• To honor father and mother (Ex. 20:12)
• Not to smite a father or a mother (Ex. 21:15)
• Not to curse a father or mother (Ex. 21:17)
• To reverently fear father and mother (Lev. 19:3)
• To receive the Torah of one's father and mother (Prv. 1:8-9)
Commentary:
As we begin the review of the loving thy neighbor commandments, let us keep in mind that we should in no way expect the amount or details associated with the loving G_D commandments … simply because loving G_D for the most part takes care of most matters and situations. This being said however we rest assured knowing that plenty of guidance will be revealed by the Torah declarations and leave us with no uncertainty regarding how we should love humanity!
There can be no doubt as we view the “honor the father and mother commandments” that G_D has established the family unit as his basis for human organization, interaction and success. This unit of course being “lighter” but no less important than his community Israel!
Although respect for one's parents, the people blessed as instruments of G_D’s creative force, should be an absolute no brainer for anyone … we need to look for further revelation contained within the declarations.
What we should see and focus upon are the declarations regarding fear and receiving godly instruction. It is these two commandments which truly reveal G_D’s purpose for the family unit. A unit wherein G_D is the center of the unit! A unit wherein children fear and revere their parents because they are G_D’s stewards over them! And … let us not lose sight of the obligations of the parents!
The parents expecting and looking for a child's respect need to understand conversely that their authority and honor stem from their own relationship with G_D and their understanding and application of his Torah! Authority does not derive from biological propagation and failure to raise a child in an appropriate manner brings dire consequences. Does this not seem to be evident from the commandments?
So now perhaps we have a better perspective … a more Hebraic and Biblical perspective of what honoring one's parents is all about. The family as the basis for the societal organization is to be Torah centric … what a novel idea!
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• To be fruitful and multiply (Gen. 1:28)
• A man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife, and they shall be one flesh. (Gen 2:24)
• That the newly married husband shall (be free) for one year to rejoice with his wife (Deut. 24:5)
• That a bridegroom shall be exempt for a whole year from taking part in any public labor, such as military service, guarding the wall and similar duties (Deut. 24:5)
• Not to withhold food, clothing or conjugal rights from a wife (Ex. 21:10)
• That a widow whose husband died childless must not be married to anyone but her deceased husband's brother (Deut. 25:5)
• To marry the widow of a brother who has died childless (Deut. 25:5)
• That the widow formally release the brother-in-law (if he refuses to marry her)
• Not to sell a Hebrew maid-servant to another person (Ex. 21:8)
• To redeem a Hebrew maid-servant (Ex. 21:8)
• To espouse a Hebrew maid-servant (Ex. 21:8-9)
Commentary:
When viewing these specific commandments it remains evident that G_D is very serious about protecting and insuring the propagation of the family line. Undoubtedly G_D is not prudish and most certainly gives us indications that he is very concerned about the generational lineage of the Israelite family. Hmmm!
Could it be that both ancestral lineage and the strength and independence of the next generation are equally important? It would seem that the answer is yes. The ancestral lineage is important because the promises of G_D, via the covenantal promises would be bankrupt if the lineage were to die off. Conversely the promises for the entire line are directly related to the need for each successive generation to abide by the first set of commandments relating to honor thy father and mother! Can we see the connections? Can we see how the commandments are neatly stacking upon one another?
It is apparent from these commandments that G_D desires not one individual that has received a promise through the covenant to be left behind. Surely G_D does not despise the people who do not marry … but most assuredly G_D does desire to bless and bless and bless the entire lineage of Israel … and desires that they will be as numerous as the sand along the seashores.
It is under this thinking wherein we see ancient Israel looking down upon the men and women that do not propagate the lineage … perhaps they knew something we did not? Perhaps our modern version of the two and a half children is not in tune with G_D? Perhaps the willingness to have a large family is more representative of faith in G_D as opposed to planned parent-hood? Perhaps the respect and esteem given for a mother in ancient Israel is more appropriate than whether Mom has a good job and propagates the economic prowess of the family? Hmmm!
Perhaps there is much that we can learn about G_D’s vision of the family by studying and pondering his commandments within a traditional Jewish context?
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• That a eunuch shall not marry a daughter of Israel (Deut. 23:2)
• That a mamzer shall not marry the daughter of a Jew (Deut. 23:3)
• That an Ammonite or Moabite shall never marry the daughter of an Israelite (Deut. 23:4)
• Not to exclude a descendant of Esau from the community of Israel for three generations (Deut. 23:8-9)
• Not to exclude an Egyptian from the community of Israel for three generations (Deut. 23:8-9)
• That the seed of Ishmael and all nations recognize that G_D’s covenant has been wrought through Isaac (Gen. 17:20-21)
Commentary:
Talk about what we might consider politically incorrect … whoa boy!
There can be no doubt that these commandments, at face value, would be quite offensive to many people. Yet let us consider G_D’s motivations for these commandments! Let us consider that G_D set apart Israel to be his holy People/Nation. Let us consider that G_D demands the faithfulness of each Israelite family! Obviously our LORD is revealing to us that unequal yoking will inevitably upset the delicate balance of his plan for Israel. Obviously marrying off a daughter of Israel to a Eunuch will end that particular lineage … not good! Obviously marrying off a daughter of Israel to a mamzer (literally a bastard or a child of incest) casts aspersions over the family lineage and in essence profanes the family line/name. Obviously marrying off a daughter of Israel to the seed of a prohibited bloodline (G_D’s Enemies) does little for the plans of G_D.
So … these commandments may even repulse our modern mentality but let's look at reality. Today people “fall in love” and marry for many reasons … but is the primary reason for matrimony the unification of a man and a woman to propagate G_D’s kingdom? Hmmm … let's float this one around society and get ready to be put into a straight- jacket!
These commandments point to defiling the blood line … the family name! Just as there is a responsibility to not defile where G_D’s NAME resides … why would there not be order in place to insure that his children's families are not defiled.
If we are to consider these commandments as relevant and applicable then every believer and every family should be adopting a traditional Jewish mindset wherein yoking beyond the believing population is greatly frowned upon. Yet again perhaps the Jewish people are not just snooty … perhaps they are trying to remain obedient and operate within the framework that G_D gave to them? Hmmm!
And so the prophecy comes true … in the end days what is good will be called evil and what is evil will be called good!
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• To love all human beings who are of the covenant (Lev. 19:18)
• To chastise and correct a wayward child (Prv. 13:24)
• To honor the old and the wise (Lev. 19:32)
• To rejoice in the righteousness/faith of others (Psa. 35:27)
• To relieve a neighbor of his burden and help to unload his beast (Ex. 23:5)
• To assist in replacing the load upon a neighbor's beast (Deut. 22:4)
• Not to leave a beast, that has fallen down beneath its burden, unaided (Deut. 22:4)
• If thou buy a Hebrew servant, six years he shall serve; and in the seventh he shall go out free for nothing and if he come in by himself, he shall go out by himself; if he be married, then his wife shall go out with him. (Ex. 21:2-3)
• Not to sell a Hebrew servant as a slave (Lev. 25:42)
• Not to treat a Hebrew servant rigorously (Lev. 25:43)
• Not to send away a Hebrew bondman servant empty handed, when he is freed from service (Deut. 15:13)
• To bestow liberal gifts upon the Hebrew bondsman (at the end of his term of service), and the same should be done to a Hebrew bondwoman (Deut. 15:14)
• To deal judicially with the Hebrew bondman in accordance with the laws appertaining to him (Ex. 21:2-6)
• Not to compel the Hebrew servant to do the work of a slave (Lev. 25:39)
• Not to permit a gentile to treat harshly a Hebrew bondman sold to him (Lev. 25:53)
• Not to surrender a slave, who has fled to the land of Israel, to his owner who lives outside Palestine (Deut. 23:16)
• Not to wrong such a slave seeking sanctuary in Israel (Deut. 23:17)
• Not to devise evil against thy neighbor (Prv. 3:29)
• Strive not with any person without cause (Prv. 3:30)
• Be forgiving of transgressions and do not harp on matters that will estrange the community (Prv. 17:9)
• To remedy offense caused to another (Prv. 18:19)
Commentary:
It would seem apparent that these various commandments serve to extend the idea of family (mishpocha) to the entire community of Israel. Honor, respect, patience, stewardship are all behaviors that not only make for a sound family environment but a sound community environment … society!
We've heard the saying that “blood is thicker than water” … and this may be true … but it would seem that G_D’s plan for communal interaction demands that the water be treated with as much respect as does the blood.
As believers then we must also realize as well that this equitable treatment indeed takes into account treatment for the non-believer as well. Essentially G_D sees all the peoples of the world as his children and as such deserve just treatment by virtue of the fact that they also were created by him!
We must remember that having G_D’s NAME upon us means that we bear testimony by either action or inaction. Let us also keep in mind that loving thy neighbor is less about liking them or being cordial … loving thy neighbor means sacrificing at one’s own expense for the well-being of another. Love does not mean being tolerant of bad things; love does not mean being politically correct or being duplicitous with ways that are not G_D’s ways!
Ultimately there is a Kingdom to be built up … a Kingdom where all are mishpocha and the mantra is justice and righteousness. This begins with treating others as one would treat one's own beloved parents and family!
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Parental Treatment
Propagating the Family Line
Profaning the Family Line
Communal Honor
Commentary:
Within G_D’s design for humanity … love and righteousness begin at home with the family. So much so that G_D’s commandments account for protection of the family by giving us commandments regarding same. So really we can state that G_D’s plan for love and righteousness begin by protecting the family and the institution of marriage itself.
These commandments however reveal to us that in G_D’s view the family unit that is devoid of him as its center … its focus … may very well not be a family at all. It would seem that the nurturing capabilities of parents depend upon those same parents’ relationship with G_D! As such the vast majority of commandments surrounding the family reveal the mandate to keep out all intrusions that may work against his plan and will. The consistent pattern of non-mingling surfaces yet again!
Yet despite how much sense these commandments might make to a believer, let us look across our social landscape and see within our believing communities just how well we actually do. OK … just kidding because we need no analysis to determine that the state of our family unit is a mess and under constant attack! Divorce … unyoked partners … out of wedlock children … lack of parental respect … unrelenting politically correct educational propaganda … on and on!
With the family unit being in such disarray due to disobedience can there be any question as to why our greater societal state is also broken? Surely we can’t blame the plight of the family on society but conversely we can blame the plight of society on the lack of family values … respect, honor, justice and love. These family values are quite frankly lacking and as the lack of values propagates across society it is simply natural for society itself to become OK with its changing moral fiber … or lack thereof!
So we do what we can do … as parents, as children, as neighbors and as citizens! We must fight back the status quo and grasp for G_D … seek his presence within our lives and within our families! All the humanitarianism in the world is not going to help society if we continue to allow G_D to be removed from our family.
Remember the Hebraic mantra … l’dor v’dor … generation to generation! This is G_D’s plan and this plan uses marriage and the family as a foundational component.
Think about it from a true believer's perspective … a grand parent's perspective … what greater joy than to see a grand-child come of age with the knowledge of and fear of G_D! Conversely what a benefit to humanity that child will become! G_D’s plan … it is a win-win situation … good for his Kingdom and good for all his children!
And … standing in opposition to G_D’s plan is the delusion that society holds the key to proper human behavior and serves as a better governing tool for the family than does the family itself. It is society that will fashion the humanistic outlook for our children through the educational and professional systems in place. It is society that will care for the broken and dysfunctional families through welfare, child and elderly services while providing the psychological and moral backbone needed for success of society. REALLY?
Our family unit is disintegrating right before our eyes. The ability of the family to instill the knowledge and fear of G_D is challenged on a continual basis.
It used to be the family that prays together stays together … we see what happens when G_D is removed from the picture … we had best fight back because our family strength is waning … our ability to stay intact is waning … our ability to be purposeful is waning!
Society is not our answer … G_D’s Torah is the answer to our family challenges!
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