נצבים

Parsha Nitzavim

Debarim (Deuteronomy) 29:10-30:20

“All of you are standing today before YaHuWaH your Elohim: your leaders, your tribes, your elders and your officers, all the men of Yisra’el…– Debarim (Deuteronomy) 29:10

The entire assembly of Yisrael נצבים “nitzavim” or stood, presenting themselves before YaHuWaH.  In the presence of YaHuWaH all are treated equal regardless of role for YaHuWaH is high above all the people the great Sovereign of Sovereigns. The tribal leaders, elders, officers, men, women, children, the stranger and sojourner, the one who fetched the water and the one who cut the wood, each and every man, woman, boy and girl no matter of social status appeared before YaHuWaH to confirm the covenant anew.  YaHuWaH considers all from the greatest to the least to be his treasured possession.  Mosheh (Mushah) announced that the purpose of this gathering was to enter into the oath and covenant of YaHuWaH that Yisrael may be his people and that he may be their Elohim. The idea here is reminiscent of a betrothal, once again they are renewing their vows to their beloved. He says to them he will take no other, and they accept him as their one and only Elohim a covenant forever. Further we are told that even those who are not present at this standing or “nitzavim” were included in this covenant.

Modern Jewish wedding

Debarim (Deuteronomy) 29:14 “And not with you alone I am making this covenant and this oath,15 but with him who stands here with us today before YaHuWaH our Elohim, as well as with him who is not here with us today.

Mosheh (Mushah) warned first and foremost of the dangers of idol worship. He notes that in Mitsrayim (Egypt) and even in Kena’an (Canaan) the people worship objects of wood and stone, sliver and gold. Such activity is toe’bah, which means abominable, putrid, revolting and disgusting to YaHuWaH. The one who does such abomination is considered a bitter root of wormwood. Wormwood can be used for beneficial things but the bitter root is often used in alcohol or “gall” and is associated with its chemical compound thujone.  In ancient times it was difficult to regulate the levels of thujone especially in alcohol and in high amounts this compound can be fatal.

Wormwood

Through the Prophet (Nabi) YeremiYAHUW (Jeremiah) many years later we read:

Lamentations (Ekah) 3:15 He has filled me with bitterness, He drenched me with wormwood.

Most versions such as the KJV read he has made me drunk with wormwood.

YeremiYAHUW (Jeremiah) 23: 15Therefore thus said YaHuWaH of hosts, the Elohim of Yisra’el, “See, I am making this people eat wormwood, and I shall make them drink poisoned water.16“And I shall scatter them among the gentiles, whom neither they nor their fathers have known. And I shall send a sword after them until I have consumed them.”

The association here is that the one who is involved in idol worship is as this alcoholic beverage, which causes others to get drunk and ultimately die. The one who hears the curses, and thinks they are exempt, shall be destroyed by YaHuWaH.

 Debarim (Deuteronomy) 29:20 “YaHuWaH would not forgive him, but rather, the displeasure of YaHuWaH and His jealousy shall burn against that man, and every curse that is written in this book shall settle on him, and YaHuWaH shall blot out his name from under the heavens.

Mosheh (Mushah) prophesied concerning the future time when Yisrael (Yashar’al) would experience judgment for idolatry. He foresaw that when the nations see the curses, which YaHuWaH will pour upon his people, they will say that YaHuWaH did this because Yisrael worshiped idols and turned to other mighty ones. Further he makes mention of the galut which is the exile that will take place for disobeying YaHuWaH’s commandments.

Debarim (Deuteronomy) 30:1“And it shall be, when all thesewords come upon you, the blessing and the curse which I have set before you, and you shall bring them back to your heart among all the gentiles where YaHuWaH your Elohim drives you,2and shall turn back to YaHuWaH your Elohim and obey His voice, according to all that I command you today, with all your heart and with all your being, you and your children,3 then YaHuWaH your Elohim shall turn back your captivity, and shall have compassion on you, and He shall turn back and gather you from all the peoples where YaHuWaH your Elohim has scattered you.

YaHuWaH says that even if you are scattered to the furthest reaches of the earth from there he will gather you. He promises to gather the exiles and to bring them back to the Promised Land.

Debarim (Deuteronomy) 30:6“And YaHuWaH your Elohim shall circumcise your heart and the heart of your seed, to love YaHuWaH your Elohim with all your heart and with all your being, so that you might live…

It is man’s duty to circumcise (brit milah) the flesh, however YaHuWaH promises to circumcise (brit milah) the heart. The circumcision of the heart involves cutting away the hindrances of the evil inclination of the heart, so that the heart (ha’leb) may fully be motivated towards righteous deeds. Anyone can be circumcised in the flesh and indeed for example so was Korach who the earth swallowed up, although not everyone will be circumcised of the heart by YaHuWaH. Just as the fleshly aspect is considered a covenant (brit) so too is the heart’s circumcision a covenant (brit). This is a choice of free will; if one pursues YaHuWaH he will choose to be circumcised of the heart as well. Again we are called to obey all the words found in this Torah.

Debarim (Deuteronomy) 30:11“For this command which I am commanding you today, it is not too hard for you, nor is it far off.12 “It is not in the heavens, to say, ‘Who shall ascend into the heavens for us, and bring it to us, and cause us to hear it, so that we do it?’13 “Nor is it beyond the sea, to say, ‘Who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it to us, and cause us to hear it, so that we do it?’14 “For the Word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart – to do it.

This revelation of Torah does not require that you scale the heights of the heavens, nor does it require one to go on a distant journey to find it. The revelation of YaHuWaH’s word is neither too hard for you nor is it to far off declared Mosheh (Mushah), rather the word is  very near you, in your mouth and heart to do it. Mosheh (Mushah) is motivating and inspiring his people that they can live up to the task at hand. Those who live up to this challenge are those who are circumcised in the heart. Interestingly enough Shaul who is called “Paul” quotes this same verse to the Romans.

Romans 10:5 For Mosheh writes about the righteousness, which is of the Torah, “The man who does these shall live by them.”6But the righteousness of belief speaks in this way, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who shall ascend into the heavens?’ ” – that is, to bring Messiah down; or,7 “ ‘Who shall descend into the abyss?’ ” – that is, to bring Messiah up from the dead.8 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” – that is, the word of belief which we are proclaiming:

This passage could be difficult for those inexperienced in the word. It seems to present two opposing views, the righteousness of Torah versus the righteousness of “belief” or “emunah” which means perseverance. However in the context this cannot be the actual contrast, for he quotes the Torah describing the righteousness of “emunah” or “belief” and applies it to the context of Yahuwshuwa being Messiah. He then states that the word of belief or “emunah” is this “the word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart to do it.” Therefore the contrast is not one of keeping Torah versus having blind “faith”. Rather the idea is that the word of “emunah” or belief is the same ancient belief and that is saying to us that YaHuWaH’s word is very near us to perform it.  The contrast is to those who are in the covenant via the flesh only, they are called to a higher walk, a circumcision of the heart which Shaul often mentions.

After telling the people that the Torah is possible to perform, Mosheh (Mushah) firmly declares that anyone who turns to idolatry shall certainly be destroyed. He further calls the Heavens and Earth as witnesses against his people.

Debarim (Deuteronomy) 30:19 “I have called the heavens and the earth as witnesses today against you: I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. Therefore you shall choose life, so that you live, both you and your seed,20 to love YaHuWaH your Elohim, to obey His voice, and to cling to Him – for He is your life and the length of your days – to dwell in the land which YaHuWaH swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Yitshaq, and to Ya’aqob, to give them.”

Just as witnesses behold a wedding ceremony and so are those things presented to the court shown by witnesses, the heavens and the earth bare witness.   One may ask why “heaven and earth”, the answer is quite simple, the space and the earth do that which they have been commanded and they alter not nor do they reap reward for their obedience. How much more should we who are made in YaHuWaH’s likeness and reap rewards for our obedience, declare to the heavens and the earth the righteousness of our Maker? YaHuWaH keeps records of our activities and one day we shall all give an account of those things, which we did on the earth. Let us be obedient even as Yahuwshuwa our Messiah was obedient unto death and let us heed the word of “emunah” that this word is near us, in our mouth and heart to perform it. Let us choose life and live and not the curse that we die.