Saturday, September 17, 2022

CHUCK KOLB

 Shabbat Shalom - Parasha Ki Tavo (When You Enter) - The Blessing in Being a Blessing !!! 


Previously posted ...
Shabbat Shalom - Parasha Ki Tetze (When You Go Out to War) - Holiness and the Laws of God !!!
https://conpats.blogspot.com/2022/09/chuck-kolb.html
War on Christianity - 9/10/22
https://conpats.blogspot.com/2022/09/war-on-christianity-book-of-revelation.html
Situation Updates 9/10/22 -  Royal Rabbit Hole - Arizona Wilder - Charlie Freak - TR3Bs
https://conpats.blogspot.com/2022/09/chuck-kolb-situation-updates_11.html
Situation Updates 9/11/22 Modus Operandi > 9/11 - Vaxx Genocide - Geo SOTT
https://conpats.blogspot.com/2022/09/i-will-lift-up-mine-eyes-unto-hills.html
Situation Updates 9/12/22 Dr. Mikovits Spike Shedding - OP Tomahawk - WW3
https://conpats.blogspot.com/2022/09/rejoice-in-lord-always-and-again-i-say.html
Situation Updates 9/13/22 The Conspiracy Theory of Everything
https://conpats.blogspot.com/2022/09/chuck-kolb-situation-updates_13.html
Situation Updates 9/14/22 - Transhuman HaSatans - Dr. Fuellmich - Endless Plandemics - No Planes 9/11
https://conpats.blogspot.com/2022/09/chuck-kolb-situation-updates_15.html
Situation Updates 9/15/22 Nano Rain - Camelot Update - Captain Mark Richards  
https://conpats.blogspot.com/2022/09/and-we-have-known-and-believed-love.html
Situation Updates 9/16/22 Happy Nothing - 9/24/22 ? - QE2 Royal Guard Collapses - Max Missing Link
https://conpats.blogspot.com/2022/09/who-is-wise-man-and-endued-with.html

These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world
ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. John 16:33
Blessed are those servants whom the master finds on watch when he returns. Luke 12:37
And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. Eph 5:11
I made haste, and delayed not to keep thy commandments. I will never forget thy precepts:
for with them thou hast quickened me. Psalm 119:60,93
The war against Truth has been raging ever since
evil was expulsed from the realm of Heaven.  
God instructed Pharaoh, "Let my people go."
God instructs us, "Let my people know."
Shema Y'israel - Maranatha !
Na'aseh V'nishma 
 
✡ ✡ ✡
כבוד שם יהוה Baruch Hashem Adonai
לשבור לחם ביחד Shabbat Shalom Mishpacha   

#ShabbatShalom - Welcome to Ki Tavo (When You Enter), this week’s Parasha (Torah Portion).
This Torah portion will be read in synagogues around the world during the Shabbat (Saturday) morning service.
Please read along with us and discover how precious you are to the Lord.
We know you will be blessed.

Last week, in Parasha Ki Tetze, God gave to the Israelites 74 of the 613 commandments found in the Torah — far more than any other Torah portion. These laws mostly seem to be concerned with protecting the weaker members of society.  They include laws concerning the beautiful captive, paying workers in a timely fashion, and leaving a portion of the harvest in the field for the widow, the fatherless, and the stranger. This week, in Parasha Ki Tavo (When You Enter), God instructs Israel to bring the first-ripened fruits (bikkurim) to the central sanctuary once the Israelites have finally entered the Land He promised to them.


You can view this Parasha on our website complete with embedded links ... 
Parasha Ki Tavo (When you Enter): Entering the Promise
https://free.messianicbible.com/parasha/parasha-ki-tavo-when-you-enter-entering-the-promise-5782/ 

 No One Else Brings Salvation but Yeshua
https://free.messianicbible.com/feature/one-else-brings-salvation-yeshua/

Are You a Jew? The Answer Might Surprise You

https://free.messianicbible.com/feature/are-you-a-jew-fname-the-answer-might-surprise-you/

Revelation and Na'aseh V'nishma
https://www.sefaria.org/sheets/11880
https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/do-first-understand-later/
We will do and we will listen to all that God has declared. Exodus 24:7

When to Celebrate Yeshua HaMashiach's birthday ...
The Joy of Tabernacles when Yeshua was Born
http://conpats.blogspot.com/2019/10/chuck-kolb-10142019.html
How Yeshua was born on the Feast of Tabernacles by Rabbi Yitzchak
http://www.calledoutbelievers.org/how-yeshua-was-born-on-the-feast-of-tabernacles/

English to Hebrew to English lookup
https://context.reverso.net/translation/hebrew-english/
https://www.doitinhebrew.com/Translate/default.aspx
https://english-hebrew-dictionary.com/
https://alittlehebrew.com/transliterate/  
https://yiddishkeit101.wordpress.com/category/hebrew-word-of-the-day 
The Best Jewish Words You Need To Know: A Yiddish and Hebrew Glossary
https://www.joyofkosher.com/from-jamie/the-best-jewish-words-you-need-to-know/
https://hebrew4christians.com/Glossary/Hebrew_Glossary_-_Sh/hebrew_glossary_-_sh.html
A Living Library of Jewish Texts in Hebrew and English translation
https://www.sefaria.org/   https://dictionary.co.il/   https://www.hebrew-verbs.co.il/

Torah Teasers Parshat Ki Tavo by Moshe Erlbaum
https://www.aish.com/tp/i/teasers/Torah-Teasers-Parshat-Ki-Tavo.html

Todah Rabah - beloved Rabbi Ralph Messer ...
Simchat Torah Beit Midrash - Joy of God’s Teaching and Instruction

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine,
for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.  2 Timothy 3:16

What Does It Mean to Choose Life? Every decision you make can be made in a way that you are “choosing life.”
The Torah is God’s constitution; it is His teaching and instruction; it is eternal and it is life.
His Spirit is pure Light, abundant with untouchable, supreme, sovereign power.
God is the Source of all life.

כִּי-תָבוֹא  Ki Tavo means  “when you enter”—referring to entering the Land ...

Moses pronounces the blessings that the Children of Israel would be rewarded with in keeping the commandments of the Torah, then gives a warning of the harsh punishments that would come upon them if they disobeyed God’s commandments.  These punishments include illness, famine, war, poverty, and exile.  The section which lists these punishments incurred for disobedience are known as tokhachah, meaning “rebuke.” He reminds them that they could gain so much more by serving Him with joy rather than heaviness of heart. When you are joyful in serving God simply because you love Him, your children and the people around you will see it and be impacted by it.  You can inspire them with your joy (simchah). Even hard things in life can be done with joy, and in fact, when they are, it lightens the load and makes things easier.
https://stbm.org/ki-tavo/

2022 STBM Fall Events
https://stbm.org/2022-fall-events-with-stbm/

Arrive a half hour+ early for starting lessons ...

Online> Saturday Shabbat (9:00am ET / 12:30pm ET) Services and Midrash  
Online> Monday Nights with STBM 8:30pm ET  / Thursday Afternoon> 3:00 pm ET
Learn more about special event streaming when you call our team! 866-867-2488
https://stbm.org/live/ - https://www.youtube.com/c/RalphMesser/videos
https://stbm.org/study-home/  https://stbm.org/rrm-subscriptions/  https://store2.torah.tv/ 

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Todah Rabah - Dr. Gary Hedrick ...
Reaching the Jewish people with the Gospel
https://www.cjfm.org/about-us/who-we-are/history/
Charles Halff - What It Costs a Jew to Become a Christian

https://store.cjfm.org/product/146/what-it-costs-a-jew-to-become-a-christian

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Todah Rabah - beloved Rabbi Chaim Richman ...
Weekly Torah Study: with Rav Gedalia Meyer
Temple Talk with Yitzchak Reuven and Rabbi Abba Horovitz
https://www.youtube.com/c/TheTempleInstitute/videos
https://www.facebook.com/The-Temple-Institute-22738684968/
https://www.instagram.com/thetempleinstitute/ - https://twitter.com/TempleInstitute
https://www.templeinstitute.org/ Weekly Newsletter - 35 years  
The Mystery of the Red Heifer: Divine Promise of Purity
https://templeinstitute.org/red-heifer/
Jerusalem Lights - Rabbi Chaim Richman
https://www.youtube.com/c/JerusalemLightsRabbiChaimRichman/videos

 
Todah Rabah - beloved Rabbi Chaim Jachter ...
Kol Torah Academy of Bergen County 

Parashat Ki Tavo - 21 Elul, 5782 - September 17, 2022
https://www.koltorah.org/articles/?category=Ki+Tavo
https://www.koltorah.org/by-parashah  https://www.koltorah.org/about-us
https://www.koltorah.org/rav-jachters-halachah-files
Books > https://www.koltorah.org/books
From Chaos to Kingship: An In-Depth Exploration of Megillat Rut
https://www.amazon.com/Chaos-Kingship-Depth-Exploration-Megillat/dp/B0B14ZP8N2
Yeshiva > https://www.tabc.org/  https://www.instagram.com/koltorah.tabc/
TABC Parashat Ki Tavo
https://www.koltorah.org/s/Kol-Torah-Ki-Tavo-2022-3.pdf (4 page pdf)
 
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Parshat Ki Tavo

https://www.chabad.org/parshah/article_cdo/aid/2504/jewish/Ki-Tavo-in-a-Nutshell.htm
http://www.chabad.org/parshah/default.asp?tDate=9/17/2022  
https://www.chabad.org/calendar/view/month_cdo/jewish/Jewish-Calendar.htm
https://www.chabad.org/calendar/converter_cdo/aid/6225/jewish/Jewish-Hebrew-Date-Converter.htm
 
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Todah Rabah - beloved Rabbi Naphtali “Tuly” Weisz ...  

https://israel365.com/  https://www.israel365news.com/
https://www.israel365.com/about/  https://theisraelbible.com/
https://theisraelbible.com/bible/torah/  https://theisraelbible.com/blog/

The Portion of Ki Tavo
https://theisraelbible.com/?s=ki+tavo
https://theisraelbible.com/book-deuteronomy/

The Fundamental Significance of the Seven Species

https://theisraelbible.com/the-fundamental-significance-of-the-seven-species/

5 Red Heifers arrive in Israel [WATCH]

Because the elements needed for this ceremony have been lacking since the destruction of the Second Temple,
all Jews today are considered ritually impure, thereby preventing the return of the Temple service. The Temple Institute
and Boneh Israel made a huge step towards reinstating the Temple service on Thursday
when five red heifers landed at Ben Gurion International Airport.
vid> https://www.israel365news.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/VID-20220915-WA0024.mp4 (1:13)
https://www.israel365news.com/274830/watch-red-heifers-arrive-in-israel/

The 39 Acts Forbidden on the Sabbath
https://theisraelbible.com/the-39-acts-forbidden-on-the-sabbath/
https://theisraelbible.com/the-true-day-of-rest/

Anti-Semitism is on the rise in the United States.
Stand with 100,000+ people who stand with Israel.
https://www.israel365.com/the-israel-covenant/

ACLJ Petition - Jay Sekulow
Stop Biden IRS From Spying on You and Your Bank Account
https://aclj.org/government-corruption/stop-biden-irs-from-spying-on-your-bank-account


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 DONALD DATES

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fred_Trump  
Tiffany 10/13/93
Ivanka 10/30/81  


President Donald J. Trump
Save America Rally in Youngstown, OH

Sat, September 17, 2022 - 7:00 pm (EST)
https://events.donaldjtrump.com/events/save-america-rally-in-youngstown-oh

Save America Rally in Wilmington, NC

Sat, September 23, 2022 - 7:00 pm (EST)
https://events.donaldjtrump.com/events/save-america-rally-in-wilmington-nc

Save America Rally in Warren, MI

Sat, October 1, 2022 - 7:00 pm (EST)
https://events.donaldjtrump.com/events/save-america-rally-in-warren-mi

Watch > https://rumble.com/c/RSBN RSBN  
Events > https://www.donaldjtrump.com/events
https://rumble.com/c/DonaldTrump Donald J. Trump


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Good News From Israel - Achievements and Heartwarming Stories
In the 11th Sep 22 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights include:
https://verygoodnewsisrael.blogspot.com/2022/09/israels-good-news-newsletter-to-11th.html
http://verygoodnewsisrael.blogspot.com/

Mishpacha Jewish Family Weekly
https://mishpacha.com/
Simcha’s Torah
https://mishpacha.com/simchas-torah/
The Kashrus Triangle
https://mishpacha.com/the-kashrus-triangle/


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Todah Rabah - beloved Ted Belman writing from Jerusalem, Israel for 20+ years ...  
THERE IS NO DIPLOMATIC SOLUTION
Israel should declare three nos;
no to nuclear Iran, no to two-state solution, no to bi-national state  

The De-Population Bomb
vid> https://youtu.be/uNdnlrkx-wg (1:06:23) 9/14/22  Hoover Institution

https://www.youtube.com/user/HooverInstitution/videos
https://www.hoover.org/research/de-population-bomb  
https://www.israpundit.org/the-de-population-bomb/

Ron Paul oraly attacks Fauci
twitvid> https://twitter.com/SenRandPaul/status/1570078800926343171 (4:34) 
 
https://www.israpundit.org/ron-paul-oraly-attacks-fauci/
https://www.westernjournal.com/watch-rand-paul-makes-fauci-spectacularly-eat-words-slams-home-point-video-evidence/

The art of destroying a nation
https://www.israpundit.orga-na/the-art-of-destroying-tion/
https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2022/09/the_art_of_destroying_a_nation.html

C(LIE)MATEGATE - tied at the umbilical cord to the COVID19 PLAN-DEMIC

https://www.israpundit.org/climategate-tied-at-the-umbilical-cord-to-the-covid19-plan-demic/  
https://uriweiss.substack.com/p/climategate-tied-at-the-umbilical?utm_source=profile&utm_medium=reader2

For Israel to be safe it must bury the Oslo delusion > Caroline Glick
The death of an IDF officer this week proves that reality is what matters, not the Israeli elite’s fantasies.
https://www.israpundit.org/for-israel-to-be-safe-it-must-bury-the-oslo-delusion/

Putin makes pact with “Palestine”  
Just when you thought it couldn’t get any crazier in the Middle East for Israel, Russian president Vladimir Putin
has offered direct military cooperation and assistance to the Palestinian Authority.
Putin's snub to Israel? Russia bonds with Palestine, offers cooperation to military organisations
vid> https://youtu.be/jnmgBYLglro (3:04) 8/18/22 Hindustan Times

https://www.israpundit.org/putin-makes-a-pact-with-palestine/
https://www.israelunwired.com/putin-makes-a-pact-with-palestine/

The Two State Solution is no more
>> https://www.israpundit.org/63684392-2/
The Jordan Option Conference Videos reposted
>> https://www.israpundit.org/the-jordan-option-conference-videos/
https://www.israpundit.org/jordan-past-present-and-future-the-jordan-option-revisited/
>> The Jordan Option, plain and simple
https://www.israpundit.org/the-jordan-option-plain-and-simple/
>> The Jordanian Option is the only game in town
https://www.israpundit.org/my-jordan-option-is-the-only-game-in-town/
>> The Ultimate Alternate Israel-Palestine Solution by Ted Belman
https://www.israpundit.org/the-ultimate-alternate-israel-palestine-solution-3/


Kindly donate to support the work I do
Ted Belman

https://www.israpundit.org/please-donate/
 
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Quest For The Lost Tribes - Full Simcha Jacobovici Documentary

vid> https://www.bitchute.com/video/jbB2ELq4xPw/ (1:33:29) 8/18/19
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simcha_Jacobovici
12 Tribes of Israel: The Shevatim
https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/3798842/jewish/12-Tribes-of-Israel-The-Shevatim.htm
https://www.jewishvoice.org/read/blog/who-are-tribes-judah
 

elcome to Kashrut Malchut Shamayim
In parsha Ki Tavo,

Moses tells the Children of Israel to bring the first-ripened fruits (bikkurim) to the Temple after they settle the land of Israel and declare their gratitude to Hashem.  As we plan this week’s Shabbat menu and look ahead to the High Holiday meals, we have a beautiful brisket recipe that highlights the pomegranate, one of the seven species of Israel traditionally associated with the bikkurim offering.
This whole menu can be a trial run for a Rosh Hashanah meal.
A Popping Pomegranate Shabbat Menu
https://jamiegeller.com/holidays/a-popping-pomegranate-shabbat-menu/


A Traditional Rosh Hashanah Menu With Make Ahead Tips
Traditional Jewish food is always a great way to cook for Rosh Hashanah.
 Here is a full menu perfect for the season.
https://jamiegeller.com/holidays/traditional-rosh-hashanah/

Sephardic Simanim With Turkish Recipes
https://jamiegeller.com/holidays/sephardic-simanim-with-turkish-recipes/

My gefilte fish in tomato sauce recipe.
https://jamiegeller.com/recipes/gefilte-fish-in-tomato-sauce/

Yapchik - Overnight Potato Kugel with Meat - Polish or Hungarian cholent
vid> https://cdn.jwplayer.com/players/HOTjXewU-FSMnt4zj.html (0:38)
https://jamiegeller.com/recipes/yapchik/

Simple Beef Kabobs with Mujadara Pilaf
vid> https://cdn.jwplayer.com/players/HwGkmcg4-FSMnt4zj.html (2:47) JewLish
https://jamiegeller.com/recipes/simple-beef-kabobs/


I believe this! ...
One million Israeli children are hungry.  
Yad Ezra V’Shulamit has been dedicated to feeding Israel’s
hungry children and families for the last 25 years
Jamie visits Yad Ezra V'Shulamit
vid> https://youtu.be/95bFhoflBbY (6:56)  Yad Ezra V'Shulamit   

https://www.youtube.com/user/yadezrafeedsisrael/videos

Mom’s Honey Cake
This honey cake is mom approved! It’s a classic- and if food is the window to the soul,
honey cake will spark your neshama right into the Rosh Hashanah mindset!! 
 
https://jamiegeller.com/recipes/moms-honey-cake/

Jamie Geller Reunites with Heroic Farmers in Jerusalem
To keep the biblical mitzvah of shmitah   
vid> https://youtu.be/uDwO31572as (36:30) 5/15/22 JG
$180 donations receive my new Farm to Table Cookbook
https://campaigns.causematch.com/SupportOurFarmers
http://supportourfarmers.org
vid> https://player.vimeo.com/video/660942292 (10:42)
FREE Farmers-Guide-for-Produce (7 page pdf)
https://tinyurl.com/Farmers-Guide-for-Produce


Vegan Recipes
https://jamiegeller.com/search?query=vegan+recipes  
https://jamiegeller.com/browse/the-best-crowd-pleasing-vegan-appetizers/
Cook the 21 Most Popular Recipes of 2021

https://jamiegeller.com/from-jamie/cook-the-21-most-popular-recipes-of-2021/

This is Where You Can Find Me Most of the Time
JewLish - One People - Many Flavors
https://www.instagram.com/p/CLpomjPnHcZ/
https://www.instagram.com/jamiegeller/
https://www.facebook.com/jamiegeller
https://www.facebook.com/jewlishbyjamie/
https://www.youtube.com/c/jamiegeller/videos
https://jamiegeller.com/
 
Joy of Aliyah 

http://jamiegeller.com/tag/joy-of-aliyah/
https://jamiegeller.com/tag/joyofisrael/
Jamie Geller Welcome's You
vid> https://youtu.be/XO-owES713c (0:35)
Lots of 💕 Jamie - Until next week Shabbat Shalom from Israel ! 

The answer is, it's made with love from Israel ! 
https://jamiegeller.com/from-jamie/my-jewish-food-memories/
My Love Affair With Jerusalem
https://jamiegeller.com/from-jamie/my-love-affair-with-jerusalem/

Jamie's Honey Collection
https://www.amazon.com/stores/page/779DC156-2368-4FA4-A098-872BBC7F03D2

Jerusalem Street Food with Jamie Geller Spices
vid> https://cdn.jwplayer.com/players/CluuvDpk-FSMnt4zj.html (10:56) JewLish   
Machane Yehuda - https://jamiegeller.com/browse/a-haute-market-in-jerusalem-the-shuk/
https://jamiegeller.com/browse/4-israeli-desserts-inspired-by-the-shuk-in-jerusalem/

The Jamie Geller Spice Collection: Now Available Worldwide!
Sending you love and my heartfelt wishes for peace, from Israel.
New Trio of Pilaf Mixes - Mujadara Lentil, Festive Herb and Jeweled Almond
https://www.amazon.com/stores/Jamie+Geller/page/55E36343-CF6F-4E88-A4D5-D7C1C0274F7F
https://www.amazon.com/shop/jamiegeller  

Babies, Books, and a Billion Views: My Decade in Review
https://jamiegeller.com/from-jamie/a-decade-in-review/

Best of the Best w Hubby - Family Heirloom Cholent ...
vid> https://youtu.be/Ae2-lQVFsGw (12:01) 8/11/11 JG classic
https://jamiegeller.com/recipes/family-heirloom-chulent/
https://jamiegeller.com/blogs/cholent/


Jamie at Aish - Chief Media & Marketing Officer
https://www.aish.com/authors/48868432.html
How You Can Make the Future Brighter
vid> https://youtu.be/fclstyB-1rA (2:48) Aish

https://www.youtube.com/c/Aishdotcom/videos

Free Hebrew course Aleph Bet
This entire four-lesson course in 30 minutes.

https://academy.aish.com/course/aleph-bet

The Influence of the Hebrew Bible on America's Founding Fathers
vid> https://youtu.be/jE6Sqh-kezw (7:15) J-TV

https://www.aish.com/jl/h/h/The-Influence-of-the-Hebrew-Bible-on-Americas-Founding.html
Serpents of Desire: Good and Evil in the Garden of Eden. An Introduction
https://www.aish.com/jl/b/eb/ge/48966101.html


Jamie Hanala Geller
https://jamiegeller.com/author/jamie-geller/
Tamar Genger MA, RD
https://jamiegeller.com/author/tgenger/
Titles by Jamie Geller
https://www.amazon.com/Jamie-Geller/e/B001JS2GV8/

https://jamiegeller.com/blogs/
Download the Sweeter Than Honey eBook
https://engage.aish.com/sweeter-than-honey-ebook/
The Ultimate Challah - free eBook
https://koshernetwork.ac-page.com/pinterest-challah
Modern Israeli Kebobs - free eBook
https://koshernetwork.acemlnc.com/lt.php?s=a476321cee1a62660d5e43a07fe84c19&i=109A824A1A5341
Join My Way Better Cooking Class with Jamie Geller
https://get.waybetter.com/jamiegeller/
Jamie's Quick & Easy Shabbat Menu App
https://jamiegeller.com/from-jamie/exclusive-jamie-gellers-menu-plans/
https://www.prepear.com/jamiegeller/cookbooks/quick-and-easy-shabbat-menus/
Fresh Families Healthy Meal Plan
https://www.prepear.com/jamiegeller/meal-plans/fresh-families-healthy-meal-plan/
LIVE Series: FEED YOUR SOUL
https://jamiegeller.com/from-jamie/feed-your-soul/

 
When you have entered [ki tavo] the land the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance ...  take some of the firstfruits
of all that you produce from the soil of the land the Lord your God is giving you and put them in a basket. 
Then go to the place the Lord your God will choose as a dwelling for His name. 
Deuteronomy 26:1–2



Shabbat Shalom - Parasha Ki Tavo (When You Enter) - The Blessing in Being a Blessing !!! 

To protect the precious handwritten text of the Torah scroll, a yad (Torah pointer) is
used to follow along in the reading.
 
Shabbat Shalom
 
Welcome to Ki Tavo (When You Enter),
this week’s Parasha (Torah Portion).
 
This Torah portion will be read in synagogues around the world during the Shabbat (Saturday) morning service.  Please read along with us and discover how precious you are to the Lord.
  
Ki Tavo (When You Enter)
Deuteronomy 26:1–29:9 (8); Isaiah 60:1–22; 1 Peter 2:1–25
 
“When you have entered [ki tavo] the land the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance ...  take some of the firstfruits of all that you produce from the soil of the land the Lord your God is giving you and put them in a basket.  Then go to the place the Lord your God will choose as a dwelling for His name.”  (Deuteronomy 26:1–2)
 

An Israeli girl with a basket of fruit and vegetables.
 
Last week, in Parasha Ki Tetze, God gave to the Israelites 74 of the 613 commandments found in the Torah — far more
than any other Torah portion.
 
These laws mostly seem to be concerned with protecting the weaker members of society.  They include laws concerning the beautiful captive, paying workers in a timely fashion, and leaving a portion of the harvest in the field for the widow, the fatherless, and the stranger.
 
This week, in Parasha Ki Tavo (When You Enter), God instructs Israel to bring the first-ripened fruits (bikkurim) to the central sanctuary once the Israelites have finally entered the Land He promised to them.
 

Baskets of fruit in an Israeli market.

It must have been a relief for the children of Israel to hear that their prolonged, 40-year journey through the wilderness would finally be coming to an end.  They were about to cross over
into the Promised Land.
 
In fact, the word in Hebrew for a Hebrew, Ivri, comes from the root I-V-R, which means to cross over.  In a spiritual sense, anyone who has crossed over into the Kingdom of God is an Ivri
 
For that reason, perhaps, Paul said that being a Jew is a matter of having a circumcised heart more than circumcised flesh.  He wasn’t by any means negating circumcision; he was emphasizing that to cross over into the Kingdom of God, there must be an inward change.  
 
Those who worship God, worship Him in Spirit and in truth.
 
“But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that which is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter; and his praise is not from men, but from God.”  (Romans 2:29)
 
The wilderness experience was so challenging and defining that future rabbinic texts consider any physical or spiritual desert as an enemy to be overcome.  Our challenge is to walk through the times of wilderness in our lives and be transformed so that we can enter the Promised Land.
 

Crossing the Jordan (Bible Primer, 1919)
 
Ki Tavo promises that obedience to God will be rewarded.  These rewards include Divine protection, prosperity, and blessings on families and future generations.
 
Disobedience and rebellion against God, however, result in punishment; the Word of God lists 98 chilling admonitions that take up half of this Parasha.  
 
These include diseases, plagues, poverty, famine, slavery, and defeat by enemies.
 
For this reason, Parasha Ki Tavo has been called “the warning chapter,” and the Torah reader, who traditionally chants the Torah portion according to a sing-song pattern, rushes through the recital of dreaded curses in a hushed, fearful tone.
 
We need not look far to see that the Jewish People have been blessed by the Almighty God as He promised; but they have also done more than their fair share of suffering over the centuries due to the curses of the law that come into play because of sin (Deuteronomy 28:15–68).
 
Teviah, the father in the movie Fiddler on the Roof, expressed this sentiment so humorously after his horse became lame just before the Sabbath: “God, I know that we are Your chosen people, but couldn’t You choose someone else for a change?”
 
There are some who follow Yeshua HaMashiach (Jesus the Messiah), but believe that it is our lot in life to suffer from these curses along with the rest of the world; however, the Word of God tells us differently.
 
As covenant children of God, we are to enjoy His blessings on our lives if we are walking in obedience to His commandments.
 
"But Messiah has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law.  When He was hung on the tree, He took upon Himself the curse for our wrongdoing."  (Galatians 3:13)
 

Torah scroll and yad

Blessings Come from Being a Blessing 
One of the first acts of obedience that the Lord asks of His people is to remove the firstfruits of our increase, our tithe, the sacred portion — and to give it to those who serve the Lord,
as well as to the poor.
 
“Then say to the LORD your God: ‘I have removed from My house the sacred portion and have given it to the Levite, the foreigner, the fatherless and the widow, according to all You commanded.’”  (Deuteronomy 26:13)
 
If we are not obeying this command, then we have little Biblical basis on which to expect God’s blessings on our finances.
 
God promises that if we obey Him in giving our tithe, He will rebuke the devourer for our sakes and bless our finances.
 
"'Then I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it will not destroy the fruits of the ground; nor will your vine in the field cast its grapes,' says the LORD of hosts.”  (Malachi 3:11)  
 

"Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your
produce."  (Proverbs 3:9)

But the reverse holds true as well:  if we fail to give to God the “hallowed portion” of our income, then we are breaking covenant by “robbing God.”
 
When we fail to tithe, we come under a curse and give the devourer free rein to work havoc and destroy our finances.
 
While Yeshua has removed from us the curse of the law, He has not removed from us the obligation to follow His example by living a holy life.  When we understand that we are walking in sin in some area, we are to repent and return to Him.
 
By giving our tithe — the holy (kadosh) portion of our income — removing it from our possession, we return to God in so many ways and He returns to us.
 
Return to Me, and I will return to you,’ says the LORD Almighty.  But you ask, ‘How are we to return?’  Will a mere mortal rob God?  Yet you rob me.  But you ask, ‘How are we robbing you?’  In tithes and offerings.  You are under a curse—your whole nation—because you are robbing Me.”  (Malachi 3:7–9)
  
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