Return to the LORD – VaYelech – Sept. 19

This coming Sabbath, September 19, is a special Sabbath on the Hebrew calendar because it falls in between the Jewish holidays of Rosh Hashanah (The Feast of Trumpets) and Yom Kippur (The Day of Atonement).  There are ten days between these two Jewish holy days and this ten-day period is commonly called “The Ten Days of Repentance” or “The Days of Awe.”  This Sabbath is called “Shabbat Shuvah,” which means “The Sabbath of Returning,” and is based on the command in Hosea 14:1 for Israel to return to the LORD.

Jewish tradition teaches that three books are opened on Rosh Hashanah; the first one for those who are good and are already inscribed in the book of life, a second one for those who are wicked and already inscribed for death, and a third one for those who are somewhere in the middle, whose fate has not yet been determined (which includes the majority of humanity).  During these ten days there is opportunity for all those who find themselves in this third category to make it into the book of life by repenting and turning to God.  This is the essence of “The Days of Awe,” a time of repenting of any and all known sin in one’s life and turning to the LORD with all of one’s heart.

Judaism and the Jewish holidays are often a combination of biblical teaching and traditions that have been handed down by rabbis and Jewish scholars from ages past.  The motto of this website, Jewels of Judaism, is “bringing the precious out of the worthless.”  This motto is based on Jeremiah 15:19 with the intention to find the true biblical base of Judaism and to hold on to that which is supported by God’s Word while letting go of anything that strays away from this foundation.  As we approach the subject of the “The Ten Days of Repentance” we will seek to understand the biblical basis for the teachings and practices as they relate to this week’s Torah Portion and other Scriptures.

Repentance, Inscription, & Seeking the LORD

The concept of repenting and turning to the LORD is quite biblical and we see this as early on as Genesis chapter four with Cain and Able following through to the end of the New Testament (Rev. 2:5).  The concept of being inscribed in the “Book of Life” is also a biblical concept in both the Old and New Testaments (Daniel 12:1-2. Rev. 20:11-15).  However, the concept of the three books seems to be something that has been added by Judaism.

The Jewish teaching of having a focused time of repenting and seeking the LORD at this particular season of the year is actually quite biblical.  We find evidence for this practice in this week’s Torah Portion.

A Time of Assembly before the LORD

As we approach the end of the Torah reading cycle, the readings become much shorter.  This week we read only one chapter from the Torah, Deuteronomy 31.  It is written in this chapter that Moses finished writing the Torah and he gave it to the priests and the elders of Israel (Deut. 31:9).  Moses then gave the priests and elders a very clear command concerning the reading of this Torah:

Then Moses commanded them, saying, “At the end of every seven years, at the time of the year of remission of debts, at the Feast of Booths, when all Israel comes to appear before the LORD your God at the place which He will choose, you shall read this law in front of all Israel in their hearing. – Deut. 31:10-11

Moses commanded the priests and elders of Israel to gather the children of Israel at the end of every seven years, at the time of remission of debts, and at the Feast of Booths.  This is clearly the year after the Sabbatical or Shemitah year (Deut. 15:1-2).  This very year the Shemtiah year came to an end here in Israel, in fact, just this past week on September 13, 2015.  It was on this day that the official release of debts is observed in some manner.  We are currently in the period of time which is approaching the Feast of Booths.

It is in these exact days that the Bible is referring to as the appointed time of the LORD to have the Torah (the law) read before the people.  “The Ten Days of Repentance” and the “Sabbath of Returning” have a solid biblical base.  To whom does these verses apply?  Who are these people who are to assemble before the LORD?  Is it only referring to the Israelites?

The People of the Assembly

Moses was very specific when he instructed the priests and the leaders of the people regarding who was to be included in the “assembly” which would gather before the LORD:

Assemble the people, the men and the women and children and the alien who is in your town, so that they may hear and learn and fear the LORD your God, and be careful to observe all the words of this law. Their children, who have not known, will hear and learn to fear the LORD your God, as long as you live on the land which you are about to cross the Jordan to possess. – Deut. 31:12-13

God wanted everyone, including the alien (foreigner), to gather at the end of the seventh year to hear the Word of God so that everyone may hear and learn and fear the LORD and to do all the words of this law.  God had selected Israel to be His Chosen People on this earth but God’s compassion is not limited to Israel.  God loves all of humanity and wants all men to know Him and walk in His ways.  We see this more clearly in the Haftara portion, the corresponding Scriptures from the prophets.

 

The Invitation from God

The reading from the prophets for this week’s Torah Portion is found in the book of Isaiah.  Isaiah invited the people to return to the LORD according to the Word of God:

Seek the LORD while He may be found; Call upon Him while He is near.  Let the wicked man forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return to the LORD, and He will have compassion on him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon. – (Isaiah 55:6-7)

The invitation was for all to repent and return to the LORD, to forsake their wicked ways and find compassion and forgiveness in the mercies of God.  This pardoning of sin is based totally on the higher ways of God and not on the works of any man (Isaiah 55:8-9).

Most of the Scriptures in the Old Testament are directed toward the nation of Israel, however, the LORD desires all people to repent and follow Him.  The prophet Isaiah brings clarity to the benevolence of the LORD towards all people when he quoted these words of the LORD:

Also the foreigners who join themselves to the LORD,

To minister to Him, and to love the name of the LORD,

To be His servants, every one who keeps from profaning the sabbath

And holds fast My covenant;

Even those I will bring to My holy mountain

And make them joyful in My house of prayer.

Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be acceptable on My altar;

For My house will be called a house of prayer for all the peoples.

The LORD God, who gathers the dispersed of Israel, declares,

“Yet others I will gather to them, to those already gathered.” – Isaiah 56:6-8

The LORD loves the foreigner (the Gentile) just as much as the Israelite.  God’s desire is that all men and women will know Him and worship Him alone.  Yeshua quoted parts of these verses when He rebuked those who were buying and selling in the Temple courts and declared, “For My house will be called a house of prayer for all the peoples” (Mark 11:17).  And at another time Yeshua spoke of “other sheep” whom He needed to gather in order to bring them together as one flock under one shepherd (John 10:16).

Repentance that Leads to Salvation

As the Jewish people around the world spend concentrated time repenting from sin and returning to the LORD during these “Ten Days of Repentance” let each one of us, Jew and Gentile alike, examine our hearts and see if there is any wicked way in us, turn from our sin, and seek His face (Psalm 139:23-24).  Let us also pray and entreat God the Father that the name of Yeshua the Messiah will be called upon by Jew and Gentile alike during these days because there is salvation in no other name: “And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12).

Shabbat Shalom!

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Torah Portion: Deut. 31:1-30

Regular Hafatara: Isaiah 55:6 – Isaiah 56:8

Haftara for Shabbat Shuva: Hosea 14:1-9. Micah 7:18-20. Joel 2:15-27

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