13 September 2024
Week of 8 -14 September 2024
Torah portion: Deuteronomy 21:10 – 25:19 Haftarah: Isaiah 54:1-10
Theme: Laws protect the individual and society
The following are the content headings for this Parasha according to âA Womanâs Commentaryâ p.1166: all are âLawsâ I. regarding family relations (11 Verses); II. regarding neighbors, nature and clothing (14 verses); III. regarding sexual misconduct (16 verses); IV. regarding forbidden relationships (9 verses); V. Miscellaneous Laws (25 verses); VI. Protecting the vulnerable (23 verses); VII. Remember Amalek (2 verses). I counted the verses as a way to see where the emphasis in these laws lay. I also note that there are seven divisions given in the contents, so the laws cover the whole of life for those going into the Promised Land. I would also like to be able to say for sure that these actually spell out the Ten Words given by the LORD God to Moses on Mount Sinai (Horeb). Is the commandment âYou shall not murderâ (Ex. 20:13) kept in the above? That would be where I have a problem with some of these laws.
Generally the laws are set in place to protect the family and society – bringing Godâs chosen ones to be the light to the other nations of who the LORD God is in contrast to the false gods worshipped by the surrounding nations.
 The section I would like to focus on is âVI. Protecting the Vulnerableâ which is seen as very important as far as laws are concerned – 23 verses. V. concerns various laws hence its length. Who are the vulnerable? This section speaks about seven categories of people and one of an animal. Firstly, the dignity of the borrower is to be preserved, while the laborer must be treated justly. When I was studying Leviticus (Bat Kol, July 2008) I was struck by the following: âyou shall not keep for yourself the wages of a labourer until morningâ (19:13). As I look at Lev.19, I see it as a blueprint for this parasha which is logical because Moses is reminding Godâs people of all that they had to carry out in the Promised Land. Secondly, the command not to carry out the principle of talion as practiced by other nations – a child for a child! Thirdly,the protection of the stranger, the fatherless and the widow because none of these had a male head-of-the-household to protect them in public. Jesus denounces the scribes in Mark 12:40 and Luke 20:47: âThey devour widowsâ houses and for the sake of appearance say long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.â Fourthly, flogging was allowed as a punishment but the Israelites were to limit it so as not to inflict excessive bodily harm – once again the dignity of the person is guarded. Fifthly, the demonstration of kindness to animals – the ox must be allowed to eat some of the stalks as he leads the threshing. Sixthly, the repeat of the Levirate Marriage law which protects the widow of a brother. I am reminded of the Tamar and Judah story (Gen. 38:1-30). Seventhly, a law pertaining to the punishment of a wife interfering in her husbandâs fight. This involved her shaming him sexually. The punishment in this law was not as severe as the other Near Eastern laws. Finally, we have the law pertaining to weighing out and measuring commodities to be sold correctly. There was to be no cheating of the buyer who usually was econmically disadvantaged.
Does the message of Moses in the LORDâs Name find echoes in the life of Jesus, the Son and Word of God? I refer us to Matthew 25: 31-46 on how we shall be judged and Luke 4:16-21 often regarded as JesusâMission Statement – all to which Jesusâ life, death and Resurrection are a testimony. Moses promises the people in Dt. 18:15 âThe Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own people; you shall heed such a prophet.â
For Reflection and Discussion: 1. What challenges you in this Parasha and how are you going to try to live the law(s) out from now on?
Bibliography: Eskenasi, The Torah, A Womenâs Commentary (NY 2008); www.biblegateway.com NRSVCE
This weekâs Parasha Commentary was prepared by Bernadette Teresa Chellew
Kwazulu Natal, South Africa. Bat Kol Alumna: 2008
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