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Ha'azinu 1st-2nd Portions

1 Listen, you heavens, and I will speak; hear, you earth, the words of my mouth [wherewith I am forewarning Israel, and be witnesses to the fact that I told them you would be my witnesses (see 30:19). If they are meritorious, the heavens and the earth will give them their bounty; if not, they will withhold it.] 2 [This is what you shall testify, that I say before you that the law that I gave to Israel is life to the world, just as rain is.] Let my teaching [i.e., the law] fall like rain and my words descend like dew [which is universally welcome], like showers on new grass [which cause it to flourish (so the law causes its disciples to flourish)], like abundant rain on [the (individual) blades of] tender plants. Rashi’s Commentary Let my teaching fall like rain —This is the evidence that you will have to give: that in your presence I declare that the law which I gave to Israel ( לִקְחִי ) is life to the world as the rain which is life to the world (cf. SifreiDevarim 306:
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Shemini 6th Portion Part 2

Rom 14:3 The one who eats everything must not treat with contempt the one who does not, and the one who does not eat everything must not judge the one who does, for God has accepted them. Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament Treat with contempt the one, &c.—Regard him with contempt, as weak and narrow minded. Judge the one, &c.—Condemn him as guilty of idolatry. Barnes’ Notes on the New Testament The one who eats . . . must not —That is, he who has no scruples about eating “meat,” etc., who is not restrained by the law of the Jews respecting the clean and unclean, or by the fact that meat “may” have been offered to idols. Treat with contempt the one —Hold him in contempt, as being unnecessarily scrupulous, etc. The words “treat with contempt” here are happily chosen. The Gentile would be very likely to “treat with contempt” the Jew as being restrained by foolish scruples and mere distinctions in matters of no importance. The one who does not —Th
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Shemini 6th Portion Part 1

Clean and Unclean Food 1 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron [Moses to tell Aaron and Aaron to tell Elazar and Ithamar], 2 “Say to the Israelites [All of the above were made equal in this embassy for having remained silent and accepted God’s decree (the death of Nadab and Abihu) with love]: ‘Of all the animals that live on land, these [Moses took hold of the animal and showed it to Israel] are the ones ( חַיָּה ) [connoting “ חַיִּים ” (life)—because Israel cleaves to the Lord and merits (eternal) life, it is (to that end) separated from what is unclean and given commandments] you may eat: Mat 15:11 What goes into someone’s mouth does not defile them, but what comes out of their mouth, that is what defiles them. Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament Referring to the charge made by the Pharisees in Mat 15:2. The Pharisees taught that sin consisted mainly in the neglect of prescribed rites, and the contracting of outward and ceremonial impurities. Jesus shows that mo
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Nitzavim Vayelech 6th Portion

Israel’s Rebellion Predicted 14 The Lord said to Moses, “Now the day of your death is near. Call Joshua and present yourselves at the tent of meeting, where I will commission him.” So Moses and Joshua came and presented themselves at the tent of meeting. Calvin’s Commentary on the Bible The Lord said to Moses —Joshua is now substituted in the place of Moses by a solemn ceremony, not only that he may be held in greater reverence by men, but also that he may be presented before God, and thus may acknowledge that he is dedicated to his service; for his being brought before the door of the tabernacle was a kind of consecration; and God also declares that he will give him a charge, which is equivalent to saying that he will instruct him in the performance of his duties. The appearance also of the glory of God in the cloud, was not less effectual for encouraging himself personally, than for giving public distinction to his high office. For he would never have been recognized as
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Nitzavim Vayelech 5th Portion

7 Then Moses summoned Joshua and said to him in the presence of all Israel, “Be strong and courageous, for you must go with this people [the elders of the generation shall be with you—all will be according to their judgment and counsel] into the land that the Lord swore to their ancestors to give them, and you must divide it among them as their inheritance. E.W. Bullinger’s Companion Bible Notes Go with —Bring in. Joseph Benson’s Commentary Be strong and courageous —The same exhortation and promise are given to him in particular, that were before given to them all, because he was to bear the charge of them all, and the toil and burden of governing them, and conducting their affairs. Whedon’s Commentary on the Bible Summoned Joshua —Moses, in the presence of all Israel, calls  Joshua , who is to be his successor, and with words of encouragement tells him he is to go with the people into the Land of Promise, and to divide it among them to possess it. 8 The
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