Musing – Is He commanding us or connecting with us?

Hebraic Musing – Is He commanding us or connecting with us?

A Parashah, weekly Torah study section, called Tetzaveh starts at Exod. 27:20  "And you shall command the children of Israel that they bring you pure oil of pressed olives for the light, to cause the lamp to burn continually.”  NKJV

The translated word ‘command’ seems like a rather harsh directive. However if the underlying Hebrew word ‘Tetzaveh’ is translated as "connect" we get this: "Connect the Israelites …(by keeping the light burning continually).”  

Sages explain that this was God’s deeper message to Moses: His role was to connect the people to God. Moses was also to enlighten them and bring them closer to the light of God.

Points to ponder

I wonder how many times we thought that
God commanded us to do, or not to do, something;
and what God really wanted was to connect with us?

How do we connect with God?

I truly like hearing what you think?

Shalom Aleichem                                                                    March 26, 2013

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd                                                

Author “Hebraic Insights – 95 messages exploring the Hebrew Roots of Christian faith”

Author “Biblical Marriage” (to be published in June 2012)

Weekly e-mails “Hebraic Musings”  to be added to distribution -- Yosef1@cox.net
www.InsightsByYosef.com