Deuteronomy 10:12-17
יב וְעַתָּה יִשְׂרָאֵל מָה יְהוָֹה אֱלֹהֶיךָ שֹׁאֵל מֵעִמָּךְ כִּי אִם־לְיִרְאָה אֶת־יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ לָלֶכֶת בְּכָל־דְּרָכָיו וּלְאַהֲבָה אֹתוֹ וְלַעֲבֹד אֶת־יְהוָֹה אֱלֹהֶיךָ בְּכָל־לְבָבְךָ וּבְכָל־נַפְשֶׁךָ: יג לִשְׁמֹר אֶת־מִצְוֹת יְהוָֹה וְאֶת־חֻקֹּתָיו אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי מְצַוְּךָ הַיּוֹם לְטוֹב לָךְ: יד הֵן לַיהוָֹה אֱלֹהֶיךָ הַשָּׁמַיִם וּשְׁמֵי הַשָּׁמָיִם הָאָרֶץ וְכָל־אֲשֶׁר־בָּהּ: טו רַק בַּאֲבֹתֶיךָ חָשַׁק יְהוָֹה לְאַהֲבָה אוֹתָם וַיִּבְחַר בְּזַרְעָם אַחֲרֵיהֶם בָּכֶם מִכָּל־הָעַמִּים כַּיּוֹם הַזֶּה: טז וּמַלְתֶּם אֵת עָרְלַת לְבַבְכֶם וְעָרְפְּכֶם לֹא תַקְשׁוּ עוֹד: יז כִּי יְהוָֹה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם הוּא אֱלֹהֵי הָאֱלֹהִים וַאֲדֹנֵי הָאֲדֹנִים הָאֵל הַגָּדֹל הַגִּבֹּר וְהַנּוֹרָא אֲשֶׁר לֹא־יִשָּׂא פָנִים וְלֹא יִקַּח שֹׁחַד
13. To keep the commandments of the Lord, and his statutes, which I command you this day for your good?
14. Behold, the heaven and the heaven of heavens is the Lord’s your God, the earth also, with all that is in it.
15. Only the Lord took delight in your fathers to love them, and he chose their seed after them, you above all people, as it is this day.
16. Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiffnecked.
17. For the Lord your God is God of gods, and Lord of lords, a great God,mighty and awesome, which favors no person, nor takes bribes;
Take your assigned role and analyze the text above.
The word וְעַתָּה means now so i mean now, that just means now...
ReplyDeleteThe word לטוב has eight meanings; noun
good
goodness
wealth
property
adjective
good
well
kind
fair
1) Why should you fear the lord, your God?
ReplyDelete2) Why is heaven repeated so many times?
3) What does it mean when God says that, "He chose their seed after them?"
4) Circumcise the foreskin of your heart?
5) Who is talking?
6) What does it mean that you will no longer be stiffnecked after circumcision?
7) How are we supposed to, "walk with God?"
8) Why does the text say, Israel, instead of the Children of Israel?
9) God will not accept any bribes? What does that?
10) Why is the word, awesome, used to describe God?
בַּאֲבֹתֶיךָ translates to Thy Fathers, which in the context in came from is kind of weird because it says that only God takes delight in the love from your father, how come your fathers didn’t take delight as well?
ReplyDeleteחָשַׁק means Desire. But also some how Lust, but that seems wrong.
בְּזַרְעָם means Seeded, this word is used three times in the text, all in different tenses.
הַשָּׁמַיִם means Heaven. I think that’s interesting because as Jews we don’t speak about heaven much.
לְבַבְכֶם translates to Hearts.
lastly and most interesting the phrase הָאֲדֹנִים means Sleepers.
This section explains the importance in loving G-d. However, the Torah puts a twist ways how we specifically need to cherish his existence.
ReplyDeleteIn verse 12, It states, "walk in all his ways" How can we walk in G-d's ways if we cannot see his actions? I understand that we must try to be like G-d but we don't exactly know what G-d is like. An answer to this is that we know that G-d is flawless and thus, we must try to be perfect.
In verse 14 it states, "Behold, the heaven and the heaven of heavens is the Lord’s your God, the earth also, with all that is in it." Why so many heavens? How can there be more than one? It is impossible to know if there is only one heaven; traditionally, kids are taught and raised with knowing that there is only one heaven. But from this statement it is assumed that there are heavens beyond the heavens beyond the heavens. But how do we know this? I would assume that this refers to the sky that we can see, outer space, than whatever is beyond our galaxy.
In verse 15 it says, “Only the Lord took delight in your fathers to love them, and he chose their seed after them, you above all people, as it is this day.” Why did G-d choose us? What qualities did/do we have to provoke G-d to have faith in us. In biblical times, we had many inspirational leaders, such as Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, to encourage the Jewish people to worship G-d. Even after the incident of the Golden Calf, we proved ourselves worthy of dedicating out faith strictly to G-d. However, in modern times, I feel much of the Jewish population has lost their faith in G-d. People are disinterested in keeping Shabbat or the holidays or even praying to G-d. So why has G-d kept His faith with us if we don’t respect Him as much as we should? Since we don’t fully observe His commandments, we are still in war and remain hated by many, many people.
In verse 16 it says, “Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiffnecked.” What exactly does this mean? With having a Jewish education I am fully aware that of what we are truly meant to circumcise (and it’s not your heart). But how does this make you to be no longer stiffnecked? I would think that once you circumcise the 8 day old boy, he wakes from his “new born-ness” and is ready to grow up as as a Jew and fulfill his requirements as a Jewish decsendent.
Everet fox- "circumcise the foreskin of your heart" Figuratively, to peel away the "thick" part, thus enabling one to love and be loyal to god.
ReplyDelete-According to fox, one has a foreskin over the heart which blocks out ones communications and love for G-D. This foreskin could be addressing to worries about Hashem, questions about G-d or even questions about other G-d's. Any form of doubt. In order for one to obtain enlightenment, they must forget and leave all of theyre worry s and stress to accept god into theyre heart and improve their lives.
There are 2 parts of Rashi’s commentary that I agree with.
ReplyDeleteOne is in verse 12. Instead of saying “Here O Israel” like the Torah usually does, it says “And now Israel”. Rashi explains this as God saying he is grateful for all that the Jewish people have done and still loves you. but now that the Jews are comfortable with God, they still need to be in awe of Him. I agree with Rashi because we should love God and trust he will do anything for us but there is still a certain degree of respect and awe hat needs to be existent.
The second is in verse 17. By saying “The Lord of lords” Rashi explains it as God telling us that he is the all mighty one and nobody else is as good as him. “will show no favor” means that he will show no favor to you only if you disobey him. And “nor will he take a bribe” means that God is happy with you following and obeying him. There is no need to bribe him with money.
Rashi Commentary: (http://www.tachash.org/metsudah/d03r.html)
DeleteVerse 12: And now, Yisroel.
Although you have perpetrated all this, He is still compassionate and affectionate towards you, so that, despite all your transgressions before Him, He requires nothing of you '...other than to fear, etc.'
Other than to fear, etc.
The Rabbis extrapolate from here: All things96 are in the hands of Heaven, aside from the fear of Heaven.
Verse 13: To keep Ad-noy's commandments.
And this is also not for naught, but 'for your benefit'--- so that you may be rewarded.
Verse 14: Look! to to Ad-noy your G-d.
All things. Even so,
Verse 15: Only your forefathers did Ad-noy desire.
Above all things.
You.
Just as you see yourselves, desired above all nations, like this day.
Verse 16: Your heart's blockage.
Your heart's obstruction--- its covering.
Verse 17: And Lord over lords.
No lord is capable of rescuing you from His hand.
Who neither exercises favoritism.
If you cast off His yoke.
Nor accepts bribes.
To appease him with monetary gifts.
In this text the very first statement says God requires you to fear him, walk in his ways, love him, and to serve him with all your heart and soul. This is interesting because in Dvarim 6:4 is says to love God with all your heart and all your soul. Fearing and loving God is very much like fearing and loving a parent. You have to fear them because they can punish you, but you also always love them. It also says to keep the statutes and commandments that God gave. This is like following your parents rules. God also says to to serve God with all your heart and soul. How can we love God with all our heart and serve him with all of our heart. Is we are using all of our heart to love God then can we serve him with all of our heart?
ReplyDeleteThe text says the God lives in the heaven and the heaven of the heaven. It also says he lives on earth. Why would he want to live on earth if he can live in the highest heaven of the heaven. It claims he took delight in the forefathers (Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob). Why did he get so much enjoyment out of them. Did God choose them to be the forefathers of the 'Chosen People' because they made him happy? It says to circumcise your heart. This means you should give your heart and soul to God.
First of all, the G-d Cast video does not talk about the passage above, rather it talks about living and animal rights in the Torah. It explains the phrase, “the suffering of living being, not only goes for humans but for animals as well. Animals too, are hard workers and have a job therefore, they have the right to rest on shabbat as do humans. It also states that your disputes between your enemy shouldn’t bring in nature and animals. In other words, if you are arguing with an enemy, do not rip off a tomato off a tree and throw it at their face, which is causing the tree to suffer. More into the topic of animals suffering, when it comes to plowing the field you shall not take one small animal, and one big animal making the small animal suffer more than the big one. You may use an animal to your benefit, but not to the point of abuse. What we do to the animals reflects on what we do to nature which reflects on our lives. This mitzvah is the key to living good and a long life. Its about helping the natural world renew its self!!
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with this video and the rights it talks about. Animals should definitely get rest on shabbat. Although, it may not apply to the animals now a days, but its still an exception. We as people should always remember the phrase, “the suffering of living being, not only goes for humans but for animals as well.
From Ben Babakhanov
ReplyDelete14-15. The argument for obedience is backed up with a reminder of the special privilege that God granted Israel in electing it, since the entire universe belongs to Him. the reminder echoes God’s original proposal of the covenant.
16. Since God chose Israel, it must cease to be stubborn.
17-18. Another argument for obedience to God: He is the greatest authority, the mightiest power, and an impartial judge.
In my opinion God is the one and only God on earth. He is the one who chose Israel as the chosen land according to this text. It also describes how he has all the power and that he is the big judge of the universe. In the comment 14-15 in my words is saying mostly that God made a covenant with the people of Israel so that they would keep in believing in him. By them believing in him he promised them food and shelter and other things that make him show that he is the one and only God that chose the children of Israel, in other words the “Chosen ones”.
In verse 16 Moses doesn’t want the people of Israel to be stubborn because God has chosen them. Moses is explaining to the Jewish people that our God is the best God who loves us and puts us on top of everyone else because we are the chosen ones. in verse 17-18 Moses talks about God in a good way to show them that there is only one God out there.
Hirsch’s Commentary
ReplyDeletefrom:Dylan Sanborn
12. Hirsch says for this verse “That all happiness in your future only depends on your faithfully carrying out all that G-d demands of you.” This basically means that if you stay faithful in G-d, you will have a healthy future. Also he comments that if you “fear G-d in such a manner that it leads to our going in all the paths of G-d, which, in its turn, leads to the love of G-d.” This means that by being afraid of G-d that you will stay faithful to Him in fear that if you don’t, something horrible will happen.
13. In this verse Hirsch describes how “one’s soul can only be made concrete and real by conscientiously keeping the commands of G-d given in His Torah from Him through Moses...” This mentions that if you follow G-d’s commands, it will make you strong so you won’t follow the misdeeds of others.
14. Hirsch says that “The whole universe, heaven, and the heaven of the heavens, the earth and everything on it is His...”Which means simply that everything, including people, are G-d’s property. Also, it means that you shouldn’t destroy His creations either.
15. “Out of all men on earth He found your forefathers worthy of His special loving relationship. And, you as their descendants following after them should show yourselves equally worthy of the special bond with G-d” Hirsch comments. This means that G-d chose our forefathers because their purity and righteousness. So, He expects that since we are also His children, that we should act as forefathers did. Thus, we should be kind and just, as our ancestors were.
16. Hirsch comments “Do away with the intractibility, the insubordination of your heart, bring your heart with its feelings and desires under your mastery, make your heart obedient to yourself , be no longer obstinate, submit yourself to G-d.” This put into simpler terms means that by cutting “the foreskin of you innermost heart” you are doing away with all your imperfections that make you disloyal to G-d.
17. “All the forces of nature are submissive to His power” ...“it is He from Whom all power and all movement emanates, Whose greatness towers incomparably above all conception of greatness.” as Hirsch says. Which means that G-d is the ultimate power that controls everything. That He is so great that it is beyond human conception.
Ramban thinks that the torah means to "Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no longer stubborn. 17 For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who is not partial and takes no bribe."
ReplyDeleteBy removing the naivety from your heart and removing any feeling that you need to impress or bribe hashem, and you will become closer to hashem.