וַיֵּלֶךְ
Vayelech / And He Went
Deuteronomy 31:1-30
HafTorah Portion Isaiah 55:6-56:8
Brit Hadasha Romans 7:7-12
Vayeilech begins with Moshe setting the stage for a new journey. ‘Then Moses went and spoke these words to all Israel. 2 And he said to them: “I am one hundred and twenty years old today. I can no longer go out and come in. Also the Lord has said to me, ‘You shall not cross over this Jordan.’ 3 The Lord your God /YHWH Your Elohecha/ Himself crosses over before you; He will destroy these nations from before you, and you shall dispossess them. Joshua himself crosses over before you, just as the Lord has said. Deuteronomy 31:1-3.
It is God who will set the stage of victory and it is God Himself that is the decisive factor in conquering the land – IF – the people go with Him in faith and obedience to His instructions and His appointed leaders. Deuteronomy 31:6 continues with: ‘Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them for YHWH Elohecha He is the One that goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.’
Isaiah 45:2 ‘I will go before you and make the rough places smooth; I will shatter the doors of bronze and cut through their iron bars.’
2 Samuel 5:24 ‘It shall be, when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, then you shall act promptly, for then the Lord will have gone out before you to strike the army of the Philistines.”
Isaiah 52:12 ‘But you will not go out in haste, nor will you go as fugitives; for the Lord will go before you, and the God of Israel will be your rear guard.’
Vayeilech is the briefest parsha in the Torah, and happens at a crucial time in the Israelites’ journey. After forty years of God speaking the Word to Moses and then Moses to the people, the Word of God is now to be written down. Deuteronomy 31:24. ‘So it was, when Moses had completed writing the words of this law in a book, when they were finished, 25 that Moses commanded the Levites, who bore the ark of the covenant of the Lord, saying: 26 “Take this Book of the Law, and put it beside the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, that it may be there as a witness against you…’
One of the most amazing details of Vayeilech is the difference regarding the Israelites’ future. Words vary from encouraging to negative: the people will do well and succeed and they will also go after other gods and fail.
Even though the Word of God is now in the form of a teaching which is the Torah and a poem which is shirah; Moses has doubts and God knows that the written text of the Word will not ensure the continued loyalty and steadfastness of obedience of the people. Moses tells the people this in Deuteronomy 31:29.
God’s people are called to “hear and learn” in Deuteronomy 31:13; adults and children, Israelites and foreigners; they are all included, and to continue, the Torah, the instructions and teachings of God are meant for generations to come as well, even those “who have not had the experience” of being in a time of face to face. ‘…and that their children, who have not known it, may hear and learn to fear the Lord your God as long as you live in the land which you cross the Jordan to possess.’
John 8:47 ‘Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God.’
Proverbs 2:1-5 ‘My son, if you receive my words and treasure up my commandments with you, making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding; yes, if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding, if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God.’
By hearing, listening and doing the Word of God, we understand the He goes before us to fight the battles we fight, if we submit to His infinite and Divine Ways.
Vayelech/And He Went
Deuteronomy 31:1-30
Isaiah 55:6-56:8
Romans 7:7-1
SHABBAT SHUVA
Total Victory…
Vayelech is the shortest parsha in the Torah and happens at a crucial time in the Israelites’ journey. The end of Moses’ journey was near. He had prayed to God, not to live longer, but rather to simply see the land beyond the Jordan. Vayelech is read during the Ten Days of Awe, from Yom Teruah to Yom Kippur, making this ‘Shabbat Tshuva’ (Sabbath of Repentance). The term "Tshuva" implies much more than just repentance. Teshuva means to return: return to the place we were never meant to leave, return to the land, the inheritance and the God we serve. Repentance means going forward, wiping out the past, and making a new future. Tshuva means to return, to go back to your essence and to the reason you were created by God. We repent to return as stated in the prophets.
Joel 2:13 ‘And rend your heart and not your garments " Now return to the LORD your God, For He is gracious and compassionate, Slow to anger, abounding in lovingkindness And relenting of evil.’
Hosea 14:1 ‘Return, O Israel, to the LORD your God, For you have stumbled because of your iniquity.’
Zechariah 1:3 ‘"Therefore say to them, 'Thus says the LORD of hosts, "Return to Me," declares the LORD of hosts, "that I may return to you," says the LORD of hosts.’
As we close one book, the book of Moshe’s leadership, we begin the book of Joshua’s leadership. In Deuteronomy 31:7-8 Moshe gives his instructions to Joshua: ‘Then Moses called Joshua and said to him in the sight of all Israel, “Be strong and of good courage, for you must go with this people to the land which the Lord has sworn to their fathers to give them, and you shall cause them to inherit it. 8 And the Lord, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed.’
Accepting this, he issued two last instructions to the people of Israel. These two, the last of the 613 right rulings were to have significant consequences for the future of the people of Israel.
The first is known as Hakhel, the command for the king to summon the people to gather during Sukkot every shemittah (seventh) year. Deuteronomy 31:9-13.
The most famous examples of this type of ceremony was the national gathering ordered by Ezra and Nehemiah after the second wave of returnees from Babylon. ‘Ezra stood by one of the gates to the Temple and read the Torah to the people. The people then “bound themselves with a curse and an oath to follow the Law of God given through Moses the servant of God and to obey carefully all the commands, regulations and decrees of the Lord our Lord.’ Nehemiah 10:29.
Moshe tells the people that God Himself will cross over before them, disposing of the nations, Deuteronomy 31:3-4. He tells the people to be strong and courageous, repeating that to Joshua. Deuteronomy 31:6 and Deuteronomy 31:7.
Adonai speaks this into the life of Joshua after the death of Moshe in Joshua 1:1-9. “…Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9.
After forty years of God speaking to Moses and Moses to the people, the Word is now to be written down. Deuteronomy 31:24 states: ‘So it was, when Moses had completed writing the words of this law in a book, when they were finished, 25 that Moses commanded the Levites, who bore the ark of the covenant of the Lord, saying: 26 “Take this Book of the Law, and put it beside the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, that it may be there as a witness against you…’
One of the most amazing details of Vayelech is the stark differences regarding the Israelites’ future based on their choices. Words vary from encouraging and promising success if the people would do well, to negative and guarantee of failing if they go after other gods. God sets the stage for victory since it is God Himself that is the decisive factor in conquering the land – IF – the people go with Him in faith and obedience to His instructions and His appointed leaders.
This is a difference between victory and no victory, it is not a grey area. There is victory or defeat. When a country loses a war, it’s not an almost victory, it is the absence of a victory, it is defeat.
There will never be a perfect life. But there will be perfection through The Word, the Living Word, Yeshua. There will never be a time without conflict in this fleshly, earthly world. There will never be a time without grief, confusion, anger, and other earthly conflicts. However, the question is, do we live in the conflict, or do we emerge through it.
What are the obstacles that can keep us from victory? Ourselves, our ego, the flesh that rides us. Even Rabbi Shau’l had moments of doubt in Romans 7:14-15. ‘For we know that the Torah is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin. 15 For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do.’
People that are jealous will try to rob us from victory. Proverbs likens jealousy as something difficult to stand against. ‘Wrath is cruel and anger a torrent, but who is able to stand before jealousy?’ Proverbs 27:4.
Joseph’s brothers were jealous, Genesis 37. In 1 Corinthians 3:3-4 we read that the Corinthians were jealous. Leah and Rachel were jealous of each other, Saul was jealous of David, and even the Apostles had moments of jealousy in Luke 9:46 and Mark 10:35-37.
Choosing to live a life outside of God’s Will keeps us from victory. We may not realize it at the moment, but the end results will be obvious as we read in Nitzavim. Deuteronomy 30:17-18. ‘… But if your heart turns away so that you do not hear, and are drawn away, and worship other gods and serve them, 18 I announce to you today that you shall surely perish…’
Victory in our lives comes from God and His word and will.
The Sabbath sets us apart from the nations. The prophet Isaiah contrasts God’s instructions regarding Shabbat from our human egotistical perceptions regarding the Shabbat. Isaiah 58:13-14 tells us that we will have victory if we regard Sabbath not on our terms but God’s terms. ‘If you turn away your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your pleasure on My holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy day of the Lord honorable, and shall honor Him, not doing your own ways, nor finding your own pleasure,
Nor speaking your own words, 14 Then you shall delight yourself in the Lord; and I will cause you to ride on the high hills of the earth, and feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father. The mouth of the Lord has spoken.”
We lose the victory when we replace the Sabbath with our own will. We are to call the Sabbath a delight in Him for Isaiah states that it is God’s holy day, not ours. It is our choice to desecrate it: slip in this or go do that, but the victory will not be ours for at that moment we have put something else above God. Our ego, our wants, our fleshly needs, our children, our plans, our business, our bellies, our thoughts, or our own misplaced pleasure.
As God told Joshua, we too will have victory when we don’t fear, when we listen, when we are courageous, brave and obedient to His Word.
Isaiah 41:10 ‘Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’
2 Timothy 1:7 ‘For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.’
Isaiah 41:13 ‘For I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, “Fear not, I am the one who helps you.”
Psalm 27:1 ‘Of David. The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?’
Psalm 118:6 ‘The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?’
Just as Moshe tells Joshua in this parsha. ‘Then He inaugurated Joshua the son of Nun, and said, “Be strong and of good courage; for you shall bring the children of Israel into the land of which I swore to them, and I will be with you.’ Deuteronomy 31:23.
Vayelech / And He Went
Deuteronomy 31:1-30
Isaiah 55:6-56:8
Romans 7:7-12
The Sabbath of Return – Return to Lead with Courage!
This Shabbat is called Shabbat Tshuva (Sabbath of Repentance) because it falls during the "Ten days of Awe or Repentance" from Yom Teruah to Yom Kippur. But really the term "Tshuva" implies much more than just repentance. Teshuva means to return – return to the place we were never meant to leave, return to the land, the inheritance and the God we serve. Repentance means going forward, wiping out the past, and making a new future. But Tshuva means to return: to go back to your essence and to the reason you were created by God. We repent to return.
As we close one book, the book of Moshe’s leadership, we begin the book of Joshua’s leadership. In Deuteronomy 31:7-8 Moshe gives his instructions to Joshua: ‘Then Moses called Joshua and said to him in the sight of all Israel, “Be strong and of good courage, for you must go with this people to the land which the Lord has sworn to their fathers to give them, and you shall cause them to inherit it. 8 And the Lord, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed.’
This is very similar to the instructions God gives Joshua in Deuteronomy 31:23 ‘Then He inaugurated Joshua the son of Nun, and said, “Be strong and of good courage; for you shall bring the children of Israel into the land of which I swore to them, and I will be with you.’
Both Moshe and God tell Joshua to be strong and of good courage. However, Moshe tells Joshua that he must go with the people to the land, whereas God instructs Joshua to bring the people into the land. Why the difference in the wording? Moshe almost had to drag the people out of Egypt, constantly interceding on their behalf. It is like Moshe is suggesting to Joshua that he work with the people, whereas God is clearly telling Joshua to ‘bring’ meaning to lead, not to follow. The task to bring the people into the land was his and his alone.
The difference is that now the people were coming into the land. They were to leave their slavery, the wilderness and begin to act as a separate people as one who had just claimed the land that was their promise. However, along with the triumph will come the despair and the rebellion as God predicts to Moshe in Deuteronomy 31:16-21.
This is what Joshua was heading toward. This is why the word bring; lead, charge, take hold of rather than the word ‘with’ meaning that of consensus used by Moshe. God knew the perils that would besiege Joshua and His people. God continued to encourage Joshua as we read in Joshua 1:5-9 ‘No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you. 6 Be strong and of good courage, for to this people you shall divide as an inheritance the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. 7 Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. 8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.’
Do we lead with the strength and encouragement that is freely given to us by Adonai, keeping steadfast in the ways of God? Or do we follow with fear, confusion and trepidation – easily swayed?
There are over 50 verses in Scripture that tell us to be strong and courageous. Besides the verses in Deuteronomy and Joshua, a few are:
Isaiah 41:10 ‘Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.’
James 1:12 ‘Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.’
Ephesians 6:10 ‘Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.’
Isaiah 35:4 ‘Say to those who have an anxious heart, “Be strong; fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you.
2 Chronicles 32:7 ‘Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or dismayed before the king of Assyria and all the horde that is with him, for there are more with us than with him.’
Romans 8:35 ‘Who shall separate us from the love of Yeshua? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?’
Haggai 2:4 ‘Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel, declares the Lord. Be strong, O Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land, declares the Lord. Work, for I am with you, declares the Lord of hosts…’
2 Thessalonians 2:3 speaks of being weak and deceived, ‘Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction…’
Weak and fearful people can easily be swayed and turn from God. They follow people like Korach, Haaman, Jezebel, Judas and others that lead people astray from the Word. We have to be strong and courageous as we repent to return- teshuva to the God of Creation and His Covenant, otherwise we cannot ever fully return. We vacillate between one system and the other, keeping our confidence between two realms instead of the power of God.
James 1:6-8 speaks about the double minded man, ‘But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.’
The word for double-minded means uncertain, doubting, divided in interests. Yeshua taught about this type of person when He spoke of the one who tries to serve two masters in Matthew 6:24. As such, he is “unstable,” meaning “unsteady, wavering, in both his character and feelings.” A double-minded person is restless and confused in his thoughts, his actions, and his behavior. Such a person is always in conflict with himself. One torn by such inner conflict can never lead with confidence, strength and courage. The word unstable is likened to a drunken man unable to walk a straight line, swaying one way, then another. He has no defined direction and as a result doesn’t get anywhere. Such a person is “unstable in all he does.” They wrestle, they vacillate, they change behavior to suit the immediate.
God has made it clear that He comes first and He does not change. He expects our obedience and our love, but always give us the choice to make the decision. But do we demand that He love us – which of course He does -do we demand it and then suggest that only then will we serve and honor Him.
Isaiah 45:4-5 ‘For Jacob My servant’s sake, and Israel My elect, I have even called you by your name;
I have named you, though you have not known Me. 5 I am the Lord, and there is no other; There is no
