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Torah 101-Nitzvaim-Vayelech Portion

I. ANSWERS TO LAST WEEKS STUDY QUESTIONS (from Ki-
Tavo)

Torah 101 Questions and Answers

1) Question for Deuteronomy 26:

In this chapter the word SHMAYIM or heaven is mentioned. While no one is
100% sure of the full meaning of this word, the possibilities around it are both
interesting and unexpected. What are some of those surprising meanings?
SHMAYIM (26:15) = heaven, possibly from the word SHAM (there) and so heaven
is what, by definition, is not already here. Others think it derives from SHAMAM or
un-imaginable, but I have no firm ruling on which is right, if any.

2) Question for Deuteronomy 27:

We all know by now that Moshe prophesied about Yshua in Deuteronomy 18
(compare with Yochanan 5:45-47). However, in this chapter Moshe also prophesied
about one of Yshuas discipleswho is he and where did Moshe prophesy about
him?
ARUR LOKEACH SHOCHAD LEHKOT NEFESH DAM NAKI VEAMAR KOL
HAAM AMAYN (27:25) = cursed is he is accepts gifts/bribes to strike down an
innocent man and all the people say Amen. This is a prophecy about Yshua. But
also about the disciple who betrayed him, Yehudah, who got 30 pieces of silver to
hand Yshua over and he got struck down or killed.

3) Question for Deuteronomy 28:1-29:8:

What detail about the role of evil in this portion seems at odds with other descriptions
of evil but really isnt?

This part of Devarim is full of phrases that Abba YHWH will directly cause evil to
reign over Israel if she sins, as opposed to ha-Satan directing that evil process.
However, Isaiah 45 makes it very clear that Abba YHWH forms the light and creates
the darkness; creates peace and brings disasterI YHWH do all these things.
Furthermore in Job it is clear that even when Ha-Satan does act, he only does so with
approval from Abba YHWH.

4) Haftorah Question of the Week: Isaiah 60:1-22

Where did we encounter the family line of Islams founder this week?

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7
"All the flocks of Kedar will be gathered together to you, The rams of Nebaioth will
minister to you; They will go up with acceptance on My altar, And I shall glorify My
glorious house. (Isaiah 60:7 NAU)

According to Muslim tradition, Mohammed comes out of the Kedar tribe, and that
tribe is not exactly enthusiastically endorsed in Scripture

(Isa 21:16) For thus has said to me, Within a year, according to the year of a
hired man, all the esteem of ar shall come to an end, (Isa 21:17) and the rest of
the number of archers, the mighty men of the people of ar, shall be few. For
Elohim of Yisral has spoken.

(Jer 49:28) To ar and to the reigns of atsor, which Neuaretstsar sovereign of
ael smote: Thus said , Arise, go up to ar, and ravage the men of the East!
(Jer 49:29) Their tents and their flocks, their curtains and all their vessels shall be
taken. And they shall take away their camels for themselves. And they shall cry out to
them, Fear is on every side!





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II. QUESTIONS FOR THIS TORAH PORTION (Nitzvaim-Vayelech)

Please NOTE:

For clarity and time constraints, if I elect to not read the whole parsha (which
is the case this week) I may still ask questions relating to the portions I did not
read!

5) Question for Deuteronomy 29:9-30:20:

Earlier we saw the tribe from Islams founder mentioned in Isaiah and Jeremiah.
Now though please tell me: Where do we see one possible origin for the name of
Elohim in the Koran as coming from this part of the Torah?

6) Question for Deuteronomy 31:

What lines of evidence do we have here that tell us or suggest how much of the Torah
was actually written down by Moshe at this moment?

7) Haftorah Question of the Week: Isaiah 55:6-56:8

How is a line in this Haftorah portion secretly linked to the story of Noah?

8) Renewed Covenant Commentary: Matthew 28:16-20; Romans 9:30-10:13

Romans 9:32

55) When the Israelites followed Moshe and were obedient to YHWH by faith, they
won their battles, but when they rebelled they lost and suffered great casualties. In
our day when Jews seek YHWH by faith, they find Mashiyach, but they stumble
when they focus not on faith but "works of Torah" according to religious authorities
and traditions. Mashiyach is the greatest "stumbling stone" to man's religions but
let's not pick on Jews only, because this applies equally to every other soul who
regards their own religious traditions as more authoritative than YHWH and His
Mashiyach.

Romans 10:8

58) Rom_10:6-8 is a wonderful Midrash on Deu_30:11-14 which reads: For this
Torah which I am laying down for you today is neither obscure for you nor beyond
your reach. It is not in heaven, so that you need to wonder, Who will go up to
heaven for us and bring it down to us, so that we can hear and practice it? Nor is it
beyond the seas, so that you need to wonder, Who will cross the seas for us and
bring it back to us, so that we can hear and do it? No, the word is very near to you,
it is in your mouth and in your heart for you to put into practice. A common
traditional saying among rabbis is derived from this verse, haTorah lo baShamayim hi
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(the Torah is not in heaven) which is used as their justification to twist the written
Torah into subjugation under their oral traditions. Instead Rav Shaul teaches, who
will ascend to heaven and bring Mashiyach down? and who will go down and raise
Mashiyach from the dead? Paul is elegantly expressing Yshua as the Living Torah
through the very power of Torah itself. He purposefully and literally interchanges
Yshua with Torah in this quote and on very good authority. Yshua said, I am the
Living Bread who has descended from Heaven Joh_6:51.

Romans 10:12

60) The first time in this epistle where YHWH (MarYah) is used instead of
Elohim/Eloah. This verse indicates the ONENESS of the Malchut Elohim. ONE
YHWH, One Kingship and One People. This is a continuum; NOT a drastic change
in Covenant, but a renewal of YHWH's people unto Himself.

Romans 10:13

61) MarYah, as opposed to the Greek kurios, can only refer to YHWH, giving
Aramaic a huge interpretive advantage. It is a critical fact, as is pointed out here, that
Rav Shaul specifically tells believers to call on the name of YHWH, which is
certainly not at all represented by the name "Jesus." Joh_17:11 tells us that the name
of Y'shua is of the name YHWH. Before Rav Shaul came to believe, Y'shua had
already ascended to the Right Hand of YHWH (Rev_19:13). Prayer was being
offered unto YHWH in the name of Y'shua. Y'shua stated that his mission was to
bring glory to His Father YHWH. Y'shua's name (YHWH is salvation) is
accomplishing the salvation of YHWH. It was also prophetic that the Gentiles would
come to know the Name of YHWH, according to Jer_16:19-21 : "O YHWH, my
strength, and my fortress, and my refuge in the day of affliction, the Gentiles shall
come unto you from the ends of the earth and shall say, Surely our fathers have
inherited lies, vanity, and things wherein there is no profit. Shall a man make gods
unto himself, and they are no gods? Therefore, behold, I will this once cause them to
know, I will cause them to know mine hand and my might; and they shall know that
my name is YHWH." And, of course, this is to be done according to the Perfect work
of Mashiyach!

Matthew 28:19

299) Aramaic has name singular which does not support the traditional trinity
theology. Ruach haKodesh is a title for YHWH, see Isa_63:1-11; Psa_51:1-11. The
Son has his Fathers Name within him and the Father keeps His people in His Name;
Joh_17:11. As a result, imagine three branches of the same tree rather than three
separate trees. Each branch is united by the Name/Title of the One Divine
Personality that is YHWH Elohim. This linkage is established in Shemot/Exo_23:20-
22 where a Messenger, unlike any other angel can forgive sin because YHWH says,
for My Name is in Him. All other angels have EL in their name but Yshuas
Name is above the angels, hence Yah/YHWH is in Yshuas name (Mat_1:21,
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Heb_1:1-5). Nazarenes have from the very beginning taught salvation in the Name of
YHWH. See Immerser in Appendix.

Matthew 28:20

300) Or end of the age, as Aramaic alma means both. The exact meanings apply to
the Greek word aion used here, making this one of the few times where an original
Aramaic word is perfectly matched with the Greek.