Deu 29:9-30:20

This week’s Torah portion is found in Deuteronomy 29:9-30:20. The name of every Torah portion is typically taken from one of the words, in Hebrew, from the first sentence of the portion. In this case it’s the first word of verse 9, and it literally means “the ones standing.”

Deu 26:1 – 29:8

The head of each farming household is commanded to bring the first fruits of his harvest to the Temple Mount (probably in April-May) and to make a bold thanksgiving-confession directly to the God of Jacob (vv. 2-5)…

Deu 21:10—25:19

Seventy-four of the 613 commandments in Torah are included in the Parsha of Ki Teitzei. Ki Teitzei means, “when you go.” The first verse of the reading in Ki Teizei (NASB) caught my attention: “When you go out to battle against your enemies” and the verses on “laws of mixtures.” How important it is for us to remember when we go out to battle against our enemies to walk with God and let go of mixtures in our lives…

Deu 7:12—11:25

Eikev [And if you] obey [these rules]
The commandments are the central theme of the book of Deuteronomy, especially as it relates to our capitulation of them. Throughout the book, we are faced with the question of what our core motivation should be in observing the precepts of God. Do we adhere to them in order to get a reward … or to avoid punishment … or out of love for God? …

Num 22:2-25:9

The parasha for this Shabbat is titled Balak. According to Joshua 24:9, Balak son of Zippor was the king of Moab, and thus a descendant of Abraham’s nephew Lot (Genesis 19:36-37). The Moabites were not descended from Abraham, but from Abraham’s brother Haran (Genesis 11:27). The Moabites lived in the area of modern Jordan, between Mount Nebo in the north and the Kingdom of Edom in the south, bordering the Dead Sea…