us” would be very much regulated and not as we did when we were wandering about in the Sinai Wilderness (12:9). Our worship and feasts would include the care of the Levites who dwelt within our towns and cities, as they had no income apart from the provisions established by Torah (12:12).

 

And it is here, in 12:15 where YHVH lifts the prohibition of slaughtering and consuming meats apart from sacrifices. It appears that this prohibition against the slaughtering and consumption of meats applied to the entire nation. And this makes sense in that Yah had provided us with manna for sustenance throughout our 40-year-long sojourn in the wilderness. No longer was our consumption of meat (i.e., flesh) restricted to the confines of worship at the Tabernacle once we took possession of the Land. If we desired to consume meats (obviously those sanctioned by YHVH) and we had it available to us, we could eat meat. But Yah made it abundantly clear that our consumption of meats must be done properly, whereby we would not also consume the animals’ blood (12:16).

 

Now, YHVH gave this adjustment to the consumption of meat for the previously stated reasons, but also for the following reason. We should understand that during our sojourn in the wilderness, the Levitical priests had become the only people in the nation who were privy to slaughtering animals which, again, were solely for worship purposes at the Tabernacle proper. As it related to the slaughtering of animals by the Levitical priests for worship purposes, that mitzvah or instruction did not change. However, under this adjusted mitzvah, after we would enter the Land of Promise and we elected to have a meal consisting of meat or flesh, we would not have to take it to the Place where Yah chose to place His Name in order to have a Levitical priest to have him slaughter our meal for us. We would be permitted to slaughter the meat ourselves as long as we followed Abba’s humane way of processing our meats for consumption.

 

Now, some may become confused by what appears to be a contradiction regarding the consumption of meats within and without the confines of worship as described here in this passage (12:15-18). But the confusion can easily be overcome by our gaining the understanding that the Hebrew terminology for slaughtering animals as used in these key passages means, according to Robert Alter:

 

“The two acts of slaughtering and sacrificing in ancient religion were inseparable. But now that sacrifice at local shrines has been abolished, some mechanism must be established to enable the Israelites to eat meat even when they cannot come to the central place of worship. What follows are [then] innovative regulations for the practice that the rabbis called “shehitat hulin,” or “secular slaughter”” (Robert Alter, “The Five Books of Moses;” pg. 943).

 

Thus, prior to this, what Alter describes as innovative regulations, only the Levites were permitted to slaughter the animals that would be used for worship and consumption, although, again, previous to this time, all consumption of meat would be restricted solely to worship.

 

The other thing that Yah introduced to the regulations for meat consumption was the understanding of who among the nation peoples qualified to consume meats. Prior to this edict and regulation, only those of us who were clean could worship at the Tabernacle and thus partake in the feasts that accompanied the sacrifices. However, under these new regulations, the status of one’s ritual purity would no longer be a determinant as to who could consume meat outside the framework of worship—such as to consume meat in one’s own home. Ritual purity would always remain intact when it came to worship and the accompanying feasts. But now, anyone could consume meat, regardless the state of their ritual purity. Just as long as the person adhered to Yah’s slaughter and meat consumption regulations (12:18).

 

Prohibition Against the Consumption of Blood by Yah’s People

 

But returning to our Reading, we find that Yah was quite adamant about our making sure we did not consume the blood of our meals (12:23). In fact, Father adds to His concerns regarding this prohibition against blood consumption, that we “only be strong not to eat the blood.” It is unclear to us, and even to Rabbinic sages such as Rashi, what Father meant by “only be strong” not to consume our meats’ blood. There could obviously be a number of reasons which range from a simple admonishment to not be tempted to cut corners in the preparation of our meals which might result in our consuming the animals’ blood; or develop to some degree the desire for or the taste for blood that some ancient peoples were known to have developed. Father was adamant that our consumption of blood was off limits as blood was the “life-force” of all living creatures. In fact, the Levites were trained to pour out the animals’ blood upon the alter as instructed by Yah. So serious was Abba’s prohibition against the consumption of blood that our personal wellbeing was tied to this prohibition (12:24-25).

 

So this prohibition against consuming blood, even to this day, remains an important mitzvah for the people of Yah. For a great portion of the world today, in one form or another, consumes blood. And that blood consumption can occur intentionally such as in pagan-based rituals (e.g., satan worshipers; blood cooking; etc.) or in local customs and traditional foods (e.g., blood sausages). As well as blood consumption can occur unbeknown to some, whereby certain food-products are produced  or even enriched using the blood of various animals (e.g., into cakes and cookies to replace egg whites). Regardless, we are obliged to be very conscious of what goes into our mouths and into these temples of ours. And guarding against the intentional and or unwitting consumption of blood should be one of the things we remain vigilant of.

 

12:29-31 we find Moshe, yet again, admonishing us to watch ourselves such that we NOT become ensnared or enticed by the religious practices of the Canaanites; such that we become curious about these demigods and the worship practices surrounding them. And the modern-day applications, yet again, cannot be overlooked by us. For of late, with recent advancements and findings in the fields of archeology and anthropology, there exists almost an obsession floating about within and without our Faith Community regarding Babylonian-Egyptian demigods and associated religious practices. Unfortunately, many folks are finding themselves consumed by this field of research, which in and of itself is not necessarily a bad thing. What is concerning about this stuff, however, is the attention that is being given to the enemy, which conversely amounts to the taking away of attention from YHVH our Elohim. In fact, Abba commanded the following:

 

And in all things that I have said unto you be circumspect: and make no mention of the name of other gods, neither let it be heard out of thy mouth. (Exo 23:13 KJV)

 

 

Our focus must not be these demigods or the worship practices of ancient pagan peoples, regardless the dangers they pose to us spiritually. For our focus, when it is centered on walking in obedient covenant relationship with YHVH, through Y’shua our Mashiyach, will leave little to no room for such distractions and enticements. Indeed, these demigods are real entities who were and continue to wage war against the people of Yah. But our concerns regarding them or anything else must always be to seek the Kingdom of Yah and His righteousness. And if these demigods and their ilk intrude into our space, we’ve been given the authority and power through Yah’s Ruach HaKodesh to cast them out. We’ve also been given the Armor of Yah to aid us in standing against the wiles of these entities.

 

 

Chapter 13:4

 

In Chapter 13, Moshe provides us with six essential actions Yah’s people must take in order for them enter into and maintain an obedient covenant relationship with the Almighty. Moshe stated:

 

“You shall WALK (halach) after YHVH your Elohim and FEAR (yara’) Him and KEEP (shamar) His commandments and OBEY (shema’ which is to hear, listen and obey) His voice, and you shall SERVE (’avad) Him and HOLD FAST (davaq, or cling) to Him” (ESV).

 

Let’s breakdown this verse into the six essential actions we are compelled to take.

 

1. When we walk after YHVH, we adopt His perspectives on life exclusively and entirely. Thus, we “halach” or walk or behave throughout our lives in the exact Ways that Abba would and that He would require of us to do. And if we become confused as to what exactly Yah’s perspectives are on any given thing (I.e., how we should act or behave in any given circumstance), we have at least three-powerful resources at our disposal: (1) Yah’s Word; (2) the example and teachings of Master Y’shua our Mashiyach (if you’ve seen me, you’ve seen the Father—John 14:9); and (3) Yah’s precious and powerful Ruach HaKodesh—Yah’s Holy Spirit—that operates within these temples of ours.

 

To “halach” means to die to self—discarding—killing-off the “old man,” and putting on the “new man,” having been raised to a new life with our Master Y’shua HaMashiyach (Col. 3:9-10; Rom. 6:4-23).

 

Folks, this is the very thing that Moshe was attempting to get this generation of Hebrews who were preparing to take possession of the Land to understand and embrace. They were no longer their own people. They now belonged to YHVH, the Creator of the Universe. Thus, any old baggage they may have, especially left-overs from Mitsrayim, and any prospective trappings that they may run into in their taking possession of the Land, had to go. There was no room for such foolishness. Like us, our ancient Hebrew cousins would be required to die to self and become children of the Most High by following the prescription given here in 13:4.

 

It was in this same vein of thinking that our Master, during His Personal ministry, gave the following requirements to any who would seek to become a child of the Most High:

 

“…He who wishes to follow after me (I.e., walk after me), let him deny himself (I.e.., die to themselves) and take up his staff and follow after me” (Mat. 16:24; AENT).

 

The Apostle Peter or Kefa echoed this instruction when he penned the following:

 

“…Because the Mashiyach also died for us and left us this pattern that you should walk (I.e., halachah) in His steps” (1 Pet. 2:21; AENT).

 

This simple instruction of dying to self, picking up one’s stake and following Him, incorporates our Deuteronomy 13:4’s 6-part instruction. And why wouldn’t it, for Y’shua our Master was in every sense the walking, talking Torah.

 

2. The one who biblically fears or “yara’” YHVH, is doing far more than simply showing reverence or respect for Him. Yara’g YHVH also involves actually being “fearful” of Him. For it was the Apostle Shaul (aka Paul) who admonished us, in his re-phrasing of Psalm 2:11:

 

“…push through the work of your life more abundantly, with fear and with trembling” (Phi. 2:12; AENT).

 

Yes, we are supposed to be fearful of our Elohim, despite the fuzzy, warm feelings and attitudes that popular religion has so devilishly taught many of us to do. For when we come to a place in our halachah (I.e., our walk) where we accurately recognize who we are and who He, our Elohim is, then we truly learn to fear Him as Torah instructs. Indeed, our Elohim is frightfully awesome and beyond our ability to fully comprehend. He holds the power of the universe in His hands.

 

The Psalmist accurately put this whole question of fearing Yah in proper perspective when he penned:

 

“what are human beings, that you take notice of them— mere mortals that you care about them?” (PSA 8:4 QBE)

 

Our ancient Hebrew cousins, unfortunately, lost sight of this essential instruction, and it was the Psalmist who sought to call Yisra’el out on their transgression of this mitzvah in the following passage:

 

 ²¹ These things hast thou done, and I kept silence; thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself: but I will reprove thee, and set them in order before thine eyes. ²² Now consider this, ye that forget God, lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver.  (Psa 50:21-22 KJV)

 

3. To “shamar” Yah’s commandments is, as we discussed in a previous post, to “guard” or “protect” Yah’s instructions. To “shamar” Yah’s commandments is slightly different than “shema’g” Yah’s commandments, although both actions go hand-in-hand. To guard or “shamar” Yah’s commandments is to (1) ensure that we keep Yah’s instructions as He has prescribed them to us; and (2) that we protect His Torah from deterioration or degradation within our own lives and within our Faith Communities. In other words, we don’t allow charlatans and shysters to come along and feed us pablum that serves to supplant and alter Yah’s eternal Torah and the teachings and example of Y’shua our Mashiyach. We literally “guard” Yah’s Truth against enemy intrusion. This is why, in great part, brethren of like mind and myself do what we do in expounding the Word of Truth on various audio and video platforms. We are essentially “shamar’g,” in addition to “shema’g” YHVH’s commandments.

 

4. And of course, to “shema” Yah’s commandments is simply to “hear (the voice of YHVH), listen and obey.” To “shema” Yah’s commandments is the epitome of being engaged in an obedient, covenant relationship with YHVH. And in order for us to properly “shema” Yah, we must possess circumcised hearts. That is, we must have hearts malleable enough and focused enough to want to hear Yah’s voice in the first place. Which means, we have to be in the proper place and position in our walk so that we may actually hear his still, small voice throughout each and every day (1 Kin. 19:12).

 

Folks, the reason so many of us find ourselves not living the abundant life that our Master promised us (Joh. 10:10), is because our respective walks are not what they should be. Many of us are, in fact, walking out our Faith in compromise; many of us are walking out our Faith in sin and indifference to the Will of our Heavenly Father. And when we are in such degraded spiritual states, we are distant from YHVH and we are not in a position; we are not close enough; or we are simply too deaf to hear Yah’s still small voice (I.e., through Yah’s Word and Holy Spirit revelation).

 

Thus, it is incumbent upon each of us to ensure each and every day we breath air in this life and on this planet, that our walk in Mashiyach is in alignment with Yah’s Word and that we are being properly led by Yah’s Ruach HaKodesh. For when we are diligent in doing that—which is seeking Yah’s Kingdom and Yah’s righteousness (Mat. 6:33), then we are in an optimal position—proper halachah—to “shema” YHVH our Elohim. So we simply have to get rid of the baggage of the old man/old woman that prevents us from “shema’g” YHVH (Heb. 12:1), so that we can hear, listen and obey Him.

 

5. And then there’s the requirement that we are to “’avad” or “serve” our Elohim. The Hebrew concept of serving YHVH is founded in ‘avad’s corresponding noun, which is “’avodah,” which is service or work, or better, worship.

 

Our Master responded to one of hasatan’s temptations by quoting Torah to Him:

 

“Leave enemy, for it is written that you will worship (I.e., you will ‘avad) Master YHVH your Elohim and Him alone will you serve” (Mat. 4:10; AENT).

 

This whole concept of exclusively serving/worshiping or “‘avad’g” our Elohim takes us right back to the central understanding and reality of who and what we are from Yah’s perspective. We are children and servants of YHVH. Like our ancient Hebrew cousins before us, we were redeemed from the enemy for the exclusive purpose of serving YHVH. And this critical understanding is missed by the majority of self-professing “believers” in the world today. So many self-professing believers are not recognizing that they were saved—redeemed for the exclusive purpose of serving YHVH. Adam and Eve (and by extension each of us) were created for the sole purpose of serving/worshiping YHVH. Yet many would-be, self-absorbed, religious do-gooders, by evidence of their walk and their works, serve themselves and their denominations, and not YHVH. And Abba is not in the least happy with that reality.

 

6. Moving on, we come to the requirement of “holding fast” or “davaq” YHVH. “Davaq” means to cling or cleave to YHVH. The term was first used back in Genesis 2:24 where Abba held:

 

“Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave (davaq) unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.” (Gen 2:24 KJV)

 

The entire concept of this cleaving or clinging to another is founded in great part on true biblical love. It denotes what Messianic Commentator and Teacher Tim Hegg describes as “love language” that “speaks of the closest friendship and companionship” (Parashah One Hundred Thirty-Six-”You are the Sons of the Lord your God).

 

In every sense of the word “davaq” we’re talking about staying loyal and faithful to our Elohim. And that loyalty or faithfulness should grow stronger and stronger over time (that is, during the sanctification process that we all undergo during our walk with Mashiyach). It should get to the point that our loyalty and faithfulness towards YHVH is unshakable, regardless the level of challenge and temptation the enemy throws at us. And this was essentially what Moshe was trying to convey to this young generation of Hebrews, ready and preparing to take possession of the Land. Moshe was essentially saying to them:

 

“Look, you’re about to take possession of the Land that was promised to your forefathers. That conquest is already done as far as you should be concerned. It will be an effortless endeavor on your part because Yah is going to do the fighting for you. Yet you may come out of this thing haughty and in a position that will make you susceptible to the enticements of Canaanite pagan worship. You will see for yourself the overwhelming signs of their worship and demigod influence throughout as you set out to conquer the Land. Do not, however, go off course nor go off script. Stay focused beloved. In fact, smash and destroy every place and every monument or thing of worship that the Canaanites will leave behind. Stay glued to your Elohim. Don’t even entertain in your thoughts things related to the enemy’s worship. Like a small child, cling to your Father and He will in turn stay close to you. For He is your strong tower and refuge.”

 

And so it must be with us today: When we cling or cleave to Him, Yah draws near to us (Jas. 4:8). This is part and parcel of what it means to seek out the Kingdom of Yah and His righteousness (Mat. 6:33). And when we do all six of the things Moshe outlined for us in 13:4 of our reading here today, and we do them with circumcised hearts and steadfast, dedicated minds, we will become children of the Most High.

 

 

False Prophets and Idolatry

 

In Chapter 13, we learn of Yah’s perspective on the issue of false prophets is not based upon the acute abilities of such individuals to perform “signs and wonders.” His perspective, instead, is based upon the content of their teachings and their instructions to their followers. Is the content of their teachings and instructions consistent with Yah’s teachings and instructions? For if the content of their teachings and instructions is in alignment with Yah’s Word and their prophetic office or calling is verified by signs and wonders, we are obliged to follow their instructions. However, if that prophet’s words run contrary to Yah’s Torah, especially if it encourages Yah’s people to follow after the ways of paganality, despite that prophet manifesting signs and wonders, that prophet must not be listened to and must also be executed.

 

Overall, the summary execution of those who would seek to lead Yah’s set-apart people astray–away from obedient covenant relationship with YHVH–would serve as a strong deterrent to any who had designs to engage in such insidious behavior.

 

The test of a true prophet, again, is not found in his or her signs and wonders. The litmus test of a true prophet, quoting Tim Hegg, is “whether his words conform to those of the Scripture. If they do not, they are not to be heeded or followed” (Parashah One Hundred Thirty-Six).

 

And this mitzvah is all the more relevant to us today, as we are deluged with a great many self-professed, so-called prophets who are putting out all kinds of pablum and foolishness regarding a great many things going on within and without our Faith Community today. And these so-called prophets go about their calling, encouraging Yah’s people to abandon Yah’s Torah and the teachings of Y’shua HaMashiyach, and following either them or their organizations traditions and instructions. And I went over some of the concerns surrounding such modern day false prophets in my blog post on this very passage earlier this year, the link of which I will place in the transcript to this discussion.

 

 

 

And then Yah turns to instructions that any town or city and their inhabitants who, after diligent inquiry is made, are found to have shifted over to pagan worship, were to be wiped out by the edge of the sword, no doubt by neighboring communities and the Levites. in fact, the entire town, without exception, including the women, children and livestock, were to be destroyed. All of the material possessions of the people of that town/city was to be burned in a pyre. The town/city itself was never again to be inhabited or occupied by Yah’s people.

 

Now, some have throughout the centuries, viewed this instruction from their own self-righteous perspectives, actually deeming our holy and righteous Elohim as evil , cold, callous and unjust because He commanded that whole towns/cities that engaged in idolatry be wiped out without any sympathy given the condemned. Hebrew/Jewish sages and religious leaders, for instance, were led by their personal perspectives, to construct what some have described as insurmountable prerequisites to the carrying out of this mitzvah, in the event such a thing were to actually occur. (And we can see instances throughout the Tanakh where violations of this mitzvah occurred throughout Yisra’el history.) And the excuse given by these religious leaders for countermanding Yah’s mitzvah here was that the would be executioners would fall into the trap of mob rule and become irredeemable, blood-thirsty criminals. It is believed by many Jewish scholars and historians that this mitzvah was never once carried out in all of Yisra’el history.

 

In Chapter 14, Moshe puts us as a people, into proper perspective. He names and identifies us as “children to YHVH our Elohim…a holy people to YHVH our Elohim…a chosen and treasured people to Him” (vs. 1-2). And sandwiched in the middle of his identifying us as Yah’s Children, Moshe instructs us not to “gash ourselves” and not to “make bald” places on the front of our head for the dead. It is unclear whether or not this odd placement of this mitzvah against gashing oneself and making bald spots on our foreheads is a misplacement of the verse. But in reality, it doesn’t matter one way or the other. The context here, regardless, is again, what I would call a “Perspective Factor,” to borrow from the title of Messianic Teacher Robert Bill’s book. What I mean by that is that Moshe is putting into proper perspective how Abba views us and in doing so, what He expects from us and how we should view ourselves and respond to Father’s perspective of who we are. Essentially, being children to YHVH, we would be expected to act accordingly (recall my recent post regarding “A Question of One’s Jewishness” where I talked about behavior that is becoming versus behavior that is unbecoming of whatever—in this case, behavior that is becoming of a child of the Most High). We are expected (and thus we should fashion our lives accordingly) to walking in obedient covenant relationship with YHVH. In so doing, we will act and look differently than all the other peoples of the earth. Because in our conforming to Yah’s Ways, and knowing Yah’s Ways are not humankind’s ways, we will not do such things as gashing ourselves in our heads and making bald spots on the front of our skulls to honor the dead (a form of ancestor worship). According to Robert Alter in his commentary of “The Five Books of Moses,” such practices were common to Ba’al worship. And Mr. Alter references in his commentary, the account recorded in 1 Kings 18, where the priests of Ba’al did things to themselves, similar to what is described here in this passage, in order to “encourage the descent of divine fire by spilling blood” (pg. 950).

 

Today, it is popular, both within and without our Faith Community, to violate these mitzvah that pertain to the altering or damaging of one’s body. People who claim to be children of the Most High are not hesitant to get tattoos, style their hair in questionable ways and wear their beards in the style of goatees and with etchings into their flesh. Such practices, likely unbeknown to those who choose to do such things to their bodies, are clearly pagan in origin. And we find here that Father prohibits “His children” from doing such things to their bodies.

 

Now, I’m not criticizing in the least those who, before they came entered into a true and substantive relationship with the Most High, because of their unconverted lifestyles, engaged in such behavior (I.e., they got tattoos, disfigured or altered their bodies, etc.). What happened in the past happened in the past, and is no longer of any consequence. For the child of Yah is, upon their entering into covenant relationship with YHVH, are new creations; the old has passed away.

 

The problem, however, is with those who foolishly go out and violate this mitzvah in the name of honoring YHVH. Such behavior, my friends, is not honoring Yah. In fact, such behavior is dishonoring to YHVH.

 

The Food Laws—The Clean Versus the Unclean Foods

 

Then from 14:3-21, Moshe discerns between what is to be and what is not to be considered as food for us. And Moshe provides a rather detailed list of those specific creatures that we may consume (this coming after releasing the ban against our consumption of meats earlier in our reading) as well as those creatures we are prohibited from consuming.

 

Now, many folks have gone out of their way to question this list, citing animals and foods many people consume today that are not on this list. And the truth of the matter is that the animals cited here in our reading were germane to the region and time that this mitzvah was given. So it would not be uncommon for many of the animals available to us today and in the areas of the world in which we reside, to not be found on this list. Conversely, some of the animals mentioned in this list are not germane to many of the regions we reside in today as well.

 

So what do we do, in order that we may not violate or break covenant with Yah by inadvertently consuming prohibited or unclean foods? I know a great many folks have trouble discerning what foods are permissible and which are not. Yet, I think for the child of Yah who truly wants to walk in obedience with the Almighty, if in doubt, just don’t bother eating the thing. As for us, we keep our meat diet pretty simple and we avoid running into problems. For we limit our meat intake to organic chicken; beef; lamb; and for fish, wild-caught cod and salmon. And we don’t veer beyond these items. We are very careful to read and question menus when at restaurants; and we are avid readers of ingredients when making food purchases at grocery stores.

 

As we discussed earlier, as children of Yah, our bodies are supposed to be Temples of Yah. Thus, we must not do anything to defile our temples such as damage or alter our bodies; or put into our systems anything that is abhorrent or unclean. Regarding foods, Abba states that “we shall eat no abhorrent thing” (14:3). And the prohibitions against consuming abhorrent things goes beyond consuming the prohibited meats on this list. Because a great many things that are classified as permitted foods/meats here in this list, may in reality today be abhorrent to Abba. Many things that one may on the surface believe we are permitted to consume are actually deleterious to these bodies of ours, and thus are not suitable for consumption. Many of the food products we take for granted and stock in our refrigerators and in our pantries are man-made–made in a lab–products, which if consumed in large quantities and over an extended time period will prematurely age us, damage our bodies (recall the mitzvah against damaging our bodies); and open the door to chronic and acute illnesses that rob Father of our service and rob us of the opportunity to serve Yah in power and authority.

 

(Example McDonalds food; processed foods; augmented foods; etc.)

 

Many of us who venture into various places of the world, are often introduced to meats and foods we are not to consider as food: dog; cat; bat; predators; shell fishes; etc. And because we often are fearful of offending our hosts, we tend towards eating such things and find ourselves having to repent for doing so. And some of us even turn to Paul’s writings about all creatures being created of God and nothing to be rejected and to be received with thanksgiving as justification for violating Yah’s food laws in certain circumstances (1 Tim. 4:4). Well, this is one of those Pauline writings that are often taken out of context and misused as proof-passages that it’s okay to transgress Yah’s Torah. But such passages, as I’ve mentioned often throughout the history of this program, are not at all condoning transgressing Yah’s Torah; in particular, they are not saying at all that we can eat whatever is convenient or desirable to us. Shaul is simply stating: every creature that Yah has created that YHVH has deemed as food—that is clean, Yah’s people may eat these meats, and they should consume these meats, if desired, with thanksgiving.

 

 

The best thing to do when we find ourselves in such challenging situations is to not put ourselves in the situation in the first place. It is always better to let the people we know and love and who may be hosting us for a meal, what we will and will not eat ahead of time. That way, there won’t be any embarrassment on our part and on our hosts’ part.

 

Look at it this way: if you were to have a severe allergy to certain foods that may land you in a hospital or even in the grave, the least of your worries would be your offending your hosts, wouldn’t it?

 

The Food Laws Revisited

 

The relevance of Abba’s perspective as it relates to what is to be consumed or eaten by His people is multifaceted:

 

1. Based on context, Yah’s mitzvot on what can and cannot be eaten by His people is in some part associated with idolatry. For certain animals, when sacrificed to demigods, would also be consumed by the attending ancient pagan priests and worshipers. And it turns out that swine was a preferred animal sacrifice by the pagan. Thus, it should be easy to understand that Yah stipulated what animals were to be used in terms of His set-apart peoples’ worship of Him and their consumption of the meats offered in those sacrifices to Him.

 

2. Yah from the beginning categorized animals, as it relates to food, into one of two groups: the pure or clean; and the impure or unclean (Gen. 7:2-8:20). Those foods that were considered impure, or unclean, or abhorrent by Abba, if consumed by Yah’s people, would make them impure and disqualify them from worship. This issue of purity in relation to food consumption by Yah’s people is the foundation of Yah’s overall food laws, which are also spelled out in Leviticus 11 and 20. We, as Yah’s elect, are set-apart in great part by virtue of our exclusive affinity for the things of Yah and that which are pure or clean. Thus, if we want to walk in obedient covenant relationship with the Almighty, we must consume only that which is sanctioned—which is permitted—by Abba.

 

Certainly, the application of these mitzvot go beyond just the classes and types of meats, fowl, fish and insects mentioned here in this parashah. This parashah and the other related passages, should cause us to think really hard about the things we consume for food each and every day.

 

I would venture to think that most every individual who either listens to or reads the content of this online ministry, adhere to the food laws to a lesser or greater extent. So it’s a given that the word is already out as to what is acceptable and what is unacceptable as it relates to general categories and types of foods for Yah’s people. However, we know very well today that a great deal of what is sold out there in the various supermarkets and grocery stores of our communities is in fact NOT food, but instead, something entirely other than food. Many of these items are chemicals and stuffs that were created and manufactured in food labs and sold to unsuspecting consumers for the purposes of making a dollar and a cent for their organizations and companies. Many of these items have been shown by health advocates to be detrimental in the long-run to the health and wellbeing of those who choose to consume them. These items are not food and they have no business being consumed by Yah’s people. Yet many of Yah’s set-apart people will consume these items without second thought, rationalizing that since they do not contain or consist of pork, shellfish, predator birds or bat or cat or dog or snake and such, that they are good to go and that their selecting of these items to eat is acceptable to YHVH. But I’m here to tell you today, that these items are not acceptable to Yah. For these bodies of ours are supposed to be “temples of YHVH;” dwelling places for Yah’s Ruach HaKodesh (1 Cor. 6:19). And we know that Yah’s Ruach will not dwell in any place where He is not wanted nor in any unclean, impure place. So when we defile ourselves with trash such as these processed foods and so-called enhanced food stuffs, we are creating an inhospitable environment for Yah’s Ruach, not to mention we put our long-term health at risk.

 

3. Yah said what we can and cannot eat—and because of that, the thing to do without reservation is to do what Yah says do and don’t do what Yah says not to do. So why waste the brain cells rationalizing why Yah picked certain foods for consumption over others. I know that a great many folks have gone to great lengths to somehow prove that many of the prohibited foods found in this parashah are dangerous to consumers’ health. But the truth of the matter is, there’s no definitive proof that this is in fact true. I personally know of some family members and acquaintances who have lived into their 90’s and even reaching in to their 100’s whose meat staples were pork-based; shellfish-based; predator-animal-based; and other nasty animal-based things that I won’t mention here. So our going about and trying to rationalize and think past Yah on things like food laws is a frivolous endeavor. Why not simply accept the fact that Father revealed to us what He wants us to consume as food and what He doesn’t want us to consume, and walk out our Faith with fear and trembling?

 

 

In 14:21; we have an iteration of Exodus 23:13: the prohibition against boiling a kid in its mother’s milk. Since the specific reason for this prohibition has likely been lost to the sands of time, there remains a couple possibilities to explain this prohibition: (1) This prohibition was against a callous pagan-based cultic practice and delicacy of boiled kid in its mother’s milk. And (2), this prohibition was in response to either the immorality of causing the mother to be subject to her kid’s death in her milk or just the immoral absurdity of mixing elements of life and death together into a meal. Interestingly, Rabbinic tradition has yet again, taken this mitzvah to add to Torah, whereby meats and dairy products are prohibited from co-existing together in orthodox communities. I understand, for instance, that you could not order or purchase a cheese burger in certain orthodox communities throughout the world.

 

The Tithe Belongs to YHVH

 

14:22-29, we have another mitzvah regarding tithing–the 10% of our increase that we are to set aside for YHVH (cf. Lev. 27:30, 32; Num. 18:26; Deu. 12:17). Here Yah establishes that the tithe could only be consumed during one of the 3-pilgrimage feasts (Unleavened Bread, Shavu’ot and Sukkot), and only at the place where Yah chose to have His Name reside.

 

Although this mitzvah is given within the general paradigm of the pastoral economy of Yisra’el, I strongly believe that the spiritual and real life application of the tithe still remains in-force today. I’ve come across several articles on-line and a few books that put forth the position that because we no longer are an agricultural society and because the Yerushalayim Temple no longer exists, we are not subject to the tithe or the keeping of this mitzvah. Granted, most of us are not farmers, nor is the temple in Yerushalayim in existence today. But again, just because these elements do not manifest in our lives today, doesn’t mean the tithe has be done away with.

 

Tithing is a faith-based, reverent practice of Yah’s people that predates the Revelation at Mount Sinai–certainly to some extent the giving of tithes to Melchizedek by Avraham after the defeat of the Kings of the Plain could easily be construed as a manifestation of tithing; some even contend that tithing traces back to the Cain and Abel incident where the brothers offered unto YHVH sacrifices of their increase. So it stands to reason that the Yah-given institution of the tithe predates Torah and it no doubt extends beyond the dissolution of the Yerushalayim Mishkan (aka Temple). I believe tithing remains a mandate for Yah’s covenant walking people (e.g., Yeshua Himself espoused and endorsed tithing in Matthew 23 and Luke 11). I will say, how we attend to this mitzvah of the tithe—how we actually administer the tithe of our increase–because of the mitigating factor of there being no operating temple and no agricultural society, is left up to each of us and up to the leading of the Ruach Kodesh.

 

Tithing, as Moshe states, is not a mindless, rote commandment from YHVH that we are obliged to keep. Yes, we tithe because Yah instructed us to do so. But we also tithe to teach us to fear YHVH at all times: to put us in the place where we learn to trust Yah to provide for us as He has promised. For many of us, tithing introduces great challenges to our monthly/bimonthly budgets. And if we are focused on being obedient, covenant-walking people of Yah, we’ve learned to trust Yah to provide for and meet all of our needs despite the challenges that tithing may cause to our personal and family budgets. I guess the understanding or perspective we must adopt is that the tithe does not belong to us: it in reality belongs to YHVH our Elohim. And when we really start to own and walk out that perspective or understanding, our Trusting and Believing Yah is not far behind to provide for our all our needs despite our giving of the tithe (Lev. 27:30).

 

It is also interesting, that even though the Church Triumphant adamantly rejects the keeping of Torah by God’s people, they sure do love the concept of the tithe and many sects and denominations claim the tithe is mandatory for God’s people. I tell you, the love of money is the root of all evil, and this is the reason the Church Triumphant continues to embrace the tithe (1 Tim. 6:10). I don’t believe there’s any other reason.

 

And the remainder of chapter 14 (vss. 24-29) here in our reading shows forth Yah’s grace, whereby Yah makes it easy for His set-apart people to parlay their tithe and transport it to the central location where He would place His Name. Essentially parlaying the raw agricultural tithe into currency, taking that currency in hand to the Tabernacle or Temple, and using it within the Will and instructions of YHVH. Within this use of the tithe in attending the Feast, Yah’s grace required that the Levite, the sojourner, the orphan and widow be taken care of since these did not have a source of income. The overall idea was that no one, regardless one’s station in life, was to be left out of the Feasts of YHVH. We were, in every sense of the word, to be our brothers’ keeper.

 

The 7th Year Remission

 

And lastly, 15:1-6, Moshe revisits the 7th year which He calls a “remission” (Alter) or “release” (ASV). This idea of the 7th year being a very special year for the Land and for Yah’s people was first introduced to us back in Exodus 23:10-11:

 

“And six years you shall sow your land and gather its produce. But in the seventh you shall let it go and let it lie fallow, and your people’s indigent may eat of it, and what is left, the beast of the field will eat. Thus shall you do for your vineyard and your olive grove” (Alter).

 

Often referred to as the Sabbatical Year and the Shemitah, every 7th year was to be a period of time that provided the Land a rest. It was good for the Land in that it gave the Land the opportunity to recover from 6-years of producing its agricultural bounty. It was good for Yah’s people because it provided us the opportunity to exercise our Trust/faith in YHVH as our eternal provider and to obey Yah’s instructions (see my previous discussions on the Shemitah). So serious was Yah about the Shemitah that He gave the Hebrews over into Babylonian Captivity for 70-years, in part because they neglected to keep the Sabbatical Year, or rather the Shemitah–which means to “let something slip out of one’s hand.” In this case, it is referring to the letting go of our cultivated Land; in other words, allowing our cultivated Land to lie fallow during the Shemitah period.

 

What we see described here in our Reading for today is something a little different than the Shemitah described in Exodus 23. The Remission or Shemitah spoken of here occurs at the END of the Shemitah Year (15:1). The term used for remission here remains as Shemitah, which again refers to the letting go of something. This remission or letting go involves the releasing of or letting go of loans or debts in the nation. It was a remission of debts, the spiritual applicability of which, cannot be overlooked (such as Y’shua’s atoning sacrifice served to remit the sin debt that each of owed unto Abba). At the end of every Shemitah or Sabbatical Year, all Hebrew debt was to be remitted (although the debt of the foreigner did not have to be remitted. Again, we see the tremendous spiritual foreshadowing that is implied here in relation to the Plan of Salvation-Restoration-Redemption).

 

The releasing of debt in the Land served the purpose of equalizing Yah’s people who lived exclusively within the framework of Torah. This mitzvah was certainly illustrative of Yah’s grace, whereby the idea was that when His set-apart people were compliant with His Torah with circumcised hearts, there would be no poverty in the Land (15:4). For obedient Torah-living by Yah’s people brings about abundant blessings for every true citizen of heaven (5:4). And those abundant blessings are tied to the Land. Those abundant blessings would be such that we would have no need to borrow, but instead, lend to many nations as the prophesy contends.

 

Is this mitzvah still applicable and in-force? Well, from a practical standpoint–or shall I say from a physical standpoint–because the original time-frame for the Shemitah has been lost to the sands of time, we have no true understanding or knowledge of when the time for remission of debt is supposed to be, or for that matter, when the Land Shemitah is to take place. So I personally do not believe there’s any biblical standing or applicability for Shemitah today, especially for those of us who reside outside Yerushalayim.

 

You know, when I posted my discussion on the Shemitah a few years ago, I commented that certain Messianic-based teachers and popular Christian preachers were making a dollar and a cent from the concept of the Shemitah, especially here in America. These individuals were putting forth teachings that many of the problems that this nation was experiencing was due to the United States not keeping the Shemitah. I found such teachings to be inconsistent with scripture and frankly, foolish. All that these teachings accomplished was to line the pockets of these individuals who were putting forth such unsubstantiated content and perpetuating chaos and confusion in the Body of Mashiyach.

 

Well, I stand on the side that such teachings are erroneous. The only Land that the Shemitah applies to is the Land of Yisra’el. And because of Yisra’el transgression of Yah’s Torah by the ancient Hebrews, knowledge of when the Shemitah and Jubilee years were to take place were forgotten or lost over millennia. And thus, it seems reasonable to conclude that the Shemitah has nothing physically to do with this nation today.

 

However, I contend that spiritually speaking, the mitzvot regarding the Shemitah and the Remission or Release or Letting Go of debt should be given serious consideration by Yah’s people. The spiritual application of these mitzvot transcend the simple rote, Land of Yisra’el connection that the text provides us. Practically speaking, it is probably a good idea to allow the land that Yah has blessed us with to rest and lay fallow every so often, and to allow for those who are hungry to partake of the natural bounty of our pastures. When it comes to the holding of debt and the releasing of debt, Master taught that if we have a brother or sister who is in need and we have the wherewithal to provide for their need, give it to them. If one asks to borrow money from us, we are to loan them the money if we have it to loan, expecting to receive nothing in return.

 

“And he that desires to go to court with you and take your coat, leave to him also your cloak. He that compels you to go one mile, go two with him. He that asks you to give to him and he desires to borrow from you, you should not deny him” (Mat. 5:40-42; AENT).

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. 35 But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the ungrateful and to the evil. 36 Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful. (Luk 6:34-36 KJV)

 

We have an opportunity here in these mitzvot—these Readings–to show forth our Kingdom citizenship and walk in this dark world as Children of the Highest. Torah is indeed Yah’s grace in action; Yah’s eternal love for His human creation. So let us walk in obedient covenant relationship with the Most High as we’ve been called to do. And walk out our Faith with fear and trembling, knowing that our salvation draws ever so near.