Over the last several months at Beth Tefillah, we have been following the theme of leaving Mitzraim (Egypt) and entering the Land of our inheritance. In Parsha Eikev, Moshe is giving the final instructions to the Israelites for what they must do before entering their inheritance. In the same way, I believe that G-D is speaking to me and to the body of Messiah today.
I believe we are on the cusp of entering into our inheritance if we will hear what the Spirit is saying.
In my own journey over these last few months, and in the journey that is Beth Tefillah, in spite of all the blessings, there is still this sense of uneasiness, dissatisfaction, and disconnection. In my morning quiet time in preparing for Shabbat, I heard a very clear word from the L-RD.
He said, "Rid yourself of the slave mentality."
It was like a shot right to my heart. I had to ask myself, "What was I being a slave too?" Was I just like the Hebrews who had been under the whip for over four centuries? Was I delivered and set free, but yet at the first trial ready to return to the whip?
It is an amazing concept, this "slave mentality."
After the Civil War, when the slaves were set free, many remained on the plantations. They did not know any other life, and the thought ow what lie out there was just too scary for them. There was the fear of the unknown.
Battered wives exhibit similar traits. These are women whose husbands have beaten them within inches of their lives, and yet frequently they will not press charges against their abusive spouse. They justify the behavior. "He didn't mean it." "He loves me." "It's my fault for upsetting him." "He won't do it again, he promised."
In truth, what they are really saying is, "Where will I go if I divorce him?" "Who will support me and the kids.?" "It isn't good now, but it might get worse if I leave." So, they stay and all to often they die.
When we look back on the journey from slavery in Mitzraim, it was a place of constriction. Yet, now we are walking in a freedom that can only be had while being attached to G-D through obedience to His Torah.
However, when we cross over like the Hebrews did, we cross over into a life that comes with the trials of everyday life.
In Parsha Eikev we read:
(DEU 10:12) "NOW, ISRAEL, WHAT DOES THE LORD YOUR GOD REQUIRE FROM YOU, BUT TO FEAR THE L-RD YOUR G-D , TO WALK IN ALL HIS WAYS AND LOVE HIM, AND TO SERVE THE L-RD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL,
(DEU 10:13) AND TO KEEP THE L-RD'S COMMANDMENTS AND HIS STATUTES WHICH I AM COMMANDING YOU TODAY FOR YOUR GOOD ?
(DEU 10:14) "BEHOLD, TO THE L-RD YOUR G-D BELONG HEAVEN AND THE HIGHEST HEAVENS, THE EARTH AND ALL THAT IS IN IT.
(DEU 10:15) "YET ON YOUR FATHERS DID THE L-RD SET HIS AFFECTION TO LOVE THEM, AND HE CHOSE THEIR DESCENDANTS AFTER THEM, EVEN YOU ABOVE ALL PEOPLES , AS IT IS THIS DAY.
(DEU 10:16) "SO CIRCUMCISE YOUR HEART, AND STIFFEN YOUR NECK NO LONGER.
The Hebrews are told to circumcise their hearts and to not be haughty. Earlier in the Parsha, we read the following:
(DEU 8:11) "BEWARE THAT YOU DO NOT FORGET THE L-RD YOUR G-D BY NOT KEEPING HIS COMMANDMENTS AND HIS ORDINANCES AND HIS STATUTES WHICH I AM COMMANDING YOU TODAY;
(DEU 8:12) OTHERWISE, WHEN YOU HAVE EATEN AND ARE SATISFIED, AND HAVE BUILT GOOD HOUSES AND LIVED IN THEM,
(DEU 8:13) AND WHEN YOUR HERDS AND YOUR FLOCKS MULTIPLY , AND YOUR SILVER AND GOLD MULTIPLY, AND ALL THAT YOU HAVE MULTIPLIES ,
(DEU 8:14) THEN YOUR HEART WILL BECOME PROUD (HAUGHTY = STIFF NECKED) AND YOU WILL FORGET THE L-RD YOUR G-D WHO BROUGHT YOU OUT FROM THE LAND OF EGYPT, OUT OF THE HOUSE OF SLAVERY.
It is our everyday lives that choke out the spiritual lives we are meant to live. We allow our hearts to become thick, and we allow layers to build up around it in order to protect ourselves from hurt. However, when we allow these defensive layers to grow, be essentially prevent ourselves from tasting and receiving all the richness that this world has to offer.
One day last week, while walking our dog out by the lake, there was the most amazing moon and it shone it's like on the lake. It sparkled and shimmered, and in that moment I was drawn back to the glories of G-D and His creation. However, these moments are fleeting, and we feel that same dissatisfaction and disconnection once again.
What are we to do? When we are re-born through faith in Messiah, it is said that we receive a new heart. A heart not of stone, but of flesh and yet we still struggle in our faith. Maybe we need to look at the heart to see if there are any answers for us.
When we look at the natural heart, it is an amazing creation. It is a perfect pump that works without any visible power source. It is made up of divided chambers that work together to pump blood throughout our bodies.
In the scriptures, the heart is spoken of often. One of my favorites, and one that speaks to our discussion is found in the book of Hebrews.
HEBREWS 4:12
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SEE, THE WORD OF G-D IS ALIVE! IT IS AT WORK AND IS SHARPER THAN ANY DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD - IT CUTS RIGHT THROUGH TO WHERE SOUL MEETS SPIRIT AND JOINTS MEET MARROW, AND IT IS QUICK TO JUDGE THE INNER REFLECTIONS AND ATTITUDES OF THE HEART
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12 FOR THE WORD OF G-D IS LIVING AND ACTIVE AND SHARPER THAN ANY TWO-EDGED SWORD, AND PIERCING AS FAR AS THE DIVISION OF SOUL AND SPIRIT, OF BOTH JOINTS AND MARROW, AND ABLE TO JUDGE THE THOUGHTS AND INTENTIONS OF THE HEART.
You see both my natural heart, which is divided into chambers, and my spiritual heart are divided. There is the Spirit that has been placed within me, and there is still my soulish nature. These are only divided according to Hebrews by the "two edged sword" of G-D's word. This cutting is not a new concept, and is actually foundational to the covenant that G-D made with his people starting with Avraham, and that is Brit Milah, or Circumcision.
In order to truly understand the concept of circumcision, we need to return to the Garden. The Chazal (Sages) of Judaism teach that Adam was created already circumcised, based on his being created in the image of G-D. In other words, he had no "Orlah" (foreskin). It is also taught that through his sin he extended his foreskin, or that the fig leaves he covered himself with symbolized the extension of the foreskin.
This concept of the extension of the "Orlah" speaks of a spiritual/physical barrier between man and G-D. When Adam ate from the tree he plunged mankind into a world of physicality, and this produced a barrier. It was not until Avram, who was later called Avraham that G-D made a way to remove this barrier.
In Geneis 12, G-D tells Avram, "Lech Lecha" (Go Forth), and it is twenty four years later when Avraham shows a desire to live above this world of physicality that G-D allows the separation or barrier to be removed through the covenant of circumcision in Genesis 17.
As a sign of this covenant, males are to be circumcised on the eighth day. The number eight as a spiritual number can be related to Chanukah. This was a time when the Greeks forbade the Jews from performing the Brit Milah. The Greeks who represent the physical world had a particular dislike for this practice, as it offended their idea of perfection of the human body. Public nudity was accepted in Greek society. They considered every body was another piece of art. We are reminded that Greek athletes in the first Olympic games competed naked. To the Greeks, circumcision was a mutilation of a masterpiece.
To the Jew, however, circumcision is one of the most essential expressions of faith in the One True G-D. It is believed that a human being can only achieve its greatest beauty when in relationship with G-D. Instead of mutilation, this cut in the flesh is a sign of human and divine wholeness. However, in our discussion of the Parsha, G-D is not speaking of a cut in the flesh, but a cut of the heart. Orlat Ha'lev in Hebrew.
In essence, G-D is telling the people to remove the barrier that exists. It is interesting to note that the idea of "Orlah" is actually related to agriculture, and specifically, trees. We see this in Leviticus.
19:23 'WHEN YOU ENTER THE LAND AND PLANT ALL KINDS OF TREES FOR FOOD, THEN YOU SHALL COUNT THEIR FRUIT AS FORBIDDEN. THREE YEARS IT SHALL BE FORBIDDEN TO YOU; SHALL NOT BE EATEN.
That word forbidden that is underlined, is actually the Hebrew word "Orlato" from Orlah. It is literally saying that these trees are to be treated as if they are uncircumcised, as if they have a foreskin for three years. It is interesting to note the concept of a tree that is once again forbidden, and whose fruit is not to be eaten.
There are other times in scripture that Orlah or Arel from the same root are seen, and often these relate to parts of the body other than the heart. In Exodus 6:12, Moshe speaks of having "Arel S'fatayim," or uncircumcised lips. In Jeremiah 6:10 those who have dull ears are spoken of, and the Hebrew literally means that they have ears which are covered with foreskin, or uncircumcised ears.
So, the question is how do I make sure that my heart, ears, and lips are in proper condition to serve the Living G-D. The answer I found comes from looking at the modern practice of circumcision.
In Judaism, when a baby is circumcised on the eighth day, it is a two stage process. First, there is the Milah, where the coarse visible "Orlah" (foreskin) is removed. The second stage is called Pri'ah, in which a translucent membrane is removed. Like the two edged sword of the word, the knife used by the Mohel is also double edged. There are also other religions that practice circumcision, like Islam, however, it is only in Judaism that Pri'ah is performed. The sages of Judaism teach that it is only when both stages of circumcision are performed that one can truly serve G-D.
In our lives, there tow stage can be likened to our overt nature, which one can see, and the transparent nature within that we guard from others.We can be seen in our daily lives as strong believers and yet, there can remain a translucent membrane that still causes a barrier between us and G-D.
While all of this speaks of our need to return to the Garden, we constantly battle the slave mentality that begs us to return to the place we know. At least there we know about the leeks and the cucumbers. We have become accustomed to it. It is not scary like the unknown. However, the original plan included walking with G-D in the cool of the day. Adam spoke with G-D face to face. We as believers in Messiah, who have been re-born in the image of G-D, also have this access, as we have been circumcised with a circumcision not with human hands, but through the sacrifice of Messiah.
We should not be extending the "Orlah" or allow anything to act as a barrier between us and G-D. Just as we must exercise and eat right to maintain our physical hearts, we should be daily exercising our spiritual hearts through the study of Torah, and the keeping of Abba's mitzvot.
We will always have a natural life to lead, but if it is viewed with the proper heart attitude it can either be:
One of fountains or depths.
One of valleys and hills, or mountaintops.
One of shopping malls and magazines, or a land of wheat and barley.
One of television and billboards, or fig trees and pomegranates
One of olive trees and honey, a place of comfort, or one with the illusion of security and comfort.
We can make the choice today. We can make the choice to begin living a new life. To cross over, and remove the barrier, and receive the spiritual inheritance prepared for us.
REVELATION 2:7 CJB
THOSE WHO HAVE EARS, LET THEM HEAR WHAT THE SPIRIT IS SAYING TO THE MESSIANIC COMMUNITIES. TO HIM WINNING THE VICTORY I WILL GIVE THE RIGHT TO EAT FROM THE TREE OF LIFE WHICH IS IN G-D'S GAN-'EDEN."'
LET US ENTER THE LAND, AND BEGIN THE JOURNEY BACK
NOT TO SLAVERY BUT TO FREEDOM
A JOURNEY BACK TO THE GARDEN TO THE TREE OF LIFE!
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