Clothes Make The Man
The wise in heart will receive commandments, but a babbling fool will be ruined. Proverbs 10:8 (ESV)
Receive – “Without mitzvot one is naked.” So say the rabbis about the necessity of the commandments (mitzvot). Heschel points out that Judaism views the commandments as if they were literal things, as if they could be possessed or acquired or put on. This is an entirely Jewish concept. It is foreign to Western thought. We think of commandments as actions, duties or rules, but Jews think of them as clothing, as protective shields or as valuable treasures to be securely stored. That’s why Heschel can say, “A Jew without Torah is obsolete.”
Rethinking the cultural background of the mitzvot provides two crucial insights. First, we must change the translation of this verse in Proverbs. The Hebrew word here is yikah. The root is laqah. It literally means “to take, to get.” It is used to describe the action of grasping an animal or seizing a person. In context, it may mean “to buy, to acquire, to receive.” Now you know why the NASB translates the verse with “receive commandments.” But notice that the principle meanings surround the idea of taking something, not being the passive listener. Heschel suggests that the passage is more accurately translated “will acquire commandments.” In other words, the wise man or woman is someone who deliberately pursues the commandments as if they could be possessed as priceless treasures. There is never any sense of obligation here. There is only the sense of desire and passionate acquisition. The wise man desperately wants the commandments in his life because they are so valuable to him that he could not feel at home in the world without them. He would be naked except for their protection. The first lesson is one of personal confrontation. Do we passionately pursue God’s instructions? Do we value them as priceless treasures? Most people say what they believe but they do what they value. This verse challenges us to examine our values.
Secondly, we discover the Hebrew background to a Pauline idiom. Do you remember those verses about putting on the new man? You might read 2 Corinthians 5:17 or Ephesians 4:24 or Colossians 3:10. Did you think Paul invented that phrase? How would your explanation of “putting on the new man” change if you realized that Paul is using a Hebrew idiom about mitzvot? What would happen to your theology of grace if Paul is telling us that being a new creature in Christ is the same as acquiring the commandments? Paul is a rabbi. His thought is saturated with the Hebrew Scriptures. Do you really think that he wasn’t aware of this metaphor in Proverbs? Is it simply a coincidence that he uses language that reflects the meaning of laqah? I suspect that most of us thought grace and the commandments were on opposite sides of the scale. Apparently Paul thinks otherwise. Grace allows me to put on the commandments like a new set of clothes. I am naked without them.
What about you? Are you naked or are you wearing God’s finest robes?
Topical Index: laqah, receive, acquire, clothes, naked, Proverbs 10:8
Hi Skip,
Do you believe that the mitzvah for the men to wear tefillin every morning, except on the Sabbath, applies to Jews only or gentile believers as well?
A great question, Judi. The reference of this mitzvah is Deuteronomy 6:8. The text doesn’t actually say when this is to occur. Here is a link to a long discussion about tefillin. http://www.sichosinenglish.org/books/bar-mitzvah/05.htm#t2
While I don’t expect you to read it all, take a look at the footnotes. You will see that nearly all the citations are from works other than Scripture (mostly teachings of the rabbis). Only the Deuteronomy passage opens the discussion. All the rest is tradition and legislation designed to assist in keeping the mitzvah. So now we have an issue. What does the text actually say? Am I obligated to follow the teaching of the rabbis on this or am I only obligated to the exact words of the text? This is, of course, a serious issue for all the mitzvot.
What do you think?
Yes…I’ve been wondering about those additional teachings from the rabbis.
For example, the meat and dairy mitzvah. The commandment seems to say, do not cook meat in milk. However, while researching this, I came upon an explanation that said many rabbis have added poultry to this commandment. I wasn’t sure why.
And, I found myself quietly hoping, “therefore I don’t have to abide by that one??”
Guess what I’m really “hoping” that it’s still o.k. to eat one of my favorite dishes in Mexico…Chicken w/ Cream of Poblano Sauce. 🙂 But, totally willing to forego it should that be G-d’s desire.
Just still not sure how to KNOW.
Once again I think we must set the text in its own culture. Why avoid boiling a kid in its mother’s milk? Seems a bit strange to us but if you lived in a culture surrounded by fertility cults where this practice was part of a ritual to worship the gods of the flock, maybe it wouldn’t be so strange. In fact, maybe you would have to avoid this practice in order not to be considered worshipping a false god. Lifting the verse out of its culture changes everything. How many other verses have we used in the same way?
Amen!- Get dressed!-“But put on the LORD- Jesus (who is the) Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.” Put off and put on. Refuse this, but choose that. “For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.” (Galatians 3.27)
Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of G-d; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints….” Ephesians 6:10-18
God’s armor brings victory because it is far more than a protective covering. It is the very life of Jesus Christ Himself.
“He went about doing good”.. (Acts 10.38)
and be found in him, not having a righteousness of mine own, even that which is of the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: (Philippians 3.9)
I boast not of works or tell of good deeds
For naught have I done to merit His grace
All glory and praise shall rest upon Him
So willing to die in my place
I will glory in the cross
In the cross
Lest His suffering all be in vain
I will weep no more for the cross that He bore
I will glory in the cross
My trophies and crowns, my robe stained with sin
Twas all that I had to lay at His feet
Unworthy to eat from the table of Life
Till Love made provision for me.
I will glory in the cross
In the cross
Lest His suffering all be in vain
I will weep no more for the cross that He bore
I will glory in the cross.
-but put on the LORD Jesus (who is the) Christ.. -“if you abide in me and my words abide in you” (John 15.7)
http://www.gatewaybiblicalcounseling.org/resources/putoffputonlist.htm
From your studies, do you see that we should be wearing four-cornered garments with tzitzits?
I asked Bob Gorelik about this when we were in Israel. His reply: “I don’t have any shirts with corners.” Duhh! So obvious when you actually think about it.