Be Fruitful and Multiply!

Last week, I wrote in part;

“….when a person is living the very basic first steps of Torah, that person takes the commandment to “have no other gods before Me” and  “love your neighbor as yourself” to heart.  These are the two commandments that get us started.  ……. This is a tough thing to do if we are trying so show everyone how Scripturally intelligent we are.”  (Please read last week’s blog)

There seems to be a flaw in what was opined.  The text appears to say that having no other gods and loving your neighbor is only tough due to a specific character flaw; that of being too intelligent.  When we read the Scripture, Matthew 22:37-39 (CJB) we read:  

37 He [Yahshua] told him, "`You are to love ADONAI your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.' 38 This is the greatest and most important mitzvah. 39 And a second is similar to it, `You are to love your neighbor as yourself. 40 All of the Torah and the Prophets are dependent on these two mitzvot."

When we read this as Yahshua is reported to have said it, the implication is different.  That is, unless we are able to come to some understanding of all the Torah and the Prophets, we cannot fully grasp the direction of the two most important commandments. 

Lets get out of the box for a moment.  The first time I was able to grasp this portion of Yahshua’s teaching, I was told to visualize a clothesline pole.  One pole at each end of a clothesline.  The poles represented the two greatest commandments.  The clothesline is where all the Torah and the Prophets were hanging.  Without the two poles, there would be nothing to hang all the laws and prophets on.  That was how I was taught.  It didn’t make complete sense but it worked for me.

Change the imagery for a moment.  Take it in another direction!

For this discussion, view the Torah and the Prophets as the foundation for the two greatest commandments.  The Torah and the Prophets basically are the sustenance that ensures the growth of having no other gods before Him, and loving your neighbor as yourself.  The Torah and the Prophets are a direct out growth of YHVH Elohim. They are the roots to all of it. Just as Yahshua says He is the vine and we are the branches, YHVH is the root that produces the vine and thence comes forth the branches.  Having ‘no other gods before YHVH Elohim and loving our neighbor as ourselves’ is the fruit of the vine. This fruit is nourished by the branches (Yahshua) which are fed by the root (YHVH). In order to be fruitful (ie. Have no other gods before Him and love our neighbor as ourselves), we must get rid of all character flaws and blossom. We are then being fully fed from the roots, and nourished by the branch.  So, we must make living Torah the basis for our existence.  Yet, not become pompous and arrogant about “how much we know”. Humility goes a long way.  Be fruitful and multiply!

Thank you for tolerating me,

Be blessed beyond measure...

Pinchas a/k/a Frankly Speaking