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Newsletter
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Understanding Torah Society continuing series
     November 21, 2012
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In this issue
Understanding Torah Society
Idioms
Shalom Dear Brothers and Sisters in Mashiach,

This week we examine in detail a prophetic idiom - every man under his tree and under his vine.  This is a very exciting as well as enlightening verse when it is understood properly and in context.  Perhaps, this verse like no other reveals to the diligent student of Scripture what the coming kingdom of Elohim looks like in ways that other passages do not. 

We hope you enjoy this challenging study!

We are resending the idiom from last week as part of it got deleted.  We are not sure what happened, we are sorry for the mistake and any inconvenience which this may have caused. 
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Understanding Torah Society - part 20,
Every man under his own tree 
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society 

Micah 4:4

But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig-tree; and none shall make them afraid; for the mouth of YHWH Tzava'ot has spoken it.

 

The most obvious meaning of this passage from the context is there is no one to make Israel afraid any longer. He is dwelling in safety and security. Each man is dwelling under his own tree and under his own vine. However, while this is readily apparent from the context, it is far from being the end of what dwelling under one's one tree and vine means. This passage speaks on many levels as to how a Torah society is supposed to function.

 

Both the vine and the fig tree bear fruit which is good for food. Thus, one of the meanings here is that each man is producing his own food. This is one of the things that gives him reason to be secure; he does not need to depend upon others in order to be able to feed and clothe his family. We include the ability to clothe himself as well as feeding himself because of what man originally did in the garden.

 

Likewise, each man sitting under his own tree, specifically, his own fig tree, suggests the sin of Adam and Chavah in Gan Eden.

 

B'reshit (Genesis) 3:7

And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig-leaves together, and made themselves aprons.

 

As a result of rebelling against the Voice of YHWH, man hid his nakedness by putting on fig leaves. We are not suggesting man is going to return to that state. However, what it does seem to suggest concerning man's future state by one sitting under his own fig tree, indicates each person will be fully aware of his own shortcomings and sin. He will not be looking at the other man's sin and pointing his finger at his neighbor any longer. He finally fully realizes he is not worthy of being in the presence of YHWH.

 

Yonah (Jonah) 4:6-7

6 And YHWH Elohim prepared a gourd, and made it to come up over Yonah, that it might be a shade over his head, to deliver him from his evil case. So Yonah was exceeding glad because of the gourd.

7 But Elohim prepared a worm when the morning rose the next day, and it smote the gourd, that it withered.

 

Both the vine and tree suggest other passages of Scripture. Each man sitting under his own vine suggests the account of Yonah. The vine of Yonah suggests both repentance and mercy. Not only is each man to repent and return to YHWH, but each man is also to show his neighbor the mercy he received from YHWH. If he does not, then his vine shall wilt.

 

Furthermore, each person sitting under his own vine and tree also suggests each person is minding his own business. He is not being a busybody nor attempting to dictate to his neighbor how his neighbor should live his life. Rather, each person is sitting under his own tree at peace with himself as well as at peace with his neighbors and with his brothers. This is what a true Torah society should look like.


 


 
Continue reading the rest of the study here. PDF.

 

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 Idioms and Word Studies:  Boil a kid in its mother's milk 

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Idioms

 

Shemot [Exodus] 23:19  (see also Shemot 34:26; Devarim 14:21)
"The first of the first-fruits of your ground you shall bring into the house of YHWH your Elohim.  You shall not boil a kid in its mother's milk."

 

To be in it's mother's milk simply means that it is nursing, and we are not to kill a young animal when it is nursing.  It must be separated for at least four days before killing it. 

 

 Shemot [Exodus] 12:3
"You speak to all the congregation of Israel, saying, 'In the tenth of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to their fathers' houses, a lamb for a household,'"

On the tenth day of the month of Aviv, every man is commanded to select a lamb from his flock and set it aside.  They are then to keep this lamb separated for four days. These four days of separation are sufficient for the lamb to no longer be "in his mother's milk."  He will be weaned by the time he is killed.  Thus, one does no harm to the command not to kill a lamb which is "in his mother's milk" because he is now weaned from his mother ewe.
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