From: Ephraim Frank
To: heb_roots_chr@hebroots.org
Subject: Messianic Parashat Va'etchanan

Hebrew Insights into Parashat Va'etchanan - Deuteronomy 3:23 - 7:11

If there is any one term that typifies D'varim, it is "transition" - or
"avor" in Hebrew, stemming from the root. e.v.r, (ayin, vet/bet, resh)
meaning to "traverse, cross over, pass by or through, transgress, get angry,
side, for the sake of and fords, or passageway". This term, with some of
those derivatives, shows up in a considerable number of places in Parashat
Va'etchanan, which is why this time we will follow it not only here, but
also throughout the entire book (of Deuteronomy - Dvarim). This excursion
will also provide an opportunity to observe, once again, patterns of Hebrew
thought and the compactness of the language, as well as the reciprocal
effect of thought and language (on each other). We will see how "avor" lends
D'varim its special character, and how it expresses what the people of
Israel has been called to.

In Sh'mot (Exodus) the Hebrews 'passed over' from one state of existence
(slavery) to another (freedom and redemption), and also to a new
geographical location, by "crossing" the Reed Sea. Here, in Dvarim, they are
about to experience another "crossing". This time, it is the Yarden which is
to become the passageway that will lead them into the land promised them by
YHVH. They will, once again, go through a change of status, when they will
cease being nomads. In the past we have noted that "Hebrews"- "Ivrim" - are
those who are destined for transitions of one form or another. This group of
people is seen here (and throughout Scripture) fulfilling this very destiny,
already alluded to by the name of their progenitor Ever (Eber) who is
mentioned in B'resheet (Genesis) 11:14,15, six generations before Avraham.
However, nowhere is the "passing" or "crossing" - designated by e.v.r - more
evident than in D'varim, where the term is used in several connotations,
forming, as it were, a series of milestones that enable us to follow the
Israelite People through their journeys as depicted in this book.

Already in the opening verse we see Moshe addressing "all Israel on the side
of the Jordan - Ever ha'Yarden" (1:1 italics added). Ever is one of the
words for "side", thus rendering the Yarden's eastern bank, or side, "Ever
haYarden". It was also at "Ever ha'Yarden" where Moshe "began to explain the
Torah" (1:5). Sometime later Yehoshua (Joshua) reminds the Israelites of
another "ever", the place where their forefathers came from, saying: "Thus
says YHVH the God of Israel: `Your fathers Terah, the father of Abraham and
the father of Nahor, dwelt on the other side [ever] of the River in old
times; and they served other gods. Then I took your father Abraham from the
other side [ever] of the River, led him throughout all the land of Canaan,
and multiplied his descendants and gave him Isaac'" (Josh. 24:2,3 italics
added).

In recalling the wilderness journey and its adventures, Moshe recounts: "We
came through [a'va'rnu] the nations which you passed by [a'va'rtem]... "
(29:15 italics added). About these nations, Moshe says, recalling YHVH's
words to him: "You are passing [ovrim] by the border of your brothers, the
sons of Esau" (2:4), "and we passed [va'na'vor] beyond our brother the sons
of Esau... and we turned and passed [va'na'vor] by way of the Wilderness of
Moab" (2:8). "And the time we took to come from Kadesh Barnea until we
crossed over [avarnu] the Valley of the Zered was thirty-eight years, until
all the generation of the men of war was consumed from the midst of the
camp, just as YHVH had sworn to them" (2:14). Preceding the crossing of this
river, YHVH exhorted the Israelites: "Now rise up, and go over [ee'vru] the
river Zered! And we went over [va'na'avor] the river Zered" (2:13, italics
added).

The next "crossing over" [over] (2:18) was through Moav and Ammon, whose
people, according to YHVH's word, were not to be disturbed. But the command
to "cross [ee'vru]" the River Arnon, was different! The land of Sichon, the
Amorite King was to come under Israel's dominion. The Amorites ignored the
message, "Let me pass through [e'ebra] your land; I will keep strictly to
the road, and I will turn neither to the right nor to the left. You shall
sell me food for money, that I may eat, and give me water for money, that I
may drink; only let me pass through [e'ebra] on foot, just as the
descendants of Esau who dwell in Seir and the Moabites who dwell in Ar did
for me, until I cross [e'evor] the Jordan to the land which YHVH our God is
giving us" (2:27,28 italics added). Instead, we are told that, "Sihon King
of Heshbon would not let us pass through [ha'a'virenu]" (v. 30 italics
added). Thus, the land of the Amorites was conquered. A similar fate awaited
Og the King of Bashan, whose land was also conquered by the Israelites.
Moshe recalls: "We took the land from the hand of the two kings of the
Amorites who were on this side of the Jordan [Ever haYarden], from the River
Arnon to Mount Hermon" (3:8 italics added). This was also the land requested
by the tribes of Reuven, Gad and half of Menashe, under one condition: "All
you men of valor shall cross over [ta'avru] armed before your brethren, the
children of Israel" (3:18 italics added), in order to help them take control
of the Promised Land, while, "YHVH will do to all the kingdoms through which
you pass [over]" (v. 21), what He had done to the former kingdoms.

In addition to the above promise, there is an even greater one, (preceded by
"Sh'ma Yisrael - Hear O Israel" 9:1): "Therefore understand today that YHVH
your God is He who goes over [ha'over] before you as a consuming fire" (9:3
italics added). And moreover, "YHVH your God Himself crosses over [over]
before you; He will destroy these nations from before you, and you shall
dispossess them. Joshua himself crosses over [over] before you, just as YHVH
has said" (31:3 italic added). The fact that the Israelites are "crossing
over [ovrim] to possess" or "inherit" the land is also an inseparable part
of the land's description (in 11:10,11).

And while Moshe is thus preparing the nation, which he has so greatly
nurtured, and has been willing to give up his life for, he does not hide
from his listeners, and from posterity, the sad fact that he had "pleaded
with YHVH at that time, saying: `O my Lord YHVH, You have begun to show Your
servant Your greatness and Your mighty hand... I pray, let me cross over
[e'ebra] and see the good land beyond [ever] the Jordan, those pleasant
mountains, and Lebanon. But YHVH was angry [va'yita'ber] with me on your
account, and would not listen to me" (3: 23-26 italics added). Yes, "angry"
in this context is also made up of the root ayin, vet/bet, resh! Thus, there
is more than one way to 'cross over'. 'Crossing over' to the 'wrong side'
and 'crossing' YHVH's will, may incur His anger ("evrah").

Moshe continues to recount his plight, as pronounced by YHVH: "Go up to the
top of Pisgah, and lift your eyes toward the west, the north, the south, and
the east; Behold it with your eyes, for you shall not cross over [ta'avor]
this Jordan. But command Joshua, and encourage him and strengthen him; for
he shall go over [ya'avor] before this people..." (3: 27,28 italics added).
Just before Moshe's death on Mount Nevo (Nebo), called here "Avarim" (32:48)
- the Mount of Crossing - he is once again reminded by his Elohim, "I have
caused you to see it [the land] with your eyes, but you shall not cross over
[ta'avor] there" (34:4 italics added). In Psalm 106:32 this story is
repeated: "They angered him also at the waters of strife, so that it went
ill with Moses for their sakes [ba'a'vu'ram]" (italics added). The singular
form "ba'avu'r" comes from "a'vur", which literally is "one who has been
caused to pass over". Thus, even a common preposition such as "for" is
rooted in e.v.r, - "crossing or passing over" - pointing to the centrality
of this term and to an active force or agent greater than one's self, who is
the Prime Cause.

In our text, the Covenant and the commandments are not 'passed over' either.
In his discourse Moshe elaborates extensively on these issues. YHVH made
another covenant with the Children of Israel "in the land of Moab besides
the covenant which He made with them in Horeb... that you may enter
[le'ov'recha] into covenant with YHVH your God" (29:1,12 italics added).
Thus, in "entering" this covenant, they were literally "crossing" into it.
"Transgressing" YHVH's commandments, according to 26:13, is also referred to
as "crossing" [a'varti - literally, "I transgressed/crossed"]. Some of these
commandments are: "When a man has taken a new wife, he shall not go out to
war or be charged [ya'avor] with any business..." (24:5 italics added), and,
"There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter
pass through [ma'avir] the fire..." (18:10 italics added). "For this
commandment which I command you today is not too mysterious for you, nor is
it far off. It is not in heaven, that you should say, `Who will ascend into
heaven for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?' Nor is it
beyond [meh'ever] the sea, that you should say, `Who will go over [ya'avor]
the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it? But the
word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may do it"
(30:11-14 italics added). According to these words it appears that
fulfilling God's Word does not necessarily require a physical crossing or
passing over; it is simply a matter of turning inwardly, to that which had
already been deposited there by the Almighty.

Finally, "And it shall be, on the day when you cross over [ta'avru] the
Jordan to the land which YHVH your God is giving you, that you shall set up
for yourselves large stones, and whitewash them with lime. You shall write
on them all the words of this law, when you have crossed over [be'ovre'cha],
that you may enter the land which YHVH your God is giving you, a land
flowing with milk and honey, just as YHVH the God of your fathers promised
you. Therefore it shall be, when you have crossed over [be'ovre'chem] the
Jordan, that on Mount Ebal you shall set up these stones, which I command
you today..." (27:2-4 italics added). Thus, the "crossing over" is to be
marked by stones that were to be a testimony of a genuine "crossing over"
and a "changeover" assumed by the Hebrews, the 'People of Transition'!

The root e.v.r, however, does not escape the enemies of the Hebrew people.
Prior to the actual crossing, Yehoshua sent two spies to Y'richo (Jericho).
These two were pursued by men who themselves had to cross the Yarden's
"fords". These "fords" are "ma'a'barot", literally, "that which enables
passage."

In closing, let us pause briefly on "va'etchanan", the name of our Parasha,
which takes us back to the opening verse (3:23), where Moshe pleads with
YHVH to let him cross the Yarden. "And I pleaded" or implored..." -
va'etchanan - is of the root ch.n.n (chet, noon, noon), which means to "show
favor or be gracious"; while "chen" (chet, noon) is "grace" (e.g. Zech.
4:7,2:10). Thus, he who pleads with, and implores YHVH knows he is invoking
His grace, cognizant of the fact that even the pleading itself is
inseparable from YHVH's compassion and favor.

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From: Ephraim Frank
To: heb_roots_chr@hebroots.org
Subject: Parashat R'eh

Hebrew Insights into Parashat R'eh - Deuteronomy 11:26 - 16:17

"Behold! - "r'eh", "see, look" - I set before you today a blessing and
a curse..." (Deut.11: 26, emphasis added). The imperative form of the
verb "to see, look or behold" is in singular person, while the "you"
in the verse is in plural form, denoting that although that which is
about to follows here is a charge to the entire nation, each and every
Israelite is to take a good look at what is being said, and is to
personally be responsible to obey YHVH's Word. Contrary to the
English rendering, that a blessing will result "if you hear the
commandments of YHVH your God which I command you today; and a curse,
if you will not hear the commandments of YHVH your God" (11:27 italics
added), in Hebrew it is simply " behold I set before you today
blessing and curse; a blessing [of] hearing the commandments...",
while the prepositional "if" is attached only to the curse. Thus, the
keeping of YHVH's word constitutes a blessing in itself, which is the
very reason He gave Israel the Torah, His instructions for life
abundant, in the first place. Having been in the wilderness, the
Israelites have not yet experienced the "rest and the inheritance"
promised them by YHVH (12:9). It is precisely in order to obtain the
latter that they are to "not do according to all that [you] are doing
here today, each doing all that is right in his own eyes" (12: 8).
"And you shall cross over the Jordan, and shall live in the land which
YHVH your God is causing you to inherit. And He shall give you rest
from all your enemies all around; and you shall live securely" (v. 10
emphasis added). "Rest" is "menu'cha" (root n.o.ch - noon, vav, chet),
and "inheritance" is "nachala" (root n.ch.l - noon, chet, lamed), with
the first two consonants of "inheritance", "nachala", forming the word
for "rest", and thusly rendering these two (inheritance and rest) as
an indivisible unit. In Yishayahu (Isaiah) 30:15 we read: "For so
says the Lord YHVH the Holy One of Israel, 'in returning and rest -
nachat - you shall be saved'". However, from Hebrews 4:2 we learn that
"the word [of the promise to enter the rest and receive the
inheritance] did not profit those hearing it, not having been mixed
with faith in the ones who heard".

Large portions of our Parasha deal with YHVH's place of choice, where
He is to be worshipped. This place is defined as: "The place which
YHVH your God shall choose out of all your tribes; for you shall seek
His dwelling, to put His name there" (12:5). It is there that the
Israelites will "go" (v. 5); it is there that they will "bring" their
"offerings, sacrifices, tithes, contributions and oaths" (v. 11); it
is there that they will "do" all that He commands them to do (v. 14).
It is to be a place for both individual and corporate service to, and
worship of, YHVH. The Pesach sacrifice will also be offered there
(ref. 17:2, 6), as will the carrying out of the "rejoicing" during the
feast of Shavu'ot (ref. v. 11). Finally, "three times in a year shall
all your males appear before YHVH your God in the place which He shall
choose" (17:16 emphasis added). The word here for "males" is not the
usual "z'charim" (singular, "zachar"), but another version of the same
root (z.ch.r. zayin, chaf, resh), "z'churim". The root z.ch.r means to
"remember", and thus a "male" is "one who remembers". But here, the
changed form ("z'churim") means "those who are remembered". If the
Israelites remember to obey YHVH's Word, He will definitely not forget
them. Returning now to "place" - "ma'kom" - a word we looked at in
Parashat "Va'ye'tze", where we determined that the root "koom" (kof,
vav, mem) means to "rise up". In that Parasha (Gen. 28-32:3), Ya'acov
was seen 'stumbling' across several places. The first, on his way to
Charan (Haran), upon escaping from his brother, was one that he named
"Beit El" ("house of God") because of the vision of the angels going
up and down a ladder on top of which he saw YHVH standing. A couple of
decades later, this time returning from Charan and again facing the
unknown (just before meeting Esav), Ya'acov once again came across a
place where he was met by Elohim's angels and named it "camp of
Elohim", or "double camps" ("Macha'nayim"). Immediately after that
incident (in Parashat Va'yishlach 32:23-33), he was challenged by "a
man" who fought with him in a place that he later named Peni'el
("God's face"). It was these "places", and what had transpired in
them, that caused Ya'acov to rise up to the occasion and to his
calling. His descendants, likewise, are called "to arise and go up to
Zion". "Kumu ve'na'ale Zion" (Jer. 31:6), is the cry which issues
forth from the "notzrim" (watchmen) of Ephraim to all Israel, urging
them to go up to the place of YHVH's choosing, a place that is
highlighted by this week's Parasha.

Among other things, the Israelites were to bring to this place of
worship the "burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, and your tithes,
and the heave offering of your hand" (12:6). In Parashat Vayikra (Lev.
1 - 6:7) we saw that "burnt offerings" were, as they are here too,
"olot", of the verb "aloh" (ayin, lamed, hey) which is to "go up", and
in a different conjugation to "lift up or raise". It is only natural
that offerings to Him who is "high and lifted up" are to be "raised"!
Similarly, the "offering of your hand" (v. 6), that is "trumut"
(singular - "truma"), is of the root "rah'm" meaning "lofty or high".
Israel, then, is not only to "rise", but also to "lift up" their all
to El Elyon (God Most High).

Whereas the sacrifices and offerings are not to be offered randomly
("take heed to yourself that you not offer your burnt offerings in
every place that you see", 12:13), the slaughtering and partaking of
meat, once Israel enters the land, may be done privately. This will
enable the people to eat the meat of undomesticated animals such as
deer and ram, which although kosher, could not be eaten in the
wilderness as they were not to be used for sacrifices. But in addition
to this changed regulation, another change is now being enacted.
Because meat eating in the wilderness always involved a sacrifice
("peace offering" for the laymen), those partaking of it had to be
"tahor", that is in a state of ritual cleanliness. However, with the
coming change in the Land of Israel, he who is ritually unclean, the
"tameh", will also be able to partake of meat (except meat which is to
be sacrificed in the place designated by YHVH). It is here that the
prohibition of consuming blood is also repeated (12:16), and
elaborated upon in verse 23 where it says: " Only, be strong not to
eat the blood, for the blood is the soul ("nefesh"), and you shall not
eat the soul with the meat" (literal translation, emphasis added).
Rashi, quoting Rabbi Yehuda, comments that it took "strength" to
restrain oneself and not partake of the blood. He further quotes Rabbi
Shim'on ben Azay who says that this indicates that if fortitude was
needed to stay away from blood, which naturally does not constitute a
great temptation, how much more so regarding YHVH's other
injunctions!1 However, the only blood that we are obligated to
'drink' is Yehsua's, for He said: "Truly, truly, I say to you, except
you eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink His blood, you do not
have life in yourselves. The one partaking of My flesh and drinking
of My blood has everlasting life, and I will raise him up at the last
day" (John 6:53, 54).

Chapter 13 and the first part of 14 deal with idolatrous practices
about which it says: "You shall put away evil from among you" (13: 5).
The verb for "put away" is "(u)ve'arta", of the root bet, ayin, resh
, which literally means to "burn". In Bamidbar (Numbers) 11:1 we read:
"And when the people complained, it displeased YHVH: and YHVH heard
it; and his anger was kindled, and the fire of YHVH burnt among them".
That fire of YHVH, which burnt among them, was also denoted by the
same verb. And thus, we may infer that here (in 13:5), they are not
only to "burn" the articles which are "evil", but that failing to
depart from evil they will be incurring YHVH's burning anger.
Moreover, another word that is spelt in exactly the same way means
"brutish or ignorant," and by inference also "beasts and cattle". The
fools are addressed in Tehilim (Psalms) 94: 8 - 11 in this way:
"Understand you beastly ones ["bo'arim"] among the people; you fools,
when will you be wise? He who planted the ear, shall He not hear? He
who formed the eye, shall He not see? He who chastises the nations,
shall He not punish, He who teaches man knowledge? YHVH knows the
thoughts of man, that they are vain." It appears that b.a.r
("burning") is applied to those who are incurring YHVH's anger (or are
likely to do so).

The laws of tithing are also repeated in our Parasha: "You shall
surely tithe all the increase of your seed that the field yields year
by year" (14:22). "Aser te'aser", you shall surely tithe", is
emphatic, whilst the letters ayin, sin and resh which are the root of
"eser" - "ten" (the tithe of course being the tenth part and is
called "ma'aser"), also form the root of "rich" - "ashir" (with a
slight modification in the letter "sin", which with a dot on the upper
right hand side becomes a "shin"). Are we to surmise from this that he
who pays his tithes is guaranteed riches? The reason given here for
the tithes (and for having to be faithful to eat it in the place
chosen by YHVH) is for the purpose of teaching "to fear YHVH" (14:23).
The commentator Alshikh asks, "How can eating, drinking and abundance
of rejoicing teach people to be Godfearing? ... Perhaps the Holy One
blessed be He commanded them to take a tithe of all their possessions
to Jerusalem, to deter them from repudiating the source of their
bounty and that they should realize that this wealth did not originate
with the power of their own hands. It was as if they were giving the
king his portion. This tithe is "holy to the Lord", and from the table
of the Most High. They were partaking of the table of the Most High
(this tithe was regarded as their own personal goods...) ... The
'living would take this to heart' that he was a slave of the king of
the universe, partaking of His bounty, and in this way never stop
fearing the Lord continually."2

The principle of the release of debts comes next. "Every seven years
you shall make a release"... a "sh'mita" of the verb sh.m.t. (shin,
mem, tet), which means to "drop, release or let go". The lesson learnt
thereby is not only the remission of debts, but also the remission of
sins granted us by YHVH, who in forgiveness and grace "lets go" of our
transgressions. The results of an attitude denoted by the expression
"an open and free hand" (15:8), and by the deeds accompanying it, is
such that there will be: "...no one in need among you. For YHVH will
greatly bless you in the land that YHVH your God is giving you for an
inheritance, to possess it" (15:4). But should there remain poor in
the land, "sh'mita" will afford an opportunity to "give freely" (ref.
vv. 8, 10, 11) and, further, to be blessed in return. Even Yeshua made
the comment that "the poor are always with you" (John 12:8). In the
latter part of chapter 15 we encounter instructions concerning Hebrew
slaves, who are to be released on the seventh year, "And when you send
him out free from you, you shall not let him go away empty. You shall
richly bestow on him from your flock, and from your threshing floor,
and from your winepress..."(v. 14). The Hebrew here reads: "bestowing
you shall bestow", while the verb for "bestow" is "ha'anik" (the root
is a.n.k, ayin, noon, kof). According to Daat Mikra commentary3 the
usage here of a verb connected to "anak", which is a necklace, is in
order to point out that rather than 'hang burdens on the neck' (as the
idiom goes) of the former slave, his former master is to 'hang on his
neck' gifts of every kind.

Still on the same theme, in 17:11, we read concerning the Feast of
Shavu'ot: "And you shall rejoice before YHVH your God, you and your
son, and your daughter, and your male slave, and your slave-girl, and
the Levite that is inside your gates, and the alien, and the
fatherless, and the widow that are among you..." According to Rashi,
the first four form a list that parallels the last four. The first lot
belongs to man, while the second lot belongs to YHVH, who says to man:
"If you will treat well those who belong to Me, I shall likewise be
kind to those who belong to you".

1. Dvarim with Daat Mikrah Commentary, Pub. Mossad Harav Kook, Jm.
2001.

2. New Studies in Devarim, Nechama Leibowitz, trans. Aryeh
Newman. Eliner Library, Department for Torah Education and Culture in the
Diaspora. Hemed Books Inc., Brooklyn, N.Y.

3. Dvarim with Daat Mikrah Commentary, Pub. Mossad Harav Kook, Jm.
2001.

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