Parasha
Vayechi
Genesis 47:28-50:26
By:
Dani'el Rendelman
As
the classic movie “Fiddler
on the Roof” begins the
main character Tevye dances
across the screen.
Tevye sings a song
about life, family, faith,
and heritage. His song is called “Tradition.” To Tevye traditions are not some undesirable
yoke of bondage that withholds
his happiness. Rather, it can be clearly seen that as
far as Tevye is concerned
traditions are wonderful. Tevye is of course Jewish and has a complete
culture of rituals, traditions,
and customs. He’s not ashamed to act out all that it
means to be Jewish.
To the Hebraic mindset
a tradition is part of life,
it is life.
Tevye’s
life and that of his community
is based upon the customs
and actions that have developed
as the Jewish people have
strived to follow the teachings
of Moshe.
These guidelines
for living are found in
the first five books of
the Bible. The instructions found here are called
the “Torah,” which is often
mistranslated as the “law”
and often misunderstood
as the “Jewish Law.”
In the
Torah are commands on living.
Torah teaches on
everything from how to behave,
to what to eat, when and
how to worship, what to
wear and the like.
The Torah is the
guideline for living a life
that is pleasing to the
Almighty.
How a person chooses
to fulfill or act out the
Torah command is a matter
of choice. Many commands in the Torah are simply
“do this” or “don’t do that”
statements that leave much
to determine about the details
and specifics.
This is where confusion
can set in.
This is also where
tradition comes in.
Once a commandment
is acted upon more than
once, a habit or tradition
is formed.
The Jews
have an advantage
The Jews,
like Tevye, have kept the
Torah for thousands of years. They have an understanding of what it
means to obey the majority
of the commandments. The Rabbis and Sages of Judaism have studied,
discussed, fussed, and made
decisions on the various
mitzvah or commands.
A single action of
obeying a Torah command
has overtime developed into
a tradition through repetition.
The action also has
progressed into the culture
as an accepted practice,
thus becoming part of the
Jewish identity.
To put it plainly,
the Jews have the Torah
and so to learn how to obey
the Torah you can learn
how the Jews do it.
The Jewish people’s
Torah keeping is a witness
to the world on how a Bible
believer should act. “What advantage,
then, is there in being
a Jew?
Much in every way!
First of all, they have
been entrusted with the
very words of Yahweh,” Romans
3:1.
Take for
example the commandment
in the Torah found in Devarim
(Deuteronomy) 6:5-9. It says to “Love Yahweh your Elohim with
all your heart, all your
soul, all your mind, and
all your strength. And these words (the Torah) which you
are being ordered this day
are to be on your heart…write
them on the door frames
of your house and on your
gates…”
You could ignore
this verse as being in the
“Old Testament” or in the
“Jewish Law.”
But if you really
want to follow the whole
of scripture you would try
to obey it. But how exactly do you do so?
To literally
obey this command to write
the words of the Bible on
your doorframes and gates
is pretty strange.
You could come up
with your own interpretation
and try to do it. Your imagination might lead you to write
Bible verses with a magic
marker all over the frames
of your house. Or you could accept the traditional Jewish
observance of this mitzvah.
You could follow
an age-old tradition by
affixing a mezuzah to your
doorpost.
A mezuzah is a small
encasing that holds a Torah
scroll inside.
The custom of the
mezuzah helps fulfill the
commandment in a special
way.
Yes, using the mezuzah
is not the only way to obey
this verse and yes it is
the Jewish way to do it,
but what is wrong with following
their example here?
The same
yesterday, today, and forever
The Hebrew
word for tradition is “masoret.”
The Encyclopedia
Judaica says, “Masoret is
the general name for tradition.
It is found in Ezekiel 20:37
and means originally "bond"
or "fetter." Tradition is
the discipline which establishes
the correct practice and
interpretation of the Torah
and was therefore regarded
as a hedge or fetter about
the Law (Avot 3:14). Since
this knowledge was handed
down by successive generations,
it was also associated with
the Hebrew word masor, denoting
"to give over." In the talmudic
literature, the term masoret
is used to include all forms
of tradition, both those
which relate to the Bible
and those which concern
custom, law, historical
events, folkways, and other
subjects.” Masoret remain virtually unchanged over
long periods of time to
provide examples, uniformity,
and help with belief.
Jewish
obedience to the Torah is
not just mindless or faithless
work. No, their practice of Torah has over time
developed into a culture
of events that express a
lifestyle. It is not just about a religion. “Tradition has given Judaism a continuity
with its past and preserved
its character as a unique
faith with a distinct way
of life,” says one source.
Enough,
enough already
Ok, so
what does all this talk
about masoret and customs
have to do with the torah
reading called “Vayechi?”
Well, this parasha
is full of traditions.
Just skim over the
reading to learn about life
then and life now. Some of the traditional actions within
these few chapters are of
benefit while others are
questionable. Here are just a few examples of the masoret
found in this parsha:
1. Blessing
or “B’racha” in Beresheet
(Genesis) 48:1-49:33
2. Embalming
the dead in Beresheet (Genesis)
50:1-3
3. Laying on of hands
in Beresheet (Genesis) 48:12-20
4. Burial with other
Hebrew people in Beresheet
(Genesis) 49:7-50:13
5. Mourning the dead
in Beresheet (Genesis) 50:1-13
Other
traditions are found in
this parsha, like saying
important dying words to
those near you.
These life events
define who you are and attest
to your identity and culture. Your traditions show to those around what
you believe and whom you
worship.
The choice
is yours
Friend,
obedience to the Torah requires
a different lifestyle than
that of the world.
Believers in the
Bible must make a decision
about the Torah.
Either we will dismiss
the Torah or we will accept
the Torah. Either we will follow the Messiah’s example
and keep the commands of
Moshe or we will follow
the preachers’ example and
pig out on pork.
Either we will agree
to the traditional way of
obeying a command or we
will make it up as we go.
You can dismiss the
Torah as being “too Jewish”
or you can accept the Torah
and strive to obey it, the
choice is yours.
Yet when you choose
to obey the Torah you will
soon be confronted with
another big problem. This is the problem of “how.”
To find
the answer on “how” just
look to the Jewish people
and the first followers
of the Messiah.
The Jewish people’s
faithful obedience to the
Torah over the years serves
as an example on how to
fulfill the commandments.
Sadly, most “New
Testament Christians” have
both testaments yet know
very little about how to
practically apply the mitzvah
to everyday life. Yet, as a follower of the Bible, how do
you know which rituals from
Judaism to keep? As a person who wants to keep the Torah,
how do you know which customs
of the Jews to stay away
from? If it is wrong to practice the routines
of the pagans, what makes
everything Jewish so special? When it comes to the Torah the Jews have
already set the “halakhah”
or the way to do it.
Yes, the
Jewish people have kept
the Torah for thousands
of years. They have hashed out the difficult verses
and set standards on the
way to live. The majority of Jewish observances concerning
the Torah are of benefit.
By following the
traditional adherence to
the Torah your actions can
model that of the first
believers in Messiah. The early Believers were “just like the
Torah keeping Jews” and
their accepted practices
differed in no way, teaches
the church historian Eusebius.
Walk your
talk
Halakhah
is the Hebrew word for the
“way to walk” or the way
“to go” in obeying the commands.
It is found throughout
the scriptures and is based
on a verse from Shemot. “And thou shalt show them the way wherein
they are to go and the work
that they must do," Shemot
(Exodus) 18:20.
When a teacher/Rabbi
sets halakhah that teacher
is saying, “we’re going
to obey this command in
this manner.”
Or as Rabbi Nydle
has put it “Torah is the
doctrine while halakhah
is the way to walk out that
doctrine.”
There is much freedom
when it comes to determining
halakhah.
Decisions of halakhah are interpretations by a group of teachers
or a teacher on how to best
fulfill the Torah. Some groups have strict halakhah will
others have very liberal
teachings.
Throughout the world, Rabbi’s halakhah differ on how to do certain
things, say Hebrew words,
and obey the various commands. Haven’t you ever struggled with the “correct”
way to keep a command?
Halakhah conquers
that struggle with a scriptural
answer. Sometimes halakhah includes several different
scriptural answers.
This is why two groups
can perform a mitzvah differently,
yet both are in their own
eyes “right.”
Tradition or traditionalism
Much halakhah
is based on scriptural traditions
that have been passed down
from generation to generation.
There is nothing
wrong with a Biblical
tradition that offers,
“You can keep the commandment
this way.”
What is wrong is
traditionalism, which
says, “YOU HAVE to keep
the commandment our way.”
Traditions of the Bible are ok. Traditionalism of man is not ok. Traditions produce heritage, unity, and
love.
Traditionalism produces
legalism, bondage, and rejection.
Traditions are a
means to an end.
Traditionalism is
the end in and of itself.
When Yahshua
spoke about masoret he was
rebuking a group of Torah
teachers who were exalting
their traditionalism over
the Torah. “You have let go of the commands of Elohim
and are holding on to the
traditions of men. You have a fine way of setting aside the
commands of Elohim in order
to set up your own traditions!”
said Yahshua in Mark 7:8-93.
Notice that he did
not tell them to get rid
of their traditions.
What the Messiah
did do though is rebuke
the teachers who valued,
upheld, and created traditions
that replaced obedience
to the Torah. If any tradition takes the place of Torah,
negates Torah, or hinders
your walk of Torah then
this is a tradition that
needs to be dropped and
replaced.
For example
many people did not and
even do not use the sacred
name of Yahweh because the
Torah says to “not take
the name of Yahweh in vain.” Traditionalism says “to keep you from
taking His name in vain
just never use his name. If you never use his name then you can
never misuse it.”
Sorry folks, but
this is just not what the
scriptures mean.
Tradition will support
the Biblical mandate to
use his name as found throughout
scripture, yet it might
teach you to use his name
with a “w” sound or a “v”
sound.
An invaluable
resource
“Above
all else, guard your heart,
for it is the wellspring
of life,” says Mishlei (Proverbs)
4:23.
Traditions can be
used to aide and assist
your spiritual walk. But they can also become idolized and
control your heart.
Good or
“tov” traditions will lead
you towards intimacy with
Yahweh. But with so many customs, web sites, articles,
books, teachers, and ways
to do things how do you
know what to do?
What should you do
about how to exactly obey
the various mitzvah?
In looking to Judaism
for information on Torah,
what should you accept and
what should you reject?
Finally
here’s some help!
Here’s a short “Truth
Test” to use when deciding
what traditions to use and
what traditions to stay
away from.
When your family
or ministry is making a
decision on how to keep
the commandments use this
litmus test to assess the
situation.
The truth will set
you free while pagan rituals,
false worship days, and
legalistic religious actions
will bind you up.
You have a rich culture
and heritage of Biblical
customs and traditions awaiting
you.
It’s time to be like
Tevye of “Fiddler on the
Roof” and celebrate your
heritage. Clear your voice, live out Biblical traditions,
and don’t forget to sing.
Truth
Test
Use this
short test to examine your
actions and as a tool to
help you decide which traditions
you should receive with
open arms and which customs
you should shy away from.
1. Is it Biblical? Does this custom or action go against
certain verses or principles
found in the Scriptures.
2. Is it pagan? Does this custom or action have pagan
roots, pagan affiliation,
or have pagan connotations
to it?
3. Does it grieve the Ruach
HaKodesh (Holy Spirit)? Do you have peace with doing this? Does it promote unity, love, and shalom?
Do you feel the Spirit’s
tug when you do or don’t
do it this way?
