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PAR'SHAT MISHPATIM: Ethics Concerning Lending and Borrowing Money.

2/23/2017

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WE ARE OBLIGATED TO LEND MONEY.

It is amazing that right after the 10 Commandments, HaShem seems concerned with the treatment of slaves. These slaves were not like what we think of today as slaves, but rather were people who went bankrupt and worked their debts of. The Torah requires the treatment of 'slaves' to be so kind that HaShem had to make a provision in case the 'slave' did not want to leave. 
​

אם־כסף תלוה את־עמי את־העני עמך 
לא־תהיה לו כנשׁה לא־תשׂימון עליו נשׁך

"If you loan money to one of my people who is poor, you are not to deal with him as would a creditor; and you are not to charge him interest. (Exo 22:24)

To work, this commandment has to be balanced with Lev 19;12 and Ex 20:7 concerning the importance of fulfilling oaths/vows/promises, which in this case would concern the repayment procedure of a loan. Our Master taught us that it is better not to make a vow than to make one and break it! That concerns the repayment of loans such as credit card debt, mortgages, etc ...

FROM THE CHOFETZ CHAYIM:   
It is an obligatory act, not merely a charitable act, to lend money. The reason the Torah uses the word, 'if', is because of the latter part of the verse. Only when you lend money are you forbidden to be a creditor. A person who borrows money spends it and if he is not able to pay it back when asked, you must not press him. If however you lend someone an object, that object remains in his possession and you are therefore permitted to demand its return. (Chofetz Chayim in Nesiv Hachesed 1:2). 

When you lend someone money, you gain more from your act of kindness than the borrower does. The borrower is helped only in this world, while you gain reward in the world to come. (Kli Yokor on this verse).

The Chofetz Chayim seems to have taught exactly on the same line of the Master and the apostolic writers.

   Rabbi Yeshua says, 
When someone asks you for something, give it to him; when someone wants to borrow something from you, lend it to him. ...

"If someone asks you for something, give it to him; if someone takes what belongs to you, don't demand it back. (Luk 6:30)


   And about not lending for interest and charging credit He said,
 What reward do you get if you love only those who love you? Why, even tax-collectors do that! And if you are friendly only to your friends, are you doing anything out of the ordinary? Even the Goyim do that! Therefore, be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect. (Mat 5:42-48)

   About not pressing the borrower when he cannot repay he taught the following parable,
Because of this, the Kingdom of Heaven may be compared with a king who decided to settle accounts with his deputies. Right away they brought forward a man who owed him many millions; and since he couldn't pay, his master ordered that he, his wife, his children and all his possessions be sold to pay the debt. But the servant fell down before him. 'Be patient with me,' he begged, 'and I will pay back everything.' So out of pity for him, the master let him go and forgave the debt. "But as that servant was leaving, he came upon one of his fellow servants who owed him some tiny sum. He grabbed him and began to choke him, crying, 'Pay back what you owe me!' His fellow servant fell before him and begged, 'Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.' But he refused; instead, he had him thrown in jail until he should repay the debt. When the other servants saw what had happened, they were extremely distressed; and they went and told their master everything that had taken place. Then the master summoned his servant and said, 'You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt just because you begged me to do it. Shouldn't you have had pity on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?' And in anger his master turned him over to the jailers for punishment until he paid back everything he owed. This is how my heavenly Father will treat you, unless you each forgive your brother from your hearts." (Mat 18:23-35)

Yeshua taught this parable as an answer to Peter's question:
Then Kefa came up and said to him, "Rabbi, how often can my brother sin against me and I have to forgive him? As many as seven times?" (Mat 18:21) To which the Master answered before going on to the parable:
"No, not seven times," answered Yeshua, "but seventy times seven! 
(Mat 18:22)


The Master's prayer teaches us: "Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors". (Mat 6:12).

In all this the Master took the cues from His Father. Due to our sin, each of us is indebted to the Father, but He doesn't press us for repayment. He waits for us to accept the Messianic deal He has set up for us. Justice has to be upheld for god to be called 'just', but very often the Father is seen as the judge in the following true story.

Two men who had been friends in their youth met years later in the police court of a great city, one on the judge's bench, the other in the prisoner's dock. Evidence was heard, and the prisoner found guilty. In consideration of their former friendship the judge was asked to withhold sentence.

'No,' he said. 'that cannot be; justice must be done and the law upheld.'

So he gave sentence: 'Fifty dollars fine, or fourteen days at hard labor.'
The condemned man had nothing wherewith to pay, so prison was before him. Then the judge, having fulfilled his duty, stepped down beside the prisoner, paid his fine, put his arm about him, and said, 'Now, John, you are going home with me to dinner.'

King David also believed in lending, as well as Solomon his son:
Things go well with the person who is merciful and lends, who conducts his affairs with fairness; (Psa 112:5)
He who is kind to the poor is lending to Adonai; and he will repay him for his good deed. (Pro 19:17)

The world's economy is in shambles. Industrial countries are seeing their middle classes disappearing in favor of a greater disparity between very few people becoming very rich and many people becoming very poor. Does that denounce our economic ways to HaShem? 


It certainly does not reflect the way Hashem would have us run our finances. The Biblical financial system is made to prevent that kind of disparity. When people follow the economic systems laid in the Torah, including those concerning the 7th and 50th year jubilees, the fruit trees, the Shabbats, the tithes, the offerings, the firsfruits, the 'corners of the fields', etc..., it is impossible for someone to become ultra rich or ultra poor. The question is, 

WHY DON'T WE DO IT? 
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PAR'SHAT YITRO: Ethics Concerning In-Laws .... and Elders.

2/17/2017

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​As he admonishes him concerning the training that those put in charge of the flock of God should receive, Jethro tells Moses:


והזהרתה אתהם את־החקים ואת־התורת והודעת להם
 את־הדרך ילכו בה ואת־המעשׂה אשׁר יעשׂון


You should also teach them the laws and the teachings, and show them how to live their lives and what work they should do. (Exo 18:20) 
 


In Bava Metzia 30b, the Talmud teaches that this verse refers to bestowing chesed, visiting the sick, burying the dead, keeping the commandments, and even going beyond the minimum requirements of the commandments.
   The Chofetz Chayim says that the reason why judges must be taught these obligations, even though they are obligations which everyone must fulfill,  is in order that their exemplary behavior serve as a means to sanctify the Name of Heaven. When people witness the benevolence and integrity of their judges, they will readily submit themselves to their authority and heed their teachings. Furthermore the Sages have always stressed the responsibility of someone who studies Torah to behave in a manner that will generate in others the desire to have their child
ren also study Torah (See Yoma 86b). 



James, the brother of the Master echoes these words in the following statement:

Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, since you know that we will be judged more severely. (Jas 3:1)

Paul the Master's apostle gives a more specific admonition about these things in,

But if you call yourself a Jew and rest on Torah and boast about God and know his will and give your approval to what is right, because you have been instructed from the Torah; and if you have persuaded yourself that you are a guide to the blind, a light in the darkness, an instructor for the spiritually unaware and a teacher of children, since in the Torah you have the embodiment of knowledge and truth; then, you who teach others, don't you teach yourself? Preaching, "Thou shalt not steal," do you steal? Saying, "Thou shalt not commit adultery," do you commit adultery? Detesting idols, do you commit idolatrous acts? You who take such pride in Torah, do you, by disobeying the Torah, dishonor God? --as it says in the Tanakh, "For it is because of you that God's name is blasphemed by the Goyim."   (Rom 2:17-24)


To be responsible leaders, these elders were to be taught the ways of the Torah. The first
virtues that they therefore will need to be endowed with is respect of position and authority, as well as humility.
MOSHE'S ATTITUDE TOWARD YITRO, HIS FATHER-IN LAW.

One of the ethical values we see in Par'shat Yitro is in the respect that Moshe bears for Yitro, his father-in-law. 'In-laws' are the butt of jokes nowadays. If someone says, 'Oh, my in-laws are coming to spend a few days at my house next month!', we imagine that the person will be going through a stressful time at home. Not so with Moshe.


Moshe's father-in-law, likely a descendant of one of Abraham's other children through Keturah named Midian (Genesis 25:1-2) is a mysterious figure. Some contend that he was a pagan priest, while others see him continuing in the faith o
f Abraham his fore-father. I do not know and in ignorance, not wanting to inadvertently speak evil or wrongly about someone who is not present to make their own case, I will not draw judgement. In any case, my point here is not about Jethro, also called Reu'el (friend of God), but about Moshe.


The text of Torah tells us that, Moshe went out to meet his father-in-law, prostrated himself and kissed him. Then, after inquiring of each other's welfare, they entered the tent.  (Exo 18:7 CJB)

Moshe had not seen his wife or children for a long time, but who did he go honor first? Jethro. How did he honor him?   By prostrating himself and kissing him. 

Whatever kind of life Jethro led is even irrelevant when it comes to Moshe. HaShem had honored Moshe with mighty miracles, talked to him directly, and used him in mighty ways. Moshe could have looked upon Jethro with condescension, but he did not. He went to honor and greet him even before he went to his wife and children.


Not only was Moshe mightily  used by HaShem, but before that, he was an officer in Pharaoh's army. Having been raised in Pharaoh's household, he was used to a position of leadership. But in spite of that background, we read that Jethro felt comfortable to give Moshe, the great prophet of God, some needed advice. This tells a lot about Moshe whom HaShem said was the meekest of all men (Num 12:3).


THE PROUDER WE ARE THE HARDER IT IS FOR US TO RECEIVE COUNSEL.

We usually chaff at it by 'killing the messenger', finding fault with its deliverer. Pulling rank is also a common way of one insecure in his position to chaff against counsel. When we indulge in these sorts of behavior, it is difficult and uneasy for us to benefit from the wise counsel of others, as people don't usually want to bother giving it to us. It is even more lethal when we act that way while in a position of leadership. It was not so with Moshe, who's father-in-law felt he could tell Moshe,


 "What you are doing isn't good. 

You will certainly wear yourself out -- 

and not only yourself, but these people here with you as well. 

It's too much for you -- you can't do it alone, by yourself. 

So listen now to what I have to say.

 I will give you some advice, and God will be with you. ...

... If you do this -- and God is directing you to do it -- you will be able to endure; and all these people too will arrive at their destination peacefully." 

And we see that, 

Moshe paid attention to his father-in-law's counsel  and did everything he said. (Exo 18:17-24 CJB)


Later, these 70 elders would be honored by joining Moshe, Aaron, Eliab, and Abihu to the banquet of all banquets, 

Moshe, Aharon, Nadav, Avihu and seventy of the leaders went up; and they saw the God of Isra'el. Under his feet was something like a sapphire stone pavement as clear as the sky itself.  (Exo 24:9-10 CJB)

There is a time in Israel when a King, who unlike Moshe, was opposed to receiving sound advice. We usually blame King Solomon's idolatry for the break of Israel into two kingdoms, but really, HaShem had given a chance for it to not happen. After Solomon died, his son, 

Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had come to Shechem to make him king. And as soon as Jeroboam the son of Nebat heard of it (for he was still in Egypt, where he had fled from King Solomon [Jeroboam was from the tribe of Ephrayim and was Solomon's right-hand man]), then Jeroboam returned from Egypt. And they sent and called him, and 



Jeroboam and all the assembly of Israel came and said to Rehoboam, "Your father made our yoke heavy. Now therefore lighten the hard service of your father and his heavy yoke on us, and we will serve you." He said to them, "Go away for three days, then come again to me." So the people went away. 

Then King Rehoboam took counsel with the old men, who had stood before Solomon his father while he was yet alive, saying, "How do you advise me to answer this people?" And they said to him, "If you will be a servant to this people today and serve them, and speak good words to them when you answer them, then they will be your servants forever." But he abandoned the counsel that the old men gave him and took counsel with the young men who had grown up with him and stood before him. And he said to them, "What do you advise that we answer this people who have said to me, 'Lighten the yoke that your father put on us'?" And the young men who had grown up with him said to him, "Thus shall you speak to this people who said to you, 'Your father made our yoke heavy, but you lighten it for us,' thus shall you say to them, 'My little finger is thicker than my father's thighs. And now, whereas my father laid on you a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke. My father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions.'" 

So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king said, "Come to me again the third day." And the king answered the people harshly, and forsaking the counsel that the old men had given him, he spoke to them according to the counsel of the young men, saying, "My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to your yoke. My father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions." So the king did not listen to the people, for it was a turn of affairs brought about by the LORD that he might fulfill his word, which the LORD spoke by Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat. 

And when all Israel saw that the king did not listen to them, the people answered the king, "What portion do we have in David? We have no inheritance in the son of Jesse. To your tents, O Israel! Look now to your own house, David." So Israel went to their tents. But Rehoboam reigned over the people of Israel who lived in the cities of Judah. Then King Rehoboam sent Adoram, who was taskmaster over the forced labor, and all Israel stoned him to death with stones. And King Rehoboam hurried to mount his chariot to flee to Jerusalem. So Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David to this day. And when all Israel heard that Jeroboam had returned, they sent and called him to the assembly and made him king over all Israel. There was none that followed the house of David but the tribe of Judah only.
(1Ki 12:1-20 ESV)

HaShem used Pharaoh's already hardened pride to accomplish His will (Ex 14:4). Throughout history, He used Israel's enemies to reveal Himself to the world. Pharaoh, the Assyrian Empire, Nebuchadnezzar, Cyrus, the Amalekites, the Philistines, Antiochus Epiphanes, Tiberius Caesar, the Catholic Inquisition, the Third Reich, alongside with Balaam, the Edomites, the Moabites, and all the other villains of History were but instruments in His hands to accomplish His will. 


Just like them, and Rehoboam, through our pride and our rebellion against His will, we have the potential to also set ourselves as instruments of destruction in His hands to accomplish His will. 


A conclusion can be drawn that,
  • We decide for what purpose we come to be used by HaShem. 
  • Our pride will be used towards destruction;
  • Our humility will be used towards edification. 
  • But whether through our pride or our humility, we remain instruments in HaShem's hands.  
May it be for good,  and for edification.


The apostle challenges us ... 

To be zealous is good, provided always that the cause is good. (Gal 4:18 CJB)

R' Gavriel Lumbroso

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PAR'SHAT B'SHALACH: Ethics of a God-Like Teacher.

2/9/2017

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 A TEACHER SHOULD RESPECT HIS STUDENTS. 

  •   ויאמר משׁה אל־יהושׁע בחר־לנו אנשׁים וצא הלחם בעמלק מחר אנכי נצב על־ראשׁ הגבעה ומטה האלהים בידי׃  

    Moshe said to Y'hoshua, "Choose men for us, go out, and fight with `Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill with God's staff in my hand." 

    (Exo 17:9)
    A TEACHER SHOULD RESPECT HIS STUDENTS.
    Medieval Jewish commentator Rashi says: "Choose ... for us" that is, for me and you; Moshe compared Yehoshua to himself. From here the Sages have said, "Let the honor of your student be held in esteem by you as your own honor." (Cited in Yorah Daiah 242:33)

    Moshe, who by all counts had been very highly honored by HaShem, brought his student and disciple to his side and addressed him as an equal. This denotes the true humility of Moshe (Num 12:3). I heard it said one time that 'True greatness is the ability to make others feel great!'

    Here is a true anecdote from a Rabbi/teacher who understood this principle:
    When Rabbi Akiva Eiger's children were preparing his response for a publication, Rabbi Eiger wrote to them: "Among the responses, you will undoubtedly find many letters to those who have studied in my yeshiva. Please do not refer to them as my students, for I have never called anyone my student. How can I know who has learned more from whom? " (Introduction to Tshuvot Rav Akiva Eiger).
    As the mark of a true teacher, Rambam said,  "If his students do not understand what they have been taught, a teacher should not be angry with them. Rather he should repeat the lesson until they understand."


    On the other hand he also said,  "A student should not say, 'I understand' when he really does not understand. He should ask for the lesson to be repeated until he comprehends it, even if it entails several repetitions. If his teacher grows impatient with him he should say, 'Teacher, what you are teaching is Torah and I must learn it; but my mental capacity is limited! '" (Hilchot Talmud Torah 4:4; Yorah Daiah 246:10,11).

    In his book, Love Your Neighbour' Rabbi Zelig Pliskin comments on this saying, "I once heard it said, 'If you ask a question, you might be considered a fool for five minutes. But if you don't ask a question, you will remain a fool your entire life."' 

    Once at a writer's conference someone said, "We need to stop looking at people as 'wrong', and instead start looking at them as 'lost."

    I think that it couldn't be more true. As teachers, we must always remind ourselves that we were not born with the knowledge we profess. Like everyone else, we were born ignoramus. We also should keep in mind that we did not teach ourselves. Someone took the time to teach us either personally, on paper, or on digital tools. Everyone of us sits on the shoulders of giants. At the end of the day, we are only the products of HaShem's infinite patience, as we do not know how long HaShem had been trying to drive the point home up to the day when we said, 'Eureka!'

    We need to resist the temptation to look down on those who have not yet received the knowledge we have. The key to resist that temptation is to remember where we come from. Who knows, it is possible that one day, those on whom we look down today will surpass us. The true mark of a teacher is in the number of students who have surpassed him. 

    Remembering these things helps us all to look at the people we teach, whether they are our children, our friends, co-workers, employees, or congregants. with compassion, love, and respect, just like Moshe did with Y’hoshua.

    The greatest sign of thankfulness we can show for the knowledge that has been imparted to us, is to invest our time in teaching someone else what we know with the patience and grace that others, and ultimately HaShem, has shown us. 

    Here is another true anecdote of a Rabbi/teacher.

    Rabbi Praida had to repeat each lesson 400 times to a certain student until the student finally grasped the information. Once when they were studying together, someone interrupted Rabbi Praida and asked him to go with him to perform a mitzvah. Rabbi Praida waited until he was finished repeating the lesson the usual 400 times, but the student did not comprehend the lesson. "Why is today different than usual?" asked the Rabbi.  "From the moment that you were asked to accompany those people, I was unable to concentrate on what you were teaching me." replied the student. "I kept thinking that you were going to leave right away. Rabbi Praida then repeated the lesson another 400 times, and for this reason HaShem granted him exceptionally long life and his entire generation merited Olam Haba.  (Eruvim 54b)
    Here are some more teaching nuggets.


    Besides possessing a thorough grasp of the subject matter that is to be taught, a teacher must sincerely be interested in the welfare of his students. He should try to help them with their personal needs and problems, and should show them understanding and sympathy. (Shivti B'hais HaShem, pp.16,30)
    A teacher should not use sarcastic remarks or ridicule ... . (Bava Metzia 58b)
    Our Master was a great teacher. He was tireless and patient. He used familiar talmudic parables so the simple and uneducated people could understand Him (Mat 13:10-11). He spoke to people in a relate-able language.  
       Once while going through Samaria, people refused him hospitality, a very grave sin. The disciples (reacting to the already acrimonious politics between Jews and Samaritans) wanted to punish the people and the area with fire and brimstone, but the Master refused. Several years later, those very disciples found themselves ministering to that very same city. This shows that Phillip had learned his lesson about being a patient teacher from the grace, patience and foresight of the Master,  (Luk 9:52-56; Acts 8:25).

     Very often we find opposition when we try to
    share the truth of Messianic Judaism to those who have been raised in traditional churches. This can lead to derogatory and condescending attitudes from those who claim to 'know'. How unlike the Master this is.  How unlike the faithful Rabbi who repeats his lesson 400 times! The Master never looks down on us for our ignorance, but like the patient teacher that He is, teaches us the lesson not 400 times but 7 x 77 times. 

    May we impart on others the patience He has and continues to impart upon us.

    May we learn to follow the apostle's injunction, 

    ...and a slave of the Lord shouldn't fight. 

    On the contrary, he should be kind to everyone, 

    a good teacher, and not resentful when mistreated.  Also he should be gentle as he corrects his opponents. For God may perhaps grant them the opportunity to turn from their sins, acquire full knowledge of the truth, come to their senses and escape the trap of the Adversary, after having been captured alive by him to do his will.   (2Ti 2:24-26)


    R' Gavriel Lumbroso

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PARSHAT BO: Unethical Pharaoh.

2/3/2017

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Moshe is to go to Pharaoh. Hashem asked the prophet to challenge Pharaoh to allow the Children of Israel to go worship their God for three days in the desert. Pharaoh absolutely refuses. The text of the Torah gives us some insight as to what is going on behind the scenes. We read in the text that Hashem commands Moshe:

ויאמר יהוה אל־משׁה בלכתך לשׁוב מצרימה ראה כל־המפתים אשׁר־שׂמתי בידך ועשׂיתם לפני פרעה ואני אחזק את־לבו ולא ישׁלח את־העם׃ 

"When you get back to Egypt, make sure that you do before Pharaoh every one of the wonders I have enabled you to do. Nevertheless, I am going to make him hardhearted, and he will refuse to let the people go. 
(Exo 4:21 CJB)

 "Go to Pharaoh, for I have made him and his servants hardhearted, so that I can demonstrate these signs of mine among them, so that you can tell your son and grandson about what I did to Egypt and about my signs that I demonstrated among them, and so that you will all know that I am Adonai." (Exo 10:1-2 CJB)



These words seem to imply that Pharaoh did not stand a chance. Hashem Himself hardened his heart. This begs the question that Paulrhetorically asks about what Hashem said to Moshe. Paul then reasons,

Thus it doesn't depend on human desires or efforts, but on God, who has mercy. For the Tanakh says to Pharaoh, "It is for this very reason that I raised you up, so that in connection with you I might demonstrate my power, so that my name might be known throughout the world." So then, he has mercy on whom he wants, and he hardens whom he wants. But you will say to me, 
"Then why does he still find fault with us? After all, who resists his will?"

To which he answers,

 Who are you, a mere human being, to talk back to God? Will what is formed say to him who formed it, "Why did you make me this way?" Or has the potter no right to make from a given lump of clay this pot for honorable use and that one for dishonorable? 

Now what if God, even though he was quite willing to demonstrate his anger and make known his power, patiently put up with people who deserved punishment and were ripe for destruction?  (In other words, you don't make a fuss when I show mercy to those who deserve punishment) 
What if he did this in order to make known the riches of his glory to those who are the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory --that is, to us, whom he called not only from among the Jews but also from among the Gentiles? 
(Rom 9:15-24 CJB)


To sum it all, the text of the Torah tells us that Hashem wanted this situation, and that He allowed it in order to establish His Name or 'reputation' on earth. he tells us that He has done it for our sake today.

It is true that we shouldn't question Hashem's ways. Many disasters in History ended up having a redemptive silver lining. But this still leaves us with a dilemna, "Is our life based on predestination or self-determination?" 

The answer really is that Hashem did not initiate Pharaoh's resolve against the Children of Israel. He only used what already existed in Pharaoh's heart. The problem is most striking when we read the text in English. The Hebrew gives us more details. We are also faced with this dilemma when we read the text with the cultural mentality of 21st century urban  Westerners. Now that we have an idea as to why Hashem allowed this situation, let us see what was Pharaoh's stubbornness motivated by. 

For the first 5 plagues, we are not told that Hashem hardened Pharaoh's hard, we first told that Hashem will make Pharaoh's heart 'difficult קשה'. A 'difficult heart' is a heart that is oppositional, contrary; someone who refuses to cooperate and listen to others. 'My-mind-is-made-up-don't confuse-me-with-the-facts' type of attitude.

Then we are told that 'Pharaoh's heart was 'hardened יחזק '(Ex 7:13). What does it mean? What is a heart-hardened person?   In our culture, we tend to associate the heart with feelings and emotions. A 'hard-hearted' person would therefore be an insensitive person who 'doesn't like kittens',. In Hebrew, the heart represents the seat of the will and decision-making. The description would be therefore as of someone who is arrogantly stubborn and doesn't change their mind about things. No matter how much you challenge them, they are unmovable. This is something that is very common to human nature. .

We are then told that Pharaoh's heart was 'heavy כבד'. (Ex 7:14) In English it means to be sad. In the case of Pharaoh it refers to his pride being wounded. The pride of the haughtiest man in the world who thought he was Good was wounded by he of whom Hashem said was the meekest man in the world (Numb 12:3).

We are also told that Pharaoh 'strengthened his heart' יחזק (Ex 8:19). At first in English it may even it sounds good, but what that means is that Pharaoh strengthened his already made up assumptions or decisions. How do we do that? By rationalizing our opinion and disobedience. against Hashem's commandments.

All those things represent the anti-thesis of what we should be. When our hearts has made unshakable decisions that we strengthened through rationalization in order to save our pride and so-called honor, we resemble Pharaoh. As we read these things, many of us may start looking more like Pharaoh. Many of us, in our stubborn proud ways may be more like Pharaoh than like Moshe.

We do not have to be Pharaoh in order to be like Pharaoh. All we have to do is harden our hears and resolve against the things that Hashem asks us to do. It was the devil's sin from the beginning. Of all the sins in the book, pride comes at the top.

There are six things Adonai hates, seven which he detests: a haughty look, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that plots wicked schemes, feet swift in running to do evil, a false witness who lies with every breath, and him who sows strife among brothers.(Pro 6:16-19 CJB)



We can all remember times when we have hardened our hearts against Hashem's will. Even today, He may call us to repent from some type of behavior, some bad habit, but even more from some grudge, some 'unfinished business' with relatives, co-workers, spouse, former spouse, or children but we don't because ... (fill in the blanks).

Moshe and Jeremiah analogized a stiff-neck proud and stubborn heart with an 'uncircumcised heart'.

In our new understanding that the 'heart' in Hebrew is the 'will', let us apply Moshe asnd Jeremiah's challenge to our lives today: '
Therefore, circumcise the foreskin of your heart; and don't be stiffnecked any longer! Deu_10:16

 "People of Y'hudah and inhabitants of Yerushalayim, circumcise yourselves for Adonai, remove the foreskins of your heart! Jer_4:4

Stephen, the first Jewish messianic martyr challenged his hard-hearted religious opponents with, 

Stiffnecked people, with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You continually oppose the Ruach HaKodesh! You do the same things your fathers did! 
(Act 7:51 CJB)

Moshe tells us that in the messianic Age,... 

... Adonai your God will circumcise your hearts and the hearts of your children, so that you will love Adonai your God with all your heart and all your being, and thus you will live. Deu_30:6

MAY IT BE SOON HASHEM
EVEN IN OUR DAYS!
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