Wednesday, May 20, 2015

Bechukotai



This Torah Portion Becchukotai means “In my statutes” and it appears in the first verse of the reading, which generally promise good things if the Torah is followed and negativity if Spiritual principle are not followed, Deut 28: 1 -14, 15 – 68.

Parashas begins with the Heavenly blessings that await the Yisraelites people if they live up to the covenant which יהוה have given to them, in order for them to receive the Shekinah.

The only reason we study Torah, is to learn the Ten luminous or commandments, and within those ten are 612 specific commandments. Why do we need to learn them, it is to come to ultimate state of understanding. The ultimate state of knowledge is to come to the understanding that we really do not know anything, that no matter what we have learned so far, it is nothing compared to true understanding.

The only way our spiritual work actually reveals Light is if we diminish our Ego in everything that we do, that the purpose of all our spiritual work is this consciousness of lowering ourselves.

When we look at the way nature works, on the trees and other vegetation as they grow from a mere seed. The light of growth exists in all the earth, but there has to be a diminishment of the light in a specific point, a deterioration of the shell around the seed before it can draw all the Light of growth from the earth and become a plant. The same is true for our spiritual life, if we are doing our work properly, it feels as if we are in a endless competition as every tree in the forest fight to beak through many difference layers before reaching the light.

The majority of humanity does not know that we are in a spiritual struggle as the plant in a forest is in a struggle for light. However, our social structure uses that competitive desire within us to focus on the wrong set of criteria, to advance in this world, instead of in the world to come.

I often tell people that knowing that we do not know does not refers to Torah studies, but to who we are. We are gods with an ego, and it is the reprogramming of our ego which is of importance to us. It is the reprogramming of our ego, the diminishing of our ego, why spiritual rules were made. These rules when apply to the physical sense make no sense to us, but as we work within them, we must be aware that whatever progress we have made, there is still a long distance to go.

A the core  and purpose of our spiritual growth, what we need to understand is that we may have accomplish some ground, in comparison to what the CREATOR has in store for us, we still have a long way to go. If we see our spiritual work as nothing, we have done a lot. Why? Because this is a sign of how much we have grown.

The point I wish to make is this! Sometimes we think of reducing the influence of our ego, the desire to receive, as a nice addition to our spiritual development. However, if the purpose of diminishing our ego is not at the heart of our spiritual life, then we have accomplished nothing.

As believers we need to be very careful to avoid the traps of religious thing, the thinking that all progress must be outward. This state of mind is not spiritual accurate, for the level of surrender comes from the level of sacrifice and bring with it tremendous joy and inspiration.

By minimizing our self importance we make room for the Holy Spirit to join us, so that this sense that our journey is endless is accompanied by sheer delight in that journey, and when we feel this way, it is a sure sign that we are growing.

The Statues we learn in chapter 23, represent a particular harvest day in the Land of Yisrael, when we celebrate these day, we might not see the spiritual growth, however, certain spiritual blessing is ascribe to everyone who by faith in Messiyah Yahushua celebrate these days.

This story evolves into the description the admonition, a sobering account of punishment, and curses that will be the inevitable outcome of any attempt to violate the terms of the Covenant.

Although EL YAHVEH mercy is display in El Yahushua Grace preventing all of these curses to overcome the believer who sins. This Grace is given to all Hebrew people who believe that El Yahushua is the Lamb slain from the foundation of the Earth.
A careful examination of the history of the Church, we will see that those who believe in El Yahushua and keep his Commandments were regularly persecuted, up until the year 324, when the church became the religion of choice for the Roman Empire.

The Church was promise, fame, and fortune if they violate the terms of the Covenant, and security from human persecution. That is why the Shekinah was never seen in any church since then.

The blessing that EL YAHVEH promise in this Parasha, are still in store for those who choose to be obedient to the terms of the Covenant. El Yahushua improved on the original Covenant Moses negotiate between ABBA YAHVEH and the Hebrew people at Mount Sinai, when He died on the Cross. The terms and condition of this new covenant are seen plainly in what we call today the renewed Covenant.

But the essence of the Covenant at Mount Sinai can still be seen in the application of the Principles of the Renewed Covenant.

The long list of blessing describe in verse 3 – 13 and the even longer list of curse verse 14 – 43 which was again repeated in Deut 28, could be misunderstood as an indication that there are many more curses than blessing. Actually, the blessing are given in general terms, and are therefore brief; the curse, however, are given in greater detail, because they are intended to awe the people into obedience to יהוה command.

This commentary will explain in spiritual term the meaning of the physical blessing, such as military victory, and prosperity that are describe in this Parashas.

The blessing and curses are all result of an inward spiritual manifestation. Since EL YAHVEH is the King of the Spiritual Kingdom, there is a spiritual and a physical blessing and curses that are associated with obedience to the Covenant.

The physical blessing, is to help us achieve the lofty spiritual heights require for us to reach maturity. It is easier for a physical fit person to climb a mountain that a man with a physical deformity, such a one leg.

Material blessing are hardly the primary reward nor is material deprivations the primary punishment; only in the World to Come and Gehinnom can there be adequate reward and punishment.

A person who enjoys good health, prosperity, and security finds it much easier to perform the commandments that will elevate him spiritually. Therefore יהוה assures us that the person who serves Him with sincerity and joy will be granted all the blessings of this world and the one to come. Conversely, one who rebels will be punished with deprivation in this world so that it will be difficult for him to perform the commandments and earn a share in the World to Come.