Beth HaDerech; Messianic Jewish Congregation, Toronto, Canada

The Torah: Our Divine Instruction

(RAMBAM 13 Principals of Faith - Principal Eight, Lesson One Excerpt; Page 18) The Torah: A Form of Instruction Even though the Torah contains vast repositories of wisdom, as the verse states, “It is your wisdom and understanding in the eyes of the nations” (Devarim 4:6), the word “Torah” does not mean “wisdom,” but rather, “instruction” (Zohar III 53b). Consequently, every part of the Torah, even passages which appear to mention no specific directives or mitzvot, convey practical instruction for a person’s day-to-day life. Therefore Rambam writes, “Verses such as... ‘Timnah was a concubine’ (Bereishis 36:12), are no different from [overtly significant] verses such as... ‘Hear O Israel’ (Devarim 6:4), since they are all from the Almighty’s mouth.” For even though “Hear O Israel” conveys one of the most significant commands to contemplate G-ds oneness, and the other verse is one detail of a narrative, both share the quality of being a Divine revelation that conveys practical instruction. Our task is to take every verse of the Torah and meditate upon its personal relevance to our lives. Sometimes the message is obvious; other times it requires some contemplation, but plain instruction is to be found. (Based on Likutei Sichos vol.2 pp. 331-2) When Moshe received the Torah from God at Sinai, it was never intended to be a burden to the children of Israel, or a yoke that they...