Devarim, the Hebrew name of Deuteronomy, means "words" and is from Deuteronomy 1:1: "These are the words..." This book used to be called Mishneh HaTorah or "repetition of the Torah". Deuteronomos, the Greek name, means "second law" and also refers to the book's recapitulation of the Law. Although it primarily contains the spoken words of Moses, Joshua or Pinchas may have acted as his scribe.

Here are some apostolic passages to study alongside #torah Parsha #devarim (#deuteronomy 1:1-3:22), plus links to commentary and related videos: https://www.americantorah.com/....2021/05/09/parsha-de

Shavua tov! This week's Torah portion is Devarim, which means "words." (In Hebrew, the -im ending to a word tells us that it's plural.) This is the first portion of the book of Deuteronomy.

We love the book of Deuteronomy, as you've probably heard us say before. In this book, we see a shift in style from the previous books of the Torah. We know that "these are the words that Moses spoke to all Israel" before they entered the Promised Land, at the very end of their 40 years of wandering in the wilderness. He was speaking to the children of those who came out of Egypt, and Moses' grandfatherly concern is constantly warning them to teach their children and grandchildren. In fact, in our opinion, the book of Deuteronomy has more to say about how to pass the truth on to our children than any other book in the Bible.

We also love that this book is written in topics, rather than chronologically. Maybe it's our personality, but our brains think like this. If you'd like to see a study Anne wrote several years ago on the topics of Deuteronomy, you can access that here:
http://anneelliott.com/downloa....ds/themes_of_deutero

In this week's portion, God rehearses what He has already done for Israel, so that they will trust Him and not rebel. The theme is "Fear equals rebellion."
- When we don't obey, it's because we don't trust God (1:32).
- Looking at everything but YHVH = rebellion (1:26).
- Being unwilling to go into the Land (1:26)
- Grumbling ("YHVH hates us") (1:27)
- Blaming brothers for sin (1:28)
- Comparing one's self to others (1:28)

Finally, we feel that the book of Deuteronomy is very appropriate for us in our time as well. As we look forward to the future, to "crossing over into the Promised Land" of Israel and to the return of Yeshua our Messiah, we should take careful heed to the warnings and instructions in this book, so that we will rid our lives and homes of any hint of idolatry and uncleanness.

May you be blessed as you study Devarim with your children this week!
~Kraig and Anne

Good Morning Torah Tribe! ?

"My voice You shall hear in the morning, O LORD (Yahuwah);
In the morning I will direct it to You, And I will look up."
(Psa 5:3 NKJV)

While we study Torah to understand the New Testament, we must remember we live in the days of Yeshua, not the days of Moses.
https://firstcenturychristiani....ty.net/the-faith-onc

On this date in history, 07/16/1790: Washington, D.C., becomes the capital of the United States of America. #otd #tdih

DEVOTIONAL
Pursue what matters most

In the book of Romans, Paul begs Believers to give their entire lives over to God because God sacrificed everything for them. Yeshua gave up His life so that we could experience His unending love and grace. We cheapen His gifts if we refuse to align our lives with the way Yeshua lived.

But we give our lives to God by making Him the one thing we pursue above anything else.

So here are 5 steps you can practice—right now—to help you put God first.

Give thanks
“We give thanks to you, O God; we give thanks, for your name is near. We recount your wondrous deeds.”
Psalms 75:1 ESV

Right now, take a moment to thank God for what He’s already done for you. Reflect on His faithfulness, and recount the stories you have seen and heard of His wonderful power.

Spend 5 minutes in silence
“Abide in me, and I in you.”
John 15:4 ESV

Abiding in Yeshua starts with stillness. So right now, pause, take a deep breath, and give anything concerning you over to God. Spend 5 minutes centering your heart on the One who matters most.

Remember Whose you are
“You are not your own, for you were bought with a price.”
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 ESV

God loves you. The price He paid for you cost Him everything. So remind yourself of Whose you are, and reflect on some of the things God says about you.

Meditate on God’s Word
“Oh how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day.”
Psalms 119:97 ESV

One of the best ways to find out how Yeshua wants you to live is by spending time in Scripture. As you do, ask God to speak to you through His Word about what His will is.

Focus on what is excellent
“…If there is any excellence … think about these things.”
Philippians 4:8 ESV

You have been given the mind of Messiah. If you’re not sure what you should think about, try asking yourself: What is praiseworthy? What thoughts and actions would honor God?

Make a list of whatever comes to mind, and pursue those things.

By practicing these steps every day, you can create habits that will help you pursue intimacy with God every day, and put Him first above everything else.

There is a concept that man was created to sin or that God created man knowing he would sin. The idea of free will really does mean that sin is a choice. Did our Creator intend for us to be disobedient? Genesis 1:27, “So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him male and female He created them.” Because we are made in the image of God, making the statement that we are created to sin would mean that the Creator Himself would sin, we are created in His image not to sin but to have a righteous relationship with the one who created us.