If you answered yes, then I have to ask, do you love him because you care for him or because he commands it? Did the chicken come first or the egg? Or – is it both?
The third positive commandment as enumerated by Maimonides is to love God.
P3 – “To love Him, as Deuteronomy 6:5 states: ‘And you shall love God, your Lord.[1]’”
How does this command apply to the Disciples of Yeshua?
As I’ve always understood it, love is freely given, not demanded. It seems counterintuitive for God to set down this command, and yet, He does. The love of God plays a key role in the life of faith. We serve God because we love God. Are we free from this command? Any student of Scripture should quickly realize there’s no feasible way to argue we are. It takes center stage in several teachings of both Yeshua and the apostolic epistles.
Jesus made the love of God first and foremost among God’s commandments:
Matthew 22:36–37 (TLV) 36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Torah?” 37 And He said to him, “ ‘You shall love Adonai your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’
As stated in P2, Yeshua is quoted elsewhere as beginning with the Shema where the unity of God is included in this command. While they are enumerated as two commands, the two are one and function as a continuous thought. The unity of God and the love of God go together and are inseparable and this is confirmed by our Master’s teaching.
Yeshua made the Shema and loving God the central tenant of Scripture (the “second [which] is like it” will come later). Here are some allusions I found to this command in the rest of the Apostolic Writings:
It’s worth noting that “shema” is not only to “hear.” Look up the word in any lexicon and you will see that it is to “listen,” to “hear” and to “obey.” You cannot have one meaning without the other. The full meaning dwells within the word in Hebrew even if it appears to lose some of the meaning when brought into English.
John 14:15 (TLV) 15 “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.
1 John 5:3 (TLV) 3 For this is the love of God—that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.
2 John 6 (TLV) 6 Now this is love: that we walk according to His commands. This is the commandment—just as you heard from the beginning—that you walk in love.
To love God is to live in obedience to His Commandments. We demonstrate our love through our service to Him.
So, did you love God and then keep the commandment to love Him? Or did you keep the commandment to love Him and then actually fall in love with our Creator? Was it the chicken or the egg?
Don’t get me wrong. While we can have fun and enjoy the unanswerable questions, we don’t love God just because we’re commanded to. We do it because He first loved us.
1 John 4:19 (TLV) 19 We love, because He first loved us.
1 John 4:10 (TLV) 10 This is love—not that we have loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atonement for our sins.
We are called to return His love. That’s the command. It’s a circular logic, but it’s true, nonetheless. We love God, because He loved us. God loves us because we love Him as it says in Proverbs.
Proverbs 8:17 (TLV) 17 I love those who love me. Those who earnestly seek me find me.
To be a child of the Kingdom, you are required to love God. If you believe you are free from a calling to love God, you’re in danger of stepping into the other camp which I personally want no part of. That road leads to nothing good – only hate and death. I’m not free to stop loving God – this is a command every disciple is required to uphold.
As a Body of Believers, part of our calling is to acknowledge the unity of God. God is One and there is no other God beside Him. That is the second positive commandment as enumerated by Maimonides.
P2 – To unify Him, as Deuteronomy 6:4 states: “God is our Lord, God is one.[1]“
Discovering this law within the Apostolic Writings is among the easiest to find. More than likely, most Believers that are choosing to read this already realize that this law is foremost among all others. Yeshua Himself places this law as the most important law of God’s Word.
Mark 12:28–29 (TLV) 28 One of the Torah scholars came and heard them debating. Seeing that Yeshua had answered them well, he asked Him, “Which commandment is first of all?” 29Yeshua answered, “The first is, ‘Shema Yisrael, Adonai Eloheinu, Adonai echad. Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One.
For any believer in the Messiah Yeshua (Jesus), it should be clear this law is completely applicable to us. This concept of God’s unity is so intertwined within the writings of Scripture, that for us to dimmish it or excuse it would unravel the entire faith. There is one God. We are a monotheistic faith and there is a unity in the one God who personifies Himself in three ways – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. God regularly tells us, there is no God besides Him.
Isaiah 44:6 (TLV) 6 Thus says Adonai, Israel’s King and his Redeemer, Adonai-Tzva’ot: “I am the first, and the last, and there is no God beside Me.
Jesus Himself frequently focused us on the Father, but there are certainly the mystery verses that get the conversational juices going. In any case, we know there is one God.
John 1:1 (TLV) 1 In the beginning was the Word. The Word was with God, and the Word was God.
The Apostles maintained the Oneness of God even after His resurrection all while professing the deity within Him. We can see that in Jude for example:
Jude 25 (ESV) 25 to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.
There is only one God. He works through the personification of Yeshua and the Spirit, but He remains echad (one).
P2 was another easy one. What shall we find on P3?
Do you know that God exists? If so, you’re already on the right track for his teachings. The first positive command as enumerated by Maimonides is simply to know that there is a God in Heaven. Essentially in Jewish understanding, the command is: “Thou shalt know God.”
P1 – The first of the positive commandments is the mitzvah to know that there is a God, as Exodus 20:2 states: “I am God, your Lord.[1]“
Oftentimes, the commands will show up more than once in Torah. This will be the first example of that. Maimonides quotes Exodus in the above reference, but you can also find the command repeated in Deuteronomy
Deuteronomy 5:6 (TLV) 6 ‘I am Adonai your God, who brought you out from the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.
In literal form, the two proof texts apply directly to the Jewish people. It was them that God delivered out of Egypt and therefore this command was directed to them. Too often in Christianity, we are told “the law was nailed to the cross,” but I personally don’t know a single Christian, that would claim we are not obligated to this command. If you don’t believe in the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, you’re not a Believer – it’s as simple as that.
God expects us to believe in Him and the New Testament writings make that abundantly clear. While this command may have initially been given to the Jewish people at Sinai, it is absolutely applicable to every Believer, Jew and Gentile alike. In fact, part of our understanding is literally the confession of faith in His Son:
Romans 10:9 (TLV) 9 For if you confess with your mouth that Yeshua is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
The verse above can be cross referenced with several more including Matthew 10:32, Luke 12:8, Phil. 2:11, 1 John 2:23, 1 John 4:14, Acts 8:37 – and others.
So, can we find P1 in the New Testament? I think the answer is a pretty cut and dry “yes.” Belief in God the Father and the call to return to His ways was the ministry of John the Immerser and then Jesus picked up that call: “repent.”
Not only are Believers called to know God, but I think we could argue that even non-believers are expected to acknowledge there is a God. Consider what Paul says early in his letter to the Romans:
Romans 1:18–20 (TLV) 18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men. In unrighteousness they suppress the truth, 19 because what can be known about God is plain to them—for God has shown it to them. 20 His invisible attributes—His eternal power and His divine nature—have been clearly seen ever since the creation of the world, being understood through the things that have been made. So people are without excuse—
As far as Paul is concerned, people are “without excuse.” Perhaps there are some that would argue that’s not a current requirement on a universal scale. Even if you want to argue that, there’s going to be a time when all flesh will accept this foundational truth of God’s existence. Later in his epistle, Paul quotes a verse from Isaiah 45:23 (quoted also in Philippians 2:10)
Romans 14:11 (TLV) 11 For it is written, “As I live, says Adonai, every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall give praise to God.”
Ok. P1 was a softball. I promise, they get better, and the hunt becomes more intense. On to P2!
Did you know there are 613 commands in the books of Moses? This is one of those random facts that seems to be making its way into “common knowledge,” but I also know there are many who still don’t know that is the official tally.
Where do we get that number? I understand it originates from a saying in the Talmud:
There were 613 mitzvot stated to Moses in the Torah, consisting of 365 prohibitions corresponding to the number of days in the solar year, and 248 positive mitzvot corresponding to the number of a person’s limbs.[1]
The list of commandments isn’t given in this same resource. It’s just stated as fact. From this, many authors and commentators have gone through and listed out the various laws – lists which are readily available for you to review should you have the desire.
As it happens, through various life circumstances and discussions, I’ve found myself in a place desiring to search out these 613 commands myself – but, not in the Torah of Moses. I’ve got it in my heart to search out these instructions within the confines of the New Testament.
A little about my worldview and Biblical understanding: I don’t accept the common teaching of “the law was nailed to the cross.” Personally, I outright reject it. I will agree the curse was nailed to the cross, but the Torah is not a curse. The Torah is our instruction book on how to live life to its fullest potential while bringing joy, hope, and blessing to everyone we come across along our path.
When I read the Gospel accounts of Yeshua (Jesus) going about His ministry, I see Him bringing real world applications to many of the commandments. Far from dismissing them or diminishing them on the Cross, He is making them real and applicable to the everyday believer, and His disciples continue this pattern in their epistles.
Jesus doesn’t just do this with the “honor your parents” command, but He brings an everyday application, understanding, and teaching to commands that could otherwise not be performed outside of the Temple. But, I’m getting ahead of myself…
Full disclosure, I’m rewriting this introduction (for a second time) after I’ve already started searching for these commandments. Before beginning to share with whoever might care to read, I wanted to have a bit of a “proof of concept” to ensure I’m not crazy. Well…I am a little crazy. Perhaps not so much about this, though. Time will tell!
I’ve wrestled with whether or not to share this new journey. Quite a bit actually! I go back and forth with the question: Is it just for me or do I share it? I’m not even sure yet why God has put me on this adventure as I’m sure there are no doubt thousands of people that could do it better than I can.
While thinking through this, I was reminded of my friend Carl a few years ago who asked our Pastor to teach him the 613 laws of Torah. It’s something we are all lacking to some degree, even if we don’t know it. Perhaps, with His guidance, we can bring out a little more of our Master’s heart from the Apostolic Writings. Far from diminishing God’s blessing of the Torah, I’m hoping to discover our Master Jesus the Messiah expounding on these words as I sit at His feet to learn. If you travel along, I hope you enjoy yourself!
Some housekeeping items:
I will be using the Mishneh Torah to walk through the commandments. This is a list enumerated by Maimonides and the list I see quoted most often.
The commands are split into positive (thou shalt) and negative (thou shalt not) teachings. I’m starting out with the positive commandments for no particular reason other than it was the link I followed first in my research.
I have no idea how fast or slow I will get through the list. Please be patient as some commands are already proving to take a fair amount of research time.
I have no idea if I will be able to find all 613 commandments. While I’m encouraged by the results I have already, I have a long way to go. If I can’t find one, I’ll move on and perhaps come back to search some more later.
I am open to conversation and rebuttals to my findings. I am (obviously) not an authority on this subject. Share what you find and if you feel the need to tell me I’m wrong, please don’t just say I’m wrong and walk away. Please be kind! Both in your words and in your willingness to expound on why I may be wrong so I can learn and grow and perhaps even pull down a post to rethink it.
I quote Scripture a lot, but there is no single translation you will see me quoting. Often times I have at least three open and I grab the quotes from whichever one my mouse lands on. Most of the time, there is no rhyme or reason. Sometimes I will purposely avoid using a Messianic Jewish translation as the transliterated Hebrew isn’t always widely understood. Other times, such as in P29 I will use specific translations and I will strive to mention when I do. Other than that, please consider the selected translation happenstance.
I use the terms Jew and Jewish synonymously with Israel, Israelite, and Hebrew similar to the way the Apostles do in the Epistles. Please know this vernacular is not meant to offend you or anyone else and that I am very aware of the various theological understandings.
When I’m stuck or I don’t know where to start, I utilize non-Biblical Jewish literature to discover the cultural view. I do not put these resources on the same authoritative level as Scripture (no one does), but they unquestionably shine a light on how the culture understands our Master’s words.
I’ve already had multiple people express excitement over this project. I hope you enjoy this new journey with me. I’m looking forward to seeing the revelations of God come to life in a new way as I explore and I look forward to you joining me should you decide to!
With that, let’s jump in with P1, our first positive commandment.
We should try to live it out at the heart level and not lawyer God.
This week’s Torah portion is Korah (Numbers 16-18). The story and lessons learned are fascinating. These are lessons I regularly strive to learn from through introspection of my own faith and observation of the wider Body of Messiah. Reflecting on it often reveals where I (and we) fall short in the walk of faith.
In an “overall message” sort of way, I too often see myself standing in a place where I buck authority and try to go my own way. I choose a path that I think is the better path and as the portion would suggest, that doesn’t tend to go so well.
In a view of the wider body of Messiah, I also see the rebellion of Korah alive and well. From the early days of Yeshua’s teachings spreading throughout the world, people have been striving to overturn the authority of Moses. Too many teachers, pastors, priests, and lay leaders speak to the obsolescence of the words of Moses for a Christian believer.
When I think on this Torah portion, I am always reminded of Jude 11 where Jude is warning us of fellow “believers” that follow after the ways of Cain, Balaam and Korah. For anyone that thinks Torah doesn’t apply to Christian Believers, Jude seems to disagree. Jude expected that you would immediately know the downfalls of each of these Biblical characters. Ask an average Christian though and you’ll likely get the deer-in-the-headlights look when they have no idea about Balaam and Korah.
When practicing my introspection and observation of the Body of Messiah, I’m forced to confront the questions of these 3 characters. More so when reading this Torah portion as it is one of the 3 that go hand in hand with Jude 11 which is directly applied by Jude to a Christian believer.
Do Jude’s warnings apply to me? Am I in the midst of Messiah’s community falling prey to these characteristics? Who do I know that I should be guarded with as they are falling prey to these characteristics?
Do I harbor jealousy and anger when I see others succeeding with God more than myself, and thus stepping into the shoes of Cain? Remember, Cain may have had physical blood on His hands, but the words of Yeshua in Matthew 5 easily put spiritual blood on yours and mine.
Do I serve the community in any fashion in an effort to reap profit for myself? Do we give out of love or with an expectation to receive? I’m not just asking giving from our monetary means, but are we serving and sharing of the faith with an eye toward gain? Don’t be so fast to deny this is you. How many times have you said (or thought) the words “what does that have to do with salvation”? Imagine my wife asking me to take out the garbage and I ask her “what does that have to do with our marriage?” Did you accept Jesus just for salvation for eternal death or is it a relationship of love, honor, and obedience? If you answer this critically, you may have to reassess your relationship and expectations.
Those are other portions though. This portion is about Korah. And this story turns out to be quite fascinating when you dissect it into its various parts and when you also overlay it with history.
The Bible has synonymized Moses and the first five books of Scripture. If you rebel against God’s teachings, you rebel against Moses, making this Torah portion particularly apt to the Christian church. A common doctrine in the church, regardless of denominational preference, is that the Torah no longer applies. I witness this regardless of the church or synagogue I attend. We all make excuses in some fashion, but is that the way it should be?
Those five books of Scripture are the only words that God physically spoke as it says, “with Moses I speak mouth to mouth.” The unique thing about those words is that they appear in every book of Scripture. Often overtly, sometimes a passing quote that will not jump out during a cursory reading, and sometimes in the basic meaning of the storyline without a direct quote at all, but blatantly obvious to the student of Torah. It is constant and in every book.
So how do we rebel against Moses? How do we too often step into Korah’s shoes? Yeshua taught continually during His years on earth that we should be living out the heart of Torah. He didn’t want His disciples to abandon Torah, but to take it to the next level! Instead of doing that, we usually read something in Torah and then say, “well that piece doesn’t apply to me.”
Taking someone’s life may not apply to you, but Yeshua told you that anger toward your neighbor is tantamount to murder. It applies. You just need to look for how.
We should try to live it out at the heart level and not lawyer God.
When God speaks of the priesthood wearing very specific clothing when coming to serve in the Temple, He is speaking to the Levitical priesthood who serve in the Temple of God. How do we live that out at a heart level rather than saying “that doesn’t apply to me”?
When a tree is planted in Israel, it takes 5 years to partake of its fruit within the confines of Torah. Can you apply this way of life to yourself? Or is it more convenient to say “it doesn’t apply to me”?
I don’t want to lawyer God, I want to discover the heart of Torah and live it out.
There’s something at the heart level of each of these that we should search out with a passionate pursuit of God. Rather than telling your neighbor or fellow Believer that “Moses has gone too far” for what is applicable to you, following in the shoes of Korah, perhaps you should talk it through and decide how that teaching can be lived out in your life. As Yeshua says in Matthew 5 “…let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”
Another take away from Korah I had this week was the blossoming staff of Aaron. It was Aaron’s staff that blossomed when the other rebellious leaders were gunning for the priesthood. It was Aaron’s staff and the life from something dead that proved he was chosen by God.
There’s this theological thought that is regularly on my mind called Radial Ecclesiology. This idea that the order of authority of Scripture radiates out from Yeshua, to the Levitical priesthood, to the wider Jewish people (speaking all 12 tribes here folks, so don’t play those games 😉 ), to the Gentile Christian Body of Messiah and to the rest of the world as Yeshua restores all things to Himself. I’m sure I’m explaining it poorly, and I’m not the one to truly explain that particular topic. (It’s worth a google!) All that to say, I have a certain view of Scripture that allows the Jewish people to retain their rightful place of authority that was given to them through Torah, supported by Yeshua and yes even taught by Paul within his letters. I don’t in any way support replacement theology regardless of its label or doctrinal belief.
Now, what does that have to do with the Torah portion of Korah?
I like to read Torah with an eye on historical events as that shows how Torah truly applies to us in every generation and throughout all generations. In this case, I am thinking of the Land of Israel when comparing it with the staff of Aaron.
Throughout the last 2,000 years, we have seen people of every background and every belief attempt to usurp the authority of Moses. Through Moses’ writings (and therefore through his authority) we know that the Jewish people own the Land of Israel by divine right given by God. And yet, in every generation since the Romans evicted the Jewish people, groups from any number of backgrounds have attempted to lay claim to Israel and Jerusalem.
Whether we look at the Turks, the Crusaders the Egyptians, the British or whoever else has attempted to rule of the Land of Israel – none of them have been able to make the land grow and flourish. Any number of usurpers have attempted to override the authority of Moses and the gift of God by ruling over that Land, but it never thrived. It was only the Jewish people, those chosen by God, that were able to make the proverbial staff of God bloom. When they took over the Land of Israel it came to life.
We have plenty of historical evidence to back that up if you’re willing to look for it. One set of resources I love is our friend Doug Hershey’s books Israel Rising and Jerusalem Rising. No one, but the chosen of God could make that Land grow. Just like in the portion of Korah, many have approached God and expected Him to bless their presence in the Land. Many have done so in the name of God Himself, but it is only the Jewish people that have successfully returned that land to “flowing with milk and honey.” If you doubt it, look at Gaza. The strip died again once the Jewish people pulled out.
The radial ecclesiology here (to explain my rabbit trail earlier) is from Yeshua we have life from the grave, the Levitical priesthood was confirmed through the blossoming of Aaron’s dead wooden staff. The Jewish people have been confirmed as God’s chosen nation by the blossoming of their dead land.
I could go on with Korah as there is so much in this portion. I love this portion and I mourn during this portion because of all that it reveals. There is just so much here. Please feel free to share your insights with me on the portion as I know there are many.
(As a matter of note – the links above are not affiliate links. We just love the books)
