Torah Ki Tetse – When you go
YeshaYahu (Isaiah) 54:1-10
MattitYahu (Matt) 5:27-30; 1 Cor 5:1-5
When you go out, what do you take with you? Your wallet and cell phone? Your bug-out bag and silver coins? I don’t know about you, but I’m getting ready to head out for the amazing adventure of the greater exodus! What’s more important than anything else to take with us to the world out there?
Finding Treasure in Ki Tetse and Yeshua’s Teachings
It’s never stated directly in the text, but if it’s missed, it may have serious consequences for anyone’s journey in life. Every Torah teacher and student of the Word should be able to see this principle and give many examples of it from the Torah. If not, the Hebrew Roots Movement and every congregation that overlooks the deeper meaning of these instructions will scatter instead of gather; will fade away instead of prosper. Seriously, without living by the lesson of this Torah portion, we can’t relate well or get along.
Relationships live and die according to this important principle. If we only see the surface meaning, the letter kills. (2 Corinthians 3:6) How does the Spirit make alive the Word to us in the Torah?
What is the hidden gemstone that our Father is teaching us in this Torah portion for His people who go out into this cruel world?
If what’s hidden is not as valuable and as precious as the “pearl of great price” or as “the treasure hidden in the field,” the student of Torah will never seek for it diligently, nor value and possess it in the moral character of his life (Matthew 13:44-46).
What is it? Without ever using the word, the portion Ki Tetse instructs the people of YHWH concerning one of the “weightier matters of the Torah.” (Matthew 23:23)
This Torah portion is much more than just laying down ‘the Law’ by which judgments are to be made. When we go out to face the battles of life in this cruel world, what does this Torah portion teach us about how to conduct warfare and with what disposition?
Looking at the laws of this Torah portion, we can gain wisdom on how it is that we can all get along. Consider as well Yeshua’s all-wise, yet simple principle of how to relate with one another:
“Therefore, all things, whatever you desire that men should do to you, so also you should do to them; for this is the Torah and the Prophets.” Matthew 7:12
This is commonly known by followers of Yeshua as ‘the Golden Rule.’ The Master Yeshua brilliantly condensed all the Torah and the Prophets into one moral principle on how to deny self, harness the evil inclination, and how to be considerate when treating others.
Yeshua knows that human beings are naturally lovers of self. His wise command uses that human flaw as a place to start in how to get along. This principle is rooted in the great commandment:
“Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am YHWH.” Leviticus 19:18
How we treat others should reflect how our Father in Heaven treats you and me. One way our Rabbi taught this principle is when He said:
“Therefore, be merciful, even as your Father also is merciful.” Luke 6:36
He taught us to forgive one another like our Father forgives us:
“And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.”
Matthew 6:12
Yeshua taught us how to love others as the Father loves us.
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?” Matthew 5:44-47
In this way, we should treat people who we tend to dislike and don’t agree with on how they conduct their lives or their business. We’re to love even our enemies this way.
Now we have the context for what Yeshua meant for His followers when He commanded us:
“Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” Matthew 5:48
To be perfect like our God is tested in how we treat everyone, including the unlovable!
The Golden Rule in One Word
What is the golden principle of the Torah portion KI Tetse? Abba has given His people prescriptions according to this principle – in one word – kindness. Without ever using the word in this Torah portion, we know from Yeshua’s teachings that we should weave loving-kindness into the moral fabric of our souls. Being kind, merciful, and loving our neighbor, as we receive the same from our Father, is how to be perfect as He is perfect.
When man deals with difficult issues in life, he must always bring kindness to everyone – human beings and animals as well, even when dealing with unlikeable, detestable, and convicted criminals and enemies. He wants us to uphold the dignity of man, woman, child, and beast, even in acts of judgment regarding violence and death and in numerous other circumstances. After all, don’t you want to be treated with kindness, when you and I have deserved judgment and severe punishment for our sins? We reap what we sow.
Consider Yeshua’s kindness when suffering for us:
‘Who endured such contradiction of sinners against Himself’ Heb 12:3.
When hard times come, will we continue to be kind and merciful when we receive the opposite treatment from our enemies?
The Laws of Kindness in Ki Tetse
From out of the portion Ki Tetse (When you go out), consider the principle of kindness from the examples of going out to battle adversity and dealing with people in this world:
Don’t be cruel, be kind to the weaker vessels, virgins, and wives, and restore their dignity:
- Having taken a war bride – give her time to mourn for the loss of her parents and her house for a full month. Uphold her dignity, do not treat her like merchandise.
- For the son of an unloved wife – do not be cruel to him, refusing to pass down a double portion inheritance rightfully due to the firstborn.
- For the innocent woman who was a rape victim – the man must not put her away, but kindly support her, sustaining her for life.
Don’t be cruel, be kind to animals and their owners:
- Finding an ox or sheep going astray – bring them back, restoring them to your brother, showing both man and beast kindness.
- Finding a mother hen sitting on her young – don’t take both, but kindly let the hen go and protect her reproductive life.
Parents, don’t ever let your children be cruel to animals. Research has shown that murderers often start in life as cruel killers of small animals.
Considering the commandments to be kind towards animals, how much more should we be kind towards all human beings, even the mean ones?
Don’t be cruel or degrading when punishing criminals:
- Even when executing a vile criminal by hanging – bury the body that day, don’t let the cursed man hang all night to his further disgrace.
- For the wicked man beaten for his fault – stop at forty stripes, so that he not be disgraced and appear vile in the eyes of witnesses.
Show kindness to the poor:
- When lending money – do not charge interest to a brother.
- A poor man gives his coat for a pledge – give it back to him before the sun sets.
- For the poor widow – do not be cruel taking her clothing as collateral.
- During harvest time – kindly leave olives and grapes for the orphan and widow.
What excess do we have with which we can bestow kindness to a widow, a fatherless child, or the poor? We certainly have plenty of opportunities to be kind in our community, especially among our needy mishpochah.
The Father in Heaven has a special place in His heart for the poor, having a lot to say to His people to reflect His kind and caring heart for the less fortunate and needy among us. Consider how our God commands us to be open and kind-hearted toward the poor:
If there be with you a poor man, one of your brothers, within any of your gates in your land which YHWH your God gives you, you shall not harden your heart, nor shut your hand from your poor brother; but you shall surely open your hand to him, and shall surely lend him sufficient for his need in that which he wants.
Beware that there not be a base thought in your heart, saying, `The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand;` and your eye be evil against your poor brother, and you give him nothing; and he criesF to YHWH against you, and it be sin to you.
You shall surely give him, and your heart shall not be grieved when you give to him; because that for this thing YHWH your God will bless you in all your work, and in all that you put your hand to. For the poor will never cease out of the land: therefore I command you, saying, `You shall surely open your hand to your brother, to your needy, and to your poor, in your land.’ Deuteronomy 15:7-11
But do you think you may come up short after giving to the poor? One who gives to the poor will not lack, but one who shuts his eyes will have many curses. Proverbs 28:27
Our Elohim is so good to His people! Even when He executes righteous judgment and criminals are punished, His kindness and honor shine through in their behalf. He truly is Qadosh, set apart from the ways of this cruel world!
The Divine Character of Kindness:
May we always pay close attention to the heart of the Father when studying the details of His commandments and going deeper into His Word. When we seek His heart, we find out how loving and kind His nature truly is. The theme of His great compassion and everlasting kindness connect the commandments of the Torah with the loving nature of YHWH in the Haftorah:
“For a brief moment I deserted you, but I will regather you with great compassion. In a surge of anger, I hid My face from you a moment, but with everlasting kindness, I will have compassion on you,” says YHWH your Redeemer. For this is like the waters of Noah to Me: for as I swore that the waters of Noah should no more cover the earth, so I have sworn that I will not be angry with you, nor will I rebuke you. Though the mountains depart and the hills be shaken, My love will not depart from you, nor will My covenant of shalom be shaken,” says YHWH Who has compassion on you…” Isaiah 54:7-10
My prayer is that Hebrew Roots believers everywhere see His instructions on how to be kind and respectful to others. Although many of us started out as Torah terrorists and legalists, as we mature in the faith, I believe we are growing to be kinder, more patient, and more merciful with others, even to the ‘unlovable,’ who do us wrong and offend us.
When you go out into the world, take with you the character of loving-kindness to every living creature. May each of us become more like the Messiah approaching the world. May the world around us know that we are His disciples by our kindness and our love?
Kindly,
David Klug