{"id":3807,"date":"2015-03-01T14:49:08","date_gmt":"2015-03-01T14:49:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.matsati.com\/?p=3807"},"modified":"2015-03-06T02:09:31","modified_gmt":"2015-03-06T02:09:31","slug":"bits-of-torah-truths-parashat-ki-tisa-to-fulfill-the-law-a-rabbinic-idiom","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.matsati.com\/index.php\/bits-of-torah-truths-parashat-ki-tisa-to-fulfill-the-law-a-rabbinic-idiom\/","title":{"rendered":"Bits of Torah Truths, Parashat Ki Tisa, To Fulfill the Law &#8211; A Rabbinic Idiom"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[youtube url=&#8221;https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=FC0QJFXhXRY&amp;feature=youtu.be&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p>This weeks reading is from Parashat Ki Tisa (<em><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">Shemot \/ Exodus 30:11-34:35<\/span><\/em>).\u00a0 The portion opens with the Lord instructing Moshe to take a census of the people (<em><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">30:12<\/span><\/em>).\u00a0 The Scriptures say that and each person is to give a ransom (half-shekel) to the Lord when numbered.\u00a0 Moshe instructs to make the bronze laver (<em><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">30:17-18<\/span><\/em>), and the perfume for incense to be used to make the cloud within the tabernacle (<em><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">30:23-33<\/span><\/em>).\u00a0 Moshe went up the mountain (Sinai, <em><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">32:1<\/span><\/em>) and spent a considerable amount of time on the mountain.\u00a0 The people then asked Aaron to make gods for them to worship.\u00a0 Aaron took gold from the people and made a golden calf for them to worship (<em><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">32:2-6<\/span><\/em>).\u00a0 The Lord seeks to destroy the people and Moshe reminds the Lord of the covenant promises He had made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (<em><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">32:7-13<\/span><\/em>).\u00a0 Moshe descends the mountain and destroys the two tablets (<em><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">Aseret Hadibrot<\/span><\/em>) because of the people\u2019s sin (<em><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">32:14-19<\/span><\/em>).\u00a0 Moshe grinds the golden calf into fine powder, mixes it with water, and causes the children of Israel to drink it.\u00a0 He then instructs the people to dedicate themselves to the Lord as he returns in an attempt to make atonement for their sins (<em><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">32:29-30<\/span><\/em>).\u00a0 Moshe asks to be blotted out of the book of life if the Lord will not forgive the people (<em><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">32:31-34<\/span><\/em>).\u00a0 Moshe asks that the Lord\u2019s presence come with the Children of Israel (<em><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">33:12-17<\/span><\/em>) and he asks to see God\u2019s Glory (<em><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">33:18<\/span><\/em>).\u00a0 The Lord shows Moshe His glory and declares who He is, merciful, gracious, slow to anger, loving, and having grace, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin for thousands (<em><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">34:6-7<\/span><\/em>).<\/p>\n<p>Reading through the Torah portion this week, notice how the people did not understand what it means to obey God, or what it means to fulfill the Law.\u00a0 One of the major concepts found within the rabbinic literature is the concept of what it means to fulfill the Torah.\u00a0 Had the people understood the meaning of <em><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">\u201cto fulfill the Torah,\u201d<\/span><\/em> would they have taken better counsel to not make the mistake they did asking Aaron to build them a golden calf?<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: right;\"><strong>\u05e1\u05e4\u05e8 \u05e9\u05de\u05d5\u05ea \u05e4\u05e8\u05e7 \u05dc\u05d0<\/strong><br \/>\n\u05d0\u00a0\u00a0 \u05d5\u05b7\u05d9\u05b0\u05d3\u05b7\u05d1\u05bc\u05b5\u05e8 \u05d9\u05b0\u05d4\u05d5\u05b9\u05b8\u05d4 \u05d0\u05b6\u05dc-\u05de\u05b9\u05e9\u05c1\u05b6\u05d4 \u05dc\u05bc\u05b5\u05d0\u05de\u05b9\u05e8: \u05d1\u00a0\u00a0 \u05e8\u05b0\u05d0\u05b5\u05d4 \u05e7\u05b8\u05e8\u05b8\u05d0\u05ea\u05b4\u05d9 \u05d1\u05b0\u05e9\u05c1\u05b5\u05dd \u05d1\u05bc\u05b0\u05e6\u05b7\u05dc\u05b0\u05d0\u05b5\u05dc \u05d1\u05bc\u05b6\u05df-\u05d0\u05d5\u05bc\u05e8\u05b4\u05d9 \u05d1\u05b6\u05df-\u05d7\u05d5\u05bc\u05e8 \u05dc\u05b0\u05de\u05b7\u05d8\u05bc\u05b5\u05d4 \u05d9\u05b0\u05d4\u05d5\u05bc\u05d3\u05b8\u05d4: \u05d2\u00a0\u00a0 \u05d5\u05b8\u05d0\u05b2\u05de\u05b7\u05dc\u05bc\u05b5\u05d0 \u05d0\u05b9\u05ea\u05d5\u05b9 \u05e8\u05d5\u05bc\u05d7\u05b7 \u05d0\u05b1\u05dc\u05b9\u05d4\u05b4\u05d9\u05dd \u05d1\u05bc\u05b0\u05d7\u05b8\u05db\u05b0\u05de\u05b8\u05d4 \u05d5\u05bc\u05d1\u05b4\u05ea\u05b0\u05d1\u05d5\u05bc\u05e0\u05b8\u05d4 \u05d5\u05bc\u05d1\u05b0\u05d3\u05b7\u05e2\u05b7\u05ea \u05d5\u05bc\u05d1\u05b0\u05db\u05b8\u05dc-\u05de\u05b0\u05dc\u05b8\u05d0\u05db\u05b8\u05d4:<\/p>\n<p><strong><em><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">Shemot \/ Exodus 31:1-3<\/span><\/em><\/strong><br \/>\n<em><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"> 31:1 Now the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 31:2 \u2018See, I have called by name Bezalel, the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. 31:3 \u2018I have filled him with the Spirit of God in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all kinds of craftsmanship, (NASB)<\/span><\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>The Torah portion for this week speaks of the Lord telling Moshe that He had called by name Bezalel to construct the Tabernacle.\u00a0 Based on the opening verse from Parashat Ki Tisa, the rabbis comment in Midrash Rabbah to say the following:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong><em><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">Midrash Rabbah Shemot, Parashat 39, Part 2<\/span><\/em><\/strong><br \/>\n<em><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"> And the Lord spoke unto Moshe, saying See, I have called by name Bezalel (Shemot \/ Exodus 31:2.\u00a0 Rabbi Tanhuma son of Abba began thus, Then did He see it and declare it; He established it, yea, and searched it, and declared it (Job 28:27).\u00a0 Had it not been that God foresaw it that Israel would receive the Torah, He would not have created the world; for it says, Then did He see it, and declare it.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><strong>&#8230;<\/strong><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p><em><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">Rabbi Hoshaya said, Anyone who has knowledge but lacks the fear of sin, really has nothing, just as a carpenter who has no tools with him is not a real carpenter; because the bolts which guard learning are the fear of sin, as it says, And the fear of the Lord is its treasure-house (Isaiah 33:6).\u00a0 Rabbi Johanan said, If one knows the Torah but does not fulfill it, it were better for him that he had not been born, and that the after-birth in which he lay had been turned over his face; for this reason does it say, and unto man He said, Behold the fear of the Lord that is wisdom.\u00a0 Rabbi Hayya son of Abba said, What is the meaning of The fear of the Lord, that is wisdom?\u00a0 God said, I will give you a reward in return for your good deeds; the reward being Torah as it says, And unto man He said, Behold the fear o the Lord, that is wisdom, and to depart from evil is understanding.\u00a0 The second half of the verse means, If you depart from evil, then will I raise men from you who will understand Torah.\u00a0 This we have derived from Jochabed and Miriam who feared God, as it is written, And it came to pass, because the midwives feared God, that He made them houses (Shemot \/ Exodus 1:12).\u00a0 Rabbi Berekiah, in the name of rabbbi Hiyya son of Abba said, The reward of fear is Torah, for the Lord raised up jochabed Moshe, who had the distinction of having the Torah ascribed to him, as it says, Remember the law of Moshe My servant (Malachi 3:22), and also, Moshe commanded us a law (Devarim \/ Deuteronomy 33:4).\u00a0 As for Miriam, because she departed from evil and from sin, God raised up from her Bezalel, who attained to wisdom and understanding.\u00a0 Hence does it say, See I have called by name Bezalel, etc.\u00a0 And I have filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge.<\/span><\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>The midrash begins by interpreting the Scripture, \u05d1\u00a0\u00a0 \u05e8\u05b0\u05d0\u05b5\u05d4 \u05e7\u05b8\u05e8\u05b8\u05d0\u05ea\u05b4\u05d9 \u05d1\u05b0\u05e9\u05c1\u05b5\u05dd \u05d1\u05bc\u05b0\u05e6\u05b7\u05dc\u05b0\u05d0\u05b5\u05dc \u05d1\u05bc\u05b6\u05df-\u05d0\u05d5\u05bc\u05e8\u05b4\u05d9 \u05d1\u05b6\u05df-\u05d7\u05d5\u05bc\u05e8 \u05dc\u05b0\u05de\u05b7\u05d8\u05bc\u05b5\u05d4 \u05d9\u05b0\u05d4\u05d5\u05bc\u05d3\u05b8\u05d4: <em><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">31:2 \u2018See, I have called by name Bezalel, the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. (NASB)<\/span><\/em>\u00a0 It appears that the rabbis recognize the significance of the name Bezalel (\u05d1\u05bc\u05b0\u05e6\u05b7\u05dc\u05b0\u05d0\u05b5\u05dc) which means <em><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">\u201cin the shadow of God,\u201d<\/span><\/em> which is indicated in the midrash by the statement, <em><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">\u201cHad it not been that God foresaw it that Israel would receive the Torah, He would not have created the world.\u201d<\/span><\/em>\u00a0 The idea is that Israel\u2019s acceptance of the Torah was what led the Lord to having created this world as we know it.\u00a0 The important concept being taught here is that one stands in the protection of God, in His shadow, by walking in His ways, in the way of God\u2019s Torah.\u00a0 This idea is taken further in the midrash indicated by the rabbis comments that say, <em><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">\u201cRabbi Johanan said, If one knows the Torah but does not fulfill it, it were better for him that he had not been born, and that the after-birth in which he lay had been turned over his face; for this reason does it say, and unto man He said, Behold the fear of the Lord that is wisdom.\u201d<\/span><\/em>\u00a0 The illustrations used of the carpenter who has no tools, is paralleled to one who calls himself a child of God and does not walk in God\u2019s ways.\u00a0 Rabbi Johanan says that knowing the Torah should be followed by fulfilling it.\u00a0 The fear of the Lord is also paralleled to the one who fulfills the Torah.\u00a0 Let\u2019s discuss what it means to fulfill the Torah?<\/p>\n<p>The Apostle Paul said to the <em><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">Romans 13:10 Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. (NASB)<\/span><\/em>\u00a0 What does it mean to fulfill the law (Torah)?\u00a0 The phrase <em><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">\u201cfulfill the Torah\u201d<\/span><\/em> is a rabbinic idiom that is still in use today.\u00a0 The word <em><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">\u201cLaw\u201d<\/span><\/em> or <em><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">\u201cTorah\u201d<\/span> <\/em>is understood from the sense of teaching, guidance, and instruction, rather than the <em><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">\u201clegal regulation.\u201d<\/span><\/em>\u00a0 Note from last weeks Torah portion, the Torah is understood as the light of God which provides for us guidance and instruction for living.\u00a0 Commentators have often understood the Torah to refer to the first five books of the Bible but tend to look at the Torah purely from the perspective of being a legal regulation rather than a loving God giving His children loving instructions for living.\u00a0 According to the Scriptures, we also know that the word Torah may be used as a reference to the Scriptures in general.<\/p>\n<p>In Yeshua\u2019s time, and amongst Jews today, the Torah is a very positive thing, the Lord God gave us His instructions for living because He loves us and wants the best for our lives.\u00a0 As a result of this, the rabbis made it their goal to understand these instructions and to teach people to live by them just like we read in <em><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">Ezra 7:10<\/span><\/em>.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong><em><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">Ezra 7:9-10<\/span><\/em><\/strong><br \/>\n<em><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"> 7:9 For on the first of the first month he began to go up from Babylon; and on the first of the fifth month he came to Jerusalem, because the good hand of his God was upon him. 7:10 For Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the Lord and to practice it, and to teach His statutes and ordinances in Israel. (NASB)<\/span><\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Looking at the Hebrew translation of <em><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">Romans 13:10<\/span><\/em> (\u05d4\u05d0\u05d4\u05d1\u05d4 \u05dc\u05d0 \u05ea\u05e8\u05e2 \u05dc\u05e8\u05e2 \u05e2\u05dc \u05db\u05df \u05d4\u05d0\u05d4\u05d1\u05d4 \u05e7\u05d9\u05d5\u05dd \u05d4\u05ea\u05d5\u05e8\u05d4 \u05db\u05dc\u05d4\u05c3) we can see the translation of <em><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">\u201cto fulfill\u201d<\/span><\/em> or <em><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">\u201cfulfillment\u201d<\/span><\/em> is taken from the word \u05e7\u05d9\u05d5\u05dd which means \u05dc\u05e7\u05d9\u05d9\u05dd <em><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">\u201cto fulfill, carry out, hold, save\u201d<\/span><\/em> not to destroy.\u00a0 This word means to uphold or establish as well as to fulfill, complete, or accomplish.\u00a0 In rabbinic thought, the phrase <em><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">\u201cfulfill the Law\u201d<\/span><\/em> is often used as an idiom to refer to the proper interpretation of the Torah so that people can follow in God\u2019s ways in the way that He had intended.\u00a0 The difficulty today is that there are some interpretations that are designed to undermine the meaning of the Torah by misinterpreting it.\u00a0 The rabbinic concept of to fulfill the Law is how to properly obey God\u2019s commands.\u00a0 Take for example, the mitzvah concerning adultery.\u00a0 One could interpret this command to say that this is specifically against one\u2019s spouse, and not about pornography, thus, looking at pornography is OK.\u00a0 When Yeshua declared lust as also being a violation of the command (<em><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">Matthew 5:28<\/span><\/em>), he was clarifying the true intent of the Torah, looking at pornography is also adultery, thus, Yeshua clarified the true intent of the law in the sense of the rabbinic understanding of <em><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">\u201cto fulfill the Law.\u201d<\/span><\/em>\u00a0 Yeshua was teaching in <em><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">Matthew 5<\/span><\/em> how to properly obey God\u2019s command.\u00a0 In a similar manner, the rabbinic understanding of <em><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">\u201cfulfilling the Law\u201d<\/span><\/em> is within this context.\u00a0 Another example may be found in <em><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">Mishnah, Horayot 1:3<\/span><\/em>. (<em>Note that the Mishnah is a composition of Jewish law that contains sayings from 200 BC to 200 AD.<\/em>)<\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong><em><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">Mishnah, Horayot 1:3<\/span><\/em><\/strong><br \/>\n<em><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"> If the Sanhedrin gives a decision to abolish (uproot) a law, by saying for instance, that the Torah does not include the laws of Sabbath or idolatry, the members of the court are free from a sin offering if they obey them; but if the Sanhedrin abolishes only one part of a law but fulfills (lekayem) the other part, they are liable.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong><em><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">Mishnah, Pirke Avot, 4:14<\/span><\/em><\/strong><br \/>\n<em><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"> Go away to a place of study of the Torah, and do not suppose that it will come to you. For your fellow disciples will fulfill it in your hand. And on your own understanding do not rely. (Here \u201cfulfill\u201d means to explain and interpret the Scripture.)<\/span><\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Here we another sense of the phrase <em><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">\u201cfulfill the Law,\u201d<\/span><\/em> is given which means <em><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">\u201cto carry out a law,\u201d<\/span><\/em> or what it means to actually do what it says.\u00a0 In the rabbinic rulings near Yeshua\u2019s time, we can find many examples of this usage, such as from <em><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">Mishnah, Sukkot 2:7, \u201cIf this is how you act, you have never in your whole life fulfilled the requirement of dwelling in a sukkah!\u201d<\/span><\/em>\u00a0 Here, one rabbi is criticizing another\u2019s interpretation of the Torah, which caused him not to do what it really intends.\u00a0 Teaching that Christians are not obligated to obey the Torah is a gross error if the Apostolic writings are written from the rabbinic point of view of doing what the Torah really intends in the fulfillment of the Torah as opposed to its being destroyed or done away with.<\/p>\n<p>Another example may be taken from <em><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">Mishnah, Pirke Avot 4:9<\/span><\/em>, which reads, <em><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">\u201cWhoever fulfills the Torah when poor will in the end fulfill it in wealth. And whoever treats the Torah as nothing when he is wealthy in the end will treat it as nothing in poverty.\u201d<\/span><\/em>\u00a0 Again, the rabbis discuss <em><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">\u201cto obey\u201d<\/span><\/em> as opposed to the modern mindset that <em><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">\u201cfulfill\u201d<\/span><\/em> was meant to do away with something.\u00a0 In the Apostolic Writings, these two usages of <em><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">\u201cfulfill\u201d<\/span><\/em> appear to be key to understanding Yeshua\u2019s words on the passage in <em><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">Matthew 5<\/span><\/em> that begins with him speaking about <em><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">\u201cfulfilling the law.\u201d<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong><em><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">Matthew 5:19<\/span><\/em><\/strong><br \/>\n<em><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"> Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. (NASB)<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p>19\u1f43\u03c2 \u1f10\u1f70\u03bd \u03bf\u1f56\u03bd \u03bb\u1f7b\u03c3\u1fc3 \u03bc\u1f77\u03b1\u03bd \u03c4\u1ff6\u03bd \u1f10\u03bd\u03c4\u03bf\u03bb\u1ff6\u03bd \u03c4\u03bf\u1f7b\u03c4\u03c9\u03bd \u03c4\u1ff6\u03bd \u1f10\u03bb\u03b1\u03c7\u1f77\u03c3\u03c4\u03c9\u03bd \u03ba\u03b1\u1f76 \u03b4\u03b9\u03b4\u1f71\u03be\u1fc3 \u03bf\u1f55\u03c4\u03c9\u03c2 \u03c4\u03bf\u1f7a\u03c2 \u1f00\u03bd\u03b8\u03c1\u1f7d\u03c0\u03bf\u03c5\u03c2, \u1f10\u03bb\u1f71\u03c7\u03b9\u03c3\u03c4\u03bf\u03c2 \u03ba\u03bb\u03b7\u03b8\u1f75\u03c3\u03b5\u03c4\u03b1\u03b9 \u1f10\u03bd \u03c4\u1fc7 \u03b2\u03b1\u03c3\u03b9\u03bb\u03b5\u1f77\u1fb3 \u03c4\u1ff6\u03bd \u03bf\u1f50\u03c1\u03b1\u03bd\u1ff6\u03bd: \u1f43\u03c2 \u03b4\u2019 \u1f02\u03bd \u03c0\u03bf\u03b9\u1f75\u03c3\u1fc3 \u03ba\u03b1\u1f76 \u03b4\u03b9\u03b4\u1f71\u03be\u1fc3, \u03bf\u1f57\u03c4\u03bf\u03c2 \u03bc\u1f73\u03b3\u03b1\u03c2 \u03ba\u03bb\u03b7\u03b8\u1f75\u03c3\u03b5\u03c4\u03b1\u03b9 \u1f10\u03bd \u03c4\u1fc7 \u03b2\u03b1\u03c3\u03b9\u03bb\u03b5\u1f77\u1fb3 \u03c4\u1ff6\u03bd \u03bf\u1f50\u03c1\u03b1\u03bd\u1ff6\u03bd.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: right;\">\u05dc\u05db\u05df \u05de\u05d9 \u05d0\u05e9\u05e8 \u05d9\u05e4\u05e8 \u05d0\u05d7\u05ea \u05de\u05df \u05d4\u05de\u05e6\u05d5\u05ea \u05d4\u05e7\u05d8\u05e0\u05d5\u05ea \u05d4\u05d0\u05dc\u05d4 \u05d5\u05db\u05df \u05d9\u05dc\u05de\u05d3 \u05d0\u05ea \u05d1\u05e0\u05d9 \u05d4\u05d0\u05d3\u05dd \u05e7\u05d8\u05d5\u05df \u05d9\u05e7\u05e8\u05d0 \u05d1\u05de\u05dc\u05db\u05d5\u05ea \u05d4\u05e9\u05de\u05d9\u05dd \u05d5\u05d0\u05e9\u05e8 \u05d9\u05e2\u05e9\u05d4 \u05d5\u05d9\u05dc\u05de\u05d3 \u05d0\u05d5\u05ea\u05df \u05d4\u05d5\u05d0 \u05d2\u05d3\u05d5\u05dc \u05d9\u05e7\u05e8\u05d0 \u05d1\u05de\u05dc\u05db\u05d5\u05ea \u05d4\u05e9\u05de\u05d9\u05dd\u05c3<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Here we find two actions (i) <em><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">\u201cpracticing\u201d<\/span><\/em> and (ii) <em><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">\u201cteaching others to do the same.\u201d<\/span><\/em>\u00a0\u00a0 These two are a parallel to the two idiomatic senses of <em><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">\u201cfulfill,\u201d<\/span><\/em> while the words <em><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">\u201cbreak\u201d<\/span><\/em> and <em><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">\u201cteach others to break\u201d<\/span><\/em> are the idiomatic senses of <em><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">\u201cabolish.\u201d<\/span><\/em>\u00a0 Yeshua\u2019s statement about fulfilling and abolishing the Torah is a parallel to this sentence.\u00a0 Remember that parallelisms were also a very common rabbinic method for emphasizing an idea in the Bible.\u00a0 By understanding the idiom of <em><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">\u201cto fulfill,\u201d<\/span><\/em> we see that Yeshua was emphatically stating his intention, which was to explain God\u2019s word and live by it, and not to undermine it.\u00a0 Based upon this analysis, to teach that the Torah is abolished or done away with is to undermine the true meaning of God\u2019s word.<\/p>\n<p>The question then is if the Torah is God\u2019s instructions for how to live, then are Gentiles entirely excluded from its wonderful truths?\u00a0 In both the epistles of Paul to the Romans and Galatians, following Paul\u2019s having spent time arguing over the halachah regarding how to observe the Torah and its relationship to salvation in Yeshua the Messiah, he answers this question by speaking about how the Gentiles can <em><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">\u201cfulfill the Law\u201d<\/span><\/em> according to <em><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">Romans 13:8-10<\/span><\/em> and <em><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">Galatians 5:14<\/span><\/em>.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong><em><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">Romans 13:8-10<\/span><\/em><\/strong><br \/>\n<em><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"> 13:8 Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law 13:9 For this, \u2018You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,\u2019 and if there is any other commandment, it is summed up in this saying, \u2018You shall love your neighbor as yourself.\u2019 13:10 Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. (NASB)<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong><em><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">Galatians 5:14<\/span><\/em><\/strong><br \/>\n<em><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"> 5:14 For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement\u00a0 \u2018You shall love your neighbor as yourself.\u2019 (NASB)<\/span><\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>The question about these Scriptures is whether <em><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">\u201cPaul is using the idiomatic sense of \u2018fulfill the Torah or not?\u2019\u201d<\/span><\/em>\u00a0 If Paul is using the idiomatic sense of <em><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">\u201cfulfill the Torah,\u201d<\/span><\/em> he is reiterating Yeshua\u2019s key teaching about loving God and neighbor that says <em><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">\u201cAll the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments\u201d<\/span><\/em> (<em><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">Matthew 22:40<\/span><\/em>).\u00a0 These two commands are the summation of all the Torah.\u00a0 Remember, summation is a mathematical operation that is inclusive, not exclusive.\u00a0 There is Torah principle that is at work here in the sense that is taken from the opening chapters from Vayikra \/ Leviticus on the sacrifices which say <em><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">\u201cif you sin, then you are to bring a sacrifice, etc\u201d<\/span><\/em>\u00a0 The key word is <em><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">\u201cif\u201d<\/span><\/em> whereby the sacrifice would not be necessary <em><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">\u201cif\u201d<\/span><\/em> one did not sin.\u00a0 Under this Torah principle, <em><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">\u201cLove\u201d<\/span><\/em> is the fundamental tenet or motivation that shapes how all laws are be obeyed, we obey God\u2019s law because we love Him.\u00a0 Paul also seems to be using the idiomatic sense of <em><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">\u201cfulfill the Torah\u201d<\/span><\/em> to say that loving your neighbor is actually the living out of the Torah.\u00a0 When we love our neighbor, it is as if we have done everything God has asked of us.\u00a0 The point is that a person who is honest and praiseworthy in all his dealings with others has truly hit God\u2019s goal for how he should live.\u00a0 This may be achieved only by the power of the Holy Spirit working in our lives.\u00a0 Neither Yeshua or Paul canceled the Law, they actually taught and lived it to the utmost!\u00a0 In parallel fashion, Paul is saying that when we love our neighbor, we have truly achieved the goal of all the mitzvot.\u00a0 The motivation for obeying God\u2019s commands should be out of our love for him, this is why the Apostle John wrote in his epistle in <em><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">1 John 5:1 Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and whoever loves the Father loves the child born of Him. 5:2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and observe His commandments. 5:3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome. (NASB)<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p>One of the major events in this week\u2019s Torah portion is the story while Moses was up on the mountain receiving God\u2019s laws, the people were getting anxious down on the plain.\u00a0 Moses spent forty days (<em><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">Shemot \/ Exodus 24:18<\/span><\/em>) up on the mountain with God, and by the end of that time, the people were beginning to think he had died or left them.\u00a0 The people then urged Aaron to make gods for them to follow.\u00a0 Since they were accustomed to having visual representations of gods in Egypt, this was the natural (but sinful) result of their thinking.\u00a0 Contained within the command to Love one another and to Love God, we are also to lovingly wait and be patient with both God and one another.\u00a0 The rabbinic concept of\u00a0 \u201cto fulfill the Torah,\u201d that is found within the fundamental tenet of Love for God and others, would have led to the people taking better counsel than to build for themselves a god of their own making.\u00a0 If they had known, would they have taken better counsel to not make this mistake?\u00a0 It is difficult to say.\u00a0 The first and greatest commandment indicates to us the most important, first, or chief manner in which the commands are to be observed, which requires the whole heart, soul, mind, and all the strength and power of a man.\u00a0 The principle duties and actions of a man, who is in a covenant relationship with God, hinge upon love, a love for both God and his neighbor.\u00a0 The causality of our lives is love, to serve the Lord in love, to serve one another in love, and to seek the Lord\u2019s help to do the same.\u00a0 This command to love God and others was given to remind us of the centrality of the Lord and His Messiah in our lives.\u00a0 Without the power of the Messiah and the Spirit of God in our lives, it would be impossible \u201cto fulfill\u201d His commands which is the definition of a covenant relationship according to the Scriptures.\u00a0 The people did not understand this in Parashat Ki Tisa.\u00a0 We however do understand this today and we can thank the Lord in heaven for the mercy that He has shown us and the help He continues to provide to keep us on the path of righteousness and truth.\u00a0 Halleluia! <a href=\"http:\/\/www.matsati.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/BTT_Parashat-Ki-Tisa-2015.pdf\">BTT_Parashat Ki Tisa-2015<\/a>  <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[youtube url=&#8221;https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=FC0QJFXhXRY&amp;feature=youtu.be&#8221;] This weeks reading is from Parashat Ki Tisa (Shemot \/ Exodus 30:11-34:35).\u00a0 The portion opens with the Lord instructing Moshe to take a census of the people (30:12).\u00a0 The Scriptures say that and each person is to give a ransom (half-shekel) to the Lord when numbered.\u00a0 Moshe instructs to make the bronze laver [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":3810,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-3807","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-bits-of-torah-truth"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.matsati.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3807","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=3807"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.matsati.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3807\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.matsati.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3810"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.matsati.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3807"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.matsati.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3807"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.matsati.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3807"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}