Your Daily Pesuk July 24, 2018

Parashat Vaetchanan / פרשת ואתחנן

• Tue, 24 July 2018 = 12th of Av, 5778
• י״ב בְּאָב תשע״ח
• 
  

Deuteronomy 4:41-49 (9 p'sukim)

Deuteronomy 4:41-49 Tree of Life Version (TLV)
41 Then Moses set apart three cities beyond the Jordan, toward the east. 42 There the manslayer might flee, who kills his neighbor unintentionally and did not hate him previously. He may flee to one of these cities and live: 43 Bezer in the wilderness on the plateau for the Reubenites, Ramot in the Gilead for the Gadites, and Golan in the Bashan for the Manassites.

44 This is the Torah, which Moses set before Bnei-Yisrael. 45 These are the testimonies and the statutes and the ordinances, which Moses spoke to Bnei-Yisrael when they came out from Egypt— 46 beyond the Jordan, in the valley opposite Beth-peor, in the land of Sihon king of the Amorites who lived at Heshbon, whom Moses and Bnei-Yisrael struck down when they came out from Egypt. 47 They took possession of his land and the land of Og king of the Bashan, the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan toward the east— 48 from Aroer, which is on the edge of the wadi Arnon, as far as Mount Sion (that is, Hermon), 49 and all the Arabah beyond the Jordan eastward, as far as the sea of the Arabah[a], under the slopes of Pisgah.

41 אָ֣ז יַבְדִּ֤יל מֹשֶׁה֙ שָׁלֹ֣שׁ עָרִ֔ים בְּעֵ֖בֶר הַיַּרְדֵּ֑ן מִזְרְחָ֖ה שָֽׁמֶשׁ׃

42 לָנֻ֨ס שָׁ֜מָּה רוֹצֵ֗חַ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִרְצַ֤ח אֶת־רֵעֵ֙הוּ֙ בִּבְלִי־דַ֔עַת וְה֛וּא לֹא־שֹׂנֵ֥א ל֖וֹ מִתְּמ֣וֹל שִׁלְשׁ֑וֹם וְנָ֗ס אֶל־אַחַ֛ת מִן־הֶעָרִ֥ים הָאֵ֖ל וָחָֽי׃

43 אֶת־בֶּ֧צֶר בַּמִּדְבָּ֛ר בְּאֶ֥רֶץ הַמִּישֹׁ֖ר לָרֻֽאוּבֵנִ֑י וְאֶת־רָאמֹ֤ת בַּגִּלְעָד֙ לַגָּדִ֔י וְאֶת־גּוֹלָ֥ן בַּבָּשָׁ֖ן לַֽמְנַשִּֽׁי׃

44 וְזֹ֖את הַתּוֹרָ֑ה אֲשֶׁר־שָׂ֣ם מֹשֶׁ֔ה לִפְנֵ֖י בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

45 אֵ֚לֶּה הָֽעֵדֹ֔ת וְהַֽחֻקִּ֖ים וְהַמִּשְׁפָּטִ֑ים אֲשֶׁ֨ר דִּבֶּ֤ר מֹשֶׁה֙ אֶל־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל בְּצֵאתָ֖ם מִמִּצְרָֽיִם׃

46 בְּעֵ֨בֶר הַיַּרְדֵּ֜ן בַּגַּ֗יְא מ֚וּל בֵּ֣ית פְּע֔וֹר בְּאֶ֗רֶץ סִיחֹן֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ הָֽאֱמֹרִ֔י אֲשֶׁ֥ר יוֹשֵׁ֖ב בְּחֶשְׁבּ֑וֹן אֲשֶׁ֨ר הִכָּ֤ה מֹשֶׁה֙ וּבְנֵֽי יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל בְּצֵאתָ֖ם מִמִּצְרָֽיִם׃

47 וַיִּֽירְשׁ֨וּ אֶת־אַרְצ֜וֹ וְאֶת־אֶ֣רֶץ׀ ע֣וֹג מֶֽלֶךְ־הַבָּשָׁ֗ן שְׁנֵי֙ מַלְכֵ֣י הָֽאֱמֹרִ֔י אֲשֶׁ֖ר בְּעֵ֣בֶר הַיַּרְדֵּ֑ן מִזְרַ֖ח שָֽׁמֶשׁ׃

48 מֵעֲרֹעֵ֞ר אֲשֶׁ֨ר עַל־שְׂפַת־נַ֧חַל אַרְנֹ֛ן וְעַד־הַ֥ר שִׂיאֹ֖ן ה֥וּא חֶרְמֽוֹן׃

49 וְכָל־הָ֨עֲרָבָ֜ה עֵ֤בֶר הַיַּרְדֵּן֙ מִזְרָ֔חָה וְעַ֖ד יָ֣ם הָעֲרָבָ֑ה תַּ֖חַת אַשְׁדֹּ֥ת הַפִּסְגָּֽה׃ פ

In today's Pesukim, we have a recital of the establishment of the "Cities of Refuge" from Numbers 35.  At the introduction to Devarim, I wrote that the word "Deutero" in Latin refers to "Second".  Devarim (Words) are the repetition of much of the Torah, almost a 2nd Torah.  However, there are unique laws that are introduced only here in Devarim.  Today however is not the example of that.

Rev., Dr. John Gill has a very interesting perspective on this recitation of the Cities of Refuge: "Now as these cities were typical of the Messiah, there may be something observed in the names of them as agreeing with him. "Bezer" signifies "a fortified place"; (likewise) Messiah is the fortress, mountain, and place of defense for his people, and strong hold to which the prisoners of hope turn, the strong tower whither the righteous run and are safe. "Ramoth" signifies "exaltations"; which may point both at the exaltation of Messiah in human nature at the right hand of God, and the exaltation of his people by him, who are raised by him from a low estate to sit among princes, and to inherit the throne of glory, and by whom he is exalted in his person, office, and grace. "Golan" signifies "revealed" or" manifested": so (too) Messiah has been manifest in the flesh, and is revealed to sinners, when they are called by his grace; to whom they flee for refuge, and lay hold on him, the hope set before them."

Scarcely should we forget that also it is the death of the Kohen Gadol (High Priest) that provides the Atonement for the manslaughter, and killer is set free.  This too is a complete foreshadow of the work of Messiah His Death provides Atonement for all of the sin of the entire World!

This very fact was prophesied to happen in a meeting of the Sanhedrin, 2000 years ago:

Yochanan 11:47 So the ruling kohanim and Pharisees called a meeting of the Sanhedrin. “What are we doing?” they asked. “This Man is performing many signs! 48 If we let Him go on like this, everyone will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our holy place and our nation.”

49 But one of them, Caiaphas, who was kohen gadol that year, said to them, “You know nothing! 50 You don’t take into account that it is better for you that one man die for the people rather than for the whole nation to be destroyed.”

51 Now he did not say this by himself; but as the kohen gadol that year, he prophesied that Yeshua would die for the nation.  52 And not for the nation only, but also so that He might gather together into one the scattered children of God.

The Great Gathering of our people Israel, scattered over all the Earth - AND, those God-fearers from the Nations who've been grafted in, will be gathered together at the Messiah's Return, this too was said by the Prophets:

Isaiah 11:10-11 Tree of Life Version (TLV)
It will also come about in that day
that the root of Jesse will stand
    as a banner for the peoples.
The nations will seek for Him,
and His resting place will be glorious.
11 It will also come about in that day that my Lord will again redeem—a second time with His hand—the remnant of His people who remain
    from Assyria, from Egypt, from Pathros, from Cush, Elam, Shinar, Hamath, and from the islands of the sea.

May it come, quickly, in our days and may our own eyes behold Him.  Baruch Haba B'shem Adonai!