http://www.cmy.on.ca/toraportions2000/devarim/haazinu.htm (Online version)
Congregation Melech Yisrael, Toronto, Canada
Shabbat 8 Tishrei 5764, October 4, 2003
www.cmy.on.ca / cmy@ca.inter.net

Love of Money or Love of Mashiach?

This week's Reading list:
*    Devarim / Deuteronomy  32:1-52
*    Sh'muel Beit / Samuel 1 22:1-51
*    Romim / Romans 10:14- 11:12
*    Shabbat Candle lighting for Toronto and surrounding areas
*    Shabbat Candles 6:36 p.m.
*    Havdallah Candles 7:44 p.m.
*    Donate On-Line (Here)

In this Parasha Moshe (Moses), after being instructed by HaShem to do so, teaches bnei Yisrael (the children of Israel) a song. Why a song? Songs are easier to memorize than Scripture and of course proof of this is the phonics system used today to teach children the alphabet. This however was no ordinary song, it has prophetic lyrics, a warning to Yisrael of what was in store for them put to music. However this song is more than just a warning to bnei Yisrael, it is a warning to all believers for all times, it may in fact be a warning to you so HaAzinu!

Devarim {32:9} For HaSHEM's portion is his people; Ya'akov (Jacob) is the lot of his inheritance. {32:10} He found him in a desert land, In the waste howling wilderness; He compassed him about, he cared for him, He kept him as the apple of his eye. {32:11} As an eagle that stirs up her nest, That flutters over her young, He spread abroad his wings, he took them, He bore them on his pinions. {32:12} HaSHEM alone did lead him, There was no foreign god with him. {32:13} He made him ride on the high places of the earth, He ate the increase of the field; He made him to suck honey out of the rock, oil out of the flinty rock; {32:14} Butter of the herd, and milk of the flock, With fat of lambs, rams of the breed of Bashan, and goats, With the finest of the wheat; Of the blood of the grape you drank wine. {32:15} But Yeshurun grew fat, and kicked: You have grown fat, you are grown thick, you are become sleek; Then he forsook G-D who made him, Lightly esteemed the Rock of his salvation.

Remember, this was a prophetic song. At the time Yisrael had not entered the land, they had not yet experienced any of the things Moshe is warning them about here. This was a new generation, young and idealistic, they in other words had themselves never experienced the consequences of Torah disobedience that is why this song was necessary. The song was meant to be a national ballad, one to be sung for generations to come in hope that those singing it would learn from it. Thus when the hearers of this song started to backslide from the L-rd, heading in the wrong direction, this ballad would speak to them and they would correct their ways. We however have the advantage of being able to look back and see what affect this song had on Yisrael; history after all does not lie.

I would like us to notice that of all the things Yisrael could have done to cause them to move in a direction away from HaShem, the one thing Moshe singled out was....finances! Wealth and prosperity would obviously be the ruin and downfall of Yisrael.

When bnei Yisrael first crossed into the land, everything they learned from Moshe and Yehoshua (Joshua) was still fresh in their minds. History tells us that they were obedient to HaShem's mitzvot (commandments) and they prospered as a result. However as each tribe went their separate ways and the realities of the harshness of life began to settle in, and the lure of materialism began to have an effect on them, their prosperity, which should have moved them closer to HaShem, instead had the opposite affect and moved them farther away from Him. Their prosperity ended up being a curse and not a blessing.

What were the results of Yisrael's prosperity? This Scripture tells us they grew fat and thick. In other words they though of themselves as self-made, self-sufficient so they started to kick against the rules and regulations imposed on them by an unseen G-d. They started to desire the more liberal, promiscuous gods of the nations around them. Their wealth, independence and prosperity became a snare to them.

This is not the first time HaShem had warned Yisrael of the pitfalls of prosperity, He did it as well in Parasha Vaetchanan.

Devarim {6:10} It shall be, when HaSHEM your G-D shall bring you into the land which He swore to your avot (fathers), to Avraham (Abraham), to Yitzchak (Isaac), and to Ya'akov (Jacob), to give you, great and goodly cities, which you didn't build, {6:11} and houses full of all good things, which you didn't fill, and cisterns dug out, which you didn't dig, vineyards and olive-trees, which you didn't plant, and you shall eat and be full; {6:12} then beware lest you forget HaSHEM, who brought you forth out of the land of Mitzrayim (Egypt), out of the house of bondage. {6:13} You shall fear HaSHEM your G-D; and him shall you serve, and shall swear by his name.

Are these warnings for ancient Yisrael only? Are we now as believers in Mashiach (Messiah) Yeshua exempt from the deceptive and destructive influences of prosperity? I think not! People have come up to me and said, "Rabbi Farber when I strike it rich I am going to give a lot of money to the congregation and to the work of the L-rd," but the truth of the matter is they will not. How do I know they will not? These and other biblical Scriptures tell me so. Prosperity improperly managed changes people! Unless you have the gift of helps, a legitimate gift of the Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit), your prosperity will do nothing for you, spiritually that is. Instead you will begin to use your wealth for your own personal gratification and even if you do give to the L-rd's work your prosperity will foster pride and pride comes before the fall.

Should we all therefore become monks and take vows of poverty? Of course not because vows of poverty are not mandated by the Bible and can also lead to deception. Yeshua said:

Mattityahu / Matthew 6:24 No one can be slave to two masters; for he will either hate the first and love the second, or scorn the second and be loyal to the first. You can't be a slave to both G-d and money. (CJB)

So what is the solution if we should not be rich and we should not make ourselves poor? I think Yeshua answers that question for us very effectively using two Scripture passages. First He tells us about the rich young ruler who's wealth got in the way of his relationship with G-d.

Mattityahu 19:16-22 A Man approached Yeshua and said, "Rabbi, what good things should I do  in order to have eternal life? He said to him, why are you asking me about good? There is One who is good! But if you want to obtain eternal life, observe the mitzvot." The man asked him, "which ones?" and Yeshua said, Don't murder, don't commit adultery, don't steal, don't give false testimony, honour  your father and your mother, and love your neighbour as your self. The young man said to him, "I have kept all these; where do I fall short? Yeshua said to him, "if you are serious about reaching the goal, go and sell your possessions, give to the poor, and you will have riches in heaven. Then come, follow me! But when the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he was wealthy. (CJB)

Answer number one. If your wealth and the acquisition of wealth is drawing you away from following HaShem with all your heart, all your soul and all your resources it would be better for you not have wealth because it will be a snare to you. This man's wealth possessed him he did not possess his wealth.

Mattityahu 6:33 But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Don't worry about tomorrow - tomorrow will worry about itself! Today has enough tsuris (trouble) already! (CJB)

Answer two. If the lion's share of your focus in life is on acquiring wealth, paying your bills and expenses and getting ahead financially you are deceived and your wealth will be a snare to you. However if all your emphasis is on G-d and His kingdom, as long as you maintain that focus everything you need will be provided for you and you will be blessed.

Once again I repeat, we have history to look back on and history does not lie. We can see from Yisrael's experiences what affect putting wealth and finances before G-d resulted in. Sometimes HaShem uses wealth and the acquisition of it to test our faithfulness and willingness to serve Him. So have we learned our lesson? I leave that question for you to answer.

****************
Baruch HaShem
Rabbi Jack (Yaacov) Farber

Hallelujah to our L-rd, our Teacher, our Rabbi, "YESHUA" King Messiah for ever and ever!!!
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