Your Daily Pesuk Sept. 1, 2018

Parashat Ki Tavo / פרשת כי־תבוא

• Sat, 1 September 2018 = 21st of Elul, 5778
• כ״א בֶּאֱלוּל תשע״ח

Deuteronomy 29:1-8 (8 p'sukim)

maf: 29:6-8 (3 p'sukim)

Deuteronomy 29:1-8 Tree of Life Version (TLV)

29 Moses called to all Israel and said to them, “You have seen all that Adonai did before your eyes in the land of Egypt, to Pharaoh and all his servants and all his land— 2 the great trials that your eyes saw, those great signs and wonders. 3 But to this day Adonai has not given you a heart to know, or eyes to see, or ears to hear. 4 I led you 40 years in the wilderness—your clothes have not worn out on you, and your sandals have not worn out on your feet. 5 Bread you have not eaten and wine and strong drink you have not drunk—in order that you may know that I am Adonai your God.

6 “When you came to this place, King Sihon of Heshbon and King Og of the Bashan came out against us to battle, but we struck them down. 7 We took their land and gave it as an inheritance to Reuben, Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh. 8 So keep the words of this covenant and do them, so that you may prosper in all that you do.

29 וַיִּקְרָ֥א מֹשֶׁ֛ה אֶל־כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֲלֵהֶ֑ם אַתֶּ֣ם רְאִיתֶ֗ם אֵ֣ת כָּל־אֲשֶׁר֩ עָשָׂ֨ה יְהוָ֤ה לְעֵֽינֵיכֶם֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם לְפַרְעֹ֥ה וּלְכָל־עֲבָדָ֖יו וּלְכָל־אַרְצֽוֹ׃

2 הַמַּסּוֹת֙ הַגְּדֹלֹ֔ת אֲשֶׁ֥ר רָא֖וּ עֵינֶ֑יךָ הָאֹתֹ֧ת וְהַמֹּפְתִ֛ים הַגְּדֹלִ֖ים הָהֵֽם׃

3 וְלֹֽא־נָתַן֩ יְהוָ֨ה לָכֶ֥ם לֵב֙ לָדַ֔עַת וְעֵינַ֥יִם לִרְא֖וֹת וְאָזְנַ֣יִם לִשְׁמֹ֑עַ עַ֖ד הַיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה׃

4 וָאוֹלֵ֥ךְ אֶתְכֶ֛ם אַרְבָּעִ֥ים שָׁנָ֖ה בַּמִּדְבָּ֑ר לֹֽא־בָל֤וּ שַׂלְמֹֽתֵיכֶם֙ מֵעֲלֵיכֶ֔ם וְנַֽעַלְךָ֥ לֹֽא־בָלְתָ֖ה מֵעַ֥ל רַגְלֶֽךָ׃

5 לֶ֚חֶם לֹ֣א אֲכַלְתֶּ֔ם וְיַ֥יִן וְשֵׁכָ֖ר לֹ֣א שְׁתִיתֶ֑ם לְמַ֙עַן֙ תֵּֽדְע֔וּ כִּ֛י אֲנִ֥י יְהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם׃

6 וַתָּבֹ֖אוּ אֶל־הַמָּק֣וֹם הַזֶּ֑ה וַיֵּצֵ֣א סִיחֹ֣ן מֶֽלֶךְ־חֶ֠שְׁבּוֹן וְע֨וֹג מֶֽלֶךְ־הַבָּשָׁ֧ן לִקְרָאתֵ֛נוּ לַמִּלְחָמָ֖ה וַנַּכֵּֽם׃

7 וַנִּקַּח֙ אֶת־אַרְצָ֔ם וַנִּתְּנָ֣הּ לְנַחֲלָ֔ה לָרֽאוּבֵנִ֖י וְלַגָּדִ֑י וְלַחֲצִ֖י שֵׁ֥בֶט הַֽמְנַשִּֽׁי׃

8 וּשְׁמַרְתֶּ֗ם אֶת־דִּבְרֵי֙ הַבְּרִ֣ית הַזֹּ֔את וַעֲשִׂיתֶ֖ם אֹתָ֑ם לְמַ֣עַן תַּשְׂכִּ֔ילוּ אֵ֖ת כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֥ר תַּעֲשֽׂוּן׃ פ

Our week and Parasha ends with a sad commentary on human nature.  Moshe states in our pesukim today a sad fact, that despite all of the miracles and proofs and evidences that Adonai had done for the people of Israel, they still did not have a "HEART TO KNOW"...Him.

The key words in pesuk 3 is לֵב֙ לָדַ֔עַת  Lev L'Da'at.  (a heart of wisdom or knowledge).

Ironically, there is a benediction within the Daily Amidah prayer within the Siddur (Jewish Prayer Book), that asks God to teach us "Wisdom"...

אַתָּה חונֵן לְאָדָם דַּעַת. וּמְלַמֵּד לֶאֱנושׁ בִּינָה: חָנֵּנוּ מֵאִתְּךָ דֵעָה בִּינָה וְהַשכֵּל בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ, חונֵן הַדָּעַת:

You graciously bestow knowledge upon man and teach mortals understanding. Graciously bestow upon us from You, wisdom, understanding and knowledge. Blessed are You L-rd, who graciously bestows knowledge.

How is it that one can pray daily for this kind of wisdom, real true spiritual wisdom and still have a heart that doesn't know Him?

Psalm 111:10 Tree of Life Version (TLV)

The fear of Adonai is the beginning of wisdom.

There is worldly knowledge and then there is real spiritual "Wisdom".  That is what is missing.  It was true of the ancient Israelites  and it is true today with every individual.  God can do miracles in front of our eyes and we can even see them and acknowledge them, but then we go right back to doubting Him.  

The reason for this is that there is a "veil" over the eyes, and prevents us from seeing Him and truly knowing Him.  Isaiah the prophet first spoke of it and it was later elaborated on in the Brit Chadasha by Rav Shaul.

2 Corinthians 3:12 Therefore, having such a hope, we act with great boldness. 13 We are not like Moses, who used to put a veil over his face in order for Bnei-Yisrael not to look intently upon the end of what was passing away. 14 But their minds were hardened. For up to this very day the same veil remains unlifted at the reading of the ancient covenant, since in Messiah it is passing away. 15 But to this day, whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their heart. 16 But whenever someone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit and where the Ruach Adonai is, there is freedom. 18 But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory—just as from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

Romans 11: 25 For I do not want you, brothers and sisters, to be ignorant of this mystery—lest you be wise in your own eyes—that a partial hardening has come upon Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in; 26 and in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written,

“The Deliverer shall come out of Zion.

    He shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob.

27 And this is My covenant with them,

    when I take away their sins.”

“Adonai, who has believed our report?

To whom has the arm of Adonai been revealed?”

39 For this reason they could not believe, for Isaiah also said,

40 “He has blinded their eyes

    and hardened their hearts,

so they might not see with their eyes

nor understand with their hearts and turn back,

    and I would heal them.”

41 Isaiah said these things because he saw His glory and spoke of Him.

The Good News is that God is in the business of removing this veil, one person at a time.  That is what Messianic Judaism is; it is a revival of our Jewish people.  As we draw near to the imminent return of Yeshua the Messiah we are seeing Israel be restored, little by little both physically and now spiritually.

Jews are coming to "fear the Lord" and the veil is being lifted!  B"HS!!!

Blessed are You L-rd, who graciously bestows knowledge!

Shabbat Shalom