We’re going to take a week off while the new Torah students learn about their studies. Maybe it’s better if they don’t know too many details. It’s a big commitment. I just went into blind...not thinking about a few hours of prep a week and the five-year commitment of lessons.
But when we return on October 8, we’ll start again with Gen. 1. I do know the name of the parasha since I remember the first word of the Bible. It’s one of the few lines of the Bible I’ve memorized in Hebrew.
Bereshit bara Elohim et hashamayim ve'et ha'arets (from http://bible.ort.org/books/torahd5.asp . What a nice web site!)
Everyone of those terms is loaded...
I love the verb bara. It can mean so many things...so much more than just to make. It speaks of creating, making things that weren’t there before. It’s a verb of great depth.
But we’re studying through 6:8. That’s a lot of reading!
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
This week's reading
I haven’t yet mentioned what lesson we read.
Parshah V'Zot HaBerachah - Devarim 33:1-34:12
Parshah V'Zot HaBerachah - Devarim 33:1-34:12
The death of Moses...the end of a year's study
Wow...a year, 1,200 pages of reading, countless hours of discussion, and even more questions later, we arrive at the end of the Torah Cycle.
We’ve spent 2/3s of our time talking about Moses....nine months of study has been devoted to the Moses store. The words at the end of Deut. show us how important Moses is:
10 Since then, no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face, 11 who did all those miraculous signs and wonders the LORD sent him to do in Egypt—to Pharaoh and to all his officials and to his whole land. 12 For no one has ever shown the mighty power or performed the awesome deeds that Moses did in the sight of all Israel.
Really, no one had a life like Moses. He had such divisions in his life...Infant spared by a miracle, child of privilege in the Egyptian court, disgraced murderer, desert nomad, talker to God at the burning bush, one who returned to Egypt, liberator, man who talked to God, deliverer of the law — servant of God.
Prophet
Priest
King
Sounds like someone else?
Hebrews 3:
Jesus Greater Than Moses
1Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess. 2He was faithful to the one who appointed him, just as Moses was faithful in all God's house. 3Jesus has been found worthy of greater honor than Moses, just as the builder of a house has greater honor than the house itself. 4For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything. 5Moses was faithful as a servant in all God's house, testifying to what would be said in the future. 6But Christ is faithful as a son over God's house. And we are his house, if we hold on to our courage and the hope of which we boast.
So....happy New Year! I’m way late to celebrate Rosh Hashanah...but a new year is beginning for me...At least with Torah study.
We’ve spent 2/3s of our time talking about Moses....nine months of study has been devoted to the Moses store. The words at the end of Deut. show us how important Moses is:
10 Since then, no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face, 11 who did all those miraculous signs and wonders the LORD sent him to do in Egypt—to Pharaoh and to all his officials and to his whole land. 12 For no one has ever shown the mighty power or performed the awesome deeds that Moses did in the sight of all Israel.
Really, no one had a life like Moses. He had such divisions in his life...Infant spared by a miracle, child of privilege in the Egyptian court, disgraced murderer, desert nomad, talker to God at the burning bush, one who returned to Egypt, liberator, man who talked to God, deliverer of the law — servant of God.
Prophet
Priest
King
Sounds like someone else?
Hebrews 3:
Jesus Greater Than Moses
1Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess. 2He was faithful to the one who appointed him, just as Moses was faithful in all God's house. 3Jesus has been found worthy of greater honor than Moses, just as the builder of a house has greater honor than the house itself. 4For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything. 5Moses was faithful as a servant in all God's house, testifying to what would be said in the future. 6But Christ is faithful as a son over God's house. And we are his house, if we hold on to our courage and the hope of which we boast.So....happy New Year! I’m way late to celebrate Rosh Hashanah...but a new year is beginning for me...At least with Torah study.
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Where two or three are gathered
Last night, only three of us showed up! Our group has always been small. When we joined with the other group, they were kind of small...then they lost some members and....well, I'm worried about the future with this few of people. Joyce and Ron sure had great insights. We carried on a wonderful conversation.
So, we discussed the Song of Moses...Moses is at the end of his days and God tells him so. He appoints Joshua as his successor and then he makes provisions for the future generations to read the law during Sukkot. Isn't the story of Josiah quite surprising then. (2 Kings 22). They're about to take out the trash, and his secretary finds the book of the law. They LOST the Torah? So Josiah tears his robes...and changes the course of the country.
And then God tells Moses this song...a prophecy (?) for the future. It's a scary and stirring song...warning about Israel's future running after...oh...what's a nice word? Harlots?
That language is very reminiscent of the Hosea story. God tells him to marry a harlot and then tells his to name one of kids Lo-Ammi (Not my people). That's just what Israel was to God in Deut. 32. Verse 5: They have acted corruptly toward him;
to their shame they are no longer his children,
but a warped and crooked generation.
But there is love there too...this is in no way the end of the story. Listen to the love God has:
"When Israel was a child, I loved him,
and out of Egypt I called my son.
2 But the more I [a] called Israel,
the further they went from me. [b]
They sacrificed to the Baals
and they burned incense to images.
3 It was I who taught Ephraim to walk,
taking them by the arms;
but they did not realize
it was I who healed them.
4 I led them with cords of human kindness,
with ties of love;
I lifted the yoke from their neck
and bent down to feed them.
(Hosea 11)
And listen to the ultimate promise from Revelation 21:
3And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."
Awww...sweet redemption.
So, we discussed the Song of Moses...Moses is at the end of his days and God tells him so. He appoints Joshua as his successor and then he makes provisions for the future generations to read the law during Sukkot. Isn't the story of Josiah quite surprising then. (2 Kings 22). They're about to take out the trash, and his secretary finds the book of the law. They LOST the Torah? So Josiah tears his robes...and changes the course of the country.
And then God tells Moses this song...a prophecy (?) for the future. It's a scary and stirring song...warning about Israel's future running after...oh...what's a nice word? Harlots?
That language is very reminiscent of the Hosea story. God tells him to marry a harlot and then tells his to name one of kids Lo-Ammi (Not my people). That's just what Israel was to God in Deut. 32. Verse 5: They have acted corruptly toward him;
to their shame they are no longer his children,
but a warped and crooked generation.
But there is love there too...this is in no way the end of the story. Listen to the love God has:
"When Israel was a child, I loved him,
and out of Egypt I called my son.
2 But the more I [a] called Israel,
the further they went from me. [b]
They sacrificed to the Baals
and they burned incense to images.
3 It was I who taught Ephraim to walk,
taking them by the arms;
but they did not realize
it was I who healed them.
4 I led them with cords of human kindness,
with ties of love;
I lifted the yoke from their neck
and bent down to feed them.
(Hosea 11)
And listen to the ultimate promise from Revelation 21:
3And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."
Awww...sweet redemption.
Monday, September 17, 2007
This week's reading
Tonight, we are discussing:
Vayelech (And he went)
Deuteronomy 31:1-30
Ha'azinu
Deuteronomy 32
Vayelech (And he went)
Deuteronomy 31:1-30
Ha'azinu
Deuteronomy 32
An insight from today's reading
This week, we're finishing up Duet., reading chapter 31 and 30. This strikes me...Moses is handing Joshua the leadership and he makes this promise:
31:6 "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you."
That reminds me a New Testament promise that God makes for us as the writer of Hebrews quotes this promise:
13:5 "Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said,
"Never will I leave you;
never will I forsake you.""
Interesting! We have the same promise that Joshua had when he was about the lead the Israelites into the Promise Land?
And we have to be content with what we have? That's a very hard thing to be!
31:6 "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you."
That reminds me a New Testament promise that God makes for us as the writer of Hebrews quotes this promise:
13:5 "Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said,
"Never will I leave you;
never will I forsake you.""
Interesting! We have the same promise that Joshua had when he was about the lead the Israelites into the Promise Land?
And we have to be content with what we have? That's a very hard thing to be!
A blog with a purpose
This first year of Torah study has been amazing...I do have many more questions than I have answers. But one thing comes through...how much God loves his people.
As I am beginning to reach year two, I was thinking that blogging my reading and questions would be helpful. Look for updates as the year progresses, as I read through the Torah---the very words of God---on the traditional Jewish reading cycle.
~~Amanda
As I am beginning to reach year two, I was thinking that blogging my reading and questions would be helpful. Look for updates as the year progresses, as I read through the Torah---the very words of God---on the traditional Jewish reading cycle.
~~Amanda
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