"Lo Tirtzach / You shall not murder"

"Lo Tirtzach / You shall not murder"
Parashat HaShavua Yitro / Jethro; Year 5764
http://www.cmy.on.ca/toraportions2000/shemot/yitro.htm (Online version)
Congregation Melech Yisrael, Toronto, Canada
Shabbat 22 Shevat 5764, February 14, 2004
http://www.cmy.on.ca / cmy@ca.inter.net

This week's Reading list:
* Shemot / Exodus 18:1-20:23
* Yeshayahu / Isaiah 6:1-7:6;9:5-6
* Mattityahu / Matthew 5:17-32

When you read Parsha Yitro it is easy to see what stands out most in the portion our sages have chosen for this week’s reading. Of course it is HaShem giving Moshe the Aseret HaDibrot (the Ten Sayings or Words, also known as the Ten Commandments). Now you know I have a comment to make on each and every one of these Aseret HaDibrot! However in order to do justice to this d’var and effectively use the space I have, I am just going to comment on the one Daber (Saying) HaShem has placed on my heart today. By the way I think I have adequately covered the Forth Daber in the Newsletter section of our web page, check it out as an addendum to this D’var Torah (Torah Commentary, Remember the Shabbat).

Shemot {20:13} “You shall not murder.”

Capital punishment is a hot potato issue in our modern society. Canada has eliminated the death penalty and will not even extradite a Canadian accused of committing a murder in a country which has the death penalty. So I thought it appropriate to comment on this Sixth Daber.

The King James Version of the Bible translates verse thirteen of the twentieth chapter of Shemot as “Thou shalt not Kill.” It is here where a lot of people part company with G-d. That is because they claim, in one part of the Bible HaShem tells us not to kill while in another part of the Bible He instructs the bnei Yisrael not only to kill the Cannani (Canaanites) but to wipe them of the face f the earth, men, woman, children and livestock included. The problem here however this that the word “Kill” as it is rendered in the King James is a mistranslation of the original Hebrew word. The publishers of the King James Version of the Bible recognized this and in fact correct the mistake in their New King James Version. The Hebrew root word used in this verse is “RA-TS-ACH,” which is most often used in Hebrew when referring to premeditated murder of a human being. When HaShem told bnei Yisrael to kill the Cannani the Hebrew word He used there was “MOOTH.” This Hebrew word is used most often to mean execute.

Murder is the taking of a human life by force or by any other means. It is a sin against G-d who is the author of all life and who alone holds the key to life and death. As we know HaShem does not allow murder to go unpunished.

Shemot {21:12} “One who strikes an ish (man) so that he dies shall surely be put to death, …”

So we should not confuse the word RATSACH with MOOTH. One means murder the other execution. HaShem obliviously thought, in His divine wisdom and knowledge, that the Cannani were guilty of a crime whose punishment is worthy of execution. Rav Shaul (Paul) addressed this point in:

Romim / Romans 13:1 Let every soul be in subjection to the higher authorities, for there is no authority except from G-d, and those who exist are ordained by G-d. 13:2 Therefore he who resists the authority, withstands the ordinance of G-d; and those who withstand will receive to themselves judgment. 13:3 For rulers are not a terror to the good work, but to the evil. Do you desire to have no fear of the authority? Do that which is good, and you will have praise from the same, 13:4 for he is a servant of G-d to you for good. But if you do that which is evil, be afraid, for he doesn't bear the sword in vain; for he is a servant of G-d, an avenger for wrath to him who does evil.

Do you see what Rav Shaul is telling us here? He’s saying that HaShem has transferred, to those which He put in power, the responsibility of meeting out judgement on His behalf. Likewise HaShem has transferred the responsibility, to those He put in power, to protect His people against their enemies by going to war. HaShem is not a G-d of war, He is a G-d of peace, but sometimes He allows war and even encourages it, as an extension for meeting out His justice. Yisrael’s war with the Cannani is an excellent example of this.

The Daber “You shall not murder,” has been given to us so that we will have peaceable relationships with our neighbour. The higher purpose therefore behind this Daber is that we are to esteem life which HaShem has given, as sacred. HaShem is the one who gives life therefore He is the only one that can take life. However as pointed out by Rav Shaul, HaShem sometimes turns over that responsibility to those He has placed in authority, such as governments.

In the Brit Chadasha (Renewed Covenant) we read that Yeshua not only validated this Daber against murder, He explained its spiritual significance and its spiritual consequences.

Mattityahu (Matthew) {5:21} "You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not murder,' and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment. {5:22} "But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment…

What we are being told here is that HaShem does not wait for the physical manifestation of murder before administering judgement. A murder we are being told, can take place in a person’s mind and the consequence for that is just as deadly; spiritual death just like the consequence of physical murder is physical death.

How many of you therefore, reading this D’var Torah today, have murdered a waiter / waitress that took too long with your order; or the mechanic who did not fix your car properly; or the check-out person at the grocery store? How many have murdered a boss or an employee? Worse, how many have murdered a family member and even worse yet, how many have murdered G-d?

HaShem knows what He is doing; it is not up to us to tell Him what makes a just society. These Aseret HaDibrot are His Words, His instruction for us. I hope I have enlightened you on the meaning of the sixth Daber.

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Baruch HaShem
Rabbi Jack (Yaacov) Farber
"Haleluya L'Adoneinu Moreinu V'Rabeinu Yeshua Melech HaMashiach L'Olam Vaed"
Hallelujah to our Lord, our Teacher, our Rabbi, "YESHUA" King Messiah for ever and ever!!!
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