Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] You pray, you mean every word. And then you lose your temper. You give in to that same temptation, fall back into the habit you asked God to help you break. And you wonder, if I'm praying, why am I still struggling? Does this mean your prayers aren't working? Or is there something about prayer you've been missing? An unexpected detail in the Song of Moses invites us to reconsider how prayer changes us. What could an ancient song have to do with the struggle you're facing today? Let's explore the connection in this week's five Minute Torah.
[00:00:41] Shalom and Blessings from Shalom Macon, the place where disciples of Yeshua learn, connect and grow. I'm Darren and Before getting into the five minutes of my five Minute Torah commentary, let's cover a few quick facts about this week's Torah portion. This week we are studying the 53rd Torah portion and the 10th portion of the Book of Deuteronomy. We are in the portion of Hazinu Deuteronomy 32:1 through 52. And here are the three things that you need to know about it. Number one Shirat Haazinu the song of Moses the 52 verses of this week's Torah portion form Shirat Hazinu, also known as the Song of Moses. The Lord commands Moses to teach this song to the children of Israel before they enter the Promised Land. Like the Torah itself, it serves as a lasting reminder to follow the Lord's instructions and remain faithful to the covenant they made with him at Mount Sinai. It also warns of the consequences of turning away from Him. This ancient song is still sung today. Number two Israel as Yeshurun the Ideal Nation in this week's Torah portion, Israel is called Yeshurun for the first time time Usually rendered Jeshurun in English translations, this name means upright one and points to Israel's calling to righteousness. It only appears four times in the Hebrew Bible, three of them in the final two portions of Deuteronomy. Here, the name introduces a description of Israel becoming prosperous and turning away from the lord. In verses 15 through 18, it creates a striking contrast between the nation's calling and and its conduct, a reminder of who Israel is meant to be. And number three the Death of Moses the Kiss of God at the end of this week's Torah portion, God tells Moses to climb Mount Nebo and view the Promised Land before being gathered to his people, just as his brother Aaron was. Later, the Torah records his death. So Moses, the servant of the Lord died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the Lord Deuteronomy 34:5 the Hebrew phrase translated according to the word of the Lord is alpiadonai, which literally means by the mouth of the Lord. From this wording comes the tradition that Moses departed this world with the kiss of God upon his lips. There's a difference between being lost and getting lost. Being lost leaves you searching for direction, but getting lost can mean becoming completely absorbed in something beautiful. So many of us know we need to pray, but we struggle to find the time or maybe create the space to connect consistently to with our heavenly Father. That's why I wrote Lost in Prayer to help you move beyond feeling lost and discover the beauty of a prayer life. Rooted in the Jewish sedur, this book will help you understand the prayers, navigate the structure, and see how each part can draw you closer to God. My hope is that prayer will become more than something you're supposed to do, it will become a place you want to be. Be sure to order your copy Lost in Prayer through Amazon or Barnes and Noble to using the link below this week's Torah commentary is called Two Witnesses and comes from a book. 5 Minute Torah, Volume 1 this week's Torah portion is only a single chapter long. The Haazinu the Song of Moses spans all 52 verses of our Torah portion. When reading this Torah portion, several questions come up. We'll only be able to address a few at this time. First of all, in a Torah scroll, the Song of Moses is written in two columns rather than one. Why does this passage merit this unique rendering? The song opens with these Give ear, O heavens, and I will speak, and let the earth hear the words of my mouth. Deuteronomy 32:1 Moses introduces this song by calling upon two witnesses, the heavens and the earth. The Torah sets a precedent that a matter is established only by the testimony of two or more witnesses. Deuteronomy 19:15 by calling on both the heavens and the earth, Moses Moses establishes his two witnesses against the children of Israel to hold them accountable for their actions. The two columns of the Torah scroll are a reminder of this fact. Two witnesses are being called to the stand. Two witnesses are watching the children of the Most High at all times.
[00:05:03] Second, why does Moses ask both the heavens and the earth to listen to him? Why are the heavens and the earth called to be witnesses against humans?
[00:05:11] Just before giving us the details of the creation of man in Genesis 2, the Torah tells us that man is the combined product of both heaven and earth. These are the generations of the heavens and the earth. Genesis 2:4 the word todot can mean generations, offspring, genealogy, etc. Man was made as a combination of both heaven and earth when the Creator breathed a small portion of himself into the dust of the earth. Heaven and earth, therefore, are partially responsible to oversee the actions of mankind. Finally, why does Moses use two separate phrases referring to hearing? He says, give ear, O heavens, and let the earth hear. What's the point of these two expressions? Well, according to the Midrash, God has created the world in pairs. God said to Israel, my children and all that I've created, I have created in pairs. Heaven and earth are a pair sun and moon are a pair. Adam and Eve are a pair. This world and the world to come are a pair, but my glory is one and unique in the world. How do we know this from what we have read her, O Israel, the Lord our God The Lord is 1 Deuteronomy 6:4 this is from Deuteronomy Rabba 2:31 Just as the Lord created the various aspects of the world in pairs, when man was created, he was given a pair of of ears. We were given two ears and only one mouth because we're supposed to be quick to listen and slow to speak. According to James 1:19, we were given two ears and only one heart so that we might hear the Lord's commandments and follow them with a single heart as is written, Give me understanding that I may keep your law and observe it with my whole heart.
[00:06:54] Psalm 119:34 when we proclaim Hear, O Israel, as we recite the Shema, we testify to the Lord's sovereignty over our lives when we pray the Amidah, the standing prayer at Miha, during the afternoon prayers, and say, when I proclaim the name of the Lord, ascribe greatness to our God. From this week's Torah portion We are strengthening our resolve to walk in his ways. Just as the heavens and earth are called to witness against us. These two sections of our prayers function as witnesses to our heart. As we speak them, the words travel from our mouth to our ears and our two witnesses. As we speak them, the words travel from our mouth to our ears. These are our two witnesses. Do you struggle to resist the flesh? Then pray. When we pray daily, we speak the words of scripture from our mouth to our ears. If we are faithful and commit to this daily discipline, the words of life will eventually penetrate from our ears into our hearts. How do we know this to be true? Because faith comes from hearing and hearing through the Word of God.
[00:08:02] Therefore, may our lips confess the Lord's greatness to our ears and our ears be witnesses that call us to a life of repentance and faith. God's word belongs in our ears and our hearts. But what happens when His Spirit lives within us? Does that change our relationship with his commandments? That's the question we explored in our previous 5 minute Torah on On Nizavim Vayelech. Click the video on your screen and let's take the next step from hearing God's word to living it. You can check it out right here.
