Why should I study the Written Torah and Tanakh?
This question comes from the mouths of many people. People I talk to in America; have talked to in Israel; have talked to in Shul; and even decades of talking with xtians. It is surprising to me, how many simply don’t care, BUT not to the LORD.
What will you discover in the Written Torah, by the Hand of Moses? Will it be worth the effort? Can you tell me while standing on one foot? YES, with Five Points.
What you will find in the Written Torah of Moses.
1) Who is GOD!?
2) What does HE want?
3) How am I to treat those near me.
4) How am I to treat those Not near me.
5) That I a responsible for what I do.
From those five, all of the Written TORAH is known. All of that in Five Books, Written by the Hand Of Moses, everything for which you and I are judged by the Creator. For good or ill; Life or Death; Blessing or curse, it is there.
Evidence
Let us take a look.
Deuteronomy 4:
1 And now, O Israel, hearken unto the statutes and unto the ordinances, which I teach you, to do them; that ye may live, and go in and possess the land which the LORD, the God of your fathers, giveth you.
2 Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you.
3 Your eyes have seen what the LORD did in Baal-peor; for all the men that followed the Baal of Peor, the LORD thy God hath destroyed them from the midst of thee.
4 But ye that did cleave unto the LORD your God are alive every one of you this day.
5 Behold, I have taught you statutes and ordinances, even as the LORD my God commanded me, that ye should do so in the midst of the land whither ye go in to possess it.
6 Observe therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples, that, when they hear all these statutes, shall say: ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’
7 For what great nation is there, that hath God so nigh unto them, as the LORD our God is whensoever we call upon Him?
8 And what great nation is there, that hath statutes and ordinances so righteous as all this law, which I set before you this day?
9 Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes saw, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life; but make them known unto thy children and thy children’s children;
10 the day that thou stoodest before the LORD thy God in Horeb, when the LORD said unto me: ‘Assemble Me the people, and I will make them hear My words that they may learn to fear Me all the days that they live upon the earth, and that they may teach their children.’
I got carried away with the copying and included verse 3, which is not an exact fit because you personally did not see this act. You should read the Written Torah, as it is for you experience and comprehend the actual account in the Written Torah. I personally find that The LORD’S Word by the Hand Of Moses is powerful instruction, and does not waste words, or space.
Deuteronomy 17:
18 And it shall be, when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write him a copy of this law in a book, out of that which is before the priests the Levites.
19 And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life; that he may learn to fear the LORD his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them;
20 that his heart be not lifted up above his brethren, and that he turn not aside from the commandment, to the right hand, or to the left; to the end that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he and his children, in the midst of Israel.
That is the Instruction from Moses as commanded by THE LORD. The greatest ever, King David declares what are the best instructions, from his death bed to his son, Solomon.
1 Kings 2:
1 Now the days of David drew nigh that he should die; and he charged Solomon his son, saying:
2 ‘I go the way of all the earth; be thou strong therefore, and show thyself a man;
3 and keep the charge of the LORD thy God, to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, and His commandments, and His ordinances, and His testimonies, according to that which is written in the law of Moses, that thou mayest prosper in all that thou doest, and whithersoever thou turnest thyself;
4 that the LORD may establish His word which He spoke concerning me, saying: If thy children take heed to their way, to walk before Me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul, there shall not fail thee, said He, a man on the throne of Israel.
The questions is: Why should I or you or anyone, continuously study the Written Torah and the Prophets(Tanakh)? I am not king?
My short answer, after reading to answer the 5 items for yourself, you know the ALMIGHTY and why you should do everything HE instructed via the Hand of Moses. Continual review and re-reading the Written Torah potentially gives understanding and application of what is Written there.
You many know what words are placed where, are they present for you to use for every question in your life. (I started reading the words, then reading for a points of view like a father. Last I have come to read the Written Torah as if I am in this Written Torah from beginning to end. A true participant, for in this way I can see how acts on every page lead to one destination. Shhhh! This last is a secret, I only share if you ask me.
In reading the Tanakh, we are confronted with what the Children of Jacob did or did not do. Along with consequences of actions taken. The Written Torah give the 5 points in the more mundane form of Covenants, Laws and Teachings and history. The Tanakh gives us the Prophets giving us the Word of the Almighty via interpretations from dreams and visions.(This is declared as the difference between Moses and any other prophet. Numbers 13:5-9 at least, I suggest the whole chapter), also a continuation of what no other god has ever done(as there are no real gods) evidence that the GOD of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob not only declares what will come, but delivers on HIS WORD.
Why I read, know, understand and do what HE says: So that when I need to call upon the LORD, HE Answers me.
If you are the Elder(even a role model) in group, to those that are younger or less knowledgeable than you are. You must be Judge, choosing Right from wrong in every one of your actions, and those actions for which you are a partner to, even those actions you allowed by not saying NO. If you are the Elder/leader of others, you are accountable for what you tell them and show them before the Almighty. Remember, You are responsible for what you do.(5)
Should you then know the Instructions of the LORD? Should you know Right from wrong in dealing with anyone else? Should you not be judging yourself according to all of These Instructions, Laws and Teachings before you judge anyone else?
The answers should in every instance be YES! Your soul hangs in the balance. The souls of your children and of those soles that see and know your actions during your life, affected by Your Actions and Judgments. You should demonstrate Righteous Behavior According to these Teachings. We, everyone of us, effect the WORLD. Better do it with Righteousness!
You might say: I have read the Written Torah. I hear it at Shul every week when I go. Why should I do more? You are what you feed your mind. Knowing something, even if you have perfect recall of every word, does you no good if you are not mindful of the text. If you don’t take time to think about the meaning of something, including that which you have memorized or remember. You will not bring that knowledge forth to be a deciding factor in your life without you striving to recall, understand and then apply. For most people this takes effort and time, which makes it a long and demanding task, arduous in nature.
Yet, if you have these laws, stories, teachings and text under constant review in your mind, heart and on your tongue, then they are always fresh for your use anytime. This wisdom should be automatically in your thoughts as you go through life. Because you will have already thought about the applications and nuances before they are needed.
So go back to Deuteronomy 4 above and let the LORD explain to you why?
Is anyone listening? You still have breath and life, so you can return and repair your deeds. You just need to Do It while you have time.
I can not save you, no one can., you must Return and do that which is Right.
I can show you the way, if you want to know.
IT is to our benefit to HEARKEN until the LIVING GOD OF ISHRAEL/ISRAEL, and to our pain and shame to do otherwise.
My prayer is that The LORD grant you eyes that see, ears that hear and an understanding heart, then you return unto HIM soon!(Isaiah 6: 9 And He said: ‘Go, and tell this people: hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not. 10 Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they, seeing with their eyes, and hearing with their ears, and understanding with their heart, return, and be healed.’)
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Shalom,
Yaakov