{"id":6421,"date":"2008-10-16T14:36:01","date_gmt":"2008-10-16T22:36:01","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/lukeford.net\/blog\/?p=6421"},"modified":"2008-10-17T09:53:20","modified_gmt":"2008-10-17T17:53:20","slug":"live-torah-talk-with-monica-joey","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lukeford.net\/blog\/?p=6421","title":{"rendered":"Live Torah Talk With Monica & Joey"},"content":{"rendered":"

Click here<\/a> to join the fun.<\/p>\n

We’re discussing the last Torah portion — Vezot Haberachah (Deuteronomy 33 and 34).<\/p>\n

According to Wikipedia<\/a>:<\/p>\n

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\"“The<\/a><\/p>\n
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“The Lord . . . came from the myriads holy, at His right hand was a fiery law to them.” (Deut. 33:2.<\/a>)<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

The blessing of Moses<\/span><\/h3>\n

Before he died<\/a>, Moses<\/a>, the man of God<\/a>, bade the Israelites<\/a> farewell with this blessing<\/a>: God<\/a> came from Sinai<\/a>, shone on them from Seir<\/a>, appeared from Paran<\/a>, and approached from Ribeboth-kodesh, lightning<\/a> flashing from God’s right<\/a>. (Deut. 33:1–2.<\/a>) God loved<\/a> the people, holding their hallowed in God’s hand<\/a>. (Deut. 33:3.<\/a>) The people followed in God’s steps, accepting God’s Torah<\/a> as the heritage<\/a> of the congregation of Jacob<\/a>. (Deut. 33:3–4.<\/a>) God became King<\/a> in Jeshurun<\/a> when the chiefs<\/a> of the tribes<\/a> of Israel<\/a> assembled. (Deut. 33:5.<\/a>)<\/p>\n

Moses prayed that the Tribe of Reuben<\/a> survive, though its numbers were few. (Deut. 33:6.<\/a>)<\/p>\n

Moses asked God to hear<\/a> the voice<\/a> of the Tribe of Judah<\/a>, restore it, and help it against its foes. (Deut. 33:7.<\/a>)<\/p>\n

Moses prayed that God would be with the Levites<\/a>, who held God’s Urim and Thummim<\/a>, whom God tested at Massah<\/a> and Meribah<\/a>, who disregarded family<\/a> ties to carry out God’s will, who would teach God’s laws<\/a> to Israel, and who would offer God’s incense<\/a> and offerings<\/a>. (Deut. 33:8–10.<\/a>) Moses asked God to bless their substance, favor their undertakings, and smite their enemies. (Deut. 33:8–11.<\/a>)<\/p>\n

Moses said that God loved and always protected the Tribe of Benjamin<\/a>, who rested securely<\/a> beside God, between God’s shoulders<\/a>. (Deut. 33:8–12.<\/a>)<\/p>\n

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\"\"<\/a><\/div>\n

“Zebulun . . . and Issachar . . . shall suck the abundance of the seas and the hidden treasures of the sand.”<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Moses called on God to bless the Tribe of Joseph<\/a> with dew<\/a>, the yield of the sun<\/a>, crops in season, the bounty of the hills<\/a>, and the favor of the Presence in the burning bush<\/a>. (Deut. 33:13–16.<\/a>) Moses likened the tribe to a firstling bull<\/a>, with horns<\/a> like a wild ox, who gores the peoples from one end of the earth<\/a> to the other. (Deut. 33:17.<\/a>)<\/p>\n

Moses exhorted the Tribe of Zebulun<\/a> to rejoice on its journeys<\/a>, and the Tribe of Issachar<\/a> in its tents<\/a>. (Deut. 33:18.<\/a>) They invited their kin to the mountain<\/a> where they offered sacrifices of success; they drew from the riches of the sea<\/a> and the hidden hoards of the sand<\/a>. (Deut. 33:19.<\/a>)<\/p>\n

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\"“Gad<\/a><\/p>\n
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\"\"<\/a><\/div>\n

“Gad . . . dwells like a lion.” (Deut. 33:20.<\/a>) (brick panel from the Procession Way of Babylon<\/a>, now at the Louvre<\/a>)<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Moses blessed the God who enlarged the Tribe of Gad<\/a>, who was poised like a lion<\/a>, who chose the best, the portion of the revered chieftain, who executed God’s judgments for Israel. (Deut. 33:20–21.<\/a>)<\/p>\n

Moses called the Tribe of Dan<\/a> a lion’s whelp that leapt from Bashan<\/a>. (Deut. 33:22.<\/a>)<\/p>\n

Moses told the Tribe of Naphtali<\/a>, sated with favor and blessed by God, to take possession on the west and south. (Deut. 33:23.<\/a>)<\/p>\n

Moses prayed that the Tribe of Asher<\/a> be the favorite among the tribes, dip its feet<\/a> in oil<\/a>, and have door<\/a> bolts<\/a> of iron<\/a> and copper<\/a> and security<\/a> all its days. (Deut. 33:24–25.<\/a>)<\/p>\n

Moses said that there was none like God, riding through the heavens to help, an everlasting refuge and support, Who drove out the enemy. (Deut. 33:26–27.<\/a>) Thus Israel dwelt untroubled in safety<\/a> in a land<\/a> of grain<\/a> and wine<\/a> under heaven’s dripping dew. (Deut. 33:28.<\/a>) Who was like Israel, a people delivered by God, God’s protecting Shield<\/a> and Sword<\/a> triumphant over Israel’s cringing enemies. (Deut. 33:29.<\/a>)<\/p>\n

The death of Moses<\/span><\/h3>\n

Moses went up from the steppes<\/a> of Moab<\/a> to Mount Nebo<\/a>, and God showed him the whole land. (Deut. 34:1–3.<\/a>) God told Moses that this was the land that God had sworn<\/a> to assign to the descendants of Abraham<\/a>, Isaac<\/a>, and Jacob. (Deut. 34:4.<\/a>)<\/p>\n

So Moses the servant of God died there, in the land of Moab, at God’s command, and God buried<\/a> him in the valley<\/a> in the land of Moab, near Beth-peor, although no one knew his burial place. (Deut. 34:5–6.<\/a>) Moses was 120 years old when he died, but his eyes<\/a> were undimmed and his vigor unabated. (Deut. 34:7.<\/a>) The Israelites mourned<\/a> for 30 days. (Deut. 34:8.<\/a>) Joshua<\/a> was filled with the spirit of wisdom<\/a> because Moses had laid his hands on him, and the Israelites heeded him. (Deut. 34:9.<\/a>)<\/p>\n

Never again did there arise in Israel a prophet<\/a> like Moses, whom God singled out, face<\/a> to face, for the signs and portents that God sent him to display against Pharaoh<\/a> and Egypt<\/a>, and for all the awesome power that Moses displayed before Israel. (Deut. 34:10–12.<\/a>)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Click here to join the fun. We’re discussing the last Torah portion — Vezot Haberachah (Deuteronomy 33 and 34). According to Wikipedia: “The Lord . . . came from the myriads holy, at His right hand was a fiery law … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[590],"tags":[13614,7902,13615,13612,13613,13611],"class_list":["post-6421","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-torah","tag-accepting-god","tag-torah-portion","tag-tribe-of-benjamin","tag-tribe-of-judah","tag-tribes-of-israel","tag-urim-and-thummim"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t