{"id":2239,"date":"2013-04-28T11:51:32","date_gmt":"2013-04-28T11:51:32","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.matsati.com\/?p=2239"},"modified":"2013-04-29T16:30:59","modified_gmt":"2013-04-29T16:30:59","slug":"bits-of-torah-truths-parshiot-behar-and-bechukotai-what-does-it-mean-to-have-a-circumcised-heart","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.matsati.com\/index.php\/bits-of-torah-truths-parshiot-behar-and-bechukotai-what-does-it-mean-to-have-a-circumcised-heart\/","title":{"rendered":"Bits of Torah Truths, Parshiot Behar and Bechukotai, What does it mean to have a circumcised heart?"},"content":{"rendered":"

This weeks reading is a double portion from Parshiot Behar and Bechukotai (Vayikra \/ Leviticus 25:1-27:34<\/em>).\u00a0 In the reading from Parashat Behar (\u201con the mountain\u201d<\/em>) we find the mitzvah to observe the year of Jubilee.\u00a0 During this year, the land is to be fallow,\u00a0 (25:1-12<\/em>), all property is to revert back to its original owner (25:13-28<\/em>), all slaves are to be set free (25:39-54<\/em>), and all debts are to be released.\u00a0 Parashat Bechukotai begins with God stating to observe His Mitzvot (Commandments) so that the rains will come and the land will produce its fruit in its seasons (26:3-5<\/em>).\u00a0 Walking in God\u2019s ways will bring peace to the land, remove harmful beasts, and no sword will pass through the land (26:6<\/em>).\u00a0 The scriptures say that when we obey God\u2019s Mitzvot our enemies will run and fall before us (26:7-8<\/em>) and God will make His dwelling among us (26:11<\/em>).\u00a0 The Scriptures go on to say that if the people fail to keep His commandments and reject His statutes (26:14-15<\/em>) He will appoint a sudden terror, a consumption, and a fever over them, and the sowing of seed will be useless because your enemies will eat it up (26:16<\/em>), the people will fall before their enemies and the people will flea even when no one is pursuing them (26:17<\/em>).\u00a0 Continuing in sin results in the increase in punishment (26:21-29<\/em>), the Lord will lay waste to the cities (26:31<\/em>), and scatter the people among the nations (26:33<\/em>).\u00a0 While studying the Scriptures we read that when one obeys God and His mitzvot the Lord will make his dwelling among His people and walk among them saying \u201cand I will be their God and they will be my people.\u201d \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

\u05db\u05ea\u05d1\u05d9 \u05d4\u05e7\u05d5\u05d3\u05e9 \/ The Holy Scriptures\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u05e1\u05e4\u05e8 \u05d5\u05d9\u05e7\u05e8\u05d0 \u05e4\u05e8\u05e7 \u05db\u05d5<\/span><\/strong>
\n\u05de\u05d0\u00a0\u00a0 \u05d0\u05b7\u05e3-\u05d0\u05b2\u05e0\u05b4\u05d9 \u05d0\u05b5\u05dc\u05b5\u05da\u05b0 \u05e2\u05b4\u05de\u05bc\u05b8\u05dd \u05d1\u05bc\u05b0\u05e7\u05b6\u05e8\u05b4\u05d9 \u05d5\u05b0\u05d4\u05b5\u05d1\u05b5\u05d0\u05ea\u05b4\u05d9 \u05d0\u05b9\u05ea\u05b8\u05dd \u05d1\u05bc\u05b0\u05d0\u05b6\u05e8\u05b6\u05e5 \u05d0\u05b9\u05d9\u05b0\u05d1\u05b5\u05d9\u05d4\u05b6\u05dd \u05d0\u05d5\u05b9-\u05d0\u05b8\u05d6 \u05d9\u05b4\u05db\u05bc\u05b8\u05e0\u05b7\u05e2 \u05dc\u05b0\u05d1\u05b8\u05d1\u05b8\u05dd \u05d4\u05b6\u05e2\u05b8\u05e8\u05b5\u05dc \u05d5\u05b0\u05d0\u05b8\u05d6 \u05d9\u05b4\u05e8\u05b0\u05e6\u05d5\u05bc \u05d0\u05b6\u05ea-\u05e2\u05b2\u05d5\u05b9\u05e0\u05b8\u05dd: \u05de\u05d1\u00a0\u00a0 \u05d5\u05b0\u05d6\u05b8\u05db\u05b7\u05e8\u05b0\u05ea\u05bc\u05b4\u05d9 \u05d0\u05b6\u05ea-\u05d1\u05bc\u05b0\u05e8\u05b4\u05d9\u05ea\u05b4\u05d9 \u05d9\u05b7\u05e2\u05b2\u05e7\u05d5\u05b9\u05d1 \u05d5\u05b0\u05d0\u05b7\u05e3 \u05d0\u05b6\u05ea-\u05d1\u05bc\u05b0\u05e8\u05b4\u05d9\u05ea\u05b4\u05d9 \u05d9\u05b4\u05e6\u05b0\u05d7\u05b8\u05e7 \u05d5\u05b0\u05d0\u05b7\u05e3 \u05d0\u05b6\u05ea-\u05d1\u05bc\u05b0\u05e8\u05b4\u05d9\u05ea\u05b4\u05d9 \u05d0\u05b7\u05d1\u05b0\u05e8\u05b8\u05d4\u05b8\u05dd \u05d0\u05b6\u05d6\u05b0\u05db\u05bc\u05b9\u05e8 \u05d5\u05b0\u05d4\u05b8\u05d0\u05b8\u05e8\u05b6\u05e5 \u05d0\u05b6\u05d6\u05b0\u05db\u05bc\u05b9\u05e8:<\/span><\/p>\n

Vayikra \/ Leviticus 26:41-42<\/em><\/strong>
\n26:41 I also was acting with hostility against them, to bring them into the land of their enemies or if their uncircumcised heart becomes humbled so that they then make amends for their iniquity, 26:42 then I will remember My covenant with Jacob, and I will remember also My covenant with Isaac, and My covenant with Abraham as well, and I will remember the land. (NASB)<\/em><\/p>\n

Studying these Scriptures we read the consequences of living in sin before the Lord Almighty, obeying God results in rain coming in its season, and our land being free from wild beasts and our enemies.\u00a0 On the other hand, disobeying God\u2019s word will cause prosperity to stop and our enemies to attack.\u00a0 The Lord God says that if the people, who were brought into the land of their enemies would humble their \u201cuncircumcised heart\u201d and repent the Lord would remember His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.\u00a0 In the Torah we read in various places God speaking of the circumcision of the heart.\u00a0 What does it mean to have a circumcised heart?\u00a0 Circumcision was a part of the covenant that God made with Abraham.\u00a0 Circumcision required that loose skin be removed from the male body which was done when a boy is 8 days old in a ritual known as a \u201cbrit milah.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 According to the passage here, God speaks of the circumcision of the heart and not of the body.\u00a0 What the Lord is saying here is that it isn\u2019t enough to just change one part of your body, you must also change your heart on the inside too.\u00a0 During circumcision, generally speaking, one cuts off the loose foreskin and pulls the skin back and then puts everything together into a new shape.\u00a0 This is the imagery that is described is needed for our hearts.\u00a0 We must allow the Spirit to cut off the loose areas of our hearts. In a boy\u2019s circumcision the part that is cut off is discarded.\u00a0 Upon coming to the Lord, there are parts of our hearts that must be cut off and discarded, such as hate, violent-tendency, lust, greed, pride, malice, discontent, prejudice and much more.\u00a0 All of these things must be circumcised and cast away.\u00a0 Similar to male circumcision our new circumcised hearts must take on a new shape upon discarding the old.\u00a0 In Yeshua the Messiah, our hearts are shaped to love God and others.\u00a0 When the Messiah walked this earth, a rich man asked him what is the greatest commandment.\u00a0 Yeshua responded saying that one must love the Lord God with all his heart, mind, and strength, and to love his neighbor as himself.\u00a0 It is by the power and indwelling of the Holy Spirit that God enables us to do just that.\u00a0 In 2 Thessalonians 1:5-9<\/em> Paul speaks of the Lord\u2019s return saying \u201c1:5 This is a plain indication of God\u2019s righteous judgment so that you will be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which indeed you are suffering. 1:6 For after all it is only just for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you, 1:7 and to give relief to you who are afflicted and to us as well when the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire, 1:8 dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 1:9 These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power. \u201d\u00a0 (NASB)<\/em> \u00a0 Here Paul says the Lord is returning to deal out retribution who do not know God and who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.\u00a0 What does it mean to \u201cobey the gospel of our Lord Jesus?\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 According to the Hebrew text in Devarim \/ Deuteronomy 28:1<\/em>, listening, harkening (\u05e9\u05de\u05e2 \u05ea\u05e9\u05de\u05e2<\/span>) is synonymous to obeying and doing the command of God.\u00a0 How does one obey the gospel of our Lord Yeshua?\u00a0 How does one live with a circumcised heart before God?\u00a0 BTT_Parashat Behar-Bechukotai-2013<\/a> <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This weeks reading is a double portion from Parshiot Behar and Bechukotai (Vayikra \/ Leviticus 25:1-27:34).\u00a0 In the reading from Parashat Behar (\u201con the mountain\u201d) we find the mitzvah to observe the year of Jubilee.\u00a0 During this year, the land is to be fallow,\u00a0 (25:1-12), all property is to revert back to its original owner […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-2239","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-bits-of-torah-truth"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.matsati.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2239","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.matsati.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.matsati.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.matsati.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.matsati.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2239"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.matsati.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2239\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.matsati.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2239"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.matsati.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2239"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.matsati.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2239"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}