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Our Torah reading this week (i.e., Re'eh) concludes with the commandment to make three "pilgrimage festivals" (i.e., shelosh regalim) each year: Passover, Shavuot (Pentecost), and Sukkot (Tabernacles). In the Torah, these "holidays" are called "appointed times" (i.e., mo'edim: מוֹעֲדִים), a word which comes from a root meaning witness (עֵד). Other words formed from this root include edah (עֵדָה), a congregation, edut (עֵדוּת), a testimony, and so on. The related verb ya'ad (יָעַד) means to meet, assemble, or even to betroth. The significance of the holy days, then, is for the covenant people of the LORD to bear witness to God's love and faithfulness by revisiting our history and by looking forward to their ultimate fulfillment, when we no longer pass through this world but abide in the heavenly reality. Meanwhile we trust in God's prophetic plan as revealed in the holy calendar, and observe the seasons as he has commanded. As it says, "All the paths of the LORD are love and truth to the ones guarding His covenant and His testimonies."
כָּל־אָרְחוֹת יְהוָה חֶסֶד וֶאֱמֶת
לְנצְרֵי בְרִיתוֹ וְעֵדתָיו
kohl-ohr·choht · Adonai · che'·sed · ve·e·met
le·noh·tze·rei · ve·ree·toh · ve·e·doh·tahv
"All the paths of the LORD are compassion and truth
for those who keep His pledge and His testimonies."
(Psalm 25:10)
Hebrew Study Card
Metaphorically the "paths of the Lord" (i.e., orchot Adonai: אָרְחוֹת יְהוָה) are likened to ruts or grooves created by the wheels of a caravan (i.e., orchah: אוֹרחָה) passing repeatedly over the same ground. These paths signify the Divine Presence journeying with God's children in this world. In temporal terms, we are able to discern the path by means of the divine calendar. God's love and faithfulness attend to His covenant (i.e., brit: בְּרִית, "pledge" or promise) and to the commemorations of the yearly "appointed times" (i.e., mo'edim: מוֹעֲדִם) which testify to God's love and faithfulness. Keeping God's testimonies, then, means that we will be careful to observe the biblical holidays in order to witness to God's truth...
Hebrew Lesson
Psalm 25:10 Hebrew reading (click):
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