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Ki-Teitzei

When you go out
“Purging the Evil of Lying Lips”

Deuteronomy 21:10-25:19
Isaiah 54:1-10 (or finish at 52:13)

excerpted from TorahScope, Volume III

This week’s Torah reading Ki-Teitzei, “When you go out,” offers instructions on a wide variety of topics. These range from how to handle foreign wives,[1] rebellious children,[2] the curse of being hanged on a tree,[3] cross-dressing prohibitions,[4] avoiding the mixing of seeds,[5] unequal yoking,[6] and even how to deal with a bird’s egg when found[7]—to list just a few of the fine-tuning instructions for Ancient Israel. Needless to say, if the Holy One was concerned about a parapet being constructed on the second floor of a building, in order to keep people from falling (Deuteronomy 22:8)—He is surely also interested in the minute details of people’s lives, as they seek to love Him with all their hearts, minds, souls, and strength. Yeshua Himself was notably asked what the greatest commandments in the Torah were, and He appropriately responded,

“‘Rabbi, which is the greatest commandment in the law?’ Yeshua said to him, ‘“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind” [Deuteronomy 6:5]. This is the first and great commandment. A second likewise is this, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” [Leviticus 19:18]. The whole Torah and the Prophets depend on these two commandments’” (Matthew 22:36-40, WMB).

Yeshua obviously knew that the primary purpose of the Torah was for instructing people on the proper way to conduct their lives, in order for them to be in right communion with both their Creator and their fellow human beings. As is encountered multiple times in this week’s reading, there is a paternalistic desire on God’s behalf to protect the Israelites from evil, by purging it from their midst.

There are many possible connections to be made between the instructions delivered through Moses in Ki-Teitzei, and the teachings of Yeshua. Neither the words in our Torah portion this week—and surely not the teachings of Yeshua—are merely flippant remarks on interesting philosophy. Such teachings are the Word of God uttered forth, designed to guide and assist followers of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob along, in their individual and corporate life journeys. If some of the instructions seen in Ki-Teitzei seem a bit out of place for us as modern readers, then I would recommend also consulting Yeshua’s Sermon on the Mount (Matthew chs. 5-7), so you can perhaps get a better feel for the tenor of what was being communicated by the Lord, particularly on the subjects of murder, adultery, divorce, vows, revenge, and unconditional love.

One particular instruction encountered in Ki-Teitzei—which is as relevant today in the Twenty-First Century—as it was for ancient hearers of Moses in the Fifteenth/Thirteenth Century B.C.E., or the disciples of Yeshua in the First Century C.E., concerns how what is spoken by people can have a tremendous impact on their lives and interactions with others. Yeshua the Messiah specifically warned His listeners about the challenges of making vows, as He was perhaps considering Moses’ instructions quoted here:

“When you vow a vow to the LORD your God, you shall not be slack to pay it, for the LORD your God will surely require it of you; and it would be sin in you. But if you refrain from making a vow, it shall be no sin in you. You shall observe and do that which has gone out of your lips. Whatever you have vowed to the LORD your God as a free will offering, which you have promised with your mouth, you must do” (Deuteronomy 23:21-23, WMB).

Notice the connection made between the requirement to pay vows, and the expectation to perform what comes forth from a person’s lips. Yeshua focused most particularly on the aspect of keeping one’s word:

“Again you have heard that it was said to the ancient ones, ‘You shall not make false vows, but shall perform to the Lord your vows’ [Leviticus 19:12; Numbers 30:3; Deuteronomy 23:22], but I tell you, don’t swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is the throne of God; nor by the earth, for it is the footstool of his feet; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King [Psalm 48:2]. Neither shall you swear by your head, for you can’t make one hair white or black. But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes’ and your ‘No’ be ‘No.’ Whatever is more than these is of the evil one” (Matthew 5:33-37, WMB).

Yeshua obviously knew that among His contemporaries that there would be vows and oaths made, both in writing and verbally, widely because human interactions require people to engage commitments on many levels. Upon first glance, it seems that Yeshua’s teaching in Matthew 5:33-37 somehow annulled what Moses communicated about making vows. Moses taught that people can surely make vows, provided that they have the ability to accomplish them. Yet what Yeshua communicated in His Sermon on the Mount, is that people were not to make complicated oaths and vows—especially as they were likely to invoke some kind of Divine favor or blessing. Just consider all of the stupid things which religious people have been caught doing, invoking God’s approval—when He would be most unlikely to give it. If we did a little digging, how many examples from Second Temple Judaism could Yeshua have been referring to? Yeshua’s direction to His listeners was for them to instead focus on their words being direct, as simple and straightforward as “Yes” and “No.”

Similar to what Yeshua taught on making oaths and vows, James the Just later talked about the human pride associated with conducting business affairs, while not knowing what tomorrow would bring. The context of James’ admonition is interesting to consider, because it ultimately addressed the need for Messiah followers to maintain a spirit of humility, totally dependent on the Lord for His sovereign will to play out among the interactions between people—especially when it comes to speaking against one another:

“Where do wars and fightings among you come from? Don’t they come from your pleasures that war in your members? You lust, and don’t have. You murder and covet, and can’t obtain. You fight and make war. You don’t have, because you don’t ask. You ask, and don’t receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures. You adulterers and adulteresses, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, ‘The Spirit who lives in us yearns jealously’? But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, ‘God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble’ [Proverbs 3:34, LXX]. Be subject therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners. Purify your hearts, you double-minded. Lament, mourn, and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he will exalt you. Don’t speak against one another, brothers. He who speaks against a brother and judges his brother, speaks against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. Only one is the lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge another? Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow let’s go into this city and spend a year there, trade, and make a profit.’ Yet you don’t know what your life will be like tomorrow. For what is your life? For you are a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. For you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we will both live, and do this or that.’ But now you glory in your boasting. All such boasting is evil. To him therefore who knows to do good and doesn’t do it, to him it is sin” (James 4:1-17, WMB).

Most critical to be considered, per the issue of making oaths and vows, is how quite frequently what comes out of the mouth of a human being, is not at all good:

“The heart of the righteous weighs answers, but the mouth of the wicked gushes out evil” (Proverbs 15:28, WMB).

“The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings out that which is good, and the evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings out that which is evil, for out of the abundance of the heart, his mouth speaks” (Luke 6:45, WMB).

The severity of watching what comes out of the mouth is intensified in view of the words of David, in that what comes out of the mouth is not intended to change:

“A Psalm by David. LORD, who shall dwell in your sanctuary? Who shall live on your holy hill? He who walks blamelessly and does what is right, and speaks truth in his heart; he who doesn’t slander with his tongue, nor does evil to his friend, nor casts slurs against his fellow man; in whose eyes a vile man is despised, but who honors those who fear the LORD; he who keeps an oath even when it hurts, and doesn’t change; he who doesn’t lend out his money for usury, nor take a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things shall never be shaken” (Psalm 15:1-5, WMB).

One can easily see why Yeshua’s direction was for people to simply speak “Yes” and “No,” because of the inevitability for limited human beings to not keep their word. Saying “Yes” and “No” to various matters, certainly forces people to think through what they say—not only preventing them from making rash commitments, but also wondering whether or not such commitments would be approved by God.

Keeping our word to others is critical and it builds trust. When it is broken, it tears up relationships and does serious damage to couples, families, friendships, business partnerships, various enterprises—and the list goes on and on. After all, if you know that a person’s word is not reliable, you are placed in a precarious position if such a man or woman tells you something—not truly knowing if what has been said will be honored.

Personally, the regularity of those who claim to be followers of the Messiah, not honoring their word or vows, is a pet peeve of mine, which has brought significant irritation over the years. Without going into all of the details, suffice it to say that while serving the Lord in a ministerial capacity over the past fourteen years (1998-2012), there have been any number of people who have voluntarily spoken words of encouragement to us, which have included their willingness to support our efforts financially. When those comments come forth from a person’s lips, it is duly noted in your mind, because as those looking to the Provider for sustenance, it is always interesting to notice just whose heart He moves upon to give of their resources—so that we can continue to labor, particularly in theological writing and research, for the emerging Messianic community of faith.

Some people have even offered to tithe to our ministry on a regular basis, which certainly can be quite humbling for us when we hear of such commitments people are willing to make. However, there have been a number of times when those making these statements have, for whatever reasons, been unable to honor their commitments. When this is noted, it has been my policy to call these people on the phone, and verbally release them from any vow they have made—noting that not keeping a vow is likely to bring commensurate penalties upon them. Naturally, my desire is that no one be in a position to be punished by the Lord for failing to follow through on a commitment, much less have the Adversary himself have legal right to hold their lack of compliance against them.

In Ki-Teitzei and in examining the words of Moses, it is fairly clear that the need to watch what comes forth from the lips is most imperative. James the Just was also most direct, in his steadfast instruction,

“So, then, my beloved brothers, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger; for the anger of man doesn’t produce the righteousness of God” (James 1:19-20, WMB).

Many of the commitments, vows, and oaths which are made—often invoking the approval of God—are done out of anger and bitterness toward others. Rather than simply damning others with foul language here or there, such words often take the form of, “I swear by God that such and such happens to you…”

The advice to be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger, is certainly something to keep in mind when we encounter the period of the Judges in the Tanakh. In the case of Jephthah, because of his vow to the Lord, he was compelled to offer up his one and only daughter:

“Jephthah came to Mizpah to his house; and behold, his daughter came out to meet him with tambourines and with dances. She was his only child. Besides her he had neither son nor daughter. When he saw her, he tore his clothes, and said, ‘Alas, my daughter! You have brought me very low, and you are one of those who trouble me; for I have opened my mouth to the LORD, and I can’t go back.’ She said to him, ‘My father, you have opened your mouth to the LORD; do to me according to that which has proceeded out of your mouth, because the LORD has taken vengeance for you on your enemies, even on the children of Ammon.’ Then she said to her father, ‘Let this thing be done for me. Leave me alone two months, that I may depart and go down on the mountains, and bewail my virginity, I and my companions.’ He said, ‘Go.’ He sent her away for two months; and she departed, she and her companions, and mourned her virginity on the mountains. At the end of two months, she returned to her father, who did with her according to his vow which he had vowed. She was a virgin. It became a custom in Israel that the daughters of Israel went yearly to celebrate the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite four days in a year” (Judges 11:34-40, WMB).

Jephthah actually vowed to the Lord that he would offer up, as a sacrifice, whatever came out of the door of his house, if the Lord delivered the Ammonites to him and his marauders:

“Then the LORD’s Spirit came on Jephthah, and he passed over Gilead and Manasseh, and passed over Mizpah of Gilead, and from Mizpah of Gilead he passed over to the children of Ammon. Jephthah vowed a vow to the LORD, and said, ‘If you will indeed deliver the children of Ammon into my hand, then it shall be, that whatever comes out of the doors of my house to meet me when I return in peace from the children of Ammon, it shall be the LORD’s, and I will offer it up for a burnt offering’” (Judges 11:29-31, WMB).

It is debated whether Jephthah’s daughter was actually sacrificed, or if her sacrifice was instead perpetual virginity. The intriguing thing about this incident, is the fact that Jephthah was actually listed among the figures of faith in Hebrews ch. 11. Even though he spoke considerably rash words, his other actions of obedience to the Lord apparently reckoned him an important figure to many in Jewish history.

God’s ways and thoughts are so much higher than ours (Isaiah 55:8-9), that many of us must absolutely beg for more understanding when it comes to attempting to understand why there is such an emphasis seen in Scripture on the spoken word, vows, oaths, and ayes and nays. Perhaps much of it has to do with the fact that the Lord Himself spoke Creation into existence. “Let there be light” (Genesis 1:3) seems like such an elementary declaration, and yet when it is fully considered, it is quite complicated…

If there is anything to be learned from this week’s Torah reading, let us each meditate upon what comes forth from our mouths. Better yet, let us work on what happens in our innermost thoughts and what is generated in our hearts! For after all, we will be held accountable for our thoughts as well. As Believers who are to be actively accomplishing the good works of His Kingdom—such good works are to be the physical manifestation of thoughts and ideas in the mind, which are focused on the righteousness of God. As children of the Most High with the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit, we have the ability to overcome the sins which take place within our thought life. The challenge is wanting to be whole and clean before a righteous and holy God. We have to choose to walk the path which He has set before us in His Word.

Watching what you think, in order to avoid saying things which will either be judgmental or reveal some residual evil in your heart, is a great exercise to consider. Let us each be sure that we are walking in the light of the Lord. Let us learn to wholeheartedly confess of our sins, by reflecting on some of the key instructions of the Apostle John:

“That which was from the beginning, that which we have heard, that which we have seen with our eyes, that which we saw, and our hands touched, concerning the Word of life (and the life was revealed, and we have seen, and testify, and declare to you the life, the eternal life, which was with the Father, and was revealed to us); that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us. Yes, and our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Yeshua the Messiah. And we write these things to you, that our joy may be fulfilled. This is the message which we have heard from him and announce to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in the darkness, we lie and don’t tell the truth. But if we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Yeshua the Messiah his Son, cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us the sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we haven’t sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us” (1 John 1:1-10, WMB).

Lord, purge the plague of lying lips! Give each of us a heart to have confessing lips, which can speak forth blessings which reflect of the forgiveness you have provided us! Hallelujah!