In this week’s reading from Parashat “Ki Tavo” (Devarim / Deuteronomy 26:1-29:8) “when you come,” is taken from the opening verse of the text, Moshe warns the people saying וְהָיָה כִּי-תָבוֹא אֶל-הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר יְהוָֹה אֱלֹהֶיךָ נֹתֵן לְךָ נַחֲלָה וִירִשְׁתָּהּ וְיָשַׁבְתָּ בָּהּ: “When you come into the land that the Lord God has given you as an inheritance …” (26:1). Moshe lists the blessing that follows the one who listens and obeys (השמעים והשמרים) God’s Word and the curse that follows when one chooses not to listen and obey. Sefer Devarim / Deuteronomy 28:1 states וְהָיָה אִם-שָׁמוֹעַ תִּשְׁמַע בְּקוֹל יְהוָֹה אֱלֹהֶיךָ לִשְׁמֹר לַעֲשֹוֹת saying “now it comes to be that you listen hearing the voice of the Lord God to keep and to do …” The phrase שָׁמוֹעַ תִּשְׁמַע is translated as “diligently obey” according to the NASB. The first word שָׁמוֹעַ is a 3rd—ע Qal noun meaning “to hear or to listen” and תִּשְׁמַע is written in the imperfect Qal second person masculine singular form denoting a past action that is in progress but not completed at the time in question. This Hebrew phrase is translated in English as “diligently obey” the Lord your God. It is interesting that, the verse says “if you listen to the voice of the Lord your God” (וְהָיָה אִם-שָׁמוֹעַ תִּשְׁמַע בְּקוֹל יְהוָֹה אֱלֹהֶיךָ לִשְׁמֹר לַעֲשֹוֹת) in Hebrew, the imperfect form indicates that listening is an ongoing process that is not yet complete. This indicates the process of listening (hearing) and obeying God’s voice is an ongoing life long process. A parallel is drawn within the sentence on “listening or hearing the voice of the Lord God” and “to keep” (לִשְׁמֹר) and “to do” (לַעֲשֹוֹת) what God has commanded. Today, in an effort to keep, to do, to listen and to obey, in our zeal for the truth found in Scripture, is it possible to call for a return to a Hebraic understanding of the Scriptures while at the same time inappropriately applying the idea? ”Have we given our ears to the Lord in order to listen to what He is saying to us from a humble heart or has our hatred and anger over the tradition of men fueled (motivated) us in the return to a Hebraic way of life?” Read more here.
