Parashat Ki Teitzei / פרשת כי־תצא
- Wed, 22 August 2018 = 11th of Elul, 5778
- י״א בֶּאֱלוּל תשע״ח
CLICK LINK ABOVE FOR THE PESUKIM FOR TODAY
Our pesukim for today begins by reminding us that Edomites are distant relatives, (children of Esau, Jacob's brother), and they along with Egyptians are not to be detested. The portion continues with regulations regarding purity in the camp, which is related to the purity and holiness issues our Parasha this week has already been speaking about. Sexual purity is connected and prostitution among both sons and daughters is forbidden along with wages of this are not to be brought into the Temple. Finally, usury (interest) is discussed and the portion concludes with regulations regarding Nedarim (Vows).
Since we are currently approaching the fall High Holy Day season, there is a theme of vows especially on the Eve of Yom Kippur, with the liturgical melody that is chanted called "Kol Nidre". For a sample of "Kol Nidre", one of the best recordings is below by Richard Tucker, one of the most famous American Cantors. (post continues below...)
Kol Nidre means "All Vows", and it is a prayer asking God to release us from all the vows and oaths that we have made and failed to keep within the last year. Why do Jews do this? Because of our pesukim today:
Deuteronomy 23:22 “When you make a vow to Adonai your God, you are not to delay to make good on it—for Adonai your God will certainly require it of you, and you would have sin on you. 23 But if you refrain from making a vow, you would not have sin on you. 24 Whatever comes out of your lips you are to take care to do, since you have vowed to Adonai your God a freewill offering that you have promised with your mouth.
This may all sound antiquated and obscure to modern ears...that is because the value of the spoken word has been lost in our society. In my "younger days", (most people don't know this about me), I used to be a "debt collector". Yes that is true, I had a job similar to the Shaliach Matthew, and yes I was despised. No one likes hearing from a debt collector! My job was to call people who have defaulted on their promises to repay their loans, credit card debt, and even medical bills. I learned many lessons in that job, alot about human nature and the importance of the spiritual impact of broken promises.
It was an overwhelming experience to say the least. Imagine all you do all day long is talk to people who lie to your face. Day in and day out, that is what I did all day long, constantly dialing the phone to get people on the line and talk to them about repaying their debt and attempting to set up payment arrangements with them, and negotiate with them about their debts. I cannot express in words what it was like to make agreements with people that they will pay "x" amount of dollars each month, and set the date for their next payment, sometimes even set up electronic "auto-pay" arrangements; only to find that once again their words were empty promises, the auto-pay would fail, or the check would bounce and the agreement was broken. I was astounded at the incredible levels of monetary losses that many of my clients just had to "write off" as a complete loss. Most debt was just "uncollectible". It was sickening to realize how the compounded effect of just this one agency and it's clients and the amount of debt that it represented and how that is multiplied by all the debt of our entire nation. No wonder our country is basically drowning in debt! I'd try to put myself in the client's shoes and how they provide a product or a service to a consumer and are simply "ripped off". So many people borrow and never pay...this is simply evil.
Psalm 37:21 Tree of Life Version (TLV)
The wicked borrows and does not repay,
but the righteous is a gracious giver.
And its not all about "debt". Whenever you tell someone, yes, I'll pray for you, or "yes, I'll help you pack and move", or "yes I'll pick you up at noon"; and then break your promise then...our pesuk today says...
"Whatever comes out of your lips you are to take care to do"
We don't always realize the great amount of sins we pile up throughout the year everytime we break our own words. Perhaps this is exactly why Yeshua our Messiah taught us:
Matthew 5:33 “Again, you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall carry out your oaths to Adonai.’ 34 But I tell you, do not swear at all—not by heaven, for it is the throne of God; 35 or by the earth, for it is the footstool of His feet; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. 36 And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make a single hair white or black. 37 But let your word ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No’—anything more than this is from the evil one.”
Let's take what is left of this month of Elul and contemplate and prepare our hearts to cry out to Adonai... Kol Nidre...
All vows: Prohibitions, oaths, consecrations, vows that we may vow, swear, consecrate, or prohibit upon ourselves - from this Yom Kippur until the next Yom Kippur, may it come upon us for good-regarding them all, we regret them henceforth. They will all be permitted, abandoned, cancelled, null and void, without power and without standing. Our vows shall not be valid vows; our prohibitions shall not be valid prohibitions; and our oaths shall not be valid oaths.
Additionally, and let it not be forgotten, that as the Bride of Messiah, our bride-groom has this authority to nullify all our broken oaths provided in the Torah:
Numbers 30:7 Now if her husband hears about it but says nothing to her on the day he hears about it, her vows will stand and her pledges by which she has obligated herself will stand. 8 But if her husband should hear about it and on the day he hears it he forbids it, he thereby nullifies her vow and her rash promise by which her lips have obligated her, and Adonai will forgive her.
Blessed are You, O Lord our God, King of the Universe, who has given us Messiah Yeshua our Bride-Groom who has nullified all of our broken promises and vows, and has cleansed us and made atonement for all of our sins, casting them as far as the East as from the West. Blessed are You, O Lord our God who is gracious and always ready to forgive. Amen.
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