Parasha
Ekev
Deuteronomy 7:12 –
11:25
Haftarah
Isaiah 49:14-51:3, 52:1-15
Brit Chadasha
Luke 4:1-13
Please pray this
Prayer before reading
Prayer
In the name of Yahushua
Our Messiyah,
I pray for the Spirit of Understanding
The Spirit of Knowledge and
The Spirit of Wisdom
As I read through this Parasha
That the Truth of Torah may
Come forth. Amen
This
Torah Portion is the 46 portion in the Torah Cycle. Usually the word “Ekev” means heel. In fact, this word
shares the same three root word as the name Jacob, who was born holding on to
his brother heel.
However,
in this forty-six reading, the third in Deuteronomy the word Ekev means “on the heel of,” or “because
of.”
It
is used in the first verse of this portion, which says: “and it shall come to past, because you hearken to these ordinances and
keep and do them, that יהוה your El shall guard
you with the covenant and the kindness which He swore to your fathers.” This portion of Deuteronomy describes the good
things that will happen on the heel of believers who keep to the path of
righteousness.
From
a Kabbalistic standpoint, this portion is about the power of unity and,
specifically, the understanding that even the greatest souls cannot do on their
own what lesser souls can do if they have unity.
In
order for an Assembly to be able to reveal great light, it is important that no
one individual view him or herself, as more important than anyone else. The smaller the ego, the greater the Light
they will receive. The person who views themselves as the least of the group is
the one who is responsible for opening up the gate of blessing and abundance
from Above.
This
is true only when we assembly together for spiritual reasons. It is also true
with family and with work. The gift of this Shabbat is the understanding that
nothing in the world can bring as much blessing as that of unity.
The
Torah uses the Word Ekev, or heel to
indicate that our journey to perfection is strictly about the diminishment of
the self. What every believer want to awaken on this Shabbat is not just
another understanding of how important it is to diminish our ego; we also want
to grasp the idea of being a heel, of being the lowest.
It
is only someone who merit greater and greater diminishment of his ego merit
hearing the Word of the creator, that why we are told not to cast our pearls
among swine’s.
The
greatest secrets are found in the place that are least populated, the place
where it is the quietest, where we are the least comfortable. This lesson
applies to finding a teacher as much as it does to our spiritual life, but in
both case, one sure sign that our spiritual journey is not the right track is
its unpopularity. If our spiritual works is applauded by everyone that is the
time to question it.
On
the Shabbat of Ekev, we witness the power of unity, and we know that seeing
ourselves as the weakest link in the chain allow us to be a conduit for the
Light of the CREATOR. We also become aware that feeling, the faith of our soul,
and the faith of our friends help to breakdown all the barriers our negative
actions have erected between the Holy Spirit and ourselves.
All
our spiritual life should be centered on the desire for the diminishment of our
ego, and become the heel the lowest part of the body is the part that supports
the whole body.
This
Parashas continue with Moses encouragement to the nation of Yisrael, the Seeds
of Abraham, to trust in יהוה in order to ensure their successful conquest of
the Land and the abundant blessing in every aspect of their lives.
He
stress again and again that all vestiges of idolatry had to be eliminate from
our life and the land, for idolatry is an investment in the selfish ego.
This
chapter is broken down in the following area:
1.
In general, that, if they would serve YAHWEH, HE would bless and prosper them
verse 12–15.
2.
In particular, that if they would drive out the nations, that they might not be
a temptation to them, YAHWEH would drive them out, that they should not be any aggravation
to them in the future, verse 17.
Deu 7:12 “And it
shall be, because you hear these right-rulings, and shall guard and do them,
that יהוה your Elohim
shall guard with you the covenant and the kindness which He swore to your
fathers, - The reward. The Torah in this
verse assures Yisrael that if they are careful to observe even the negative
commandments, we can be certain that יהוה will reward
us with His Covenant and kindness.
To
the believers who may be contemplating with the choose of been popular or
keeping Torah, there should not be a choice, as the next verse promise that יהוה will love those who are fearlessly loyal to Him, and destroy
the other.
This
might inspire other to love them, and יהוה will
bless them and see to it that they and their possessions are not diminished by
those who seek to harm us. The covenant with Abraham creates the environment
were by the bountiful blessings, flows directly to His people without
intermediaries.
Deu 7:13 and shall
love you and bless you and increase you, and shall bless the fruit of your womb
and the fruit of your land, your grain and your new wine and your oil, the
increase of your cattle and the offspring of your flock, in the land of which
He swore to your fathers to give you. – This verse discusses the blessings that will come upon
the people when they listen to the Ordinances of the creator and fulfill them.
The reward for caring is that we, in turn are cared for.
The Brain is the nerve center for the rest of the body, but it itself feels
no pain. It feels nothing, yet all the things we feel comes from the Brain.
When we are like the brain feeling for everyone else, but feeling no pain of
our own, we receive more blessings in our life.
"He
will bless us with the tokens of His love above all people.’’ If we would
distinguish ourselves from our neighbors by a singular service, YAHWEH would
dignify us above our neighbors by singular blessings.
"He will multiply thee.’’ Increase
was the ancient blessing for the peopling of the world, once and again (Gen.
1:28; 9:1), and here for the peopling of Canaan,
that little world by itself.
The increase both of
their families and of their stock is promised: they should neither have estates
without heirs nor heirs without estates, but should have the complete
satisfaction of having many children and plentiful provisions and portions for
them.
Deu 7:14 “Blessed
are you above all peoples – there is not going to be a barren man or a barren
woman among you or among your livestock. – This verse continues with the same
notion, as he continues to remind us, as if to say please hear what I am
saying. There will not be a barren man or woman among you. Prosperity is
guarantee.
That if they would love
EL YAHWEH and serve HIM, and devote themselves to HIM, HE would love them, and
bless them, and multiply them greatly. What could they desire more to make them
happy?
He will love thee.’’ YAHWEH began in love to us (1 Jn. 4:10), and, if we
return HIS love in filial duty, then, and then only, we may expect the
continuance of it, Jn. 14:21. "YAHWEH will bless thee with the tokens of YAHWEH
love above all people.’’ If they would distinguish themselves from their neighbors
by singular services, YAHWEH would dignify them above their neighbors by
singular blessings.
"He will multiply
thee.’’ Increase was the ancient blessing for the peopling of the world,
once and again (Gen. 1:28; 9:1), and here for the peopling of Canaan,
that little world by itself. The increase both of their families and of their
stock is promised: they should neither have estates without heirs nor heirs without
estates, but should have the complete satisfaction of having many children and
plentiful provisions and portions for them.
Deu 7:15 “And יהוה
shall turn away from you all sickness and put on you none of the evil diseases
of Mitsrayim which you have known, but He shall put them on all those who hate
you. – Moses continues
to remind the people of the consequence of obedience. If blessing was not
reason enough, then the promises in this verse might motivate them.
Some people are motivated by the blessing, some by the curse that might
come upon them. Whichever one motivates us, the point is to be motivated.
That, if they would keep
themselves pure from the idolatries of Egypt, YAHWEH would keep them clear from
the diseases of Egypt. It seems to refer not only to those plagues of
Egypt by the force of which they were delivered, but to some other epidemical
country disease (as we call it), which they remembered the prevalence of among
the Egyptians, and by which YAHWEH had chastised them for their national sins.
Diseases are YAH’s servants; they go where HE sends them, and do what HE bids
them. It is therefore good for the health of our bodies to mortify the sin of
our souls.
Deu 7:16 “And you
shall consume all the peoples whom יהוה
your Elohim is delivering over to you – your
eye shall not pardon them. And do not serve their mighty ones, for that is a
snare for us.
- That, if we would cut off the
idolatrous nations, none should be able to stand before us. Our duty in this
matter would itself be our advantage: You shall consume all the people which
YAHWEH thy EL shall deliver thee, this is the precept. That, if they would continue to be devoted
nations, they should cut them off all undevoted nations, and none should
be able to stand before them. Their duty in this matter would itself be their
advantage: You shall consume all the people which the YAHWEH TSEBAOTE shall
deliver to us, this is the precept.
YAHWEH TSEBAOTE thy EL shall deliver them unto thee, and shall
destroy them, this is also the promise, verse 23. Therefore, we are
commanded not to let sin reign, not to indulge ourselves in it nor give
countenance to it, but to hate it and strive against it; and then YAHWEH has
promised that sin shall not have dominion over us (Rom. 6:12,14), but
that we shall be more than conquerors over it. The difficulty and doubtfulness
of the conquest of Canaan having been a stone of stumbling to their fathers,
Moses here animates them against those things which were most likely to
discourage them, bidding them not to be afraid of them, verse 18, and
again.
Deu 7:17 “When you
say in your heart, ‘These nations are greater than I, I am unable to drive them
out,’ – What we think is who we are, or who we are is what we think. As believers
we should never think ourselves inferior to anyone else. That those not mean
that we are better than anyone else. It simple means that we must believe that
we can do all things through Yahushua who strengthen us.
Let us not be
disheartened by the number and strength of their enemies: Say not, they are
more than I, how can I dispossess them? We are not to think that the most
numerous must needs be victorious: but, to fortify Yisrael against this
temptation, Moses reminds them of the destruction of Pharaoh and all the power
of Egypt.
Deu 7:18 do not be
afraid of them. Remember well what יהוה
your Elohim did to Pharaoh and to all Mitsrayim, - This word “remember’ in the
Hebrew means to take this to our heart, be assured, and be very sure of this
fact.
We
must remember what יהוה did to Pharaoh, His hands
are never short, and He can still do it today. They had seen the great temptations, or miracles (so the
Chaldee reads it), the signs and wonders, where YAHWEH had brought them out of
Egypt, in order for HIM bringing them into Canaan, and thence might easily
infer that YAHWEH could dispossess the Canaanites (who, Though
formidable enough, had not such advantages against Yisrael as the Egyptians
had; HE that had done the greater work could also do the less), and that HE would
dispossess them, otherwise HIM bringing Yisrael out of Egypt had been no
kindness to them. He that begun would finish. You shall therefore remember
this.
Deu 7:19 the great trials which your eyes saw, and the signs and the
wonders, the strong hand and the outstretched arm, by which יהוה
your Elohim brought you out. יהוה
your Elohim does so to all the peoples of whom you are afraid. –
No Elohim has ever able to take one set of people from among the nations, as YAHWEH
had removed Yisrael from Egypt. This is proof of His absolute power and His
love for His people.
YAHWH did so with challenges, as HE defied Pharaoh to test him, Exodus 8:5.
With signs, by means of which Moses proved that Elohim had sent him.
With wonders, the plagues and with wars. The miracle at the sea, which the
Egyptian saw as Elohim waging war against them.
The word and works of YAHWEH
are well remembered when they are imported as helps to our faith and obedience.
That is well laid up which is available to us when we have occasion to use it.
Deu 7:20 “And יהוה
your Elohim also sends the hornet among them until those who are left, who hide
themselves from you, are destroyed. – This completed
their ruin; such influence had the devil in them that they would resist יהוה, but such
power had יהוה over them that they could not. I will send my
fear before thee; and those that fear will soon flee. Hosts of hornets made
way for the hosts of Yisrael; such mean can יהוה
creatures, make use of nature for the chastising of his people’s enemies, as in
the plagues of Egypt.
Let them not be
disheartened by the weakness and deficiency of their own forces; for YAHWEH
will send them in auxiliary troops of hornets, or wasps, as some
read it, probably larger than ordinary, which would so terrify and molest their
enemies (and perhaps be the death of many to them) that their most numerous
armies would become an easy prey to Yisrael.
Deu 7:21 “Do not
be afraid of them, for יהוה your Elohim, the
great and awesome Ěl, is in your midst. - Those who do
not take warning by fewer judgments on others may expect greater on themselves.
But the great encouragement of Yisrael was that they had יהוה among
them, a mighty Elohim and terrible. And if יהוה be for
us, we need not fear the power of any creature against us.
YAHWEH plagued the
Egyptians with flies, but the Canaanites with hornets. Those who take not
warning by less judgments on others may expect greater on themselves. But the great
encouragement of Yisrael was that they had YAHWEH among them, a mighty EL
and terrible, and if YAHWEH be for us, we need not fear the power of any
creature against us.
Deu 7:22 “And יהוה
your Elohim shall drive out those nations before you, little by little. You are
not allowed to destroy them at once, lest the beasts of the field become too
numerous for you. – This is both a corporate and an individual promise. - Let them not be disheartened by the slow progress of their arms, or the
rising of the sun nor think that the Canaanites the darkness would never be subdued
if they were not expelled the first year or first hour; no, they must be put
out by little and little, hour by hour and not all at once.
We must not think that,
because the deliverance of the people and the destruction of its enemies are
not affected immediately, therefore they will never be affected. יהוה will do
his own work in his own method and time, and we may be sure that they are
always the best.
In our personal life, how
many times we ask for certain behavior to be removed from our lives. Yet, our
Father remove them little by little, as a child learn a little each day, the
light of the Gospel shines brighter and brighter until a perfect day.
Let them not be
disheartened by the slow progress of their arms, nor think that the Canaanites
would never be subdued if they were not expelled the first year; no, they must
be put out by little and little, and not all at once.
We must not think that,
because the deliverance of the Assembly and the destruction of its enemies are
not affected immediately, therefore they will never be affected. YAHWEH will do
HIS own work in HIS own method and time, and we may be sure that they are
always the best. Thus corruption is driven out of the hearts of believers by
little and little. The work of sanctification is carried on gradually; but
that judgment will at length be brought forth into a complete victory. The
reason here given (as before, Ex. 23:29, 30) is, lest the beast of the field
increase upon thee.
This verse shows us that
there is nothing we cannot change or overcome when we have certainty in our
connection to the creator. There is no concept of impossibility within the
Supernal Realm of the Creator.
Deu 7:23 “But יהוה
your Elohim shall deliver them over to you and destroy them with a great
destruction until they are consumed. – As the light of the Word is written on our heart, it
displaces the darkness of sin. Sin is missing the mark, while the Word is
hitting the Mark. The sixth days of Creation represent the six stages of our
spiritual growth. In each stage, like a tree it must undergo development. This
development destroys the darkness of sin in our lives. This destruction must be
continued until all resemblance of sin is totally destroyed. This is what the
sixth day of Creation is all about, the creation of perfect sons.
Corruption is
driven out of the hearts of believers little
by little. The work of sanctification is carried on gradually; but that
judgment will at length be brought forth into a complete victory.
Deu 7:24 “And He
shall give their kings into your hand, and you shall destroy their name from
under the Heavens. No one is going to be able to stand against you until you
have destroyed them. - The
reason here given before in, Ex. 23:29, 30) is, lest the beast of the field
increase upon thee.
Deu 7:25 “The
carved images of their mighty ones you are to burn with fire. Do not covet the
silver or gold that is on them, nor take it for yourselves, lest you be snared
by it, for it is an abomination to יהוה
your Elohim. – The man made god
that human worship, we shall destroy. We shall not desire their wealth and
their customs, less we are corrupt by it. These things are an abomination
to יהוה. The earth YAHWEH
has given to the children of men; and therefore there shall rather be a
remainder of Canaanites to keep possession till Yisrael become numerous enough
to replenish it than that it should be a habitation of dragons, and a court for
the wild beasts of the desert, Isa. 34:13, 14. Yet YAHWEH could have
prevented this mischief from the beasts, Lev. 26:6. But pride and security, and
other sins that are the common effects of a settled prosperity, were enemies
more dangerous than the beasts of the field, and these would be apt to increase
upon them. See Judges 3:1,4.
Deu 7:26 “And do not bring
an abomination into your house, lest you be accursed like it. Utterly loathe it
and utterly hate it, for it is accursed. – This verse prohibits anyone
from benefit from an idol or its accouterments. The prohibition against any
sort of profit from funds or other items that were obtained in violation of
Torah.
The
same spirit that drives people to worship idols propels them to seek monetary
gain in other forbidden areas.
