Neither shall ye Touch it lest ye Die…And So we made Fences?

Back at the beginning of time when God formed Adam upon the earth, he gave him instructions about a tree in the middle of the garden of which he was not to eat. Genesis 2:16-17 tells us: And the Lord God commanded the man, saying Of every tree of the garden thou mayst freely eat: but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, though shalt not eat of it: for on the day that thou eatest of it thou shalt surely die. According to the order of the narrative God later formed Eve out of one of Adam’s ribs (Genesis 2:21-23). The fact that Eve when later discovering the Tree and the Serpent, quoted to the Serpent: “We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God as said You shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it lest ye die.”

Why did she add that phrase to what God originally told Adam? Perhaps she had been warned by Adam, “better not even touch it, so that you are not tempted”? This seems a logical explanation as to why she would add a layer or fence around the original command not to eat of the tree. And with subtilty, the serpent, the most cunning of all creatures, turned this exaggeration into a tool to trick her into eating the fruit. So what does that have to do with fences created to protect the Torah?

Well, yes! There is a connection. And while it is true that God himself told Moshe to erect barriers around Sinai so that the people would not break through, can we say that the mountain where the glory of Hashem burned with lightning and thunder and smoke is the same thing as the Torah? Is the Torah itself something so dangerous that fences need to be built to keep people from erring and being consumed by eternal fire? Apparently from the following biblical reference, the Torah is not so high and fragile that the ordinary person cannot understand and obey it:

Deu 30: 11-14: “For this commandment that I command you today is not too hard for you, neither is it far off. It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will ascend to heaven for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ Neither is it beyond the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ But the word is very near you. It is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can do it.”

But in rabbinic Judaism, one of the most important principles in establishing the laws of the Torah is the right of the Rabbis to create fences to protect it:

“They, (the men of the Great Assembly) said three things: Be deliberate in judgment, raise up many disciples, and make a fence around the Torah.” Pirkei Avot, ch 1.

Thus, according to the most observant Jews, it is a violation of Torah to pick or even touch of flower on the Sabbath day, which might lead to gathering or harvesting, or to play any type of musical instrument which might need to be tuned, breaking one of the rabbinical 39 laws of Shabbat having to do with repairing any item. Tearing toilet paper, erecting an umbrella, allowing the refrigerator light to come on…Yes there are many many things that one must not do in order to keep from violating the Sabbath command that you “shall not work”.

Is it not possible that these extra fences created to protect the Torah have actually led many of us to the same confusion and later real violation of the basic command, just as the statement, “neither shall ye touch it lest ye die” did for our first parents?

I once saw a Jewish woman whom I attended synagogue with sitting outside a strip mall eating a bacon cheeseburger. I asked her about it, and granted, it probably it was not nice of me to embarrass her, but I wanted to understand what she thought of it and why she made the allowance. She remarked: “All those rules are so hard to understand! I figure if I can’t keep them, then why try! So she violated the very basic command not to eat pork, and not to eat milk with beef, but I remembered that she was very faithful to light Shabbat candles every Friday evening…a law was not given in the written Torah.

Time after time I have met fellow Jews who can’t keep all the rabbinical code of laws and so they work and drive and shop on Shabbat, eat whatever they feel like—food that is clearly not kosher even from the basic laws of Leviticus 11; however the men put on a Kippah to go to services once in a while and the women light Shabbat candles on Friday night, often after it is dark outside. But they claim that they have been “good Jews” even though they disregard the Word of Hashem and exchange their obedience for the Laws of the Rabbis.

If we want Hashem to return to us, it is time to do true teshuva (repentance, turning around) it is expedient that we pull down the fences once and for all and find for ourselves what the simple Torah is all about. It is time to dig deeply, cast off all synthetic approaches to obedience and get right with God. Then we will find freedom from the chains that have burdened so many for umpteen generations!

Again, as I wrote in the last article (www.https://ariellat.wordpress.com/2021/05/31/who-what-and-why-antisemitism-and-suffering/):

“Why did Hashem again make a point to instruct Joshua that he must not turn to the right or to the left, regarding the Torah, i.e. was not to add to nor diminish it as originally commanded in Deuteronomy? And if Joshua was now free to interpret it as he felt it needed to be given, why is he reminded that it is the law “that My servant Moses commanded you”? And so on down the line, how now do the Rabbis justify their creation of laws and fences, claiming they are based upon the original laws of Moses?”

From the very first days of Adam and Eve upon the earth, we see the tendency to add to the words that Hashem speaks. Enough already. Let God and his Word be our guide and let all others fall where they may. There are many examples of men and who tried to change God’s commands to fit their own thinking…Like Korah, like Nadab and Abihu, like King Saul…and the list could go on and on.

Then freedom shall be once again be known as the true followers of Hashem break off the yoke of bondage to serve Him wholeheartedly.

“The LORD said to his people: “You are standing at the crossroads. So consider your path. Ask where the old, reliable paths are. Ask where the path is that leads to blessing and follow it. If you do, you will find rest for your souls.” Jer 6:16

Back at the beginning of time when God formed Adam upon the earth, he gave him instructions about a tree in the middle of the garden of which he was not to eat. Genesis 2:16-17 tells us: And the Lord God commanded the man, saying Of every tree of the garden thou mayst freely eat: but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, though shalt not eat of it: for on the day that thou eatest of it thou shalt surely die. According to the order of the narrative God later formed Eve out of one of Adam’s ribs (Genesis 2:21-23). The fact that Eve when later discovering the Tree and the Serpent, quoted to the Serpent: “We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God as said You shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it lest ye die.”

Why did she add that phrase to what God originally told Adam? Perhaps she had been warned by Adam, “better not even touch it, so that you are not tempted”? This seems a logical explanation as to why she would add a layer or fence around the original command not to eat of the tree. And with subtilty, the serpent, the most cunning of all creatures, turned this exaggeration into a tool to trick her into eating the fruit. So what does that have to do with fences created to protect the Torah?

Well, yes! There is a connection. And while it is true that God himself told Moshe to erect barriers around Sinai so that the people would not break through, can we say that the mountain where the glory of Hashem burned with lightning and thunder and smoke is the same thing as the Torah? Is the Torah itself something so dangerous that fences need to be built to keep people from erring and being consumed by eternal fire? Apparently from the following biblical reference, the Torah is not so high and fragile that the ordinary person cannot understand and obey it:

Deu 30: 11-14: “For this commandment that I command you today is not too hard for you, neither is it far off. It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will ascend to heaven for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ Neither is it beyond the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ But the word is very near you. It is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can do it.”
But in rabbinic Judaism, one of the most important principles in establishing the laws of the Torah is the right of the Rabbis to create fences to protect it:

“They, (the men of the Great Assembly) said three things: Be deliberate in judgment, raise up many disciples, and make a fence around the Torah.” Pirkei Avot, ch 1.

Thus, according to the most observant Jews, it is a violation of Torah to pick or even touch of flower on the Sabbath day, which might lead to gathering or harvesting, or to play any type of musical instrument which might need to be tuned, breaking one of the rabbinical 39 laws of Shabbat having to do with repairing any item. Tearing toilet paper, erecting an umbrella, allowing the refrigerator light to come on…Yes there are many many things that one must not do in order to keep from violating the Sabbath command that you “shall not work”.

Is it not possible that these extra fences created to protect the Torah have actually led many of us to the same confusion and later real violation of the basic command, just as the statement, “neither shall ye touch it lest ye die” did for our first parents?

I once saw a Jewish woman whom I attended synagogue with sitting outside a strip mall eating a bacon cheeseburger. I asked her about it, and granted, it probably it was not nice of me to embarrass her, but I wanted to understand what she thought of it and why she made the allowance. She remarked: “All those rules are so hard to understand! I figure if I can’t keep them, then why try! So she violated the very basic command not to eat pork, and not to eat milk with beef, but I remembered that she was very faithful to light Shabbat candles every Friday evening…a law was not given in the written Torah.

Time after time I have met fellow Jews who can’t keep all the rabbinical code of laws and so they work and drive and shop on Shabbat, eat whatever they feel like—food that is clearly not kosher even from the basic laws of Leviticus 11; however the men put on a Kippah to go to services once in a while and the women light Shabbat candles on Friday night, often after it is dark outside. But they claim that they have been “good Jews” even though they disregard the Word of Hashem and exchange their obedience for the Laws of the Rabbis.

If we want Hashem to return to us, it is time to do true teshuva (repentance, turning around) it is expedient that we pull down the fences once and for all and find for ourselves what the simple Torah is all about. It is time to dig deeply, cast off all synthetic approaches to obedience and get right with God. Then we will find freedom from the chains that have burdened so many for umpteen generations!

Again, as I wrote in the last article (www.https://ariellat.wordpress.com/2021/05/31/who-what-and-why-antisemitism-and-suffering/):

“Why did Hashem again make a point to instruct Joshua that he must not turn to the right or to the left, regarding the Torah, i.e. was not to add to nor diminish it as originally commanded in Deuteronomy? And if Joshua was now free to interpret it as he felt it needed to be given, why is he reminded that it is the law “that My servant Moses commanded you”? And so on down the line, how now do the Rabbis justify their creation of laws and fences, claiming they are based upon the original laws of Moses?”

From the very first days of Adam and Eve upon the earth, we see the tendency to add to the words that Hashem speaks. Enough already. Let God and his Word be our guide and let all others fall where they may. There are many examples of men and who tried to change God’s commands to fit their own thinking…Like Korah, like Nadab and Abihu, like King Saul…and the list could go on and on.

Then freedom shall be once again be known as the true followers of Hashem break off the yoke of bondage to serve Him wholeheartedly.

“The LORD said to his people: “You are standing at the crossroads. So consider your path. Ask where the old, reliable paths are. Ask where the path is that leads to blessing and follow it. If you do, you will find rest for your souls.” Jer 6:16

King Sihon and Hamas: Threats over the Postponed Jerusalem Parade

Yesterday the Israeli Knesset accepted a coalition that replaces the Netanyahu headed government that was in place for 12 years in the state of Israel. Whether or not this new government will succeed has yet to be seen but there are several important spiritual aspects to consider at the moment. One of these shows a parallel that is shown in the Parsha for this coming Shabbat. Parsha Chukat, the chapters in the Torah that speak of the Red Heifer, the death of Miriam, the second striking of the rock by Moses, Edom’s refusal to let Israel pass through their land, Aaron’s death and the passing on of the high priesthood to Eliezar his son, the event of fiery serpents after complaints about the food, the bronze serpent created by Moshe and raised to save the people, the appeal to King Sihon of the Amorites to let Israel pass through his land and the refusal and consequent battle with the Amorites and Israel’s conquest of the land from Jabbok to the children of Ammon. That are a lot of happenings and just so, today in Israel a lot is happening.

Tomorrow, Tuesday June 15, 2021 a flag parade celebrating the historic Israeli take-over of East Jerusalem during the six day war of 1967. The event is usually scheduled on the Hebrew anniversary, which this year was May 10, but was postponed until after the 11 days’ war last month. Israelis will again march through Jerusalem tomorrow if they do not bend and sway to the threats of terrorist organizations. If they march, Hamas and other terror groups are threatening war, again! They claim the right to the entire land of Israel for what the world knows as the Palestinians who are located in Gaza and the West Bank. Hamas declares that Israel is occupying land that belongs to them. They have threatened time and again to push Israel into the sea, claiming that Israel has no right to exist. Hamas has stated that Jerusalem belongs to them and should be the Palestinian capital, not the capital of Israel. And so the flag parade has given them an excuse to bomb Israel again! But how does this fit the Parsha? It fits only in the sense that King Sihon refused to let Israel march through his land promising to neither to pass into any of the vineyards or drink the water there.

But tomorrow is and must be a different story! The entire land of Israel was given to the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Yacov. Jerusalem is God’s Holy City. And the evil minions of Hamas claim it for themselves. The story is much bigger and more significant this time. This time it is not about asking permission to go through someone else’s land. This time the disputed land is Jerusalem which is indisputably the ancestral capital of the heritage of the sons of Israel. How dare they threaten war over that which belongs to Hashem! The terrorists are barking up the wrong tree here ! May we see the place where Hashem placed His Holy Name exalted and exonerated! What will Hashem have to say about this? We dare not cancel this event, we must go forth in the Name of Heaven!

I ask, if they start to bomb us tomorrow, will the earth open up and swallow Hamas and all those who hate Israel? We don’t know the mind of God in these matters but we DO know that this is an unholy attack on Hashem himself.

King Sihon attacked Israel in Numbers 21 and as a result “Israel smote him with the edge of the sword and took possession of his land” (vs 24), “and Israel settled in all the Amorite cities, In Heshbon and all it suburbs.”(25) May Israel now do the same thing! Take back that which was given to the forefathers, for all time!

I pray for our leaders that they will not be intimidated by the evil threats of Hamas and the dictates of the evil Amalek in the rest of the world. They must recognize that this is a war in which Hashem has a part to play. This possible war will require trust and cooperation with Heaven. We must not back down for the sake of Heaven! Go forth and conquer! Push back our borders, take over that which belongs to us from our God-given past.

Back at the beginning of time when God formed Adam upon the earth, he gave him instructions about a tree in the middle of the garden of which he was not to eat. Genesis 2:16-17 tells us: “And the Lord God commanded the man, saying Of every tree of the garden thou mayst freely eat: but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for on the day that thou eatest of it thou shalt surely die.” According to the order of the narrative, God later formed Eve out of one of Adam’s ribs (Genesis 2:21-23). The fact that Eve, when later discovering the Tree and the Serpent, quoted to the Serpent: “We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said You shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it lest ye die.”

Why did she add that phrase to what God originally told Adam? Perhaps she had been warned by Adam, “better not even touch it, so that you are not tempted”? This seems a logical explanation as to why she would add a layer or fence around the original command not to eat of the tree. And with subtilty, the serpent, the most cunning of all creatures, turned this exaggeration into a tool to trick her into eating the fruit. So what does that have to do with fences created to protect the Torah?

Well, as I see it, there is a connection. And while it is true that God himself told Moshe to erect barriers around Sinai so that the people would not break through, can we say that the mountain where the glory of Hashem burned with lightning and thunder and smoke is the same thing as the Torah? Is the Torah itself something so dangerous that fences need to be built to keep people from erring and being consumed by eternal fire? Apparently from the following biblical reference, the Torah is not so complicated and fragile that the ordinary person cannot understand and obey it:

Deu 30: 11-14: “For this commandment that I command you today is not too hard for you, neither is it far off. It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will ascend to heaven for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ Neither is it beyond the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ But the word is very near you. It is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can do it.”
But in rabbinic Judaism, one of the most important principles in establishing the laws of the Torah is the right of the Rabbis to create fences to protect it:

“They, (the men of the Great Assembly) said three things: Be deliberate in judgment, raise up many disciples, and make a fence around the Torah.” Pirkei Avot, ch 1.

Thus, according to the most observant Jews, it is a violation of Torah to pick or even touch of flower on the Sabbath day, which might lead to gathering or harvesting, or to play any type of musical instrument, because some instruments might need to be tuned which would break one of the rabbinical 39 laws of Shabbat having to do with repairing. Tearing toilet paper, erecting an umbrella, allowing the refrigerator light to come on… Yes there are many many things that one must not do in order to keep from violating the Sabbath command that you “shall not work” according to rabbinic law.

Is it not possible that these extra fences created to protect the Torah have actually led many of us to confusion and later real violation of the basic command, just as the statement, “neither shall ye touch it lest ye die” did for our first parents?

Time after time I have met fellow Jews who haven’t been able to keep all the rabbinic laws and so they work and drive and shop on Shabbat, eat whatever they feel like—food that is clearly not kosher even from the basic laws of Leviticus 11; however the men put on a Kippah to go to services once in a while and the women light Shabbat candles on Friday night, often after it is dark outside. But they claim that they have been “good Jews” even though they disregard the Word of Hashem and exchange their obedience for the Laws of the Rabbis.

If we want Hashem to return to us, it is time to do true teshuva (repentance, turning around) it is expedient that we pull down the fences once and for all and find for ourselves what the simple Torah is all about. It is time to dig deeply, cast off all synthetic approaches to obedience and get right with God. Then we will find freedom from the chains that have burdened so many for umpteen generations!

Again, as I wrote in the last article (www.https://ariellat.wordpress.com/2021/05/31/who-what-and-why-antisemitism-and-suffering/):

“Why did Hashem again make a point to instruct Joshua that he must not turn to the right or to the left, regarding the Torah, i.e. was not to add to nor diminish it as originally commanded in Deuteronomy? And if Joshua was now free to interpret it as he felt it needed to be given, why is he reminded that it is the law “that My servant Moses commanded you”? And so on down the line, how now do the Rabbis justify their creation of laws and fences, claiming they are based upon the original laws of Moses?”

From the very first days of Adam and Eve upon the earth, we see the tendency to add to the words that Hashem speaks. Enough already. Let God and his Word be our guide and let all others fall where they may. There are many examples of men and who tried to change God’s commands to fit their own thinking…Like Korah, like Nadav and Abihu, like King Saul…and the list could go on and on.

When we understand this right, freedom shall be once again be known as the true followers of Hashem break off the yoke of bondage to serve Him wholeheartedly.

“The LORD said to his people: “You are standing at the crossroads. So consider your path. Ask where the old, reliable paths are. Ask where the path is that leads to blessing and follow it. If you do, you will find rest for your souls.” Jer 6:16