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Batyah's Blog | on
August, 09, 2013 | by
Ministry Team
Shalom mishpachah veh chaverim!
Once again, it’s almost Shabbat!!!! This week’s Torah portion Shoftim / Judges is from D’varim / Deuteronomy 16:18 – 21:9.
As I reread verse 18 in the Complete Jewish Bible, the word “gates” rang loud in my ears! Don’t ask me why, but Abba speaks to me in some weird ways and it’s okay with me! Anyway as I was reading, a song some of us sang as children came to mind. “Be careful little eyes what you see, be careful little eyes what you see, for the Father up above is looking down in love, so be careful little eyes what you see.” As I recall, this song covered several areas:
• Be careful little mind what you think
• Be careful little ears what you hear
• Be careful little hands what you do
• Be careful little feet where you go
Anyway, Abba impressed upon me those are all “gates” or openings to our being and we should set a guard, or officers, over these “gates” in order to help us walk in righteousness and justice.
In verse 20, The Complete Jewish Bible uses the words “justice, only justice you must pursue” where as the Chumash uses the words, “righteousness, righteousness shall you pursue”. When I checked the Hebrew used in this verse, I found tzadek, tzadek (צדק צדק) was used, which means “righteousness, righteousness”. So what is the difference between righteousness and justice? To me, justice is a right relationship between two people while righteousness is an individual being in right relationship with The Holy One. Another way of looking at it is . . .
• righteousness is being like our Abba Father
• while justice is doing what He would do.
One commentator said it is not enough to only seek righteousness; it must be done through honest means. And my thoughts are . . . you could seek righteousness through dishonest means???? I don’t think so!
Shabbat shalom veh shavuah tov!!! Batyah
