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This week’s Torah portion is titled Kee Tavo (“When you come in”). It covers Deuteronomy chapters 26 thru 29:8. Our parasha begins with Moses assembling the nation of Israel to give instruction on two very specific ceremonies when they cross over the Jordan and take possession of the Promised Land. These two ceremonies were the first fruit offerings, and the tithe offering.
For the first fruits ceremony, the people were to take from the first and best of their produce, place it into a basket, and present it in the place Adonai would choose to establish His name. Eventually that was to be Jerusalem. Acknowledging that they have now entered the Land of Promise; the basket was to be given to the priest and placed before the Tabernacle. The offering was accompanied by a marvelous confession of the Lord’s faithfulness.
Chapter 26 teaches us about the second ceremony. After the third year of offerings to the Lord, Israel was to take the first of all their produce, and distribute it to the Levites, strangers, orphans, and widows. This ceremony was also to include a confession of faith and praise, acknowledging who was, and is their Provider. It is a beautiful picture of gratitude and humility. In verse 15 of this passage we hear the first reference to God’s “dwelling place”. It says, “Look down from Your holy habitation, from Heaven, and bless Your people Israel, and the ground which You have given us, a land flowing with milk and honey, as You swore to our fathers.”
In verse 17 Moses reminds the nation of the commitment they made to be faithful to the Covenant with Adonai, saying, “You have today declared the Lord to be your God, and that you would walk in His ways and keep His statutes, His commandments and His ordinances, and listen to His voice.”
In verses 18 & 19 Moses reaffirms God’s commitment to them, saying, “The Lord has today declared you to be His people, a treasured possession, as He promised you, and that you should keep all His commandments; and that He will set you high above all nations which He has made, for praise, fame, and honor; and that you shall be a consecrated people to the Lord your God, as He has spoken.”
In chapters 27 & 28 Moses and the elders explained the curses and blessings associated with the Covenant. The Jewish people were to ratify the Covenant with a special ceremony when they entered the land. Upon arrival in Israel, large stone pillars were to be erected at the base of Mount Ebal. They were to use a whitewashing method most likely learned in Egypt. The whitewash background would make it clearly visible and easy to read. These inscriptions were to offer constant testimony to all the present and future generations of their relationship to God and his Law. An altar was to be erected as well, and there they would offer up peace offerings and rejoice in God’s presence. Mount Ebal is roughly in the center of the Promised Land, just to the north of the city of Shechem. It was at Shechem that Adonai first appeared to Avraham and where he built his first altar to the Lord (Genesis 12 6 &7). Moses reiterates the command to the people that when they cross into the Promised Land, they are to assemble on Mt. Ebal and Mt. Gerizim, to pronounce the curses for disobedience, and the blessings for obedience.
Chapter 27 then lists twelve specific curses for the most serious of offenses; this included the crafting and worshiping of graven images, dishonoring of parents and the theft of real estate by moving of a neighbor’s boundary stone. These most serious offenses include fornication, incest, and bestiality. Several of these curses are for injustices toward the vulnerable and weak. The nation acknowledged the repercussions of these transgressions collectively with an “Amayn”.
In chapter 28 Moses expands on the blessings that would accrue if the nation of Israel diligently abided by the commandments of the Lord. Verses three through six are spoken like beatitudes, summarizing the various areas where the blessing of God would extend to Israel’s life and well-being. God’s favor was intended to permeate all their endeavors in the present and future.
But beginning in chapter 28, verse 15, the consequences for disobedience are pronounced. The next 54 verses read like a prophetic sequence of events that the nation of Israel has, in fact, experienced to some degree, for their disobedience. May I add these curses for disobedience contain some of the most horrific experiences one could ever imagine; a very real hellish torment and existence.
In chapter 29 Moses reminded the people of the miraculous way God had been faithful in providing for us: freed from bondage in Egypt, provided with water and food while wandering through the Arabah for forty years and the defeat of both Sihon king of Heshbon and Og king of Bashan. At the conclusion of the parasha, Moses states; “So keep the words of this Covenant to do them; that you may prosper in all that you do!”
As we reflect on this week’s parasha, one might ask what exactly can we take with us today? Is there a lesson here? I say most definitely so. Kee Tavo translates, “When You Come In”. This in itself reminds us that the nation was still outside the Land. But the instructions were for those who would soon enter the Land. Moses was presenting definitive instructions that one would have to understand and follow, having already exited a life of uncertainty, and entered into a firm, reliable relationship that would be built on faith. In other words, the commandments were meant for a people already free and secure.
As believers in our Messiah Yeshua, we can recall that time in our life, a time of uncertainty, not fully understanding the meaning of life, and still being “east of our Jordan” as it were. Praise God that through acknowledging the death, burial and resurrection of Yeshua, we are now a redeemed people. Once dead in our transgressions, and alienated from our Creator, we have been offered eternal life with Him. For our purposes today, crossing over the Jordan and into the Promised Land means obediently undergoing baptism outwardly professing our faith before God, family, congregants and even visitors. As a family of believers, we acknowledge and confess this new life daily through Messiah Yeshua.
This transformation beckons us all to become steadfast – pillars – ambassadors to our families and community; immovable stones whitewashed, as it were, bearing the tenets of our faith in our hearts and outwardly demonstrating the transforming power of Yeshua in our speech and conduct. We are to boldly and congenially share the Good News of our Mashiach, who has come to Earth, borne our sins and died, risen again, and will soon return. Our transformed life should be clearly evident to those who are the shore of their own Jordan River, wondering whether to cross over and certainly for those who already have.
In other words, we are to be a separate and distinct person, not carelessly following the pattern of this world. The nation of Israel was to follow the instruction of Moses by faith. Sadly, the majority of the people did not. Moses even stated in chapter 29 verse 4, “Yet to this day, the Lord has not given you a heart to know, nor eyes to see, nor ears to hear.”
We have an even higher calling – to follow Messiah’s instruction. But He has not demanded anything unreasonable of us. Yeshua told us that if we have faith even the size of a mustard seed we can move mountains and that nothing is impossible. Through God’s grace we have been provided with all the sustenance of life to bring us safely to the goal. But just as yesterday’s manna wouldn’t remain until today, we must ingest the Bread of Life daily. We need to continually be in the Word. God willing, we will then begin to have a heart to know, eyes to see and ears to hear.