When the disciples asked Yeshua how they should pray, he began with the words: “Our Heavenly Father, sacred is your name; may your kingdom come, may your will be done…” (Matt. 6:9-10).  You might overlook it, but these words imply that God’s kingdom is not naturally within us, and indeed, as Yeshua taught elsewhere, what is “naturally” within the heart is just the opposite: “For from within, out of the heart of a person, come evil reasonings (οἱ διαλογισμοὶ οἱ κακοι), adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within and defile a person” (Mark 7:21-23). So when Yeshua told the Pharisees that the kingdom of God is “within you,” he meant that the kingdom is a matter of a heart that has been reborn by the Spirit – not that people are naturally endowed with a divine “spark” (ניצוץ) within them. No, the default condition of the unregenerated heart is one of selfish autonomy that refuses to submit to God’s right to reign. Its creed is: “I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul” (Henley). The natural man is a rebel against God; a usurper of the prerogatives of God, and therefore he “eats from the apple” to define “good” and “evil” in his own self-serving terms….

The “default” condition of the soul is one of “spiritual death,” an appearance of life that is actually “cut off” or alienated from the truth of God, and is therefore devoid of eternal life. As Yeshua told Nicodemus, “unless a person is born again (i.e., γεννηθῇ ἄνωθεν, “born from above”), they cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3). The spiritual seed of the kingdom must be planted within the heart by the Spirit of God. “That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit” (John 3:6-8).

The miracle of new life comes through a supernatural conception, “from above” (ἄνωθεν), which means that we are entirely powerless in our natural state to impart life to ourselves. And that, of course, is the essential problem of human nature — that despite our natural desire to be “godlike,” we are monstrous in our estate, and therefore what we most need is “deliverance from ourselves,” that is, salvation from the horrors of selfish existence.

Read more “The Hidden Kingdom…”

It is remarkable that the traditional morning blessing recited at synagogues around the world begins with words attributed to Balaam, the enigmatic and self-styled prophet: Mah Tovu: “How lovely are your tents, O Jacob; your dwelling places, O Israel!” (Num. 24:5). The sages say that the word “tent” (אהֶל) refers to the inner life – how we really feel inside – whereas the word “dwelling” (מִשְׁכָּן) refers to the outer life – our place or circumstances. Together, the inner and the outer mark the quality of our lives, but the inner is the starting point, since we must first learn to live in peace with ourselves. This is vital: we must first tolerate our shortcomings and practice compassion toward our frail humanity… This is sometimes called shalom ba’bayit, “peace in the home” (of the self). Such inner peace is the greatest of blessings, since without it we will cling to pain, fear, and anger, thereby making us unable to find our place at the table in God’s kingdom of love.

Hebrew Lesson:

• Num. 24:5 Hebrew page (pdf)

Torah portion Shelach-Lekha is a “heavy one” since it reports the “Sin of the Spies” (i.e., chet ha’meraglim: חטא המרגלים) and the subsequent failure of the people to trust that the Lord would take care for them. The people’s lack of bittachon (trust) in God is the most serious sin recorded in all the Torah, even more serious than the sin of the Golden Calf (i.e., chet ha’egel: חטא העגל). This is confirmed by the testimony of the New Testament, which presents the fate of the Exodus generation as the dire warning of apostasy for those who claim to follow the Messiah (see Heb. 3:7-4:2).

Trust, then, is the central issue, though in order to trust God, you must believe that you are valuable to Him and that He genuinely desires relationship with you… God redeemed you so you could know and love Him (Isa. 43:1). In this connection it is important to notice that the spies said, “we were in our eyes like grasshoppers” (Num. 13:33). They felt small because they had forgotten the reason for their redemption – they had forgotten how much they meant to God! Their lack of self-respect made them feel unworthy of the inheritance. The sin of the spies was not simply that they doubted they could overcome the “giants in the land,” but rather that they were worthy people in God’s eyes… Sadly the spies view of themselves was more real to them than God’s view of them, and that is why they added, “and so we were (like grasshoppers) in their eyes.” From a spiritual point of view, this was profoundly tragic…

Read more “Small in our Eyes…”

From our Torah portion this week (i.e., Naso) we read: “Each one shall keep his holy donations: whatever anyone gives to the priest shall be his [לוֹ יִהְיֶה]” (Num. 5:10). This is the spiritual principle that what we give away is what we possess, and as we measure, so will be measured back to us again (Luke 6:38). The sages comment that being selfish, acquisitive, and power-hungry are drives common among the animals, but what makes a man unique is his ability to sacrifice himself for others. Giving tzedakah, then, is an inherently spiritual act, and ultimately only that which we give to others in love will be kept as holy. “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matt. 6:21).

As you believe, so you will receive (Matt. 21:22). This is the “like for like” principle of faith. Forgive us as we forgive; judge us as we judge; love us as we love; make us righteous as we take hold of righteousness, give us courage as we believe, and so on. As Isaiah said to Ahaz: “If you will not be firm in faith, you will not be firm at all” (Isa. 7:9). Your “amen” echoes the “amen” of heaven: “Let it be done for you according to your faith” (Matt. 9:29).

Instead of refusing to judge others (in the name of tolerance), or judging them in terms of their worth, we are commanded judge people favorably by using a “good eye” (עַיִן טוֹבָה). As it is written in the Torah, “in righteousness judge your neighbor (בְּצֶדֶק תִּשְׁפּט עֲמִיתֶךָ)” (Lev. 19:15). Notice that the word translated “righteousness” is tzedek (צֶדֶק), a word that includes the heart motive of “charity” and love. We are commanded to give tzedakah (צְדָקָה, “charity”) not just because it is “right,” but it is right because it is based on God’s love and care for others. Something is righteous, in other words, because it expresses the truth about God’s love. We could read this commandment as “in love judge your neighbor.” Our judgments should be based on compassion, empathy, and care for others – never as a verdict about someone’s worth and status before God. We see with a redemptive eye, and that means seeing the potential of others and their inherent worth as God’s children.

Lord, help me receive what you give and give what I have received, for love’s sake. Amen.

Hebrew Lesson: