Commentary by Michael Schneider,
israel today, Jerusalem:
The backdrop of this week’s Shabbat reading is the giving of the “first fruit” of the ground “when you enter the land which the LORD your God gives you as an inheritance…” (Deuteronomy 26:1-2). As we can see, it is a commandment that relies on being physically located in the Land of Israel. Every time a person brought this sacrifice to the LORD, he emphasized his gratefulness for and connection to the land and people of Israel.

The Hebrew word for “first” is reshit, which is also the first word in the Bible, leading Jewish scholars and sages to conclude in the Talmud that the universe was created because of these first fruit offerings. Moses goes on to enumerate God’s mighty deeds on behalf of Israel, including how He took “a wandering Aramean,” as he affectionately refers to Jacob in verse 5, and made out of him a vast and mighty nation and planted them in the Promised Land. He then urges the giving of thanks. “You shall rejoice in all the good which the LORD your God has given you…” (26:11) Here we find a principle: True joy comes from giving our first fruits, the best of what we have, to the Lord. This leads to perfect joy. King Solomon, blessed with divine wisdom, backs up this principle in Proverbs 3:9-10: “Honor the LORD from your wealth and from the first of all your produce; So your barns will be filled with plenty and your vats will overflow with new wine.”

Solomon knew this secret.

This offering of the firstling was and should always be accompanied by prayer (26:15): “Look down from Your holy habitation, from heaven, and bless Your people Israel, and the land which You have given us…” It should then be followed with a remembrance to keep God’s statutes and ordinances “with all your heart and with all your soul.”

In chapter 27…

God’s Sabbath International tries to observe common understandings between Jews and Christians – here:
…we read that once the Children of Israel crossed the Jordan River (symbolic of baptism) they were commanded to write the Law (Torah) on their hearts. If we translate the situation to the spiritual realm with our personal walk with Him and the Promise Land is the promised Kingdom of Heaven, we can see the fullfillment of the New Covenant shown in Jeremiah 31: “I will put my law (torah) in their minds and write it on their hearts.” In our portion in verse 8 we find an interesting ending, which in Hebrew says ba’er hetev, and which means in English: make it clear or explain it well. By this Orthodox Jews understand, in keeping with the Jewish tradition, that when the Written Law was given so was the the Oral Law, those unwritten precepts that later became the foundation of the Mishna and Talmud.

Moses added instructions before the Children of Israel (without him) cross the Jordan River. Six tribes were assembled on the mount of blessing, Gerizim, and the other six on the mount of curses, Ebal, where we find a long list of things those redeemed by the Lord are not to do (verses 15-26). In chapter 28 we find a lineup of all the blessings that will come over the people if they will hear and follow the voice of their God. “Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out.” (verse 26) This blessing is used among Jews till today, and is even framed and hanged as a blessing over homes.

But Moses knew his people and therefore he continues a much longer list of “but if you do not obey the LORD…” In this list from verse 16 to 69 we find all what one wouldn’t wish upon himself or anyone else. We read in 28:28: “The LORD will smite you with madness and with blindness and with bewilderment of heart.” Unfortunately, also verse 53 was put into effect in the History of the Jewish people, when the city of Jerusalem was sieged.

The answer, why all this will happen, is also given: “Because you did not serve the LORD your God with joy and a glad heart…” Moses continues to warn them with these words: “It shall come about that as the LORD delighted over you to prosper you, and multiply you, so the LORD will delight over you to make you perish and destroy you; and you will be torn from the land where you are entering to possess it.” (verse 63) “In the morning you shall say, ‘Would that it were evening!’ And at evening you shall say, ‘Would that it were morning!’ because of the dread of your heart…” What terrible words. But in our messianic chapter in Isaiah 60 we find comfort. After all the suffering that came over the Jewish nation and what was foretold already in Moses’ time, also this promise will be fulfilled: “Arise, shine…

…for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you!”

Shabbat Shalom

Commentary:
We read in our weekly Torah portion about Balak, king of Moab, who was frightened by thevictorious people of Israel after they defeated the mighty Sihon, king of the Amorites, and Og, king of Bashan. (Both of these battles are still remembered in daily Jewish prayers!)

Balak turned to spiritual powers for help: He called upon Balaam, a known seer, to curse Israel! We see that at first Balaam resisted the demands of the king, wanting to obey God. The king sent first messengers then princes to persuade him. God saw Balaam’s heart grow increasingly weak so He allowed him to go: “Rise up and go with them” (22:20). Balaam waited for the ‘green light’ from God. We read how quickly the next morning he packed his donkey and went.

God used the situation to demonstrate that he can use anyone to proclaim His word, even through a talking donkey.
Later we see that instead of a cursing, Balak had to listen to a blessing on Israel (23:11 and 25) three times. He, like Pharaoh, did not give up easily and it became a power struggle between a human ruler and the “still unknown” God of Israel.
“Blessed is everyone who blesses you (Israel), and cursed is everyone who curses you.” (24:9) However, the story shows us, that the Jewish people are the most cursed people in all history! The United Nations has passed more resolutions condemning Israel than against all other nations put together including Iraq! Of the 175 resolutions of the UN Security Council, 97 were against Israel! (figures 2006)

On the other hand, people, companies and individuals are blessed because they bless Israel whether through practical and financial help or prayer. Yes, this formula still holds good.

A classic example is seen in the history of the two parts of Germany before the reunification. East Germany (GDR) did not want to acknowledge their guilt towards the Jewish people, but West Germany did. Even the Chancellor Konrad Adenauer of West Germany ordered in 1965 compensation payments to Holocaust survivors. The blessing and the curse were obvious: West Germany prospered and became an economic super-power, while the GDR simply did not progress for a period of 40 years. Yes, we are speaking about the same “hard-working” Germans. Just look at the United States, which stands on Israel’s side most of the time and has been blessed for that.
One of Balaam’s blessings even became the introduction of a prayer: “How fair are your tents, O Jacob, Your dwellings, O Israel” (24:5).

Let it be a word of comfort to us: God can change any ordered and planned curse into a blessing!

Shabbat Shalom

Prophecy is only given to those with “broken heart”. And Jacob had all those years in Egypt lived “with a broken heart.” Thus says Rabbi Richman in the current commentary, watch below. In the Parasha of last week we read about the “Broken Hearts” of father and son. Since one (the church) once had tried to kill me in this way, I have – but only today – something to contribute to the theme about the killing by “not seeing the son“: “And we said unto my lord, The lad cannot leave his father: for if he should leave his father, his father would die (Genesis 44,22). ”

But last week it was not so much considering the father Jacob, but more the feelings of his son Joseph (or my Son’s Patric Steven). After Joseph had made himself known unto his brethren, he (45,2) “wept aloud: and the Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh heard.” So I will now only be able to cry, 14 years after the church took me my son. For only a year ago, a Jew had the courage to call me from Israel and to call me ultimately to leave the church and to be a Jew. What a prophet! He has given me life again. Today I’m going to cry so terrible like Joseph, but out of gratitude for my salvation by a Jew, and probably will not even go to the synagogue.

Then Josef had anxiously asked his brothers: “Does my father yet live?” Although he knew that his father was still – physically – alive. But the question was rather whether he was still the same, or a broken man?

“And Joseph said unto his brethren, Come near to me, I pray you. And they came near. And he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt. Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life. For these two years hath the famine been in the land: and yet there are five years, in the which there shall neither be earing nor harvest. And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance” … What for, see in next verse >

It is vitally important that every believer in the ONE God knows the prophecy, he actually has “been blessed” in! To this blessing of the family of Israel, every brother, all 12 tribes, is now referring the Parasha Vayechi:

In this manner I can now bless my son – from the very distance into the width of God’s prophecies!

Shabbat Shalom
Eric Martienssen

Digest of the Commentary of Michael Schneider, israel today, Jerusalem:
We read in our weekly Torah portion about Balak, king of Moab, who was frightened by thevictorious people of Israel after they defeated the mighty Sihon, king of the Amorites, and Og, king of (Golan)

Bashan. (Both of these battles are still remembered in daily Jewish prayers!)

Balak turned to spiritual powers for help: He called upon Balaam, a known seer, to curse Israel! We see that at first Balaam resisted the demands of the king, wanting to obey God. The king sent first messengers then princes to persuade him. God saw Balaam’s heart grow increasingly weak so He allowed him to go: “Rise up and go with them” (22:20). Balaam waited for the ‘green light’ from God. We read how quickly the next morning he packed his donkey and went.

But “God was angry because he was going” (22:22).
God used the situation to demonstrate that he can use anyone to proclaim His word, even through a talking donkey.

Later we see that instead of a cursing, Balak had to listen to a blessing on Israel (23:11 and 25) three times. He, like Pharaoh, did not give up easily and it became a power struggle between a human ruler and the “still unknown” God of Israel.

“Blessed is everyone who blesses you (Israel), and cursed is everyone who curses you.” (24:9) However, the story shows us, that the Jewish people are the most cursed people in all history! The United Nations has passed more resolutions condemning Israel than against all other nations put together including Iraq! (2006) Of the 175 resolutions of the UN (UNO) Security Council, 97 were against Israel!

On the other hand, people, companies and individuals are blessed because they bless Israel whether through practical and financial help or prayer. Yes, this formula still holds good.

One of Balaam’s blessings even became the introduction of a prayer: “How fair are your tents, O Jacob, Your dwellings, O Israel” (24:5).
Let it be a word of comfort to us: God can change any ordered and planned curse into a blessing!

Shabbat Shalom

See also our Currant Themes: Jewish response to Obama Cairo Speech – No Messiah, he steals Israel everything

Rabbinic Commentary: