{"id":1889,"date":"2020-10-29T05:44:03","date_gmt":"2020-10-29T10:44:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hebrew4christians.com\/training\/?p=1889"},"modified":"2020-10-30T03:44:07","modified_gmt":"2020-10-30T08:44:07","slug":"words-of-death-and-life","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hebrew4christians.com\/training\/words-of-death-and-life\/","title":{"rendered":"Words of Death and Life&#8230;"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1896 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/hebrew4christians.com\/training\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/chag-ang.jpg?resize=125%2C125&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"125\" height=\"125\" \/>Just as the body can become sick with illness, so can the soul: &#8220;I said, &#8216;O LORD, be gracious to me; heal my soul (\u05e8\u05b0\u05e4\u05b8\u05d0\u05b8\u05d4 \u05e0\u05b7\u05e4\u05b0\u05e9\u05c1\u05b4\u05d9), for I have sinned against you'&#8221; (Psalm 41:4). The targum Onkelos states that God breathed into Adam the ability to think and to speak. In other words, thought and speech are two primary characteristics of the image (<em>tzelem<\/em>) and likeness (<em>demut<\/em>) of God. Since our use of words is directly linked to the &#8220;breath of God&#8221; within us,<em> lashon hara<\/em> (\u05dc\u05b8\u05e9\u05c1\u05d5\u05b9\u05df \u05d4\u05b8\u05e8\u05b8\u05d4), or evil speech, defaces God&#8217;s image within us&#8230;. Using words to inflict pain therefore perverts the image of God, since God created man to use language to &#8220;build up&#8221; others in love. This is part of the reason the <em>metzora<\/em> (i.e., one afflicted with <em>tzara\u2019at<\/em>, or skin disease) was regarded as a \u201cleper\u201d in need of rebirth&#8230;<\/p>\n<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-1890\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/hebrew4christians.com\/training\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/psalm41-4-analysis.gif?resize=567%2C562&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"567\" height=\"562\" \/><\/p>\n<audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-1889-1\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/hebrew4christians.com\/training\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/psalm41-4-jjp.mp3?_=1\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/hebrew4christians.com\/training\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/psalm41-4-jjp.mp3\">https:\/\/hebrew4christians.com\/training\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/psalm41-4-jjp.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n<p>&#8230;<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/hebrew4christians.com\/Blessings\/Blessing_Cards\/psalm41-4-lesson.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Psalm 41:4 Lesson Card (pdf)<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&#8230;<\/p>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n<p><em>Lashon hara<\/em> (evil speech) is really a symptom of the \u201cevil eye\u201d (ayin hara). As it says in Scripture: \u201cEvil comes to one who searches (\u05d3\u05bc\u05b8\u05e8\u05b7\u05e9\u05c1) for it\u201d (Prov. 11:27). We must train ourselves to use the \u201cgood eye\u201d (ayin tovah) and extend <em>kaf zechut<\/em> (\u05db\u05bc\u05b7\u05e3 \u05d6\u05b0\u05db\u05d5\u05bc\u05ea) &#8211; the \u201chand of merit\u201d to others. Genuine faith is optimistic and involves <em>hakarat tovah<\/em>, that is, recognizing the good in others and in life\u2019s circumstances. <em>Gam zu l\u2019tovah<\/em>: \u201cThis too is for the good\u201d (Rom. 8:28). The Midrash states that God afflicted houses with tzara\u2019at so that treasure hidden within the walls would be discovered. The good eye finds \u201chidden treasure\u201d in every person and experience.<\/p>\n<p>King David said (Psalm 35:13): \u201cMay what I prayed for happen to me!\u201d (literally, tefillati al-cheiki tashuv &#8211; \u201cmay it return upon my own breast\u201d). Some of our prayers are conscious words spoken to God, whereas others are unconscious expressions of our inner heart attitudes. When we harbor indifference, ill will, or unforgiveness toward others, we are only hurting ourselves. It is very sobering to realize that our thoughts are essentially prayers being offered up to God&#8230; When we seek the good of others we find God\u2019s favor, healing and life. Yeshua spoke of &#8220;good and evil treasures of the heart&#8221; that produce actions that are expressed in our words (Luke 6:45). A midrash states that if someone speaks well of another, the angels above will then speak well of him before the Holy One.<\/p>\n<p>In light of the enigma of \u201cspiritual impurity\u201d (i.e., <em>tumah<\/em>) and its ultimate expression revealed in the corruption of death, it is all the more telling that we should heed the cry of the Spirit: &#8220;Choose Life!&#8221; (Deut. 30:19). \u05de\u05b8\u05d5\u05b6\u05ea \u05d5\u05b0\u05d7\u05b7\u05d9\u05bc\u05b4\u05d9\u05dd \u05d1\u05bc\u05b0\u05d9\u05b7\u05d3\u05be\u05dc\u05b8\u05e9\u05c1\u05d5\u05b9\u05df &#8211; &#8220;Death and life are in the use of the tongue&#8221; (Prov. 18:21). Sin is a type of &#8220;spiritual suicide&#8221; that seduces us to exchange eternal good for the petty and trivial. The <em>nachash<\/em> (serpent) in the garden of Eden was the first to speak lashon hara. He slandered God and lied to Eve about how to discern between good and evil. He is a murderer and the father of lies. Resist his wiles with the truth of God&#8230;<\/p>\n<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-1892\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/hebrew4christians.com\/training\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/prov18-21-analysis.gif?resize=507%2C605&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"507\" height=\"605\" \/><\/p>\n<audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-1889-2\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/hebrew4christians.com\/training\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/prov18-21-jjp.mp3?_=2\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/hebrew4christians.com\/training\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/prov18-21-jjp.mp3\">https:\/\/hebrew4christians.com\/training\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/prov18-21-jjp.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n<p>&#8230;<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/hebrew4christians.com\/Blessings\/Blessing_Cards\/prov18-21-lesson.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Prov. 18:21 Lesson Card (pdf)<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&#8230;<\/p>\n<p>May it please the LORD to help each of us be entirely mindful of the power and sanctity of our words&#8230; May it please Him to help us use our words for the purpose of strengthening and upbuilding (\u03bf\u1f30\u03ba\u03bf\u03b4\u03bf\u03bc\u1f74\u03bd) one another (Eph. 4:29). May God help us take every thought \u201ccaptive\u201d to the obedience of the Messiah, thereby enabling us to always behold and express the truth of God\u2019s unfailing love. Amen.<\/p>\n<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-1894\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/hebrew4christians.com\/training\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/psalm19-14-analysis.gif?resize=579%2C602&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"579\" height=\"602\" \/><\/p>\n<audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-1889-3\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/hebrew4christians.com\/training\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/psalm19-14-jjp.mp3?_=3\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/hebrew4christians.com\/training\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/psalm19-14-jjp.mp3\">https:\/\/hebrew4christians.com\/training\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/psalm19-14-jjp.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n<p>&#8230;<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/hebrew4christians.com\/Blessings\/Blessing_Cards\/psalm19-14-lesson.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Psalm 19:14 Lesson Card (pdf)<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Just as the body can become sick with illness, so can the soul: &#8220;I said, &#8216;O LORD, be gracious to me; heal my soul (\u05e8\u05b0\u05e4\u05b8\u05d0\u05b8\u05d4 \u05e0\u05b7\u05e4\u05b0\u05e9\u05c1\u05b4\u05d9), for I have sinned against you&#8217;&#8221; (Psalm 41:4). The targum Onkelos states that God breathed into Adam the ability to think and to speak. In other words, thought and [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":106,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5,15,2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1889","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-daily-dvar","category-hebrew-reading-practice","category-torah"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/hebrew4christians.com\/training\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1889","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/hebrew4christians.com\/training\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/hebrew4christians.com\/training\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hebrew4christians.com\/training\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/106"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hebrew4christians.com\/training\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1889"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/hebrew4christians.com\/training\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1889\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1923,"href":"https:\/\/hebrew4christians.com\/training\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1889\/revisions\/1923"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/hebrew4christians.com\/training\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1889"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hebrew4christians.com\/training\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1889"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hebrew4christians.com\/training\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1889"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}