Teachings

Teachings

Below are the teachings from our weekly Torah Studies. If you would like to join us, please email us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it so we can let you know where and when we meet.

Nitzavim/Vayelech (Standing/And He Will Go)

Torah Portion: Nitzavim/Vayelech (Standing/And He Will Go) Deut. 29:9-31:30

HafTorah: Isaiah 61:10-63:9

Tonight I want us to look first and mainly at Isaiah, especially in light of this passage coming before Rosh Hashanah. As we look at this I would like for you to get this picture in your mind. In Luke 4:16-21 Yeshua, following His baptism and wilderness experience, comes home to Nazareth where, as was His custom, he attends the local synagogue on Sabbath. Realize that at this time in history Nazareth was a small farming village within 3 miles of the main Jewish town of Tizpora. He stood up to read, first reading the Torah section and then being handed the book of Isaiah, starts with what we read here in our HafTorah portion. Could it have been this same Sabbath as today? Possibly. Since Nitzavim is always read on the Sabbath before Rosh Hashanah. So, here Yeshua tells the people in the synagogue, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” Saying that He is the Servant of the L-rd of whom Isaiah has spoken. He has been anointed with the Spirit of G-d which was also spoken of in Isaiah 11:2.He was and is the Anointed One. What was He to do? He was to “Bring good news to the afflicted and poor.” This good news was the announcement of redemption. When John asked in Matthew 11:2 if Yeshua was the one, He answered with this verse.

Ki Tavo (When You Come) Deut 26

Torah Portion: Ki Tavo (When You Come In) Deut. 26:1-29:8

HafTorah: Isaiah 60:1-22

Tonight I want us to look at the Torah section and the HafTorah as the beginning and the end of the same story. I think these two sections give us a unique opportunity to see history unfold for us from beginning to end. And I want you to see Israel’s centrality in this story. It begins and ends with Israel.

So in the Torah portion called, “When You Come”, we see Moses laying out the renewal of the covenant between G-d and Israel. He states the benefits of that covenant or the blessings. In these blessings every area of life is covered. What is required of Israel to enjoy these blessings? Read Deut. 28:45, 28:62, 28:46-47 and you will see it is obedience and gladness or joy. Reverence, also a requirement, is found in Deut. 28:58. So G-d required these three things from the people in response to the covenant between them and G-d. In fact, I think for us the requirements are the same. The New Covenant, which allows us as non-Jews to be grafted in to Israel, also requires us as part of G-d’s people, the same obligations. Read in Romans 16:26 (obedience) Luke 2:10, Romans 15:13 and Acts 20:24 (joy) Hebrews 12:28 (reverence). This is our part in this covenant transaction between G-d and us. What happens if we don’t hold up our end? Is the covenant nullified? No. Even though much of the church believes scripture states, because of Israel’s sin, G-d has rejected the Jewish people. No, G-d does not walk away. But we do suffer the consequences of our actions when we sin. Here in this Torah portion we read those consequences. They are severe. They take up many more verses than the verses describing the blessings. Why was G-d so clear here about what would result from Israel’s disobedience? They were to be a light to the nations. In fact, the place where they finally ratified this covenant was specifically chosen for that reason – Schem. This was literally the cross roads of the major trade routes of the ancient world.

Ki Tetze (When You Go Out)

Torah Portion: Ki Tetze (When You Go Out) Deut. 21:10-25:19

HafTorah: Isaiah 54:1-10

Tonight we begin first looking at the Torah section of Ki Tetze – in English this is “When You Go Out.” I asked you to think about some principles that run through this section of scripture and I want to get to that in a minute. First, I would like to look at Deut. 23:3-5. Here we see that the Torah cautions us against letting an Amonite or a Moabite come into the assembly of the L-rd. The phrase “come into the assembly of the L-rd” could mean conversion. They were inhospitable to you and they hired Ba’alm to curse you. This is a strange pairing of reasons. What connection could there have possibly been. One is not being hospitable while the other is attempted genocide. So what do you think the connection is here?