{"id":2408,"date":"2013-07-21T11:33:48","date_gmt":"2013-07-21T11:33:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.matsati.com\/?p=2408"},"modified":"2013-07-21T11:33:48","modified_gmt":"2013-07-21T11:33:48","slug":"bits-of-torah-truths-parashat-ekev-pursuing-god","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.matsati.com\/index.php\/bits-of-torah-truths-parashat-ekev-pursuing-god\/","title":{"rendered":"Bits of Torah Truths, Parashat Ekev, Pursuing God"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>This weeks reading is from Parashat Ekev (<em>Devarim \/ Deuteronomy 7:12-11:25<\/em>), Moshe says <span style=\"font-size: medium;\">\u05d5\u05b0\u05d4\u05b8\u05d9\u05b8\u05d4 | \u05e2\u05b5\u05e7\u05b6\u05d1 \u05ea\u05bc\u05b4\u05e9\u05c1\u05b0\u05de\u05b0\u05e2\u05d5\u05bc\u05df \u05d0\u05b5\u05ea \u05d4\u05b7\u05de\u05bc\u05b4\u05e9\u05c1\u05b0\u05e4\u05bc\u05b8\u05d8\u05b4\u05d9\u05dd \u05d4\u05b8\u05d0\u05b5\u05dc\u05bc\u05b6\u05d4 \u05d5\u05bc\u05e9\u05c1\u05b0\u05de\u05b7\u05e8\u05b0\u05ea\u05bc\u05b6\u05dd \u05d5\u05b7\u05e2\u05b2\u05e9\u05b4\u05b9\u05d9\u05ea\u05b6\u05dd \u05d0\u05b9\u05ea\u05b8\u05dd \u05d5\u05b0\u05e9\u05c1\u05b8\u05de\u05b7\u05e8 \u05d9\u05b0\u05d4\u05b9\u05d5\u05b8\u05d4 \u05d0\u05b1\u05dc\u05b9\u05d4\u05b6\u05d9\u05da\u05b8 \u05dc\u05b0\u05da\u05b8 \u05d0\u05b6\u05ea-\u05d4\u05b7\u05d1\u05bc\u05b0\u05e8\u05b4\u05d9\u05ea \u05d5\u05b0\u05d0\u05b6\u05ea-\u05d4\u05b7\u05d7\u05b6\u05e1\u05b6\u05d3 \u05d0\u05b2\u05e9\u05c1\u05b6\u05e8 \u05e0\u05b4\u05e9\u05c1\u05b0\u05d1\u05bc\u05b7\u05e2 \u05dc\u05b7\u05d0\u05b2\u05d1\u05b9\u05ea\u05b6\u05d9\u05da\u05b8<\/span> <em>7:12 \u2018Then it shall come about, because you listen to these judgments and keep and do them, that the Lord your God will keep with you His covenant and His lovingkindness which He swore to your forefathers. (NASB)<\/em> Here Moshe explains that the Lord God will keep the covenant and mercy (<span style=\"font-size: medium;\">\u05d4\u05b7\u05d7\u05b6\u05e1\u05b6\u05d3<\/span>) that He swore to our fathers and that the Lord will bless the people exceedingly in the land if they remain faithful to Him (<em>7:12-16<\/em>).\u00a0 Moshe repeatedly warns to remain faithful to the Lord.\u00a0 These warnings are contrasted with the mighty works God did to preserve the people in the wilderness.\u00a0 Moshe writes contrasting the humbleness of heart, hunger, and the provision of Manna in the wilderness (<em>\u201cbread from Heaven\u201d<\/em>) so that they would understand that <em>\u201cman does not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord does a man live\u201d<\/em> (<em>8:3<\/em>).\u00a0 Was the Lord showing the people a future messianic expectation on the importance of the life giving \u201cWord of God\u201d that proceeds out of the mouth of the Father in Heaven?<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><strong>\u05db\u05ea\u05d1\u05d9 \u05d4\u05e7\u05d5\u05d3\u05e9 \/ The Holy Scriptures<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: right; padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><span style=\"font-size: medium;\">\u05e1\u05e4\u05e8 \u05d3\u05d1\u05e8\u05d9\u05dd \u05e4\u05e8\u05e7 \u05d7<\/span><\/strong><br \/>\n<span style=\"font-size: medium;\">\u05d0\u00a0\u00a0 \u05db\u05bc\u05b8\u05dc-\u05d4\u05b7\u05de\u05bc\u05b4\u05e6\u05b0\u05d5\u05b8\u05d4 \u05d0\u05b2\u05e9\u05c1\u05b6\u05e8 \u05d0\u05b8\u05e0\u05b9\u05db\u05b4\u05d9 \u05de\u05b0\u05e6\u05b7\u05d5\u05bc\u05b0\u05da\u05b8 \u05d4\u05b7\u05d9\u05bc\u05d5\u05b9\u05dd \u05ea\u05bc\u05b4\u05e9\u05c1\u05b0\u05de\u05b0\u05e8\u05d5\u05bc\u05df \u05dc\u05b7\u05e2\u05b2\u05e9\u05b9\u05d5\u05b9\u05ea \u05dc\u05b0\u05de\u05b7\u05e2\u05b7\u05df \u05ea\u05bc\u05b4\u05d7\u05b0\u05d9\u05d5\u05bc\u05df \u05d5\u05bc\u05e8\u05b0\u05d1\u05b4\u05d9\u05ea\u05b6\u05dd \u05d5\u05bc\u05d1\u05b8\u05d0\u05ea\u05b6\u05dd \u05d5\u05b4\u05d9\u05e8\u05b4\u05e9\u05c1\u05b0\u05ea\u05bc\u05b6\u05dd \u05d0\u05b6\u05ea-\u05d4\u05b8\u05d0\u05b8\u05e8\u05b6\u05e5 \u05d0\u05b2\u05e9\u05c1\u05b6\u05e8-\u05e0\u05b4\u05e9\u05c1\u05b0\u05d1\u05bc\u05b7\u05e2 \u05d9\u05b0\u05d4\u05d5\u05b9\u05b8\u05d4 \u05dc\u05b7\u05d0\u05b2\u05d1\u05b9\u05ea\u05b5\u05d9\u05db\u05b6\u05dd: \u05d1\u00a0\u00a0 \u05d5\u05b0\u05d6\u05b8\u05db\u05b7\u05e8\u05b0\u05ea\u05bc\u05b8 \u05d0\u05b6\u05ea-\u05db\u05bc\u05b8\u05dc-\u05d4\u05b7\u05d3\u05bc\u05b6\u05e8\u05b6\u05da\u05b0 \u05d0\u05b2\u05e9\u05c1\u05b6\u05e8 \u05d4\u05d5\u05b9\u05dc\u05b4\u05d9\u05db\u05b0\u05da\u05b8 \u05d9\u05b0\u05d4\u05d5\u05b9\u05b8\u05d4 \u05d0\u05b1\u05dc\u05b9\u05d4\u05b6\u05d9\u05da\u05b8 \u05d6\u05b6\u05d4 \u05d0\u05b7\u05e8\u05b0\u05d1\u05bc\u05b8\u05e2\u05b4\u05d9\u05dd \u05e9\u05c1\u05b8\u05e0\u05b8\u05d4 \u05d1\u05bc\u05b7\u05de\u05bc\u05b4\u05d3\u05b0\u05d1\u05bc\u05b8\u05e8 \u05dc\u05b0\u05de\u05b7\u05e2\u05b7\u05df \u05e2\u05b7\u05e0\u05bc\u05b9\u05ea\u05b0\u05da\u05b8 \u05dc\u05b0\u05e0\u05b7\u05e1\u05bc\u05b9\u05ea\u05b0\u05da\u05b8 \u05dc\u05b8\u05d3\u05b7\u05e2\u05b7\u05ea \u05d0\u05b6\u05ea-\u05d0\u05b2\u05e9\u05c1\u05b6\u05e8 \u05d1\u05bc\u05b4\u05dc\u05b0\u05d1\u05b8\u05d1\u05b0\u05da\u05b8 \u05d4\u05b2\u05ea\u05b4\u05e9\u05c1\u05b0\u05de\u05b9\u05e8 \u05de\u05b4\u05e6\u05b0\u05d5\u05b9\u05ea\u05b8\u05d5 [\u05de\u05b4\u05e6\u05b0\u05d5\u05b9\u05ea\u05b8\u05d9\u05d5] \u05d0\u05b4\u05dd-\u05dc\u05b9\u05d0: \u05d2\u00a0\u00a0 \u05d5\u05b7\u05d9\u05b0\u05e2\u05b7\u05e0\u05bc\u05b0\u05da\u05b8 \u05d5\u05b7\u05d9\u05bc\u05b7\u05e8\u05b0\u05e2\u05b4\u05d1\u05b6\u05da\u05b8 \u05d5\u05b7\u05d9\u05bc\u05b7\u05d0\u05b2\u05db\u05b4\u05dc\u05b0\u05da\u05b8 \u05d0\u05b6\u05ea-\u05d4\u05b7\u05de\u05bc\u05b8\u05df \u05d0\u05b2\u05e9\u05c1\u05b6\u05e8 \u05dc\u05b9\u05d0-\u05d9\u05b8\u05d3\u05b7\u05e2\u05b0\u05ea\u05bc\u05b8 \u05d5\u05b0\u05dc\u05b9\u05d0 \u05d9\u05b8\u05d3\u05b0\u05e2\u05d5\u05bc\u05df \u05d0\u05b2\u05d1\u05b9\u05ea\u05b6\u05d9\u05da\u05b8 \u05dc\u05b0\u05de\u05b7\u05e2\u05b7\u05df \u05d4\u05d5\u05b9\u05d3\u05b4\u05d9\u05e2\u05b2\u05da\u05b8 \u05db\u05bc\u05b4\u05d9 \u05dc\u05b9\u05d0 \u05e2\u05b7\u05dc-\u05d4\u05b7\u05dc\u05bc\u05b6\u05d7\u05b6\u05dd \u05dc\u05b0\u05d1\u05b7\u05d3\u05bc\u05d5\u05b9 \u05d9\u05b4\u05d7\u05b0\u05d9\u05b6\u05d4 \u05d4\u05b8\u05d0\u05b8\u05d3\u05b8\u05dd \u05db\u05bc\u05b4\u05d9 \u05e2\u05b7\u05dc-\u05db\u05bc\u05b8\u05dc-\u05de\u05d5\u05b9\u05e6\u05b8\u05d0 \u05e4\u05b4\u05d9-\u05d9\u05b0\u05d4\u05d5\u05b9\u05b8\u05d4 \u05d9\u05b4\u05d7\u05b0\u05d9\u05b6\u05d4 \u05d4\u05b8\u05d0\u05b8\u05d3\u05b8\u05dd:<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Devarim \/ Deuteronomy 8:1-3<\/em><\/strong><br \/>\n<em>8:1 \u2018All the commandments that I am commanding you today you shall be careful to do, that you may live and multiply, and go in and possess the land which the Lord swore to give to your forefathers. 8:2 \u2018You shall remember all the way which the Lord your God has led you in the wilderness these forty years, that He might humble you, testing you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not. 8:3 \u2018He humbled you and let you be hungry, and fed you with manna which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that He might make you understand that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord. (NASB)<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Here in <em>Devarim \/ Deuteronomy 8:1-3<\/em> Moshe says that the Lord humbled the people and fed them with manna, a food that looked like little flakes or grains (<em>Shemot \/ Exodus 16:31<\/em>) and tastes sweet like honey.\u00a0 Moshe says this taught the people that man did not live by bread alone but on <em>\u201call that goes out\u201d<\/em> (<span style=\"font-size: medium;\">\u05e2\u05dc-\u05db\u05dc-\u05de\u05d5\u05e6\u05d0<\/span>) or proceeds from the mouth of the Lord.\u00a0 Moshe is saying that our life depends upon God\u2019s Word.\u00a0 According to the Torah, bread was generally made from wheat (<em>Shemot \/ Exodus 29:2 and Judges 6:19<\/em>), though sometimes bread was made from other grains too (<em>Bereshit \/ Genesis 14:18 and Judges 7:13<\/em>).\u00a0 Unleavened bread was used for Passover (<em>Shemot \/ Exodus 12:15-20, Devarim \/ Deuteronomy 16:3<\/em>), the bread of the presence was provided fresh every Shabbat and were to be eaten in the Tabernacle by the Priests (<em>Shemot \/ Exodus 25:30, Vayikra \/ Leviticus 24:8, 1 Samuel 21:1-6, and Matthew 12:4<\/em>).\u00a0 The word <em>\u201cbread\u201d<\/em> (<span style=\"font-size: medium;\">\u05dc\u05d7\u05dd<\/span>) is also used figuratively in the Tanakh as the bread of sorrows in <em>Tehillim \/ Psalms 127:2<\/em>, the bread of tears in <em>Tehillim \/ Psalms 80:5<\/em>, the bread of wickedness in <em>Mishley \/ Proverbs 4:17<\/em>, and of deceit in <em>Mishley \/ Proverbs 20:17<\/em>.\u00a0 The Psalms and Proverbs suggest to us that bread can be used to illustrate the works of the flesh.\u00a0 Is this how and why Yeshua used unleavened bread symbolically referring to his body?\u00a0 Here in Parashat Ekev and in Parashat Beshalach Lecha (<em>Shemot \/ Exodus 16<\/em>) Manna is introduced as bread that God has given to the people from Heaven.\u00a0 On seeing the manna on the ground each man said to his brother in Hebrew <em>\u201cMa Hu\u201d<\/em> (<span style=\"font-size: medium;\">\u05d0\u05b4\u05d9\u05e9\u05c1 \u05d0\u05b6\u05dc-\u05d0\u05b8\u05d7\u05b4\u05d9\u05d5 \u05de\u05b8\u05df \u05d4\u05d5\u05bc\u05d0 \u05d5\u05b7\u05d9\u05bc\u05b9\u05d0\u05de\u05b0\u05e8\u05d5\u05bc<\/span>) which means <em>\u201cWhat\/who is He.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 The pronoun <em>\u201chu\u201d<\/em> (<span style=\"font-size: medium;\">\u05d4\u05d5\u05bc\u05d0<\/span>) can be used in the Hebrew language to refer to a person, place, or thing.\u00a0 The personal pronoun can also refer to a plurality (of Israel) according its usage in Parashat Balak (<em>Bamidbar \/ Numbers 22:12<\/em>, <span style=\"font-size: medium;\">\u05d5\u05b7\u05d9\u05bc\u05b9\u05d0\u05de\u05b6\u05e8 \u05d0\u05b1\u05dc\u05b9\u05d4\u05b4\u05d9\u05dd \u05d0\u05b6\u05dc-\u05d1\u05bc\u05b4\u05dc\u05b0\u05e2\u05b8\u05dd \u05dc\u05b9\u05d0 \u05ea\u05b5\u05dc\u05b5\u05da\u05b0 \u05e2\u05b4\u05de\u05bc\u05b8\u05d4\u05b6\u05dd \u05dc\u05b9\u05d0 \u05ea\u05b8\u05d0\u05b9\u05e8 \u05d0\u05b6\u05ea-\u05d4\u05b8\u05e2\u05b8\u05dd \u05db\u05bc\u05b4\u05d9 \u05d1\u05b8\u05e8\u05d5\u05bc\u05da\u05b0 <strong>\u05d4\u05d5\u05bc\u05d0<\/strong><\/span>).\u00a0 If the word <span style=\"font-size: medium;\">\u05d4\u05d5\u05bc\u05d0<\/span> is used in the neuter gender, the word has the meaning <em>\u201cit.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 When the people said <em>\u201cMa Hu\u201d<\/em> they were asking the question <em>\u201cWhat is It?\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 The Aramaic Targum according to Onkelos states that the people were uncertain (<span style=\"font-size: medium;\">\u05d5\u05b7\u05d7\u05b2\u05d6\u05d5\u05b9 \u05d1\u05b0\u05e0\u05b5\u05d9 \u05d9\u05b4\u05e9\u05b0\u05b9\u05e8\u05b8\u05d0\u05b5\u05dc \u05d5\u05b7\u05d0\u05b2\u05de\u05b8\u05e8\u05d5\u05bc \u05d2\u05bc\u05b0\u05d1\u05b7\u05e8 \u05dc\u05b7\u05d0\u05b2\u05d7\u05d5\u05bc\u05d4\u05b4\u05d9 \u05de\u05b7\u05e0\u05bc\u05b8\u05d0 \u05d4\u05d5\u05bc\u05d0 \u05d0\u05b2\u05e8\u05b5\u05d9 \u05dc\u05b8\u05d0 \u05d9\u05b0\u05d3\u05b8\u05e2\u05d5\u05bc \u05de\u05b8\u05d4 \u05d4\u05d5\u05bc\u05d0 \u05d5\u05b7\u05d0\u05b2\u05de\u05b7\u05e8 \u05de\u05e9\u05c1\u05b6\u05d4 \u05dc\u05b0\u05d4\u05d5\u05b9\u05df \u05d4\u05d5\u05bc\u05d0 \u05dc\u05b7\u05d7\u05b2\u05de\u05b8\u05d0 \u05d3\u05bc\u05b4\u05d9\u05d4\u05b7\u05d1 \u05d9\u05b0\u05d9\u05b8 \u05dc\u05b0\u05db\u05d5\u05b9\u05df \u05dc\u05b0\u05de\u05b5\u05d9\u05db\u05b7\u05dc<\/span>) indicated by the Aramaic word <span style=\"font-size: medium;\">\u05d0\u05b2\u05e8\u05b5\u05d9<\/span> meaning to be uncertain in the sense of seeing like in a vision according to Brown, Driver, and Briggs Lexicon.\u00a0 According to <em>John 6:31-32<\/em>, Yeshua the Messiah uses the people\u2019s statement <em>\u201cMa Hu\u201d<\/em> (<span style=\"font-size: medium;\">\u05de\u05b8\u05d4 \u05d4\u05d5\u05bc\u05d0<\/span>) to indicate what the people did not know then, he is explaining to them now.\u00a0 He is the one these scriptures are referring too.\u00a0 The true bread that comes from heaven is the Word of the Living God (<em>John 6:31-32<\/em>) and affirms what is written in the Torah of Him in <em>Devarim \/ Deuteronomy 8:1-3<\/em>.\u00a0 Based on Parashat Ekev, Moshe understood the Lord God to be actively pursuing us through His Word, illustrated by the <em>\u201cbread that is from heaven.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 Notice the context with which Moshe is speaking.\u00a0 <em>Devarim \/ Deuteronomy 8:1 \u2018All the commandments that I am commanding you today you shall be careful to do, that you may live and multiply, and go in and possess the land which the Lord swore to give to your forefathers. (NASB)<\/em>\u00a0 The Lord God is pursuing us and according to these words, we are also to be pursuing Him.\u00a0 The prophet Amos says <em>5:18 Alas, you who are longing for the day of the Lord, For what purpose will the day of the Lord be to you? It will be darkness and not light; (NASB)<\/em>\u00a0 The people Amos is referring to, do they appear to know they are acting wickedly before the Lord?\u00a0 Is this because these people are not truly pursuing God in the way He chooses?\u00a0 To be expectant of the coming day of the Lord is something every child of God is longing for; however in that great day, will it be darkness and not light because of the heaviness of sin in your life?\u00a0 The rabbis say that this great day will be either light or darkness depending upon the righteousness of a particular person (<em>Midrash Tehillim 22<\/em>).\u00a0 Though our righteousness is in Christ, we also need to be pursuing the Lord being careful to do what God says according to His Word! \u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.matsati.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/07\/BTT_Parashat-Ekev-2013.pdf\">BTT_Parashat Ekev-2013<\/a>  <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>This weeks reading is from Parashat Ekev (Devarim \/ Deuteronomy 7:12-11:25), Moshe says \u05d5\u05b0\u05d4\u05b8\u05d9\u05b8\u05d4 | \u05e2\u05b5\u05e7\u05b6\u05d1 \u05ea\u05bc\u05b4\u05e9\u05c1\u05b0\u05de\u05b0\u05e2\u05d5\u05bc\u05df \u05d0\u05b5\u05ea \u05d4\u05b7\u05de\u05bc\u05b4\u05e9\u05c1\u05b0\u05e4\u05bc\u05b8\u05d8\u05b4\u05d9\u05dd \u05d4\u05b8\u05d0\u05b5\u05dc\u05bc\u05b6\u05d4 \u05d5\u05bc\u05e9\u05c1\u05b0\u05de\u05b7\u05e8\u05b0\u05ea\u05bc\u05b6\u05dd \u05d5\u05b7\u05e2\u05b2\u05e9\u05b4\u05b9\u05d9\u05ea\u05b6\u05dd \u05d0\u05b9\u05ea\u05b8\u05dd \u05d5\u05b0\u05e9\u05c1\u05b8\u05de\u05b7\u05e8 \u05d9\u05b0\u05d4\u05b9\u05d5\u05b8\u05d4 \u05d0\u05b1\u05dc\u05b9\u05d4\u05b6\u05d9\u05da\u05b8 \u05dc\u05b0\u05da\u05b8 \u05d0\u05b6\u05ea-\u05d4\u05b7\u05d1\u05bc\u05b0\u05e8\u05b4\u05d9\u05ea \u05d5\u05b0\u05d0\u05b6\u05ea-\u05d4\u05b7\u05d7\u05b6\u05e1\u05b6\u05d3 \u05d0\u05b2\u05e9\u05c1\u05b6\u05e8 \u05e0\u05b4\u05e9\u05c1\u05b0\u05d1\u05bc\u05b7\u05e2 \u05dc\u05b7\u05d0\u05b2\u05d1\u05b9\u05ea\u05b6\u05d9\u05da\u05b8 7:12 \u2018Then it shall come about, because you listen to these judgments and keep and do them, that the Lord your God will [&hellip;]<\/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-2408","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\/2408","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=2408"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.matsati.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2408\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.matsati.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2408"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.matsati.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2408"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.matsati.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2408"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}