The Land of Israel – Photo by Israel National News #956
The Children of Israel were about to be redeemed from the land of Egypt by the mighty hand of G-d. What was unknown to the Israelites, the Egyptian in which they were living was one of the most corrupt cultures in Egyptian history. The enlightened age when Joseph the Viser of Egypt brought the culture of Egypt to one of the highest cultures in history was now in the past. The Pharaoh of Egypt, like the revisionist historians of today who claim fifty years ago the holocaust of the Jewish people did not exist, so then the “Pharaoh of Egypt did not know Joseph”, one of the most famous Visers of Pharaonic Egypt.
What also the Children of Israel did not know was that while they were being rescued from one of the most oppressive and decadent cultures of its day, the land in which was destined to be their Promised Land was also one of the most abominable cultures in the world. They were so decadent that G-d was preparing to expel them from the Land of Israel, even if the Children of Israel did not arrive into the land. Would the children of Israel be up to the challenge to agents of G-d divine will?
Stone Edition Chumash – “Egypt…Canaan. These two lands, the one where Israel had dwelt for 210 years and the one to which they were going, were the most morally decadent in the world. By stressing the part of those lands in which the Jews (Hebrews or All Israel) dwelled to which they would be brought, the verse implies that those areas were the worst sections of the respective countries (Rashi; Sifra). G-d specially warned the Jews (Hebrews or All Israel) to be alert to the challenge of their past and the future homes because people must be especially alert to the lures of their environment. It is tempting to justify sin on the ground that “everyone” does it.
The deeds of the Canaanites and the Egyptians were the most abominable of all the nations. The apparent implication is that there is no harm in imitating the foul deeds of nations that are not evil – but this cannot be so. By singling out these two nations, the Torah teaches Jews never to think complacently that as long as they do not commit the vulgar and obscene sins epitomized by Canaan and Egypt, they will not be corrupted by lesser sins. By focusing on the worst nations, the Torah indicated that sin is a progressive process; “Ordinary” transgressions inevitably lead to more serious ones, until the sinner descends to the morass of Canaan and Egypt. The Jews (Hebrews or All Israel) must scrupulously avoid even the first step on the road to corruption (R’ Moshe Feinstein).”
The Traditions of the Gentile Nations
The forty days in route to the Mount called Sinai, the Children of Israel were in daily preparation for the day in which they would stand below the mount and meet the Holy One of Israel. There before that burning volcanic inferno, G-d was going to mold them into a nation, but they were going to have to learn how to be the moral cultural leader of the world first. So their training began.
A Swallowtail Butterfly in the Land of Israel – Photo by Israel National News #934
Stone Edition Chumash – “Israel is enjoined to avoid the deeply ingrained customs of the nations, such as attending theaters and stadiums to watch gladiators. R’ Meir saw that this refers to the superstitions of the Amorites. [the modern equivalents of such superstitions would be the black cat or walking under a ladder are “bad luck””] (Rashi; Sifra; see Shabbos 67a). Sifra adds that the prohibition includes attempts to imitate their promiscuous practices.
The exhortation not to follow the traditions of the nations is couched in terms of their decrees, the same term that is used to describe the commandments of the Torah that defy human logic. It is common for people to think that a nation’s culture is predicated upon a set of rational norms, and that’s why “civilized” persons must accept them, unless he is demented. The truth is, however, that culture is an accumulation of practices, many of which are not in the least bit logical.
A Bunting in the Land of Israel – Photo by Israel National News #928
This explains how different societies have widely divergent cultures, and how so many of them can consider other societies to be comical, primitive or barbaric. The difference between Judaism’s “decrees” and the “decrees” of other societies is simply that the former are G-d given, while the latter are devised by man and canonized by his habits. Therefore, the Torah cautions us to avoid falling into the habit-forming, mind-molding trap of imitating the practices of alien societies (R’ Shlomo Wolbe).
The Chosen and Separate Nation of Israel
R’ Hirsch (Horeb para. 505) summarized the laws of this commandment: “You may imitate the nations among whom you live in everything which has been adopted by them on rational grounds, and not on ground which belong to their religion or are immoral; but do not imitate anything which is irrational or has been adopted on grounds derived from their religion, or forbidden or immoral purposes.
You may not, therefore, join in celebrating their holy days, or observe customs which have their basis in their religious views. You must not, however, do anything which disturbs their holy days or mar their festival spirit; and do not parade your non-participation in theirholy days in a manner that might arouse animosity.” (Stone Edition Jewish Chumash page 649)
The “Appointed Days” is about here and the revelation of the Lost Tribes of the House of Israel is being revealed all around the world. G-d’s divine Plan of Salvation will restore the House of Judah still in the diaspora, the Lost Tribes of the House of Israel who are willing to return to their Hebrew-Judaic roots, and all those who yearn to dwell with YHVH’s Messiah. The G-d of Israel is calling everyone home.
As the catastrophes continue to swell around the world, and the nations of the earth that have raised their hand against Israel, to curse and to defame her existence, receive their judgments from G-d, a moral awakening will occur as a ground swell resounds around Planet Earth, saying;
Isaiah (Yesha’Yahu) 2:3-4 – “Come let us go up to the mountain of Adonai, to the house of the G-d of Ya’akov (Jacob)! He will teach us about his ways, and we will walk in his paths.
For out of Tziyoh (Zion) will go forth Torah, the word of Adonai from Yerushalayim (Jerusalem). He will judge between the nations and arbitrate for many peoples.
They will hammer their swords into plow-blades and their spears into pruning –knives; nations will not raise swords at each other, and they will no longer learn war.”
To understand more about the Return of the 10 Tribes of Israel to their Homeland in Shomron (Samaria), Israel, Contact “Kol Ha Tor”, the Voice of the Turtledove.
Here is a joint Orthodox Jewish and 10-Triber Mission to bring awareness of the imminent fulfillment of the Biblical Prophecies regarding the Redemption of all Israel (12 Tribes Re-conciled and Re-United). This super Event of all Times will entail Establishing the Shomron (the Ancient Bible Heartland of the Patriarchs) and the Judean Wilderness as part of the Land of Israel, and preparing the “Land” for the Return of the Lost Tribes of the House of Israel and then the Redemption of All Israel.
For inquiries about Kol Ha Tor Ministries for the Lost Tribes of Israel, Visit – “Shomron Lives!”, a Spiritual Retreat and Guest House in Samaria, that hosts Shomron (Samaria) Tours to reacquaint the Returning Lost Tribers of the House of Israel.