Torah Portion: Deuteronomy 3:23-7:11

Va'etchanan ('And I pleaded…')

Looking at the ten commandments in this portion of the Torah, I found myself pondering the ratio of the 'dos’ and the 'don'ts’ within it and remembering the old saying, “Don't say ‘don't’ if ‘do’ will do!” In fact, there are seven 'don’ts’ and three 'dos’ in the ten commandments.

'Don't' moments spark something in our human nature; we are curious, challenged or at worst, rebellious. The "Why shouldn’t I?" or "How far can I can take this before it becomes dangerous?" questions can pop up. Depending on our circumstances or frame of mind, the temptation can be to confront the ‘don’t’ with the opposite reaction. Sometimes, reframing the negative as a positive can lead to motivation, clarity of mind, vision and hope of success.

What if 'Don't' Becomes 'Do'?

I remember a child at the end of a talk given by a well-known speaker. He said to the man, "I understand what you say I should beware of and not to do, but please would you tell us now what we should be doing?"

Of course, it is vital to hear and heed the Father's warnings and we are warned that changing the word of the Lord brings dire consequences. Yet, it is interesting to reframe the sense of some of God's commands - just as the Hebrew people would sometimes state the opposite in order to bring further understanding.

• In the first commandment, we are warned to have no other gods before the Lord. A line of a hymn comes to mind: “Thou and Thou only, first in my heart, High King of Heaven, my treasure Thou art”.
• “You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God” corresponds with “Honour the name of the Lord in all that you do”.
• “You shall not murder” corresponds with “You shall preserve the sanctity of life of people of all ages”.
• “You shall not give false testimony” corresponds with “Speak the truth”.
• “You shall not covet”, “steal” or “commit adultery” all have the same underlying root of wanting or taking another's property. A heart of intentional and continual gratitude for all that the Lord gives, day by day and night by night, steers us along His path of joy and brings strength in the face of temptation.

The Lord Yeshua sorted out the balance of all this brilliantly in His summary of the law (Matthew 22:37) as “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind…You shall love your neighbour as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”

Negative to Positive

Deuteronomy 5 concludes with: "So be careful to do what the Lord your God has commanded you, do not turn aside to the right or to the left. Walk in all the way that the Lord your God has commanded you so that you may live and prosper and prolong your days in the land that you will possess."

This is an excellent blend of a positive, a warning and a positive, followed by God's promise of life and blessing. It is interesting that the Cross looks very much like a plus sign. How much the New Covenant in the blood of Yeshua turns negative to positive – worth thinking about!

Author: Sally Bolton